There was a small skip in Ominis's step as he made his way to the Room of Requirement. It was strange that he and Sebastian had been able to get back in, almost as if the Room recognized them after Raven brought them to it. Like the past few times, the blond boy found the door and went inside.
"Raven?" he lightly called. "Are you in here, dove?"
"I'm here, Ominis." His smile brightened and his wand guided him over to the desk she was sitting at. "Just one moment. I'm about…to…" He could hear her quill scribbling rapidly across the parchment. "Finished. There's homework out of the way." She tilted her head back to look up at her sweetheart. "What has you looking so-" A yawn interrupted her briefly. "Chipper. Excuse me."
His smile faltered a little. "That's the seventh time I've heard you yawn today. Did you have a rough night?"
"If you count being up half the night rough, then yes. It's this sweet little Kneazle kitten I rescued yesterday. Poor thing was caught in a trap. He would've died if I hadn't found him. But he's been a handful and still requires bottle feeding."
"I see. So you've taken up the role of his mother. That's simply adorable, Raven. But I do hope you get some proper sleep tonight."
"Me too. I'm hoping to hear from my grandfather today to be sure whether he'll take Whiskers for me. I love the little fellow, but I just don't have the time to care for him." Raven stood and moved around the chair to place her hands against his chest, earning a hug from him. "Ominis, you never answered my question. What has you so chipper?"
"You haven't heard the news, I presume. Students and staff have been pestering the headmaster all year for canceling this season of Quidditch. So what does he suddenly announce to get everyone off his case? A Christmas ball just before the holiday break."
The girl gasped. "A ball? Just like that, Professor Black really just gave us a ball?! He must be really sick of hearing about Quidditch."
Ominis chuckled softly at her assumption. "Either way, I quite like the idea myself. I was hoping you would be my date."
"Of course! I'd love to go with you!" Raven was beaming when she leaned forward to rest her head against him, a dreamy sigh escaping her. "Sounds like a romantic evening. I can hardly wait."
"Neither can I." Ominis masked his excitement under his composed smile. He couldn't wait for the ball, but for another reason entirely.
Raven let go of him and backed away, looking at the clock next to her desk. "Oh dear, it's about time to feed Whiskers again. Would you like to meet him?"
"Certainly."
"Then wait here." She guided him to the sofa to sit. "I'll bring him out. He prefers being away from the other beasts to eat."
Raven disappeared into one of the vivariums. It was quiet for a few moments, the ticking of the clock echoing in the silent room. But soon enough, her footsteps returned, accompanied by the soft meows of the kitten. Raven sat beside the boy with a bottle in one hand and a crying Kneazle in the other. Whiskers was a tiny little thing the girl affectionately cradled to her chest. She expertly hushed him with the bottle, to which he happily drank from.
"There, there, Whiskers," she cooed, glancing at Ominis. "Feel free to pet him. But be gentle."
The blind boy slowly reached for the source of the quiet slurping, his fingers finding a warm ball of fur. "He really is young. And a fluffy little thing." He rubbed his fingers gently along the kitten's back. "And with quite the appetite."
"As is the case with all babies," Raven told him. "They have to eat a lot so they can properly grow." Once the bottle was empty, Raven carefully wiped the excess milk from the kitten's chin. "Would you like to hold him?"
That question caught Ominis by surprise. "Oh, well, I suppose for a moment."
Raven passed Whiskers to him, and he found his heart melting once the little one was bundled against his chest. For a brief second, he imagined one day holding his own child like that. He didn't know why, as he'd never thought of having a family before. His imagination really ran wild when he had to pass the fussy Kneazle back to Raven. He listened to her hum softly as she walked back and forth, earning content purrs from Whiskers.
"You make an excellent mother," he said.
Raven paused, noticing the dreamy expression on his face. "Do I? I suppose I am a bit of an expert when it comes to raising beasts." She smirked, deciding to tease him a little. "You seem awfully interested. And here I thought you swore to never continue your bloodline."
There was a noticeable blush on the blond's face in response. "I did. Believe me, I never want to pass on my genes or the Gaunt name, but I…simply can't help imagining what it would be like."
