Chapter Text
Sebastian
Even when he did his utmost to avoid anything having to do with her, it seemed fate would not let him escape her influence so easily.
“Have you heard she saved Natty Onai from Ashwinders?”
“Onai? As in Professor Onai’s daughter?”
“Yes! She took down an entire Ashwinder outfit- by herself .”
“Bollocks, that is. Though, just the other day I saw her at the Three Broomsticks with Poppy Sweeting and, I swear by Merlin- they had a dragon’s egg with them!”
Sebastian clenched his teeth, holding his breath until he passed by the Slytherins gossipping in their common room. Not long after their ‘domestic’ in the Undercroft, he saw her around Natty and Poppy more often. Sometimes, even with Ominis. He wouldn’t even see his best friend in the Undercroft anymore, opting instead to spend time with Priscilla on the shores of the Black Lake. After class, they’d sometimes meet there and he’d see them walking alongside the beach, throwing stones over the water with a wave of their wand. To make matters worse, all of his letters to Anne went unresponded.
He wasn't sure there was a time in his life when he felt so alone.
The astronomy tower hummed with energy as he strode up the stairs. Samantha Dale gave him a smile in passing and he did his best to mimic the gesture. He wasn’t sure if others could tell his heart wasn’t in it.
It wasn’t until he reached the upper floors where Charms was held that he realized he hadn’t brought his book with him. He uttered a silent curse. I’m sure Ominis will let me borrow his-
Sebastian stopped himself from the thought that came automatically, squashing it and throwing it away before he allowed it to hurt him further. He hated that he missed his best friend so much. Just as much as he hated missing Anne.. Or-
He pinched his thigh hard to stop himself from looking for her.
The other students had already began filing in and he took his regular seat towards the back of the classroom. Usually, Ominis would already be at the seat next to him but his friend decided to sit somewhere else today seemingly saving an open seat.
Professor Ronen began instructing them on engorgement charms and what to do if they were struck by one. It was then the doors opened as Priscilla came in with her hair tousled by wind. “I’m sorry!” She was breathless as she found a seat next to Ominis.
“It’s not like you to be late, Ms. Corvin. Did an Ashwinder stop you for a duel in the hallway?”
“I-” Her smile was strained “Of course not, professor.”
Sebastian watched Ominis smirk and elbow Priscilla who was still apologizing profusely.
Ronen clicked his tongue and resumed the lesson, but his voice was drowned out by the thoughts that raced through his head. He mimicked the other students when they began practicing their charms and reading through the dangers of such a charm, though even then his mind was elsewhere and dreaming. Halfway through the lesson, he felt as if someone were gazing at him. Looking to his right, he saw her. She turned her head away as soon as their eyes met in what had been days. It filled him with a sense of emptiness.
“Miss Corvin!” The book she was reading pulled forward, summoned into Ronen’s outstretched hand. “I must ask that you pay attention in class and not look at mountainsides while you’re here. You have plenty of time for that in Beasts class.” He walked past Sebastian’s desk, allowing him to steal a glimpse of the picture. It was of a mountain, to be sure, and beyond it was a coast. It was also brief but for a moment he imagined he saw mine carts embedded into the side of the rock face. It looked familiar somehow but he couldn’t put a finger as to why.
Ominis
“I must confess something to you.”
“If it’s you proclaiming your undying love to Honeyduke’s chocolate, I’ve already known.”
“I’m serious.”
Ominis felt her hand brush against his as she tucked another piece of candy in his palm while remaining silent. “I think Sebastian’s attempting to learn to use the relic.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’m not, I’m just..” The sound of a rock skipping over the water was heard. “Disappointed.”
“That makes the two of us.”
“I don’t think he likes us spending time together.”
“Honestly?” He felt her sitting up. “I couldn’t give a damn what he doesn’t like. I will do what I wish just as he does.”
He fiddled with the corner of his sleeve, passing the fabric under his finger as he worked up the courage to ask: “Are you and Sebastian close?”
“What?”
Oh, Merlin . He had said it aloud.
“No closer than you two, I imagine,” her words tapered off. “Why do you ask?”
“I’ve heard rumors circling the mill in our common room. I thought to ask the source herself.”
She sighed impatiently. “Does this school have nothing better to talk about besides baseless rumors?”
“So your solo fight with the Ashwinders was nothing but fiction?”
“Well, no. But..”
“You must let me know if I can help,” he insisted, their fingers now intertwined as they have been when they spoke of something serious. “These aren’t your average criminals.”
“I’m sorry,” she covered his hand with hers in a show of sincerity. “It’s too dangerous to get more involved. When this is all over, you may ask me anything you want and I will answer truthfully.”
“I will hold you to that.”
“I expect nothing less from you, Gaunt.”
They shared a comfortable silence. A silence that Ominis found himself enjoying. It was oft that people chose to talk to fill in the void of noise, but between the two of them, their silence felt like a warm blanket sheltering them from the cold of the Scottish highlands.
“..Ominis?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ll admit I’m frightened.”
“Of?”
“What if I’m not making the right decision? What if I’m wrong about this? What if I’m not strong enough to stop them ?”
“Who is ‘them’?”
“I know they’re coming. I just don’t know if I’m ready. I feel like I’ve missed something.”
He hesitated before wrapping his hand tighter around hers. “Whatever it is you’re talking about, you must know that I’m here with you. Whatever is coming will come. Find comfort in that.”
She laughed. “How will I find comfort in imminent doom?”
“Because you are already aware you must face it. Plenty of others run or try to delay it. You’ve the good sense to face it head on at just the precise time. We mustn’t tempt fate, no matter how hopeless we feel. We may just end up tempting it for something worse.”
A new surge of warmth hovered over him when he felt a weight on his shoulder and felt that she placed her head there. They didn’t need to say anything more and stayed there on the shore until the sun tucked itself behind rolling hills and turned the lake into its namesake as its waters became an immeasurable abyss.
