Lament (Sebastian Sallow)

Chapter 9: Cecil's Red Flags

"Pleasure to see you around, again." Agnes Scribner lat out, "Skipping breakfast? I don't remember you being so studious in the library as a student."

How funny.

Penelope gave a dry laugh, closing up her journal and furrowing her brows at the enchanted clock above the bookcase.

"Merlin, did I skip breakfast? Time does run in the library doesn't it?" Penelope said at the notice, ignoring the student insult.

Within the talk, a portion of students began to enter the library, making this a warning for Penelope that school hours began and her writing sessions were over. The sun was bright and shining through those windows by then.

As Penelope gathered over her books and journal, she began to wonder if it might've been a good idea to approach either Percy Dumbledore or Professor Sallow on her findings.

No, it was school hours. The changes were low and she wasn't mentally prepared. Penelope was already exhausted not having proper sleep that morning.

A flap of wings tickled over Penelope's left ear, making her dodge a little at the sight and turn.

An owl stood in the nearest bookcase, a folded parchment paper in hand.

Miss Silverthorn

Words have redirected on your findings at St Mungos

We shall proceed with a faculty meeting as early as tomorrow morning

Happy Tuesday and see you soon

Headmaster Weasley

Penelope Silverthorn walked through the traffic on Central Hall while exiting the library. The nostalgic feel of seeing the students gossip at every corner of the bell exchange as she remembered her own days doing the same thing.

It was a known fact Penelope knew the Hogwarts castle well, so this gave her access to take several shortcuts to recreate her time as a student. To just pretend for a moment that life was normal again and there were no responsibilities on her plate.

Moments like these didn't last though.

Penelope walked with a positive outcome of exiting the doors of the Bell Tower and getting nature's air on an empty stomach, but before she could reach the stairs, another figure stood across.

Just a few feet and they would've connected, but both females paused on their feet and it took a few seconds to process the confrontation.

"Oh, hello there." Cecil Greengrass greeted, her smile tainted with an element of false emotion.

Cecil Greengrass stood there, her long green skirt flowing behind her like a river of emerald silk. Her red hair was pinned up in a bun, complimenting the shade of her bright green eyes.

"Oh, uh," Penelope cleared her though lightly, "Hi..." she stood in an awkward posture, not knowing how to call out the name.

"Cecil," Cecil kept the dark smile, "But you can start calling me Miss S, since you know, I'll be soon to be," she giggled to herself as the diamond engagement ring glowed over her finger.

It must've been a fortune.

Penelope Silverthorn was always confident, but she couldn't deny the surge of insecurity that she felt when she looked at Cecil. Cecil was pretty, and Penelope was forced to recognize that, especially being Sebastian Sallow's fiancee.