With the OWLs fast approaching, life began to get busier and busier.
Wednesday during the third week of March was my career counseling meeting with Professor Ronan, my Head of House. It was a friendly, if rather uninformative session - while sharing tea and a platter of assorted sweets Ronan was proud to say that I was the top of the class among the 5th years, alongside Sebastian. My grades were perfect to the point that the OWLs wouldn't pose any challenge at all; I would certainly be able to handle any career I chose with splendid success, even the dangerous ones like Auror, Hit Witch or Unspeakable... he even thought I could likely become the Minister for Magic someday if I wanted to. He anticipated that I'd have no trouble at all with the NEWT-level classes or exams at the end of the 7th year.
Of course I could do anything I wanted to... it was only natural that I'd shot to the top of my year in such a short time, I was simply just that much more brilliant and gifted than the rest of these mouth-breathing simpletons; it was laughable how little some of my classmates cared about their magic. With Celestia's tutoring and the education from this school, I was well on my way to greatness. The fact that the world was my oyster made it hard to decide what I really wanted to work towards, to which Ronan let out a chuckle and clapped my shoulder - I had all the time in the world to choose.
The days passed by slowly, taken up by ever-increasing loads of homework and studies. Although it was no problem for me to work through... well...
...Poor Sebastian was nearly at his rope's end, I could tell. In a last-ditch effort to learn how to remove pain, hoping that ancient magic might be his long-sought cure, he asked me to bring him to the Map Chamber so he could petition the Keepers himself. Their subsequent behavior only further solidified my distaste and mistrust of them; at first they really didn't like that someone who had no connection to ancient magic at all knew about them and their history, and then when he fell to his knees and begged them to tell me how to do it, they outright refused to discuss anything with me further if he was present. I could only glean one possible hint as to why they so vehemently refused to speak of it - Rackham frowned in sympathy when he told Sebastian that what he was asking for had unthinkable consequences.
And since then he had made himself scarce. It was almost like he'd accepted defeat and given up, no longer even wanting to continue our research on his relic. He only ever popped inside my Room once, and that was just to grab a book he needed to check for a homework assignment. It tore at me knowing how desperate he was becoming, but it hurt even worse that he wouldn't come talk to me about it. He knew he could.
I found myself missing our conversations, and spending hours in a comfortable silence reading or doing our homework together. And the few times I did see him I couldn't help but feel concerned: whenever I saw him in the Great Hall during meals he seemed to barely pick at his plate, he never raised his hand or even seemed to pay attention in class anymore, and if I went looking for him I could never find him in his usual spots. Ominis had noticed, too - he had no more luck than I did in finding him or getting him to talk, and whenever it was time to sleep the first thing Sebastian would do was close the curtains around his bed - something he never used to do.
It was hard to admit, but... it ate away at my mind more than I thought it would. This wasn't like him at all. This wasn't the Sebastian I knew.
And that worry was soon justified - a little over a week after my meeting with Ronan, as I slept in my Room, I was jolted awake by a loudly-hooting owl flying through an alcove and dropping a letter on my face. Blearily I opened it and read the contents, taking a few seconds to recognize Ominis' enchanted quill-writing.
I know not where you are, Sunset, but please, come to the common room immediately! I... I'm afraid there's something dire I need to tell you about Sebastian... I shall be awaiting your arrival, I hope that my quill has conveyed my message clearly.
I blinked a couple times, struggling to comprehend the words. Once it did hit me, however, I leapt out of bed and bolted for the door, conjuring on clothes as I ran like mad to the Slytherin Common Room. I had no idea what he was going to tell me about him, but something deep within my gut told me it wasn't good.
It was early enough in the morning that Ominis was the only one in the common room as I nearly tripped leaping down the stairs. "Where's Sebastian?!" I gasped.
"I... here," Ominis swallowed as he handed me a piece of parchment. "He was already gone when I woke up... this was on his nightstand." I snatched it out of his hands and read quickly.
Ominis,
Anne's condition is rapidly deteriorating... I fear the curse may take her life if I don't intervene.
I need to do something.
Don't come for me. And please, tell Sunset that I'm sorry... for everything.
I read them over and over again, my mind stubbornly trying its hardest to reject what it saw. "Anne... he's left with the relic, then? To the catacomb?" I finally forced out. "And the spellbook..." I stifled another gasp as I realized I hadn't seen it on its desk while dashing through my Room.
"Frankly, I was surprised you weren't with him," he sighed.
"No... he's barely spoken to me since Tuesday last week, almost like he's been avoiding me." A cold pit of dread began to eat away at my heart. "Oh, this is bad. All our research on the relic has been pointing to one conclusion, and it's not a good one."
"I've... only heard bits and pieces of your research," Ominis shivered. After the first time Sebastian and I had talked about our progress with him, he was so visibly traumatized that we'd actually felt a little guilty about it, and felt it best to feed him little white lies from then on, even though he often alluded that he knew we were holding back. It was easy to feel that he deeply regretted his decision to let us take the relic.
But it was far too late for that now. The pit was joined by a sharp chill dragging along my spine, making me lean over onto a couch for support.
"Damn it... damn it!" I growled. "We were supposed to do this together! I... I can't believe he ran off like this, I-"
A sudden, terrifying thought crossed my mind. I shoved it out as quickly as I could, but tendrils of it lingered behind, fluttering against my heart and brain. It was like swimming in a lake and feeling the plants below wrap around your feet, but so much worse.
No... dear, sweet Celestia, no! That idiot's gonna get himself killed!
"We need to find him... fast! C'mon!" I grabbed Ominis' hand and dragged him with me through the halls and out of Hogwarts, teleporting us directly to Feldcroft once we were outside the walls.
Once I reoriented myself, however, I gasped loudly, immediately dragged Ominis behind a wall and crept down. "Ow... what are you doing?!" he hissed.
I didn't answer... not at first. To my abject horror, the entire hamlet was infested with roaming Inferi. Many of them were simply milling about, but clusters of them were beating on the doors of every house, moaning and howling with empty voices. A couple of unlucky farm animals had already been reduced to piles of limbs and organs in pools of blood on the freshly-tilled fields, but thankfully none of the limbs resembled human ones.
The blood in my veins ran ice cold, and I cursed. "Feldcroft is crawling with Inferi!"
"Inferi...?!" Ominis reached over the wall with his wand and swept it from side to side, his cloudy eyes widening in terror. "Oh, no... I thought we'd gone too far before, but Sebastian is in real trouble now!" I scanned the houses for the Sallow residence, finding more Inferi beating on their front door as well.
"Damn... I was hoping that Anne might've been able to talk him down, but she's not coming out anytime soon. Not with all these monsters around."
"Then we'll have to reach him ourselves," Ominis gulped. We cast Disillusionment on ourselves; I grabbed his arm before he had fully vanished so I could teleport the both of us directly to the nearby catacomb. The entrance had been recently blasted open, and Inferi were guarding the opening.
Of course, they were no match for a wide arc of Incendio. Once they had burned to ashes we canceled our charms, swallowing our fears as we faced the entrance.
"Are you gonna be okay in there?" I glanced over to him, worried for his safety. "I'm almost positive that catacomb's gonna be swarming with these things."
"Don't worry... I am quite capable of defending myself," reassured Ominis. I nodded once as I took a deep breath, and we jogged into the tomb.