Sebastian
He was awake when Ominis came back smelling like lake water and the forest. He could imagine who it was that his best friend had been spending time with as he caught whiffs of her perfume streaking the air between their beds.
Ominis gathered a towel and clothes to change into before departing to what Sebastian would assume would be the baths. He fell back onto the bed, sighing and running his hands over his face. How long would they be giving him the silent treatment?
“Enough of this,” he muttered. Reaching under his bed, he retrieved a small briefcase and hopped out of bed. He didn’t stop wandering outside of the common room until he reached the Dark Arts tower and the Undercroft’s entrance. Before tapping his wand against the astronomy display, he pressed his ear against it and listened. Nothing. Sebastian entered the Undercroft and felt both relieved and a bit disappointed that there was no one else here but him.
He set the briefcase down on a stray desk and fished for the key around his neck to unlock it. To safeguard both the relic and the book, he made sure to place all sorts of anti-spell charms on it. But that came at the cost of him having to wear the damned key everywhere.
Sebastian flipped the book open to the page he was reading last and found himself pacing as he usually did when he read something so enticing. The excess energy he attained when reading something that excited him would only hinder his focus. When his eyes grew strained at the elegant cursive, he stopped and looked up to see the frame that held the pieces of the triptych they found. What caught his attention most was the painting of the valley. It looked strikingly similar to the one he saw within the book Priscilla had earlier.
***
The mountain air felt almost exquisitely warm compared to the snowy tundra that the valley had been turned into. It seemed that winter had not yet reached the coast, but only with whispers. Though now that he thought of it, he wasn’t sure if snow had ever had the pleasure of finding the ground here. This place was the fair-weather friend that always wrote to you from somewhere warm and lamented how cold you were.
Shadows loomed over him as he made the trek, forcing more of his breath to come out as the path eventually became more inclined. Sebastian stopped, embarrassed at his lungs making such a racket that he hadn’t noticed a figure streaking across the sky. He heard something touch gravel behind him and turned, with his wand out.
He blinked. Priscilla did too.
“What are you doing here?” They both asked at the same time.
“I came to-”
“I’ve already-”
They stopped.
“Listen, I-”
“I wanted to say-”
Sebastian looked at her pointedly, motioning for her to go first.
“I was planning to search this place myself before the Loyalists got here. Though it seems I’m far too late.”
“Were you aiming to do this by yourself? You’re very good at fighting, I’ll give you that. But this mine is far too expansive to have a go at it yourself.”
Her eyebrows knitted into a frown. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”
“I-” he paused. What exactly should he tell her? The truth? I came here to make sure it was safe for you . He nearly blurted it out, had it not been for the thought of Ominis holding her that clouded his mind. “I thought this place needed some cleaning out and that you might need me”
“Oh,” she laughed, though there was no humor in it. “So it’s far too dangerous for me alone, but you wouldn’t have the least bit of trouble- actually, I don’t have time for this.” She turned on her heels and continued up the mountainside
Sebastian jogged after her. “Don’t have time for what exactly? Me?” No answer. “I don’t suppose you think you could bother asking me for help?” Silence. “So you’re just going to ignore me like Ominis. Is that it?”
She stopped. “Don’t bring him into our arguments.”
“Why not?” he taunted. “It seems like you’re easier to talk to when he’s standing between us.”
She threw him a glare as if he’d just slapped her. “That’s enough. I’m going in alone and you’re going back home.”
“Home?” It was his turn to laugh. “I don’t have a home. I was disowned, remember? You were there.”
Her expression softened and he could almost see the girl he shared a kiss with. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.” She played with the edge of her gloves and let out a deep sigh. “Come on then. You’re right, I might need you.”
Sebastian grinned, following her upwards into the mountain mine. Overhead, another figure streaked the night sky. Though this one had an almost skeletal equine body and large wings akin to that of a bat.
“Has Ominis figured out that your ears get hot when you’re embarrassed?”
“Why are you asking?”
“I’m making small talk,” he muttered. “I’ll not trek up this mountain in silence.” She sighed.
It took them longer than he anticipated to even see the peak and before they knew it, they came across the familiar and crude barricades that only goblins could conjure. She knelt by the ground, her wand out and eyes scanning the encampment. He knew the routine. She counted her enemies and made sure she knew where they were at all times. As her eyes scanned the environment, he sighed impatiently and ran ahead.
“Sebastian!” she hissed. “Hold on-!”
“ Confringo!! ”
One of two goblins received a fiery ball to the face, sending them backwards into another. “ Levioso! ” Their bodies now lay suspended in the air and the goblins let out a surprised yelp as their stubby legs dangled helplessly. Sebastian felt a smile coming on. They were so easy to use magic on, so easy to manipulate. It was a wonder why wizards feared them.
“ Accio!” Two more Loyalists were pulled in by her spell and he realized why she didn’t pay much attention in Charms. “ Incendio !” A ring of fire surrounded her as the spell left her wand and blasted the goblins in the face and lit up the fury in her eyes.
Sebastian watched as the goblin running at him was suddenly turned into a red barrel before it was lifted and thrown into another. When the goblin transfigured back, it was only added to the pile of limbs that became dismembered by the explosion. He reached up and wiped the blood from his face in disgust before he felt his body being pulled forward and slammed into one of the metal poles holding up a tent.
“What in Merlin’s name did you think you were doing?!” Priscilla’s voice was cold as her elbow dug into his shoulder to hold him back. Their faces were close with her nose almost touching his. From this view, he could study her irises more in depth and saw other colors freckle the surface. It was beautiful. “You could have gotten us killed!”
“But I didn’t.” He enunciated each word painfully slowly. She opened her mouth to say something and Sebastian felt as if he were watching a snake with its maw widening to strike at their prey. A smirk curled onto his lips. “You sure you weren’t sorted into the wrong house?”
