Tarnished | Severus Snape [Book One]

Chapter Twenty Two | Supremus

Severus apparated us both to the inn where we appeared on front of my bedroom door. He carried me bridal style and took me to my bed. He laid me down and I kicked my shoes off. I noticed the filth and dirt we were in; Severus's hands and robes were covered in dirt like me, but I could feel the smudges of mud on my face and neck. Then the pain of my shoulder stung more than ever.

I groaned in pain and held onto it gently, applying pressure. "Let me see the damage," Severus said calmly, helping me take off my coat. I looked at him hesitantly and slowly unbutton the first three buttons of my shirt. He helped me pull my arm out gently and ran his fingers down the back of my shoulder blade. It gave me chills down my back.

He sighed and said as he examined, "It's dislocated. I would have to pop it back in."

I moaned in protest and looked back at Severus worriedly. "Great," I said sarcastically.

Pulled his wand out and pointed it at my shoulder. "Wait!" I stopped him and he lowered his wand, confused.

I snatched a pillow and hugged it close to my torso. "okay, do it!" I braced for impact.

Severus looked amused and pointed his wand.

"Episkey!" I felt the inside of my shoulder crack forward in huge speed and the impact had me fall forward. "Ow!" I screamed and rubbed my fixed shoulder.

"Battle with trolls and you can't relocate your shoulder without crying? How ludicrous." Severus said, with a smirk. "I don't know what to expect when I relocate any part of my body. And the trolls? Adrenaline rush!" I replied.

He chuckled lightly and sat by the end of my bed. It felt like butterflies fluttering in the pit of my stomach having Severus sitting in the same bed as me. But, I wasn't as nervous as I was when I awoke next to him that one night back at the school. I felt compassion and longing towards him, the thought of wrapping my arms around his neck was almost so tempting, but I pushed that temptation out of my mind.

He lifted one leg up on my bed and faced me, I curled my legs up to my torso, hugging them lightly. "What did the ghost say to you? Who is she?" He asked quietly.

"Er..." I stuttered, remembering what Cordelia told me before, that Severus couldn't be trusted. "Erm... She's my great great great great aunt or something... The necklace was hers. Muggles discovered her and her coven and burned them at the stake."

I could see pain in Severus's eyes and he shook his head slowly and said, "Times were harsh and unbearable for witches and wizards back then. Witch hunting is still ongoing till this day, though it has decreased since the 1700's."

"She was burned around the 1840's. Her whole family! Except one girl. The ghost was named Cordelia Straut, like my mum's maiden name." I looked away from him, hugging my knees closer. "She was a different kind of witch... A witch who doesn't use a wand."

Severus looked uneasy , but astonished. "She..." Severus breathed out, "Was a Supremus witch."

I looked back at him curiously. "Supremus?"

"A Supremus is a powerful female witch. They were prominent in their time which was around the 1500's. They needed no wand nor to say spell, but their mind gave them great power. Since the witch hunts in the 1600's, the muggles would seek out to kill the strongest and they hunted Supremus Covens.

"You must be one of the dying race of a Supremus Coven."

"But, my mum uses a wand. She's not a Supremus."

"It must be because your bloodline is hybridized with wizards. Supremus witches seek out male muggles, so their children would ultimately inherited their magic. With an ordinary wizard, the traits can be altered." He paused and was deep in thought.