Chapter Text
The week went on without much incident. Natty, Ominis, and Ainsley wandered the corridors trying to see how much mischief they could cause before the start of term—well, Ainsley and Natty tried while Ominis stood to the side with a long sigh and lecture. The three of them laughed over Butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks and sat in courtyards and hillsides discussing a myriad of topics but also nothing at all. Ainsley smiles as she reminisces on the last six days with her two friends, but tomorrow everyone will be here, and their perfect little bubble will pop.
Tomorrow the whispers and harsh remarks will echo through the halls instead of laughter. Everyone’s feigned interest in her and over-the-top compliments will fill the day instead of Ominis and Natty’s deep conversations about Charms. Judgmental stares and sneers will follow her with every step, and not Ominis trying to convince her to not do the thing that she was planning on doing even though he was happy to tag along.
Instead—everything will change.
“Your thoughts are quite loud, Ainsley.” Ominis doesn’t even turn to look at her while waving his wand, trying to master a new charm before the start of the year, but Ainsley’s attention snaps up to him anyways. Her head rests comfortably on his leg while his other hand idly plays with her hair. It’s bliss as she watches her chocolate strands weave through his long, pale fingers.
“Just thinking about tomorrow.” Her hands nervously play with a loose thread on her shirt as she chews on her lower lip.
“What about?” Ominis sets his wand down before shifting to place Ainsley’s head fully onto his lap, and his endless eyes meet hers as if to sense her soul.
“It’s silly. In fact, it’s nothing. Nothing to worry yourself about.” Ominis takes Ainsley’s fidgeting hands into his.
“You know, when you lie,” His fingers gently caress her skin with a softness that causes a faint blush to slowly creep up her cheeks, “the last word in your phrases tends to go up.”
Ainsley pouts up at the man above her, “Have I ever told you that your enhanced hearing tends to put a real damper on not burdening people with my problems?”
“Ainsley,” Ominis raises her hand to his lips, kissing it softly, “you have never been nor will be a burden. Your problems are valid, and you are allowed to express what you are feeling. You’ve born everyone else’s burden, so let some of us take the load off your shoulders. Reliable people need someone, too.”
“I’m just nervous, Ominis. It’s truly nothing to worry about. The three of us have had a nice little bubble here this last week, and now, everyone is going to be back and…” Ainsley squeezes her eyes shut as she holds back tears as the voices of her peers grow louder, but the gentle touch from Ominis silences them quickly.
“And you’re worried that their mean-spirited words will follow you into this year?”
“Yes.” Ainsley chokes out through muted tears. “I want a normal year where I can stress over just my coursework and not worry about anything other than that. I want to study with you in the library, run amok with Natty and Poppy, and maybe do some more racing with Imelda, is that too much to ask for?”
“Of course not, Ainsley,” Ominis pulls her up, facing her with his ever-unseeing stare, “and I will not let anyone hurt you or speak ill of you. You are too good of a person for anyone’s ire.”
Ainsley’s heart flutters at his words, hearing the genuine care in his voice, “I know you will.”
At the soft brokenness of her voice, Ominis feels dread well up inside of him as he thinks about the subject he’s been avoiding for the last week, and his face falls before creeping away from her as he pulls her up from his lap, setting her in front of him with a deep sigh.
“Ominis, what’s wrong?”
“I’ve been trying to figure out a good time to tell you this, but I didn’t know how to say it.”
“It must be terribly grim, judging by your face.” She softly chuckles, but it dies when Ainsley notices the turmoil raging within her friend.
“It could be. It could not be. It will depend on how you react to it.”
“Just tell me. Rip it off like a plaster.” Ainsley holds her breath, watching every single deep breath Ominis takes as he gathers his thoughts.
“I know we have been avoiding the topic of Sebastian because it is still a tumultuous subject, but he will be returning this year.” Ainsley’s heart drops. She had been hoping he would transfer to another school, but nothing was working in her favor.
Ainsley watches as the red light gathers at the tip of Sebastian’s wand. The hatred radiating out of his brown eyes.
This was Anne.
