Sebastian was late.
I wanted to be mad. But the look on his face paired with his messy hair and general malaise when he dragged himself into the common room was priceless and made my waiting worth it.
"Drank too much, huh?" I said with a chuckle.
"Shut up. Hopefully this walk helps my head." He groaned.
As he got closer, I realised his left cheek and eye were swollen and red, shades of purple beginning to peek through.
"What the fuck happened to your face? You didn't get in a fight, did you?" I asked, fighting every urge to reach out and touch it.
"I wish. That would be way less embarrassing."
"So?"
"I forgot your stairs were enchanted and it tossed me down on the way back. Must have smashed my face on the way down."
"Fuck, Seb! Did you go to Nurse Blainey? Surely she can give you something to bring it down."
"And what? Tell her I snuck into the girls dormitory? I'll be fine. I'd think it would be endearing to know the lengths I'd go to for you."
"Hm, though you never told me how you got up there in the first place."
"I'll tell you while we walk." He said.
To my surprise, he took my hand and laced our fingers together and led me out of the common room. I thought for sure he would still be mad at me.
"Where would you like to go?" He asked.
"Well, considering your tardiness, I suppose we could perform a break and enter on the Quidditch pitch again so we don't miss sunrise." I said.
"Perfect." He smiled and squeezed my hand gently.
The crisp winter air smacked me hard and I tried my best not to tense my whole body, but I didn't succeeded. Sebastian felt my trembling hand and clicked his tongue, sliding me under his arm for warmth.
"So are you going to tell me how you got to my dormitory now?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"Well, I tried to walk up the stairs and it seemed to work but just as I got to the top, they turned to the slide. So I may have got Nerida to carry me up them."
"Nerida? Roberts? Who can't swim? She carried you up the stairs? You are joking with me, aren't you?" I scoffed in disbelief.
"I wish I was, Olive. I wish I was. That's actually how I got her to do it. Reminded her of the favour we did for her with that ridiculous mermaid thing."
I shook my head but couldn't help but laugh. Sebastian's antics were always entertaining at the very least.
We reached the gate to the Quidditch stands and I smirked. I wore pants today. No uplifting skirt incidents like last time... though now I'm certain it would probably be less embarrassing considering Sebastian has seen way more of me than just my bloomers.
"Ladies first." He said, giving me a boost over the tall fence.
I landed gracefully for once and waited for Sebastian to climb over it, though he seemed to have an easier time than I.
"Slytherin stand?" He asked.
"Why? Did you expect me to say Hufflepuff?" I retorted.
He narrowed his eyes at me, "I... shut up..."
I couldn't help the loud bout of laughter that escaped my mouth and he nudged me so hard he almost knocked me into the wall.
We started our climb and settled into the Slytherin stands, the cold wooden benches biting at our backsides despite the layers of clothing. The pre-dawn sky was beginning to lighten, painting the horizon with pretty hues of pink and orange.
Sebastian and I sat close, shoulders brushing as we watched the first rays of sunlight pierce through the darkness. The scene was breathtaking.
"So, tell me more about how Nerida carried you up those stairs. I can't imagine it was very graceful." I prodded, a grin tugging at my lips.
Sebastian leaned back, propping himself up on his hands as he began to speak. "It was pretty simple. I used my impeccable charm and she let me climb onto her back."
I raised an eyebrow. "Impeccable charm?"
He chuckled. "Alright, maybe not impeccable, but you get the idea."
"And she fell for it?"
Sebastian grinned. "Oh, she fell for it alright. And you should've seen the look on her face when she was lugging me up those steps. Determination that quickly turned to absolute regret."
I couldn't hold back my laughter any longer. "You're unbelievable, Seb. I can't believe you talked her into that."
He shrugged, a smug grin on his face. "Like I said, the lengths I'd go to for you, Olive."
The sun continued to rise, casting a warm glow across the pitch. We sat in a silence that wasn't awkward, simply enjoying the moment until Sebastian turned his gaze to me.
