Revelio-Sebastian Sallow

shallow waters

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After Madam Kogawa took him off, the game continued, and it was just getting harder to watch. Honestly, I envied Ominis at that moment. I winced every time Sebastian lost track of the Snitch and booed every time Gryffindor got a point. The score was 30-170, and while the brisk autumn air felt nice for a while, I was freezing. I wrapped myself tighter in my Slytherin scarf, still cheering for Seb in my now-raspy voice.

Then, finally, Sebastian found the Snitch. His face lit up, and he leaned forward on his broom, the Gryffindor Seeker on his tail. Some action was happening on the field, and I was watching intently, leaning closer to the game.

He got closer and closer by the second, memorizing the Snitch's sudden turns and aggressive moments, reaching his gloved hand out to try to grab the shiny gold object.

Except I didn't notice Garreth flying up to our Keeper with the Quaffle. The bell dinged at the same moment Sebastian caught the Snitch, leaving the crowd speechless.

Madam Kogawa was too. She sat still on her broom, the Quidditch game below us mimicking her movement. It looked like a muggle photograph. Once the crowd started to talk, however, Kogawa rose upwards to shut us up, with the rest of the Quidditch team in shock. I found Sebastian and saw him land on the ground, running his hands through his hair. Garreth landed soon after, an indifferent expression on his face.

Kogawa blew her whistle, shouting that Gryffindor won by 10 points. Sebastian catching the Snitch counted, but so did Garreth, getting that last goal.

Students cheered loudly around me, leaving me in shock. I couldn't deal with having to talk to Garreth. I would immediately beg him to take me back, and I needed to be strong.

My breath caught in my throat and I left Ominis there in the stands in my panic. I walked out, my heart beating out of my chest and my stomach twisting in knots. When I felt the chilled air again once I walked out, I willed myself not to cry. Sebastian came up to me, breathless.

"Merlin, Aura. That game was terrible. I'm so sorry you have to go talk to him now. I wish I could help."

I forced myself to smile, despite the rising panic inside of me, and I reached up for his face to kiss him. "It's okay, Sebastian. That game was amazing. And the way you saved that kid!"

"Eh, it was nothing. Seriously."

I hugged him, proud of him and also trying to calm my racing heart, but nothing was working. I couldn't stop overthinking.

"Do you want me to come with you, to talk to him?"

"No, it's okay. I'll survive."

Except I wasn't sure I was going to at this point. I was breathing shallow, ragged breaths, holding my sides. "Merlin, help me," I whispered.

Sebastian noticed not a moment too late and caught me before I fell, rubbing my back.

"Hey, it's okay. You don't have to go talk to him. We could go hide out in the Undercroft. You don't have to go," he repeated.

He pulled me closer to him, scared of what was happening to me right now. I found comfort in his body heat and grabbed his neck, pulling us into a warm embrace. My breathing slowed, returning to normal, and my heart stopped pounding in my ears. I took a deep breath and found comfort in Sebastian's brown eyes looking down at me. He looked terrified. If only he knew what was going on in my mind right now.

I dragged myself back up, making him stand up, too. Together we trudged to the Undercroft, where I could finally breathe. I didn't have to go talk to him. I was alone in the Undercroft with Sebastian Sallow, hiding from reality.