• Ch 1 | Seventh Year •
Y/n's Perspective
"Students of Hogwarts, you have been preparing for this moment since the start of your first academic year," Professor Hecat's voice rattled through the class.
"Your NEWTs exams are of the utmost importance, and they..."
Hecat's voice became distant and my gaze grew while observing the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom on the first day.
"Time for a proper Hogwarts welcome,"
His voice still lingered.
Although it will be a second year at Hogwarts with the absence of Sebastian Sallow, his memory still loomed over me like a ghost.
Sometimes, I'd like to believe he was dead like Professor Fig. Maybe, that would be easier to process than knowing he was being tormented in a rotting cell. It might've been easier to imagine him free of suffering instead of wondering how much of himself was left around Dementors.
"Miss Y/l/n?"
My ears stopped vibrating and I heard the clear raspy voice of Professor Hecat's call on me in front of the seventh years.
I could hear audible chuckling from the students who had gathered nearby, and when I turned, Garreth Weasley and Eric Northcott were giggling.
Garreth Weasley.
I liked to think of him as a first crush. A first heartbreak.
Did I ever date him? No. Did he ever like me back? No. Did I have a daydreaming phase where we had a relationship of the ancient magic Hufflepuff girl and popular Gryffindor guy in my head since I first met him? Yes.
That was fifth year. And many things changed within the last two years to now eye him as a crush I once had — as if his beautiful green eyes and ginger curls weren't gawking at me.
"Um, yes, Professor Hecat?" I asked firmly as if my cheeks weren't burning from the spotlight.
"You're quite known to have the knowledge of advanced defensive spells at such an age. Do you care to show your classmates the incantation for Descendo?"
I passed my saliva and walked near the front of the class, taking a breath and adjusting my yellow tie as I stared at the training dummy in the middle.
My eyes tried focusing on the task, but they tend to linger around often. Instead, I eyed the students. How so many of us grew within the summer of our last year.
Though I entered very late in the school years, it's bizarre to see my once young friends be turned into adults in a split of a summer.
Natty had let her curls grow out, giving her an amazing look; Poppy had also joined the hair growth and it framed adorable with her height; Leander and Garreth seemed to spend the summer productive, considering their arms and chest grew twice their size.
And — Ominis Gaunt wasn't around.
I might've lost touch with Ominis as the year flew. What may have brought us closer due to traumas and losing people we cared about, our friendship began to fall apart.
Maybe, that's what growing up does to you and having different plans within each other. I wanted to try everything to save Sebastian, Ominis thought differently.
I also stopped my occasional visits with Anne Sallow. What were once weekly visits turned into monthly, every other month, to every half a year. Maybe, it was just difficult to confront Sebastian Sallow's twin and see part of him in her. It didn't help. Anne was well, though.
My body rested comfortably on the rounded sofa chair near the fireplace of the Hufflepuff Common Room later that day.
MINISTRY TASKS BEFORE YEARLY NEWTs
— Ancient Magic trials
— Stability training with an Auror
I sighed.
Sometimes, being powerful wasn't the good life a wizard could hope for in the Wizarding World. Let alone at the age of sixteen through seventeen; there was no proper rest.
Your presence is required in—
"Y/n!"
I shut the enchanted print at the sound of a soft-spoken voice behind me.
Poppy Sweeting and Lenora Everleigh stood at my sight. One had her hands on my shoulders from behind while the other blocked my fireplace view, holding plants.
"Huh? Oh, hey?" I managed to say, placing the Ministry book near the table.
"Are you really going to sit here on the first day of school already?" Poppy gasped.
I blinked, "It was a long morning of classes, Poppy."
"We've only had two!"
"And that's enough for me to be tired," I sighed, "What are you two up to?" I eyed the girls.
"Oh, yes!" Poppy said excitedly, awaiting for Lenora to speak more.
Lenora held the two plants in her grip and smiled, "Professor Garlick offered us a few extra marks on our NEWTs by the end of the year if we toured around the first years in Herbology! We were wondering if you wanted to join us."
"Wanted? She is!" Poppy corrected.
I sighed, debating on an answer.
"You know, I already have a lot of pressure with the wizarding community and then helping out—"
"Oh, you can't stay here forever, Y/n." Poppy let out, "You've spent your sixth year like this and we got nowhere. Come on...remember you said this summer that you'll participate in the extracurricular activities for our last year?"
Sixth Year
I stared numbly at the fire that ticked from the burning wood one afternoon. Dinner was supposed to be ready, but my thoughts were eating me up, preventing me from physically doing anything.
"Hey,"
The clear, crispy focus on the fireplace ended and as I turned, I saw the gaze of brown worried eyes beside me.
Poppy crouched beside me, resting her chin over the armrest, and kept her contagious smile.
"I brought you a chocolate chip muffin from the dinner table." Poppy held up a muffin, placing it on the small table beside me.
