#if Sebastian knew he'd BEG Ominis for it

[llau-ren-ti-a]

Replaying Hogwarts Legacy I thought so much about the characters and their relationship to MC - whether they are actually good friends or rather use 'us' as means to an end to achieve their goals and solve their problems.

I complained to a friend about it after playing Niamph's trial and realised:

To Natsai, we are like a cloak. Someone to shield her from her mother's keen eyes, to protect her from Harlowe and his associates while she uncovers their criminal network, keping her identity hidden as well as we can.

To Poppy, we are like a wand. Someone who speaks up when she wouldn't, who takes action when she's can't, to attack when she doesn't want to. She has strong morals and values, which she is able to enforce through us and our power.

To Sebastian, we are like a wishing stone. We are what he wants us to be - a trusted person, a partner in crime, a supporter, an enabler, an enforcer. We are by his side through everything, even when all had turned against him. To him, we are the catalyst to help him raise the dead.

[fitzs-trained-monkey]

Merry Christmas, Darling

Word Count: 1,200 (Tiny for me, but I haven't written in almost a year so forgive me.)

Summary: Ominis is going to miss you over the holidays. || Ominis Gaunt x reader|| Hurt but with plenty of comfort.

Warnings: This is as fluffy as a good sweater.

In the eyes of Ominis Gaunt, Christmas was a complicated thing. He loved it. Truly. Though, he'd never actually had one until he was eleven years old - when Anne and Sebastian Sallow invited him to their uncle's cottage in Feldcroft. They asked him to be there, they told him all these stories about how muggles celebrate the holiday, and their modest Christmas dinner was the best thing he'd ever tasted. The whole house felt so warm.

And... 

They gave him gifts. 

No one had ever done that. 

He hadn't had anything for them that first time, but they told him that was alright. Of course, he had remedied his ignorance every year afterward and for three more blissful years, everything was perfect. 

Until fifth year, when Ominis' only Christmas gift was comforting Anne through her nightmares – frightful visions of a goblin disemboweling itself in front of her. And her brother's manic grin. 

Ominis was sixteen now, and Sebastian was gone. Anne was too. 

In all his time at school, he'd never gone home for winter break and he didn't intend to now. Even if he had nowhere to go instead. 

Because you were leaving him too. 

He'd be, once again, alone.

You'd be going home to your own family to spend Christmas surrounded by love and warmth. Not that he wasn't happy for you, he was! But you wouldn't be with him.  It wasn't your fault. You'd begged your parents to let him come along. 

But why, oh why, would they ever approve? How could they possibly want him – a Gaunt – in their household? 

"That family has a reputation, Y/N." They'd said.

Well, they were right. And he was bitter. And he was sad. And he just wanted to spend Christmas with you. Why was that too much to ask?

He heard you sigh next to him. The sound brought him back to reality. You hadn't left for home yet. You'd leave in the morning. For now, however, you were curled up against him on the sofa in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin Common Room. The flames crackled and roared and he so adored the scent of pine and applewood burning. You hadn’t left him yet. He could still feel you. 

Your cheek against his shoulder. Your hand in his. You smelled like peppermint.

“I wish you could come with me,” You whispered. And you didn’t say you wished you could stay. Because you loved your family and he was so happy that you did. He wished he had the same luxury.

“As do I,” He said. He tried to smile.

“I’ll miss you.”

“I hope you will.” He knew he’d miss you so much more. 

He felt you shift, resting your forehead against his arm now, stroking from his forearm to his hand. You drew in a breath.

“Greeting cards have all been sent… the Christmas rush is through. But I still have one wish to make, a special one for you.” The tune was slow and you sang it so softly. He’d be the only one in the common room to hear it. You didn’t have the most beautiful voice he’d ever heard, but in that moment, you sounded like an angel. Ominis squeezed your hand tighter. 

“Merry Christmas, darling. We're apart, that's true. But I can dream, and in my dreams, I'm Christmas-ing with you.”

“That’s a very nice thought.” He interrupted, unable to stop a smile from tugging at the corner of his lips. You laughed and kept singing. 

“Holidays are joyful. There's always something new. But every day's a holiday. When I'm near to you.” He ducked his head and blushed, and not just a little bit. See, you were one of those people who never said a word you didn’t mean - unlike him. You were always so sincere. 

“Oh, how flattering.”

You kissed the back of his hand.

“The lights on my tree, I wish you could see. I wish it every day.”

“Why would I need them when I have you?” He murmured. As if you weren’t doing enough, you leaned in to kiss his cheek. You were warm. You’d take your warmth with you.

“Logs on the fire fill me with desire to see you and to say that I wish you Merry Christmas. Happy New Year too. I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve. I wish I were with you.”

He couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up abruptly, grabbed your soft, warm hands, and pulled you up against him. You were wearing his sweater. It was far too big for you so he had to go searching for your hands in its sleeves, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. One arm around your waist, yours around his neck, your hand in his. 

“Dance with me?” He breathed. “Just once more… before you go.” 

And sure, you wouldn’t be leaving him forever. But it would feel like longer.

You laughed that sweet laugh of yours and he knew that if he could bottle the atmosphere around them, that emotion on his tongue would keep him warm through the winter. He held you tighter, trying to memorize every inch, every layer of your scent. There was peppermint, and cinnamon, chocolate, and pine. He loved it all. You smelled like the only home he had left. When you were gone, your scent was all he’d have of you. Your family was poor as dirt. Ominis didn’t care, but your parents wouldn’t allow you any money to spend on him of all people. You were the only gift he wanted now anyway. Your presence alone was too much to ask, yet you gave it so willingly.

“Logs on the fire fill me with desire to see you and to say that I wish you a Merry Christmas. Happy New Year too. I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve, I wish I were with you.” You stood up on your tip-toes to whisper to him. Your hand found its way into his hair. “I wish I were with you.”

His breath hitched and what was a dance collapsed into a longing embrace. He held you as tight as he could, burying his face in your shoulder. Though he wasn’t one to be so cavalier with expressions of emotion, he couldn’t help but dip his head to nip at your collarbone. The mark he knew he’d leave wasn’t for him. He just… didn’t want you to forget, was all. And he had to leave more kisses - a trail of them along your perfectly smooth throat. He hoped the taste of your skin would keep his cheeks burning through the January freeze.

You were the one to kiss his lips. When you pulled away, you placed your hands on his cheeks and rubbed your nose against his.

“Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas…” You whispered. 

He sighed.

“Merry Christmas, darling.”

That sweater of his that you were wearing… after wishing you farewell at the train station, he’d find it folded on his bed when he got back. It smelled like you. A note in Braile accompanied it. 

“To keep you warm until I return. Wear it. (I cast a preservation charm on it this morning.)”

He did wear it. And your scent on the wool didn’t fade until you returned and tugged it off him.

This fic is dedicated to @witchcraftandgeekness for telling me to f#ck everybody. Not in the sexy way.

[writing-intheundercroft]

Your Ivy Grows // In Love

AO3 Link

Summary: Ominis Gaunt cannot see, but he can feel. He can feel the tall thickets of grass outside of his Aunt Noctua's house, now his for the summer. He can feel the sand down by the beach, the water of the tide pools, the overgrown ivy in Noctua's beloved garden. Most importantly, he can feel the gentle brush of his house guest's hand against his as they take their daily walk. He fears that he may feel much, much more for his new house guest.

Word Count: 3,695

Chapter Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Smut, loss of virginity, NSFW, MDNI

The unlikely couple was sitting in the sand, the sun starting to rise over the water. Ominis’s houseguest had begged for answers after he’d dropped the news.  How could he even begin to tell her that the spellbook her father had been tasked with finding had already been uncovered by three dimwitted fifteen year olds? He’d frozen in place on his bed, the woman clawing, grasping for answers from him.  It was only when Sebastian woke from the noise, tearing her from the bedroom while Ominis thawed. 

By then, Golly had slipped the girl a small dose of a sleeping draught, while Sebastian chastised him, leaving the house under the cover of night.

She woke from her slumber after just a little while; it had been a rather small dose.  Ominis had found her sitting in the dining room to a cold cup of coffee, the color drained from her face.  He decided it was time she knew the whole story, so he tugged her from her chair to follow him down to the beach. The sound of the waves crashing on sand had always calmed him as a child, and he hoped it would give him enough composure to admit the hard truths he'd been hiding away.

“We were fourteen when Anne was cursed.” Ominis said wistfully.  

“Fourteen?” she croaked.

Ominis nodded. “She was cursed by a dark wizard–we didn’t know it at the time, we thought it was a goblin. The curse had been altered to keep her in pain, wither her away from the inside out.  Sebastian was hellbent on finding a cure for her at all costs, no matter how dark the measures.”

“How does this relate to the book?” She asked impatiently.

Ominis’s head hung low. “I’ve told you about our friend–the girl with the peculiar magic.” he started playing with the sand. “She convinced me to help Sebastian find Salazar Slytherin’s scriptorium.  Pick up on the research my aunt Noctua had left behind. Naturally, the public had spread a rumor that she’d run away with a muggleborn lover.  In reality, she disappeared searching for clues about our ancestor.”

“Your Aunt Noctua–” her eyes widened.

“Dead.” Ominis said simply. “We found her body.  It was a cruel maze to the scriptorium. One needed to cast the cruciatus curse on another human to open the door; the others locked behind her.  She starved to death, praying for a way out of the hallway.” his voice took a bitter turn. “I…couldn’t do it. I froze. Sebastian cast the cruciatus curse on our friend to save us.”

“And you found the spell book.” She uttered.

Ominis tilted his head up, eyes weary from staying up nearly the whole night. “We indulged Sebastian.  We let him study the spell book in case there was anything of value to help Anne.  We had no idea what a mistake it would be.” he said bitterly. “It only drew Sebastian further into the dark.”

“But Sebastian told me the two of you guided him out of the darkness.” she recalled.

“He was there for some time.” Ominis sighed. “His…his crimes are not mine to share. In his foolish search for a cure, Sebastian made mistakes he couldn’t take back. Our fifth year of school ended poorly, with Anne disowning Sebastian as long as he dabbled in the dark arts. She destroyed the spell book, and that is how we’ve landed in our current predicament.”

The woman next to him was silent for a moment, ruminating on her thoughts. “How long did Anne live after that?” she asked.

Ominis bit down on his lip, rubbing his jaw. “Longer than we anticipated,” he admitted. “She passed just shy of her nineteenth birthday.”

She shuffled in the sand, resting her head on Ominis’s shoulder.  He shuddered, letting out a full body shiver as he felt her weight on his.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

Ominis laughed bitterly. “How can it be that you’re the one trying to comfort me?  It’s our fault that you’re doomed to this life.  My family, my friends, it’s all my fault."

“Ominis, you’ve done everything you possibly could to try and help me.” she murmured. “You aren’t your brother. You aren’t Sebastian. You’re not the one who destroyed the book.  You’ve kept me happy, content during my time here. I hate to say it…but it could have been a lot worse.”

He felt a hot tear roll down his cheek; as much as he willed himself not to get emotional, he couldn’t help it any longer.  Being around her for the duration of the summer so far had challenged Ominis and his steadfast control over his emotions. 

“You should be angry,” he said quietly. “You should hate me.”

“How could I hate you?” she asked. “It’s done.  It’s no use, Ominis.”

“I’m not good with verbalizing these things,” Ominis admitted. He felt her hand brush against his cheek, smearing the tears against his pale skin. “I know better than to wear my emotions–it makes you weak. After Anne, I couldn’t bear it any longer. I didn’t want to feel at all. I resigned myself to be alone, to not burden anyone else.”

“You could never be a burden, Ominis.” She whispered against his skin.  She’d pushed his hands off his lap, straddling him to hold his tear stained cheeks in her hands. “You have been so kind to me.”

“I wish I could be more.” Ominis said mournfully.  He felt her face, brushing a mislaid lock of hair from her forehead. He wrapped his arms around her waist, digging his face into her shoulder.  The fabric from her dress was soft, well worn–she was wearing one of her own dresses, not the fancy ones Marvolo had sent her.  While he was sure she looked absolutely breathtaking, Ominis had hated them on her.  She didn’t smell right, the fabric too slick.  Wearing the soft cotton dress, she felt like herself again.

“You see things differently,” Ominis murmured against her shoulder. “From the start–when we first met, you complimented my abilities, you didn’t see my blindness as a failure.” 

She hummed against his skin, and Ominis felt encouraged to say more. 

“You fixed up the garden, the one my aunt loved so much. And even though I’d yelled at you, you still took the time to teach me everything you know.” Ominis pressed his face further into her shoulder. “You became a friend first.  You’re the first woman who hasn’t asked about my family, our money, our social standing.”

“What are you trying to tell me, Ominis?” she asked, her voice soft against his cheek.

