Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Fourty-Six: To the Moon and to Saturn

"I just keep thinking," I said slowly, looking away from Poppy's eyes in the mirror. "What if he hadn't followed me that night?"

"That man will follow you to the ends of the universe."

I smiled gently, looking at myself in the mirror. I didn't look like someone consumed with desire for the Dark Arts. I didn't look capable of torture. I didn't look capable of murder, or of deceiving my friends into thinking I hadn't fallen down willingly into the path of powerful and dark ancient magic. Tonight, in my deep green dress, with my hair done up by Poppy, I looked as if I was nothing more than the girl Sebastian had asked to the ball.

I looked normal.

I looked like what I imagined a girl attending a ball with the boy she loved would look like. I smiled softly.

"One night of normal," I whispered softly, looking at Poppy. She took my hand in hers and we departed the Room of Requirement, descending the many flights of stairs off to the one night of normalcy I was promised.

A day I was owed.

~

Sebastian Sallow was standing at the foot of the grand staircase, his back to me, talking to Ominis, who was fidgeting his hands. Ominis was clearly nervous. I recognized the familiar way his hand twitched, like he wanted to jerk it up and run a hand through his hair in exasperation. I couldn't help the smile that speak over my lips as I watched the two boys. Poppy, who had her arm linked through mine, took a breath herself.

As she moved to walk forward, I removed my arm from hers and stepped into the shadows.

"Abbi?" Poppy whispered, looking at me in alarm.

"You first," I waved her forward, smiling even wider. "Have your moment with Ominis."

Her lips twitched up, her eyes lighting up in delight.

I watched as her feet gracefully carried her down the steps, both boys turning at the sound of her heels against the marble. Sebastian smiled at her, gentle, and I crept slightly closer to hear him.

"Poppy, you look beautiful," he smiled as she approached the two Slytherin boys. Students milled around them, all of them watching with interest on their faces as the Hufflepuff approached them. "I particularly like these."

His hand raised, pointing to the serpents that decorated her shoulders.

"Thank you, Sebastian," Poppy said, smiling wide, smirking slightly as Sebastian craned his neck to look above her. "She'll be just a minute, don't worry so much, Sallow," she teased him and then turned to Ominis. "Hi."

He voice was breathy, cheeks vibrantly pink, clearly nervous and excited to be seeing Ominis, who was dressed in deep velvet black dress robes and a green dress shirt. I smiled to see the glint of silver on his lapel. A small serpent, most likely some form of the Gaunt family crest. I was infinitely glad for the serpents on her gown.

Ominis flushed a pale pink at the sound of her voice.

A small murmur rippled through the students as they watched Poppy and Ominis. I spotted Imelda amongst the crowd of students, her face absolutely bright with excitement. Imelda was always one for a good strain of gossip, and the fact that Poppy Sweeting was attending the ball with Ominis Gaunt was sure to be the talk of the school for the next month.

I'd never hear the end of it for not telling her.

Behind her, separated by three Ravenclaw students, were Malfoy and Black, both with dates of their own who were clinging to their arms as though attending the ball with them was the most important thing they'd accomplished thus far in life.