I wanted to smile at her kind gestures. I knew Poppy Sweeting was doing her best to comfort the loss I experienced the summer after fifth year.
"I appreciate this, Poppy...you didn't have to." I said lowly, avoiding contact.
"Oh, I did! You're supposed to be at dinner with us, Y/n...you've sat here so much, Adelaide told me the common room calls it The Y/n Chair. Do not sit or touch." She giggled.
I half smiled at the rumor and nodded, staring down.
"Hey, listen," Poppy's voice lowered, "I know it's not easy. I can't help but want to replace myself with you. You have too much of a kind heart to experience all this, but...you're strong."
I laughed in hurt, knowing Poppy wanted to advise me.
"Professor Fig is resting well. You know that. You accomplished what he did."
"I know," I sighed at the truth.
After a deep talk with Poppy Sweeting that afternoon, the mention of Sebastian Sallow roamed and I knew it would be a hard mention to swallow.
"Sebastian doesn't deserve this, Poppy." I let out.
Poppy was one of the handful who understood Sebastian Sallow's reasoning for committing the Killing Curse toward his own uncle.
Many students weren't, but it was nice to know that my real friends understood. That there were reasonings and despite his actions, he was too young to be sent to Azkaban. He was too full of joy to be thrown in there without warning.
"I know...and I am sorry to hear about what happened to him." Poppy said concerned, "You two were close. He was going insane in that Great Hall during the battle. Trying his best to sneak his way out of there and help you, but..."
"It's okay, Poppy. I know," I licked my lips, "We were close."
Too close.
"Hey!" Poppy grew back her positive enthusiasm and grew back her smile as she stood up, "Let's have hope. Thinking negative won't get us anywhere! Let's think positively and grow a few stems from it. Like plants!"
I couldn't help, but smile at Poppy's reference.
"Let's plant a few and get some Lacewing Flies. Glow a little." Poppy nudged, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the Hufflepuff Common Room.
__
And there I was on my free period that day, walking first years students around the Herbology Garden and naming every plant in sight for them to keep in mind.
"Hey, you're that witch that came out in The Daily Prophet!" A kid pointed out mid-tour.
I adjusted my posture and laughed it off, "Oh...y-yeah, it's nothing—"
"You defeated that evil monster my mother spoke about! She's a MLE Officer." The Ravenclaw boy said in excitement.
"Right, yes." I smiled.
"Can you show us your magical superpowers then?" Another student let out.
I stood there without movement, not expecting to cause this type of attention in the middle of a Herbology assignment. It almost seemed unfair to my dormitory roommates.
"I, uh—"
Suddenly, a brown owl flew through the gardens of Herbology, its claws gripping a small parchment in its beak.
It hovered through the small students, almost poking them in the process and I apologized for my owl's behavior as I took hold of the paper.
"Excuse me...look! Adelaide Oakes can show you the benefits of Mallowsweets!" I pointed, guiding the first years into her.
I let out a breath, feeling the warm air of Scotland while my fingers opened up the parchment in my hand.
Y/n,
Meet me in the Undercroft before the next class.
I have something to confess.
Ominis Gaunt
So Ominis Gaunt was in school. I wondered why he didn't show up to Professor Hecat's class. He's always been a punctual person. Always.
It was rare. Getting owls from Ominis wasn't common and when they were sent out, it usually involved something important, which, he'll state.
I didn't hesitate to excuse myself from the tour. It was only a few extra marks and the next class was starting in half an hour.
I hadn't fully abandoned the Undercroft, but as I said, any reminders of him picked through my skin like a pinch. Little by little, I would stop going. There was no motive to be in there anymore.
The clicking sound formed goosebumps on my skin and I shivered as I traveled down the familiar rocky walls; my school shoes clicked as my breath echoed into the space.
And there was Ominis Gaunt.
I didn't see him all summer. It seemed like a mutual thing because none of us reached out. It was nobody's fault.
But he was tired. He looked tired. Those dark circles he was known for became darker and his once, slicked back blonde hair seemed messier. He matured within the start of our last year.
"You've made it." Ominis let out the first words, noticing my arrival based on his hearing.
I walked slowly toward him, nodding, "I received your owl."
Ominis nodded. It seemed like there was something that wanted to come out of him, but also tried to remain hidden.
"It's been a while," Ominis said.
"It has."
Ominis nodded, "How was your summer?"
I wanted to laugh. It was crazy to think that we were so close and then time began to slowly distance us. It was sad.
"It was...well. I spent most of my time at the Ministry in London. To kill time. Spent the last month with grams." I let out.
"That's good to hear, Y/n." Ominis said, almost in relief.
I blinked, not being able to read the Slytherin man anymore.
"How about yours? It seems like you grew more. I say that as a compliment." I pointed out.
