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writeslikeanaria · 1 year ago

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i’ve seen the devil in every face

ominis gaunt x reader (technically sebastian sallow x reader)

summary: your boyfriend lives with the demons of never being able to see what you look like. that's when he figures out a way to finally be able to look at you; by wearing the face of his best friend.

word count: 5k+

warnings: SMUT, consent is tricky but i'll just stick with dubious, immoral use of the polyjuice potion, angst, confused reader, m!oral, p in v, opportunity for an incredibly angst filled part two

Potions class seemed to be longer than normal. Having finished your potion earlier than everyone else, your only task now was to finish theory book work, a task that genuinely pained you to complete. Books strewn open, you rested your head against the desk, eyes closed, trying to find will within you to actually dip your quill in the ink that rested next to you.

With your vision gone, you used your imagination to picture the chaos happening around you. A cracking pop sounded off in the room, followed by a stench of rotten fish. Fizzing arose in the room, making your skin prick up from the feeling of electricity. From behind your eyes, you could see a bright white light flash, and a groan from your upset classmate followed suit.

For a moment, you realised that this was reality for your blind boyfriend, Ominis, only able to use his other senses to imagine the world. A brief sadness crept over you, leaving a whimper to come out of your mouth, something that was noticed by your potions partner next to you, Sebastian.

“You alright?” He glanced over at you, cocking an eyebrow, quill hovering in the air.

You opened one eye, adjusting to the bright overhead candle that filled your vision in a flood of white. Sebastian looked down at you, some sort of concern on his face, chewing on the end of his quill. You groaned. “Just peachy…” You paused. “Just thinking.”

Sebastian scoffed. “Anything you want to share with the class?”

Lifting your head slightly, you look across the potion classroom, until your eyes land on the innocent target, blissfully unaware of your stalking eyes. Ominis, busy hunched over a potions book, was reading some words out to his partner, Leander. He seemed frustrated though, eyebrows furrowed deeply, as he kept rubbing his milky white eyes out of pure exhaustion.

From just what you could witness, you knew how annoyed your boyfriend was getting by the ginger’s antics. You had heard many times about how “utterly useless and incorrigible” Leander was, through Ominis’ midnight rantings. Laying in bed, head on his heaving chest, you listened to his stream of consciousness. You pouted at the sight of his anger.

“Ominis doesn’t look happy today.”

Rolling his eyes, Sebastian turned back to his book. “When is he ever when he's in potions class? Poor thing has to deal with Leander for two hours twice a week, I’m surprised he hasn’t ripped all his hair out of head. Pure misery, that’s him.” Sebastian bit his lip, a thought entering his head. “And it doesn’t help that he’s been unusually stroppy the last couple of days.”

You peered at Sebastian, narrowing your eyes, confused. You had barely had time to see your boyfriend in the past couple of days, so you hadn’t noticed any foul behaviour. “What do you me–”

Unfortunately, your question remained unanswered, as the shrill voice of Professor Sharp rang off across the classroom, scolding none other than Garreth Weasley. His face was so close to Garreth’s that they were almost touching. “How dare you not follow my instructions? Detention all next week. Now, clean this up and complete your actual task for homework.”

You snickered, burying your head in your arms, unable to hide away the humour in the situation. Making eye contact with the boy in trouble, he shrugged his shoulders at you. Although Professor Sharp had just told him to discard his potion, you watched as Garreth blatantly discarded those instructions, instead pouring the potion he was working on into a separate flask, before collecting his books back up.

The bell rang, signalling the end of class, but you stayed rooted to your seat as you watched Garreth with intrigue, suddenly fascinated with what he was up to. As everyone filed out of class, you opted to corner your ginger friend, closing in on his defeated stature. His face was sallow, but he still kept a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Backing away your bag, you vaguely registered Sebastian trying to talk to you, but you brushed him off, flaying your hand in the air, dismissively. As much as you loved your best friend, you currently didn’t have time for his questions.

Sliding on over to Garreth’s station, you pick up one of his scrawled notebooks, cheekily. “A little birdie told me you got told off again.”

Garreth jumped slightly at your appearance. “Well, then someone should do something about that gossip of a bird.” He lunged towards the book you were holding. “And we give that back!”

There was no point keeping it anyway, unable to read what covered the pages anyway. Garreth’s handwriting was like chicken scratch. Handing him back his book, you laughed at him, before eyeing the suspicious potion peeking out of his satchel bag. “What’s that?”

“Nothing interesting.” Garreth closed the lid on his bag, keeping the mystery out of sight. You frowned, not usually having to deal with Garreth’s secrecy. Normally, he lets you into his devious plans.

Sighing, you began slowly walking away. “Oh, but it would be such a shame if Professor Sharp found out that you kept some of the potion he told you to discard–”

“Alright!” Garreth stopped you. “It really isn’t anything interesting, I promise, but if you’re still curious, meet me in the abandoned potions classroom on the second floor at midnight. Don’t be late.”

You grinned. You weren’t planning on it.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

When midnight finally came, you were more than excited for your nighttime escape. Cladded in a woollen jumper and tough shoes, you quietly crept down the staircases into the darkness of your common room. As you were about to slink through the door, a voice stopped you in your tracks, calling your name.

“Is that you?”

You immediately recognised the confused tone in your boyfriend’s voice, and a soft chuckle slipped from your mouth. Embarrassed, you covered your reddening face. “Hello darling, I didn’t see you sitting in the dark.”

Ominis pouted. “I didn’t realise a lamp wasn’t on. I was just doing some reading. Have you come to join me?”

“I would love to, truly, but I had other plans for tonight.” You bit your lip in thought. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

A loud groan escaped from Ominis, as he landed his heavy head in his lap. “Can’t sleep, too busy… thinking.”

You moved towards your troubled boyfriend, placing your hand around his. “A penny for your thoughts? I’ve noticed you’ve been… antsy recently, and I can’t help but feel like I'm doing anything for you.” You placed a gentle kiss on his temple. “What’s going on?”

Ominis cringed. “I don’t know how to speak about this; it’s too difficult to even word. And I don’t want to think you did anything wrong–”

“Wait, what?”

“–You’ve been nothing but amazing with everything. You’ve been doting, and kind, and thoughtful, and the time I spend with you, just you, is more cherishable than any worldly possession.”

“Then what’s wrong?” You pressed.

“I–” Ominis sighed. “Everytime we are intimate, I get sad.”

That definitely wasn’t what you were expecting Ominis to say. You retracted your hands for him, unsure if it was out of shock or mild disgust towards what he had said. Never in a million years had you expected your boyfriend, your loving, passionate boyfriend, to admit that love making with you had a melancholic effect on his psyche. Your face contorted with defiance, but you didn’t know how to fight this battle.

You pursed your lips. “Do I disgust you?”

In a flash of seconds, you could see every stage of grief flash over Ominis’ milky eyes, as he reached back towards your hands with comfort. You always relished in the warmth he would give you.

“That’s not what I meant at all.” Ominis started. “I just meant that I feel as though my loss of sight is hindering my experience. Obviously, it’s not, but I can’t help but feel like I’m missing out on seeing you, my beauty, my radiance, the light of my life. Sometimes I wonder how I can feel whole if I can’t even see my other half. Every single time I hear someone compliment your appearance, I just wish I could see you. Everytime you’re under me, I just wish I could see you. Do you understand?”

You didn’t know if you did, but you nodded carefully, stroking small circles on the backs of Ominis’ mole-covered hands, in an attempt to find comfort for him. What you did understand was how difficult this must’ve been to tell you, and you couldn’t be happier that he was actually communicating with you. Leaning into him, you smiled. “Would you like to talk more about this in the morning?”

Ominis smiled. “Sure.”

“Would you like to accompany me to the abandoned potions classroom on the second floor?”

Ominis screwed his face up in confusion. “Why on earth would you want to go to that musty place at this time of night?”

You giggled. “Garreth seems to be working on a secret potion, and I’m curious to see what he’s up to.”

It didn’t take long to convince your stubborn boyfriend, as in a matter of minutes, you were slinking hand in hand, under a disillusionment spell, across the deserted halls of Hogwarts at night. It was a peaceful adventure, one that really helped calm you both down after the intensity of your previous conversation.

Unfortunately, the words Ominis had spoken still lingered in your mind like cigarette smoke. You couldn’t help but ponder what he had said, as if you were the problem. You knew that Ominis would never place blame on you, but you wish you had noticed sooner.

Every time you crawled into bed together, a mess of teeth and tongue, flesh and slick, you should’ve noticed the abundance of tension seeping out of his muscles, or the way he would hold back from touching you, from being close to you. There were so many signs that you were embarrassed that you hadn’t caught on to any of them. Were you a bad person?

Those thoughts were soon pushed out of your conscious mind when you arrived at your discreet destination. Creeping open the door, you were welcomed by the most vile stench you had every smell, bile rising in your throat as you coughed violently.

“What the hell are you making in here?” You spluttered, unable to think properly from the fumes. Luckily you had your boyfriend holding you arms, stopping you from falling over.

Garreth’s lifted his head up as he noticed you walk in, a giant grin stretched across his cheeks. “Ah, you finally came, and you brought a guest. The more the merrier, they say.” He welcomed you in, clapping his hands against your back. “You’re just in time for the main event.”

You could still hardly breathe from the vileness secreting into your sinuses. “Please make this worth it. I cannot begin to describe how putrid this room smells. I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up in the hospital room because of this.”

“You’ve got it easy.” Garreth laughed. “I have to drink this.” With fascination plastered on your face, you watched as the ginger placed the last ingredient into a small volume of the potion, and swirled it around his flask. You watched as the liquid changed colours very slightly.

Finally, Ominous asked the million dollar question. “What actually is that?”

With one gulp, Garreth drank the entire flask, pouring it down his throat with ease, but reacting to the taste like hot lava. After every last drop was swallowed, he finally gave an answer to the question. “Polyjuice potion. Tastes disgusting, but the results are fascinating. That last ingredient I added in? Those were human hairs, belonging to Professor Sharp. In just a few moments you’ll see what I mean by fascinating results, because the polyjuice potions changes your appearance to make you look like someone else.”

He wasn’t lying. Within short moments, Garreth had grown several inches, became thinner, more wrinklier, with his usual flaming locks transforming into dark brown hair. It was exhilarating to watch your best friend become a whole different person.

You spoke first. “Garreth?”

Your friend rubbed his eyes, no longer focussing on you two. Instead, he squinted in frustration. “Ugh, Professor Sharp’s eyesight sucks; It’s so blurry. This man cannot see shit.”

Laughing at those comments, you dismissed them right away, but your boyfriend seemed intrigued by what Garreth was saying, still rubbing his eyes out of annoyance. “What do you mean? Are you trying to tell me that you’ve adopted the same eyesight as Sharp?”

“Yeah, and it’s awful.” Garreth laughed. Walking over to a deserted closet in the classroom, Garreth grabbed out a bunch of clothes that bore a striking resemblance to the ones that Professor Sharp would normally wear, but you took no interest in Garreth’s immature plans. You believed fully that Garreth’s next plans would include terrorising a bunch of year two’s who were still awake at this time of night. What interested you the most was the quizzical look on Ominis’ face.

“What are you thinking?”

Ominous grunted. “Be quiet, I have a plan.”

For the next few minutes, you made careless conversation with your friend, who explained to you the extent of his plan for the next hour, which included, but was not limited to, sneaking into the teacher’s quarters, stealing all their sweets, and trying his luck at the restricted section. With adrenaline, Garreth’s bumbling attitude had him out the door within minutes, leaving you and Ominis alone in the classroom. Alone with the remnants of the polyjuice potion.

Your boyfriend struck first, heading towards the still full potion. You tried to stop him, but with no luck. “Ominis, what do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing? I found a solution to our problems. One mouthful of that disgusting potion and I’ll be able to see your beautiful face, in all your glory. I have no care to worry about the temporary, but I’ll be able to finally see my shining star, my angel. You don’t realise how hard it is to go about my life, wishing I could see your eyes, and your smile, and your hair, and your beautiful lips. I need to do this.”

“And then what?” You questioned his frantic plan. “We share intimacy? You may be sharing intimacy with me, but I’ll have to stare at the face of someone who isn’t mine. I’ll have to live with the guilt of knowing another man who isn’t you.”

“But it is me!” Ominis raised his voice at you. “I am me, emotionally, spiritually, consciously. All you will have to know is the physicalities of another man.” His voice settled, calming down a bit. “I understand your point of you, and all I have to counter it is, for me? I know I cannot force you, but I know I can plead with you, even if you shut me down before I can even present my case.”

You bit your lip in anguish. “How sure are you? I need to know you are completely comfortable with this. This would be the strangest thing we’ve ever shared between us, and I need to know that this is exactly what you want.”

“I want this.” Ominis sighed, cupping your face with his hands. “Finally, I want to know you with all my senses.” He placed a kiss against your lips. “I need to know what love at first sight feels like to a man.”

You returned the kiss with fervour. “I will. I will for you. I love you Ominis.” Resting your head on his shoulder, another question popped into your mind.”

“Ominis.” He hummed in response. “Who are you going to choose to, you know, turn into?”

“Don’t worry. I have someone in mind.”

•┈୨♡୧┈•

Sebastian looked like he was about to doze off at the breakfast table, eye bags dark, head lost between the pages of some tatted book that he probably found illegally in the library. His brown locks were a mess atop his head and he had taken no notice of you and Ominis standing in the entrance of the hall, watching him from a distance.

“Sebastian.” You asked incredulously. “Really?”

Ominis scoffed, brushing you off. “He’s the only choice really. He’s the only person I trust you to know physically, since he is my best friend. I’ve also heard that he’s quite handsome, so I don’t know why you’re objecting.”

“I- It’s Sebastian! He would never agree to that.”

“He wouldn’t have to know.” Ominis smirked. “Now be a good girl and help me distract him so we can get a few hairs off of the top of his head, okay?”

And that’s how you found yourself sitting abnormally close to Sebastian, basically breathing down his neck, trying to get him to lean down just a bit more, but it proved to be a more difficult task than you initially thought.

“No, I don’t see the runes at the bottom of the page.” Sebastian squinted once more at the page in front of him, but refused to move his head downwards like you needed him to. You were about to give up when an idea struck, noticing a strange fold in the page. Just as Sebastian moved the book slightly, you pointed downwards.

“Did something just fall out of the book?”

Sebastian ducked immediately. “Where?” His voice went gruff as he finally looked closely at the bottom of the book, giving Ominis an ample opportunity to gently pluck a few hairs off of the top of Sebastian’s head, without the poor boy even noticing. When Ominis gave a nod, you knew that he had gotten what he needed.

You tutted. “Nevermind, it’s just a fold in the page.” You rested your head in your hand and sighed dramatically. “I thought I saw something.”

“It’s alright.” Sebastian muttered. “It’s no use anyway. I’m so tired, I just want to go to bed right now.”

“Early night?” You joked, but then saw Ominis shaking his head at you. Right, you guys would need the dorm room tonight, for activities. “You could– uh, sleep in the undercroft! Surely sleeping in a room without Ominis’ incessant snoring is exactly what you need tonight.

“What I need is a beater’s club to my head,” Sebastian smirked. “But a night alone sounds great as well.”

•┈୨♡୧┈•

It was almost time. Saying goodbye to Sebastian and sending him on his way was easy enough. With enough encouragement, he was gone before the sun had even fallen asleep beneath the hills, leaving the entire dormitory to you and your boyfriend, whose eyes had not stopped glinting with mischief all day.

The entire day had been a mixture of teasing touches, and whispers of dirty promises. You could still feel the feeling of Ominis’ hands creeping up your skirt in class, tracing your delicate thighs with the traction of a feather. The hot breath of his words still melted against your ears like an ice cold glass of water, and you were so thirsty.

But first, Ominis had to drink the potion.

“I really hope it’s not as awful as Garreth said it was.” You said, eying the murky brown liquid. “But by the smell of the classroom last night, I don’t think it’s going to taste like liquid gold either. Promise you’ll drink some water afterwards?”

Ominis sniffed the flask suspiciously. “It may taste, and smell, differently after adding the hairs, but I doubt so, unfortunately. I wonder if my taste buds will even survive this torture.”

“Well, for my sake,” You pointed downwards, towards your woman region,“and for my girl’s sake, I hope your taste buds come out the other side of this stronger than ever.”

The innuendo was not lost on your boyfriend, who now eagerly added the final remaining ingredient to the flask. Like last time, the colour faded slightly, into more of a mellow mud colour. Bringing the potion up to his nose, Ominous took a sniff, but didn’t recoil.

“Well?”

Ominis hummed. “Isn’t as bad as I expected. Almost woodsy. Like tree bark, or forest leaves. Doesn’t carry the same putridness as the one from last night. I’d even say this one is somewhat pleasant.” He dipped his finger in the potion. “It feels warm. Like a cup of tea. It’s odd.”

You egged him on. “Are you gonna drink it?”

“Patience.” Ominis laughed, but he followed through with your queries, throwing his head back and swallowing the potion in one.

The effects started showing immediately. The white blouse that Ominis was wearing became too small for his torso, looking like it was about to burst at the seams, as his muscles filled out, and his shoulders broadened like the parting of a sea. Shrinking only half an inch, he now sat at Sebastian’s height, now growing into those features. Gone were those chiselled cheeks, replaced with the smattering of freckles across his face. Hair turned from gold to bronze, and eyes from the ocean to the earth.

“How do I look?” Sebastian– Ominis asked, voice now replaced with the slightly Scottish tenor of his best mate’s, turning towards you.

It was all so confusing. There stood your best friend, but with the mannerisms and posture of your boyfriends. Your body was conflicted too, as you couldn’t help but look at the physicality of your best friend in a new light.

Ominis seemed to be going through his own internal conflict. When he first took the potion he really had no idea if he was going to notice any change with his sight, but when it became bright, too bright, he knew that his hypothesis had been true. It was strange at first, adjusting to a whole new sense. His brain was confused, angry almost, trying to force him back down into a headache, but he persisted.

The world seemed strange. Finally, he knew what it meant to see colour, to see light, and to see beauty. He thought the bed was beautiful. He thought the floor was beautiful. He thought the walls around him were beautiful, but most importantly, the woman in front of him was more than beautiful.

Like an iridescent angel fallen from the heavens above, she was perfect to him. Beautiful didn’t even cover the beginning of what he thought about his girlfriend. Unable to articulate verbally, he stood motionless, as the angel before him tried to capture his attention away from his admiration.

“Ominis, are you okay? Did it work?” You asked cautiously, worried about what emotions he could possibly be feeling if the answer was no, but the way he was actually facing you, actually looking at you, you were sure that you knew the answer.

Ominis took a breath. “I understand what beautiful is.” He took one step towards you, reaching outwards, but your body didn’t naturally move towards him, still hesitant about yearning for Sebastian’s face and Sebastian’s physique. It wasn’t quite right.

It didn’t feel quite right as his lips touched yours, moving naturally, but feeling like a stranger. You melted like you normally did, but it was with effort, still getting used to the scent of Sebastian wafting into your veins. Reciprocating Ominis’ love filled kiss was more difficult than you would’ve ever thought. You hated how you felt.

“I need you.” Ominis muttered, his voice silky like Sebastian’s. “I need to see what you look like when you’re pleased. I need to know what pleasure looks like dressed on you. I need to see you contort yourself like a good girl. I need you.”

How could you deny such pleads? Nodding along to the words he spoke, you started on the buttons of your blouse, but were soon swatted from your task, your hands quickly replaced by Sebas– Ominis’ hand. It didn’t feel right watching Sebastian undress you, so you closed your eyes, resting against the unusually broad chest in front of you.

If Ominis noticed your internal conflict, he didn’t mention it, having the time of his life running his hands down the curves of your soft body, melting at the images he now didn’t have to visualise himself. Reaching down, he placed open mouthed kisses against your throat, eliciting moans from your throat.

He was marking you, you knew that. The mouth of your best friend was claiming you as a lover, and you enjoyed it, finding pleasure in the heat of the moment, pooling in your panties shamefully. Something about what Ominis was capable of made you fall from your grace and become nothing but a dog in heat. Wrapping your arms around his frame, you pulled him in closer, under you could hear his voice against the shell of your ear. “Get on your knees.”

You knew it was your Ominis, but you hesitated at Sebastian's voice. Obeying anyway, suck downwards, opening up for what was expected. Except, it wasn’t the familiar cock of your boyfriend. It was different from usual, slightly thicker, shorter, with unfamiliar veins running up the length.

“Suck it.” Ominis’ domineering personality crept out, and you obeyed. It was odd at first, but you got used to this new weight. At first, you placed a gentle kiss at the tip of his cock, watching the precum leak out in generous blobs. Your tongue darted out, lapping greedily at what you were given. Even the taste was different, slightly saltier, slightly muskier. Slicking up the entirety of his cock, you coated it generously, before opening your mouth wider to take more.

With enthusiasm, you took him all, pumping what was remaining with your left hand, and leaving your right hand to rest against his thigh, that twitched with every harsh sucked. His skin, covered in goosebumps, was on fire, the electricity of the moment throbbing in his cock. Ominis wasn’t going to last long, and you knew it.

Still, you threw your head forward, swallowing the tip, feeling him stutter with your movements. Hands threaded in your hair, tugging on your roots, getting a good grip on your head. Ominis had obviously had enough of your teasing, and decided to use you as he needed. It wasn’t long before until you felt his breathing change and his voice falter.

“I’m gonna–”

Cum. It splurted down your throats, in thick ropes you had never experienced before. It was all too much as you lurched away from the cock, more cum landing across your cheeks and necks. Looking up through glazed eyes and thick eyelashes, you watched Sebastian above you, peering down at you curious.

Nimble fingers stroked your face, moving around the sticky liquid, making even more of a mess as his face lit up in delight. You hated the way your body clenched at the thought of Sebastian taking you, needing that spent cock inside of you as soon as possible. You whimpered.

“Please…”

“Please what?” Ominis asked, tugging on his spent cock, slowly hardening again in the palm of his hand. You ducked your head embarrassed.

“Please fuck me.”

You were surprised he didn’t make you beg, as he lifted you up with an ease he’d never experience. Manhandling you onto the nearest bed, he pressed your chest down on the mattress, and flipped up your skirt. You didn’t even have any time to voice your confusion before the thick cock slid into your slick folds, forcing a moan out of you immediately.

Reaching for the blankets to have something, anything, to ground yourself with, you took the hammering like a champion. The immediate pace was frenzied, with no warming up on your part at all. You felt more alive than ever, alert as his deft hands curled around your wrists, holding them together as leverage to get a better angle.

You were drooling on the blankets. The angle was perfectly hitting your g-spot with every rough thrust, the material of the duvet rubbing against your swollen, patient clit, in desperate need of some attention. Every nerve on your body was screaming in pleasure and pain, completely conflicted with every emotion that struck your heart. At least you didn’t have to look into the eyes of your best friend.

Finally, Ominis let go of one of your hands, snaking around your front so he could begin his assault on your clit. His voice was gruff in your ear. “I need you to come for me baby.”

You nodded pathetically, eyes rolling back as every thrust inside of you became more agitated than the last. Tears were free falling from your face now. In the midst of your pleasure, you didn’t even notice the door to the dormitories open, until you heard the voice of…

“What?!”