“Sebastian..” Her tone was testy.
“If you don’t intend to do anything about the lack of distance between us right now, darling. I will.”
Much to his disappointment, she relinquished her arm from him and backed away while muttering something about “flirting at a time like this, honestly..” She seemed upset, sure. But he certainly didn’t miss the flushed pink on her ears.
“We need to do this right, not just go charging in. If you can’t get your head right on your shoulders..” She took a deep breath. “Then I don’t think we can continue working together-”
“Fine, fine .” He forced the tension to leave his shoulders and relax. “I’m sorry. I’m letting my emotions get the better of me and have been for a while.” She still didn’t look convinced. “Trust me. I need this as much as you do, I don’t think I can help Anne without you.”
She nodded her head. “Good.” He wasn’t sure if he imagined it, but he thought he saw a flash of hurt in her eyes.
He allowed her to take the lead and they found themselves Sebastian soon found out that the mines weren’t aptly named. It was more a ruin than anything, with dilapidated arches holding up the ceilings and tapestries that were eaten away from age and moths. Stairs carried them from one floor to the next and he was surprised that most retained their integrity throughout the ages. “Be careful!” His footing was pulled away from him. He slipped down just as she dove for him and took his hand. So much for integrity . They were now sliding, rocks pelting them and digging into their backs. Both of their bodies landed onto the floor with a pained yelp just as a troll appeared to investigate the noise.
There was something different about this one. The troll’s eyes were a burning crimson, glowing against the pallid shade of its leathery skin. It grunted loudly, eyes bulging when it spotted the both of them. It lifted its club and brought it down on a nearby pillar, collapsing the way upwards. Sebastian looked to Priscilla, who already brandished her wand and was staring directly at the troll. He followed suit.
“ Confringo !” Both Sebastian and her launched the blasting curse at the troll, forcing it to stagger back.
“Nice one, Ravenclaw!” he called as she hurled one of the rocks at its face.
Sebastian rolled out of the way as the troll swiped at him with its club, bringing it down with both hands. He pointed his wand at the club. “ Flipendo !” The club launched upwards into the troll's face and made it fall onto one knee, dazed.
“Not bad, Slytherin,” she cried out as another blasting curse left her wand. Before the troll charged them again, its feet were frozen onto the ground, traveling upwards until ice completely encased its body. “ Diffindo !” The hulking brute’s body was slow even as it thawed. It wobbled and struggled to remain still as it collapsed onto the floor still twitching.
The troll lay dead.
She put her wand up, her lips parted as she attempted to catch her breath. He seized the moment.
Taking her hand, he pulled her close to catch her mouth with his.
At first, she seemed surprised. But soon he felt her push back with her hands wrapped into his hair. A soft moan came from her as he grasped her waist securely with both hands. They both stopped just to get ahold of their breaths and rested their foreheads against the other. She let out a sigh, then a laugh.
“Nothing like a troll to bring two people closer,” she whispered.
“In that case, I shall keep it in mind that I find a troll for every argument we have.”
“Smooth talker.” She shook her head, a grin gracing her lips that still carried his kiss. “Come on then. The final piece of the canvas must be here.” A quick flick of her wand repaired the stairs, opening the way up for what seemed like a bedroom. It was odd that there was seemingly a castle hidden away deep in the mountainside.
“Why did Isidora feel the need to hide like this?”
“I’ve told you. She and the other Keepers didn’t see eye-to-eye on how the magic should be used. She must have felt the need to hide herself away.” She stopped at an old desk containing a scroll. Picking it up, she held it up for him to see. “Here! The final piece!”
“Finally. Maybe it’ll shed a light on all of this.” He began searching for a smooth piece of stone that could serve as a way out. “Now, back to the Undercroft.”
“Over here,” she held out a hand and he took it.
“I’m almost tempted to hold my breath.”
“Feel free.”
Her body had already disappeared into the stone and he was so sure that he would simply run into the wall and be left alone in here. But he felt her tugging him through and soon found himself within the familiar comfort of the Undercroft. By the time he could process what just happened, she was already unfolding the canvas and studying it.
“Well? Don’t keep me in suspense!” he urged her excitedly. “Go on, place it.”
They backed away, expecting to see something appear in the portrait. In the background he made out a hamlet that he recognized as Feldcroft, framed by a window sill and curtain. It seemed as if there was supposed to be another subject, but it remained quiet. They waited a moment longer. Nothing.
A sharp bang sounded off behind them and they turned to see a basin rise from the ground, its stone bowl holding some sort of clear liquid that seemed too thick to be water. “Is this what we were looking for?” he asked.
“I wonder..” she was holding her hand out towards something he couldn’t see, but apparently whatever it was that she touched rippled along the surface of the basin and began glowing. She stood at the opposite side of the basin, motioning her head to follow as she immersed her face into it.
Sebastian found himself in a small cottage. The colors were grayed out and seemingly muted, all except for the two guests here. He turned his hand over and saw that it remained a more vibrant color than what he was seeing here. He opened his mouth to ask what this was but saw her staring hard at someone. A witch appeared before them, holding a wand and flask. She was talking to four others- three wizards and a witch, and appeared to be telling them something.
The ones that the witch was talking to seemed concerned as their faces were hardened. A door the witch stood next to opened and a man dragged himself out of the room. His face was sunken in and it seemed that more than a physical malady had eaten most of his strength away. Even taking a seat seemed to drain him.
Just like Anne, he realized.
“On my travels, I’ve confirmed that which I always believed. That we have the power to take away pain.” The witch who spoke took a seat beside the haggard looking man and held her wand to his chest.
“Isidora-”
Something black wriggled out from the man’s heart. A bulbous thing that pulsed with life as red lightning streaked around it, like a heartbeat. Smoke rose from the thing, encircling it before sinking back in and repeating the process. He realized that this must have been the ancient magic that Priscilla could see.