A smirk came off him, but it slowly went away as he nodded again, "Right, right...well, erm,"
"I predict you had lots of fun this summer, considering you never sent an owl." I let out, almost hurt.
I didn't intend to let that out, but I had feelings. It was a rough year already, and I wasn't planning to lose more people, let alone friendships.
Ominis clenched his jaw at my unexpected call out and shook his head, "I—well, it's not like that, Y/n..."
"That you didn't have fun? Or that you didn't send an owl?" I raised a brow, "I waited."
"I know, I know," Ominis sighed, "Listen, Y/n...there's a reason I didn't maintain the proper contact this summer." He let out.
"I'm listening."
Ominis fought his words. He was an expert on expressing his emotions with just his face. There was a lot happening.
"Sebastian was released from Azkaban." Ominis finally let out.
I froze. That was the only reaction my body could take in a short of seconds. Even the mention of his name made me freeze.
Was I dreaming?
"What?" I parted my lips with shock.
"His case was altered. The Ministry gave him his freedom and—"
"And where is he?" I began asking, letting my own emotions from the last year take over, "Where's Sebastian, Ominis? Where can we pick him up? Where are we taking him—"
"Y/n-"
"Is Anne with him already? How is he—"
"He was released in July." Ominis cut in, changing the timeline.
I shut my own mouth at his new information and stood back, processing it.
"July." I whispered, "Ominis, we are in September."
Ominis pursed his lips and swallowed.
Betrayal. I didn't understand why my body felt betrayed. As if, the last two months of my life, Sebastian Sallow was near, but not around.
"What? No. Why wasn't it on The Daily Prophet? Why am I just finding out? Why has it been two months and I didn't get the news until now?" I freaked.
"We kept it anonymous. From the state of Sebastian, I don't think he was ready for the public eye. My father paid off the contributor to keep the news hidden until further notice."
"Since when was I considered the 'public eye'?" I asked, "Why am I just getting the news?"
Again, Ominis had a look of regret for confessing.
"I should've been there, Ominis...this isn't fair."
"I-I know, and I apologize, Y/n...truly. I wanted to reach out when we got the news, but..." Ominis took a breath, "We didn't want to get the hopes up."
"Hopes up? Isn't the hope that he's finally freed? He's alive? What's there to—"
"Sebastian was in Azkaban for a year, Y/n. You don't understand the damage it can cause. It's rare to see prisoners be released. This is different." Ominis explained.
I dreamt about this moment for several nights. I had nightmares about the torture Sebastian Sallow could've gone through. I suffered with him.
"I need to see him, Ominis." I demanded.
"Y/n...you can't—"
"It's already been two months and you're going to stand here and keep hiding Sebastian from me? You do realize I was the one that tried their best all sixth year to bring him back and you didn't care! Why am I the one that—"
"Because he doesn't want to see you, Y/n." Ominis hammered, his voice rough as he finally blurted out, "He didn't ask for you the last two months."
I felt broken. In denial.
"I don't believe you."
"Hufflepuff just never believe anything, do they?" Ominis murmured.
"You're mean." I breathed, "Where is Sebastian?"
"He's with Anne. He's been with Anne." Ominis answered.
The one summer I didn't visit Anne was the summer Sebastian Sallow was there. I almost hated myself at the thought.
"Sebastian isn't well, Y/n." Ominis informed, "He's not the same. I need you to know that."
"Well, yeah, he spent a year in Azkaban. I'm sure time can heal and—"
"No." Ominis shook his head, "You aren't understanding me. Sebastian Sallow is not the same. The Dementors damaged him. I need you to know that."
"You don't think I know that? I spent nights suffering with him. I know it's hard and—"
"We just didn't want you to hate him. I didn't reach out right away because....ugh," Ominis put his head down, "If you would've heard his acts when they released him. It was difficult and I know you lost Fig too. Anne and I didn't want to put that weight on you."
"Why would I ever possibly hate Sebastian Sallow, Ominis?" I said in disbelief, "How could I?"
"I am just warning you, Y/n." Ominis fixed, "I couldn't bear the thought of another day of not letting you know. And I know you're going to Feldcroft after classes end."
'You know me so well, Ominis Gaunt." I spoke in sarcasm.
"Which is why I was late. There's some sort of preparation to take before Sebastian gets a visitor." Ominis cleared his throat, "You need to be prepared."
"You make it sound like he's a monster now, Ominis."
Ominis stood silence, "He's not. He's my best friend, but, as I said, it's not a reunion you can hope for."
"I don't care. I need to see him, Ominis." I let out.
Ominis nodded, "I know you do. You will see him, Y/n. You will see Sebastian in Feldcroft."
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Didn't intend for this chapter to be so long. Sorry LOL.
But yeah, this story might break our hearts a few times. I apologize in advance. 🫣
Lokiniall