Sallow's Soft Side-10 Years Later

Chapter 8 - Unexpected Owl

*Y/N POV*

I wake up to a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Morning, love." Sebastian is sitting on the edge of the bed, cup of coffee in hand. He motions to a steaming cup on the end table with a tea bag seeping in it. I see he's already dressed for the day. "I thought you may want to sleep in a little from all the energy you burned last night."

My cheeks flush pink from the reminder. We both experienced new ways to enjoy each other's bodies. It seems to have confirmed my suspicion that he must enjoy causing me pleasure even more than himself. It shouldn't come as a surprise to me that such a selfless man is such a generous lover. I truly don't think he's ever gotten enough credit for the caring and thoughtful man he truly is. I felt when we were younger that I was nearly the only one who could see it. It always felt unfair to me how it's basically human nature for people to only see the mistakes someone has made and write them off for it. His goals in the actions that so many people view as dark always came from a loving place in his heart. He tried to find a way to cure his sister of a horrible curse-no matter what it took. He killed his own uncle because he felt he was going to hurt us. He was just a teenager when he made that quick decision, and he lives with that grief forever now. He nearly took another boy's life for attempting to commit an unfathomable crime against me. He distanced himself from me that year, which hurt me, but then I learned that he felt it was to protect me from further harm. He's not a perfect man, nobody is. However, I believe that he deserves all of the love in the world.

We hear a large thud at my front door, and Sebastian immediately runs down the stairs to see what happened. He looks out the window, glances around a bit confused looking, then opens the door. I'm watching this happen from as far away as I can, wrapped in a bedsheet as I'm still undressed from the night before. There is an owl. An owl flew into my door? Is it alright? I hear it screech, Sebastian sighs, and he walks over to the counter where I have some veggie treats and tosses it to the owl. How odd. I watch as he reads the front of the envelope and nearly drops it out of shock when he does so. What could this letter be that startles him that much? He doesn't open it yet, instead running up the stairs to sit by me.

"You're not going to believe this, but I think it's from Ominus!" he says, clearly shaken from what he's found. "I don't even know if I can open it right now. I haven't heard from him since the summer after finishing school. It's addressed to me. How would he even know where I am? How would he know where you live?"

"Give me a moment to get dressed, and I'll open it with you. I find this all to be odd as well."

I pick out another outfit for the warm weather and join him on my sofa. I pick up the envelope to examine it. The shaky penmanship is a clue that it certainly is from Ominus, as his blindness is incurable and it's quite frustrating for him when he tries to write."

"Sebastian-

There isn't much time. I mustn't explain more this way. I need you and Y/N to get here as soon as you can. I'm at the Manor and I'm several floors down. You should know where to go. Please be swift, and pack some Wiggenwelds.

-O"

The color drains from Sebastian's face. "Ominus is in trouble. He must feel there will be a fight to get to him if he feels I need to pack potions for the journey. This is not good, Y/N. I wish you didn't have to go with me, it does not sound safe. However, he says he needs you there as well. Do you know how to apparate? Have you done so before?"

"Yes, I do." I reply nervously.

"Good. This will hasten our journey to the Gaunt Manor. Good thing you're a herbologist and talented potion maker. We will need as much as we can get. The Gaunt's do not fight fair."