Professor Hecat thankfully had left us the first half of class to finish our assigned reading. I spent the entirety of it trying to convince Ominis it wasn't as it seemed, no help from Romeo who was dead set on making things more difficult. He made a big show of tossing the tie over his head and tying it tightly. He would add in a quip or a "darling" to the conversation every now and then just to rub it in. Ominis was shrinking further and further into his seat.
It seemed this freckled heathen was enjoying the show, enjoying watching me and Ominis squirm.
When Professor Hecat wasn't looking, I snatched up my book and smacked Sebastian over the shoulder. Ominis smiled at the sound.
"Ouch darling. Not my dueling arm, please. However will I protect you?"
"I should kill you."
"Well I appreciate your mercy."
"Alright everyone-" Professor Hecat leaned gently over the railing of the stairs down into the classroom, sipping from a giant mug. It steamed peacefully up into the air and around her face. "-pack up your books. I believe it is time for our second group of students to try their hand at besting their Boggart."
The tone of the room swallowed itself completely.
No one spoke.
Not even Sebastian.
By now we knew the drill, we stood from our seats and moved our chairs over to where the Professor had levitated our tables.
After the mess of this exercise last class, it seemed no one was excited to face their own fear.
My heart pounded in my chest and I had to remind it that I had already taken my turn. I had already faced the damned thing.
Pull yourself together.
Visions of my own dripping, bloody hands danced menacingly, tauntingly, pounding against my brain and making my teeth clench.
Professor Hecat walked slowly around the room. The sipping sounds from her mug seeming to shift through our ears.
"Aster." She raised her drink lightly in Lee's direction and he grinned with his teeth.
She brought the mug to her lips again and clicked her boots against the floor as she watched the other students. I couldn't help but notice that she looked far more tired than usual, more distressed perhaps. She swallowed and her shoulders rose and fell before speaking again.
"Sallow."
I could practically feel Sebastian's heart begin to race.
Click
click
click
Three more steps until she stood in front of a curly blonde haired Gryffindor.
"Dumgrud. Let's have you three today."
I reached a hand out and gently held Sebastian's wrist.
"Ominis and I will be right here."
He smiled limply before raising his hands to adjust his tie, rolling his shoulders and moving toward the center of the room.
I wondered if I was the only one who noticed that his hands were shaking.
The black haired boy, Lee Aster, slapped Sebastian on the shoulder as he stepped up behind him in line. He said something I couldn't make out and I watched as the muscles in Sebastian's jaw twitched slightly.
Professor Hecat was at the bottom of the stairs now and was lifting the old cabinet up and over to the center of the room with her wand. The wrinkles around her eyes creased further as she assessed the three students before her.
"You know what to do. I trust you have been preparing."
Ominis took a deep breath beside me.
Lee took a step toward the cabinet, hips swaying and wand twirling between his fingers.
"Ready?"
"As always professor."
I rolled my eyes.
She unlocked the door.
The Boggart emerged.
Shapes,
colors,
Imelda.
Imelda?
The room erupted into snorts and fit of laughter.
I bit my lip to keep from smiling and whispered to Ominis.
"Lee's Boggart is Imelda."
"That doesn't surprise me. She and him have been in and out of a relationship for a couple years now. He always comes trailing back though, tail between his legs. Poor thing." I could sense the smirk in his tone but couldn't tear my eyes away from a now very embarrassed Lee.
"Riddikulus!" He couldn't get the words out fast enough.
Imelda stumbled back and tiny white feathers began sprouting all over until she was covered from head to toe, looking more like a frazzled owl than a terrifying Slytherin.
"Next!"
Sebastian was grinning but his eyes were blank as he stepped forward, wand already raised.
White feathers
twirling
reds
shifting
greens
vibrating
browns
and no sooner had Imelda disappeared, another young girl had taken her place.
This girl was only a hands height shorter than Sebastian with thick brown hair pulled back into a bun, tousled long bangs, deep and calming brown eyes and thin pink lips. The dark circles below her eyes reminded me of the ones I had seen on Sebastian's face all too often except hers were a thicker, sickly shade of red.
Sebastian's chest stopped moving, breath broken, blood draining from his face - pale as a ghost.
His eyebrows turned in on themselves.
His hands were shaking violently now.
His knuckles white as he gripped his wand.
The softest, most broken word left his lips in nothing more than a fragment.
"Anne?"
Ominis stiffened beside me.
The girl took a step towards him but her legs gave out and she tumbled to her knees. I watched in horror as the red circles below her eyes began to consume her features. Her nostrils flared and two streaks of tears trickled over her cheeks. Her bones pressed angrily against her skin and her brows furrowed.
Sunken eyes never leaving Sebastian's.
"Help me."
Her voice was nearly as frail as her figure.
"Sebastian. Please."
She reached a skeletal hand toward him and cupped the other one to her stomach.
Her scream of pain
echoed
through the room.
Ominis flinched.
Sebastian fell to his knees.
YOU ARE READING
Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow
FanfictionSebastian Sallow is a tortured soul with the world on his shoulders whose only mission is to save his sister Anne - at any cost. Atley Barlowe is a budding new witch who also carries the world on her shoulders as she travels the road less traveled t...
