Chapter Text
Sebastian Sallow sneaks along a tall bookshelf that reaches the ceiling of the library, shrouded under cover of the disillusionment charm. He steps slowly and carefully, making little to no noise as he creeps across the room. He turns a sharp corner around the end of the bookcase, his black Slytherin robe skating behind him quietly. Under one arm, he feels the heavy weight of a book over 150 years old that he holds close to his body protectively.
As he turns the corner, his eyes fix on his target:
Sitting at a small table in the dusty corner of the restricted section there is a Slytherin boy sitting with his back to Sebastian. His hair is stark blonde, nearly white, and combed neatly back. He runs his pointer finger along the blank pages of a book written entirely in braille.
'Mine now, Ominis.' Sebastian thinks to himself, a grin of victory already curling onto his face.
Sebastian slinks closer to the figure outlined by the firelight, slowly rising to his full height as he gets near enough to smell Ominis' amber-scented cologne. His heart slows with the rest of his body as he hovers directly behind Ominis, raises a hand and--
"Hello, Sebastian," Ominis' cool voice greets, making Sebastian let out a long groan.
"Damn it," He curses under his breath, circling around the table to face him, "There's absolutely no way you heard me. How do you keep doing that?" Ominis looks up, his clouded eyes locking with Sebastian's with a sly smile.
"Magic," Ominis replies with a shrug and offers no further explanation, turning his focus back to his book and continuing to drag a sharp finger along the raised bumps against the paper.
"You are so full of it," Sebastian hisses, slumping into the seat next to Ominis and placing the dusty novel in his hands on the desk, "Really, what is it? Is it my breathing?"
"I'll let you work out that mystery, Sallow."
Sebastian scoffs and glances down at the book he'd found deep in the restriction section, eyeing the title 'Life's Illusion: A Study of Dark Arts Relics'. His eyes flick back to Ominis for just a moment, thankful that his friend was born blind because he would certainly chew Sebastian out if he knew what he was researching.
The truth is that Sebastian had been looking into a specific relic for over 2 weeks now, spending practically every night in the restricted section of the library pouring over records and descriptions of dark magic and items of importance to the dark arts. He had very little luck in finding anything useful, except for the mention of an old relic that was capable of curing even the most incurable curses.
And if he was going to cure Ominis of his curse, he was going to need the darkest, oldest magic possible.
There was a night last semester when Ominis was found by residents in Hogsmeade. He was discovered just outside the town, laying unconscious in a cluster of trees just outside the forbidden forest. When he was rushed to St. Mungo's, they realized that he had been cursed, but Ominis never remembered a face, just a voice that said "Children should be seen and not heard."
And, although Ominis denies it, Sebastian knows that the curse is getting worse.
His coughing fits have grown longer. He gets tired so much faster than he used to. His skin, which had already been pale, was now so much paler. The bouts of pain have become stronger and more frequent, happening a couple of times a week now.
Nothing that anyone had tried had been able to help him recover.
No one would help.
And Sebastian knows that in a world of magic, wizards, spells, and miracles, there had to be a cure.
And he would do absolutely anything to retrieve it.
Sebastian makes a deliberate effort to cut the monologue running through his head short and redirects his attention back to his novel which he had searched so heavily for. He skims through the pages, tapping his foot restlessly as his eyes scan diagrams of relics for the one that he had seen in another book; a pyramid-shaped object with skeletons joined by their hands making up the edges of the triangles. He skips past a few more pages that describe the proper method of dissecting a horse, fingers sliding across the rough parchment delicately despite his desperate search. In his slightly distracted daze, he nearly skips right over a page that depicts a sketched diagram of the relic he searches for.
He sits up straighter and leans further down into his novel, every other thought going silent as he reads the sentences beside the diagram with enough focus to give him a headache.
The description for the relic was basically the same, only mentioning that it could be used to cure those inflicted by dark magic curses. But there's one detail that catches Sebastian's eye.
Below the diagram, he reads "Salazar Slytherin's sketch of the relic, 997 A.D as gathered from a personal spell book"
Sebastian rereads the line multiple times, his mind reeling.
Salazar Slytherin had seen the relic-- hell-- perhaps created it! How could a relic created by one of Hogwarts' founders be so dangerous?
Better yet, Sebastian just so happens to know one of Salazar Slytherin's descendants...
"Hey," Sebastian says, hearing a hum come from Ominis despite his focus not leaving the novel, "Remember 3 weeks ago when you mentioned that secret Slytherin Scriptorium? Is there any chance that you've learned where it is?"
"What are you reading?" Ominis asks firmly, his head snapping up so that his milky eyes lock with Sebastian's intensely.
"Oh, it's just a book on mixing dittany into poisons. They mention that Salazar Slytherin was known for doing it, I thought his secret chamber might have some recipes." Sebastian lies smoothly, "I thought I'd make Sharp's essay a little more exciting."
"is that so?" Ominis challenges, leaning forward and pushing his own novel aside, "Let me see it then."
"See it? Ominis, you might be 16 years too late to see it--"
"Shut up and give it here," Ominis insists, reaching across Sebastian to pull the novel out of his hands. Sebastian's jaw clenches as he watches Ominis close the book and run a finger along the engraved title on the cover meticulously, the muscles in his pale, emaciated face twitching. He lets out a long breath, returning his unseeing gaze to Sebastian and raising an eyebrow expectantly.
