The day of the Hogsmeade Christmas Eve Gala, Natty and Poppy ambushed me in the Great Hall while I was eating breakfast. Natty had finally tracked down the four other informants Mr. Bickle had been collaborating with before he'd been killed - they all happened to live in Hogsmeade, and with all the hustle and bustle of the entire village setting up for the gala, now would be the perfect time to covertly speak with them all.
In fact... they were so excited to get started I didn't even have time to wait for Sebastian to arrive first - they simply grabbed me by the arms and dragged me out into the nearby courtyard. I shrugged and hummed neutrally as I got on my broom after them... I figured it wasn't super important for him to be around for this.
A short while later, we landed just outside the covered bridge that led into the village. "So how will we go about asking them?" asked Poppy.
"We should split up... it will draw less attention upon us," Natty suggested as she handed Poppy and I each a piece of parchment. On mine was a written description of one of the collaborators. "Sunset, please speak with Agabus Philbert, and Poppy, find Otto Dibble. I shall seek out Mr. and Mrs. Rabe."
"Sounds easy enough," I nodded, committing the details of the description to memory. "Then what?"
"I would like for us to meet back here, then we shall proceed to the Hog's Head. I saw some Ashwinders heading there the other day... and as my mother would never go near there, she is less likely to learn of my activities than if I were to wander the village questioning all of its residents," she finished with a sarcastic sneer.
"Got yelled at, huh?" I smirked. Natty simply groaned.
"She wasn't happy to hear that we'd saved little Archie from Harlow and his men," sighed Poppy as she put a comforting arm around Natty. "Er, well, she was happy to hear we'd saved Archie, but... you know."
"She just worries about me... but this is far more important to me than my own safety," Natty glared towards the village with determination. "Let's find them, quickly." We shared a nod, and the three of us crossed the bridge together before breaking off in different directions. The streets were filled with people rushing between buildings, fiddling with decorations, clearing packed snow from the ground and putting away unnecessary things. From inside those buildings I could hear pots and pans clattering, fabric ruffling, jewelry clinking and various musical instruments being tuned and tested. At times I had to squeeze through the throngs, silently wishing I could just fly overhead on my broom... but I had to stay grounded, so no unwanted, prying eyes would see me.
Agabus Philbert was somewhat difficult to pick out of a crowd - there were lots of senior-aged men with medium-length grey hair, a mustache, lambchop sideburns and spectacles. But I managed to find him after maybe fifteen minutes of searching, puttering around near The Magic Neep. I waited until nobody else was close by before approaching him. "Hey, are you Agabus Philbert?"
"I am... why? Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Sunset Shimmer. I've heard you recently had the... distinct honor of Theophilus Harlow gracing your presence," I answered pointedly. He didn't answer at first, only staring at me with a deep sense of suspicion. I'd have to get a little... creative with my explanation. "I knew Mr. Bickle... and I know the two of you were collaborating on gathering evidence to get Harlow arrested for his crimes. Now I'm trying to regather that evidence to turn in anonymously, to ease his wife's mind."
"Ah... tragic, what happened to Mr. Bickle," Agabus sighed sadly, his body language easing somewhat. "He wanted me to speak out against Harlow for an act of violence committed against me, but I feared his retaliation... and so I refused."
"What did he do?"
"It requires some explanation... before my extraordinary wife, Dulcibella, passed away, she had just completed a small book of poetry. As a surprise for her birthday... one she never had the chance to celebrate," he paused for a moment to sniffle. "...I'd had the book beautifully bound and plated in gold. One day, Harlow came calling... to punish me for having spoken out against the Neanderthals that comprise Rookwood's lot. Before I knew it I'd been Petrified, and Harlow was rifling through my home! He found the book of poetry, with its exquisite gold plating... I watched helplessly, lying there in my entranceway, as he walked away with the book, laughing as he went."
"...That's rude," I frowned.
"I was shaken to my core... Still am, to be honest," Agabus shivered as he stared pitifully at the ground.
"Not shaken enough to testify to the authorities if needed, I hope?" I regarded him with a raised eyebrow. The elderly man sighed in defeat.
"I suppose I have no choice... this extortion can't go on forever. You can pass it on to anyone who may be willing to help."
"Good... thanks for telling me," I nodded, immediately turning back the way I'd come. While Agabus fretted about Harlow not appreciating snitches, I jogged back to the covered bridge at the entrance to Hogsmeade and waited for Natty and Poppy to show up with their news. It was about five minutes until I saw Poppy making her way through the bridge, her face twisted into a deep frown.
"Ugh, it's reprehensible what Harlow's done to poor Otto!" she huffed. "He wants to marry Mr. Hill's daughter Rosie, but Harlow stole a note she'd given him, and Otto thinks that if Mr. Hill finds out about their engagement he'll be fired! And as long as he has it, Otto can't say a thing while Harlow robs Gladrags blind!"
Sheesh... I could learn a thing or two from this guy. "He'll testify as well, then?" I asked. Poppy nodded emphatically. "Good... well, I wonder what dirt Natty's dug up from Mr. and Mrs. Rabe."
"I hope she returns quickly... I'm curious as to what the Ashwinders are up to in the Hog's Head, now that we've destroyed Horntail Hall." I nodded in agreement as we sat down on a bench, and I told her about what had happened to Mr. Philbert while we waited.
Five minutes turned into ten. Ten minutes turned into twenty. Twenty minutes became a half hour. Around the forty-five minute mark, our growing concern (and my annoyance) reached its climax.
"...Where the hell is she?!" I groaned, flinging my arms across the back of the bench.
"I'm not sure... it's not like Natty to be late," Poppy frowned. I slumped further into my seat with a grunt, remembering what she'd said about the rest of our plans.
"Maybe she decided to scope out the Hog's Head before we went there, to make sure it was safe."
"Perhaps... but surely she would have come back to meet us by now?" whimpered Poppy. I glanced over to her, sighing culpably as I felt anxiety rippling from her body like heat from a fire.
I... guess I understand how she's feeling? I mean, Sebastian wouldn't have let himself get kidnapped in the first place, but... being friends and all, I suppose I'd be worried if he did somehow manage it. It'd mean whoever kidnapped him was pretty terrifyingly strong, or even sneakier than the both of us. And Natty... well, she was no Sebastian.
Yea... something definitely happened to her. We'd better go look. Feeling somewhat reluctant, I stood up and stretched out my arms. "...C'mon, let's go look for her." Poppy leapt up off the bench and began running across the bridge, nearly leaving me in the dust.
A few minutes later we arrived breathless at the boardwalk and docks just outside of the Hog's Head. A quick Appare Vestigium revealed multiple sets of large footprints surrounding a pair of smaller ones, leading off the boardwalk and towards the back of the establishment.
"Sunset!" Poppy cried out. I turned to look at her, finding her pulling a straight stick out of an empty flowerpot...
...It was a wand. Inwardly I let out a small sigh of relief. The chances of Natty still being alive were pretty good.
