Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Thirty-One: In the Shadow of Protection

"What are the letters?" Ominis's voice was strained.

"An L and B, overlapping, enclosed in a circle."

"You don't think- Lestrange and Black?"

I nodded sharply, "Could be."

Poppy gave a start. "You couldn't possibly think- both of those families are here, all our knowledge shows this group comes from Paris."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I let out a frustrated sigh. "And why after everything we told you, did you not tell us about this? We could have started solving this sooner."

Poppy didn't flinch back from my angry words. Contrary to my expectations of the Hufflepuff witch, she shook off Ominis's hand and stood up. "I didn't tell you anything, Sallow, because there was nothing to tell at the time. No talk of Phoenix's or of Abbi."

"Then what-"

"I. Don't. Like. Poachers. I wanted to make sure there were no more poachers actually in the valley. I asked Abbi to come with me, and my Gran has been trying to find out as much as she can."

"All of this because you don't like poachers?"

I didn't believe her. There was something more there, something in the way her eyes shifted and narrowed, in the way her arms crossed over her chest. Something in the way she glanced at Abbi, but I couldn't pin point what it was.

"They're vile. We saved the last of the Golden Snidget's two years ago; We had to get past an awful lot of poachers in the process. I knew if there was anyone up to look into things with me it was Abbi."

"And what exactly has your Gran found out, Miss Sweeting?" Ominis interjected, coolly, hoping to calm the tension.

"Only that she confirmed they are from out of the country. From Paris."

"We need to get closer to them if we are going to find our what they want," Abbi finally spoke, her voice calm, her pacing stopped. "We know they have a base of some sort in Feldcroft. If we have any hope of finding out why they want Aurora, why they want me, we need to go there."

I stared at her, my mouth hanging open. I shouldn't be surprised that was what she was thinking; it's what I would do too. That didn't stop the fear from bubbling up inside of me, because I knew she would want to go.

"No," I bit at her. "No way are you going near them."

"Seb, I'll be fine. We need to know," she told me, calmly. I took in her appearance, her hair a mess, eyes burning wildly, noting the slight twitch to her hand.

Her magic was pulling at her again.

Shit. Not now.

"Alright, I'll go," I said quickly, knowing she wouldn't accept.

"Abbi and I have done this before, Sebastian."

"And that resulted in what exactly? More Ashwinders and poachers and goblins coming after the both of you. I'll go," I said, still not moving my eyes from her shaking hand.

"It's got to be us, Seb."

"Why?"

She took a deep breath, looked at Poppy, who spoke instead of her. "We started this, that's why. You've got to trust us to get the information we need, and then we attack it together. Too many of us sneaking around the camp will be suspicious."

Abbi's gaze stayed on Poppy for a minute before Ominis spoke again, taking her gaze from her friend. "Sebastian, just let them do this. We can be in Feldcroft, right there if they need us. But they say they've done this before, and I for one know you go in blazing."