His eyes moved from my own to my lips. Without a word, he cupped my cheek with his hand, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. Slowly, he leaned in, his lips drawing closer to mine.
My heart raced. I closed my eyes.
And then, his lips met mine. It was a gentle and tender kiss, something I'd been missing all this time we were apart. I was almost kicking myself for depriving myself of this for three weeks. He was gentle, soft. His hand slid from my cheek to the nape of my neck, pulling me closer as if he never wanted to let go. Our lips moved together perfectly.
I let my own hand wander up his face towards his hair, but he winced when my fingers dragged across the fresh bruise on his face.
"Ouch..." He muttered, our kiss ending abruptly.
"Shit. I'm sorry," I said, kissing his cheek very softly and delicately, "I forgot."
A soft smile played on Sebastian's lips, "It's fine. But did you see that impeccable charm?"
"Oh, Merlin..." I mumbled under my breath, gently nudging him with my elbow.
"Remember the last time we were here?" He asked, shifting back to his spot from earlier but pulling me in closer to him so my head was pressed against his chest.
"Mmm." I nodded.
"And we were going to kiss but you got scared and pulled away?" He smirked.
I peered up at him, the orange glow of the sunrise painting his face in warm hues that highlighted every freckle that adorned his face. Beautiful. "I wasn't scared, I just... wasn't sure."
Sebastian chuckled softly, his fingers playing with a strand of my hair. "But, you're sure now, right?"
I smiled and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "Obviously."
His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss and this time I remembered to keep my hands off his face.
When we finally pulled away again, our foreheads resting against each other, I felt the completeness I'd been missing.
"You know," I murmured, "for someone who was late to meet me and let his pretty face get beat up, you sure know how to make up for it."
"Mmm. Well, I can definitely give more than that to make up for my shortcomings." He laughed.
He returned to kissing me, his hand making its way to my thigh and sliding up towards my hip, attempting to untuck my shirt.
"S... Sebastian. I'm not fucking you in the Quidditch stands..." I mumbled against his mouth.
"And why not?" He said, his mouth continuing to explore my own.
"It's too cold."
He snorted a laugh directly into my mouth that had me pulling away quickly.
"Something funny?" I asked with an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Yeah. Just how that's what's stopping you. The temperature." He laughed again.
"Sebastian, I'd have you anywhere you want. Just as long as I won't freeze." I said.
"You may just regret saying that, Olive. But that's quite possibly the hottest thing you've ever said to me." He said, which was apparently true judging by the slight blush adorning his cheeks.
We watched the rest of the sunrise in peaceful bliss, tucked up in each others arms until the sun reached just over the tips of the castle.
"Let's go. I'm starving." He said, yanking me up from the stands and walking me back to the Great Hall.
He froze in the doorway, his eyes drawn to Ominis.
"Don't worry about him. He's not mad at you." I said.
"I don't know, he seemed pretty pissed yesterday. He called me an imbecile."
I cocked a brow at him, knowing exactly how it felt to be on the receiving end of a harsh insult from one of your best friends.
"Okay, you're right." He mumbled.
"I put him up to it, by the way. If he knows we are alright, he'll be fine."
Sebastian grunted something under his breath but approached the Slytherin table and left enough of a gap between himself and Ominis for me to slip through.
"Sebastian, did you come to your senses?" Ominis said, serving himself more porridge.
"Yes Ominis, I came to my senses" He said in an incredibly mocking sarcastic tone.
"Imelda tells me you've got quite the shiner on your eye. Who'd you fight?" Ominis said.
"The floor." I interjected, trying hard not to laugh.
"What?" Ominis said with a chuckle.
"Get your laughter out now, children. Yes, the floor did this to me. It was the girls dormitory stairs." Sebastian clarified for Ominis.
"The... the girls dormitory? What on Earth were you doing to-"
"Ominis, I will explain later. Can I please just eat?" Sebastian begged.
Ominis pursed his lips and mumbled a very quite 'fine' before returning to his meal.
My owl flew down just as I'd served myself a crumpet and some tea, dropping a very messy letter in my lap. Sebastian's eyes were fixed on me.
