TW: mentions of abuse.
Three months earlier
There was a soft knock on the wood, then he heard the door open. "Sir, I have Master Ominis here as requested."
"Send him in."
Ominis held his wand firmly in his hand and allowed it to guide him inside his fathers' study. He counted silently seven steps forward into the cold room, and then firmly stopped and heard the door close behind him. He stood absolutely still with his back straight and his hands folded neatly in front of him, a well practiced pose that he knew his father would expect of a noble Gaunt.
For a few moments, Ominis heard nothing but the loud ticking of the clock and his father's quill on parchment. He knew better than to interrupt him, so Ominis stood in silence waiting to be addressed.
He heard the quill return to the ink pot. "I see you've come home," his fathers' hard, cold voice spoke.
Ominis kept his voice even. "Yes sir. You summoned me."
"I also remember summoning you home last summer, yet you ignored me." His father began writing again.
"My apologies. I did not think my presence would be that sorely missed."
"If it wasn't for your brother and his incessant pleading, I would have dragged you back myself," Mister Gaunt spoke with such a harsh animosity it almost made Ominis recoil. "But Marvolo felt you being here would ruin his graduation party. You will not do that again."
Ominis swallowed, keeping his composure calm. "Yes sir."
"Now. Explain why you did come home."
Ominis' heart beat hard in his chest in time to the loud clock ticking, and he hoped his father couldn't hear it from where he sat. "I have heard you have been working on my engagement."
He felt his father freeze for a moment, catching him off guard. "I see word doesn't take long to spread around Hogwarts."
"Actually, it was Verena who told me."
Mister Gaunt hissed in annoyance, and Ominis couldn't help but feel a slight satisfaction at the sound. "Of course it was your sister. She can never keep her damn mouth shut."
Ominis swallowed nervously again. "I have, however, heard rumors around the school that you have had a hard time finding someone to accept the proposal."
He heard the quill stop again, this time returning loudly to the ink pot. His fathers' footsteps echoed on the hard floor as he seemed to walk towards Ominis. "Yes. It seems that you have been spreading quite a few things about yourself around that damn castle of yours," he spoke, his voice coming closer. "Things like you sleepwalk, that you use the dark arts on animals for sport, and that you share a bed with any female Gaunt you so happen upon, including your own sister."
Ominis couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. That was a rumor he hadn't agreed to with Sebastian, but knowing his friend he imagined he probably took it upon himself to spread that one.
"Do you understand how much damage control I have had to do because of you?"
"I can assure you I have no idea what you're—"
The slap caught Ominis completely off guard. It hit him harshly on his right cheek and took him off balance, stumbling slightly as he caught himself. Ominis brought a hand to his face, letting out a small gasp in shock before he tried to straighten his posture again.
"Do not lie to me," his father hissed menacingly in parseltongue. "Do you forget your place so easily?"
"I do not," Ominis hissed back, the parseltongue feeling like acid on his tongue.
He could feel and hear his father start circling him like a vulture. The steps sounded louder and louder with each one he took. "I also heard another thing. This one from your slippery mouth sister about that mudblood Slytherin girl."
The way Mister Gaunt spoke made Ominis visibly shiver as he felt a slight wave of fear.
"She said you seemed to be getting awfully close to her. So much so that you almost went into a damn panic when she got injured by a damn goblin. Fucking pathetic."
"She almost died due to the power Ranrok had stolen from Victor Rookwood," Ominis snapped, suddenly feeling a sense of anger start to wash over his panic. "And she's not a muggleborn. There's proof from the Ministry that her parents were students at Hogwarts, and her mother especially is from a long line of magic."
"She may have been born into magic, but she was raised at a filthy mudblood orphanage instead of with that so-called witch."
"Her mother was protecting her!"
"She's just as much a mudblood as the rest of them. And the fact that you would associate yourself with her at all is disgusting and unbecoming of an heir to this family."
"You and I both know I'm a defective spare. Marvolo is the true heir. And if I'm such a disappointment, why don't you just go ahead and disown me?"
"Because a defective spare can still father Gaunt children," Mister Gaunt spoke practically in his sons' ear. "After your seventh year, you will be married whether you like it or not. You will disassociate with this worthless orphan, as well as stop these ridiculous things you've been spreading, and you will marry the pure blood witch that I choose for you."
Ominis raised his head up in defiance. "And if I refuse?"
He felt his father's mouth practically hiss into his ear as the searing tip of a wand dug into his neck, sending a cold harsh shiver down Ominis' spine again.
