#their blood is on ranrok's hands

[ephemerasnape]

MC has filled 1,000 Graves 🎶🎵

The song is "One Thousand Graves" by Sonsombre. I got to use a great song by my current favorite band and simultaneously cast judgement on mass-murdering MC.

Thanks to everyone who contributed their MC! @horizontaldancer0 @sythine @slytherinsomniari @everaftermagic @okeydokeylackey & MJ

[zevrra]

never forget—

synopsis: where sebastian is actually worried about MC and regrets casting crucio on them caaaause that moment in the game was not enough for me pfft!

tags: 18(+), lil angst, mostly fluff, sebastian(18) x reader, i didn’t know how to end this oops, one-shot, 2k words.

“Crucio!”

The pain that followed that one little word was excruciating.

Yet the spell casted upon you was of your own doing. You, Ominis, and Sebastian had become good friends since your first day at Hogwarts. Always together, always the 3 of you somehow in trouble. Well, mostly you and Sebastian. Somehow Ominis always managed to get out of the trouble the two of you dragged him into. You were Slytherin after all, it was most likely in your blood.

When you first met Sebastian, he had such an eager to learn that his demeanor was contagious. So much so you couldn’t help but also want to gain more knowledge with him over the years. It was all thanks to Ominis from keeping you two from ending up expelled. Your savior in a sense. But ever since the three of you had become good friends, Sebastian never let up about Salazar Slytherin. He was set on finding his Scriptorium, begging Ominis for so long to show him the way. Seeing as he believed finding it would help cure his sister’s, Anne, curse.

When Ominis had finally given into you both and led the way, the three of you worked wonderfully together. Traversing dark and wary caves. Fending off giant spiders, solving puzzles all that good stuff. Until finally you reach a room with a single note, bones buried in dirt, no way out, the word CRUCIO etched into the stone before your feet, and what looked to be a screaming apparition burned onto a mirror.

You sadly read the note aloud for all to hear. Detailing a grim last few words from Ominis’s aunt. Who unfortunately had gone looking for the Scriptorium, alone, and met an untimely fate. You reach out to gently touch Ominis’s shoulder and he stills beneath your touch.

“I’m so sorry about your aunt, Omni.” You mourn. He nods in acceptance. Nothing they did now could’ve changed what had happened to his aunt. He would at least find some peace in knowing what happened to her.

Sebastian is at your side then. Concerned look on his own freckled face. “Ominis…I know it’s hard. But the letter details using Crucio. You’re the best suited for this—“

“No! I won’t do it. To use Crucio you have to mean it. I will not cast that spell ever again…especially on you two.” Ominis steps away from your reach. Closing off from the activity entirely. You didn’t blame him.

You turn to face Sebastian then who looks..almost disappointed with Ominis's rejection. He gestures for you to follow him closer to the wailing mirror. Hauntingly beautiful, even in its twisted state.

“Well, two options. You cast Crucio on me, or I…cast it on you. It’s the only way we’re getting out of here. We can’t die here and now because of—of morals.” Sebastian whispers to you. The thought of dying in that suffocating tomb alone makes your skin crawl.

Ominis had always been vocal about how horrible any of the killing curses were, especially this spell. Seeing as he was forced to cast it when he was younger. The nightmares still haunt the blonde from what you could tell. His sleepless nights. The flinch at loud noises. It was obvious, whatever you decided, that this would forever weigh heavy on your soul. Yet the spell…could come in handy when facing Ranrok. He was your enemy after all.

You hoped it would never come down to using it though.

“Fine. Teach me the spell but you…you cast it on me. I won’t hurt you Seb.” You mumble. And at first, he’s hesitant. His wand slightly swayed before he reluctantly nods. His hands slightly shake as he teaches you the wave of the wand. He had never performed the dark arts before and this could go very wrong or just really wrong. Either way was going to hurt. But you trusted him.

That’s how you ended up in the here and now. Agonizing pain ripped through your flesh like lightning. Flames behind your eyeballs that force them to shut tight. Hoping to ease the pain away. Your teeth gnash against your lip to hold back screams of pain. It does nothing. Dark magic moves under your skin like writhing red and green tentacles. You gasp between almost suffocating screams.

Breathe in, scream, breathe out.

Your back is against the stone, arched, burning hot. Even as Ominis, or maybe it was Sebastian’s, or both of their hands are grabbing at your arms. Cool fingers press into your hot flesh as the boy’s try to lift you from the floor.

They try to comfort you during one of the worst moments of your life. It doesn’t help. They both fumble as they move you into the room that opened up behind the wailing mirror. The pain is nauseating. Every fumble, correction, and movement makes your stomach churn. Threatening to spill out your lunch. Your consciousness is slowly fading at this point. Stars blinking behind your eyelids as you grasp for whatever you can to stay awake.

Through the pulsing pain in your head and ears, you barely hear the two boys arguing. More or less Ominis yelling about how he was right. How this was a stupid idea as he struggles to help carry you. Ominis can’t see where he steps yet he’s trying so hard to save you now.

“You—you’re both idiots!” Ominis snarls. Struggling with words through his rage and panic. “How could you do something like this!”

“I understand, Ominis! Just—just, Merlin, help me! Help me get to the infirmary!” Sebastian spits back as they continue to fumble around, looking for an exit.

The last thing you hear is Sebastian calling for desperate help before the pain becomes too much and finally takes you under. Passing out from the curse spell later than you would’ve liked.

When concussions come back to you, it’s almost unbearable. Your eyes flutter open but fall closed once again. Maybe you could just stay like that for forever. Lying on a cloud, nice and warm, with your eyes closed. Eh, sounds a little too much like death for your liking.

Thankfully, your second attempt at waking up is far more fruitful. Candlelight flickers rapidly at the edge of your feet as your eyes slowly come into focus. You make out the white sheets laying across your body. Feel the firm mattress against your back. Connecting the dots, slowly but surely, that you were in the infirmary.

Your head moves slightly to continue looking around. Hoping a nurse was close by so you could ask for some water or medicine or anything to make the dull ache in your body stop. Instead your eyes find Sebastian.

His unruly brown hair is somehow even messier than usual. He slumps against the side of your bed and from what you can tell, he might be asleep. Seeing as it was sometime during the night. If you had to guess he probably snuck into the infirmary to be at your side.

Suddenly memories of what happened in the Scriptorium come back to you. Sending a harsh chill down your entire body. The cast of Crucio echoes in the back of your mind. You’ll never forget the feeling. Or the look on Seb’s face as he waved the spell and casted it upon you.

‘Crucio can only be cast if you mean it.’ You remember Ominis’s haunting words. Sebastian must’ve meant it. But you try your best to not blame him. He was just trying to get you all out of that stone grave.

“Seb…” You try to speak. Your throat burns as you attempt to rouse the sleeping man at your side. Voice hoarse, borderline gone, from what you can only assume is from the screaming you barely remember doing. “Sebastian.” You barely manage his full name.

His body shifts at the sound of his name but he doesn’t rise. So you make your way to sit up. Although the moment you prepare to sit up, weight shifting ever so slightly, Sebastian shoots up instantly. His pretty green eyes meet your gaze in a wild look. As if he can’t believe you’re awake. Dried drool sticks to the edge of his lips. You can’t help but laugh. Or what you assume is a laugh. To Seb it probably sounds like you’re coughing.

“I—we—are you okay?” Seb stumbles over his words. Knowing Sebastian, he most likely had something planned to say the moment you woke up. Yet now he was almost speechless. For the first time ever.

“I’m o-okay just…w-water.” You manage to mumble. Now he’s quick to react. A glass of water is held out with lightning speed to you and you take it graciously.

After a moment of what felt like an eternity of being parched, you chug the water given to you, before you hand the glass off and sit fully upright. Your fingers lay in your lap, picking at the cotton of the blanket.

Silence falling between the two of you was so uncommon. It almost felt worse than writhing in pain. Not really but the wall built up was hard to ignore. You needed that wall to come down.

“How long was I asleep?” You ask softly. Breaking the silence as your throat is finally feeling better after some water.

“Three days,” Sebastian replies. He doesn’t look at you. You don’t blame him, not really. The guilt must weigh heavy on his shoulders.

Three days. The fact that it had been days since you had passed out in the scriptorium made your gut twist. You can’t even imagine what rumors must have spread among the school. Or the amount of questions the headmaster will be asking you. Oh you were definitely in for some trouble.

“I’m so sorry.”

Apologies were not something Sebastian was known for. The fact that he was apologizing at all was almost shocking. You didn’t have to guess that he didn’t really mean it when he casted Crucio. It was all just a matter of choices, for you all to survive.

“It’s okay,” Your voice is soft as you speak. “I don’t want you to blame yourself. I agreed to it Sebastian,” You remind him. It only makes Seb angrier with himself.

“Of course I blame myself! I could’ve killed you!” Sebastian says in a strained voice. He wants to scream and yell. He wants you to scream and yell at him. For letting him do something so stupid. For not listening to Ominis in the first place. For being too eager.

“It was a matter of life or death Seb you know that—“ You began to say but he cuts you off as he quickly stands from his chair.

“But what if there was another way!? What if I didn’t have to…didn’t want to—I could’ve changed something!” He angrily hisses as he turns his head away from you.

Silences befalls between the two of you again. Stretched longer than previously as you can’t think of something to say. He had three days to beat himself up for dragging all three of you to that scriptorium. You couldn’t imagine how many scenarios he himself had imagined over and over again while in your slumber.

“What if I had lost you?”

The soft words are barely loud enough to hear. Just a whisper under his breath you almost can’t manage to make out. But you do. The somber confession comes at you like a heavy rainstorm. Unexpected, welcoming, lovely, and a little noisy from his previous minor outburst. Building from a small drop to a straight downpour and you’re caught in the middle of it with no umbrella.

Even in the candlelight you see the tips of ears, beat red as he refuses to look at you. Shoulders tense as he tries to will himself to calm down. It was late, you weren’t supposed to be awake, and he wasn’t supposed to be there. It was not the time for this conversation.

Yet it makes you smile anyway. Butterflies jump around under your skin, in your heart, stomach following suit in doing somersaults. You reach with a gentle hand and grab hold of his shirt sleeve, giving it a tug. For a moment he stands completely still. Debating whether or not it was the right moment to hash all of this out. It wasn’t. Yet a second tug on his sleeve has him turning to finally look at you.

This time when you meet his green eyes, his wild look is gone. He looks at you like you’re the cure to whatever alignment he’s currently experiencing. It’s a saddened, sleepless, relieved look. Feeling every emotion he’s ever felt in his life all in the span of a few short seconds.

You smile fondly at Sebastian, praying he could see it in the soft light of the infirmary. “But you didn’t,” You remind him. Almost gesturing to you, him, and your surroundings. “I’m still here, Seb.”

Sebastian simply nods. Not having the courage to speak for it may bring him to tears. Now that would truly be the end of the world if that happened.

You reach for his hand. Reassuring and gentle as your fingers intertwine with his. He’s stiff as a board at your touch. He has always yearned for it but never had the faith to act upon his feelings.

“Plus, it’ll take more than that to get rid of me.” You say hoping to ease the young man’s feelings. At least for tonight.

A squeeze to your hand is the only response you receive as he returns to his seat. He rests your connected hands on the bed before his head follows suit. Instead of returning to the side of your bed he makes himself comfy on your thigh. You smile at the puzzling picture before you.

The great Sebastian Sallow, a man who rarely asks for any help, unless it involves trekking in some dark cave somewhere, was vulnerably sprawled out on top of you.

You stifle a giggle, fearing if he heard you laugh he would assume the worst and pull away. Instead your free hand pushes through his hair. Pushing away dark curly hair from his freckled face.

“You should return to the dorms before the nurse finds you.” You hum as your eyes scan his own closed eyes. Gazing at the lengths of his eyelashes. Every freckle you could see, thinking how fun it could be to count them one day.

“‘Ts fine,” Sebastian shrugs it off. You hear the softness of his breathing, slowly becoming shallow as he falls asleep. Fast asleep in your thigh with his hand tightly wound to yours. You wish you could have a painting done of this moment. Hoping by every ounce of magic in your veins that you never forget this feeling or the sight. And by Merlin does the sight make your heart ache and pound in equal parts.

You just hoped to never go through something like this ever again. Hopefully Sebastian would see how powerful and dangerous the dark arts could be and look for another solution to healing Anne’s curse. Maybe the ancient magic you wield could help next time instead of turning to the unforgiving curses.

[shadowtriovibes]

mind if i move in closer?

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Word Count: 2.8k

Rating: PG

Summary: sickeningly sweet christmas fic, loosely a continuation of the potioneer's apprentice (not necessary to have read to read this!)

“Do you want to borrow my scarf?” you ask him, teasingly preening as he glances over his shoulder at your new accessory. “It’s charmed to keep you warm.” Sebastian frowns. “Who sent you that? Ominis?” “No,” you say, throwing one of the scarf’s long ends across your shoulder. “Just this handsome fellow in Hogsmeade who’s grown quite fond of me.”

December 25, 1891

Christmas morning at Hogwarts is a surprisingly quiet affair.

Having spent many of your formative Christmas mornings in a Muggle boarding school before arriving at Hogwarts, you’ve grown accustomed to waking up to the sounds of eager whispers and excited squeals as the handful of holiday holdovers awoke to find a small array of presents laid out for them. Gifts were usually provided by the kindly heads of house who’d remained at the school during the break – many of whom were just as lonely as the children they watched.

A few oranges and sweets here and there, some secondhand books, perhaps a wooden puzzle for them all to share… It was always lovely, even during leaner years.

Of course, Christmas at Hogwarts was spectacular – massive fir trees decorated with floating baubles and shining ribbons lined the corridors, beautiful music drifted down from the Bell Tower, and the annual feast on Christmas Eve teemed with seemingly endless platters of food.

Your first holiday season at Hogwarts hadn’t been lonely at all. With Ranrok still at large and dozens of poacher camps causing trouble throughout the Highlands, many students chose to spend their Christmas at Hogwarts rather than risking the lengthy train ride back to London or hiking out to their family homes in nearby hamlets.

This year, however, there were only two Slytherins who remained in the castle over the winter break: you and Sebastian.

While the two of you had each been quietly pleased to learn that the other would be staying, you’d both been surprised to learn that even Ominis would be departing to spend Christmas with his family, per their demand. Before he left, he’d darkly insisted that he’d bet a fistful of Galleons that he’d be back before New Year’s Day if his brothers had anything to say about it.

While Ominis sulked, Sebastian had been the one to explain to you that the older pure blood families, many of whom shared your house, are especially traditional during the holidays.

Or, as he’d so bluntly put it, “All the posh ones will be traveling somewhere warmer, and even the snooty half-bloods don’t want to leave their little sprogs here with all the orphans and the impoverished.”

“That’s lovely,” you grumbled.

He’d merely shrugged and smirked, “At least we’ll have the run of the place.”

Christmas Eve dinner, at least, had been fairly lively thanks to a handful of younger Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors who delighted in joining hands and pulling open wizard crackers. Sebastian had insisted you keep the wizard’s chess set he’d received, as yours had contained a live turtle dove that had promptly flown off to roost in the rafters.

(Professor Black, who had also stayed over the holidays, declined Professor Weasley’s invitation to join the holdovers in the Great Hall, which Sebastian insists was the best gift he could have possibly received.)

The pair of you spent the rest of the evening in the common room, taking turns sipping from a bottle of spiced apple brandy Sebastian had managed to charm out of Sirona’s hands during your last trip to Hogsmeade. By the time you’d wobbled up the stairs to the seventh-year dormitories, you’d been unable to stop giggling while Sebastian walked you to your door.

“Get some rest,” he’d laughed, his cheeks flushed red from the alcohol. “Father Christmas can’t bring you presents if you’re still awake, can he?”

“Father Christmas, hm?” you ask, rolling your eyes. “It’s just the two of us, Sebastian. I think he’ll pass over the Slytherin common room this year.”

Something secret sparkled in his eyes, but he said nothing as you opened the door to your room.

Just as you’d turned around to say goodnight, Sebastian leaned in close and pressed a quick kiss to your cheek.

“Happy Christmas,” he mumbled. “See you in the morning.”

Before you could even exhale, he’d quickly made his way up the opposite steps to his room and firmly shut his door behind him. You felt warm all over as you’d changed into your nightwear and climbed into bed – not just from the brandy, you’re sure.

But when you wake up… There’s nothing but silence.

The fire across the room is muted with its usual silencing charms, the popping and cracking of the firewood kept quiet while you slept. There are no roommates eager to open gifts, no smells of Christmas treats like roasted ham or cinnamon pastries cooking in the dormitory kitchens down the hall, which you’d cherished in your old schools.

…But at the foot of your bed, you find a small pile of presents.

You smile to yourself as you sit up and rub your eyes, half expecting the delicate boxes wrapped in bright paper and gently curling ribbons to dissolve away as your vision comes into focus. When they remain, you dare to gingerly pull one into your lap, tracing your fingertips over the crisp paper wrappings.

The first parcel is from Augustus Hill, who’d sent over a fine woolen scarf charmed to remain warm and dry even if it collects falling snowflakes that melt against its magical heat. It’s a deep forest green and is wonderfully soft, and you can’t resist wrapping it across your shoulders as you reach for a second gift.

From your potions master Parry Pippin, you receive a fine set of measuring spoons made of polished copper – much more attractive and precise than the brushed pewter spoons you’d ordered from a supply shop in Diagon Alley.

Professor Weasley had even gifted you a box of stationery supplies that contained a set of quills, a few rolls of parchment, and even a pot of ink. A practical gift to be sure, but thoughtful (and quite generous, you think).

Your favorite gift is from Ominis, who’d sent a box of French candies with magical molten centers from a wizarding confectionary shop in Paris, where his family always visits for the holidays. Inside he’d tucked a note insisting that Sebastian had been sent his own box as well and you were not to let him coax you into sharing yours. You’d fondly rolled your eyes before pinning it to your ever-growing collection of correspondences affixed to the wall beside your bed.

Of course, you can’t resist treating yourself to a piece of candy or two while you change into a simple dressing robe and freshen yourself in the wash basin beside the fireplace. One tastes like cherries and brings a delightful pink flush to your cheeks and lips, and the other tastes like nougat and makes you whistle like a songbird while you pull back your hair into a loose braid.

By the time you wander downstairs, Sebastian is already poking at the common room fireplace, cursing under his breath.

“Happy Christmas, Seb,” you call out, tucking your dressing robe tighter around your waist.

“Happy Christmas,” he mumbles distractedly. “It’s bloody freezing in here.”

You smile to yourself as you take a seat on the cozy settee across from the fireplace. Sebastian has managed to rustle up some extra firewood, undoubtedly from one of the empty boys’ dormitories, to ward off the chill of the common room.

“Do you want to borrow my scarf?” you ask him, teasingly preening as he glances over his shoulder at your new accessory. “It’s charmed to keep you warm.”

Sebastian frowns. “Who sent you that? Ominis?”

“No,” you say, throwing one of the scarf’s long ends across your shoulder. “Just this handsome fellow in Hogsmeade who’s grown quite fond of me.”

To your delight, Sebastian’s frown deepens. “What? Who?”

“Oh, you’ve met him,” you answer, feigning indifference. “He’s rather posh, very stylish, always dressed impeccably… You and I saved him from a troll once, if you recall.”

Sebastian bites the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning when he finally catches wind of your little ruse. “Ah, I see. Just playing one of your little games with me.”

“You make it far too easy,” you tease him, unraveling your scarf and gently draping it across his broad shoulders. “There, that ought to warm you up.”

(Immediately your mind starts to wander off as it conjures up images of how else you might warm up your unfairly handsome friend, but you’re quick to chastise it into silence.)