Turning your head, you couldn’t help let a pained sob out of your throat as you laid eyes with another Sebastian, the Sebastian. In an instance, there was no longer a body pressing down on you, letting you sink down onto the ground. You barely registered that sound of an angry spell being cast across the dorm room, followed by the patting of footsteps both across the dorm, towards the door, and towards you.

You knew it was the real Sebastian still left in the room as you felt a blanket cover your half naked form, keeping your modesty. You knew it was the real Sebastian as when you fell into his shoulder, unable to keep in the tears, he hesitated before placing a comforting hand against your bare shoulder. You knew it was the real Sebastian as he asked you repeatedly what was going on.

You knew he saw himself, fucking you like it was a matter of life and death, a reflection of a reality that his brain couldn’t comprehend.

You, on the other hand, had no thoughts left, falling unconscious on the shoulder of your best friend, with your boyfriend having run away in shame.

“i've seen the devil,

down sunset,

in every place,

in every face.”

–––

ouch angst. owie.

taglist: @slootmagix, @pretendthisusernameisgoodd, @froggyinaspen, @bxrabbito, @1800-madisonnn

#ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt x reader #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow smut #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x you #fanfic #ominis x mc #ominis gaunt x you #angst

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galaxiasgreen · 2 months ago

Text

🍭☀️A Cruelty Vivid and Sweet

Slow burn angsty Ominis x F!Reader [T-Rated, 8.7k words]

"I can't lose him," he whispered, a shattering realisation. "Not like I lost Anne, and... and you." "You haven't lost me." "You are the one good thing in my life right now," he said, voice broken with rage and pain, "and we can't even talk in the hallway!" You leant against him then, shoulder to shoulder. And there it was, like clockwork. Strawberry laces. "Then let's be two normal people right now. Just... for a little while. Like before."

In which, with his relationship with you a secret, Ominis tries to pull his best friend from the brink of darkness.

Tropes: angst/ romance/ drama, slow burn, black cat x golden retriever, opposites attract, forbidden love, pure-blood culture, canon rewrite, book!canon compliant, Ominis meets the Sallow Twins, Forced Proximity, Denial of Feelings, duelling practice, the Relic Quest.

[MASTERLIST][FIRST][PREV][NEXT] [read on AO3, read on Wattpad]

3. A Secret Friendship

From then on, your friendship together was a secret.

Ominis' growing feelings even more so.

There was a forbidden agreement between you that, to save you, and to save himself, you wouldn't interact in the outer world. No cheerful waves in the hallways, no hanging off each other's arms between lessons. The only way to communicate was through notes, traded like secrets, a folded scrap of parchment slipping into his robe or your pocket. Ominis doubted Perry Malfoy and his cronies would bother to learn braille at his expense, after all, and this way you could keep in contact without breaking the façade.

Your grasp of it was clumsy though. In your impatience, you forgot words like the and a, your cadence was robotic and primitive, and one time you forgot the L in public, which made him snort so hard he got detention in History of Magic.

When notes weren't needed, or seemed too risky, there was the language of touch, even more heretical to his family's values, and even more seducing. Your elbow a gentle nudge to his side, in the hallways, on the front lawns, your pinkie brushing his in class, lightning through his skin. They were fleeting, these moments of connection between you, but no less potent.

No less desired by him.

Even though you were a social creature, most energised when you spent time with your friends, you took to this naturally. No matter how tedious, you lived for the notes, for the secrets you shared. Your mood improved drastically, he could sense it, freed of your previous burden.

He felt the same too. Lighter on his shoulders, his heart.

On days when the both of you felt the most daring, where the stars aligned for a culmination of your letters, you met him under the Astronomy deck, when everyone was away at the evening feast, to have a little feast of your own, an eclectic mix of sweets sent from your family and treats bought at Honeydukes. It often left Ominis feeling a little sick, but he never minded, not when it meant he could spend time with you. Sometimes Sebastian joined in – but mostly not, his attentions captivated by his search for a cure.

And, Ominis was starting to realise, by Missy.

"He fancies her sooooo much," you said to him one day.

Ominis reclined against the wood. Even wrapped in blankets by a lit brazier, hushing the cold, he wasn't comfortable – he never would be, not when this meeting was illicit, stolen from beneath the stars. But there was something about you that relaxed him enough to forget it all, even temporarily.

"Do you think it's requited?"

"Er, yeah. Those two are always flirting." You threw a popping candy into your mouth, and it crackled as you spoke. "And goodness, you should see the looks they give each other. Seb makes googly eyes every time she looks at him, and she makes googly eyes when he's not looking."

For once, Ominis was grateful he didn't know what googly eyes were.

"What's she like?" he asked, curious. "Missy?"

You waited a moment, fishing for the right words.

"Intense."

"Like Sebastian then."

"In a different way. Sebastian is hell-bent on finding a cure for Anne. He has one goal in mind. But Missy isn't driven by one thing alone... but I don't know what drives her. She's extremely good at everything she does, spells and history and theory, but she always seems... guarded."

"Naturally, you took that as a challenge."

You made a raspberry noise. "No! I just happened to stand next to her in Flying. She's the sort of person you want as your friend, not your enemy."

That alone troubled him. "And paired with Sebastian makes a dangerous cocktail."

"You think she's encouraging the Dark Arts?"

"I know she's encouraging the Dark Arts."

You didn't reply to that, as unsure as he was.

"She's not a bad person, but she's definitely... hiding something."

She had her secrets. He had his as well, but his didn't try to lead his best friend into the waiting arms of Dark magic. Into Unforgivable Curses and choices that could not be taken back.

Letting Sebastian embrace the darkness was an option Ominis didn't even think to entertain. He was family, after all. Like you were, like Anne. A steadfast companion through thick and thin, through his best days and his worst – and now, when Sebastian needed him most, Ominis would not turn away.

A choice made despite its painful consequences, he now realises.

He remembers the first time he met him, all those years ago. It was not, in fact, in the dungeons of the Slytherin common room, their beds next to each other in the dorms by fate, but earlier, when they were both eleven and the Malfoys hosted an expensive soirée to officially welcome the new incoming year into the magical world.

Ominis already had his new wand and was relying on it excessively, since he discovered with its power his senses were more acute to his surroundings. It pulsed intermittently, moulding the world around him to a language he could understand. The Malfoy Manor ballroom was lit by chandeliers, torches burning along the walls, and a hearth, twice his height, the heat from it alone enough to make the whole house swelter. The floor was polished, heels squeaking along its smooth surface, and scents interwove like tapestry, roast pork and lavender bouquets and a tangle of overwhelming perfumes. How vast it all was, how grand. He imagined this was what it was like to see, to drink in the sights greedily, the world beyond his fingertips fascinating.

Unfortunately, to everyone else, it was not as fascinating as he himself.

"Behave yourself tonight, Ominis," his mother hissed to him as she shucked her coat, dropping it with a whumph onto a tiny house-elf's waiting arms. His father hadn't been able to attend, so she had taken his place, just as callous and stern, caring as much about family connections and alliances as the rest of them did. "Make friends with the older students. They will be your guides. The Nott girls are two years your senior, for example, and one of the Lestrange children three."

"Isn't there anyone starting in my year?"

"A few." Her sneer was audible. "The Reyes have a daughter – Imelda. I've never liked her mother, so uptight and condescending. The McDowells as well, but there's a rumour her father was unfaithful, probably with some Mudblood. It's a shame. The Malfoys, Blacks, and Ellingboes all have their children starting next year."

For some reason that brought him relief. His mother didn't let go of his collar though, thrusting him in front of her society friends and their progeny, sometimes too young for Hogwarts, sometimes having already started. Questions arrowed his way were never about his personality, his likes or dislikes – always, they opened with his eyes and their murkiness and the sight he did not have. One boy even farted and asked Ominis whether he could already smell it, which earnt a cuffing from his father, and led Ominis' mother to pull him away in disgust.

"Ominis," his mother said at one point, dropping her forced, sycophantic pitch. "You remember Phineas Black? He's the current headmaster at Hogwarts."

Oh, Ominis remembered Phineas Black all right. His unpleasantness was legendary.

"You will behave, won't you, Gaunt?" Professor Black spoke down to Ominis, voice a dismissive rumble that said he'd soon forget this exchange ever happened. "Every year there's always someone making unnecessary paperwork for me. Last year a group of sixth-year Gryffindors thought it would be funny to jinx my quills to sing every time I wrote a letter. If it were up to me, I would've had them lashed for insolence."

"It's what they deserved," his mother agreed.

"Alas, capital punishment is rather frowned upon these days. I had to settle with detention instead. And scrubbing the entire Hall of Herodiana with a single toothbrush."

Staying silent, Ominis thought, was the wise move.

Soon his mother tired of brandishing him like a prized Puffskein, leaving him unattended at the buffet table to entertain her friends. Ominis was alone – lonely, when the sounds of laughter and music were suffocating from the inside. He clutched his wand, using it to navigate to the closest wall, where a cascade of belladonna draped over stone. How was he supposed to network? There were too many bodies, too much noise.

"You're Ominis Gaunt."

In the chaotic din of the ballroom, he hadn't heard the snooty boy come up. He tuned to the voice, scolding himself inwardly. Pay more attention. "Yes."

"I'm Peregrine Malfoy."

Well, at least finding the Malfoys had been easy. Ominis frowned. "You're nine."

"Nearly ten."

"You don't start Hogwarts for another year. What do you want?"

"My father says I should introduce myself." Peregrine barely gave himself enough time to pause for breath. "What's it like being blind?"

The question fatigued him. "It's like being blind," he snapped, unable to help himself.

"That's not an answer."

"I can't give you an answer since I don't know what it's like being not."

"If you can't see, how are you going to do schoolwork?"

He thought about telling him about braille, but he was smart enough to know that Peregrine didn't actually want answers. He just wanted to prod where he didn't belong.

When Ominis didn't say anything, however, Peregrine took it as a sign of composed aloofness, and dragged him over to his own clique of friends. It was an overwhelming few moments, shaking hands, first names flying into one ear and out the other, the only one he recognised being Dorothy Ellingboe – his cousin once-removed. He barely knew her, the Ellingboes being an old wizarding family that originated in Norway that extended a branch into England to strengthen the line. Yet Dorothy was a sneering, simpering girl that thought herself better than everyone else, ugly in temperament as well as voice.

"So you're blind?" asked the Fawley boy. "Why can't you just use a spell to make yourself unblind?"

He resisted the urge to sigh. He'd done this rigmarole a thousand times before.

"It doesn't exist."

"Bet it does. You just need to think about the Latin. Vide means see. Have you tried doing that?"

Never, because his parents had already done it.

"Maybe," the boy continued, "you could take a potion. The powdered root of asphodel, for example—"

"Quiet, Hector," Peregrine muttered, facing the door. "Look who's just come in!"

"No way," said Dorothy, sniggering. "I'm surprised they could afford the Floo Powder to London!"

"They look like they've just climbed out of a fireplace, all right," said the Black boy, Ominis didn't remember his name – some pompous star, no doubt. "Like those peasant Muggle chimney sweeps."

"Who is it?" Ominis asked, feeling stupid and left out.

"It's the Stone-Broke Sallow Twins," said Peregrine. "Look at what they're wearing!"

Ominis couldn't see, but he could guess – plainly adorned breeches, or a threadbare frock. He felt the shift in the room as they entered with their uncle Solomon. His mother had babbled about the Sallows once or twice – their parents had been Hogwarts professors who died in a freak accident – often accompanied with similar contempt, but she disdained almost all of pure-blood society, so who really knew what they'd done to invite so much ire.

"We should invite them over, shouldn't we?" asked Peregrine. "That's the courteous thing to do."

"Ugh, this again?" said Imelda Reyes, with an audible roll of her eyes. "Can't we just have one party where we don't butt heads with the Sallow twins?"

"You're one to talk, Imelda," Hector muttered. "Butting heads is all you do every day."

"Only because you make it easy."

"Don't be a spoilsport," Peregrine jeered at her. "Honestly, you're just as bad as Kaydence Lestrange. If you're going to ruin the fun, run along to your parents and be dull with them."

Imelda made a noise like she was going to beat him, physically throw a punch, but instead stormed off.

"Oi, Sebastian, Anne!" With no one to stop him, and Ominis a quiet observer, Peregrine called out across the ballroom. "Come over here!"

Even with this supposed history between them, Sebastian and Anne came over. The tension ratcheted up.

"What do you want, Perry?" muttered Sebastian.

"Peregrine," the boy snapped. "I wanted to introduce you, because it's polite – not that you would know politeness. You remember Hector Fawley, Antares Black and Dorothy Ellingboe, and meet my new friend, Ominis Gaunt."

Friend? Hardly. Ominis had half a mind to run off with Imelda Reyes, and fought to keep a shudder off his face.

"So, who did you bribe?" asked Dorothy.

"What?" said Sebastian.

"To get in, of course," she said, like she was asking about the weather. "No way Edwin Malfoy invited you."

"He invited us," Sebastian said through gritted teeth, "because we're starting Hogwarts next year."

Hmm. Ominis' mother had failed to mention that.

"Can you even afford a wand?" Antares laughed.

"Yes." A soft whip noise as he withdrew it. "Would you like to see how it works?"

"Sebastian," Anne cautioned, grasping his sleeve.

Antares wasn't deterred. "Oh, please. I doubt you know a single spell."

Peregrine laughed then, laced with taunting. "Even if he did, I wouldn't worry, Antares. It's not like that wand chose him. It's probably a hand-me-down from his dead, mud-loving parents."

Ominis was suddenly knocked to the ground, wand scattered out of his grip. There was a struggle above, and Anne's voice rose above the boys' grunts.

"Leave it!" she demanded. "For goodness sake, Sebastian!"

Sebastian shook her off, but the fury was there. "Say one more word—"

"You'll what?" spurred Peregrine. "Cry about being a sad orphan?"

"Boys," came a thundering voice. This one Ominis recognised – Edwin Malfoy. "What's going on?"

The scuffling stopped at once. There were two wide steps back, echoing in the sudden quiet of the ballroom.

"Just some light banter, Father," Peregrine said immediately, still and cool. "Nothing to be concerned about."

Sebastian hastily cleared his throat. He knew the boundaries, too.

"Nothing at all, sir."

Edwin made a noise of disbelieving. "Play nice, Peregrine. You'll all be going to school together soon enough."

But when he left, and Peregrine did too, Hector, Antares and Dorothy dogging his heels, it was with a loud snigger, one that promised that this altercation wasn't the last. Ominis wasn't sure whether anyone even noticed him, left on the ground, panicking as his wand was nowhere close. He palmed the floor in frenzy, terrified someone would tread on his hands.

"Here." Anne tapped his arm, then looped hers with his. "Let me help you up."

He stood. "My wand—"

"It's here." Sebastian pressed it into Ominis' shoulder, and he took it, grateful. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you over."

He was pretty sure it was Peregrine's elbow that went wide, since he was standing right next to him, but an apology of any kind was novel.

"Are you hurt?" asked Anne.

"Just my ego," said Ominis, which made her laugh.

"Ominis Gaunt, right?" Sebastian contemplated a moment. "So you really are blind— ow! Anne!"

"Don't be so rude!" she snapped. "He already knows!"

He did, but he couldn't help but grin anyway.

"You don't like Peregrine Malfoy?"

"Don't like?" Sebastian crowed. "I'd rather lick the underside of a Graphorn's arse than—" He seemed to remember himself. "I-I mean, you know, he can be, er, difficult—"

"It's all right," said Ominis, grinning. "I bet a Graphorn's bottom spews a lot less manure."

Sebastian let out a hysterical bark. Even Anne giggled.

"Thank goodness. We thought we were the only ones who didn't like him. He's so pretentious."

"Hector, Antares and Dorothy can shove it too," said Sebastian. "Mean gits with bad manners. They're all the same. And we're the twins here!"

Ominis tried to picture them, identical, but all he could imagine was their voices, how they inflected the same, laughed the same, spoke in the same accents.

"Dorothy is my cousin, actually."

"What?" said Sebastian.

"Oh, no," said Anne quickly, "h-he didn't mean—"

"And she's horrible."

This time they all laughed.

"I don't understand though. Why don't they like you?"

"Because we don't have money," Anne said, harrumphing as she did. "Because we live in a hamlet and not a fancy house, like this one. Stone-Broke."

"And don't forget Mama and Papa," Sebastian added. "They didn't care about blood or whatever, and taught everyone at Hogwarts when they were professors."

"Like they could turn away the Muggle-borns!"

Aunt Noctua, then, wasn't the only pure-blood to have such radical opinions. He may not have totally agreed, not when he'd yet to meet a Muggle-born, yet to have these notions proven, but it made him like these two, this odd pair the society kids disdained, all that much more.

He stayed with them for the rest of the party. The pair were hoping to follow their parents into Slytherin, same as Ominis; Sebastian liked Aurors and fighting magic, whereas Anne was eclectic, her interests broad yet undefined. Both of them shared an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and eventually even Anne caved to asking about Ominis' condition: how the wand helped him, how he sensed the world. This time he didn't mind their questions. They treated him like a person, not a pet.

When the party was over, Sebastian and Anne promised to wait for him when he arrived at Hogsmeade Station on the first of September. They promised to see their first few months together, as a team. Ominis left the party feeling lighter than he had all summer.

"The Sallows?" A hum escaped his mother's lips when he told her of his new friends. "They're poor. No money to their name, and their parents were happy to educate the Mudbloods at school. Still, they're dead now, and I'm loath to admit they both come from good breeding..."

That had been good enough.

And indeed, Sebastian and Anne had been waiting on the first of September, as they said they would, on the platform. They'd walked into the Great Hall with arms linked, taking in the new sights, smells and sounds, and rejoiced when they were Sorted into Slytherin together. Anne had sought to make her own friends and establish herself independently, free from Sebastian's influence – the last thing she wanted was to live in her boisterous brother's shadow for her entire Hogwarts tenure – but always she came back to him and Ominis. They hung about in the Undercroft, playing Gobstones, testing new jinxes, enjoying their newfound freedom and space.

Eventually she grew fond of you too, like he had. When your schedules worked, you were a tenacious quartet, three pure-blood Slytherins and one, odd little Muggle-born Hufflepuff.

Once you were all best friends. You were family.

Now the darkness threatened to ruin everything.

When the Astronomy deck was occupied, Ominis invited you to the Undercroft. It was dismal there – a reason you didn't enjoy it as much as anywhere else in the castle. Not a reason he understood, of course, but he never pretended to comprehend your particulars, nor your need for natural light. Nonetheless, you agreed on occasion. It was private, it was his, and it was safe.

Until it was no longer any of those things.

He headed down the lift to meet you, excitement brimming in his bones. December had long since arrived, and the chill along with it, weeping from the underground walls. He'd come earlier than planned, prepared to make the place as welcoming as possible. Lit torches, pillows and blankets, sweets, whatever it took.

But as the lift clunked to a stop, a female voice drifted down the hallway.

And it wasn't yours.

"Don't you think you should tell him?"

"What? About our frolicking around for the triptych?"

"It's not funny, Sebastian," Missy scolded. "You can't keep the relic a secret. It's thanks to him that you have this spellbook in the first place."

Ominis' excitement vanished, replaced with the emptiness that came after a string of broken promises.

"I know that," Sebastian admitted, "but if it works, then he'll see we have nothing to worry about. If the relic really can reverse Anne's curse, he'll see that nothing was in vain."

"He'll find out one way or another."

"It won't be from me." There was a hopeful inflection to him. "And... from you?"

She sighed. "I... suppose not."

"I promise," he said, so believing of own delusions, "it's for his own good."

Ominis threw up the gate then.

"I'll decide what's for my own good."

He sensed it then, the small things. A sharp intake of breath. Sebastian's fingers on crinkled paper – his feet moving to block the book.

"You lied to me," Ominis said, thrusting his wand at his friend. "You swore—"

"I actually said I understood—"

"Don't be deliberately obtuse. You knew exactly what you were implying."

"Ominis, please, see reason." Sebastian was calm, which was even more infuriating. "I love Anne, more than the world. Wouldn't you do anything for someone you loved?"

"You're arguing a pointless moral question."

"Am I? You have Gibby, after all."

It was like stone in his gullet.

"Don't you dare compare our situations."

"Why? It's no different."

"I'm not resorting to Dark Magic to talk to her!"

"But you are half in love with her. You're willing to risk being a blood traitor to your family for her."

Hearing him say it out loud was unfathomable.

"I— I'm not—" he stammered. "This is besides the point—"

"It isn't." He pushed past Ominis, spellbook in hand. "We're both willing to do whatever it takes. You do it your way. This," he said, "is mine."

Sebastian had gone through the gate when Ominis yelled, "Your obsession will cost you!"

His friend didn't reply. Soon the lift ascended the shaft, and Sebastian was gone.

Missy stepped forwards. "Ominis—"

"No, you don't get a say!" he barked. "You shouldn't even be here. This is my place. I didn't invite you. Sebastian shouldn't have brought you here!"

"He— he thought you'd be okay with it," she said quietly. "I would've found this place eventually."

"How? Only the Gaunts know of it!"

She didn't answer. Typical.

"I know you've been encouraging this— this madness—"

"I want to help him," she insisted, "but I'm trying to rein him in. I promise."

"Your promises mean nothing to me."

The gate opened then. In you ambled, jovial and beatific.

"Hello!" you piped. "I passed Sebastian on the way here, but he— Missy? What are you—?"

"She was just leaving," Ominis said.

Missy hesitated – a second, two. There was more she wanted to say.

Then, "Yes. I'm sorry to disturb you both."

When she left, you pattered over, joy diminished.

"Something happened, didn't it?"

He blew breath from his teeth. "Something always happens."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Frankly, all he wanted to do was scream, but telling you would do for now, though he was careful to leave out the being in love with you part. The way Sebastian threw it out there so casually... it unsettled him that these secret feelings he'd been trying to quash were so conspicuous. Sebastian was reckless and willing to do anything – would that include divulging Ominis' darkest secret? Did he have to fear the power his friend had over him now, too?

By the time he was done, both of you were leaning against the pillars, your legs tucked against your chest, his anger decaying to a low ache.

"But he doesn't know where the relic is?"

"It's only a matter of time." Ominis was certain of it.

You hummed. "I didn't realise how bad it was. Poor Anne..."

Anne, the victim in this, had her voice filched by her brother a long time ago.

"I'll write to her tonight," you said. "Sebastian has always been too headstrong for his own good."

"I can't lose him," he whispered, a shattering realisation. "Not like I lost Anne, and... and you."

"You haven't lost me."

"You are the one good thing in my life right now," he said, voice broken with rage and pain, "and we can't even talk in the hallway!"

You leant against him then, shoulder to shoulder. And there it was, like clockwork.

Strawberry laces.

"Then let's be two normal people right now. Just... for a little while. Like before."

Before. The nostalgia was painful. He missed those simpler times, when it was you, him, Sebastian and Anne, parading around Hogwarts without a care in the world.

Now Anne was cursed.

Now Sebastian was obsessed.

Now you had become a dirty secret.

And he clung to you, begging fate not to steal you too.

He smiles now, a memory coming back to him fondly. A memory of first year, after Christmas lapsed and the snow and ice were finally retreating from the grass. Exams were looming on the horizon.