This was to get them out of this god-forsaken maze that two members of the party didn’t even want to go into
This was for answers.
“Crucio!”
The world goes quiet. All Ainsley can hear is a high pitch ringing all around her as she crumbles to the floor with a pain coursing through her like a million nettle stings running through her veins, leaving a white-hot fire in their wake. It’s something she never had experienced and never wanted to again.
She can hear Sebastian’s muffled words, but when she looks up through blurry vision at her friend to give him some assurance that she’s alright, he’s already facing the open Scriptorium door. He’s no longer interested in her sacrifice.
The pain still seers through her as he walks into the hidden room with a look of childlike wonder on his face.
More muffled words appear at her side, but she can’t make them out before a comforting embrace envelops her.
“Ainsley—” The voice is distant, almost sounding underwater.
“Ainsley—” It sounds closer as the ringing fades.
“Ainsley!”
Ainsley’s green eyes snap open, and she quickly turns to see Ominis, his eyes filled with concern and his face entirely too close.
“Did it feel like a million nettle stings for you, too?” She’s trying to lighten the mood with a pained laugh, but her feeble attempt at humour doesn’t lessen the worry etched on his features.
“No.” Ominis’ face falls as he remembers his Cruciatus curse, but he’s quick to turn the conversation back to her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Really, Ominis, it is nothing to fret over.” She turns to look through the door and feels her heart fall when she sees Sebastian looking at every book with a wide grin. “We should try to find a way out.”
Ainsley goes to stand, but her legs are quick to give out, to which, Ominis is just as fast to catch her. She ignores the blush blooming on her cheeks at his proximity, his face mere millimeters from hers, allowing their breaths to intermingle, and she is happy to see a matching blush on him.
“Easy.” Ominis gently eases her up, allowing her to rest against him, “The curse sets all your nerves on edge and messes with your motor functions. Best to take things slow.”
“Thank you, Ominis.”
“I found it!” Sebastian holds up the old book, joy on his face. Ainsley smiles to herself. The pain was worth it if Sebastian could find something to help his twin.
“Mine felt like a thousand knife cuts.” Ainsley turns to her companion with a raised eyebrow.
“What?”
“My Cruciatus. It felt like a knife cut; quick, sharp, and cold. I had been convinced I was bleeding all over the Persian rug in the foyer.”
“Ominis—” The sadness pulls at her heart as she thinks about this boy’s childhood.
“I’m sure there is something in here.” Sebastian hops down the stairs before stopping in front of his friends with a joyous smile, “How are you feeling, Ainsley?”
“Fine.” A forced smile creeps onto her face, “What’s in the book?”
“Looks like a spellbook of some kind. This is incredible. A Hogwarts’ founder’s possession—what an honour.”
Ominis rolls his eyes, “Not a particularly good honour. Nothing good will come from it.”
“Ominis,” Sebastian’s grip tightens on the book as his eyes narrow, “this could have answers to helping Anne.”
“The Dark Arts will never—”
“What will you do with Slytherin’s spellbook?” Ainsley cuts in, trying to calm the rising tension between her two friends. They still needed to work together to get out of there, and the two of them fighting wasn’t going to help anyone.
“What I do with every book: read it. Having professors as parents ingrained that habit early on, probably like your parents did with you, but I can do that later. For now, I say we explore.”
“We shouldn’t linger, Sebastian.” Ominis clutches Ainsley tighter as a residual wave of pain courses through her. “We should get her back.”
“I owe you both.” Sebastian goes to Ainsley’s other side, helping her up the stairs with Ominis.
“We were lucky, you two.” Ainsley notices the secret door in the back, gesturing to Sebastian to get it before looking over at Ominis with guilt creeping into her heart as she sees the distress on his face. “We could have died, so we must swear to never do this again.”
The exit opens to the door of their Common Room, and Ainsley has never been so relieved to see that stupid gray wall. Sebastian steps away, helping get the two of them out before turning to his best friend.
“Ominis, about your aunt—”
“I meant what I said before.” Ainsley’s legs give out from under her again, but this time, Ominis can’t quite catch her in time, but he is quickly by her side while Sebastian paces the expanse of the hallway. “We swear right now never to engage in anything to do with Dark Magic again.”