“You’re too kind, love,” he says, that ever-present smirk still on his lips.

Both of you are silent for several long moments while you hang on to the ends of the scarf, staring up into his warm brown eyes. His gaze dips down to your mouth when you bite your lip, and just as you’re about to ask him if he’d like to walk you to the Great Hall for breakfast, he blurts out, “I have a gift for you.”

“You – a gift?” you ask dumbly. “For me?”

“Of course,” he says softly. “Er, I should warn you that it’s nothing big, but… I wanted you to have it, so…”

He trails off quietly, fidgeting with the sleeve of his robe.

“I have a gift for you too,” you admit. “I left it upstairs. Can I go get it for you?”

“S-sure,” he stutters. “You bought me a gift?”

“Don’t be daft, Sallow,” you tease him. “I made you a gift.”

With that you turn on your heel and march back up the stairs to your dormitory, snagging the delicate potion bottle shaped like a cloud with an indigo ribbon wrapped around its neck. You gingerly turn it over in your hands, watching as the light purple draught inside swirls around languidly.

Downstairs, Sebastian waits for you with a small box tucked behind his back. He looks slightly nervous, you think, so you decide to offer him your gift first.

“Alright,” you say as you take a seat. “First, let me just say that I had Mister Pippin check this to make sure I did everything right, and he said it’s perfectly fine.”

(In fact, Pippin had said you’d done a brilliant job, but you don’t want to oversell yourself before Sebastian has had a chance to try your brew.)

Sebastian eyes the glass bottle as you offer it to him, gently turning it over in his hands.

“You made this?” he asks softly, and then he grins and asks, “Did Weasley help you at all? Because I already learned my lesson with his ‘Fizzing Whizzbeer,’ thank you very much.”

“No,” you insist, biting back a laugh as you remember Sebastian chugging a bottle of Garreth’s experimental brew and being stuck levitating a few feet above the ground for an entire afternoon. “No, I made this just for you.”

“What’s it do?” he asks curiously.

“Well, it’s… it’s a sleeping draught, sort of,” you say softly. “It’s got lavender for comfort, and valerian springs for restful sleep, but I added cinnamon and a bit of shrivelfig to create peaceful dreams.”

Sebastian slowly tips the bottle back and forth, watching the thin liquid dance around the bottle. “Peaceful, hm?”

You’ve known about his nightmares for a while now. He doesn’t like to talk about them often, but he’s admitted that since that day in the Catacombs, he’s hardly slept a full night without being plagued by visions of those damned Inferi, of his uncle’s limp body, of Anne’s face…

The bleary eyes and wan expression he sometimes wears to breakfast after a particularly hard night tell you everything you needed to know, and you’ve spent the last several weeks visiting Hogsmeade after class to work with Mister Pippin to create your own special draught. Not dreamless sleep, but better sleep.

“I just thought… that you deserve to have some good dreams,” you mumble.

The corner of Sebastian’s mouth quirks up. “I do have good dreams, sometimes.”

(You miss the way he glances over at you, raking his gaze down the length of your body. You miss how it lingers where your dressing robe has fallen open a bit, showing off the delicate neckline of the thin chemise you’re wearing underneath.)

“O-oh,” you stammer. “W-well, I suppose now you can… have more.”

You frown disappointedly until Sebastian rests his warm hand on your knee, gently holding the bottle against his chest with his other.

“Thank you,” he says. “Really, I can’t believe you made this just for me. Merlin, it’s… it’s a perfect gift.”

His gaze is heated, and intense, and something about it makes you want to squirm, so instead you breathily ask, “May I have my gift?”

Sebastian holds your gaze as he slowly nods, only letting it break it when he turns to grab the box he’d hidden behind himself. With trembling hands you lift the lid to find a small silver badge inside, reverently tucked inside a nest of tissue paper.

Your hands go still.

“Sebastian, is – is this…?” you whisper.

“My family’s crest,” he murmurs. “You’ve seen it once before, in our fifth year.”

Gently, you lift the crest out of the box and cradle it in your hands. The heat from your skin quickly starts to warm the cool metal, and you trace your fingertips over the “S” hammered into the center of the badge.

“What – how–” you stutter.

“Earlier this year, Anne sent it back to me,” he explains softly, watching with dark eyes as you pour over the symbols that adorn the crest: a cauldron, a flowering tree, a pair of crossed daggers, and a crescent moon.

“Why?” you whisper.

“I’m still not sure,” Sebastian says hollowly. “She just sent the crest, with no letter. But if I had to guess, I think… I think she wanted me to know that she’s safe, but not where she is. Not yet.”

You clutch the crest against your breast. “Oh, Sebastian��”

“It’s okay,” he says, his voice going rough. “It’s – that’s what it’s for, the crest. I gave it to her to keep her safe, and she gave it back to… to tell me that she’s alright. If that’s all she wants me to know, then… then it’s enough.”

You shift closer to him on the couch, the flickering fire casting dancing shadows along the side of his face.

“Why are you giving it to me?” you ask him curiously. “It’s beautiful, Sebastian, but – isn’t it important to you? To your family?”

He swallows nervously. “I don’t… have a family anymore. Not really. Anne is out there somewhere, safe without me, but… you and Ominis, you’re my only family now.”

You let the crest fall to your lap before you throw your arms around Sebastian, burying your face against that warm scarf of yours he’s still wearing. You don’t have the words to say how much this gift means to you, but you think he understands when he wraps his arms around you, skimming one of his large palms up and down the length of your back.

“It kept Anne safe, and – and now it will keep you safe,” he murmurs. “I don’t… I’m not sure you understand how much you mean to me. I need you to be safe.”

“S’bst’n,” you mumble into his shoulder. “Y’re m’vry’th’n.”

He laughs softly and asks, “Sorry, what was that?”

You pull back just enough to press your lips against the shell of his ear, knowing that if you meet his eyes you’ll never have the courage to tell him how you’ve truly felt about him since your fifth year.

“I said, ‘Sebastian, you’re my everything.’”

Then the hand he’d cupped around the back of your head slides down, down, until he nudges his thumb along your jaw to coax you out of your little hiding place. His eyes are so dark, and the soft whine he lets out before he crushes his lips to yours is all the warning you get, but then… then he’s kissing you.

“Seb,” you gasp into his mouth, and then he lightly tugs on the tie around your waist until you shift yourself halfway onto his lap. It feels like hours go by just like that, just the two of you alternating between lazy, curious kisses and frantic, needy surges every time one of you lets slip another heated confession.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long.”“You taste incredible.”“I don’t ever want to stop doing this.”

Eventually, you let your head rest on Sebastian’s shoulder while he trails soft kisses from the hinge of your jaw down to your shoulder and back. He’s ravenous, he’d told you himself, but it’s not until his stomach growls loudly between your bodies that you even remember that other type of hunger.

“We’ll miss breakfast if we don’t leave soon,” you whine.

“Let’s stay here,” he murmurs against your neck. “We can eat those chocolates you got from Ominis for breakfast.”

“That’s… tempting,” you sigh distractedly, and then you pause.

Leaning back, you quirk a brow and ask, “Sorry, the chocolates I got from Ominis?”

“Well, sure,” Sebastian says smoothly. “He sent me a book on cursebreaking, but I can taste fancy chocolate on your lips, so I assumed…”

“You filthy liar, Sebastian Sallow,” you laugh, throwing your head back. “He warned me you’d try to talk me out of my sweets!”

“To be fair, that’s hardly the only thing I’ll try to talk you out of,” he drawls, sliding his hands down to your hips. “Namely this robe of yours…”

“Scoundrel,” you croon, leaning down for another hungry kiss.

(Ominis’ chocolates make a decent breakfast, even if half of them melt by the fire, ignored entirely while Sebastian makes good on his suggestion regarding your robe.)

[galaxiasgreen]

🎼🌙Moonlight

Fluffy Ominis x MC!Reader drabble [G-rated, 800 words]

"Fitting, isn't it?" he murmurs, so quiet his voice blends with the song's deeper notes. "The verse speaks of how we wear masks to pretend all is well, but only in moonlight do our true feelings arise." "Shall we promise, then, to leave the masks behind tonight?" "I’ll promise that," he says, offering a hand, “if you'll honour me with a dance.”

In search of distraction from Ranrok's rebellion, you dance with Ominis in the Undercroft.

[read on AO3]

A/N: I originally wrote this for @yoshitsuno's #Hogtober challenge last year, but I've since made some edits. Very short and sweet, no use of Y/N (just you/yours) and MC is gender neutral. Enjoy. <3

The music lilts up the lift shaft, reaching your ears long before it clunks to a juddering stop. When the grille slides up, you tiptoe into the Undercroft. It’s a classical tune you don’t recognise, a poignant operatic with a melody that evokes a sense of sadness and beauty – and you know immediately which Slytherin will be enjoying it.

Eyes shut, Ominis is reclined against the furthest pillar. He’s dressed down today, in an unbuttoned waistcoat and loosely knotted tie. You could almost believe he was asleep if not for his wand, gently mimicking a conductor’s baton against his thigh, tapping perfectly in time with each beat.

“It’s a lovely song.”

He doesn’t stop. “From Gabriel Fauré's Clair de lune. I particularly like its message, comparing the human experience to rays of the moon.”

He gets to his feet as you drift closer. The voice swells dramatically; he flicks his wand, and the gramophone quietens.

“No, no, don’t turn it down on my account,” you say; Ominis’ hand hangs in air. “I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Why did you come?”

“To find something to do. To… distract myself. All this business with Ranrok…”

You don’t need to say anything more. He knows.

The corners of his mouth tug upwards. “There’s always homework. I believe we have eight inches to write for Defence Against the Dark Arts.”

“Already finished it.”

“Naturally. Don’t tell Sebastian though, he might want to copy.”

“If he doesn’t I’ll assume someone hexed him.”

Ominis smiles more warmly and takes a tentative step closer; in the light of the braziers, shadows writhe and bend against him, sharply cleaving his features, and it makes him look like he could set fire to the world.

"Fitting, isn't it?" he murmurs, so quiet his voice blends with the song's deeper notes. "The verse speaks of how we wear masks to pretend all is well, but only in moonlight do our true feelings arise."

"Shall we promise, then, to leave the masks behind tonight?"

"I’ll promise that," he says, offering a hand, “if you'll honour me with a dance.”

“You can dance?”

“A little. And you?”

“No,” you admit, yet you breach his space, close enough to smell his cologne, “but it might be nice to learn.”

“It’s simple.” He guides your hand to his shoulder, and clasps the other gently in his own. “If a blind man can do it, you are more than capable.”

“Don’t put yourself down like that.”

“I’m only trying to make you feel comfortable.” His tone is lighter, laced with teasing. “Follow my lead.”

His free hand goes to your waist, and the touch dizzies you as he coaxes you back, to the left, forwards again and around. Ominis commands you so well you wouldn't believe he wasn’t born to play the role of the dutiful heir of Slytherin, born to lead his pure-blood family to its inherent greatness. Were it not for his virtuous beliefs, his unwavering loyalty and kind heart, perhaps it would be true. It was that compassion that drew you to him in the first place, so long ago – and it's the small ways he continues to prove his compassion that keeps you there, a stalwart presence at his side.

With him, leaving the mask behind is easier.

“Let the music show you the way,” he says, when you curse after a misstep. “Feet position doesn’t matter so much as the reason we're dancing.”

You step in again, basking in his scent. “What are we dancing for?”

“That depends on you.”

“To peace, then.” You smile at him though he cannot see. “We dance to carve out a moment of peace.”

“I like that.”

He leads, you follow. The Undercroft becomes your stage, Ominis the prince that sweeps you away. There is no rebellion, no school, no expectation of society, responsibility, or real life. All you see is him, all you feel is his compassion, the shadows that yield to him giving you room to breathe. He may have darkness at his beck and call, and you the tumult of an incoming storm, but together you make something brilliant and beautiful. Together you make the lone ray of the moon that lights the way through the everlasting night.

“You see?” he says, with that inexplicably captivating softness. “You're a natural.”

You squeeze his hand.

“I have a good teacher.”

A loud cough jerks Ominis back, out of your grip.

The grille closes, and Sebastian strolls inside, robe thrown over his shoulder, looking terribly smug.

“Interrupt something, did I?”

“No,” Ominis barks at once, that softness replaced by calloused edges and walls. He steps a polite distance away, but doesn’t turn his back. “You presume too much.”

“Or I don’t presume enough?”

You sweep down your robe, fixing Sebastian a glare. He only wiggles his brow at you. Ingrate.

“Either way, stop that racket. I need absolute silence to copy your Defence Against the Dark Arts essays.”

Moment dashed, masks on, Ominis makes a weary grunt and goes to turn the gramophone off… but you don’t miss the smile that lingers on his face.

Fin.

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[read on AO3] [Gabriel Fauré's Clair de lune on YouTube] [Divider credit]

[anto-pops]

The Hypothesis - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader

Summary: The hand on your throat was gentle but firm, and your stomach flipped at the vulnerability of it all. You weren’t even sure you had it in you to do what he was asking but Merlin, did he make it sound enticing. Somewhere in your brain the sixteen year old version of yourself was combusting. How many times since starting school had you fantasized about Sebastian? About the two of you tangled in sheets and lost in the euphoria of one another? You could scarcely believe some of the fantasies your hormonal teenage mind had conjured up, but you had never considered anything as bold as this.

Alternatively summarized as pure, shameless Sebastian smut

Word Count: 5.5k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit content

Full fic can be found here on Ao3

It was easy for you to tell when things were getting bad again. 

At first you had chalked it up to your menstrual cycle, as embarrassing as that was. It wasn’t unusual for you to get headaches or chills, or even act outright cruel when it was that time of the month. But the more time passed, the worse things got, and you knew the night you woke from a nightmare with red bolts crackling over your arms that this was decidedly not your period. 

Isidora’s magic now lived inside you, as volatile and unpredictable as it was powerful. Absorbing it had changed you on a molecular level- you were no longer the sixteen year old girl who had arrogantly believed she could wield a magic darker than the Unforgivable Curses. You knew with each passing day you were drifting further and further from the person you used to be, falling victim to your darker impulses routinely. Less of your excursions beyond the castle walls ended peacefully. In fact, you often sought out fights. While most of the Ashwinder camps and Poaching Rings had been taken care of in the years since Ranrok, there were always stragglers. 

You took a disturbing amount of pleasure in ripping those people apart. 

All due in large part to Isidora’s magical goodie bag you’d elected to open. The accumulated power demanded to be used, and at this point it took everything in you not to lose control in the middle of your classes. Despite the sheer magnitude of your abilities, you had never felt weaker. Your magic had never been something you had to war against in your own mind, and you certainly had never perceived it as a threat to yourself. 

Now though, you weren’t sure. 

The only person you’d been able to confide in about it all was Sebastian. Sebastian, who had made good on his promise to you and Ominis to stay the good course. Sebastian, who had worked harder than anyone to coexist with the demons you knew still raged in his head. He was, quite literally, the only person you could imagine sharing your turmoil with. Picturing Ominis’ particular brand of disappointment at your revelation had made you sick to your stomach for a week before you had banished the idea entirely. 

Sebastian, though. His sharp eyes had darkened when you’d told him the truth of what you’d done below Hogwarts and how you feared losing control. The way you tamed the raging fire inside of you with fighting and blood. The piercing regret you felt at ever taking this cursed power out of the repository in the first place. He had only looked at you with curiosity, maybe even a little admiration, before gathering you in his arms. 

“I won’t tell a soul, you have my word.” 

The Slytherin boy had come to you with an idea shortly thereafter. A hypothesis if you will, he had said. With instructions to meet him in the Undercroft after ten, you’d made a point to fly out towards the Clagmar Coast in the hours before dark. Regardless of Sebastian’s so-called ‘hypothesis’, you didn’t want to risk feeling… overwhelmed, when you met with him. The power from the repository had a way of buzzing in the back of your mind, steadily getting louder if you chose to ignore it. If taking out a few scattered Poacher camps quieted it down some, you would happily do so. 

By the time you returned to Hogwarts, there were no students milling about. It made for a peaceful trek to the Undercroft, allowing you to gather your bearings and blink the fog from your mind. While you didn’t plan to put much stock into Sebastian’s unknown idea, the least you could do was hear him out. If whatever he wanted to suggest was something that could make existing with this power more bearable, you were willing to try. It scared you to think about what you would become in a few months, or in a year. Would you even be the same? Or would you end up a husk of your former self, controlled by the very magic you had been hell bent on taking in the first place? 

It seemed like the most plausible outcome. 

The iron gate clanged back into place behind you as you stepped into the Undercroft. Noting the dim lights and rearranged crates towards the back, you scanned the room and found no sign of the boy who had summoned you. 

“Sebastian?” 

Footsteps sounded to your left, and you looked in time to see Sebastian push off the wall and make his way towards you. Immediately you noticed he was missing his cloak. Then you saw his white button up and dark trousers, and you realized you had never seen him so dressed down. His stride was full of purpose, a predatory glint in his eyes as he came to stand less than a foot away from you. 

Instinct screamed at you to move back. In your experience, anyone getting that close to you usually meant they were going to try and kill you. But this was Sebastian, you reasoned, and mentally chided yourself for even letting the thought cross your mind. So instead you tilted your chin up to meet his penetrating gaze. 

“Care to enlighten me as to why we’re down here after hours?” 

His eyes flicked between yours for a few seconds before they began roaming, wandering down your stiff form. You still wore your travel gear, a black cotton ensemble with a small leather chest plate for protection. You’d crafted a sheath for the modest dagger you kept strapped to your thigh in case of emergencies, and the scarf you’d wrapped around your neck for the evening hung precariously off your shoulder.

Sebastian brought one of his hands up to your cheek, his fingers hovering slightly over the scar left from your battle in the repository years ago. “I told you. I want to test my hypothesis.” 

“Right,” you rolled your eyes and willed the churning in your gut to subside. “And we would get so much farther with that if I knew what you were talking about wouldn’t we?” 

A ghost of a smirk danced across his features, giving you whiplash. What was he thinking? And what the hell was he planning? 

He finally brushed the back of his finger down your cheek, the touch barely there. The featherlight feeling caused goosebumps to break out all over your skin. He trailed it lower, under your chin and skimmed the line of your jaw before you felt his digits splay across the slender column of your neck. There was no stopping the startled gasp that left your lips at the brazen action, and Sebastian seemed to take a deep rooted pleasure in it. 

“I want to believe that you’re out of control because you’ve been in control for too long,” he started to say and tugged you closer. “All that power simmering beneath the surface, it's all you can focus on, isn’t it?” 

There was no chance in hell you trusted yourself to speak, so you nodded. 

Now he was smirking, “I want to see what happens when you give up control. When you stop holding the magic back and just let it flow through you instead. Don’t be afraid of what’ll happen if you let yourself feel it— rather, open yourself to the experience. But I think we both know you’re far too uptight for that, and you’ll fight tooth and nail against your better urges, so I want you to let me take control. Let me steer the boat for a while. You just sit pretty and relax, sound good?”

The hand on your throat was gentle but firm, and your stomach flipped at the vulnerability of it all. You weren’t even sure you had it in you to do what he was asking but Merlin, did he make it sound enticing. Somewhere in your brain the sixteen year old version of yourself was combusting. How many times since starting school had you fantasized about Sebastian? About the two of you tangled in sheets and lost in the euphoria of one another? You could scarcely believe some of the fantasies your hormonal teenage mind had conjured up, but you had never considered anything as bold as this. 

Dumbly realizing you’d been gaping up at him like a fish, you gave his wrist a testing squeeze before nodding. “Alright… how?”

He smiled down at you in earnest, that lust filled look in his eyes deepening by the second. “Now where would be the fun in telling you?”

