An Heir

Part Six- Wanted: Invisibility... or not

The rest of that day I spent being illusive, in fact I spent twelve hours or so in the library. I found a book on Lycanthropes and committed to memory all the things that were supposed to make the change more bearable, however it was a very old book, so old that it looked that it would fall apart if I handled it too much, and even then most of the methods of relief seemed to relate to older Werewolves, there were references to how some things could damage young Werewolves so I put the book back with a sigh and moved on, I came across a book on Defence Against the Dark Arts, it was good to look through, and the detail on all the creatures, from pixies to gnomes was brilliant. I would have read on further but I’d spent most of the morning finding a spell to heal minor cuts and bruises. It wouldn't get rid of the now scabbing-over scratch that had just missed my eye, but it helped with the other scrapes and bites I’d taken out of myself. So as the sun creeped closer towards the horizon I left the library to join Sthyss back in the common room.

It was only just light when I got there and the lamps had been lit, the soft evening glow taking the edge off the green luminescence coming through the lake. I didn’t bother talking with Sthyss that night I just walked straight up to bed, stripped and climbed under the freezing covers, the lack of light contributing to the cold and creating an unpleasant chill. I fell asleep almost immediately and without dreams, I was simply just too tired to do anything else.
Sthyss woke me up in the morning with his head nudging at my neck, I had slept until nine and shot out of bed feeling considerably better and walked upstairs to the library for another attempt at getting some learning done.
I reached the doors to the library and walked through them, they were great oak doors that looked heavy and sturdy and they of course fit perfectly into the stone archway that served as a door frame.
When inside, I went to my favourite corner near the back of the library, just close enough to the cold, iron gate at the back, to read the sign labelling the ‘Restricted Section’.
I reached for a book that I had left on the table the previous day and found it was missing, in fact all of the books I had left there were gone and I concluded that they must have been put back in place by the librarian; Madame Pince.

Standing to go back to the shelves which I remembered them being on; I heard footsteps coming from the entrance, but chose to ignore them, it wasn’t like I wasn’t meant to be here and other people were allowed to use the library too. I found the book I was looking for in particular and wandered back to where I had placed my bag on the table.
“Oh hello Professor,” I had looked up from my book to see Professor Dumbledore was sitting at the table; apparently waiting for me.
“You look like you’re feeling better,”
“I am thank you, and how are you feeling sir?” I asked politely, he shook his head, why though, I couldn’t quite fathom.
“I can’t help but wonder if letting the Sorting Hat sort you was a good idea, I wouldn't have put you in Slytherin, you’re too polite.”
“And politeness is not something that other Slytherins value?” I asked, and he smiled wanly.
“Not particularly.” He gestured to the seat opposite him and I sat putting the book down to the side of me, he glanced inquiringly at the cover, I saw his mouth curl up in one corner and then looked back at me.
“Personally I believe that you would have been better in Ravenclaw, or perhaps even Gryffindor.” He shook his head again and sighed, “But I didn’t come here to harp on about houses, I came to ask you something.” I smiled briefly and pushed my hair behind my ears without thinking. His eyebrows shot up and I realised that he’d seen the cut on my face; my brain whirred as I desperately tried to come up with an excuse.
“It was Sthyss, he was moulting and I aggravated him.” I muttered it in an off-hand way, his eyebrows gradually went down and he was still frowning, but he appeared to have dismissed it.
“Do you think you would be interested in extra classes this year?” he asked.
“Yes!” I exclaimed quickly, eager to know that I could learn more.
He smiled, “I had a feeling that would be your reaction, so I spoke to the other teachers and they have agreed that you will go to the standard classes for third years and then you can study other subjects without the need of lesson time.”
“That… thank you sir.” I thanked him genuinely, I had been looking at the list of subjects yesterday when I had been here and I had been wondering if it would have been possible to take another class, Ancient Runes looked amazing.
“So which classes would you be interested in?” He asked making emphasis on ‘classes’ making me grin even more immpossibly broadly. 
“Ancient Runes, Muggle studies and Arithmancy,” They were the only other three options that were open to third years, and the elderly headmaster looked surprised that I had asked to study all of them.
“All three?” He asked, he sounded mildly shocked, “I suppose I should have expected as much.” He paused. “Is Sthyss sure that you aren’t related to Rowena Ravenclaw?” He asked in good humour, I laughed a bit and then he stood turning to leave. “Oh and Imogene, it might be a good idea to stay inside the castle for the rest of today and tomorrow, the guards from Azkaban are going to be arriving soon and I don't want any accidents before school has even started.” Seeing me nod he turned and left, quietly muttering to himself. I looked back down to my fourth year Defence against the Dark Arts book and began methodically working through it, eating up the words.