And you were doing terribly in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Though you were Muggle-born and humbling to the magical world, though you knew your grades were poor enough to raise concern, you swaggered into the Clocktower Courtyard that afternoon like an untouchable knight.

"Someone's confident," said Anne. She, and Ominis and Sebastian, had been waiting for you.

"Always," you trilled. "I may be the worst duellist in Hufflepuff—"

"Try the whole year," muttered Sebastian.

"— but I have the most fun, so who's really winning?"

Ominis snorted. You swatted his arm lightly.

"You're going to fail the class if you don't get better at duelling, so," a little teasing fluttered through Anne's declaration, "we're going to be your new teachers."

"You may only address me as Professor Sallow from now on," said Sebastian airily. He paced, drawing Ominis' ear across the courtyard. "And I don't plan on going easy on you."

Your bravado vanished "Do we really have to do this? Have you all fight me at the same time?"

"Diamonds are made under pressure, aren't they?"

"I don't want to be a diamond. A nice, sturdy rock would do."

"You sound scared, Gibby."

"Of course I am! It's three against one!"

"All you have to do is protect yourself," said Anne. She stepped backwards six paces, and Ominis copied. "A simple Protego spell. Okay?"

"If I say not okay, will you leave me be?"

"Stupefy!" Sebastian cried.

"EEEEEK!" Instead of blocking, you pitched to the ground as the spell hissed on stone behind you. "Hey! I-I wasn't ready!"

"Sometimes you won't be ready!" Sebastian said darkly. Then, "Come on, Ominis. Help me."

He wasn't certain attacking you this way was the best way to learn, but, well, there was something about diamonds and pressure. Hogwarts was a safe haven, protected by enchantments more powerful than a dynasty, more ancient than a family tree, but the outside world wasn't so kind. It was cruel. He wanted you to prepare, because Sebastian was right: one day you might not get the chance.

He shifted his weight. "Impedimenta!"

You dodged that one, too.

"Ominis!"

"What?"

"You're being— mean!"

He threw up his hands in exasperation.

"Come on, Gibby! At least try!" Anne's boots scraped against stone. "Accio!"

You stumbled forwards. "Ack! P-Protego!"

"Crus Vacillare!"

A soft thud. You tripped over yourself.

"Too weak," Sebastian called. "You have to mean it."

"I-I am meaning it!" You stood. "I-It's just— hard!"

"How about we make it more interesting?" he suggested with a flinty smugness. "If you don't cast Protego successfully... we all get to eat your sweet stash."

Your gasp was unfiltered. "You wouldn't."

Ominis sighed. He would.

Sebastian danced on the balls of his feet. "Again!"

Anne's voice was clear. "Aqua Eructo!"

"P-Protego!"

Water gushed forwards, but judging by only the slight squeal you let out, your charm had been slightly successful.

"That's more like it!" Sebastian yelled. "Again! Impedimenta!"

"Prote— ah!" You were laughing suddenly. "Look! I'm sooooo slooooow."

"Gibby!" Anne cried. "Do you want us to eat your year's supply of Fizzing Whizbees?"

"And all your toffee nougat?" added Sebastian.

"And," Ominis smiled, "your strawberry laces?"

"Okay, okay! I swear I am trying." You inhaled deeply. "Give me the one-two, Ominis!"

He wouldn't attack you very hard. Despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to.

"Levioso!"

"Protego!"

Zing. The spell lanced off the shield.

"Ah!" you cried. "I-I did it!"

Anne came closer. "Only because Ominis is holding back," she sang.

"He's not!" A pause. "... Are you?"

Ominis grimaced, which made Sebastian snigger.

"Boo!" you pouted. "I-I could defeat you, for real!"

He sincerely doubted that. His family had been instilling duelling technique and practice since he got his wand, in first year. It was imperative, they believed, that Ominis learn to defend himself, use his magic to the fullest potential, to prevent their 'enemies' from taking advantage. Their words. It was why he knew Crucio so early into his education, why he knew too much about Dark Magic. He suspected there was more to it – that they feared, because he was blind, he was more susceptible to defeat. Still, he liked to think he'd done well to keep up.

But he was nonchalant with you, not wanting to pop the balloon of your confidence. "Are you challenging me to a duel?"

"Yeah, I am! Let's do this!"

He swung around to create space between you, amused – but if it helped to improve your grade, he was glad.

"Two Sickles says Ominis ends up on his arse," Anne muttered.

Sebastian let out a single, hysterical laugh. "I'll happily take that bet."

"Thanks, Anne," muttered Ominis.

"Thanks, Anne!" you chirruped.

She was right though. For someone who'd only just learnt Protego, your ego was inflated. He had been holding back because he didn't want to injure you, nor your pride, but there was a fine line between that and arrogance. He raised his wand in your direction, preparing a list of spells to use.

"Duellists, bow!" Sebastian called.

He dipped his head. Presumably you dipped yours.

"Ready?" Anne called. "And... go!"

"Impedimenta!"

"Pro— eeek!" You rolled out of the way. "Wait— let me think— Stupefy!"

The spell skimmed his ear. Well. That was unexpected.

"Accio!"

"Protego!"

A great block. You squealed delightedly.

"That's it, Gibby!" yelled Anne.

"Flatten her, Ominis!" yelled Sebastian.

Ominis scoffed. "Impedimenta!"

You parried the blow again, retaliating with your own. He was starting to enjoy the competition, the fierceness of your pushback. You traded blow for blow with him, soon finding a rhythm that worked for you.

Sweat was collecting on his brow. "Diffindo!"

You cried out then, a wild howl, and crumpled to the ground.

"Nice!" called Sebastian.

Ominis smiled.

"Gibby?"

You didn't respond. You didn't move.

Horror washed over him – he hadn't meant to hit you so hard... he only wanted to graze!

Panicking, he ran over, robes fluttering. "I— I'm so sorry—"

"Flipendo!"

Suddenly he was gyrating through the air, spinning and helpless—

"Arresto Momentum!"

Anne's spell prevented him from smacking his head. Instead, he plonked to the ground, unharmed. Then you were standing above him, clapping, jumping with joy.

"Hahah, you fell for my trick! You did!"

He grunted, sore. "It was... clever."

A mistake. You let it fuel your slightly maniacal laugh.

"I am undefeatable! Unstoppable! Un... Un-attackable!"

"That's not a word." Still he filled with pride and got to his feet. "Well done."

"Yeah, good show, Gibby. Now you won't fail DADA miserably," said Anne. Then she coughed. "Looks like someone owes me two Sickles."

Sebastian grumbled and placed the tinkling coins in her hand.

"I have you all to thank," you said, humbler now. "I will carry these lessons forever, Professor Sallow, Professor Sallow... and Professor Gaunt."

But that wasn't end of them. From then, Ominis didn't underestimate you. He duelled you again and again, testing you, noting your mistakes, but he'd learnt from his own – not to fall for your trickery again. For any trickery. It gave him a sense of peace to know, should the time come, you could hold your own now.

A time, Ominis anticipated, that would come sooner rather than later.

"Where are you going?"

His and Sebastian's clashing ideas had been left unspoken, like shattered glass left on the ground between them, neither willing to pick up the pieces.

"I don't like the accusation in your tone, Ominis," said his friend, shunting another article of clothing into a bag. Their dorm was empty, a rare moment for a Friday morning. "I'm just going to visit Anne for the weekend. That's all."

But Ominis wasn't stupid – he heard the clinking of glass, the sharp, clinical scent of dittany. Who packed Wiggenweld Potion for a weekend home? It honed his suspicions immediately.

"I see," he said at last. "When do you plan to go?"

"Tomorrow morning, after breakfast."

"May I come along? I haven't seen Anne in a while."

But Sebastian was hesitant. "I'm sorry. I just... don't think it's a good idea."

Ominis relented. For now. When he left the dorm, he summoned the house owl with a click of his fingers. For once, he didn't give a damn if he got caught – this was something too worrying to go through the discreet channels with you. He had the Quick-Quotes Quill scribble the note.

Wooden Bridge, 6pm. Urgent.

At six o'clock, during the feast, he was there, waiting, leaning against the crooked panelling and let the biting wind chop across his hair and face. The air was parched today, snow impending but hesitant to fall. Even stacked in layers, a chill ran through him.

He heard the tell-tale clop of your boots, hurrying to meet him. Your breaths came out in shuddering pants.

"What's wrong?" you asked at once. In public, yet you didn't care, coming right up to him, halting a hand's reach away. "Are you hurt?"

"No," he said. "I'm sorry to call you out here, but it's Sebastian."

"Is he hurt?"

"I think he's about to do something stupid," he murmured. "And reckless."

You sighed. "I would have so many Galleons if I bet on him doing something stupid and reckless."

A fair point, but it was especially poignant now. After the argument, the feeling of trust in his friend had eroded. Now that trust was pocked with holes, and those holes were quickly filling with suspicion.

"Have you seen Missy?"

"Today? We did some homework during our morning free period. I asked her if she wanted to finish it tonight, but she said she was going to pack for Irondale. She's going there for the weekend – some catacombs, I think, to pay respects."

Irondale wasn't far from Feldcroft.

It seemed to click for you at the same time.

"You don't think— the relic—"

"I do," muttered Ominis. "In fact, I have a feeling I know where they're going." His heart thundered. "You said she was leaving tomorrow?"

"Yep."

"Have you seen her since this morning?"

You hesitated. So that was a no. Sebastian hadn't been around since the morning either.

They've already left.

You stomped your foot. "Oh, sugar, honey, iced tea!"

"... What?"

"Sugar, honey— never mind, Muggle thing. What do we do?"

"We have to go after them. If they've had a break-through with the artefact, it could put them in grave danger."

"But if they left earlier today, they could be there by now!"

He struggled to think. "Then we fly."

"We— fly?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"But, Ominis— I'm a terrible flier! Madam Kogawa has made me take first year classes every year!"

He wanted to reach for you, to imbue you with confidence. Flying was your weak point, he knew. You loved the sensation – not so much the control it required.

"It has to be you. I can't navigate." He didn't want to push you, but this time he insisted. The stakes were too great. "If we don't do this... Sebastian and Missy..."

"I know," you said, defeated. "Ugh, okay. Meet me at the end of the bridge. I'll get a school broom."

It took you little over ten minutes, to rush to the front lawns and snag a broom from the cupboards. He heard the one you chose guttering over the horizon, shakily hovering to a stop next to him. You took his sleeve.

"I really think this is a bad idea. What if— what if we crash?"

"We won't crash."

"What if you plummet off the side and I can't catch you?"

"I won't plummet."

"What if Ranrok's loyalists shoot us down?"

"They won't spot us."

"... You're suspiciously optimistic."

"I'm moderately realistic," he corrected. "We don't have time to waste."

"Okay." Your grip wavered, even as you guided him to the broom. "Hop on."

It was a sudden hesitation that gripped him then, stuffed cotton down his throat. Because he hadn't considered how, exactly, he would be travelling. That for this to work, he would have to share a broom with you, holding onto your waist for support.

He swallowed, though his mouth was dry, and settled over the broom shaft. Already you were close – too close for him to fathom, the scent of strawberry laces suppressing the billows of pine and lake waters that swept in from the south. His fingers hovered, mere centimetres away from your waist. Even the brush of your coat was enough to drive his mind to catatonia.

"Are you, erm," you said shyly, "are you going to hold on?"

"Y-yes," he choked out stupidly, "right."

He reached around, looping his arms around you, pulling you close. Your back fit neatly against his chest, your heat and warmth abolishing the cold, your head tucking beneath his chin, a swathe of your hair under his nose. Already he was nervous, already he gnawed with worry for Sebastian and Missy, and yet this was the moment he almost unravelled. You were his safety. You were the wind beneath him, buoyant and uplifting.

"Hold tight," you mumbled, voice a vibration through his own chest, which only made him even more delirious. "Three, two—"

You pushed with your legs, sending you both cracking into the air. Stomach yanking down to his legs, his grip cinched, and he cried out as you shot them upwards so fast he didn't get to take a breath. You were hitting max speed too quickly. Wind churned around his ears, sluiced along his toes – you might have yelled something that he couldn't understand.

You steadied the broom, levelling them with the horizon, but he didn't dare loosen his grip. Flying was terrifying, and magnificent, and it was twice as terrifying and magnificent with you.

"Merlin's beard, Gibby! Slow down!"

"S-Sorry!" you called, fear and exhilaration evident. "I'm going right. Brace yourself!"

You leant starboard, and he leant with you. Now that you were pulling on the shaft, the broom slowed to a decent pace, enough that he could hear the sky. The distant rush of train and trees, the snake of the river that ribboned through the valley, a humming thread. Wind, carding through his clothes. He rested his chin on you, and your hair curled against his face, each tendril like a cat's tail, flickering and restlessness.

A thought came to him, unbidden. What would it be like to kiss the top of your head? To draw the hair away from your neck, and place his lips there too? Desire burned through him, drunk on adrenaline and nerves, and he had to clench his jaw to dispel the feelings.

Now was not the time. In fact, there was no time when such thoughts were appropriate.

Yet they came to him nonetheless.

"W-We're going between Irondale and Feldcroft," he pushed out through gritted teeth, through his useless feelings. "South of the mountain peak!"

He feared landing with you even more than take-off, but by some miracle, you managed to shakily jettison them between a cluster of trees, on an even patch of grass. The ground came up hard though, and he took the brunt in his knees, crying out as he fell to the side, the handle tangled between his legs. You stumbled off the broom into a patch of honking daffodils.

"Ack— Gibby?"

"I'm okay!" you chanted, voice pilfered by the tooting flowers. "Just bruised my bum! You?"

"I bruised my everything."

"... Touché."

You came over, sliding the broom from beneath him and helping him to stand. The touch was innocent, and yet your hand in his, with the flight fresh in his mind, hyper-aware of the proximity of you, stoked his cheeks to flames and his heart to a marching drumbeat.

You let go almost instantly, but it was enough.

"Well," you said, "that wasn't so bad."

"We almost died," he muttered. "Twice."

"My lowest record yet, so be grateful. Are we close?"

He withdrew his wand, and the scenery fell into place in his mind. The evergreen honeysuckle, dotting the nearby dirt paths, wending through the uneven terrain of the countryside. A flash of hard, callous stone. A funny taste of smoke and ash, like an unpleasant bonfire. Strange. Nonetheless, you were close – very close, in fact, that he recognised the nearest stretch of fencing, leading towards the Feldcroft Catacombs.

"It's just south of here," he said. "Let's go."

When you reached the cave entrance, the great stone wall had been moved. Someone was already inside, and casting Revelio showed that it was not too late, that the footsteps before you were fresh. You propped the broom aside and went to go in, but he reached for you, held you for a moment – that stupid feeling stirred within him again.

"Wait. Let's— let's think. I don't think it's a good idea they see us."

"Why?"

Truthfully, he didn't know. Perhaps it was only to see what they were doing. Perhaps it was only so he could have you to himself, just a little longer.

"We ought to be cautious," he amended.

You gasped, suddenly excited. "Ominis Gaunt... are you suggesting a stealth mission?"

"Hardly," he retorted. "Let's just— keep our distance."

"Okay." But you were practically bouncing. "We have to catch up to them first. We'll need to be quick."

"Lead the way."

So you closed your hand in his, and led him inside.

The way was dark and cold, a bone-deep sort of eeriness. You cast Lumos, and he did too, to help you see. Together you ran across the dust-ridden earth, over bones and rat droppings and the splattered blood of spiders, pricking the air with a tangy note. You shuddered when a few of the babies crawled into view, but it seemed that Sebastian and Missy had cleared the larger ones out.

Still, you didn't let your fears daunt you. It was quite something to feel your determination, vibrating through your touch, the tremble that went through you as you held his hand to guide him. It gave him courage and might, especially when the quiet sank deeply into him, an omen of trouble to come.

Only at the heart of the catacomb did familiar snippets of voice quell the silence.

"They're close," he whispered to you.

You cast Disillusionment, and he quickly followed. Your boots steps were light, but still the ground crunched. It was enough to let them pursue, closer and closer, until the voices crystallised.

"The relic must be nearby," Sebastian was saying – the desperation in his voice was like nothing Ominis had ever heard before. "I can feel it."

Missy tsked. "Stay focused. I believe there's another chamber ahead – and we have yet to face any of the matriarchs."

"Bet they'll be thrilled when they find their friends dead."

They hurried ahead – you followed.

"Thank you," Sebastian said suddenly. You stopped, causing Ominis to bump into the back of you. "Thank you for doing this."

"It's nothing."

"Nothing? You're risking your life for me, and for Anne."

She didn't reply.

"Why?" he asked into the brazen silence, surprise tinting his voice. "Why are you helping me? I know you partway agree with Ominis, and you barely know Anne. You barely know me."

"Can I not help anyway?"

"No one wants for nothing."

Missy was quiet a moment.

"Perhaps. I'm not entirely altruistic."

"So?" he asked again. "What's your price?"

And she said, "Redemption," like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Redemption?" you muttered to Ominis, at the same time Sebastian said, "Redemption for what?"

But Missy simply scuffed a rock. "Come, we're nearly at the end."

Intense and guarded indeed. You crept forwards on light feet, and Ominis dogged your heel, unsure what to make of the conversation.

There wasn't time to dwell when the spiders descended, great hulking beasts that shook the ground, all the way through his feet. He felt you stiffen beneath your grip – the sight of them must've been terrifying.

"T-There's so many—"

Still, Sebastian and Missy had charged in, spilling enemy blood against the walls.

"S-Should we help them?" you asked.

Ominis hesitated. "No. Perhaps— perhaps it will deter them."

But of course it didn't. The spiders kept coming, vicious wave after vicious wave, and yet, Sebastian and Missy's resolve never puddled.

"Depulso!"

Missy sent the spider soaring. Unfortunately, it landed on its feet.

Right next to you.

Disillusionment wasn't strong enough so close. The creature heckled, then screeched, sucking up venom through its body, guttering, preparing to shoot—

"No, look out!" you yelled.

It spat venom and you shoved him, hard against the ground. The concealment broke, but the venom hissed against the rock face where his head had been.

"Sorry— it was going to hurt you—"

"No time." He got to his feet, helped you and readied his wand. "Ready?"

"Can't really say no." Then, loudly and brashly, "Confringo!"

The spell blasted the spider backwards. Despite your terrible fear of spiders and insects, you ran into the fray and zapped another off its perch above. Pride reared through him again. That duelling practice, all those years ago, had not been for nought.

"Gibby?" Sebastian yelled. Then, with even more shock, "Ominis?"

"Less talking, more blasting!" he said.

One by one, the spiders were felled. It seemed endless, the onslaught – when one died, three more would surface their way up to take its place. He worried for you, panicked nearly, but remembered to trust you to defend yourself. In fact, you all shielded one another, in tune like an orchestra, thrumming to each other's beat. Sebastian's Exploding charms gave you the opportunity to flee when you were overwhelmed. Missy froze the spiderlings to let Ominis deal with the mothers. Then there were moments he couldn't explain – moments where even magic didn't seem to be the answer. Explosions like lightning, striking down their shrieking enemies, the air charged with a sharp tang of it. Always it followed Missy like a storm cloud, she its wild epicentre.

"Ominis," she called, "watch out!"

The spider had been in front of him – he was certain of it. But suddenly it was not, and Missy was stomping down, crushing shell and bone beneath her boot. How, when it is twice the size of me?

He let the questions fester until the spiders were all dead. Hot breath escaped him in shallow bites, there was foreign blood splattered on his front, and his arm was sore from casting so much, so frantically – but he was alive, and so were you, and Sebastian and Missy.

"What..." Sebastian managed a long breath. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

It was the offence he took that boiled Ominis' blood.

"I could very well ask you the same thing," he snapped back, advancing on Sebastian. "You told me you were going to see Anne!"

Still, Sebastian did the unthinkable.

He turned away.

"I knew it. You are here for the relic!" Ominis yelled. "Don't you dare, Sebastian—"

"Or what?" Sebastian challenged, swinging back to face him. "Why are you so determined to stop me? To stop me from helping Anne?"

"Because you are losing yourself! Because the Dark Arts seem harmless until it is too late."

"Anne is in pain every damn day!"

"A Dark artefact will. Not. Work!" His wand hand shook. "It will not reverse the curse and it will require a sacrifice too steep to pay!"

"You haven't tried! You can't possibly know what will happen!" He laughed suddenly. "Your family is broken, Ominis. You don't understand what it's like for me to fight for mine."

He was enraged, but a new feeling came swooping in, extinguishing and final. Hurt.

"That... that is a low blow—"

"Wait," Missy said, perturbingly cool. "Let's not argue."

"Yes," you agreed at once. "We can compromise."

"And you?" Sebastian scoffed at you. "Are you going to stop me, even though you love Anne too? Are you going to side with Ominis because you always do?"

Your reply was injured. "T-There are no sides, Sebastian—"

"If you're going to stop me, then there are sides!" he bellowed. Ominis heard the wooden whip of his wand. "I'm taking that relic. So step aside."

Ominis gripped his wand tightly.

"I will not."

"Stop," snapped Missy, and this time, she was no longer composed. She was firm, commanding. "We're not fighting. That's absurd."

"Only one of us gets our way," Sebastian muttered. "Are you going to strike me, Ominis? Are you?"

"Sebastian, go stand over there. Cool off, for goodness sake." Suddenly someone hooked Ominis' arm – Missy, dragging him away. "You, with me. Gibby—"

But you were already heading towards Sebastian. Ominis hoped you were talking it out, telling him why it was a bad idea – he had to trust that you could convince him.

He yanked off Missy's grip. "You can't seriously think taking that relic—"

"I know it's risky," Missy hissed at him, "but Sebastian has made up his mind. There's no convincing him otherwise. I tried."

"Not hard enough!"

"He's relentless, Ominis. The only thing we can do now is to let it play out, and minimise the consequences."

It was so ridiculous he laughed. "What was it you said you sought? Redemption?" He flung the word back at her. "Tell me, how does encouraging Dark Magic redeem you?"

By the elongated pause, he'd cracked through her impervious armour.

"How did you—?" Then, he was met with cold steel. "My reasons are my own and not for you to know. I'm trying to take the middle path here, but you're both being impossible."

"I'm trying to stop him making a stupid mistake!"

"And are you willing to ruin your friendship over it?"

His next words rammed themselves back down his throat.

Because the answer was no. He wasn't.

"Ominis," and he hated how perfectly reasonable she sounded, "there will be no talking him out of this. He is beyond reasoning now. So you either step aside, or fight. Your choice."

He knew what it was like to steep in the Dark Arts. He understood its allure, its false promises. Yet even so, he couldn't possibly let these years slip through his fingers like sand. He couldn't possibly release all the joy and jokes, the laughter, the pranks and brotherly love shared between the two of them. Sebastian was an anchor in the perpetual raging sea of Ominis' life. Anne had already been taken from him too soon, and you were teetering close to the edge, risking so much with his family's hatred encroaching you.

If Ominis lost Sebastian, he lost everything.

"You—" Anguish tore him from within. "I... I will step aside."

"A wise choice."

"But I will not stop fighting for him. I won't."

She didn't reply. She merely called Sebastian over to the relic, which fell into her pocket for safe-keeping, and then they were leaving.