"It's Natty's," she gulped.
"She can cast without it... she wanted us to find it if she left it like that," I reasoned. "I see a bunch of footprints leading behind the building, she was probably taken that way." And just as I'd suspected, the footprints led us directly to a pair of cellar doors outside of the Hog's Head, foolishly left unlocked. We flew down the stairs into the cellar, finding naught but a bunch of crates full of sundries and barrels of beer and liquor.
Or so we thought. There were three huge barrels lined up against the back wall, so large that they couldn't possibly fit in the space allotted to the building's cellar. On a hunch I cast a spell and ripped off the top of the middle barrel, the largest one, and grinned as it revealed a hidden room behind it.
"Natty must be in there," Poppy hissed, her face growing dark. "We need to find her, quickly!" We Disillusioned ourselves and stalked into the hidden room - it had been enchanted to be much larger than it appeared, much like Horntail Hall had been. A short hallway led to the main chamber of the hideout, packed to the high ceilings with crates and barrels full of all manner of loot, both valuable and not.
There were also several Ashwinders present, seated at a long table with a particularly nasty-looking witch at its head. They were in the middle of a holiday feast of their own, eating, drinking and plotting their next moves.
"Nosy little students get what's coming to them," one of the Ashwinders cackled. "Only a Hogwarts student would be arrogant enough to come here alone."
"It's not going to work," another one groused. "Using that girl as bait? No one's coming for her... we ought to just kill her."
"Nah, we should speak to her again... perhaps she'll tell us where we can find that friend of hers."
"Aw hell, they know about me," I grumbled, breaking my Disillusionment as I peered over a ledge of crates. I heard Poppy cancel her spell beside me as she took a peek herself. "And they at least know that Natty and I are working together."
"Then I'd say we can't let any of them go free," she shrugged casually. "Ready for a fight?"
"Always," I grinned. Poppy flashed a smirk as she reached into her pocket dimension, and soon a wave of Chinese Chomping Cabbages crested out from our hiding spot and surged towards the Ashwinders.
"Eh? Who ordered cabbages?"
"Merlin's pants!"
"AAAAAGH!"
The cabbages viciously chewed on whatever they landed on, whether that was the table, the platters of food or the limbs of the Ashwinders. While their leader tried to shake one off from her gloved hand, I bewitched the roast beasts into coming back to life, flinging themselves against the Dark witches and wizards and getting melted fats and sauces in their eyes. Both of these distractions allowed me to easily pick off our enemies at our leisure: shooting a fork into one wizard's throat, crumpling a metal tureen over another witch's head and bending it around her neck so it would never come off, breaking a bottle of Firewhisky over another wizard's head and then lighting him on fire.
Poppy helped as well... the precision and skill with which she cast both Incarcerous and Diffindo was startling. A number of the Ashwinders suddenly found themselves trapped in snares or chained to the floor or ceiling, and her second attack would fully disembowel them. Even the particularly nasty-looking witch fell to her fury - Poppy outright flayed her alive, piece by piece.
"Let's see how you like it..." I heard her glower under her breath. It took me completely off guard, and I found myself shivering. This small, adorable, unassuming little girl sure knew how to field dress and skin an enemy... I guess it was cathartic for her to treat the poachers like her beloved beasts they poached.
As the last dying screams of their leader faded away, the cabbages feasting on our enemies' remains, we spent a few moments looking around. I managed to find another short hallway partially obscured by a stack of boxes, and turned back towards Poppy. "I hear voices coming from down here. I bet one of them is Natty- ...what are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing," she replied simply as she let go of a scrap of burning pink paper. "Just tying up a loose end."
...
...No further questions.
Once she was finished, we ran down the hallway and found ourselves in what appeared to be an ornate office, furnished and decorated with all manner of purloined goods. In either of the back corners of the room was a cell - while the one on the right held a man in a sharp pinstriped suit and hat, the left one held a very familiar face.
"You found us!" Natty sighed happily as she grabbed at the bars. "I knew you would realize I had left my wand for you!"
"Yea, that was pretty smart of you," I tilted my head smugly. "Coming here on your own, on the other hand..."
"Yes, I am... regretting that decision," Natty grumbled as she rolled her eyes. "Could you please assist in getting Mr. Isko Rabe and I out?"
"Miss Onai told me about what you're all doing," said Mr. Rabe. "Harlow has been trying to bribe my wife Daisy into letting him run rampant through Gringotts... when she kept on refusing, he thought that abducting me would finally force her into letting him rummage through every single vault! She's a security guard there, and I'm one of their Curse-Breakers."
"That's quite the step up from the other two he's accosted," I hummed to Poppy, who nodded in agreement.
"These locks are cursed, and there's an Anti-Apparation Jinx on the cells... even I am powerless to free us," sulked Natty.
"You'll need to find my wand. Using one with which I have no connection may not work as well or as quickly to break the curses, and we cannot risk detection," warned Mr. Rabe, to which I let out a derisive snort.
"Detection? From what?" I grinned as I began rifling through the desk's contents, Poppy giggling as she searched the drawers and shelves along the walls. Mr. Rabe shot Natty a deeply concerned look, to which she simply shrugged. A few minutes later, a Revelio from Poppy revealed a small chest charmed to be invisible, and a simple Alohomora popped it open, revealing the Curse-Breaker's wand.
"Well done... I knew it was nearby," Mr. Rabe smiled as I handed it to him through the bars. "Now, you'd best stand back. One never knows how a curse will react to being broken." I stood at the ready to cast Protego around Poppy and myself if needed, but it was clear this man knew what he was doing; the lock exploded rather gently with a swish of his wand. The door to his cell swung open, as did Natty's a few seconds later.
"Thank you, Mr. Isko," she said as she jogged out of her cell. Poppy dashed over and leaped up to wrap her arms around her neck, Natty smiling bashfully as she caught her in her own.
"My pleasure. And thank you, my friends... we owe our lives to your bravery. I may be too weak to Disapparate with you all, but I'll try."
"Nah, that won't be necessary," I shook my hand. "We can just walk out the way we came, it's perfectly safe."
"You go ahead, find Officer Singer," said Natty. "We will get out of here on our own."
"Very well... but be careful." And with that, Mr. Rabe Disapparated away with only a faint pop to be heard.
"Let's find Officer Singer and put an end to Harlow, once and for all," growled Natty as we began heading for the entrance. "I heard quite a bit of commotion before you two appeared... I assume the Ashwinders have been dealt with?"
"More than dealt with," I nodded. "Done and dusted."
"We left no witnesses," Poppy smirked, her eyes dark and dead.
I shivered again.
The trip back to the outside of the Hog's Head was uneventful. To my surprise, Officer Singer was standing right outside of the cellar doors... which felt oddly soon for her to have arrived. Almost as if she had been waiting for us.
"Natsai Onai," she hummed sternly, glaring at the three of us. "I should have known... and you, the troll dispatcher... and it appears you've roped a third into your endeavors. Thank goodness the three of you are safe, Isko Rabe told me a couple of students had rescued him."
