In the Shadow of Azkaban

Volume I: VII

Everything felt as if it were too much.

Anne was still missing. Sebastian, too. Although we weren't sure if he was alive, arraigned, or incarcerated. And poor Ominis. He had lost two of his lifelong friends.

"Ominis?" I murmured. I desired his attentiveness in this moment. "I am in desperate need of consolation." I gazed in his direction, my eyes glistening.

His eyebrows raised. Ominis scowled. He seemed perplexed by my words. His face settled but his eyes narrowed.

"Is it me you really want, or am I a placeholder until Sebastian returns?" Ominis asked suspiciously.

It was difficult for me to tell who in that moment I really wanted. But I needed Ominis. He was kind and gentle, and he constantly doted on me.

I approached him fully aware that he would reject my advances.

I folded my arms gingerly around his neck. Ominis' face reddened. His lanky arms pulled me close. They wrapped around my waist, and I felt safe there.

I grabbed his hand from my waist and placed my cheek in his palm. His hands were cold at first but became tender and smooth after a moment.

My eyes swam with tears. I looked up at him. If only he could see the way he made me feel. My chest felt warm as if his embrace was reaching all the way into my core.

My face nuzzled into the space between his throat and chest. I inhaled the scents of cypress and lemongrass. I pulled away to study him.

I began to notice the shadow over where his beard would be if he hadn't shaved. The marks and dark freckles embedded patterns onto his face. His eyes were always hazed but somehow had a glint in this lighting. His lips mirrored satin. As he turned his head slightly to the right, I saw a shadow. A scar. It was in the shape of a jagged letter, "E."

I ran my hand over it. It was raised. Ominis pulled back.

"What is it?" I asked in a low voice. I demanded to know, but I didn't want to press.

Ominis shut his eyes as if it were going to stop the memory from being brought up. His jaw tightened and face contorted.

"I would say that it is nothing, but it is the sole reason I went to spend my summers at the Sallow's." The color drained from his face. "Do you remember when you and Sebastian cast the Cruciatus Curse? The wand motion. It's the same shape." He took a breath in.

"Who did this to you?" I asked in shock. I took a sharp breath in, and my mouth fell agape. It quickly turned into a grimace.

"My father." Ominis declared while lacking any emotion. "I need to go." He turned away from me, and his cloak hit against my ankles. He did not turn back when he exited The Undercroft.

What had I done? Why couldn't I have just left it alone?