Sebastian's rested his hands behind his head, gazing up at her with blatant lust. If she wasn't so serious, she'd probably have blushed. Instead, a yawn escaped her because as much as she was angry, she was also tired. "Get some rest, Séraphine. And while you're in bed tonight, do keep thinking about my tongue. I'm quite talented with it."
Rolling her eyes, she got off him, "I'm serious, Sebastian."
"I know." He winked, "And so am I. No complaints so-OOF."
He flinched as she stepped on his leg. "Oops. We're all a bit clumsy sometimes..." She mimicked Catherine's words from earlier with a warning also present in her voice. "That goes for her too. If she does anything to put any of us in mortal peril, Sebastian... I won't hold back."
Sebastian didn't look the least bit concerned. "You won't have to worry about that. If she hurts you again..." He stood up, dusting off his trousers. Then he leant down to place a surprisingly light kiss against the side of her head. "...I'll kill her. Now go get some rest, Séra."
The French witch was too shocked by his action and his words, mindlessly heading towards the exit. The iron gate rested haphazardly on the floor, but she'd leave it for Sebastian to fix. Her words weren't working right now.
She could still feel his lips against the side of her head.
She could still feel the disappointment, wishing they were pressed against her lips instead.
And she could still feel the weight of his words heavy in the air.
If Catherine hurt her, he'd kill her.
A Letter of Damnation
Séraphine entered the Headmasters office the next morning with a small frown. She'd been pulled out of her N.E.W.T. Transfiguration course whilst Sebastian and Ominis were likely goofing off in the Great Hall during their break in between classes. The Ravenclaw had sent them a letter in the form of a charmed origami raven, detailing that she'd be headed to Professor Black's Office.
He was sitting behind his desk with a quill in hand. A new peacock feather from the looks of it. The headmaster glanced up with a smile, seeing her.
"Ah! Miss Rosier. Good timing. Your parents reached out asking if you could attend a party at their house tonight. All the arrangements have already been made." He informed her, handing her with the Rosier family seal. La rose. It was a burgundy rose with pure gold shimmering between the petals.
Séraphine reached forward, cautiously opening up the letter. "I have classes tomorrow. I can't be out late attending a party. Surely they'll understand my absence."
"Nothing you can't make up with how bright of a witch you are." Headmaster Black waved at her dismissively, "There will be a carriage out front for you."
She said nothing, glancing down at the letter. The scent of French roses drifted up from the letter, making her stomach turn with anxiety and dread.
La Petite Rose,
Tonight will be the night you choose your future mari. Your dress will be waiting on your bed. Your mother and I do not want to hear any complaints from you. It is almost the 20th century, we have been more than fair in waiting for you to make a decision about marriage. All other witches your age have been promised years ago.
The carriage will be waiting at 7pm sharp in front of Hogwarts, courtesy of the Gaunt family. They're rather hopeful as we are that you will accept their proposal tonight. He's blind, but he's a Pureblood descended from the great Salazar Slytherin himself.
The marriage will be fortuitous for all parties even if you're dealing with damaged goods.
Don't be late,
Votre Pére et votre Mére
She felt lightheaded and nauseous. Séraphine knew this was coming. She had hoped she could have deterred them until her 18th birthday and then she'd be free. However, her parents likely knew of her plan and wanted to keep the little rose trapped in the garden.
"I won't be late. Thank you, Headmaster Black." She heard the words leave her mouth and politely excused herself.
Séraphine descended down the stairs in a haze. Her and Ominis were very close in a different way than Sebastian and him. They shared the understanding of an insufferable family, wanting to help the Sallows, and being there for each other when times were hard. She would defend him to the end; he was the elder brother she loved dearly. And it was comforting to know that he cared about her a lot, but she knew it was familial in nature. They'd had this conversation before when the topic of his family wanting him to marry her first came up a few weeks ago.
While it should have been awkward, Ominis was very straight forward with her. He enjoyed her company a lot and thought that she had an endearing, witty personality...But he didn't want to have a wife nor kids. He wanted the Gaunt line to end with him. He had declared that he was going to be the very best Uncle when Sebastian stopped being more blind than he was.
Séraphine had laughed, but also tried to convince him otherwise; that he was attractive and charming, and should think about settling down if he so desired irrespective of his family. Unfortunately, it was something he was fixed about.
Ominis knew that Marvolo would continue the Gaunt line for another generation, but he'd have no part in it.
"Séra!"
Two voices shouted her name and she almost tripped until Sebastian grabbed her arm, steadying her.
"The fires lit, but the cauldron's empty. We'd been calling your name down two corridors now." Ominis joked, coming alongside them. "Why did Black need to see you?"
Séraphine pressed her lips together, avoiding Sebastian's gaze. The letter was crushed as her hand formed a fist. "Are you going tonight?"
"To your family's party?" He shrugged nonchalantly, "A letter arrived, but I've yet to open it."
She huffed, "Open it. Now."
Ominis frowned, "What's got your wand in a knot?"
He reached into his robe pocket, retrieving the letter. Sebastian, ever being the nosy one, tried to read above his shoulder, but Ominis turned away from him.
