I was walking back to Slytherin commons alone, Harry had gone off to see Hagrid and I didn't know what it was about him; but Hagrid put me on edge- so I’d made some excuse that I needed to finish Potions homework.
The commons had been cleaned thoroughly and there were four people sat in the corner, just chatting quietly to themselves- all of them were Second Years. I ignored their curious stares and walked up the small light of stairs to collect Sthyss. “Are you coming- I’m going up to the astronomy tower into the sun, I -” I had just shut the door behind me when I looked up and Sthyss was waiting for me.
“You wanted to find out information on Voldemort so you went to the boy?” He sounded angry.
“I don't see how that’s any of your problem.” I muttered.
“It’s my problem because you’ve begun to manipulate people Imogene. The Slytherins at the dinner table the other day- and now Harry Potter.” He must have been following me.
“I didn’t manipulate Harry; I realised that he wouldn't know what I want to find out.”
“You know why I don't want you behaving like this.”
“Behaving like what?! I'm doing this because I want to know more about Voldemort and my family and you won’t tell me!”
He lowered his body and his eyes closed, my head was starting to pound and I took his backing down as an indication to do the same, I took a deep breath and tried again.
“Sthyss, do you want to come up to the astronomy tower with me?” I asked, leaving our problems unresolved was becoming a massive thing between us.
“Yes.” He answered calmly and I lifted him gently around my shoulders and carried him out, shutting the door to the dorms behind me.
I had been right to assume that the astronomy tower would be sunny; I opened my books and laid them out around me in a circle, the sun making their pages glow like candles.
“It’s been a long time since we have spent time together.” Sthyss commented lightly as I turned the page of Moste Potente Potions, from reading the pages I couldn’t understand why Professor Snape hadn’t wanted to lend me a copy. But that was just Professor Snape wasn’t it?
I sighed, I was bored and I needed something to keep me occupied, and at that moment those books weren’t cutting it. I closed the three books and put them into my bag, and leant against the railing, the sun was still high up and the railing was cool from the chilly wind, the combination was pleasant. My back was sore and I clicked it and scratched in discomfort, I was shivering and sighed, the injuries I’d sustained were finally beginning to impact on me.
“Your back is sore.” Sthyss said and I nodded.
“Yes, it’ll be fine though, I really just need to get used to the scales. I’m sorry for what I’ve been doing, I shouldn’t have been… like Voldemort really.” I hissed back.
“So you’ve acknowledged it then.” He said, and I nodded.
“For that brief moment it felt that I was doing the right thing- it felt so natural.” I whispered.
“Then you are becoming more like him than I feared then.” He told me and I looked away as he coiled around the railing next to me.
“You know that I don't mean to,” I muttered.
“You should be more careful.” His lack of compassion was snake-like.
“Maybe if you told me things I woul-”
“Stop asking.” He said sharply and I turned to him.
“Why-”I saw a movement in the corner of my eye and I moved my head to look at the man standing there. “Professor Dumbledore.” I said, hastily turning to face him properly.
“Please,” he gestured to Sthyss, “Don't let me interrupt.” He said and I smiled.
“It’s okay Professor, we were only chatting.”
“If you don't mind me asking, on what topic?” He asked, smiling knowingly.
“Nothing in general, just school stuff,” I lied.
“You weren’t really were you?” He asked and I looked away from him.
“No.” I admitted. “We haven’t been getting on well.” I told him and left it at that.
“Professor Lupin-”
“Told you what I told him and now you want to know more about how Sthyss keeps saving my life.” I interrupted and he shook his head in obvious dismay.
“Am I really that obvious?” He asked and I sighed.
“No it was a lucky guess. And I knew Professor Lupin was going to talk to you.” I was prepared to tell Dumbledore things if it would mean I could get information from him.
“You seem to have something on your mind.” He acknowledged and I frowned as I looked at him. We were both leaning over the railing and I faced him.
“Professor, my parents, were they killed by Voldemort?” I ignored Sthyss’ hiss of protest and hissed back at him harshly, “Shut up.” I turned back and Dumbledore’s face was suspicious.
“I thought you didn’t want to know about your parents?” He asked and I looked down.
“I didn’t,” I paused, wondering how much I could tell the elderly professor. “But I think I’ve been remembering things, well they’re only dreams- but I think they’re memories.”
“Do you keep having the same dream or are there more than one?” He asked seriously.
“Just the one.” I clarified and he nodded again.
“What happens- in this dream of yours?” He inquired.