Ominis gulped. “I’m trying to tell you–tell you how you make me feel.” He shuddered at the loss of control; he’d fallen down this rabbit hole once before, long ago.  Once his feelings were out there, understood, possibly reciprocated, there was no going back.  They’d danced around the words before, incomplete sentences and innuendos about the way they might feel about one another.  This was more than the lustful thoughts he’d growl into her ear.  For the first time since he was seventeen, Ominis was trying to tell a woman that she carried his heart in her palm.

“Ominis, you don’t have to–”

“You have rooted yourself in my dreams.” Ominis muttered. “I fall asleep knowing I’ll think of you, the way you feel, the way you sound. When you laugh.  When I wake, I find comfort knowing I’ll spend my day with you.” he choked out. 

His thumb brushed her cheek; her skin felt hot.  She was blushing, he realized.

“The way you feel on top of me,” he groaned. “The way you say my name.  I will hear it in my memories for the rest of my life.”

Her forehead pressed against his. “Why are you saying this?” she asked, voice slightly pained. 

“You asked me to show you love,” Ominis tucked her tighter against his chest. “Love…it doesn’t come easy to me. I have watched the two women I loved the most die, and I never wanted to subject myself to that pain ever again.” He hesitated, thinking over how best to explain himself. “You asked me to show you love, and it’s feeling, despite the pain. Even if we don't have much more time-”

She pressed her lips against his, and Ominis melted into her touch. Her hands grasped his cheeks, and in turn, he ran his own through her hair.  Fingers catching on curls, Ominis held her closely, as tight as he could.  They only had so much longer together, he thought, before his brother threw her to the wolves. He licked his way into her mouth, tangling his tongue against hers hungrily. 

His houseguest pulled away with the slightest gasp, her nose pressed against his. 

“Let’s go back, Ominis.”

He stood, taking her shaking hand into his.

The house was quiet as Ominis tugged her up the stairs.  Golly must have been down in the kitchen; it was just the two of them.  

Forsaking the master suite, the two of them walked hand in hand into her room.  As the door shut behind him, Ominis waved his wand, locking and casting a silencing charm.

“Come to bed, Ominis.” he heard her say.  The mattress creaked beneath her.

Ominis laid his wand on the table next to the door.  He didn’t need his magic to know the path to the bed; he’d walked it many times already; the smell of her violet perfume wafted towards him, guiding his nose the right way.  He unbuttoned his shirt, letting it fall to the ground as he too knelt on the bed.  Ominis felt around the surface, finding her in the center.  

They didn’t need to say anything.  Ominis knew what she wanted–what he’d wanted for so long as well.  He swallowed thickly, thinking of the nights he’d spent fucking his fist, wishing it were her around him.  His long, slender fingers found the front of her dress, gently undressing her.  Their encounters had been so rushed, desperate before. Despite the heaviness of the night prior and the weight of his confession, things had never felt lighter between them.  After all, Ominis wanted to take his time with her–to savor her as one should.

Wordlessly, Ominis leaned forward towards her body. His nose caught on the side of her chin as he went to kiss her throat; she laughed nervously.

“Tell me if it feels good,” Ominis instructed, pressing open mouthed kisses on her body.  She shuddered beneath him, arching her back to close the distance.  He snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her naked breasts flush against his body.

“You feel good,” she breathed.  “Keep–keep doing that.”

Ominis smiled to himself as his mouth ghosted over her breasts.  With his free hand, he palmed one, fingers roving over her hardened nipple.  A cry spilled from her lips when he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the other.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” Ominis declared, his teeth grazing her lightly. “So soft.”

After providing his thorough attention to her chest, he moved down her stomach.  Her hands tugged at his hair as he laved kisses down her soft belly, his own hands gently tugging down her undergarments.  Casting the useless cotton aside, Ominis pressed a kiss to her hip bone, swirling his tongue in the crease between her thigh. He didn’t dare touch himself, even though his own arousal was straining against the fabric of his trousers. 

“Ominis,” she gasped.  Her hands flew from his head to her own; she was likely covering her face.

“Don’t hide,” he murmured against her skin. His hand flew to her face; he’d been correct.  He tugged her hands away, relishing the slight whimper from her lips as nuzzled her sex. His nose pressed against her nub as he lapped at her weeping entrance. She writhed beneath him, obscenities flying from her mouth as he pressed on.  

Ominis thought back to the first time he’d tasted her in the garden, when he’d made her come for the first time. She’d been so shy, he thought.  He loved the way she wriggled beneath him now, a wanton moan falling from her lips as he slid a finger into her.

“Ominis, I’m begging you,” she pleaded. “I need you inside of me.”

“Need to prepare you first.” Ominis grunted, curling another finger inside of her. “My beautiful girl, I want you to say my name.”

“Ominis,” she whined. “Oh, Ominis, please.” She swatted at him and he pulled away, laughing. “Don’t make me wait,” she rasped. “Please, you’re all I want.”

Ominis slid his fingers into his mouth, tasting her slick.  She let out another staggered moan as she watched him unbutton his trousers, pulling them off.  He held the base of his cock, thinking about how they’d almost fucked in the library the other day.  He was glad they didn’t–it would’ve been rushed, unsatisfying in the end.  He relished the fact that she was naked beneath him, begging for his touch.  

“Tell me if I’m hurting you,” Ominis murmured. He positioned himself at her entrance, dragging his leaking tip against her folds.  Ominis rarely lamented his blindness, but he wished he could see his own spend combining with hers. The thought alone had him moaning, pressing the blunt tip against her entrance. 

Her breath stuttered, and Ominis nearly stopped himself. “Are you alright?” he whispered.

“I–I am.  Please, keep going.” she urged him.

Ominis leaned forward, slowly pressing himself into her.  Despite his preparations, she was still sinfully tight around him.  He hissed as he pressed his forehead against hers, willing himself not to thrust into her. 

“That good I’ve reduced you to speaking parseltongue,” she joked breathily.

Ominis couldn’t help the snort of laughter that came out; she followed suit, laughing with him as he pressed a kiss against her jaw.  Her laugh turned into a moan when he rolled his hips, fully sheathing himself inside of her.

“How does it feel?” Ominis asked breathily. “Does it hurt?  I’ll stop.”

“Don’t stop,” she groaned, her breasts flush against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him, her nails digging into his back. “It feels–it feels full, but good.”

“You’re so warm,” Ominis furrowed his eyebrows. “So wet–Merlin, you feel so good.”  He gave another tentative roll of his hips, and she let out a sweet cry. He willed himself to not let go; it had been so long since he’d allowed himself to indulge, the sheer feeling of her around him was enough to drive him over the edge.

“Ominis, I love you,” she gasped, her lips dragging against his skin.  It bordered on overstimulation for him. He pressed his forehead against hers, hooking an arm under her leg to pull it up higher.  Her hips were rolling in tandem with his, barely letting him withdraw.  The sound of their union filled the room; just their gasps and moans, the sound of their skin against one another.  

Ominis rolled them over onto their side, rutting against her. “I’m going to–I can’t hold back any longer,” he said, his voice hoarse. He quickly withdrew from her, a soft whine emitting from her lips.  Ominis shattered, choking as his seed spilt between the two of them.  He could feel the stickiness coating her stomach.

“I’m sorry,” he gasped, turning red. “I didn’t think I’d finish so quickly.” he said sheepishly.

She dragged his hand to her cheek; he could feel it go round as she smiled. “We have all day, don’t we?”

“Gods, I love you.” Ominis panted, drawing her close for a kiss.  His emotions were like a dam; now open, he couldn’t help but spill sentiments of his adoration for her.  It had been three years since he’d told someone he loved them.  Despite how foreign the word was in his vocabulary, saying it to her felt right.

He had a finite amount of time to do so anyways, he thought.

After a few moments to breathe, Ominis shifted onto his knees, his limbs tangled in the sheets. “Here,” he murmured, flipping her onto her stomach. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, the sentence tipped with curiosity.

Ominis straddled her naked thighs, leaning down to kiss the curve of her neck.  He smiled as her breath caught. 

“You didn’t finish, so I’ve a job to do.” He nipped her earlobe, relishing her shriek.  He left open mouthed kisses down her shoulder blades, massaging her skin as he made his way down her back.  He gently kissed down her spine, his cock hardening again in record time as he made his way down to her bottom. His fingers drummed against her cheeks, spreading them as he slipped the head of his cock into her soaking wet cunt.  She let out a desperate, filthy sound as he slowly rolled his hips again. 

“You’re mad,” she laughed.

“I’m in love,” Ominis replied.

“I’m starved,” his houseguest announced. “We skipped breakfast and lunch altogether.”

Ominis groaned, untangling himself from the sheets. They’d spent the better half the day laying with one another, exploring each other’s bodies.  He wouldn’t lie–his legs felt like jelly. But it was all worth it in the end, listening to her gasps beneath him.

The last hour had been his favorite though.  Well worn from their lovemaking, the two of them laid in the bed with their fingers laced together. Ominis had never found it difficult to converse with her before, but with all of his walls broken down, the words had never come easier.  He spoke freely about his family, his disdain for his older brother.  He talked about his childhood, recounting memories once only known to Sebastian, Anne, and Noctua.  

She’d done the same for him–finally, she critiqued her father, who’d landed her in the awful situation in the first place.  She spoke of her loneliness, how she’d loved growing up cultured and well-traveled, but that she’d missed a vital part of her childhood not having the chance to go to Hogwarts with her peers.  She’d long felt resentful of her parents for keeping her away.

“Do you think we would’ve been friends?” she’d asked quietly. “If I’d gone to school with you.”

“I hope we would have,” Ominis pursed his lips. “Would’ve helped to have a friend that was good at herbology.  Maybe I would’ve passed my OWLs.”

They laughed together; it had been too long since he’d shared honest joy with a woman. Ominis ran his fingers through her long curls, and she drummed hers against the planes of his chest.  It was only when their stomachs collectively growled that she acknowledged her hunger. Ominis, being the gentleman he was, wrapped a sheet around his body as he trudged over to the door.  He shuddered as he grabbed his wand, adjusting back to his version of sight.  Disarming the silencing charm on the room, he turned back to her on the bed.

“I’ll brave the kitchens,” he announced. “Bring us some food.”

“I’ll be here,” she echoed.  

Ominis brazenly paraded through the house with just the sheet wrapped around his waist.  Golly normally left snacks out in the butler’s pantry for them to snatch throughout the day; he’d grab a basket, fill it with their bounty before running back up to his lover.

“Master Ominis,” he heard a feeble voice.

Ominis whirled around, raising his wand.  He blushed, realizing that Golly was seeing him in such a state of undress.  

“Golly, I’m sorry–”

“Master Ominis has received an owl from his brother, sir.” the house-elf said wistfully. “It came this morning, but master and his guest were rather busy , and Golly thought better than to interrupt.”

Ominis blinked. “From Marvolo?”

“Yes, sir.” Golly gulped. “He’s requesting Master Ominis return to London.  With your guest.”

Ominis furrowed his eyebrows. “When?”

“Next week.  Asked that the young miss prepare for a week-long stay.”

Ominis’s knees went weak, and he staggered against the door frame. “Thank you, Golly.  I’ll respond to him later.”

“Yes, sir.  Shall Golly bring some provisions upstairs?” she asked meekly.

“Er, yes. If you could–leave them outside the door.” Ominis said, swallowing thickly.  “And don’t tell her.  I’d like to explain it to her myself, tomorrow.”

Golly hummed in agreement, and Ominis tightened the sheet around his waist.  No, he didn’t want to ruin the day they’d just shared.  Telling her about Marvolo’s letter would only leave a stain on the rest of the afternoon, sullying the memories they’d made together.  He trudged up the stairs, gripping his wand tightly.  All he wanted was to be back in the safety of their room, any thoughts of the future far, far away from them.

“No food?” his houseguest whined.  He could tell she was pouting as he shut the door behind him, dropping his wand back onto the table.

“Golly said she’ll bring us some provisions.” He sighed, dropping the sheet onto the ground as he clambered over to her.  He was well known for his grace, but something about her made him stumble in his tracks.

“You must have frightened the poor thing,” she cooed, drawing him into her arms. “I can get the food from the door.”

Ominis leaned into her touch, digging his face into her neck.  She laughed again, the sound sparkling and bright.

“You were only gone for a few minutes, Ominis.  I’m right here.”

She wouldn’t always be.

“I know,” Ominis assured her. “Just want to be close to you.”  He pressed a kiss against the curve of her neck, swallowing down his feelings. 

Love was cruel, he thought to himself. Everything he loved was always taken away; despite the happiness it gave him, Ominis knew to expect the twist of a knife.  Aunt Noctua, who’d perished in the most barbaric trap.  Anne, who’d withered away in his arms.

Perhaps this time it could be different.  He could talk to Marvolo, reason with him.  Ominis would stand up for himself, for her.

“Are you even listening?” she huffed.

Breaking out of his thoughts, Ominis tilted his head up. “Of course,” he murmured.  He pressed another kiss to her salty skin, settling back into her arms.

