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It was one of their rare moments of peaceful quiet. The winter of their 5th year was fast approaching. The last few leaves of autumn were starting to fall. Sebastian had invited her to the shores of the Black Lake to witness "the best sight of all of Hogwarts" and conjured up a soft blanket for them to sit together. It was either good fortunate (or good planning) that the sun was setting right onto the Black Lake's surface. His Hufflepuff was sitting next to him, bundled up in Slytherin robes that she'd borrowed from him to protect herself from the incoming night chill. He couldn't help but admire how the dying light shone through her hair, giving her an almost golden glow.
"You know after all of this is over, and Anne is back to her usual self, I would very much like to do this again, maybe at the Three Broomsticks, just the two of us, and…under a bit different circumstances."
"Sebastian Sallow." There was a blush on her cheeks. "Are you asking me out on a date?"
Sebastian couldn't screw the courage to look at her in the face. "If you find it agreeable."
Her shy hand found his. "Yes, after finding a cure for Anne, defeating Ranrok, getting all this silly Keepers' nonsense out of the way, and of course, passing our OWLS," Sebastian chuckled. "I would very much like to start seeing you."
Sebastian grinned. For the first time since his sister had been cursed, his heart truly felt light, free of its chains. He was itching to kiss his Hufflepuff, to show her how wonderful she truly was, to suffocate her with his affection. "It's a promise then. A date after all this is over."
Solomon. Lodgok. Professor Fig. Anne. The unforgivable curses. Ominis…
...A particularly nasty fight that changed the course of their friendship forever…
Sebastian sighed. Sitting by himself once again in the corner of the Leaky Cauldron, he stared at his untouched drink in front of him. They never did manage to go on that date did they? Even after ten years had passed, Sebastian couldn't help but play the memory over and over in his head, like a pensieve on loop.
After…everything that happened, they drifted apart. Her, consumed in her grief of her mentor, now burdened as the last living Keeper of ancient magic. And Sebastian….a remorseful idiot, who lost everyone he loved with just one spell.
He tried. He yelled. He begged. He manipulated. He cried. He pleaded on his hands and knees, for her to give him a second chance. For him to show her who he truly was. He was lucky he supposed, that she didn't just throw him into Azkaban like Ominis and Anne had intended.
To this day, the fear reflected in her eyes still made him want to hurl. How, the most powerful witch of this century, who didn't bat an eye at trolls, goblin generals, or a hoard of dark wizards, feared Sebastian. She was terrified of him.
It was years, years of groveling for his best friend's forgiveness, years of caring for Anne at her bedside, and years of grieving at his family's graves, wondering where it all went wrong. Sebastian hoped he'd changed in the 10 years since graduating Hogwarts. At least, Anne told him he did, but she always had that way of saying things to make him feel better. He hoped he'd change from that vengeful wrathless boy he once was to…at least someone worthy of a fraction of her time.
Finally picking up the goblet of firewhiskey,he tried to find the energy to drink it. It wasn't the first time he got lost in thought thinking about her. He'd become an avid reader of the Daily Prophet, every morning frantically combing through the pages, seeing what next great wizarding accomplishment she'd achieve. What impossibilities she did with the smallest modicum of effort.
Of course, he wrote to her obsessively. His poor owl flying around the globe trying to find her. It always seemed to come back exhausted, with Sebastian's unopened letters in its beak.
Speaking of letters…Sebastian dug Poppy Sweeting's invitation from the confines of his robes. He had been sitting in the Leaky Cauldron for the better part of two hours, half debating on jumping into the floo fireplace and going back home to Anne. Scanning the invitation, he reread the details he had already memorized.
A 10 year reunion of their Hogwarts classmates. At Hogsmeade. Tonight.
He wondered if she would be there.
Mustering up the courage he didn't have as a lad, he threw back his shot of firewhiskey. Slamming down two knuts on the table, he smoothed his dress robes, wondering why he even bothered up to dress up for this whole silly affair. He made his way over to the fireplace. Sebastian hoped he wouldn't regret his decision. Climbing into the floo network, he turned around and declared:
"Three Broomsticks!"
She worried at her bottom lip, wondering for the millionth time, if this whole thing was a mistake. Merlin, she felt like a schoolgirl all over again. Looking at herself in the butterbeer, she nervously touched at her make up that Natty helped apply on her, smudging it worse than before. She's gotten a fair amount of new scars since Hogwarts. She was by no means that fussy over her own appearance, but…if Sebastian were coming….ugh. Her make up was definitely fully smeared now. The ugly scar on her face was peeking through. Now, Natty was going to yell at her again.
