I was enjoying my peaceful breakfast until it was disturbed by a bickering Sebastian and Ominis. From what I could tell, Ominis was dragging an annoyed Sebastian towards me and demanded he sit in front of me.
"Good morning," I said, taking a bite of my toast, very confused by what was occurring in front of me.
"Sit like a good boy!" Ominis yelled.
"Yes, Sebastian. Be a good boy," I threw him a small grin and took another bite as he glared at me, his look trying to give me a warning, "What did you both get up to last night?"
I could see Sebastian fidgeting, his legs shifting and shuffling his robes around.
"I had a lovely chat with Anne actually. It was wonderful to finally see her again. I've missed her quite a lot." Ominis said.
"Oh, I bet you missed her," Sebastian said snarkily.
I gasped and kicked his leg hard under the table.
"Ow!"
"So what did you get up to, Sebastian?" I pried, knowing exactly what he had gotten up to.
"Oh, you know. Just some light reading," his voice was a higher pitch than normal, giving away that he probably wasn't doing some light reading.
Light petting more like it.
"Hmm. Sounds interesting. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of both of your company this morning?"
"When I spoke to Anne last night she was insistent that the three of us sort out any issues we had and try and be friends again. She said it would mean the world to her and I would like to think we should be doing everything we could to make her happy right now." Ominis said.
"I agree. Sebastian, I believe this is all on you now. Are we friends?" I said, laying heavy emphasis on the friends part.
He looked back and forth between Ominis and I and a raised an eyebrow with a devilish grin on my face.
"Alright, fine. Yes. We're all friends." He admitted defeat, throwing his arms to the side.
Through the rest of breakfast, it was mostly Ominis and I talking, Sebastian only speaking when he was asked a question. But the rest of the time, he scraped his fork around his plate with his cheek cupped in his hand.
We split for class, Sebastian and I walking to potions together though he still seemed to be in his shitty mood.
"I thought you'd be relaxed and happy after last night?" I bit at him, getting frustrated by his lack of communication.
"Oh, I am. But why do we need to force this? Surely if we were going to be friends, we'd just let it happen."
"Look, I agree with you. But let's just appease Ominis for now. If it makes he and Anne happy, then why would we jeopardise that?"
"Hmm. I'll admit your right... this time," He smirked.
"Ahh, there's the Sallow I like. Smile more, it's sexy."
He scoffed and I saw him try and stop the large smile he now wore across his face.
"Are you going to tell Ominis about the cloak and the wand?" I asked.
"God, no! Do you think I'm mad? Remember the relic?"
I did in fact remember the relic. I would argue that Sebastian and Ominis' friendship was done for even before Solomon's death because of the damned thing. But I don't know how I felt about lying to Ominis yet again about our dangerous pursuits.
"Hmm. I'll agree to keep it a secret as long as you promise not to do anything stupid with them."
He glared at me and I could sense he was trying to figure out a way to agree to the promise without actually agreeing to the promise. So he nodded.
Sebastian actually moved benches in potions today, pinching Duncan Hobhouses seat at the back of the room with me before he could get there, much to his disappointment. But he wouldn't dare approach Sebastian about it, he'd likely be levioso'd straight into the puffskein enclosure at Beasts class if he dared to challenge him. But before Sharp could start the class, Sebastian had walked over to Garreth who had just waved at me as I entered.
What the fuck?
He tapped him on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Garreth threw Sebastian a strange look then shrugged and scribbled down a note on a piece of parchment, sliding it across to Sebastian who quickly shoved it into his robe pocket before returning to me.
"What the hell was that all about?" I hissed, absolutely dumbfounded by what I had just witnessed.
"Nothing. Boy talk." he replied casually.
I wasn't impressed with his casual response to the question, but I couldn't press because Sharp had begun the class.
"Settle down, this lesson is extremely important." Sharp instructed.
He ushered us all closer to observe the small boiling cauldron he had simmering on his own desk. It was bright pink. I had read about this before... and I was petrified.
"Mr. Hobhouse, come and smell this." He picked Duncan out from the crowd of students.
Duncan almost shoved his whole head in the cauldron, which was entirely unnecessary as I could smell it from my position at the back of the group.
"What do you smell?" Sharp asked him.
"Uhh... grapes and old carpet sir."
The room erupted into a fit of laughter and I did feel a bit sorry for poor old Puffskein Dunkein.
But I absolutely did not smell grapes and old carpet. I knew exactly what this was. I was slightly scared.
"Amortentia, the most powerful love potion in the world. Now, I would have preferred to not teach this to you hooligans, but unfortunately the curriculum states I have to," Sharp scoffed, "Now you'll probably notice you aren't all smelling... uh, grapes and old carpet... but something unique to yourselves. I encourage you all to discuss what you smell while you gather the ingredients listed on page 74 of your textbooks."