“What have you done?” One of the older wizards stood up, his eyes widening in fear.
“I took away his pain.” The witch smiled just as the older man seemed to perk up. His shoulders no longer sagged forward and life returned back to his eyes. He grasped the witch’s hand.
“Thank you.” He whispered gratefully as tears welled up in his eyes.
The scene disappeared, washing away like water lapping at something etched into sand. Sebastian thought it was the end, until another image came into focus again. This time he was looking at the same witch from before speaking to a goblin.
“It worked?”
“It did indeed.”
“‘Course it did! It’s goblin silver!”
“I need something much bigger,” she said.
“It would help if I knew just what it was that you were storing,” replied the goblin.
“Magic.” She held up one of the containers holding the red and black thing he saw earlier. “Left over from a spell I devised to remove pain. But if used correctly, its power can be used to do even more good.”
“Why would you want to store such magic away?”
“I only need to keep it safe until I can convince my colleagues of its worth. Magic like this unnerves some.”
The goblin seemed to not enjoy the thought. “Not everyone is ready to wield such power.”
“..Perhaps not. But someone will be.”
The scene faded out once more and Sebastian rose with a breath of air, his hands holding his head as if it had just exploded and been put back together. “She took away the pain!” He smiled harder than he had in weeks. “I knew it. I knew there was a way to help Anne!”
“Something isn’t right, Sebastian.”
He stopped, looking up to see her standing in front of the triptych. “What do you mean? You saw what she did-”
“No, not the memories. The portrait.” She ran a hand over the surface. “I think the reason Isidora hasn’t appeared is because she can’t. We’ve seen that view before. The abandoned home in Feldcroft, the destroyed painting- it was her!”
Sebastian shook his head, his hand thrown up in exasperation. “So someone destroyed a bit of enchanted canvas-” he took her hand and led her back to the pensieve, “-but we found the memory !”
She looked at the pensieve, to him, then to the painting. She seemed to have things she wanted to say but only smiled. “Yes. Yes, you’re right.”
“We saw what she wanted us to see. We saw what she could do- what you can do!”
“But I don’t know how to do what Isidora did..”
His voice softened and he brought her closer. “Well then you shall learn! The Keepers can teach you.”
She relinquished his hand and backed away. “I’m not sure that they would. The Keepers believed that removing someone’s ability to feel pain- it’s a highly complicated, unpredictable form of magic. One that should be wielded with great care! If at all.”
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “‘If at all’? You’ve overcome all of their challenges. You’ve more than proven yourself. You can wield it. You have the ability!” He realized that the closer he got, the farther she stepped away.
“Please,” he begged. “Talk to the Keepers. If not for me, then for Anne.”
“Sebastian,” she looked at him, her face tight. “You may not like what she turns into.”
“How could you know? You haven’t even tried!”
“Yes, I do know. I need you to believe me when I tell you that I may not be the answer to saving Anne. If I take the pain away, it might make her worse than she is!”
“How do we know if we don’t try? I thought you cared about her!”
“I DO !” Her face was puffed red as her voice left her lips in a scream. “I care enough not to try it on her because I know full well what it could turn her into! You haven’t seen what I’ve seen. You haven’t seen what taking away someone’s pain truly costs! The other Keeper’s memories showed me-”
“The other Keepers that try to repress your powers, you mean?” he frowned. “That try to slow you down as much as possible? That keep you in the dark and keep secrets from you instead of communicating?”
“They have their reasons.”
“Their reasons seem to place you into precarious situations that nearly kill us!”
“I never asked you to follow me. I told you I’m perfectly fine doing this on my own”
“Do you think I follow you into dangerous ruins for the fun of it?” The anger built inside of him like a poison. “I had a feeling your ability could help Anne and this memory proved me right!”
“So that’s all you kept me around for?” There was a smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes. “You didn’t need me. You just need my ability.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.” He reached forward to tuck her hair behind her ear, but she rescinded.
“We can talk about it when we’re less inclined to shout at each other,” she muttered and started towards the exit. Before she left, she spoke without looking at him. “I’m sorry, Sebastian. But I don’t think my power can help Anne.”
Sebastian was only left with one option now and the answers waited for him in the same catacomb he found it in.
Ominis
“Quickly!” Anne’s voice pitched into a cry as they both pushed the tomb doors closed. “We mustn’t let any of them out!”
“Anne, Ominis!” A voice called to them from behind. He found himself nearly sighing with relief at the sound. “I got your owl and came as soon as I could. What happened?”
“It’s Sebastian,” Anne beat him to it. “He’s gone too far. The entire hamlet will be in danger if he doesn’t stop!”
“Anne, calm down,” he heard Priscilla shushing her. “Collect yourself, I’ll go in there and talk to him.”
“You can’t, it’s too dangerous to go inside now!”
“All the more reason I won’t let Sebastian be alone in there.”
“I’ll go with you,” he stepped forward.
Anne sniffed. “I can’t stay here. I must go.”
“Anne!”
He heard her Disapparate with a loud crack and let out a sigh. “It’s up to us then.”
“Will you explain what’s going on?”
“It’s the Relic,” he started, wringing his wrists nervously. “He showed it to Anne and claimed it’s the only thing that could help her.”
“‘The only thing’, huh?” To his surprise, she released a laugh.
“What? What is it?”
“It’s nothing. If we’re going, then we need to go now.”
They fought their way inside with her traveling at a faster speed than he. Ominis stopped when he nearly stumbled over a piece of rubble, but found himself caught before plummeting to the dirt. “Come on,” her hand found his and they ran towards the final chamber hand-in-hand. As they reached what he felt was the antechamber, he tugged on her arm.
“Wait, I just realized. Anne’s gone to get her uncle!”