"Who's it from?" He asked the second my finger slipped open the envelope.
"Oh... uh, mum."
"Your mother? What could she possibly want?" Sebastian scoffed.
In hindsight I should have thought of a better lie. It was from Arn. My goblin friend. He was a travelling merchant so I know he knew a lot of people... and goblins. He'd know where I could get the goblin metal.
"Just another scolding. If she were magic, I'm sure she'd have sent me a howler."
Smooth recovery...
Sebastian seemed satisfied with my answer and went back to eating.
I had written to Arn a few days ago and he was writing back to tell me he was going to be in Lower Hogsfield this afternoon. So I had to go and meet him, find out if there was a chance this could work.
I spent all day debating back and forth on whether to tell Sebastian what I was doing this afternoon, but I had no choice when my letter from Arn fell out of my pocket in the middle of potions class and he happened to be the one to pick it up.
"Strange. I thought your mothers name was Juliette." He said, taking my hand and placing the letter back in it.
"Sebastian... I-"
"Save it, Olive. I'm going with you to meet this goblin. I trust your judgement but I don't trust theirs"
Oh for fucks sake I thought he was over this goblin shit...
"Fine. But Arn is a friend. If you dare say anything untoward, Sebastian Sallow, I will fucking hex you." I hissed, loud enough to get my point across but soft enough that I didn't feel Professor Sharp's wrath.
"I won't. I promise."
"And you can't make any faces. You're not very good at disguising what you're thinking."
"Alright! Any other character traits you'd like me to disguise?" He said with an eye roll.
"Yes. But I'll list them off later."
He clicked his tongue and went back to his work silently, but I saw a small smile twitch at the corner of his lips.
The closer the departure time approached, the more my anxiety grew. Sebastian and I found ourselves walking briskly through the Hogwarts grounds toward the hamlet as Arithmancy wrapped up for the day.
"Olive, about the goblin metal... are you sure this is the right way? I mean, I trust you, but dealing with goblins, it's not exactly... straightforward."
I understood his concerns. Goblins were known for their complex and often convoluted dealings considering the rest of their population didn't really believe in tradings such as these... and I risked causing a rebellion similar to Ranrok's by procuring this metal.
"I know. But what else can we do?"
"Take another mandrake with us."
"What? Sneak a mandrake into the hospital and then fill it with a curse? We don't know what type of curse this is, Sebastian. I know you cast one on the mandrake but this one... it's unknown. It might be more powerful than a simple plant.
Sebastian sighed hard, like he knew I was right but didn't want to admit it.
The wind rustled through the trees as we walked, a faint chill in the air piercing my bones. Despite my reassurances, Sebastian still looked wary and anxious. I couldn't blame him. We were stepping into a situation that was unfamiliar and potentially very dangerous.
We reached the hamlet and I saw Arn's small trading cart with his cheery face standing in front of it.
"Olive, how wonderful to see you again!" Arn greeted me.
"Arn, it's lovely to see you, I hope you've been well," I said, "This is Sebastian, a... friend."
I gestured over to Sebastian who was standing a few cautious steps behind me.
"Ah! A pleasure to meet you!"
"Likewise." Sebastian murmured softly, so soft I'm not even sure Arn heard him.
"You said in your letter you needed my help." Arn said.
"I do. See, I need to obtain some goblin metal."
Arn's face screwed slightly at my words.
"Olive, I hope you realise what a request that is... I certainly do not have any here with me."
"No, no, Arn. I don't expect you to this for me. I was wondering if you may know of someone who may have some and may be willing to help." I reassured him.
"I see. I don't want to pry, but I can tell this is something very important to you. There is a goblin by the name of Deagol. He frequents the Hogs Head every Friday night. He is known for these types of deals with wizards. It is very dangerous there... if you do decide to pursue this, I suggest you take your friend, Mr. Sallow, with you. Don't go alone."
"Thank you, Arn. I appreciate that so much."