"Maybe one day you'll warm up to the idea. You never know." She sat next to him again. "But it'll be your choice, Ominis. Personally, I like the idea of having a family in the future. But that's me." She looked down at the rather restless kitten squirming in her arms. "Someone's being fussy today. I know just the thing."
Raven stood, and Ominis got up to follow her. They made their way over to the piano where the girl sat her sweetheart down with her. "Does Whiskers enjoy music?"
"It puts him right to sleep. There's this one song he especially loves. It's one my mother wrote...when she fell in love with my father."
"Let's hear it, then."
With Whiskers on her lap, Raven's fingers began moving along the keys. Ominis listened before joining in, copying the notes she played until he took over most of her parts to allow her to focus on singing.
"One day I know there'll be a place for us
Someday I know there'll be a space for us
I keep what I promise
Don't lose hope, my love
I'll meet you where we started once more
"I will run day and night
To be back by your side
When you're alone
See the moon, see the moon, see the moon
Know I'll be home
I'll be there
I'll be seeing you soon"
Ominis was smiling at the beautiful song, enjoying her angelic voice and imagining what it was like for Layla and Damian when they fell in love. That song was a product of their past, and it gave him some insight as to how they felt about each other. It was a lot like how he felt about Raven.
"Just count the stars when you're not here with me
The midnight sky will keep you company
I keep what I promise
Don't give up, my love
I'll meet you where we started once more
"I will run day and night
To be back by your side
When you're alone
See the moon, see the moon, see the moon
Know I'll be home
I'll be there
I'll be seeing you soon"
Raven looked down at the sleeping kitten on her lap, smiling and taking the boy's wrist to stop him from playing. "He's asleep." Another yawn escaped her.
Ominis wrapped an arm around her shoulders and scooted closer. "Rest your eyes, darling. Before you work yourself to the bone."
Unable to resist, she closed her eyes, laid her head on his shoulder, and promptly fell asleep against him. The boy knew they had time, so he let her rest for a short while at least. She deserved it after her hard work lately. It wasn't long before the door to the Room opened again. Ominis turned his head slightly, listening to the familiar footsteps.
"Raven!" Sebastian greeted before he realized she was asleep.
The girl jolted awake, startling the kitten as well. "What the-" Turning her head, she glared at the freckled boy while petting Whiskers to calm him. "Sebastian, don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry. I didn't think you and Ominis would be here napping."
"I wasn't napping," the blond corrected.
"Anyway, your owl was looking for you." The pretty barn owl was indeed perched on his arm with a letter in her beak. "She wouldn't let me have the letter, so I figured I'd better find you."
Raven held out her arm. "Here, Aurora."
The owl flew over to land on her arm, giving her the letter before going to the perch by Raven's desk. Whiskers moved over to Ominis's lap where he could settle back down and continue his nap. The boy gently rubbed his back while Raven opened the envelope and read the letter. Sebastian went and plopped down on the sofa, taking notice of a book on the coffee table in front of him.
"Great! Grandfather has agreed to take Whiskers off my hands."
"Who's Whiskers?" Sebastian asked, picking up the book that had his attention.
"This little Kneazle kitten," Ominis explained. "He's so young that he still needs constant care and attention."
"Which is why I asked my grandfather to take him."
Sebastian immediately turned red when he opened up the book. "Merlin's beard!"
Raven looked at him only to watch him slam the book shut. "Sebastian! Stop going through my things like a nosy Niffler!"
"You're the one leaving books lying around! Why are you reading 'Fifty Forms of Magic'?!"
The girl's face lit up. "I-I grabbed it by mistake when I was in the Restricted Section! Honest! I was going to return it on my next trip!"
"Then why is there a bookmark in it?" he teased, turning the book to show the ribbon nestled between the pages.
His cocky smirk had the girl frowning angrily. "Give me the book."
She marched over to him only for him to jump to his feet and move away from her. He opened the book to her marked page. "He casted Incarcerous, and at his command, ropes manifested from his wand. They wound around Anastasia's wrists, binding them together above her head."
