An Heir

Part Eight- Insults will get you killed

I had Potions next and it went by without any hiccups, even though I wasn’t too fond of Professor Snape, I was good at his class so he didn’t pick on me like he did with other students, Neville seemed to be primarily victimized, Snape literally yelled at the unfortunate Gryffindor boy and he shriveled back under the angry professors’ torturous gaze. Hermione, of course tried to help him and as a consequence Snape turned his spitefulness upon her, taking five hard earned points from Gryffindor and giving me a dirty look to ward off any chance of me standing up for the two of them.

We went to lunch, where I had to sit with Malfoy and his Slytherin worshippers, which proved to be a difficulty; thankfully for one reason or another Sthyss had decided to stay with me after Defence Against the Dark Arts and at least he was there to keep me company with the onslaught of dirty looks Pansy and her ‘girlfriends’ gave me. 

Next we had divination, which quite frankly was an absolute joke. The heady perfume that fuddled the senses and made me slightly light-headed created a stuffy effect; the crowded room and Professor Trelawney, with her glasses that made her looked bug eyed and heavy beads that appeared as if they were pulling her downwards, all added to an overall complete lack of enjoyment. I sat on my own in that particular class, lounged near the back in the shadows and snoozed lazily, nothing was really seeming to happen and it was only a bustle of movement towards the trap door that woke me up, I was the last one out and as a consequence I was almost late for Transfiguration.

“Imogen you’re just in time,” Professor McGonagall had her left eyebrow raised and looked none too impressed as I had just ran for the door as she was beginning to close it.

“I’m sorry professor,” I apologised, “I was held up getting out of divination,” I explained, hoping she wouldn't give me a detention. She pursed her lips tartly and stood aside.

“In you get.” She held the door back exasperatedly and I rushed in taking a free seat at the back of the class.

“Now that Imogene has joined us we can start.” She looked seriously at me and I looked down guiltily.

 Professor McGonagall began talking about animagi, which turned out to be the thing that allowed her to turn into a cat like I’d seen her do when I’d first arrived, and the thing that Sthyss had told me directly not to try.

“Don't even think about it.” Sthyss whispered to me from the seat next to me where I had deposited my bag.

I smirked and closed the top of my bag on his head, he sank back down and I turned back to the class, Professor McGonagall had just turned into a cat and it was unnaturally silent, I’d seen it happen a few times before so while I thought it was cool I wasn’t about to clap enthusiastically and look like an idiot in front of the completely silent class.

“Alright. What’s wrong? Not that I mind but this is the first class that haven’t broken into applause at my transformation.” Professor McGonagall.

“Professor we just had Divination-” Hermione began from near the front.

“Ah, right well then that makes sense, who’s going to die this year?”

“I am.” It sounded like it had come near the front again and it took a bit of peering over someone’s head to find that it was Harry.

“Well Potter there isn't anything to worry about; Professor Trelawney predicts the death of one of her students every year, and not one has died yet so I doubt very much that you are in any danger.” She obviously shared my opinion of Divination.

“So back to the lesson,” she continued with a smile.

“Professor? What exactly does one do to become an animagus?” I asked, and everyone turned and looked to me.