An Heir

Part Thirty- Happy Birthday

“Thank you.” I said to the nearest elf and he bowed deeply.

“Tis our pleasure miss.” He said in a squeaky and scratchy voice, I left lugging half my body weight over my shoulder.

It was colder outside than I’d originally thought and my shoes soaked through faster than I could say Animagus, nevertheless I treaded on courageously through the clean, pure snow.

I hated snow, while it was pretty to look at, it was a nuisance to a snake and being brought up as such I found it atrocious- I was cold- and cold it seemed made me grumpy. The trek to the Willow was a long one and by the time I reached the thrashing tree I was soaked from shin to toe and shivering so much my teeth were chattering like tossed pebbles.

“Immobulous.” I said it aloud. I often forgot that I needn’t say the word and kicked myself for it, if I was going to improve at magic then I was going to have to stop being so lazy. I crouched down and clambered uneasily through the entrance to the passage, an apple fell from my bag and I picked it up hastily, skidding on my backside down the snow speckled dirt. A massive paw print was clearly imprinted on the dirt in front of me and if my legs hadn’t been so sore I would’ve run in the direction that print and the others in front of it were heading, it wasn’t that I was excited to help Sirius kill someone, more excitement over the fact I’d just snuck out of the school and that I might actually have some sort of family. The tunnel seemed to go on forever though, and so, ignoring my body I walked faster until I could actually smell wet dog in the passageway and even though it was foul and stung my nose I smiled a little.

Suddenly I whacked my head.

“Mother-” I said the rest in English out of respect for Sthyss and the fact that if he heard me I’d get an absolute earful. I opened the bloody hatch and found Sirius sitting on his hind paws and staring me down. He changed back as I clambered up out of the passage.

“What sort of language is that?” He asked, looking stern- even reminding me a little of Professor Lupin, I looked down at the floor guiltily. When I suddenly felt arms around me I flinched in surprise.

“How have you been?” Sirius asked releasing me and smiling down at me.

“Better than you by the looks of it.” I said, my mouth twisted and brow creased wryly.

He looked worse than he had before Christmas, his hair was more matted and he looked- if possible, thinner and more skeletal. Strangely enough he smiled and let out a sort of dead sound, a rumble that echoed in the empty space. Maybe it was a laugh.

“Coming from you that actually means something.” It was a laugh. I smirked and then remembered my bag that lay at my feet.

“I thought you might…” I handed him the bag and as he took it I knew I’d made the right decision.

“You didn’t?” He asked looking inside, some light coming to his face, he looked up, a genuine smile now plastered over his waxy face.

“Just be careful of the flask of pumpkin juice, I think it might have leaked a little bit.” I informed him as I sat down on one of the still amazingly dusty chairs, which happened to still have a bum-mark on it from where I’d been seated a few nights ago.

“You should slow down you know.” I told him after he’d gobbled half a ham. “You’ll make yourself sick.” I had an eyebrow raised in an attempt to look half worried, half disapproving. He burst into laughter.

“Professor McGonagall used to give me and James that exact look.”  He’d sat opposite me laughing through a mouthful of ham, “How was the full moon?” He asked, looking concerned. I’d been staring off into space, a space on the wall from where a body had collided with it- a very large and wolf-like body.