There’s a battle brewing in Sebastian’s subconscious as he wrestles with his friend’s words and warranted concern, her weakness from the curse he had to cast, and his sister’s constant pain. Ainsley watches as he stills, silencing the space before he turns to the two of them with a mask of understanding.
“Understood. No more Dark Arts. I’m truly sorry about your aunt, Ominis.” Ainsley can see his lie, but Ominis either chooses to ignore it or cannot hear it as he smiles slightly, thinking that the worse is over.
“I suppose after all this. I am grateful to know what happened to her. Thank you.” Ainsley pulls Ominis into a hug, holding him tightly to try to block the pain she knows he’s feeling. Sebastian quickly departs into the arch without so much as a glance back, his hand already clutching the book eagerly.
“I’m sorry, too. I wish her fate had been different.” Ainsley fishes a ring that she had found next to the body, a beautifully craved black ring with two snakes intertwined with their heads meeting at an emerald. She presses it into his hand, curling his fingers over the craftsmanship. “This was with her. It didn’t feel right to disturb her bones, but this looked important.”
She watches as Ominis’ fingers graze over the ring, feeling all the nooks and crannies.
“It’s one of the Gaunt family rings.” He slips it into his pocket with a smile. “She was supposed to be getting married to a Selwyn the summer after her seventh year. He ended up marrying my other aunt instead a year later.”
“I wonder if she was better off.” The statement falls out of Ainsley’s mouth without thinking, knowing her parents feeling about the Selwyns, notorious treasure thieves. However, as soon as she recounts her words, her eyes widen in horror as she covers her mouth in shame, “Ominis! I am sorry! That was—”
“Undoubtedly.” Ominis takes Ainsley’s hand into his as he, once again, slowly brings the two of them back up. “How are you?”
“Better.” The two slowly make their way to the Common Room with her arm looped in his. “Thank you for staying with me, and again, I am sorry.”
“Think nothing of it. It is what friends do.” He deposits her and the end of the stairs to the girl’s dorm, “And I know your statement was coming from a good place.”
“Doesn’t make it okay.”
“No,” Ominis leans forward, placing a tender kiss on her cheek, “But that does not mean it wasn’t wrong. Good night, Ainsley.”
Ainsley watches him walk away with a stunned look on her face before whispering, “Good night.”
The look in Sebastian’s eyes from that night only got worse as the year went on until all she could ever find was hatred. It looks like she’s going to have to face his cold looks for another year.
“Oh,” Ainsley shifts uncomfortably, “I mean that is to be expected. I bet you will be happy to have your friend back.”
“I suppose.” Ominis shifts slightly, and Ainsley can see he isn’t too keen that Sebastian is coming back either. “I just hope he can stay out of the Dark Arts this year.”
“We’ll make sure of it. Together.” Ainsley squeezes his hand in reassurance as she looks at his forlorn face. If Sebastian was coming back to Hogwarts, then they needed to focus on the better and happier times with him rather than dwell on anything else.
“There is another thing.”
“What?” Her heart clenches at those words. Great, more bad news.
A small smile starts to creep along Ominis’ face, which causes the unsteady feeling in her stomach to grow, “Anne will also be returning.”
Any hesitation Ainsley has about Sebastian returning is quickly thrown out the window upon the latter words.
“Really?!” Ominis’ smile widens when he hears the joy in Ainsley’s voice.
“She has been given the clearance from her healer at St. Mungo’s since her bouts of pain have been more bearable. They are much more manageable and don’t occur every time she uses magic, so the healer wants her to take a light course load to see how it goes. She does have to report to Nurse Blainey for her treatments every day, so she’s going to need help getting to and from the Hospital Wing—”
“Not a problem! I am happy to help! I can’t wait to get into all sorts of trouble with her in class.”
“She is actually going to be in her fifth year rather than her sixth, so you won’t have classes with her to get into trouble with her.”
“That’s what you think, Ominis. The two of us can cause plenty of mischief in the castle.” Ominis rolls his eyes with a smile. What was he going to do with you?
