An Enemy

Chapter Seven- Seeking Solitude

I sank lower and lower, further into the centre of my being, and away from the beast I had no choice but to relinquish myself to. It drew me away from myself and I felt it, along with myself, becoming tired, lethargy pulling our eyelids down and rending us both comatose.  

Darkness cloaked me briefly, and I found myself knowledgeably awaiting the inevitable fogginess that swept over me like an incoming tide. Not that I was sure they could even be classed as dreams. I was still adamant that what I saw was a direct account from some remnant of Sthyss’ mind that had been connected to mine the three times that he’d been forced to attach himself to my birthmark in order to save my life. Even though that was only an assumption, it was one that felt right, and everything that I been told by Sthyss prior to his death made it all the more likely.

As I slithered along the dark hallway, I identified the house I was in to be the same one I’d seen in many of my recent dreams- it was the old manor house that Wormtail had taken Voldemort to and it was beginning to become familiar.

“What of the snake?” It was no longer a surprise to me, to hear Voldemort’s voice- in fact it had become almost second nature- although it felt strange that it hadn’t come from my mouth.

“It was there- protecting that girl… Imogene…I think that was her name.” The voice of the feeble reply was almost as familiar as Voldemort’s to me now.

“I already know her name you idiot.” Voldemort hissed back to the quivering man who had come into view as I rounded the banister.

“Sthyss prepared her well,” I felt my mouth snapping with the bristle of the words- they had come from my mouth, my long tongue flickering at the air with distaste.

“You thought he would leave her to die? He believed her Slytherin’s true heir.” Voldemort replied to me.

I was trying to wrap my head around what was happening here, even as my scaled belly slithered closer to the great chair that I knew would be my destination.

“You should have allowed me to deal with her.” I susurrated gently, my tongue, forking the air and tasting the vileness of Pettigrew’s presence. Even as he backed down the hallway, I could taste the stale scent of sweat and dirt and  urine that he exuded.

“No. You were too indirect last time, I will not risk her realising who you are.”

“Sthyss will have kept her unknowing- this you know. She will have thought me him.” I could feel Nagini’s hate as my own as our body settled around Voldemort’s throne.

“You will stay here Nagini- you realise how important that is to my plans.”

“I do.”

In the corner of my eye, a hand reached up; a cold, drained, discoloured malformation that touched my scales, the shuddering of the limb ceased as it rested upon me and I allowed it to rest there, a sense of wholeness overcoming me.

“Our servant will deal with Imogene Hydrus.”

Light burst like lightning into my eyes as I jolted on the wooden floor of the shack- for a moment, glad to be back in my own body- no matter how bitter the rising bile at the back of my throat tasted, or how much my body burned. That was until I looked up through groggy eyes and saw the pale light filtering through the room and the dusty interior it illuminated.

The living room about me (the portion that I could see- as my head lay on its right side), was a mess. There were splinters of wood, and sections of plasterboard, and large chunks of door frames- and their doors- littering the floor, which was equally scratched and scraped.