".. Surprisingly, dittany has roots in Dark Arts history." Sebastian continues his lie half-heartedly, reaching over to grab the book from Ominis, "Did you know that dittany was a conventional ingredient in rituals to--"
"Sebastian..." Ominis growls lowly, refusing to let go as Sebastian's hand touches his own and tries to take the book back. Sebastian averts his dark eyes to the table and remains silent, "You told me you'd stop looking."
"Yeah well, I also told Sharp that I already started his essay," Sebastian says, "Don't believe everything you hear." Ominis lets out a long breath, pressing his thin lips together in a tight line.
"Dark arts, really? Have you lost your mind?" He asks, all humour and banter slipping away from his voice, "3 doctors at St. Mungo's already told me that there's nothing they can do. Do you think you know more than them?"
"... Do you really want me to answer that?"
"Sebastian," Ominis says his name with enough ice in his voice to make Sebastian nearly flinch.
"Alright. Alright, fine. I'll admit that I haven't stopped looking-- nor will I," He adds as an annoyed groan comes from his pale friend, "Listen if I give my full attention to finding a cure for your curse--"
"There's no cure to find," Ominis interrupts, eyebrows knitting together, "I have already accepted that, alright? I already know that I'm going to be sick for the rest of..." he clears his throat before continuing, "I know I'm going to stay sick."
Sebastian's teeth grind together at the implication, his fingertips turning white as they dig into the corners of the book.
"Please, just.." Ominis' cold hand touches his own, "I don't have the heart to fight with you about this anymore."
"Just one more chance," Sebastian says, the lift in his voice being enough to make Ominis' rigid posture slouch, "Come on, just one more shot. I'll let it go after this, I promise you, okay?"
"You already promised that you would let this go."
".. Okay but this time I mean it- I do!" He adds as a scoff comes from his friend, "I swear on my sister that this will be the last time I ever bring this up. I mean really, I have no other options to explore. If the dark arts don't work, nothing will. I know that."
Ominis falls silent, fingers fidgeting with the edges of the hardcover novel. Sebastian leans closer to him, watching his eyebrows twitch downwards in suspicion.
"Aren't you just a little curious about what we might find?" He adds with a grin, watching Ominis' cold expression fall into a smile as he shakes his head, "And if I'm wrong, you'll get to see me make a huge fool of myself."
"I can see that any day I want, it's not a rare event."
"Okay, relax," Sebastian elbows him gently, heart lifting as he earns a chuckle from the other boy, "Just.. help me with this one last time."
"Sebastian, you don't understand dark magic because you haven't seen it in use," Ominis begins urgently, "If you saw what I did.. If you saw what I had to do then we wouldn't be having this discussion."
"Well, I'm not suggesting that I start using the Cruciatus curse!" Sebastian defends himself, regretting the mention of the curse as soon as he sees a shiver go through Ominis at its mere name, "It's just a relic I saw in another book, one that can cure curses made by dark wizards. It's not evil or anything."
"That relic--and any other relic connected to dark magic-- will take its price," Ominis insists, "Don't make the mistake of thinking that it'll be so easy. It will take something in return for what it gives you."
"How about we worry about that once we find it?" Sebastian offers, giving his book another tug. Ominis' grip remains locked around it, his eyes not leaving Sebastian's face for a moment.
"No, no we can't mess with this sort of thing! My Aunt Noctua went searching for that cursed Scriptorium and never came back out again," Ominis says, trying not to raise his voice to alert Peeves, "Sebastian-"
"What if we find out what happened to her? What if she wanted us to follow in her footsteps?"
"She wouldn't want us dying--"
"There's a good chance that the relic won't even be there anymore." Sebastian suddenly snaps, his usually sarcastic and carefree voice dropping into one so serious that Ominis goes silent, "Let me do this so that I can convince myself that I did everything I could."
Ominis considers his plea for a couple of long, silent seconds, face curled into one of deep thought.
".. Promise me that if we don't find anything, you'll stop looking for a cure."
Sebastian leans closer to Ominis, his heart thumping powerfully in his chest.
"I promise."
Ominis blinks, lets out a long sigh, and finally releases his grip around the book, allowing Sebastian to take hold of it once more.
".. So.." Sebastian says, looking expectantly at Ominis, "Are you going to try to ask your family where it is? Maybe see what trail your aunt left?"
"I'll take you to the Scriptorium tomorrow," Ominis replies and opens his book once more.
"Wait, wait a minute, you know where it is?!"
Ominis nods, grinning slyly without looking up from his novel as he traces a finger along the braille.
"How come you never told me, even after I practically begged?"
"Because I knew you'd be stupid enough to go try to find it," Ominis states, hearing an offended groan come from Sebastian as he sinks back into his seat, "And I also knew that if I refused to tell you, I'd get to see you beg some more."
"Oh- shut up." Sebastian kicks him under the table, "You are such a prick. Does that run in the family too?"
"You were practically kneeling," Ominis replies, wincing as Sebastian's boot jabs into his shin again.
"I absolutely was not!"
"Perhaps not. But that's not what I'll tell Anne."
"Promise not to tell her and I'll kneel right now."
"Deal."
"Are you going to tell me where it is?" Sebastian asks, leaning against the cold brick wall next to Ominis as he watches Slytherin students leave their common room to head to their first classes.
"Patience." Ominis replies in the tone of a parent scolding their child, "Do you want the entire house of Slytherin seeing where this is?"
Sebastian rolls his eyes and tilts his head to the ceiling, crossing his arms over his chest. They wait for another 5 minutes until the sounds of rushed footsteps from students getting to class fade, leaving them with the eerie wind whistling through the damp dungeon.
