The Mystery of You

chapter six: duels and dread

"Your family?" I asked. I felt as if I was completely out of breath. My heart was pounding in my throat.

"Yes, we had some visitors this summer. As far as I knew, they were dark wizards from all around the area. They spoke of someone murdering one of their own in Keenbridge, a young witch with dark hair. There was a young girl with bright red hair with her, both in Hogwarts uniforms. It just so happened to line up with the day that you left. I knew that you both had left quite late from school to be traveling home by broom. It only took me a few minutes to put it together with the descriptions of the two of you."

"How did they know? He was completely alone torturing my sister. He was going to kill her if I didn't do something!"

"I don't know how they found out, but they did. I knew you would have had some reason for it, but I cannot tell you how sad I was to realize that you had used dark magic. I hope you will not touch it another time. It is not something that I can go through again," he said sadly. His head fell into his hands.

"Again?" I asked, my brows furrowed.

"What are you two doing out here? It's time for you both to go back to your common room and head to bed. It's late," Professor Weasley said, hopefully hearing none of our conversation. We both got up and walked back into the castle. I had so many questions for Ominis, as well as apologies. I felt horrible for keeping it from him. I felt worse for using dark magic to kill someone in the first place.

We walked in complete silence as I sniffled the whole walk back. Ominis was disappointed in me. Sebastian hated me. I loved Sebastian.

I loved Sebastian.

We walked into the common room to see a crackling fire in the fireplace. The fire was some of the only light in the entire room. My breath caught as I saw Sebastian standing in the glow of the fire, waiting. His brows were scrunched together, making him look deep in thought. My heart fluttered at the idea that his thoughts might be about me.

"Sebastian," Ominis said. "Did you know?" Ominis had passed disappointment and moved to anger at some point in our walk. I had never truly seen Ominis angry until this moment.

"Know what?" Sebastian said, looking up from the fire and seeing the two of us standing there.

"He knows," I said, looking at Sebastian with my red, puffy eyes. Realization struck his face as his eyes widened. He took a breath and his demeanor quickly changed. He shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Oh, well, I was not going to tell you. It was Willow's choice to tell you," Sebastian turned back towards the fire.

"I did not say anything about you not telling me. The horrible fact is that you knew and still chose to ignore Willow for a month and then treat her the way you have been after- everything," Ominis choked out the last word. I realized that Ominis was not angry at the fact alone that Sebastian knew, but the fact that he knew and had treated me the way he did. At that moment, I felt protected by Ominis and my heart warmed.

"Everything?" I said, but was ignored.

"I didn't ignore her. I got busy. I have been trying to talk Anne into coming home. I have a lot going on," Sebastian said. No one believed him. I knew that something had happened in their fifth year since Ominis and Sebastian took some time apart from one another, but I felt like they were referencing what had happened.

"Please. She deserves better than that."

"She does," Sebastian looked over at me with pain in his eyes. My heart broke and I decided that was enough for me, as guilt from the memories of the spring welled up in my throat. I felt like I was going to be sick and went running to the communal bathroom as I felt hot liquid move up my throat. This happened many times over the summer when the memories hit me.