teddyniffler - Tumblr blog

teddyniffler · 4 days ago

Text

In the Shadows of Friendship Forever.

Ominis and Anne sent Sebastian to Azkaban for his own good. Their friend and brother had changed from the kind boy he once was, and they regretted their decision ever since. They are desperate to have Sebastian back and are willing to do anything, anything. Ominis will even become the monster he vowed he was not.

The Fall of the House of Gaunt. How did the ancient House of Gaunt, once among the wealthiest, most powerful, and most dangerous families in the wizarding world, become the desperate souls depicted in The Half-Blood Prince? How did Sebastian's life sentence to Azkaban trigger the downfall of the heirs of Slytherin...

Chapter 35: Back to Hogwarts (Ao3)

When it was time to wake up, they both wanted nothing more than to keep sleeping and just not face the day at all. They both opened their eyes, wishing to never leave the warmth of the blankets as they both pulled back the curtains.

Sebastian looked at Ominis and noticed he looked just as refreshed as he felt, which was not a lot. Maybe he should try to say something to him? He should say sorry for hitting Ominis yesterday, but somehow he didn't want too. He felt bad, but also justified, but mostly, he felt mortified for how he had behaved.

Ominis felt around for his school robes on his chair and held them for a second, pure horror still gripping him, that he had temporally forgotten Sebastian was here. For a moment, both boys got dressed, so deep was their own personal struggles they didn’t realize the other was struggling also.

Harper and Greengrass, the two boys who shared the dorm with Sebastian and Ominis, avoided making eye contact with them. Normally they would have been five boys in the room, but during the first year a roommate had moved out, refusing to share a room with Ominis owning to a bad experience with the Gaunts. Harper and Greengrass talked about their summer holidays, Quidditch matches they had watched over the break, anything to ignore the two boys in the room with them.

From their point of view, Sebastian Sallow had just sat back down on his bed after getting dressed, his very thin frame making jerking movements as if he were about to vomit. However, that was nothing to whatever Gaunt was doing. He was hissing, loudly. Waving his hands in an agitated manner as a small snake swayed nearby. They kept watching in slight fascination until they noticed Sallow was watching them. They weren’t ones to judge, as far as Slytherin’s went, but it wasn’t easy sharing a room with their ex classmate who was said to be a murderer. They knew Sebastian was a decent person, but the Ministry didn’t just send you to Azkaban for no reason. Now Gaunt – who himself had a very dark reputation– was hissing so much it was as if he were possessed. Harper moved his eyes to glance at the door, asking his friend without words to leave with him right this second. He had seen too much already.

Unseen by Ominis, the dorm emptied but for him and Sebastian, who was still trying not to be sick. ‘You are not to kill anybody. We do not need your service. This is a command.’ Ominis said loudly and clearly. ‘Go back to sleep.’

Snakey sat on the bedside table, head raised, tongue flickering in slight confusion ‘Who are you speaking too?’ he asked ‘Her’ Ominis hissed back ‘Do you not hear her?’ But of course he couldn’t, only Ominis could hear her. She had finally gone quiet after calling to him all night, he would go back to Professor Weasley and Professor Sharp and make them see reason, anybody who would listen too he would tell.

The retching had finally stopped. Sebastian now sat with his face in his fingers taking slow breaths. Typical, the other boys had left him alone with Ominis when he really wished they had suck around. The tension in the room doubled. Sebastian kept glancing at Ominis, he was very different from the boy Sebastian had known. He had grown taller than Sebastian in height and there was no longer any softness of childhood in Ominis’ face. Now he had regal angles where they had not been any before. He looked like he had already left childhood behind and became a real adult, which Sebastian found annoying as he was forever locked into boyhood, or so it felt. Ominis hadn’t noticed anything was wrong with Sebastian, due to the retching being silent, he was currently still hissing into thin air, and part of Sebastian was glad for this.

Maybe Ominis’ family had done something to him, to turn him more like them, because right now, he sure wasn’t Ominis Gaunt as Sebastian knew him. He was now hissing at the floor. Getting down as low as he could to hiss between the rugs and the thick carpet. Sebastian watched him, a chill running down his spine. He wondered what sort of spells would make Ominis act this way. He made eye contact with the snake sitting on Ominis’ table. It turned its head to meet his eyes as it noticed him watching. Sebastian didn’t like that animal, to him it was no better than a spy for the Gaunts, it knew where he was, it could listen in on everything he said and report back to Ominis’ father. He would rather stay off the Gaunts radar. How could Ominis trust such a creature?