"Alright, I was told that the entrance of the chamber had something to do with threes," Ominis instructs, pushing himself off the wall and raising his wand before him. The tip of his wand alights with a blinking red light as he goes into motion. Sebastian follows closely behind as they walk past the entrance to their common room and down an adjacent hall. They enter into a part of the dungeon that Sebastian rarely paid attention to but was lined with stone braziers reaching for the ceilings. Enchanted suits of armour stand at guard, occasionally shifting to adjust their armour and helmets. "And I'm certain that it has to do with these braziers." Sebastian waits for more information to come, but Ominis doesn't say another word and leans against the nearest wall.
"That's all they told you?" Sebastian mocks him with a shake of his head as he walks ahead to gaze at the dozens of braziers.
"We don't exactly get along." Ominis retorts, "I only learned that much because Marvolo sent a letter 3 weeks ago, taunting me to go find whatever was left of our Aunt."
"Marvolo.. that's your brother, right?" Sebastian inquires as he steps closer to one of the metal braziers, running a finger along the cold, rusted, black metal.
"The oldest, yes." Ominis corrects, practically spitting the words as if he is disgusted by the taste of them. Sebastian can tell based on the heavy silence that follows that Ominis had so much more to say about his brother but chooses not to.
"And they still write to you?" Sebastian asks, stepping away from the brazier to gaze down the hall.
Threes.
That obviously meant that he had to light 3 braziers.
But which ones?
"On occasion, unfortunately," Ominis says as Sebastian draws his wand, "Only to remind me of what disgrace I brought to my family by attending Hogwarts. I haven't been able to find a way to stop the letters. At least they aren't clever enough to send Howlers."
"They sound like a lovely bunch," Sebastian says, earning an agreeing scoff from Ominis, "Well, let's see how they feel about a half-blood wizard finding their precious chamber. Revelio." Speaking the incantation softly and waving his wand in front of him, Sebastian watches a pulse of gentle magic emanate from him and fill the room. His eyes immediately flick to a brazier on the other side of the wall, watching silver magic outline a very faint carving in the side of the metal. He approaches it and looks closer to see an engraving of the house of Slytherin carved into the black metal. His eyes scan the room and find two more faintly glowing carvings, carvings that would be absolutely impossible to see without casting a spell to illuminate them.
"Not so clever are you, Salazar?" Sebastian mocks the long-dead founder and steps backwards, raising his wand again, "Incendio."
Three bolts of fire stream from his wand as he aims at each marked brazier, watching his spell hit the centuries-old coal and ignite in an instant flame. Warm light flickers onto the cold stone corridor they stand in, making their shadows grow long and crooked.
And at the moment all three braziers are lit, Sebastian feels a rumble beneath his feet as an ancient mechanism springs to life. He whirls around to see one of the stone panels of the wall sliding, filling the room with the unpleasant noise of rock against rock.
"What, you did it?" Ominis asks as he hears the wall opening, stepping up to Sebastian's side, "How was it that simple?"
"See, I told you it wouldn't be so deadly." Sebastian teases, patting Ominis on the shoulder before approaching the new entryway, "You need to listen to me more."
"One of us needs to have the brains of the operation," Ominis retorts and follows, reaching the doorway and aiming his wand down into it. His eyes narrow as he stares down into the inky blackness, "This goes deep under the school."
"Did you use your echolocation to decipher that?" Sebastian says with a grin as he steps into the downward spiral staircase without a second thought. He raises his wand and casts Lumos non-verbally, allowing spectral light to invade the hidden staircase and fight back against the suffocating darkness.
"For the last time, that's not how it works," Ominis argues, "Are you sure you don't want to bring Anne?"
"She's still angry with me," Sebastian tells him, looking back at Ominis and waiting for him to join.
"What did you do this time?" Ominis asks before hesitantly following Sebastian's lead, his bony shoulders raised in alert as they begin to descend. Sebastian notices that Ominis' breathing has grown quicker and more shallow, something that he seems to consciously be trying to hide from Sebastian.
"Broke her potions station," Sebastian lies, deciding that Ominis would be angered with the real reason Anne was not speaking with him. She had found a tome back in their house in Feldcroft that described how to cast the Unforgivable Curses. She was furious, told Sebastian that he was messing with magic he didn't understand and made him promise to never learn them.
What he didn't tell Anne was that he already knew them. He had learned them in 4th year under the firm belief that no knowledge should be forbidden. They were tools, tools he'd use to protect the ones he loved if it came to that.
She would get over it, she always does.
"Dark, ominous corridors," Sebastian says jokingly in hopes of lightening the mood, "my favourite." He looks back and sees a reluctant smile come onto Ominis' face.
"No comment."
"Oh come on, that was a good one," Sebastian quickly defends his terrible pun, facing forward once more, "I know you're smiling."
Defeated, Ominis just shakes his head and continues downwards. Sebastian is a little relieved to hear that his breathing has calmed somewhat.
They finally reach the bottom of the staircase, which leads into a room that eerily resembles a tomb with its low ceilings. It stinks heavily of dust and groundwater. Cobwebs spin in intricate murals, having been undisturbed for so long. At the end of the small room, there is a black steel door with an elaborate design of two snakes intertwined. The room looks mainly untouched, save for a relief that has crumbled apart into stone fragments on the ground.
The first thing that Sebastian notices is a note written on old parchment, laying face-up on a shelf. He grabs it gently so that it doesn't disintegrate in his hands and scans it quickly to read the name at the bottom of the note: Noctua Gaunt.
"This is from your Aunt," Sebastian calls back to Ominis, turning around to watch his face light up.
