After The Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 13

When Siren awoke, her screams echoed in her ears, bouncing off the empty walls and through the crowded halls of St Mungos. Her limbs worked desperately to free themselves as her arms flailed and legs kicked against the invisible constraints holding them in place. It wasn't until she was finally able to pry her heavy eyelids open that she finally halted her assault on the nurses and doctors in front of her. Not until she was able to see it was not the snake wrapping itself around her body squeezing out every last breath as its teeth bore into her neck, the venom burning as it coursed through her veins.

"That proves it right? Three weeks on the dot!" Siren heard the familiar voice as she laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling, heart still pounding in her ears as she tried to calm herself down. "She was cursed!". There was more talking, but Siren couldn't make out the words, her hearing muffled by the pulsing of her heart. Then Miss Burton was at her side.

"Oh thank Merlin." She cried, yanking Siren's body up into a strong hug.

"What- what happened?" Siren croaked out once she was finally released from the embrace, her voice mangled and hoarse. Miss Burton's voice dropped to a low whisper.

"A snake attacked you, that is all I will say right now. I think it best if we don't speak here." Siren nodded as the doctors and nurses came over, one of which was holding a small glass of water. Siren was more than grateful for the water, downing the whole thing in a second as their wands began hovering over her as though searching for any irregularities.

"Well, whatever it was, it seems to be gone. You seem right as rain." A nurse said as she hovered her wand over Siren's chest. "Well... except for this." The nurse continued as the wand moved up to her neck. Siren lifted her hand to her neck, immediately flinching away from the mangled texture of flesh that lurked there.

Taking a deep breath, she brought her fingers back, feeling the two scarred incisions as well as raised lines fanning from it. She followed one of the lines up until it came to a stop at her jaw, just under her ear. She moved her fingers back down to bite, following another strand of raised skin up the back of her neck, stopping just under her hairline. Whatever it was, the feel of it no longer even resembled skin.

Siren then did what she had been avoiding, turning her head to look down at her left shoulder, the air caught in her throat as she took in the sight. Black strands that faintly resembled roots traced over her shoulder.

"What is this?" Despite the water, her voice was still raspy as tears welled in her eyes. The nurse gave her a pitying smile.

"The snake had been carrying a poison that repelled magic" She began hesitantly. "When the snake was killed, the magic from the spell fought with the venom, causing... this reaction. The poison prevented us from being able to heal you where it touched you." Siren brought her hand up to the raised skin again, the distortion caused by magic and poison. "It will heal more over time." The nurse added optimistically, but Siren knew this wouldn't hardly heal at all, not with poison, venom, and magic involved.

"What about the poison? Is it still in me?"

"Well, you're awake aren't you?" Siren stared dumbly at the nurse. Surely this wasn't the St Mungos she had heard great things about. "We won't know more until some time has passed, but the fact you are awake is a good sign." The woman placed a hand on Siren's in an attempt to comfort her. Siren nodded, however unnerved she still felt, but the nurse took it as a sign that she could move on to her next patient.

Miss Burton quickly helped her dress into some clothes and within the hour and, with Miss Burton insisting she would update the hospital with any changes, she had apparated them back to her house. Siren watched as the woman immediately went outside and reinforced the protection charms around her home. Once she was back inside she joined Siren at the dining table.