"He's alright, isn't he?" asked Poppy.
"He is... I sent him home to his wife." Suddenly I felt an echo of emotion pulsing from her, and I tried to hide my bristling... it didn't feel grateful in the slightest. It felt like pure contempt, of a cool rage that threatened to spark and grow into a wildfire.
Suddenly, I began to doubt whether or not Mr. Rabe really had made it back to his wife... or if the both of them had even made it back home.
"Miss Onai, your mother will not be pleased to learn that you're still risking your safety pursuing these dangerous men."
"Officer Singer... we've learned of several Hogsmeade residents who've had their lives threatened by the Ashwinders," Poppy spoke up. "Besides kidnapping Mr. Rabe in an attempt to blackmail his wife, he's also threatened Mr. Philbert, and Mr. Dibble!" My eyes slid over to her in an attempt to silently get her to shut up, but she didn't notice.
Something told me she very well might have just doomed them all.
"Ugh, I will look into all of that!" Officer Singer snarled before regaining her composure, keeping her voice level and smooth... too smooth. "As for the three of you... I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're taking great risk. Next time, please let the authorities handle the Ashwinders."
The way she spoke, the subtle inflections of the tone of her voice... I recognized these as tricks of my own I often employed. Immediately I no longer trusted her... Part of me wanted to snark at her, to accuse her of being in league with the Ashwinders for all the help she had been in bringing safety and justice to the village...
...But the rest of me knew it was futile, and potentially dangerous. If she really was in league with the Ashwinders, then she was also my enemy by default. And being in a position of authority, she could easily abuse it and have me thrown in an enchanted jail cell and left to rot, or worse... handed over to Harlow, and then Ranrok. The tables would be turned, indeed.
That was if she was actually on the Ashwinders' payroll, however, and not just grossly incompetent at her job, furious that she was being upstaged by three meddling kids. All I had to go off of was the emotions I sensed and her silver-tongued tricks, nowhere near enough evidence for the accusation to stick. I might as well have based it on bathroom gossip, wild speculation, or a Magic 8-Ball.
So I decided to play dumb. "Fine... do you at least have enough evidence to actually do something about Harlow?" Officer Singer glared at me, regarding me with predatory eyes.
"...It's certainly a good start. We shall see... but you can leave this to me, now." She spun around on her heel and began to walk away, but after walking about ten feet she stopped and turned her head, her eyes pinned on Natty. "Natsai... you may wish to speak with your mother about this before I do." Natty simply scowled as she continued on her way, the three of us watching her carefully as she vanished behind a building. As she turned, the golden threads of her winter scarf glittered in the sunlight.
That scarf of hers... it didn't really go with the rest of her uniform.
"My mother will not like this..." Natty sighed heavily.
"I hope she at least holds off until after the gala," frowned Poppy. Natty nodded in agreement.
"As do I... it would be a shame to be unable to attend when it is mere hours away." This time Natty was the one to hug Poppy first, both of them blushing as she glanced over to me. "Thank you for saving me... both of you."
"Eh, no problem," I waved a hand as Poppy murmured a "you're welcome" into the crook of her neck. "Soooo... now what?"
"Well... I suppose we wait. Singer has more than enough evidence to act against Harlow. Now I would imagine it is simply a matter of tracking him down and arresting him."
"She'll probably have to bring in an entire contingent of Hit Wizards to fight through his thugs and get to him," said Poppy. "What I wouldn't give to see that horrible man meet his fate." While she and Natty talked excitedly about the justice Harlow was sure to face, I couldn't help but frown, but I kept my pessimistic thoughts to myself.
No... something definitely felt off. But while the evidence was stacked against one man, I had absolutely nothing to pin on one woman.
Well... nothing I can do about it now... and probably not for a while.
~
The three of us returned to Hogwarts, now excited to prepare for the Gala in just a few hours time. It was to be held from 7pm to 1am, fully catered and full of festivities. Natty and Poppy jogged away towards their respective common rooms while I headed for my Room.
I half-expected Sebastian to be waiting inside, wondering where I'd been all morning. But he wasn't... which I figured was for the best. My boudoir simply wasn't big enough for the both of us to prepare, after all. With a swish of my wand my clothes peeled themselves from my body, and I indulged myself with a long, luxurious shower.
After drying off I began thinking about what to wear. I thought back to the last time Celestia had made me attend the Grand Galloping Gala for inspiration... while fancy dresses had never been my favorite thing to parade around in, I did like that particular one the most of all. It only took a wave of my wand for the gown to manifest itself over my body, properly altered for my human form.
The dress was reminiscent of a piece of malachite, crafted from silk and satin dyed a rich, dark green and trimmed with light celadon, with matching ribbons to cinch the bodice together. My neck, shoulders and upper chest were all left bare, the robe-like sleeves dangling loosely around my wrists. A pair of opera-length gloves covered my hands and arms beneath the sleeves, dyed the same light celadon color, as were the shoes hiding underneath the hem. Another wave of my wand pulled my hair into a simple chignon, one thick strand left out to spill over my shoulder.
The accessories were a little harder to decide upon. Petticoats, crinolettes and bustles had fallen out of fashion centuries ago in Equestria, and for many a good reason... yet in the six or so months I'd been here, I'd seen quite a few women wearing them underneath their dresses. In the end I chose to wear a bustle that had a rather gentle shape compared to some of the ridiculous bubblelike contraptions I'd seen - it was still noticeable, but didn't overexaggerate my curves or look particularly dumb (and was charmed to be 100% fireproof). Next I took great care in applying a scant amount of a citrusy perfume to my pulse points - a proper lady knew the difference between "being discovered" versus "being announced". Finally, a Galleon and some peridots and emeralds from my purse were easily Transfigured into a set of earrings and a choker studded with green gems.
I did a once-over in the mirror... and even I had to admit, I'd outdone myself this time. I would easily be the classiest, most glamorous and exquisite lady at the gala. Satisfied with my work, I made my way to the Slytherin common room to meet with the boys.
Only a handful of fellow students were to be found in the dungeons - the girls running back and forth as they got ready, the boys chatting in groups while awkwardly adjusting their suits or bowties. I reached the end of the spiral staircase into the common room and immediately picked out Sebastian from the few others inside. He was standing near the staircase leading towards the boys' dorms, looking back towards them as though waiting. As my eyes lingered I felt something within me flutter; the charcoal-gray suit and dark green waistcoat he was wearing looked great on him... the black beaver fur top hat was an odd choice, though. A few moments later he turned his head, freezing in place as he saw me approaching.
"You're... you're..." he gaped helplessly, his cheeks burning red.
"Beautiful? Gorgeous? Stunning?" I suggested smugly, twirling around with a bit of a flourish to drive home the point. He could only manage a weak nod. "Why, thank you... You clean up rather well, yourself."