"What if he isn't coming?" She couldn't stop herself from asking her own reflection.
"Oh, he'll be here alright." Imelda answered from behind the former Hufflepuff, throwing her now-long cascading hair back behind her shoulders. "He's a simple man. Any hint of 'the greatest witch of our generation' being here at Hogsmeade and Sebastian will apparate here faster than a diriclaw."
The former Hufflepuff blushed heavily. "You know the Daily Prophet makes all it up right? Half of that stuff is just utter rubbish."
Imelda laughed, adjusting the padding on her professional quidditch uniform. "Yes, yes, humble as ever. You haven't changed a bit since Hogwarts."
"Imelda," Natsai Onai, the up and coming auror, appeared at their side. "Help me with the decorations! They're not going to hang themselves!"
"Duty calls." Imelda drawled as Natty swept the quidditch player away.
Alone, she sat next to the fireplace, with nothing but her worry. She couldn't help but speculate if Sebastian had changed at all. She wondered if she'd ever again see the charming, hot-tempered, loyal Slytherin she met at the first day of Hogwarts. He'd all be disappeared by the end of their 5th year, replaced by a darker version of the boy she had fallen in love with. Overcome with grief, she had left Hogwarts and London behind, traveling the world with Natty, far away of any new possible mentions of new Dark wizards in England with wild brown hair and gorgeous chocolate-eyes.
"I’ve always said that travel broadens the mind."
Her head shot up, almost afraid to see who was going to step through the fireplace.
It was Sebastian Sallow. The second the pair made eye contact, he couldn't help but smile. "Well, there's my favorite Hufflepuff."
She was dazed. She could hardly believe that the man before her today was Sebastian. He had filled in since she had last seen him in 7th year. His shoulders now broad and strong, his arms thick, and bare forearms sun kissed. His face was more defined and masculine, freckles now erupting all over his cheeks. He had expensive well-tailored dress robes that showed off the hard lines of his figure. The only thing that had stayed the same was his wildly untamed hair, looking as soft as the day she first met him.
The biggest change of all were his chocolate eyes. They were no longer cold and harsh. They looked so kind, a couple of soft creases around the edges, warm and inviting.
She stood up from her seat approaching him for a closer look. She couldn't believe he was even real.
"S-Sebastian, hi! Wow, you've….you've certainly changed a bit."
"And you've looked just as gorgeous as the day I lost you."
Sebastian was delighted at the way her skin turned pink. Her blush traveling from her cheeks and spreading to her neck, just like how it used to. It was a lie, in a way. Somehow, the most beautiful girl in all of Hogwarts turned even more lovely. Her body no longer hidden by baggy school robes. She was now dressed in an Adventurer's outfit. Dragonhide, leather straps, armor, and buckles adorned the skin tight clothing. Her clothing gave Sebastian a nice view of her full and very nice curves. Her eyes which used to be soft and full of hesitancy were now sharp. They were quick and bold, daring her enemies to challenge her.
Of course, the biggest difference was the new (or was it now old?) fading scar that was across her nose. It figured that she of all people would have a scar that only made her look more powerful than ever before. Sebastian couldn't help but want to duel her once again. To have a girl as amazing as her knock Sebastian back on his ass with a few well-placed spells. Their very first duel was still the most thrilling experience Sebastian has ever had.
"How have you been? How's Anne?" she asked.
"She's been well. Wishes, she were here but…you know." He shrugged. "We take it day by day. Some days are better some days are worse."
"Well," she bit her lip in worry, hesitant over what she was about to say. "If you need any help, just say the word-"
"No," Sebastian gently stopped her. "I'm through with asking you to give up everything for me. I might have done it in my youth, but…no longer. You have my word." He chuckled darkly. "Not that it means much given everything that has happened."
Her shoulders softened. "Sebastian, we were both young and quite stupid. Those days are behind us now. I forgave you then, and I still forgive you now. You did everything out of love. I can see that now. What can be a better reason than love to turn to the dark?"
Sebastian laughed, his voice now a deeper rich baritone. "Well, it's nice to know that I still have one good friend by my side."
She hid her face behind her butterbeer. Hoping to get away from touchy subjects, she shifted focus. "What are you up to now?" She asked.