“A man and a woman are sitting on a couch- and they're scared; well they're terrified. Then there’s this… figure that breaks through the door and kills them, then I turn away from the couple and it looks at me.”
“This figure; what makes you think it’s Lord Voldemort?”
“It’s just a feeling…” I was probably wrong, it was just a dream. I looked back up and Dumbledore was pensively watching me.
“Your parents were killed by Voldemort Imogene. And your dream was probably a memory.” He paused. “What exactly do you know about your family?” He asked and I shrugged.
“I know my parent’s names, and I know…” I knew who I was related to, but how could I say that without telling him I was related to Voldemort, but then again he probably already knew.
“I know that I’m related to Voldemort.” I whispered and looked on as Professor Dumbledore thoughtfully tugged at his beard.
“I was wondering how long it would take you to find that out.” He began, “I expect you have questions?”
I chewed on my lip nervously. “Only one Professor.”
“Oh?” His eyebrows shot up. A strong wind blew my hair about and I looked into it, the sky had grown darker.
“Why would Voldemort kill my parents because I was born?” I looked at him and his blue eyes looked away.
“That’s a very interesting question. I take it that Sthyss told you that Voldemort tried to stop-”
“Sthyss won’t tell me anything.” I muttered sadly and on queue Sthyss curled along the floor and into my bag, I was going to be thoroughly told off later.
“Ah,” he sighed and I looked up at the rainclouds coming towards the school. “I believe that he tried to prevent your birth- and killed your parents because of who you are. Lord Voldemort has always been jealous, we can only assume that in his eyes you are- or were, a threat to him, if you were to be anywhere near as powerful as he is or was- you could potentially kill him, or become so powerful that he would become insignificant.”
“So he’s scared of me.” I concluded and Dumbledore laughed.
“I suppose you could put it that way, although I'm not sure that he would enjoy being referred to as ‘scared’.”
“Well he already wants me dead.”
“He probably thought you to be dead.” The headmaster told me and I nodded. “I’ll be off now.” He said suddenly, grinning. “I wouldn't stay up here too much longer or you might miss the feast.” He turned with a mysterious gleam in his eyes and walked away.
XXXX
It turned out that I did leave it too late, and I hadn’t realised that it was almost seven o’clock, the feast had started at half six, so I had planned to just go down to the commons and go to bed. I was tired and not that hungry, and even though everyone had assured me that there was a very nice evening to be enjoyed; I really wasn’t too fussed. I had my head buried in a book and my bag over my shoulder, the school was silent, there was the chatter from the paintings and portraits but I never really seemed to hear that, it was more of a background noise that didn’t really count. I was reading about animagi, I was still interested in what allowed me to move so freely between forms and if it was just me who did so. I had read in my transfiguration books that I shouldn’t have tried to become an animagus because I was a werewolf, but this one mused along the lines that it would be easier- even though there was no evidence to the fact- for werewolves to become animagi because of their already developed brain flow between human and wolf forms. I also had a list of registered animagi from the last half century; Professor McGonagall’s name on the list had assured me that I had the correct one. The list denoted the information and details of each witch and wizard who had become an animagus; but then thinking back to myself I realised something.
It was entirely possible- in fact probable that there were people, who hadn’t registered their names with the ministry upon successfully becoming an animagus; and I began to wonder just how many people like me there actually was, and not just werewolves but ordinary humans who’d worked around the ministry’s surveillance.
At that moment I heard something, I had just read to the bottom of the page I was on when I heard a scraping noise on the staircase ahead, panicking and knowing that if I was caught up here I would likely get into a lot of trouble I did the only immediate thing that I could think of. I placed my bag down in a small corner where two walls met and turned myself into a snake, I promptly slithered into my bag, unnerving Sthyss and peered out of the top.
“There really isn't room for the two of us in here.” He told me angrily, I shushed him and looked further out of the bag; my scales rustling as I awkwardly stuck my head from under the flap. I looked around and realised that I was a few steps away from the portrait of The Fat Lady- the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, there wasn’t anything visible that had made the sound and I thought that I must have been imagining it when I saw a tangle of matted jet black hair appear over the top of the stairs. I whipped my head back into the bag and left only my nose out, my tongue was a keen receptor for any smells and I could taste the dirt on Sirius Black from where I was; at least eight metres away from him. And I could hear exactly what he was saying.
“Let me in.” He whispered shortly.
“Password?” The Fat Lady asked, his tone changed dramatically.
“Let me in you stupid old bat!” He shouted violently.