---

Butterflies was no longer an appropriate term to describe what you were feeling. No, at this point it was more akin to a hurricane tearing you apart from the inside, your anxiety heightened at having been rendered so helpless. Sebastian had wasted little time in whisking you over to the chaise lounge tucked behind the rearranged crates after you’d agreed to essentially let him fuck you. Because that’s what this was, right? He had yet to speak the words but his eyes communicated his intentions well enough. He had gotten to work quickly, tugging his tie from his pocket and coming to stand behind you. You had felt the silky material drift over your eyes before Sebastian knotted it snugly behind your head. 

Blindfolded. 

It hadn’t even been a full minute with it on and you were already shaking, the unknown aspect of everything you were about to do riddling you with undue stress. Sebastian zero’d in on your discomfort right away, sliding his arms around you from behind and pulling you against him. 

“Just relax, I promise you’re safe with me. We can stop at any point and if you don’t like something I do, tell me.” 

His thumbs traced burning circles against the thin cotton of your shirt. With him holding you this way, it was impossible to overlook the hard expanse of his torso pressed against your back. You were overcome with the unique scent of him; cedar and pine, and that telltale musk you could only identify as Sebastian. Unable to see, it felt all the more intimate having to rely on your other senses. 

You forced a shaky breath into your lungs and held it for a second before exhaling. “Okay.”

One of his hands abandoned your waist to trail under your shirt, relishing in the soft skin he felt waiting there. Deft fingers skimmed over your ribs, then your breasts, and you inhaled sharply as he took one of your nipples between his fingers and pinched. “So responsive. Have you ever let anyone touch you like this?” 

As though to punctuate the question, Sebastian moved down your breasts to feel along the plane of your belly to your nether region. His hand slipped beneath the waistband of your trousers, his fingers ghosting over where he knew you wanted them most, and he chuckled at the disappointed sigh you let slip. He nestled his chin into the crook of your neck so his breath tickled your ear as he asked, “Has anyone ever touched you here?” 

Shamelessly your hips twitched closer to Sebastian’s hand, desperate for some kind of stimulation. You were pathetic. Crumbling in his hands— as if you had even been put together in the first place. He drew his hand away from your aching core, clicking his tongue at you, and slowly guided you towards the chaise lounge. He continued to feel over your abdomen with his arms securely wrapped around you before stopping short of the cushions. “Good things come to those who wait,” he chided. “Or are you so desperate to be filled that you’re content to ride my fingers?” 

“Fuck, Sebastian.” You didn’t recognize your own voice. It sounded reedy- airy. Like you were already out of breath and he’d simply been whispering sweet nothings in your ear. 

You felt as he untangled his arms from your waist, then he spun you around and gave you a light shove. The backs of your calves connected with the lounge behind you, and with a barely contained yelp you collapsed onto the velvet surface. 

Sebastian was on you in an instant, his lips claiming yours like he had been starved of your very essence as he hoisted you further up the cushions. His hands were demanding, gripping your hips with such fervor as he kissed you that you were certain he’d leave bruises. You felt him slot his knee between your thighs for better leverage over you, but when he leaned forward to trail wet, hot kisses down your jaw, his leg pressed against that bundle of nerves at your core. 

There was no helping it, you moaned into Sebastian’s mouth at the sensation. Your sounds seemed to stoke the fire, given how he tightened his grip and practically rolled his hips against yours. He was clearly as eager as you were.

Sebastian broke the kiss first to sit back on his heels as he perched on your lap, your body effectively caged beneath his strong legs. His hands roamed over you, taking loose articles of clothing with him as he went, starting with your scarf. “You’re so fucking perfect like this. So willing and pliant.” 

He let the flimsy fabric flutter to the floor before his fingers were tugging at the strings that attached your leather chest plate to your shoulders. That was pried away and discarded along with the rest of the strappy accessories that littered your form. A gasp ripped from your throat as Sebastian’s hands found your breasts beneath your shirt again, kneading and squeezing the skin in a way that had a familiar feeling building within you. 

“I’ve always wanted to know what it would be like to lay with you. How you would feel, what you would look like falling apart on my cock. I want to see that facade slip- I want to watch you flustered and panting and full of my cum, begging for more.”

Without a shadow of a doubt, your brain was short circuiting. To hear such raunchy and filthy promises dripping from Sebastian’s mouth was enough to have you clenching your thighs around his knee, desperate for any kind of friction to accompany the wetness pooling there. He took note of your wriggling instantly and pulled his leg back, leaving you aching and mewling like a mongrel in heat. 

“Ah ah ah, that’s not very patient behavior now is it?” You could hear the grin in his voice as he slid away from you. The chill of the Undercroft covered you instantly, goosebumps breaking out over the exposed flesh of your torso. 

“P-please,” you heard yourself moan. You had no idea what you were even asking for, but you felt Sebastian’s warm hands begin to trail up the tops of your legs, towards the waistband of your pants, before swiftly yanking them down to your ankles. You could feel your face flushing red, the sheer intimacy of being exposed to him in nothing but your undergarments enough to make your heart pound against your chest and drown out the incessant buzz of magic in the back of your mind. 

His ministrations were thoughtful, seeing as he didn’t skip over an inch of skin. Soft, plush lips pressed against your inner thighs, eliciting a shiver from you, before he moved up higher to your naval. He placed another kiss there as his hands roamed up to remove your thin top. It took no time at all, and before you knew it you were laid bare before your most trusted companion. 

“You’re beautiful,” he said to you, causing you to flush deeper. “I’m serious. You’re perfect. All of you is perfect–”

You felt his thumb roughly press against your clit through your underwear then, and you gasped as you arched your back into his touch. “Right here especially. This perfect pussy, so wet for me and we’ve barely even started.” 

The slow, easy circles he traced against your most private area wasn’t enough. He was holding back on purpose, deriving some sort of twisted pleasure in denying you yours. Fighting the urge to buck your hips into his hand, your chest heaved with the massive breath you took in. 

“Questions? Comments? Concerns?” 

“I’m going to kill you if you don’t get on with it, Sallow.” 

You felt his body rock above yours as he barked out a laugh, removing his hand entirely from your clit, much to your dismay. “Is that so? Maybe I should quit while I’m ahead.” 

“No! Merlin, please— don’t stop, I just… I want—“ you blushed from embarrassment as you tripped over your words. The effect this man had on you… 

Sebastian chuckled and started to move so that he no longer caged your body to the lounge, and you instantly missed his weight and warmth. It didn’t last long, however. Before long he had slithered down to kneel in front of you, and you felt as he grabbed your waist and pivoted you so your legs dangled over the edge of your seat. The spark of arousal you felt at being so easily manhandled didn’t escape you. 

“I know,” he finished for you. “Believe me, I know exactly what you want. But you’re letting me steer remember? It wouldn’t be very nice to go back on your word now, would it?” 

You almost told him to hell with it, screw his hypothesis. You foresaw yourself flipping the two of you over so you could take exactly what you wanted from him whether he liked it or not. But then you felt his mouth dance over the thin cloth separating your wet heat from his soft lips, and the fight evaporated from you as the tip of his finger slipped under the fabric and tugged it away gently. 

This damned tie would be the death of you— you’d never wanted to look at someone this badly. The urge to snatch it off was intense. 

Sebastian trailed his fingers around your sex, the teasing touches working you into a frenzy as he took his time toying with you. His other arm came up to press down on your hips, preventing any unwanted jerking or bucking on your part. You were completely at Sebastian’s mercy, your mouth hanging open in a silent plea. 

When his lips closed around your swollen clit, you kicked your head back with a cacophony of sounds. Your cries seemed to fuel Sebastian as he kissed and licked at your center with reckless abandon. The feeling of your muscles tensing beneath him— because of him— drove him wild with lust. The arm bracing your hips pressed down harder as he probed your entrance with his tongue, and there was no stopping the drawn out moan you released at the feeling. 

As you fell apart before him, Sebastian drank in the sight. Your cheeks were flushed with desire, chest heaving with the sharp gasps and pants that fell from your lips. He could see the hair along your arms standing on end, and your kiss-swollen lips mouthed a slew of words that never came out. 

He knew then he was addicted to you. There would be no stopping what was to come after this. 

Quickly, and rather mercifully you might add, Sebastian replaced his tongue with one of his slender fingers, curling it upwards. It reached far deeper than before, the feeling making your toes curl. Letting your head tip back so hit the back of the lounge with a thunk, you heard and felt Sebastian chuckle against you. Taking your relaxed posture as a good sign, he pumped his finger a few times before tentatively adding a second. The stretch was uncomfortable at first, but with his skilled mouth making quick work of you, the discomfort vanished. 

“F-Fuck Sebastian, I can’t much longer, I’m— fuck—“ he silenced you with his tongue, never lessening his attention against your center as he felt you progressively get tighter around his fingers. The grip he had on you would surely leave bruises, but the thought of Sebastian’s marks lingering on your naked body pushed you clean over the edge. 

With a cry of ecstasy you came around Sebastian’s fingers, the stars dancing in your eyes blinding against the steady darkness of his tie. He held you through your orgasm, relishing in each tiny twitch that slipped through your limb body. His mouth stayed on you, overstimulating you until you found the strength to palm at his shoulder. 

He broke away with a wicked strand of saliva dangling between the two of you. The sight sent another bolt of arousal through him, his neglected cock straining against his trousers. 

A few beats passed, the only sound in the Undercroft that of your ragged breathing. Sebastian finally released your waist and scaled the lounge, caging you between the cushions and himself. Cupping your jaw he brought your lips to his, and the taste of yourself on his mouth had you sighing into the kiss. You felt like putty as Sebastian’s warm hands roused you from your post coital state. His tongue delved deep into your mouth, exploring and tasting every inch he could as he lightly pet your hair back. 

Breaking apart took an eternity, but at some point Sebastian opted to get on with things and stepped away from the lounge. You wanted to protest, but then you heard the metal buckle of his belt clink in a way that told you more was yet to come. The muffled sound of clothing being shed had heat pooling in your gut once again. Your knees pressed together instinctually. 

Watching you fall apart was as magnificent as Sebastian had always imagined it would be. Better, even. Seeing your body overcome with pleasure had imbued him with a sense of self-fulfillment that he only wanted to expand upon. Recalling your trembling legs on either side of him, your nails digging into the cushions of the lounge, and your unruly hair tumbling all around you; it only made Sebastian want you that much more. 

“So fucking perfect,” he murmured, and you whimpered.

In a split second Sebastian was ravaging you once again. You gasped as he curled those strong arms under your hips and yanked you down so you were flush with his achingly hard cock. Fuck, did you want to see him. The sheer size of him felt intimidating, his thick shaft pulsing with obvious desire against you, and you heard him groan at the feeling. 

You were positive his hands left scorch marks along your thighs as he gripped them, willing himself to maintain his composure and not slam into you all at once. An inherent, primitive part of him demanded that he fill you, mark you, claim you, all for himself.

On cue you wriggled in Sebastian’s grip, and your slick rubbing against the sensitive head of his cock was all the go ahead he needed. 

Despite his baser urges, Sebastian moved slowly as he aligned himself. He teased along your entrance a few times, committing your stuttered breathing to memory, before gingerly pressing the head into your tight heat. 

“F-Fuck darling, you feel incredible,” he breathed the quiet praises along the smooth skin of your leg, leaving a chaste kiss there before inching his cock in deeper. “Feels amazing.”

The intrusion felt so right in a million different ways. You could barely keep one thought in your mind before twelve more came and replaced it. At this angle you could feel every part of Sebastian sheathed inside of you. His fingers were nothing compared to his cock; it filled you in all the right places, rubbing tantalizingly along your sweet spot as he pulled out nearly all the way, and plunged back in. 

“Fuck! S-Sebastian, you’re so big—“ his hips snapping against yours dragged a cry from your throat, and your hands fisted uselessly against the cushions beneath you. 

Sebastian took note as he set a steady rhythm, grinding his balls against your ass with each rough pass of his cock. He released his hold on your leg, letting it fall against the seat as he gathered your wrists in one hand before pinning them against the back of the lounge. 

You were spread wide for him like this, with your hands restrained above your head and both legs knocked to the side. Sebastian’s free hand came to fist in your hair, tugging your head to the side to lick a wet stripe up the flushed column of your neck. He bit and sucked at the skin there, the sensation of teeth and his tongue laving over the bites too much for your fried brain. 

When he released your hair, you momentarily missed the sting of his grip before you felt the pad of his thumb press down on your clit. 

You didn’t even know what the hell you were saying. Words were definitely falling from your lips but aside from Sebastian’s name and a flurry of curses and moans, the rest got lost in translation. It was too much— without your eyes to take in the scene, your other senses were working in overdrive. Your sweat slick skin prickled, and you felt a shock pass between your and Sebastian’s conjoined hands above you. His grunts and shouts of your name pushed you closer to that familiar coiling in your gut. 

“Please please please— Sebastian I need to see you, please let me look at you. I can’t much longer— fuck—“

You heard an animalistic growl reverberate from deep in Sebastian’s chest before you felt him let go of your wrists and tug his tie over your head. The sight that greeted you was nothing short of sinful, as far as you were concerned. 

Gone was the lanky, boyish-cute Slytherin who you’d first met in your fifth-year. Sebastian was wholly a man now. His broad shoulders were well defined from years of dueling, and the muscles along his back were rippling with each concentrated thrust of his hips. The taut stomach you could now see made your mouth water, your fingers itching to trail down that patch of hair that led to where you were connected. His dark stare was trained solely on you, watching how you reacted as he drank in the hazy, fucked out look in your eyes. You reached for him then, and Sebastian let his fingers intertwine with your own before he shifted so you were flat across the lounge with his delicious weight pressed against your core. 

He began to move faster then, the force of his cock ramming into you causing you to slide up the lounge until your head bumped the arm rest and he was fucking noisy cries of his name right out of you. Tears pooled at the corners of your eyes, your second orgasm being dragged out of you, and you frantically began rutting back with the slightest give you were allowed. 

“More darling?” Sebastian sputtered out a broken moan in your ear, “You want more?” 

“Yes! Yes yes, please Sebastian please, give me everything— fuck—“

With a rough growl, Sebastian was pulling out of you entirely, leaving you whimpering and mewling your displeasure before his hands were back on your waist. You were boneless and completely at his mercy as he dragged you back down the lounge, looping one of his strong arms under your back so you were arched towards him as he rammed his cock back into you, not even pausing to draw breath before he was fucking you straight through the surface, brutal in how rough he was pounding into you but fuck— if it isn’t exactly what you needed. 

Your spine rounded further off the lounge as you flung your head back and wailed for Sebastian, your nails coming up to claw at his back and over his shoulders then down his arms, leaving angry red stripes in their wake. Your voice was so much needier, so much raspier than Sebastian ever remembered hearing it. As he thrusted into you with reckless abandon, his free hand trailing up your chest and gripping your throat again, squeezing just hard enough to pull you on to his cock with more force, and when your eyes flew open with a choked gasp, he saw the red sparks crackling behind the irises. 

When you finally came, you screamed, long and loud, and Sebastian knew better than to stop now, so he picked up his pace, fucking you through your orgasm while he chased his own. It didn’t take him much longer, the tight heat of your pulsing cunt more than enough to send him spiraling over the edge with you. 

Sebastian came with a grunt, the tempo of his hips faltering before he ground his cock deep within you and you felt him empty inside. The final sensation brought you higher than you ever thought possible, and through your closed eyelids you saw flashes of red all around you. 

Sebastian opened his bleary eyes and was greeted by one hell of a sight— you were glowing. Literally. Red sparks of lightning seemed to dance over your entire body, fizzling out at the top of your head and the tips of your fingers and toes. You were so caught up in the euphoria of your come down that you barely noticed Sebastian had stopped moving until you felt his hand on your cheek. 

You cracked an eye open at him, the blissfully fucked out look on your face overshadowed entirely by the unique coloring to your eyes. They were glowing red, too. 

“Holy fuck,” Sebastian whispered, his voice gravelly. His eyes were unblinking as they roamed your naked body, taking in the sight of Isidora’s power slipping out around you both, charging the air and tickling his skin in the areas you were still connected. 

You realized it then too, raising your hand to your face in time to watch the bolts of magic recede back beneath your skin. The residual glow behind your eyes faded, leaving a calm silence in its wake. Your head felt clear, the constant buzzing you’d grown accustomed to nowhere to be found. When Sebastian took your hand in his you found yourself searching his expression for any signs of fear or repulsion at your unintentional revelation. 

Instead you simply saw pure adoration. 

“That was incredible,” he practically purred as he pulled out, and you instantly missed the feeling of being filled by him. “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” 

Despite your better judgment, you couldn’t help but feel self-conscious that he had seen anything at all. You pushed yourself up, drawing your knees to your chest to wrap your arms around yourself protectively. 

“It’s not incredible,” you murmured. “It’s unfortunate. It’s a terrible reminder that I should have left well enough alone. I’m a freak.” 

“Hey,” his hands were so gentle, so at odds with the rough nature they had exhibited not even five minutes earlier. “Don’t say that, please. You’re not a freak. You did exactly what you thought was right– if you hadn’t we would all probably be dead right now. But if it’s any consolation, I meant the sex was incredible. Not that you glowing wasn’t incredible too– I mean, you’ve always been beautiful. The magic just gave you a little extra flare.” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle softly at his reassurances. Of course Sebastian of all people would find something positive to say about the unknown, ancient magic that thrummed in your veins. 

He let his hands drift from your shoulders to cup your cheeks, pulling your half hidden face out of your knees to kiss you deeply. The action said everything words couldn’t, and you found yourself leaning further into his touch, chasing the warmth that you so desperately craved. 

After a few languid moments Sebastian asked, “How do you feel?” 

You knew what he meant. “Better. A lot better, actually. Usually it feels like there’s something… sentient at the back of my mind. It���s always there, but not now. It’s quiet.” 

That trademark grin of his appeared in a flash, and you knew then that you had fortuitously inflated his ego. “So you’d say my hypothesis was valid? Does that mean this can be considered a treatment method in the future?” 

A bark of laughter escaped you as you reached up to swat his shoulder. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Sallow. Some things have to be earned.”

Sebastian leaned forward to kiss you again, the feeling of his lips on yours chasing away any lingering doubts or concerns. Maybe your magic would worsen. Maybe it really would change you entirely if you gave it enough time. But until that day came, so long as you had Sebastian with you, the thought didn’t seem quite as scary. Perhaps with him by your side, you could find an alternative and right the wrongs of the past. 

Only time would be able to tell. 

[amethystandemma]

The Funeral of Anne Sallow

Sebastian Sallow angst lesgooooo!

First part of the trial of Sebastian Sallow.

Tagging @shyamanuensis! Lmk if any of y’all wanna be tagged for the next parts.

Althea Moonlace stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, trying to untangle the knots in her short pink hair. She looked almost exactly the same as she did a year ago before Professor Fig took her to Hogwarts. Her eyes were still blue, her hair was still short, and her skin was still freckled. Really, the only difference to her physical appearance was the long, jagged cut on her left cheek.

She raised her hand, watching her reflection as it moved as well. Hesitantly, she touched the cut on her face. Althea winced, drawing her hand away as soon as her fingers made contact. It burned, feeling as if her skin was on fire.

It was her keepsake from her final fight with Ranrok. Well, she also left with a bunch of trauma, but that wasn’t physical.

After a few more minutes of wrestling with her hair, she decided it was as good as it was going to get. Althea grabbed a black cloak and put it over her shoulders. A heavy sigh escaped from the Hufflepuff’s lips.

“Time to go,” she muttered.

Althea began the first steps of her long, depressing journey as she stepped closer to her fireplace. Her first stop was Gaunt Manor to pick up her friend and classmate, Ominis Gaunt. Together, they would make the trip to Feldcroft for the funeral.

