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"And what I can't fathom is the fact that you are still defending him, after all he's done to us, to you!"
Anne had known Ominis for almost five years, and it was the first time she had seen him so angry and defeated. But who could blame him? Her heart was in turmoil too, broken beyond repair.
"I'm not defending him, Ominis, I'm not. I just think it won't fix anything, it will only make things worse."
Both him and the new fifth year paced around the tiny Feldcroft cottage that now felt so sofocating.
"Eva, so help me understand, you saying the relic made him do it is not defending him?"
The girl furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head in disagreement.
"I'm well aware he chose to dwell in the dark arts, Ominis. I'm well aware he chose to ignore your warnings, because Merlin knows I wasn't firm enough." The Hufflepuff seemed disappointed in herself. "But you said it yourself, dark magic is a corrupting force, the relic was a powerful artefact. I truly don't believe he would have gone so far if it hadn't been for its influence."
Anne was tired. She closed her eyes, willing to wake up the day she was cursed, imagining what could have been if she had chosen a different path. It was true that uncle Solomon hadn't been the most affectionate of guardians, both him and Sebastian extremely stubborn, always butting heads. But he also took care of them, even when he didn't have many resources for himself he made sure the twins were well fed, their clothes clean, with a warm bed waiting for them each night. Anne re-opened her eyes.
"Eva..." both students turned to look at her. "I know you have known my brother for some months now, and I'm happy he has found such kind and loyal friend in you. But the truth is he has committed an unforgivable crime, people like him pay for their wrong doings in Azkaban, no matter if it happened multiple times or just once. Maybe you haven't been in the wizarding world long enough to understand the severity of his actions."
The girl opened her mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by Ominis.
"Not to mention, to his own uncle. It's wrong, no matter how you look at it."
"He wasn't perfect by any means, he and Sebastian didn't have the best of relationships, even before my curse. But he didn't deserve to end up like that."
The Hufflepuff's eyes danced between the Slytherins, seemingly trying to arrange her thoughs while silently pleading with them.
"I can't speak on your uncle's character, Anne, I only saw him thrice." The twin cringed at the memory of their first meeting. "But yesterday, in the catacombs, he attacked us. I felt the fire licking my skin multiple times. I understand why he would be angry with Sebastian, but I still don't understand why he chose to turn his wand on me too, or why he chose that approach at all. And again, I'm not saying that what happened after was right, there could have been multiple other solutions and your brother chose the worst one".
"I... I don't know why Solomon acted like that, I'm sorry you got hurt. He probably acted rush because he had already warned Sebastian and he found you both with the relic." Anne stared at Eva intently. " But exactly as you said, it was Sebastian's choice and now he'll have to live with the consequences." Her tone, final.
"Live? What life?! Forgive me, but are you hoping Azkaban teaches him a lesson? That he will learn and turn his back on the dark arts while he rots inside a moldy cell? It won't happen, it will only make things worse". Now the Hufflepuff's pitch was high and desperate.
"Eva, for Merlin's sake..." but now it was Ominis turn to be interrupted.
"No, I might be new to this world, but I've learnt enough to know that Azkaban is not a good place. Dark magic festers in there, and the dementors only serve the purpose of making everyone hollow of emotions, including remorse and shame."
"How on earth would you know that? You speak as if..."
The girl lowered her gaze before closing her eyes and letting out a deep saddened sigh. "Because I was there." Her voice, barely above a whisper. "In Azkaban I mean. It's a long story, it happened not even a week after my arrival to Hogwarts".
Both Slytherins were stunned, taken aback by her confession. Neither knew what to say.
"I don't think I'm ready to reveal all the details and reasonings behind my visit. You just need to know that I went there escorted by an ex-auror. I needed to speak with a woman that had been falsely accused of murder, I know that to be absolutely true. She had been describe as a sweet, adventurous girl. If you had seen her in that dark, humid cell..." Eva doubted before continuing "... there wasn't a trace of that girl left in there. She has turned wicked, cruel and dangerous. She managed to curse the ex-auror without even using a wand. Azkaban corrupts everything it touches, just like the relic."
Anne held her breath, letting Eva's words weight on her. Just minutes ago she was sure of her decision, but now she was just as paralyzed as when she discovered her uncle's body.
"I... I don't even know what to say... But this girl was innocent, Sebastian..."
"That's not the point! Ominis, if that god forsaken place has managed to corrupt an innocent woman to those extremes, what will it do to him? Do you really think it would help in any way? Staying away from there would actually give him a chance to be better, to understand why his actions were wrong."
The three of them stood now in silence, too tired to keep arguing.