There was a sharp intake of air. “Solomon threatened to tell the Headmaster if he knew we were dabbling in these sorts of things again.”
“I must go. I need to get to Black first, make it seem like this was a family feud.. Will you be alright?”
“Go. Don’t worry about me.”
He didn’t miss the bitterness lacing her tone.
Sebastian
He heard his name being called just as something small prodded his back. “What have you done?” The voice asked him softly.
He turned, facing her with a relieved smile on his face. He ignored that her wand had been out and pointed at him and instead showed her the relic. The pyramid composed of Inferi carvings had begun glowing red, as red as a glorious sunset. “Look!” He took her hand. “I told you, the relic is the answer. I’ve been trying to reverse the dark magic that injured Anne, but this allows me to control it! Just as I was allowed to control the Inferi!”
“Sebastian..”
“Look what I can do,” he began, the excitement pushing him forward and holding her by the shoulders. “You don’t have to worry about your ability once I master this.”
Her eyes flickered towards the relic in his hand then him. “I think you need to put the relic down. Let’s get out of here and have a talk.”
“We can talk here. The Inferi won’t attack us, you have my word.”
Her lips formed a thin line. “Sebastian. Please put that down and come with me-”
“WHAT HAVE THE TWO OF YOU DONE?!”
Before Sebastian even had time to turn, he felt the relic being pulled from his hand and towards his uncle.
“No, don’t!!”
Solomon held the tip of his wand to the relic and Sebastian watched as the pyramid crumpled into dust and vanished within the dust of the tomb. Something seemed to snap from within him, an uncomfortable heat that spread throughout his body and forced his body to move because if he didn’t- he was sure he’d explode. “You’ll pay for this!” A cast left his wand, striking his uncle in the shoulder. Solomon’s eyes rounded with surprise. Sebastian wanted to laugh. Why did he seem so surprised? Didn’t his uncle see this coming?
“Stop it! Please, Mr. Sallow. You have to listen to me!”
“How dare you try to reason with me!” Solomon roared. “You were the one to help him onto this path!”
From the corner of his eye, he saw her flinch with her mouth agape and frozen.
Loud groaning forced their attention to the side where the Inferi now began their assault, with a relic no longer available to control them. Priscilla snapped out of whatever fervor she was in and pointed her wand. “ Incendio !” A ring of fire burst forth from her body, setting aflame those who neared her- including Sebastian. He would have been safe from the flames if he hadn’t run forward, but he did. Somewhere in the distance, he heard someone calling his name loudly.
He didn’t- couldn’t focus on any of that. He could only see Solomon.
Rage, plain and true powered his accuracy and spells, the resulting curses coming from him felt stronger than ever before.
“Sebastian!! Stop this!” That voice cried and he thought he could see her fighting off the Inferi that now crowded her. He stopped just as one heaved its arms and clawed at her back, she let out a yelp just before her body was sent flying across the tomb. She collided with the stone, and she looked up, dazed. He followed her line of sight and beheld Solomon with his wand pointed at her.
Sebastian felt as though he could kill him.
“Don’t touch her!” He shouted. “ Confringo !!!” The blast sent Solomon back, almost too easily. Had this man really been an Auror? He gasped when his body was suddenly being levitated and everything moved far slower than they should have. Solomon, satisfied that Sebastian couldn’t break out of the spell anytime soon, turned his sights on Priscilla.
“You, girl. I thought you would want to lay low, considering how they’re after you.”
She pushed herself up, fear in her eyes as she held out her wand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Before Solomon could say anymore, she threw a flurry of hexes his way. There’s the girl that fought off Ashwinders by her lonesome , Sebastian thought proudly. Something fueled her movements as she blocked Solomon’s spells and sent them right back to him. One struck him and the spell suspending Sebastian was broken.
He landed with a grunt and yelled at her. “Leave him! He’s mine!”
Solomon blocked a spell, deflecting it and sending it to a crypt nearby. “She cannot be healed, Sebastian! You must stop!” Another cast hit him. He sent another, then another. Solomon didn’t even seem like he wanted to fight back.
“I won’t let her suffer!” Sebastian didn’t stop. He pointed his wand at his uncle. It was clear what he needed to do. “ Avada Kedavra !!!”
There was a brilliant spark of green light. Then nothing. The man before him stopped moving, his eyes glazing over as life left him. He fell back onto the ground with a small thud. Sebastian’s eyes trailed from the body that was once his uncle before looking at his wand with the spell that killed him still fresh from the impact. The wand dropped from his hand and he felt something hot pierce his eyes. He turned back to where Priscilla was and only saw her horrified face with her hands covering her mouth.
“ Depulso! ”
Sebastian collided with the wall, knocking the air out of him. His hand flew to his chest and just as the dust settled, he saw Anne. “ Incendio !!” A jettison of fire flew from the tip of her wand and ignited the rest of the Inferi, sending their corpses into an ashen pile that blew away in the whirlpool of flame. Anne winced with pain, her hand on her stomach as she looked around the tomb. She stopped when she spotted the book.
“ Bombarda !”
“Noooo!!!”
Salazar Slytherin’s spellbook, like the Inferi, had been reduced to nothing but a pile of ash. Sebastian couldn’t help the dread that washed over him like a cold wave. There was nothing left. No relic, no spellbook. Nothing that can help Anne.
His twin beheld him like a stranger in a passing crowd, a coldness that was unfamiliar to him had taken over her face as she stared at him near their uncle’s corpse. She knelt by Solomon, taking his hand in hers and with a crack, they disappeared.
The tomb now seemed much too quiet.
“I must get out of here.”
Someone else was speaking. Muttering. It sounded a lot like him.
He felt his body being lifted, pushing up from the ground before planting his feet firmly onto the bone-covered floor. Someone was talking behind him. He didn’t- couldn’t make it out. It sounded like her . But he couldn’t tell right now.