“She is going to need to catch up, so try to keep your mischief-making to a minimum.” To Ainsley’s surprise, Ominis’ hand catches her jaw in a firm grip, holding her still, “I don’t need you getting into any more trouble.”
The spark that courses through her body causes an involuntary shiver down her spine as she looks into the depths of his blue eyes, “I am happy to help her study. I am quite the expert at learning spells quickly.”
“She already knows Revelio.” Ominis laughs while dropping his grip, but Ainsley glares as she tries to calm the unfamiliar need growing inside her.
“I had to find the field guide pages for Professor Weasley!” She pushes her friend slightly at his teasing, but the tips of her ears begin to burn as she recalls all the confused stares.
“However, you two will be able to get into all sorts of trouble without my watchful eye since she will be in the sixth-year dorm.”
“Oh, perfect! We will be roommates!”
“Ainsley,” Ominis’ voice goes serious, “Sebastian isn’t going to want to leave Anne’s side—”
“Pish posh,” Ainsley waves her hand, “I’ll be fine because you and Anne will be there to make sure he behaves. Oh, Ominis, this is so exciting!”
“I am excited to have her return. Hogwarts was not the same without her, and now with you added in, this year is probably going to be filled with a lot of mayhem.”
“And you will be there to keep us in line.” Ainsley boops him on the nose with a smile that Ominis can feel the joy radiating from.
“I wish you three would just stay out of trouble.”
“I make zero promises. Maybe this is just what Sebastian and I need to get back on track!”
“Maybe.” Ominis feels his heartache at the thought of the two of them reconciling because that would mean that Ainsley would fall right into his arms. He barely hears a word she says as she prattles on about how exciting the coming year is going to be with the four of them, but all Ominis can feel is dread.
Ominis and Ainsley had long since retired to bed, but Ainsley felt the pull of her Ancient Magic begging her to go to the Map Chamber. To the Keepers. To the place where she lost Fig. She was doing her best to ignore. She doesn’t want to see the other Keepers, and she doesn’t want to be part of their plan. However, the magic had other ideas.
It starts as a dull ache that then morphs into a painful fire.
She screams as the magic bursts forward. Her eyes brim with tears as she looks around her dorm at the wave of destruction that she will have to repair before the other girls get there the next day.
“Ainsley.” The haunting voice pulls her out of bed, through the Common Room, and down a familiar route. Ainsley doesn’t feel in control of her body as the murmuring calls echo through the stone halls with the soft fall of her bare feet until she finds herself at the gate.
“Fine.” She quickly pushes the creaky metal open, her dark green silk nightgown billowing behind her as she races to confront this faceless demon, but as soon as she sees the stone doors, she stops.
Ainsley exits the map chamber with heavy steps after Charles Rookwood pulls her aside, talking about the wells of Ancient Magic that were located throughout the Highlands.
Great. Another thing she has to worry about.
She goes to lift her arm to try to stretch the ache building up inside it, but a wave of pain shoots through her, causing a sharp yelp to leave her.
“Ainsley.” Green eyes shoot up to see Professor Fig waiting in the hall for her with concern etched all over his face.
“Professor Fig!” Ainsley quickly rights herself to not cause her mentor any alarm. “Why are you still here?”
“I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He takes cautious steps towards her to finally take in the full extent of her injuries. Wiggenweld could only did so much.
“Come, let’s get to my office.” Ainsley doesn’t protest as he uses the floo to get the two of you back to his classroom. She doesn’t flinch when he starts performing healing spells on her larger injuries. She only acknowledges him when he asks her questions about how she’s feeling; other than that, she dissociates from her own body, her own pain. All she can see is all the guards of fantastical silver webs attacking her and charging at her with their swords.
“Ainsley?” Fig’s touch brings her back to Hogwarts, his light eyes filled with concern for his young charge. It’s all it takes to break the dam inside of her. Ainsley lets out a sob before throwing herself into Fig’s arms and allowing her emotions to flow out. He pulls her into his embrace, cradling her as only a father should, as he tries to calm her.