"Ah... thank you," he smiled in return with a hint of shyness, though he soon jolted a little in realization. "Oh, right... your corsage," he said as he pulled out his wand, preparing to conjure one.
"I got a better idea," I smirked, beating him to the punch by holding up my wand at a gentle angle. "Here, just touch my wand with yours and I'll handle the rest." He did so after a moment of consideration, and I cast a simple spell, joining our magic together for a few seconds. The two tips began to glow with soft, white light that hovered in place even after I pulled my wand away, him following suit. Another few seconds passed before the light dimmed and faded away, leaving a pair of ethereal daylilies floating in its wake. They were a translucent pale blue, looking like they had been expertly carved from a chunk of ice, or a piece of stained glass.
"Equestrian magic?" he asked.
"Mhm... Leave it to my people to come up with a spell for creating the perfect corsage and boutonnière for a pair," I nodded, plucking the latter out of the air and handing it to him. He tucked it into its proper place before taking the corsage and attaching it to my wrist. His eyes danced all over me as he moved, enthralled and enchanted.
Adoration. Infatuation. Warmth. Enthusiasm. The emotions radiating from him felt especially strong, filling my soul with a glowing fuzziness that sent shivers down my arms. I was so caught up in the sensation I barely even noticed Ominis finally making his way out into the common room.
"There you are... give me that," he grumbled, snatching the top hat from Sebastian's head and placing it on his own. It made much more sense on Ominis than it did Sebastian; his suit and waistcoat were jet black with a viridian shirt underneath, decorated with silver buttons and embellishments that drew attention to his white zinnia boutonnière. The outfit was completed with a pair of black gloves made from dragonhide.
I had to admit... he looked like quite the ladykiller. It was a shame his personality was just so... disagreeable. Maybe if he hadn't been so afraid of the gifts bestowed upon him by his family and their status, I would have tried a little harder to get to know him sooner, tried to raze his many mental walls so I could plunder the secrets within. Maybe I could've even twisted him around my finger, convinced him to lie and deceive his family in the name of revenge, only to take the added power and prestige for myself.
But, maybe if I'd done that, I never would've gotten to know Sebastian... and I was plenty happy with how we'd turned out. Besides, I sensed that his heart already belonged to someone else... and while stealing myself a better asset wasn't beyond me or my abilities, I found myself letting the idea go with ease. I didn't need him.
Not like...
...
...
...
...Alright, if I keep thinking this way, I'm definitely gonna need a drink or two. To the Gala!
~
There was a long, black flying carpet waiting for us when we exited the castle. We piled onto it, and it took off along the road to Hogsmeade at a brisk pace, floating a couple feet off the ground. The three of us chatted idly, Sebastian and I people-watching as we passed them by, candidly judging their outfits and describing them for Ominis to giggle at.
There was Cressida Broom- er, Blume with Leander, as frumpy as ever... she probably put her gown on with one of her failures of a nonverbal spells. Garreth, curiously, had both a Hufflepuff boy and a Ravenclaw girl on each of his arms... even more shocking was the god-awful dress robes he was wearing. They were thick brown felt with rose-pink lace trim, and the white shirt underneath was a mess of lacy ruffles held together with green buttons. I thought they were the most hideous things I'd ever seen, and yet both Ominis and Sebastian insisted he was wearing the finest in haute couture from Bond Street in the West End!
Then there was Amit with Grace Pinch-Smedley, of all people... while Grace was kind enough to wave, I grinned when Amit let out a shriek and just about dove into the bushes upon seeing me. I saw Arthur Plummly and Charlotte Morrison together... ugh, they were made for each other, what with their irritating voices that drove me up the wall whenever they spoke in class. Puffskein Dunkein had managed to cobble together a date with the girl who was always whining about having her Gobstones stolen. Everett, Sophronia and Adelaide were walking in a large group with other students... a sure sign that all of them were dateless losers.
And then we came across Natty and Poppy, and honestly, I could throw no shade. Both of them looked stunning in their gowns, almost glowing in the night air like fireflies: Natty in amethyst purple silks with a high-necked collar and white lace trim, while Poppy was wearing coral pink embroidered with silver thread, her petticoats giving her the appearance of a rather cute overturned teacup. The elegant corsage on Natty's wrist was an assortment of flowering almond twigs among green carnations, lined with sprigs of fragrant arbor vitae; the one on Poppy's wrist a vibrant collection of small, exotic orchids from Natty's homeland, aerangis and disa.
Unanimously we decided they were worthy of joining us on our carpet limousine. We talked together in excitement until the carpet came to a stop in front of the covered bridge leading into the village. Sebastian helped me onto the ground while Ominis offered a hand to the other two girls, and soon we had passed over the bridge and through the darkened, emptied streets. I could feel my heart pounding in anticipation... I'd never actually been excited for a gala before.
And once it came into view, my breath left my throat. Hogsmeade's town square had been entirely transformed since I'd seen it last. The snow and ice had been completely cleared away from the ground while being left perfectly intact on the surrounding buildings, all of it glittering in the light of the floating candlelit lamps that resembled faceted snowflakes. Swarms of fairies danced around the windowsills and extinguished gas lamps that lined the square, their multicolored lights twinkling like distant stars. Two long tables of refreshments were set up beside Gladrags, the one on the left containing hors d'oeuvres, desserts and other small bites from the Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes and Steeply and Sons tea shop. The one on the right held all of the drinks, both alcoholic and not: Butterbeers in self-warming tankards, champagne with bubbles that floated high into the air before popping, mulled cider, pumpkin-spiced punch and goblets of eggnog spiked with plenty of Firewhisky. Throngs of people dressed in their finery talked in groups as they waited for the festivities to begin, eagerly watching as a decently-sized orchestra took their places at the other end of the plaza; a number of them were seated on the roof of the post office so the sounds of their instruments would carry further.
The orchestra soon hummed to life as the conductor rapped on the lectern with his baton... as the first few measures graced my ears, I realized they were playing a song I somehow recognized, a flower waltz from a ballet by some long-dead pony known as Trotkovsky. The familiarity was strangely calming, warming me up to the idea of dancing. I heard someone clearing their throat, and when my focus returned I saw that Sebastian was standing in front of me, smiling gently as he held out his hand.
"Shall we dance?"
"You know how to?" I grinned as I took it.
"I do... my parents taught me," he explained confidently as we made our way into the crowd of other revelers, some already dancing. Once we'd found a suitable spot I draped my free arm around his shoulders, blushing a little as I felt his arm wrap around my waist.
And before I knew it, we were swaying to the music. I'd never had any doubts about my ability to waltz, but to my surprised delight, Sebastian was equally as good as I was. In perfect synchronization, we swept across the plaza in graceful circles.
Dancing so closely, it was natural that my eyes were mostly focused on him as we moved... and it was both quite difficult yet perfectly easy to stare into his. If I thought about it too hard, I would want to look away before I started feeling mildly embarrassed... so I tried not to. His eyes were just as deep and warm and radiant as that night nearly a month ago, and his smile grew just a little more whenever our eyes met. It was oddly entrancing...
