Serpent's Embrace | A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter Three: A Twist of Fate

"Anne, Solomon is expecting us soon," Sebastian Sallow said as he stood to follow Professor Fig from the home of the Nott's.

Anne scrunched up her nose at her brother, evidently displeased by what he had said. Madeline could see it in the flare in her eyes, and the way Anne immediately moved to her, and wrapped her arm through Madeline's. Anne's arm was viselike on Madeline's and it took everything in her not to flinch.

"Tell him I'm staying here with Maddie. I'll come back later."

"You know its not safe to walk alone-"

"Ten yards? Sebastian, be reasonable. Tell him I'll send an owl or shout across the hamlet when I am ready to go if he insists I need an escort to walk ten yards." Anne said, annoyance evident in her tone, her eyes narrowing to dangerous slits. Anne had never liked being viewed as weak, and after their parents deaths, Solomon seemed to latch on and worry about her more with every passing day. It had always driven her nuts, and much to her displeasure, Sebastian was just as bad as her uncle.

Sebastian left with a curt nod to Madeline's parents, a glare aimed at her father, and slammed the door on the way out. Madeline's parents retreated to their bedroom, their faces somber. Madeline tried not to let it bother her, she wanted them to be happy.

It seemed now like they never would be.

And so here she sat, beaming up at her best friend after the Professor and her brother had left, Madeline staring bewildered at her. "What's that all about?"

Anne waved her hand, "Goblins are causing a bit of a problem lately. But that's not what matters right now! Right now, we need to talk about you!"

Madeline flushed, her heart leaping into her throat. It was real; she was going to Hogwarts. After all of these years, after longing for it and wishing for it, something in her had finally changed. Finally, a key had been turned and she was free to pursue her rightful place in the world. How long had that been what she wanted, what she had craved?

"It doesn't feel real," she whispered, sitting in her chair, exactly where she had been this morning when she discovered what the letter had said. How had it not even been a day? "I- I still haven't ever done any, you know..."

The admission, though nothing out of the ordinary to her normal life, made her sick to her stomach. She had somewhat hoped that Professor Fig would have had her try, would have had her perform some kind of magic, show her the key piece of the puzzle she had been missing all these years. Infuriatingly, he had hardly said anything at all, beyond convincing her mother and father to let her attend.

Convince them that she'd actually been accepted, more than anything.

"Do you want to try again?" Anne asked gently, holding her own wand out to Madeline.

"What?" Madeline asked, jaw on the floor as she stared at her best friend. "Anne, no, you can't be-"

"Of course I'm serious," Anne said, standing up and walking over to her, the wand held out in her open palm. "Look, it's been ages since you've tried and clearly something has changed. C'mon, just try."

Madeline stared at the wand as though it might bite her. As though if she touched it, and nothing happened, then it was all a lie and truly some evil fabricated plan of Sallow's to embarrass her. This wouldn't just be embarrassing; it would be humiliating. Anne didn't take her eyes off of her best friend, willing her to face this fear. She held the wand steady in her hand.

Slowly, as though it would leap out and bite her, Madeline took the wand from Anne. She studied it's bevelled hilt, noting the way it narrowed at the end of the hilt and flared out where her fingers gripped it, fitting semi-comfortably in her palm. It felt different than when she held her mothers or her fathers wand.