Sebastian looked away from the vile creature that had somehow ensnared his friend’s affections. The other boys had left the dorm without even saying hello to him. Normally Greengrass and Harper were on friendly terms with Sebastian, he had dueled with them many times and helped them with their spellcasting, but now they had totally ignored him, no welcome back, not even a smile. He dully wondered what else would have change, how many more once friendly faces would ignore him now.

“Sebastian?” Ominis asked suddenly, as if only remembering right now that Sebastian existed. “Yeah?” Sebastian answered carefully, his guard still up towards Ominis. “In any of the books you read, did any of them ever mention Slytherin constructing a giant secret chamber under the lake?” Ominis asked. “I don’t think so?” Sebastian said, a little taken aback and if he was being honest, he didn’t really care for Slytherin making secret buildings, not when he had so much on his mind already. “Why?” “My family have been planning for generations to use a secret chamber for mass murder and they are keeping a monster in there.” Ominis told him dully. Sebastian couldn’t help it, a burst of laughter escaped him. “Well, I wouldn’t put it passed them. The monster is likely your family’s collection of silks and bars of gold your dad will suffocate people with.” Sebastian giggled. “It’s not funny, Sebastian!” Ominis snapped, his lack of sleep making him irritable. “I am being serious. Many people will die!” “Okay...” Sebastian answered, utterly lost now. He didn’t have the patience for Ominis’ mood, his nerves were fried at the very thought of setting foot outside the dorm. “Well, while I was studying really hard to be a dark wizard, I didn’t come across any chambers, only ancient relics and dark sacrifices.” Ominis made a noise that sounded like a sigh and a grunt while shaking his head. Sebastian smirked, good, if Ominis looked uncomfortable with the truth, then good. So much for them working things out.

Sebastian picked up his bag and glanced at the snake. It was now flickering its tongue in his direction, eyes right on him, unblinking. Did snakes even blink? Sebastian wasn’t sure. “Can you leave that thing here?” Sebastian asked, looking at the snake foully as Ominis picked it up. “I don’t like snakes.” “I need to take him to the Undercroft, it’s where he lives.” As Ominis passed Sebastian, he was sure he heard his friend saying, ‘Oh, great’ in a bitter voice, but chose not to comment.

From the moment he entered the common room, the difference became apparent for Sebastian. Nobody would meet his eyes anymore. Save for the girls who had welcomed him back the night before, and the boy from his Care of Magical creatures class, nobody would so much as look at him. He was visited by the odd feeling that they had all been talking about him, due to the lull in nearby conversations and careful glances from further away. Ominis had often told Sebastian that people often talked about him for being a Gaunt, but Sebastian had reassured him it was only in his mind. Now Sebastian knew how he felt, leaving the common room with Ominis, the looks and whispers only increased as they walked to the great hall.

“Tell me, do we have transfiguration today?” Ominis asked Sebastian. “Erm?” Sebastian answered trying to find a timetable with ‘7th years’ on it. “This afternoon, after Potions and Charms first.” Sebastian frowned at the timetable, it was different to what he remembered, so many double periods, periods with no classes at all, optional classes, triple period classes. “This doesn’t make any sense.” He muttered. Back in the 5th year, it looked like a normal timetable. “Your timetable needs competing, that’s why.” Came a cheerful voice from behind them. “Hello Professor.” Ominis said without turning. Professor Ronen had picked up a timetable for Sebastian. “Professor Weasley says you are doing all classes up until Christmas at least, so here you go.” Ronen handed Sebastian the full looking timetable. “It’s good to have you back, my boy.” Ominis was going through his class list, which was just the same as Sebastian's, minus Astronomy. “Thanks Professor.” Sebastian said, Ronen moved down, sorting out the 6th year’s timetables. It was as he looked up did he notice some of the teachers carefully moving their eyes away from him, he was sure Professor Garlick had been staring at him. Her face looked stern and not her normal cheerful self, a few others did so to. A few held his gaze for a moment before pretending they had not been looking. He looked out across the hall and noticed various people watching also. Some dropped their gaze, but some kept eye contact. It was like being under a spotlight.

