Chapter Text
My good friend,
It is plain to me that any soul, had they been in your place last year, would express the same worries that plague you now about the start of term. I would not have wished the experiences of your first year at Hogwarts upon anyone. That being said, what you have done for my brother and I is a debt that can never be repaid. I’m sure he will see it the same way soon enough, I will not allow this division between you to prevent your visit to Feldcroft for much longer I assure you.
I urge you to try to see this new start in a positive light. Although life at Hogwarts has a way of never turning out ‘normal’ with Ranrok gone you are set to have a remarkably more peaceful year. I know our shared friends are excited to see you again and Ominis talks of you often in our letters. Speaking of friends, I understand that you have rejected Poppy’s offer to meet with you in Diagon Alley ahead of the 1st but I hope you will consider making the trip to London to ride the Hogwarts Express at the very least. It may seem pointless, being so close to the castle already (this is the conclusion we have come to over the years as well), but you really should experience it at least once.
I hope the Mallowsweet brightens up your little cottage. My textbooks insist that it is a tricky thing to cultivate but it seemingly fairs well in my garden, so much so I’ve been struggling to give it away.
All my love,
Anne
***
The images raced across your weary mind, a sting that had become all too familiar. The aged goblin, life almost faded, lying on the floor in the dust as structures that held the ceiling in place crumbled around you. The professor, who’s eccentricities and kind nature in life made him appear all too cold in death. Your success in ridding the world of Ranrok would forever be tarnished by the fact that he would never know of it.
And then there was him, your friend, and the yell as your blasting curse threw him hard against the cold rock that made your heart stop.
“HOW COULD YOU?!” He bit as a crimson stream made its way down his grubby forehead.
“YOU GAVE ME NO CHOICE!” You screamed as the shock of your actions made way to a boiling rage. “I TOLD YOU- I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO TO FAR!”
You felt the firm grab of his uncle’s hand on your shoulder and-
Shooting up from your bed you let out a small gasp. The dreams that so regularly haunted your nights began to fade. Bringing your knees up to your chest you rested your head and stared at the faint light of the grey Scottish September streaming through your curtains.
In a lot of ways you had managed to let go of all that pain and death. You took some comfort in the knowledge that Professor Fig would have wanted that for you. His care for you had run deep, made even more obvious when it turned out that the small cottage he and his late wife had occupied South of Hogwarts had been left to you after his passing. It was a charming place, if lonely, filled with trinkets and mementos that you could never quite bring yourself to tidy away. Instead the mess had only intensified with new piles of textbooks, equipment and potion ingredients.
Making up for your lost education proved to be an excellent distraction. Professor Weasley had been quite clear that you would not be able to ‘wing it’ when it came to the NEWTs and a summer alone in Scotland had been the perfect opportunity to study. When you were not engaged in a more ‘practical’ education elsewhere in the valley that is.
However, despite your best efforts, your thoughts were often still haunted. Not by death, but a different kind of loss.
Of all the friends you had made last year, Sebastian was the closest. You had made a promise to Ominis that you would keep your mutual friend out of the dark in his relentless pursuit of a cure for Anne. Late in the third term you had been forced to keep it in a violent manner you did not anticipate. It had been a split second decision. You saw the blind rage in his eyes, you knew he knew the words, and you knew there would be no going back for him if he let that incantation slip.
You acted. Rightfully most would say. Anne and Ominis certainly did. Still, the betrayal in his eyes made you feel sick and the harsh words he berated you with as you were forced out of that dreadful tomb had stayed with you. That was the last time you had truly spoken, both having made every effort to avoid each other since.
You did not want to forgive him, and you would certainly not be admitting any wrongdoing, but Merlin you missed him.
You looked over at your bedside table where an old pocket watch lay next to a bright bunch of Mallowsweet and you supposed you had better get ready for the train. It seemed he wouldn’t be there anyway and Anne was right, it would be a great shame to miss out on the experience.
***
Wandering down Platform 9¾ for the first time you felt the same sense of wonder you’d felt at every new magical discovery. The platform itself was chaos, swarming with little first years going in every wrong direction. Harried looking parents followed with trolleys filled with trunks and an assortment of pets.
As you made your way towards the Slytherin carriage you caught a glimpse of an old friend through the smoke and steam. Smartly dressed with slick blonde hair and flanked by a very serious looking witch and wizard, the latter of which had his hand placed firmly on Ominis’ shoulder. His eyes flicked your way for a mere second and you were sure he had noticed you but his actions made no such suggestion. You averted your gaze so as to not attract attention. There was a reason the pair of you hadn’t corresponded over summer, two reasons in fact, and they were standing right beside him. Ominis had warned you that his parents would not be amiable to his having a friend whose blood status was decidedly uncertain. Merlin forbid their boy would associate with a muggle born. Still, they had no eyes at Hogwarts, and you would soon be reunited.