Anne Sallow’s funeral.

As Althea walked out of the Little Hangleton Floo Flames shack, she thought of the girl that had passed. She wasn’t very close with her, but she was close with her twin brother, Sebastian.

No, close wasn’t the correct word for their relationship. Not with the feelings she felt for him and all of the near kisses they shared in the Undercroft.

A house elf opened the door to Gaunt Manor before she started to go down a rabbit hole about the nature of her relationship. Althea shook her head, looking down at the house elf.

“Hello,” Althea greeted. “I’m here to see Ominis? He’s expecting me.”

Unlike Deek, the house elf who helped her out in the Room of Requirement, the Gaunt’s house elf looked significantly smaller and more feeble. He did nothing but stare at her with his large brown eyes until she tried to step closer to the door.

“Scully will fetch his Young Master for you,” the house elf said before slamming the door shut in Althea’s face.

The way he shook like a leaf in the wind during their interaction made her blood boil. She knew the Gaunts weren’t the kindest people, and she knew that house elves weren’t really treated fairly most of the time, but seeing how he shook in the presence of a stranger made her feel sick.

Ominis Gaunt stepped out a few moments later, holding his wand in front of his body, the tip glowing red. The last time she saw him was before Solomon Sallow was killed. Before Sebastian ran away.

As soon as he shut the door behind him, Althea pulled Ominis into a tight hug, her body shaking. Ominis’ body stiffened for a second before he returned the embrace, hugging Althea back with equal ferocity.

“I’m so sorry Ominis,” Althea whispered.

She felt droplets of something wet roll down her back, sliding down her silky black cloak like raindrops on a leaf. Ominis had known Anne a lot better than she had. He had probably seen her like a little sister.

Althea pulled out her handkerchief, gently placing it into her friend’s hand. She waited until he was done wiping his face before speaking again.

“Whatever you need, just ask,” Althea said, her voice soft.

Ominis simply nodded, his milky blue eyes unfocused.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Ominis mumbled.

He started walking down the cobblestone pathway, his wand raised in front of his body to guide him. Althea jogged to catch up with him, struggling to keep pace with his long stride.

As they walked back to the shack that housed the Floo Flames, Althea looked around the muggle village. The area was pretty, she had to admit that, but it lacked the charm of a wizarding village. There were no Chinese Chomping Cabbages growing in their gardens or gnomes destroying their lawns.

Althea opened the door to the shack for Ominis and handed him a pinch of Floo Powder.

“Ah! Miss Moonlace and Mr. Gaunt.” The stone bust of Ignatia Wildsmith seemingly came to life, her eye sockets glowing with green fire. “Taking advantage of my wonderful invention once again I see. Why, before I created Floo Flames-”

“The Sallows.” Ominis threw down his bit of Floo Powder and stepped into the flames, disappearing from view with a bright flash of green.

“Bit rude, isn’t he?” Ignatia scoffed. Althea figured if she could, the bust would roll her eyes.

“Do us all a favor Ignatia and shut up.” Althea threw down her floo powder. “The Sallows.”

The Hufflepuff was hit with an all too familiar sense of dizziness and nausea. She squeezed her blue eyes shut, clenching her hands into fists and digging her nails into her palms. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, like the cut on her cheek.

Althea stumbled out of the Sallow’s fireplace, coughing up a mouthful of soot. She opened her eyes, spotting Ominis bent over on one of the wooden dining chairs, trying to catch his breath.

She had only been to the Sallow family’s home a couple of times, but she remembered it fondly. Well, somewhat fondly. Solomon Sallow’s presence ruined a few of the moments shared there.

Ominis got to his feet with a small grunt, wiping a layer of soot off of his forehead with his wrist.

In all of the times she had visited, the house had never been as silent as it was now.

And she hated it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The whole morning went by in a blur.

Shortly after Althea and Ominis arrived, Rhea Silverthorne, their fellow fifth-year and a Ravenclaw, came to help them put the finishing touches on everything. Althea tried not to feel envious by the way Rhea and Ominis held each other, but it was pretty hard.

They had a wonderful relationship, one that was built on trust. Neither one of them ever worried about the other’s intentions. All that mattered was that they were there for the other one when they needed it.

Something she wished she had at Professor Fig’s funeral. Or like she wished she could do for Sebastian right now.

After Rhea, more and more students started to show up to the small one room cottage. Some, like Imelda Reyes, flew in on their brooms, while others, like Nerida Roberts, arrived VIA Floo Flame. Soon, it seemed like half the student body at Hogwarts was there in the front yard.

Even some of the professors showed up. Professor Weasley stood with her nephew Garreth Weasley, by the casket. There was an empty look to her eyes as she took in the figure of the pale, sickly girl that was taken all too soon.

There were so many different people in attendance that she almost didn’t notice the lone, cloaked figure standing away from the crowd of mourners.

Althea looked around at the group, seeing if anyone else noticed the person. Deciding she was safe, Althea started to break away, walking towards the figure.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

That voice was all she needed to confirm her suspicions on who the lone mourner was.

Althea reached forward, lowering the hood of the figure. Sebastian Sallow met her gaze, his brown eyes red from crying. She placed a hand on his cheek, resting her forehead against his.

No words could properly express what she was feeling right now.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Althea whispered.

Sebastian wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. It felt so natural, the way her body fit perfectly against his as if they were two connecting puzzle pieces.

She let out a broken sob, one she didn’t even realize she had been holding, against his chest. Words couldn’t express how much she had missed this. How much she missed him.

“You’re hurt.” Sebastian pulled back, gently touching the cut on her face. Althea winced as soon as his skin made contact.

He drew his hand back, an eyebrow raised. “Seems like you’ve been up to some things without me ‘Thea.”

“You could say that.”

Even through all of the utter rubbish he had gone through this past year, he was still trying to make light of the situation by teasing her. He was still the same boy who gave her a “Proper Hogwarts welcome” in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

“Leviosa!” Leander Prewett, a redheaded Gryffindor, cast a levitation charm on Sebastian, sending him into the air. “No Hecate to save you this time, Sallow. Petrificus Totalus!”

Althea turned to Leander as Sebastian’s body became rigid, her eyes blazing. “Your aim is shite!”

“Expelliarmus!”

“Prote- ugh!” She winced as her wand went flying out of her hand, right into his perfectly polished one. She was too slow.

Leander grinned. “I told you I was a better duelist than Sallow.”

“Yes, because a petrified enemy poses such a fight,” Althea snapped. “Give me back my wand!”

Leander raised his arm straight above his head, holding her wand out of reach. The smirk on his face showed he was clearly enjoying this.

“You’ll have your wand back. Right after the Aurors take your boyfriend away for murder.”

“He’s not my boyfriend you ungrateful, ignorant, stupid, arrogant bas-”

“Silencio.”

Althea opened her mouth to continue, but no sound came out. She placed her hands on her throat, trying to force herself to speak.

“Professor Ronan taught us that in his class. You would have known that if you weren’t too busy running around the world playing hero this year.”

Leander moved over to Sebastian, grabbing his wand from his robe. He snorted at the glares he received from both Althea and Sebastian.

“Really, you two were never in class. Not that Sallow here will be going back to Hogwarts anyway.” Leander looked him up and down. “Probably going to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban.”

Althea closed the distance between her and Leander and smacked him across the face with enough force to send him stumbling backwards. She tackled him, knocking them both on the ground.

Leander shouted all sorts of insults as the two fought, yelling out in pain whenever Althea scratched or hit him. There was a murderous glint in her eyes as she pulled, shoved, and bit like her life depended on it.

“Mister Prewett!”

Althea felt someone grab her arm, yanking her away from Leander. She looked up, staring at Professor Sharp’s scarred face. An Auror she didn’t recognize pointed her wand at Sebastian.

“Incarcerous!”

Althea struggled against Professor Sharp’s hold, watching helplessly as Sebastian was bound by the spell. She felt her throat open up again and she let out a strangled gasp.

“Professor please,” begged Althea. “He hasn’t done anything wrong-”

“You know as well as I do, Miss Moonlace, that he used the killing curse on his uncle.” Sharp’s voice was firm, but there was a hint of sympathy she wasn’t used to.

“He was defending me! Solomon was going to kill me!”

She let out a scream as the Auror grabbed Sebastian’s stiff body, thrashing against Professor Sharp’s grasp.

“You can’t do this!”

The Auror ignored her and Sharp never loosened his grip. She watched in horror as her best friend was dragged away, just after finding him again.

When Althea spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper.

“He just wanted to say goodbye…”

[arthenaa]

Roots - S.S & O.G

SEBASTIAN SALLOW X READER X OMINIS GAUNT

PLOT SUMMARY: After an eventful fifth year, Ominis and Sebastian seems to be the people who know the hero of Hogwarts the best. Approached by an interested third year, the two best friends seem to realize they don’t know anything at all about Y/N beyond school.

DISCLAIMER: Hogwarts Legacy Spoilers, Canon divergent, can be read as platonic or romantic, Scamander brothers and Leta Lestrange is in this, mentions of Fantastic Beast plot, (i rewatched fantastic beasts ok and i love the scamander brothers so bad and I love these boys sm so I’m putting them in one fic), setting is set on FB era but with the the same teachers in HL, mentions of bad home environment on MC’s past, MC is a half blood, MC vents her feelings, im mostly spewing shit out of my ass in this one, she/her pronouns and feminine terms are used.

Out of the trio, Y/N has always received the most attention. Due to her great efforts and contribution to the defeat of Ranrok and saving the wizarding world, eyes are constantly on her and whispers of her achievements flutter around the halls of the castle. This had never bothered Ominis and Sebastian of course. They had always seen you as the flustered and clumsy fifth year walking up to the podium to be sorted. You had always been the center of their attention. They had been with you through most of your ups and downs during your first year as a 5th year in Hogwarts. Stuck with you through various situations and had defended you from those who had tried to harm you and so they had the honorary badge of being called your “best friends.” They took pride in being the people closest to you and it would sometimes be borderline possessive according to Imelda Reyes but Sebastian simply rolls his eyes and tells her to bugger off. That was what they thought, until recently.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know anything about her at all?” Yrma’s face forms a look of disappointment. Ominis cringes at her tone before Sebastian makes a noise of disagreement.

“So?”

Yrma Greenland glances between the two as they stand in silence. The third year had been an avid fan of the Hero of Hogwarts after witnessing her magical prowess against raiders and poachers during an eventful night of trying to rescue a niffler. It almost made her cry as Y/N approaches her with an angelic smile. She had been trying to get to know more about Y/N Y/L/N and given that she was part of the Hogwarts School Journalism Club, it would be beneficial to her job as a journalist (definitely as journalist ….. and not for herself …) to know about her subject’s background.

“W-we do know stuff about her! Besides, why should we tell you? Isn’t this invasion of privacy?” Sebastian retorts as he leans against the pillar. Yrma rolls her eyes at the idiocy.

“I’m a journalist, I have to get information one way or another. What’s this stuff you know then?” She presses on.

“She likes monochromatic colors.” Ominis starts. “Quite skilled in Defence against the Dark Arts.”

“Loathes the pumpkin juice at the Great Hall. Has a specific chair in the common room that nobody dares to touch for some reason.” Sebastian adds. Ominis nods in agreement. 

“When she’s nervous, she wrings her hands to keep her grounded. Loves to twirl her wand like a pen for some odd reason. A beast magnet. She can sleep anywhere as well. Did you know she once slept standing very still—“ 

“I do not want to hear about your obsession with Y/N Y/L/N.” Yrma halts Ominis’s ramblings about the witch with a furious look. “I’m talking about her background. Where’d she come from? Is she a half-blood, pure or muggleborn. THAT’s what I’m looking for.” 

The two Slytherins look at the Ravenclaw with a baffled look. Yrma can only stare at them with an amused look.

“Seriously? Two years and you two don’t know anything?”

“I mean she hasn’t talked about it!” Sebastian tries to defend himself. He turns to Ominis who looks like Salazar Slytherin had asked him to commit crimes worthy of Azkaban. “Ominis? Did she tell you anything at all?”

“…I always assumed that she was muggleborn.”

“So I take that you know nothing at all?” Yrma sighs. A chill runs down both of their backs at the revelation. “Some best friends you two must be.”

Yrma grumbles in disappointment on not being able to get information about the Hero of Hogwarts before leaving the pair. Ominis and Sebastian only wallow in their misery in silence.

“I can’t believe this Ominis.” Sebastian’s voice is weak. Ominis nods in agreement. It was never brought up throughout your stay in Hogwarts. Everyone was also quite open with their backgrounds so it was never an option to be brought up in a conversation. Your achievements have overshadowed your personal background as a young witch. No one had even questioned your blood status or where you had come from. Sure it was discussed when you had first entered as a late student but that too had been overshadowed by the dragon attack you and Professor Fig had endured. Somehow, you had become something they knew so well and knew nothing about at the same time.

“At this point, I’m just curious about it.” Ominis breaks the silence. Sebastian glances at his friend before nodding. Why would you not bring it up though? You had experienced Sebastian’s family situation, listened to Ominis’s complaints about his crazy family. It should’ve been an opportunity to bring up but you had always listened rather than talked. Surely, you would’ve talked about it if you felt comfortable enough with them right?

Right?

_______________________________________________________________

 “Why do you two looked like someone pissed in your butterbeer and manipulated you into thinking that it’s not piss?” Imelda Reyes looks down at the two Slytherin boys lounging in the common room with frowns in their faces.

 “Gross. You needn’t be so crass on your comparisons.” Ominis groans. Imelda rolls her eyes as she sets her broom down beside the couch before sitting in front of the fireplace. 

“I hear people from the ministry are coming to visit.” Imelda starts as she looks back at the two. “Some sort of assessment, I suppose.”

“From the ministry?” This catches Sebastian’s attention. “Why?”

“Not sure.” Imelda shrugs. “I think it’s because of Professor Hecat and her assistant. What’s his name?”

“Dumbledore.” Ominis flatly replies from his seat on the couch. 

Imelda furrows her eyebrows as she stares back and forth between the two. “Seriously? What is the problem with you both?” 

Ominis sighs before properly sitting up. Sebastian on the other hand continues to flail in his seat. The young Gaunt feels his wand as he contemplates his thoughts before asking Imelda a question.

“Do you know anything about Y/N?”

Imelda tilts her head in confusion. “She’s a Slytherin and gifted with the broom—Wait, why are you asking me that question? Shouldn’t you two know the answer?”

“Not that, Imelda.” Sebastian chimes in as he sits up, elbows on his knees, leaning forward. “I meant about her as a person.”

Imelda falls silent for a few moments before she lets out a huff of amusement. “Merlin.”

“Right?!” Sebastian whines before slumping back on the couch. “I don’t understand how we both barely know anything about her despite knowing her for 2 years. I mean, I knew Ominis wet his bed when he was 9 within the first 3 months of my first year!”

“Sebastian!” Ominis flushes in embarrassment. Imelda chuckles at the information.

“Well, I mean. The gal’s a powerhouse. I doubt people would be focused about her roots rather than her achievements.” Imelda replies. “I thought you two would know more about her considering you two hover like a hawk.”

“I do not do that.” Ominis retorts. Imelda nudges his knee before laughing.

“Yeah, didn’t know you were quite humorous, Ominis.” Imelda teases. Ominis turns his head towards her, sending a glare to her direction.

“I’m just kind of concerned why she hasn’t told us anything…” Sebastian quietly responds as he watches the fire flicker in front of him.

“Well, guess you’ll just have to find out then.” Imelda grins as she notices a familiar figure walking over to them. The two sulking wizards were too busy with sulking, not noticing the subject of the conversation standing in front of them. Y/N looks at Imelda for context and the Quidditch player only shrugs before standing up and grabbing her broom. She pats Y/N’s shoulder as she passes by her before whispering a “good luck” as she’ll definitely need it. Y/N only looks at Imelda’s disappearing figure in confusion before turning to her dearest friends.

“Ominis? Sebastian?” Her voice shocks both boys as they flail around to sit properly.

“Merlin’s beard. You scared us.” Sebastian massages his pounding chest as you only chuckle in amusement. Sebastian’s not sure if it’s because you scared them with your arrival or it’s because seeing you that his heart seems to pound out of his chest. You sat in between them, squeezing Ominis’s arm to acknowledge his presence.

“Where were you? We didn’t see you at DADA.” Ominis says as he feels for your hand, grasping it in his palm before interlocking your fingers together. You can only lean your head back, eyes closing due to exhaustion.

“I was with Professor Black. Got called up for something important.” You sigh as you squeeze Ominis’s palm. A hand begins to pet your hair causing you to open your eyes and look at the culprit. The Sallow boy only smiles as he presses a soft kiss against your temple. 

“The headmaster himself, huh? That’s the hero of Hogwarts for you. Always in for something important.” Sebastian teases. Y/N rolls her eyes, shoving him lightly.

“Stairs are a crime. If only I could just travel the castle on a broom.” You complain.

“Imelda’s been there, done that. Detention for a month, I recall.” Ominis leans his head on your shoulder, basking in your lovable scent.

“You battle trolls for breakfast and all it takes is a bit of stairs to rough you up?” Sebastian laughs as he continues to play with your hair.

“Oh, shut it, Sallow.” Soft laughter, escape your lips before a comfortable silence engulfs the three of you. It would’ve been comfortable had there not been a nudging thought banging against the heads of both boys. Sebastian feels a soft nudge against his shoulder, causing him to look over at the Slytherin descendant. An encouraging look is plastered on his face, and Sebastian internally groans at it. 

“Hey, Y/N. We have something to ask you abou—“

“Is Y/N Y/L/N here? You’re needed by Professor Weasley!” A student had shouted out in the common room. The young witch groans before sitting up. The opportunity of asking leaves before Sebastian can even grasp it.

“I’ll see you both later in the Undercroft, okay?” Y/N smiles before placing a kiss on both of their foreheads. She then dashes off to Professor Weasley, leaving the two in silence.

“You should’ve asked faster.”

“How should I know?!” 

______________________________________________________________

 “She should be here by now.” Sebastian taps his foot against the marbled floor. Ominis can only lean against the pillar. The two had been out of their minds ever since the incident with Yrma Greenland. At this point, they just want to spend time with you. Having finally decided that you would eventually tell them on your own terms as they had done with theirs.

Humming distracts Ominis as he hears the tune from the DADA classroom. Leaving Sebastian grumbling on his own, he lets his wand guide him to the sound. The humming grows louder as he softly pushes the door open. He senses a person inside, unfamiliar to that of Professor Hecat and the new assistant. A gasp signals Ominis that the person has acknowledged his presence.

“The classrooms are restricted at this hour. You’d have to go to the Faculty area to talk to Professor Hecat.” He calmly talks as he senses his the person’s figure in front of him.

“I-I don’t mean to intrude. I was just looking around.”

“As I said, these rooms are restricted at this h—“

“It’s alright, she’s with me.” A new person enters the room. A man, Ominis thinks. 

“Apologies for being rude, but who are you?” Ominis sighs. The man chuckles as he feels him walk towards the other person, a woman. About to introduce himself, another presence enters the room.

“Ominis! You left again without saying anything.” Sebastian grumbles annoyed. Ominis looks away from the direction of his voice, not responding to his sudden disappearance. The Sallow boy then glances to the other two people in the room. A man and a woman stood in the classroom, casually staring at the interaction between the two of them. They were dressed formally and seemed far different from how their teachers normally dressed. This must be the ministry visit Imelda was talking about, Sebastian thinks.

“I take that you’re from the ministry?” Ominis reads Sebastians' thoughts. The Sallow turns to him in amusement. “I notice that your presence is unfamiliar.”

