Up and Down

End and Beginning

Nobody likes to be rudely awakened.

Even less so when one is comfortably tucked in between two handsome lovers after a night spent in all manners of carnal pleasure.

But the crash of splintered wood has a way of summoning even the most exhausted souls from the land of dreams.

Anna jerks awake, sitting up, then promptly yanks the sheet over herself with a high-pitched scream. The two boys on either side of her also jolt upright, bleary eyes blinking and their hair sticking up at odd angles.

Solomon Sallow stands in the doorway, red in the face with anger and possibly embarrassment at finding them this way.

"U-uncle?!"

"I expected that from you, boy," he glares at his nephew. If a look could kill, Sebastian would drop dead on the spot, "but Ominis, too? I thought you would have known better. Where is she?!"

Anna shakes from embarrassment and indignation.

"What the hell are you doing here?! How did you find us?!" Sebastian is getting just as angry. Ominis' pale skin is coloured with a rosy blush as he carefully wraps an arm around her as if to protect her. But her sleep-addled mind focuses and her head shoots up.

"Where are Mr Bert and Mrs Chase?" She demands, eyes narrowing.

"The Muggles?" Solomon turns to her, remembers that she is absolutely naked under that sheet and quickly turns away, "stunned where they were. They aren't harmed."

"Aren't harmed?!" She rears back, teeth baring in a sneer, "how can you be so sure?! What have you done to them?!"

She jumps down from the bed, the sheet wrapped around her like a snowy gown and rushes forward.

"Nothing but a Stupefy!" Solomon growls but tries to turn as to face away from her, which she takes advantage of, pressing further and making him take a step back.

"Why are you here?!" She knows perfectly why, but it doesn't matter. Here can be many things. Of those, the why he broke into their bedroom is the more pertinent.

"He kidnapped Anne!!" The man roars, trembling with anger.

"She came with us herself!!" Sebastian shouts back, "we didn't do anything to harm her!"

"You little-"

"No, Mr Sallow! It was me who took Anne away!" She bars his path, the arm that isn't holding together the wrapped sheet over her body outstretched.

Solomon stares at her, mouth agape.

"You?!" She can see a vein on his temple pulsing, "why? Why would you involve yourself, you are no family-"

"Uncle?" A soft voice comes from behind them and Solomon spins around. Anne is wearing her dressing gown, standing in the small drawing room and looking at the man with trepidation, "I thought I heard your voice..."

"Anne!" Solomon hurries over to her, looking her up and down, "are you alright?! What did they do?"

Anne smiles.

"They healed me, uncle. I'm so much better now."

"What..."

As Solomon backs off, falling backwards into a plush armchair, Anne looks into the room, now clearly visible since the door has been shattered to splinters. Her brother quickly grabs a pillow to cover himself, and Ominis simply turns his back to the door.

"A-Anne!" The former goes red all over his face and shoulders, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she replies in a sweet, sing-song voice and giggles, "I knew it. But Ominis, too? I didn't expect that."