"Really? What did she say?" Ominis says, the slight excitement in his voice reassuring Sebastian that he was doing the right thing by bringing them down here. He turns his attention back to the note and reads it as quickly as he can.
"She spoke about how she came down here to prove that Salazar Slytherin valued more than dark arts and blood status," He summarizes, letting Ominis take the note from his hands despite his inability to read it, "She told your father how to access the scriptorium, hoping your father would follow her path."
"She always saw the best in our family," Ominis says with a saddened smile, folding the note and putting it into the pocket of his robes, "even when our family didn't deserve it." Hearing the pain in Ominis' voice, Sebastian can't help but try to soothe it.
"She could still be down here-"
"You don't have to do that," Ominis shuts him down before the words leave his mouth, "I know she's gone."
Sebastian nods and says nothing more on the matter, stepping forward to examine the shattered relief on the ground. His eyes narrow as he considers what the relief could have depicted, seeing the body of a snake in the broken right-hand corner of what once was whole. He hears Ominis push against the black door at the end of the room, followed by an irritated groan.
"Locked."
"I imagine that this relief was the clue on how to open the door," Sebastian looks over to Ominis, "Mind repairing it?" Ominis walks to his side, wand pointed down at the pieces of the mural.
"What, you forgot how to cast the spell?" Ominis mocks, looking to the side as Sebastian huffs.
"No, but we both know that you're better with charms than I am." Sebastian reluctantly admits, ignoring the burning sensation of Ominis' gaze on the side of his face.
"I'm aware," Ominis says with a cocky grin, "I just like hearing you admit it."
"Oh, you are such a--"
"Repairo." Ominis' incantation cuts off what was certainly a curse from Sebastian, and with a wave of his blinking wand, the stone chunks of art lift from their positions. As if rewinding time, each piece snaps back into its place on the wall perfectly, the cracks closing as if it had been whole the entire time.
The relief portrays a man holding a snake, facing it with his mouth open. The snake mirrors his expression as if engaged in discussion.
Sebastian rolls his eyes and looks to the side at Ominis, who has his head held far too high, "What, do you want a trophy?"
Ominis opens his mouth to respond with something that was surely snarky, but his suddenly face drops and his eyes twitch downwards. Sebastian watches Ominis look away from him, snapping to face the door. Sebastian places a hand on his shoulder, concern rushing through him at the expression on his friend's face.
"Is everything--"
"Shh." Ominis shushes him and approaches the door, face contorted into one of strain as if trying to listen, "Do you.. hear that? It's this ancient, sinister voice.."
"What is it saying?" Sebastian asks quietly, afraid to move as if he would interrupt whatever Ominis is listening to.
"It's asking me to speak to it. Its..." Ominis looks over his shoulder at Sebastian, realization settling into his fair features.
Sebastian's eyebrows knit together as he looks at Ominis and then the relief, and finally, he understands what Ominis had already deciphered.
"It wants you to speak Parseltongue." Sebastian vocalizes their deduction, watching Ominis' shoulders sag at the sound of it, "Must have been a security measure so that only Slytherin's descendants could enter."
"Please tell me you're having second thoughts." Ominis pleads with him, his sharp fingers fiddling with each other. But before Sebastian can even think to answer, Ominis exhales sharply and says "Oh, who am I kidding? Of course, you're not."
"I am, I don't like this any more than you do," Sebastian says, but can immediately tell that Ominis doesn't buy a word of it, "Alright, okay I'll admit that I am curious. We've already come this far."
"It's ironic. When I left home, I vowed to leave the Dark Arts behind," Ominis says lowly as he tilts his head up at the door, grip tightening around his wand, "And, yet, here I am."
Sebastian can't help but feel the dreadful shadow of guilt crawling up his back as he stares helplessly at his best friend. He was supposed to be saving Ominis, not putting him through all of his trauma again.
And if Sebastian could do it alone, he would've.
'It'll be worth it. It has to be.' Sebastian thinks to himself in a tone that no longer sounds like a statement, but a plea.
Sebastian watches Ominis take a deep, shaking breath, and when he opens his mouth again, it's not his voice that comes out. Instead, the blood-chilling sound of hissing comes from Ominis, startling him more than he'd care to admit.
He had always wanted Ominis to show him his ability, but Ominis never relented, claiming that he was ashamed of it and the connection it had to Dark Magic. And now he finally understood what Ominis had meant. The ability didn't match him at all, it felt wrong to watch violent and sharp hisses come from between his pale lips. The confident, harsh sounds that emanate from Ominis completely contrast his slender frame that flinches every time a terribly loud sound comes from his own throat, reacting as if the voice didn't belong to him.
Sebastian watches the eyes of two metal snakes engraved into the door flare to life, emitting a sickly green light. They slither apart, uncurling their twisted bodies to curve around the arched top of the door. As soon as they are free of one another, the door's seal pops out, rotates fully and snaps into place with a satisfying snap.
As if blown by a breeze with no wind to speak of, the black steel doors push open. Sebastian and Ominis both move to go through the new opening, but freeze in their tracks when they hear an abrupt rumbling from above.
".. What was that?" Ominis asks quietly, paralyzed by the sudden noise with seemingly no source. A trickle of dust streams from the ceiling, making the sound of sand running through an hourglass.
"I don't--" Sebastian trails off, hearing the distinct sound of cracking rock. His eyes trail to the elaborate stone pillars supporting the weight of the earth, his eyes widening as he notices a thin spiderweb of cracks forming at the base. Before he can even process the first, he can hear the distinct snapping of splintering stone coming from each corner of the room.