"For what it's worth," Sebastian said as he passed on the way out, voice broken with his own hurt, "I... I'm sorry we can't agree on this."

Ominis didn't respond.

They left.

He was alone with you.

There was nothing to say, nothing that could be said. He felt his chest breaking, fracturing into pieces, slowly but surely taking his resolve down until it was lying in dereliction before him. A lump that had swollen in his throat became painful.

Why? he wondered. Why does the darkness haunt me so?

You didn't have to say anything. You simply took his hands in yours, rubbed your thumb over his trembling knuckles.

And he fell into your arms, and cried.

[MASTERLIST][FIRST][PREV][NEXT]

Thank you to my tag list: @cordidy @witchyafterdark If you'd like to be added/ removed, please let me know 💚

[Divider credits]

#hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy mc #ominis gaunt x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #hogwarts legacy fanfic #ominis gaunt fanfic #ominis gaunt x you #ominis gaunt fanfiction #sebastian sallow #gibby #missy #acvasverse #my writing #my stuff

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frenziedfireworks · 1 year ago

Text

Dating!

Dating the HL Boys!

(Sebastian, Ominis, Garreth)

masterlist

Sebastian :

I feel like he definitely has insomnia. He is not able to go to sleep easily and hates it. Help the poor guy to calm down & give him cuddles. If you pamper him he will go to sleep easier.

He’s very thoughtful and remembers important dates and anything you look at. You kept staring at that book in the window? It’s on your desk. Your coat ripped? You suddenly have a new one. He doesn’t care how hard he has to work to spoil you - he will do it.

He’s very protective of you towards anyone - even Ominis. He knows you can handle yourself but he just wants to make sure you feel safe and nobody is pushing your buttons. That’s his job after all <3

You had turned in bed adjusting your position when a light woke you up. You begrudgingly opened your eyes, adjusting to the shine that was right next to you. Unsurprisingly it was your dearest boyfriend using lumos in an attempt to read instead of sleeping.

“Seb?” Your voice croaked and the freckled man looked down.

“Hey baby. Did I wake you? I’m sorry.” His hand danced over your cheek and a soft kiss was placed upon your forehead.

“You should be asleep.”

“I tried. Thought I’d read until I got tired..” You only sighed and pushed yourself up.

“What time is it?” You looked for the clock and noticed how late, or more so early it was.

“Sebastian, it's 4 am. Merlin’s beard.. I’ll be back.”

“Darling it’s okay-“

“Be quiet and sit.” You grunted and made your way to the kitchen. You were quick to make him a warm cup of tea and flutter back to the safety of your bed. Sebastian’s face was red and he gave you a thankful smile as he took a sip.

“Thank you my love. I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He leaned in to give you a quick smooch as you laid back down.

“You’re lucky you’re cute. Finish that and cuddle with me, you oaf.”

Ominis :

Once you truly get to know Ominis he is CHATTY. He doesn’t stop talking and asks you the most random questions. He would be the type of boyfriend to ask you if you would love him as a worm.

He makes very cute dates to take you on. Picnics and sitting outdoors kind of stuff! If you don’t like that then he will of course take that into consideration.. He wouldn’t mind sitting in a secluded spot just enjoying time together.

Ominis doesn’t show it as much but I feel like he gets jealous. He will admit it to you if you question him. He gets in fits of not feeling adequate for you. Just tell him you love him and it’s all fine!!

“Y/N?” Ominis’ voice pierced through the silence of your bedroom. You turned in the sheets to face him, hand coming to rest on his chest.

“Yes?” You questioned. He had a small grin on his face that you could make out from the dim moonlight. You knew it would be another one of your silly nights.

“Would you still love me if I was a worm?” You automatically cackled at the question, expecting anything other than that.

“You’re just a worm?”

“Yes. Just a worm.”

Ominis snorted again at the ridiculous question and you rolled your eyes. You pressed a kiss against his shoulder and hummed.

“I suppose. I think I’d take you everywhere in a nice cage. We would eat breakfast together while you squirmed in your dirt and you would enjoy your life. Then one day I would take us on vacation to the beach. Maybe even do some fishing..” You held back a giant laugh as he gasped.

“And I am not the bait surely?!” The boy's arm smacked against you and you couldn’t hold your breath.

“I am not the bait, right?!” He repeated the question and you felt lightheaded.

“Uhuh sure my love..” You mustered up a sarcastic response and watched as he bobbed his head in annoyance.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“You’re the one who asked!”

Garreth :

He ALWAYS brings you homemade stuff. Some of it is mildly concerning but he just shrugs it off. After all it is “made with love” as he puts it.

Garreth always brings you on little adventures to collect supplies or sits with you on your hobbies. He thinks it’s the best to just be in your presence.

He’s very attentive and handsy. Physical touch is definitely a high contender for his love language. I feel like it makes him more calm to always have a hand on you. You’re like a little safety blanket <3

I feel like Garreth has ADHD.. If he gets busy with potions he won’t notice ten hours have passed until you forcibly pull him away. You constantly have to remind him to eat or take a break.

“Garreth?” Your voice filtered into the empty potions room where your boyfriend stood hard at work. You had not seen him all day and was starting to worry that one of his potions had finally taken him out. Walking up behind the boy you let out a cough and rubbed your hand up his back.

“Oh!”

Garreth jumped and turned to face you. His eyes were bloodshot and his grin was wavering on a questionable line of sanity.

“Have you slept? How long have you been down here?” You brought your hand to his forcing him to drop the feathers onto the counter. His forehead came to rest on your shoulder and he let out a deep sigh.

“It hasn’t been that long has it?”

“Baby it’s Saturday morning.” You whispered as your fingers skimmed through his ginger locks. He only grunted in response and dug deeper into your shoulder.

“Well I need to finish-“ The boy started but you cut him off quickly.

“You can finish this another day. Your brewing pot is not going anywhere. We are going to put you to bed. Understand?” Garreth only snorted and moved so you could lead the way.

“You’re cute when you’re bossy.”

“Don’t even start Weasley.”

#sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow imagine #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis x reader #ominis x mc #ominis gaunt #garreth x reader #garreth weasley x mc #garreth weasley x reader #garreth x mc #garreth weasley #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy imagine

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hufflegruff · 2 years ago

Text

Chapter 1: A Knowing Look

Pairing: Sebastian x F!Reader Summary: In which Sebastian is whipped and literally everyone can see from a mile away that this is more than friendship.

“Friend?” Ominis said incredulously. No, no. It was one thing for Sebastian to call her a friend in passing. To explain it away because there was simply no concise word to describe the awkward purgatory between friendship and undying devotion. But to excuse this miserable pining under the guise of friendship? Come on. That would be making a mockery of his intelligence. Dubiously, Sebastian replied, “You say it like that’s news to you.” “Well, that’s because it is.” Ominis said pointedly, “Friends don’t look at each other like that.”

Chapter 1: Ominis

Ominis Gaunt was astute. Despite his impairment, he could still see more than the average seeing witch or wizard. His oldest friend, Sebastian Sallow, was living proof of this.

For the past hour, Sebastian had been stuffing food mindlessly down his throat, his attention lost on something across the other side of the Great Hall. He paid no mind to any question that Ominis had raised. No mention of quidditch, duels, or hijinks (and Sebastian loved hijinks) managed to tear his gaze away.

If he didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that Sebastian had been poisoned or hexed.

But he did know better. And he didn’t need sight to know what (or rather who) had him so entranced.

“Sebastian. Please. Please. For the love of Merlin, stop with the staring.”

Sebastian spun around so fast he conjured a gust of wind into Ominis' face. He was surprised that the boy’s neck didn’t snap off from the whiplash.

“Who’s staring?” Sebastian bit back defiantly, with the slightest tinge of guilt in his voice. Like a small boy caught red-handed (and red-faced).

“You. At her.” Ominis quipped, “As if she’ll disintegrate if you look away for even a second.”

Sebastian said, “I wasn’t staring—”

Ominis snorted.

“— And even if I was ,” Sebastian bulldozed on, “Can’t a friend look out for another friend?”

“Friend?” Ominis said incredulously.

No, no. It was one thing for Sebastian to call her a friend in passing. To explain it away because there was simply no concise word to describe the awkward purgatory between friendship and undying devotion. But to excuse this miserable pining under the guise of friendship?

Come on. That would be making a mockery of his intelligence.

And if Ominis learned anything - anything at all - from bearing the Gaunt family name, it was that he was not to be made a fool. Ever.

Dubiously, Sebastian replied, “You say it like that’s news to you.”

“Well, that’s because it is.” Ominis said pointedly, “Friends don’t look at each other like that.”

If Ominis had a penchant for drama, he would’ve rather enjoyed casting a cup of pumpkin juice into Sebastian’s terribly stupid face. In the hopes that it might wake him up from his denial. But alas, Ominis did not. So instead, he simply folded his arms cynically in a display of disbelief. Imagining the shell shocked look on his best friend’s face would suffice for now.

Sebastian sputtered out, “Like what?” He flailed his arms inelegantly as his whole body moved in retort, “I look at her the same way I look at everyone. You, Nerida... even bloody Hecat!”

Ominis wrinkled his nose, “God forbid, you ever look at me the way you look at her.”

“Like what.”

“Like a soppy mooncalf babe needy for attention.”

Sebastian was rendered speechless. Like a fish out of water, his mouth floundered open and closed. Ominis had to fight the urge to roll his eyes so hard it reached the nerve-endings in the back of his skull. Sebastian was smart (sometimes too smart). But this wild goose chase was plain stupid.

After what felt like eternity, Sebastian muttered quietly, “I’m not a mooncalf…”

“Mhm.” Ominis managed through pursed lips.

“And I don’t look at her - in whatever ridiculous way you’re implying.” He said this more vehemently.

“If you say so.”

“If anything, I’m just looking out for her.” Sebastian began indignantly, “She’s been so busy running errands for every witch and wizard in this bloody place, I swear this is the first time she’s been in the building in weeks!”

Sebastian was being dramatic. Ominis knew for a fact that they had spent quality time together by the boat docks just a mere two days ago; huddled in close quarters after a trip frolicking by the Clagmar coast. If the hushed whispers of prying fourth years were to be believed, Sebastian had been the picture of bliss. Fully content and totally whipped.

But now here he sat, two moons later, a completely different boy. Moody and sullen, lost in the absence of her attention. Ominis has spent the better half of his lifetime enduring Sebastian’s many moods and temperaments. This — he had sorely decided — was one that he was less fond of.

She wasn’t even sitting all that far away from them. On a table near the entrance to the Great Hall, she was engrossed in a deep, animated conversation with Natsai and Poppy. After Ominis’ accusations, Sebastian had made the conscious decision to avoid looking her way.

The mopey mooncalf comparison had wounded him a little. But the Ominis could sense his friend’s impatience. He could sense the itch in his fingertips yearning to push himself off the table towards her. The anxious tapping of his foot, almost signalling: so close, but so far.

“If you feel so desperately inclined, why not just get up and go speak to her?”

Sebastian stiffened, “There’s no need, I’ve nothing urgent to speak to her about.”

“So, you’re simply staring at her in admiration?”

“Oh sod off Ominis, I was just-”

Before more protests could leave his mouth, a patter of footsteps hurriedly approached them. As if conjured by Sebastian’s sheer will alone, she appeared magically before them. The girl they’d been just speaking of. No longer half a mile away. Just here, at arm's length. In the flesh.

Merlin, when had she gotten up from her seat?

“Sebastian. Ominis.” She greeted them with a wide smile on her face. Her bright eyes, filled with unbridled warmth, met theirs. Ominis swore he could hear Sebastian’s breath catch in his throat.

“Hey,” Sebastian said breathlessly, as if she’d sucked the wind right out of his lungs herself.

In the wake of her arrival, Sebastian instinctually moved to sit up straighter, smoothed the creases in his robe, and ran a hair through his unruly hair. The distracted, weary shell of a boy suddenly long gone, replaced by a young man full of spirit, miraculously brought back to life.

Good lord, Ominis thought, the boy was entirely smitten.

“Hello,” Ominis greeted, “I hear the Hero of Hogwarts has been quite busy.”

She laughed lightly before moving to fill the empty seat beside Sebastian, “I’ve certainly been busy, but doing nothing particularly heroic. I’ve somehow found myself becoming the go-to witch for slacking students in need of last minute potion supplies.”

How she ended up becoming the student body’s errand runner — Ominis would never know. The week she first arrived, she’d been quick to be coined the Slayer of Trolls. But from what he’d garnered from their few interactions, it was very like her to comply with every request that fell upon her ears, no matter how frivolous.

The chivalry was strong with this one.

“Well I certainly hope you’re being well compensated, at least,” said Ominis.

“Being so sought after and all, I’m surprised that you managed to find time to squeeze us in your busy schedule.” Sebastian finally said teasingly, with only a sliver of bitterness.

She looked over at him and an earnest smile grew on her face, “I will always make time to visit my favourite Slytherins.”

She had certainly said Slytherins (plural). But Ominis had a sneaking suspicion that she was saying it for the benefit of one Slytherin (singular) in particular. And it definitely had an effect on him.

Just visible under the warm light, Sebastian’s cheeks grew red. The rumbling anxiousness that was rife in his body diffused into a soft, pacified murmur at her words. She had only said a small, simple affirmation. How hysterical it was that Sebastian Sallow - Hogwarts resident charmer - became mush in her small, delicate hands.

“And thank goodness for that,” Ominis interjected, “A certain someone has been prudently waiting for your return.”

“Is that so?” She said with an eyebrow quirked.

“He’s been in ruins ever since you left him by the docks.”

If looks could kill, Ominis would’ve been buried seven feet under rubble. Sebastian shot him a scathing glare, as if to scream how did you even know? Too bad Ominis would never be the wiser.

“Has he now?” She drawled.

“Please, I beg of you to fix it.”

“Well then, my sincerest apologies,” Her voice twinkled, full of mischief as she sent Sebastian a cheeky grin, “I didn’t realise I’d be so missed.”

Ominis did not miss the amusement in her voice. It made him wonder if she knew the effect her every waking move had on Sebastian. If she was aware that if she’d told him to jump or roll over, he’d likely pander to her every whim like an obedient puppy.

“Don’t listen to him,” Sebastian said hurriedly, “He’s delusional, what with all those extra hours Professor Binns has had him clocking in.”

Ominis cocked his brow. Oh. Is that how he wanted to play it?

“Right. I’m the delusional one.” Ominis said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Under the table, out of sight from her keen eye, Sebastian kicked Ominis in a bid to get him to hush.

Sebastian quickly returned his attention to the girl next to him. Mustering as much levity as his voice could carry, he reminded her:

“Onto more important matters… You promised me your time this weekend, did you not? Don’t forget,” Sebastian said firmly.

If Ominis wasn’t so annoyed by the frivolity of it all, he might have even thought it cute. All this yearning and nervousness that he radiated. Trying his best to appear nonchalant in the face of his Achilles heel.

Teasingly, she replied, “Don’t worry. I would never.”

There was a pause after she spoke. Suddenly, the air felt a little more dense. The soft, charmed look in her eyes — as they held onto his friend’s — became slightly heavier with the weight of things left unsaid. Just as he had in Sebastian, he sensed a longing deep within her.

If Sebastian was mercurial, stolen glances and raging fires, she was endlessness, tender touches and sun in your eyes on a quiet summer day.

Merlin’s beard. It was both of them.

They were both obtusely pining for each other.

Ominis cursed his own luck, how did he always manage to find himself in the middle? If he hadn’t felt it so outrageously out of place for him to say, he would’ve smacked both their heads silly with his wand.

Instead, he just gently cleared his throat, which broke the spell between them. They’d both looked away, but a dust of pink still lingered on their cheeks.

“Actually,” she began, “I’ve been trying to find information on this blasted ancient Heirloom for Helena Thistlewood. If you’re also free tomorrow afternoon Sebastian, I was wondering if I could perhaps get your help in the library—"

“Yes.”

The word left his mouth so quickly and so forcefully (like it had been sitting anxiously on the edge of his teeth just waiting to be said) that a whole slew of Slytherin students seated nearby jumped in surprise.

Sebastian hadn’t even waited for her to finish before hastily agreeing to her request. He didn’t need to. It didn’t take a legilimens to realise that he would drop everything on a whim to answer to her beck and call.

But that didn’t stop Ominis from choking on the piece of toast in his mouth. He couldn’t help the ungodly, strangled laugh that stumbled out of his mouth from how obscenely obvious his best friend was being right now.

“Oh!” She said, a little taken aback too. Her cheeks had grown slightly pink at Sebastian’s fervent, impassioned agreement, “W-well, lovely!”

Even Ominis couldn’t help but cringe a little at the second-hand embarrassment. He wondered how Sebastian seemed so unbothered by his own… forwardness.

But it must have suddenly dawned on him, because his face had begun to turn a comically bright shade of red. Consciously, Sebastian pulled at the knot of his tie, loosening it as he spoke hurriedly.

“I-I have nothing to do after all.”

Ominis felt the grip on his wand tighten. Not knowing whether the urge to burst out laughing or to disappear entirely was stronger.

“Great! I- I’ll see you tomorrow then. After class.”

“Great.”

“Well then… I’ll leave you boys to it,” She brushed the folds out of her skirt before she stood up, nodded farewell, and made her exit. As she spun around, the pleats of her robe followed suit in dramatic fashion.

As quickly as she’d arrived, she left again.

Sebastian watched as she went. His eyes followed closely, never once leaving her departing figure. Not until she disappeared entirely from the hall. When Sebastian finally looked back, any trace of the brooding boy from the morning was gone.

Chidingly, Ominis said, “Don’t you have crossed wands tomorrow afternoon?”

Silence.

“Oh. Right. That�� slipped my mind.”

Ominis snorted. Under his breath, he muttered, “Just friends, my ass.”

—

Notes Cross-posting from ao3, I haven't written fanfiction in literally forever (or even been on tumblr in forever) but HL brought my 2016 self back to lifeeeee.

Anyways, I present to you Seb being a simp. Look out for more chapters of other people pointing out how obvious these two dummies are.

#sebastian sallow x reader #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow fanfiction #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #sebastian sallow fic

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orqheuss · 2 years ago

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Orqheus(s)' Masterlist!

🔥 - Smut, 🌸 - Fluff, 🩸 - Angst, 🎭 - Comedy, 🎀 - Hurt/Comfort, 💗 - Romantic,✨ - Platonic (💥 - gore/blood, 💀 - main character death)

All fics are cross-posted on Ao3, Tumblr, and (some) on Wattpad

If there's a particular headcanon you'd like to see, please message me! I am open to requests!

PLEASE DO NOT REPOST MY WORK WITHOUT TAGGING ME.

Fandoms are listed in alphabetical order!

Any trigger warnings present are posted on each fic.

Hazbin Hotel

I do not own the characters depicted.

One-Shots

Alastor x Reader

Journeys end in lovers meeting (🩸💗/✨💥💀) - Tumblr x The battle was over and the residents of the Hazbin Hotel had won. What would have happened, though, if Alastor wasn’t able to heal himself? What would have happened if you were also on the verge of dying?

Alastor Character Study

Stamped on these lifeless things (🩸💥 💀) - Tumblr x With his final moments quickly drawing near, something approaches Alastor that has him questioning everything. (Human!Alastor meets Demon!Alastor AU)

Hogwarts Legacy

I do not own the characters depicted, nor do I condone J.K. Rowling's actions.

One-Shots

The Shadow trio (Ominis x Sebastian x MC)

May I feel said he (🔥🌸) - Tumblr x Studying in the Room of Requirement can get quite tedious, especially with NEWTS around the corner. What is one to do when you're trapped between your two bored, ravenous, and incorrigibly competitive boyfriends? (Inspired by the poem "may i feel said he" by E. E. Cummings) A Fish to Water (🎭✨) - Tumblr x Becoming an animagus is not an easy feat. As much as you love your two best friends, sometimes its more fun to play a prank and take the absolute piss out of them. How would they react if they found out your animagus form was a little bit...fishy? Seven new ways that you can eat your young (🔥) - Tumblr x Slytherin's are known for their end of the year parties. On the eve of their graduation, though, Ominis hears something that makes his blood boil with jealousy. (Inspired by the song "Eat Your Young" by Hozier) Mallowsweet Bliss (🌸🎭✨) - Tumblr x “Oh, you lovely, hopelessly naive thing. Yes, mallowsweet has a great smell, but it also has an even better taste when eaten, and an absolutely enchanting effect on the mind when you smoke it.” AKA, the three of you get incredibly stoned on your stash of mallowsweet. My darling, my sweetheart, I am in your sway (🌸💗) - Tumblr x The Founder's ball only comes around once a year, and with your graduation fast approaching, you knew two things. One, you knew absolutely nothing about ballroom dancing, and two, you were irrevocably in love with both of your best friends and wanted to go with both of them. Was there a way to kill two birds with one stone? Not yet corpses (still, we rot) (🎀✨/💗💥) - Tumblr x Tremors were wracking through the entirety of Hogwarts, and you were nowhere to be found. Little did Ominis and Sebastian know, the repository had been opened, and you were the only thing standing between the wizarding world continuing to thrive or falling to ruin at their very feet. Mingle our ashes and bury us together (🩸✨/💗) - Tumblr x After everything that had happened in your fifth year, your mind was becoming too much for you to bear on your own. After a rather dreadful conversation with yourself, you knew there was only one way to stop your personal torment. (TW! Attempted Suicide) Insatiable Gravity (🔥🌸🎭) - Tumblr x When it rains, it pours, and when your trapped in the downpour with your two best friends, the only option is the inn down the road. The bad news? There's only one room left, and in that room is only one bed.

Ominis x MC

In the pursuit of knowledge (🔥🌸) - Tumblr x When you and Ominis are alone in the Undercroft, it isn't uncommon for some secrets to come to light. After revealing that you've never been kissed, were there some sparks flying between the two of you, or was it just the firewhiskey talking? How could I fear any hurricane (🎀💗) - Tumblr x After almost severely injuring Ominis during a duel in Defense Against the Dark Arts, you retreat into yourself far out of the reach of your closest friend. There's only one thing Ominis can think of to do to bring you out of your turbulent mind. (Inspired by the song "Francesca" by Hozier) In any version of reality - Soulmate!AU (🌸💗) - Tumblr x Ominis was sure that he didn't have a soulmate. That is, of course, until he hears you sing one winter night in the desolate music room and is transported through the past to the first time your souls ever met. (Inspired by the song "Epic iii" by the Hadestown 2017 Original Soundtrack) Clumsy Love (🌸💗) - Tumblr x A relaxing day in the Room of Requirement takes a turn that you never expected. Not that you were complaining, though. Who doesn't love a little bit of dancing? If only your heart would stop trying to pound its way out of your chest whenever a certain blond Slytherin was near. I would know him blind (🔥💗) - Tumblr x You'd been with Ominis for some time, and as much as you loved your intimate times together, you wondered what it would be like to be in his shoes for a change. Your darling husband is more than happy to help you satiate your curiosity. Snake Charmer - Greek Mythology!AU (🌸🎭-ish) - Tumblr x Why was everyone so interested in the new girl? Ominis Gaunt was about to find out.

