An Heir

Part Ten- The Birthmark

I woke up and my face was in a smooth white pillow, I was lying on my stomach and the familiar sounds of the hospital wing surrounded me. I felt Sthyss on my back but there was something different, my spine seemed to sting, and Sthyss seemed to be completely immobile, like he was- dead.

“Sthyss?” I asked, so worried I was shaking.

“I’m here, I just had to take precautions; wait.” I did as I was told and I felt like a plaster was being peeled off my skin, and then Sthyss was moving up next to me.

“They tried to take you?” I asked; concerned.

“Snape did.” He replied abruptly. He didn’t like the potions master and to be honest I wasn’t too fond of him either. I shivered again, but this time because I was cold. There was a window above me and the cool air came in and chilled me, I flipped onto my front and pulled the quilt closer around me as I sat up and leant my back against the pillow, Sthyss resting on my stomach hissed and his weight on my stomach eased the muscles underneath.

“Imogene.” I turned and Professor McGonagall was striding towards me, her hands clutched about a goblet, she offered it to me and I looked down at the water and only as I gulped it down did I realise that I was incredibly thirsty.

“Professor,” I clutched at Sthyss and held him closer. “Please don't take Sthyss, he didn’t do it on purpose, Pansy tried to kill him-”

“I know Imogene.” She assured me, and smiled. “And what happened to Miss Parkinson was entirely her own fault, she admitted that she did indeed try to kill your snake, and has been dealt with accordingly, but there is still the matter of how you are alive, I was assured by Professor Snape that your um- pet is highly poisonous.”

“He’s right, but Sthyss has been biting me for years, I’ve built enough resistance to his venom.” I explained and she nodded understandingly, I smiled and could tell that she wasn’t entirely sure if I was telling the truth but then again it hadn’t really gone as planned.

“And am I in trouble?” I asked uncertainly.

“Not unless there’s something that you did other than save another students life?” she smiled at me and was about to pat my leg when Sthyss moved and she quickly withdrew her hand.

I yawned, trying not to laugh at her face, and stretched my shoulders, flexing them.

“Professor, how long was I unconscious for?” I inquired and she raised her brows even higher than they already were.

“Just over a week, why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering how much school I had missed.” I answered, not really lying, I liked to keep track of days I’d missed because of the lunar cycle but I did wonder how much work I’d have to catch up on. “It’s been ten days.” Sthyss clarified and I nodded.

“Well, I had better be going, I wouldn’t be surprised if Professor Snape came and asked for a vial of its venom.” She pointed distastefully at Sthyss and then stood and after squeezing my hand and smiling at me she turned and left. I was amazed that Sthyss had been left untouched in my arms.

My body felt as if it had been thoroughly bruised from the inside and while I had felt like this on numerous occasions before it had never been this bad. “Sthyss what exactly was it that you did before?” I questioned him, frowning at the increased discomfort on my back, exactly where I knew the birthmark was.

“I attached myself to you.”

“You can do that?” I asked surprised and intrigued.