"Olive Sallow."
I peered behind me, Sebastian beaming at me with the widest grin I had ever seen on his face.
But suddenly I didn't want to move.
"Go, Liv." He said, nudging me with his hand.
Deep breaths...
I focused hard on putting one foot in front of the other, determined not to make an absolute fool of myself by tripping over my own feet.
"Congratulations, Re- uh, Sallow." Chief Samuel Dodds said with an outstretched hand. I shook it firmly and accepted my graduate certificate.
I was an Auror.
A fully fledged one.
I quickly trotted off to the rest of the graduating class, taking a spot next to Lawson so I could watch my husband accept the same rank.
Fuck, I was proud of him.
"Sebastian Sallow."
He walked that stage with a confidence I'd never seen before. He'd had many moments of doubt about himself and his abilities throughout the three years we'd been working at MACUSA, going through all sorts of rigorous exercises and attending many emergencies, crimes and arrests. But he saw it through. He was going to be the best Auror MACUSA had ever seen.
Sebastian accepted his certificate and walked right up to me with a warm smile, wrapping an arm around my waist and placing his head on top of mine, kissing my lightly curled hair.
"We did it." He whispered.
"We did." I repeated him, nuzzling my head under his arm.
I peered over the crowd and spotted the sandy blonde hair of our best friend, clapping his hands louder than anyone else in the room.
Life truly felt perfect.
We didn't last long at Ominis' place once we were done with our three month stint at the training facility. MACUSA paid well, even their trainees, to make sure they stayed on and completed the programme. It didn't make sense for Sebastian and I to stay there.
Ominis never mentioned our first night back. Either we were quieter than we thought or he just decided to respect our privacy during our husband and wife duties.
But the guilt consumed us and we found a comfortable two bedroom apartment for the two of us conveniently located halfway between both Ominis and Lawson.
And speaking of Ominis and Lawson, they were too much alike. I didn't like it. They teamed up against Sebastian and I all the time. Sebastian mostly, though. I suppose that was the advantage of them both having shared a room with Sebastian at school. They had common experiences to discuss.
"Did he take Olive into his bed at Hogwarts as much as he did at Ilvermorny?" Lawson asked once as we all met up for a Butterbeer.
"I'd argue more. He was too comfortable at Hogwarts, I'm sure he showed more decorum at Ilvermorny." Ominis chuckled.
"Oh, come on! You slept with and married my sister, Ominis!" Sebastian said, trying desperately to make someone else the target.
"That's old news, Seb." Lawson reminded him, having already been told numerous times by Sebastian about what exactly had happened. Though I'm certain Sebastian's version of events varied greatly compared to Ominis'.
They had way too much in common...
The graduating class of 1897 headed off for a celebration, a small gathering with food and drinks held by the MACUSA Department of Aurors. Ominis tagged along and the four of us spent the afternoon getting to relax and unwind, the pressure of study off the backs of at least 3 of us. Ominis was just happy to be there.
"I love this little group." Sebastian commented.
We'd been here an hour.
He was on his way to being drunk.
"Sebastian?" I said, taking the firewhisky out of his hand.
"Yes, my beauuuuuutiful wife?" He swayed ever so slightly.
"No more. You're an Auror now and you're in front of all your colleagues. Let's start with a good impression, yes?" I said, almost demanding.
"Yeah, yeah..." Sebastian said with an eye roll, "but it's free, it's such a shame to not take advantage of it all..."
"Sebastian, no."
"Olive, yes."
I simply stopped and stared at him, my hands placed firmly on my hips as I looked at his the way an angry wife would look at their idiotic husband.
"Fine." He said with a groan.
"Thank you." I said, dropping my angry facade and wrapping my hand around his waist. Partly to show I loved him but mostly to keep him away from the bar.
He leaned down and kissed me, the lingering taste of firewhisky on his lips almost driving me wild, but I composed myself. A work function was not the place as much as Sebastian would disagree. Instead, I scanned the room and found Ominis and Lawson deep in conversation on the other side of the room. I didn't even realise they had left us.
"Do you ever think our best friends are replacing us with each other?" I said, my gaze unmoving from the two of them.
"Hmm?" Sebastian leaned in, his ear near my mouth, unsure what I was talking about.
"Look. Lawson and Ominis." I said, pointing across the room at them laughing and sipping on their own drinks.
Sebastian let out a hearty laugh, his head being tossed back as he did it. "I'm glad."
"What? You're glad to lose your best friend?" I asked, a lick of confusion across my face.
"Well, no." Sebastian began, "But I think having someone else around will be good for Ominis. I have you and Ominis lost Anne a long time ago. We all did. So I think having someone else around will do him some good. I've felt guilty ever since we moved out of his apartment. He'll never admit it, but I think he enjoyed having us there."
Hm. Despite Sebastian's inebriated body, his mind continued to be the sound of reason.
"Besides, the more time they spend together, the less they're with us. And you know what that means?" He said, leaning in impossibly closer.
"No, Sebastian. I don't." I said, trying to hide my grin and make him explain himself. I did know what he meant.
