Sebastian Sallow: Bits and Pieces

No Need to be a Hero all the Time

Brilliant, I thought, Not even through my first day, and everything is already a disaster.
I sighed and kicked off my shoes in frustration, the sound echoed all through the now-empty clock tower. I plopped down, cris-crossed my legs, slumped, and buried my face in my hands. This was all utterly impossible. I feel like an absolute freak. I'm simply trying to go to school like everyone else and then half of the carriage is devoured by a dragon. Oh and also I can see an ancient magic that no one else around me can, which so far, has brought me nothing but trouble. For Merlin's sake, I can barely cast a summoning charm. Nothing more embarrassing than being the new student who scored a solid zero in Summoners Court; I was trying to copy Natsai and score fifty each time, but it always went too far. Actually, there was one thing more embarrassing: accidentally beating the best duelist in the school in Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I won purely by luck, probably in part that Sebastian's defense was down because, honestly, what could the new girl possibly do?

I knew that I should be courageous and strong and bold and all of these other Gryffindor things, but I just wasn't. I felt small and helpless. Everything has happened so quickly. How on earth am I supposed to do anything about Ranrock in this state? I let my hands comb through my hair as I shrunk down even further, now staring at the wooly fabric of my trousers. My thoughts were swimming with everything I had to get done. Everything I had to sneak out and go do to try and figure out this ancient magic situation. The buzzing continued to grow louder and louder, I felt my heart pounding in my chest and my eyes watering, and just when I thought I couldn't handle any more of it, everything went silent. Footsteps echoed through the room. I kept my head down, hoping against hope whoever it was would just keep going, understand that I was having a private moment. But the footsteps stopped.

"Crawley, is that you?" A voice called incredulously. My heart dropped. Just when it couldn't get any worse, I've been found by none other than Sebastian Sallow. I shook my head in a feeble attempt to make him go away.
"Aha, it is you, then." He took two more steps toward me. I remained unmoved. I had embarrassed him, surely now was the perfect time for him to exact revenge. Almost laughingly he asked, "What are you doing?"

I was struggling to make my eyes dry, that's what I was doing.

"Right, well," he continued, "I'm just going to sit and wait until you feel like explaining how you managed to beat me in a duel but lose so sorely at Summoners Court."

Well, right to the point, he is. I couldn't say anything, my voice was gone, and even if I could manage to speak, my mind was entirely empty. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, at least for me, he spoke again, this time a little friendlier.
"You know, I've seen how you've carried yourself around today. Evading eye contact and conversation with your nose buried in that giant book."
He paused, and I felt his gaze on me. I heard him shift around from his seated position, and, against myself, I sat up a bit. I let my legs unfold and then brought them bent towards my chest, propping them up with my socked-toes. Placing my chin on the support of my fists, I glanced hesitantly over at the sight beside me. It certainly wasn't what I had in mind. One knee on the ground, and the other acting as a prop for his folded arms, he facing me, was much closer than I had thought. There was a bemused look on his face rather than the stern one I was expecting.

"You're funny, you know that?" He chuckled.
"How so?" I lifted my chin from my hands and barely turned my head to face him.
"Because you think you have to do everything by yourself. At least, that's what I see. My sister's the same way. But really, as an amateur, you should ditch that mindset pretty soon. Beginners luck doesn't last forever."

And with that statement, he stood up and I thought that would be his grand conversation-ending exit. To my surprise, his open hand reached into my view. I took it, and he helped me up.

"No need to sop and mope about all day. Overheard old Weasley saying you have errands to run in Hogsmeade. It's a fine place, it'll lift your spirits. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." With an almost silent levioso my heavy book pile began to float to arms height beside me. And in a swish of his robes he was gone.

I stood dumbfounded for a moment, then took my books, and with a furrowed brow walked back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

What just happened?