I didn't know what I was expecting... but the tomb was even worse than I thought. The rooms and corridors were choked with Inferi crawling out of the ground and the disturbed crypts, rendering the ground unstable and cluttered with debris. As Ominis and I worked our way forward, clearing them out with fire, the air grew stuffy and full of ash. Even an augmented Ventus did little to clear it away, making us cough and spit as we went. I tried my hardest to remember the way through the catacomb, thinking we might find Sebastian in the Great Room... but the countless undead, the smoke and the ash and the heat made everything disorienting.
"So many Inferi... I wouldn't be surprised if Solomon came to investigate," Ominis frowned. The second the words entered my ears I stopped dead in my tracks with a loud gasp. My jaw went slack.
"No... damn it all to Tartarus!" I shouted. "That's the last guy we need to come barging into this mess! He threatened to snitch on the both of us to Black if one of us did anything remotely Dark! And if he finds Sebastian before we do, he'll absolutely pin all these Inferi on him!" Ominis gasped loudly as well, freezing in place.
"...I need to get to Hogwarts," he breathed anxiously. "I must get to Headmaster Black first! Twist the story a bit, make him think it's a family fight!"
Ooh... smooth thinking. "Yea," I nodded quickly. "I'll find Sebastian."
"I'll be back as soon as I can... be careful!" he shouted as he turned and ran back the way we came. After he was out of my sight I turned back around and pressed forward, my wand shooting jets of plasma like a flamethrower as I swept it back and forth.
"Damn it, Seb, where are you?!" I begged as I charged through the catacomb, but there was no response, nothing but the hollow moans of the monsters as I burned them down. Horrible thoughts kept assaulting my mind, forcing me to consider things I refused to entertain longer than necessary...
No... he wouldn't... he wouldn't...! No, please Seb, you're smarter than that! I know you are!
Finally, I reached the Great Room. Just as I'd hoped and feared, Sebastian was standing near the altar, the relic in his hands and Slytherin's spellbook lying open atop it, and to my horror he was flanked on both sides by Inferi. A guttural scream erupted from my throat as I hurled a Confringo at the monsters. Sebastian turned in my direction as the fiery explosions tore through them like tissue, a look of confusion on his face.
"S-Sunset?"
"Thank Merlin," I sighed as I came to a stop in front of him, panting heavily. "What... w-what are you doing, what the hell were you thinking?! And where did all these Inferi come from?!"
"Er... me. They're under my control," he blinked. I nearly choked on my own dry throat at the remark.
"...What?"
"I told you... the relic is the answer," he said as he reverently held up the relic, a wild grin on his face. "I've been trying to reverse the Dark magic that injured Anne, but this will allow me to control it... just as I can control the Inferi." I stared at him for a moment, then followed his gesture - the few Inferi I had destroyed beside him were not the only ones in the room, there were at least twenty more of them present. They stood still as statues, regarding me with their dead, glowing eyes.
Fine... but that definitely wasn't the case outside of this room. "...You sure about that? Because I had to fight my way through an entire army of the things just to get to you! They're all over Feldcroft!"
"You... did?!" Sebastian recoiled, his face paling. "Oh... oh, no... I-I'm terribly sorry about that! I could've sworn I had this down!"
"Well, you don't! You very clearly don't!" I retorted, half-angry, half in fear of everything that was happening. His despair and desperation, his faith in the relic's power...
My warnings had been for nothing. He had fallen for its promises... his hope had driven him insane.
"Yes, yes, I see that," he said as he pointed his wand at the relic and declaimed an incantation I didn't recognize from our research. It glowed a dark, sickly green in his hand before pulsing with tangible power once. "There... that should do it. Again, I deeply apologize for those that weren't under my control... I've only been experimenting with the relic for not even an hour, now."
"Experimenting?! You don't even-" I caught myself, shook my head and took a deep breath... yelling at him wasn't going to help anything now, if anything it might send him over the edge completely. I needed to stay calm. "...No, it's fine, I can understand that. But why Inferi? And why so bloody many of them?!"
"I'm not quite sure, myself," his lips thinned as he gestured over to the spellbook. "As soon as I'd set everything up I spoke one of the other incantations to the relic, and before I knew it countless Inferi were crawling out of the crypts and the ground. I thought I was done for... but then I noticed that they weren't moving, but standing still and staring at me, as though they were awaiting orders. It must have awakened every single body buried within these catacombs, if not all of them were under my control..." he trailed off, lost in thought.
I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. So many questions were racing through my mind...
Why? Why did he not tell me he was going to do this?! Why did he decide to do this alone?! Was this why... why he was avoiding me all this time?!
Why...?
"I admit... I was hoping to have completed the ritual before you had found me."
"What?" The sound barely made it out of my mouth. Sebastian's voice was suddenly frail and hesitant, his eyes glazed over with moisture.
"I'm... afraid I haven't been entirely honest with you, Sunset. I... I deciphered the meaning of the dark sacrifice. The true meaning."
"You did...?" I blinked. The pit in my heart suddenly grew exponentially as it threatened to beat its way out of my chest, but I tried to ignore it. "But... Seb, we were going to do this together, no matter where the research led us. You're my best friend, you know you can tell me anything!"
But he slowly shook his head. "...Not this time."
Desperation. Finality. Regret. Fear. The cold emotions rippled lazily outwards, thick as molasses. As soon as they touched my soul I felt like I was drowning, suffocating, unable to breathe.
"...What is it?" Something told me I was going to hate the answer. Sebastian's eyes met the ground.
"The dark sacrifice... is myself." His head bowed so low I could no longer see his eyes, but I could still see a tear that dripped onto the ground. "Ever since I first read those words, I'd... always considered that possibility."
...
...
...
...NO.
"Wh... W-What?!" I gasped, desperately shaking my hands. "W-Whoa, no, absolutely not! If you go through with this you're gonna kill yourself for nothing!"
"Sunset-"
"You saw what happened to the test subjects, those doxies, those gnomes! If they didn't die outright from the ritual then the magic tore their bodies apart! And I... no, please, don't do this, this is suicide! P-Please, I don't want y-you to-"
"Sunset," he repeated himself louder, holding up a hand. "The cursed gnome was cured, because they were a mated pair... they loved each other. I love my sister... and the Dark Arts always demand a heavy price. If my life, my love will cure Anne's curse... then that is the price I am willing to pay."
"No... Sebastian, n-no..." My voice died in my throat. He was so sure this was going to work, despite all the evidence leading towards the contrary. All I could do was weakly shake my head... I wanted to scream, to yank that relic out of his hands and shatter it into pieces, to slap him across the face and knock some damned sense into him... but my body was frozen.
And the worst part of it all... was that I believed him. Against all rationality a tiny, miniscule part of me believed him wholeheartedly, wanted to believe him, was willing to let him stride towards his fate. It waged a war against the rest of my mind, the question of "what if?" its battle cry.
I slapped my hands to the sides of my head, pulling at my hair in agony. Everything I knew, everything I felt was spiraling so quickly out of control. My lungs refused to breathe, my eyes refused to see. My heart felt like it was going to explode.
No... but we're friends, right?! Friends don't leave each other like this! My first friend... my best friend...
...
...Not like this...
"I... I-I can't talk you out of this... can I?" He inhaled sharply as he lifted his head, staring straight into my eyes. They closed as he shook his head, and the pit inside me consumed me entirely.
He was just like me... too much like me. Once his mind was made up, he wouldn't stop until he'd reached his goal. Consequences be damned.