[danceworshipper]

In the Shadow of Sebastian

Alexis and Ominis come to terms with the knowledge that Sebastian has gone too far off the deep end after killing his uncle, and make one of the easiest, yet most difficult decisions they've ever had to make. Alexis/Ominis, pre-ship. Hints of one sided Alexis/Sebastian and Ominis/Sebastian. Set immediately before The Choice at the end of Sebastian's quest line. Useful context: Alexis is a werewolf and an unwilling soldier for the Minister

It was cold in the Undercroft where they sat defeated, resting their backs against the stone wall and letting the chill soak through their robes. Cold, and still, and silent.

Alexis was grateful that Sebastian had left them alone. To hear anyone's heartbeat but Ominis' right now would have been too much. His, even, was testing her nerves, but at least Ominis' heart was slow and strong. Sebastian's hadn't stopped beating irregularly ever since he'd cast that blasted spell.

That heartbeat proved what Alexis already suspected: Sebastian was gone. Not physically, not really, but he was gone. He was a shadow of himself.

Broken.

Your first real kill hit you hard, as she had learned all too soon upon becoming a witch. Killing someone you knew was so much worse than killing a nameless enemy, or a dastardly foe who had earned it through wicked deeds. The adrenaline alone was enough to have you coming down for hours, but the guilt... Solomon Sallow had deserved a lot of things, but not this, and somewhere Sebastian knew it. He made a mistake that he couldn't take back. Now Anne, his one tether to sanity, was unwilling to be found, and he was lost.

Alexis never should have helped him.

"Ominis."

"Yes?" His voice was made rough from the tears she was kindly ignoring.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

Alexis let her head hang. Ominis had warned her that this was going too far, and she hadn't listened. She hadn't even listened to Anne. Weren't Anne's wishes the only ones that should matter in a situation like this? Just because Alexis would never stop trying to cure herself didn't mean that that was what everyone would want.

"I understand, though," Ominis continued. "I'm to be blamed as well. I never put my foot down the way I should have. Salazar, we share a dorm room and I never even thought to check his belongings. I knew what he was doing; I simply couldn't deny him."

"He has that effect on you too?"

Ominis huffed, amused but deflated. "Has it not been obvious?"

It hadn't been, though Alexis couldn't truthfully say she'd ever thought about it - ever considered that maybe Ominis gave in too easily for someone as against the Dark Arts as he was. Now it was easy to see. Hindsight was always clear.

No, Alexis had never paid much attention to Ominis' actions, because she'd been far too concerned with her own.

I could teach you, Sebastian had said, three different times, and Alexis had said yes each time despite seeing what havoc the curses could wreak. Something about how he'd offered, so eager to have someone who understood the pull toward Dark Magic, had had her tracing the wand movements he showed her, greedy for his approval.

Eventually she would have learned them anyway, she supposed. Minister Spavin had plans for her. The dark creature, wielding the Dark Arts like no other could. She would never be locked in Azkaban for murder - so long as it was no one the Minister cared for.

Knowing that didn't make it better. In fact, she was certain it made everything worse.

Ominis inhaled shakily. "Aren't you supposed to be convincing me that we mustn't tell anyone what he's done?"

"I told him I would," Alexis said.

She turned her eyes toward him. His head was gently inclined toward her, but his eyes were downcast as he wiped at them. They didn't even work, yet they showed despair as well as anyone else's. Oddly, Alexis found it pretty.

"Well?"

She swallowed and remained silent. Sebastian had begged her, saying that Ominis listens to you. I don't know why, but he does. Yes, Ominis did listen to her, and that was a large part of the problem. Alexis knew without a doubt that if she said that Sebastian should walk free, he would. But did he deserve to?

It wasn't fair for him to be punished when she never would be. But...

"He won't stop," she said noncommittally. "He'll never stop until Anne is either cured or dead."

Ominis laughed, bitter. "Even when she's dead, he'll never stop."

He was probably right. Death be damned: Anne would know no peace.

"If only you could have seen the madness in his eyes, Ominis. I don't think I've ever been more frightened of him."

"Of him? Not for him?"

Alexis winced - of course Ominis had caught her slip. She sighed, and shook her head out of habit, though she knew he couldn't see. "No," she said, like a confession. "Of him."

Silence fell again. Alexis squeezed her eyes shut. Her clothes felt restrictive all of a sudden. She felt trapped, like she was back at the Ministry being held down. The blasted gloves were buzzing, stronger and stronger, responding to her distress and forcing her magic to freeze in her veins, and she reminded herself to breathe in, hold it, and breathe out, until the buzzing stopped.

That was the difference between her and Sebastian, she supposed. Self control had been beaten into her. Never would she cast a curse like that on impulse. Sebastian had proved he had no control whatsoever.

"You know," Ominis said slowly, "I'm not feeling very convinced."

In spite of the situation, Alexis choked on a shocked laugh. "I'm not making a good case, am I?" she asked.

The smile on his face was painful to look at with how close it was to breaking. If only she could fix it.

"You aren't," Ominis agreed. His voice cracked.

"I'm not sure there's any helping him," Alexis said, sobering. "If he never stops, who's to say he doesn't get worse? What if he hurts someone else? What if one day, he decides that if he kills her and reanimates her, she'll be cured?"

Ominis shook his head. "He'll get worse. I'm sure of it."

"Then we have to turn him in," she said, wishing she could convince herself otherwise.

"They'll throw him in Azkaban, Alexis," Ominis protested weakly. "He's close enough to adulthood that they'll do it. You've been to Azkaban, haven't you? Even if they give him a lighter sentence because of his youth, Sebastian will never be himself again, you know that."

Her visit to Azkaban with Helen Thistlewood had been a maximum of thirty minutes, but Alexis had felt that she'd never be the same - and she hadn't been the one behind bars. It had made her ironically grateful for her own imprisonment deep in the Ministry, with horrible people rather than Dementors. But that old woman in Azkaban had been innocent. Sebastian was not.

"We have to," she said again, and hated herself for it.

Ominis' head thunked against the stone. "I know," he whispered. His eyes squeezed shut - Alexis wondered if the pressure felt grounding or if blocking things out was simply a human instinct.

Whichever it was, she followed suit, pressing her knuckles against her eyelids until she saw stars and then having to yank them away, because the stars were a beautiful green that had crackled at the tip of Sebastian's wand for one long, long moment after he'd dropped it. It was a green that might be woven deep into her own soul by now, never to be cleansed.

"I should be in Azkaban too," Alexis said softly.

Ominis made a noise of distress. "Absolutely not."

"I've killed too."

"You've killed horrible people, Alexis, and you didn't do it of your own free will."

"The noble thing to do would be to refuse," she argued. "That's what Natty says."

"And be put to death?" Ominis exclaimed. "No. You should never be at fault for protecting yourself."

Alexis felt the corner of her mouth twitch, and she couldn't stop herself from pushing her luck. "The same logic doesn't apply to you, I see."

She turned her head to look at him. He knew, of course, what she was referring to. His mouth opened as though he wished to argue, but shut again. How could he? If there was no blame on her, there could be no blame on him.

Could they use the same logic with Sebastian?

Alexis desperately wished they could. If there had been a single sliver of worry that Solomon would have killed one of them first... but no. He had attacked them, hurt them badly, but she knew deep in her heart that he would have stopped when they fell. Getting them expelled and ruining their lives wasn't enough to deserve death. Even if it was, now Anne, cursed and miserable, had no one. That alone made the curse truly unforgivable.

The only instance that could be justified was the Cruciatus, since if Sebastian hadn't cast it in the Scriptorium, they all would have starved to death. Self preservation: simple, easy. The Imperius could have been justified under better circumstances, but Sebastian's logic had been flawed. He'd had ample time to react. He could have used any other spell to save Anne, but he hadn't.

I had to, he'd said.

You wanted to, she'd thought, but agreed with him anyway, because that was what friends did, wasn't it? Supported them in public to criticize them in private? She'd just never had the time until it was too late.

Ominis sobbed beside her, burying his face into his legs and shaking.

Alexis' heart ached. Before she could wonder whether he'd want to be touched, her hand was on his shoulder. He cried harder, leaning closer, and though Alexis was about to break too, she pulled him close to her and held him.

"He was my best friend," Ominis said miserably. The use of past tense sounded like the slamming of a cell door.

"I know," Alexis said.

By the end of the day, Sebastian would be taken away. It was over.

[blueseachelle]

I Could Be Lonely With You

Part 5

Ominis Gaunt x Pureblood! Hufflepuff?!? Fem! Reader

I'm not dead! Just had to cram study for a couple exams! Anyway, happy reading! I'm so sorry for you Seb lovers in this chapter.... Here is a link to my Hogwarts Legacy Masterlist!

Weeks passed since the little trip to Hogsmeade the trio took together.

Ominis hasn't talked to the blonde since that day. Little did he know that his best friend Sebastian caused this rift between the two.

Every time Y/n went to look for Ominis, she was stopped by the brunette with some idea of how to help his sister. She would just agree to help because after meeting Anne, she liked her. So, she wanted to be of use in her recovery.

Ominis realized he hasn't seen Sebastian during this time either. He hates to think that you were running around with Sebastian instead of wanting to spend more time with him.

It made his heart hurt. Out of him or Sebastian, all the girls would choose Sebastian. Ominis didn't think that he ever cared about being liked by a girl yet, Y/n was different. She softened his heart. Made him feel more... Human than the monster his family wanted him to be.

_--_--_--_--_--

A couple days later, guess who steps back into Ominis's senses. Sebastian approached Ominis and asked him if he wanted to go to the Scriptorium. Well, more like show him the way to get into the forbidden place. Ominis sighed,

"Sebastian, you know how I feel about that place. I don't want to go to that damned place."

Sebastian started to pace in front of Ominis unseeing eyes,

"I know but, listen. I know there is something there to... to save Anne, Ominis. Plus, Y/n is going to join us so, nothing will happen. Ominis. Please. I beg of you. Show us the way. Please."

Ominis heard Sebastian's plea. As much as he hated that place, maybe he can have Sebastian finally turn away from the path he was going if he realized that nothing will help Anne. Also, Y/n will be there so, that would help is nerves.

Ominis 'looked' to the pacing Sebastian,

"Fine. But. This is the last thing you do. No more Dark Arts. Maybe you will realize curses are set in stone. I'll take you there."

Sebastian tuned everything out except the 'I'll take you there'. He nodded vigorously,

"Yes. Okay. Thank you, Ominis. You won't be disappointed."

With that, Sebastian took off. Ominis just sighed. There was nothing to be done at this point. He just hopes there is nothing to find down in that cursed place.

-_-_-_-_-

The trio stood at the door to the Scriptorium. Ominis was nervous. He didn't know what was expected to be down there. He hoped it was nothing but, he had a feeling his belated aunt might be down there.

Y/n, sensing his nerves, rested a hand on his shoulder. She looked up at him with her violet eyes. She whispered to him,

"It will be okay, Ominis. I promise. We'll be in and out."

Ominis could only respond with a nod.

After a couple of minutes, the door was opened. Y/n, Sebastian and Ominis carefully stepped into the crypt. The door shut behind them.

Y/n led the way with Lumos. Ominis felt his skin crawl. He hates this place. He'd rather be in bed with his head under the covers.

Sebastian ran ahead with haste. After solving a couple puzzles, the trio made it to the next room. When they walked in, the gate shut behind them.

Ominis started to pace,

"I told you two. I knew we were gonna die. We are now trapped here. I knew we shouldn't-"

He was stopped by a familiar hand. Y/n held him by both shoulders while looking at him,

"Ominis. We are going to be fine. I've been in worse. We'll figure this out."

Ominis just let out a breath. As his breath came out, he suddenly figured out the proximity of their faces to each other. He felt his heart race.

Y/n gave him a small hug before walking back over to Sebastian.

After a couple minutes, it was figured out. Sebastian looked at the other two in the room,

"So, We have to have Crucio cast on one of us. Ominis, I recommend you do it because you have before."

Ominis shook his head violently,

"No no no no. I'm not doing that. I promised to never use that curse again. When you cast that curse, you have to MEAN it, Sebastian. You can't use that curse just because. It has to have some sort of... of hate for the person you cast it on. Hate for that person. No."

After Ominis's speech, Y/n was terrified. She looked to Sebastian who was still looking at Ominis. He just sighed and turned to Y/n.

"Well, If Ominis won't do it, then, we have two options. Either I teach you the curse and you cast it on me or, I cast it on you."

Y/n just stared at Sebastian. She thought of the two outcomes. Guilt was her worse enemy so, she'd rather deal with pain. But, if it does work, does that mean Sebastian harbors hate for her? Yes. Yes, it does. Sebastian only cares for Anne at this point. Everyone else is just... just a pawn to him. Y/n took in a breath. She'll just think about this all later. She let out her breath,

"Fine. Cast it on me." Suddenly without hesitation, the curse was cast.