“Everybody is looking.” He told Ominis. Ominis folded his timetable up and tucked it into his robes. “Yes.” Ominis said. “I imagine they are. We are the least liked students in the school I shall imagine, but don’t let it get to you. We only have this year left and none of these people will matter after that.” Ominis folded his hands onto the table, feeling the finger that wore the Gaunt Ring back on his birthday. Soon that ring would be his to wear every day, the head of the Gaunt family. The one who would open the chamber. “Sebastian, I know our friendship may be on hard times right now.” He could hear Sebastian making a noise. “But I want to explain myself and to talk with you about my family. They are planning something, I need to tell you, you’re the only one I can trust.” “Okay. Walk around the lake after class?” Sebastian asked. “Yes.” Ominis confirmed.

While Ronen was happy to see Sebastian back, his class wasn’t. The second Natty saw Sebastian her cheerful face stilled and the smile vanished. She turned her back to him and made sure he saw it. Leander, who was next to her, looked him up and down, but while in the past he would have made a sarcastic comment, now he looked awkward, uneasy and maybe afraid. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Sebastian remembered Garreth telling him about the Daily Prophet interview and the school’s suspicion on it being Leander who had spoken out. As the door opened, Leander shared a look with Natty before they both took a seat. Sebastian looked around, there was so few of them now. Some hadn’t got the required grades to continue, Poppy was still sick in St Mungo's and looking around carefully, those before him felt like strangers now. How had they all got so much older looking? Andrew Larson now had facial hair and Armit was much taller and broader than Sebastian remembered. It looked like he had traded his books for muscle potions. Even the girls now all resembled women, it threw his mind, most of them were the same height as him or even taller now. His own growth and development had been stunted.

As Sebastian and Ominis took their seats, he couldn’t help but notice the class seemed to avoid sitting anywhere near them. Garreth arrived last and sat across the room from Sebastian, acting as if they hadn’t just spent two months together at his house, which is what they had planned to keep both parties safe. “-Hogwarts needs to rein in these dark wizards-“ That was Natty’s voice, Sebastian ears seemed to zero in on her at once as he turned to look at her. His nerves were beyond spent so he went straight to confrontation. She and Leander were talking with Charlotte and while the three of them were not looking at him and Ominis, Sebastian was in little doubt as to who they were talking about. “Got something to say, Natty?” Sebastian asked loudly. “Sebastian, no, don’t.” Ominis said. “It’s best to just stay quiet.” Natty drew herself up tall in her seat. “I have nothing to say to anyone who I believed was a good person, only to find out they were no better than Rookwood and Harlow.” At the mention of Rookwood, Sebastian shot up in his seat. Rage flooded him, rage at the man who had cursed his twin. Rage at being compared to him. How dare she compare Sebastian to that man. She knew nothing about what he had been through.

“Shut your mouth Natty!” Sebastian said, drawing his wand and pointing it at her. “He was cleared of all charges and freed, Sebastian, sit down” Ominis said loudly, feeling for his friend and trying to pull him down. “Sebastian was framed by Rookwood, Natty. He was under the Imperius Curse. Did you not read the Daily Prophet?.” “So you claim” Charlotte said in her annoying voice. “I am sure you will find most people in this class do not believe that. We’ve seen for ourselves Sebastian in trouble all throughout the fourth and fifth years.” “Have you finished?” Garreth asked from across the room. “I thought this was charms, but it looks like duelling club’s about to start. Let’s all calm down before the teacher comes in.” Sebastian slowly sat back down, due to Ominis tugging his sleeve. “And Charlotte?” Garreth said, semi hiding a yawn, “I’m sure you will find most of us are too busy with exam prep to listen to idol gossip spread by Leander.” A few in class laughed and Leander’s face hardened. He glanced slightly at Sebastian, who was still glaring at him, Charlotte and Natty. “That wasn’t me.” Leander said quietly. “Sure.” Garreth laughed. “How much did they pay you?” “Money is not the issue.” Charlotte said, adjusting her headband. “The truth is all that matters and it came out.” “He didn’t do anything!” Ominis snapped, taking his hands off Sebastian’s robes as he turned his head towards where Charlotte’s voice was coming from. “Stop lying about him.” “Guys…” Garreth said, facing the door. “Ronen’s coming, I can hear him” His words fell on deaf ears.

