A Legacy of Serpents

Chapter 11

"You are an hour late getting home!" Solomon thundered. "And I find you here? In the forbidden forest with your so-called friends?"

Ominis winced at the rage in the man's tone. He wanted to stand up for Anne, but he was just too tired. His lethargic body ached, and his throat was sore. Somewhere along the way, he must have screamed loud enough to temporarily damage his voice. But from the sound of it, the spiders were gone. Or dead. He wasn't sure.

"It's not our fault!" Anne defended. "Another student practically pushed Ominis into the river, and it dragged him into the forest."

Her slender hands wrapped around one of his arms, and he recognized Sebastian's hands at his other arm, helping him to his feet. The moment he stood, he swayed, his mind dizzy and his body hardly strong enough to remain upright.

Solomon didn't heed Anne's words. "And you!"

Me? Ominis wondered. But no. The man's anger was centered on his friend. Always Sebastian.

"You used an unforgivable curse? You are just like your late father. Disgraceful!"

"I did it to save Anne!" Sebastian shouted back. "That spider would have killed her."

"Do not bother coming back home! I forbid you from seeing Anne ever again. I forbid you from stepping foot in Feldcroft. I am not afraid to take drastic measures to keep you away, to keep Anne safe from you. If I ever see your face again, I will not hesitate to tell Headmaster Black what has happened here today."

"You can't do that!"

Anne's grip tightened on his arm. He barely made out the footsteps heading toward them when his ears seemed as if they were clogged with cotton. But still, he stepped in front of Anne to protect her. Unfortunately, he didn't move fast enough.

Solomon yanked her away, and what could only be a cry of pain escaped her lips. Ominis tried to snatch her back, but his fingers closed around air, and moments later, he heard the slight blip of disapparation.

Anne and Solomon were gone.

"He can't do this!" Sebastian cried. "I'll have nowhere to go. I'll never see my twin again. Anne deserves—"

Ominis's stomach heaved, and he couldn't stop himself from retching on the ground. And perhaps on his friend's shoes, judging by Sebastian's grunt of disgust.

"I'm so sorry," Ominis said between groans of pain before he vomited again. "I got bit."

His friend yanked Ominis's collar to the side to expose the spider's bite marks on his shoulder. It continued to burn as if the venom still festered in his blood.

Ariella lightly touched his arm. "We need to get you to the hospital wing."

"No!" he and Sebastian cried at the same time.

Thankfully, Sebastian explained, "They will alert his parents, and they will make an appearance at Hogwarts. Ominis would rather face the venom than face his family."

"So aptly put," he agreed dryly.

"We need to get you back to the castle. I have a potion that can heal you from the effects of the venom."

He doubled over again and dry heaved when nothing remained to throw up. He wasn't sure he could make it back to the castle at all. Even though dead, perhaps the matriarch might still kill him after all.

After he retrieved his wand, his friends took either of his arms and draped them over their shoulders, helping him back toward the school. He couldn't help but glance over his shoulder, waiting to hear Anne's voice float in his direction.