Ominis was blushing as well at that point, lifting the kitten as he stood from the bench. Raven chased after Sebastian, hushing his embarrassing reading by yelling at him. Casting Accio, she snatched the book from his grasp.
"You're no fun," Sebastian pouted like a child who didn't get his way.
"I think that book needs to be returned," Ominis spoke up. "Raven, I don't want you reading that sort of thing. It's far too vulgar." He went over to her with Whiskers in his arms.
"I…" Raven really couldn't argue. She'd indulged a little too much, she knew that. Her girlish love of romance knew no bounds sometimes. But hearing it read out loud like that was humiliating and shameful. "I know. I will. Tomorrow night, I'll take it back." The boy smiled in approval. Setting the book back on the coffee table, Raven grabbed her nab-sack instead. "Anyway, I need to head out before it gets dark. Say goodbye to Whiskers for now."
Ominis gave the kitten one last scratch under the chin, then handed him to Raven who delicately placed him inside the bag. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could I join you? I've only ever met your grandfather once."
Raven hummed. "I don't mind, but, um, you can't exactly fly, Ominis."
"If I go as well, you can ride with me," Sebastian offered.
An idea suddenly came to Raven. "Well if both of you are coming, then I've got just the transportation for you."
~~~~~
Ominis couldn't believe he was doing this. His fingers dug into the feathers in front of him to hold on. He was nervous. It would be the first time he'd ever been in the air. Highwing, on the other hand, chirped with excitement at the prospect of flying free again.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Ominis shakily asked.
"I promise it'll be fine," Raven assured him. "You just have to hold on. Highwing won't let you fall, will you, girl?" The white beast chirped in response.
Sebastian leaned forward against the black Hippogriff with a grin. "Oh, now this is going to be marvelous."
Caligo seemed to stamp his feet, sharing his rider's enthusiasm. "Easy, Caligo," Raven warned, rubbing his neck. "Don't let Sebastian get you overly excited. Now both of you just hang on tight. Highwing and Caligo will do all the flying."
Both boys nodded. Raven brought her fingers to her lips and gave a short whistle to get the attention of the beasts. She then transformed and took flight, causing the Hippogriffs to spread their wings and follow her. Sebastian was beaming and taking in the scenery, watching the ground and Hogwarts grow smaller the higher they went. Ominis was terrified at first. He was holding on to Highwing for dear life, listening to her wing beats and feeling the wind rush past him. But once his mount straightened out, his nerves began to calm.
"This is bloody brilliant!" Sebastian cried.
A smile made its way onto the blind boy's face. "So this is what it's like to fly? You're extremely lucky, Raven. I only wish I could fly as you do."
The bird croaked in reply, glancing back to be sure they were all right. She was relieved to see them enjoying themselves. During the long flight, the boy's discussed their plans for the ball. Ominis made it quite clear that he wanted to enjoy it with Raven, which only piled on the excitement. Sebastian was actually going alone, but wished to join his friends. That wasn't too surprising. He might've acted overly friendly to some of the girls, but with his sister weighing on his mind, he didn't care to really take it too seriously. Raven would've loved to tease him about it, but that would have to wait until she was human again.
Ominis sniffed at the air. "There's a salty sea breeze. Are we at the coast?"
"Yes. No wonder we were flying for so long. The ocean view is beautiful from up here."
Raven led them along the coast, her focus on the rocky cliffs and land below. She slowed her pace and circled around, descending slowly. The Hippogriffs copied her, which allowed Sebastian to see the lone house secluded just under the edge of a cliff with a perfect view of the sea. The beasts landed on the small beach with Raven transforming.
"Here we are!" Once the boys dismounted, she vacuumed up the Hippogriffs into the nab-sack until she could take them back to the vivariums. "My grandfather enjoys the privacy out here."
"I'll admit, living by the beach does sound quite nice," Ominis said.
Sebastian pointed at the tiny brick home over by the cliff. "Don't tell me your grandfather lives there."
The girl followed his finger. "It's bigger on the inside." She led them up to the front door where she politely knocked. When it opened, a familiar face had her grinning. "Hello, Bijou!"
