Chapter 80: Angst for breakfast
"Ssshe talksss as much ass two people, Massster..." Nanthisk remarks after scooping an entire plate of bacon into his mouth, ceramic and all...
He shrugs, "It works since she can talk for the both of us..." he responds in Parseltongue, causing Hermione to pause her rant on her classmate's refusal to study before bed.
She wets her lips, "I don't believe it you know? That you're evil..."
He quirks a brow at her, "You shouldn't make assumptions so early after meeting me... What's the saying, don't judge a book by its cover?"
"T-that doesn't count in this situation! In fact it should be the opposite! Me not judging you because of something you can't control!" she exclaims.
"But I 'embrace' this dark talent of mine." he gestures a hand around the Hall which already had people staring at him, "Performing an 'evil' act in front of everyone, if I'm not evil then I'm at best not 'good'."
"That doesn't matter if the same act is considered good in other counties. Padma said it was a revered talent for healing!"
Harry shrugs, "Speaking of that, could you ask," he pauses to remember her roommate's name despite the fact she'd spoken it not a minute ago, "Parvati, if she or her sister knew where I could get some books on Parseltongue? Figure I should start trying to change the perception of this ability." he says with a false-reason... It wasn't like he could tell her he intended to use it for rituals and experimentation.
To him healing magic was just offensive magic done carefully... A stitching charm could be used on someone's mouth to silence them, preventing them from performing spells. Or a clotting spell for sealing wounds could be used to form clots in the brain, causing stroke or other deadly diseases.
"Maybe? Parvati isn't as... Studious as her sister. I'll ask for you anyway." Hermione offers with a smile.
"Hey, what's this Mudblood doing at our table?" an annoying voice sounds out as the speaker approaches, "I thought you would know better than this, Potter." Draco spits, his entourage of Pansy, Crabb, Goyle, and some other First Year Slytherins that'd decided to take their chances under his wing.
Hermione bites her lip at this, now knowing what the insult really meant...
"She's doing what she was doing on the train, speaking with me." Harry drawls, "Unless you want to run away again, you should be quiet and sit elsewhere."
"I'm not scared of your snake, Potter." Draco gripes, "I looked it up but couldn't find what kind it was. Which means it's a mongrel like your friend." he insults with a shit-eating grin.
"Again, do you want to chance it? I don't mind cutting you into bite-sized pieces, he isn't quite big enough to swallow you whole yet." Harry dispassionately asks while Nanthisk raises his head from the table.
Draco's about to respond but pauses when a shadow covers Harry, the smell of dust and other indistinct damp things filling his nose.
"Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin for threatening to kill, butcher, and feed your Housemate to your pet." Professor Snape emotionlessly drawls as he stands over Harry.
"W-why Gryffindor?" Hermione squeaks in protest.
"Accessory to the crime. Go back to your table, Miss Granger, you are hardly needed nor wanted here."
"I think you've misunderstood, Professor. It's you who isn't wanted. We were sitting here fine until we were approached. And I don't remember any rules even suggesting that we were to be kept at our House tables, not unless it's an event like the Sorting." Harry responds and tries not to grin as Snape's face reddens with anger.
"I am your Head of House, Potter." he growls.
"And? As far as I'm concerned your role ends as soon as I leave the common room. What do House Points even do? Win you a trophy that none of us will see?" he asks, ignoring the shrinking Hermione that looked ready to bolt.
"I should have expected you to act like your failure father. You are every bit as crude and disobedient as he was. You will learn soon enough that my House doesn't tolerate fools for long."
"That sounds almost like a threat, Professor." Harry asks as he locks eyes with the man while crushing his empty metal goblet in his hand, aided with some telekinesis of course.
"Merely a promise." he drops a sheet on the table before Harry who snatches it out of the air before it lands in some beans. "This is your schedule. You and Miss Granger have my class in under an hour, let us hope you do not blow yourselves up." he states before striding away.
"Hear that? You're like your father, Potter. Wonder when you'll join him and your Mudblood mother." he snickers with his friends.
"If you think insulting my failure parents will do anything, you're more stupid than I thought." Harry neutrally remarks, causing Hermione to do a double-take at him.
"H-Harry! That's your parents! What do you mean?"
"I never knew them, and I didn't even know they existed until I entered Diagon Alley. They were too weak to protect me against an enemy they made, too blind to see their traitorous friend Sirius Black, and too stupid to leave this shit hole country and let it burn." he grouses, letting his hostility show in his tone.
Clearly, this surprised everyone, Hermione, Draco, and Draco's entourage all going silent and having nothing to say...
...
"F-figures the blood traitor would hate this country, no regard for his ancestors and family, you're a disgrace." Draco spits before leaving, sitting at the very end of the table.
"Harry-" Hermione starts but he cuts her off.
"Don't. Whatever you're about to say. You have living parents who are presumably happy and care for you. Mine are dead as a result of their own completely avoidable actions... Would you be so offended if my parents were drug addicts that almost had me suffocated at birth?"
"T-that's not that same! Your parents were heroes!"
"It's the same in principle." he quickly retorts, "You want a better comparison? Imagine a soldier bringing his newborn to war. That is essentially what they did, they are to blame for almost everything I have been through... Among others." he whispers the last part while sending a hidden glare at Dumbledore who'd just arrived to the hall.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Niggross
Niggross Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
If you like my content or want to read ahead please go to : https://www.p.atreon.com/Nagross, I'd appreciate it.
Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :
ShinAmazake
Kingsprovince
Faruk Ereng
VidDav FerDeL
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone