Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Fourty-Seven: Castles Crumbling

"That is irrelevant," the man said, rolling his eyes. He turned to Professor Weasley, his eyes flashing. "I will be taking him in for questioning. Does he have any... other family that should be alerted of his whereabouts?"

Any other.

Other.

The accusation rang through my ears, spilling and screaming in inky blood red denial. Anne had been angry with him, she had the perfect opportunity to turn him in two years ago, and hadn't. There was no reason that she should have turned on him now. Not after telling him that he should buy expensive dress robes, not after healing me from the torture I had received at the hands of the Gaunt family. She couldn't have been that mad at him.

She wouldn't have.

"His sister," Professor Weasley offered, not having caught the meaning of the strangers words, still staring intensely at Sebastian. "Anne. She lives-"

"We have been in touch with Miss Sallow. If that is all then, I will be escorting this boy from the grounds."

The Auror jerked Sebastian roughly by arm again, pulling him away from our table. Sebastian was staring at the man blankly, watching him in disbelief. He was reeling, the implications that Anne had turned him over to the Dementors, betrayed us all, simply too much for him to process.

The whole hall of students were staring in shock, the entire room so silent you could hear the pounding of my heart in my throat. I was sure of it, given that every eye seemed transfixed on myself or Sebastian.

The man moved forward, dragging Sebastian away and I couldn't let that happen. Without thinking, I rushed forward, launching myself onto Sebastian, tears streaming down my face.

"No!" I shouted, not caring that everyone was watching. "No, you can't take him from me."

Sebastian wrapped an arm protectively around me, his face wild with terror. It seemed that my scream of refusal had pulled him from his trance, from the disbelief of his sister turning him in, and launched him into protectiveness. "Abbi, love, it'll be okay," he tried to coax, but I spoke over him, looking directly at the surprised Auror holding him.

"You let him go," I demanded, my hand still clutched on my wand. The magic that had been dormant all evening was screaming in my blood, demanding retribution for this stranger daring to touch him. "He's not yours!"

"He is, unfortunately. If you know what's best for you, little girl, I'd let go of him."

I flared up instantly, my wand shooting sparks dangerously close to Sebastian as I was still clinging to him desperately. He didn't flinch, but I did feel him look around, knowing instantly he was searching for a friendly face.

"I am not-"

I had started the sentence but was abruptly cut off by Professor Weasley pulling me away from Sebastian. "Come now, Miss Crane."

"No! No, I won't!" I shouted, pulling away from her roughly. "This can't- take me! Take me instead!"

"No," Sebastian choked, his voice full of strain, but the word coming out firmly. He looked at me with wild eyes, but just as I had gone to talk again, another set of arms grabbed me and pulled, tugging me from Sebastian's body.

"Take me! He didn't do anything!"

"That's quite enough-"

"Please, Abbi-"

A sharper tug. Space was created. Space that I did not want there to be between our bodies.

"Let go of me!" I shouted, reaching for his body, any part of him I could still touch as the hands pulled me by my arms away from him.

"Abbi, come now," Professor Weasley coaxed quietly, her hands the firmer of the two.

I couldn't even bring myself to plead again. The sound that left me was nothing but a scream of pure pain.

His hand reached for mine as we were torn apart, the warmth of him stolen from my now cold and empty body, his finger tips brushing mine last before the man holding him gave one last tug and Sebastian was ripped away from me, dragged through the silent hall, and out into the night.

Off to Azkaban.

Dimly, the second set of hands on my body registered. The long slender fingers, cold to the touch, and gripping tightly to me as if I was a lifeline. I suppose maybe I was the only lifeline left, but I couldn't possibly put anyone in my life raft if I was already pulled under.

"Ominis," I choked, tears sliding down my face. "What- What do-"

He shushed me, pulling me into his chest as a murmur erupted around the Great Hall. Students and Professors whispering amongst each other, while my whole body went numb. I simply spluttered into his arms, the pain and despair welling up inside of me and I struggled against him and Professor Weasley.

"Professor, I think it best if Poppy and I take her," Ominis was saying, his voice shaking. "She's not well."

Professor Weasley made a sound that she didn't approve, but Ominis had pried her talon like grip off of me and pulled me to my feet. Poppy's soft hands replaced the Professor's and they were guiding me away from the room. My sobs kept ripping through the air of the uncomfortably silent room as they guided me.

Away from eyes.

Away from the ball.

Away from my one night of normalcy.