A Serpent Amongst Lions

Charisma gingerly hovered the large tank enclosure from the balcony of the Seventh Year Girls' dorm to the Common Room. She hadn't seen Tanith, her eight-year-old ball python, all day. And, if she recalled, the snake needed to be fed before the day was out. The last time Charisma had fed it was the day before the train back to Hogwarts - not too long ago, but long enough all the same. Smiling, the witch lowered her companion into a choice space next to her by one of the many tables meant for students to gather round and study at. Feeding and handling Tanith while studying wouldn't be that hard.

Although her father had taken remarkably good care of her other 'pets' - other breeds of snakes that she was raising for the sheer fun of keeping and selling them to fellow enthusiasts - Charisma worried that they would be neglected. Her pets were much like the rest of her family. Well... her biological mother and half-siblings comprised her 'family' these days. Her father, Vinzent, was being a pain in the ass as usual and for the moment was not included in her mental image of the definition of 'family'. She worried that Vinzent would neglect Symphony or Jonathan... or maybe do something that was even worse. It was a relief that she was of age now: once done with Hogwarts she would move out, claim custody of her siblings, and get them away from there as soon as possible! Especially for Jonathan's safety, for his bloodstatus was still questioned by the child's possible (but still undetermined) father.

Charisma unlocked the tank, smiling at the expectantly-waiting Tanith. "I've missed you, Tan! Want to come out for a little while?" she said, reaching forth to retrieve the snake. It coiled around Charisma's arm as she hoisted the sizable yet fairly small python from its home. "Will you be good long enough to be out while I get some of this homework done?" Tanith slithered up to Charisma's shoulders and coiled herself around both her owner and the chair Charisma sat in. The snake's tongue darted in and out of its mouth, scenting the air and on the lookout for any and all treats that might just get tossed her way.

"Don't scare off too many people now," chuckled Charisma as she bent to get to work on her most pressing piece of homework: a complex potions formula.

Alex entered through the portrate hole of the common room, it had been a long day, first just getting out of the hospital wing class work, among other things he was glad classes were over.

He saw Charisma Zolnerowich, his firend and housemate, there relationship was compilcated one could say, Vinzent Zolnerowich a wizengamot member came to him and arranged you guess one could say for him to "date" his daughter. However they decided it would be better if they were firends. Alex didn't want to force himself with a firend... or he would be no better then Charisma's father. He offered to lie to Vinzent and fake the fact the were "together" while they both went on with there lives and perhaps on day tell Vinzent Thanks but no thanks and there lives could move on. Though they would still be firends of course.. he hoped anyway.

He smirked as he saw the snake on her shoulders, who would have thought that one day a Gryffindor with a obsession with snakes would come to be.

"Well here is hoping the residant gryffindors live up there house name, and not fear a serpant" he said stroking a hand on the snakes body.

"Hows it going Chris?" he asked setting down his book bag and taking a seat across from her.