The Start of a Legacy | Hogwarts legacy fanfiction | mc x Sebastian Sallow

Making Enemies

The next day I had Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms. I quite enjoyed the learning, however it was only the first week and I was already given multiple assignments to catch up. Passing my OWLS was beginning to look more and more far fetched.
Professor Hecate assigned me the task of joining the dueling club, which I had been under the assumption that it was secret. Clearly the teachers knew more than they led on.
After Defence Against the Dark Arts, I had to run to Herbology. Professor Hecate had kept me back a little too long to discuss the assignment. I ended up walking in just as the bell rolled for class.
The classroom was a large greenhouse with potting tables for the students lined up around a centre garden bed.
"Class, let's welcome our new student, Aura De Luca," said Professor Garlick as I stood in front of the class.
I felt awkward as everyone shifted their focus towards me. Sebastian smiled as we made eye contact. A rush of heat came over my face. I felt embarrassed. I hate being stared at.
I walked over to the free plotting table beside Sebastian.
"Hey," he mouthed.
I smiled.
"Alright class, we are going to be repotting a mandrake root today. First I'll have you take notes on the procedure, then we will do it practically," she said with a cheer.
Professor Garlick conjured a blackboard, and charmed the chalk to write as she lectured the class.
"Pssst Aura," Sebastian whispered.
I looked in his direction.
"Why'd Professor Hecate keep you after class? I didn't wait because I didn't know how long you'd be," He asked.
Was Sebastian going to walk me to Herbology?
"Just to discuss an assignment to catch me up," I smiled.
"They have you doing extra homework?" He looked at me sympathetically.
I nodded.
"That's unfortunate," he whispered.
"Ahem. Class, let's focus on this, I don't want any of you fainting from the mandrake," she said cheerily.
We listened for another five minutes before we we're instructed to put a pair of earmuffs on.
I turned to Sebastian, and we both laughed. I felt ridiculous with them on, but it made him look cuter.
"Alright, earmuffs on?" She asked, waiting for everyone to nod.
"Okay class, on the count of three, we are going to remove the mandrake from pot and place it right into the one beside it," she said.
I stood there distracted, wondering how the earmuffs were going to protect us if we could still hear her.
Suddenly, she said three and each student pulled their mandrake from the pot. I quickly followed. Even with earmuffs, the scream boomed in my ears. I shivered as the glass of the greenhouse cracked above me.
Professor Garlick quickly repotted her mandrake and the class followed suit.
I shoved the horrid thing into the new pot. Silence fell across the room.
We removed our earmuffs as Professor Garlick began to inspect everyone's pots. As she approached mine, she looked to the ceiling.
"Reparo," she said as she pointed her wand upwards.
"Yours was a little mature I'm afraid," she gave a rather cheery smile.
Did that mean it could've made me pass out?
I opened my mouth in shock and heard Sebastian giggle.
Clearly Hogwarts was a bit different from your conventional schooling.
But let's be honest, right now I wouldn't even be allowed to attend a normal school as a girl. Schooling was only for the privileged, but as a witch, so many doors were open for me.

———————

A bell tolled somewhere in the castle, indicating that it was time for lunch.
"Lunch?" Sebastian asked.
"Sure," I smiled.
We walked to the great hall, passing numerous ghosts, as well as animated suits of armour and paintings on the way. The castle felt like a maze of halls before we finally entered a familiar scene. It took me back to the night of the sorting ceremony. Students sat at long tables in the middle of the hall, according to their house colour. My jaw almost dropped when I realised the vast amounts of food in each table. Sebastian directed me to the Slytherin table where he sat next to Ominis.
I sat beside Sebastian. Across from me was my rather unpleasant roommate Imelda. She gave a curt smile, I smiled back, then she returned to socialising with her friends.
"Hello Aura," Ominis said in his familiar friendly tone.
We exchanged some pleasantries, then I eyed the food presented before me. There was everything one could imagine. Roast chicken, beef, pork and every type of root vegetable was plated in front of me. That was only the tip of the ice berg. A variety of salads and rice dishes littered the table. There were even some desserts comprising of fruits, pies and puddings.
"There's a lot isn't there?" Ominis said.
I nodded. Up until now, I had been eating in the common room, where there was much less available.
"It's cute how surprised you are by everything here," Sebastian laughed.
I felt the heat rising in my face.
'Did he really just call me cute?' I thought.
"Please. She looks like a lost puppy," a snarky voice said.
It was Imelda.
I laughed awkwardly, attempting to hide my embarrassment.
"Imelda, you were new too once," Ominis said.
"Yeah, during my first year," she said.
Sebastian leaned towards me, "don't worry about her, she just likes attention," he whispered.
"Why exactly did you start as a fifth year?" Imelda's voice grew snarkier.
I froze. They couldn't know I was muggle born, or a mudblood as most Slytherins called it.
"Imelda, it's none of your business," Sebastian said.
Ominis nodded in agreement.
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes, and went back to her conversation.
Somehow, I had lost my appetite, although I plated a bit of everything I liked, overwhelmed by the amount of food there was.
The moment I took a bite, all stress melted away.
I sat there in awe for a second.
"This is amazing," I said.
"The elves cook it. They're really good at what they do," Ominis said.
"Elves?" I murmured.
I was thrusted into the wizarding world in only a matter of weeks. Aside from my training with Professor Fig. I lacked all knowledge of magic. I was stupid, if witches and wizards existed, of course elves did.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah....Hogwarts owns elves, how else do you think the cooking and cleaning is done?" He whispered.
"Like slaves?" I asked in a hushed tone.
He nodded.
I was confused. Elves were essentially people weren't they? So why were they slaves?
"But slavery was abolished in England years ago."
"Aura, what are you...." Sebastian began, but was cut off by the bell.
Sebastian shook his head, "never mind we have charms."
As we made our way to charms, all I could think about was how my own ignorance almost exposed me to Sebastian. I didn't know what Sebastian was going to say, but I could imagine, and I still didn't know who I could trust.