“Did your family get him out Gaunt? Don’t they have their fingers everywhere with the ministry? Dark wizards must look out for each other, after all! - (“Hey! Enough already” Shouted Garreth) - Your brother attacked Poppy, we all know it was him, she was talking to him for weeks before the attack. You missed your pal so your dark wizard family got Sallow out of jail.” Charlotte said. Anxiety ran through Sebastian, how did she know? Then he caught himself, no, she didn’t know, nobody did. She was just guessing. He had to remain calm. “Don’t be preposterous!” Ominis said loudly. “My family cannot overrule legal proceedings.” Charlotte snorted in disbelief. “Clearly, Sallow is guilty.” Charlotte said. “We all know it. Were you responsible for Anne’s sickness too? Like the Prophet said?” Sebastian’s anger was back. “Say my sister’s name again and you’ll-“ “What?” Charlotte said. “Will you kill me too, like your uncle?” “SHUT YOUR-“ A loud scream filled the classroom as the desk in front of Charlotte, Natty and Leander suddenly flew forward, travelled across the room and hit the empty desk opposite them, making the whole class gasp and leap up in their seats, afraid of more flying furniture.

Sebastian was looking at the table, feeling his arms tingle, panting as his magic got out of control in his anger. “Oh good Lord!” Arthur Plummly gasped, clutching his mouth. The table that got hit then fell down, the legs coming free with another loud bang. “What happened?” Ominis said shakely, hearing the noises. “Sebastian? What happened?” “SOMEBODY HELP US!” Charlotte screamed at the top of her voice. “SEBASTIAN SALLOW IS ATTACKING US.” “Shut it!” Garreth shouted. “That was your own fault, stop winding people up Charlotte and then playing the victim.”

“Excuse me” Came a voice. “What in Merlin’s pants is going on in this classroom? I was under the impression you were all of age now? But here you all are, acting like first years again. Did you all learn a charm to age backwards? If so, please share it with me. But if not, I must ask you all to return to your rightful ages of maturity as I wish to start our class…Repairo.” Ronen had arrived. He repaired the table and strolled to the middle of the room. “Welcome back everybody. I hope you all had refreshing holidays, today you are going to learn a charm that you shall also study in Defence against the Dark Arts, the Patronus Charm, used of course to ward off Dementors.” Sebastian’s mood lowered even more with that mention. This was not his perfect return to Hogwarts he had dreamed about.

Ominis sat listening to Ronen, but his ears were picking up any noises that indicated the giant snake was moving around once more. He found it so hard to focus on anything, even his breakfast hadn’t agreed with him. Every snuff of a shoe, each door creak, even the swish of robes as people walked past, his ears picked it all up. There was no way he could focus on any class today until he spoken with Professor Weasley. Sharp would be in the next class, but he felt more comfortable speaking with Weasley. He still needed to talk with Sebastian, to explain himself, to fill him in on his family’s plan. There were so many demands, and now Sebastian was acting up. He was shaking a little with the confrontation.

“-Your greatest, happiest memory can be anything, for example, the first time you set foot in my class. No? Oh come on! You should pick something that brought you great joy. Focus on it and say the incantation. Non verbally of course, we are N.E.W.T students after all, Expecto Patronum. You have an hour and a half, let us see if we get any Corporeal Patronus by the end of the class.” Ronen had finished instructing the class so Ominis picked up his wand. ‘Expecto Patronum’ he thought aloud in his head. ‘Expecto Patronum’

What’s his happiest memory? He thought of the various nights spent with Anne and Sebastian, playing Gobstones into the late hours of the night. ‘Expecto Patronum’ How was he meant to know if it was working? He culdn’t see if his wand was casting the spell and his wand seemed a little confused on what it was meant to be doing. ‘Expecto Patronum’. Sebastian sat with his wand in his hand, looking blankly down at it. He never figured out how to do a none verbal cast, at best he could whisper the spell, he thought the spell in his mind and tried to only think of the words, before remembering he needed a happy memory too. Nothing with Solomon had been happy. He focused on the day he got his wand back, that had been happy for sure, but the moment he thought of that, the spell went out of his head.

It was like a balancing act, but he couldn’t think both things at the same time. He glanced around the room, nobody was looking at him now, too focused on their spell casting, a few had little silver vapors coming from their wands. Glancing to the side, even Ominis’ wand was glowing silver at odd moments. How were they all doing it?

