In the Shadows - Sebastian Sallow x reader (English)

Chapter 39

A little edit by me to compensate for a whole month of waiting.

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I fidgeted with my fingers as I paced back and forth in front of Professor Weasley's office. "Everything will be okay," Sebastian tried to reassure me. He leaned against the wall next to the door and watched me pace back and forth with his arms crossed. "How can you know?" I hissed. I was under tension and debated whether my decision was the right one. "Y/N, please calm down. You look like you want to run away at any moment." I stopped briefly and looked at Sebastian seriously. How can he stand there so relaxed when he's about to be expelled? "I'm about to do so," I admitted after a short silence. Sebastian pushed himself off the wall and came towards me. He gently took my hands in his. "Of course, you can do that if you want, but it won't change anything." He was right. I could have run away, but what good would it have done? That I would only fall further into my hole called trauma? That the things that I experienced destroyed my relationship with Sebastian because I could no longer be touched? No, I had to address the problem now and get help. Starting with me reporting Leander. I sighed and collapsed against Sebastian's chest. In response, he wrapped his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "And you're sure you want to come in?" I asked him. "After all, I'll probably have to go into detail about everything he did." Sebastian ran his fingers through my hair. "Yes, I am sure. I want to be with you and support you." My stomach tingled when I heard his words. I looked at him and stroked his cheek with my fingertips. "Thank you," I breathed and gave him a tender kiss.

Behind me, someone cleared their throat. Startled, I turned around and came face to face with Professor Weasley. "You wanted to speak to me, Miss Y/LN?" She obviously tried to suppress a smile but didn't quite succeed. "Um... yes, Professor." I reached for Sebastian's hand for support, and he squeezed mine tightly. "I want to report someone." Suddenly, the deputy headmistress's face turned pale and serious. She eagerly unlocked the door to her office and invited us in.

With a flick of her wand, Professor Weasley made two armchairs appear in front of her large desk. "Sit down, please." Sebastian and I sat down, fingers still intertwined. Professor Weasley sank into her chair across from us. She took a breath and folded her hands on the table before looking at me. "Who do you want to report, Miss Y/LN?" My heart was in my throat, and I looked at Sebastian, who nodded reassuringly and squeezed my hand. "L-Leander Prewett. He..." My voice broke, and I felt the tears threatening to fall at any moment. Sebastian stroked the back of my hand, and I took a breath. "He molested and touched me several times." Professor Weasley's expression faltered for a moment. "Would it be possible for you to tell me in more detail what happened?" the witch asked me. I nodded. "First, he kissed me on Halloween. I tried to defend myself, but he only held me tighter." I swallowed desperately against the lump in my throat that formed as I thought back to the encounters with Leander. "And yesterday, he ran after me and pushed me against the wall, kissed me and touched me." Sebastian, next to me, stiffened. I didn't know how much he knew about Leander's attack the day before, but something seemed new to him. "Then he said that he would like to... That he..." "You don't have to tell, Y/N," Sebastian reassured me. "No, it's fine," I replied. Sooner or later, I had to talk about what happened anyway, and sooner or later, Sebastian had to know everything, too. I collected myself for a moment and then continued in a firm voice. "Leander said that he wanted to sleep with me, just in a less pleasant way, and then he started unbuttoning my blouse." Sebastian's grip suddenly became tighter, and now I tried calming him down by stroking his hand. Professor Weasley listened to everything in silence. "I am very sorry you experienced something like this, Miss Y/LN. Even more so here in our school. I'll have to talk to Mr. Prewett about it. We will, of course, investigate such serious allegations, but we must listen to both sides. Hopefully, you understand that." I nodded in understanding. Professor Weasley raised an eyebrow questioningly. "But why didn't you come to me right after the Halloween incident?" Shit! I knew this would happen. I looked at Sebastian in desperation. "I... uh..." I started, but Sebastian intervened. "She wanted to protect me," he said. "Sebastian, don't." "Y/N told me that evening that Leander kissed her against her will, and I freaked out a little." "Mr. "Sallow, are you just about to confess that you are responsible for Mr. Prewett's injuries that evening?" Professor Weasley asked in shock. "Yes. I hit Leander. And Y/N was afraid that you would expel me from school for this. That's why she didn't say anything." Professor Weasley rubbed her temple. "Well, you'll definitely get punished for that, Mr. Sallow. Attacking a classmate, regardless of the motives, is something we do not tolerate here." Tears came to my eyes again, and I looked at Sebastian sadly. "However, you wanted to support your friend. "I, therefore, think that expulsion from school would be too harsh a punishment given the circumstances," the deputy headmistress continued. "I will discuss an appropriate punishment for your behaviour with Professor Black." Sebastian nodded, and the first tears rolled down my cheeks. "Thanks, Professor," I sniffled. She smiled softly. "I will ask Nurse Blainey to meet with you regularly. You probably have a lot to process." I nodded gratefully. "She will contact you," the red-haired witch continued. "You can leave if you don't want to say anything else. I must sit with the other professors and discuss Mr. Prewett's actions. But rest assured that there will be consequences for him." Sebastian and I stood up, and I thanked Professor Weasley again before leaving her office.