Whatever mechanism they just opened, whatever its intended purpose, it shook the supports of the chamber too much.
“The whole damn place is going to cave in. ”
As soon as the words leave his mouth, Sebastian immediately springs into action, kicking off the shaking ground and lunging toward Ominis. He grabs Ominis by the hand fiercely and continues his momentum to dart through the doors, dragging Ominis behind him.
“ Sebastian- ” His name spills from Ominis’ lips, his voice high with terror as he is yanked into the unknown.
"Just don't let go of my hand, okay?" Sebastian shouts over the sound of destruction that begins to surround them, feeling Ominis' grip on his hand tighten instantly, "Don't let go!" Ominis does not say a word, merely letting out a small, choked noise of understanding as he places all of his faith in Sebastian.
Sebastian leads them into what was supposed to be the next puzzle. There are three directions: one blocked off by a metal gate, one that leads under a hole in the left wall, and one that goes to the right down a dark corridor. He quickly steers them to the right, choosing what he would assume is the path of least resistance. Above him, dust and pebbles spill from the ceilings as the supports for the entire chamber rend apart. His breath comes in sharp, shallow gasps as they sprint down the short hall, taking an abrupt turn around a corner.
"Shit-" Sebastian curses, skidding to a stop as he is greeted with a dead-end. Breath is caught in his throat as the ceiling above them buckles and breaks under the pressure, spilling heavy pieces of stone and dark dirt into the room. A silver serpent statue sitting on a dial with strange symbols is instantly crushed, burying it beyond recovery. Sebastian whirls back around and breaks into a run back in the direction they came from, flinching as the world comes tumbling down around them. He looks back into the chamber they came from, but recognizes instantly that the staircase they came down has been entirely caved in.
All around him the walls bulge and give out, beams of stone running across the ceiling fall from their posts, breaking into a mere shadow of what was once called structure. The firelight that warms the chambers flicker as dust and dirt threaten to choke the flame and kill the lights completely. The wall with a hole in the bottom has been reduced to rubble in one swift movement of falling stone, making him stifle a yelp of fear at the sight.
His burning eyes snap to the gate in front of them that remains on its hinges. He throws himself at it, using his free hand to curl his fingers around the bars and shoves his shoulder into it. The metal refuses to give way, insisting on holding up what little protection Salazar Slytherin's chamber has left. He grits his teeth and places his free hand on Ominis' chest, feeling his frantic heartbeat as he pushes Ominis back protectively.
And before Ominis can even question what he was going to do, Sebastian flicks his wand back, thrusts it forward to settle aim at the gate and shouts "Confringo!"
A shot of blue light streaks from the tip of his wand, hits the gate, and bursts with a sound loud enough to shatter his eardrums. The gate is blown entirely off of its hinges, thrown back to hit the wall with the unpleasant noise of metal striking stone, a cindering hole burned right through the centre of the steel. They both stagger back from the blast, feeling the limited stability of the chamber completely abandon them at the attack. Dust stinging his throat and eyes, Sebastian's grip on Ominis' hand tightens and he leads them down a steep stairway, his school-issued dress shoes clacking against the steps. His breath burns in the back of his throat as they reach the bottom and sprint into the next chamber.
As soon as they step foot into the next room, Sebastian hears a sharp clang of metal hitting rock sound from behind. He turns around and sees that a gate has lowered from where they came, locking them inside.
"Well, I don't suppose we're getting back out of here," Sebastian comments as he looks at the gate that keeps them in place, doubling over with his hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath.
Ominis doesn't respond, face pulled into a grimace as he staggers off to the nearest wall, clutching it for support.
"Merlin, are you alrigh--"
"I'm fine." Ominis states firmly between deep breaths, one arm wrapped around his torso as his expression contorts into one of pain, "It's- an episode. Just-- give me a minute."
Sebastian obeys his wishes and finally takes a moment to study their surroundings.
The room they are in is a short corridor, both the right and left wall lined with 3 torches that flicker menacingly as a bitter breeze rushes into the room from seemingly no source. He immediately recognizes the architecture from the rooms they had seen before, noticing the serpentine pillars that twist around one another before joining with the ceiling.
He can only pray that these ones are more stable.
At the end of the room, there is a tall door that gleams as if made from obsidian. For a moment, Sebastian thinks that there is a slate of water running down the door but quickly realizes that the metal itself seems to shift and swirl within its frame. Carved into the metal of the door is a portrait of people in excruciating pain, one of which pulls at his face in a theatrical style so that his frown is grotesque.
A chorus of screams sounds in the back of his head, almost at the top of his sinuses behind his eyes. A chill runs through his blood at the noise, making gooseflesh erupt on every inch of his skin.
And as Sebastian steps towards the door out of some sick curiosity, his eyes land on another figure laying its base.
A pile of bones, thin and fragile, lay heaped at the foot of the door. A note rests next to a skeletal hand, browned by the weight of time. Next to the bones, the word 'Crucio' is carved into the floor hastily.
He swallows thickly, glancing behind at Ominis, who has recovered and shakily taken out his wand to study the room as well. Sebastian lowers to one knee and retrieves the note carefully, dread settling in his bones as he opens it and already sees the name 'Noctua Gaunt' at the bottom of the page. He silently reads the letter, already knowing what to expect.
'The only way forward is with an Unforgivable Curse.' Sebastian narrates in his mind, confirming what he suspected to be true. Dread pools in the bottom of his gut, sending a lukewarm shudder through him.
"Did you find something?"