"Lady Raven! Master didn't expect you so soon." The house-elf was smiling wide, stepping aside for them. "Please, come in. Bijou will fetch Master."
The trio stepped inside. Sebastian found that Raven hadn't exaggerated. The place looked like a worn old place from the outside, but inside it was like a gorgeous manor. They were only in a foyer, but beyond it was a large living space with a kitchen and dining room to match. The stairs in the foyer likely went upstairs to the bedrooms and bathroom. With a snap of her fingers, Bijou vanished.
"Make yourselves comfortable. Grandfather won't mind." Raven searched through her nab-sack to find the ball of fur, taking Whiskers out to look around.
Ominis kept his wand in hand so that he could navigate. He and his friend followed the girl to the living space where they waited patiently on the sofas. The sound of footsteps descended the stairs, and the elderly man smiled at them. Raven stood, meeting his gaze once he reached the base of the staircase.
"There's my little bird!"
Raven went over to him with a slight blush. "Grandfather, must you call me that around guests?"
"I don't have to, but I like to." His gaze went down to the kitten in her arms. "This must be Whiskers. When you said he was young, I didn't expect him to be this young." She passed the kitten to him. "Bijou and I will take good care of him."
Raven reached out to pet the Kneazle one last time with a slightly sad smile. "Bye for now, Whiskers. I'll come visit you again. Promise."
The kitten meowed in response, and Bijou was there to gently take the kitten from Armel and head upstairs. Sebastian and Ominis, both a little nervous, approached. The brunet stiffened when the old man's gaze fell on him.
"Who are your friends, Raven?"
"I'm Sebastian Sallow, sir."
"I don't know if you remember me, but-"
"Ominis Gaunt," Armel interrupted with a kind smile and an amused chuckle. "I remember you. And what a fine young man you've become. You were just a boy when I last saw you."
The blond's nerves calmed. "A pleasure to meet you again, sir."
"It's Armel. Armel Lothaire. You don't know how thrilled I was when Raven informed me that you were attending Hogwarts. She has such a difficult time opening up to people, so I worried she wouldn't make any friends."
"I know that all too well," Ominis said with a chuckle.
Raven tried to remain stoic by crossing her arms. "Could we please not discuss this?"
"How come?" Sebastian teased. "Embarrassed we might learn all your secrets?"
Armel erupted with laughter. "Now I see how you became friends." Once his laughter died down, he noticed the sudden unease in his granddaughter's eyes, and a rather serious expression took over his face. It was a look he recognized all too well. "Come sit down. I believe there's something we must discuss." Only once they were all seated around the large coffee table did he say more. "What's bothering you, Raven?"
The girl perked up in alarm, glancing at Ominis beside her. "Nothing. I'm just worried about Whiskers."
Armel's lips turned down. "Raven. You can't lie to me. I know that look in your eyes." His expression hardened. "Did you see him? Has he found you again?"
Raven hung her head, but a lack of an explanation had Ominis quite concerned. "What are you talking about? Who do you mean?"
Armel looked stunned, shifting his focus from Ominis to Raven. "I thought you told them all this." Hugging her arms, the girl shook her head in shame. The old man sighed. "Ominis, forgive my granddaughter. She still hasn't told you the whole story…of why we had to leave Britain in the first place."
"What…?" That was true. She never did talk about that.
"How much do you know about that night?"
Ominis knew exactly what he meant. "We know…that Dark wizards murdered her parents. We don't know their exact motives or who they even were. We do know that Raven's curse is partially to blame, or so she believes. I was told by my father that you were fleeing to protect your remaining bloodline. I never really questioned it."
"That's mostly true. You see, there was a mysterious man in the group of Dark wizards who was solely responsible for the death of my son and my daughter-in-law. He was after dear Layla's magic, and when he learned that Raven had it, she became his primary target. So I took her and fled. Despite our attempts at disappearing, he tracked us down again and again. Did you not find it peculiar that Raven attended two other schools before Hogwarts?"
