Cursed (Hogwarts Legacy fanfiction - original in German)

Chapter 30 - Reveal your secrets

After Ominis had finally realized that he wouldn't be able to stop Sebastian and Nathan from leaving him behind at Hogwarts, he gave them a detailed set of directions on how they could best and inconspicuously approach his family's estate in Little Hangleton. 

Sebastian and Nathan immediately dashed off, and it caused Ominis a pang of discomfort to let them go. However, he also wanted someone to immediately rescue Phina from the clutches of his family, especially because he knew how cruel and ruthless they were. He could only hope that nothing would happen to the two of them and that they would somehow manage to quickly reunite with Phina and, most importantly, return safe and unharmed. 

It bothered him greatly that he still couldn't quite gauge Nathan. The Keeper descendant had sounded quite self-assured, but perhaps he simply didn't know what he was truly dealing with. Notus and Selwyn and even Alvertos and Marvolo were almost benign compared to his father. Ominis prayed that the two wouldn't cross paths with him.

As he made his way back to the castle, the Auror sat back relaxed by the fountain on one of the benches, as if he intended to continue guarding the northern exit. And no matter how much his inner voice screamed at him to immediately follow Sebastian and Nathan, Ominis knew that it would likely only put the two in even greater danger. Nathan had been right; he himself was probably still of interest to his family, and it was safer for him to remain in Hogwarts. 

And it was also safer for his friends, who would want to protect him at all costs should a confrontation arise. He had experienced that in Brocburrow already. He hadn't felt so weak in a long time. It had felt like he let Sebastian fight for him, and that was exactly how it felt now. He sent others ahead, just as his cunning father did. 

Ominis tried not to get lost in these thoughts and was relieved when he finally reached the undercroft. He summoned an entire troupe of training dummies, similar to the ones Lucan used for Crossed Wands. Ominis had never participated in the dueling club; it made him uncomfortable to be observed by others while practicing his dueling skills and movement sequences. But now he didn't have to hold back. And that was his plan. 

He had to distract and vent somehow, and he was ready to exhaust himself completely just to avoid thinking about what was happening in Little Hangleton. He removed his school robe and tie, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and drew his wand. Shortly after, he made the first training dummy explode. He was angry, and that was good. And the louder the sounds were that the dummies made as they shattered under the force of his spells, the better he felt.

Meanwhile, using the Floo Network, Sebastian and Nathan covered the majority of the distance to Little Hangleton quickly. For the remainder, they kept themselves hidden away from official streets and paths. It was in the middle of the day, yet fortunately, the two encountered hardly any other people. 

The quaint little village nestled between two steep hills appeared quite peaceful, despite being the apparent residence of the head of one of the most powerful associations of dark wizards. Spring could transform even a place like Little Hangleton into an idyllic spot. 

However, Sebastian wouldn't be fooled by this innocent impression. Somewhere here, Phina was being held captive, likely experiencing terror. She had witnessed the ruthless act of Marvolo Gaunt casting a deadly curse towards him. The thought of his best friend now being defenseless against that monster and his followers made Sebastian feel almost sick.

"I think this is the edge of the hill where the estate is located," Nathan's voice finally pulled him out of his thoughts. The Keeper descendant had remained silent the whole time, completely absorbed in himself, creating a rather uncomfortable silence between the two. Even now, his voice sounded rather dry and matter-of-fact.