As a gesture of thanks, I purchased a few Wiggenweld's from him, which Sebastian was most unimpressed with as he knew I had quite a large stash back at the castle and had a knack for brewing them myself.
Friday night was tomorrow. Not long to prepare... and I had no idea who Deagol was, what he looked like or what his ultimatum would be. I felt sick all day and Sebastian was notably quiet.
"Can you at least pretend to be happy to see me?" I asked him on Friday as we met up just outside the castle for the walk to Hogsmeade.
"I am happy to see you. Just not under these circumstances." Sebastian whined.
"You can stay behind, you know."
"And let my young, beautiful girlfriend walk into the Hogs Head, the creepiest place in Hogsmeade, alone on a Friday night? I don't think so."
Sebastian's protectiveness was both endearing but incredibly exasperating.
We snuck through the streets of Hogsmeade, trying to avoid the prying eyes of the Hogwarts students hovering about, being a Friday evening after all.
Sebastian grabbed my robe sleeve and dragged me down a side alley, finding the entrance to the Hogs Head tucked away.
"It's not too late to back out, you know. We can go back to the castle." He whispered as we both stood staring at the door.
"No, we are here. Let's do it." I breathed, trying to muster up some sort of courage.
Sebastian held onto my hand with a vice like grip as we walked into the busy pub. Arn was right, this was terrifying. Men oggled me and nudged each other to look in my direction. Derogatory comments were made. Sebastian's grip on my hand tightened and I saw him grasp onto his wand tucked away in his robe with the other.
"Find this fucking goblin, I want you out of here. Now." He said through gritted teeth.
I scanned the area and there was only one goblin in sight. He was ragged looking, sharp teeth clinked on his beer stein as he sipped.
"I think that's him." I said, nodding my head in the Goblin's direction.
Sebastian let me lead the way, not releasing my hand for even a fleeting moment. Even when I begged him to because my fingers were going numb.
"Deagol?" I said softly but with enough force to let it be known I wasn't a pushover.
"Who's askin'?" He grunted, his gaze unmoving from his beer.
"Me. I heard you may be able to help me with something."
He averted his gaze and looked me up and down.
"A student? Bah!" He said, waving me away.
"I think it would be wise if we did work together." I spoke.
I let the tips of my fingers begin to glow blue, channeling the ancient magic I hadn't touched in months... even a year.
Sebastian quickly dropped my hand and shook his own like I'd burned him when he realised what was happening.
Deagol looked at me with wide eyes and resigned to letting me sit in the chair opposite him.
"What's a young lass like yaself doin' in a dodgy place like this then?" He growled.
"I was told you might be able to help me procure some goblin metal."
"What's a student need that for anyway?" He raised a bushy eyebrow.
"It's to contain a certain type of magic."
"What like that magic Ranrok was after?"
"Sort of. Not quite. This is smaller. More personal."
Deagol sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders, "Ahh! Money's money. I'll give you a price, bring the payment and I'll get ya the metal. Deal?"
He extended a long clawed hand and I peered at Sebastian briefly who was looking at me with a look of disapproval, his arms firmly crossed on his chest.
I disregarded Sebastian's warning and took Deagol's hand, shaking it firmly.
"Five thousand galleons. Bring it back Sunday night and I'll get the metal for ya, wee lass."
I thanked Deagol for his time and Sebastian rushed me straight out of the pub, trying his best to drown out the sounds of the cat callers making comments about me as we left.
"Dirty fucking pigs never seen a woman in their lives. I'll fucking use crucio on every last one of them." Sebastian barked as he walked way too quickly for me to keep up with, his death like grip still on my hand.
"Sebastian! It's fine, just don't listen to it!" I begged, trying to pry my hand away.
"Olive, it's disgusting. Having to have you hear that all for my sister... I hate it."
"I'm not phased, so you shouldn't be." I reassured him.
"And five thousand galleons? I don't have that and neither do you! There's no way it can be done. It's over." Sebastian said.
"Actually... there's one option..." I said.
"What's that?" He asked, finally dropping my hand.
"We involve Ominis."