Ominis Gaunt and the Sallow's

Free and young and we can feel none of it (🎀✨) - Tumblr x Ominis knew that he had to leave his family home. The abuse would only get worse if he stayed. One winter night, he fled to the only place he felt safe, and into the arms of an unlikely friend.

Sebastian x MC

A duel most desirable (🔥) - Tumblr x Emotions are running high, and a friendly duel between you and your best friend, whom you're completely and entirely infatuated with, takes a very...steamy turn. Anything to make you smile (🌸💗) - Tumblr x Sebastian, remembering you lamenting about not being able to experience going to Hogwarts as a first year, decides to take you on a romantic boat ride so you could enjoy the journey from Hogsmeade like he did as an eleven year old. Too bad he forgot one crucial thing: he was terrified of the Black Lake.

Chapter Fics

The Shadow trio (Sebastian x Ominis x MC)

Life is not a paragraph, and death, I think, is no parenthesis (🩸💗💥) - Ao3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (All fic titles in this series come from various E. E. Cummings' poems) Victor Rookwood kidnapped you, in broad daylight, on the streets of Hogsmeade, and Sebastian is willing to do anything to get you back. Will he and Ominis be able to find you before it's too late? (TW! Graphic depictions of torture)

For whatever we lose (like a you, or a me) (🩸💗💥) - Tumblr x The Scriptorium called your name, and who were you to ignore its song? At least, that's what you told yourself as Sebastian pushed you and Ominis deeper and deeper into the mausoleum. (Pre Parenthesis!Universe)

Awake, chaos: we have napped (🩸🎀💗💥) - Ao3 x After everything that happened to you that night in the poacher camp, it was only normal for you to have nightmares. After a particularly rough one, will your partners be able to pick up the pieces? (Post Parenthesis!Universe) (TW! mentions of attempted rape/non-con)

I like my body when it is with your body (🔥🌸💗) - Tumblr x Sebastian believes that he doesn't deserve to be happy after everything he's done. His partners don't agree, and are hellbent on proving him wrong the best, and most effective, way they know how. (Post Parenthesis!Universe)

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart) (🔥🌸💗) - Tumblr 1 2 3 The finale of "Life is not a paragraph, and death, I think, is no parenthesis." It is a beautiful day to get married, and you couldn't ask for better partners. (Post Parenthesis!Universe)

The sun does not weep for Icarus (🩸✨/💗💥💀) - Tumblr 1 2 3 4 The arrival of the Daily Prophet brings the news of Sebastian Sallow's fate after the events of his fifth year. Ominis and his new friend can't help but feel guilty for their decisions. (TW! Child abuse, suicide)

Even the iron still fears the rot (🩸💗💥) - Tumblr 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 It was supposed to be a normal trip to Hogsmeade. But, when Sebastian and Ominis are kidnapped by poachers determined to seek revenge against the one who killed their fearless leader, will you be able to save them in time? (TW! Graphic depictions of torture)

Ominis x MC

How to ask for help - 5+1 Times (🌸💗) - Tumblr 1 2 3 4 5 6 The five times you helped Ominis, and the one time he helped you.

Headcanons

Sebastian x MC

Sebastian Sallow headcanons

Misc

HL boys as things my students have said - Part 2 Sebastian and Ominis wand headcanons

#tina speaks #hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt x mc #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis gaunt x sebastian sallow x you #ominis gaunt x sebastian sallow x mc #ominis gaunt x sebastian sallow x reader #ominis gaunt x sebastian sallow #masterlist #Alastor Hazbin Hotel #Hazbin Alastor #alastor x reader #alastor x you #hazbin hotel #the radio demon x reader

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mspegasus17 · 1 month ago

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The Prisoner - Yandere!Seb

Sebastian escaped from Azkaban to meet his old friends again. Word count: 2580 CW: torture, extended su!cide Read it on Wattpad, AO3 or under the cut ⬇️

The North Sea was stormy that night. The waves lashed high and broke on the rough rocks of the prison island. The triangular grey building towered ominously into the dark, cloudy sky. Thunder rumbled. With a loud bang, lightning struck a corner of the prison. Prisoner number 489 took advantage of this and blew open his cell wall with his stolen wand. The guard from whom he had taken the wand will not miss him anymore. This asshole had made it his mission to torture him day in, day out. He had forced the prisoner to watch as he broke his wand and threw it into the waves. He regularly gave him a boggart just to watch him writhe in guilt and then let the Dementors feast on him. The psychological torture was worlds worse than the Cruciatus Curse that he had to endure on a regular basis. The prisoner would rather have experienced physical torture every day than just another day of being confronted with his guilt.

He was already miserable enough. This murder was an accident. He didn't want this. And it cost him everything. He had lost everything that had ever meant anything to him. His sister had left their home and disappeared without a trace. She thought he was a monster. His best friend had turned away from him. The girl he loved had stood by him, but he could sense that she saw him differently after the incident. He had lost his chance of a happy life on that fateful day. His friends had decided not to hand him over to the Ministry of Magic. Still, the prisoner couldn't bear to pretend that everything was fine. He had turned himself in.

At first, his friends visited him regularly. Eventually, only she came. When she visited him last month, the prisoner noticed a ring on her left hand. She told him that she was engaged and her fiancé was none other than his supposed best friend. The prisoner then decided that it was time to break out of this hell. He made a plan, and on this stormy night, the time had finally come.

Now, he had to act quickly. Determined, he went to the other end of his small cell and sprinted off. He barely managed to get enough running. He jumped into the water and missed the rocks by a hair's breadth. Since he had been able to watch the sun through his tiny cell window for over three years, he knew which direction was in which direction. His cell was at the southwestern tip of the building. And he knew that Azkaban was northeast of Scotland. So he just had to keep swimming southwest, and he would eventually arrive home. At least if he made it that far, the exhaustion that had been his constant companion since his imprisonment wouldn't spoil his plans. Or any predatory fish. Or ships. Or the Ministry of Magic. His chances of reaching his destination alive were slim, but his iron will had brought him to his goals many times before, and he would not give up without a fight this time either. Using the stolen wand, he performed the bubble-head spell and finally dived into the dark waves.

Bamburgh, England, three days later

"Prisoner 489 escapes from his cell in Azkaban," read the headline on the front page of The Daily Prophet. A close-up of the escaped prisoner took up half the page. Under the picture it said: "The Ministry of Magic is calling for extreme caution. The murderer, Sebastian Sallow, escaped from his cell in Azkaban on Tuesday evening. He is dangerous. If you have any information about his whereabouts, please immediately contact the Auror Office of the Ministry of Magic. Sebastian Sallow was arrested three years ago for the murder of his uncle, the former Auror Solomon Sallow after he turned himself in. The Aurors recommend not letting strangers into your house.“

Shocked, Charlotte read the lines. "Ominis!" she called to her fiancé. "Sebastian has escaped." "What?" Concerned, the blond man rushed to the black-haired witch. "It's the first headline in The Daily Prophet. Sebastian escaped on Tuesday." Charlotte didn't know what to feel or think about it. On the one hand, she desperately wanted her friend to enjoy a life of freedom, but on the other hand, she was terribly afraid.

The years in Azkaban had changed him. He was only a shadow of his former self. The boy she had once loved was no longer there. During this difficult time, she found comfort in Ominis, his best friend. The two fell in love, and two months ago, he asked her the question of all questions. They were happy together, and when Charlotte visited Sebastian in Azkaban a month ago, she would have thought that he would be happy for them. But when Charlotte told him about her engagement to Ominis, Sebastian's face turned dark. "You're making a mistake," he had said. That had torn her heart apart. She knew that if everything had turned out differently, if Sebastian hadn't lost control back then, that would be his ring on her finger. Then, she would soon be called Sallow and not Gaunt. She loved Ominis with all her heart, but her love for Sebastian had never faded. She still loved him as much as she did before the incident in the catacombs, but she knew they had no future and finally gave up.

And now he was on the run. What was his goal? Would she ever see him again? What if they caught him? Would they kill him or just take him back to Azkaban? Charlotte was terribly worried about her friend. She hoped fervently that nothing would happen to him.

One month later

It was late in the evening on a rainy day in late October. Charlotte and Ominis were eating dinner together in their small home. Suddenly, the front door opened, and a shadowy figure stood in the doorway. Charlotte screamed in alarm and reached for her wand. Whoever was breaking into other houses unannounced at this time of day had no good intentions. Not that burglars had good intentions at different times of day, but with the windows lit up late in the evening, it could only mean disaster.

"I hope you have something left for me. I'm starving," croaked the burglar. Charlotte and Ominis didn't know what to say. "Who are you?" Ominis called out to the uninvited guest. The burglar stepped into the light and pushed his hood off his head. His long, matted hair was wet from the rain, his beard unkempt. "Honestly, Ominis. Don't you recognize your best friend?" "Sebastian!" Charlotte shouted and stormed towards him. Overjoyed, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're okay." Sebastian returned her hug with a smile. "You must be freezing," Charlotte said, shocked when she noticed how wet he was. "Come in and warm yourself up. Have some of the soup; I'll run you a bath." She tenderly stroked his rough cheeks. "You look terrible. I can cut your hair later, and we'll fix you up, okay?" "That sounds good." Sebastian smiled gently at the witch, and she hugged him again before disappearing into the bath.

"How?" Ominis stood in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed and a grim expression. "I'm happy to see you again, too, my friend," Sebastian replied and sat down at the dining table. He took Charlotte's bowl as if it were the most natural thing in the world and slurped the pumpkin soup from it. "Congratulations on your engagement," he said casually to Ominis. "You actually managed to take her away from me after all." "It was her decision, Sebastian." Ominis tried desperately to remain calm. "Just like it was your decision to kill your uncle. Just like it was your decision to turn yourself in." Sebastian's fist slammed onto the table. "It was not my decision to turn myself in, and you know that very well!" he hissed. "You persuaded me to do it. You told me that Anne would never forgive me. You told me that Charlotte would never love a monster like me. You pressured me to do it, Ominis. And you seized the opportunity and turned Charlotte's head. You knew exactly how I felt about her, yet you two are now engaged." "She was miserable when you were arrested, Sebastian. I merely comforted her. It's not my fault that we fell in love." Sebastian's eyes burned with anger. "Of course, it's your fault. She was vulnerable, and you played the hero for her." "Would I have just let her die of grief?" Ominis hissed. "You broke her heart, and I was there for her during that difficult time because you couldn't. Charlotte was devastated and blamed herself. I couldn't just let her die." "No, but you could have kept your dirty hands off her. Charlotte belongs to me, and you know it." Sebastian had now stood up and faced Ominis threateningly. "Charlotte doesn't belong to anyone, Sebastian. She's not an object that can be owned. And she chose me, so get over it."

"Sebastian, the bath is ready," Charlotte chirped from the bathroom. "Please excuse me. I have to let your fiancée pamper me," Sebastian said with a smug grin and strolled into the bathroom. Ominis stood at the fireplace, stunned.

In the bathroom, a hot bath awaited Sebastian, and Charlotte had laid out her scissors and a razor. "Into the water with you, you stinker," she giggled. "Do I really smell that bad?" Sebastian asked, caught out, and began to peel off his soaked clothes. "Worse than bad," Charlotte confirmed his suspicion. Sebastian shrugged with a grin. "In Azkaban, hygiene is not important. You can be happy if you can wash yourself with a bucket of cold water once a week. And on my way here, I hardly had the opportunity to do so." "Now you're here, and you can finally feel like a human again." Charlotte looked at Sebastian's emaciated body with a worried look. "You look like death itself. We really need to get some meat back on your bones." "I'm sure that won't be a problem with your cooking skills," Sebastian replied with a wink. Charlotte blushed. "Then did you like the soup?" "The best thing I've ever eaten in my life."

By now, Sebastian was standing completely naked in front of Charlotte. She tried hard not to let her gaze wander too far down, but her curiosity won the battle, and her eyes fixed on his erection. "Do you like what you see?" Sebastian asked mischievously. Her gaze on him excited him, and he fervently hoped that she felt the same. Embarrassed, Charlotte looked away. "W-we really should wash you now." She pointed to the filled bathtub. Sebastian complied with her request and got into the warm water. His skin tingled pleasantly as he sank into the tub.

He washed himself quietly while Charlotte scrubbed his back and cut his hair. "Will you come with me?" Sebastian broke the silence after a while. Sighing, Charlotte let her hand fall. "I can't." Sebastian turned around in the tub and looked straight into her blue eyes. "Why not?" "You know that, Sebastian. I love Ominis, and I'm going to marry him." "Would you have married me if everything had turned out differently?" he asked sadly. Charlotte fought back tears. She swallowed hard before answering: "Probably, yes. But it just didn't turn out any differently. Ominis was there for me. He gave me support." "Do you love me?" Sebastian's direct question caught Charlotte by surprise. "What? I-" Charlotte closed her eyes in resignation. "I never stopped loving you, Sebastian." That was all he needed to hear. He resolutely placed his hand on her neck and pulled her into a greedy kiss. Caught off guard, Charlotte stiffened. A battle of emotions raged inside her. How long had she longed for his kiss? How often had she imagined what it would be like to feel his lips on hers? And yet she wore Ominis' ring on her finger. Guilt won the battle, and she pushed Sebastian away. "I can't," she sobbed. "I'm sorry." With that, she stood up and left the bathroom, crying.

Sebastian rushed after her, furious. He found her in Ominis's arms in the living room. She was crying bitter tears on his chest. When Ominis noticed him, his face turned red with anger. "You leave our house immediately," he hissed in an icy tone. "No shit will happen," Sebastian replied grimly. Ominis walked threateningly towards Sebastian and pulled out his wand. "You bet. You break into our house, help yourself with our food, let yourself get pampered, and then kiss my fiancée?! I would have expected more from you, Sebastian. You are not welcome here." Sebastian pulled out his stolen wand and pointed it at Ominis. "I can't let you take her away from me. Not again," he hissed. "Crucio!"

A red flash escaped from Sebastian's wand and shot towards Ominis. He collapsed and writhed on the floor in pain. "Sebastian! Stop it!" Charlotte screamed in shock. She ran towards Sebastian, but he immediately pointed his wand at her. "Incarcerus!" Ropes bound Charlotte and prevented her from intervening. "I'm doing this for us. Don't you understand?" Sebastian yelled. Madness flashed in his eyes. He again aimed the torture curse at Ominis, who writhed and groaned. "Please! Stop it!" Charlotte begged him. "I will come with you. But please spare Ominis." Tears ran down her face. Sebastian paused. "You're really going to come with me?" he asked hopefully. Charlotte nodded eagerly. "Good. You heard her, Ominis. She belongs to me."

"Charlotte, please don't do this," croaked Ominis, still lying on the floor. "I'm doing this for you," she replied, sobbing. Groaning, Ominis struggled to his feet. "I will not give up without a fight." Sebastian shrugged dismissively. "Too bad. Avada Kedavra!" Ominis collapsed lifeless to the ground. Charlotte screamed in horror. "What have you done?" "The only thing left for me to do. Now, nothing stands in our way." With a wave of his wand, he loosened Charlotte's bonds. "I will never forgive you for that. You should have stayed in Azkaban." Charlotte's voice trembled, and her whole body shook. "So you're telling me you don't want to be with me?" Sebastian growled through clenched teeth. He pointed angrily at Ominis. "He's dead, Charlotte! He can't take you away from me anymore. You're free! You can come with me." "I was free before, too!" screamed Charlotte. "Being with Ominis was my free decision. And it is my free decision not to go with you. The Ministry of Magic has already been notified. The Aurors are on their way." Realization spread across Sebastian's face. "You betrayed me?" "We had no other choice," Charlotte explained.

Sebastian's hazel eyes darkened with anger. He stormed towards Charlotte and grabbed her in a chokehold. She tried to free herself in panic, but it was in vain. Despite the years of hardship in Azkaban, Sebastian was still stronger than her. Slowly, he raised his wand to Charlotte's temple. "If I can't have you, no one can," he whispered.

Green light flashed twice in quick succession in the hut. A short time later, the Aurors found three bodies in the small house in the otherwise peaceful village of Bamburgh.

#hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy sebastian #fanfiction author #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #horror #thriller #yandere #ao3 #wattpad

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uhohwhathaveidone · 2 years ago

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Hii! Could I request an Ominis x Fem Ravenclaw reader. Something like the Reader is really interested in the giant squid in the lake, so Ominis tries to sneak her into the Slytherin common room (with the help of sebastian maybe?) So she can get a better look at it

"J'adore les calamars géants<3" "Je t'aime."

Have a Look (O.G)

I always loved the idea of the Giant Squid in the lake, and apparently it was supposed to show up in POA, but they scrapped that script :( Anyway, I like having the reader/Sebastian describe things to Ominis, because I do the same thing to my two blind cats, even though they don't really care, but they're very good at getting around. I hope you enjoy!<3 (there's a meme hidden in here, I laughed a bit after I wrote it and just kept it there)

Students chattered around you as you walked with Sebastian and Ominis through the halls, classes over for the day. You held a book you had borrowed from the library about the history of the castle, flipping through the pages as you walked. Ominis stuck close to you, leading you through the halls as you kept your eyes glued to the pages, muttering. “You have plenty of time to look at your book, you know. Perhaps it could wait until we’re no longer walking?” You shook your head, the sound of the pages turning the only response to Ominis’ question. He sighed, instead making conversation with Sebastian. Sebastian chuckled, glancing over at you. “Ravenclaw’s do what they do best, you know.” Ominis sighed, grabbing your sleeve as he pulled you over and closer to him, seconds before you collided with another student.

“Found it!” You said to yourself, tapping your finger to the page you had flipped to. By now, the three of you had made it outside near the lake, one of the spots you hung around after classes. Sebastian plopped onto the soft grass, sighing as he watched you walk to the dock. Ominis followed you, your footsteps tapping on the wood as you walked to its edge. “I suppose you found another entry about the Giant Squid?” Ominis asked, finding a post, and using it to help him sit down, listening as you let out a hum and sat down next to him. “Indeed. Listen to this!” You said excitedly, reading from one of the entries. “Say’s here that it’s suspected that the Giant Squid is actually Godric Gryffindor!” Ominis let out a scoff, shaking his head. “There’s no way, how old would that make him?” You tapped your chin as you tried to do the math, furrowing your brows. “It was the Tenth Century, so at least a thousand years?” Ominis shook his head as he smiled. “You think a thousand-year-old wizard would want to be a giant squid? What would he even do?” You shrugged, flipping through the pages again.

“Oh, never mind.” You sighed, closing the book, and placing it beside you. Ominis turned his head, confused. “What’s the matter?” You bit the inside of your cheek as you hung a foot over the water, swinging it slightly. “It said it was unlikely, given that he, you know, died.” Ominis chuckled as he leaned back, the warm rays of the sun tickling his face. “Perhaps the squid was his pet? That would be rather interesting.” You shook your head, looking over the water as small fish swam by, small ripples forming as their fins skimmed the top. “All the books ever say is that its big, they don’t even agree about what colour it is.” You brought your foot back up, crossing your legs and you rested your arms on your knees.

Ominis sat beside you in silence, thinking. Sebastian had mentioned that there was a spot in the Slytherin common room where you could see the squid as it swam by, but since Ominis wasn’t able to confirm it, he had no idea if Sebastian was joking with him or not. There was also the problem with getting you in; you weren’t a Slytherin. You watched as Ominis’ face changed as he thought to himself, admiring the way he looked in the sun. Sebastian walked up to join you at the edge of the dock, a collection of flat pebbles in his hand that he had collected. “I bet I can skip the farthest.” He said, smirking down at you. You smirked as you got up, grabbing Ominis’ hand and bringing him up with you. “If you think you can beat me, why don’t you place a bet on it?” You teased, grabbing some of the rocks from Sebastian’s hand. He thought for a moment, trying to figure out if it was worth the loss of a Sovereign. “Perhaps. How about, instead of coins, you do some of my assignments for me when I win, Miss Knowledgeable?” You scoffed in response, nodding as you tossed a stone, skipping it five beats away. “If you win, Sallow. And that’s a big if.” Ominis smiled as he listened to the two of you as you skipped the stones, Sebastian’s voice whining each time yours skipped farther. “Oh, I didn’t say what I wanted when I won!” You paused, thinking. “How about, you have to buy me some sweets next time we go to Hogsmeade?” Sebastian sighed as he nodded, skipping another stone.

The three of you walked back to the castle, Sebastian’s face sour after you had bested him at skipping stones as you hummed to yourself beside him. Ominis walked between the two of you, still pondering to himself on how to let you see the squid you had become so fascinated with. You began to turn off to the hall that led to the Ravenclaw common room, waving to Sebastian. “I’m off, I’ll see you two tomorrow!” Sebastian waved to you, turning to head to his own common room. Ominis stood, quickly blurting out. “Meet us here around midnight, there’s something you must see.” You looked at him, puzzled. “Midnight? But that’s after hours. Where would we even go?” Ominis shook his head, “You’ll see.” With that, he turned back and walked with Sebastian, who looked at Ominis in confusion.

“What are you planning?” Sebastian asked, walking into the common room. Ominis walked toward the part of the room that showed the lake, beckoning Sebastian to follow. “You said you could see the giant squid in here, right?” Sebastian looked through the glass as he nodded. “Right, it swims by a lot at night. Why do you ask?” Ominis pointed to the glass, the cool surface smooth against his finger. “She wants to see it, so why not show her?” Ominis said, already set on his plan. Sebastian could only shake his head, “There’s no way she’d get in. Even with the password, someone will spot her.” Ominis smiled as he pointed his finger into Sebastian’s chest. “Only if she looked like a Ravenclaw. Most will be sleeping, anyway. We can give her an extra set of robes to change into so we can sneak her in, pretty simple.” Sebastian smiled, feeling that his devious actions had rubbed off on his friend after all these years. “Since when did you get so daring, Ominis?” He shrugged, turning to head back to the couch. “She loves the thing, why not let her see it when we basically have it in a giant tank?” Sebastian nodded, following Ominis as they busied themselves until the time ticked to midnight.

You waited anxiously outside the staircase, shivering slightly as a draft passed by. You wracked your brain for an explanation for why you were to meet the boys so late. You sighed as you shifted your footing, looking around for any sign of Ominis. A small light appeared at the end of the hall, and you watched as two shadows made their way over to you. You quickly ducked behind a pillar and held your breath, not wanting a professor to catch you sneaking around after hours all by yourself. “Y/n?” Ominis whispered, appearing beside you. You jumped; eyes wide as you turned your head to be face to face with the boy. Ominis felt the air shift as you jumped and the small puff of air that left your mouth as you gasped, taking a moment before realizing that he was too close. “Sorry, I didn’t know where you were.” He apologized, taking a few steps back. You settled your breathing, placing a hand to his shoulder to steady yourself. “It’s fine, just scared me a bit is all.” Sebastian popped up beside Ominis, a sly smile on his lips as he held a bundle of robes, causing you to jump slightly again. Ominis smiled as he felt your grip tighten on his shoulder, opting to take hold of your hand and leading you away from the stairs.