“I was so scared.” It’s all she can manage to choke out as the ramifications of the trials take hold of her. There were three more, and she did not doubt that it was going to get worse from here.
“I know, Ainsley. I know.” Fig’s voice is calming as he holds her tighter, and the dread begins filling him. How is a mere fifteen-year-old, who is just now learning magic, suppose to bear all this on her own? Maybe he could convince the Keepers to let him help.
“There were so many sentinels.” Ainsley’s cries start to die down, “I had to take so many potions. How am I supposed to do this? I’m barely a witch. How am I supposed to—?”
Fig hugs her tighter before pulling away, his hands on her shoulders, “You are not barely a witch. You are as strong and capable as anyone else. We will figure it out, but I will do whatever I can to help you. Okay?”
Ainsley’s green eyes are brimming with the remnants of tears as she nods. Fig had an innate way of calming her down, “Okay.”
“For now,” Fig conjures a handkerchief, handing it to the young woman, “spend time with your friends, focus on your studies, and we will get this all sorted out.”
They smile at each other before he walks her down to the Slytherin dorm without a word between them, instead a warming silence.
Ainsley looks down at her shaking hands as she thinks about the room beyond. This time Professor Fig wasn’t going to be waiting for her on the other end of the vast room with a smile on his face. However, the doors open on their own with an almost beckoning nature, and Ainsley has no choice but to enter.
Gone was the lowered floor, the map of the Highlands back to its original state, surrounded by the four large portraits of the Keepers, who all have annoying smiles on their faces.
“Ah, Miss Macmillan.” Professor Rackham’s portrait smiles at her, gesturing for her to come join them, “Welcome back.”
“Why did you call me here?” Ainsley stands firm at the podium, staring daggers at the frames, “I did what you asked. I kept the Repository safe and a secret.”
“We wanted to see how you were, my dear.” Headmaster Fitzgerald’s lofty voice fills the space.
“How am I?” Ainsley laughs and rolls her eyes before stalking down to the floor below. “How am I?!”
“Miss Macmillan, if you please—” Rookwood talking is the last straw.
“I watched my mentor die because he had to help me because I wasn’t strong enough.” The tears begin to silently fall as lightning bolts begin to crack all around her. “I watched Lodgok die trying to help me figure out where the last Repository was because he believed in me.”
Crack.
“I watched as one of my best friends killed his uncle because he had become so consumed by the Dark Arts, and then I had to grapple with the decision to not send him to Azkaban because I knew his heart was in the right place.”
Crack.
“I had to carry on like nothing was wrong because I couldn’t talk to anyone about my pain. For months, I have been ignoring this magic inside of me because it has brought me nothing but pain and destruction, and death to everyone I care about.”
Crack.
“It burns me from the inside. It courses through my veins and leaves me feeling broken and alone. So how am I?! I’m tired. I’m sad and tired. I’m tired and angry. I simply want it all to go away. I want to go back to my life with my parents, where all I had to worry about was studying artifacts while learning about history. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“Ainsley—” Ainsley can barely see San Bakar through the fury of lightning throughout the room. “You carry such a heavy burden for someone so young.”
His words silence the storm, and Ainsley looks at the man in the portrait, “I can’t do this alone.”
“You are not alone, Miss Macmillan.” Rackham looks at Ainsley with sadness, the only person in the room who can even begin to understand your pain, “You have your friends. You have your family. You have us to guide you.”
“I want Fig!” A wave of incendio bursts out of her, abruptly ending the barrage of bolts. “I want Fig back! Bring him back!”
The four portraits look at her with pity, and their gazes cause a burning disgust inside of her, so she runs. She didn’t need their pity. She’s fine. Her broken sobs echo off the empty halls as she tries to make her way back to her dorm, but as she turns a corner, she runs straight into Professor Sharp.
“Miss Macmillan.” Ainsley quickly tries to right herself to make it look like she hasn’t been crying her eyes out, but she knows it’s a lost cause.
“Professor Sharp.” Her voice is tight as she holds back the tears while she looks into the Potion Master’s eyes. He pulls her in, giving her comfort that she didn’t think she deserved, however, she doesn’t shy away from it as she clings to him like he’s a life preserve.
