The Sallow Saga - Vol. 1 - In the Shadows of a Legacy [a HL fanfiction]

Chapter 4. Just like old Times

The midday sun shone brightly over Feldcroft. After the dimly lit cottage, Sebastian had to shield his eyes from its glare as he and Natty locked the door behind them and headed into the main hamlet. As had become an uncanny precedent, when he and Natty started their routine patrol, the hamlet would come to life with his neighbours coming out to do their own duties too.

Three months back home and while everything seemed familiar, it was also vaguely alien in turn. Sebastian had tried, and failed, to gain a glimpse into the minds of the various witches and wizards he would nod his head to during these walks. There was much to being a legilimens he was still finding his way around. Sebastian had concluded that for now, the only minds he could read, were those he'd spent a great deal of time around; however his lingering doubt of this assumption stemmed from the stall holder Melisandre Bones. True, her mind was nowhere near as open a book as Natty's, but there was something strangely familiar with her way of thinking.

In his research at the restricted section, Sebastian had come to learn that everyone thought differently. Some thought in colours, others thought in pictures, most had a constant stream of monologue leading them through the day. Natty's thought processes for example formed a steady stream of tasks and chores, processes, and checklists. While he could follow most of her thoughts, it was difficult at times to comprehend the Ganda language she predominantly thought in.

Melisandre Bones however thought in moods. She could observe patterns in people's behaviour and adapted her actions naturally, based on how circumstances were impacting on them. Sebastian found it fascinating as, while not unheard of, the comprehension of the unpredictable sway of emotions in people was one of the trickiest mindsets to decipher. It was a mix of colour, sound, taste and feel; it could be an all-out war on the senses if not handled carefully. In his twenty years, Sebastian had only ever known one person who thought similarly; while he couldn't be certain, he was sure Melisandre was far from being the casual clothes stall tradeswoman she made herself out to be. He was also certain that his new neighbours were not living in Feldcroft by their own choice. No! If he were a betting man, he'd have staked everything that he was surrounded by aurors morning, noon, and night. If Natty was in on it all, as he assumed she was, he'd resigned himself to the understanding that she must regularly refer to it in her home language. You do not get far in the auror division without learning how to keep important thoughts coded or locked away.

"Morning both! Lovely day today. Seb! I didn't think you were going to see it for yourself!" Cassy greeted them kindly as she rested by her stall. The clothes she was selling today consisted of a crudely stitched, wide brimmed and pointed hat; several plain sets of robes, ideal for lounging around in; and a few pairs of sturdy looking walking boots. While the clothes she sold were never really anything special, Sebastian had taken a keen liking to the belts and belt buckles she sold. They depicted murals in the thick leather and the buckles glistened brightly in the sunlight, silver and bronze, with a range of Hogwarts house emblem designs, ancient rune like symbols, or were crafted to resemble the great mythical beasts of their time. While he never wore them, Sebastian had found himself starting a collection of the buckles. There was something so personal about each of them.
"Good Morning Mel'!" Natty smiled broadly, "how is business today? Booming, I hope?"
Sebastian made eye contact with the stall holder and snorted. Business had never boomed in Feldcroft. Sebastian even wondered why Melisandre had set up shop in such a sparse hamlet.
"Same as it always is Natty," Cassy sighed, "I don't think even a niffler would branch over to Feldcroft, even for one of my belt buckles..." she looked over at Sebastian who was perusing the latest stock.
"What's grabbing your attention today, friend?"

The range on display once again, were works of art. How on earth could someone get so much detail out of a cold, solid piece of metal? That said, he'd already purchased a buckle with a similar emblem of Slytherin. He'd always struggled to follow Ancient Runes at school, so he usually turned his attention away from those. He peered over the magical beast's collection. There was a niffler surrounded with bags of gold; a demiguise holding an orb; the head of a graphorn had been delicately carved out of a dark looking bronze metal; he smiled vaguely at a chain buckle depicting a puffskein rolling after a ball of slime. 'How does one make metal look slimy?!' he puzzled to himself.
"I'm thinking a magical beast of some form, but I don't know. Nothing seems to be jumping out at me today." Sebastian shrugged. He was still mithering over Ominis' silence. It was enough to put him off his daily retail therapy. Probably best to save on the knuts, he supposed, it was rare he was allowed to travel any further than the confines of the hamlet. Natty always made such a fuss if he had to venture to Gringotts for a withdrawal.