The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter EIGHT - Gravy

Sebastian's heavy arm swung around my shoulder, his other tossed flourishingly around Anne's as our little quartet lugged her heavy suitcases up to the school gates. Sebastian had spent the better part of our last day in Feldcroft trying to convince her she wouldn't need twenty books from her "to be read" shelf and he'd ultimately succeeded... Anne had instead packed twenty one books.

My arm felt as if it could fall off at any moment as the weight tugged it downward. I'd insisted on carrying a suitcase on my own despite the boys' protests but in the end I'd been given one anyway. I had a sneaking suspicion it was the lightest of the bunch. Not that my constantly aching muscles would be able to tell the difference.

The carriage ride back to the school had been particularly quiet between Ominis and I. The twins on the other hand, hadn't stoped talking for more than the occasional intake of breath. Anne continuously voiced her concerns for her return to the halls of the school. Sebastian had consistently assured her all would be dreadfully "normal" and she had nothing to worry about. Both had hushed as the castle rose into view.

Hogwarts looked much the same but also much dissimilar to how we had left it.

The star scraping towers seemed a hair too low, the glimmer of the lake a haze too desaturated. Inside, the castle was quite dissimilar too. The halls felt entirely longer than they had prior and all of the portraits seemed to be eyeing us specifically. The particular behavior of the passing students also wasn't much help to the overall "normality" Sebastian had promised.

Students ogled the four of us from every hall and crevice of the stone walls. A few of them whispered amongst themselves while others outright waved hesitant hands or flashed pitiful smiles. It seemed around every turn there was another black cloaked body ready to devour any sliver of gossip our arrivals would soon bring. I wondered how it seemed everyone in this bloody school knew who we were. Surely one couldn't know of every student in the castle? Could they?We'd turned up early enough that there were thankfully only a handful of students roaming the grounds, but they were still enough to set us all a bit on edge.

Professor Weasley had greeted us at the door and welcomed us with a private breakfast in her closed classroom and office while she ran down a list of "settling in" tasks. Tooby and another innately kind house elf named Deek had showered us in plates of food and kind words.

The four of us had piled onto a single bench behind the desk nearest the front of the room where the house elves had piled the plates and dishes high with an assortment of colorful and delectable goodies. I sat on the edge followed by Sebastian to my left, Anne to his left and Ominis on the other edge. He and I had to lean in close to our respective partners as to not topple off the side of the bench. These desks were most definitely not made for four young adults and certainly not one entirely too fidgety Sebastian.

The chaos incarnate had thumbed through a bowl of pears, knocking fruit after fruit across the table until he'd found the brightest one and placed it on my plate with a triumphant grin. He'd then gone straight back to business piling warm biscuits, scrambled eggs and a heaping pile of gravy over the top of it all onto his own plate until the plate itself could no longer be seen.

Something slid noisily against the floor and I peaked over the edge of the table to find the house elves shoving a tall stool up to the edge ahead of the Sallow twins. Once the stool was properly placed, Tooby climbed up and Deek handed him a rather heavy looking gravy boat. Tooby replaced the table's now empty one promptly but eyed Sebastian up and down as he dove in to the gooey mess.

"Does Mr. Sallow wish to have some food with his gravy?"

Ominis snorted from the end of the table, spluttering into his glass of bright orange juice.

Sebastian paused, next mouthful of gravy covered food hovering just ahead of his lips and I watched as they grew into a grin. He nodded to the house elf as if offering his appreciation for the jest. I half expected him to catalog that particular saying away for later use.

Tooby smiled back and turned to Anne whose plate sat particularly empty in front of her.

"Does Miss not like any of the food? Tooby would be happy to bring something else. Yes. Tooby would be most delighted!"

"Oh! No it's wonderful, thank you..." When Tooby didn't respond and instead blinked at her expectantly, she continued. "I'm just not particularly hungry."

"Ooo yes. Tooby understands Miss. Tooby will prepare a bag for Miss for tummy grumbles later then!"

Before Anne had another moment to protest, Tooby had quickly hopped from the stool and disappeared out the door, Deek right on his heels.

I smiled to my eggs as I pushed them around my plate with the tip of my golden fork, happy Tooby hadn't noticed my own lack of appetite.

----

Professor Weasley had sent us off with rather strict instructions to attend our respective classes promptly following a quick trip back to our rooms to freshen up. She had assured Anne, her bed had been added to a special corner of the Slytherin dorms and that she would find a pile of assessment coursework and texts stacked near the baseboard.

The heavy suitcases had been transported by magic and our arms were free from the added weight as we stepped out into the hallway.

Sebastian rubbed his hand across his stomach before tapping it a few times and looking down at it quizzically as if he couldn't entirely place why it felt so full.

"Anne darling," Ominis held the crook of his arm out in her direction. "it shall be my honor to escort such a fine young woman back to the common room."

Sebastian pretended to retch, muttering under his breath something about the chivalry of an eighty year old man.

"We can reconvene in the Undercroft following the first set of classes. Alright?" A small spark twirled behind Anne's eyes. "I've rather much missed that place and am eager to see it again."

She placed her hand around Ominis' arm and the two shuffled off, guided by the pulsing red light of Ominis' wand.

I gave Sebastian's hand a tight squeeze and he placed a small peck on my cheek.

"See you in the Undercroft then."

Sebastian winked and the butterflies in my stomach swarmed the blooming nausea.

"See you then darling." He spoke in the worst Ominis impression I'd yet to hear from him but I couldn't help but smirk as I turned away.

The butterflies almost completely distracted me from noticing Sebastian pad away in entirely the opposite direction of the Slytherin common room.