He just holds her as she sobs. This wasn’t the first time he had had to do this. Shortly after Fig’s death, he and Ronen had taken it upon themselves as Slytherin’s Head of House and Deputy Head to try to provide Ainsley with everything and anything. At first, Ainsley pushed them away, but one day Sharp summoned her to his classroom.
“I don’t need your help.” Ainsley doesn’t break stride as she walks to the back of the Potions classroom. “You and Professor Ronen don’t need to check on me every five seconds. I’m fine. I’m dealing with it.”
Sharp looks up from his parchment before leaning back, steepling his hands under his chin, “Clearly.”
“I said I’m fine.” A deep sigh leaves Sharp as he stands, circling the table before stopping in front of the hot-headed Slytherin.
“Miss Macmillan.” The deep pain in his voice causes Ainsley’s fury to thin out, “I understand what it’s like to lose someone you care about and feel as though you are to blame.”
Ainsley feels her anger lighten as she thinks back on her conversations in his classroom earlier that year while she was avoiding her extra assignments and the eye of Leander Prewett, “Your partner.”
Sharp just nods with a sad look in his eye, “And I am here to tell you that it isn’t your fault.”
“But—”
“The way Eleazar spoke of you was like a proud father rather than a mentor. When Professor Weasley told us about the journey you had been on all year and the passionate plea that he made to her for help, it was obvious to us all that he cared about you so much that he would have done anything and everything to make sure you were alright.”
“He didn’t need to sacrifice himself for me.” Her hands curl around Fig’s scarf, which she had been refusing to part with.
“But he did because, to him, you were worth sacrificing for.” Sharp places a hand on Ainsley’s shoulder with a smile, “Make it so he didn’t sacrifice himself for nothing.”
Ainsley finally lets the tears she had been holding back for weeks fall, and Sharp is quick to pull her into him, trying to provide a minuscule amount of comfort. To let her know that she wasn’t alone.
Ainsley’s cries eventually die down before she backs away from Sharp with a half-hearted smile.
“Now,” Sharp taps her on the forehead, causing her to laugh, “my first question should be, why are you out after curfew? But I think it will be— are you okay?”
“I was just in the Chamber.” Her voice is weak as she recalls all the eyes on her, “It was hard being there after—”
“I understand.” His voice is low as he hangs his head, “Let’s get you back to your dorm.”
Ainsley nods silently as she follows alongside her Professor, unable to not notice the similarities between this walk and the one with Fig after the first trial. “Professor?”
“Yes?”
“I know you have your research with your cure, but do you think—” Ainsley loses her nerve halfway through.
“Spit it out, Miss Macmillan. You will never know an answer if you don’t ask.”
“Would you help me with my Ancient Magic?” Ainsley plays with her hands as she stops her stride, “I have all of Fig and Miriam’s research, but I haven’t been able to understand it all summer.”
“I would be happy to assist you on one condition.”
“Anything?” The two start walking again with Ainsley looking at the Potions Master with bated breath.
“You help me with my research. We can consider it extra credit for your Potions classes.”
“I would be honored to assist you, Professor.” They finally make it back to the dungeons, and the door of the Common Room appears under the snake. “Thank you for letting me make a fool out of myself.”
“Ainsley,” Sharp places a comforting hand on your arm, “last year was difficult. You shouldn’t expect yourself to be okay right way. Give yourself time to heal, and don’t isolate yourself. Your friends care about you.”
“Thank you again.” Ainsley smiles softly as Sharp.
“Now, inside before I start deducting points.”
“Yes, Sir!” Ainsley lets out a much-needed laugh before disappearing behind the door. Perhaps Sharp was right. She just needed time and her friends. Good thing they all get back tomorrow.
She makes her way up to her dorm, tired feet dragging behind her, but she lets out a groan when she sees the mess around her that she knows she has to fix. Quietly, she casts Reparo and Windgardium Leviosa to put things back into place before falling hard into her bed.
Good thing they all get back tomorrow.