“What’s that you’ve got there, Sebastian?” You asked, eyeing the bundle in his arms. Sebastian smiled as he pushed the robe into your free hand, “You’ve been sorted into Slytherin tonight, time to get dressed.” You frowned, looking between the two boys. “Why?” Ominis shook his head as he let go of your hand, tugging at robe you were currently wearing. “No time, just hurry and change.” Sebastian watched, amused, as your face flushed, quickly taking of the blue and black robe; with the help of Ominis. You quickly slipped into the new robe, the green becoming a stark contrast to what you usually wore. “Now what?” You asked, watching as Sebastian took your original robe and hid it behind the pillar, pointing to it so you knew where it was. Ominis grabbed your hand once again, leading you down the hall they had come from.

“Now, you need to remember this word, ok? It’s important.” Sebastian stated, and you nodded, confused. “The door needs a password, or else you can’t get in. At the moment, it’s Blighters, so don’t forget it.” You nodded, repeating the password to yourself. “Blighters, got it. But why do I need a password?” You asked, furrowing your brows. Ominis chuckled as he walked listening to Sebastian sigh. “Aren’t you supposed to be in Ravenclaw? Smart?” You nodded, frowning. “We’re sneaking you into the Slytherin common room, obviously.” You sighed, shaking your head. “I was sort of hoping you weren’t going to say that. We could get into serious trouble, you know.” You stated, looking around as you walked. Sebastian scoffed, “Obviously. Look, it wasn’t even my idea this time. You can thank Smitten over there for that.” You looked at Ominis, who turned his head and nodded, a slight pink dusting his cheeks. You playfully slapped Sebastian’s arm, ignoring the nickname he had given Ominis. “You’ve corrupted our boy!”

You walked up to the entrance of the Slytherin common room, eyes wide as you looked at the details around it. Sebastian and Ominis stood beside you, watching in amusement. “I just say the password then?” You asked, turning to Ominis, who nodded. You took a breath, watching the snakes that had settled around the door frame. “Blighters.” The two snakes began to move, and you watched in amazement as they seemed to just slither along the wall, revealing the door to the Slytherin common room. You smiled as you peaked inside, unsure if you were able to walk in. Sebastian walked in first, turning and gesturing for you to follow. You looked over to Ominis, who in turn grabbed your hand and led you in.

You spun around, taking in the details that surrounded you. Although it felt like a cellar, it felt cozy at the same time, the warm light from a nearby fireplace casted soft shadows on your face. “This place looks amazing! And you get to live here?” You breathed, walking over to paintings and artworks on the wall. Ominis smiled as he nodded while Sebastian began to walk to a couch. “Yep, coziest place in the castle, if you ask me.” He said as he plopped himself on the cushions. Ominis walked over to you, grabbing your sleeve and leading you to another part of the room. “Have a look at this.” He said, bringing you up to the window of water. You gasped, watching as fish swam by, the lake just on the other side of the thick glass. Ominis sat down in one of the many seats beside the glass, often used to observe the life of the lake. You followed and sat beside him, still watching the water as the life inside buzzed about. “This is amazing!” You breathed, a large smile growing on your lips. Ominis smiled in return, listening to the soft gasps of amazement you let out each time a fish swam close to the glass. You turned to him; eyes wide as you thought about earlier.

“Can you see the squid from in here?” You asked, almost in a whisper. Ominis nodded and smiled as he gestured to the glass. “I remembered Sebastian mentioning it, so I wanted to sneak you in so you could see it. It usually passes around this time, actually.” You smiled as you wrapped your arms around Ominis’ neck, a string of thanks leaving your lips as you held him tightly. Ominis was caught off guard, but quickly wrapped his arms around you in response, smiling as he pressed his face into the crook of your neck. Sebastian smiled as he watched, glancing over to the lake as a tentacle rose up. “There it is, y/n! Look!” He shouted, pointing at the glass. You released Ominis and quickly made your way to the glass window, watching in awe as the squid slowly rose in the water.

“Ominis, come here!” You shouted, grabbing for his hand as you brought him over. Ominis looked at you confused, unable to see what you were seeing. “It’s giant! Bound to be at least two meters! And the books were all right, it’s just different colours!” You described the squid to Ominis, who began to form a picture of it in his head as you continued. “It’s a mix of colours, it’s kind of red, maybe pink? But it has spots where it’s white, and its arms are different colours too!” The squid continued to swim around, its long arms propelling it around as it seemingly performed for you. “I can see its beak too! It looks the size of Sebastian’s head.” “Are you saying I have a big head?” Ominis chuckled as the image grew clearer as you spoke. You watched as the squid turned, showing off one of its eyes. You gasped, watching as it flickered from yellow to a pale green, one that matched Ominis’ eyes. “Ominis! It just copied your eye colour! That’s amazing!” You grabbed his hand in excitement, watching as the squid placed a tentacle to the glass, its suckers pressed against the glass, almost demonstrating to you.

Ominis felt his face heat up as you squeezed his hand, excitement lacing your voice as you began to recall information from one of the books you had read. “Apparently, it’s sort of…domesticated. Like it was a pet a long time ago. One of the authors said they fell of a boat in the lake once, and that the squid pushed them back to the surface and to the boat, like it was helping them.” Ominis nodded, listening to every word you spoke. Sebastian had retreated back to the couch after you had made fun of his head, having seen the squid multiple times since he was sorted into Slytherin.

You watched the squid for a few more minutes, until it slowly swam away in search of food. You yawned, leaning your head onto Ominis’ shoulder for support. “I’ll walk you back to your common room, so you don’t fall asleep on the way there.” He offered, and you nodded, making your way back to the door, waving to Sebastian. The two of you walked down the halls, silent yawns escaping your lips every now and then. “I apologize for keeping you up so late,” Ominis said, breaking the silence. You shook your head as you smiled, grabbing his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s all right. You let me see the giant squid, and I loved it.” You had made it to the staircase leading up to your common room, and you picked up your robes from the ground. You changed into them and offered the Slytherin robe back to Ominis, who shook his head. “I have other robes; you should keep it in case I sneak you in again.” You smiled as your cheeks heated up, letting out a soft thank you.

The two of you stood there in silence for a moment, unable to turn and walk away from each other. You looked down at your feet as you thought back to the squid, thinking about how you may have never seen it if it wasn’t for Ominis. Quickly, you looked back up at him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ominis’ brows furrowed in confusion at the sudden touch, but quickly replaced it with shock as you softly pressed your lips to his cheek. You smiled against his skin as you whispered a final “thank you,” before pulling away. You watched in amusement as he was left speechless, fiddling with his sleeve as he tried to find the words to say. “Again, some time.” He muttered, and you smiled, leaning over, and placing another kiss on his cheek before heading up the steps. “Some time soon, I hope.”

#ominis gaunt imagine #ominis gaunt x reader #ominis x reader #ominis gaunt #reader insert #ravenclaw reader #ominis gaunt fluff #harry potter imagine #hogwarts legacy #harry potter #fluff #hogwarts legacy imagine #sebastian sallow #Great Lake Harry Potter #i think the giant squid would be so cute #if it was a pet it had to belong to either Helga or Godric #it helped collin when he fell into the lake??#a sweetie pie

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msfantasy · 2 years ago

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Betrothed to a Gaunt

Summary: Betrothed to a Gaunt. Rumours spread about MC, risking the betrothal.

Warning: Angst

A/n: Girllllll I don't know how I feel about this.

Part 4

“Did you hear that M/c is a half blood?”

“Don’t be daft, she comes from a pure blood line.”

“Apparently her mother had an affair with a muggle - everyone knows that.”

“That makes sense - why else would she arrive in her 5th year? Probably staying at her muggle family home.”

Whispers bounce through the hallway, burning one ear to the next.

Everyone knows about the betrothal to the Gaunt family line, nothing can be more tea sipping worthy than a Gaunt finally breaking their purity status.

Storming feet pass through the student body as M/C moves through the crowd towards the Slytherin Common room.

A fidgety Ominis Gaunt is seen sitting on the couch clutching in a tight grip a freshly written letter. Sebastian leans against the arching pillar, looking ever so disinterestedly outside the window.

“It’s not true what their all saying.” She announces abruptly. Sebastian glances towards the girl before returning his gaze to the passing fish, seeming more interested in counting their scales.

“My mother is well aware of the false accusations-“ M/c clutches her chests in relief. “Regardless, she demands the rumours to be put out at once or else she will find me a more ‘suitable fiancé’, one who will not tarnish the ‘Gaunt’ name with doubt.” Instant relief fleeting as quickly as it came.

“Seriously? Is it not enough that it’s not true?” She questions in furry, beginning to pace back and fourth.

“Apparently.” Ominis answers bluntly. “Let’s try back trace and identify the source of the drama. We can stamp it out at the root.” Ominis and M/c turn their attention to Sebastian, waiting in silence for their devious master to announce his simply brilliant plan.

However, Sebastian seems to remain completely oblivious to the silent pleas of his two friends as he continues to look through the large windows.

“Sebastian- if it is not completely inconvenient for you. It would be most helpful if you can help us.“ Ominis growls, hating to beg for help.

“What do you want me to do about it? You two didn’t even want to get married in the first place. It’s a win-win.” He announces with a big smile on his face. M/c remains quite looking at Ominis curiously. Had he not told his best friend?

“About that … Sebastian…” Ominis announces causing Sebastian to snap his neck looking towards the nervous blonde. “Things have changed…” Brows furrow in confusion.

“How has things changed? Did you want to force M/c into a loveless marriage? Did you want her to suffer if it means your happiness?” He asks in a cold and accusatory tone. Ominis looks taken aback by Sebastian’s cruel words, there was a truthful tone in it. M/c never would’ve married him without being forced into it. Was Ominis not being considerate enough of M/c position? Perhaps he should let nature take its course. “Be careful Ominis, your selfish Gaunt nature is showing.” Sebastian spits, his words punching Ominis in the gut.

“That’s enough Sebastian, do not talk to Ominis in such a way. Ominis, and I have decided to married and I’m doing it willingly.” Sebastian stepped back looking between the two. The air felt tense, looking into his eyes, M/c saw a look of betrayal and heartbreak swelling rapidly in Sebastian’s eyes.

“Do you love him?” He asks with a shaky voice. The girl stood before Sebastian, suddenly too aware of what’s happening.

M/c is not a stupid girl. She is cunning and quite capable of observing her surroundings.

The truth stood as clear as day.

Sebastian had romantic feelings for her, and she shattered any hope of their union with her declaration to marry Ominis.

M/c walks with conviction grabbing Sebastian and forcing him to sit with her. She places a tight grip on his hand and place a sturdy yet comforting hand along Sebastian’s jaw, guiding his gaze to her own.

“Please Sebastian, listen to me carefully. If I don’t marry Ominis, his family will force him to marry another. Not only is she cruel- but she’s the same age as Solomon.” Sebastian scrunches his face. “That is why, I promised Ominis to marry him. Its not a traditional marriage - but by marrying me, Ominis will be free from his family obligations…. What else am I to do?” She asks gently stroking her thumb along his cheek.

Sebastian leans softly into her hand with sorrow filling his features. He places a gentle hand on top of her own.“It’s just… I - well I love you… I even thought you may have returned my affections? Perhaps I was mistaken.” He whispered the last part attempting to break from the mesmerising hold M/c locked him into. M/c gripped tightly on Sebastian, pulling his weight back down and grabbing his face.

"Your feelings weren't one-sided Sebastian." M/c announced softly. Ominis bowed his head in shame, feeling as though he was invading a moment that he wasn't part of. "Just because I'm marrying Ominis doesn't mean I have to be with him in every sense right?" M/c waits for Ominis to validate her position. The lurking gentleman pauses for a moment, in hesitation before he speaks.

"Of course. M/c and I will still have our freedom in a sense." A disagreeable frown covers Sebastian as he shakes his head.

"No. This isn't right. I'm sorry mate, but your family drama is not M/c's burden to carry. I do not believe either of you have truely thought through your half baked idea." Sebastian stands, anger clenching through his jaw. "Consider if you marry Ominis, and take me as your lover, then what? You get to have me in secret? Did either of you think about the prospects of having children? Will I get to watch my children call Ominis their father? How about when we're old, do I get to sit on my porch alone because my girlfriend is probably too busy helping her husband?" Silence fills the room, it's true, neither of them had the foresight to consider such circumstances. Anxiety creeps up M/c shoulders, feeling torn between her options.

"I hear what you're saying Sebastian, but I don't know what else to do." She says, hunching her shoulders the way she does when she feels pressured.

"It's simple, you just marry me instead. I can make you happy." She shakes her head.

"And what about Ominis?" Huffing with struggle to produce words.

"Ominis problems aren't your own, if you love me then you'll be with me!" Sebastian yells angrily, not understanding your hesitation.

"I do want to be with you Sebastian - it's just not that simple. Don't forget I was betrothed to you first until you murde-" Ominis covered her mouth, muffling the sounds as they come out. Angry tears pour from her eyes, frustrated with her self for not explaining her self better.

"Please you two, let's not say anything we may regret later. I think you are right Sebastian. My problems are for me to carry alone." An angry growl groans from Sebastians throat.

"No - being with someone you love shouldn't be this hard." Sebastian pulls M/c away from Ominis, forcing her eyes to levels with his own. "Will you be with me?" He asked pointedly, his stares unblinkingly.

Her eyes flash around his face. The hesitation and slight pause was enough of an answer.

"You shouldn't have to think so hard on such a simple question."

And just like that he was gone.

Tags: @abbiesxox

#Ominis x Reader x Sebastian #Sebastian x Reader x Ominis #Sebastian x reader #Sebastian x mc #Sebastian sallow x reader #Sebastian sallow x mc #Sebastian x you #Sebastian sallow x you #ominis x reader #ominis x you #ominis x mc #Ominis gaunt x reader #ominis gaunt x you #ominis gaunt x mc

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vii-is-free · 5 months ago

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Odd Questions

Summary: Sequel to Chapter Seven. Late at night, Ominis and MC find Sebastian returning to the common room. Something is...off.

Who knew those pale blue eyes could burn with such a fury. Well…Sebastian knew, first of all.

"THAT was the book you were reading in the Restricted Section!?" Ominis shouted. "You're lucky I didn't realize that at the time, or so help me, Sebastian..."

"Ominis, enough." Leona groaned.

"The merpeople wouldn't have been able to find your body!"

Sebastian chuckled, and glanced at his friend. "Sorry. Ominis."

Tik…tik…tik…

Ominis laid in bed, wide awake, fingers interlaced and resting on his chest. His eyes were wide open staring at the ceiling right above him, though they betrayed their usefulness. It was no matter, as his other five senses were incredibly sharp, and he was as attuned to his environment as any of his dorm mates. Perhaps too much.

Tik…tik…tik…

Normally the ticking of the Slytherin Hall's grandfather clock served as a white noise, a necessary part of his goodnight rest. But tonight it was just a nuisance.

Tik…tik…tik….

Each sound of the needle moving one second more was like a hammer slamming against his skull. Each strike caused his nerves to flare up, u leashing a scurry of thoughts, all reminding him of something he did not want to think about.

Tik…tik…tik…

Ding!

It was one in the morning. And Sebastian was still not back.

Ominis let out a soft sigh, reaching under the pillow for his wand. He stood up and quietly shuffled to his dresser as not to disturb his roommates. He set down the wand and quickly switched out of his nightclothes. When he finished tying his silk green tie, Ominis turned towards the sink, dipping his hand into the water and using his palm to brush back his hair.

He wasn’t going to let anyone see him a mess, not even in the dead of night. Ominis had too much to prove.

After he dried his hands with the hanging towel on the side, he reached toward the dresser where he left his wand. On the way out, he grabbed his robe.

——-

Ominis leaned against his usual resting spot, head against the window. He closed his eyes, letting the ambiance of the lake soothe him. It helped him forget, even for a moment, the reality of the situation. He didn’t have to think about his best friend’s seemingly unstoppable descent into madness. He could concern himself the swirling of small currents caused by a nearby school of fish. The intermittent force of water pressing against the glass as the giant squid swam by.

He chuckled to himself. No mermaids this time.

Faint footsteps, too soft to be Sebastian’s, caught his attention, and he raised his head a bit. Ominis surmised one of the Slytherin girls was approaching him…not in the stomping manner that cued Imelda’s enterance, nor the sliding of soles across the carpet like Grace. Did he know…

Then it hit him, and he gave a chuckle.

A sleepless night, a moment of serendipity.

Ominis rested his head back against the glass as Leona approached him. He tried to keep the cheerful demeanor he held the first night they met. However, with each passing day, the burdensome hope that everything would be okay even without Anne, as well all those promises Sebastian threw at him like a heavy rope, were slipping form his fingers.

Just what the hell was Sebastian doing?

“Hello, Ominis," said Leona, "It's Leona, the new fifth year."

Ominis nodded. "Good evening or...night. Couldn't sleep either?"

'No," said Leona, "Too much on my mind."

"I'm sure..." he said, "Hogwarts is overwhelming enough, I cant imagine being thrown into this place as a fifth year."

Even without the stress of Sebastian's antics, year five was induated with the pressure of trials such as OWLs, Professor Sharps foul militance, and flying. Yes, flying. While he was exempt from actually mounting the broom, Madame Kogawa insisted that he show up to class and take the didatic exams. He frowned at the thought. Freaking moonmind.

“Is…everything alright?” Leona said, striking a daggar though the heart of his intrusive thoughts. He paused for a moment, then straightened his posture.

"Do you mind walking with me?" Ominis said, "I need to clear my head."

"Of course," Leona said, "Where should I…”

"To my right, if you don't mind."

Once he felt her presence near his right arm, Ominis took his wand and held it out before him. He slowly scanned the room, in case someone had a brilliant idea to move the furniture. Then, he began to walk, Leona keeping step next to him.

"This might be an odd question,” Leona asked, “but...is your wand sentient?"

"In a way," Ominis said, "But it doesn't perform spells for me, like some think. That is all my own doing. It only acts independently when my life is at stake.”

He must have been in a better mood than he realized, for any other student asking him such things would have been dismissed. But, for once, Ominis didn’t want to be alone in that moment. The stillness of the hall, other than the ticking clock, disturbed him. Plus, was nice to have someone other than Sebastian in his ear. He smiled. He didn’t mind the sound of her voice at all. “Any other odd questions? I'm welcome to answer them."

"Actually..." Leona looked up, racking her mind. So many questions. She stopped at the site of an apple floating in front of her. She looked at Ominis, who suddenly had one in his hand.

"Hungry?"

"Erm, yes actually." A smile caught her as she took the offering. After fighting for scraps in St. Agnes all her life, Leona would always be astounded by the sheer number of snacks laid about the castle. "You heard my stomach?"

"No, just mine," Ominis said cheekily, "You were saying?"

“Well…” Leona pondered for a moment when the serpents on the bannister caught her eye. "What is the significance of the snake imagery around us?" She then took a bite, waiting for his answer.

"Hm, well,” Ominis said, “I'm sure you noticed that each house has a kinship of sorts with a certain animal. In the case of ours,” Ominis took a bite of his apple, taking the opportunity to mull on his words. After finishing, he continued, “Salazar Slytherin could talk to snakes. I suppose he forged a connection with them. Perhaps he had more snakes as friends than people.”

“Hm. I wonder what snakes talk about.” Leona said before taking another bite.

"They’re terrible gossips."

“Hmph?” Her mouth was still full.��

“I mean-that’s my...erm…assumption.” Ominis shoved the apple back in his mouth.

The sound of a loud sigh caught his ear. Ominis pointed his wand in that direction, surmising that a figure had just thrown themself onto one of the sofas near the fireplace. He paid little mind at first, assuming it was an exhausted senior. He had heard N.E.W.T.’s were especially frightful this year.

It was Leona's worried voice that startled him.

"Sebastian?" Leona said, "Are you alright?!"

Sebastian?!

They both hurried to the fireplace. Ominis could hear the deep exhales escaping Sebastian’s chest, and his brow furrowed. Was he crying? Was he upset about Anne? Or...

"Ugh" Leona said, disgusted, “Why are you covered in sweat?"

"Heh, sorry," Sebastian said, his voice shaky, "I thought I would try a hand at Imelda's trial at the arena, and failed miserably."

Ominis frowned. “I thought you were working on your mandrake parchment in the library."

"Ah well," Sebastian said, rather shortly, "I needed a break."

Ominis pointed his wand in Sebastian's face. "Are you lying to me?!”

"What--no!" Sebastian smacked his hand away. "Take a walk, Ominis!"

Ominis clenched his jaw, shoving his wand back in his pocket. He turned towards the fireplace as Sebastian rose to his feet and stormed off. "Why don’t you take a walk...to the showers! You're fouling up the common room!"

Sebastian muttered something as left. Ominis took his seat on the chair facing the fire, placing his head in his hands. He heard the other chair creak a bit as Leona sat down.

"That was..." Leona said, stunned, "Quite unlike him." Ominis let the silence settle in between them as he gathered his thoughts. Leona noticed. “Would you like to talk about it?” Ominis let a deep exhale.

"Sebastian’s not doing well,” Ominis said, “and he's geting worse at hiding it. His sister...is terribly ill. It's our first year at Hogwarts without her, and it’s been difficult, to say the least."

"He mentioned something about her," Leona said, "But I didn't press. That's awful."

Ominis nodded. "He's getting rather irritated with me, but I can't help it. I'm afraid that he’s...looking towards dark magic as a means to cure her."

“You mean...the type of magic they don't teach at Hogwarts?"

Ominis scoffed. Sebastian obviously introduced this to her. "There's a reason Hogwarts doesn't teach the dark arts.” He set his unfinished apple down at the side table. “That type of magic doesn't heal, or create. It only destroys. I've told him time and time again but..."

Ominis sighed again and shook his head before resting his forehead back in his hands.

"Forgive my ignorance," said Leona, "I don't have much experience with…any of this."

"Well, I do,” Ominis said with a stern voice, “And I can tell you this...” he looked back up, gaze directed towards her. “There are two types of wizards that are attracted to to the dark arts. Those who are weak…and those who are desperate."

Sebastian will do anything to find a cure for Anne. But at what cost? Ominis was terrified to find out.

"The weak and the desperate..." Leona echoed his words as she finished her apple.

Ominis picked his back up from the table and finished it quickly. As mich as Sebastian ruined his appetite, he hated wasting food. His mind began to spin as his mouth stayed full. He wanted to tell Leona not to misunderstand him. That Sebastian wasn't weak by any means. But he would do anything to heal Anne.

He was desperate.

Ominis was tired of defending him at this point. Especially if Sebastian was going to act like a petulant child. He stood up, tossing the apple dore into the fire, and made his decision. “But enough about him. It’s not worth ruminating over.”

He’s so tiresome.

"Hm," Leona said. "In that case…if that’s alright with you...I do have a few more odd questions."

Ominis didn’t expect his spirits to lift so fast, nor did he expect the smile on his face to return. He was grateful the impression outside the undercroft didn’t sour her towards him. He took her up on the offer as his appetite returned. “Still hungry?”

Leona stood up, and said with a smile of her own. “I am.”

“Come, I’ll show you how to sneak into the Hogwarts kitchens.”

