Chapter 22: Missed Me, Britain?
"He could be a trophy
of a one night stand."
Sam Smith
Well, shit. Was all Penelope Silverthorn could think to herself that afternoon standing upon the American man in front of her.
Penelope gave out a half-gasp as she heard footsteps over the Faculty Tower's floor and quickly opened her bedroom door, dragging Joshua Rogers with her; as if she were afraid to be seen with him.
"Whoa," Joshua emitted a chuckle at the quick actions, but Penelope began to pace from the presence.
"What are you doing, Josh?" Penelope asked breathlessly, closing the door and adjusting the reality.
Joshua's blue eyes admired the faculty bedroom of Penelope and kept a smile, almost wanting to ignore what she said.
"As I recall," Joshua crossed his arms, walking around her on that wooden floor, "I got your letter."
"S-So," Penelope stuttered in a low tone as she was in denial over the visit. Her finger tucking a hair behind her ear as she spoke, "You just bloody packed your bags and came like nothing?"
Joshua Rogers stopped his walk in the room, furrowing his black brows and side-eyeing the woman with a tilt, "Well, yes?"
"Merlin," Penelope whispered to herself from the overwhelming day, thinking about how nowhere in the owl she mentioned to Joshua Rogers that he should visit.
"Huh, look at that," Joshua gave a cocky smirk, raising his arm and elbowing Penelope, "The British is coming out of you." He teased.
And there it was. That stupid bloody smile of Joshua Rogers. The cheek dimples became visible from the confident expression as he eyed her destructively and wiggled his brows.
"What? Are you not happy to see me, Pen?" Joshua squinted at her, his arms now crossing as he placed himself inches in front of her and bent to her height.
Penelope Silverthorn was never intimated by Joshua Rogers. She had adjusted to his usual teases and patterns — but from the edging experiences she had with someone else earlier that day, her distractions were faded.
"I just...I..." Penelope wasn't really prepared for the stuttering, but having the man she was practically toying with the last four years come to surprise her was intimidating.
"I mean," Joshua Rogers broke the tension, raising his posture again and pacing around her in a circle, "I would've visited regardless, you know. You weren't answering my owls since your stay here,"
"I was busy." Penelope lied.
"And then you were taking longer than usual in this case," Joshua ignored, continuing his explanation, "I practically had to beg President Rappaport to give you an extra hand, also known as...me, of course." He smiled.
Penelope sighed at the leveled confidence of the man and rolled her eyes, "I didn't need an extra hand, Josh. I'm sure I can handle this."
"Can you?" Joshua stopped his pace and turned at her. The broad arms still crossed. "Isn't this like the longest case you've had, record-wise?"
Penelope stood in place, closing her eyes at the truth and whilst doing that, you can see Joshua Rogers fingers grasp over the documents that sat on the office table.
"And look at that, a student passed away — oh, not singular. Students passed away. Plural." Joshua read in a sarcastic surprise, reading about Penelope's searches.
Penelope's brows furrowed at the information Joshua gathered and as she turned, she snatched the papers from him and hid them away.
"Give me that!" Penelope scoffed at him and set the documents aside, "H-How long have you been inside the castle?"
"Enough to know that it's like a fucking maze out here," Joshua snickered, "How do you even do it? I got dizzy after the first floors." He complained, sitting on the office chair by the fireplace and still observing around.
Penelope sighed, watching how comfortable Joshua Rogers got in her own space, "I attended school here, Josh. Common sense."
Joshua played around with Penelope's quill collection, the feathers of the pen wiggling his nose as he kept peeking his eyes everywhere.
"Where's my little moon?"
"Her name is Luna," Penelope corrected at the pet mentioned, "She's in the Vivarium."
"The what?"
"Where are you staying, exactly? Or are you here for a fast trip?" Penelope hoped.
Joshua let go of the quills and shrugged, "Unsure. That headmaster....Weasel...."
"Weasley." Penelope corrected in annoyance, "Headmistress Weasley, Josh."
"Right, right," Joshua smiled, "Well, she gave me this enchanted map to guide me around this annoying maze, but it's still so complicated."
Always a complainer.
Penelope ignored his babbling for a second until Joshua mentioned one particular thing.
"...and then I saw this redhead walking around here nearby and I asked her about you. Considering she was the first adult I saw among these ant children,"
"Redhead?" Penelope reddened at the thought that it could have possibly been the only option she had in her head.
