The Shadow of Slytherin

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Occupied with your thoughts, you head through the castle, using the floo flames. It agitates you to hear Ignatia speak, and you end up using a silencing spell on her, but it only works for that specific floo flame, as you find out when landing at the entrance of the common room. "Can you not be quiet for once?" you hiss, heading down the stairs as silent as you can, but when you reach the bottom of the stairs, a figure sits in the darkness of the room, the face towards the flames in the fireplace.

Without a word, you join him at the fireplace, your mind occupied with Sebastian, and Ominis, the last trial that stands before, and yet you do not know what to do, and what will happen if Ranrok gets to the last repository before you.

A sigh comes over your lips as you lean your back against the soft sofa, the legs angled as you rest your head on them and stare into the fire as well.

For another moment, Alex remains silent, and sits still beside you, the eyes on the fire, but when it hisses and you flinch, his eyebrows wrinkle. "I am sorry about before, didn't mean to come at you like that" he lets out, his eyes on you as you lean your head back against the sofa, smirking at his remark "It's just-"

"Akira?" you inquire, leaning closer as he moves back to lean against the sofa as well."Is he not getting better?"

"No" Alex rubs the bridge of his nose, then shakes his head, "I mean, yes. No, it's not Akira, he's-, well-, he needs time, it's, A-"

In that moment, the entrance to the common room opens and Atticus walks down the stairs, Sebastian by the collar, and even though they are almost the same height, it looks as if Sebastian hung from Atticus's arm like a puppy held by the neck, the legs dangling in the air. "Will you look at that, Sallow out of bed again" he mutters, his eyes growing at the sight of you and Alex near the fire.

"What happened?" The legs tired from running all day, you drag your feet towards Atticus, releasing Sebastian from his grasp, but before Atticus can answer, Sebastian grabs you by the arm and drag you with him. "Hey!"

"Try not sneaking out for once" Atticus lets out, watching as you vanish around the corner, but Sebastian does not drag you into his dorm like you expected. Instead, he pulls you all the way into the washroom, casting a spell to lock the doors.

The shirt tightened around his arms as Sebastian throws his fists through the air, you step out of the way, watching as he argues with himself, then spins around, his fist pressing against the basin so hard, you can hear the porcelain crack.

"Sebastian?" Your calm voice in his ear, he spins around, the eyes darkened as he leans forward. "What is going on?"

"It's my uncle, he has given up on Anne. I tried reaching out, but he intercepts my owls to her. He shut me out, even though she is dying, I know it"

Your eyes resting on the dark circles under his, the trouble in them as he presses his lips together and leans his back against the basin, the eyes closed. "I am sorry to hear that. Ominis received an owl not too long ago, I believe Anne told him she was fine so far, but not getting better" you lie, resting against the basin next to Sebastian, "I mean that is at least something, it gives us more time"

"No" Sebastian hisses, his hand flying past your face so close, you fear it might hit you. "We don't have time, Anne doesn't have time. I need to find a cure, and now Gray, he-"

Wrinkling your eyebrows, you lean forward, watching as Sebastian sinks to the ground, his head rested on his knees as he sighs and covers his face. "He caught you on your way to Anne" You lower yourself onto the ground, crouching before Sebastian, your hand on his arm as you smile. "He will let me go, tell me what I can do"