Ominis's ears were filled with the pained screams of his crush. Slowly, they started to die down.

Ominis was the first to her side. He held her in his arms and cradled her. He mumbled how he was sorry over and over.

Sebastian just stood there. He didn't lean down or anything. No concern crossed his face,

"Look the door opened. Let's go."

He walked ahead.

Y/n sobbed into Ominis's chest. The Slytherin boy held her close. He whispered encouraging words to her along with a mixture of apologies.

Slowly, the Hufflepuff came out of her state. She realized she was in the arms of the blind Slytherin boy. She slowly stood up with his help. The two stumbled into the Scriptorium finally. Ominis's arm around her waist and her arm over his shoulders. His other hand held his blinking wand.

Sebastian came up to them,

"Look what I found! The artifact! Along with this book!"

Ominis sighed. Y/n slowly pulled away from Ominis to walk around. She didn't say a word as she looked around.

Ominis looked at Sebastian,

"This is your last little 'dive' into the Dark Arts. I'm done helping you go into insanity and evil."

Sebastian shook his head,

"I'm just looking for a cure. No more. After that, I'm done."

Ominis saw red. His body shook in anger,

"Can you not see what you have become? You cursed Y/n without batting an eye. You had no remorse. Y/n knows how you feel about her now. You hurt her. You didn't even try to help her recover. This is it for you. Anne can't be cured-"

"You act like you don't care for Anne! You-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND CURSES! You can't just reverse them. I would know. You know that. It takes a sacrifice. So, this is it. No more dark arts. That artifact doesn't leave this place. If I figure out that you are dabbling in the Arts, I WILL report you."

Sebastian just smirked,

"Okay. Okay. You sound like the only reason you're riled up is that Y/n was hurt."

Ominis glared in his direction,

"When you start hurting people I care about, I won't stand for it. So, put the artifact down AND the book. You are leaving first so I can guarantee you won't leave here with it."

"But-"

Ominis growled,

"Go. Now."

Sebastian sighed. He put the book and artifact down on the ground. Ominis heard the door shut. He knew Sebastian was gone.

Ominis used his senses and his wand to find Y/n. He found her by the desk near the door. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

Y/n's shoulders relaxed,

"Y-yes. Still in a little pain but, I'm okay."

Her voice wavered as she said this.

Ominis pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay. I will protect you from now on. Sebastian will not touch you again. I will curse him myself before letting him to that to you again. I should've taken the hit. Not you, Y/n. I'm sorry."

She shook her head and hugged back,

"No. If you have done it, then I would still be a pawn of Sebastian's to use to find a cure. He was using me now, I see it. I'll be okay. I'm sorry I wasn't with you for a while."

Ominis kissed the top of her head and rested his head on her's,

'"It's okay. You're here with me now. You will be safe with me. I promise."

[fukae-flwr]

"You are NOT My Enemy!"

Tw: mentions of death and ptsd (longer one shot sorry not sorry)

He awoke to the sounds of loud gasping, near the precipice of being a scream but not quite there. The walls were unbelievably thin, and with his unmatched hearing, there was no way he wouldn't have heard it. He wasn't in a deep slumber to begin with, not after the day he's had. Ominis looked over to his left to find Sebastian soundly asleep, with soft snores coming from him. It wasn't surprising to find Sebastian had climbed into his bed in the middle of the night. They often shared a bed, but in this situation, trying to get out without waking him would be quite difficult.

He slowly and carefully pulled his body from the mattress, only for Sebastian to stir.

"Where are you going?" Sebastian mumbled, barely awake, eyes still closed.

"For a glass of water. I'll be right back." Ominis whispered, his wand in hand. As he reached the door, he heard the soft snores of Sebastian return once more. Chuckling to himself how easily his partner could fall right back asleep, he exited the guest room into the hall. The cottage wasn't very big, but it was definitely larger than any back in Feldcroft. Edith seemed to be doing quite well for herself, for someone on the run from the ministry.

With his wand giving him a vague glimpse to his surroundings, he walked the hall till he heard soft footsteps in front of where Edith's door was located. The sound was much smaller and lighter than any full adult, so it had to be her house elf. His assumption was correct when the elf's voice greeted him quietly.

"Oh good evening, Mr.Ominis. Was there something the matter?" Penny whispered.

"Good evening, Penny. No, not at all. I was simply wondering if Edith was alright. I heard something from my room." Ominis explained. He heard the small elf's heart pick up a tad bit, seemingly nervous all the sudden.

"Oh um well Penny really shouldn't say. It is not Penny's place..." she mummbled, talking relatively fast. Ominis immediately knelt to the ground in front of the elf.

"Penny, please. If something is the matter, you must tell me." Ominis pleaded softly. There was a moment of silence before she let out a soft sigh.

"Mistress Edith has terrible nightmares. Most nights, there is no issue. Only Mistress doesn’t sleep much, but there are certain nights when Mistress Edith wakes horribly. She often calls for Penny to bring her tea on those nights and then never leaves her room for quite some time. Mistress usually comes back after a day or so but Penny worries for Mistress during that time." Penny rambled quietly.

Ominis blinked, making sure he was understanding, trying to listen carefully with how quickly she was speaking. He had to ignore the soft creak of a door behind them just to focus on Penny's spill of words. He knew Sebastian must've gotten up from hearing their soft chatter.

"Where is she now?" Ominis asked.

"Penny just brought Mistress Edith a cup of tea. She's in her room. Please help her. Penny is very worried." Penny begged.

Ominis felt bad for the elf. To be so worried about her master, it was apparent how much she cared about Edith.

Ominis nodded, not sure how he'd be able to help with something like this. He wasn't even sure if she would let him help. They weren’t as close as they used to be, but he wasn't about to let that stop him. He still cared for her, and no one should cry alone.

He carefully took hold of the handle to Edith's room and surprisingly found it unlocked. Quietly, he opened the door and immediately heard the tell-tale sign of crying. Soft wet sniffs, and her voice in a whisper, muttering something about being useless and apologies. He moved from the door frame, closing the door till there was only a crack. He knew the one lingering in the shadows was probably wanting to listen in, even though he could easily come in as well.

"G..go away, Penny," Edith's voice came out in a harsh whisper. He had never heard her voice so fragile before, not even when they were at hogwarts.

"No need to be so harsh with her. She's only trying to help you." Ominis suggested, making his presence known. His only response was the sound of her sudden stop of noise, no sniffing, no short breath, nothing. His wand didn't give him the best image of the dark room, but what he could make out was the small table in front of him and her on the window alcove.

He moved forward carefully, his feet on carpeted floors, and his wand blessing him with the sight of her outline. She was hunched over, and possibly had her hair covering her face and shoulders.

"D..Did I wake you?" She asked, attempting to sound composed. It wasn't fooling him.

"Indeed, the walls are extremely thin." Ominis stood infront of her, looking down where she sat.

"Apologies. I'll be sure to use a silencing charm next time." She responded bitterly.

"Don't bother. It'll only be more concerning if your room is deathly silent. I'll be inclined to check on you more." Ominis shrugged. It was so clear the warmth she had when she spoke earlier today had left with the sun, leaving only the cold and shadows of night. She was always distant, but this felt so very different.

"What do you want, Ominis?" Edith grumbled, her tone coming off exhausted and annoyed.

"For you to tell me what is going on. Why are you here crying alone?" Ominis knelt down, lowering himself to her level.

"Nothing that concerns you, so leave." She spoke harshly. If Ominis had learned anything from Sebastian it was how to never give up. He wasn't going to just leave her be despite how he probably should have.

"I'd say anything causing you pain is my concern." He stated calmly. He was not going to hide his feelings. He cared for her and it was clear she needed someone to lean on for a moment despite her impeccable walls she had built. He carefully reached for her hand against the cushions of the alcove only for her to violently retreat from his touch.

"Why do you care, Ominis?!" She roared, catching him off gaurd, "Why does it matter?! I abandoned you and Sebastian. I let everyone I cared about die! Now Anne's in trouble, and it's all my fault! You are an aurora, and I am your enemy! I embody everything you hate, so don't pretend to care! Just hate me like everyone else and leave me alone!" She raged, pulling away from him. He could hear the tears from the cracking of her voice. Ominis quickly took hold of both of her wrists and held them close to his chest. She struggled to free herself, but he wasn't letting go. Not now, not ever.

"Let me go!"

"Listen to me! You are not my enemy! You will never be my enemy! The ministry could pay a thousand times over, and I will never turn against you. I have always cared for you, and I'm sorry I can't ease your pain." Ominis held onto her, terrified she'd slip away if he loosened even a little bit. Her trembling hands in his felt so delicate, just like that night at the gala.

She had gone still in his hands. Her heart racing so fast he feared he was making things worse. He didn't know how to help her, but he so desperately wanted to. Was this a fraction of what Sebastian felt, trying to save Anne? By Merlin, it hurt so much to know she was suffering and he couldn't do anything to help.

"I can't make the pain go away, but I can listen. I can comfort you when you need it, but...please don't suffer alone. I don't know who you've lost, but you shouldn't shoulder the burden all by your lonesome. I am here, Edith." Ominis begged, his voice full of the pain he felt hearing her tears, hearing that unfamiliar fragile voice. He stroked her shaking wrists with his thumb, hoping it brought some sort of comfort.

She was so silent despite being so close, had it not been for her thundering heart, and her shaking wrists, he would've thought she vanished. The silence was defening before he heard her shuddering voice. A break in her walls, and hear the tears once more.

"I...I couldn't save any of them." Her voice came out so soft, barely a whisper. Her voice was what had cracked yet he felt it in himself.

"I couldn't save Professor Fig, nor Lodgok, and now Anne" he felt her head collapse onto her wrists he was holding. He couldn't say anything. He just held her weight and listened to her sorrows.

"I watched them die. I did nothing but watch! And we'll lose Anne too because I can't save anyone!" She sobbed into him. Finally releasing her arms, he wrapped around her and pulled her close into his chest. She was too distraught to care. She just cried into him, her tears almost making him fall apart. He couldn't, though. She needed him to be strong so she could break apart.

He remembered the day Professor Fig had died. She had seemed so drawn from everyone. Hardly spoke to anyone. Sebastian even said how she sat away from her house at the far end of the tables. When he had spoken with her, she barely spoke of Professor Fig, only simply moving on to tell Sebastian what she had learned about Anne's curse. The following year, she hardly ever mentioned Fig and seemed like everything had been forgotten. But it appears she had been suffering for so long. He didn't know much of this Lodgok, only bits Sebastian and her mentioned. A goblin friend of hers, but that's all she'd say. Now she was taking in this situation with Anne onto herself.

"You were a child, Edith. There's only so much you could've done. You can't blame yourself for their deaths. It wasn't your fault. And we will find Anne in time. Don't worry. You have Sebastian and I." Ominis stroked her hair as she shook.

"I..I failed him. I could've saved him...and I didn't!" Edith cried into his shoulder. Her grip around him tightened as if she was clinging to him for dear life. The way she stuttered with her words shattered his soul. How could he fix this? The one person cared for the most in this world and all he could do was stand by, watching her fall apart.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. He knew it wasn't him she apologizing to. Though he wished he could give her the closure she needed. The only ones who could remained silent in the afterlife.

"You can't save everyone, but we won't fail Anne. I promise," Ominis assured. Holding her in his arms egnited a feeling in him, a feeling of protectiveness. He would do everything in his power to assure Edith didn't suffer alone anymore. And knew Sebastian in the hall would do so as well. They were not going to loose her again, not even to herself.

Hehehehehehehehehe! I finished my 3rd play through of the game and realized Mc hardly has time to process any deaths, so I made it my hc that Mc absolutely has ptsd from witnessing so much death from their 5th year. Hoped you guys enjoyed!!!

(Update: I added more cus I know i can do better!! (°͡ ͜ʖ °͡) )

[gilded-garnet]

A Sickening Realisation

Intro: It had been two days since he'd begged you to speak to Ominis on his behalf, and every second since had been agony.

It was a cruel punishment in itself, this limbo, trapped within his own mind. Now, all he could do was await their judgement.

Theme: Angst / WC: 900

Notes: I wanted to dig into a bit of Sebastian's headspace in that period after you know what happens, so this fic is set whilst he's still waiting to hear about his fate. Contains Sebastian and Ominis angst!

Sebastian rung his hands together, pacing across the stone floor of the Undercroft. He could feel the cold beads of sweat clinging to the back of his neck.

He'd had to do it. Solomon had as good as condemned Anne to her fate. Always angry. Always blaming. Always in the way.

So, why had you looked at him like that?

He thought you'd understand, but you'd looked at him like a stranger - like he was some unpredictable beast.

He didn't have a choice, he reassured himself. He had been the one trying to help. With his uncle gone -

"There is always a choice."