"There is... one more thing I must tell you. I know you've likely felt it on your own... but I must say it myself." A warmer emotion momentarily overpowered the others that radiated from his soul... and I gasped in horrified realization, barely able to shake my head.
There really was no talking him out of this.
Not if...
...he was actually going to...
No... don't do this... don't you dare do this to me...!
"I... I love you, Sunset."
...
"You... y-you do...?" I gaped at him, forcing myself to speak. He nodded slowly.
Something inside of me broke.
...
...Goddamn it...
"I... have for some time, now."
"Why...? Why tell me now? W-Why not sooner?!"
A hollow laugh.
"...I suppose it took staring death in the face for me to realize it." He tried giving me a weak grin, the sight of which felt like a thousand needles piercing my heart. Tears welled up in my eyes until I could no longer see him clearly.
My mind suddenly flashed back to the second trial... the image of Sebastian lying on the ground, lifeless... dead...
"You... y-you're such a... b-bastard," I squeaked out as I leaned forward and grabbed him in my arms, squeezing as tightly as possible, unable to hold back any longer. Part of me hoped that if I held on tightly enough, cried enough into his shoulder, he'd change his mind... and yet, I knew it was futile. His conviction wouldn't allow it.
"I am, I know," he sighed quietly as he held me back, still clutching the relic. "I couldn't bring myself to tell you beforehand."
"A-And what about after you'd sacrificed yourself?! W-What was I s-supposed to think?!" I sobbed, my voice muffled by his cloak. "W-What if all the relic's good for is m-making and controlling Inferi?!" Sebastian's hold grew tighter.
"It's not... it will-"
"Accio relic!"
A deep voice echoed throughout the chamber. Sebastian let out a startled grunt as the relic tore itself out of his grasp and flew across the room... into Solomon's outstretched hand.
Oh godDAMNit.
"What have the two of you done?!" he roared, pointing his wand at the relic, glowing red and crackling with power as though it was a warning. All thoughts of grief and anguish were instantly stricken from my mind, replaced by pure, unadulterated dread. Sebastian and I gasped, reached out and shouted in unison.
"Solomon, don't-"
"No, don't touch that-"
Too late... with a wave of his wand, Solomon Vanished the relic into the aether. I could feel a shift of power in the air - the Inferi all around us twitched suddenly, and began to slowly march towards us.
They were not under Sebastian's control anymore... they weren't under anyone's control.
"Oh, no..." Sebastian breathed as he let go, training his wand on the approaching Inferi. Solomon glanced around the room, almost seeming surprised that the relic was the only thing holding them back from tearing the three of us apart... the shock and horror I felt quickly melted away into seething, all-consuming rage.
That simpleminded buffoon... without taking a single second to think before acting, he'd just put us all in serious danger.
Put Sebastian in danger.
My Sebastian.
"You... IDIOT!" I shrieked, the surprise on his face disappearing in favor of a dark scowl. "That relic was the only thing keeping all these Inferi from attacking us! What is wrong with you?!"
"The two of you have gone too far... I'm ending this, now!" he yelled, raising his wand. "Incarcerous!" A pair of ropes shot out of his wand towards Sebastian and I, but I fired a quick Diffindo to slash them to pieces, then hurled a second one right at him. He blocked it with a Protego, the scowl on his face twisting even more.
"That relic was going to save Anne!" Sebastian argued back, casting a Confringo towards an Inferius that had come too close.
"Nothing can be done for her! And I will not have you toying around with Dark magic in your foolish endeavors!" shouted Solomon as he watched me warily. The rage inside of me bubbled to new heights - Sebastian and I were the only ones trying to help Anne, who was he to tell us to stop?! Why did he want her to suffer so badly?! And to just carelessly destroy the relic like that, without even noticing that it kept the hundreds of Inferi at bay... how bumbling, how incompetent, how stupid could this one man possibly be?! Was he trying to kill us both?!
Was he... trying to actually kill his own nephew now? Was he really that callous? That heartless?
That... evil?
My vision darkened, shifted towards a green and red-tinged palette; I could see purple wisps of smoke streaming from my eyes. A dark, righteous, burning desire roared up from the depths of my soul, consuming my mind until it focused on one thing, and one thing only.
This bastard... this foolish, stubborn, selfish bastard... he was going to pay.
For everything.
Everything he had ever done to my best friend!
"Crucio!" I screamed, hurling my wand. Red lightning snapped from its tip and struck Solomon directly in the chest before he could react. I couldn't help but smile as he howled in agony and dropped to the ground, writhing and clutching his abdomen, but as I remembered our few interactions it slid from my face.
I cared not that I had just cast an Unforgivable on another human. If anyone deserved to feel the excruciating pain I once experienced at Sebastian's hands, what Anne likely felt every waking moment of every day... it was him. And after I'd fully made him understand just how badly he'd screwed up, I'd simply Obliviate that one inconvenient little fact from his mind. It'd be easy once I'd beaten the arrogance, the fight out of him, like he so desperately deserved.
"You'll pay for this, you worthless piece of trash," I seethed. "What kind of pathetic, sorry excuse for a guardian are you?!"
"Sunset..." Sebastian gasped, his voice momentarily knocking me out of my reverie. I didn't turn to face him... I didn't need to see his face to understand the wildly conflicting emotions within him. I felt extreme justice and vindication for everything his uncle had ever put him through, and for his utter refusal to help his sister - I felt inner peace and even unabashed glee... but I also felt a sense of shock and terror, of repulsion and guilt. "W-What are you-"
He flinched as I fired a Confringo at an approaching group of Inferi without even looking at them, nearly striking the side of his face in the process. "Handle the Inferi... I'll deal with your uncle," I growled. He stared at me for a moment before nodding once and turning to face the approaching horde, doing his best to push his emotions aside.
"You... black-hearted child..." Solomon wheezed as he struggled past the curse's pain. "I'll ensure... you spend the rest of your life in Azkaban for this- GAAAAAH!" He screamed as I renewed the curse's fury upon him.
"Feel that? That's how Anne feels when her curse flares up on her," I sneered, delighting in his cries. "Are you sure nothing can be done for her? Are you sure you don't want to look harder for a cure?!"
"She c-cannot be healed, S-Sunset! You must s-stop!" he sputtered, forcing himself to stand so he could cast another Incarcerous at me. Another Diffindo ripped right through it, and my eyes blazed with a torrent of ancient magic as I laid into him with a Depulso so strong and long lasting it slammed him into the opposite wall and held him there for a good ten seconds.
"And how are you so sure about that?! We have magic, for Merlin's sake! If a countercurse doesn't exist, then we'll just invent one! You just recklessly destroyed a relic that had the possibility of curing her, it's like you want her to die!" The spell ended, dropping Solomon to the ground.
"Of c-course I don't wish for A-Anne to die," he rumbled, spitting out some blood as he stood back up. "But I've been dealing with Dark magic longer than you have been alive! I know a curse is incurable when I see it!" Now he finally started fighting back in earnest, firing a barrage of spells towards me. The speed and skill with which he attacked was more than I had assumed he was capable of, and I threw up a Protego to both ride it out and watch for a weakness.
I could expose one easily with a bit of taunting. After all, he deserved to hear what I thought of him before I stripped it away.
"Well, you're doing a fine job trying to kill Sebastian and I. Destroying the only thing keeping the Inferi from tearing us all to pieces? I think you're projecting when you say your brother was the reckless one." An opening presented itself, and I first cast a flurry of Baubillious to blind him before following up with Confringo. Solomon's Protego struggled to remain intact beneath the explosion and flames. "It's disgusting behavior coming from you, anyway, blaming Sebastian for being like his father... if he was anything like you, I never would've given him the time of day!"
