A Change of Heart // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 2

Florence tried to ignore who she had just crossed paths with in the street, her breathing getting hard to control as she prayed he hadn't seen her and entered The Leaky Cauldron, sitting at her usual table with Poppy who began to press her about the sight they had just seen. Florence was in no mood to talk about it, trying her best to change the subject to anything or anyone else.

"Do you think he saw us?" Poppy began.

"No. I don't think so. So how was work?" Florence said quickly.

Poppy's head cocked to the side as she sipped on her warm butterbeer. Poppy knew they weren't as close as they used to be and things ended badly between them but she never pushed Florence to share more than she wanted to.

"Why is it so bad if he did see you?" Poppy pressed, again.

"I just... would have been happy to never see that man again in my life. And I was happy. Until about half an hour ago." Florence replied, bringing the butterbeer to her lips to avoid speaking anymore on the topic.

They finished their drinks and decided to call it a night, Florence wasn't really in a mood for a raging Friday night anyway. They walked back to their apartments and didn't speak again until Monday morning.

Florence treated herself to a weekend in, nothing far from her usual weekend ventures. Occasionally, she decided to meet up with her parents for a Sunday dinner but decided to omit that this week. She was scared to walk the streets in case she was confronted with the memories of her past again, though she knew it was likely a coincidence, she couldn't shake the idea that it wasn't.

Monday morning rolled around and Poppy let Florence know she wasn't feeling well and wouldn't be attending work today, making Florence nervous. Florence begrudgingly began her usual routine before working, pinning back her hair, washing herself up and putting on the outfit she'd picked the night before. Her usual work attire didn't stray too much, she donned a dark skirt, blouse and vest with boots again and walked out the door, purse in hand on her way to the office.

She managed to reach the Ministry unscathed without any unpleasant tall, brown-haired and freckly surprises and sat down at her desk, finally feeling as if she could breath again. Getting lost in her work, she jumped a little when Ominis Gaunt appeared above her at her desk a few hours later.

He had been working at the Ministry of Magic almost as long as she had. They didn't see each other much as his job was very demanding. Ominis gained work in the Improper Use of Magic Office. She remembered how shocked people were to hear of a Gaunt working at the British Ministry of Magic but he had more than proven himself, going above and beyond in his role to curb the unlawful use of magic in the wizarding world, much to his families dismay.

"Good morning, Florence, how are you?" Ominis began.

Catching her breath from the jumpscare, she managed to utter a "fine thanks" before asking to what she owed the pleasure of his visit. He began to speak about a few boring work tasks they needed collaboration on, namely a few unkept wizards performing forbidden magic in front of muggles that required Florence's attention in filing the muggle side of the paperwork for the Obliviators.

"Also, I wanted to let you know, I ran into Sebastian in town over the weekend." Ominis stated.

Florence felt a lump in her throat and it felt like it was constricting her breathing.

"Oh? How funny, I actually passed him in the street last week." she informed Ominis.

"Did you speak to him?" Ominis asked, his eyes widening.

"No, I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. Why would I want to speak to him?" Florence confessed.

Ominis leaned over and squeezed Florence's shoulder with a sympathetic look on his face, not saying anything more on the subject.