Safe & Sound//Sebastian Sallow

two.

I followed Sebastian to the kitchens and listened as he told me about how he came to be at Hogwarts again. This would be his third year teaching, as Professor Sharpe had decided on early retirement. Headmaster Black almost didn't hire him, but Sebastian had always been able to charm whoever he was talking to into taking his side. I'd never pegged Sebastian as a potions master, but I guess I didn't know much about the academic side of things when it came to him. We'd gotten close during our time in school together, but how much did I actually know?

"You okay, Althea? Something on your mind," he asked, noticing my head was elsewhere.

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Care to share?"

"Nothing interesting," I confessed. "Just that I didn't know you liked potions enough to teach it."

"To be honest, I didn't much care for it until I came back to finish my schooling. Sharpe kind of took me under his wing and the rest is history." Sebastian took his wand out and "tickled" the pear on the enchanted painting in front of us. It flung open to reveal the kitchen. "Ladies first."

"Such a gentleman," I joked.

"You know me. Always so chivalrous." He grinned at me and my heart sped up. Why was I reacting this way?

Sebastian and I had always had a sort of tension when we were together, especially after he covered for me after helping me break into the restricted section of the library, but neither of us had ever acted on it. I didn't even know if he had thought about me in any way other than as a friend. I knew I liked him all those years ago, but there was too much going on to address it.

"You're miles away again, aren't you," he asked, laughing a bit.

"What? Sorry. Just thinking again."

"Always so thoughtful. It's one of the things I've always liked about you. That, and your ability to take down evil armies."

"I'm a woman of many talents." I smiled up at him before saying hello to the House Elves that were in the kitchen.

They seemed pleased to have us there and immediately started making plates for us. I asked one if she knew if Deek was still around and was happy to find that he was. I asked her to let him know I'd like to see him the next time she saw him and she agreed happily. I think she was glad to have someone be kind to her. Not that the faculty and students were mean to the House Elves, but it was rare for someone to go out of their way to treat them as equals. She gave me a small bow and then disappeared.

"You're so good at that," Sebastian mused.

"At what?" I looked at him inquisitively before taking a bite out of the Turkey leg that I'd been given.

"Getting others to like you." He grabbed his own Turkey leg and took a bite.

"As if you're not the most charismatic person I've ever met," I laughed, mouth full. He chuckled at me. "What?"

"You look like a small Viking with that leg," he informed me. "Feasting after pillaging another village, making your enemies cry in fear."

"You're an idiot," I laughed.

"You love it, though."

"I do. I've missed how easy it is to talk with you."

"Me, too. I'm sorry it's been so long."

"No need to apologize. What matters is we're here now." We smiled at each other before finishing our meals.

The rest of our dinner consisted of sharing stories of our final years at Hogwarts. I didn't ask about Anne, as I wasn't sure if she was still a sensitive subject or not. I figured I would let Sebastian tell me in his own time, just as I would tell him about my time as an Auror in my own time.