".. yeah. I did," Sebastian turns around to see his friend approaching him. He exhales sadly and takes Ominis' hand in his own, turns it over and places the letter in his palm, watching Ominis' eyebrows twitch downwards as he feels the parchment, "It's your Aunt's last letter. I found it next to.." he pauses, clenching his jaw, ".. next to her skeleton."
The muscles in Ominis' face twitch. His quivering lips press into a thin line as he looks down at the note in his hand, "And?"
".. There's a door at the end of the room. The word 'Crucio' is written on the floor," Sebastian describes for him, "To get through the door, she had to cast the Cructiatus curse on someone. But she had no one to cast it on.. and she was locked inside."
Ominis exhales through his nose and squeezes his eyes shut, making the sour, screwed-up face of someone trying to swallow a difficult emotion. He folds her note and places it in the pocket of his robe.
"So, this is where she died," Ominis says, eyes snapping open to fix on Sebastian, "This is where we'll die. I should have never listened to you."
"I'm.. I'm sorry," Sebastian says softly, voice strained with guilt, "I truly am sorry about your Aunt. But.. we won't die here. There's two of us."
Ominis stiffens and steps back from Sebastian, milky eyes narrowing.
".. Ominis, I know this is the last thing you want to do--"
"Yes! It is!" Ominis abruptly shouts with frantic rage ringing in his voice, "I thought you knew me better!"
"- But it's different this time!" Sebastian quickly defends, reaching a hand for Ominis' shoulder but stopping when Ominis immediately jerks away, "I am consenting to have the curse used on me, alright? It's not an innocent victim this time, it's not the same."
"The spell won't work unless you mean it, Sebastian!" Ominis rages as he whirls around and paces in the other direction, "That is true of all Unforgivables!"
"Well, try to mean it! I mean, there has to be some part of you that wants to hurt me--" He tries to joke, an attempt to lighten the dreary mood.
"Not like that," Ominis insists coldly, a shudder running through him as he stops pacing to stare dejectedly at the floor, "No one deserves that."
"We don't have another choice," Sebastian says, "I don't know about you, but I'm not too intent on dying down here."
"We do have another choice," Ominis lets out a shaking breath and turns to face Sebastian again, "You have to cast it on me."
"But I don't know how," Sebastian lies without pause or regret, willing to say anything to get Ominis to just cast it on him.
"I'll teach it to you."
And Sebastian simply doesn't have the heart to tell Ominis that he already knew all 3 Unforgivable Curses.
"Have you lost your mind?" Sebastian hisses, stepping into Ominis' space. It takes Ominis far longer than it should to react, giving a delayed eyebrow raise as he feels Sebastian move closer, "For Merlin's sake, you are sick. What if it bloody kills you?"
"I can take it, I have before." He says, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"When you were healthy. And why would I make you relive that trauma for a mistake that I made?" Sebastian's voice raises, his usual tone of confidence and cool arrogance slipping away, "It's my fault that we are stuck down here, so let me take the fall for it!"
"How do you expect me to cast that cursed spell on someone I care so much about?" Ominis demands, running his thin fingers through his blonde hair, "How can you even ask that of me?"
"How can you ask me to cast it on you?!" Sebastian retorts, gesturing widely with both arms to the boy across from him, "It will kill you--"
"I can't cast the spell, alright?" Ominis' voice raises, enough authority ringing in his tone to make Sebastian go dead silent, "I physically can't cast the spell."
"... What do you mean?"
".. I've only been able to cast it once, only on the.. the muggle," Ominis admits, arms moving to wrap around himself, "My family tried to get me to cast it again or cast the other Unforgivable Curses.. but no matter what they threatened me with.. no matter how much I wanted to just to make them stop, I couldn't cast the spell again."
Sebastian clenches his teeth so tightly that it begins to hurt, his eyes averted to the ground as he comes to realize that he was going to have to cast it on Ominis.
"This is our only option," Ominis repeats, stepping forward and drawing his wand, "So, just.. just let me teach you the spell and--"
"I already know it." Sebastian interrupts grimly, drawing his own wand as well. He sees Ominis visibly stiffen at his words, hazy eyes widening to take up most of his face.
"You what?"
"I already know all of the Unforgivable Curses," He repeats with a sharp exhale, finally making eye contact with the other boy, "I taught them all to myself last year. Found some book in the Restricted Section that certainly shouldn't have been there."
"Why-? Why.. why on earth would you..?" Ominis stammers, so angry that he can't remain calm enough to form full sentences, "Have you ever used--"
"Merlin, of course not!" Sebastian hisses defensively, offended by the implication, "Who the hell do you think I am?"
"I don't know anymore!" Ominis shouts, jabbing a finger into his chest, "First, you want to come down to this-- this hellhole! And now you're telling me that you've already engaged in The Dark Arts even after I told you about what happened to me?"
"I learned them to protect you!" Sebastian says before he can think to stop himself, watching Ominis' expression of rage twitch into one of confusion, "I wanted to be able to fight fire with fire if one of Ranrok's loyalists came to finish what they started, alright?"
Ominis falls silent, his eyes flicking to the floor. Sebastian watches his paled face flutter as his shoulders lower and sag.
"Merlin, Sebastian," Ominis says lowly, shaking his head as his eyebrows furrow, "You're going to turn into the very thing you hate if you keep trying to save me."
'You are worth the risk.' Sebastian responds in his own mind, gazing at his best friend in chosen silence.
Ominis exhales slowly out of his nose and takes a few paces away from Sebastian to give him space for the spell, "Well, whenever you're ready."
