Up and Down

One and Two

Chapter Seven - Audiobook version:

It was Ominis' turn when professor Ronen announced that this dance  was to be the last. Much to the disappointment of the few who stayed up  this late, of course.

There aren't many. It's her and her two  Slytherins, Natty and her Gryffindor prefect, and a handful of others,  though there are voices and noises from beyond the Great Hall.

It would be a while before the faculty will be able to corral all the students back to their dorms.

She  is just leading Ominis to the Great Hall doors, with professor Wesley's  watchful eye sweeping over them all, when she hears a rustle beside  her.

"Disillusionment, both of you."

Sebastian is already  nothing more but a slightly shimmering patch of the wall. Anna digs into  one of her massive pockets for her wand. Ominis' wand is always close  by, however, he doesn't need to reach far for it.

As they pass the  heavy double doors, they cast the spell silently and join Sebastian in  being little more than shadows of flickering flames dancing on the  walls.

Anna finds Sebastian's hand by feel and he tows them out of  the second set of double doors, past the hourglasses and into the  chilly winter air.

"S-Sebastian, it's very cold..." she shivers, her  dress, while having many layers, also has a low back and a pretty deep  décolletage, covered with soft drapes of iridescent, nearly translucent  chiffon for modesty, not to mention absolutely no sleeves.

Without  a word, he shrugs off his woollen suit jacket and wraps it around her  exposed shoulders. It's very warm from the heat of his body. Sebastian  is always running hot, and in any other human, this might be a sign of  mild fever, but not in him.

His arm continues to be draped over her as they continue to walk under the twinkling stars.

"Where  are we going?" Ominis doesn't seem happy about traipsing around the icy  grounds in his shiny Oxfords... which have absolutely no grip.

"Somewhere quiet."

"Undercroft is quiet," he responds irritably.

"And somewhat warmer," Anna tightens the jacket around her body with a free hand.

"You two have no sense of romance."

"Never heard of it," Ominis deadpans, squeezing Anna's hand gently.

"I'll take you to a place that has been quite popular with the ladies I've shown it to."

"What a way to woo someone," Anna bumps the cheeky boy with her hip, "am I to be flattered?"

"Honestly,  I'm amazed you were the first girl he brought to Undercroft. I was sure  I was going to walk in one day to him with his tongue down someone's  throat. Or worse."

"You don't know what we were up to before you came in in a huff to yell at me."

They cross the bridge over to the Central Hall, ice and snow crunching underfoot.

"Sebastian, if you two were having an illicit liaison there you wouldn't have been able not to tell me."

They pass a few more steps in silence.

"Besides, I couldn't smell you on her. Only ash and burnt oil. So, logically... you were practising the Blasting curse."

"Or  maybe that's what I wanted you to think," Sebastian continues to lead  them forward and pushes through the doors, "and we were playing  mindgames with your senses, Ominis."