The walls began moving, inching forward until they brushed at his sleeves. He felt the statues embedded into the wall staring, their arms moving from centuries worth of slumber finally moving and reaching. For him.
“Get away!”
There was that voice again. They sounded so panicked and desperate. Surely, it wasn’t him. Air, he needed air. The walls couldn’t swallow him if we were above ground. His vision grew cloudy, misshaping the harsh edges of the tomb and making them appear as one solid object. He heard his name, someone was calling for him. But who would it be that followed him from the dark?
“ Sebastian !!!” Her face appeared in front of him, though hazy and distorted. It was only when she passed over his eyes with her fingers did he what was contorting his vision. Drops of water streaked from the tips of her fingers down to her palm. Had he been crying?
“Sebastian,” her voice was soft and he found that his body ached as it shivered uncontrollably. Then he felt warmth. She was holding him tightly against her chest, giving him what comforts she had. She shushed him. “Don’t run. We can face this together.”
The air suddenly grew thick for him and he felt as if he were being strangled. He backed away, his face in his hands as he began pacing back and forth.
“Anne won’t survive this. She’s withering away, inside and out-”
“Stop-”
“Solomon’s never been there for us. Not really. He gave up on her-”
“Sebastian, stop-”
“-I’ll never give up on Anne. You saw him, didn’t you? He was going to ruin her life, he attacked us! I-I had to use the Killing Curse, you know I di-”
“SEBASTIAN, STOP IT!”
She grabbed him by the shoulders. “You have gone too far. You killed your uncle, don’t you realize what that means? If not to you, then to Anne!”
“I was only trying to help!” He shouted back at her. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen!”
She released him, her face paralyzed with awe. She opened her mouth to say something, but seemingly decided against it. “I’ll give you some time.” She summoned her broom and before he could stop her, she disappeared as a dot in the sky. Sebastian wanted desperately for her to turn around and embrace him once more.
Ominis
Ominis never wanted anything more than to have him, Sebastian, and Anne standing side-by-side again. But not like this. Not under these conditions.
By the time he ran into Black, Solomon already notified the Headmaster of the situation and apparently, two Minister agents were brought in to investigate. Black was pleased they came so quickly, much to everyone else’s distress. Their line of questioning was severe, and even Anne, much to Ominis’s surprise, hadn’t said much and stuck to single word responses.
“Professor!” Priscilla’s voice filled the room as she burst in, breathless. All three Slytherins seemed stupefied by her sudden arrival. She stopped mid-sentence and he could only guess why.
“Ms. Corpin-“
“It’s Corvin, sir.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m.. a witness.”
“Ah, well, anyways,” Black straightened himself. “We were discussing the events that happened, didn’t we, Mr. Sallow?”
“Hold a moment,” one of the agents stopped Black and walked over to her. “Ms. Corvin, I take it?”
“Y-yes sir. Did you need something?”
“Your wand. I require it- oh, and Professor Black, I do insist we have the room to ourselves.”
Black sputtered. “I don’t believe the Ministry has the authority to order me out of my own office.”
“We do not. But considering this could turn into a criminal investigation, it has reached within the borders of our purview. So I must insist. Will you please give us a moment?”
Ominis listened to Black walk away as the door slammed shut behind him. Footsteps neared him. “Your wand, Mr. Gaunt. And yours too, Mr. and Ms. Sallow.” All four wands were confiscated and Ominis felt his friend freeze up beside him. “Priori Incantantem.”
Ominis heard whooshing sounds as the previously used spell became apparent. There was that unbearable, stuffy silence again. Just before-
“Ms. Corvin. Do you care to explain why your last used spell was the Imperius Curse?”
Ominis froze. Who had she used Imperio on?!
“I-I used it on Sebastian, sir.”
He felt the accused become completely still with shock.
“What for?”
“To force him to use the Killing Curse.”
There was a huge gap filled with silence to the point that it was unbearable.
“Well?” One of them asked.
“The last spell is indeed the Killing Curse.”
“Hm,” one of the agents stated calmly. “It seems there is truth to her confession.”
“Likely,” the other agent replied, just as bored. “We will be keeping in touch with you , Ms. Corvin. This requires further investigating. As for you, Mr. Sallow, you are free to go. Any charges will be cleared.”
Ominis was stunned. Their punishment had been so lenient. Why? It was almost too suspicious. It seemed that it didn’t even matter as soon as she showed up.
The door slammed open as someone found their way into the office. “Excuse me, sirs,” Professor Fig’s voice was heard. “I believe there was a misunderstanding.”
“Fig, let the children out first,” snapped Black and Ominis felt his body being pushed towards the door. It slammed shut once more behind them and he heard someone sniff.
“Why?!” Sebastian asked and the sniffing grew louder. A few minutes later, someone opened the door and the sniffs became full-fledged whimpers.
“It’s alright, my dear,” Professor Fig shushed what Ominis presumed to be his charge. “W-we can solve this. We can still- Ah! Professor Black! Please, allow me a moment to-”
“I won’t hear of it, Fig. The hearing has been done and the decision is no longer in my hands.”
Anne pulled someone closer. “What’s going on? Why are they acting like that?”
“I can’t tell you,” Priscilla managed to say. “It’s.. no. I can’t tell you…”
“Why did you let yourself get involved?” Anne whispered.
“I’ve made my choice.”
“My father,” Ominis started, his face screwed up in agony. “My father may be able to help us. He’s-he’s friends with the Minister. I’ll send him a letter, they’ll talk and you-”
“It’s fine-”
“It’s NOT fine,” he cut her off hotly. “None of this should have happened. None of this should have come to pass!”
She spoke to him softly and reached forward to grab his hand. “But it has.”
