Getting dressed, I refused to look at Sebastian. I knew I shouldn't have said that, but my mouth decided to speak first before my mind could speak.
Just as I was doing my tie, quite poorly might I saw, a hand took mine and dragged me to my bed before sitting us down as those same hands reached up to do my tie.
"So. What about Anne?"
"I-I can't."
"Why not?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, "it's not my place to tell. She didn't want me to tell."
His hands stopped as he finished he pushed my tie up before dropping his hands into his lap.
"How long have you been talking to her?"
"Sebastian-"
"How long?"
"Before summer", I mumbled.
"I see."
His words hung in the air between him and me. Standing from the bed, he slowly straightened up. I watched as the skin around his eyes tightened up.
"Seba-"
Not even his name could escape my mouth when the door opened before a large slam reverberated through the air. I knew it was coming, but I still jumped out of my skin.
He walked out without looking at me.
I brought my knees and settled my chin on them thinking of what to do, of who to go to. Tears prickled the corners of my eyes before starting to stream down my face as I nestled my face into my legs, small sobs escaping my lips.
Little did I know, Sebastian didn't leave entirely, instead stood outside the dormitories his grip tightened around his arm as he listened to my sobs.
"Where did it go all so wrong", he murmured.
He went back to his dormitory and there on his bed sat a letter, the familiar emblem and motto ᚨᛚᚹᚨᚤᛋ ᛁᚾ ᛈᛟᚹᛖᚱ, stared at him. He took the letter in his hands, contemplating what to do.
After I had cried for minutes gone, I released myself from my curled-up position as I cast reparo and scourgify, the ink stains disappeared and the pot of ink and quill returned to its original state.
I took the quill in hand as I began to write words.
Dear Anne,
I have some unfortunate news.
Everything has been going all so wrong.
I shall not go into the context of how we reached the conversation, but Sebastian now suspects something is with you.
I deeply apologise, it was my fault I blurted it out.
But Anne, please meet with me, we must discuss this.
Your dearest,
Y/N
Folding up the letter, I handed the envelope to my snowy owl as he flew out to the Sweeting cottage where Anne was sitting reading a book as my letter dropped in front of her.
She opened it eagerly, but soon was gripping the letter with shaking hands as she immediately wrote a response.
Walking through the streets of Hogsmeade, I rubbed my hands against my robe in an attempt to stop my palms from sweating. The nerves ran through me as butterflies erupted in my stomach, each person I passed it was clear that I was nervous.
Finally entering the Three Broomsticks, "my, my, you look like you've seen better days."
"Hi, Sirona", I looked to the side of me to see Anne already sitting in a booth, butterbeer in hand.
She handed me a similar mug, "for the nerves."
"Thanks", I took the mug in hand as I made my to the booth, taking a seat in front of the person I'd been dreading to see.
"Anne", I whispered.
"Y/N."
The two of us sat in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other.
After taking a sip, Anne was the first to speak, "so he knows I'm fully healed now?"
I gave out a small sigh of release, "thank Merlin no."
"Well that's good I suppose."
"Anne I'm sorry", I really was.
I really thought she was going to start screaming at me, start telling me how horrible of a friend I was. It was one secret and even I couldn't keep it. All because of one boy.
But instead, she gave me a small smile.
"I know how much my brother means to you and plus Ominis has told me what has been happening to you lately."
She took my hand, "y/n, you don't look too well."
Rubbing my forehead, I exhaled, "not the first time I've heard that."
She pulled her hand back to enclose it with her other, "I'm not mad at you. But we do have a situation here."
I agreed.
I watched as her eyebrows furrowed, contemplating her decision but it seems she had been thinking for a long time.
"I'm going to go back."
I paused, blinking my eyes before splurting out, "w-what, what?"
I listened intently when Anne explained that since all of us had returned to Hogwarts for sixth year, she had felt a sense of loneliness and realised that she couldn't survive another year of missing out on school. Missing out on the work. Her friends.
And now that she was healed, she decided the possibility of taking Professor Black and Professor Weasley's offer and now with everything that has happened with Sebastian and Ominis and Ashok, she supposed that it was finally time to return.
Perhaps then, Sebastian can stop his advances for a way to cure her.
I took hold of her hands, "Anne! That's amazing news!"
She gave me a sweet smile as tears began to stream down her face, I panicked for a second thinking I may have upset her at some point during this conversation, but she just laughed, reassuring me that it was from happiness.
We continued to chat for a bit and I caught her up with everything that has happened so far, the kiss with Ashok, fighting with Sebastian and of course, having Ominis be the brother he is and taking care of me. But more importantly, the memories.
"So you believe these memories may be your past?"
"Mhm."
"But nothing concrete yet?"
"Mhm."
"Interesting."
Anne had her own theories of why I was beginning to see these memories, her favourite was that after inhaling the pain Isidora stored, she's the only person who knows, perhaps it snapped something inside my mind. It could've awakened my painful memories.
"That is quite a possible theory."
"Nonetheless, I'll be by your side to figure out this whole thing."
I embraced her as I mumbled into her neck, "thank you, Anne."
After an hour, I bid her goodbye as I made my way back to Hogwarts, excited that Anne will be returning as a student. But I could only now think of Sebastian, he was definitely mad at me. But maybe with Anne's arrival in a few days, we could put everything behind us-
"Hello, sweetheart."
I looked up to see a familiar raven head with striking blue eyes.
"Ashok", I breathed out.
Then my face contorted into one of disgust, "sweetheart?"
He just laughed, "I'm joking, no need to get your knickers in a twist."
"Right", I dragged out suspiciously.
Then I crossed my arms, "what do you need?"
"Just letting you know that we haven't done rounds together in a while, I think Weasley's starting to get suspicious."
My stomach dropped, in this whole ordeal, I had completely neglected my prefect duties.
"Oh my."
"Oh my is right. Listen, I know I was a complete dick to you, but I know that being a prefect is important to us. So, let's put all of this aside and start anew."
I sighed, he was right. If being a prefect meant that I could become Head Girl, then I will do anything to get it.
I held my hand out, "alright then. Hello, my name is Y/N L/N."
He let out a deep chuckle that ran down my body, "Turner. Ashton Turner. How about we have drinks tomorrow whilst discussing our duties?"
"Deal."
Our hands shook, but I wasn't aware that there was more to this than starting over.
-