"Eva, do you truly believe he can get better?" Anne looked at the Hufflepuff with sadness, too scared to feel hopeful. "I love my brother, I truly do, even if I don't recognize him right now. I don't think I can be near him for a while, I need time... but if there's a chance, I want my brother back." She finally broke down crying.
Ominis was quickly on her side, patting her sweetly while distraught sobs rocked her body. Eva approached, crouching down in front of her.
"There's only one way to find out, and that's by giving him a chance, the last one. But at the end of the day that's your choice, I have no right to decide and whatever you do I'll stand by you."
-----
When he heard the mechanism of the door opening, Sebastian felt his body tense up. He had been waiting for this moment all night and day, since he left the catacombs. The moment the ministry's aurors would come get him.
But instead of a couple of bruly men, a lone figure appeared, tinier than he expected.
"Confringo."
Fire illuminated the hall and the boy could finally see Eva's face, staring back at him. None of them said anything, opting for analysing each other instead.
The Hufflepuff had dark circles under her eyes, hair was messy and shoulders slumped. He wondered if he looked as tired as his friend did.
The girl walked towards him, sitting by his side once she reached him.
"Did you sleep here yesterday? Have you been here since... you left?"
"Yeah..." He wanted to say more, but he wasn't sure what exactly. "... Well, I didn't exactly sleep."
"I can tell."
Sebastian let out a snort and was about to crack a small smile but Eva's deadpan expression stopped him. Yeah, right.
"How have you slept? You don't..."
"Let's not dance around the subject, Sebastian, I'm too tired to pretend everything is fine."
The boy hugged his legs and nodded. The girl's forwardness took him by surprise, but he wasn't about to say something about it.
"I've spent the whole afternoon talking to Anne and Ominis. Just this morning your sister buried your uncle." The thought of his twin going through that all alone made his stomach turn, but who's fault was it?
"How is she... I mean, her curse, the stress..."
"She is distraught, from her perspective, she just lost the two family members she had left."
"What?!" that woke him from his stupor. "I'm right here, I'll be by her side. I'll go to Feldcroft tomorrow morning and..."
"Sebastian, she doesn't want to see you. Anne wants time away from you."
The Slytherin stood up shaking his head, unable to speak.
"Don't you understand her?" Eva looked at him with pity in her eyes. "What happened yesterday was beyond fucked up, Sebastian. She even wanted to turn you in."
The boy abruptly turned his head to look at his friend. So maybe, after all, there were a couple of aurors waiting outside for him.
"Turn me in...?" he felt the words getting stucked on his throat.
"Yes, both her and Ominis. They thought it was the best thing to do." Upon seeing the boy's eyes darting to the entrance of the Undercroft she quickly added. "But they won't, so don't worry and don't do anything hasty."
"Uh, but why? I-I don't understand..."
"I talked to them, I honestly think you ending up in Azkaban won't make anything better. It won't benefit anyone."
Sebastian looked at her, dumbfounded. Why did she insist on extending a helping hand to everyone?
"Out here you have the chance to grow and learn from your actions. To repent, if you will. In there you'd be doomed."
"Why? Why are you doing this? I hurted you, I hurted my sister and my best friend." And killed his uncle, he thought.
"That's true." She said, matter of factly. "But first of all, I truly think the relic has had some kind of influence on your behavior, but now that it's destroyed we may never know the true extent. And secondly... the day we met on DADA, I saw something in you, warm and good, something that made me want to be your friend. And that something it's still in you, I believe it's worth fighting for. But you have to promise that you are going to make the effort to be better."
The boy lowered his head, emotions swarming inside of him and tears filling his eyes.
"I..." he inhaled deeply. "I don't know what to say. My head is such a mess."
"You don't have to say anything. We can talk when you are ready, tomorrow or in a couple of days." Eva finally stood from her sitting position. "But one more thing. I asked Anne and Ominis to give you one last chance, and I meant it. I'll stand by your side, I'll help you, but I'm not willing to go through all of this again."
It sounded like a threat, of what kind, Sebastian didn't know. She was as capable of violence as she was of kindness. He just nodded.
The girl looked around the Undercroft, locating his makeshift bed. "If you are going to sleep here maybe you should try to transfigure something more comfortable."
"Yeah, probably."
They stood awkwardly before Eva cleared her throat.
"I should get going now, perfects are probably roaming the castle by now."
Sebastian called out to her before she reached the entrance.
"Eva, wait. I just want to say... to tell you that I'm truly greatful for your friendship. I'm glad you came to Hogwarts."
The girl looked at him and nodded, and Sebastian could have sworn he saw her blush slightly.