Ominis' words from the Scriptorium invaded his thoughts. Damn him and his moralising, Sebastian thought bitterly. Ominis was weak, he -

He forcefully prevented his mind from going any further. Ominis wasn't weak, he was one of the strongest people Sebastian knew.

And you. You, who - if rumours were to be believed - had killed Rookwood, killed poachers, killed Ashwinders and Loyalists...how dare you stand there and judge him!

It took significant effort to master his rapidly spiralling thoughts again. What was wrong with him? Even his own mind was traitorous; he wouldn't think these things, he wasn't like that.

He stopped pacing as the sudden, sickening realisation consumed him, drowning him. The weight of it forced him to the ground on his hands and knees. He was shaking, he realised, but it was like he was disconnected from his body.

He'd killed his uncle. He'd actually done that. That was exactly the kind of person he was.

He let out a choked sob as the guilt wracked him, and he pressed his forehead into the cold stone. After his sides ached and he had no more tears to shed, he tried to regain some semblance of sanity.

Get it together, Sebastian. Think about what's important right now. Anne. Merlin, he needed to see her desperately.

"Sebastian?"

His heart jumped into his throat. Ominis.

"H-here." He hated how his voice shook with just that simple word and was selfishly pleased that Ominis couldn't see the state of him, crumpled on the floor.

"Are you - ?" Ominis began, and then cut himself off before he could finish. No doubt he'd been about to ask if he was ok, and stopped because the answer was clearly a resounding no.

Ominis walked towards him whilst Sebastian dragged himself to his feet. His body felt unbelievably heavy.

"We spoke, and I - I've spoken to Anne. She thinks you should pay for what you've done."

Sebastian held his breath.

"But... she doesn't want to turn you in. She said she wants you to live with the guilt and pain you've caused."

Sebastian exhaled the breath he'd been holding. He wasn't sure that what he was feeling could be classed as relief.

Ominis fiddled with his wand, a nervous habit. "There's more. She said...Sebastian, she doesn't want to see you again. Ever."

Sebastian felt like his blood had turned to ice.

"But...but she can't..." His voice had gone up an octave.

He would never see Anne again? She wouldn't even be dead, just out of reach. This truly was the worst torture imaginable. Life without Anne would be like living without an arm - no - like living without one half of his soul. The Dementors might as well take him away now.

"Ominis, please, you can't - you can't let..."

Ominis' eyebrows pinched together in sudden fury as he jabbed his wand against Sebastian's chest. He stumbled back, his back hitting the wall.

"Enough, Sebastian! I am tired. It took every last bit of willpower, and a healthy dose of convincing, for me not to go straight to the headmaster and tell him everything. I should never have told you about the Scriptorium and I'll have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life - of what it led to!"

Sebastian could only listen in stunned silence. Ominis' wand was pressing so hard into his chest it was sure to leave a bruise.

"What you put me through in there..." Ominis' voice had become quiet. Sebastian could hear the emotion - the hurt - in it. He felt it rip another hole in his already tattered heart. "...I realised then and there, that maybe you didn't care about me at all."

Sebastian's mouth was dry. Ominis was his best friend; causing him pain was the last thing he wanted to do. Still, he couldn't deny the truth that he had hurt him. Had used him.

He had been blind. His search had become all-consuming. He had lost sight of everything - and everyone - else.

Ominis withdrew his wand, standing straight and smoothing the front of his robes. Sebastian could see the emotion he witheld in the twitch of his jaw.

When he next spoke, the words were clipped and cold. "Anyway. That is the situation. You'll have to live with it."

With that, he turned on his heel and headed for the exit.

"I'm sorry, Ominis." He called after him. He meant it.

Ominis didn't turn to answer. "We'll see."

Then he was gone, leaving Sebastian alone in the dark once again. It turned out he had plenty more tears left after all.

[kaidynsarell]

🌹💙Sanguinis et Omnium Fractorum💙🌹

Chapter 4- Of Crimson and Cracked Blue

🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹💙🌹

Pairings-Sebastian Sallow x Female OC

Rating-This story is rated overall 🔞 (Ch 4 is SFW)

Tags- Blood, Descriptions of Terminal Illness

The full chapter can be found below the cut (3.6k words)

Ongoing Fic

Chapters 1-6 can be found on WP and AO3

Saturday, 3rd September 1892,

Feldcroft had only ever been an imitation of home for Anne, and it had been even less than that for Sebastian.  Home, for the twins, was a cobble-stoned house several miles north of Hogwarts with an overgrown garden and a front door of midnight blue.  It was three bedrooms and a kitchen with mismatched cupboard handles their mother had bought on a whim one afternoon from a traveling vendor.  Home was a library that was bigger on the inside, with a crimson settee covered in cushions and a stained glass window that looked out onto the highlands.  Home held echoes of their childhood when the world had been giggles and music and sunshine over bare feet in the garden.  When the only monsters they knew stayed hidden between the pages of the books their father would read them.

But not all monsters had a face, and not all lingered between the pages of books or hid in the shadowy places below their beds.  Some disguised their intentions within the innocence of light and warmth, and in the end, it made them all the more cruel.

Home had been left behind when the twins had watched four become two in the cellar study, and life had traded their mum and dad for the ability to see winged skeletal horses in front of carriages that had previously pulled themselves.

October of Sixth year had brought the twins' seventeenth birthday and the inheritance of the cobble-stoned home left to them by Alastair and Catrìona Sallow.  With Solomon cold beneath the earth and Sebastian nowhere to be found, Anne had left behind the small London Flat Ominis had surreptitiously rented using 'Gaunt Funds' —the small cottage in Feldcroft having been carefully avoided since the events in the catacomb— and found home once again in the place of her childhood.  So, it was to that cobble-stoned house with the blue door that Clara and Ominis had traveled to nearly every Saturday since.

The curse left Anne weak and sickly, even on the best of days, and the use of magic exacerbated her condition.  The more complex and powerful the spell, the more her body suffered.  Much like it had in the days following Solomon's death when the force of the magic she had used to dispatch the army of inferi, destroy Slytherin's spellbook, and apparate home had set off repeated flares of excruciating pain that had left her bedridden for days.

The knowledge of it had seen Sebastian distraught.

Clara had never known him to regulate his emotions well, and she remembered that night in the Undercroft with startling clarity.  The exact shade of red that had splotched beneath his freckles and the salted drops of candle-lit gold that had glittered over his cheeks and clung to his lashes while they'd stood together and he'd screamed and sobbed and begged Ominis to take him to his sister.  But Anne had been adamant in her decision to cut him off.  As the letter had stated, she needed time, and true to her wishes, Ominis had refused to tell the freckled boy where the other half of his soul had disappeared.

Sebastian had cried, and so had Ominis.  In the end, the only solace the blond could offer was that Anne had refused to turn Sebastian over to the DMLE for Solomon's murder.

Anne, at the very least, had not wanted her brother to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban.

The knowledge hadn't seemed to comfort him much, and Sebastian had vanished only a few weeks later.

Clara's resulting friendship with Anne had come as a somewhat unexpected silver lining in what had otherwise been two years of consistent nightmares.  There had been a time— shortly after Solomon's death— when Clara had questioned if Anne had blamed her for Sebastian's downfall.  If she felt her brother's foray into the dark arts had been no more than a passing curiosity until Clara had walked beside him and stoked the wildfire that was Sebastian Sallow.  But from brief conversations on the matter, it seemed Anne felt her brother's actions had been no more than a sort of desperation that had left him blind to the depth of destruction in which he'd been dipping his toes.

Still, Anne was not wholly aware of the entirety of Clara's own actions, and if Sebastian had been dipping his toes, then Clara had jumped in and splashed around in the decimation.  He may have taught her the unforgivables, but Clara still wasn't confident which of them had actually played the role of the serpent.

With Solomon dead and Anne refusing to speak to Sebastian—even if he had been around—Anne's care had fallen to Ominis and, by extension, to Clara, and weekly dinner had become the norm.

The idea had been Ominis', and dinner had quickly become a thinly veiled excuse for something more.  They all knew it, though none of them spoke of it.  Nothing was said when Ominis and Clara began to show up at the Sallow home far earlier than expected, arms laden with a week's worth of groceries.   Nobody mentioned when one of them would begin to prepare ingredients for the week, and the other would set about completing any household chores or additional maintenance Anne had been unable to accomplish on her own.

Even more than an excuse for Clara and Ominis to help, dinner gave Anne an excuse to cook.  It was a love she'd inherited from her father, and almost nothing could brighten her face more than taking the ingredients she'd grown in the small garden behind her house and scurrying around the kitchen amid a collection of pots and pans.  Though Anne's wand often lay unused, Clara could have been convinced magic had been sprinkled within the herbs and curled within the masterful blend of flavors, textures, and aromas.

Anne always cooked, and nobody mentioned if Clara or Ominis' hands did most of the work while Anne delegated from the couch because she'd grown too tired to continue and needed to lie down part way through.  Nothing was said if Anne became so exhausted she fell asleep, and Clara and Ominis ate dinner alone.

Nobody mentioned that it was happening more often than not nowadays.

The facade was so fragile a strong wind might have shattered it, yet they worked tirelessly to maintain the thinning fabric.

<><><><><><><><><>

This Saturday had been one of the good ones, and Anne had not been too exhausted to join them as they ate.  Though the knowledge did little to soften the tension, Clara could see twitching at the corner of Ominis' jaw or the sharp rapping of his fingers over the woodgrain.

"Exactly how often are you expected to travel to Hogwarts to conduct these tests?  Do they not have the decency to come here?" The blond stabbed through a roast potato as though it had personally affronted him, and the metal of his fork clinked against his plate.

He'd been in one of his irritable moods all day.  Since that morning, when Anne had confessed her visit to the Hogwarts Hospital wing and explained her agreement with Healer Fawley and the Experimental Research Department.  If Clara hadn't already known Anne had kept the information from him, the blond's reaction would have been evidence enough.  He'd been—if only temporarily— kept in the dark, and Ominis's bite too often sheltered his hurt or masked his concern.

Still, Clara credited herself with not kicking him under the table.  Hurt or not, the blond's ill-tempered jabs were starting to draw her already fragile patience to the breaking point.  Then again, these days, most things had the unfortunate habit of shredding her patience.

Anne shrugged and took another swig of her pumpkin juice.  "Around once a month or so, according to Healer Fawley."

If Clara could pride Anne on one thing, it would be her ability to be completely unperturbed by the snip of Ominis' tongue.  Perhaps that was why they worked so well together.  Anne's sweet could always temper his sour.

The skewered potato hung on the end of his fork, uneaten.  "I still fail to see why they can not come here.  Surely, any assistance you give them should not come at the expense of exhausting yourself with travel.  Especially when it may not be to your benefit.   I do not want to see y–"

Clara did not miss the thin hand that settled on the blond's leg under the table or how his lips snapped shut at the little squeeze it offered.

"It is only to Hogwarts, and Noreen has been kind enough to allow me to connect our fireplaces via the Floo Network for any dates I'm needed there.  I'm sure I can manage that much."

Ominis did not speak and bit down on the now thoroughly cooled spud.  No doubt to stifle his retort.

Anne sighed and leaned forward onto hands tucked beneath the overlong sleeves of a cable-knit sweater she'd borrowed from Ominis. "Healer Fawley is one of the first who's not spoken to me as though I'm some poor soul on death's door.  I appreciate that he's been reserved with his expectations, and if allowing him and the rest of his department to conduct a few simple tests and study a few vials of my blood could help someone in the future, then who am I to deny that?" She shrugged, and the sweater shifted around her thin shoulders.  "Who knows, maybe....maybe they will find something that can help me–"

Solomon had heard Anne's prognosis and leaped to bruise his fists at the doors of acceptance.  Sebastian had planted his feet firmly in denial and grown roots too deep, even while his fingers burned and blackened with the destruction of the hope he clung to.  Anne, it seemed, had found the balance between the two.  She sat with her back against the doors and turned her face to the flickers of golden warmth behind stormy grey clouds.

Acceptance did not mean she'd given up entirely.

"—Besides, if I grow tired of it, I'll just tell them to sod off."

Clara snorted into her pumpkin juice, and Ominis tipped his head down.

It was a moment before she could collect herself enough to notice the pressure of the question against her conscience.  A needle of thought too thin to have been acknowledged the day before amidst her mind's wash of nightmarish images now resonated with a sharp sting that would not be ignored.  "Why is it that Healer Fawley has only now reached out?"

The question knit between Anne's brow, and she tilted her head.  "What?"

"You've dealt with this curse since the Fourth year.  Why wait all this time?"

The bend of Ominis' neck straightened, and the crease that had furrowed Anne's brow twitched the blond's together even as her own deepened.  His head turned toward her, nose tipped toward the beat of his heart beside him.

