An Heir

Part Five- My Mistress

I didn’t go to breakfast that morning with Professor McGonagall; I stayed in the commons, half-asleep, half brain-dead and not wanting food. Sthyss was curled up next to me on the couch, not that I could refer to it like that because he said it sounded too domestic, so instead he was just lying there, not that I cared. He, like me had given up in the early hours of the morning on the notion of sleep and we were both knackered. I tried to stretch out some of the tired and weary feeling but it lay on me like a blanket. Around ten I finally drew up the courage to leave the commons before someone came looking for me and went to have a shower. I spent the longest time I had ever spent in a shower, even Sthyss, decided that it would be good to have warm water running over his scales, it improved both of our moods considerably, although neither of us were going to feel fabulous we did pretty well trying to.

“Your birthmark is clearer today.”

“It is?” I asked, peering over my shoulder unsuccessfully. I could see a black corner but that was about it, it didn’t seem to have that cloudy look it normally had.

“Your ultimate Grandfather had the same one.” He said as I rubbed him off with a soft towel a few minutes later, I nodded understandingly and he continued.

“That was how I knew you were the one I had to watch.” He whispered. I frowned.

“But didn’t you tell Dumbledore… well tell me to tell Dumbledore that you chose me because the other female died?” I asked puzzled,

“I had to tell him something, I couldn’t have him knowing about that,” his head flicked gently, gesturing over my shoulder. Yet again I felt myself frowning.

“Why not?” I questioned once again; I couldn’t fathom why people shouldn’t know about my tattoo like marking.

“Because if he saw it he would think that you were in allegiance with the other heir of Slytherin.” Sthyss answered, growing less patient, his tongue flickering in annoyance rather out of the need to taste the air around him.

“Sthyss,” I paused unsure if I was going to get bitten; I seemed to be heading down a sensitive path. “Who is the other heir?” I said it politely and I was hoping he could tell I wasn’t trying to make him angry.

“A man named Lord Voldemort,” He hissed with an undulation of scales, he was scared, I was unsure why but something was in his tone when he had said, ‘Voldemort’. “That man; that … thing; has done things that no man should ever do, he kills many for power and many more because he enjoys suffering. A man truly after the one whom he succeeds.”

“I see.” I replied rather lamely, I had the feeling that this man had done something to Sthyss.

“That birthmark you have Imogene, it resembles a symbol that Lord Voldemort uses, if someone saw it on you-”

“I’d be in trouble, I get it.” I interrupted

“No Imogene; it would be far worse than what you would define as 'being in trouble'.” He said with a sense of finality that without a doubt concluded the discussion.

I tried to keep very aware of the time knowing that around five o’clock I would have to go out from the castle and hide deep into the forest. My head was still pounding and I felt mildly sick, but apart from that, the shower had made me feel better than I had earlier that morning. I had even gotten a copy of the Daily Prophet and read through it lazily as I waited nervously for dark to come. Of course on the front cover was another picture of Sirius Black, this one screaming up out of the page and being dragged away by guards. My eyes again found that same depth that they had last time and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.