"Yeah, and she happily guided me here," Joshua said, oblivious.
Wanting to ignore any mention of Cecil Greeengrass herself, Penelope placed her hands over her hips and looked down at Joshua sitting in the chair.
"Let me see the map." She extended her arm.
Joshua eyed the woman up and down, the nostalgia of having Penelope Silverthorn boss him around at work in America making him miss the thrill.
"How demanding," Joshua flirted.
"Map." Penelope wiggled her hand to gesture the map.
Joshua Rogers used his wand to make an enchanted map appear in their view.
As Penelope's eyes scanned over the map, you could see Joshua Rogers wiggling his fingers over the wooden chair, not hiding the gaze he had on the face and the body.
"You're in the faculty rooms on the Headmaster's Wing of the castle." Penelope let out.
"You say it like if I know where that is." Joshua murmured in a lazy matter.
"Far."
Joshua Rogers gave out a moaning-like groan at the news and leaned his head back against the chair. You can see the ball in his throat move as he sighed loudly.
"And why are you so far away from me? How come we aren't together like the other workers here—"
"It's a little different here, Josh." Penelope said without care on the complaint.
"Ugh," Joshua grunted, "I miss America already."
"You can go back," Penelope suggested and Joshua plopped his head back at her, "Listen, Josh, I really appreciate your concern about wanting to help, but an extra hand isn't really necessary since we have a tea—"
Between Penelope's speaking, Joshua stood up from the chair rapidly, hovering over the woman and ignoring every word she was saying out of her mouth.
"Hm, are you sure?" Joshua spoke lightly and his steps grew closer, "I don't believe that's what the letter said the other day."
Penelope took notice of the behavior and backed away.
"It was a vulnerable night for me. It meant nothing in that way, Josh." Penelope tried standing her ground, ignoring the tension that wanted to grow between her and the handsome man.
"What?" Joshua's blue eyes observed Penelope Silverthorn's avoidance and placed his hands over her waist, "You missed me, didn't you?"
Penelope swallowed, not reacting to the physical touch the man gave her. It was odd that she wasn't feeling much over this, compared to the finger rest she had on her cheeks an hour ago.
"Maybe," Joshua's fingers gripped onto her waist, making Penelope clear her throat, "Maybe, you don't need my help on the case, but maybe you need my help...with something else?" He flirted, his mouth wanting to glue on her ear.
Penelope's chest rose on the touches. Her eyes closed to prevent herself from seeing Joshua Rogers and allowed the touches to become heavier as she daydreamed.
But as Joshua's hands tickled her sides, and his lips brushed into her neck, Penelope began to concentrate on something else.
It was bizarre to think that although the physical touch she had been craving for the last few weeks was finally here, her body yearned for light touches. Like the strokes over her cheeks. The thick accent from someone else. The Mahogany Musk scent. The freckles.
Without thinking much, Penelope wiggled herself out of Joshua, stopping the session between them, and refusing.
"Josh," Penelope warned, stepping back, almost in shame from why she did it. "No."
Again, a slight groan came out of the American man and he placed a hand on his hip, staring at the ceiling.
"Oh, come on, Pen! It's been almost nine months."
Penelope blinked rapidly as she stared in disbelief at the man. Almost shocked. "What? Are you seriously keeping track of the last time we had sex? Are you serious right now?"
Joshua Rogers didn't seem ashamed at his sentence, "Well, yeah."
Penelope rolled her eyes, giving attitude at the reply.
"See!" Joshua grabbed her again, pulling her against his chest and teasing, "You get moody when you don't get what you want. I know you." He bit his lip as he stared her down, "Come on, Britain..."
Penelope refused, but again, it had been a while and her body was still fueled with the heat from the Undercroft. Maybe, if she gave in — maybe, if she did it, it'll make her forget the moment at all. Yeah, maybe, that's it.
Knock. Knock.
A crack of reality broke into them and Penelope sighed, not knowing whether it was a sigh of disruption or a sign of relief.
Penelope un-tangled from Joshua, pushing him slightly aside, "Ugh, move from the door, Josh. You're blocking the—"
Joshua Rogers rolled his eyes along, uncrossing his arms and moving out the door, "Ugh, can they not see you're busy,"
"Let me open—"
"No, I'll get that." Joshua mocked in annoyance, his hands twisting the knob and confronting the person that was on the opposite side of the door.