Sebastian
The incident was thankfully kept a closed secret. None but those present in the room for the accusation knew of what transpired. Not even Professor Black was privy to the details. He was let off rather easily and though this should have given him cause to sleep better, he tossed and turned most nights and woke up more tired than when he went to bed. Tonight was no exception. He woke with a start as his body began to shake to-and-fro violently. The platter holding a cold batch of tea rattled loudly before it tumbled onto the floor and spilled its contents everywhere.
“What in Merlin’s name?!” Said one of the other boys across the room as they were rocked off their bed. Just in time, the door to their dorm was thrown open and a figure with such bright colors that it clashed against the gloom of the dungeon appeared. “Bloody hell!” The boy, Reilly screamed as he threw a robe on. “P-professor Garlick!”
“Come boys!” She strained a smile just as other students ran behind her. “We haven’t much time, we have to go. Now!” Another rumble shook their room and Sebastian found the floor with his face as he toppled over. “Mr. Sallow, Mr. Gaunt- please follow the other students!”
Ominis, who’d also been thrown off his bed, was feeling for his wand. Sebastian picked both his and Ominis’ wands up before throwing a robe over him. “C’mon!” He put his hand over his friend’s and was relieved when Ominis took it. Sebastian guided Ominis along the other students who panicked despite Garlick’s frantic shushing and reassurance. They ran up the dungeon just as another rumble bellowed from somewhere deep in the school.
“What’s going on?!” Ominis cried as they were both rocked into the wall.
“Let’s just get outside first,” Sebastian pulled him up the stairs and soon Slytherin’s student body was joined by a group of students donning yellow-tinged robes.
“Hufflepuffs, please stay together!” Professor Shah called, her voice magnified with a spell. “Outside, everyone, outside!! Garlick! There you are!”
Garlick ran to her. “Madame Kogawa should have already fetched the Ravenclaws. The Gryffindors are already outside with Howin, we need to hurry!”
Sebastian and Ominis passed by the hourglasses near the Great Hall that held their points and watched as one of the quakes toppled them over with the glass marbles spilling onto the floor. Many students slipped with the two of them following suit and feeling a sharp pain as his bottom smacked onto the floor.
“ Accio !” The marbles lifted into the air as Professor Garlick waved her wand and sent them far and out of reach of students. “Help each other up now, we must hurry!” She urged everyone as she helped some of the Slytherin students up. “Where is Professor Black!?”
Sebastian saw Professor Shah inch closer to the Herbology teacher just as they cleared into the northern exit. He strained to listen, but only heard scraps. “..went to go with the others.. Down… with Professor Fig…”
Ominis nursed a bruise to his head, a souvenir from when he was launched from the confines of his bed. “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
“Sebastian!” He turned to see Poppy Sweeting making a beeline for home with Natty in tow. “Where is she?!”
“Who?”
Poppy scoffed impatiently and he was almost sure this was a dream. He never in his five years of attending Hogwarts saw Poppy Sweeting scoff. “Priscilla, of course! I thought she’d be with you!”
Ominis’s troubled complexion grew deeper. “You mean she wasn’t with you?”
“We ran into the other Ravenclaws on our way out,” Natty explained in a rush as she nearly tripped over her words. “But we didn’t see her amongst them.”
Flashes of blue robes caught Sebastian’s eyes and he reached forward to grab onto one of them. Amit Thakkar looked as if he were just punched. “Where is Priscilla?” Amit looked from him to Poppy, Ominis, and Natsai with jaw slack with shock. “Amit!!!”
“Idon’tknow!” He blurted out. “No one saw her come back into the dorm last night!”
The world seemed to spin around him as he searched through the Ravenclaw horde, calling her name and growing more frantic. “Priscilla!” he yelled over the rumbling until he felt the lining in his throat become raw. “Where are you?!”
A hand clamped on his shoulder and he turned to see Ominis. “I-I think I may know where she is.”
“What are you waiting for then? Let’s go!”
He shook his head. “We can’t.”
“What do you mean, we can’t. She might need our help.”
“You and I both know she’s the last person that needs help in a fight. She..” he hesitated. “She told me something was coming and that she needed to face it alone. I think this is what she was talking about.”
“But we can’t just leave her.”
“We’re not. We’re trusting her.”
It took all the willpower in the world for Sebastian to not run into the castle looking for her.
***
A voice carried throughout the school and replaced the hush murmurs of the students once the rumbling ceased entirely. A pompous voice with unnecessary enunciation of the ‘r’s that could only indicate that it was Black.
“Attention students. Everyone will report back to their dorms and change into formal wear before reporting to the Great Hall.”
Hogwart’s entire student body followed Black’s instruction and appeared where they were told. He saw that some of the Professor’s appeared to have been wounded. Professor Sharp sported a new cut over his other brow, but something about him appeared rejuvenated as there was a fire in his eyes that Sebastian never recalled seeing before. Professor Weasley had bits of her hair askew, though she quickly patted it down with a hand before taking her position near Professor Black.
Black cleared his throat. “Professor Eleazar Fig. I daresay he was a beloved professor to many of you. Certainly, a– long-standing colleague to his peers. A famed adventurer and renown seeker of knowledge, he built a reputation-”
Sebastian wondered why they’d even let this man speak for someone as esteemed as Fig was. It was a descredit to his memory and it seemed he wasn’t the only one to think so. To his, and many other student’s delight, Professor Weasley patted the Headmaster on the shoulder with a soft ‘ahem’. She took his place at the mantle and clasped her hands together.
“Professor Fig represented the best of all of us. He could be deviously clever. Possessed a brilliantly inquisitive mind, and- was the most loyal of friends. But perhaps it was his remarkable courage for which we will all be forever indebted to him. If not for Professor Fig.. Well, I can say with confidence that if not for him, many of us- let alone Hogwarts- would not be here today. We can agree that we must now honor him as only Hogwarts can- by wisely, resourcefully, justly, and bravely facing all that lies ahead.”
