Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Fifty-Two: Expectations

I knew why, of course.

I was his.

And he was mine.

That wasn't something Thorfinn Gaunt could change, no matter what claim he currently held over me.

Sebastian broke the kiss reluctantly, and gave me one final squeeze before stepping back from me.

"Get this done, and we'll be back with Poppy and Ominis soon, love."

"I'll be quick," I whispered, grabbing his hand in mine. "I love you."

Sebastian's eyes flashed wildly. "Keep telling me things like that and I won't let you leave. Go."

As I turned away from him, heading down to meet my fate, the thought Ominis twisted like a knife in my chest as I looked back at Sebastian and left the room. Sebastian had been carted off to Azkaban a week ago. I'd gone after him and not returned. Anne was held prisoner under the Imperius Curse in Feldcroft, watched day and night by Marvolo Gaunt. Despite all of this, there had been no word of Ominis, no sign of him coming to the manor, or utilizing his father's connections to get Sebastian out of Azkaban.

It made me angry any time I thought about it.

How little did he care about his best friend, if after everything, he was just going to sit back and let him rot?

The sight of the front door of the manor house and Thorfinn standing in front of it expectantly, while holding out my wand to me drew me from my angry thoughts.

"Use that anger," Thorfinn advised, reading the expression on my face correctly. "You seem to perform better when you're feeling pure anger and hatred."

I nodded to him, and took my wand from his hand. The green gem hilt that Sebastian gifted me still glittered there and I felt a fresh surge of hatred for the entire Gaunt family as I clutched the wand in my hand. Thorfinn turned briskly and exited the estate, making it clear I was to follow him.

I grumbled under my breath as I looked back up to where I'd left Sebastian.

"You have no idea."
~
Sebastian's POV

It never occurred to me I wouldn't be able to keep Abbi safe from everything that could come her way. Watching her leave the room, trailing after Thorfinn Gaunt with her life dependent on her success, I knew I'd failed her.

It was the universes way of punishing me, I knew it.

I'd never known anything but tragedy thanks to it.

My parents? Dead.

My sister? Cursed and nearly dead from the pain as it ate away at her.

The woman I loved? Bound to servitude to the Gaunt's, while I was helpless.

Any time I got a scrap of happiness, it was stolen away. I was to suffer, and feel pain. My life would never know peace and that was my fault. I turned to Dark Magic, I failed to stop when everyone told me to. It was my own fault I let the world steal my happiness again.

Just as before, though, I was determined to steal it back. I'd always steal it back.

With Thorfinn gone, I could fill explore the newest spell I'd found in Slytherin's spellbook. It really did seem Salazar Slytherin had an answer for everything. The costs to me could be worked out later, so long as her life wasn't the price.

If I was reading this correctly, and I was sure I was, I would be able to bind myself to that Unbreakable Vow and remove her from the equation.

A switching spell, enhanced by dark magic. It seemed easy enough, in theory.

Abbi wouldn't be pleased with the idea, but it would guarantee her freedom. That's the only thing that mattered to me anymore.

I read and reread the pages for what felt like hours. I had to be sure that removing her from the vow wouldn't end her life. I could take over the control of the Minister of Magic for her, immediately, which would keep me alive long enough to figure out how to kill Thorfinn Gaunt and hopefully keep myself alive.

I just needed to be sure it would work.

My nose was so close to the pages of the book as I devoured the page, searching for anything that would keep her tied to the vow, that I was not alert enough to catch the creak of the top stair. Normally, I'd have heard it and moved faster.

It wasn't until a hushed voice sounded just outside the door that my attention was pulled away from the spellbook. My head snapped up, all my attention pulled to that door and the very real danger that was behind it.

With no wand, there wasn't much that I would use in this room to defend myself. Nothing I could do to stop someone cursing me or dragging me back to Azkaban. I lunged for the door choosing to hide myself behind it as I opened it.

If I couldn't fight fairly, at least I could give myself a leg up by surprising them.

The handle began to shake, and just as it turned, I slammed my hand onto it and ripped it open, shielding myself with it as I hid between it and the wall.

A small figure tumbled into the room, drowning in black cloth. It was easy to tell it was a woman, the frame of her shoulders was a dead giveaway. I could overpower her easily, magic or no magic. She whipped around as she straightened up, her brown hair just poking out of the hood, and her pale hand motioning forward another.

A male entered the room, followed closely by a third. Another female.

I squared my shoulders and took a steadying breath.

I'd just have to hope none of them fired off an Unforgivable at me.

I shifted my position, crouched down so I could pounce out of the shadows and hopefully steal a wand from one quickly and then-

"Where are they? Omi, you said they'd be here!"

The first female was hissing at the male. He hissed back at her, anger and frustration laced through his words.

"They're here! I know they're here. I didn't use that damned spell to be told a lie!"

My heart stopped in my chest.

I dropped to my knees with a heavy thud. All three people in front of me jumped, wands drawn, before the third person who'd entered the room lowered hers and rushed forward.

"Sebastian!"

Her arms engulfed me in a way they hadn't in years. Her embrace was one I had longed for for so long now, that I'd accepted I would never feel it again.

And yet, here she was. When I needed her most, like she always promised to be.

"A-Anne?"