Of course, the song eventually came to an end. He let go as he lowered himself into a graceful bow, which I met with an equally elegant curtsy. While the next song began, we moved off of the plaza and back over to the tables of refreshments.
"You dance rather well," he grinned as he handed me a goblet of Firewhisky eggnog. "I see you must've learned during your time as Princess Celestia's student."
"Oh, yea... she dragged me to lots of formal events. I more or less learned just by watching the other nobles," I nodded as I took a sip. The thick, sweet liquid had quite the kick to it, a painful but pleasant burn sliding down my throat. "Ooh... that's good."
"And, you enjoy your drink... truly, the more I learn about you, the ever more enchanting you become," he smirked in amusement.
"Oh, Sebby... don't you know flattery will get you nowhere with me?" I teased, hoping my smug tone would hide the blush I could feel spreading across my cheeks. "...More of these, however..." I trailed off as I tilted the goblet in my fingers, laughing when he looked away with a blush of his own.
The hours passed by as perfectly as a fairy tale. Sebastian and I alternated between dancing, drinking and sampling the many tiny plates of food on the tables. Partway through I noticed that all Ominis had done so far was sit in a chair to the side, staring blankly out into the crowds as he sipped on the nonalcoholic punch. I asked if he perhaps wanted to dance a round or something... he simply replied that he was fine, and that someone needed to stay sober to ensure Sebastian and I didn't wind up doing something lewd.
What... like holding hands?
That earned him a gentle thwack on his hat. He hummed in laughter as we dragged each other back into the crowds to dance. While the world spun around us, I let my eyes wander to those around me - Natty and Poppy were radiant, their gowns forming a candy-colored swirl as they danced and giggled gaily. At one point I managed to spy Mr. Rabe with whom I assumed was his wife, and I let out a sigh of relief... perhaps my earlier suspicions had been unwarranted. On the edge of the crowds, a man was on his knee proposing to a woman, those around them breaking out into a loud cheer. On the opposite side, a woman threw her drink directly at a man's face and stomped away, the man wiping himself off with his sleeve and hobbling pathetically after her.
Eventually it was time for another dance break. Sebastian and I rejoined Ominis, bringing him a fresh goblet of punch amongst our third eggnogs of the night. We sat down to rest our feet, but soon we'd all be standing again.
"Sebastian! Sunset! ...Ominis," a familiar voice suddenly shouted. Looking over in its direction, our eyes widened.
"Anne?!" Sebastian stammered. His sister had somehow appeared, walking briskly over to us. She'd even dressed for the occasion, wearing a ostensibly plain but elegant gown of azure satin. I smiled proudly to myself looking at her face... she no longer looked pale or sickly, nor were there dark circles under her eyes. The Umbrum potion was working like a charm on her.
"Anne..." breathed Ominis, his head turning and his eyes somehow locking directly with hers. She noticed this and stopped in her tracks for a moment, a faint blush blooming on her cheeks.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sebastian - he was clearly glad to see her, as he reached out to grab her hands in his, but his voice was thick with confusion.
"Did you honestly think I'd miss the gala?" Anne raised an eyebrow. "I've been looking forward to it, just to see everyone again."
"I- ...no, I didn't mean that," he shook his head. "How did you convince Uncle Solomon to let you attend?" Anne simply giggled, her eyes flashing with mischievous mirth.
"He doesn't even know I'm here... I simply gave him an early Christmas present of some Firewhisky mixed into his drink-"
Beside me, Sebastian's entire body suddenly shivered and tensed; the smile on his face didn't quite reach his eyes. The swirl of emotions were like a sucker punch - revulsion, dread, anxiety... fear. The alcohol in my stomach suddenly felt sour.
"...and once he fell fast asleep, I Apparated here to join in the festivities," she finished explaining.
"Sneaky... I like it." I grinned outwardly, impressed by Anne's underhandedness but also deeply aware of Sebastian's emotions - the last thing I wanted was a depressed and anxious dance partner moping in a corner rather than partying with me. As inconspicuously as I could manage, my hand moved to his shoulder and gently rubbed it; I heard him release his breath as his own hand moved to cover mine. Throughout it all Anne didn't seem to notice, or if she did she didn't say or do anything.
"I see... well, it's good to have you back, if only for a night," Ominis smiled. Anne simply smiled as she approached him, taking his hands in hers.
"Dance with me," she insisted softly. His cheeks flashed red at the suggestion, but the grin on his face widened as he wordlessly pulled Anne towards the plaza. Sebastian and I watched; while I couldn't help but chuckle, expressions of both gladness and brotherly concern rolled over his face as Ominis conjured for Anne a corsage of sweet alyssum encircling a white camellia.
"I always did think those two might've liked each other... boy, is it hard being right all the time," I smirked as I glanced up at him. He blinked a few times before letting out a small sigh.
"Right... I trust him, of course, but she's still my sister," he admitted, meeting my gaze. My smirk melted away into a more genuine smile, but then I noticed the spark had dimmed in his eyes, and after a moment the memory of how tense he'd become resurfaced.
"Hey, you okay? You started shaking when Anne mentioned Solomon." He shivered again, though only for a moment.
"I... I-I'll be fine," he swallowed. "He's not here... and even I don't think he'd willingly make a scene if he came to fetch her." Despite his words, I frowned... even now, there was a small subconscious part of him that was traumatized, scarred. A protective urge flared up within me - I wanted him to know he was safe.
"Well, he'd better not, especially if he wants to spend the holiday at home and not at St. Mungo's," I growled. "He won't even have a face to drink with anymore once I'm done with him." Shockingly, Sebastian let out a huff of laughter.
"There'll be no need for that... once he falls asleep in such a state, a herd of stampeding Erumpents wouldn't wake him. Let's not dwell on it any longer, agreed?" I stared into his eyes... I felt that he was telling the truth, but he was still feeling more than a little wary.
If that was what he wanted, though... then far be it from me to press the issue. This was a party, after all, not a therapy session. I sighed and shrugged in resignation.
"...If you say so."
The night continued, and soon the both of us had forgotten all about it. The air grew warmer through all the movement and drink consumed, and our dancing steadily grew less elegant and more sloppy. Our speech became punctuated with laughter, as everything just started to become so damned funny. Between dances, Anne regaled me with tales of what she, Ominis and her brother got up to during the last gala... and truthfully, I would have loved to see the entirety of the village's livestock be levitated slowly through the air, dressed in Nativity scene outfits (whatever those were), making those who had drank too much do a double-take.
Briefly I considered picking up a tankard of Butterbeer the next time I was feeling thirsty, but with how tipsy I was feeling I decided against it and went for the pumpkin-spiced punch. I'd discovered the consequences of too much alcohol after my last Grand Galloping Gala, having snuck away into the cellars to drink an entire bottle of brandy by myself... Celestia figured that the resulting hangover the next day was punishment enough.
