Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter SIX - Fun Sucker

The sun was quickly sinking in the sky and I was struck by just how much time we had spent in Hogsmeade.

A couple of turns outside the village, Sebastian stopped suddenly at a particularly odd fork in the road and I almost ran right into his back. A wooden sign jutted up from the ground and pointed down a hill. The word "lake" was painted on it in smooth, sturdy letters. He turned quickly back to me and his eyes widened in excitement.

I eyed him back curiously.

"We've gotta go." He pointed at the sign behind him.

"What? Where?"

"Don't tell me you didn't notice the gigantic body of water surrounding our school?"

I crossed my arms. "Of course I did. I just- I thought we were headed back to the school. Don't you have dinner to get to??"

"Oh right." He crossed his arms, mirroring my stance down to the same hip pop. "I forgot you had things to do - teachers to please - fun to suck out of life."

I dropped my arms and stood up straight - feeling suddenly self conscious.

"First off - rude. Second - I do NOT 'suck the fun out of life'."

"I just assumed."

He barred a toothy grin at me and nodded his head repeatedly back towards the "lake" sign.

"Fine."

"YESSSS." He pumped a fist in the air and turned on his heals. I was left to jog swiftly to catch up to his quickened pace.

"Why the lake? Why now?"

"You'll see."

We turned down the hill and our toes tapped steadily over the paved stone a few paces until we turned right and followed the stone steps as they wound down. I was surprised just how quickly the lake came into view and equally as shocked at the view. The small dock, tucked into the edge of the path dipped into the lake and beyond it toward the castle - illuminated in bright orange and red hues. A few boats rocked and creaked at the edge of the dock and the water lapped along the shore. Aside from that, it was completely void of any other noise - no students or creatures in sight.

"Over here." Sebastian called from my left and I slapped my mouth closed, not even realizing I had been standing jaw slack.

We ducked around the little boat house and passed a few oddly stacked stone slabs before the sound of trickling water peaked my interest. To the left was a shining, simple waterfall. It cascaded cooly down into a large stretch of cattails and mossy rocks. Just passed that was a short expanse of water and a little island, a few tall trees towering above it and mossy rocks framing the outside.

"Follow me." Sebastian walked to the edge of the waterfall, set down his purchases and begin removing his muddy boots, followed shortly by his socks. He crouched low to roll up his pants and eyed me curiously as I hadn't moved a muscle.

"I mean, you can keep those on if you'd like, but you'll be incredibly uncomfortable later." He looked from my boots up to my face.

Sebastian rose and waded shin deep into the water below the falls.

"What? Sebastian! I am NOT getting into the water."

"C'mon Barlowe, loosen up!" He called over his shoulder as he continued to walk through the water, bits of it splashing up and wetting the edges of his messily rolled pants.

Quickly, I set down my bag, kicked off my shoes one at a time and tugged off my socks - I had to hop on one foot in attempt to not touch them to the soggy, mossy ground. Once both feet had been freed, I tucked the socks into my boots and placed them evenly next to my bag and Sebastian's boots before turning back to the water and sucking in a breath as I dipped one toe in.