"And I... would hate myself if I was anything like you!" Sebastian added as he set more Inferi ablaze. "I'm proud to be like my father! He was a far better man than you could ever hope to be! He would've stopped at nothing to help Anne, he and our mother!"
"There is nothing that can be done for her! How many times must I say it?!" Solomon roared as he fired a volley of Bombardas at me. They were easily deflected into the crowds of Inferi further back, not setting them on fire but blowing their bodies to bits. Dismembered limbs clawed at the ground and dragged themselves towards us, torsos and abdomens wriggled like worms, and heads rolled like misshapen balls. No, they were not destroyed... but they were slower, easier for Sebastian to handle.
"You're their uncle, for Merlin's sake! You're supposed to protect and nurture Sebastian and Anne, make them feel wanted and loved, not abuse one and let the other die! They are your responsibility, you're supposed to care for them!"
Like... like Celestia was supposed to love me... care for me... I blinked away the moisture gathering in the corners of my eyes.
"I never wanted them!" Solomon bellowed as he cast the Avis and Oppugno combination, directing the flock of eagles to pop my shield. "It was bad enough that my foolish brother had that infernal Muggle contraption put in their house, no self-respecting wizard would ever rely on Muggle inventions for something as trivial as light! And then they left everything in their will to Anne and Sebastian... did they ever once think about who might have had to step in as their guardian?! Gringotts won't allow me to use their Galleons for food, clothing, fuel or school supplies... it all comes from my pocket!"
"That wasn't their fault!" I screamed as I countered the attack with my own summoned crows. "Would you rather have had them sent to an orphanage? Because I was once an orphan myself, and I hated that place! One of the best days of my life was the day I was adopted, to finally have a family of my own, a mother that loved me! They needed you!"
"You don't think I know that?! But thanks to the damned wording of their will, those two will inherit thousands of Galleons once they become adults while I become destitute!" A few of my crows broke through his flock of eagles and circled him, distracting him long enough for me to cast Deprimo and Descendo in quick succession. Solomon struggled as he quickly found himself buried up to his shoulders within the ruined earth.
"So that's it, then? You're salty because you have to care for your niece and nephew after their parents died to a freak accident." I didn't think it possible, but my hatred for the man skyrocketed. "Then why don't you put that Auror training to good use and find a way to better your situation?!" Suddenly Solomon shot up from the ground with an Ascendio, his wand emitting a stream of Incendio fire like a solar flare as he landed. I sidestepped the spell and let it roast some Inferi behind me.
"You arrogant bitch," he spat. "It's the same tale I've seen repeated countless times... a wizard or witch just like you thinks they know better than everyone else, thinks they can get away with pushing the boundaries of good and evil more and more until they can no longer see the monster they've become!
So many monsters... the horrors I've witnessed... what's one more to deal with...? The sudden intrusive emotion made me blink incredulously; I didn't allow it to distract me.
"The monster they've become?! Look in a mirror! You're the one who gave up on helping your own niece! What kind of guardian, what kind of father gives up on their own child so easily?!" I could feel the ancient magic within me begging to be unleashed in its entirety, crying out for his blood, his life... but for Sebastian's sake I kept it chained back, instead grabbing as many large rocks and chunks of stone in my magic as I could and hurling them at my enemy. "If helping Sebastian cure his sister from a curse you have no interest in investigating makes me a Dark witch, then I'll happily accept that!" Solomon grunted loudly as each stone struck his shield, the magic flashing and cracking with every blow.
"You haven't seen what Dark magic does to a man... it twists their very souls until there's nothing left to redeem! And I will not have my nephew be seduced by promises of false power!" He snarled as the the final boulder I threw shattered his Protego, but still refused to back down. "I saw the magic you used to destroy that troll... I know not how you acquired such power, but I see that it has already corrupted you, far beyond saving!"
It's too late... already too far gone... must stop...
"You saw that, huh? ...Idiot. That wasn't Dark magic at all," I snorted. "Even if it was, there's nothing wrong with Dark magic, because there's no such thing! Magic can't be good or evil, all that matters is the one who wields that power!" A cruel idea popped into my mind, and as another group of Inferi drew near my eyes smoked with malice. "But it scares you, doesn't it? Then let me show you some more!" A crooked grin spread across my face as I cast Imperio on the entire lot of them, and directed them towards Solomon. One more memory to Obliviate after this was over wouldn't change anything, and I took delight in the fear on his face as they approached, pushing themselves to shamble faster. "It's amusing how terrified you are of a simple little spell... Is it because you're afraid of it? Afraid of its potential? Afraid of that power?!"
Solomon glared at me with all the fury of death itself. "I've faced hundreds of Dark witches and wizards worse than you! And I survived against them all! I've had the Killing Curse cast at me more times than I can remember!" He began waving his wand in dramatic, sweeping circles; a stream of blazing fire filled with living creatures, swirling like a tornado, came roaring out and devoured the Inferi before storming towards me.
The crazy bastard had cast Fiendfyre. He was getting desperate.
All of them tried to kill me... They were beyond redemption, beyond saving... I should have died. If I hadn't cast- ...No! I refuse to stoop to their level! I will not-!
Before I could feel any more of his emotions I allowed my own rage to drown it out, the ancient magic in my eyes and horn shining brighter than the violently uncontrollable spell racing towards me. With a scream I flung my wand at the blazing tornado, purple light shooting out and causing it to explode. I was quick enough to cast a Protego that encompassed myself and Sebastian as the shreds of residual fire burned everything they touched, but Solomon cried out in pain as the explosion singed his body and threw him back against a wall.
I snorted in derision. Pathetic. No wonder you're a former Auror.
"Is that all you've got? You are pathetic... weak-minded, closed-minded, selfish, arrogant, cruel, lazy and delusional! And you think it's fine to take it all out on your own nephew, on my best friend. You're nothing but a coward... you hear me?! A coward!" I watched with demonic satisfaction as he struggled to rise to his hands and knees, but his strength kept faltering. It seemed as though he'd finally had enough. One last Incarcerous spell to keep him still before I Obliviated him, and this would all be over.
"How dare you... You're no friend to my nephew...!" Solomon choked out. A haughty chuckle escaped my lips.
"I care about him more than you do, more than you ever have! And I-"
"Arresto Momentum!" Though I anticipated the sneak attack and dashed to the side, he had successfully anticipated where I was going - the spell tagged my hand, and I instantly felt my body lock itself in place, floating a few inches above the ground.
No! Damn it! I struggled against the spell's effects, driving my body to move even a fraction of an inch through sheer willpower alone. It was working, but at a snail's pace... not quickly enough.
"That's enough!" Sebastian shouted as he burned the final Inferius I could see to a crisp. "Stop this madness, Solomon... you've nearly gotten all three of us killed!"
"It's you who's making me do this!" his uncle snarled, spit frothing and flying from his mouth as he finally stood up and stumbled towards me. I couldn't pick out individual emotions of his or Sebastian's anymore, they had all congealed into a tempest of impenetrable negativity.
"You're... y-you're supposed to protect us!" Sebastian's voice began to break, full of anger and anguish.
"I am protecting you, you foolish boy!" retorted Solomon, keeping his eyes laser-focused on me. "You think me a coward for refusing to use Dark magic, for not using the Unforgivables... then I'll show you what a coward can do!" Just as I finally broke free from the spell, a sense of impending doom sloshed over me like a tidal wave.