All of the professors stood with their goblets raised and all of the students followed suit.
But he wasn’t watching them. He was watching her .
She stood close to the entrance to the great hall and looked to be a mess. Tears scattered her robes along with what appeared to be burn marks. Her hair was askew in varying places with great bits of dirt smudged across her cheeks that darkened the red lines cutting across her skin. There were tears in her eyes. Tears that threatened to fall at any minute. Her cup was raised high and at that moment he watched her break as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
***
Ravenclaw had won the House Cup.
Professor Weasley hadn’t explained precisely how the house received so many last minute points, but she did allude to something great that took place below the school. The banisters were colored cobalt and bronze, matching those who jumped in joy, throwing their pointed hats into the air. Despite some of the others not belonging in Ravenclaw, he saw others congratulating them with obligatory smiles.
In the middle of all that was her.
Even though her fellow housemates had celebrated her, it seemed that her heart truly wasn’t in it. And during the always anticipated end of the year feast, he saw her slip away while everyone was busy making merry with each other. Sebastian slipped away too, hoping to catch her; but as soon as he left the Great Hall, he found that she disappeared.
***
The end of term approached like a snow owl descending on an unlucky field mouse; quiet and quick. Some of the other Slytherin’s had already packed and chatted excitedly about their trips back home. Sebastian delayed his packing as long as possible. It wasn’t as if he had anyone at home to welcome him back anyways.
Ominis already had his black leather case packed with everything neatly tucked. He wouldn’t be returning to his familial home, rather he opted to stay at a house once owned by Noctua Gaunt. Sometimes Sebastian and Anne would visit him there, filling empty halls with sounds of laughter and off-key singing. But that wouldn’t happen this summer either. He almost felt bad for Ominis to go back to such an empty place.
But then again, he was going through the same dilemma.
Sebastian climbed the astronomy tower, breathing in the air that grew hot with the changing of the seasons. He saw a flash of a blue cloak and felt his heart race. Chasing after the silhouette, he stopped short when he saw it was only Amit.
“Oh.” The Ravenclaw boy cleared his throat at the sight of him. “Hello, Sebastian.”
“Hello.”
“Come to take in the sights before our terms ends?”
“Er, something like that..”
“I’ll leave you to it. I’ve already had my fill.”
As Amit brushed past him in a hurry to get out, Sebastian called his name to stop him. “Have you seen Priscilla? I wanted to say goodbye before the week ends.”
Amit’s face twisted into that of sympathy and something about it made Sebastian irritated. “You haven’t heard? She’s leaving today.”
Sebastian didn’t waste any time rushing downstairs. He ran past many others who shouted names at him when he accidentally bumped into their shoulders. His lungs burned from overuse as he forced his legs to move faster until he reached the stairs. The Floo system would have gotten him places quicker, sure, but there was a chance he would have missed her in between the traveling stations. His eyes frantically searched every narrow hallway and even traveled up to the Ravenclaw tower where none of the students claimed she was there.
There was only one place left he could think of.
Sweat had now drenched his forehead as he ran across the bridge leading towards the clock tower courtyard. He barged in the door, and stopped completely when he saw a lone figure standing in the middle with a briefcase and broom by her side.
“So, you’re going to leave without saying goodbye?”
“I’ve..” she seemed hesitant. “I didn’t want to tell anyone-“
“Amit told me-“
“-anyone important. ”
“Not even me? I thought you would at least care enough to let me know. I thought we were friends.”
It looked like he had struck her. “Yes,” she repeated, her eyes numb and empty. “Friends.”
“Why did you do that?” He blurted out. “Why did you lie for me?”
“They would have sent you to Azkaban,” she whispered, looking around to make sure there were no other bodies around. “I..I couldn’t bear the thought of you going there.”
“And you think I could?” He whispered back harshly. “They’ll come after you.”
“That’s why I’m leaving today. There’s something I need to look into.”
“Let me come with you.”
“No,” her tone had been biting and cold, but after seeing his face, softened just a tad. “I’m sorry. I have to do this on my own.” She held her hand out and Sebastian seemed confused at the gesture, staring at it as if it were a snake set to poison him. He didn’t want to shake her hand. He wanted to kiss her.
“Goodbye, Sebastian.”
He watched her leave. And it felt like she took what little was left of his heart.
A month later…
An owl landed near Sebastian, dropping a large parcel near his arm. He flinched as the object struck him and felt rather heavy. The large brown owl hooted at him happily as it blinked once in goodbye and raised its wings to depart, leaving Sebastian alone once more. There was no note on the package, nor any other indication that could let him know who it was that sent it. After making sure the package wasn’t tampered with or hexed in any way, he set his wand down and carefully peeled back the parchment. His breath hitched in his throat when he saw what was inside.
It was her broom.
***
My friend,
Sebastian is beside himself. I know I am the last to ask you for any more favors concerning him. But won’t you at least consider writing him back? He’s not himself and I myself am not sure what to do. He says you’re in trouble and while I hope this is him overreacting, I must admit that it is concerning you haven’t written back at all.
Write soon,
Ominis Gaunt
***
My Priscilla,
Long time no see,
Hello, my friend,
Hello,
None of the professors or students know your whereabouts. It is as if you disappeared from the surface of the world. Where did you go? I miss you. Ominis doesn’t speak to me as much. Anne hasn’t written to me either. And you left too. I wish I knew where to send this letter. I don’t know what to do. I shouldn’t have let go of your hand that day. I shouldn’t have let you walk out of Hogwarts. I should have begged you to stay. No matter what happened, you stood by me and I couldn’t do the same for you even after everything. I’m so sorry. If we ever meet once more, I vow to do everything right by you. I promise.
It was always you.
I never meant to hurt you.
Please don’t leave me.
Yours always,
Sebastian