In the Shadow of Darkness | Sebastian Sallow

Studying and Bickering

June loomed over us like a dark storm cloud. By the third week of May, most of us were fully engrossed in our studies. Sebastian, however, spent most of his days on the Quidditch pitch in preparation for the last game of the season—Slytherin versus Hufflepuff. Ominis told me that some nights, he would return to the sixth-year dormitory so tired that he'd simply fall into bed—without even bothering to change—and be snoring away within minutes. Despite the obvious displeasure at the stench—Ominis made a point of likening it to the pens behind the Care of Magical Creatures Classroom—I found myself glad that Sebastian was finally getting some amount of sleep even if the dark circles weren't disappearing.

My other three friends joined me almost nightly for study sessions at the library. We'd spent so much time at one particular table that even Madam Scribner seemed to keep it cleared for us. Even Garreth joined us now and again, but he seemed to prefer studying with Leander these days. I couldn't blame him. I was fairly certain I'd broken his heart. By the end of May, however, he'd begun greeting me with a soft smile or a touch on the shoulder—much like when we'd simply been friends—before settling in next to me comfortably with his assignments.

On one such night in the library—a Thursday—Ominis, Garreth, and I had been working on one final Potions essay about potion antidotes. We'd probably been at it for hours, and Ominis had long since stopped scouring our textbooks with his wand and seemed to be staring off into space, while Garreth and I cross-referenced Scarpin's Revelaspell and Golpalott's Laws for our arguments. We weren't the only one's there, either. With curfew extended to midnight in light of the impending final exams, O.W.L.s, and N.E.W.T.s, many of the other students were taking advantage of the extra access to the library's references.

"May I join you?" The voice, unmistakable and seemingly irritated, made me jump. I looked up to see Sebastian, still in his Quidditch robes, standing on the other side of the table.

"Oh, thank Merlin, Sebastian," Ominis answered first. "I've about had it with this blasted Potions essay." He rubbed his face tiredly. "Perhaps we can focus on something more for a while?"

"Sure," he agreed, plopping down in a chair across from his best friend. "I've got to study for that damned Alchemy test, anyway."

Frustration escaped Ominis' lips. "I'm certain I'm going to fail it. I don't know why Nott couldn't have waited until Wednesday for it."

"I know," Sebastian said absent-mindedly as he laid some books on the table.

"Look at it this way," I offered. "It means one less class with Professor Nott this school year."

Garreth hid a laugh next to me.

"That's true at least," Ominis yawned. He closed his Potions text and reached for his Alchemy book. "Where shall we start?"

I finished a thought on my parchment, satisfied that I had a conclusion to fill the last few inches, and put down my quill. "I think I'm done with Potions for the night, as well. I'd love to study with you two, unless you need anymore help, Garreth?"

"You make it sound like I'm daft," Garreth teased gently. "I'll be fine. I probably should get some sleep, anyway." He checked his watch. "You should, too, really."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be fine. No Divination tomorrow, so I can sleep in if I need to." I was immensely grateful that Professor Onai had given us that time back to study.

He closed his text, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. "Don't fall asleep with your head on a book. Scribner wouldn't be very pleased."

I smiled, shaking my head. "As long as I don't find you asleep in the common room because you decided to wait up for me," I quipped, happy we could banter again like we always had.

Garreth chuckled as he stood. "Tonight, my comfortable bed is more important than even the Hero of Hogwarts." He turned to the boys, giving a half-hearted wave, "Good night, Ominis. Sallow," before meandering out of the library.

"Well, aren't you two cozy," Sebastian posited as soon as Garreth was out of earshot.

I closed my eyes with a sigh, rubbing my hand over the beginning of a headache behind my eye. "Can we please not, Sebastian?" I didn't much feel like arguing with him, and ever since Sebastian had stumbled upon the two of us in the hallway, the topic of Garreth Weasley had almost always started one.

"Simply an observation," he defended, but the venom in his voice betrayed him. If I could've guessed, Ominis hadn't shared any details about Garreth with his oldest friend. In a way, that was good, but in another, it was frustrating. Sebastian had no idea he didn't know what he was talking about.

I refused to take the bait I knew he was leaving me. "I don't even know where to start with studying for this exam," I said instead.

Ominis relaxed next to me, and I wondered if he'd been ready to refocus us if I hadn't. "Well, let's start with the Tria Prima and go from there."

"Too easy. Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury," Sebastian rattled off immediately.

"Imagine that," I said as I leaned toward Ominis, "he sits in the back of the room and misses most of the classes, and yet he understands it better than us."

Ominis let out a rush of air as he smiled.

"I don't miss most of the classes, only some of them," Sebastian defended.

"Slytherin has lost seventy-five points this year because of Alchemy class, alone," Ominis attested, deadpan.

"Hey, five of those points were because of you."

I chuckled as they bickered. This reminded me so much of old times, and I could almost forget all of the hardships since coming to Hogwarts. Watching them act like normal friends whose worst nightmares consisted of whether or not they failed their exams brought me life even though I knew they both carried as much trauma as I did...possibly more, if I wanted to be truly honest.

Eventually, we all found ourselves unable to focus, which meant it was time to call it a night. With a promise that we would study more together after the Slytherin Quidditch game, which Sebastian practically begged me to attend, we parted ways for the night. Tonight had felt almost normal, I thought as I headed back to Gryffindor tower. I hoped it was a sign of good things to come.