"You know the punishment for disobedience."
Ominis stood up straight. It may have been years, but he still knew by the harshness of the parseltongue what his father was about to do next. And he would be damned if he went down easily.
"Crucio."
—
Sabrina had expected to meet up with Ominis and Sebastian in the Common Room before breakfast, but was surprised to hear from Anne that the boys had rushed off ahead of them. "Knowing my brother, he probably dragged Ominis ahead because of how hungry Sebastian gets," Anne assured her. "Let's hurry up so we can get our schedules."
When the girls reached the Great Hall, the entire school was buzzing with excitement at the beginning of the new school year and the expectations of their classes. Sebastian was already shoving sausage and egg into his mouth, and Ominis was sipping on his tea as if trying to hide how tired his face looked.
As soon as Anne and Sabrina sat down, schedules were passed out by the heads of houses. As Professor Ronen passed out the lists, he loudly called out, "Be on the lookout! I will be reaching out to each of you six years later today to discuss your O.W.L results as well as your elective options! I will say, the amount of students who received 'Outstandings' in Charms is a new record! I am very proud of all of you! There you go, Miss Pryor."
Sabrina took her schedule. "It's Lewis, sir."
"Ah, right! Forgive me, name changes always take a while. Miss Pryor—"
"Lewis."
"Lewis! Ahh! The first day and I've screwed up twice already!"
"Looks like all of our schedules match until we get our elective information," she heard Anne say as Professor Ronen walked off. "Charms first thing, then Defense Against the Dark Arts, and double Potions this afternoon."
Sabrina looked over her schedule and saw that she was matching with Anne and Sebastian. She looked up at Ominis just as he gave a slight wave to his wand, forming small bumps on his parchment before running his finger over them.
"What are you doing, Ominis?" Anne asked when she seemed to notice this.
"I found a way to translate written papers to braille," he explained to her. "It helps me to read."
The memory of Sabrina's Christmas gift to him came back to her, and she lowered her head trying to hide the slight blush forming in her cheeks.
Sebastian finished chewing on his sausage before clearing his throat. "Good thing we all have the same classes," he commented. "Since Sabrina is the best among us for potions, maybe she should take pity on the less fortunate and help out Ominis."
Ominis froze and moved his head in his friends' direction. Sabrina also stopped eating to stare at Sebastian in shock. "What?"
Sebastian continued "Makes sense. Ominis is rubbish at potions. Sabrina can share a table and help brew your potions."
Sabrina looked back at Ominis, surprised to see he was looking absolutely livid. "I am perfectly capable of brewing my own potions, Sebastian."
"Sure you are. How many cauldrons did you destroy last year, Ominis?"
Clearing her throat, Sabrina spoke up. "I don't mind helping, Ominis. I actually enjoyed the time I got to help you."
"I don't need your help."
"Really, it's not–"
"I said I'm fine."
"Don't get testy with her, Ominis," Sebastian snapped. "Just because you didn't sleep a damn last night doesn't mean you need to take it out on everyone else."
Ominis opened his mouth wanting to argue when Imelda Reyes ran up to the group excitedly. "I got the tryout schedule!" she exclaimed. "Saturday at ten o'clock, Sallow! Hopefully your broom skills have improved since that horrible incident on the Cleansweep."
"Don't hold your breath, Reyes," Sebastian smiled, his voice cocky and confident. "I can handle myself just fine."
Imelda smirked. "I was talking to your sister."
Sebastian's cockiness instantly melted as he stared wide-eyed at Anne. "What... you? You want to tryout?" He seemed genuinely shocked.
"Why not?" Anne asked. "I think I could make a great addition. Imelda and I were talking about it last night and she agreed."
"No way. Absolutely not."
Anne raised an eyebrow before she put down her fork to cross her arms across her chest. "And why not?"
"You're in no condition to fly. You just got over your curse!"
"Nine months ago! Sebastian, I'm fine!"
"There's no way I'm letting you on a broom."
"Then it's a good thing you're not the boss of me."
"I'm your brother."
"Stop reminding me."
If the school bell hadn't rung at that moment, Sabrina felt like the twins could have started throwing blows at each other. She stood up and looked at Ominis. "Should we walk to Charms together?"
However, before she had finished her sentence, Ominis was already on his feet and walking away from them with the bright red light of his wand leading the way to class.
Sabrina stood shocked. Ominis had never been that rude before, and she wondered what had gone wrong for him to be so angry that morning. Surely, Sebastian's comment about her helping in Potions hadn't irritated him that badly. Sabrina had seen Ominis and Sebastian argue over worse things with less drastic results. But then why was he suddenly being so short with them.