Ungrateful wretch! But I'm obligated to save him... And I will save him from you!
"Avada-"
W-What?!
I froze. Time seemed to slow to a standstill as I watched Solomon's eyes glow a sickening green, his wand beginning to flash with the same frightening light. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sebastian raise his wand, and every emotion he was feeling suddenly punched its way into my mind.
Fathomless regret for letting his uncle get the drop on him and destroying his chance to cure his beloved sister. A decade of festering resentment for the way he'd been treated so harshly, like his very existence was a burden. Incomprehensible rage towards Solomon for putting us all - me - in this dangerous position.
And utter horror... that I was about to die.
I felt something snap, deep within his soul.
My parents... my sister... I'm not going to lose Sunset, too!
"...Kedavr-"
"Depulso!"
I tried to fling myself out of the way of the curse, but my legs were lead jelly. I saw the crackling jade lightning rocket towards me, sealing my fate.
But then I saw Solomon jerk awkwardly to his left, blown off balance by Sebastian's spell. The deadly curse sailed mere inches to my left, away from my chest, my very heart... and struck the wall behind me. The loud impact broke the spell my knees held over me, and I sank to the dusty, charred, unstable ground, still unable to move.
Solomon staggered, the light fading from his eyes as he tried to regain his balance. His feet tripped over the uneven floor, his hands flailing uselessly in front of him as he fell backwards. The back of his head made contact with ruined, jagged stone.
Crack
Suddenly he let out a grotesque noise halfway between a gasp and a moan. His head and neck arched upwards, his arms and legs stiffened and spasmed. His hands curled into fists facing outwards from his convulsing body, and his feet pointed straight down. The noise gradually faded through his clenched teeth, and his unblinking eyes nearly bulged from their sockets as his tremors quickly grew weaker and weaker... until they stopped altogether.
Neither of us moved for what felt like an eternity, waiting for him to move again, even just to breathe.
But nothing happened.
Solomon was silent.
Still.
Dead.
Sebastian dropped his wand. He took a few shaky steps forward before stopping, his mouth hanging open.
"Solomon?"
Another step forward. A thin trickle of blood poured from Solomon's left ear and nose.
"Un... U-Uncle...?"
"DEPULSO!"
A spell from my left sailed into the room and slammed into Sebastian's side. He gasped in pain as he tumbled along the ground, eventually coming to a stop when his back hit the wall. Though I wanted so badly to rush to his side, screaming at my muscles to let me get up and check if he was alright, my body refused to listen.
Instead my eyes shifted over to who had cast the spell. Her voice was all too familiar.
Anne hobbled into the chamber. Her face was dripping with sweat and tears - deep, dark circles under her eyes. Her breaths were raspy and labored, full of agony and grief. She didn't even look at me as she moved towards her fallen uncle, kneeling down and surveying the damage, pressing two fingers to the side of Solomon's throat.
Her hand fell limply after a few moments. Her head bowed until I could no longer see her face, and her shoulders heaved.
"Anne..." Sebastian wheezed, still reaching out for her after she'd attacked him. She glanced at him momentarily, then turned her attention towards the spellbook sitting on the altar. Anger washed over her features, and she cast a Bombarda at the book, ripping it to shreds that caught fire and burned away in the explosion. Both Sebastian and I let out a strangled noise at the book's destruction, the knowledge inside lost forever.
She turned towards her brother with a dark, furious glare. "You were willing to put the whole hamlet and yourself in danger, on the chance that some old relic could hope to heal me-" She groaned as her hand clutched at her side, her head bowing as she endured the curse's pain. We watched with bated breath as, after a few moments of silence, she slowly looked up again to face him, her eyes empty and haunted.
"...You've made your choice," she whispered. She latched on to Solomon's body - a crack echoed all around us, forcing me to blink. Both of them were gone when my eyes reopened.
Neither of us moved an inch for a few minutes. Finally, however, Sebastian struggled to his feet, swaying a little as he cradled his side. It was the encouragement I needed to stand as well.
"...I must get out of here," he mouthed, walking towards the Great Room's exit, then breaking out into a run.
"Hey... wait," I called out for him weakly. He hadn't even bothered to pick up his wand before leaving... I grabbed it before chasing after him. He ignored my every word as I tried to get him to stop, or at least slow down as he raced back through the corridors, the dust and ash kicking back up and clouding my sight. He trudged forward with a single-minded fervor, spilling most of the Wiggenweld potion he brought out when his wounded side caused him to start limping. It wasn't until we had both left the catacomb that he finally came to a halt, leaning against a rock to catch his breath. I tried talking to him once more, simply calling his name.
"W-What is it?" He asked quietly, turning towards me. Now that I could see his face, I gasped in horror - he was pale as snow, his eyes wide and constricted. His entire body was trembling, and he began pacing back and forth with nervous energy.
"Are you okay?" I immediately shook my head. "Alright, stupid question, I know, but you're seriously scaring me right now."
"Anne won't survive this... she's withering away, inside and out... Solomon's never been there for us... not really," he shook his head. "He gave up on Anne... I'll never give up on her... He... H-He... I can't believe... he actually tried to k-kill you...!"
"I... I know," I swallowed uncomfortably. The green lightning was seared into my mind. Mentally I screamed at myself; I'd gotten too cocky, too arrogant... I let the power go to my head. If it hadn't been for Sebastian's quick thinking-
"I can't stay here... I n-need to leave... I c-can't... c-can't...!"
Sebastian dropped to his knees, clutching at his head. His breathing grew faster and more erratic, words quickly deconstructing into syllables before becoming only vague noises. Tears streamed from his unblinking eyes, and a shriek forced its way through his clenched teeth.
GUILT. REMORSE. SHAME. DESPAIR.
My breath died in my throat. I had never seen him so terrified, so out of control of himself. So many emotions were racing within his soul... I could feel myself becoming quickly affected, nearly overwhelmed if not for my own burgeoning fear.
GUILT. REMORSE. SHAME. DESPAIR.
"Hey... hey! S-Snap out of it!" I knelt down to his level and gripped his shoulders, but it was like holding on to a statue. His body was ice cold to the touch and entirely unyielding. His mind was gone, lost within what I assumed to be a massive panic attack... all that had transpired in the past five or ten minutes had quite simply broken him.
I would have to think for the both of us until he calmed down, and I had no idea how to calm him down... I wanted to help him, but how I was going to help him?! I had no idea how I was going to fix this!
GUILT. REMORSE. SHAME. DESPAIR.
...Well, that wasn't entirely true.
"Stupefy."
I tried to be as gentle as possible with the spell. Sebastian's cries abruptly cut off as he went limp and flopped over, his face lying on its side on the ground. His breathing returned to normal, but even unconscious I could see his temples twitching wildly.
No, he couldn't stay here... and neither could I.
Taking his hand, I teleported us back to Hogwarts, to a blind spot where we wouldn't be seen. After checking to make sure he was still out cold, I cast Wingardium Leviosa on his body so I could carry him easily, then Disillusionment on the both of us. Carefully floating him behind me, I ran as quietly as I could manage, but it wasn't fast enough for my liking. Casting a Muffling Charm on myself allowed me to run at full pace, and I raced through the double doors, up the several sets of staircases until I was just outside my Room.
