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Amelia closed the room to her dorm, leaning back against it and let out a big breath. Tonight was her final night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The end of year feast had been spectacular as always but once all the rest of the students had been sent back to their dorms the seventh year students were given free reign of the Great Hall. There had been more fabulous food, music, even a few students dancing.
She snuck up into her dorm for a moment of quiet and to catch her breath. There were a lot of emotions that came with graduation from Hogwarts, excitement and anticipation but also a feeling of loss and sorrow.
She looked around the dorm room taking in all the little things she’s come to take for granted when her eyes landed on a parcel on her bed. It hadn’t been there earlier before the feast. She walked over to her bed and studied the writing. A messy scrawl with only her name on top. How had it gotten here, she didn't know, maybe one of the girls had snuck it in.
She peeled back the brown parcel paper and was confused to see the familiar green and grey of a Slytherin quidditch jumper. She looked around the room to see if there was anyone hiding, waiting to jump out and explain what was going on. The only Slytherin she was particularly close to was Ominis Gaunt, she’s seen him earlier in the Great Hall and he hadn’t mentioned anything to her.
Well……there had been one other Slytherin she’d been close with. She gently lifted the jumper, as if it might fall apart when she touched it, but instead she was greeted with a loud whooshing sound in her ears and a horrible sensation of being pulled through a small hole. She squeezed her eyes tight shut.
She stumbled on the uneven ground and dropped the jumper. She opened her eyes, trying not to fall and looked around her. Sshe was in a small clearing on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She recognised a path way to Hogsmede, one that was barely used a little ways off, she spun and saw the castle in the distance, its warm glow like a beacon in the dark night. She stumbled again, still off balance and stared down at the jumper that lay harmlessly in the grass at her feet.
What on earth, she thought but the sound of twig snapping behind broke her reverie. She spun around, wand raised, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
“Whoever you are, you've made a grave mistake bringing me here” she said forcefully.
A dark figure, hood up stepped out of the tree line, she held her ground firm. She dealt with so many hunters, poachers and dark wizards in her years at Hogwarts; what would one more be on her last evening.
“Lumos” she said softly, her wand tip lit and cast a circle of light around them. She waited. The figure stepped into the circle of light, no wand that she could see, and lifted his hood.
As the material dropped onto his shoulders, Amelia felt as if the ground had lurched beneath her. Her breath caught in her throat. Her wand hand shook.
“Hello love” Came the soft velvety tones of Sebastian Sallow. She dropped her wand and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He caught her in his arms and wrapped them tightly around her waist.
She held him so tightly she was afraid she might hurt him. Her eyes stung, her chest ached, she ran a hand through his hair, longer and slightly shaggier than when she’d last seen him. She lent back to get a better look at him staying in the circle of his arms.
“Is it really you?” her voice broke, as she held his face in her hands. He nodded and she wrapped her arms around him again.
She was shaking and he held her tightly. She breathed him in deeply, it was him, he was here, he was safe.
“Well I have to admit I didn't expect this” he chuckled into her hair.
“What did you expect?” She was torn, she wanted to look at him, to see those dark brown eyes after all this time but she also didn't want to let go of his body pressed against hers.
“To be honest, to be knocked on my ass” he laughed again.
She laughed and finally moved backwards, keeping her hands on his shoulders. She needed to be touching him, to make sure he was real and not some kind of illusion.
His smile was wide, his dark eyes warm, his face a little thinner and more angled than when she’d last seen him, and he was taller too.
“You look different” she was desperately trying not to cry.
She hadn't seen Sebastian Sallow in two years. Two years since he’d followed a path of dark magic that had ended in the worst possible way. But there was something different now, that intensity, that drive, that feeling that being around him was like standing on the edge of a cliff without a broom, it was gone.
“So do you” he smiled and ran his fingers through her long hair. “You look so grown up”
She laughed, sniffing as she leaned away pulling a handkerchief from her pocket.
“How is this possible, how are you here?” she questioned.
“I made my old jumper into a port key, but it's a one way in and one way out kind of deal so dont touch it again until your ready to go back”
Ameila looked over her shoulder as he spoke, how did he know how to make a port key, that was complicated magic. She regarded it now as something of danger as she subconsciously moved further away from it.
“Back? I don't want to go back. Sebastian, where have you been?”