“You’re correct.” The man answers. “We’re here for an important matter. We were once students like you and my fiancé wanted to roam the halls in nostalgia.”

The woman smiles at him. “I was also Slytherin, like you two.”

The man steps forward, moving closer to the two boys. “I assume Ominis here is a Gaunt? I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your father from time to time. It’s nice to see his son growing well here in Hogwarts.”

At the mention of his father, Ominis cringes to which Sebastian nudges his side. The man laughs at the look. “Understandable.”

Before the conversation could escalate further, two new voices were heard nearing towards the classroom.

“I’ve told you multiple times. We could’ve done this visit on a free day! Not during a day of classes, Newt!”

“You tell me as if I planned this whole thing.”

“Even if you didn’t, you probably instigated it. Everyone knows Theseus has a brother complex.”

���You know we can hear you right?” The man in the room yells before silence engulfs the halls. The door to the classroom opens and Sebastian looks back in shock to see Y/N with another man.

“Sebastian? Ominis? What are you two doing here?” You rush over to them. Ominis relaxes at your voice. You look back at the two other figures in the room. “This is an awkward sight.”

“Awkward? Really? We’re your family.”

“Soon to be. My sister still hasn’t married you.” You snorted. The two turn their heads fast as a Thestral towards you.

“Sister?!” The Slytherin boys exclaimed. The woman smiles at the interaction. You smile sheepishly before looking at the three other people in the room.

“I suppose introductions are in order.” You start as you stand in between the two. You point your hand towards the taller of the two. “The man you first met is Theseus Scamander, Head Auror of the British Ministry of Magic.”

Theseus waves his hand before saying a quick hello. Your hand then points to the shy male standing near them. “This is Newt Scamander. Magizoologist. The Scamander Wrote our material for Beasts class.”

Ominis gasps in recognition before bowing in respect. The magizoologist reaches over to pat his shoulder.

“This is Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt, my best friends.” 

“And my sister, Leta Lestrange. Theseus’s fiancée. Works in the ministry as well.” Your eyes lock with Leta, who smiles proudly. You return an awkward smile.

"You're a Lestrange?" Sebastian whispers in shock.

"Well, half. We have different mothers. Mine's a muggle. Hence my different last name— but yes, essentially, I am a Lestrange." You reply quietly. Ominis and Sebastian acknowledge the new information in silence. You then turn towards the three and motion your hands to your friends.

“I-It’s nice to meet you all.” Sebastian smiles. The three smile at them.

“I suppose Y/N’s taken care of well then.” Leta moves closer to the two. Grasping both of their hands. “I’m grateful that my sister is in good hands.”

“Leta…” You flush at your sister’s words. Leta only pinches your cheeks.

“I suppose the two of you can join us tomorrow!” Leta turns to the Scamander brothers who nod in agreement. “We’ll be roaming around in Hogsmeade with Y/N. We’re hoping the two of you could join us. I want to learn more about you.”

Before the two could agree, Y/N intercepted the conversation. “I can talk to them about it. Don’t worry. Don’t you three have more important matters to discuss with Dumbledore and Hecat?”

She glances at Newt for help who moves quickly to grab his brother out of the room. The older protests but lets his brother drag him out. Leta laughs softly at the sight before walking over to Y/N and pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. “I’ll see you around.”

You nod in agreement before watching her leave the room. Once their footsteps fade away, you turn towards the two who stare at you for explanation.

“I know I haven’t talked much about my family—“

“You haven’t talked about it at all actually.” Ominis retorts. He sighs before moving close to you. “I didn’t mean to come off rude but I suppose we were kind of in the dumps earlier after realizing we knew nothing about who you were. It never even crossed our minds and I feel like we’re kind of bad friends because of that.”

“No! what are you talking about? You two are the greatest friends I’ve ever had.” You cup one side of their cheeks with your palms. “The fact that you two stuck beside me and treated me equally despite not knowing a thing is one of the many reasons why I hold you two dearly in my heart. It never really crossed my mind before about family because I had only just recently found out about Leta.”

Your hands slowly drop from their cheeks to hold their hands. You take a deep breath before looking up at them. You suppose after all that they’ve gone through and the fact that they fully confided themselves in you, the least you could do is tell them the truth.

“What do you mean?” Sebastian rubs his thumb against your knuckles. They comfort you in small gestures. Ominis in interlocking his fingers with you and Sebastian with his concerned gaze. They listen but don’t pry. It makes tears well in your eyes with how understanding they are.

“Before the start of my first year as a 5th year, before I met Fig. I originally lived in an orphanage. In the care of a muggle. I lived most of my life there, not caring where I had come from or who I was. People there said and did bad things.” You bit your lip as you recall the memories. Living there had been so bad. No one cared about you or the other children. The adults there only did their job and never took care of you. “Leta had been trying to find me for years with the help of Theseus and Newt. Luckily enough, an Auror who had been stationed near the orphanage had seen traces of magic. When Leta found me, I had been close to becoming an obscurial.”

Ominis and Sebastian huddle closer to you as you look down to the floor. “They had immediately taught me how to hone and express my magic despite being a late bloomer. Then they contacted Hogwarts and with the guidance of Professor Fig, I was agreed to be accepted as a 5th year.”

You look up at them with teary eyes. “I didn’t tell anyone because I wanted to start anew. I still had time processing everything and what happened during my 5th year didn’t really help either but I had you two.”

You hugged them tightly. “You two became a foundation that helped me become who I am today. So, I think that you two are the best people I could ever ask for.”

Sebastian laughs softly before hugging you back. Ominis leans his head towards yours before rubbing your back softly. “Thank you for trusting us enough to tell us this.”

You press a soft kiss to their cheeks as you pull back enough to look at them but still stay in their embrace. The two of you hug in comfortable silence before pulling back.

“Now that that’s out of the way. Why don’t we head to the Undercroft to hangout?” You smile mischievously. A bottle of fire whiskey appears on your hands. “I got this bad boy from Theseus.”

“I suppose having connections to the Head Auror has its perks huh?” Sebastian teases. Ominis shakes his head as he follows the two out of the room.

“Might as well go all out.”     

________________________________________________________________

A/N: I hadn’t posted in a while so forgive any mistakes. I had just started playing HL (pirated it ofc) and had rewatched Fantastic Beasts so why not mush them all together HAHAHA. lmk your thoughts!

[waywardqueen411]

A New Legacy - Hogwarts Legacy x Harry Potter Crossover - Part 4

Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Summary:

After a rather brutal encounter with Ranrok's loyalists, the Hero of Hogwarts finds herself falling through time and space entering a world that's almost home, but not quite. Of course there's nothing else to do aside from adapt, improvise and overcome.

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A/N: Again, sorry for the extremely late update. Also i know Sebastian is dead in this universe (or is he) but the reader has some feelings she needs to deal with lol

Warnings: Violence, Major character death, blood

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader, Ominis Gaunt x Female!Reader (more to be added on as the story progresses)

Word Count: 2600

You don't know how long it went on for. You'd wake up, remember what had happened, cry uncontrollably with Ominis by your side, shushing you, pressing soft kisses to your head, muttering warm words of understanding - and then you'd promptly pass out again.

The third time it happened Ominis took you out of the training room and into a bedroom.

When he was done tucking you in, he hesitantly began turning towards the door but you stopped him. You reached out and grabbed his warm hand with your own, a soft whimper escaping your lips. "Don't go," you said, in a small, tiny voice that felt like it didn't belong to you.

Ominis didn't say anything, and for a moment you thought you'd stretched the limits of his kindness too far, but a moment later, he turned around and lifted the sheets next to you. His presence was warm and comforting, so it was easy for you to pass back out into darkness, his calloused fingers rubbing little circles into the exposed skin of your shoulder.

The sunlight shining onto your face felt blinding when you awoke again. Ominis seemed to have been anticipating this moment, and forced a potion down your throat as soon as you sat up to shut the curtains. It left a bitter taste in your mouth and you looked up at him to protest, but he'd already stood, walking over to shut the light out. You watched his form as he walked over to the dresser, where some clothes had been folded neatly in a small stack.

"You need a change of clothes," he ordered, but his voice had no heat behind it. You frowned a little, already feeling sleepy again. You were unconscious before your head hit the pillow, and the last thing you saw was Ominis' worried face as he rushed towards you.

The final time you awoke, dawn had just broken and whispers of bright light were seeping in through the cracks in the curtains. You turned immediately, heart racing, but calmed when you realized that Ominis was still beside you, sound asleep.

You allowed yourself a moment to take him in.

You had never seen Ominis asleep before. It felt like a dream. He looked so much younger while he slept - the lines in his face less pronounced, his features not scolwed in defence. Years of worry and fear seemed to evaporate, and you could see the softness in his eyes, the roundness of his cheeks, the gentle slope of his lips. He looked so - vulnerable.

Your mind flashed back to your kiss with Ominis.

You blushed at thr thought, because truth be told, you wanted to feel it again. You wanted to feel his full supple lips against your own, wanted to feel his warm breath across your face. You didn't take the time to notice what his breath smelled like, what his mouth tasted like, but your imagined it to be something close to caramel, with a hint of vanilla.

Your eyes dropped down to his lips. You were so close. It would be so easy to steal a small peck, to satiate your curiosity.

Immediately, you pushed the thought to the back of your mind, your chest filling with guilt. He was Sebastain's best friend, and here you were, fantasizing about the taste of him.

"You're staring," Ominis said. You screamed and promptly fell off the bed.

"How long have you been awake?" you asked, popping your head up. Your heart hammered in your chest.

"Not long," he lied. You knew he was lying. His left eyebrow always twitched when he lied. You blushed violently, the cold wood of the floor an unwanted contrast to the warm bed you'd just been in.

"Great," you said, standing up fully. You felt a little wobbly on your feet, but managed a good few steps towards the door before you fell over.

Only you didn't fall.

You blinked up at Ominis, who had somehow walked the 10 feet from the bed to the door in the time you had fallen to the ground. "Hi," you said softly, suddenly noticing the complete lack of space between the two of you.

"You need to regain your strength," he replied, an amused smile playing across his face, "Do you think you could make it to the dining room?"

"Yeah," you said, but you weren't sure. Ominis seemed to realize this as he still accompanied you there.

When the two of you arrived there was a small feast of food laid out on the table, with two places sat next to each other - one at the head of the table, and one next to it.

"House elves?" you asked, somewhat in awe.

"Yes. Come," Ominis said, leading you to the table with a hand on the small of your back, "I'll explain everything once you've gotten some food into your system."

You thought you wouldn't be able to eat with all the crying and sleeping you'd been doing, but the food was truly amazing. You ended up eating a full plate and a half before you could slow down enough to talk to Ominis.

"How long have I been-" the sentence hung awkwardly in the air. Ominis cleared his throat, looking more like the strict and formal person you knew him to be.

"We've been here for three days," he said. You dropped your fork.

"I'm sorry," you said, feeling yourself blush. "I should have been here, helping you figure this out-"

"It's fine," Ominis interrupted, speaking through slightly got teeth. "I- you lost a great deal,"

You swallowed, "So did you,"

"Sebastian wasn't to me what he was to you," Ominis said, stabbing a sausage with his fork.

You found yourself unable to respond.

Because really had Sebastian been to you? A lover? Maybe he could have been, one day. Maybe he would have been already if you'd just gathered the courage to ask. The two of you had never spoken about your feelings for each other, but you always assumed there was something there, something that would blossom into more if given the time.

But time had run out.

"Sebastian and I were never together," you mumbled out eventually. Ominis let out a laugh through his nose.

You wondered what he thought of the kiss.

"I suppose not," Ominis said after a beat.

A small silence followed before Ominis cleared his throat.

"So, about your name-" he said. You froze.

"Right," you said slowly.

"You still don't remember it, do you?" he asked after a beat.

"I- I don't," you said, the cucumber sandwich in your hand suddenly feeling grossly unappetizing. "Do you," you said before realizing, "You don't know my name either,"

"No, unfortunately not," Ominis said. Your heart sank. "I've tried a great deal to remember. I've even looked through my memories in a pensive I found in the study, but no luck. I'm sorry. I was hoping it would come back to you on your own time."

You felt tears build up in your eyes. "Do you remember anything about me?" you asked breathlessly. Ominis frowned.

"I remember everything," he almost whispered, "Just not your name."

You sighed softly. "Great," you groaned, "It's not like you're literally the only other person in this timeline that would have that information,"

Ominis went silent. You looked at him for a good minute.

"What?" you asked.

"Maybe I'm not." he said. "You said you went to Gringotts on the night you arrived at Hogwarts, right?"

"Yes," you said, confused.

"Gringotts keep records for centuries. There's a chance that yours - ours could still be there." Ominis said. You suddenly felt hopeful once more.

"Then there truly is no time to waste."

Diagon Alley was terrifying.

You had never been there before in your life, but according to Ominis it was much smaller in your Original time line. It seemed to have expanded over the years.

If circumstances had been different, you'd probably find this place amazing - whimsical, even - but right now it just represented another set of unknowns.

You held your borrowed wand tightly as Ominis lead you through the alley. "It should be right - here we are," he said, stopping suddenly. You raised a brow at the site of the large building.

Because in your timeline, you'd been inside Gringotts, but you'd never seen the actual building.

"This is Gringotts?" you asked in a hushed tone. The alley was packed to the brim with witches and wizards going about their shopping.

Ominis smirked, "Are you underwhelmed?" he asked. You rolled your eyes and slapped his shoulder lightly.

"No, I just thought it'd be..."

"Thought it'd be what?" he asked.

"Bigger," you said. Ominis laughed, mumbling something that sounded like 'that's what she said' which you pointedly ignored.

With how well Ominis had handled the situation, you somehow forgot that he was just a teenager.

"Come on," he encouraged and the two of you walked through the doors.

Almost every Goblin stopped what they were doing to look at you. You swallowed, but Ominis simply gripped your arm and forced you to move.

"They're staring," you said. Ominis laughed.

"I get this all the time," he joked. You smiled softly.

"Greetings, Griphook," Ominis said politely, his wand reading the name tag to him. "We would like to do an ancestry evaluation," the goblin - Griphook, shot you a curious look.

"What do you wish to test for?" he asked, "Blood purity?"

Ominis winced, "No." he said firmly, "We would like to find any inheritance to our names,"

Griphook looked suspicious. "Alright. Follow me," he said and lead the two of you through an alley way on the left.

You passed several doors before you finally reached your destination. Your palms began to sweat.

"An analyst will be with you momentarily," Griphook said. Ominis smiled.

"Thank you. May your gold flow forever," Ominis said. Griphook looked at him in shock before wiping his face clear of emotions.

"And may your enemies flee in terror," Griphook replied before leaving promptly.

"What was that?" you asked after a beat

"Traditional Goblin greetings," Ominis said, smiling a little. "It seems like the curtesy has been lost."

"It seems like Wizarding kind had forgotten," you offered instead, looking around the room.

A moment later, a female goblin walked in, looking rather disgruntled.

"Morning," Ominis said warmly, stepping forward.

"Right hands please," the goblin said in reply. You looked to Ominis who didn't hesitate before giving the goblin his exposed palm. You took a breath and followed his lead.

The goblin pulled out a sharp vial and pierced the tip of it into Ominis' skin. He winced. Before you could pull away, she'd done the same to you, with a new vial.

"Ouch," you said softly.

The goblin ignored you, choosing instead to place the vials in the middle of the table she was standing behind. Immediately, the table came to life with ruins, glittering gold and blue.

"Whats that?" you couldn't help but ask.

"Your lifeline," the goblin said, looking carefully at the ruins, "You're not from here," it wasn't a question, but you nodded anyway. The goblin made a soothing sound. "You two have come a long way,"

"We have," Ominis agreed.

"Do you think," you began to ask, "Is it possible for us to go back?" you whispered.

The goblin looked sympathetic. It told you all you needed to know.

"The magic that brought you here was powerful and complex," she said, "the kind of magic that happened once in a hundred years. It is possible, but it would be very meticulous. A mistake would cost you gravely, as it already has,"

Sebastian.

You looked at Ominis then. His face glowed slightly in the blue light, making him look otherworldly. He was truly beautiful. You thought of the way he'd taken care of you these last few days, of the feeling of his body next to you as you fought with consciousness. You thought of the family he would return to if you did go home, of the life he would have.

"I guess we could make it work," you said softly. Ominis turned to you then, surprised. But before he could say anything, the goblin spoke once more.

"The spell is completed," she said. Would you like to view the results?"

"Yes," Ominis said, his voice faltering just a little. Suddenly, a roll of parchment appeared in front of you. You reached out and took it.

Name: Aria Evans

Family: Evans

Living relatives: Harry James Potter,

Great great grand nephew

Accounts available: Evans Family Trust 0411. Available Balance: 6 947 679 Galleons, 12 Sickles, 18 Knutz

Properties available: Evans Family home, Cokeworth

Blood status: Half-blood.

"I don't understand," you said after a beat, "How can you have all of this information?"

"It runs in your blood," the Goblin said kindly. "It appears, from the records, that your brother had carried on the family name, and that your great grand neice was magical - believed herself to be of muggleborn origin. As her great great grandfather - your brother died before he could pass down the legacy of magic. There didn't seem to be a magical family member before her."

"Are you alright?" Ominis said after a beat.

"I never knew my family," you said, "I didn't even knew I had a brother,"

A short silence followed. You quickly broke it.

"Why can I inherite this if I have a living relative?" you asked, looking at the name Harry James Potter suspiciously.

"Your great grand niece discovered your existence when drafting her magical will," the goblin said. "She was a great witch with powers even us goblins feared,"

"Ancient magic," you said. The goblin nodded.

"I was not there at the creation of the will, but rumor has it her magic told of your arrival. Thus she set her assets aside for you and you alone, believing you would need it when you arrived. Believing you to be vital in the defeat of He Who Must Not Be Named."

"He Who Must Not Be Named?" you asked hesitantly. The goblin sighed a little. She was about to speak when Ominis interrupted.

"My grand-nephew," he said. You looked to him in suspicion. The goblins eyes widened in horror.

"You-" she said, "The man who has caused such death and destruction - is of the Gaunt family tree?" the goblin asked in horror.

Ominis flushed a little. "As it would appear. He seems to be my only direct descendant. The grandson of my brother Marvolo," he said. "I apologize, this must be very disturbing for you to hear."

The goblin sighed. "You are not responsible for the actions of those who came before - or after you." she said gently.

Ominis took the parchment in front of him and rolled it up into a scroll. You followed his lead. "We need to find some more information," he said. You hummed in agreement.

"It is best that you read up on modern history before you continue on your journey. There is a reputable bookstore in the Alley," she said.

"Thank you," you replied, "May your, um, gold flow eternally," you said hesitantly.

The goblin laughed a bit. "It's 'may your gold flow forever,'" she corrected gently.

"Thank you, uh-"

"Gloria," she supplied.

"May your gold flow forever, Gloria," you said with a small smile.

"And may your enemies flee in terror," she responded. "You two are not like the other witches and wizards we have encountered,"

"Well, you can't have encountered many decent ones then," Ominis replied, still a little flushed.

Gloria laughed a little. "Consider yourselves friends of the Goblins of Gringotts. It was a great pleasure doing business with you,"

"Thank you," Ominis said, looking extremely touched. "Please take the 100 Galeon fine from my account," he said and before you could protest, he bowed slightly and began to leave. Gloria bowed back and you quickly thanked her before running after Ominis.

[legacygirlingreen]

Part 4, Chapter 7: Repository III (the final) // Sebastian Sallow x Reader

AN: I apologize for this unedited mess. I am also so sorry I’ve been swamped and haven’t uploaded. I have a lot going on right now in my real life and writing has taken a backseat to it. I plan to finish this series soon. Thank you all for holding out with me. This is mostly just filler. Again, sorry.