It was so hard to envision my Room when my mind was focused on Sebastian. Finally the door materialized and I ran inside. I mentally ordered whatever magic created the room to not allow anyone else in, only then feeling secure enough to cancel the Muffling and Disillusionment Charms. I allowed myself to catch my breath as I floated him down to the living area, carefully setting him down on the chaise lounge in a sitting position - even now, his sleep was troubled.
A thought came to me, and I snapped my fingers as I dashed back up the stairs. I nearly collided with the shelves all my potions were stored in, my eyes frantically searching for anything that would help. Three of them stuck out, and I grabbed them and ran back, setting them down on the coffee table in front of him.
A deep sigh escaped my lips. Now I could help him. I held up my wand.
"Rennervate."
Sebastian's eyes squeezed together before they opened. "Wha... where...?"
"Hey, it's okay now," I shushed, speaking quietly as I sat down to his left. "You're here, in my room. You're safe."
"Your... room..." He blinked a few times before looking at me. "...How did I get here?"
"I... might've knocked you out, Apparated us, and then dragged your unconscious body up several floors while Disillusioned," I glanced away with a shrug.
"Oh... I see." He swallowed hard as he stared at the floor, his breathing already beginning to quicken again. He let out a quiet, but panicked moan.
"Shh... here," I gestured to the three potions on the coffee table. "There's Calming Draught, Draught of Peace and Dreamless Sleep. You should probably take one of them... you're a wreck right now." His eyes slid over to them, but it took a few moments for him to nod in agreement. He reached for the Calming Draught, popped it open and drained the entire bottle. Within seconds his breathing returned to normal.
"...Thank you," he whispered, wiping off his face with his sleeve. After doing so, his hands slapped over his face to hide himself. "Sunset... w-what have I done?" I felt anguish beginning to spike within him.
I couldn't let him feel that again... Not right now.
My arms wrapped around him, and I leaned back onto the couch, gently pulling him with me. Once my back was against the couch's arm I nudged his head until the side of it was against my chest, his ear directly over my heart.
For once, I neither felt nor saw a bashful response from him. Instead, he simply closed his eyes.
...You saved my life.
I exhaled slowly, deeply, resting my chin on his head.
All I wanted to do was to take away his pain... the only way I knew how.
~
I lost track of how long we laid together like that. But eventually I felt him stir.
"How are you feeling?" I asked quietly, glancing down at him through his hair.
"...Better," he mumbled. I squeezed him tightly for a moment.
"Good."
More time passed by in silence. My right hand moved rhythmically, sliding up and down his arm. I felt him release a deep, contented sigh, felt his head press further into my chest.
Any other time, I might've felt mild embarrassment by this level of intimacy... but for now, his wellbeing was my top priority. I didn't care about anything else.
~
While he slept, my own thoughts raced through my mind. Thoughts of everything the two of us had endured together.
Our triumphs. Our sorrows. Our moments of frustration.
Meeting Anne. Arguing with Solomon. Learning about how Anne was cursed.
Discovering the scriptorium. Discovering the relic...
...We had been so sure that it would help her. But the research had quickly become troubling. Then Solomon had to further ruin everything by destroying it.
And yet... if he hadn't... Sebastian might not be here anymore. The thought made me squeeze him a little tighter.
...
...
...
...Maybe Ominis had been right all along. The Dark Arts seemed so promising, all the way up until Sebastian had realized he would have to sacrifice himself to have the curse broken. And he was still willing to go through with it, despite the wishes of his two best friends.
Maybe... I shouldn't have encouraged him. Maybe I enabled him too much.
And maybe... maybe it was my fault that Solomon died.
...
...
...
...What was I even thinking, using Unforgivables on him?! If he had somehow escaped the fight, escaped before I managed to Obliviate him, I'd probably be getting arrested and sent to Azkaban right this second! I...
...No. I cast those spells because I was Celestia's personal protégé... or, I was. In the back of my mind I thought- I knew I could get away with it no matter how things turned out. But I no longer had that luxury; Fig cared for me but he wasn't nearly that influential, and I watched his contact within the Ministry die right in front of me.
Did... oh, what if Anne saw me do that?! What if she told on me?!
What...
What have I done?
What have I done...?!
...
...
...
Maybe... maybe this was what Celestia was trying to teach me all along.
~
Sebastian shifted in his sleep, and I saw something fall out of his cloak's pocket. It was a bit of a struggle to retrieve it without waking him, but I managed.
It was a folded piece of parchment. Carefully I opened it up and read what was inside.
I really should've expected it, but the words still nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Dearest Sunset,
If you are reading this... I am likely dead.
I can imagine how angry you must be, after going off to Feldcroft on my own with the relic, after we'd promised we would work on a cure for Anne together. I swear I can already feel you casting Waddiwasi at my head.
I've realized what the dark sacrifice is... in order to break Anne's curse and cure her, I will have to sacrifice my own life to do so. It must be the life of one who truly loves her... Solomon, nor anyone else, won't do.
Naturally, I've gone and done just that. But please know it was not without a heavy conscience. There is so much I wish to tell you, so much more I wish to experience with you. It pains me deeply to know I'll never get the chance.
I apologize for avoiding you these past few days... every time I wanted to tell you what was on my mind, I feared that I would lose my resolve, and so I kept my distance... I regret every second of that time spent apart.
Speaking of losing my resolve... I'd better stop. Know that I've always considered you to be my truest, closest friend that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.
I love you.
Sebastian
...
I covered my mouth, a sob wracking my entire body. I probably would've started crying if I hadn't, it was a miracle he didn't wake up. This note, such a dreadful bromide, yet so heartfelt and moving...
And this idiot... this beautiful, charming, compassionate idiot, with a heart of gold beneath all that stupidity, sarcasm and dry wit... I didn't know whether I wanted to kiss him or punch him in the kidney.
Sure, he'd made mistakes... some pretty big ones, I had to admit.
But so had I.
Yet another thing we both had in common.
~
Eventually I felt him stir again. At first I tried to ignore it, half-wanting to let him drift back to sleep... but mostly, it was a weak attempt to avoid my own emotions. As irrationally scared as I was of feeling what I did, of hearing what he might say... I had to know for myself.
I decided to test whether he was awake or not. "...Sebastian?"
"Hm?" He was... though I desperately wanted to ask, the words still took a moment to work up the courage to say.
"...How long?" I asked quietly, my hand sliding down his arm. "How long have you known that you loved me?" He was silent for a few moments.
"I think I fell for you when we first dueled." The scene replayed itself in my head, and I couldn't help but giggle.
"No you didn't."
"You don't believe me?" His body shifted to my right, no longer on top of me but leaning against the back of the chaise lounge.
"No, I believe you. But the 'falling' was so... incidental, don't you think? You did hit the floor pretty hard," I smirked. He let out a quiet chuckle in return.
"Guess I fell for you in more ways than one, then," he grinned softly. The sparkle had returned to his eyes, and I gazed deeply into them, both relieved and thrilled to see that pain now absent.
And then I felt a wave of radiant heat cascade through my entire body from my heart outwards. My nerves tingled, and there was no longer any doubt in my mind.
Deep within my soul... these emotions were mine. Mine alone.
I felt exactly what he felt for me.
For him.
And I was not afraid. Not anymore.
"...I love you, too." Sebastian blinked once before his smile stretched from ear to ear.
"Truly?" he breathed. I simply smiled and nodded. Our arms wrapped tightly around each other, and yet the smile threatened to fall away. "...Even after everything I've done?"