‘Expecto Patronum’ Sebastian thought, feeling incredible stupid. He was missing something. Something everybody else knew but him. By the end of the class, the students were all managing to form silver mist silently from their wands, some had limbs, even Ominis’ was slowly taking shape, while Sebastian sat there, still holding his wand which was clearly not hearing his none verbal spell. Potions was the same, they were now making Felix Felicis in this class, what ever happened to Endurus potions? Sebastian looked down the long list of ingredients and the technique for brewing with a growing feeling of horror. At the cauldron next to him, Garreth was already chopping away with a knife and crushing various ingredients together to form paste, while reducing heat and increasing heat every few seconds. Moving aside for sparks to fly out, he leaned over to Sebastian. “You good?” He asked quietly. Sebastian nodded. Sebastian watched in disbelief as Garreth started adding more to his potion before stirring the cauldron in a way Sebastian had never seen before. Sebastian was now getting a headache.

He was really out of his depth and this feeling continued into Transfiguration where Weasley had them altering their own faces with magic. Sebastian had never tried human transfiguration before in a classroom setting. He had managed to straighten his wavy hair back at the Weasley’s, but he had been sitting at the table, surrounded by snacks. He kept reaching into his book to read up how to do them again, while Ominis give himself curly black hair, feeling with his hands to check how curly the hair was. Sebastian glanced sideways at him in disbelief as Ominis grew pointy rainbrow hair. He couldn’t even see and he was altering colours? He was exhausted and when Professor Weasley give them loads of homework, he felt himself panic a little. He had no idea what he was meant to do. He needed to go to the library badly and check out every single book on human transfiguration, as well as none verbal spells, but with his eyes threatening to close for the last half hour, he knew he just wanted to sleep. The drowsy feeling continued, so he reached into his bag and pulled out some chocolate. Some of the students in the class glanced between him and Professor Weasley, as if sure Sebastian was going to get told off for eating sweets in her class.

As far as Ominis knew, the full day had passed in a blur of thoughts and emotions. He had heard the giant snake around fifty times, but he was also sure it was just normal noises around the school. He had been so sure a fight had been about to break out between Sebastian and Natty back in Charms. He was trying to keep Sebastian’s anger down, but he didn’t know how. At long last, class ended. Ominis carefully returned his hair back to normal before quickly putting his bag over his back and headed to Professor Weasley, who seemed to want to talk to Sebastian.

“Hello both of you.” She said as the rest of the class left the classroom. “Professor, there IS a snake in this castle, last night it spoke to me. It’s under the Slytherin dormitories.” Ominis said fast, knowing he was being rude to Sebastian, who Professor Weasley clearly wanted to talk with. Sebastian, on the other hand, looked at Ominis in confusion. “Huh?” Sebastian asked, he had been too caught up with his own worries, his mind was blank for a moment. What snake?

“Relax, both of you.” Professor Weasley sounded like she was smiling. “Mr Gaunt, I can assure you we do know about this story and I want to put your mind at rest. It’s not real, your family are just playing a joke on you, all Gaunt teenagers claim to hear the monster, but no such monster has ever been found.” Sebastian placed more chocolate into his mouth, maybe he should go to the kitchens and see if Hogwarts had started serving Coffee since he’d been away. He was so tired after class today. It was the way Professor Weasley looked, her words may have been reassuring, but she looked stressed. Whatever Ominis was telling her, it had her much worried than she was trying to sound. “You both have enough on your minds other than suppose monsters in secret chambers. Tell me about your first day back.” She wanted to know more about the incident in charms, but Sebastian wasn’t in the mood to share and Ominis was feeling slightly taken aback at being brushed off again, so they left her class not too soon after, but not before giving a brief recap of their day.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Ominis asked quietly, feeling slightly deflated. He knew maybe if he could have Sebastian back on his side, things would be better. “We can talk about everything and I can tell you fully about the snake and the chamber.” Sebastian was rubbing his eyes, trying to clear the heavy feeling in them. Maybe a walk would wake him up better than carrying books to his room. “Okay.” Sebastian said a little stiffly.

Tagging @myfavouritelunatic @queenfinehair @sekkitsu

#Hogwarts Legacy #Sebastian Sallow #Ominis Gaunt #Professor Weasley #garreth weasley #hogwarts legacy fic #Hogwarts Legacy fanfiction #Harry Potter #Wizarding World

1 note · View note