Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Quiet Mornings

Poppy spoke next, "I always just thought you were incredibly adept at magic. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought that following the Keepers instructions and keeping the truth about my powers a secret would be for the best."

"But Sebastian knew," Ominis interjected, his voice cutting through the air coldly. "If Sebastian knew, why couldn't we? We've all kept plenty secret."

"I- That- Well, there was overlap in-"

"Can we spare her the ridicule, please," Sebastian sighed as his fingers flexed on my thigh, talking over me. "We need to focus on what your family wants with her power."

"I think that's obvious," Ominis said, palms still flat to the table.

"Then do enlighten us," Sebastian growled. I stepped on his foot.

"If they know about her magic through legilimency, they'll know about Solomon. They'll know about the Scriptorium. They'll know everything, and just how easily you two can be swayed into the Dark Arts."

Poppy and Anne both stared at him, Anne nodding fervently, Poppy though was frowning.

"They'll wish to entice you further with the power of Dark Magic. They'll want to use you to help them gain power."

"Why do you say that like it's their fault?" Poppy demanded, her eyes flashing.

"What?"

"Just how easily they can be swayed? Ominis, really! They've shown no sign of slipping back down that path and we've been studying the curses for weeks!"

I flushed, shifting uncomfortably in Sebastian's lap. I hadn't told them about the wisps, or the Dark Sacrifice. Not wanting to be subjected to yet another famous Gaunt lecture or disappointing Poppy, or angering Anne, I had left that tidbit out of my explanations around ancient magic.

Sebastian squeezed me again, a sign to calm down.

"I only meant, Pop, that they have a history my father would be most intrigued by. It makes them a powerful ally if he could sway them."

Poppy's eyes returned to their usual selves rather than intense glare she'd been fixing him with, a blush spreading over her cheeks. Anne, who was standing just to the left of Ominis with a cup of coffee in her hands, coughed loudly and appeared to have been choking on her drink.

"But how can we find out more? Clearly Gran was wrong about it being Black and Lestrange."

"N-Not necessarily," Anne coughed, waving her hand in front of herself as a makeshift fan. "Seb, you said there was a third in that room with her, right?"

"Yes?"

"Seems like we need to continue with the plan then. We need to go in, and find out who is was."

I shook my head violently, my voice clawing it's way up again, the guilt I felt about leaving out our consumption of Dark wisps vanishing instantly. "No one is going back there!"

"We have to," Ominis sighed. "But you don't have a wand anymore. I think it best if Poppy, Anne and I go."

Poppy smiled shyly at the suggestion, Anne glowered. Sebastian have a half snort in my ear as he watched his sister.