When a nearby clock struck midnight, the orchestra broke out into a lively performance of "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Many of the other revelers sang along, though most were rendered tone-deaf after an evening of drinking, or they were just plain shouting at the top of their lungs. I wanted to pin my ears to the sides of my head as I cringed, feeling more than just secondhand embarrassment when I noticed Sebastian grinning at me with a knowing look while humming along.
"...I am not singing," I grumbled as I glared at him. He chuckled to himself while bright, colorful lights streaked into the sky, enchanted fireworks booming overhead. The sparkling lights formed living constellations of dragons, unicorns and other magical beasts, the show ending with an astral shower of wrapped presents that vanished as they fell.
We stayed until the gala's very end - the refreshments were being taken away, and the orchestra was beginning to pack up. While Ominis remained behind for a few moments to bid Anne goodbye, Sebastian and I began the walk back to Hogwarts. We stumbled slightly over the cobblestones towards the covered bridge, giggling over nothing like a pair of drunk teenagers might do.
However, before we made it into the bridge proper, he froze.
"Hm? What is it?" I asked as I stopped beside him. He simply rose a finger to point upwards - following his gaze, I saw what had made him stop. There was a sprig of vegetation with white berries tied directly over the bridge's entrance.
Mistletoe.
Now, if I weren't quite so tipsy, I would've snorted out a laugh and just kept walking. But the more I stared at the bit of green and white... a thought formed in my mind, quickly growing in strength and ferocity like a weed.
...Eh... why the hell not? "Let me guess... you'd like a kiss to end the night?" I grinned smugly.
"I..." He hesitated, his already red-hot face somehow growing even hotter. "I-If you're offering- I mean... yes! Er... If that's alright with you, of course."
So considerate, even when drunk. "Sure," I chuckled softly. "Gimme what'chu got." For a few moments, he stared at me like he couldn't believe I'd just given him permission. But soon he snapped himself out of it, a shy, timid smile eking out over his mouth, and I closed my eyes as his face drew close.
...
...
...
The first thought that crossed my mind was of how unexpectedly soft his lips were.
The second was that... really? He went for my cheek? How disappointing. My mind, in all its brilliance, decided it wanted to know what they'd feel like against mine.
"...That's it?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking aggressively at his puzzled expression. "C'mon... 'tis the season."
And before he could say anything, I wrapped my arms around dear, innocent Sebastian and pressed my lips against his. He let out a muffled gasp, but only a moment later the tension in his body melted like snow tossed into a fire. His arms tightened around me as his lips pressed back in earnest, and I reached up with a hand to cradle the top of his neck just below his ear.
A massive blast of warm, happy and positive emotions hit me all at once - so many I couldn't even begin to pick out any specific one. All I knew was that my own emotions somehow matched them all. It made me feel dizzy and light, like I was a feather floating in a soft, sublime summer wind.
I forgot where we were, and I lost track of time. I felt like I could've spent all night standing right there, just like this...
...Until the rational part of my stupid lizard brain started kicking and screaming its way back into the forefront of my mind.
Is that... Are we... oh sweet Celestia SunsetwhatAREYOUDOING?!
"O-Oh..."
My eyes snapped open as the kiss ended, and slid towards the unwanted, unexpected noise. Garreth was standing there dumbly, swaying back and forth with a glazed grin on his face.
"My... so you two are an item, I see-"
"Glacius!"
"Depulso!"
At the same time that I froze the interloper in a block of ice, Sebastian's magic shoved him forcefully away. Garreth wound up bashing through a segment of fencing and sailed into the nearby stream. His two dates ran after him as he floated away.
It was a few seconds before my breathing calmed, and I allowed myself to glance over to my friend... he seemed to have the same idea, as our eyes met. He was the first to break the silence with a bashful chuckle. To my addled mind it struck me as funny, and I laughed as well.
And then I finally wrangled my consciousness into submission. My laughter abruptly stopped as I determined to make the moment count before drunkenness overtook me again. My hand clapped onto Sebastian's shoulder... partially to make sure I didn't fall over, and I poked him rather roughly in the chest as I glared.
"...Let's never speak of this again." Despite my best efforts to be intimidating, Sebastian simply huffed out a laugh.
"Very well... but I still know the truth of what's happened tonight," he wiggled his eyebrows stupidly at me. Part of me wanted to insist that I meant it, but the moment had already come and gone... it was totally funny again.
I laughed as we finally passed over the bridge.
Goddamn it brain, that was smart...
...But it was nice...
...Ack.
Snow was falling thickly over the Scottish Highlands, yet I felt cozy and warm. About halfway back I needed to start having someone to lean on, which Sebastian was happy to offer. The effects of all the alcohol I'd consumed tonight was really starting to take its toll on me... I began yawning almost once every ten seconds as we finally passed through the school's outer gates. My entire body felt heavy and fuzzy, sleep trying its best to claim me where I stood.
"I'm never gonna make it back to my Room at this rate," I mumbled drowsily, only loud enough for Sebastian to hear. He hummed in thought for a moment.
"Can you make it to the common room?" I made a face, the exaggerated grotesqueness of it making him laugh.
"You're not suggesting I go to my actual room, are you?" Another genius thought bubbled up in my mind, my eyes widening for a brief moment before drooping again. "Actually... there's no anti-opposite-sex enchantment on the boys' dorm..."
"Er... what are you suggesting...?" He asked slowly, suspiciously.
"You and Ominis... are there only two beds in your room?" Sebastian blinked multiple times in bewilderment before answering.
"There's... actually three of them. There've always been that many for just the two of us, although-"
"Perfect!" I shouted louder than I needed to. "I'll crash there."
"But- ...oh, alright," he relented, probably also too sloshed to put up much of an argument. No one was around as we stumbled into the common room, then up the stairs into the boys' dormitories. Once safely and securely inside he and Ominis' room, Sebastian pointed out the third bed, neatly made up as though nobody had used it since the school year started.
The last thing I remembered was flopping facedown onto the bed at an angle, immediately falling sound asleep to the muffled noises of Ominis walking inside and subsequently yelling about their sudden new roommate.
~
It took me a moment to remember where I was when I woke up. I was on my side, positioned correctly on the bed and under the blankets, my head on a pillow. My eyes slid upwards slightly, there was a plain carafe and a cup on the nightstand next to the bed, both full of water. I rose up and reached out to grab the cup, slightly surprised to find myself still wearing my evening gown - disheveled and beginning to slip off in places. With a shrug I simply Transfigured it into a pair of pajamas and a bathrobe, undoing the rest of my hair from the chignon and detangling it with my fingers.
After drinking most of the water I glanced around. Being the only two occupants, Ominis and Sebastian had quite a few personal items on their sides of the room. Now that I wasn't drunk I could fully appreciate the sheer beauty and complexity of the triple harp that sat a few feet away from Ominis' desk - it was crafted out of polished ebony, with strings that gleamed like silver threads. It was both ostentatious and modest, it wouldn't be out of place in a royal orchestra. On his side of the room, Sebastian's desk was absolutely covered in books, parchment and other stationery. Another small table had been set up with a small potions workstation on top beside it.
