An Heir

Part Thirty- Happy Birthday

It was cold under my sheets and I longed to sleep but yet again I found myself incapable of drifting off, for once though it wasn’t because of some nightmare but because I was so excited that I was going to see the only family I’d ever had.

“Do you reckon he’d be there now?” I asked eagerly fingering the piece of paper holding the passwords for the next few weeks, even though I couldn’t see Sirius needing more than one.

“Just sleep, Imogene.” He hissed angrily from the canopy. I sighed loudly and rolled out of bed, wishing I hadn’t as my ribs protested angrily, my head searing.

“Ouch.” I sat back and waited for the swaying to stop.

Glittering snow was piling up on the window sill outside and it glistened in the moonlight, it couldn’t have been five o’clock though yet, so I could only hope it would stop or I‘d have even more trouble getting to the Shack. There was no way that I could hope of going as a snake, it was far too cold, so instead I was going to have to sneak down as a human- which was risky given the fact I would have to pass near Hagrid’s hut in order to reach the Whomping Willow.

The sun was still down and I probably shouldn’t have been in the Entrance Hall staring out the window wrapped in three layers of clothing, but what else could I have done, I hadn’t been able to stay in the commons any longer and I had a burning urge to get out of the castle, despite the freezing weather. I stood staring out the window for a few more minutes before realising that I was going to remain impatient until I got down there and I might as well just go.

“I should get some food for Sirius.” I thought to myself, peering towards the Great Hall. I couldn’t see Sirius being too grateful if I brought him a loaf of toast, I set off in search for the kitchens in silence.

I was wandering down a hallway on the first floor when I ran into the Baron. The Bloody Baron was Slytherin’s ghost and I respected that he’d been through a horrific life and was now to be perpetually reminded of that by living in the same castle as the Grey Lady but he was awfully pompous most of the time. Unfortunately- or perhaps not he had found out somewhere what and who I was and had enough respect for my family that he’d developed a soft spot for me.

“Baron, do you know where the kitchens are?” I asked politely, smiling at him. He hadn’t seen me as I was behind him and turned slowly in mid-air.

“And why would you wish to know that?” He asked, his voice was lethargic as if he thought me droll, I knew he liked me though, which I’d been told was uncommon.

“Why do people normally want to find kitchens…?” I looked down then as if remembering something. “Oh, sorry Baron… I forgot.” Of course I was pretending I’d forgotten he could no longer eat and did my best to seem reproachful. It seemed to work because as I stared at my feet I heard a sigh.

“There’s a portrait down the end of the next corridor, tickle the pear.” With that he abruptly swooped off and disappeared through a wall. I silently gave myself a pat on the back before taking off down the corridor as fast as my bruised and broken body would let me.

The kitchen was nothing like I would have expected, for one it was run completely by house elves who all greeted me happily, secondly I had thought it would be smaller, instead it was a giant room- nearly a hall, teeming with chefs and pots and bubbling cauldrons and glistening knives and ladles and the most pleasant aromas, all heavenly and at that time distinctly breakfasty. I became suddenly surrounded by House Elves and it was hard to decide from the many trays offered to me what to take, in the end I decided to just give them my bag.

“Could you fill it with as much as you can? And something to drink too?” I asked and I was shocked when the bag was returned to me so quickly- and so heavy.