In the Light of Tomorrow: A Hogwarts Legacy Continuation

The Gaunt Residence 💚 + 🥀 Part II

💚 + 🥀

Warning: mentions of trauma & abuse

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Ominis's Perspective

It's no secret that the Gaunt family valued lineage the most. The weight of generations of pureblood obsession put too much pressure on magical and physical perfection. I failed the moment I was born.

I didn't want to be like any of them, even Aunt Noctua died a fool thinking she could change things. The House of Gaunt would always worship the Dark Arts and torture house elves, muggles, and even wizard-kind. Yet, it's only natural to want to be loved by one's own family.

We were in my father's office. He tapped his fingers on his desk rhythmically like a clock ticking.

My father said, "A member of the Gaunt family ensures power by any means necessary and puts family above all else. You think you're different, yet you were sorted into Slytherin. You have ambition. And despite your anger, you've stayed silent, protecting the family name. I'm proud of you."

"My ambition isn't about obtaining power," I objected.

He continued, "Ancient magic should be in the family line. The four founders of Hogwarts were capable of it, including Salazar Slytherin."

"If this is about using Y/N for something, this conversation is over," I stood up and tried to come off as stern. I felt nauseous, possibly from nervousness and possibly from the alcohol.

"Ominis, my son. If I didn't care about you, I would've disowned you by now. Do you really think that lowly of me?" He asked. The sound of his voice was always overbearingly heavy.

I don't remember the last time I spoke up against my father, but my body must have remembered the pain too well. Of course, you didn't disown me, I'm still of use to you. A father who cares wouldn't...

Even after all these years, I wanted to speak my mind so badly, but I couldn't say a word. I was just standing there, trembling like a coward. Why am I like this?

My father continued, "You belong in the family, and I wouldn't harm her. Blood like that belongs in the family too. I want you to stay, so sit back down."

I took a seat and listened to him. My father explained that the House of Gaunt was beginning to falter financially and what he expected me to do about it.

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Y/N's Perspective

I imagined Ominis's abandoned bedroom to be vacant, but the room was full of antiques and untouched books. An oak desk and shelves lined the dark grey walls on a black carpet. There were plenty of windows, but light came from enchanted floating candles. The centerpiece was a large bed with sheer curtains draped down the sides.

I was exploring the various items and pictures when Ominis returned hours later. He walked over and held me from behind. It was unexpected. I felt vulnerable and wished he would do this more often.

"I'm surprised you're already here. Did you get a chance to speak with my older brother?" he asked.

"Yes. He's going to release Harlow," I said and changed the subject, "What did you and your father talk about?"

Two house elves appeared for turn-down service. They brought toiletries, towels, water, a rose, and a box.

Ominis let go and wandered away like we weren't just being intimate. "Just family stuff," he responded.

After setting up the restroom and bed, a house elf handed me the rose. The other handed Ominis the box. He felt the letters on top and seemed a bit surprised.

I went over in curiosity. "It's for you," he said and opened the box to reveal a gold snake with emerald eyes wrapped around a black opal wand handle. The craftsmanship suggested it could be a family heirloom.

I was shocked. "I can't accept this gift. It's worth way too much," I stated.

"Are you sure? You would be making a statement either way," Ominis asked.

"Yes," I responded. After my conversation with Ambrose, I didn't want to be indebted to the Gaunt name. In addition, I realized another part of me was still attached to Sebastian's old wand handle—despite its unfortunate story—it was also a remembrance of hope.

Ominis handed the gift back to a house elf. "Would you like anything else, young master?" one asked. Ominis said no and thanked them. They snapped their fingers and disappeared.

"I would have responded differently if it was a gift directly from you," I told him. If it belonged to Ominis, I would've treasured it.

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Ominis's Perspective

Finally alone, just the two of us. The relief.

After I finished preparing for bed, Y/N sat beside me. She leaned on my shoulder. "Your mother doesn't seem like a bad person," she said.

"She isn't," I agreed, "It's just that she watched everything happen and did nothing." Maybe it was unfair to expect her to protect me simply based on blood. A mother is still only human.

I felt numb. She pulled me into a warm embrace and wiped tears off the side of my face. I turned away.

Despite everything we'd gone through, it felt wrong to cry in front of her. Every tear would erode the foundation I've built of being a stable and reliable figure in her life. I didn't want to appear weak in front of anyone anymore.

She pulled me into her. My head rested on her chest, and I could hear her worried heartbeat. "I'm sorry I convinced you to come back home, and I couldn't even get your brother to change his mind," she said, softly.

"I'm fine... A part of me is happy because it reaffirms I made the right decision. This isn't home for me. Tomorrow, I'll be back at Hogwarts," I said and furrowed my eyebrows. My father said he was proud of me, but I shouldn't stay, right?

It's funny how much just being in a place brings back so many feelings... feelings and fears that I didn't realize I still have.

She tilted my chin up and kissed me. I kissed her back and found the determination to show her a good time that night.

I wanted to tell her how much I loved her, but those words would be so binding that I couldn't speak. How could I ask her to love someone as worthless as I felt?

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Love is a concept people learn early on from their families. To Ominis, love was taught as a one-sided, unconditional devotion. A beautiful thing in theory, but in reality, it was a device that kept him trapped and under control.

To him, love is painful. He had a complex fear of commitment, yet Ominis "fell in love" more times than he would like to admit. He leaned into the familiarity of being used and became quite devoted to demanding friendships, even considering their broken family as his own.

To be on the receiving end of love was unfamiliar, and he didn't know what to do with her.

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