A particularly loud snore brought my attention to their beds. The snore had clearly come from Ominis, who was sprawled out rather gracelessly under his blankets, his mouth wide open. In the other bed, Sebastian was curled up with his back to me, mouth only slightly open but drooling onto his pillow. I stifled a snicker as I moved around the bed and lowered my head until I was right in front of his face.
It took a few moments until his eyes opened just a crack.
"Good morning, sunshine," I grinned mischievously. Sebastian groaned as he pulled the duvet over his face, only to throw it off and stare at me wide-eyed in surprise seconds later.
"What are you-?! ...Oh. Right," he mumbled before yawning loudly, stretching out his arms. "Good morning... Happy Christmas, too. Er... what was it called in Equestria?"
"Hearth's Warming," I reminded him, laying my chin on my arms crossed on the edge of his bed - if I didn't start moving around soon, I'd just want to curl up under a blanket and sleep until noon.
"Ah, yes... Happy Hearth's Warming," he smiled slightly, throwing his blankets off and over my head. I glared at him flatly after I pawed them off, and his smile grew wider. I couldn't help but chuckle as he got up, bringing his pillow with him - I broke out into louder laughter when he woke up Ominis by dropping it on his face.
Once we were all up we moved to the common room. It was largely deserted, and the floors were freezing. We quickly walked over to a couch and armchair in front of a roaring fireplace and made ourselves comfortable, Ominis taking the chair while Sebastian and I occupied opposite sides of the couch. Curiously, a simmering pot of hot chocolate and cups had been left on the coffee table, perhaps in anticipation for those who stayed for the holidays.
"I'll go first," Ominis spoke after helping himself to the hot chocolate, pulling a pair of wrapped objects from his pocket dimension. He handed one of each to Sebastian and I; I found myself mildly touched by the fact he'd gotten me something for Christmas, especially considering we hadn't been friends long. I tore apart the paper and opened the box it concealed, my eyes lighting up as they danced across a neatly-organized collection of extremely rare, extremely expensive potion reagents!
Being friends with a Gaunt definitely had its advantages. "Wow... thanks, Ominis," I grinned. "I've been wanting to get my hands on some of these for a while."
"He's always quite thoughtful when it comes to gifts," commented Sebastian, already thumbing through the thick spellbook of advanced healing magic he'd unwrapped. From a glance, I could tell that the information within was something even I would take a while to understand and learn. It must've been magic reserved for the wizarding equivalent of a brain surgeon. "I'll go next," he smiled as he pulled out his own pair of presents from his pocket dimension and handed them to us.
I nearly stopped breathing as soon as I'd unwrapped mine... Sebastian had given me a guitar. It was crafted out of a handsome dark wood with frets and tuning pegs made from polished, gold-colored horn, with my Cutie Mark painted in red and yellow enamel on its body. It even included a book about how to position my hands and play.
"It's beautiful," I murmured, feeling my heart and soul swell with warmth.
"Just like your singing," he replied smoothly, unaffected by the tired, half-lidded glare I shot him. "I daresay you have musical talent within you, and not just because of that curse on your homeland... I would very much like to hear you perform once you've learned."
"Don't push it," my eyes narrowed as I drawled in a warning tone. But after a few moments my gaze softened. "...I do really like it, though. Thank you."
"And thank you, Sebastian," said Ominis, gently turning over the pure gold fountain pen he had received in his hands. "You've outdone yourself on the enchantments this time, I can tell." A brief silence followed... Inwardly I swallowed nervously - other than Celestia, I'd never given anyone Hearth's Warming presents before. Hopefully I'd been thoughtful enough.
"Well, my turn... hope you don't mind I didn't bother wrapping them, it'll make sense when you see them," I shrugged as I first summoned Sebastian's gift from my pocket dimension. His eyes widened in bewilderment.
"...What is that?" he pointed towards the collection of green-painted drums, silvery cymbals and other bits of percussion... it even included a cowbell and a gong two feet in diameter. The entire assembly had required a Memory Potion to remember the function of every different piece, as well as the sounds they should've made, but after that it had been trivial to Transfigure some lesser-quality instruments into their current form and lock the enchantments into place. Given his own tastes in my collection of Equestrian music - leaning towards the alternative, rock and metal genres - I felt that this suited him quite well.
"A full Equestrian drum kit," I grinned as I lowered it all to the ground. "If your uncle hated your old trombone, this'll really piss him off." I conjured a pair of drumsticks and handed them to him. "Go on... try it out."
"Huh..." He stared at the drumsticks for a moment before levitating them with his wand, and one wave later the sticks were effortlessly rapping on the drums and cymbals without any rhyme or reason. The more noise he made, the wider his grin became, while Ominis covered his ears with a grimace. "You're right... he won't stand for this at all." As soon as the words left his mouth, however, the smile fell from his face. "But-"
"Already thought of that," I smirked as I waved my wand, reading his mind. Both Sebastian and the drum kit glowed white for a few moments before the light bounced off and burst into a shimmer of sparkles. "There... it's bound to you, now. He won't be able to Vanish it away from you no matter how hard he tries." His eyes watched the sparkles until they disappeared before sliding towards me.
And just like that, the smile returned. "Amazing... thank you, Sunset."
"Of course." A thought came to me as I remembered Ominis' harp, and I chuckled. "Once we both learn our instruments, the three of us could totally start a band."
"We could!" Sebastian laughed while Ominis quietly mulled over the idea. "What would we call ourselves?"
"Perhaps... 'The Emerald Trio'?" Ominis suggested after a few moments.
"Maybe. I was thinking something a little more hardcore, but it does get the point across," I nodded, plucking at my new guitar's strings. A few beats of comfortable silence passed, an invisible anticipation building up between us.
"So... what did you get Ominis?" Sebastian asked in a playful, knowing tone.
"I thought you'd never ask." I reached again into my pocket dimension, and out came a simple, dark brown wicker basket with a lid. Opening it revealed a familiar orange snake with black stripes and a yellow belly, now about a foot and a half long, curled into a neat pile of coils atop the basket's green cotton lining.
In truth, I had decided upon what I'd do with this other gift shortly after it had come into my possession. When I had returned to my Room after acquiring it, I had been surprised to find what looked like a miniature model of a greenhouse appear at the far end of my study. It then quickly grew in size until it was large enough to enter, and once I had I was amazed to find that it somehow contained four acres of an idyllic outdoor meadow. The borders were surrounded by cliffsides or fencing that stretched upwards whenever I tried to cross over it, and a shallow stream ran through the middle of the land, trees dotting the banks here and there for shade in the light of perpetual sunset. Sebastian had been equally taken aback by the Vivarium's appearance, and agreed with me as we talked about what was to be done with its single resident, which made itself right at home in the grass.