"Ominis, I-"
"It's not your fault, okay?" Ominis responds before the apology even leaves his lips, "I agreed to come down here, I wanted to know what happened to my Aunt and.. well this is the price for knowledge, I guess."
Sebastian shifts his weight, his heart sinking in his chest as he has to accept that he was going to hurt Ominis-- the one person he's been trying to protect.
"And, hey, if this finally teaches you a lesson about The Dark Arts, the pain is well worth it." Ominis jests with a sly grin, pulling a scoff from Sebastian.
"I make no promises, Gaunt." Sebastian teases in response, his smile dying as soon as it reaches his lips as the weight of his wand sitting in his hand reminds him of what he has to do, ".. Are you ready?"
".. As I'll ever be." Ominis replies, his voice forced to remain still, but Sebastian can see his fear in the way his shoulders raise and his arms lock at his sides.
Sebastian inhales shakily and squares his posture, raising his wand to point it at Ominis. He squeezes his eyes shut, shutting them so tightly that colours pop against the back of his eyelids.
'Think of someone else.' He thinks to himself, immediately going to the person that comes into his mind first.
His Uncle Solomon. Sebastian hated him, something that Anne and him seem to bicker about constantly. His uncle had never liked him, always saying that he was "too much like his father"-- as if that were an insult. He was a cruel, bitter ex-auror who could no longer fight Dark Wizards, so he turned his anger to the nearest enemy: his nephew. They disagreed on many topics, nearly every conversation somehow melding into an argument. And Sebastian was never one to back down from a fight.
But he doesn't hate his Uncle enough to cast the Cruciatus Curse on him.
'Come on, there has to be someone.' He thinks to himself, eyebrows narrowing as he burrows deeper into his own mind, 'I don't know if there's anyone that deserves-'
Completely unbidden, the image of Ranrok appears in his mind's eye. The goblin stares at him, crimson eyes twinkling with amusement. A sharp-toothed grin pulls onto his face.
His breathing immediately grows heavier, grip instinctively tightening around the ebony wood of his wand.
'You. You're the reason I'm losing my best friend.' He hisses to the figure in his mind, his lips pulling back against his teeth, 'You and your damned goblin loyalists did this to him.'
'And what exactly are you going to do about it, boy?' He imagines the goblin responds, smiling at the pain he's caused them.
His heart hammers against his ribcage, nails nipping into his palm hungrily as his fist clenches at his side, 'I'll make you pay.'
'You don't have what it--'
"Crucio!" The incantation spits from his mouth without thought as he whips his wand forward. Red bolts of lightning erupt from the tip of his wand, the way it crackles almost sounding like maniacal laughter.
And for a moment, Sebastian is watching Ranrok spasm in agony, the pride wiped from his face. For a moment, he's happy that the spell worked, happy at the torture he inflicts.
The moment ends as a shriek of torment comes from Ominis, causing Sebastian's eyes to snap open. His heart drops as he sees Ominis double over, arms wrapped around himself as the scream of a being in total agony rends through his throat. Crimson electricity crawls across his entire body, whispering a promise of pain as it courses through the young boy's body. Behind Sebastian, the ebony door crackles with the same red light. A satisfying hiss comes from behind the door and it slowly pushes open. He turns back to Ominis and sees his knees instantly buckle, allowing gravity to take over.
Sebastian's breath catches in his throat as he lunges for Ominis, catching him by the sides of his arms before he collapses. He can feel the other boy spasming in his arms, causing his throat to tighten with guilt, "It's okay-- it's okay, I'm here-" He whispers to Ominis despite the knowledge that the boy can't hear him over his own cries. Sebastian feels Ominis' legs completely give out, his full weight falling into him. Sebastian pulls Ominis to his chest and slowly lowers them both onto the ground, positioning himself so that Ominis' twitching body lays between his legs, his head propped against Sebastian's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry-!" Ominis cries desperately into Sebastian, shoving his face into the crook of his best friend's neck, "Father- please-!"
And Sebastian's heart shatters at his words, realizing very quickly that Ominis is no longer in the room with him, but stuck in a memory. He feels the burn of approaching tears and pulls Ominis close, biting back the urge to cry, "You're safe, Ominis. You're safe, he's not here."
Ominis continues to stammer incomprehensively between sharp cries of torment, and all Sebastian can do is repeat "You're safe" over and over again. His screams finally start to melt into groans of pain, his fingers clawing helplessly at the front of Sebastian's Slytherin cloak. Tears run down his face, giving Sebastian a chilling understanding of how painful the curse must be. Sebastian holds him close to his chest and leans his head against the other boy's, feeling his bottom lip quiver like a leaf clinging to its branch as winter approaches.
"I'm here, I'm here, Ominis," Sebastian whispers, guilt ravaging him like a starved animal. Ominis' spasms lessen into shivering as if he had been kept out all night. He slowly stops making noises, save for shaking breaths and quiet whines. And Sebastian doesn't move to release him or soften his grip around him.
He won't let go as long as Ominis needs him.
Minutes go by. Ominis keeps his face buried in his best friend. He breathes hotly against the skin on his neck, taking ragged gulps of air in and out as he slowly stops shaking. Ominis gently lifts his head, watery eyes blinking open to gaze at Sebastian's freckled face that is inches from his own.
".. Sebastian..?" He asks hoarsely, reaching up hesitantly to place a cold hand against Sebastian's face.