I squeezed him as I shook my head. "None of that matters to me. Just you." Another wave of heat rippled through me to see his smile return, to realize and accept what I said as the truth.
I'd never felt more warm, more comfortable... more perfect in my life.
My eyes drifted down towards his lips. His drifted as well.
And as soon as our lips touched, I felt a rush - a blaze of emotion like never before.
~
My eyes snapped open. How long had I been asleep? Though waking up in Sebastian's embrace quickly made me forget about that question.
He had fallen asleep again. I smiled, reflecting on how adorable he looked. My eyes danced over every freckle, and I felt myself wanting to kiss every single one. Moreover, the sentiment didn't feel the least bit sappy.
But then the events that had transpired hours ago pushed themselves back into my mind. Even now I could feel a dull ache within him - a swirling sea of negative emotions that threatened to cloud his mind in a thick, dark fog, where he might lose himself forever.
If it was my fault that he had been pushed to go this far... then it was my responsibility to make things right. I might not have had the ability to remove emotional pain with ancient magic yet, but I did have Equestrian magic to pull from.
As gently as I could, I extricated myself from his grasp, rolling onto the floor to do so. I winced at the sudden noise, but he didn't stir. I reached underneath my bed and pulled out my old saddlebags, then opened them and retrieved an old, favorite book.
It was perhaps the most advanced Alchemy book I had ever seen in Equestria, won in a bet against one of Celestia's court battlemages. Inside were recipes meant for war, and treating the many negative effects war could so casually inflict - both physical and mental.
There was definitely something in here that could help him. I flipped through the pages until I found it. Though it was terribly complicated to brew, and took many unique ingredients I had not yet come up with substitutions for, the time it took to brew itself wasn't long. And none of these ingredients were Dark in nature, so I was reasonably positive there wouldn't be any complications down the road.
For hours I studied, deciphering which plants and reagents here were analogous to plants and reagents back in Equestria. A half cup of Flash Bee honey was equivalent to five drops of rosemary essential oil and a quarter cup of pure lavender honey added to a quarter cup of thyme essential oil. The roots of Crisscross Moss had the same effect as the teeth of a Fanged Geranium. Fairy wings ground together with three and a half Billywig stings could be used in place of Breezie wings. The equivalent ratios of Heart's Desire, Seeds of Truth, Windigo ectoplasm and the throat gem of a Siren could be substituted with a tablespoon of Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction mixed into a quarter cup of Burning Bitterroot Balm, two newt spleens wrapped in four blades of star grass, five-eighths of a cup of chilled Lethe River water, and nine-sixteenths of a cup of a mixture of equal parts powdered gold, porcupine quills, moonstone and unicorn horn (I tried not to think too hard about that one).
Once I had figured out all of the ingredients and ratios I would need to create the potion, I set to work. I was halfway through reducing all of the liquid ingredients by exactly one-fifth when I heard a knock on the door.
"Miss Shimmer? Are you in there?" I heard Professor Weasley's muffled voice through the door. At first I felt a jolt of paranoia, already imagining handcuffs being clapped around my wrists... but her voice was as congenial as always, though tinged with deep concern. It was probably safe to answer, but I still groaned as I cast a quick Sonorus Charm on myself; I couldn't leave the cauldron for a second at this stage.
"Yes, I am... I'm in the middle of brewing a potion right now, I can't leave it," I called back.
"Ah, sorry to disturb you... I was wondering if you've seen Mr. Sallow recently." I bristled, feeling a cold panic dripping down my back... what exactly did she want Sebastian for? Most likely it was to inform him of his uncle's passing, but if it ever came to light that he was responsible for all those Inferi...
"Uh... no, I haven't," I lied.
"I see... well, if you see him, please tell him to come see me... I'm afraid I have some terrible news he needs to know." I focused as hard as I could on her emotions to glean any information on what exactly she was talking about - I could sense sympathy as the main component, so that must've meant that it was about the former.
"Okay... will do," I answered. She didn't respond back, so I figured she had left to continue her search for Sebastian, unaware that he was asleep on the lounge in the other room. I canceled the charm and returned my total focus towards the potion, adding the powdered mixture once it had reduced to the correct consistency.
Another hour later, and it was finally finished. Just to be sure I tested a sip of it myself, feeling the intended cooling rush billowing up in the back of my head and flowing forwards and downwards over the rest of my brain and spinal cord. I trembled with cautious optimism as I brought it with me back to the living area. Sebastian was awake, lying listlessly on the couch, barely having moved at all.
"What is this?" he asked as I handed him the vial, glowing a pearlescent light blue.
"It's an alchemical recipe from my homeland... it helps to ease one's mind after something traumatic has happened, though it needs a full 24 hours to take full effect." Satisfied with that answer, he tipped the vial back and swallowed its contents. A moment later he let out a groan as his entire body shivered.
"Ugh... Thank you. I'm not entirely sure what this will do for me, but I trust your judgment, and your alchemical knowledge."
"Of course," I answered hollowly as I took the vial back, feeling as guilty as I did hopeful. Sebastian laid back down with a sigh and closed his eyes, leaving me to wrestle with my thoughts on my own.
~
My stomach was killing me. I left for a half hour or so to get some food from the Great Hall, first stuffing myself full before putting together a plate for Sebastian and sneaking it out. When I returned to my Room, however, he wasn't there.
He must've gone somewhere to clear his mind... somewhere familiar. On a hunch I made my way to the Undercroft, sighing in relief when I found him and Ominis in the middle of a conversation. Both of them looked absolutely miserable.
"...She's devastated. She just buried your uncle... alone," Ominis moaned. Sebastian shook his head slowly.
"I... never meant for this to happen," he whimpered. His voice was so weak, so broken... I cursed the portcullis for opening as slowly as it did.
"Sebastian... Anne can't bear the thought of turning you in, but-"
My heart dropped into my bowels as I stepped through the threshold. Turn him in? For what, saving my life?! Just the very thought of it, the thought of what might happen to him... it horrified me to my core.
"What? Turn me in?!" Sebastian echoed my thoughts. "She saw what happened!" Ominis opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again with a hum as he sensed my presence.
"...I'll give you some time to think," he mumbled as he walked over to me, shaking his head. "Poor Sebastian..."
"I guess Anne's told you what happened, huh?" I frowned. Ominis slowly nodded, letting out a deep sigh.
"What a mess... I can't believe it. After I last saw you, I went straight to Hogwarts... before I had time to talk to Black, I heard from Anne. I rushed to Feldcroft and... found her with Solomon's body. She was beside herself with grief... part of her wants Sebastian to face the consequences - another part can't bear the thought of it. I don't want to lose him, but... I don't think we have a choice."
I bristled as soon as I heard the words, and my mouth hung open. Anne and Ominis were seriously considering turning Sebastian in to the authorities?! Getting him expelled for saving my life?!
...Okay, he might've summoned an army of Inferi, too, and that was a big no-no, but...
...After reading about the horrors of Azkaban, there was no way I could let that happen to him. He didn't deserve a fate so cruel, so much worse than certain death! Even Celestia wouldn't have sentenced him to a stint in Tartarus, not if he was truly remorseful about his actions... and he was. I could feel it in my very soul.
Not to mention... after my own wanton use of Unforgivables, and all the death and destruction I myself had wrought upon countless foes... I'd be the worst friend in the world if I let it happen, and a terrible hypocrite. If anything... I deserved to be the one who was sent away. Not him.
