After All This Time// Sebastian Sallow x Reader Hogwarts Legacy Fanfiction

Chapter 90

"You want us to let him take her?" Ominis exclaimed. Everyone, including me, looked equally as confused. Sebastian was sure this would work, though. 

Charles suddenly started speaking again. "Someone tell me where she is, and I'll be on my way. I'm a patient man; I can wait her all night." 

I rubbed my palms against the fabric of my dress and listened again to Sebatian's plan. 

"There's only one reason he would need you, in my opinion. He knows the repository is here in Hogwarts, but he's unsure of its exact location. You do."

I took a deep breath. "And if we're wrong?"

"You've shown me where The Map Chamber is before. And the entrance to the repository is there, right? We'll wait a little bit and follow you down there. We can face him if we all fight together. If we're wrong, I want you to leave some kind of trail. Something we can follow. We; 'll only be a minute behind you, okay?"

"Give me your wand now, though, so he doesn't take it from you," Poppy suggested. 

I immediately handed it over to her, taking a deep breath. 

"Here goes," I said. Sebastian and Ominis finally let go of my arms, and I started the walk to the front of the room. 

Pensive and nervous looks followed me through the room as the other students saw what I was doing. 

"There you are!" Charles said as his eyes met mine. I held a strong and steady gaze, trying not to let him see my nervousness. I hoped we weren't wrong. 

I knew that once we were down there, it would be an intense fight if I didn't find a way to neutralize him immediately. He could manipulate the ancient magic too, and with that much of it swirling around, no one else down there would be on our level. It's going to all fall on me.

He stepped off the stage and took my arm, leading me through the crowd. I tried not to look over at my friends and give anything away. 

"Where's your wand?" he asked me. 

"I didn't bring it tonight." 

"I have a hard time believing that. If you don't hand it over, I will take much pleasure in strip-searching you for it, darling."

I cringed. "I'm being honest." 

"We'll see about that." 

After we left the hall, we turned around a corner where another group of his men stood waiting. 

"Now, y/n, I need something from you, and I don't want you to try anything. I'll get what I want, but if you want all of your little friends and teachers to get out of this alive, I suggest you be honest with me and cooperate." 

"Okay," I said, averting my eyes from his gaze. 

"You know where the last remaining repository is. I know it's somewhere in this castle, and you're going to take me there. Now."

He let go of my arm and shoved me forward, and I hardly caught myself from falling. I silently cursed myself for wearing heels. I wasn't used to them whatsoever. They were going to make this whole thing a lot more challenging. 

I hesitantly started the walk down toward the repository. Part of me was incredibly nervous to see if The Keepers were currently in the Map Chamber. I'd have to pass before them to get to The Repository, and they'd know I was taking someone down there. I was not supposed to do that. The keepers would also have to let us through to the caverns that led to the repository. I knew it was going to be a difficult thing to convince them to let us through. 

Charles whistled a repetitive and upbeat tune as we made our way down to the Map Chamber. I was filled with a small amount of relief, knowing that my friends would be right behind me and that we were right about his intentions. I didn't know how we would deal with it once we got down there. The thought of them getting hurt replaced any feeling of ease I'd gained. 

We went all the way down to the bottom levels of the castle, and I took him to the Map Chamber. Only Percival Rachkam was in his portrait frame, which made the task feel a bit smaller; I knew that any of the other Keepers would be harder to convince than he was. 

"What's this?" Charles said upon entering the room. "This doesn't look like the repository."

"No shit, just give me a minute," I said. "It would do you best to stay back for a moment."

"You're not planning anything now, are you?"

"I know I've given you no reason to trust me, but please do as I ask right now."

I turned around and looked at Charles, who held a pensive look on his face. "Fine," he finally replied. He waited at the top of the stairs, and I descended the small set of stairs and crossed the Map Chamber, stopping in front of Professor Rackham's portrait. 

"You've brought guests," he stated. "Might I presume this visit isn't for leisure?"

"It's not," I replied. "Though I need to ask a major favor of you."

Percival folded his hands and looked down at me, waiting for me to speak. 

"I know this goes against everything we fought for, but I need you to let us pass through to the repository." I then lowered my voice to a serious whisper. "Many people might die if you don't let me take him through. I wouldn't be here if I had any other choice."

Charles then called out to me from the other side of the room. "I don't like to be left waiting!"

"You do know how dangerous this is?" Percival asked. 

"Like I said, I wouldn't do this unless left with no other options. This is the only way forward that might save people from getting hurt."

"I don't like this at all," he said, stroking his beard. "You have proven yourself a capable witch in the past. It seems I have no choice but to trust you."

With that, the floor to the Map Chamber slowly sank until the stairs to the caverns were revealed. I sucked in a deep breath and uttered a thank you to Percival Rackham before returning to Charles.