Sebastian Sallow knew that what had happened in the Undercroft wasn't the end. He knew that for sure. Ominis Gaunt's presence shouldn't have to stop him. Perhaps, it was the first sign to run after her. He knew there was something that Penelope Silverthorn felt too.
And when he asked for a second sign, to reassure himself that maybe, what he was doing was making him be imbecile for risking his own reputation, the brown leather journal with the long tie knot stood on the Undercroft's floor.
That was the second sign. Right?
All he had to do was risk it all and give her back that journal. That was all.
Or so he thought.
Penelope Silverthorn's face reddened rapidly at the presence of Sebastian Sallow at her door. She wasn't expecting anything from the day, but yet, things kept happening.
"Oh, hey man." Joshua Rogers greeted unpleasantly, but Penelope stepped in.
"Seb—P-Professor Sallow?" Penelope said, almost in question on why Sebastian Sallow was here in the first place. It was shocking.
Joshua Rogers eyes squinted a little, wanting to think about the name-call of the professor, and looked into his own daze as he spoke to himself.
"Professor Sallow?..."
The aura was silence. If there was a theme for the moment right now, it'll be awkward. Because, it was really awkward between all three adults. Awkward. Surprising. Unexpected. You can name it.
Sebastian was in a clouded mindset right now, trying to comprehend if he had been dreaming. He had to reassure himself if there was really a man inside of Penelope Silverthorn's bedroom, let alone, with an American accent.
American. Sebastian's stomach twisted a little as he connected his own dots. Penelope came from America, an American man. A boyfriend?
No, Penelope clearly made sure she was on her own. She said that when Sebastian asked her about the ring over her fingers when they met again for the first time after eight years. Right?
Sebastian cleared his throat, breaking off the tension, and gave a half smile, extending his hand at the American man.
"I'm Sebastian. Sebastian Sallow."
Joshua Rogers blinked at the name introduction, but took his hand off his pant pocket and shook it back. You can see his blue eyes look at Penelope as he spoke firmly.
"Huh," Joshua said beneath his breath as his confidence grew again and greeted Sebastian more loudly, "Pleasure is yours. Joshua. Joshua Rogers. One of the top two Aurors in MACUSA."
Show off. Sebastian Sallow thought to himself right away, but there was a displeasure how the man that stood opposite from him was good looking. Not that he was insecure, but he lacked confidence for a few seconds.
Sebastian looked down at the hand-shaking. How the man that shook his hand was also shaking the same hand that had touched Penelope Silverthorn's cheeks — he wondered what the other hand — fuck. What are you doing?
This was no competition. Sebastian Sallow was engaged.
"Um," Penelope cleared her throat, cutting off the greeting and trying to keep things organized in her head, "Is there anything I can help you with, Professor Sallow?"
Professor Sallow. Damn you, Pen. Stop using those words.
"Erm, yeah," Sebastian nodded, and slowly brought up a brown journal to their sight, "You, uh, you forgot your journal in the Under—in the meeting room this morning, Miss Silverthorn." He said, fixing his lie from not revealing the Undercroft.
Penelope clutched her breath as she never took notice that she forgot the brown leather journal, that also belonged to Sebastian Sallow, in the Undercroft after everything that happened.
"Oh, look at that," Willingly, Joshua Rogers hand came in touch with the journal himself and took it from Sebastian Sallow as he turned to Penelope, "A note taker now, huh?" He smirked.
Sebastian Sallow's fists vibrated at the words of Joshua Rogers. His jaw had already clenched from the disobedience of Joshua Rogers taking the journal from his hands instead of Penelope, but he stood his ground.
"Oh, thank you, Mister Sallow." Penelope gave out.
As Penelope told her words, Joshua Rogers eyes twitched a little as he became nosy over the note-flipping of the brown journal and quickly found himself reading over the imprinted fainted name on the cover.
This Book Belongs To
Sebastian Sallow
Sebastian Sallow.
"No worries, Miss—"
"Right, got it. Thanks man," Joshua shut the journal loudly over his fingers and brought it to his side as he signaled Sebastian to leave, "See you around."
Arrogant fuck. Sebastian thought, but glared at Joshua for a moment. It seemed like a man-to-man telepathy, as if, they both knew their own aims and targets, but Penelope didn't take notice.
And Sebastian Sallow started it first. He departed without saying goodbye to Joshua Rogers, but he turned to Penelope and gave a slight nod, ignoring the presence of the visitor.