He laughed again and held her at arms length. “Amelia” he exclaimed, shaking his head. “I came here to congratulate you. You’ve graduated Hogwarts! You did it”
“Oh no you dont!” she stepped back away from him, the opposite direction from where the jumper lay harmlessly on the floor.
“Two years! It's been two years and you’ve sent about 2 letters in that time. Don't think you are getting away with that” she wagged a finger at him, her voice scolding but he was looking at her with such a wide smile still on his face,her annoyance immediately melted away.
She hit his chest lightly as he started laughing again, she couldn't ever remember seeing him so joyful. She froze then, spinning around, she grabbed her wand from the ground and turned back to him. His smile was gone as he watched her.
“What is it, what's the matter?” He reached out to her but she started pushing him back into the shadow of the trees.
“What if someone sees you? You’re just standing out in the open '' panic ran through her, her stomach had dropped when she’d thought of someone seeing him, of taking him away. They weren't close enough to the castle to be seen from there but what about a passer by, an on looker?
“Amelia calm down” he took her hand and pulled her back to face him “This whole clearing is enchanted, no one can see us. Beyond the borderline of the spell any passers by wouldnt see anything at all”
She looked up at him, one eyebrow raised and then lightly waved her wand at his face.
“Port keys, secret enchantments, Sebastian Sallow have you secretly been attending Hogwarts this whole time”
“No” he moved her wand from his face and sighed “I will tell you but then no more okay, i came to see you and celebrate your graduation”
“Did you really think-”
He cut her off lifting his hand in the air.
“I’ve been working for a potion maker up in the Highlands, he lives by himself and sells potions and spellcrafts by way of an owl delivery system”
Amelia blinked, how modern, she thought.
“But he’s quite an old guy, powerful wizard but was struggling to get potion ingredients and couldn't find anyone willing to go to all the dark and scary places for the rarer ingredients”
“Dark and scary, so obviously you volunteered” Amelia grumbled.
“Exactly” Sebastian said with a cocky grin “In return for collecting the ingredients he needed he gave me a place to stay, and then eventually started teaching me some magic he knew. In the field learning is better than anything you’ll find in a book Ami”
Amelia scoffed but her heart pounded a little at how casually he used her old nickname.
“If i didn't think it was a waste of time, I’d challenge you to a duel right here” she sneered lightly.
“Why would it be a waste of time?” he laughed “afraid I’d beat you”
“I have never been afraid of tthat in the whole time I've known you Sebastian. Why would i worry about that now”
He lifted a hand to his heart and made a face of mock pain.
“But I agree, i didn't come here to duel you tonight” he lifted a hand and motioned over her shoulder. She turned around to see a small picnic had appeared.
She gasped in delight.
“I know it's nothing compared to the farewell feast but-”
“It's wonderful” she interrupted. He stepped forward and raised a hand.
“My Lady, may I escort you” he said with a bow.
“You may,” Amelia giggled.
They sat on the little picnic blanket, shoulders touching as Sebastian told her about the different foods he’d conjured. Apparently he’d learnt to cook in the time he’d been gone too. When they’d eaten and she’d answered all his questions about school and Ominis and what people said when he disappeared, he asked about her plans after school, he wanted to know everything. She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. He was leaning down on one elbow now, head tilted back to look up at the stars.
“You seem different,” she said softly. He looked up at her,
“I’d like to think I am” he said quietly, turning to look at her, “What I did to my uncle, losing Anne, putting you and Ominis in danger; it all felt so out of control then, but i’ve realised I was in control and i didnt do anything to stop it;. I didn't want to be that person anymore.” He paused “I’ve been able to speak with Anne over the years, just a few letters she sends letting me know she’s okay. She’s hasn't forgiven, and i don't blame her, i haven't forgiven myself”
Amelia reached out and took his hand.
“I still think there is a cure out there but,'' he paused again looking down at their joined hands “but I'll find it the right way, if I can. I can't focus my life on it like I did back then.” He squeezed her fingers “If i knew then what I know now” he mused. Amelia felt there was more he wanted to say but he fell quiet.
They both jumped as fireworks exploded over Hogwarts
“So late already” he sighed. He stood up and pulled Amelia to her feet.
“The festivities are coming to an end and i’m afraid you have to go back before you are missed my dear”
“No” her voice stammered again. “No, i don't want to go back” she clutched his hand tightly, as if any moment he would let go of her and disappear again.
“Sebastian, I can come with you”
“Absolutely not.” he said calmly but firmly.