“If you tell me the password sir,” she sounded flustered and I couldn’t help but poke my head out from around the corner to watch.
“If you don't let me in I swear to god-” there was something flashing in his hand and I tilted my head trying to get a better look at it, it was a knife.
“Sir I cannot let you pass if-” The next thing I heard was a ripping noise as he lunged at the painting with the knife and made several very angry slashes at the canvas. The fat lady screamed and her voice seemed to move, from where I sat I couldn’t tell; but I guessed that she had fled her painting and ran off. Sirius Black was fuming, his face was contorted in frustration and lashed out at the painting another two times before he turned and leant on the banister, presumably thinking- and calming down. He straightened and ran back down the stairs, I had hands and legs within seconds and it was my inquisitive nature that made me follow him down the stairs and stop just outside the doors to the Great Hall. Inside I could see students eating and drinking and generally having a good time. I knew that I should have run in there and told everyone that Sirius Black had just broken in but intrigue kept me going out the door. He disappeared as I reached the gravel path and I looked around frantically, he had been there seconds ago, I’d seen him. I scanned the area but there was nothing moving, I turned around and was about to step back through the great doors when I heard a small rustle from the brush behind me and to the left. I turned as fast as I could and was just fast enough to see a furry set of ears and a tail, disappearing over the hill towards the Whomping Willow, it appeared that I had been right.
I wasn’t the only unregistered animagus.
I ran back into the school and managed to get back to the commons before the rush of students returning from the feast, it was only a matter of time before someone found the ruined painting of The Fat Lady, I wondered what would happen when they did.
“Did you hear?” Pansy asked sitting down on the couch next to me, her sleeves rolled up slightly and I saw the mark that Sthyss had left when he’d bitten her.
“I'm going to ask what; so no.” I replied looking at her.
“Apparently something’s happened.” How pathetic, this really was gossip for gossips sake.
“Maybe you should wait until you get told what’s actually happened.” I suggested. She sat in silence for a few minutes just looking at me and then stood and walked away, Sthyss hissed at me from my bag and I kicked it softly, I wasn’t even being manipulative, or controlling.
A few minutes later, there was definite unrest in the house and I could sense the distress of the prefects, they knew something was up. Then one of them stood on a chair and whistled loudly, everyone faced his way. “Alright everyone, you all need to leave your things here and follow us to the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore…” I couldn’t see very well but I could see the glint of black, slimy hair that belonged to Professor Snape. “Come with us!” The prefect said finally after Snape whispered something to him, we all were herded after the two prefects up from the depths of the castle to the Great Hall where almost everyone was already waiting. Dumbledore quickly told everyone that Sirius Black had managed to enter the castle and that a search was underway, before waving his wand, making large purple sleeping bags appear and then leaving the hall hurriedly. I had left Sthyss in the commons in my bag and I hoped that he had enough sense not to do anything while the teachers were searching; I grabbed a sleeping bag and was caught between which group to sit with. If I sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione then the Slytherins would back away from me again, if I went with the Slytherins that might cost me my friendship with Harry and co., for all the thinking though; it wasn’t a hard decision, I went straight to Harry and Ron, who I could see sitting up in the corner, Hermione must have been lying down because there was a gap enough for a sleeping bag between them.
“Are you going to tell me what happened or do I need to ask?” I said as I neared the three, they smiled at me and I put my sleeping bag down in the space that they made.
“Sirius Black tried to get into the Gryffindor commons,” Ron told me excitedly and I feigned absolute shock.
“So he can get past the dementors.” I had achieved sounding surprised. “Does anyone know what he was after?” I asked suspiciously looking at Hermione who seemed to be glances at me sideways every few seconds.
“Harry,” She muttered as Percy Weasley- Ron’s older brother; walked past imperiously, Harry turned slightly in obvious discomfort.
It was only a few seconds later that the lights went out and we all curled deeper into our sleeping bags, none of us actually sleeping, though it seemed that we weren’t the only ones; everyone seemed to be far too awake to go to sleep. It got darker and darker and I stared up at the ceiling, the stars that were scattered across the ceiling provided a little, and the only light in the hall. A teacher would appear through the doors once in a while and check with Percy and the head girl to make sure everything was alright. I turned my attention back to the ceiling and stared up at the moon, it was uncomfortable to be so close to it, even though it was still a few weeks until full moon I was constantly edgy under the open sky at night and even being inside and under the image projected by the ceiling. I turned over and looked at Harry who I had felt watching me and smiled, he must have seen it because he smiled back and mouthed “Are you alright?” I nodded and replied in the same fashion.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Me either.” He whispered.
