Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter FOURTEEN - Fireworks

(If you'd like to set the mood- start listening to Campus by Vampire Weekend after the second text break...)

I couldn't find Sebastian anywhere the entire day and was starting to get worried, mind flying to all the worst possibilities. Maybe the headmaster had expelled him, maybe the librarian had sentenced him to detention cleaning the nasty books in the restricted section and the biting ones had eaten him whole...

I had been to the library, past the entrance to the Slytherin common room, and to Crossed Wands practice three times already with no luck. I had just finished my last class for the day and had resigned myself to having to ask Lucan to let Sebastian know I was looking for him should he turn up.

But turning into the clocktower courtyard, I found the Slytherin leaning against the wall just outside. His legs were crossed and he was focusing intently on cutting the bright green pear in his hand. The light blonde haired boy, Ominis, stood next to him, arms crossed and a soft scowl on his face at nothing in particular. Sebastian's mouth was full as I approached and his eyes widened upon spotting me, chewing quickly and swallowing the lump so he could speak - too quickly though and he spluttered.

"B- Barlowe! Mmm. Hmmph." Sebastian coughed but dropped his chest in a bow before holding out his pear to me. "Hungry?"

I shook my head but watched him carve another piece and place it into my palm anyway.

Ominis perked up at the mention of my name and smirked in my direction, pushing himself off of the wall. Sebastian smiled and looked back at his friend and then to me again before his eyebrows rose and he cleared his throat.

I took a bite of the pear and my mouth salivated at the taste. It was delicious.

"Oh! Barlowe, this- this is Ominis Gaunt! My best friend." He slapped his hand over the blonde boy's shoulder, who winced slightly. "Ominis this is-"

"Atley." Ominis smiled gently and shook my hand firmly anyway. "We've met actually."

"Really?" Sebastian crinkled his nose.

"Quite the nice young woman." Ominis pat the top of my hand before letting them fall to our sides.

"Yes, she is quite pretty."

Ominis elbowed Sebastian hard in the side. "There are quite many more important things than looks Sebastian." 

He clasped his hands over his ribs and stuck his tongue out in Ominis's direction. "I know that! I'm not that daft."

"Obviously."

I couldn't help the little giggle that betrayed me. Ominis smiled at that. Sebastian righted himself again, rubbing his side one more time before dropping the pout.

"I've been looking for you all day actually Sebastian. I wanted to talk to you about last night-"

Ominis tilted his head, lifted a brow and swallowed a smirk.

"Oh! Right- the er- homework!" Sebastian's eyes widened at me, silently screaming at me not to say more. I wasn't sure why he was acting like I was about to spill all my secrets in front of his friend, that was definitely not in my plans. "Actually I was hoping maybe we could talk about that later, I promised Ominis I would go with him to Hogsmeade."

"Yes, please discuss your homework when I am not present."

"He's helping me catch up in Defence Against the Dark Arts actually." I spoke quickly, desperately trying to squash another rumor from starting. "That's all."