Penelope Silverthorn was in shambles as Sebastian disappeared from her view as she processed Joshua's unnecessary behavior and talk-over.
Joshua Rogers threw the door to close, but it didn't click between the shut, leaving a dent of opening as he began to talk to Penelope again and making his voice echo.
"Sebastian Fucking Sallow." Joshua threw out, placing the brown journal aggressively against the rounded table with a scoff.
Penelope Silverthorn walked deeper into her bedroom, closing her eyes at the chaos and shaking her head, knowing what was about to be brought up.
"Josh, please don't start—"
"How the hell am I not supposed to start, Pen," Joshua licked his lips in between his annoyance, "Sebastian. The Sebastian—"
"I don't have time for this." Penelope groaned out, running her fingers through her hair.
"Well, I do." Joshua pointed, "You think I can fucking leave now after I just met the guy's name you once moaned out to in between my bedsheets four years ago?" He exposed.
Penelope turned pink again at the reminder.
It wasn't intentional. When twenty two year old Penelope Silverthorn met Joshua Rogers, her heart was still weak. Her life was still a mess. And the men she'll be with wouldn't last a night with her. Though it was her choice — she knew her head was glued to her Hogwarts boyfriend. Things happen.
"It happened once and never again." Penelope defended, "I was drunk."
"Please." Joshua said angrily.
Penelope gave out a 'pfft' noise as she turned to the upset man, "Oh, piss off, Joshua. As if you haven't called me, let's see," Penelope wondered, "You called me Amanda, twice!"
"Pen-"
Penelope mimicked a scene from years ago in front of him, "Oh, fuck yes, Amanda! Keep going!"
Joshua Rogers stood there mute, knowing she was right, so he had no power in holding the Sebastian name-call against her. But he was a man after all.
"This is why you're staying longer at Hogwarts, isn't it?" Joshua asked in annoyance.
Penelope scoffed, "What? No! I didn't even know he was working here. Care to remind you, this wasn't a very pleasant case I wanted to take." She fought.
"Okay, then hand it over to me." Joshua declared, "If I had known you'd be casing over your little past lover, the case would've possibly been done by now."
Penelope stood speechless at the words, but she shook her head. "No. This is my case. I-I have to fix it. I know the castle more than you ever will."
"Our case now," Joshua fixed, a stern look over his structured face as he stared at Penelope with concern, "Because I'm not leaving."
Penelope just stared at the tall man, wanting to say so much, but also wanting him to leave.
"Professor Sallow," Joshua chuckled to himself, shaking his head and Penelope stared up in confusion at the insult, "You had nothing to lose, Britain."
Penelope felt her heart sink for a moment at the dark insult coming off Joshua Rogers. She wanted to add in something, but she knew if she did, it would only prove his theory more.
"Let it go, Josh. He's engaged anyways." Penelope confessed, the last few words forcing out of her mouth.
"Who would accept him?" Joshua scoffed.
"With that redhead that guided you here, you wit." Penelope informed. "So, relax. You can be full of yourself in America, but this case is important, Rogers."
"He's engaged to the old lady that runs this school?! Oh fuck," Joshua laughed, "Never m—"
"Cecil Greengrass." Penelope nearly gagged at saying the name so firmly without messing up, "The other redhead that sent you to my faculty room apparently."
Joshua Rogers brows rose at the news that Sebastian Sallow was in fact marrying the lovely green-eyed tall redhead that guided him to the Faculty Tower.
Sebastian Sallow sure ran game over his likings in women, but Joshua Rogers wasn't going to let him win. Not on his arrival. He was Joshua Rogers after all.
"Oh, Cecil, her name is," Joshua puckered at the thought, "Hm, she isn't so bad."
Penelope just sighed in stress and closed her eyes.
When Sebastian Sallow entered his faculty bedroom one floor under, he shut the door loudly, not holding back his frustration on the previous scene, and sighed as he closed his eyes.
Joshua Bloody Rogers. Such an Americanized name. Such a tone. Such a confidence. Such as being with the woman that once belonged to him.
Sebastian's fists still tingled as he repeated the event of Joshua snatching his journal from him and practically kicking him out of the space.
As if he owned this castle. Sebastian knew it more than he ever will. He probably knew Penelope Silverthorn more than—
"You're so fussed up."
Sebastian's eyes opened quickly at the ringing voice that came from his bedroom and he gasped a little from the sight.