#I know I did a bad thing and swapped POV right in the middle but I don’t care #its all just self indulgent nonsense at this point lmao #did you just come from the UNDERCROFT?!#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #snek trio #hogwarts legacy fandom

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emarttt · 2 years ago

Text

*Ominis×MC Headcanon*

"You can never totally let your past behind"

I saw the movie Little Women with Florence Pugh and Timothy challamet a looong time ago but this scene when Laurie's is trying to "confess" his love to Amy's always here in my mind so, here we are (for one, MC ("you") is the ass in the story and ominis is the fool one hehe)

This is my first big writing and English is not my first language so be indulgent please <3

Warning : Well just fluff and a bit of angst I guess? Enjoy! ^^

*Few years passed and you've never seen Sebastian again after he miraculously left the castle and all your story behind. You've tried for months, even years to find him after your graduation but he was nowhere to be found. You've finally decided to stop pursuing your past, understanding there was nothing more to do than accept this empty part of your being. However, someone was still there to bring light to your deepest darkness. Ominis never left you, at least not really. He helped you looking for his best friend for a time but stopped one day, a letter on your desk*

"Y/N,

This is not how I want to spend the rest of my life. Chasing the one who left us without a word... I'm about to start a new life, have a sweet little place and grow older with or without him, as hard as it is to be said. He won't come back, and you know it. Life is giving us a chance and perhaps you'll take this chance by my side till the end.

Ominis G."

*You took a pretty long time thinking about this offer, acting ignorant by refuting the real meaning of Ominis's words. What he actually meant was that he wanted to start something with you, and you’ve quite always unconsciously known he felt things for you. You’d be a fool by saying you’ve never felt that way about him but… Sebastian had your heart from the beginning, you got mesmerised by this connection you two had, even if it was rude and chaotic sometimes, that’s what you loved about it. But this bond has created a hole between the descendant of Salazar Slytherin and you and you couldn’t put yourself to stop searching for the one you’ve always loved. Letting your old friend start his new life on his own*

*Two years had passed, and you were sitting on a bench in front of a magnificent fountain in a quiet Scottish village by the end of a cold winter night. You’ve always liked this place, it felt like home, nobody was around and you were there, feeling at peace with yourself for the first time after so many years wasted looking for Sallow. You’ve finally made up your mind, guessing he’d never come back to you, this revelation giving you quite the time to think. Suddenly, some footsteps resonated on the old cobblestone of the village asleep*

- Hi Y/N..

*You knew whose voice this was. You turned around, facing a tall and young blond man, a wand in his hand. Without saying a word, you jumped into his arms, feeling some tears in your warm eyes. He was handsome, these 2 years had helped him become a real man despite the fact you both were still young after all. His hand on your hip, you’ve slowly backed off, a slight smile on your face, hearing the fountain’s water runoff behind your back.*

- Ominis… it’s so good to see you

- It’s good to see you too. I was surprised when I received your letter. You wanted to talk to me ?

*You were the one who’d reached out him to, because you felt this emptiness growing inside you the more you were facing the world alone, finally understanding that he was the piece you missed in your life. You asked him to meet you at this exact place and time, and you’ve waited all afternoon, going to a pub and tiny shops before sitting on this same bench. But now that he asked you the real reason for this meeting, you felt your brain explode*

- Yes… I’ve decided to stop looking for Sebastian. You were right, he will never come back.

*You saw him showing a sad smile, but still full of understanding, as he always did*

- I’m happy you’ve finally made your call about that. I know how much it is hard but, it’s for the best. Some things have to stay behind us.

- I must admit, I’ve missed these well said words of yours… did you finally started the new adventure you were talking about?

*You felt a bit of guilt talking about that specific letter he wrote you 2 years ago, offering you a life you actually wanted but couldn’t accept because of your stubbornness. He took a moment before answering, you could see something going on his expression, not knowing what it was about*

- I… yeah. I found a peaceful place to live for the next few years and my life’s never been better. What about you? Any plans ?

*You knew Ominis was hiding something from you by the way he touched his hands quite nervously, he was always doing that when he feels uncomfortable*

- Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot, Ominis. That’s why I asked you to come here tonight. I… I want to start a new path with… with you. You know as you said in your letter. I mean, we could… raise mooncalfs in a little cottage, you remember how they were adorable ! And maybe we…

*Suddenly, you saw him turning his back on you, one of his hand passing on his face.*

- Please Y/N… Stop.

*You looked at your old friend before approaching slowly, visibly feeling something was wrong by the perception of his cold tone. You put a hand on his arm and he didn’t move, he just stayed there*

- What is it..? Did I… say something?

- I… I’m engaged.

*He didn’t turn around, he couldn't have seen the devastating look on your face anyway, but you felt he could sense it. Have you heard right ? Engaged? Without preventing it, you’ve felt your heart breaking into hundreds of pieces. Yes, you loved him, you always did. As much as Sebastian, but he left you and now, the only one you wanted by your side was about to leave you too… were you supposed to live these years alone? Is that what your future was about?*

- You’re… what?

- I’ve met a beautiful lady on my way to London few months ago and I asked her to marry me.

- Few months ago but… why ?

- Listen I just… felt it was the right person at the right time ! *His voice broke down a bit as he was now looking at you through his light blue eyes, arms crossed on his chest*

- That is not something you say when you truly love someone, Ominis.

- Don’t start, you know nothing about love. Otherwise… things would have been different.

* Even if he could never actually sees you, now you felt his eyes looking away, ashamed of what he’d just said to you. The two of you stood still, time passing while you were thinking about what you could say to him.*

- You shouldn’t marry her. *You’ve said, feeling quite sure of your words*

- What ?

- You heard what I said.

- This is non-sens, why would you say that in the first place ?

- You know why…

*He took a long moment to process what you’ve just admitted in front of him. What he’s always wanted to hear you saying. He couldn’t believe all these years of feelings for you would just explode now, now that he’s finally happy, and had accepted you would never abandon your love for his best friend, even if he’d stay hidden forever*

- You’re not… saying what I think you’re saying ?

- Please Ominis just listen to me…

- Listen to you? After all these years ? No… no I can’t.

- I don’t know why I am feeling this right now but… I just can’t imagine you with another woman… getting married…

- Stop… please. I have been second to Sebastian all this time when he was still here. I couldn’t help but falling for you and you… you never stopped loving him, even when he was gone. I gave you a chance two years ago and you didn’t take it… end of discussion.

*You saw him walking away from you. He was completely lost, feeling too many things at the same time for someone who swore to never be disturbed by you again. Guilt, anger, sadness but also… something else. Something he hasn’t felt in years. Something burning in his stomach but he didn’t want to feel that, why couldn’t you stay out of his mind? You couldn’t stay there just watching him leave you as everyone else already did before, so you run to catch him, gently putting your hand on his, feeling electricity all over your body because of this little touch. He felt that too and more than you could think. His blindness has always given him the ability to sense his environment and people more than everyone else. He had missed the sensation of your hand. That’s why he stopped. He couldn’t resist your touch.*

*He finally faced you, feeling your hot breath on his neck as he was taller than you. You were close, too close. Even if he couldn’t see you, he could feel the warmth of your body getting closer and closer to him.*

- Y/N…

- Ominis… please, listen to me…

*You’ve whispered. Your face and his were only a few inches away, and feeling now happy he wasn’t able to see your red cheeks. Your hand was still touching his and you thought he would break the distance between you two to lock up your mouth with his.*

- Merlin… I’m… I’m sorry… I have to go…

*But he didn’t. He left the place before you could say anything, disappearing like he was never there.*

Maybe I'll do a part 2? Tell me what you think

It’s quite short but I love this headcanon so much I couldn’t just abandoned it ! Ominis is always so sweet I can’t-

#sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy imagines #harry potter hogwarts legacy #ominis x reader #ominis x mc #ominis x sebastian #hogwarts legacy headcanons #ominis x oc

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fitzs-trained-monkey · 1 year ago

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Creatures Lie Here - Sneak Peek

Synopsis: The Noble House of Gaunt burned from the inside out... || A Hogwarts Legacy story ||

Warnings: None

A/N: Just shouting out into the void here. Would anyone like to see this continued? because if not, then I doubt I have the strength to write it. OC is not the playable character of the game. This sneek peek is a flashback that takes place before the HL storyline.

"Monster,

How should I feel?

Creatures lie here

Looking through the window"

The Slytherin common room wasn't as cold as most would suspect. Not even on winter nights such as this. Likely it was slightly cooler than the other common rooms, but Hogwarts was a school after all and there's hardly a point in freezing the students every December through March.

There were plenty of fireplaces to heat the place and a plethora of enchantments to keep the heat circulating. It was comfortable. And quiet. A great place to sort out one's self after a few less than pleasant dreams.

Screaming.

Ominis always dreamt of the screaming. And the pain. The pain would never leave him.

It was always so silent and serene in the common room, however. He didn't have to listen to the screaming - only the soft sounds of fish outside the windows. He liked to count them as they passed by. The oppressive weight of his family's cruelty couldn't touch him here - so long as he was alone anyway. Though, the only time to be alone was after hours.

His favorite sofa directly behind him, Ominis tucked his wand away and, with a miserable groan, flopped onto the leather cushions. It was nice to be dramatic every once in a while. Perhaps Sebastian was rubbing off on him.

"Bad dreams, Ominis?"

Her voice rang out from one of the window alcoves across from his sofa.

Ominis shot upright, brandishing his wand. It could detect the objects around him and separating people from furniture was usually quite easy as people were rather prone to moving. Even without it, Ominis knew when someone was about him. He could hear their breathing. But not hers.

He couldn't hear her breathe.

Though he did hear her shift. Her neck popped two or three times as she turned her head to look at him. Disgusting.

Nothing about her was quite right.

When once he'd asked, his best friend had told the Gaunt boy what that girl looked like - he'd described something close to a corpse. Thin, pale, and skeletal, with sunken eyes and jet black hair. "Just a smidge too pretty to be an inferius," Sebastian had often joked.

Evelyn was her name. A rather beautiful one. Ominis had never thought it fit. Perhaps she was beautiful, but her voice rasped and broke - as though her vocal cords were ancient frayed ropes, covered with dust. Everything about that girl sounded so... delicate - constantly on the verge of falling apart. It was unsettling.

"Relax," Evelyn hummed and always there was that lazy smile in her voice. Something about it still sounded so wrong - so barren. "We're all friends here, are we not?"

The way she emphasized 'friends' betrayed the notion of anything but.

"I hardly know you," He stated coolly. The hour was far too late for him to bother with manners.

A dry, harsh laugh escaped her then. Singular and sudden. "No? We've only been going to school together for four years now. In the same house, no less."

"That hardly means anything," He huffed. "You don't talk to anyone."

"No. I don't, do I?"

That question raised another.

"Then why speak to me?" He demanded. Still, he strained to define where she was. That girl was somehow... dimmer than anyone else.

"Why indeed."

It was her spine this time, cracking in multiple places as she stretched. It was as though her entire being were trapped in a perpetual state of atrophy, yet somehow incapable of ever truly decaying. The way her joints snapped every time she moved, the way her voice rasped like the grain of wood worn raw - even that stomach-turning tendency she had to twirl her wand between those far too thin fingers. He could hear the wood rubbing against bone through her skin when she did that and it never ceased to impress upon him the need to vomit - worse than any of his, or heaven forbid, Garreth's, concoctions in potions.

Ominis waited, suppressing a gag and she sighed.

"I think the two of us have a lot in common," She answered, finally.

"Really?" Ominis chuckled, sour on his tongue. "Such as?"

"Eh-" He imagined she waved a hand dismissively. Her wrist cracked. "Sleeplessness, bad dreams, a terminally guilty conscience - take your pick."

His grip on his wand tightened. "Get all that from eavesdropping, did you?"

"Well, you do talk in your sleep," She said, the rustle of her robes reaching his ears as she shrugged. She was still fully dressed.

Ominis scowled. "You've listened to me sleep?"

He could practically hear her rolling her eyes. "We've been going to school for four years, Ominis," She reminded him again. "You come out here often enough. Do you really think this is the first time I have?"

Chills racked his spine. The room wasn't all that cold.

"I don't... fall asleep out here," He claimed.

"Not intentionally."

Ominis opened his mouth to reply, but the clatter of footsteps on stone stairs interrupted him. He tilted his head toward the sound and sighed. Across from him, the girl's hips snapped as she swung her legs up and over the arm of the chair she sat in. Her signature in his wand's sense wavered strangely - flickering almost.

"Evenin', Fronz-y!" She called out.

A pathetic yelp sounded from the direction of the stairway. "What the- Lumos!" The voice belonged to Slytherin prefect Fronz Mortondell - a snide, impatient soul with an affinity for getting students into trouble for no reason at all. "You!" Ominis flinched. Did he have to be so loud this late? "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Listening to you ask me what I'm doing out of bed." The girl snickered. "And berating dear Ominis, of course."

He rolled his eyes. Whereas the back of his sofa would have hidden him from the prefect's sight, she just had to call him out. Lovely.

Fronz's pulsing presence drew closer and Ominis could detect the prickle of magic on his skin as the light from the prefect's wand illuminated him. He twiddled his fingers in a wave.

"Gaunt," Fronz all but growled.

"Mortondell." He sighed.

"And where's that little weasel you call a friend?" He snapped.

"I'd say he's with your girlfriend, but that would be an insult to his tastes," Ominis sneered.

"Come now," Evelyn giggled. "You know Fronz-y prefers men."

"That would require I pay attention to his affairs."

"Touche."

Fronz spluttered. "You can't talk to me like that! I'm a prefect!"

"You hear that, Ominis? We can't talk to him like that," The girl mocked.

"Never stopped me before."

"Both of you! Get to bed! Now!" Fronz's high pitched squeal demanded.

"What are you going to do?" Ominis drawled, now thoroughly annoyed. "Snuff out the candles on us?"

Evelyn's harsh peals of laughter were an oddly comforting sound.

Fronz huffed like a child. "Professor Sharp will hear about thi-"

"Petrificus totalus!"

The spell, like an icy spear, lanced past Ominis' right ear. A moment later, a rather hefty thump signaled to him that Fronz would not be getting up for a while.

Evelyn chuckled darkly. "That should shut him up."

He remained silent for a while, blinking in surprise.

"Well... if you weren't in trouble before, you certainly are now." He scowled and laid back down.

"Ask me how much I care," She snapped, mood suddenly quite foul.

"I won't."

"Good."

Worlds could have passed away between the moments which encased them in silence, though Ominis knew they were mere minutes rather than centuries. He broke the quiet with a question, one he'd been wondering about for a while. He didn't think she'd answer. The important part was asking. Politeness, composure - all things that could wait for the morning. He wanted to know what she'd do.

"I overheard Imilda note that you have your own dorm - that your door locks from the outside," He recalled quietly. A fish swam by the window but he didn't feel the need to tally it for once. "Why is that?"

"I suppose Professor Black merely wishes to keep my half-blooded filth from contaminating this - our most noble house of Slytherin, eh?" A chuckle, bitter and rasping, forced itself from her chest. Sarcasm dripped from every syllable, yet if he wasn't mistaken, there was a deep despair hidden behind each one.

"So, now that I know what you sound like when spilling falsehoods," Ominis began, shooting a pointed smirk in her direction. "Why don't you tell me the truth?"

He expected his demand to be met with her wrath - loud and forceful - just as she'd demonstrated for him so plainly in their second year. But the fire of her hatred did not come. The air between them froze instead. He could hear the grinding of her teeth. Perhaps they were all growing up.

Evelyn let go of a long sigh.

"Go back to bed, Gaunt."

She spat his name like a curse. He supposed it was.

Then… the edge in her voice dulled away. Like how rust wears a blade over time.

"You need the sleep," She said.

"And you don't?"

Her robes rustled as she readjusted herself with a shallow huff. Judging off of the particularly loud snap given by the vertebrae in her neck, he guessed she must have tilted her head back to watch the fish swim by the common room windows - not entirely unlike he did.

"No," Evelyn replied. Silence followed.

And she didn't move after that.

Didn't breathe.

Ominis went back to bed. Yet, he felt a little less alone, though he didn't quite know why.

Thank you for your time.

#my name is cas and i write stuff #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #ominis x oc #fanfic #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy characters #hogwarts legacy fanfic #ominis gaunt fic #ominis gaunt x reader

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scripted-hogwartslegacy · 2 years ago

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DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE

It was warm for ONE day, and I got big summer feels.

How I imagine a day at the creek with the lads would go. Kinda random, just 15 year-olds being 15 year-olds.

Garreth, who found the place: *leading them through the muddy creek, mapping out the easiest way to navigate it*

Ominis: *wading delicately along the shallow waters of the soft, sandy shoreline* “I do not want to feel any creatures in here.”

Sebastian: *balancing over wet rocks, grinning* “oOh, Imagine, a fish sliding past your ankle.”

MC: “StooOp.” *whining, holding their trousers up to their knees as they wade through a deeper part of the creek*

Garreth: “I doubt it. We’ve probably scared them all off.” *his voice is distant as he rounds a bend* “Watch these stones over here, they’re slippery.”

—

Sebastian: *finding a thick, fallen tree branch resting over the cliff of the bend and clambering up the ravine to sit on it*

MC: *chuckling, shaking their head*

Sebastian: *testing his weight on the branch and daring to scoot further up the bark as it creaks beneath him*

Ominis: *with his affectionate scolding* “If you fall, don’t ask me to carry you to the hospital wing.”

—

MC and Ominis lounging in a sunlit clearing, waiting for Sebastian and Garreth who are still in the wooded part of the creek*

Garreth and Sebastian: *laughing loudly, splashes coming from the shade* “NO- oh god it’s cold!”

Sebastian: *emerging first, running as best he can through the shallow water and into the sunlight*

Garreth: *dripping wet, shaking the water from his hair, laughing*

Sebastian: “It’s not so bad ov-“ *slips and drops into the water*

MC: *gasps, then laughs as Sebastian emerges from the pool*

Sebastian: *panting, wiping water from his face* “It is DEEP over here, Weasley!”

Garreth: *laughing at him and trudging up the bank where it’s safe, running his hands through his red curls, shining golden in the sunlight*

—

*after a collective swim*

Ominis: *disgusted at the seaweed that caught his ankle, brushing it off in a hurry*

They drift over to the shore then climb onto the river bed, brushing wet hair out of their faces and squeezing water out of their clothes.

Leaving some garments out to dry, stretching out under the sun to soak up what warmth they can, humming in relaxation, the melodic bubbling of the creek and the twittering of birds in their ears.

Probably chasing after a poor frog into the tall grass.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy headcanons #sebastian sallow headcanon #ominis gaunt headcanon #garreth weasley headcanon #sebastian sallow #ominis gaunt #garreth weasley #silly thoughts

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fanartandfanfiction · 1 year ago

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Siren Songs

Chapter two: Ominis and Naia grow closer.

—————————————————————————-

Ominis visited Naia at least twice a week, and it was the favorite part of the week for them both.

“He just drives me mad sometimes. He’s so headstrong and thinks he knows better than me.”

“He doesn’t understand you have his best interests at heart, Omi.” Naia held his hand, something they’d started doing without realizing it.

“I have something to tell you. The school year is almost over and I’ll be gone for the summer.”

“Oh.” Naia said quietly.

“But I’ll be back in the fall. And I’ll come see you as soon as I can.”

“I’ll miss you, Omi.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Ominis sighed. “I don’t suppose I can send you letters. I wish I could. But I’ll be thinking of you.”

Naia rested her head on his shoulder and cried. He hugged her to him, not caring that he was getting wet.

It was a dreadfully long summer. Ominis hated going home anyway, but he really missed his siren friend. Fifth year finally began and Ominis was itching to go to the lake.

“What’s got you all worked up?” Sebastian asked as Ominis jiggled his leg, ignoring Black’s speech.

“I just grow tired of these sorting ceremonies.”

That evening, Ominis waited until Sebastian was asleep and practically ran for the lake. He ran to the edge of the dock. “Naia?”

He heard a splash of water and suddenly he was falling backwards onto the dock.

“Ominis! I missed you!” Naia had launched herself out of the water at him.

“I missed you too. How was your summer?”

They held hands and talked until Naia had to get back into the water, then talked some more. Ominis laid down on the dock, resting his head on his arms to keep talking to Naia. Eventually he fell asleep.

He woke up with a start and realized what he’d done. He rushed back to the Slytherin dorms and attempted to sneak back to his bed.

“Ominis! Where the hell were you?! I’ve been searching all night!”

“Oh, I fell asleep in the undercroft.”

“No you didn’t, it’s the first place I checked. Now tell me why you smell like fish.”

“I was visiting someone, ok?”

“What does that mean?!”

Ominis sighed. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Of course, you know that.”

“Then keep an open mind and your mouth shut and come with me.” They walked down to the slytherin common room and over to the glass wall. Ominis knocked in a rhythmic pattern and waited.

“What are you-“ he stopped as a gorgeous mermaid swam over to the wall. She tapped back and smiled.

“This is Sebastian. Would you like to meet him?” He was answered with two sharp knocks. “Alright, come with me.”

“I have a lot of questions.” Sebastian said quietly as they left the castle.

“Keep them to yourself for now. And be respectful.” They walked to the dock and Ominis turned to him. “Stand back, please.”

Sebastian stepped back in shock and watched as the mermaid launched herself out of the water. Ominis caught her and helped her sit on the edge of the dock.

“You must be Sebastian! I’ve heard so much about you!” The mermaid beamed at him and he was dumbstruck. She was strikingly beautiful with long blonde hair and the bluest eyes he’d ever seen.

He gaped at her, unable to speak.

“Don’t be rude, Sebastian. This is Naia. Naia, Sebastian.”

“Hello!” Naia waved excitedly. Then she hugged Ominis tightly. He was shocked when Ominis hugged her back. “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon!”

“I actually fell asleep here last night. I tried to sneak back in but Sebastian caught me and had a lot of questions. You can trust him, he’s my best friend. I thought it was time you two met.” Sebastian was still silent and Ominis nudged him. “Would you say something?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit shocked. I feel like I can’t think straight when I’m looking at her.” Sebastian didn’t have a thought in his head besides wanting to kiss her.

“Oh no! That’s my fault. I’m a siren. I guess because Omi can’t see me, he isn’t affected.”

“Ominis, you can’t be friends with a siren!” Sebastian closed his eyes to focus.

“Excuse me?!”

“This is dangerous! You don’t know her intentions! What if she wants to drown you?!”

“Why would I want to drown him?! He’s my friend!” Naia protested angrily.

“That’s what sirens do!”

“We’ve been friends for over a year, Sebastian. I expect you to apologize to Naia!”

“I can’t believe you’d be so foolish!”

“I can’t believe you’d be so ignorant!” Ominis held Naia’s hand and sighed. “Just go.”

“I’m not leaving you with a siren.”

“I’m sorry, Omi. I didn’t mean to upset your friend.” Naia said sadly and squeezed his hand.

“It’s alright, Naia, it’s not your fault. I have to go get ready for classes. I’ll visit another time.” He hugged her tightly and helped her into the water. He turned back to Sebastian with a glare. “I can’t believe you.”

They didn’t speak for the rest of the day. Sebastian felt guilty, maybe he had been ignorant. There was only one way to find out.

He waited until about midnight and made sure Ominis was actually asleep in his bed. He went to the common room and over to the glass window. He knocked like Ominis had: two knocks, a pause, three rapid knocks. He stepped into the shadows and waited.