The little runespoor woke from its slumber. Its three heads rose up to varying heights, three tongues flicking outwards. The leftmost head let out a tiny hiss.
"Is that..." Ominis' cloudy eyes widened as he realized what was inside.
"It is... this little guy is all yours," I smiled. As I'd expected, however, his face dimmed considerably. His mouth twisted into a deep frown.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he growled. "You know how I feel about speaking in Parseltongue! About my family's ties to Salazar Slytherin, about anything to do with Dark magic!"
"I do... and I think you need to change your perspective," I calmly replied. I'd been preparing for this inevitable outburst for a while, now.
"My perspective?!" he argued. "Are you not aware runespoors are closely associated with Dark wizards?!"
"Just because most Parselmouths are also Dark wizards, that doesn't mean you are," I said. "Simply being able to talk to snakes isn't a bad thing at all... is it truly Dark or evil to ask one how its day is going, or maybe offer it aid if it got hurt? There are a few people back in my homeland that can talk to animals, snakes included, and none of them are evil. The very fact that you're so against Dark magic makes you nothing like a Dark wizard. Nothing like your family."
"I know that!" he groused, glaring angrily towards the floor.
"Do you, though? Because it seems to me that you don't believe it yourself," I shook my head. "You act like... you don't believe you're a good person."
"But you are. You're the exact opposite of your family, Ominis," Sebastian joined in. "There isn't a single cruel bone in your body. You care not for meaningless blood-status, nor do you relish in the notoriety of your ancestors, or their barbaric treatment of Muggles."
"And before you start," I interrupted as his mouth opened almost automatically, "you were forced to use Crucio on that Muggle. Not wanting to be subjected to it again doesn't make you culpable for doing it, that's called duress... and it also doesn't mean you enjoyed it. You didn't. The rest of your family does enjoy it, but the important part to take away from this is that you don't."
Ominis closed his mouth - I could tell he wanted to argue, but he was finding it increasingly difficult to do so.
"Sunset and I have been talking about this for a while," Sebastian admitted. "I'll be happy to help you take care of him until he's old enough to-"
"Her," Ominis interrupted. When Sebastian and I shared a glance, he clarified. "...The runespoor is a female."
"See? Would the rest of your family have even cared about that little detail?" I capitalized on the topic. "You may be a Gaunt, but you don't have to be anything like your family. Instead of fearing that which you inherited... use those gifts in a different way. Reach out and grab hold of your own fate... you don't have to live in your family's shadow if you don't want to. You are the one living your own life."
He was silent for a long time. Finally, he let out a deep sigh.
"I can't say I agree with either of you... but I do know you both mean well," he closed his eyes. "You've clearly given this a lot of thought."
"Soooo, you'll keep her?" I smiled hopefully. Hesitantly, Ominis nodded.
"It'd be terribly rude of me to refuse your gift, after all," he smirked wryly as he reached with his hand to let the runespoor sniff it. All three heads flicked their tongues at his fingers, and he let out a quiet hiss that seemed to put them at ease.
...It still made me shiver, though. That just ain't right.
But I muscled past it, and we watched quietly as the runespoor gradually grew used to Ominis. Eventually she slithered carefully up his arm, perching herself around his shoulders.
"You know... a runespoor has three heads, and there's three of us," smirked Sebastian.
"That is true... I wonder which of us corresponds to which head," said Ominis.
"Well, the left head is me, of course," I grinned. "Seb can be the middle head. So... that would make you the right head."
"Heh... the one that critiques the other two," Sebastian chuckled. "Makes perfect sense."
"I don't always critique you two," huffed Ominis. "...Only when the both of you are doing something dreadfully stupid."
"Uh huh... what are you, our mother?" I smiled puckishly. Sebastian laughed while Ominis recoiled with a snort.
"Sometimes, I do feel as though I am..." His sentence was cut off by the rightmost head of the runespoor's sudden hissing. Ominis froze as he listened intently, and a smirk broke out across his face. "Heh... and this little one empathizes."
"Oh! Can you teach her foul language?" Sebastian suddenly perked up.
"It's always fun to learn swear words in different languages!" I agreed with equal interest. We grinned childishly as Ominis tried to shield his new pet's innocence from the both of us. From left to right, the heads were soon named Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, after the three Fates of Greek mythology. After our excitement had worn off, and the runespoor moved towards a fireplace to snooze away her brumation, we spent the rest of the day lazing around. Sebastian and I read through his new spellbook together while Ominis softly played his harp, his skill deeply evident in the complicated trills of the gentle notes.
The Christmas Feast in the Great Hall later on was a welcome treat, especially after drinking so much last night and only having holiday sweets to snack on in the common room. For once I found myself happily digging in to the various meat dishes, though there were still plenty of grains and vegetables on my plate. We played with the Wizard Crackers that covered the table in between the platters and bowls of food, and joined some of the other students in the yearly bet that took place at this time; we had to determine which of the professors would become the drunkest by feast's end, as most of them ate, drank and talked amongst themselves in front. Last year's winner had been Professor Sharp.
Sebastian went with Sharp, while Ominis went with Hecat. Both of them reasoned the two of them had seen so many things in their previous careers that it seemed like a no-brainer.
As my eyes scanned the professors' table and came to rest on Fig, staring wistfully into his drink... I wanted to suggest he might be this year's winner. But I kept quiet, and instead surprised everyone by choosing Garlick. The folly of youth cared not for the experience of age... she probably didn't know how to pace herself. And while she was indeed a close second, it was eventually decided that Hecat was this year's winner when she put on a rubber topknot wig from a Wizard Cracker and started conjuring heavy glass ornaments that looked like pickles to hurl at Mr. Moon.
Fig did manage to catch me as I left the Great Hall, and beckoned me to his office. Once there I found a small box on top of his desk, wrapped in shining green paper and red ribbon. Opening it revealed a simple but radiant golden chain, to which was attached a matching pocketwatch. At first glance it seemed plain, its only adornment some etching in the shape of a sun, but opening it revealed a mother-of-pearl face inlaid with glossy black lacquer numbers, the hands and center of the clock bejeweled with sparkling yellow and orange sunstones. Additional windows cut into the face revealed that it could also keep track of the date and the phases of the moon, and the opposite side held a cloisonné mosaic of a pristine flower garden and pond.
"Wow... thank you, Fig," I breathed as I attached the watch to the insides of my robe, slipping it into a pocket. Even though he was already wearing the thick winter robe of darkened scarlet, jonquil and azure cotton I had given him, I felt that it wasn't quite good enough in comparison to his gift.
"Of course, my dear Sunset," he paused as his hands grasped my shoulders. "I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished... and I'm glad to see that you've made some good friends over the months." His praise warmed my heart, much like it used to when Celestia would praise me...
...And I found myself not quite missing her so much. With Fig, and Sebastian, and the others... I'd already made quite a few good memories here. And they all felt just... so right to me.
It felt like... home.