He frowned at me, clearly expecting me to indulge him in his little game.
"I was going to say it means... you know what, never mind."
My lips couldn't hold back the chuckle and I sighed and hugged him once more.
Sebastian's earlier drunkenness had mellowed into a warm buzz and we joined Ominis and Lawson in their corner of the room, where they were deep in conversation.
"You're not replacing me are you, Ominis?" Sebastian said as we approached the pair, draping an arm across his shoulders.
"Not at all. But I might consider it. Olive, I didn't know Lawson shared the same abilities as you. How fascinating." Ominis said.
It appeared Lawson didn't like to keep his abilities as hidden as I. He'd only meet Ominis a handful of times, but here he was telling him about it. I kind of admired his confidence. It took me years to gather up the courage to tell Ominis about the things I could do.
"The two of them actually taught me everything I know about it. They're fantastic teachers. Maybe there's a teaching career for you both when you're sick of being Aurors." Lawson said.
For me? Absolutely not. But I knew Sebastian would think it the highest honour to be a Professor like his parents. But that was a conversation for another time. A time way in the future.
"I haven't even thought ahead to next week." Sebastian said, his fingers running through his hair.
"You don't think about the future at all?" Lawson asked.
"Well. I have things I'd like to do quite soon." Sebastian said.
Lawson looked at him expectantly, "What's that?"
"Travel the world, right Seb?" I interrupted him before he could answer.
I knew exactly what he was going to say. Something I was not ready for.
"Right, Seb?" I said, longer and more drawn out to get my point across.
"Sure." He said with furrowed brows.
"So, how long have you been married for now?" Lawson asked with a devilish grin I so desperately wanted to wipe off his face.
"Just shy of four years." Sebastian said with a forlorn look on his face.
"And hasn't it been great? Now we get to actually start our careers, finally!" I said, diverting the conversation. "Anyway, we better get going. Work awaits bright and early tomorrow and someone is already going to be cradling quite the hangover, I think."
Sebastian nodded and we excused ourselves from the conversation with Lawson and Ominis, exchanging farewells with everyone else.
I threw off my shoes and coat and collapsed on the lounge while Sebastian fumbled around in the kitchen for some water.
"Why do you always avoid that topic?" Sebastian asked, pulling a glass from the cabinet.
"What topic?" I propped myself up on my elbow, furrowing my brow, "What are you talking about?"
Sebastian joined me on the couch, handing me a glass of water. "Kids."
I took a sip of the water, buying myself a moment to gather my thoughts. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk about it, but the thought of giving up my body to carry a child and the responsibilities of parenthood had always been a complex and daunting concept for me.
"Seb, it's not that I don't want them..." I began slowly, choosing my words carefully. "I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that kind of responsibility. I know it's unusual for couples to be married as long as us and not have kids but we were so young. We are only 21. We have time."
Sebastian nodded, still looking disappointed. If he had his way, we'd have had three of them by now.
"And we have just started our careers, Sebastian. I didn't study and train for three years just to have to stop to have a child before I even got started. Maybe one day, but not now."
Sebastian sighed, understanding my perspective even if he didn't fully share the reservations about it. He leaned in closer, his hand gently cupping my cheek.
"I know, Olive," he said softly. "And I respect your feelings on this."
"Thank you." I breathed a sigh of relief.
Sebastian's disappointment weighed on me as I laid awake in the dimly lit bedroom that evening, the soft hum of the city outside our window serving as a backdrop to my restless thoughts.
Turning onto my side, I looked at Sebastian, who was sound asleep beside me. His expression was peaceful as his bare chest rose and fell softly. I couldn't bear the thought of causing him anymore pain or disappointment.
I gently slipped out of bed, careful not to wake him. I needed some space to think, to sort through my feelings, and to find a way to express myself without making Sebastian feel like his desires were being brushed aside.
I quietly padded into the living room of our cozy apartment and settled onto the lounge, wrapping a warm blanket around me. The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the curtains as the remaining fire cast dancing shadows across the room.
As I sat there, my thoughts began to spin. I needed a way to get all of this out. So I grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write, the sound of the scratching quill soothing my mind for a moment.
Deep in thought, I didn't notice that time was passing quickly until I heard soft footsteps approaching. Sebastian had woken up and had come to find me.
"Why are you up?" He asked with a yawn, scratching the back of his head.
He slipped himself beside me, tugging the blanket from around me to cover himself with it too.
"I couldn't sleep. Just writing some thoughts down." I said, shifting closer to him but keeping my eyes on the paper.
Sebastian's curiosity was piqued as glanced over at the parchment I was writing on. The moonlight cast a soft glow on his features and his messy hair, making him look devilishly handsome almost making me question just what the fuck I was waiting for.
"What are you writing about?" he asked, his voice still sleepy.
I sighed, not sure if I was ready to share it with him, but I also didn't want to keep him in the dark. "Us. And the future. Everything we talked about earlier."
Sebastian nodded as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. "I'm sorry if I pushed too hard, Olive. I just get excited about the idea of our future together."
