In the Shadow of Azkaban

Volume II: LVIII

Ominis' face appeared wholeheartedly excited until the tree broke through the concrete floor, "Is that what a Wiggentree looks like? It's a pity it stands so small. I feel as if I should apologize for conjuring that for you." He rubbed his forehead and slumped over in the chair he chose at the far end of the room.

"You can't take it back now, and in that moment, I loved it. Your use of the description was so fitting. Look at my expression; I'm completely enthralled." I patiently waited for his pensieve self to ask for my hand in marriage, and Ominis maneuvered his way between the two mirrored images of us. As the ring presented itself, Ominis studied it carefully. He whispered to himself, "Just as I imagined. It's perfect."

He turned his head in my direction and motioned toward the ring. He raised his eyebrows and smiled wider than I had ever seen directly at me. "Not bad for a blind man." He chuckled under his breath before taking one last look at the ring as if to commit it to memory and returned to his place beside me.

Xilia began her forewarnings, and Ominis could not care less. "Kassia looks just like my mother circa thirteen years ago. The resemblance is quite uncanny. And Xilia appears worn and exhausted, but it seems to be the price you pay as a Gaunt."

The memory shifted into the next. I hadn't needed to relive the ending of the engagement party any more than Ominis did. The sun had displaced the moon, and there was a golden cast over the ceremony below the veranda. Ominis grabbed ahold of my hand and tugged eagerly at my wrist with his other hand. We practically ran down the stairs to join the scene beneath us.

He was set on standing at the altar. I sat beside Morganna and waited for my pensieve self to glide down the aisle. When the French doors to the veranda opened, Ominis let out an audible gasp but did not speak any further. Perhaps he was in shock.

I waited for him to say something, but Ominis just stared straight ahead at my conjured body. He was not blinking, and I wondered if he had remembered to breathe. I couldn't blame him though. After all this time, he only had the ability to see me in certain visions.

Once my mirrored body was facing Ominis, he gestured for me to stand with him. I gathered my dress and quickly ran up the steps before Xilia had started speaking.

Instead of enjoying the moment, he ignored Xilia. He threaded his arm through mine and guided us back behind the altar onto the grass.

I hadn't understood what he was doing.

He clasped his hands lightly against my cheeks, "Darling. I am not one for traditions such as these," he nodded his head toward the scene playing out in front of us. He closed the space between us and leaned forward and spoke quietly into my hair, "But I am certainly glad you suffered through the entirety of the last two months under the scrutiny of my family."

He pulled back and lightly gripped my palms, "I apologize for everything that happened to you here. Xilia. Milton. Sebastian. The blood binding. I just wanted to return to my family for the people that mattered most."

I let our hands fall and wrapped my arms around his neck, "Ominis. I would follow you to the ends of the Earth. I can handle your family. You're just lucky I hadn't used ancient magic against any of them." I winked and situated myself even closer to his body.

I pressed my lips against his cheeks, his nose, and finally his closed eyes. If we could live out forever in this memory, I would. He was filled with so much joy in this moment, and I would have done anything for it to last longer.

Ominis peered in the direction of the procession, and I took that as my cue. We both ducked our heads under the altar before following the rest of the crowd back up to the main foyer.

His eyes met mine, and his voice was low, "How does it feel to finally be a Gaunt?"

"I would like to say sublime, but I find the entire idea formidable now." I leaned into his chest and pressed my lips against his cheek. I knew that we would leave these memories to spend our forever with one another.