Anne's lip tugged down at the corners and tightened.  "Healer Fawley did reach out when it first happened.  At least, that's what he told me when I questioned him on it.  I don't remember it; everything was so hazy and painful in those first weeks before they got my regimen of potions set.  I hardly remember anything.  But as I was underage at the time, the decision wasn't mine to make and—"

Her voice faltered, though Clara hardly needed to hear the rest.  Ever the pessimist Solomon Sallow had given up before a Healer ever looked at his niece, and "Experimental" may as well have been synonymous with the dark arts.  Clara only wondered if Sebastian had known.  Had the knowledge only furthered the wedge already driven between Uncle and Nephew and fueled the maelstrom of emotions that had come to a catalyst and exploded within the catacomb?

"--well... when I received correspondence from Healer Fawley a few weeks ago, I supposed it couldn't hurt to assist them." A small laugh shook from her nose and unfolded the frown that had pulled at her lips.  "Besides, I know Sebbie...Sebastian would want me to keep trying... No matter how minuscule the odds."

Her voice faltered only slightly at Sebastian's name.  Anne had not mentioned her brother in weeks, and she rarely talked about him.  Sebastian had become a near-forbidden topic that hid in the darkened corners alongside Solomon or any mention of catacombs.  Though, from the brief conversations she had allowed on the subject, Clara had surmised that the grief and anger within her feelings on her twin were so tangled and woven together that she'd had a difficult time separating them from one another.  Lately, however, Anne's anger had begun to taste more like sorrow or maybe regret, and she had begun to wonder how furious Anne still was.

Clara's fingers found the rough edges of the Protean Charmed Parchment within the pocket of her trousers.  She'd taken to carrying it with her, and not for the first time that day; she wondered if she should mention her recent communication with the other Sallow.  Still, threads of hesitation bound her tongue, and the words crumpled against her teeth.

Had Sebastian left Anne a Protean Charmed Parchement as he'd left Clara?  She supposed he must have.  Anne was the most important person in his life.

Had she secretly been in contact with Sebastian this whole time?

Had she shredded the yellowed page in a flurry of tears?

Or had Anne seen the parchment and left it unused?  Too hurt and angry to make contact with the shared part of her soul.

"Well, enough of that." The flicker of a familiar mischievousness glinted behind her eyes, and the brunette stood and pushed herself away from the table toward the counter, where sat a sizeable wooden pie box.  She fumbled a moment with the lid and pulled out a small tray piled with twisted pastries, smothered in gobs of caramel and topped with a sprinkling of nuts and cinnamon.

She grinned and gripped the tray in front of her.  "I've made sticky buns while you two were out weeding my vegetable patch this morning."  

Ominis sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.  "Anne dear, you were meant to be resting while Clara and I were in the garden.  Not baking."

Anne giggled, and there was a moment.  Just a moment, where Ominis turned his lips down to hide the smile they all knew tugged the corners of his mouth.  A moment, Anne clutched the plate of sticky buns and beamed below the lamplight.  A moment, the air breathed with the essence of Anne Sallow: Caramel and vanilla and baker's sugar.

Just a moment when they tricked themselves into believing the lie that was fine.

Then Anne whimpered.

A sound so soft shouldn't have rung in Clara's ears like cannon fire or seen Ominis leap to his feet with such uncharacteristic force the chair toppled behind him.

The sticky buns fell next.  One after another.  Summersaulted and tumbled to the ground alongside the clatter of the tray.

Then her pain rent the serenity of the quiet evening, and the young woman fell to the ground, jarring bones in a torrent of crimson and strangled cries.  Skeletal fingers clenched to white over her abdomen as waves of blood spilled from between open lips to pool over the worn floorboards.

Ominis reached Anne first, fell to his knees, and pulled her shaking body against his as she screamed and convulsed.  He rocked her slowly back and forth, head tucked into the junction of her neck and shoulder, and muttered something Clara couldn't make out beyond the sound of her own breathing.

The pools of crimson met Clara's knees above the wood that dug into her bones.  She paid it no mind.  The complex network of motions and delicate syllables of the soothing spell had taken Clara weeks of practice with Nurse Blainey in Sixth year.  A treatment for the effects of the cruciatus curse, it had proved the best method to calming the waves of pain that racked the frail woman's body.  Slowly, an intricate latticework of soft golden light settled over her before it sank into her skin, and Anne slumped against the blond with a trembled exhale.  Ominis pressed his lips to her shoulder and traced soothing circles along her arms.

Still knelt beside the two cradled together, Clara began rummaging through a box of potions– hastily retrieved from a nearby cupboard.  The glass cylinders clinked together as she pulled vial after vial: Blood replenishing, Wiggenwelds, Calming draughts, and various other analgesics.  Each pressed into the hand of the blond and coaxed between Anne's lips with haunting routine.

If cruelty held up a mirror, it would see the image of a slender blond sitting in a pool of blood, holding a pallid girl with scarlet-tinged lips and sweat-soaked hair, trembling with the remnants of pain that had fractured her body.  And cruelty would number the days between them.

Less than a year.

That was the latest estimation they'd been given before there would be one less seat at the table.

Before, one boy would have his soul torn apart and the other his heart.

Before, Clara would lose the closest thing she'd ever had to a sister.

Cruelty would count Anne lucky if she saw summer.

<><><><><><><><><>

Thin cracks had spiderwebbed through the indigo paint that adorned the door to the Sallow home.  Beyond, the heat of the late summer day had reached sticky fingers into the star-strewn night and drawn away any chill that might have suggested Autumn waited in the wings for her yearly debut.

With the worst of Anne's pain settled, Ominis had carried her to the first bedroom off the hall.  With the door left slightly ajar, Clara could see as he tucked the blankets around her and lay beside her to trace gentle fingers over her cheeks and along her jaw.  The home that had welcomed three with the sunrise suddenly felt overcrowded, and Clara had taken her leave.

Her boots crunched footsteps over the dirt, and aching bones sagged her body to the carpet of softly waving green beneath the branches of the tree that marked the edge of the property.  Slowly, she pulled the thick waves of white blonde hair around her shoulder to find the ends clumped together with dried crimson.  A quick cleansing charm banished the remaining blood, and Clara worked her fingers through to twist the unruly mass into a loose braid.

She couldn't say how long she waited before the door creaked open, and Ominis stepped into the summer night.  He remained standing near the house, nose tipped to the sky and breaths too shallow to be steady.  Clara said nothing about the quick brush of his sleeve over his eyes as she approached him, and he didn't protest when she reached over to squeeze his fingers.

Irritable mood or not, he was the closest thing she'd had to a brother.  She didn't relish in his pain.

"Omi-"

"I know, Professor Weasley will have our heads if we're not back by curfew–" He worked his jaw a moment– "Kipley."

The house elf appeared with a sharp crack that shattered the otherwise quiet evening.  "Yes, Master Gaunt?"

He exhaled through his teeth, a low, sharp huff that sounded so much like a hiss Clara might have thought he'd resorted to parseltongue had she not known his reluctance to use it.  "Just Ominis, please, Kipley.  Are Father and Mother out?

The little elf shifted, hands clasped behind her back.  "Oh, yes, they is both being at the Estate in Toulouse, Master Gau– Master Ominis."

Ominis pursed his lips at the use of the title but seemed resigned to it.  "And what of Marvolo?"

"Yes, he is out as well." The little elf glanced around, green eyes darting up to Clara and back to Ominis before she tilted forward on her feet and cupped a hand to the side of her lips.  "Kipley should not be saying so, but Kipley believes they should not be returning for a few days if Master Ominis should need Kipley's help.

The twitch of a smile seemed all he could muster.  "I should like you to stay with Miss Sallow for the night and tomorrow if you are not otherwise needed."

The elf beamed and nodded vigorously; a little pouf of white curls bounced with the motion.  "Oh yes, Master Ominis, Kipley will see to Miss Sallow."

"Thank You, Kipley.  You must please come find me immediately if her illness worsens again."

The elf nodded, bowed, and bounded away up the grass and through the door.

His throat bobbed once, and pale, redrimmed eyes turned Clara with uncanny accuracy. "Anne's asleep.  We need to get back before we get detention.  Kipley can stay with her until I can send for Nurse Shaw in the morning to check in and replenish the potions."

Clara raised her eyebrows. "You know, Anne will be furious at you for sending the nurse twice in one week.  She barely tolerates once."

He exhaled a sharp sort of half-hearted laugh through his nose.  "I am quite aware."

Clara squeezed his slender fingers beneath her own.  Ominis glanced back at the house for a moment, nodded once, and together, they turned on the spot and vanished with a small 'pop' that echoed through the otherwise quiet night.

The snap of apparition did not see the small barn owl alight on Anne's bedroom window ledge.

:

:

It didn't see the tightly wound scroll bound to its leg.

:

:

And it didn't see the messy scrawl of words inked within.

[lilacwisps]

i prayed one word (i want)

Ship: Ominis Gaunt x Ravenclaw Female Player Character Rating: M (eventually)

Summary: When Sebastian tells Ominis about the new fifth-year student, Ominis can sense troubles from a mile away - and tells Sebastian as much. Unfortunately for Ominis, he doesn't seem to be able to take his own advice.

ao3 link

Chapter 1

By some grace of Merlin, they make it out of Salazar Slytherin's scriptorium alive, though not unscathed. Ava keeps her composure well enough to fool Sebastian, who is too taken with the notebook they've retrieved from the study, but Ominis knows the truth - she's still in agony. He can hear it in her steps, slow and uneven, in the quiet yet sharp breath she takes when they approach the stairs, in the way air hitches in her throat as they walk up.

Ominis's heart clenches with worry and compassion - he knows the aftereffects of the Curciatus Curse all too well. Piercing, all-consuming agony dissipates once the caster stops the spell, giving way to another kind of pain - every nerve in the body feels flayed bare, and just being alive hurts. Ominis could still hear the cries of the Muggles that his parents and siblings tortured. While under the curse, the Muggles all pleaded for it to stop, but once the spell was released, almost all begged for death.

Sebastian didn't truly mean to hurt Ava - but in unpracticed hands the Cruciatus Curse was almost more dangerous than in experienced ones. When Ominis realized just what Sebastian and Ava were planning to do, he was overcome with dread. He felt as helpless as he once did as a child - there was absolutely nothing he could do but stand there and listen to one of them writhe on the floor in agony.

Sebastian was the one to cast the curse - and what followed terrified Ominis more than he thought possible. He heard the thump of Ava falling to her knees, a quiet whimper followed by another, and then - nothing. A cold wave of terror rose in his chest, forcing his throat to clench, making it almost impossible to breathe. In that instance, a blood-curdling scream would have been more reassuring than complete silence. Did Sebastian accidentally…

"Are you alright?" he heard Sebastian ask.

"I'll live," Ava's voice was hoarse, but she sounded very much alive.

Ominis knew his relief was almost palpable. Sebastian was already taking a heavy burden on his soul by casting an Unforgivable Curse - and the last thing Ominis wanted was for Sebastian to become an accidental murderer as well.

A loud, clanking sound, followed by Sebastian cursing, distracts Ominis from his thoughts.

"Blasted," Sebastian says, "Who decided to move this vase here? Are they trying to kill us?"

"It's always been there," Ominis chuckles - in his five years at Hogwarts, he's learned every inch of the dungeons by heart, "I've told you before, one of these days, you are going to break your neck if you keep walking around and reading."

"I wasn't reading," Sebastian argues, but Ominis doesn't need to see to know that it's a lie.

"He absolutely was," Ava says.

"Traitor," Sebastian hisses.

"Imagine just how embarrassing it would be," Ava continues, unabated, "To be capable of overcoming the obstacles set by Salazar Slytherin himself, all to be felled by a simple vase."

Ominis cannot stop himself from chuckling - something like that would absolutely happen to Sebastian.

"Very funny," Sebastian sighs, frustrated, "I really wasn't reading, only skimming - but there's so much I've seen already. Something here ought to be able to help Anne."

Ominis nods - he hopes Sebastian is right. He's always known that Sebastian would stop at nothing on his quest to cure Anne, and he'd already started down a dark, dangerous path. If this notebook helps Sebastian find the answers and stops him from dabbling with dark, forbidden magic, then everything they had to do to get to Slytherin's scriptorium may have just been worth it.

Ominis can hardly blame Sebastian for his desperation - after Anne and Sebastian's parents passed, the twins were left all alone in the world. Of course, they had their uncle, Solomon, but for some reason or another, the man always seemed to keep his distance. Not that Ominis fully understood how a close-knit, loving family would function - his own family was broken and mangled and twisted in more ways than one. After Anne was cursed and it became clear that none of the healers could help her, Sebastian had changed - and Ominis would have been a fool to expect otherwise.

What Ominis hadn't realized until this year, however, was that, perhaps, Sebastian had changed more than he expected - and that worried him.

Next thing Ominis knows, they stop in front of the wall leading to the Slytherin common room.

"I'd say this outing was a success," Ominis can tell by Sebastian's voice that he's smiling, "Thank you both for your help - I could not have done it without you. We make a great team."