Sebastian rubbed his chin with a hum. "Huh. It does make more sense now. But then, who was that Dark wizard?"
"We don't know. And we may never know. I take Raven far away whenever he finds us."
Ominis turned his head toward his sweetheart, his hand finding hers. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"
"Because I didn't want you to worry." For a moment, she let herself get lost in those moonstone eyes of his. "If he shows up again, I don't want you involved. He's dangerous. And I…" She turned her head away. "I didn't want to face you to say goodbye again." She looked at her grandfather to answer his previous question. "I thought I saw him. It was only for a second so it could've been my imagination, but I…I can't stop thinking about…the possibility."
"No, Raven." Ominis's hand squeezed hers. "You can't go. You can't leave me again." His voice sounded painfully desperate. "My heart would break without you."
With his sweetheart staying quiet, he leaned closer to rest his head against hers, as if needing to stay close to her. Armel could see even from such simple gestures and words that Ominis was serious. He loved Raven so much that the very notion of her leaving pained him. Sebastian, on the other hand, leaned forward in thought, his elbows resting on his knees. Armel didn't like the dismal looks they wore. The three of them were very close, especially considering the amount of secrets they shared thus far.
"No further action will be taken for the time being." Raven lifted her gaze, surprised at her grandfather's conclusion. "You weren't certain of his presence. Trauma can cause the imagination to run wild. And even if he has found you, he can't touch you while at Hogwarts. That castle is the safest place for you."
Raven left Ominis's touch to stand. "Are you certain? I mean, you were wary of even a trace of him before."
"We can't keep running forever. I stand by my decision. Besides, you've made connections here that should never be broken." He nodded toward the blond, a knowing smile under his mustache. "I believe your place is here, Raven."
Ominis abruptly stood with a relieved sigh. "Thank you, sir!" Turning toward his sweetheart, he pulled her into an embrace. "Rest assured, Hogwarts will keep you safe, Raven. I will keep you safe. You need not fret any longer."
Raven wasn't convinced, but her fears were calmed for the time being, at least enough to smile and enjoy Ominis's warmth. "Very well. I suppose you're both right. I'm not even sure if there's any real reason to worry."
With a grin, Sebastian stood and went to his friends, throwing an arm over both their shoulders. "Let's lighten up and focus on the here and now, like that Christmas ball coming up. Oh, and our usual celebration in Feldcroft as well. Anne could use the distraction."
Ominis hummed softly. "I…don't know if I'll be able to make it this year, Sebastian. I'd like to spend this Christmas with Raven. It's been so long since we celebrated together."
The brunet's face fell. "Oh. But Anne was really looking forward to… No, it's fine. I understand."
Raven looked between the two boys. Clearly they had their own little tradition for Christmas. She could imagine that, since Ominis had distanced himself from his own family, he partook in a family gathering with his best friend. She hated to mess that up.
"Hold on. I'm not going to become a wedge between you two. Not when we could all spend Christmas together. Is that all right, Grandfather?"
"I don't see why not," Armel replied. "The more the merrier. A big feast, gifts, and plenty of people to celebrate with. How about it, Mr. Sallow?"
Sebastian grinned. "I like your thinking, sir. I'll have to make sure it's fine with my uncle, but I'm certain my sister will love it." He looked at the girl. "She's actually been dying to meet you, Raven. Ominis won't shut up about you, so she's gotten this magnificent image of you in her head."
Ominis cleared his throat to conceal his embarrassment. "Yes, well, it sounds like this Christmas is shaping up to be the best in a long time."
Raven agreed wholeheartedly. "I can hardly wait! Bijou makes a delicious fruitcake. You have to try it."
"And it wouldn't be Christmas without gingerbread cookies and eggnog," Sebastian added. "Anne loves helping every year with the cookies."
Armel laughed. "We'll have it all arranged, then."
As worrisome as that Dark wizard was, it was best to not let him ruin the most festive time of the year. Raven tucked away those concerns, and was more than a little eager for Christmas to arrive. Of course, they also had a ball to prepare for.
The song used for this is by Ely Eira and is called "See You Soon".