The wall between us // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Two

I didn't go back to the common room right away I didn't want to be in there while everyone is still awake. I needed to clear my mind, my first thought was to go to the room of requirement and sit with all my beasts, but I know Deek will be there and I'd rather be alone.

"The Undercroft it is" I whispered to myself as I walked towards the DADA classroom.

I approached the weird Cabnient with dials and clocks on it, and I waved my wand to open it as Sebastian taught me earlier this year. The clocks chimed and whirled in a manic fashion as the door slowly creaked open I got a whiff of the familiar musky and dusty scent of the undercroft, I walked into the undercroft and sat on a wooden chair in front of Isadora's empty portrait.

I sat in silence staring into the blank portrait, I have no idea how much time went by but it felt like at least an hour, there were no clocks in the undercroft so it was hard to tell. I couldn't help but think of everything, how Fig is gone and will never come back. How Ranrok was defeated but his loyalists are still at large and attacking innocent hamlets, and how Sebastian smelt of sandalwood and old books - Wait why am I thinking about that? what is wrong with me?

I snapped back into reality when I heard the undercroft door latch open, I turn my head to see Sebastian walking with his head down focusing on the ground in front of him, I sat there in silence waiting for him to look up and realise I was there, but he didn't. He walked up to one of the large cement poles and aggressively slammed his back against it, slowly lowering himself to sit on the dirty undercroft floor. He wrapped his arms around his knees and brought them close to his chest finally letting his head flop down into his arms.

He always seemed so confident and charming but seeing this vulnerable side of him made him seem more human. He has been through so much from killing his uncle, losing Anne and almost losing his best friend Ominis, I couldn't help but feel guilty for the part I played in those events.

I slowly stood up from my chair and walked over to him as quite as I could, so I wouldn't startle him. As I got closer I release he was crying, I'd never seen Sebastian cry in the whole year that I'd known him, even at the moment when he killed his uncle and lost his sister he didn't cry. I knew he was a very private person most of us Slytherins are, but I couldn't help but feel like I could help him at that moment.

I approached him and knelt down in front of him

"S-Sebastian" I spoke softly as I placed my hand on his knee, he flinched with surprise at my touch, jolting his head up to see who was disturbing his very vulnerable moment. I could see the anger in his eyes, but as he came to the realisation that it was me in front of him they slowly softened.

"Amara? What are you doing here?" he questioned wiping his tears away with his sleeve.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't be here, this is yours and Ominis's private space" I replied as I started to stand up and leave. I felt his hand reach up and softly grab my wrist stopping me in my tracks, I turned and stared at the hand that now had a hold of me, it was warm and soft and he had a firm but gentle grip. We've never really made physical contact with each other like that before apart from the occasional back-to-back stance while fighting goblins and spiders.

"Wait" he sighed "This place is just as much yours as it is ours," he said as he slowly let go of my hand.

"Right," I responded not knowing what else to say.

I slowly sat down in front of him crossing my legs on the cold undercroft floor. I was just staring at the Slytherin boy across from me, who was looking down at the ground next to me trying to avoid any eye contact (which is very unlike him). His eyes were red from crying and he had prominent dark circles under them, his hair was a mess (even more than usual), and his skin was paler than usual.