Pic belongs to @99luka9 on Pinterest! (Not sure if they have a blog here as well but I found in on there)

Warnings: mention of blood, death, violence

Word count: 3,800

Link to Masterlist

The more Sebastian dug into the stone the more blood began to pool in his palms. Sweat dripped down his brow and down the sides of his neck, as well as down his nape, before trailing into his shirt collar. As he went to push yet another piece of piled up rumble to the cave floor, the slick of his palm caused him to lose traction, resulting in him slamming his fingers into the harsh surface as he let out an expletive.

Frustratedly he wiped his hands on the surface of his pants in an attempt to once again gain traction before resuming his efforts to push the stones. The more rubble he cleared, allowing him to gain more information as to what was happening on the other side. More loud taunting, more loud crashing, and thankfully more spell casting. He couldn’t quite make out what she was shouting from wherever this opening would lead, but he could hear the distinct sound of a spell hurling through the air followed by the occasional roar or groan of Ranrok. Everything about this reminded him of how broken she had felt when he rushed into the house with Solomon hot on his heels while he gripped her bleeding body to his chest.

Solomon. That was the strangest part of the ordeal. The more he continued to dig, the more he could hear her sole voice calling back against the goblin. He knew that Solomon had been trapped inside the cavern with her, and a part of him hoped that at the very least the man was alive to help keep her safe, but given the lack of hearing the man’s gruff voice or simultaneous casting there only left a few options for his uncle’s fate: the man was knocked out, the man ran, or he was already dead.

And as callous as it seemed, Sebastian didn’t really care which of three it wound up being.

In fact, Sebastian knew that if he got inside with only the ability to save one of them, he would save her with no hesitation. Solomon may be blood, but that didn’t make him family. Especially after finding out what he had done to Anne, and leaving his love to die at the hands of Rookwood, he had no love left in his heart for Solomon Sallow. That - and years of abuse at the man’s hands didn’t exactly bode well. In some small ways it might be better if Solomon was already dead, he thought. That way he wouldn’t have to kill Solomon himself.

Eventually he pushed aside just the right stone to cause the majority of them to fall away, opening up a small hole which he could see lead into a tunnel. Seeing it as the only way forward he crouched the best he could, pushing through until the tunnel allowed him to once again stand to full height. Inside it appeared similar to San Bakaar’s fourth trial and the location in which he witnessed the memory of the keepers confronting Isadora.

Sebastian felt a chill run up the entire length of his spine before it settled against his nape as he shuddered remembering what he had seen. In some ways he respected San Bakaar more than the others - as the man seemed to understand his policy of using whatever means necessary when your life's on the line. Even during the keeper’s time at Hogwarts the killing curse was forbidden. Knowing all four of them agreed to use it on Isadora in order to protect the wizarding world from her demented actions of corrupting the purity of ancient magic with human pain, made him more inclined to trust their judgment. It also made him glad that he taught the girl how to use it in extreme circumstances.

“Sebastian I am not so sure about this…” she spoke as they rounded that all too familiar staircase of the restricted section. The weight of the books he was returning pressed into his forearms. This was not to do with Anne that he had come back here. In fact he’d given up searching months ago after she finally convinced him they would find a way with ancient magic. But for some reason, after a night where she’d stumbled back even later than his shift with Sirona, covered in blood from poachers, he decided maybe raiding some of the healing spells would benefit her.

“We are just returning what I borrowed. Not taking anything else, I promise” he told her with a sigh.

“What did you take?” She asked cautiously, worried he’d have slipped back into old habits.

“Healing spells they just don’t teach at the school. I wanted to be able to teach them to you. I’m sick of seeing you stumble back broken and bloodied.” He explained, finally coming back to the spot in which he’d removed a few tomes on advanced healing.

“Oh. I thought - nevermind” she said, coming forward to help place the books back on the shelf near him.

“You thought, what? That I was messing with dark magic again?” He asked playfully, not concerned about her response because he genuinely hadn’t. Sebastian had no reason to be embarrassed or start a fuss over something he wasn’t engaging with any longer. And if he was honest with himself… he felt better. His head felt clearer. His back, less weighted.

“Well… why else would one sneak into the restricted section…?” She asked as she peaked open one of the books seeing it did in fact have very complex healing spells before putting it back on the shelf.

“Pornographic material” he said with a shrug.

“What?!” She shrieked and he laughed at her response as he pointed back to a dimly lit alcove all the boys at school had heard about. It was true that several boys always found a way to sneak in and raid it. On occasion he’d grabbed a few on his way out to make the trip more worth it…

“Yeah some of them even moan and make noises and such-“ he started and she smacked his arm as he chuckled.

“Stop being a brute and just put back the healing books you stole. Merlin, why am I courting such a delinquent?” She asked.

“Because you love me?” He teased stretching his hand out, which she graciously took.

“I do. And I’m also glad you stopped looking into dark magic. I know there’s been circumstances your knowledge has come in handy but… overall I prefer not using it as a first resort”

“I agree. I admit, I might’ve started getting a tad loose with some spells I shouldn’t have. I do still think it’s important to have knowledge of dark magic. And there are times I think the ends justify the means…”

“What are you talking about?” She asked, feet stalling as she looked at him.

“Well, if you do face Ranrok, and he has you pinned down without a moment of your life or his, I would prefer to know that you at least knew the killing curse. At that moment I believe it would be a justifiable means to kill him. And I don’t think the ministry would care either given goblins and human rights aren’t the same. But either way, I would like to know you would do anything to keep yourself safe if it came to that. Not as a first choice but a last resort” he explained, somewhat timidly. He knew she didn’t love the use of dark magic, but she never discouraged him trying to gain understanding of it. She saw past the black and white nature of it all, and it was something he deeply loved and admired her for.

“Oh… I hadn’t really thought about it.” She said nervously.

“You don’t have to-“ he tried to explain he wasn’t demanding she learn one of the three unforgivable spells on his account purely, but she cut him off.

“No. You’re right. This is too important. This magic is too dangerous to leave in Ranrok’s hands. I should at least know what to do if it came to that. Not necessarily for my sake but everyone else’s” she explained leaving him stunned.

“I’m really surprised you are so quick to want to learn an unforgivable curse” Sebastian told her honestly.

“Like you said, this mission is important and killing him may be the only way to protect it. Come on down here. I’ll show you the athenaeum. It’s where I went that day you took the fall for me. You can teach me in there how to use it” she said, dragging him along further into the restricted section.

Sebastian had been surprised at her willingness to see the greater good and now he just hoped that she had both paid attention and was alive to make the call if it came down to it.

Finally having a plan seemed to help. The more she continued to use the attack strategy suggested by Sebastian, the more Ranrok began to absorb the pain as the magic separated from the toxicity contaminating it. This strategy seemed to be the solution, however the more desperate Ranrok became, the more she continued to be knocked down with his futile attempts at preventing her from removing his power.

Each fall felt worse on her already aching body. But at the end of the day, she knew that she would need to stop the goblin, even if it was the last thing she did. This was too important to give up now.

The swirls and conflicting magic surrounded them both as he drew smaller. And then with the most deafening scream of pain did the blast of red and black magic surround them as Ranrok once again returned to his original state.

“You are… but a child…” he grunted out in pain as he stared up at her.

“You shouldn’t understand anyone on account of being young” she spat as he quickly moved to his feet once again, only to be shoved down by her usage of the ancient magic around them.

Watching in horror as the last of the pain entered the goblin, he rose from the ground, screaming in agony as the pain she removed became too much. In horror she watched as she slowly began to glow, breaking apart into thin ash like parts before suddenly he was gone.

A gasp left her lips as she fell to her knees, shocked that it was over. It was finally all over.

Loud banging filled the space before the cavern lurked, loud sounds of falling rocks once again filling the space as she looked above. The chamber she was in began to collapse, as she struggled to rise. Energy depleted from the fight with Ranrok, she wasn’t sure she would be able to stand long enough to search for a way out.

And in her heart she found comfort in knowing at least everyone would be safe. The world at large had been saved. The likelihood of her walking away was low. And yet, she simply wanted to be granted the opportunity to say goodbye to him. To the handsome Slytherin boy, who had taught her so much. Who had shown her great care. Who had loved her beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Laying down, she simply closed her eyes, accepting her fate. Perhaps her mind's eye could recall his big brown eyes one more time. Or imagine all his adorning freckles. If she really concentrated she almost felt as if she could hear his voice shouting her name. What she wouldn’t give to feel him hold her one last time.

But then she felt it. A dirty trick of the mind to shift to the afterlife is what she assumed, but when she opened her eyes and saw the cavern collapsing just behind his head she gasped.

“Bash” came the hushed whisper before she was desperately pulled into his arms as he stood.

“Hold on, we are getting out of here. Just hold onto me” he spoke before whistling loudly, the sound of loud flapping filling the space as her eyes drifted closed. Flashes of feathers, falling debris and his worried face filled her mind before it all faded to black.

“Mr. Sallow set her down on the cot so the nurse can look over her injuries!” Professor Weasley shouted as the rag tag team of staff and students bust into the hospital ward.

The girl, having lost consciousness somewhere on the journey out of the repository, was still perched in Sebastian’s arms. The boy damn near growling earlier when someone tried to remove her. Lurching forward he set her down, unaware of the wards existing students.

Their friends and educators all coming around to stare down at the battered girl who had saved them. Well, all of them except one.

“Sebastian…” whispered behind him and when he finally tore his eyes from the girl he saw Anne.

“Annie…” he said in shock, having forgotten until now that poppy spoke about his witch find a cure.

“What happened? Where’s, where’s Solomon?” She asked, looking around.

His mind flashed back to the cavern, seeing his uncle crushed on the floor no longer breathing just as he had fled. She had whispered something akin to Solomon before she had fainted but he already knew the man was gone.

“He didn’t make it Anne” he spoke softly as his sister begun to wail loudly. Ominis coming forward to remove his sister from the already chaotic scene, he turned back to his love who still had yet to wake as the nurse began to try and heal some of her injuries.

“Is she going to be alright?” he asked softly as the nurse turned to him.

“I’d say so. Diagnostic spells show most of the damage is external, not internal.” The nurse spoke mending gashes and wiping away blood. As she did so, he took note of the already pink forming scar along the girl's face, now running through the middle of it. It wasn’t the kind of mark that happened by accident, the way it looked was deliberate. Poppy’s cries in the room of requirement were all he needed to know that it had been the result of Rookwood.

“Merlin…” he whispered as Professor Fig tugged him aside.

“It’s best to let them clean her up first. I need to speak with you” the man spoke and all he could do was nod. Deep down Sebastian knew the man was likely playing the events in December over in his mind, recalling how awful the boy had reacted to seeing her injured. Sitting at the edge of a separate bed he sighed.

Soon he found himself in front of the professors. Sebastian hadn’t noticed that Professor Weasley had escorted out all the other students, leaving only Leander who sustained a slightly sizable gash on his leg. But when the adults stared down at him as they refrained from talking he grew confused.

“Mr. Sallow you need to remove your shirt” Professor Sharp said sternly as he looked up confused.

“What?” Sebastian asked as the man harshly pointed at the wound on his shoulder. “Oh. I forgot about that…” he said gritting his teeth as he tried to unbutton the shirt with his non dominate hand.

“Adrenaline can make the body forget the trauma it’s experienced. It doesn’t look as bad now but still shouldn’t take too many chances with it.” The man said as he finished using spells he knew from his time at the ministry to examine the wound. Knowing the nurse would likely be too busy, helping the young Sallow man fell to him in responsibility.

“Is everyone decent?” Came a voice behind Professor Sharp who simply nodded as Matilda Weasley came forward.

“Mr. Sallow. I am going to need much more information this instance.” She demanded.

“Alright.” He spoke grumpily.

“Do you have any kind of idea the danger you put yourself, and your classmates, in?” She asked.

“Did you? Because from what I have come to realize, is that only Professor Fig and I were aware the danger everyone was in this whole time. I was likely more prepared than most of you to handle this”

“That doesn’t excuse your actions-“

“I will not apologize for wanting to make sure she walked out of there alive. Give me detention for the rest of the year. Expel me. Lock me in Azkaban. I don’t care. She is alive and going to be okay. That is all that matters to me” he spoke with exasperation.

“Matilda, perhaps given none of the students were in danger we should consider thanking Mr. Sallow for his assistance. Has they not arrived I am not sure even we all would have walked away” Professor Sharp spoke up.

“The distraction provided by Mr. Sallow and the other students allowed us to gain the upper hand during the battle.” Hecat pointed out.

“Yes but, they could have been hurt. How would I have explained it to their parents or the headmaster?” She questioned.

“Considering Sallow and I are the only two who got hurt, new fifth year excluded, I’d say it’s not something we need to be concerned with Professor Weasley. Chalk it up to some Slytherin resourcefulness and Gryffindor bravery.” Leander grunted as a house elf finished wrapping his leg.

The woman sighed before looking around. Eyes landing on the floor network as two figures emerged.

“Everett found me but when we made it back to the cavern everyone had left” Andrew Larson spoke walking forward with Officer Singer.

“What in Merlin’s name happened here? What is this I hear of a goblin attack?” She asked looking around at the battle worn professors and few injured students.

“Yes. And it appears several of our students mounted a counter offensive” she said with a frustrated sigh.

“Students?! The minister-“

“Will be delighted to know that Hogwarts has such brave, resourceful, loyal and intelligent students that they would be willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Going so far to go against the measure we took to ensure their safety” Professor Weasley spoke.

“I will need to contact the minister and start a full investigation into the matters-“ Officer Singer began before Matilda once again cut her off.

“Tomorrow. These students, and us for that matter, have been through a great deal. Let them rest. Recover from their injuries before we go bringing up such events again.” She said sternly, nodding to Sebastian that his witch was alert.

No longer caring about the logistics he ran forward, sliding onto his knees as he took to her bed side.

“Sebastian?” She asked gently as he grabbed her hands in his own, kissing the skin along the back of her hand firmly over and over again.

“You are alive. Merlin be praised, you are alive!” He said excitedly as he no longer cared about the hospital ward full of people as he reached his hand out along the back of her neck and brought her into a kiss. It conveyed all the fear, anger, love and pain he was dealing with at all that had happened.

Breaking away to catch her breath the sighed in pain before looking back up at him sadly. “Sebastian… Solomon he…”

“I know” he told her, not really finding it in his heart to care about it at the moment.

“No. He saved me. I was falling. I - I would’ve died had he not saved me. And then he fell to his own death. Sebastian, it was horrible…” she said as tears began to well up in her eyes. He reached forward, hoping to provide comfort as she sobbed. Inside, the boy knew it was rather callous to not feel bad about his last remaining adult relative being gone, but after what he did to Anne, what Solomon did to him and most importantly what he had let Rookwood do to her, he didn’t care.

“We don’t have to discuss it now… you are alive and that’s all that matters” he told her gently as he wipped the tears from her face and she nodded. Reaching towards the table beside her bed, she produced Solomon’s wand and handed it to Sebastian.

“I managed to grab this before everything happened. I thought Anne might want it. But Sebastian-“ she started to speak as the girl in question ran forward.

“Why do you have our uncle’s wand?!” She shrieked.

“We got separated and he was with me when Ranrok-“

“So it’s your fault.” Anne spoke harshly as a gasp fell over them.

“Anne, I’m not sure we have all the information to make claims like that-“ Ominis spoke but the girl interrupted.

“No. She walked out. Solomon didn’t. That’s all I need to know” Anne responded.

“Anne. You have no idea the vile things Solomon did to even you. He-“ Sebastian started only to be interrupted by the witch at his side.

“You are right Anne. Solomon sacrificed himself to save me. And there’s nothing I can do to bring him back or make it okay. I’m sorry.” She said sadly.

“Maybe if you weren’t so careless he’d be alive. It is all your fault.” She spat before standing up.

“Anne! She saved you-” Ominis said standing up and rushing after the girl who was fleeing the hospital ward, leaving Sebastian and her to sit in silence over what had happened.

“Poppy told me what happened. Don't worry. Anne doesn’t know what Solomon did to her. We will talk to her-“ he spoke after a moment and she stopped him.

“No. Let Anne grieve him. She deserves that. I won’t take that away from her” she told him.

“She deserves to know she was dying because Solomon is a coward.”

“Sebastian, I will not be the reason your sister loses the image of her protective and loving uncle.”

“He was anything but that. I won’t have her speak to you that way. You saved her. For heaven's sake, you saved us all '' Sebastian told her sternly.

“And right now she is a girl who is sad over her Uncle’s death. She should be allowed to do that.” She replied.

“Not at the sake of your good name” he told her.

“We will tell her eventually. Right now I really just want to rest.” She said sadly.

“I have talked to Officer Singer. Tomorrow you will all report to discuss the events of today first thing in the morning. Classes have been canceled. For now you are released to go rest.” Professor Weasley spoke before turning on her heels to discuss with the other professors.

“Let’s get you back to the dorm-“ he spoke and she shook her head.

“Room of requirement. I can’t… I don’t want to face anyone right now” she spoke and he nodded, helping her rise to her feet and start down the stairs to their private sanctuary.

To be continued…

[tanaisokay]

Aster Button • Hogwarts Legacy MC • Character Information

(Character Sheet Commission by my amazing bestie, @unholytrio420)

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General Information

Full Name: Aster Jane Button

Nicknames: Princess of Hufflepuff, Sweetheart & Bug

Gender: Female

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Date of Birth: April 30th, 1875

Dominate Hand: Left

Zodiac Sign: Taurus ☀️🌙 & Cancer ⬆️

Personality Type (MBTI): ENFP - Campaigner

Blood Status: Half-blood

Alignment: Lawful Good

Nationality: English/Greek

House: Hufflepuff

Wand: Natural shape, English Oak, Unicorn Hair Core, 20 cm, handle is carved with oak leaves and has an acorn on the bottom of the handle.

Patronus: Swarm of Bees or Ibizan Bound

(One is my wants, the other is wizarding worlds take)

Boggart: Herself

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Physical Appearance

Hair Colour & Style: Has wavy/curly dark brown hair, with a bang fringe that curls at the ends because of her naturally curly hair. She tends to keep her hair half up in an updo with a white bow holding it back.

Eye Color: Her eyes are a dark green with a yellow center.

Skin Tone: Light olive tone with peach undertones. Has a flush of freckles all over her face. She also has light rosacea on her cheeks, nose and forehead.

Height: 5’7” (170cm)

Other features:

She does wear makeup, even though it was frowned upon at that time. She has a smudge of eyeliner on her upper lid and goes wear some lipstick/Vaseline for shine.

An overbite with bunny teeth.

Girly wears earrings as well. They are vintage screw backs from 1890 that match her colors and vibe. Gold & Black varnish with diamonds.

Face claim: Hande Ercel is her slight face claim. Hande Ercel has dark brown eyes and doesn’t have freckles, but she’s a Turkish actress with the perfect face shape. Which is why I say she’s a slight face claim. Her role in Azize just screams Aster with her hair as it is as well.

(The right photo was edited by Ellie to give her green eyes and freckles - she’s quite literally perfect!)

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Personality

Positive Traits: extroverted, empathic, patient, elegant, down to earth, in tune with her emotions, lawful, dedicated, loving & kind

Neutral Traits: sensitive, tantalizing, sensual, dominant, can not lie for shite, work oriented & overthinks constantly

Negative Traits: opinionated, materialistic, dense, slow, kind of a mean girl in a domineering way, fair to a fault & spoiled

Scent: Lilac, Moss and Honey

Strengths: Being a walking bug magnet, saying ‘No’, Stability

Weaknesses: being yelled at, crying to easily, Numbers/Math (Dyslexic), dealing with parasites

Fears: Heights & The Dark

Likes: Her family, Insects, Bee Keeping, Running, Gardening, Eating, Talking, Cuddling

Dislikes: The Wizarding Realm, Passive Aggressive Rudeness, People who have a twisted reality that being blunt is actually being nice, Dark Magic, Racism, Slavery, Pure-Blood enthusiasts

Future Dreams: A normal happy life in research entomology

Favorite Classes: Charms, History of Magic, Herbology, Divination

Hated Classes: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Flying, Astronomy

Music Loves: Frank Sinatra, Vic Damone, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, etc.

