Status: The sauce of awsome made from reading... Chapter 11!! (when I post it)

Of Blood and Serpents

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Chapter Five-

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Lily was aching when she woke, and less then pleased when she had a bitter tasting potion shoved down her throat by Madam Pomfrey.

“I'm fine really Madam..” She coughed shoving away the next vile thing that was shoved near her. Madam Pomfrey gave her a stern look making her blanch and meekly swallow.

“Good girl, now you just lay back now..” Lily obeyed begrudgingly pulling up the blankets around her with a sigh. The curtains around her bed were closed, and she was left to stare at the ceiling. She remembered why she was in the hospital wing and she replayed the incident again and again in her mind, feeling both queasy and excited.

She had done that hadn't she? She thought of the surge of power, and struggled to remember what it was exactly that she felt at the time, but a queasy shock made her mind dart so to think of something else. The boys, those mean nasty boys, where were they? She must have hurt them, so wouldn't they be here too? Silently she got up, her feet sticking slightly to the cold linoleum as she peeked through the curtain. Beds were there, no curtains around them, three lumps in a row. Lily felt uneasy spite fill her, making her eyes tear up in frustration remembering their jeering voices and all the little bursts of pain...

The door at the end of the ward opened and Severus's black bat like cloak billowed in after him. Lily jumped quietly at his sudden appearance but stayed silently tucked away behind the curtain, watching curiously as her almost-father made his way to the side of one of the beds. She was surprised when she saw his hand dart quickly and a sound smack resounded.

“Get up.” He said in a dreadful tone that made Lily shiver, she knew that tone, but thankfully hadn't heard it often. He'd said it loud enough for the others to hear and she suspected they knew better then to continue fake sleeping. They stood up slowly, Lily watching from between the curtain could only see the boy nearest to her's back. He shifted and twined his hands behind his back and Lily felt glad.

“The Headmaster,” He drawled in the same terrible tone. “Has requested your presence, and after... I will decide the punishment befitting of your actions.” Though Lily couldn't see, Severus's eyes glittered malevolently making the boy standing in front of him pale further, eyes widening in terror. “Now follow me.” He snapped impatiently. The boys left in a timid row, the last one with the darkest hair glancing back. He didn't see her, though, he was looking right at her Damon's mouth was pinched together nervously as were his brows. Lily's stomach gave a lurch her heart leaping nervously in her chest, quickly she got back into bed, and curled into her side.

Curled there on her side Lily fell into a lazy sleep, not waking until voices pulled her from unconsciousness. She blinked herself back into awareness. Where was she again? Right, int the medical wing, how much time had passed? It couldn't have been that long. She recognized the voices immediately as Severus and Madam Pomfrey.

“She'll be fine by morning.” It sounded to Lily as if she was listening into the conversation halfway through.

“Very well then, if there is any change send word.” He drawled, Lily heard the swish of his robes and knew he must have left. Then she hearing Madam Pomfrey's steps grow closer and she jerked back beneath the covers, heart hitting her ribcage as she rolled to her side and closed her eyes. She heard the curtains rustle as they opened, then again as they closed. She kept her eyes squeezed shut until she heard madam Pomfrey's steps drift away then fall silent. Rolling onto her back she took a few breaths to quiet her chest and stared at the ceiling.

Now what was she to do? She felt wide awake, and was certain that she wasn't going to fall asleep again. For awhile she stared at the ceiling adamantly until finally glimmer of an idea gleaned in her mind. She was in the castle... unsupervised! Sort of, her mind instantly darted to the library and her heart leapt in excitement, the decision already set up in her mind before she paused to consider anything else.

She sat up, nervously licking her lips and listening to outside. Everything was still silent, and hopefully madam Pomfrey wouldn't be checking her for another hour or so. It would be just enough time.. she hoped. As quietly as possible she slid out of bed, her feet getting chills from the cold stone floor. Her shoes were sitting neatly beside the side of the bed, she slid them on and poked her head out of the curtains. It was dark except for the warm glow of candles lighting the empty wing. Madam Pomfrey would be on the other side of her curtained bed, unawares that Lily was sneaking out the other side. Tiptoeing she made her way across the expanse of the room, her heart hammering in anticipation as she reached the door. Quietly now.. She commanded herself pushing the door as hard as she could. It opened slowly, and thank goodness silently as Lily squeezed though, closing it behind her.

Lily stopped just outside the door, new worry blooming in her chest as she looked around. The castle looked really different at night, how was she ever supposed to find the library? But then, as she looked around again her eyes spotted something familiar and she nearly sighed in relief. There, a familiar portrait, albeit it was sleeping but she was positive that the hallway in that direction could take her down a non-moving staircase and to the second floor. From there, she was hoping she'd be able to find her way in to the library. As quietly as possibly she made her way downstairs, making sure not to bump anything near the walls (or on them) as she shuffled along. Her stomach was balled in uneasy worry until finally, around a corner her hand brushed against a banister. She let a sigh of relief escape, following the banister around the corner and continuing down. The stairway was lighted by glowing flickering candles, a nice reprieve from the complete blackness behind her. She kept her ears keen, she knew that Filch and his cat Ms. Norris wandered the corridors and tried to catch students out of bed. She was to horrified with the idea of being caught she had to shove it from her mind completely just to continue.

When she reached the Library she wasted no time, what had the snake called it? Parseltongue? It took her a moment to get over the awe of all the books spanning around her and to figure out the filing system. She found a large leather bound book of 'Tongues and tones, all different languages from in wizardry and magical world.' It seemed like a good place to start. The library was thankfully lit by a few dimly glowing candles, she got as close to it as possible as she opened the cracked and fraying bindings. Her fingers trembled in anticipation as she flipped carefully through the book reaching 'P'. She whetted her lips, her fingers trailing down the page settling on the slanted script that read 'Parseltongue' or 'Parselmouth'. She held her breath for a moment, bowing closer to the page to make out the fine print.

'The only known wizards and witches with the ability to speak Parseltongue are the descendants of Salazar Slytherin, a founder of the famous Hogwarts, other notable descendants of Salazar include Herpo the foul...'

Lily couldn't help but feel disappointed, Severus had told her that much. She closed the book heavily, frowning, obviously the was looking into the wrong thing, Salazar Slytherin was her next task.

She found some answers in a book called 'Genealogy of Famous witches and wizards.' And even larger book than the last. It took her nearly five minutes to shift through it and find this Salazar Slytherin. She scanned down the page, not sure really what she should look for and unfolded the bunched up parchment, noticing in slight disgust the many marriages with the family tree contained. She frowned as it reached the end, there was no note of any 'Voldemort' in here, it seemed to end with the 'Gaunts'. She peered closer to the parchment, noticing a small scribble. She struggled to make it out, the ink brown and aged. In slanted handwriting, as if it was quickly scribbled in by a student was a name, Tom Marvolo Riddle. A noise made her jerk her head up, her heart jamming into her throat out of its sluggish crawl. What was that?
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