Touched

Shadow of the Sickness - Fifth Year

Sebastian POV

Sebastian had sent an owl to Y/N to tell her he was ready to go to Feldcroft to visit Anne. Y/N hadn't dawdled about it, they met each other almost an hour later at the south entrance to Hogwarts. Sebastian hadn't asked Ominis to come this time. He could stay here, attend his classes. See Anne later. For now, he wanted to experience his family with Y/N.

"Are you ready to go?" Sebastian asked her, and she nodded eagerly. They were at the Floo powder station just outside the exit."

"Ignita Wildsmith makes me want to kill someone sometimes," Y/N said suddenly, which made Sebastian laugh.

"Oh, same," he said. "Where are you off to now - I just fucking told you."

They giggled for a bit before the grabbed some powder in their hand.

"Just say Feldcroft," Sebastian told her. "And I'll meet you there."

——

"It's beautiful," Y/N breathed, taking in the scenery around her. Sebastian looked around and admitted he couldn't help but agree. It was a beautiful place. A small village, almost insufferable to grow up in without his parents, but nice enough to spend summers here with Anne and Ominis.

The house stood where it always did, unfortunately, and the even more unfortunate fact was that Solomon was waiting for them just inside.

Sebastian slowly snuck up behind Anne once he entered the house and scared her from behind, to which she squealed and jumped up out of her seat.

"Oh Sebastian!" She said excitedly, running out from behind the chair to give him an ecstatic embrace. "Oh I've missed you! Where's Ominis? Who is this?" She looked at Y/N with a huge grin on her face.

Sebastian looked at Y/N, who held out her hand for Anne to shake, but Anne just hugged her. She hugged back, smiling.

"Nice to meet you, Anne," she said almost shyly. "I'm Y/N."

"Oh I love that name," Anne sighed. "That's truly beautiful. How lovely to meet you."

Sebastian took in the interaction, noting Anne's frayed, straw-like hair and pale face. Huge black bags lay under her eyes and she was thinner than he had ever seen her. He shivered internally. She was definitely only getting worse. But she was in good spirits, for now.

Sebastian pulled out the shrivelfig he had bought with him and held it out to Anne, who's expression appeared dumbfounded.

"A shrivelfig?" She marveled, "where did you get that?"

Sebastian had not so much as heard the question and opened his mouth to reply when a strong hand snatched the Shrivelfig from him.

"Hey!" Sebastian shouted, defensively. Solomon frowned at his nephew, his expression changing to one of disgust.

"A shrivelfig is not a cure," Solomon shouted. Here we go, Sebastian had thought. Another argument.

"You don't know what will cure her and what won't," Sebastian hissed at him. "Give her the fucking -"

"Don't curse at me, young man," Solomon bellowed, diminishing the shrivelfig, to which Sebastian growled in anger. "Your father would be so disappointed in you. There. Is. No. Cure."

He'd barely finished his sentence when Anne cried out suddenly in pain, holding her middle as though that's where the pain had originated from. She didn't stop, either, cry after cry after cry and Sebastian could only stare in horror.

Solomon walked over to her and helped her up to a chair. Sitting down seemed to make it a bit more bearable. She burst into tears and she cried out.

"I'll find a cure," Sebastian said aloud to them, and Solomon shook his head.

"Get out of here," Solomon growled. "Get out. There is no cure. There will never be a cure. You better throw out that book. Don't you dare think I don't know where you got the Shrivelfig idea from. Fuck off. Get out of here. You're no nephew of mine."

Anne only cried louder into her uncles shirt and Sebastian couldn't take it any longer. He stormed past Y/N and made his way outside. He went straight to the floo powder, straight to Hogwarts and straight to his dormitory to bed. He didn't wait for Y/N, didn't know if she'd gotten back safely. The event kept playing in his head as he lay there, paralysed in his own anger.

He stayed there for what felt like hours until he was startled by a sudden crash of the door to the dormitory and thundering footsteps. He sat up, alarmed.

"Why didn't you ask me to come!?" Ominis demanded, throwing his arms out. "What, do you think I don't want to say goodbye to her? You think I don't have any love for one of my best friends!? Basically my sister!?"

Sebastian looked at his friend. If he could look properly into his eyes, he knew they'd be fuming. Instead, the milky circles were watering, being further clouded by tears.  He daren't say a word, anything he said now would just cause more harm. He didn't realise Ominis would find out so quickly, and then he realised. Y/N would've asked Ominis if he'd seen him. She would've told him about Feldcroft, about what happened with Anne and Solomon and the shrivelfig. He shuddered.

"I am so frustrated with you," Ominis continued, starting to pace around the dormitory. "I'll go see her myself."

"I just didn't want you to say anything to her about me trying to find a cure," Sebastian told him slowly.

"Oh yes," Ominis spat, his tone sarcastic. Sebastian sat up a bit straighter. "Because I'm the least trustworthy person in the world." He laughed, but no humour came out of it. "I'm done. I'm leaving."

"Fine," Sebastian said, hoping Ominis would do as he said he would and storm off and have a minute to himself. Merlin knew he needed it. Sebastian's wish was granted and Ominis took one last glance towards his friend, listened to his response and took off. Sebastian lay back into bed and covered his face with the emerald quilt that lay atop of his mattress. He felt it get warmer and warmer but let himself sweat.

Sebastian was glad Ominis was gone, and that he couldn't see him, because his eyes had began to tear up.