“Do you really think that Sirius Black is after you?” I muttered and he nodded.
“I heard Ron’s mum and dad talking about it at The Leaky Cauldron, Mr Weasley works at the Ministry so he would know.”
“Yeah-” I had to stop mid-sentence as Percy was only a few feet away, reprimanding a group of First years who had been whispering loudly to each other.
The doors opened quietly and Harry and I turned to see who it was, Dumbledore was standing just inside- peering around evidently trying to find Percy, he spotted him and strode silently around sleeping students closer to us, Percy was only a few steps away from Harry now and I shut my eyes hurriedly, pretending to be asleep.
“Is everything alright in here?” Dumbledore asked, he was standing between me and Harry and I peered through my lashes at the boy across from me- the expression on his face told me that he was listening intently as well.
“Yes Professor, did you find the Fat Lady?” the officious boy asked softly.
“Yes she was hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor, I’ve found a temporary replacement but there isn't any point in moving the students, you can do that in the morning.”
“Yes sir.” He replied loftily. I heard footsteps coming closer and the billowing of robes- Snape.
“Headmaster?” Snape was sounding annoyed. “The whole of the third floor is clear, he isn't there, and Filch checked the dungeons, he isn't there either.”
“I didn’t really expect him to linger Severus; The Owlery, Professor Trelawney’s room and the Astronomy tower have all been checked I presume?” He asked and I smiled, I’d seen him flee from the entrance hall and most likely turn into a giant black dog so I was definitely sure that he wasn’t anywhere near the castle, unless he was very stupid.
“All searched…” Snape paused and I looked up quickly. “Have you any theories as to how Black entered the castle?” He asked with a mean look on his face.
“Many Severus, each as unlikely as the next.” I looked at Harry; he’d moved his arm so that he could hear better and our eyes met briefly before our attention was returned to the silently speculating teachers.
“You remember the conversation we had about.. uh- well at the start of the term?” Snape murmured, barely moving his mouth as he whispered it and obviously not wanting Percy- who seemed to be straining– to hear their conversation.
“I do.” Dumbledore replied- he didn’t seem to like where the conversation was going.
“Do you not think it suspicious that Black entered the castle without inside help, perhaps even from an old…”
“No-one inside the castle would help him get in.” He told Snape sternly, firmly closing the subject. I couldn’t help but wonder who Snape suspected had helped Sirius Black into the castle.
“I have to go down to the dementors…” I rolled over and stopped listening; sensing that all the important content of the conversation had been said. I saw Ron move in the corner of my eye and suspected that he and Hermione had been listening as well.
I watched as Professor Dumbledore left and Snape looked after him with a look of what wasn’t quite hatred but was very close to it.
I sighed and leant on my elbows Harry was facing away now and their breathing was slowing down, they’d soon be asleep, but I couldn’t sleep, I was too wired to close my eyes and there was a nagging thought at the front of my mind.
If Sirius Black was an animagus was that how he was getting past the dementors, I thoroughly considered testing this theory and after some pensive deliberation I decided that now could be the moment as the door had been left slightly ajar, just enough that I could slip through in my snake form without being noticed. I watched my three friends carefully for a second before concentrating inwards and stretching my back as my body shrank swiftly down so that I was tucked under the sleeping bag, then without a sound I slithered out of the bag and hugged the wall to the door, hoping to find some way out of the castle- maybe even hoping that the front doors had been re-opened. I reached the massive wooden doors that were the entrance to the Great Hall and was relieved to see them still open. Making sure that no-one was around I passed through them with ease and entered the entrance hall that was devoid of all inhabitants. The main doors were shut and I smiled bitterly to myself- of course they were closed, but there was always the glass-less windows and I moved carefully towards them, eager to test my theory- however I never reached the other side of the staircase.
A shadow fell over me as I reached the base of the staircase and I froze and turned to look up at the towering figure above me.
“Shouldn’t you be going back to bed?” He asked and I looked down shamefully, Dumbledore had a very reprimanding look across his face and didn’t seem too impressed as his crystal blue eyes peered over the tops of his half-moon spectacles disapprovingly, I got the feeling that he knew it was me.
I turned and guiltily- and very quickly- glided back into the great hall and to my sleeping bag, thankfully Harry, Ron and Hermione had all nodded off, their eyes roving through dreams behind their shut eyes; the only noise coming from Ron who was snoring.