An Heir

Part Thirteen- Family

The next week I was careful around my classmates, of course Hermione and Harry noticed the scars and I was sure that Draco noticed because he looked almost terrified every time I looked at him. Professor Lupin had obviously been given instructions to keep a close eye on me because every time I looked up during Defence against the Dark Arts he was watching me; however the hazel look was not one of anger or fear or confusion but rather one of pity-or concern; however it made me realise that he didn’t hate me or fear me like everyone else who stared at me did; but rather that he felt sorry for me.

I was ahead of all my classes of course; and it was getting to the point where I was almost finished reading through all the third year textbooks, it was alright though because much of what I had caught up on the holidays was still a little wobbly so I had a chance to read over that again in my spare time of which I had an awful lot of, even with the extra homework I was asking for. 

It was six days since I had last transformed into a werewolf and I was feeling much better, my dreams however were still bothering me, most nights I would wake in a cold sweat with my slithery friend looking concerned or wrapped one of my limbs.

Saturday was the coldest day so far and I had to wrap up against the cold.

“Imogene are you okay?” Hermione asked as we walked to the library, I must have been shivering.

“Just a little chilly that’s all.” I replied.

“Maybe you’re coming down with a cold or something,” she suggested.

“Nah it’s probably just me, though it has been getting colder.” I explained, even though I knew it was because of my lack of body hair. I had found out the hard way that having no hair on your body makes a massive difference to your body temperature. I decided that then would be a good time to change the topic.

“How are things going in Ancient Runes?” I asked and watched her sigh and shrug in a tired manner.

“It’s really good, much better than Divination.” She said the last word with absolute disgust, I had found out that she hated that god-forsaken subject as much as me, except she didn’t have the ability to be able to fall asleep during class as I often did.

“I have to admit that the book was very detailed,” I commented as we stepped through the gaping doorway. I smiled at Madame Pince as we passed her and she returned the smile, “Divination or Ancient Runes.” Hermione asked and I replied, saying Divination seriously Hermione turned and looked questioningly at me the look on her face making it impossible not to laugh. She just shook her head and directed me to a secluded table between two sets of bookcases.

We sat and I pulled out my books, one was a book on werewolves that Professor Lupin had given me, and without a word I put that particular book back in my bag next to where Sthyss was curled. Hermione seemed too concerned with something behind me to notice, I didn’t turn but I listened closely and I could hear hushed voices on the other side of the bookcase behind me, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that their small talk was about me, I glanced behind me briefly and they obviously didn’t see me through the book but from where I was sitting I could hear every word.

“Apparently she carries her snake around…”

“She’s so weird, did you hear that she came from an orphanage?” One girl asked.

“Yeah Professor Snape told us the other day when me and Helen were in detention.”

“Have you seen how she’s always hanging around with Harry Potter?”

“Yeah,”

“Yeah, she’s such a cow, thinking she’s better than all of us,”

“Have you noticed how Draco doesn’t say anything about her though?”