Aesthetic: Honeycore Coquette

Love Language: Physical Touch & Companionship

Pinterest Board (important): https://pin.it/5APIW6Lqo

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Relationships

Father: Theodore Button - Lord, Wizard, Business Man

Mother: Abigail Button - Lady, Normie, Socialite

Sibling(s): Timothy Button - Older brother, Future Lawyer, Normie

Distant Relatives: Percival Rackham - Many-Great Grandfather

Hogwarts Guardian(s): Matilda Weasley, Abraham Ronan, Aesop Sharp & Dinah Hecate

Love Interest: Sebastian Sallow

Best Friends: Nerida Roberts, Grace Pinch-Smedley, Ominis Gaunt, Adelaide Oakes, Anne Sallow

Rivals: Imelda Rayes

Enemies: Ranrok, Victor Rookwood, Ashwinders

Pets:

Ladybird Spider named Lily

All her bees

A full nest of Fwoopers

4 Nifflers - Quartz, Obsidian, Copper & Tin-Tin

2 Kneezles - Knee & Zazzy

2 Unicorns - June & August (Golden)

2 Hippogriff - Ares (Tawny) & Highwing

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Outside Character Inspirations

Cher Horowitz - Clueless

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

Elora Danan - Willow TV series

Willow Rosenberg - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Lexi Howard - Euphoria

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Shout out to the HL peep here on Tumblr that inspired me to do this. I lost their post and can’t find it now for some reason. So I apologize for not having you tagged, but thank you for inspiring me to get all my information out about my darling! If I ever get around to editing & typing up her true background, I will edit this to include. For now, here is my baby girl. Please enjoy her!

[uhohwhathaveidone]

Hello !! Can you do something about Sebastian and Hufflepuff Readers?

A lovely reader, gentle, friendly and kind. She didn't seem like someone who could hurt or kill anyone at all. But in fact, she could easily break someone's arm with her coolness. She looked terrifying and formidable every time she fought. (Sebastian hesitates to admit he's secretly scared of her, too.) It's like she's not the cute Hufflepuff he and his friends know.

But of course, she's still kind and sweet to him and her friends, but sometimes she's a little scary.

Me when I play any game that allows just straight murder

Loyal Hufflepuff (S.S)

I'm in here, look at me, bullying people, my favourite hobby. This has some death, because how are people supposed to fear you in battle if you don't protect your favourite boy from Rookwood's men by just bashing their heads in with a random anvil? Also, do any of your characters just randomly tell a goblin they defeat that their blood is on Ranrok's hands, because when mine said it i was just baffled like no don't say that little Hawke that's not very Hufflepuff of you to say. Anyway, enjoy <3

      Sebastian walked beside you, concerned as he watched the collection of plants in your arms tilt slightly. “Are you sure you don’t need any help?” He asked, showing you his free hand as you smiled, shaking your head. “I’m fine! Professor Garlick needed these right away, can’t waste much time trying to split them equally between us.” You breathed, peering over a pot to see where you were going. You wore your Hufflepuff uniform, your robe discarded back at your dorm as you opted to enjoy the decent weather. Sebastian had spotted you trying to open a door, failing as you tried to balance the many plants in one hand. He quickly hurried over and caught a pot that had begun to fall, confused as you thanked him. He decided to walk with you afterwards, opening doors for you and making sure you didn’t run into anyone, which you were grateful for.

      “Why does the professor need all these, anyway?” Sebastian asked, opening a door for you as you quickly squeezed by. “She didn’t really say, but I’m sure she has a plan for tomorrow’s class with them.” You replied, breathing a sigh of relief as you neared the Greenhouse. Sebastian shook his head, sighing. You continued to walk, chatting about small things that came to mind, when you felt a hit at your shoulder. You quickly turned your head, an apologetic smile on your face as you stopped. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you there, I hope you’re all right!” You said, nodding your head slightly at the student you had bumped into. They smiled back at you, apologizing as well as they quickly walked away. You shifted the plants in your arms as you began walking again, hearing Sebastian scoff. “I don’t understand why you must apologize for that. You’re basically in the same state as Ominis, they could see that.” He said, grabbing two of the plants from your arms.

      You shook your head as you sent him a small smile. “I’m not blind, Sebastian. I wasn’t paying attention, and I’m sure they weren’t either. Just a simple mistake.” You said, watching your step as you descended down the steps, breathing in the earthy scent as you saw the doors to the classroom. Sebastian shook his head, sighing as he opened the door. Professor Garlick greeted the two of you as you carefully set down the pots. “Oh, I’m so glad you brought these over!” She said happily, picking up a pot of baby mandrake, inspecting its leaves. You smiled as you nodded, fixing up the order of plants in a way that she described on the list. “It was no problem, of course. Sebastian helped me get them all down here in one piece!” Sebastian smiled slightly as he avoided your gaze, nodding. Professor Garlick clapped her hands together happily. “Thank you so much, you two! Five points for Hufflepuff and Slytherin, of course. I’m excited to show you what I have planned for tomorrow!”

      The two of you left shortly afterwards, dusting the sleeves of your clothes for any stray dirt. “Thank you for helping me, Sebastian!” You said, smiling up at him. Sebastian nodded, smiling back at you as you walked through the halls. “Wasn’t any problem, gives me an idea about what we’ll be learning about tomorrow.” He said, a sly smile on his lips. You scoffed and shook your head, smiling. “Of course, a quick look into tomorrow’s assignment was your intention.” Sebastian furrowed his brows as he turned his head to you, continuing to walk. “What’s that supposed to mean, exactly?” You chuckled as you shook your head, pressing a finger to your lips. He sighed, opening his mouth to speak again before he was cut off. A student passed between the two of you, pushing his shoulders into both you and Sebastian as he stormed through. You hissed as you held your arm, frowning, while Sebastian quickly turned around to confront the student.

      “A simple excuse me would have been helpful, you know!” Sebastian shouted, walking over to the student as he stood a short distance away. You followed behind him, unsure what to do as the boy in front of you turned around, sneering at Sebastian. “Should be watching where you’re going, Sallow.” Sebastian scoffed, glaring at him as he crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t have to if students like you stopped trying to walk between two people as they talk, Hawke.” He spat back, scowling. The student scoffed as he took a quick look at you, shaking his head. “I’d watch your tone, if I were you. Wouldn’t want to lose another student like you did Anne, now would we?” Sebastian’s eyes widened as he felt his blood boil, ready to deck the boy in the face. He was too late, however, as he blinked and the boy was on the ground, nose dripping with blood as he looked in his direction in horror.

      Behind Sebastian, you straightened your vest and fixed you tie, grabbing Sebastian’s arm and steering him away. “Let’s not stick around for that, yeah?” You said, hurrying along the hall before the two of you disappeared down a corridor. Sebastian frowned at you as you continued to walk, unsure as to what happened. “Did you…punch him?” He asked, almost laughing at the idea. You shrugged, taking a glance behind you, as if on the look-out for anyone following you. “It wasn’t that hard of a punch, to be fair. I think he’s just fragile, clumsy even.” You said, turning down another hall, making your way to the Undercroft. Sebastian nodded, smiling as he looked at you.

      That was the first time you really acted out, and although it was funny to Sebastian, seeing you deck a kid in the face for him, he wondered about what else you would do. He loved to duel with you, and when you chose to go head-on with four other students in a duel, he watched in amazement as you took each of them out, barely getting hit the whole time. After each duel, of course, you would speak with your opponents, making sure they were ok and complimenting their style. It was only when the two of you decided to go explore some ruins that he saw the not-so-friendly side of you. Protective, would probably be a better word for it.

      “What are we supposed to do?” Sebastian whispered, keeping close to you as some of Rookwood’s goons surrounded you. You bit the inside of your cheek, listening to their taunts, begging you to try and escape. “They don’t seem too inclined to a friendly chat, if that’s what you’re asking.” You said, looking over at Sebastian with a frown. Sebastian sent a half-hearted glare your way, gesturing to the Dark Wizards. “Clearly. You’ve tangled with these guys before, right?” You nodded. “Then what do you think we should do?” You didn’t have time to respond as a light flashed in the corner of your eye, you hand flying up to cast a protection spell around the two of you. “Get the girl, she’s the one we need!” One of the masked men shouted, more spells flying your way.

      Sebastian hardly had time to keep an eye on you as the two of you were sent into the fight, desperately holding up a defensive position as more spells came at him. You were farther away, dodging and running as you sent your own spells out, downing one of the wizards as you spun to immediately shield yourself form another spell. Sebastian had no idea how you were able to hold up so well against so many attackers, finding himself against a stone wall as two wizards cornered him. “The boss only said the girl, didn’t say we had to keep any stragglers.” One said, chuckling as he raised his wand. Sebastian was stuck, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to go against two at once.

      “We could kill him quickly, if that’s what you want.” The other said, narrowing his eyes, a hidden smile pulling at his lips. Sebastian raised his wand, shaking as he prepared for the worst. He watched with wide eyes as they raised their wands, just seconds from casting who-knows at him, when a shout sounded behind them. “Mind your head!” You shouted, sending an anvil over, smashing into the head of one of the men, sending him to the ground instantly. Sebastian was sure that a blow like that would kill anyone, and stared in amazement as a pool of blood began to form under him. The other man shouted in surprise, turning to you as you ran over. Without hesitation, Sebastian watched you summon lightning, striking the man where he stood, sending him flying into a heap in a bush. You walked over to Sebastian and took his hand, pulling him with you as you stepped over the fallen wizards and exited the ruins, huffing in annoyance as you were met with Ranrok’s men next. “They just don’t stop, do they?” You asked nonchalantly, readying your wand.

      Once again, you made quick work of the goblins, finishing the battle when you sent one of their weapons flying back at them, their body dropping to the ground. You walked over to the goblin, watching as he struggled to breathe, slowly dying. Sebastian tried to catch his breath as he hurried to reach your side, hearing you speak to goblin just as he died. “You blood is on Ranrok’s hands.” Sebastian furrowed his brow as he snuck a glance at you, your eyes dark as you looked down at the body, frowning slightly before turning to Sebastian. “Are you alright?” You asked, your gaze softening immediately as you studied his face, noticing the small scratch on his cheek. “Yeah, I’m good. Mainly thanks to you, of course.” He said, whipping his face with his sleeve as he looked around. You smiled gently at him as you breathed a sigh of relief, picking up a small bag of coins from the ground. “Perhaps we should head back, I think we’ve had enough adventure for today.” Sebastian nodded, following you as you traveled out of the woods.

      It was amazing, in Sebastian’s eyes, how strong you were when it came to protecting people. You basically murdered people that wanted to kill him, even attacking a student when he stepped out of line. Yet, you were still friendly, smiling whenever someone greeted you, offering to help anyone that asked. It was terrifying yet endearing. You didn’t just stand up to people for Sebastian either, you seemingly appeared out of nowhere if one of your friends needed help. Just the other day, Sebastian watched you seemingly appear from behind him as you made your way over to Poppy, staring down the students that had taken to taunting her and making fun of the creatures she was so fond of. He couldn’t hear what you said to them as he walked over but watched as the leader of the group frowned as he turned, gesturing for his friends to follow him as they left.

      He mentioned this to Ominis one day, asking if he noticed how you could get scary sometimes. Ominis nodded, smirking as he recounted the events from earlier that day. “I was walking by myself to Charms, I believe you were already there. Someone bumped into me, I’m not sure who it was, though.” He started, biting the inside of his cheek. Sebastian furrowed his brows, frowning. “Did they say anything to you?” He asked, watching as Ominis nodded. “Told me to watch it. I wasn’t going to say anything about it, but he kept talking after that, saying something about Slytherins, I think.” Sebastian nodded, waiting for Ominis to continue. “Next thing I know, he’s next to me again, with Y/n. Apologized too. She told him to shove off and walked with me the rest of the way.” Sebastian’s eyes widened, smiling slightly. “So that’s why you arrived together. You should have seen your face, red as a tomato it was!” Ominis scoffed as he shook his head, his cheeks heating up slightly. “Oh hush! You’re not so different, you know? Heard you were a mess after she punched Hawke, Poppy claims you were stuttering the whole time you talked about it.”

      Sebastian shook his head, playfully glaring at Ominis. “She’s protective, I tell you. But I suppose that’s what you get when you hang out with a Hufflepuff.” Ominis nodded, smiling. “Loyal to the end.” “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to an end.”

[ephemerasnape]

Best of Ashwinders & Poachers AI

I've been having a lot of fun with AI stuff, and while there have been horrors beyond your wildest imagination, a lot of really good images have come from it also. Here are some of my favorites!

Ignore the eye color.

Mortimus is a thoughtful guy.

Sleeping with his mask on.. That second could be straight out of my fic Paying the Piper.

AI had some ideas of what he'd look like without the mask.

Tempeste Thorne.. I wanted her to have one of those long cigarette holders that I'm sure weren't popular until the 20th century but no dice.

I love how it always want to put the same clothes on anyone else in the picture as are on the main guy.

The blood we deserved to see on Poacher Executioner. From Ranrok's hands, obviously.

To be or not to be..?

OK, now for some funny ones.

I wanted to get Oswald with a baby. The damn thing insisted on putting a mask on the baby every single time. Couldn't get it to change the hair either.

Mortimus and his pet walrus...

For some reason the AI gave him an emotional support lemon in bed. Sleep well, mister Mortimus.

[shadowtriovibes]

before the origin of love

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 2.7K

Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence, Minor Character Death, Blood, Major Hogwarts Legacy Spoilers, Canon Divergence, Ancient Magic Theory

Summary: request [paraphrased]: "You know the part during the game when MC visits Ollivander's alone and Rookwood Apparates her away? Can I request an angsty version of this where Sebastian is with f!MC? Rookwood is angry they killed all his men and casts Imperio on Sebastian to force him to attack her. Even though she’s expecting to die by Sebastian’s hand, he eventually fights the curse off because love is more powerful than dark magic."

a.k.a. y'all thought lily potter was the only one with ancient love magic? think again!!!

“Show your face, Rookwood!” you shout into the darkness. “Come out and fight me!” “My dear, why should I fight you?” Rookwood laughs from high above you, still unseen. “This is child’s play, after all…” You feel like time stops as you see a bright green curse rocket through the air toward Sebastian, who is powerless to do anything to stop it. The curse hits him in the chest with such force that he’s knocked backward, his head tipping forward as he lets out a sickening groan. But instead of watching your friend die while you stood by helplessly, you watch in abject horror as he tilts his head up and locks eyes with you – smoky-green, soulless eyes.

The moment you and Sebastian step outside Ollivander’s shop, you realize that the typically bustling streets of Hogsmeade are disquietingly empty. It’s nearly sundown now, and instead of seeing a friendly mix of witches and wizards doing their holiday shopping or stocking up on supplies for the winter months, you find yourselves all alone.

“Take out your wand,” you murmur to Sebastian. “Something’s not right.”

Wordlessly Sebastian draws his wand and takes a step closer to you, warily glancing up and down the empty streets.

Then in the blink of an eye, a well-dressed figure Apparates into view just across the way – Victor Rookwood, you realize, complete with that infuriating hat of his.

“Rookwood,” Sebastian boldly calls out. “So we meet again. Didn’t you get enough of a telling-off last time?”

You silently aim your wand at him, daring him to take one step closer.

“Well, well… looks like your friend Sirona isn’t here to stick up for you little menaces this time,” Rookwood says with a sneer. “I’m afraid you two are on your own. In fact, I’ve ensured that we have a moment to ourselves.”

Sebastian quickly lifts his wand and aims it squarely at the man’s face. “What do you want, Rookwood?”

“Oh, come, come, no need for such theatrics,” the man drawls, slowly creeping closer to you both. “In light of what Ranrok now knows, you must agree that our interests are aligned.”

Sparks crackle at the tip of your wand as you lift it toward Rookwood.

“Our interests will never be aligned,” you murmur.

Rookwood glances significantly at Sebastian before he challenges you.

“My dear, you would let goblins take what is rightfully ours? The final repository belongs to wizardkind. We would be fools not to work together.”

Beside you, you observe the slightest falter in Sebastian’s aim. You should have known that someone like Rookwood would immediately be able to pinpoint and exploit his biggest weakness – his resentment toward goblinkind, his uncompromising belief that only they carry the blame for his sister’s curse.

You imagine him thinking, Could he be right? Are we fools to allow Ranrok’s goblins to continue ransacking Isadora’s Repositories? Could we instead be using them to cure Anne?

But before Sebastian says a word, Rookwood’s eyes land on the long, thin box in your hands.

“What’s that you’ve got there?” he demands.

Quickly, you slip the box safely inside your robes. You shake your head only slightly, but Rookwood easily detects its significance.

Rookwood continues, “Might this sudden visit to the wandmaker have something to do with our… mutual pursuit?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you say softly.

Suddenly, you see Rookwood’s countenance shift as his true motives become clear.

“That repository is my birthright!” he shouts, stepping toward you with a hand outstretched.

Instantly Sebastian steps in front of you and points his wand at Rookwood once more. “I know one thing for certain, and that’s that Charles Rookwood wouldn’t have wanted you anywhere near it!”

Rookwood laughs darkly as he takes a step back.

“The arrogance,” he murmurs, gaze fixed on Sebastian’s determined expression. “I should have known better than to try to reason with a Sallow, after all – you’re no better than your sister, you simpering fool.”

In a frighteningly low voice, Sebastian asks, “What would you know about my sister?”

“Nothing, of course,” Rookwood sneers. “I only meant that I’ve always thought that children should be seen and not heard.”

You inhale sharply, absently lowering your wand as you process Rookwood’s words – the very same that Sebastian had told you were the last words Anne had heard before she was hit with her curse.

Sebastian understands the implication a split second before you do, and you can see bolts of green light shooting down the length of his wand before you even understand what he’s doing.

“Avada–”

Before he can finish his spell, you feel a hand on your shoulder and suddenly you’re hurtling through time and space as you’re forcibly Apparated away from Hogsmeade, landing in a crumpled heap in the snowy grass. You’re smack in the middle of a desolate bandit camp somewhere in the Highlands.

Beside you, Sebastian is catching his breath while his hands tremble with rage.

“Where did he go?” Sebastian demands. “Where did the bloody coward go?!”

“Careful, Sallow,” Rookwood’s voice calls out from the darkness. “Wouldn’t want to get yourself into a bind!”

Sebastian suddenly shouts as thick lengths of rope appear out of thin air and wrap themselves around his body, forcing him to his knees.

“Sebastian!” you yell. “Finite!”

Your spell deflects right off the enchanted ropes, and Sebastian grits his teeth.

“I’m okay,” he insists. “It’ll be alright, just – just get him, you can do this.”

Desperate, you find yourself alone while Sebastian struggles against his ropes. You’re keenly aware of the dozen or so fully-grown wizards Apparting into the camp with their wands drawn. You’ll have to take on every single one of them by yourself, you realize, with nothing but your own wand and the ancient magic coursing through your veins to defend yourself.

It feels endless. Simply deflecting their spells takes nearly all of your focus, even if you try to spare some for Sebastian while he struggles uselessly against his bindings. You toss curse after curse at Rookwood’s men and eventually you’re forced to start tossing actual barrels and crates at them as well, until finally you pare down the lot of them to the last executioner with his wand trained squarely at your heart.