"Lavender, freshly baked scones and rain on the pavement a hot day." Sebastian whispered into my ear, startling me.
"Shit! What?" I almost yelled, turning around and whacking him with a hand across the chest in fear.
"That's what I smell. What about you?"
"Uhh, lemon, cinnamon and... musk."
Shocking really, that the scent I smelt earlier from the potion was also now right behind me...
"Huh. That's interesting, I've never smelt any of those on Garreth before." He smirked at me and I oh so desperately wanted to slap it off his face.
"Shut up!" He earned himself another whack, "Go and gather your potion ingredients."
As I walked over to collect a cauldron to begin, Garreth was also there grabbing one for himself.
"Hey, Olive. I haven't seen you in a while."
"I know, I'm sorry. Assignments up to my ears." I lied.
"Hope it's not my aunt loading you up with them again." He chuckled.
"Oh, no. She hasn't. Don't worry." I feigned a smile.
"Good. So, what did you smell?"
Fuck, think of something... quick.
"Oh... uh, leather and... fresh parchment."
"Interesting. I smelled lavender and something baked that I can't quite put my finger on." Garreth said very casually, as if it didn't mean much.
He didn't understand the significance, but I sure did. I tried my best to hide my shock, but I was certain all the blood had drained from my face and I suddenly felt woozy.
"That is also interesting. Anyway, uh... best be getting this cauldron back." I excused myself quickly, making sure I stayed upright as I walked instead of keeling over myself.
"See ya! Don't forget about our walk tomorrow!" He called after me.
Well thankfully he mentioned it because I definitely had forgotten. My mind had been preoccupied elsewhere.
"You alright, Olive? You look like a ghost just walked through you," Sebastian noticed as I returned, my face must have been drained of all colour.
"Yes. No. I'm good. Let's get brewing."
I helped Sebastian with his potion and he acted like he was helping me, though I knew exactly what I was doing as I had read ahead in the class material one of those nights I wanted to avoid everyone.
"Ah, well done Mr. Sallow, Miss Raywood. Perhaps you should sit next to Olive more often, she seems to have a good effect on you." Professor Sharp smiled peering over both our cauldrons which had turned a perfectly flawless pink.
We scooped up our perfect brews into vials and tucked them into our robes as class wrapped up. I felt myself beaming from the praise Sharp had given us. He was right, we worked together well. When we wanted to.
"I have to go down to the Undercroft to fetch something. I'll talk to you later," Sebastian said as we walked through the central hall after class, leaving me alone as he jogged ahead of me.
I was slightly confused because we had Defence Against the Dark Arts together next... and I could have walked with him considering the two locations were very close together, but I let him go.
Though I really should have chased after him, because he never came to class.
"Where's Sebastian? He was fine this morning." Ominis asked as we were dismissed by Hecat.
"I'm not sure, he ran off after potions. Something about getting something from the Undercroft," I reiterated what Sebastian had said to me, "I have time, I could go and check if he's still there?"
"That's probably a good idea, Olive. I'll be in the common room. Let me know if you can't find him."
I descended the stairs from the Defence Against the Dark Arts class room and snuck down the hidden hall, entering the Undercroft quietly.
"Shit! Olive!" Sebastian jumped up quickly, clearly not expecting my presence as the rusty gate slammed down behind me.
I tried to peer around him as he tried to shield whatever he was doing with his robe.
"What are you doing? You said you had to grab something!" I said, taking quick steps towards him.
"I did... it's just, taking a lot longer than I thought." He mumbled.
I tried to walk around him, but he kept blocking my view, stepping whichever way I did.
"Sebastian, please," I said, trying to push him out of the way.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest as if he were trying to hug me tightly.
"Get off me, Sallow!" I demanded, my fists now pounding on his chest.
He sighed and let me go, dipping his head as he stepped to the side. There was a small caulrdon brewing over a small fire he'd lit. It was a sickly green colour and smelled awful.
"What are you brewing?" I said, my eyes scanning the surroundings. He had several books spread out as well as a scrap of parchment with messy scrawl on it... Garreth's messy scrawl. "Sebastian. What the fuck are you brewing?"
He stared at me blankly, his face completely unmoving but his hands fiddled with each other nervously. So I crouched down and picked up a book and the note.
"Wha- why... is this a-"
"It's a contraceptive potion, Olive." He finally spoke in a monotonous tone, unclasping his hands and dropping them to his side.
"Why?" I asked... stupidly.
"Why do you think? Would you rather I get you pregnant?" He grinned.
"Who said I'd even give you the opportunity to get me pregnant?" I said, folding my arms across my chest.
"Hah. Aren't you a funny one... I told you yesterday and the day before. I'm going to make you mine." He stepped slightly closer to me and I tried to step back, but I ran into one of the large stone pillars, a candle or two toppling beside me.