“Why?” She cried “You can't just pop up into my life after two years and then disappear again”
She stepped back away from him, away from the port key that would send her back to the dorm.
“I won't do it, i won't go back” instinct made her pull out her wand again as her chest constricted in fear.
Sebastian held up his hands in a surrender motion.
“Amelia, calm down,” he almost whispered the words
“No, NO!” her voice was almost a shout now. Tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. He stepped forward towards her, she could feel herself shaking, feel him slipping away again.
“Please” she almost whispered as he stepped forward again, lifting his hand to hers and lowering the wand to her side.
“You have come too far to run off into the woods with the likes of me”
She stared up at his face, the panic she felt draining from her with the softness of his eyes.
“You have a whole life to start” he lifted a hand to her hair, running his fingers behind her ear and resting his palm on her cheek “You have worked so hard for this and you’ve got a plans, amazing plans and I didn't come here to take that you away from that”
“But-” she started
“I know,” he said gently, pressing his forehead to hers. “But you need to do this for me. Please.” he pleaded.
Tears trickled down her cheeks now.
“I’ve missed you so much” she whispered.
“I’ve missed you too”
“Promise me” she lifted her hands to clutch the front of his jacket “promise me it won't be another two years of waiting before i see you”
He smiled down at her, she clutched his jacket tighter. “I’m not letting go until you promise”
“Okay, I promise” he wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed,
“And now my love it's time for our goodbye”
“I don't want to,” her voice wobbled and she was embarrassed at how much she sounded like a little girl.
He pulled her into his chest and held her tight. He breathed deeply, she tried to savour the feel of him wrapped around her.
He leaned back and looked down at her, his eyes searching. Still holding her tight in his arms, his lips parted slightly with an unspoken question.
She ran her hands up his chest, onto his neck and then closed the distance between them to press her lips to his. He straightened, pulling her as close to him as he possibly could as she lifted onto her tiptoes.
Their lips moved slowly at first but as he ran his hands through her hair she felt a rush of heat throughout her body, her hands moved to his hair as her tongue found his, he responded in kind as he traced a line of kisses down her neck and then back up to her lips.
More fireworks exploded over the castle, and with her eyes closed Amelia wasn't sure if the flashes of light and colour were the fireworks themselves or just her body's reaction to Sebastian.
His hands travelled down her back and to her hips and their lips slowed. They were both breathing deeply when their lips finally parted, he kissed her gently, once, twice and then once more on the tip of her nose.
“I love you” She whispered looking up at him
“I’ve loved you since the first moment we met” His words seemed to rip a hole in her heart and the tears came streaming from her eyes again.
“It's time to go” he said gently. He stepped back and took her hand, leading her to where the jumper lay in the grass.
“Keep it safe, I’ll be back for it” he smiled down at her as they stood beside it.
“I’ll be waiting,” she sighed. They knelt down together, she took a deep breath and held out a hand, suddenly his lips were on hers again. The last moments of desperation overcoming them both. For just a moment he considered taking her with him, but the look on her eyes knew he couldn't. She deserved so much more than the life he could currently offer her. But maybe one day.
His eyes shone with unshed tears
“Promise me you’ll be safe” she whispered, clutching his arms.
“I always am” He smirked and she chuckled through her tears.
“Okay, ready?” he lent back from her, his hand holding hers for a moment longer before finally letting go.
She nodded, he smiled.
“Goodbye, my love”
“I’ll see you soon” They smiled at each, and using all the power she could muster she lent for and placed her hands on the jumper.
The whooshing and pulling and suddenly she was on the floor of her dorm. Tears streamed down her face and she held the jumper to her chest for just a moment.
“Amelia” she heard her name called from beyond the doorway. She stood up wiping her eyes and quickly hid the jumper in her trunk. She made her way to the door as someone pushed it open.
“Oh Amelia,” Natty wrapped her arms around her. “It's so emotional I know, but come, come, you must spend it with friends, not here alone.” She led her back to the Great Hall to watch the remainder of the fireworks.
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A year later, Amelia had settled into her life after Hogwarts, she’d gotten an apprenticeship and her own little home not too far from where Ominis had bought a home for himself. She’d spent a lot of time researching potion sellers in the Highlands and spent a lot of money ordering potions she didn't need. Until one day, a little potions bundle arrived by owl. She opened the little envelope and recognised the messy scrawl;
‘I’ll be back for that jumper soon my love, it's getting a chilly up here without it - S’