While slowly opening up the newly received letter, I had not a single idea that the freckled boy I had come to know as Sebastian Sallow was sitting in his very own dorm room instead of the Sallow cottage in Feldcroft. He had decided to continue lying to his so-called best friends and instead never left the castle at all. He had an intricate plan he had been formulating all along. As my eyes scanned over the seemingly hastily written words, my eyes widened at the sudden sound of footsteps coming from the boys' dormitories. With a chill running up my spine as I remembered the dream that had haunted me only a few hours ago, I gripped my wand tightly to my side and sank down to my knees. Hiding as best I could behind the sofa, I waited patiently for the owner of the footsteps to be revealed. As soon as his hair came into view, the grip on my wand faltered slightly. I watched as he slowly walked down the stairs, not sending a single glance in my direction before leaving out the common room door. Without hesitation, I became his shadow and followed him all the way to the Forbidden Forest.
Not once did he hesitate or turn his head, which made me feel confident in my skills as I stalked behind him. What I wasn't quite aware of, was the smile that crept upon his face as soon as he had heard my shuffling. I fell right into his trap.
After what felt like hours, I found myself in yet another dusty old tomb of some sorts. I wondered whether he had read of other relics that could be used to help Anne, but I knew whatever he wanted to do here would not be a simple task. He came to an abrupt stop as we made it to what seemed like a dead-end. Nothing but dust and bones lined the walls of dirt that surrounded us. "You can come out and catch your breath now." He announced. My heart sank to my stomach as I slowly came into his view. "Why did you lie to Ominis? To me?" The last two words stung in my throat. In my short time here at Hogwarts, I had never felt more alive. Never felt more accepted. Although I knew that my main goal was not to make friends or draw any unwanted attention, I found myself beginning to care deeply about two Slytherin boys. The hope that they had felt the same quickly shattered as I realised that one, it seemed, had never cared for me to begin with. "Personally, I don't see 'not informing of' as lying." His brows furrowed as he monitored the expression that begun to form on my face. He sighed, making his way over to me. "I'm glad you're here though, I need your help." A moment of silence laid between us as our souls conflicted. The battle of want and greed, ambition and need. He slowly pulled the relic out from beneath his robes and pointed his wand at it. With his signature sly smirk plastered on his face, he began reciting the familiar Latin words I had heard him mumbling so many times. I watched as hands dug itself out of the ground, skeletons clawing their way to freedom with their glowing blue eyes. Inferi.
It wasn't long before we were surrounded by these lifeless structures, as they stood patiently awaiting orders. As the pool of dark green smoke washed over Sebastian's eyes, I recognized the Imperius Curse. Mesmerised by his power, I stood and watched in awe as the beings moved their limbs. The two of us weren't snapped out of our enchantment until a deep voice echoed throughout the tomb. "What have the two of you done?" Without hesitation, Sebastian took a step back and ordered the army of Inferi towards his uncle. Sharp shots of magic came flying from Solomon's wand, sending the Inferi to the walls and barely missing me in the process. The realisation hit and not a moment too soon, he was in fact aiming at me. "Saving Anne." Were the last two words I heard Sebastian utter before I flung myself at Solomon. Flashes of red and white shot across the room. The smile that was on my face, a remembrance of the confidence I would lose within seconds, faltered as I saw the army of bones turn towards me. Solomon had been a powerful and high-ranking auror, if anyone knew how to turn the curse to benefit himself, it would be him. I felt tugging and clawing at my limbs as I watched them overpower me. I cursed myself for not having completed my task sooner, for not already having been stronger. I shakily lifted my arm and pointed it at Solomon with all the strength I had left. At the exact same moment, as if it had been rehearsed, a scream left both Sebastian and me. A scream that meant survival, but only for two of us.
"Avada Kedavra!"
The echo never seemed to stop, not even when I felt a crushing weight on my chest and my vision went black.
Mother, I did it. I am a dark and powerful witch, just as you always wanted. Toujours pur, Mama...
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EXULANSIS // hogwarts legacy
Fanfiction"The tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it whether through envy, pity, or simple foreignness-which allows it to drift away from the rest of your life story until the memory itself feels out...
