Aftermath /// Sebastian Sallow

chapter eighteen

Amelia's Perceptive

"Are you going to come to the Quidditch match tonight?" Poppy rang cheerfully over her copy of the Daily Prophet. It was a rare morning when I found myself sitting at the table with the Hufflepuff. Normally in the mornings, I'd avoid the table since Adelaide tended to sit with Poppy. But I missed my friend. 

"Is Ravenclaw playing?" I asked pouring some milk into my morning tea. 

"No, it's Gryffindor and Slytherin! They are tied for the best team currently, so it should be a rather good match!" Poppy cheered, "I'll be there to cheer on Garreth and Natti if you want to sit with me?"

After the stomach-gnawing view, I endured after the last Slytherin celebration, I wasn't in a rush to revisit the sight anytime soon. Adelaide kissing Sebastian's cheek still burned into my eyelids. And cheering on Gryffindor wasn't exactly a major selling point. 

In truth, nothing was a selling point. I still didn't fully understand the appeal of the game. 

"Thank you, Poppy, but I think I rather go do some studying before our trip instead," I confessed. 

Our plans to the Forbidden Forest were mere days away and I still wasn't sure if my plan would work. There was a quiet war raging in my mind about what to do. 

"Besides I fear I still don't understand Quidditch frankly," I admitted.

Poppy laughed at the honesty, before slowly leaning over the table and stealing a remaining strawberry from my plate that I had been ignoring. "Well if you change your mind, just let me know! I have an extra Gryffindor scarf you can wear!" 

The memory of Sebastian's green scarf tossed under my blanket flashed behind my eyes. I could still feel the sensation of his hand brushing my cheeks just before he tugged the wool tightly around my neck. His hazel eyes looked hungrily at me in my mind. 

The butterflies fluttered into my throat at the memory.

"Have you had any luck with that nasty book of yours?" Poppy asked plopping the pink strawberry between her lips. I shook my head in disappointment. Poppy's attitude seemed to shift, "We'll be fine you know. The Centaurs confirmed that they are still lurking in the Forbidden Forest. I keep checking the Daily Prophet to see if there are any reports, but nothing. I'll check in with the Centaurs tomorrow, if you need more time then I can ask?" 

"I don't want to wait any longer," I confessed with a bit of a snap, "If this stupid monster of a book had the information I needed, I would be ready to go now." 

Poppy laughed, "I think it is rather funny honestly. A beast book about books, rarely ironic actually. Although now that I think about it the book isn't really a beast at all..."

"What do you mean?" I asked about the specific choice of words.

Poppy chewed on the fruit, speaking between bites, "Well even though the book has eyes and fangs, it doesn't need to be fed or cared for like a normal beast. It's actually more like a non-being like the Boggart, you can just keep it around without much need to care for it until you need it. Or even like a Dementor, it just serves one purpose, it's not really a beast at all."

Poppy was brilliant.

I couldn't believe I hadn't realized sooner.

"Good morning girls!" Adelaide greeted us suddenly, sitting next to me on the bench. 

I was about to stand up and dismiss myself when Poppy grabbed my hand from across the table, "Adelaide, I was just telling Amelia that she really should come to the Quidditch match today! Please tell her how fun it would be!" Poppy looked to her housemate for reinsurance.