"Cecil," Sebastian sighed, noticing his girlfriend walking around his bedroom freely, "How did you get in here?"
Cecil Greengrass heels clicked beneath the floor as she stared with a raised brow, "You're my fiancee and you're worried how I got inside your bedroom? Seriously?"
Sebastian's brown eyes looked to the side, giving an 'oh well' look, and kept his gaze on the floor. He clearly wasn't expecting to have another stressful moment for his day. Let alone, look at the eye of his soon-to-be-love after what he had done.
"Aren't you happy to see me?" Cecil asked in annoyance.
Sebastian sighed, running his hands through his hair, "Cecil, you do realize two of my students passed away last night, correct?"
"So, you're not happy to see me?" Cecil ignored.
Sebastian just stood in the entrance hallway of his bedroom. He stood like a ghost and Cecil had to practically walk up to him to get some reaction out of the man.
"Hey, handsome,"
Sebastian twitched a little, feeling the rough hands of Cecil Greengrass caressing his face as she tried to comfort him.
"I'm sorry about your losses, my sallower," Cecil pouted in a fake expression, "What can I do to help?"
Sebastian wanted to be alone. That was all, but it'll be insulting to say that out loud.
Sebastian tried to speak, but Cecil began to roam her hands more around his face, her green eyes trying their best to make him look back at her, but he was in another state.
"Cecil..."
Cecil's hand took hold of Sebastian's, practically using him as a puppet to place his hands over her waist and get some action from the statue-like man.
"W-What are you doing?" Sebastian whispered.
"You've been avoiding me a lot, lately," Cecil whispered, "You haven't touched me, nor kissed me. I miss my handsome romantic man. The one that I met."
Sebastian swallowed at the thought.
Again, Cecil's long red nails scratched over his freckled cheeks, "Handsome." And she kissed Sebastian.
Sebastian Sallow felt the lips of Cecil Greengrass distract him for a moment. His eyes remained closed as he attempted to kiss her back. Attempted to...be a man. It's what every man wanted.
There was a slightly uncomfortable grunt that came off the man as Cecil's hands clutched and palmed in between his pants, wanting to turn the man on, but it was no use.
Sebastian's hands roamed over the redhead's waist, wanting to feel the familiar patterns as he kept kissing her and guiding her around the floor, but as his hands reached over her face, down to her cheeks; reality checked him.
Cecil Greengrass didn't have the volume on the sides of her face like someone did. They didn't hold the softness nor the warmth his fingers would recharge in. They didn't feel neat and he clearly couldn't detect the vanilla-like scent over his nose between the kisses.
Cecil Greengrass wasn't Penelope Silverthorn.
Sebastian's eyes reopened slowly, taking sight of the pale green-eyed pretty woman in front of him, and broke off the kiss, giving out a guilty sigh.
Cecil whined out at actions, "Really?"
"Cecil," Sebastian bit the inside of his cheek, "I apologize. I-I..." he shook his head, stepping back, "I'm just stressed."
"Well, let me help you not be stressed." Cecil pushed.
But Sebastian knew he wasn't even close to getting hard at the idea, yet. He was stressed, but for many reasons.
"I-I can't," Sebastian said in honesty to her.
Cecil now frowned upon the denial, knowing she didn't like to take refusal as an answer, "Any man would kill for your position, Sallow."
The sentence didn't even bother Sebastian.
"I just lost two students I taught for years, Cecil," Sebastian explained himself, "It's not an easy case right now. I apologize."
Cecil just clicked her tongue.
"What is it that you want then?" Cecil crossed her arms in attitude.
"I just want to take a hot shower right now and do more findings." Sebastian let out.
Yes. A hot shower. A very hot steamy shower to relax. He already had an idea of that type of relaxation to un-stress himself inside that shower, but he wasn't going to say that. He just knew he needed a very hot shower.
"Whatever," Cecil adjusted herself, buttoning her blouse and rolling her eyes.
"Cecil,"
"Don't bloody forget we have dinner at my parents this weekend." Cecil said bitterly in her teeth as she pushed past Sebastian and exited the door.
It was obviously expected that Sebastian Sallow needed to chase after her and stop the chaos, but he didn't have the energy for it. He didn't have a reason anymore. It was clear his mind was somewhere else now.
It was clear his mind was now on Penelope Silverthorn.
________
I would've loved a Sebastian shower scene, but it felt a little.....scandalous