Ancient Magic and Parseltongue

Chapter 9, Pureblooded Muggle

It was very quiet next few days. Salazar hadn't threatened anything or even tried to come back, but you haven't woken up yet either, something that was beginning to make everyone worry. They knew Salazar meant to kill you after watching you suffer, but the longer you sleep, the harder it was to believe you were going to wake up.
Sebastian and Anne had to drag Ominis to eat, because he refused to leave the room and even then, he ate only enough that they'd be okay with him going back to the hospital wing.
He took the spot beside you, grabbing your hand, wondering when he was going to hear your voice again as he sat back in his chair.
He wondered if you would be happy to have lost your magic, you hadn't hidden how interested you were when Salazar mentioned stealing it in the library.
Sebastian told him you tried to hold onto it and gave a pretty good fight, but in the end, he had stolen too much magic to fight against.
Ominis hoped you wouldn't think he liked you any less being magicless.
His ears heard you inhale first, before your hand tightened around his while you opened your eyes. "Hey, how do you feel?"
Your attention drifted towards Ominis, who's brows were pinched in worry. "There's still a slight pain, but I'm alright. How's everyone else?"
He shook his head sharply. "We're all fine, but you've been unconscious for days. We're more concerned about you."
You blinked slowly, not realizing time had passed that fast, but you squeezed his hand. "I'm not really thrilled at the idea of being hunted by Salazar without magic, but it comes with the territory." You watched his expression fall as worry crept up on it. "I know I entertained the idea of not having ancient magic, but I've realized how important it was for me and for all the lives I've been involved in. And now we can't even get home. I'm sorry I let all of you down."
Startled from hearing you break down, he hugged you tightly, half slamming into you. "You didn't do anything of the sort." Hearing you cry hurt him as badly as hearing you scream in pain. "I told you before, I don't care where we are. I could live in this time for the rest of our lives."
You gripped onto his cloak, trying to ground yourself as the guilt of failing everyone ate away at you. It was something you never tried to do after so many people let you down growing up.
Ominis held onto you long after you calmed down. You were just trying to find comfort, but your thoughts refused to let you go. Replaying the moments that lead to this one.
The door opened, drawing your attention to Godric as he walked in.
"Ah, it's nice to see you're up. We were beginning to worry if you ever would," he said as Ominis pulled back and sat beside you. "Any adverse reactions to Salazar's spell?"
"Dull pain throughout my body, but I think I slept most of it off."
He nodded, guilt lacing his features. "You're welcome to stay here of course. It is my fault that you were even being watched by Salazar."
"I appreciate that, but I don't really belong here anymore," you said ignoring how sharply Ominis's head snapped in your direction or how Godric's features dropped before he hung his head. "This is a school for magic and I...I don't have magic anymore."
"You're still a witch. You will always be one," Ominis clarified strongly, drawing your gaze.
Knowing he was going to keep arguing with you, you let it go as Godric moved closer. "You don't have to do this. He is right."
You felt like they were only saying that because they felt guilty when they shouldn't. You made your choice. "I know, but with the Slytherins still being obsessed with pureblood status and me now defenseless against them, I'd just be putting a bigger target on my back."
Understanding that your mind was made up, Godric nodded and headed from the room.
"And me?" Ominis whispered, his voice trembling. "Do I get a say in this? Or are you saying goodbye?"
"I'm basically a muggle now, Ominis. I can't do anything if I'm attacked again. I can't stop someone from hurting us and this is a place to learn magic -which you have."
"I already learned everything they've been teaching us. Let me protect you this time." He cupped the back of your neck, pressing his forehead to yours desperately trying to keep you as close as possible while feeling like you were slipping away. "Please don't leave without me."
"Are you sure you'd be okay with me being this way?"
"I don't care about if you have magic or not. I care about you. The fiery woman who purposely taunted someone with powerful magic without hesitation after just losing your own. The woman who took on a war practically alone. Who saved me more times that I can even count. I care about you."
His thumb brushed against your cheek as you held in the happiness his admittance gave you.
"Okay Ominis," you whispered, resting your hand against his, feeling him relax.

Sebastian and Anne agreed with Ominis and though you couldn't get out of the past now, you would find a small place to live out the rest of your lives while history took care of itself.
If only it was that easy.
Rowena and Helga asked you to stay long enough to fully recover. The four of you stayed in the hospital wing together to ensure Salazar wouldn't come back. But, the longer you remained in the castle, you started to hear voices, whisperings of someone calling out to you. No one else seemed to hear it.
One night, about a week later, you woke up to someone whispering in your ear, calling you to something. It tugged your body to sit up, instantly waking Ominis who had been worried you'd vanish one night, but when you didn't reply to him calling out to you, he immediately woke up the twins.
You locked eyes with Sebastian as his widened. "Ominis, her eyes are gold. I think she's under some kind of spell."
As if on que, your body started towards the door, your friends moving to follow, their wands out and ready for an ambush.
The feeling led you through the castle, down the hall, stairs and cavern until you reached the stone door, which opened as you approached.
Aware this could be a trap, your friends checked the corners for anyone possibly hiding in them or under the disillusionment charm, but found nothing.
You took a deep breath when the spell released its hold, Ominis moved to your side in relief.
"Are you alright?"
Nodding you looked at the box and book. "Yeah, it was like I had no control over myself. I could see everything, but I couldn't stop moving."
Everyone side glanced at how uncomfortable the situation was, but your attention quickly went to the necklace you had forgotten about which began to heat up, making you practically rip it free.
It was glowing slightly, the same color as the box before you, the same color your eyes had been under the spell. The bail holding the pendant disintegrated and the chain fell to the floor, dropping the symbol into your hand.
When you looked at the box, you saw the star symbol like an indent in the top, perfect for the necklace piece to fit into it.
Reaching out to test it, Sebastian spoke hurriedly. "Careful, it has a barrier."
You looked back at him, seeing him shrug. "The door opened after Salazar left. The spell shoots some kind of pulse through your body. It's painful."
Taking a deep breath, your fingers touched the barrier, it crumbled as if welcoming you, so you placed the pendant into the indention.
A clicking noise of the lock releasing sounded loudly in the quiet room, but as soon as the lid opened, the golden light shot right out of the box and slammed into you so hard, it knocked you backwards onto the floor.
The pain in your body faded instantly as you felt connected to everything, every nerve ending, beat of your heart, the movement you made on the floor. You could practically feel where everyone was with your eyes closed.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Ominis asked, lightly shaking your shoulder to get your attention.
You sat up seeing the box was gone and the book was floating right before your eyes. "Yeah, just different really. Like something changed I just don't know what."
Sebastian reached for the book, but the barrier shot up around it so he quickly pulled his hand back.
"Seems only you can read that book," Anne said examining it from afar.
You reached your hands out, the barrier dropping before it dropped into your hands. "Seems so."