Sir Hiss curled up on her other side, resting his head on her lap. She petted his head and took a deep breath, "There had always been signs I was different, accidental magic and the like. My parents never really believed me there was a 170cm talking snake in the garden pond, but they indulged my fantasy. They let Sir Hiss remain once they discovered him, but in their minds, he was not a pet, not could actually talk.