———————

After class, I decided to explore the on my own castle some more, before heading to the library with the book. I had yet to meet with Professor Fig, however I wanted some time to read the book. After all, I was the one who could see ancient magic. Somehow it felt like my responsibility.
On the way to the library, I came across a girl examining a rather strange painting. It was completely black, surrounded by a frame. She caught wind of my attention.
"Oh! You're the new fifth year. I'm Lenora. Everyone thinks I'm barmy. But it's this painting. If I know Hogwarts, and I do, an empty frame doesn't appear for no reason. There's something more to it," she said.
"I'll have a look," I said.
Lenora nodded and walked off.
I examined the painting. It was a black canvas, surrounded by a frame with moths attached to it. I ran my hand along it. There appeared to be a spot where a moth used to reside.
"Hmm I wonder..." I murmured.
Black absorbs light, therefore Lumos might have been the key.
"Lumos," I said as I held up my wand.
A light shone from its tip, which I pointed at the painting.
"Ah huh!" I said.
A familiar scene appeared. It's location was where I had just come from, to my right. I walked to the scene depicted, wand still alight. I realised how ridiculous it must've looked in the daylight.
As I approached, I heard the sound of wings flapping. The closer I got, the louder it became. Suddenly, a moth fluttered over to the tip of my wand.
"Wow," I said.
I waved my wand around and the moth followed.
"Oh the empty spot on the frame!"
I walked back towards the frame, and released the light from my wand.
The moth flew over to the empty spot, and the black picture began to glow, eventually revealing the scene the darkness had been concealing.
"Fascinating, it seems the castle has many secrets," I whispered.
I searched around the hall for Lenora.
It was relatively empty except for a few students here and there.
I caught sight of her at the other end of the hall.
'Should I tell her?' I thought to myself.
Following the events of lunch, I didn't particularly feel like being nice.
Lenora approached as soon as she saw me staring at her, "did you figure it out?! I noticed the painting changed!"
I nodded.
"How?"
"I....." I paused, remembering the conversation at lunch. I didn't owe anyone my kindness. A sudden annoyance came over me.
"I'm not telling," I said.
"What?! Surely you jest," she yelled.
"I don't."
"You've got nerve, especially after I told you about the paintings," her voice grew louder.
"Well if you wanted to know, you should've figured it out yourself," I smiled, then turned, walking off to the library.
"Typical Slytherin," she spat.
'That was right. I was a Slytherin,' I thought to myself. There wasn't any point denying it.
I heard Lenora curse as the distance grew between us. I felt a twinge of guilt, but also a bit little power. Perhaps power was why Imelda had decided to be a colossal bitch at lunch.
Whatever the reason, I decided it would be best to focus my attention on reading the book. I sat at a table and began reading. It provided insight into ancient magic, including its origins and tales of the past. While it was interesting, the book was incredibly long and arduous.
Still I continued to read, hoping there was something more about these men that left the memories. Then, I encountered a missing page. It had been ripped out.
"Ugh!" I said.
"Shhhhhh!" The librarian shouted.
"Sorry," I mouthed.
I examined the tear.
"It's probably something important too," I rolled my eyes.
I knew then, I'd have to take it to Professor Fig as soon as possible. He'd know what to do.