“Bomarba!” you holler, and across the field, the burly executioner goes flying into a pile of rubble and melts away into smoke, the last to abandon his mission and surrender.

“Show your face, Rookwood!” you shout into the darkness. “Come out and fight me!”

“My dear, why should I fight you?” Rookwood laughs from high above you, still unseen. “This is child’s play, after all…”

You feel like time stops as you see a bright green curse rocket through the air toward Sebastian, who is powerless to do anything to stop it. The curse hits him in the chest with such force that he’s knocked backward, his head tipping forward as he lets out a sickening groan. But instead of watching your friend die while you stood by helplessly, you watch in abject horror as he tilts his head up and locks eyes with you – smoky-green, soulless eyes.

Imperio.

 “So go on, then,” Rockwood demands. “Play!”

The ropes that had bound Sebastian’s arms to his side quickly fall away, and before you can even react he lifts his wand and rounds on you.

“Confringo!” he shouts, and a blaze of fire soars just past your ear.

“Sebastian,” you call out. “Can you hear me? Don’t do this, please!”

You know it’s fruitless. Sebastian himself had taught you that the Imperius curse cannot be fought off, even by the most powerful wizards who have ever been trained to resist its impenetrable influence. Despite his dueling skills and his broad knowledge of the Dark Arts, you have to assume that Sebastian doesn’t stand a chance against Rookwood’s voice in his ear.

“Levioso!” you counter, hoping to merely hold him off long enough to get to Rookwood and force him to free Sebastian.

But to your chagrin, the Sebastian you’ve known and loved since your first days at Hogwarts is indeed one of the most disciplined and talented duelers you’ve ever fought, and even though he doesn’t want to, he’ll surely give you a run for your money.

“Diffindo!” he growls, and the edge of his curse just barely nicks the side of your calf. You cry out in pain and collapse to the ground as you press a hand to the bleeding wound.

“Want me to release your little friend?” Rookwood calls out. “It’s simple, darling. Join me against Ranrok and I’ll let him live!”

You know deep down that you can’t ally yourself with Rookwood. Despite Sebastian’s initial hesitance, you have to imagine that if he were able to understand your position, he’d do the very same thing that you’re about to do.

It wasn’t the goblins after all, it was him, you can hear him say. We can never join him, not after what he did to Anne. There’s only one way out of this.

Merlin, you think. This is it.

Without your ability to wield ancient magic or the wand made of the Pensieve artifacts, Ranrok may never gain access to the final repository, you convince yourself – especially if he splinters from Rookwood. Sebastian can give the wand to Fig after you’re gone, he can hide it somewhere Ranrok will never find it…

It could all work out, you reckon, if you die.

“Never!” you call out to Rookwood. “I’ll never join you!”

“Then you’ve made your choice,” Rookwood’s voice echoes back. “I’ll let the Sallow boy show you what happens to anyone who says no to me.”

Rockwood’s twisted laughter rings out all around you as Sebastian’s opalescent eyes look you up and down. He lifts his wand and aims it at your heart, and you close your eyes with your own wand at your side.

“Avada Kedavra!”

…

…You’re still breathing.

How are you still breathing?

When you open your eyes, Sebastian is standing before you looking entirely drained, his eyelids drooping as he sways from pure exhaustion. However, just before he collapses you catch a glimpse of his eyes – his usual warm brown ones, the same magnificent eyes you’ll never tire of seeing after all this.

“Sebastian!” you shout, running over to support him as he tumbles to the ground. “Wh-what just happened?”

“Did I get him?” he asks in a whisper. “Rookwood?”

Stunned, you cast Lumos and peer across the empty field until you notice a figure lying in the snow far at the other end – Rockwood, you assume. He isn’t moving, and his legs are bent in a sick, absurd way as if he’d fallen from the watchtower that he now lays below.

“Yes,” you breathe. “You did, b-but… Sebastian, how did you–”

“I don’t know,” he sighs. He’s clinging to your arm as you help him to sit up and rest his head between his knees. “I have no idea, I just… I couldn’t do it.”

“He wanted you to kill me,” you surmise.

“I wouldn’t,” he says hollowly. “It… felt like my head was being split open right down the middle, with one half of me forcing my body to move and aim my wand and the other half knowing that I’d rather die than use that curse on you.”

“Oh, Seb,” you whisper.

You’re both quiet for several long moments while Sebastian takes deep breaths, his face still hidden between his knees. You slowly rub his back through his cloak and wait for him to sit up. He looks haunted when he finally does – even more so than he usually looks.

“I hurt you,” he mumbles. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“I know, love,” you say softly, the pet name slipping out so easily that you barely even register at first. “I’m okay, it’s just a cut. Some Wiggenweld will fix me right up when we get back to the castle.”

“Can I?” he asks hesitantly, and you reluctantly let him pull your cloak to the slide so he can see the gash on your calf.

It isn’t deep, and it isn’t even bleeding anymore, but the ripped trouser leg and drying blood stains make Sebastian curse under his breath nonetheless.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he whispers. “Why did I do that?”

“You have no choice,” you remind him desperately. “No witch or wizard has ever fought off the Imperius curse like that before, Sebastian, and you spared me my life. I don’t care about a bloody cut when I should be dead.”

“Never,” he chants mindlessly. “Never, I wouldn’t.”

That’s when a thought occurs to you.

“Sebastian…” you say softly. “It’s possible that there are… other types of ancient magic in addition to mine.”

He frowns. “What are you saying?”

“Maybe there’s something… something primeval, something elemental to our magic that you accessed,” you wonder aloud. “Professor Fig told me that his wife Miriam had spent years studying ancient magic, and it can’t only be that which I have the power to wield. Perhaps you were able to defy Rookwood’s will because you – you connected with a magic that’s more powerful than even an Unforgivable.”

“More powerful than that kind of darkness?” he asks softly. “...That type of magic exists?”

“Of course, it must,” you say simply. “Darkness can’t be more powerful than light, can it?”

He considers your supposition as if it’s the first time the thought has ever occurred to him.

“So… so what, the power of ‘friendship,’ something like that?” he asks, a corner of his mouth quirking up into the first thing resembling a smile that he’s shown since you entered Hogsmeade hours ago.

“Something like that,” you tease him. “Maybe the power of ‘love.’”

You’d meant it entirely in a platonic way, but as soon as the words are out of your mouth, Sebastian goes red and ducks his face.

“That’s – that’s ridiculous,” he mumbles. “I mean, love, that’s… Who said anything about love?”

You’re quiet while you watch Sebastian try and fail to gather his thoughts. He’s flailing, and all of a sudden you realize something clear as day that you can’t quite believe you never recognized before.

“Sebastian,” you murmur. “...Do you suppose you broke through an Imperius curse because you’re in love with me?”

“Wh-what?!” he laughs.

“Because if you did, that would be probably the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard, in all the books I’ve ever read,” you continue. “And if that were the case, I would have to tell you that I’m madly in love with you, too.”

Sebastian is stunned into silence.

“You love me?” he eventually whispers.

“I do,” you tell him. “And… and I never really thought about it before, because it doesn’t really feel all that different from being friends with you, except – except I would have let you kill me rather than kill you, even though I know what’s at stake.”

“I still think you should’ve,” Sebastian jokes quietly. “You’re much more important than I am.”

“Regardless, we couldn’t have let Rookwood find out about the last Repository, and I would have taken the Killing Curse to stop him,” you sigh. “I trusted you would have taken the Pensieve wand back to Fig.”

“I would’ve turned my wand on myself first,” Sebastian says plainly. “Without a second thought.”

Merlin, you can’t believe he actually says things like that.

Rather than continuing to dwell on what could have been, you offer him a hand up and support him by the elbow while he shakily makes his way to his feet. He still looks pale and rattled, but he’s able to start to walk toward the exit of the crumbling ruins – still clinging to your hand.

“Come on,” you murmur. “When we get back to the castle you can rest.”

“What about the Repository?” he asks weakly.

“Let me and Fig worry about that,” you murmur. “You’ve already done more than enough for me today, love. You need to recover.”

“M’not even hurt,” he protests, but he sounds utterly depleted.

“Hush,” you whisper. “Just keep holding onto me, alright?”

It’s not easy getting Sebastian back to the castle; he keeps pitching to the side on the back of your broom as he fights to stay conscious, but you manage to keep him from falling off. Despite his protests, you take him straight to Nurse Blainey so he can get some proper rest (and so someone will be forced to keep an eye on him for you).

“Be safe,” he murmurs while you squeeze his hand in his infirmary bed. “Please.”

“I promise, Seb,” you tell him, leaning down to press a quick kiss to his cheek. “Just be here waiting for me when I get back.”

“You’ve made sure of that,” he grumbles, but he offers you an encouraging smile before you leave for the Map Room one final time.

[thetaxicabber]

Chapter 15 art for Voyagers of Time and Shadow! 

This amazing art by @giselsann-opencommissions I'm so excited to continue getting art for this series! If you've read it let me know which scenes you'd like to see! :) 

Here's an excerpt from this chapter!

She abandons her bag on his stone floor and flees out of his office. She can hear a commotion upstairs faintly through the blood pounding in her head. But right now she doesn’t care. Her shoes slap along the stones of the dungeon as she sprints to the one place she can have the solitude she needs. The one place that only belongs to her. She never wanted to return, but right now it will be her sanctuary. The iron gate of the storage room creaks loudly as she swings it open and she disappears into the darkness.

The air is heavy with the scent of mildew. The stone walls are as dirty as they were when she discovered this place. A sob rips past her lips as she shoulders open the glimmering door that’s imbued with ancient magic. The room normally takes her breath away but all she can feel is panic that threatens her control. She’s relieved to see the massive portraits stand empty. The last thing she needs is to hear the Keepers judgmental advice. That’s why she hasn’t been down here since coming to this time. They must be in their other portraits right now. Good. This place no longer is theirs to rule over. It belongs to her; she's the only reason it's still standing.

By the time Evie makes it as deep underground as the where the repository once stood she lets out a shriek. It’s the kind of scream that’s been building for months. All her frustration, all her anger, her grief, is unleashed. Her hands glow red and she feels the power simmering inside her. For the first time since summer she lets go. A crack echoes through the empty cave and Evie watches the stone path beneath her fracture. She’s left scorch marks in the shape of her hands. Everything around her turns red as her power is summoned to the surface.

This place withstood Ranrok in all his might and power. It held their fierce battle though it was close to falling apart at the end. If there was a single place in the school that was safe for her to let go its right here. This was a place built to contain ancient magic. It was built to contain her. As tears cascade down her cheeks that’s exactly what Evie does. She lets go.

[sebluvi]

Calm Before The Storm

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~Based on a request I received. Requests open!~

Sebastian Sallow x fem!reader

House neutral

Kinda spoilers for endgame, but I twisted it in my own way so its not exact!

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Sebastian tries desperately to prevent y/n from charging into a deadly battle.

Word Count: 1.3K

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Brimstone and rubble spiraled through the air, and the force from the speed of the wind sent you and Sebastian’s hair flying in all directions at once.

Dark, tall towers of stone and rubble sat on all sides of you, and behind you was a steep cliff.

Flickers of bright red sparks crackled through the air like electricity forming a gigantic powerful cyclone.

You could faintly hear the sounds of your exasperated professors calling Sebastian’s name somewhere far away in the cave.

He shouldn’t be here.

Just HOW did he get here?

You had your feet planted firmly, battling the speeds of the winds against your body, balancing yourself so you wouldn’t topple over the edge. Your back faced the cliff, and your wand at the ready, while Sebastian faced you.

“Y/n, please.” He yelled over the howls of the wind, straining his voice.”-I’m begging you. Don’t do this!” He held his hands out towards you, inching towards you ever so slightly, trying to coax you off the edge.

You furrowed your brows at him, taking a step back. Your hair rippled wildly through the air with the wind. The longer you stood there, the more rubble that would whiz past your face, leaving the smallest cuts on your skin.

 You winced, closing your eyes tight. It stung. You opened them again, glaring at Sebastian.

“Sebastian. This is what I’ve been working towards for months! This is my chance, I have to!”

A loud thunderous roar rumbled through the air. You quickly whipped your head around behind you, Ranrok’s ginormous dragon-form flew into sight, its large wings somehow managing to make the wind fly faster in the cave with each flap of its wings. He soared through the air, flying down and landing on the platform. It seems as if the distraction the professor’s made earlier only lasted for so long. His glowing red body seemed to creak and groan as it moved. The dragon stretched its neck into the sky and sent out a horrifying screech.

You looked back in front of you, and Sebastian stood there with a terrified, pleading expression on his face. Sebastian trusted you to be fine on your own in battle for the most part, but he had only seen you fight mere poachers and ranrok’s loyalists. This was a fucking unknown magic infused dragon!

“I’ve already lost Anne. I cannot lose you too. Please, let the professors handle this, y/n!” He took another step towards you reaching his hand out once more.

You took one more step back, feeling the stone cliffside crack beneath your feet ever so slightly, you glanced down quickly at the ground noticing you didn’t have much more space to move. You darted your vision back to him,

“This is my fight! Not yours, not the professor’s, not even Merlin’s! Sebastian you have to understand! I was born for this!”

Another screeching roar thundered through the air, signaling Ranrok was about to make his move. You looked at Sebastian. This was your last chance. You couldn’t let him get to the reserve. Sebastian was almost close enough to touch you, but he was being careful not to apply too much weight on the edge of the cliff. He was being extremely cautious and calculating about every move he made.

His hair flew wildly in all ways, and bits of rubble had started to accumulate in his hair. He had small thin streams of blood trickling down his face caused by the few minor scratches on his skin resulting from the flying fragments of stone soaring through the air. His robe aggressively fluttered behind him as if he was about to take flight. His eyes were willed with all sorts of negative emotions.

Sad and pleading.

Desperate even.

You wished you could drink in this sight of him, stand there all day and count his freckles.

You wished you could reach out and take his extended hand and just go back to the comfort of your common room, but you couldn’t afford to think like that right now.

Especially since this could possibly be the last time you ever saw him.

You lifted your hand up that wasn’t readying your wand, and used the sleeve of your robe to wipe the tears that were beginning to fall down your face, resulting in smearing the blood that was also on your face over your cheeks.

You were sure you looked ridiculous, but he thought you looked amazing.

Sebastian winced at the feeling of the stone hitting his face, and raised an arm to shield his face from the ever-growing winds.

 “Please. You still have time to turn around. Think about this, y/n”.

“No. You think about this Sebastian. If I don’t do this, we could both die. Good people will die, Sebastian. I’m sorry. I’m doing this to save the world. To save us.”

He took one step closer, finally close enough to touch you. He raised the hand he wasn’t using to shield his face and gently grazed his fingers against your flushed cheeks. The touch lightly stung from the small cuts on your skin, but you welcomed it. Small fragments of rubble grazed the top of his hand as he held it up. His hand moved slightly, cupping your cheek, and he took one step closer. He used his arm to shield both of your faces. He titled his head to lay his forehead against yours, looking into your eyes.

“You’re my world, y/n.”

You looked up at him, tears pooling in your eyes, desperately hoping this wouldn’t be how your last encounter played out.

Sebastian removed his forehead from yours and stared at you at eye-level, hand still cupping your face.

"I know you don't care if you get hurt but I do! I really fucking care if you get hurt! Or worse! I know you’re putting your life on the line to save everyone, but what about us?!”

You stuck your wand back in your waistband slowly, and raised your hands to lay them on his chest.

“Sebastian. You’re being extremely selfish right now. This is bigger than us. I’m sorry.”

You frowned, and glanced down at his lips.

You closed your eyes, and pushed him with both hands harshly, resulting in him being shoved backwards and the ground below you crumbling as you slipped off the edge of the cliff.

The wind rushed through your hair and robes as gravity claimed you. The site of Sebastian’s horrified face grew smaller and smaller each second your body flew through the air backwards.

It actually felt peaceful.

The calm before the storm.

 You closed your eyes, and let your ancient magic consume you.

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A/N: In case it was hard to gather from the way i left it, Y/n did not fall to her death. She used her ancient magic to land in an extremely badass graceful way (!) before the final fight.

Requests open, let me know how you felt about this oneshot in the replies! Every comment inspires me to write more.

And yes, pt 2 of love sick is coming

[serpentsillusion]

⚜Jessica Garyn Burke⚜

Slytherin baddie breaking social standards since 1890

House: Slytherin

Birthday: October 16th 1875 (age 15)

Blood status: Half-Blood

Wand: Hawthorn wood, Dragon core, 12 ¾" and slightly yielding flexibility

Special abilities: Ancient Magic, Hand to hand combat, musically inclined, excellent cook.

Pets: Mackerel Tabby Cat with white paws (Oliver)

Favorite subject: DATDA, Potions, Beast class.

Amortentia: Sandalwood, Lemon Zest, Rosemary and Dragons Blood.

Enjoys: Slayin' Gobs, Punching Rookwood, hanging out with Sebastian and Ominis, practicing hand to hand combat with her father when she's home, dancing like a moron for her friends, making people laugh, teaching Sebastian secrets about cooking, throwing parties at her house with the crew, Making music with Ominis.

Dislikes: Imelda Reyes (doesn't like bullies) Sometimes Leander, unsolicited advances, Ranrok, getting rocks stuck in her boots, giant spiders.

Traits: Incredibly intelligent; but insanely goofy. Very outspoken, blunt, cheeky and opinionated. Hot-headed but sensitive around Sebastian. Actually is very friendly and kind hearted. Is really good with foreign languages, History and Science. She loves animals and healing.

Appearance: 5'2" and sassy. She has fair skin with a small amount of freckles speckled about her face. Chestnut/Ash brown hair, usually in a messy/twisted bun. Bright ocean blue eyes. Naturally wavy hair when she has it down. When she's not wearing her proper Hogwarts uniform, she likes to dress down and comfy, usually in edgy and alternative outfits.

Favorite colors: Green, Blue, Purple

Patronus: Husky

Family: Father (David Burke *brother of Caractacus Burke*) is a Pure blood Gryffindor but definitely also probably should have been sorted into Slytherin because his daughter is JUST like him. Her mother (Ramona) is muggle born. She has two slibings; An older estranged brother (Roderick) that served in Azkaban but was released later on, an Older sister (Seraphina) who works directly under the Minister of Magic at the Ministry. Jessica and her family are American but Moved to London after her Father was transferred because he worked in the Wizarding Military Force under the Ministry. She grew up in Georgia and has a slight southern accent. They were in London long enough for both of her older siblings to attend Hogwarts and also be sorted into Slytherin but Jess didn't have magic yet. Her brother is 9 years older than she is and her sister is 7 years older than her. They eventually were transferred BACK to the USA where Jessica continued to grow up and attend Ilvermorny for only a couple of months before they were ultimately transferred BACK AGAIN to London where she started 5th year at Hogwarts, which was her very first year of having magic (she's a late bloomer) *Hints* opening game where she doesn't have a wand of her own, and is incredibly surprised by the amount of magic she sees at Hogwarts where she obviously meets Sebastian and Ominis who become her (truely real) best friends.

Usually found: in the undercroft learning how to play gobstones with the 2 Slytherin boys, sneaking into the kitchens after hours cuz she internal chonk, sneaking into the restricted section with Sebastian, in the front garden at the summoners court or in the clock tower participating in crossed wands. Sometimes in Feldcroft with Ominis taking care of Sebastian after his uncle dies suddenly and mysteriously 👀 (Sebastian technically owns the property after that)

Future career: Ancient Artifact Collector, (claims ownership of Borgin and Burkes later on) and Healer of sorts.

Inspiration for post by: @quinnsallow 💝✨

Photo creds: Lensa AI, NightCafe, Google images, image creator.