By the time he finished running his fingers over the raised bumps and lettering, he was swearing, "You've got to be joking. They're not serious?"
"What happened?" Sebastian interjected irritated, the anxiety in his voice underlining his tone. "What's the harm in going to a party?"
"It's not just any sort of party..." Ominis began, worry apparent in his expression. "Séra, I can try and delay it-"
She shook her head, her voice sharp. "Don't. We both know how well it went for me last time, I don't want you to share the same fate." To Sebastian, she finally met his eyes and now worry grew on his face as he spotted the corners of her eyes welling with unshed tears. "Tonight I will pick a husband and be forced to marry someone in the near future. Ominis, it appears, is a leading candidate."
"Candidate? There's others?" He was in disbelief, but held out his hand for her letter, silently asking for permission to read it. She gave it to him, though it was crushed from being in her hand.
Ominis scoffed, "You know our Séraphine is beautiful and smart. She's been raised for this like a prized magical beast being sold off to the highest bidder. My family happens to have more money than they know what to do with."
She flinched inwardly at his harsh words.
"They called you damaged goods." Sebastian growled out, his neck flushing with anger. "This is bloody ridiculous."
The blind wizard smirked. "At least she got me for a good price. I'm sure the Rosier family needed persuading."
"You cannot go." Sebastian reflected in a hard voice, "You're not going to dress up to marry someone you don't love."
Séraphine rolled her eyes, "I do love Ominis."
Hearing Sebastian's breath stop, an amused smile toyed on the other wizard's face, "As I love you, but do clarify that it's a sibling sort of love before Sebastian has a heart attack."
She smiled, eyes flickering over to the jealous wizard, "I'm not sure why he'd have a heart attack when we're all close friends. Besides, don't you have a date in the Restricted Section tonight?"
"It's not a date." He snapped, eyes swimming with unreadable emotions.
Ominis raised an eyebrow, pointing out in a sly, taunting voice. "A numbered day with a specified time and meeting place...late in the middle of the night...between a witch and wizard...Seb, it sounds like a date."
"It's not."
"I don't have time for this." Séraphine felt a rush of anger as she turned on her heel and started walking away from the two wizards. "I have an engagement party to get ready for."
Dramatic. Emotional. Séraphine prided herself on being level headed and always thinking rationally, but as she headed towards the Ravenclaw Tower, accessed by a spiral tower, she could still feel her heart racing, and the tears threatening to spill over. She was incredibly frustrated. By life. By how many stairs there were. She ought to have better stamina if she was required to go up and down all these stairs multiple times a day.
Catherine Lewis having special magic.
Sebastian being interested in this special magic.
The pressure to get married to someone she didn't romantically love.
The race to find a cure before Anne's conditioned worsened.
There had been blood splattered in the corner of the letter she received from Anne earlier today; so small Anne must have overlooked it. But Séraphine noticed it immediately and stared at it before throwing up stomach bile in the toilette.
"Non-sens! Absurde!" Séraphine let out a spew of sentence enhancers, "Can this year get any worse?"
A scoff behind made her stop suddenly and she whipped around to see no one. Her eyes narrowed, "Who's there?"
"Not your future husband." Came the disgruntled reply, but he had the Disillusionment charm casted. "Hurry up and solve the bloody riddle."
Séraphine scowled. "You're not allowed to enter another Common Room. It's against the rules."
"Thanks, I wasn't aware of the Hogwarts Wizarding Handbook. In fact, I habitually cast the Disillusionment Charm on myself to sneak into other Common Rooms." He muttered sarcastically. She felt a hand on the small of her back, both encouraging her forward and reminding her of last night. "Any other keen observations you wish to share?"
She rolled her eyes, grumbling as she turned towards the Ravenclaw Entrance Knocker, "I doubt you have to when Catherine is in the same House as you."
"Careful darling, someone might think you're jealous." Sebastian purred darkly, his hand lowering slightly before she hastily stepped forward.
"Careful Sebastian, unless you want to lose your hand." She bit out before clearing her throat.
A light, knowing voice filled the area. "Who lived longer, the ghost or the poltergeist?"
Sebastian snorted inwardly somewhere behind her, "Of course the-"
"A ghost or a poltergeist? Hmm-A non-being can never have been." She interrupted before Sebastian could say something...well Sebastian-like.
The wings immediately folded together and the door flew open, revealing a much larger raven and a blue painted tappisere behind it.
"Know it all." Came the mutter beside her.
Séraphine headed in, greeting everyone with a polite smile, but not stopping for conversation. As luck would have it, it was time for Sebastian to find out that like Ominis, she was favored by the Headmaster and the other Pureblood supremacists of the school in her last year at Hogwarts.
His voice was awry, uncasting the Disillusionment charm, and he gave her a devilish, sinful smile. "You have a room to yourself?"
Biting the inside of her cheek, she said nothing to the obvious question.
Only paying attention to the fact that they were alone.
In her room.
Unsupervised.
________________________
（*'∀'人）♥ I have a feeling you will all be interested in next chapter. I'll post it tonight instead of tomorrow with enough comments ~
Thank you for reading and please leave a comment!