Staghart: A Hogwarts Legacy Story || Ominis x Fem MC

|11| Searching

Theo ran from the Undercroft, headed back toward the Great Hall. She'd passed through Central Hall, no sign of Ominis. Swept through the Library, no sign of him there either. She'd headed down to the dungeons, walking around the halls down there in case he was slumped somewhere, and nothing. She'd even cornered Grace as she left the Slytherin common room to ask if he was in there, but she hadn't seen him.

Not knowing what else to do, she ran back up to the Great Hall in case he'd since appeared there whilst she was looking for him. She burst through the doors to see the hall emptier than before, her eyes darting around every table. But still, no sign of him.

Sebastian saw Theo bound back into the hall and watched as she searched, presumably for Ominis. Had she not found him in the Undercroft? That was unusual, he didn't know of anywhere else that Ominis would go when he's upset.

He pushed his plate aside and went over to Theo, feeling worried. He called out to her as he approached, "Didn't you find him?" he asked anxiously.

"No," Theo panted, clearly she'd been running about the castle. "I've looked in the Undercroft, the Library, Central Hall and the Dungeons. He's in none of those." She felt tears sting her eyes, wondering where he had isolated himself. She just hoped she'd be able to find him before curfew.

Sebastian could see that Theo was beginning to panic, and inside he was too. He placed his hands on her arms to grab her focus.

"Theo, look at me, I'll help you look for him. It's okay, we'll find him," he said, firmly but calmly.

Theo looked at him, she'd never seen him look so calm in the face of a crisis, that was usually Ominis' role in their group. She nodded at him, grateful for the help.

"Let's both take one side of the castle and meet back here in twenty minutes if we haven't found him," Sebastian instructed. Theo nodded and took off in the direction of Gryffindor tower. Perhaps he had gone looking for her?

They both trudged about the castle, looking in every empty classroom, near every common room, asking any friend or classmate they passed if they'd seen him, but no one had. Theo could feel her panic rising with every minute that went by. She hoped nothing had happened to him, what if he'd lost his wand somewhere and couldn't find his way back?

They both searched to no avail and found themselves reunited outside of the Great Hall twenty minutes later, Theo letting out a sob as she saw Sebastian running in her direction, no Ominis by his side.

"You didn't find him either? Where in Merlin's name is he?!" Sebastian nearly yelled.

"I have no idea! I looked everywhere I could possibly think of, in every class that he has and everywhere was empty. No one I asked had seen him either," she gasped, panting for breath. Her breath quickened as her panic rose, if neither of them could find him, where could be possibly be?

She could feel her eyes well with tears, and unable to hold them back any longer, fat, hot tears started to fall down her face.

Sebastian hesitated, but then he pulled Theo into a tight hug to try and comfort her. "It's ok, Theo, we'll find him. We'll find him." Sebastian repeated. But he was at a complete loss as well for where to continue their search. Ominis, where are you?

Sebastian let Theo sob for a few moments, letting her get it out of her system. As she calmed somewhat, he pulled away and took her hands in his.

"Listen, we just need to think logically. You've spent a lot more time with him recently than I have. Where would he go if he was upset? Where would he go to get away?" Sebastian asked her.

Sebastian's words suddenly triggered a memory in her mind from earlier that day, and she heard Ominis' words in her head, what he'd confessed to her. 'I come here to get away from it all'. The tree in the grounds!