Touched

Shadow of a Hearing II - Sixth Year

Sebastian POV

Sebastian's what?!
 
Sebastian lifted his head from where he was sitting to turn around and look at the man testifying evidence. He was still positive he had never seen him before in his life, before he came to the centre. He turned around and looked over the chair towards Ominis and Y/N - and they looked just as shocked as he felt.

"You may step down from the podium Mr Rowley," the Minister told him, nodding towards his jury. Rowley looked nervous, like he hadn't expected to admit what he had just yet. "The jury will come together now. Await further announcement."

Professor Rowley sat back in his chair opposite
Y/N and Ominis who looked as though they were dying to hit him with a million questions. He didn't say anything, didn't do anything, just looked down at his papers as though he had no idea what the outcome of this was going to be. He looked awfully stressed.

Sebastian thought back to every conversation he'd had with his parents. Said conversations were a long time ago, but he could not recall ever having a godfather. Rowley must've been really close to his parents - but why hadn't Anne and Sebastian ever known him?

He thought back to when Rowley came to the detention centre and didn't remember thinking he recognised him.

Sebastian's thoughts were racing, it was like he was trying to convince himself that surely he'd seen this man before? But he hadn't. And his parents were social people - Sebastian remembered little parties and things they used to have for the most ridiculous things. Once, their mother had threw a party because the house elf they had adopted into their family had learnt how to write her name.

Recalling that, Sebastian didn't know where that house elf had ended up.

Either way, this man was his godfather - and he had questions.

Finally, the minister had had enough time deliberating with the jury and he cleared his throat to alert everyone. Everything fell silent all at once and Sebastian's heart caught in his throat.

Please please please please ple

"I, the Minister for Magic and the jury alongside me have decided on an outcome for this hearing. With the evidence provided by Mr Arpus Rowley, the godfather of the accused, I can confirm that Mr Sebastian Sallow will be released immediately, on bail. There are no further requests or changes. Thank you for your time and your attendance. Disperse."

Sebastian's eyes widened and he leaned forward in his chair, so far forward that he almost fell out of it.

Sebastian looked around.

He could see that everyone was moving, and some people were cheering even - some were solemnly shaking their heads.. he could see people leap from their chair to exit the courtroom, he could see the Minister turn and leave the building.

He looked down at himself. He was blurry. His hands were shaking, the back of his neck was slick with sweat.

The eighty-four lines he'd carved into the wall behind his pillow meant nothing anymore. Those eighty-four days were the worst days of his life, tortured all day and all night with memories and had flashbacks of what he did forced upon him. He never spoke to anyone unless he was spoken to, and he had fell into a deep depression in there when he found out about Anne.

He could block it out now. He could try and forget it for as long as he lived.

He could be grateful every single day for the rest of his life that his godfather had come. He'd saved him, from the centre. From Azkaban.

He was free.

Y/N POV

He was free!!!

You had never been so relieved in your life, and Ominis was almost hyperventilating beside you.

"There's no way!" He kept crying out, his hands on his head. "There is no way in hell!"

"There is way!" You shrieked. "Oh, Anne would be so happy! Anne! He's free!" You spoke up the roof in the hopes that there was some kind of afterlife where she could see that Sebastian was not going to suffer anymore, at least not somewhere without any support. Thanks to Professor Rowley, they could help Sebastian through everything, he would be able to go back to a somewhat normal life.

Everyone was leaving the courtroom at once, so it took a lot of dodging, a lot of shouting out instructions to Ominis, a lot of tripping over your own feet - but there he was.

You leapt into his arms and he cried out into your hair. He squeezed you harder than you'd ever been squeezed but you loved it - you loved him.

"I'm so happy for you," you cried, realising there were tears running down your face.

"I can't believe it," Sebastian exclaimed, analysing your face with his eyes, putting a solid hand on your cheek and the other on your back, pressing you to him. He held your face into your shoulder, his body moving with quickened breaths. "Oh," he said, with no other words to follow. He placed a kiss on your forehead, and another on your cheek. You pressed your lips to his and he smiled against you.

When he looked up, he saw Ominis, who had finally arrived, a little worse for wear with the amount of people around you.

"Ominis!" Sebastian cried, his voice breaking halfway through the word. He barrelled straight into his friend, squeezing him to death. You watched Ominis steady himself, grin and bury his head into Sebastian's shoulder.

"You're free," Ominis said, ruffling his hair a little with his hand, and when Sebastian didn't let go of him, didn't part the hug, Ominis' face softened and he said, "you're alright now, Sebastian. You're out."

All at once the taller boy was overcome with emotion. Ominis ran his hand along Sebastian's back, up and down in a comforting motion. "You're okay."

"It was so horrible in there," Sebastian told him, trying to keep his voice from sounding shaky. "Oh, Merlin. I can't believe I never have to go back. I never have to go to Azkaban. I -" he choked.

"Let's get out of here," Ominis decided for them, taking his hand off Sebastian's back and tried to get it around his shoulders instead, but he was too tall. Sebastian laughed and put his arm over Ominis' shoulders and the two looked back at you, waiting for you to follow.

You grinned, nodding at them, and this time, the three of you left for Hogwarts together.