"That we do," Ava readily agrees, "Next time, however, you'll be the one solving the puzzles."

"I was about to do them this time, but you got to them first. It wouldn't have been very gentlemanly of me to get between a lady and her puzzles," Sebastian argues, "But fine - next time, I'll show you how it's done."

"Can't wait," Ava retorts.

"Well, this has been fun, but I have this whole notebook to get through - I'm hoping to get an early start in case I need to make a foray into the Restricted Section, so I better get going," Sebastian pauses for a second, "Thank you again for…what you did there. I will not forget it."

Ominis hears the rumble of the stone snakes as the wall parts, revealing the door to the Slytherin common room.

"You should be careful when you read it," Ominis warns wearily, "Given Slytherin's penchant for dark magic, curses could be hidden among his notes."

"It's possible," Sebastian agrees, "But there can also be the cure I'm looking for, so I'll take my chances."

Ominis can barely suppress a sigh - he never expected his warning to stop Sebastian, but he'd feel guilty if he said nothing. But Sebastian always keeps his eyes on the prize and ignores all the obstacles.

He hears Sebastian walk forward and open the common room door, but Ominis doesn't follow him. "Are you coming?" Sebastian calls out from the doorway.

"In a moment," Ominis replies - there's still one thing he needs to do.

When he hears the door to the common room close behind Sebastian, Ominis turns to Ava.

"I wanted to apologize," he says softly, "For that encounter we had outside the Undercroft. When I realized that you weren't Sebastian, I…made the wrong assumption."

"That he was showing off the Undercroft to impress the ladies?" Ava chuckles, "Does he do that sort of thing often?"

Ominis wants to slap himself - it is little wonder she'd misinterpreted his words. Why couldn't he just apologize without bringing up anything else? He stalls, weighing his following words carefully. There's little doubt in his mind that Ava must like Sebastian - many girls at Hogwarts did. Sebastian was charming and handsome - and was often not above relying on his dashing looks to get something he wanted, like answers to a Potions homework or a Transfigurations quiz or for someone to cover for him while he snuck into the areas of the castle that were off limits to students.

But none of the girls in question liked Sebastian enough to take the Cruciatus Curse for him, and Ominis feels it wouldn't be right to break Ava's heart on Sebastian's behalf.

"It's not like that," he says finally, "I just…I was rude to you then, and I wanted to apologize."

"I accept your apology," Ava replies, then adds, "And I'd like to apologize too - I did lie to you when you questioned me about the Undercroft."

"No apology needed," Ominis shakes his head, "I've all but ambushed you, so I understand your reaction."

"I'm so glad we've spoken about it," Ava says, then adds, amused, "And by the way, just so you know - if I had an inkling that Sebastian had any interest in me outside of dueling and breaking school rules, I would have never gone with him to the Undercroft. Do you know what his letter said? He'd like me to accompany him to a "discreet place" to "practice illicit spells"! Can one be any more obvious?"

Ominis can hardly stop himself from laughing at her words. When Ava puts it like that, he realizes that it's true - unless the intention truly was to practice illicit spells, the wording left precious little space for plausible deniability.

"What did he teach you?" he asks.

"Confringo," Ava responds, "It's come in very handy in quite a few situations, but I'm still torn between it and Incendio."

"Confringo is Sebastian's favorite," Ominis nods, "Has he shown you Glacius yet?"

"Not yet," Ava says, "What is that spell?"

"It's an ice spell that I think might be helpful for you to know," Ominis explains, "If you'd like, I could show it to you."

"I'd love that," he can hear a smile in Ava's voice.

The rumbling of the stone snakes interrupts their conversation as the door to the Slytherin common room opens once again.

"Hi, Ava! Hi, Ominis!" Nerida Roberts greets them, "Ava do you feel alright - you look pale?"

Ominis isn't sure how the two know each other, but this is hardly the best time to ask.

"Hi, Nerida," Ava replies, "I am alright, just tired - I was up until the wee hours of the morning finishing that nightmare of homework for the Arithmancy class."

"Tell me about it," Nerida says, "I must have cried at least three times - if I get anything above "Dreadful," I will consider it a win. Anyway, I'd love to stay and chat, but unfortunately, I have to go."

"Of course," Ava says softly, "Have a good evening, Nerida."

Ominis waits until he cannot hear Nerida's steps anymore until he speaks again.

"I also wanted to thank you," he says quietly, "For what you did for Sebastian and me at the scriptorium."

"Things we do for friends," Ava chuckles, "Although now that I know what Crucio feels like, Sebastian will have a much harder time convincing me to take it if we ever find ourselves in a similar situation."

"I hope we never will," Ominis replies earnestly, feeling a shudder run up his spine. What they had just experienced on their way to the scriptorium was enough horror to last a lifetime. "I want you to have this," he adds, reaching into his book bag and pulling out a small vial.

"What is that?" Ava asks, curious. Ominis can feel her shift closer to take a better look at the vial.

"It should help with the pain," Ominis explains, "Crucio itself feels agonizing enough - but, at least from my memory, the aftereffects are almost worse."

He must be right, as Ava doesn't need convincing. "Thank you," she says as he hands her the vial. Her fingers briefly brush against his skin, and suddenly, the air feels much warmer than it did just a moment ago.

"Of course," Ominis replies, startled by the unexpected sensation, "You should probably sit. This thing tends to make you quite dizzy, although it should wear off in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you for the warning," Ava sighs, "After the kind of day I had, the last thing I need is to faint in the dungeons. Although, perhaps, that would keep me out of trouble, at least for a little bit."

"I'm afraid a visit to the Hospital Wing will get you into more trouble, instead," Ominis says, "Madame Blainey is no fool and will be able to tell what caused the damage. And once she does, you'll spend the rest of the night answering her, Professor Weasley, and Professor Black's questions."

"Perish the thought," Ava laughs, then adds, "No benches here at all? The lobby leading up to the Ravenclaw Tower is so much more hospitable. Very well, these stairs will have to do."

She walks past him to the stairs leading to the corridor they came from earlier and settles on the steps. Though Ominis cannot see her, it feels odd to be standing while she is sitting, so he decides to settle on the stairs as well. He hears Ava open the vial.

"Such a strong herbal smell," she says, taking a deep breath, "I wasn't quite expecting that based on the color."

"And what were you expecting?" Ominis asks, curious.

"Perhaps something sweet," Ava replies.

"Well then, I'm afraid you won't like what you are about to hear," Ominis chuckles, "But it tastes significantly worse than it smells."

"The day just keeps getting better and better," Ava sighs. She's quiet then for a long moment before finally saying, "You weren't lying."

"I'm sorry," Ominis offers, "But potions like this can't really be brewed in more palatable flavors."

"Well, the clear upside is that it's working - and fast too," Ava sounds surprised, "I'm already feeling better. And - here comes the dizziness."

"That should pass soon," Ominins reassures her.

Silence falls upon them for a moment, making Ominis wonder if he should stay. After everything they'd been through earlier that day, leaving Ava alone would likely be unwise - especially now that she's taken the potion. But Ominis also knows that others - besides Sebastian and Anne - rarely seek out his company. Unlike Sebastian, he's never been the one to instantly win others over with an easy smile or quick wit. His upbringing left deep scars on his very soul, making it hard to connect with others.

She wants him to leave, he's certain of it - she's just too polite to say it.

"Thank you," Ava murmurs, "For staying with me - I'm a little weary of unfamiliar potions, so it's nice to have a friend to watch over me."

Her words catch Ominis off guard - did he hear it right, was she thanking him for being around her?

"Of course," he replies, smiling softly, "It's the least I can do."

Ava hums, content, before adding, "This potion really is magic - I'm feeling so much better. Still, Sebastian better find the cure to Anne's curse in that notebook, and quick - I did not just go through the worst pain of my life for nothing."

"It might not seem like it, but Sebastian's very good at parsing through the tomes of ancient spells," Ominis says, "His mother used to teach Ancient Runes at Hogwarts, and it seems he's inherited her talent for unraveling mysteries."

"I sure hope so," Ava replies, "And that cure better not involve a similar trap - I've no intention of going through this again unless I absolutely have no choice."

"You are strong," Ominis notes, "When I…when I experienced the Curse, I thought I was going to die."

"So did I," Ava laughs mirthlessly, "Even though I know for certain Sebastian had no intention of actually hurting me. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would have been like if he did."

Ominis does not argue, though he knows full well that the Cruciatus Curse can be even more dangerous in inexperienced hands - and he cannot imagine that Sebastian had much chance to practice.

"But deep in my heart, I knew I wouldn't die," Ava chuckles suddenly, "You see, I'm still not done with my Herbology assignment for tomorrow - and there is no way I'm dying with unfinished homework. If I ever did, I'd haunt this place so much, even Peeves would cry."

"Wouldn't expect anything else from a Ravenclaw," Ominis laughs, leaning against the wall behind him, suddenly realizing that he's utterly exhausted. Between the anxiety caused by their little excursion to the scriptorium and all the traumatic memories it stirred, he cannot wait to fall into his bed. Still, he doesn't want to leave Ava alone - not until she's no longer dizzy and can safely make her way to the Ravenclaw Tower.

"What can I say," Ava hums, content, "I suppose the Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes."

"I suppose it doesn't," Ominis agrees with a small laugh.

His mind goes, unbidden, to something he'd thought about when Sebastian first mentioned Ava to him. She was a Rosier, which meant she was related to several dark wizards and witches, almost all of whom were Slytherin students when at Hogwarts. But the Sorting Hat put her in Ravenclaw…

"I'm sorry if it feels like I am prying - and please don't feel obliged to answer if you don't want to," Ominis starts cautiously, "But I cannot help but be curious - given your…lineage, how did your parents react to you being sorted into Ravenclaw?"

"I don't mind answering," Ava says calmly, "I'd say they reacted well enough, all things considered. I suppose mother dearest thought about it and decided that having a Ravenclaw daughter was better than having a squib one."

Ominis nods, frowning - from what he understood of Sebastian's explanation, Ava did not display any magical abilities until earlier that year, which must have made her parents believe she was a squib. Ominis shudders at the thought - he knows all too well how poorly squib children get treated in pure-blooded families with a penchant for dark magic.

"Overall, I'd say that things between my parents and I have markedly improved since I started at Hogwarts," Ava continues, "Now, if only mother dearest stopped with the betrothal talk, things would get even better."

"Betrothal talk?" Ominis repeats, confused.

"With so few pure-blood families remaining, it is a duty of every pure-blooded witch to make a suitable match and bear children, Ava," the inflections in Ava's voice change, making it clear that she's mocking her mother, "At your age, I've already been betrothed - twice."

"Twice?" Ominis asks, horrified, "At only fifteen?"

"Yes," Ava confirms, "So now she thinks she has to hurry - else all will be lost."

"Your mother sounds…complicated," Ominis muses.

"Which is why I'm so glad we don't have to go home during the breaks and can remain in the castle instead," Ava laughs.

"Can't say I disagree," Ominis chuckles lightly.

Silence falls upon them again, but it feels more comfortable this time, almost palpably warmer.

"Forgive me," Ava says suddenly, "I've been sitting here complaining about my family when you'd just found out about your aunt. I am so sorry about her passing - she sounded like a wonderful woman and a brilliant witch. Without her help, I don't think we would have made it out alive."

Ominis takes a breath, steadying his heartbeat - deep inside, he's always known that aunt Noctua was gone. She would never just abandon the family - she wasn't that kind of person. Since she'd gone missing, all Ominis ever wanted was closure - and now he had it, even if it still hurt to learn about her brutal end.

"Aunt Noctua was my most favorite person in the world," Ominis says softly, "She was brave and brilliant and did not believe in our family's twisted ways. I…I still cannot believe that she's gone, but I hope her soul has found peace - and I hope that someday I can put her bones to rest."

He feels it then - Ava's gentle fingers ghost the back of his palm as she lightly rests her hand on his. Her hand is small and cold - yet, somehow, her touch makes warmth rise in his chest, catching Ominis off guard.

"If you need someone to go back there with you to recover her remains, just let me know," she says softly, "Your aunt deserves a better resting place than a dusty dungeon."

Ominis is overcome with gratitude - they've solved Slytherin's puzzle, meaning they were free to go in and out of scriptorium as they pleased, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to go back there alone.

"There's this place aunt Noctua was very fond of, up in the northern hills," Ominis muses, "It overlooks the castle and the lake - perhaps we can lay her to rest there."

"Was your aunt still at Hogwarts when you started school?" Ava asks.

"No - she'd graduated several years before I started," Ominis explains, "But I'd never go home during breaks, so she'd often come up to Hogwarts to see me. During one of those visits, she brought me to that place."

"I'm sure her spirit would feel at peace, knowing her bones rest in her favorite spot of the Hogwarts valley," Ava says softly, and Ominis nods - he hopes she is right.

