Touched

Shadow of an Argument - Fifth Year

Ominis POV

Ominis woke without the energy to argue with anyone. Yet somehow, on this day - he ended up arguing with everyone. People kept betraying his trust. Who was he supposed to trust now? Because of his best friend and his girlfriend, he'd had an unforgivable used on him and a basilisk released upon him in the last two weeks. What kind of friendship involves that?

Sebastian had woken up in the bed next to him full of apologies, but Ominis had just shrugged them off. No point arguing now, no point forgiving him now. He was going to research the relic and things were just going to get worse. Instead, he went to find the only good thing in his life right now. Imelda.

She was in her dormitory, which Ominis snuck into (not very well) because there was another girl in there still sleeping when he got in.

"Sorry," he said aloud, but Imelda just smiled and said,

"She's asleep, and she's a heavy sleeper. I can't even get her to wake up if I yell quidditch orders in her face. She doesn't follow them if she's awake, either, actually. Look," she shook her head as if getting to the right topic she wanted to talk about. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay," Ominis said, simply. He sat on her bed and Imelda stayed standing.

"You need to stop talking to Sebastian and Y/N," she told him.

"Oh I've been thinking the same thing," Ominis laughed darkly.

"Im being serious," Imelda replied. "He's not good for you anymore. He's gone too far in his search for Anne. Im not going to tell anyone anything about what he's doing because it's none of my business, and I love you - I know you love him. But for your best interest you need to stop talking to him."

Ominis thought about this, and for some reason he felt very defensive and a little angry about her proposition.

"You think it's that easy, do you?" he finally said, his words laced with irritation.

"Yes," she said. "All you have to do is ignore him."

"It's not that easy," Ominis repeated. "We've been friends for almost six years."

"And he's like the friend zoned version of a soulmate," Imelda agreed. "I understand. But he's not good for you anymore. He's casted unforgivable's."

Something swirled in Ominis' gut. "If you tell anyone that," he went to continue but nothing came out.

"You don't need to threaten me," Imelda said, getting annoyed now. "I told you I'm not going to tell anyone. You're not listening to me."

"I'm not leaving him alone in this and that's that, Imelda," Ominis said firmly. "He needs friends in this. Has he done questionable things? Of course. He's Sebastian. What do you expect? He's a moron."

"Being a moron isn't an excuse."

"Maybe it is when both your parents are dead, your uncle is abusive and your twin sister is gravely ill." Ominis tried to defend him.

Imelda didn't say anything. "Fine, Ominis. Be difficult. Have him ruin your life."

"If he's going to ruin anyone's life with this, it's his own."

"You're not happy lately," Imelda told him, like he didn't already know, and he looked away from where her voice was coming from. He dug his fingers into the bedsheets. "And I want you to be. That's why I wanted you away."

"Tough." Ominis was surprised by the aggressiveness that was coming out of his mouth but he let it be.

Imelda didn't say anything after that, and Ominis couldn't hear her moving. He sat in silence, too afraid to say anything when he didn't know what she was doing. Finally, he heard her open the dormitory door and walk out.

Ominis almost found himself wishing he'd used the obliviate spell.

Sebastian POV

"I don't think you understand where I'm coming from," Y/N was saying to Sebastian, crossing her arms as she spoke. "I'm trying to say that it's a very dangerous object and that you need to give it more research before you use it."

"It'll be too late!" Sebastian told her for the fourth time. "Anne is sick now. Now two weeks from now when I finally understand what this shit is."

They were in the undercroft together with the relic. Sebastian wished he hadn't taken it out on school grounds but he needed to figure out how to use it. He had his book out, reading it by his lumos cast.

"Sebastian," Y/N warned.

"I don't want to talk about it," Sebastian snapped finally, twisting the relic in hand. "It's none of your concern."

"Oh yes," Y/N said sarcastically. "Let's forget about the fact that I literally got it for you. Are you kidding me?" She didn't say another word, just stormed out of the undercroft.

Sebastian was so irritated he just rolled his eyes and let her leave. When she left, he kicked the book as hard as he could and it flew until it hit the door with a loud band. He had to go this alone now. He'd done too much and people were going against him.

There, with his little light, he wrote Anne an owl.

Dearest Anne,

Hogwarts will never be the same without you.

I miss you so much.

Everyone here is still a pain in the behind, especially professor sharp. I have two twelve inch essays I haven't done yet and he's riding my ass.

I love you, I hope you're okay there with Solomon.

Sebastian

He didn't realise Ominis had come up behind him until he finished the letter, folding it up delicately and putting it into a little envelope, readying to head to the owlery.

"Sebastian," the blonde said behind him, and he started and whipped around.

"Ominis," he breathed. "I didn't - I didn't see you come in. Or hear you come in."

"Silencing charm," Ominis admitted. "I wanted to see what you were up to."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "Could've just asked."

"We need to keep trusting each other," Ominis told him. "Everything is coming between us and we can't let it."

Sebastian had never been so relieved to hear anything in his life.

"I also had this delivered by owl," Ominis smiled, holding up another envelope. "You two have telepathy." He reached his arm out and Sebastian took it from where he sat, opening it and reading it aloud.

Sebastian and Ominis,

How are you two doing? It feels a long time since I've seen either of you.

I'm doing okay, Solomon is the same as usual. The curse is the same as usual. I wish I could see you two.

If you're free on Friday, Solomon is leaving Feldcroft for the day. He's got to go to the ministry to see an old friend, or so he said. Please meet me?

I'd love to see you.

Love,
Anne

"Friday?" Ominis asked.

"Friday," Sebastian smiled. He looked down at the letter and folded it to put in his robes.

Ominis placed a hand on his shoulder and they sat together like that for a while, going without saying that their trust still lied with each other, and that they were going to fix this together.