Did I say something wrong? Did I do something last night or this morning? Sabrina thought, feeling her stomach drop at the thought. She looked back at Anne and Sebastian, but they were too busy arguing still to pay any attention to her or Ominis.
"Sabrina!"
The girl suddenly felt two pairs of arms weave themselves into hers as two girls walked side by side with her, one wearing the red scarlet of Gryffindor and the other in the gold of Hufflepuff. "You have Charms this morning, right?"
The Slytherin couldn't help but smile at her two friends, Natty Onai and Poppy Sweeting, as they began leading her out of the Great Hall. "Of course I would be stuck having classes with you," she teased.
Poppy giggled happily. "Well, it was either that or let you walk alone."
"Besides," Natty grinned. "We can catch up on our way to class. Oh, how I have missed you so much, my friend!"
–-
From the moment the girls walked into class, they could already tell that Professor Hecat was not going to hold anything back in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class this year.
"Most of you are still in this class because you want to become Aurors or join the Ministry of Magic," Professor Hecat said when everyone had sat down. "I'm here to tell you that because of these ambitions, I will not be taking anything easy on you. I expect nothing but perfection from everyone. Now, on your feet. We are going to start learning the Patronus charm today."
Everyone quickly stood up as the desks moved out of the way, leaving a large empty space in the middle of the room.
"The Patronus charm is used as a deterrent to keep the guards of Azkaban, known as the dementors, away from attacking others," Professor Hecat began. "It can also be used as an emergency signal should one need to reach someone immediately. However, the latter can only be achieved by casting a corporeal patronus, meaning it takes the shape of a particular animal or beast. This charm is extremely difficult, as it relies on positive and happy emotions to fully cast. Mister Sallow, why don't you come up first?"
Sebastian took a step forward and took out his wand.
Professor Hecat approached him. "Now... close your eyes and focus on the happiest memory you possess."
Sebastian followed her directions, closing his eyes to focus.
"Now repeat the incantation. 'Expecto Patronum'."
"Expecto Patronum," Sebastian repeated.
"Focus on that memory. Now, open your eyes and try to cast the charm on the training dummy."
Sebastian opened his eyes, raised his wand at the dummy in front of him, and clearly spoke. "Expecto Patronum."
Immediately, a bright white light shot out of Sebastian's wand and fully enclosed the dummy. Everyone took a surprised step back and watched in awe as the light lasted a few more seconds before dying down. The class applauded Sebastian, who smiled victoriously before going back to stand with Ominis.
"Well done," Professor Hecat smiled. "That was an incorporeal patronus. Notice how it was just a bright burst of light? That might do well against one dementor, but the only way to beat a group of them is with a corporeal patronus. Also, the harder you focus on your memory, the stronger the patronus. Who would like to go next? How about you, Miss Lewis?"
Sabrina was surprised to be called on, but stepped forward and stood where Sebastian had been a moment before.
"Close your eyes," Professor Hecat instructed. "And focus."
Sabrina did just that and tried to find a happy memory. She realized that it was harder than she thought, and she actually struggled to find one. Perhaps the first day at Hogwarts? Dancing in the rain after exams? God, why is this so difficult?
"Are you ready?"
She opened her eyes and looked at Professor Hecat, who was watching her expectantly. Sabrina nodded, choosing to focus on her first meeting with Ominis and Sebastian and how she had felt when she had first come to Hogwarts a year ago. Sabrina raised her wand at the dummy. You were happy when Ominis defended you, she thought. When Sebastian took you to Hogsmeade.
But Ominis isn't happy with you, her mind suddenly fought back. He's not defending you today, is he? Instead he's upset at you. Is he really your friend?
Sabrina shook her head slightly, trying to get rid of the voices. "Expecto Patronum!"
Nothing happened.
Sabrina closed her eyes, trying again to focus on the happiness she felt. You beat Sebastian your first day of class. People came up and congratulated you. You felt you belonged.
"Expecto Patronum!" Sabrina yelled again. This time, a slight short burst of light came from her wand and hit the dummy in the chest, pushing him back slightly.
Sabrina got a slight applause from the class, and Professor Hecat came and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's a difficult spell," she assured her. "Don't give up. You can't expect to get it right on your first try."
The professor's kind words of encouragement did little to help ease Sabrina's mind.
-----
A/N: Comments are love! Thank you for reading!