"Yes- yes I'm here. It's just us," Sebastian assures him, feeling Ominis' fingers trace his freckled features softly as if trying to identify him, "You're safe." Sebastian stares down at him, studying his hollow features for any indication of pain. He can feel Ominis' breath dancing across his face, shallow and hindered. His pupils, hidden by a sheet of fog as thick as London's, are trained on Sebastian. A winter-rose pink sweeps across his pale visage, kissing life and emotion onto his stilled face. Sebastian can only think to attribute the blush to the exertion of the pain he went through. Ominis' fingers, still clutching his robe, readjust their grip around the fabric to hold onto him tighter.
"Are you okay?" Sebastian asks gently, watching Ominis' fair eyebrows raise as if being pulled from a trance. His hands drop from Sebastian's clothing and face, and sits up so that he no longer leans against him.
".. Yes I'm-" Ominis clears his throat, finding his voice strained from how much he had been screaming, "Yes, I feel fine. I'm okay."
"Merlin-" Sebastian exclaims, his chest finally loosening as relief floods into him. He lowers his head and runs his hands through his annoyingly-fluffy brunette hair, "Ominis I'm so sorry, I never wanted this-"
"I know- I know you didn't," Ominis insists, his voice cracking with overuse, "I already told you that this isn't your fault. It was my choice, okay?" He reaches out and places a hand on Sebastian's shoulder, making him look back up.
".. You're really okay?" Sebastian repeats, noticing a sickly sheen of sweat glistening on Ominis' forehead.
"I think I dissociated for most of it." Ominis admits, eyes narrowing as if trying to remember something, "Probably for the best."
Sebastian watches Ominis slowly get back onto his feet, his knees shaking with effort. He follows suit, rising to his full height and turning to look at the open door.
"Ready to see what Salazar Slytherin has for us?" He asks Ominis, lacking his usual excitement for adventure and mystery.
"We might as well," Ominis replies, running his thin fingers through his hair, "I just want to get out of this place."
Sebastian hums in agreement and walks through the door they had sacrificed so much to open.
They walk into a grand chamber with a pointed ceiling. There are two levels with two staircases on either side of an elaborate stone carving of Salazar's face surrounded by serpents. Tall candelabras keep the room bathed in warm light, a stark contrast to the sinister design. Bookcases and ancient pots litter the lower level.
"Alright, let's have a look," Sebastian says, gazing at the room that has gone untouched for centuries. Sebastian would be lying if he said that he was just looking for the exit. Ominis doesn't bother with the lower level, simply climbing up the stairs to search for a way out.
Sebastian instead approaches the bust of Salazar Slytherin embedded into the wall. His eyes fix on a thick hard-covered book. He runs his fingers along the cover, tracing over Slytherin's emblem embedded in the centre. He glances to his sides to make sure Ominis wasn't near and flips the book open, seeing Salazar Slytherin's signature written on the first page in dark ink. He quickly flips through the pages, seeing paragraphs and paragraphs of his handwriting describing the use of Dark Magic. His heart hums in estranged anticipation as he skims through, coming across one page with the corner of the parchment folded down to act as a bookmark.
And on the page, a diagram of a triangular relic is pictured, scratched into the page by Salazar himself.
And below it, Salazar wrote:
'I created this relic for my descendants to find, along with the beast in the chamber of secrets.
The relic gives the wizard the power to control the Inferi, those killed by means of Dark Magic. The relic can also be used to cure dark curses, an ability created mistakenly but valuable nonetheless should the family split and wage war.
We must not quarrel between ourselves. I have pleaded with the other founders to hear my case, but they refuse to ban those with mixed blood, those inferior to us, from the school we built.
If wizardkind is to prevail, we must turn our hatred to the muggle-born.
I have sealed the relic away and left a path for those with my blood to find it. Prepare for great tribulation, the path is not an easy or painless one. You must be willing to sacrifice everything for our cause.
The location for the first trial is written below. Speak our House's words and the way will open.
Find it, my sons and daughters. Rid this world of the unworthy.'
Below the paragraph, there is a rapid sketch of a map, depicting a river split in two directions and a symbol of a mountain. 'Feldcroft' is scrawled next to the drawing.
Sebastian stares down at the page with wide eyes, his mind racing so quickly that he can't think of what to do next.
The relic is real.
He could find it, he has the first clue that Slytherin left behind.
He could save--
"Sebastian?" Ominis calls from above him. Sebastian looks up to see Ominis hanging over the railing of the second level, closing the book silently, "I found a way out."
"Right, yes, I'm coming," Sebastian quietly takes the book from its place and puts it under his arm. He joins Ominis on the second level, finding him standing before a caved-in section of the wall on a diadem.
"This will take us back, I can see the Slytherin Dungeon beyond it," Ominis explains, his wand blinking in his hand.
"Well, let's get out of--"
"Wait," Ominis places a hand on Sebastian's chest as he steps forward towards the exit, stopping him, "You remember our deal, right?"
".. I do," Sebastian agrees, shifting his weight nervously and clutching Slytherin's spellbook closer to his body.
"I need you to promise me," Ominis insists, his hand not leaving its place on his chest, "Promise me that you'll stop looking for a cure. Promise me that you won't ever ever look into the Dark Arts again."
Sebastian clenches his teeth, becoming very aware of the weight of the book he hides from Ominis under his arm.
'You must be willing to sacrifice everything for our cause.' The warning from Salazar echoes through his mind.
But as long as Ominis is safe, as long as he is cured of his terrible curse,
it doesn't matter how much it hurts.
It doesn't matter how much he has to sacrifice.
He will cure Ominis, or he will die trying.
Sebastian gives Ominis' hand against his chest a reassuring touch, forcing a content smile.
"I promise."