But of course I wasn't about to suggest that. Sebastian had saved my life... it was my turn to save his.
"We always have a choice... Tell me what Anne told you," I spoke, focusing on keeping my voice as level as possible. It was deathly important that I get this right. "What did she see?"
"It wasn't much," Ominis admitted. "She and Solomon awoke to find the hamlet under siege from Inferi. They went outside to exterminate them, but when they suddenly began moving back towards the catacomb Solomon ordered her to stay behind while he left to investigate... after a while, she grew worried and followed after him. When she was approaching the Great Room she heard Solomon beginning to cast the Killing Curse, then she heard Sebastian shout the Banishing Charm over him. Once she'd entered the room, she saw... Solomon dying, convulsing on the ground."
Alright, good... well, that's easy to work with. "I see... then she didn't quite get the whole picture," I sighed. "Solomon cast the Killing Curse against me... he tried to kill me. Sebastian... saved my life."
"He... did?" Ominis recoiled slightly.
"Yes... the Banishing Charm knocked him off balance, so the Killing Curse missed me... Then he tripped over a rock and hit his head. Sebastian didn't mean to kill him at all... it was an accident."
"Hmm... a 'freak' accident, I take it?" He made a face.
"I'd be willing to drink an entire bottle of Veritaserum to prove it," I bluffed. Let's just... ignore the fact that I goaded him into casting that. "He regrets everything... I know that for a fact. He won't do this again."
"Pfft... we've both heard that before," Ominis shook his head. Inwardly I cringed... it was true what he said. I needed a different approach... something far more believable. Far more guilt-inducing.
I ignored the pain that kicked me in the soul for thinking of it.
"We also need to think about Anne. She's still cursed, and now Solomon's gone... do you really want to take away her brother, too? They're... all they have left is each other." He let out another deep sigh, then was silent for a few moments.
"I understand what you're saying... perhaps you're right. As much as I believe that Sebastian should pay for his actions, we'd only be punishing Anne as well... not to mention, he did do good by saving your life. I just hope we're doing the right thing," he bowed his head in acceptance, while a smile broke out on my face.
Damn, I'm good. "It is the right choice," I affirmed as I reached up and hugged Ominis. He returned the gesture very gently after a moment, his face flushing red.
"I'll talk to Anne... if it comes from me, she'll agree with this decision."
"Thank you, Ominis... you're a good friend." And I truly mean that. Ominis nodded as I let him go, and he immediately left the Undercroft, presumably to inform Anne of our decision. Once I was sure he was gone I finally allowed myself to relax, extremely relieved that I had successfully gotten my best friend off the hook for his questionable use of magic. I walked over to Sebastian; in the meantime he had sat down on the floor, hunched over against a crate.
"Did you hear that?! You saw what happened... I never wanted to hurt my uncle!" He looked up at me, his face wet.
"I know," I nodded, sitting beside him.
"I c-can't believe he's gone... how did things go so w-wrong? ...I didn't mean it. I didn't m-mean to..." His eyes squeezed shut, tears running down his cheeks. "Oh, Anne... I was only t-trying to help. I can't leave now... she n-needs me more than ever."
"And you'll be there for her," I grabbed his hand in mine. "Neither she nor Ominis knew that Solomon tried to use the Killing Curse against me, and that you saved my life. I convinced Ominis, and he's off to convince Anne, too... you won't be turned in for what you've done." A sob wracked his body as I felt a massive weight being lifted from his shoulders.
"Thank you..." he sighed. "I... hate what I've d-done, but given the choice, I'd save you again and again. Solomon... when I realized what he was going to do, I j-just..." Sebastian fell silent again, his neck seemingly going slack as his head bowed.
He didn't need to finish his thought. Instead I felt the full force of his regrets, feeling as heavy and damning as my own. He had been justified in his actions; the guilt would eventually fade when the potion took full effect.
But myself? ...Not so much.
Still, it hurt so much seeing him like this. It hurt even more to know that my actions were the reason he hurt.
I needed to do something about it.
"...How about we go somewhere else? A change of scenery will do you good."
~
It was raining outside as I led him to the shores of the Black Lake. We stopped by the abandoned, derelict dock, where I had first taught him how to teleport, where I had first met Scrope so many months ago. The sun was trying its best to shine through the clouds, an endless sea of grey both above us and at our feet. All either of us could hear was the pattering of the rain on the muddy shore.
"A bit wet, for my tastes," Sebastian muttered as he idly levitated a flat rock with his wand and flicked it, sending the rock skipping over the lake.
"I'll fix that," I replied, waving my wand. First I half-conjured and half-Transfigured the remains of the dock into a stately gazebo, setting it up about fifteen feet from the water's edge. A Drying Charm ensured everything was dry, then I conjured a thick, comfortable blanket to sit on. I pulled off my damp cloak and kicked off my shoes before sitting down, motioning for him to join me.
"This is quite nice," he commented. Once he'd sat down I conjured an additional blanket and wrapped it around the both of us. He was happy to scoot over closer until he was smushed right up against me, using his arms to stabilize himself as he leaned back a bit.
"I can be nice if I feel like it," I grinned. A faint smile graced his lips, falling away as he stared into the distance. We sat in silence together for a while, simply watching the rain fall.
My mind ruminated on all that had happened. On how I had angered Solomon into casting the worst of Unforgivables... the most permanent one. On how it had forced Sebastian's hand, and resulted in his unintentional death.
On how all of this could have been avoided... if only I hadn't been so vindictive. So arrogant.
So blind.
"...It was my fault," I frowned, staring at the rippling water. "I goaded him into doing it... I said so many things I really shouldn't have." Sebastian sighed gently, and was silent for a moment.
"...They were all true, however. And the things you got him to say out loud... really explains so much, now that I think about it," he shook his head.
"I also encouraged you to research Dark magic more and more," I moaned, a breathy sob forcing itself from my throat. "If I would've suggested something else, or at least taken the proper precautions... If I-"
"No, Sunset," he cut me off. "It was my decision to take Slytherin's spellbook and leave with the relic. Mine alone... it wasn't your fault things ended up how they did."
I turned to face him... I wasn't sure if I believed his words or not.
"I don't regret any of the research. And I don't regret my knowledge of Dark magic, nor what we went through to obtain Slytherin's spellbook or the relic. But I do regret... that I went it alone," he exhaled. "I regret that I let my fears get the best of me, and I tried to use the relic when... when I knew it wouldn't work. I regret... that I left you out of it. We didn't try to cure her together, like we- ...I promised."
"Seb..."
"And now I must live with the guilt of all that's happened... I'm the one who killed Uncle Solomon, and I'm the one who drove Anne away... not you. So please... don't blame yourself for this. Any of this."
It was so hard to force out the words I wanted to say, through the guilt and the pain and regret. "No... if anything, you shouldn't blame yourself for any of this! I put you in that position with my own actions! I-"
He shut me up with a kiss. As much as I wanted to further argue my case, I quickly gave up and closed my eyes. I felt his arms wrap around me, his emotions wrap around my heart. Despite his misery, he wanted nothing more than to ease my pain, to see me happy again.
So I let him.
When we finally broke apart, we simply gazed at each other, an entire conversation playing out in silence between us.
He was perfectly willing to call it all even. We were both equally at fault.
And I could agree with that. He took my hand in his and held it tightly, as though he would never let go.
"No matter what happens from here... I'm glad we met."
My hand squeezed his in return, never wanting to let go.
"So am I."
The sun finally broke through the clouds.
