In the Shadow of Darkness | Sebastian Sallow

Hogsmeade

Blessedly, I woke the next morning with no memory of my dreams. Poppy had also invited Natty to come along to Hogsmeade, so she and I got ready together and met the Hufflepuff at the Bell Tower entrance. We took our time walking, with Natty and Poppy doing most of the talking. I tried to listen, but my mind kept straying back to Sebastian, thinking back to both the Room of Requirement and the Undercroft. How had so much happened in less than 24 hours?

"What about you, Eleanor?" Poppy asked.

"Pardon?" I knew they'd been talking about...what was it again?

"How are your classes going so far?" she repeated.

"Oh, they're fine, I guess," I replied with a shrug. "I'm regretting taking so many classes."

They both laughed.

"I also wish I could take less, but my mother insisted I take Divination since I did so well on O.W.L.s last year," Natty agreed. "I think she just wants to keep an eye on me, though."

Poppy gestured toward a pillar of smoke coming from Hogsmeade as we drew nearer. All of us broke into a run, and as we rounded a curve, it looked like the mill and some of the surrounding fields had caught fire. A crowd of people had gathered around and were working to put it out as quickly as possible.

"Aqua Eructo!" a nearby wizard said as we approached, a jet of water erupting out of his wand to join many others. Before long, the fire was out, though steam rose into the sky from the destroyed building.

"I don't understand," Poppy said, perplexed. "Why didn't the Fire Protection Spells work?"

"Very strange," Natty added.

Officer Singer waved off the crowd as some other citizens set to work on fixing what had been destroyed. The oddity of the situation was the subject of our conversation as we walked back into town. 

"I don't think there is a spell that can break through the protection spells..." Natty trailed off as we hit the door to the Three Broomsticks. "Someone would've had to disarm them first, I think."

"Ah, welcome back, you three," Sirona called from behind the bar. "Please sit wherever you'd like!"

The tavern was a madhouse. I hadn't seen it so busy any time last year. We managed to find a table near the back, though, and settled there. Sirona brought three mugs of butterbeer shortly thereafter, asking if we needed anything else.

Poppy spoke up first, "We had hoped you wouldn't be so busy. I have heard some rumors this past week."

Sirona looked between the three of us before glancing back at the bar. "Give me a moment," she said before heading toward a barman. They had a brief discussion before she headed back to our table and sat down, leaning in.

"What have you heard?" I asked as all three of us mimicked her.

"A centaur was spotted just outside Hogsmeade 10 days ago," she informed us. "No one knows why, but last weekend Mrs. Bones swears a vampire attacked her near the creek. And then, today, the mill catches fire with no explanation? Something odd is going on here."

I looked at the other girls. This could not be good. "Who saw the centaur?"

"Officer Singer, actually. And someone else, but I can't remember the name for the life of me. A newcomer, I believe." She sounded frustrated.

"We should talk with her. I'm sure she can give us some more information." Natty shifted in her seat.

"Perhaps, but she may not be too keen on students trying to help," Sirona interrupted their plans before they were even formed. "I'll talk with her, see if I can get you some information...or get her to agree to talk with you."

"Thank you, Sirona," I said with a smile.

She returned the gesture. "You three did so much for this area last year. It's the least I can do." She rose, apologizing, "I must get back to my customers, but look out for my owl. I'll let you know when I know more."

Once we were alone at the table, the three of us started theorizing what could possibly be going on in Hogsmeade. Beasts and near-human creatures had never strayed so close to the village—at least not that any of us knew. Even more perplexing was the fire. It had to have been connected, but how?

While we were already out, Poppy wanted to pick up some potion ingredients and plant seeds for her classes before heading back to Hogwarts. We all had some assignments left to do before the next week of school started, so we were in and out of both shops quickly before heading back to the castle. On that walk back, I spotted a familiar form sitting on a bench alone, looking out over the Black Lake.

Sebastian.

I bade Natty and Poppy goodbye, promising to catch up with them later, and detoured toward the bench. I sat down without a word, following his gaze and watching the birds play in the water from our overlook.

At first, I thought he would continue to ignore me, but after several minutes, he spoke, "Anne always loved it here. We used to come out to this bench every weekend and watch how the scenery changes."

"It's beautiful." I took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air mingling with the scents of moss in the light breeze.

I saw him look at me out of the corner of my eye. "Very much so."

My eyes met his shyly. He looked exhausted, a stark difference from the man I'd spent the day with only yesterday.

"I'm sorry about last night. I—" he sighed. "I lost my temper. Neither of you deserved that." He reached into his robes, pulling out a fresh chocolate bar, opened it and bit into it.

"You understand why we're concerned, don't you?"

He watched a hippogriff dive into the lake and resurface a few seconds later. Taking another bite of chocolate, he chewed thoughtfully while watching it. "I'm not a China doll." His voice was defensive and bitter.

I touched my forehead. How this boy frustrated me—telling me he felt weak and not himself one day and then pretending everything was okay the next. "Even so, you need to give it time, Sebastian."

"Anne may not have time."

I bit my lip. Ominis hadn't told him how dire Anne's situation was, but I could see his point. "Anne isn't ready for you to see her. I know she will let you know when she is."

He scoffed. "What if she doesn't? Not like I wouldn't bloody deserve it. Ominis is right, you know. I mucked things up, even before the relic. I pulled both of you in, too. Casting an Unforgivable Curse—on you, of all people!"

I placed my hand on his. "We did what we had to do to get out of there."

He took another bite of chocolate. "I should have never taken the time to learn any of them. I shouldn't have manipulated you and Ominis into helping me. I should have listened to him...to you." Pausing to wipe his eyes, he continued, "I never realized how out of control I'd become until I was sitting in that cell in Azkaban!"

"Sebastian—"

"No, I need to finish," he implored, and I closed my mouth. "I figured I'd be in that place for the rest of my life, living with consequences that I got myself into. I still don't fully understand how I'm here instead of there. Relic or no relic, I was dabbling in Dark Magic long before it could've controlled me, and I'm sorry. For everything I've done."

I watched him for a moment as he finished the chocolate bar. "If there's one thing I've learned in the past year, it's that desperation makes people do desperate things, Sebastian." I squeezed his hand. "I forgive you."

Hesmiled in gratitude, though it was tinged with sadness.