I turned to look at him, my heart swelling with love for this man who was both my best friend and my husband. "I know, and I want that future too. Eventually. The time doesn't feel right."
Sebastian leaned in and kissed my forehead tenderly. "Of course."
I placed the parchment and quill aside, no longer needing them. Instead, I snuggled closer Sebastian.
"Can we go back to bed? We find out our assignments tomorrow, you need to get some sleep." He asked, kissing my head once more.
I nodded, my head resting against his shoulder. "Let's go back to bed. I'm sorry for waking you up and causing all this fuss."
"Nonsense. I'm glad we were able to talk about it." He said, lifting the blanket and scooping me up into his arms, carrying me back to our room and laying me down in his arms, stroking my hair until I fell asleep.
I was glad he managed to get me back to sleep because our first day on the job no longer as trainees, but as fully fledged Aurors, was exhausting.
I barely had time to stop and eat between meetings and other boring parts, but right before the end of the day, we were all called in to be given our work orders.
"Ah, Mrs. Sallow. You've been paired with Mr. Carr and Mr. Harris for your first case." I was directed.
Great. I was with Lawson. But Barnaby Harris, on the other hand, was a name I'd heard floated around quite a bit and not in a good sense.
He was allegedly quite harsh and drove out a lot of young Aurors with his attitude towards them.
So why I got assigned to work with him I'd never understand.
I left my meeting with my assignment in hand, clutching onto the paper like my life depended on it.
Sebastian caught me just outside the MACUSA building where we always met before making our way home.
"Hey," he said, greeting me with a kiss. "How did it go? Did they give you your assignment?"
I nodded, still feeling a mixture of emotions about it. "Yeah, they did. I'm paired with Lawson but I'm also paired with Barnaby Harris."
Sebastian's expression darkened at the mention of him. "Harris? The hard-ass? Are you okay with that?"
"I have to be." I said, not really wanting to dwell on it and beginning our walk home.
Sebastian frowned as he jogged to catch up to me.
"I could ask if we could swap. I'm with Dodds." Sebastian suggested.
"No. It's bad enough being the only witch that's a new recruit. Imagine how bad it will look if my husband needs to step in? No, I'll be fine. I just have to do this."
Sebastian hummed and slipped a reassuring hand between mine.
"Well, if anyone can stand up to him, you can. Let me know if he's any trouble, yeah?"
I laughed. I had to admire Sebastian's concern and willingness to jump in to defend me, even if it really wasn't his place to do it.
"Thanks. I appreciate it. I'm sure it will be fine, though."
When we arrived home, I went straight to our small makeshift study, where I had a small desk and a bookshelf filled with magical law books and case files. I knew the best way to get onto Harris' good side was to start researching straight away.
Sebastian didn't follow me for a while, instead knocking softly a few hours later with a plate full of food for me.
"Hungry?" He said, placing the plate in front of me and kissing my head softly.
"Mmm. Thanks." I said, stretching my neck and placing my quill to the side.
I turned my chair around to face him as he took a seat in a small armchair in the corner we normally used for reading... and once another thing, but we decided it wasn't very comfortable.
While I nibbled on some of the bread he'd placed on my plate, he had a wide smile on his face.
"What?" I said with a mouthful, suddenly feeling a sense of worry.
"You're adorable." He said with a smirk.
"What?" I repeated, swallowing the bread.
"You left your parchment out from last night."
Oh. Fuck. He wasn't supposed to see it.
"I-uh, did you read it?" I asked, placing my plate back on the desk.
"Some of it. Sorry," he added quickly, recognising my discomfort. "I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I just saw it there, and I was curious."
I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "It's okay. I should have been more careful about where I left it."
"You wrote a letter to our baby."
My cheeks flushed and I suddenly found myself lost for words. I could feel my cheeks growing warmer by the second. I hadn't expected him to discover that part of the parchment, the letter I had written to our future child, a child we hadn't even decided to have yet.
"Yeah," I finally admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I did."
"And you wrote one for me. Don't worry. I didn't read it. I just saw my name at the top." He reassured me.
I let out a small sigh of relief when Sebastian mentioned the unread letter. My cheeks were still flushed, but at least he hadn't read the intimate words meant for him later on.
"I think it's great you're getting your feelings out on paper. Did it help?" He asked.
I nodded, grateful for Sebastian's understanding especially when I was doing something incredibly stupid like leaving out parchment I didn't want anyone to see. "Yeah, it did."
"Then good. Come here. I love you." He said, holding out his arms.
I shifted out of the chair, my back aching from sitting for so long and sat on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I love you too." I whispered.
"I know. Now come on, you can't sit here and stress all night about Harris. He'll be ten times more unbearable when you're exhausted."
Ugh. He was so wise sometimes.
He carried me to our bed and shifted us both under the covers, drawing soft lines across my back to soothe me and my worries until we both drifted off to sleep. Sebastian's presence was comforting, and I felt truly fortunate to have him by my side, especially during times like this.
I almost wish I'd been paired with him and Harris instead of Lawson, but those were dreams. Just like Sebastian's dreams I'd crushed earlier.