Sure enough, Naia swam up to the window. She didn’t see anyone and looked confused until Sebastian stepped forward. He held up his hands in truce as he stepped towards the glass. “I’m sorry, Naia. Will you allow me to speak with you?”

She stared at him for a moment before nodding yes. He headed out to meet her at the dock.

He peered over the edge and didn’t see anything. “Naia?”

“What do you want?” She’d surfaced slightly off to the side.

“I wanted to apologize for my treatment of you earlier.”

Naia swam slightly closer. “So you’re not afraid I’m going to hypnotize you and try to drown you?”

“A little, but that’s just because you don’t like me.” He chuckled. “But really, I was ignorant. I’d like to get to know you sometime.”

“Alright.” She nodded.

“I’ll leave you alone now, I just wanted to say sorry.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Her head disappeared below the surface and the lake was smooth again. Hopefully Ominis wouldn’t stay mad at him.

After Sebastian smoothed things over, things were back to normal between Ominis and Naia. He sort of wished he hadn’t introduced them, because now Sebastian wanted to come ALL THE TIME. Not only did he flirt with her, which got on Ominis’ nerves, but he liked spending time alone with Naia. It was nice to have someone to vent to about Sebastian and his antics.

Ominis began sneaking out at different times so he could go without Sebastian. He even visited in the winter, and today he had something special.

He caught her as she jumped to the dock and held her a bit longer than necessary. He felt the smooth, bare skin of her arms. “Do you not get cold?”

“Not really, no. Even if I did, I’d come visit.”

“I didn’t know if you’d catch a chill or not, so I brought a blanket in case you wanted it.”

“Oh, that’s so thoughtful! Thank you Omi.” He wrapped it around her shoulders and she laughed. “This feels strange. And lonely. Perhaps we could share it.”

“Oh, alright.” He unfolded the blanket so it fit around both their shoulders. He shivered, not from the cold, but from the proximity of Naia.

“Oh! You’re probably very cold. Here.” She wrapped both arms around him and her skin was surprisingly warm. Now he was even more nervous.

“Um, I have something for you. A gift. Humans have a holiday called Christmas where we exchange gifts with the people we care about. I got you something.”

“That’s so sweet! But I don’t have anything for you.”

“That’s alright, it’s a human holiday after all. Here.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her.

“Oh it’s beautiful! Thank you!”

“No, Naia.” He laughed. “The gift is IN the box.”

“Oh! Well the box is quite lovely.” She giggled. She opened it and gasped. It was a delicate pearl bracelet with a small charm.

“I don’t know if sirens wear jewelry, but I thought you could. And the charm has my initials on it, O.G. So you’ll be reminded of me.”

Naia was quiet for a moment. “Don’t humans give jewelry to people they…love?”

Ominis cleared his throat. “I suppose they do.”

“And you gave jewelry to me.”

“Yes, I did.”

Ominis felt her hand brush against his cheek. Then suddenly her lips were on his and he felt like he was on fire. She pulled away and smiled. “Sorry, I might’ve done that wrong. I’ve never kissed someone before.”

“I haven’t either.” He couldn’t keep the grin off his face.

“Was it ok?” She asked softly. He responded by pressing his lips against hers once again. They stayed like that for a while, huddled under a blanket and exchanging sweet kisses until she had to get back in the water. Ominis smiled all the way back to his room, despite the fact that snow was on the ground and he was freezing.

“Merry Christmas!” Sebastian woke him up by smacking him in the face with a pillow. “Get up, lazy bones!”

“Do that again and you die.” Ominis grumbled.

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

“Didn’t get much sleep.” Ominis stretched and yawned.

“If you’d stop making so many late night trips to the dock, you wouldn’t be.”

“Oh. I didn’t think you knew.”

“I usually get up to take a piss and you’re gone. You’re going to get pneumonia.”

“It would be worth it.” Ominis smiled.

“So did you give her the bracelet?”

“Apparently I’m not as secretive as I thought.”

“Come on, do you think I believed for a minute you got your mother a bracelet?”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“So did she like it?”

“She did. A lot.” Ominis couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “She kissed me.”

“Nicely done! But are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“What?”

“Falling in love with a mermaid. Where could it possibly go? Especially physically, do mermaids even have va-“

“I’m begging you to stop talking.” Ominis interrupted him.

“Fine, but you know I’m right. Are you going to visit her at the lake all the time?”

“So far I am.”

“This isn’t going to work, Ominis.”

“I’ll make it work! Because she’s worth it, Sebastian.”

“Fine. At least open the gift I got you before you go down there again.” He tossed a box at Ominis.

“Yours is under my bed, unless you sniffed it out already.”

“I did, and thank you! As soon as Tomes and Scrolls is open, I’m getting a stack of books.”

“I have another for you, but I kept it on me because I knew you’d do this.” Ominis dug in his pocket and tossed a box at him.

“Woah, nice cufflinks!”

“And a tie clip. And I’m begging you to use them for your next formal occasion so you look somewhat presentable.”

“Thoughtful and mildly insulting, thank you. I got Naia a gift, but I won’t give it to her if it’ll bother you.”

“It’s fine. What is it?”

“An encyclopedia about muggle life with a waterproof enchantment. I got Ronen to enchant it. I told him it was for my sister who likes to read in the bath. I don’t think he believed me for a moment.”

“She’ll love that.” Ominis opened the gift from Sebastian, a pair of gloves and a scarf. “This is wonderful! Thank you.”

“I asked Anne to make it. She’s jealous we’ve gotten to talk to a mermaid.”

“I’m going to eat breakfast and then spend some time with her. Would you like to come?”

“Sure.”

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfic #fanfic #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy ominis #siren oc

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orqheuss · 1 year ago

Text

A Fish to Water

(Ominis Gaunt/Sebastian Sallow/GN!Reader HUMOR)

Summary:

Sebastian handed you the last leaf and sip of the potion. You smiled at the boy, something unidentifiable twinkling in your irises. He quickly shut his eyes one final time and waited for the last of their trio to shift.

The spell was spoken, and the two boys turned their ears to the sound of flapping. Sebastian’s eyes opened in excitement.

Greeting him, slapping the ground with its scales, was a salmon.

Word count: 3.5k

AN: I’m moving all of my fics over from Ao3 to make them more accessible! These are my fics.

The forbidden forest was decidedly not the best place to transform into your animagus form for the first time. You realized that quite quickly after nearly being run over by a group of thestrals out for a late night romp. You enjoyed a little thrill now and again, but running screaming from an invisible horse creature was not in your divination homework, nor was it in the two fellow Slytherin’s that were hightailing it alongside you.

Ominis was most definitely not a runner, that much was for sure. The lack of sight really put a damper on his hand-eye coordination, and he made sure to remind both of his closest friends. He was the one, though, that noticed the hoofbeats first. Without him and his amazing hearing abilities, you may as well have been as dead as door-nails.

Sebastian was the most athletic one out of the bunch, leading the pack with his feet harshly smacking the ground. He was also the loudest; you were amazed none of the professors had ventured into the night after hearing his banshee level hollering. That boy had some pipes. The freckled boy had luckily remembered to grab the blond’s hand on his grand exit from the glowing pasture the trio had found. What he didn’t remember, though, is that even when leading the blind, you had to remember that they were, in fact, not able to see anything . The brunette, in his desperate sprint out of the forest, leapt over the roots of the large sycamore trees at least twice, sending Ominis to the muddy ground each time.

The wiry boy taught you a few new swears that night.

In an attempt to keep the poor boy on solid ground and not airborne, you grabbed the other hand flapping in the wind behind him. If any Ravenclaw’s were to look out the tower window, they would see three Slytherin’s absolutely booking it out of the woods, chain linked together, throwing a fearful glance over their shoulder to look at a pack of absolutely nothing chasing them.

What a sight.

Sebastian still led the charge, switching directions and throwing the other two around the bend leading towards Hogsmeade. You had begun to make your way around Ominis, now pulling him from the front as well. The blond boy began to resemble a cat on a lead being dragged where it didn’t want to go. He dug his heels into the ground in an attempt to stop the two lunatics he called friends from inadvertently tossing him into the river below. The stampede had left you alone once you exited the forest, but the brunette continued to scurry ahead towards the ruins near the small wizarding town whilst swearing like a sailor.

Eventually, the three students’ scamper sputtered out when the taller of the two boys tripped over a rather large boulder, sending himself into the ground onto his face and launching his two friends over his shoulder and down the nearest hill. They all tumbled ungracefully across the lush green grass, dew and dirt coating their once clean uniforms. They all lied there panting for a moment, trying to catch their long gone breath after their marathon.

Sebastian rolled onto his back and stood up, spitting the grass he had accidentally ingested out of his mouth with a disgusted expression. He heard the bickers and grumbles of his companions making their way up the, thankfully, shallow hill. They were greeted at the top by the brunette, an apologetic smile decorating his face and a hand behind his head rubbing at his hair at the sight of their dirty clothes, dust covered faces, and a thunderbird’s nest of hairdos.

Ominis, finally able to use his wand once again, stalked towards the other boy with a visage of anger that made him look a bit constipated, and promptly socked the young wizard in the arm.

“Ouch!” Cried Sebastian, his eyebrows raising into a look of hurt.

The smaller boy was not done quite yet. He swung his arm back once again and continued to assault his friend between staccato-spoken words.

“Never,” Punch.

“Drag me,” Punch.

“Like that,” Punch.

“Again.” Punch, punch, punch.

“Merlin’s beard, Ominis! Ouch, I’m sorry, stop punching me you bloody lunatic! I'll leave you to the death horses next time!”

Sebastian rubbed at his arm in pain, a look akin to a kicked crup pup frowned across his features. The Gaunt boy attempted to dust himself off to the best of his ability, smoothing down his hair back into his signature quiff, before navigating towards a large chunk of building and sitting down. He unlaced his left shoe and held his leg off the ground like a flamingo, muttering to himself while he shook the tiny pebbles from the sole.

The Sallow boy turned his attention to the other member of the party. You were still standing at the edge of the cliff, hands on your hips like a disappointed mother and a look of amusement dancing in your eyes. You smirked at the boy before loudly questioning,

“Chaps, are we doing this or what?”

It was Sebastian’s idea to become animagi. He had been perusing in the restricted section of the library, again, and stumbled across a transfiguration textbook from the early ages of Hogwarts. Inside detailed exactly how to go about the process, and his eyes had lit up in mischief before racing to the Undercroft and to his two best friends. When he presented the book to you both, you had instantly been on board. Ominis, on the other hand, was harder to persuade. After incessantly pestering the boy for a day at least, going as far as to mention the fact that as an animagus he could sneak out of his atrociously macabre house whenever he wanted over the summer, he finally agreed just to get you both to quit it. Sebastian had run off excitedly to the greenhouse to gather the necessary materials at that very moment and you turned to follow him with equal enthusiasm, but not before seeing a mischievous smirk creep up the face of the smaller Slytherin. You knew that even with his reserved nature, no one, not even Ominis, could turn down a little debauchery every once in a while.

Ominis grunted as he stood from his perch, sounding vaguely familiar to when Professor Sharp stands from his chair before lessons, and tied his shoe before walking back towards the pair of students. He dug inside his cloak for the case containing the three mandrake leaves needed for the ritual. You scowled at the sight of the affronting plant. You three had barely made it through the ordeal of keeping the leaves in your mouth for a month. You practically went on a hunger strike because of the disgusting taste that invaded your senses each morning, noon, and night. The boys had to basically force toast down your throat on multiple occasions, causing you to nearly swallow the leaf and beginning your torment all over again.

Sebastian patted his robe pockets for the vial of dew they had collected the previous month. A look of panic crossed his face, frantically slapping at his hips, chest, and buttocks looking for the small tube. You narrowed your expression at him, hissing in annoyance.

“Sebastian I swear to Salazar, if you dropped the potion so help me I will-”

“Aha!”

The boy produced the small container from his back pocket and held it aloft in the air with a look of relief. You sighed and shook your head at the freckled boy, your hand reaching up and pinching the bridge of your nose in indignation.

The taller Slytherin accepted the snuff box from the other and began to pass around each of the necessary ingredients. He tittered in excitement, the prospect of transforming into a completely different creature absolutely tickling him pink with glee. Ominis cleared his throat.

“Alright, who would like to go first?”

Sebastian looked like he was going to drop anchor in his pants in excitement, eagerly volunteering to be the tester for their little experiment. He produced his wand from his sleeve, pressing the tip over his heart. He took a deep, calming breath, before repeating the incantation and throwing back his swig of the potion.

“Amato Animo Animato Animagus!”

You closed their eyes and waited for the sign to open them when the Sallow boy had transformed. After a moment, a momentous bark echoed across the ruins. Both sets eyes shot towards the animal resting at their feet. In front of them stood a sable merle colored border collie. His fur was the color of butterscotch with brown and tan spots decorating his body and legs. The hound bounded around the two students in excitement, his tag wagging so fast that it was barely visible. The duo laughed at the excitable animal, reaching down to run their hands through his smooth fur. You described what Sebastian had shifted into to Ominis, amusement lacing each word. He threw his head back, cackling into the night at the accuracy of the transformation. You spotted a stick lying near your foot. Quickly grasping it in your hand, you drew your arm back and launched it over the destroyed buildings.

“Here boy! Go get the stick, fetch!”

The dog bolted after the piece of wood, jumping to catch it in the air before circling the rubble and returning in front of you. He dropped the stick, his tongue hanging out of his canine smile.

With one more lap around and through the legs of his companions, Sebastian transformed back into his human self. His cheeks were glowing with embarrassment. He turned towards you and pointed angrily.

“We will never discuss what just occurred ever again.”

You barked a laugh at the color of his cheeks. With a smirk still on your face, you nodded solemnly at the boy. He quickly spun to face the other boy across from him.

“Ominis! You should go next. It was absolutely exhilarating!”

The Gaunt boy nodded in excitement, a smile stretching across his face from cheek to cheek. He repeated the process on himself, gulping the potion before tossing the flask behind him. Just the same as Sebastian, the two remaining students quickly shut their eyes in anticipation. A moment went by in silence, both waiting with bated breaths to see what their close companion would change into. That moment turned into two, then three, before both creaked their eyes open. One moment the Gaunt boy was there, and the next he was—

Gone?

The two friends looked at each other in confusion before creeping towards where their third had once been. Lying on the ground seemed to be a small cluster of dirt, rough textured and shaped like a knot. They knelt down to get a closer look, eyes peering curiously at the…object? Mass? Before them. Just as Sebastian was reaching his hand towards the clump to poke it, the rock began to move. Both students jumped back in shock, each landing on their behinds.

Two clouded blue eyes peeked out of the top of the mass. A small forked tongue flicked from under Ominis’ upturned nose, his head poking out more to sense where his two friends were. The tiny caramel colored hognose snake was wound around itself, its scales shifting under its muscles.

How very fitting.

The reptile slowly unfurled itself to his full length. He was maybe the size of your wand, a little over ten inches at best. You stared wide eyed at the small creature, a startled grin stretched across your face. The small animal swung its head around the vicinity, hissing as if to ask the duo to speak. You swallowed a barking laugh, your voice laced with mirth.

“Ominis? Is that you?”

The snake turned in your direction and began to slither towards you. His body moved stiffly along the rocky ground. Seeing his struggle, you fumbled to your knees once again and held a hand out to the creature, hovering just before its snout. The young animagus sniffed the air before climbing into your outstretched palm. Ominis wiggled himself around until he was secure, wrapping a portion of his tail around your thumb. You brought the tiny snake up to your eye level, gazing into its slitted eyes. You cooed at your tiny friend.

“Ominis, you’re adorable!”

The small snake wound himself back into a tight ball, releasing a hiss from the back of his throat. Sebastian held out his hand for a chance to see his friend up close, desperately holding back guffaws. His eyes were filled with tears of enigmatic glee. The tiny reptile slowly slid from your hand to his, raising up on its upper body like a cobra.

Sebastian promptly lost his mind.

Loud chortles left the freckled boy. He positively howled in merriment, doubling over and grasping onto his knee with his free hand, his other still holding his tiny friend aloft. The snake hissed at the display, long and threatening. Sebastian looked into the animals eyes for a second time and dissolved into laughter once again. Ominis curled around himself, his head and upper neck still raised in displeasure. His tongue flicked against the hand he was perched on, sensing the shapes around him.

The snake then promptly bit Sebastian on the thumb.

Yelping, the boy nearly dropped the tiny creature. He quickly lowered the snake back to the ground, shaking out his stinging hand.

The reptile released a final hiss and transformed back into the blind wizard.

Much like Sebastian, a brightly colored blush decorated Ominis’ face. Once you both hoisted him up from the ground, he crossed his arms across his chest and asked you to describe what his animal was. He knew it was a snake, but other than that he didn’t have any ideas. You explained his shape and color to the blond boy through barely contained giggles. His cheeks somehow grew even more red and he hid his face in his hands. The brunette crossed the space to his friend, a jocund smirk still dancing across his lips. He patted the smaller boy on the back in comfort before being swatted away in embarrassment.

The spell was spoken, and the two boys turned their ears to the sound of flapping. Sebastian’s eyes opened in excitement.

Greeting him, slapping the ground with its scales, was a salmon.

What the boys didn’t know is that you had decided to play a little prank on them. You had done some of your own research on animagi, and in one of the many tombs you read it said that in some cases the wizards' animagus form was the same as their patronus. You thought back to learning the patronus charm in Defense Against the Dark Arts the previous week, and spotting a silver scaled fish across the room sprouting from a random Hufflepuff boy’s wand. This set your brain into motion, and a plan began to form in the cogs of your mind.

You stood behind a nearby tree, watching your friend stare at the fish for an extremely long period of time. You had a hand slapped over your face to muffle your laughs as you saw his face morph from confusion to absolute, unbridled joy.

You had never heard the boy laugh that hard before. He was on the ground, rolling in the dirt in howling delight as tears streamed from his eyes. Each time he turned towards the fish he would quickly deflate back into cackles. Ominis stared confused at the spot where you once were, his wand blinking and sending the image of a strange shaped shadow wiggling around near his feet to his mindseye.

He turned towards the taller boy on the ground, asking him to explain what was so funny. Sebastian hesitantly rose to his feet and turned back towards the smaller boy.

“Ominis, you’re not going to believe this. They’re a fish!”

The Sallow boy dissolved into laughter once again, doubling over and holding his stomach in pain. His fellow Slytherin took in the information slowly, the gears in his brain clearly turning at a rapid rate.

The fish continued to flop helplessly on the ground, sounding like a sopping wet towel falling onto a tiled bathroom floor.

Ominis’ eyes suddenly widened as the color drained from his face. He began to call for the brunette across from him, trying in vain to get his attention to the situation at hand. Sebastian wiped the tears from his eyes and turned towards the blond.

“What’s up? What’s going on, Ominis?” Tittered the Slytherin.

The smaller boy stared wide-eyed at the other. “What animal did you say they were, again?”

Sebastian tilted his head in confusion. “A fish, why?”

Ominis gulped, quipping quickly, “Sebastian, what do fish need to survive?”

The taller Slytherin put his finger to his chin in contemplation, pondering what his friend could possibly mean. Could it be a riddle?

“Ominis, I’m not sure what you’re getting at. It’s a fish. Fish need water to— oh. Oh. Oh no. ”

Sebastian began to pace rapidly in place, his hands ran through his hair in panic as he continued to swear at the ground.

“Oh bollocks— fuck— Merlin, oh— shite, balls— Rowena’s saggy tits— god damn— son of a banshee. ”

Ominis knew that fish rarely survived long outside of the water. He hopped from foot to foot, wracking his brain for a quick solution that would save his friend and their very unfortunate animagus form.

Sebastian scurried over to where the fish flailed on the ground. He gently picked it up in both of his hands, cringing slightly at the feeling of its slimy scales. Its eyes bulged as its mouth opened and closed rapidly. He shushed the fish in his hands, stroking its fin with his thumb.

"It's okay. We got you. Don't die little guy." He tipped his head back and groaned at the sky. "Professor Weasley is gonna kill us."

A lightbulb went off in the Gaunt boy's brain. He quickly scrambled towards the other boy, drawing his wand in the process.

"Sebastian, put down the fish. I got this!"

He quickly swished his wand towards the fish, yelling the new spell he had just learned in charms yesterday.

“Aguamenti!”

A jet of water shot out of the blond’s wand, splashing along the dirt ground and smacking into the fish at an extreme speed, sending it rapidly down the hill next to it and into the river below.

The two boys sprinted to the cliff's edge, slamming into each other and peering down the grassy slide. Sebastian watched as the salmon swam away, its silvery blue scales glittering in the water, and made a sound very similar to an unhappy kneazle.

“Hey boys, what are you looking at?”

The two students nearly died from shock. The freckled boy wiped his head around at an almost 180 degree angle, eyes bugging out of his sockets and his mouth open like a trout. Ominis rolled over onto his back, grasping at his chest over his poor heart. He groaned in your general direction,

“Merlin, don’t do that!”

You grinned at the two boys in mischief. “I’m sorry, but the opportunity was too good. I absolutely had to.”

You helped the two boys to their feet, dusting them off and smiling with insincere guilt.

“Okay, I’m actually going to do it now.”

Sebastian irately chirped at you in response, “Yeah, and I’m bloody watching you this time.” He picked up his wand, having dropped it in shock earlier. “God damn, nearly gave me a heart attack.”

This time, you did the incantation properly before drinking the remaining potion. You felt your body change uncomfortably, your bones shrinking and shifting under your skin. Fur sprouted from your pores, and you shrunk towards the ground.

A stoat, slightly smaller than average and decorated with brownish red fur and black accents, pawed at the ground where you once stood.

You looked up at your friends, suddenly incredibly low to the ground. A chirp-like sound left your mouth, inviting them to join you on a run around the hillside. Sebastian quickly whispered what you looked like to Ominis before he smiled down at you, kneeling to pet your coarse fur. He looked up at his friend and lightly tapped him on the leg.

“Whaddya say? Care to join them on a little adventure?”

The slender boy smirked down at the other boy and nodded.

Both transformed once again, the snake finding his way to you and winding around your body; his tiny head resting on the top of yours. The large brown dog trotted next to you and barked. You chittered back at them in agreement, and the trio once again ran off into the night.

AN:

Why these animals?

Ominis: I made Ominis a hognose snake because they're 1. adorable, and 2. incredibly dramatic. Hognose snakes are picky eaters and are the most likely species of snake to be born blind. When threatened by predators, or in some cases a very spooky pair of tongs, they will roll over on to their back and play dead. The whole nine yards, tongue lulling out of their mouth. It's incredibly entertaining, and it reminds me a lot of Ominis and his tendency to be dramatic.

Sebastian: I made Sebastian a border collie because they are one of the smartest dog breeds, as well as one of the most rambunctious. They are known cattle dogs, meaning they herd farm animals for a living. Sebastian is definitely a mother hen type when he wants to be, and he is incredibly loyal to his friends. These dogs are full of energy and are incredibly curious, which fits him to a T.

MC: I made the MC a stout because, much like all animals in the weasel family, they are fearless. Weasels are known to fight animals twice their size, and have historically gone toe to toe with venomous snakes like King Cobras. On top of all that, they are mischievous. They love to steal parts of nests from other animals, as well as their eggs. Since the MC is pretty neutral in this, I thought a stout would be a good fit.

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