Enchanted by freckles - Garreth Weasley & Sebastian Sallow x female MC

91st chapter

I got up and walked around my cell. I was so skinny. I could see my ribs clearly as I stood, and even when I tried to stick my stomach out I looked anorexic.

Shortly after dinner, someone opened my cell.

"Well Sallow. Did you miss me? You pathetic son of a bitch," he said, kicking me right in the face. My nose broke again and blood was running down my mouth. He kicked again, this time to my head. I fell sideways. He kicked again. This time I felt a rib break. I remained silent. I already knew all this pain. And since I've been here, I hadn't had a gentle touch, except from myself.

Again he kicked. Right in my crotch. It actually hurt a lot, but I didn't show it to him. My blank stare stayed on the ground while a small pool of blood formed.

He laughed and walked out of my cell.

I took a deep breath and began to heal my broken bones.

Another day done, I thought to myself, transformed myself into a lynx and tried to sleep.

The next day started right away. Just like every day in the past few years. Shortly after dinner someone opened my cell. I was preparing to be kicked again when suddenly the friendly warden's voice came on and someone held out their hand.

"Sebastian Sallow. You are free. You have been exonerated in court. A statement has been withdrawn and you have already paid the remaining debt.", he said and smiled gently at me. I could see him for the first time. He was quite young. Perhaps we knew each other from school. I didn't know it.

"What year is it?" I asked. "It's May 17th, 1900," he said, stretching his hand out even further. I took it. For the first time in over seven years, I felt a different skin than mine.

I followed him. I couldn't believe it. I saw the other guards letting me go. It couldn't be. Had Ominis withdrawn his testimony?

I followed him slowly. I felt really weak on my feet. He led me to a room where my old clothes and wand were lying. I didn't take more with me then. I didn't think I would ever leave this place again.

"Change your clothes and I'll take you outside," he said. I put on my old shirt. It still fit me. Despite the fact that I had certainly grown a bit, I had clearly lost weight.

I picked up my wand and had to smile a little. I immediately felt him greeting me. It felt like meeting up with an old friend.

I followed the guard and after a short while we were standing in front of the building. For the first time in years I saw real daylight and felt fresh air on my skin.

"I'm really free?" I asked, "Isn't that just a bad joke? Or a dream?"

He shook his head with a smile, "We received a confession which exonerates you."

Had Anne confessed? As much as I loved Anne, I was glad to have escaped this hell.

"You can apparate from here," he said, and went back inside. I was free. I could feel tears running down my dirty skin. Where should I go? I didn't want to show up to the Weasleys just the way I was, so I decided to go to Sirona's in the hopes that she could get me some work and a place to sleep.

I apparated and suddenly I was standing in front of the three broomsticks. I entered still crying.

Sirona was staring at me. Then she stood up and came over to me and smiled. "Sebastian Sallow. You're free," she said in amazement, "But you look awful. Sit down. I'll get you something to eat."

"Wait, I don't have any money." I said quietly. "Don't need it. Sit down."

I sat down in a chair at the counter. It was empty. A weekday, apparently. Sirona brought me a large portion of cottage pie and a butterbeer. I smiled at her. "Thank you." I whispered. She had hardly changed. Sure, she'd aged a little, but otherwise she looked the same as before I was imprisoned.

I took the fork in my hand. I had some trouble holding onto them. My first forkful of food ended up in my dirty, long beard.

"Come in the back. I'm closing the pub," she said, taking my plate and butterbeer with me. I got up slowly and followed her.

She picked up my fork and pushed a chair towards me. I sat down and she began to feed me. As the first bite touched my tongue, I began to cry again. It was absolutely delicious.

Sirona fed me until the whole portion was eaten. I really felt ashamed of my appearance. She asked how it was that I was free again so suddenly, so I told her the story. "That's wonderful," she said, taking a small knife in her hand.

"Tilt your head back," she said gently. With motherly love she began to trim my beard. After she was done with my beard she cut my hair and gave me a room so I could take a shower. And Merlin, I was looking forward to having a wash.

When I came back into the room after a really long, hot shower, there was a second portion of food and another butterbeer on a table. She had washed my clothes, folded them and placed them on the bed.

It was the room where I spent my first night with Caelie and Garreth.

I sat down at the table and started eating. After the shower and the first portion, I already felt much better than before. I saw a small note next to the food.

"I'm upstairs in my room. When you're done, I'd love to tend your wounds. Just knock then."

So I ate, and left the room.

I knocked on Sirona's door and she smiled and opened the door for me. "Nice, now you're starting to look like Sebastian again." She said softly. She had already provided some medicine and began tending to the particularly large wound on my face. It really hurt like hell as she disinfected the wound.

Sirona fed me up for a few days and I helped her cook from the fourth day onwards.

At midday on June 8th, I decided to travel to Devon. I wanted to go to Yvain and Gwen first to find out if Garreth and Caelie were still interested in my return.

I apparated right in front of her house. I checked through the window beforehand to see if Caelie and Garreth were there and when I saw they weren't I knocked.

A young woman opened the door. I recognized her straight away. Jennie. Apparently she recognized me too because her mouth was open. "Dad! Dad! Come here quickly!" she called out loud.

I saw that Yvain came down the stairs He beamed at me. "What are you doing here?" he asked as he took me in his arms and smiled. "I was released a few weeks ago. Somebody proved that I didn't kill Solomon." I said quietly and felt myself start to cry.

"Have you been over there already?". Jennie asked. "No. That's one of the reasons I'm here. I wanted to know if they even want to see me."

Jennie laughed a bit. "Yes, they do. Believe me. And you want to see them too. But I won't tell you anything about their lives. You have to go there yourself.", she said and smiled at me.

"Then where have you been since you were released?" asked Yvain. "Sirona. She picked me up. I looked really miserable. I had open sores everywhere and I hadn't showered in seven years." "You weren't even allowed to take a shower?" Jennie asked horrified. "Yep. Not once. My first shower at Sirona's was 1 1/2 hours." I said and had to laugh a little.

"But go over there. Surely you know what day it is." Jennie said softly. I smiled and nodded.

I decided to walk over as a lynx. When I saw the house I was confused. It was bigger. Apparently, several floors were added upwards. They had certainly had a couple of children.

I was about to turn around again, but then I heard Caelie's voice. She seemed furious. I had to smile a little. Temperamental as ever. I stood behind the house for a while longer, where no one saw me, and considered whether I shouldn't be going after all. But I couldn't. 

For the last seven, really horrible years, I'd been waiting for this moment.