Sebastian spread his arms out, allowing her to get a good look at the emerald green healer's dress robes he was currently wearing. "I'm a healer now. I'm the head of the Department of Irreversible Curses and Dark Maladies at St. Mungo's. It's a new branch, just founded a year ago, by well, me I guess. You, Anne, even Ominis, really inspired me to take a bit of a…different path than the one I was headed on."
She blinked in surprise. Sebastian? A healer? Well, she supposed it made sense. He was always buried in books when they were in school together, constantly researching the next healing breakthrough for Anne. It was no wonder that he managed to pick up a thing or two here and there. "And…that's it I suppose? No more, dark arts?"
"Now, hold on." Sebastian teased. "I didn't say that. I'm the head researcher into the medical dark arts at St. Mungo's. A new subject invented by yours truly of course. There's so much untapped unexplored magic out there, that can be used for good, incorrectly mislabeled or misinterpreted as the dark arts. It's the cutting edge, it can really help our patients with otherwise incurable diseases." He laughed at the alarm on her face. "Don't worry. No more inferi. No more unforgivable curses. No following the advice of a clear lunatic like Salazar Slytherin. Anne is an associate healer on our team when she can make herself available. Half of my projects would be nowhere without her. She keeps me in check, making sure everything I do is by the books. She'll wring my neck if she ever found me even toeing the line of something dangerous."
She felt slightly bad, jumping to conclusions like that. "Sebastian, that's…that's amazing to hear! I'm so glad to know that you and Anne have done so well."
Sebastian took a bold step closer. "Well, you might have been able to hear about it sooner, have you opened the letters I was sending you."
She winced. How could she explain herself? Would he even understand? How broken her heart was after she left Hogwarts. How that sly, cunning boy that she first met had turned into a wicked dark wizard who was a stranger to her. How it tore her to pieces seeing what he became after using the Unforgivable curses. How terrified of him she was looking into those unrecognizable cold eyes. Lately, every time she saw his harried looking owl, she was sent into a panic. All of her life she has only heard bad news. Her parents. Lodgok. The curse of being a Keeper of ancient magic….Professor Figs. She couldn't bring herself to read any of his letters. If, Sebastian Sallow had turned into the new Victor Rookwood, who else but she, the Hero of Hogwarts, would be expected to put down the new threat?
"I'm sorry, Sebastian. I'm a coward." She admitted. "I couldn't bring myself to read your letters. The thought of learning of something awful happening to you. To Anne." She shook her head at the thought. "I couldn't bear it."
Sebastian stepped close, their shoes practically touching. "And I can't bear the thought of you being alone out there. Traversing the world all by yourself, on all your dangerous adventures, without me watching your back."
She took step forward. They were only a breath apart. She inhaled, smelling the rich oak scent and soft cologne that was unmistakably Sebastian. "Things were a lot easier, when I had you fighting those nasty insects in the Dark Forest with me."
"Spiders." Sebastian couldn't help but correct. "Spiders aren't insects."
Her glare had no heat behind it. "I suppose I deserved that one."
Sebastian laughed, wanting more than anything in the world, to wrap her up in his arms. To go all the way back to 5th year where they were sitting together by the lake, watching the sunset.
"You know," he drawled. "I never did take you to that date to the Three Broomsticks that I promised you, did I?"
She blinked rapidly. "I nearly forgot. What, with everything that has happened, that you tried to pursue me during our 5th year."
Well, Sebastian, certainly hasn't forgotten even a second of that night. "Well, what do you say? We're here already. With a lot more friends and a lot less privacy than I planned. Want to make me a man of my words?"
Feeling bolder now that she was older, she stood on her tip toes, body mere inches from his, planting a soft chaste kiss on his cheek. "I have a better idea. Why don't use the very first spell I learned from you, disillusion ourselves, and sneak out of the party. Let's go back to the lake again, just like back in 5th year. We can bring some butterbeer and some of Poppy's pastries."
He couldn't wipe the smile from his face. "You do remember." Wrapping her tightly in his arms, he held her by his side, casting evanesco over the pair of them.
"I'll follow your lead." He said, as if they were suddenly back in 5th year, about to fight another goblin camp.
She laughed. Her hand found his invisible one, lacing their fingers together.
The bustle and laughter of the party was loud in the Three Broomsticks as friends and family alike reconnected. No one noticed how the large oak front doors seemingly opened on their own to a twin pair of laughter disappearing into the moonlit night.