He boxed me in, his hands landing on the pillar on either side of my body.
"But not yet. This needs to brew," He leaned in and whispered in my ear.
His raspy voice sent shivers through my body, I almost couldn't hold myself up anymore. He laid a trail of kisses along my neck and jaw until he met my lips, his hands moving to my waist and gripping my skirt in bunches as he moved his mouth around mine.
"Soon," He said, breaking our embrace and stepping back.
Fuck, if he hadn't just mentioned pregnancy I would have likely let him have his way with me up against this slab of stone. But I now found my legs suddenly clamping shut at the thought of a child.
I regained my composure and straightened out my uniform, "Wait, you had to ask Garreth how to make this?"
"I simply asked for some friendly advice about the potion. Friend to friend."
I scoffed back a laugh, "Oh please, you aren't friends with Garreth!"
"I am, for now. Until he learns what you've been doing with me behind his back."
"Sebastian! If you even dare-"
"I'm joking, Olive. I wouldn't dare tell him. But I would probably suggest you drop one of us soon before he catches wind of it. Especially because he now knows I'm making a contraceptive potion. I'm sure it won't take him long to figure out who for."
I seriously hated when Sebastian was right. And I'd never tell him that to his face.
"He smelt you too, didn't he?" Sebastian asked as he sat back down in front of the cauldron and began to stir it again.
"He may have said something similar to you... but that doesn't mean it's me."
Sebastian laughed. Loud.
"It's clearly you. Your hair always smells like the lavender shampoo you use, you constantly smell like fresh scones, cream and jam from how often you eat the damn things... it's very obvious."
I felt the heat rising in my cheeks... but I was unsure if it was flattery or nervousness. All I could do was pray that Garreth never clicked on that what he was smelling was me and that Sebastian smelt exactly the same thing.
"Fine. I'll tell him tomorrow that it's not working." I said, placing my hands on my hips.
"Great. And by that time I'll be finished with this, so I will finally be able to have you all to myself."
Shit.
I left Sebastian alone to continue his brewing and ran straight to my bed, dragging Imelda in with me on the way.
"What's got you all depressed?" She said, laying down on the end of my bed and running a caring, supportive leg up and down my calf.
"You're my best friend, right?" I moaned, feeling sorry for myself and the situation that I got myself into.
"Obviously. I thought we'd established this already."
"We... we have... so if I tell you something, you'll keep it a secret?"
"Of course I will! Now you've got me intrigued. Spill!" She was sitting up now, looking at me with an eager eye.
I scanned the room quickly to double check no one else was listening.
"This is kind of embarrassing... I think someone wants to... uh... do... take... fuck, I don't know how to say it nicely."
"Oooh, I love these games. Alright, give me twenty questions to guess what you're talking about."
"Fine."
"Is it class related?"
"No."
"Family related?"
"No."
"Boy related?"
"Yes."
"Sebastian?"
"Imelda, I'm not telling you who!"
"Ugh. Fine. They want to take you on a date?"
"No."
"No?!"
"That counts as a question."
"No it doesn't!"
"Does too."
"Ugh. Fine. Wants to... kiss you."
"No."
"Hug you?"
"No. More than that."
"They want to... marry you?"
"Imelda!"
"Wait... I know! Sebastian or Garreth want to sleep with you!"
"Why don't you let the whole school know? Say it louder!" I said, not appreciating her yelling the news to the entire castle.
"So they do! Which one?"
"Imelda! I-"
"Wait. No. It's Sebastian. Garreth would never. Not with his aunt always snooping about. Do you think you will?"
"Well, there's something else you should know. We almost have a few times but I get nervous and back out."
"What? Almost! When? How close?"
"Those all count towards your question total, by the way. And I am choosing to withhold that information thank you."
Imelda sighed, "So what are you scared for?"
"I've never done this before, Imelda! Sebastian is so confident and cocky about it, it's clear he's got experience and I'm so worried I'll disappoint."
"Oh, poor naive little Olive. That boy has been infatuated with you since the moment you walked into the Great Hall to be sorted. I would know. I was sat next to him. I'm certain you will be everything he's been having wet dreams over for the past two years."
"Imelda Reyes! Get you and your filthy mouth off my bed!" I said, kicking her in the shins with a small bout of laughter erupting from the two of us.
"I love you, Reyes. Thank you for always listening to my problems. Though I hope this is one you won't be writing to Anne about."
"Don't worry, Raywood. I wouldn't. The thought of her brother doing that might just send her over the edge. You'll be alright. You'll know what to do when the time comes. Love ya." She planted a soft kiss on my forehead and tucked my legs under the blankets for the night.
I barely slept a wink though... knowing I was going to be breaking Garreth Weasley's heart in the morning...