You waited a short while but caught no sight of your other friends. Not wanting to leave it any closer to the departure, you made your way to the Slytherin carriage and boarded. The grandeur of the train apparently did not extend to the width of its hallways and you found yourself squeezing past a few semi-familiar younger Slytherins on your way to find Ominis. You stared in through the windows of three or four little compartments before you saw him, the serious expression worn by him in front of the Gaunts replaced by a familiar warm smile.
Heart skipping a beat at the thought of finally seeing a friend again, you swung the compartment door open.
“Ominis it’s so good to-”
You had neglected to notice that there was someone else sitting opposite. The one that you’d be sick with nerves about seeing again after all this time. He didn’t speak but he did look up at you. Dark hair, a fluffy mess and freckles covering every inch of his pale face. His expression was neutral and wholly unreadable but his eyes gave signs of some emotion. The nature of that emotion proved equally unreadable to you.
“It’s good to see you too!” Ominis piped up, electing to ignore the tension and reaching up to pull you down into the seat next to him.
His chipper mood about the situation irked you and you fought the urge to glare. After all it would be lost on him, and you weren’t about to give Sebastian the satisfaction.
“How was your summer? Dreadfully sorry about what happened on the platform, it is all for the best, you understand?”
“Of course,” You replied, doing your utmost to keep your eyes on Ominis. “Little to report I’m afraid, although trying to squeeze four lost school years into one summer has been quite the challenge.”
“You mean to tell us that you of all people spent the entire summer with your nose in textbooks, I find that hard to believe,”
“There may have been some extra curricular activities as well,”
“Undoubtedly, but hold that thought.” Ominis gave you a smile that almost seemed… nervous? “I’ve just remembered, I must speak to Imelda before we’re too far from London.”
It was vague, and undoubtedly a lie, he never had been good at lying. Still, you let him scamper away without protest, you would press him on it later.
With Ominis gone the silence in the cabin was palpable. You moved your gaze forcefully out of the window, resisting with all your will to turn and see if Sebastian was looking at you.
The seconds ticked by and it turned out your will wasn’t exactly strong. As you turned you found him staring right at you with the same frustratingly mysterious expression. As you stared into each other you felt your defences fall under the gaze of those brown eyes you loved so much. But no, you wouldn’t let that happen.
“Look, I-”
“I’m sorry,”
You stopped in your tracks. What exactly had you expected? You had lived in dread of the thought of seeing him again and the wretched emotions that had brewed between the two of you returning to the surface. It should have been an argument, hell, maybe a duel. He was stubborn, self righteous. The last thing you had expected was for him to just… give in?
“I’ve thought about it a lot, everything that happened in the tomb. I was so angry, it felt like a betrayal. In my head it felt like you were giving up on us, that you were just the same as my uncle, giving up on Anne. I thought you had joined the dark side.”
“How ironic,” You mused out loud without thinking, then froze. It was exactly the kind of jibe you were used to laying on him but during this very serious apology it seemed horribly inappropriate.
His eyes softened as he laughed, and everything felt so normal again.
“Can’t help yourself can you? Are you going to let me get through this or not?”
“Depends, how many mad accusations do you intend to include?”
“Shut it will you?”
Your smile widened.
“What you did you did for me, I know that now. And I’m grateful that you stopped me from going too far down that path.”
It was everything you hadn’t dared to hope for, and a fine sense of relief washed over you. This year was off to a much better start than you had anticipated.
“Thanks Seb,”
“You’re welcome,” The cocky tone had appeared once more, right on cue.
You rolled your eyes. A few seconds later it occurred to you.
“You and Anne always take the Hogwarts express don’t you?”
“Of course, why?”
“It was her who convinced me to come here. I think she must have got Ominis in on her little manipulation as well.”
“Ah, well that does sound like Anne.”
“I suppose it does,” It wasn’t the first time Anne had attempted to meddle from afar. Although her games did always have a way of being for the best. It was impressive really, how much influence she had on Hogwarts life via mere Owl Post.
“Ominis is a truly terrible liar isn’t he?” Sebastian piped up.
As you both let go of your laughter an anxious looking Ominis appeared at the door.
“What’s so funny?” He asked, nerves settling as he watched the both of you getting along at long last.
“Nothing!” You and Sebastian chimed, perhaps a little too quickly.