"There's…there's something else I feel like I need to do to honor her memory," Ominis adds after a momentary pause, "I need to go through Slytherin's books and journals to see if I can find something, anything that could show my family that my aunt was right and there's more to his heritage than just obsession with blood purity. I would really appreciate it if you could help me with this task."

"Just let me know when," Ava says, "I'm too curious to be able to turn down an opportunity to read the diary of Salazar Slytherin himself."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Ominis chuckles.

After everything they had to overcome to get to the scriptorium, Ominis doesn't have high hopes about Slytherin, but he owes it to his aunt to try. She'd be disappointed if she learned that he was giving up already. Besides, if he is wrong, if there was, in fact, more to Slytherin than just his obsession with blood status, he could show his parents the error in their ways - and, perhaps, then the divide between them will be healed.

Ominis shakes his head, chasing away the thoughts - it's best not to get too ahead of himself. Besides, it will be a while before he can muster the nerve to return to Slytherin's scriptorium, even with Ava at his side. Dark magic - darker than anyone Ominis had ever experienced - was woven into the very fabric of that place, and he would be lying if he said it didn't terrify him to his very core.

Perhaps, they shouldn't bring Sebastian next time they go, Ominis muses, His friend has already dabbled in dark magic significantly more than he should have. The last thing he wants is to tempt Sebastian with that power unnecessarily. No, keeping him as far from the scriptorium as possible is best.

"How are you feeling?" he asks Ava, pushing the thoughts away, "Are you still dizzy?" "

No, not dizzy anymore," Ava answers, then adds, "And feeling quite well actually - might just sneak out to Hogsmeade and drink the night away at the Hog's Head."

"Despite the seedy atmosphere and the skeevy clientele, they don't actually serve fire whiskey to students," Ominis says, hanging his head in faux chagrin.

"Speaking from experience?" Ava chuckles.

"During our third year, Sebastian, Anne, and I went to Hogsmeade and decided to try our luck at the Hog's Head. Let's just say - it wasn't our lucky day. And, to make matters worse, groundskeeper Moon was there and reported us to Professor Weasley. It was only by some grace of Merlin that we just got just two weeks of detention."

"I would have loved to see that," Ava laughs, "Well then, there goes my plan. I suppose Herbology Homework it is, then."

The sound of bells fills the dungeons - the clock strikes ten, notifying the students of the curfew.

"Will you be alright walking up to the Ravenclaw Tower?" Ominis asks as he and Ava stand up from their seats on the stairs, "Do you need me to accompany you?"

"I'll be just fine," Ava replies, "No need to worry about me - the potion you gave me helped immensely. And the last thing I would want is to get you in trouble for being out after curfew."

They walk ahead, stopping in front of the wall leading to the Slytherin common room.

"Until tomorrow," Ominis says as the stone snakes rumble, opening the passage.

"Until tomorrow," Ava replies, then adds, "Wait, before I forget - I'd like to take you up on your offer to teach me Glacius."

"Very well," Ominis agrees easily, "How about right after Potions tomorrow?"

"Perfect," he can almost hear the smile in Ava's voice, "I'm looking forward to it. Good night, Ominis."

[foxglovevibes]

So last night, I was seemingly possessed by a fic idea that absolutely refused to let me sleep until I wrote out at least a portion of what had been ruminating within my brain 😂 I thought I might share a snippet of what spilled outta with you guys to see if you'd be interested in reading it when/if it gets up off of the planning table!

 Excerpt from chapter one of "oh i've been dazed and confused (from the day i met you-)

 

 

March 27th, 1904

 

 

 

It wasn’t often that she was willing to take the time to think of how readily she chose to do this to herself, whenever the chance arose.

How she was so inclined to let others lay their hands on her in ways she’d loathe to let them do to anybody else, whether it be fuelled by adrenaline addled rage, lurid desire that sometimes overwhelmed her to the point where she felt she’d burst . Surely she should feel a low burning shame deep in her belly, at the sight of the well meaning but distinctly unwelcome concern on the faces of her very few friends as she walked through the halls. She could feel the weight of their eyes on her almost as much as the physical evidence of her vices throbbing along her flesh. 

But now…

 

As she gazed at the woman reflected before her, the dark stare of her eyes both accusing and full of pity, Moira McLoughlin found it was hard to keep her roaming mind in check.

She tilted her head, taking in her battered form and noting every unfamiliar detail she could make out with an analytic precision. The kind she typically reserved for her crime scenes. For victims. Her eyes gleamed back at her from the glass, deep amber golden irises streaking fluorescently in the flickering light of the lavatory's oil lamps as she ran her fingertips along the bruises blooming along her flesh like macabre roses. Flushed in varying shades of purple and sickly yellow, curling out from beneath her blouse and the top of her trousers in exaggerated flourishes too bold to go unnoticed. It was a wonder she managed to hide any of them. 

Particularly when she considered just how poorly her attempts to do so generally were.

As it stood, they were currently proving to be little more than a failure to distract herself from the numbness gripping her entire being in that moment.

She'd been given news.

 

 

Of him.

 

 

For the first time in years.

 

 

Prewett had apparently spotted him looking all too comfortable, at home even, during a raid of a well known black market. One that she knew, all too well, specifically dealt in dark artifacts and other items meant to help facilitate rituals of the darkest arts. Leander knew it too if she were to judge from the barely veiled look of pity he'd kept sending her way for the rest of the day after.

The fact it had taken everything in her not to beg him for any details he could give her certainly didn't help her foul mood.

She had always had an inkling that Sebastian had fallen back into old habits after the events of their fifth year. That his thrice damned thirst for knowledge had once again drawn him to places she refused to even entertain the idea of following him to. But she had failed to comprehend just how far he had been willing to go now that Solomon, and Anne by extension, weren't around to keep him in check. 

How little, it seemed, she and Ominis had mattered to him in the end.

 

Moira worked so hard to keep him occupied, focused. To bring him back to her. Back to the easy days, where they spent their time trying to either scandalise or make Ominis laugh. To give him what he seemed to think the dark arts were giving him. To try and prove that they did the right thing by not turning him over to the authorities, by not condemning him to Azkaban for what happened to Solomon. But he repaid that effort by pulling further and further away until he was just gone. Entirely.

Until she was reading the Daily Prophet during the summer, right before their seventh year, and saw her worst fears realized laid out before her in stark black ink.

Sebastian had disappeared without a trace. A fellow resident of his in Feldcroft, who'd become his de-facto guardian after Solomon's death, reported it two weeks or so after his estimated departure. At least, that had been what she'd gleaned from the vague and decidedly ill-handled report of the incident when she'd gathered up the courage to look it over. It was clear that the aurors involved had taken it merely as an unruly boy pushing the boundaries with his new guardians, exasperated at the fact that they had to deal with it at all.

She couldn't deny that the carefully detailed and plump case file she'd later found attached to the flimsy report had left her laughing hollowly until she wept at the cruel irony of it all.

Well, there ya go! I have a couple other pieces I could post as previews but I'll just hold off until I get a general consensus of how this excerpt sounds to you guys! Please do let me know your thoughts on this lil snippet! 😁

[sapphira-mydnyte]

Him...

Pairing: Omi x Sebby

Warning: None, just sassy on Omi's End

Sebastian never could break his gaze once Ominis decided to let his proud heritage show. He didn't do it often, but Ominis had his days when his family's legacy took hold of his mind & he acted a little "out of line" for a short bit. The "upperclass" regality & pride poured from him, especially when they were about to go somewhere important, like the Ministry.

When in the presence of other aristocratic families, Sebastian fell to the floor on command, like a well trained dog for his master. Ominis didn't enjoy doing it in front of the other pureblood families, nor the upper echelon of society in itself, but it was expected of him as an heir of Slytherin to be as such. He did make a point of it to make it very clear to the others about how he treated Sebastian.

"When one disrespects Sebastian, they also disrespect me in the highest order & I will NOT allow it! Sebastian is to kneel to no one else but me, not even my own family is to do this to him. He remains the finest duelist to ever grace the illustrious house of Slytherin & from the day he was sorted into my house to the day he became our champion duelist, I kept watch over him in my own way. He can beg me for forgiveness all day for all I care, but I have my own reasons to make him kneel."

Those haunting blue eyes, although lacking vision, still moved to the brunette that was at his feet. "Your loyalty to me may be unchanged, but remember this, you're MINE. Be a good boy & I MIGHT reward you later." A chill went down the spine of the brunette Scotsman that remained kneeling on the floor, but even still, as the sun hit his brown eyes, turning them gold, he was left breathless. Even though he had done wrong, he didn't know what he had done right to keep an heir of Slytherin in his life. Sebastian couldn't make words, not when his own sunlit golds were drowning in the bright blues of the blond above him. Sebastian would give anything to keep Ominis around, but in sparing him a prison sentence over his biggest regret, he owed the heir his life. Sebastian had wanted to be ended after committing the ultimate sin of casting the killing curse, but instead, Ominis chose to end him in a different manner. He ended Sebastian's life as a Sallow, transforming him into a Gaunt forever. It was an ending he hadn't thought possible after what had done, but the Gaunts were known to be dark & if anyone found out about Sebastian's murder otherwise, he'd be imprisoned or killed.

Ominis' marriage to Sebastian was seen as scandalous, even to the rest of the Gaunts... until Ominis & Sebastian told them the real reason for the marriage. Ominis' parents & siblings swore to keep it a secret, never to tell of the murder. They knew what they did for fun was wrong & didn't care, but to end an auror in a fit of rage? Once Ominis & Sebastian left the manor, Ominis heard cheers from his family over the kill, making him sick to his stomach. For as sick as it made him, he knew one thing to be right about his family. If Ominis needed a dark secret to be concealed in order to live, his family worked tirelessly to keep the rest of society from ever finding out, no matter what it took. Normally, Ominis' family didn't take to outsiders, but because Sebastian had been the champion duelist of Slytherin & was heavily praised by Headmaster Black, they took him in.

Anne hadn't wanted this at all, but the Gaunts were adamant in keeping her brother's dark deed a secret due his incredible power as a duelist. She agreed on one thing with them & that was the fact that if Sebastian were to be locked away, everyone would be at a loss. She didn't understand why they chose to be decent to an outsider as they usually rejected everyone, even those as strong as her brother who had done bad. She figured it was either because he was champion of the house, or they felt sorry for their blind son & took Sebastian in so he wouldn't be seen as weak anymore. Either way, Sebastian was alive & happy to be given a chance to do right... which made her grateful that they had befriended Ominis when they started school.

"Sebastian is a lot of things, but I can't change the fact that he's my twin brother, nor can I change the fact that he killed our uncle. I don't know what changed Ominis' mind, nor his family's minds, but as long as my brother does right from here on, I can't be mad at him. He's been hurting for too long as much as I have, but although he's happy around me, he seems happier around Ominis."

Needed him to grovel...

[fukae-flwr]

"Tell Me...Please"

With her body so close, he felt fire running through his veins, enough to make him sweat. She was so close. Finally, she was so close, within his grasp. A strong and very obnoxious part of him wanted to pull her close and have her every way he could. Whilst another part of him, much louder and stronger, wanted to hate her. Hate her for all the pain and trouble she had caused to him and Ominis. The pain of leaving them aside all those years ago like they meant nothing, like their time together amounted to nothing! He needed the truth. He needed to know now and he wasn't going to let her escape from him this time.

"Tell me, Edith! Tell me the truth," he hissed at her, stepping closer and closer till she was trapped between the wall and his body. It took every ounce of strength to not cave in to her delicious scent or how perfect she felt against him. He had to be strong.

He looked into her beautiful red eyes, his shock from her change of eye color long gone and quickly replaced with fondness. She looked back at him with a look he couldn't quite place, it almost seemed like she was pouting, appearing upset yet the flush of her cheeks made it hard to believe.

"It doesnt matter anymore, Sebastian. Let it go." She grumbled, almost warning him. As if he'd listen, that was the one thing he knew he still failed at, letting things die when they should. He was too stubborn and boorish to give up.

"It doesn't matter?! You left us! After everything we've been through, just gone. No owls, no note nothing! It was like you vanished! We deserve to know the reason, Edith!" He snapped, slamming his fist against the wall. It hurt. It hurt so much to hear her say it didn't matter.

With silence encompassing the hallway, they stood there. Him holding her locked in place demanding answers, yet her so far away, cold and silent. Not a word of comfort or warmth from her lips. As the silence grew so too did his grief. His pride crumbling away as his eyes burned. Was it all meaningless? Did she play him for a fool all those years ago?

"Tell me...please..." his voice softer than whisper, begging from some kind of answer. Anything that would deny what his heart was believing to be true.

It was a long and painful silence before she answered. An answer breaking and shatter everything inside.

"I...I'm sorry, Sebastian."

Another art piece Im very proud of with another short one shot. I know you guys really liked the last one so a part 2 is absolutely coming out but for now chew on this. Hope you like this too (≧◡≦)