A Change of Heart // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 29 - The Past

Florence awoke to the sounds of a brown owl plopping an envelope on her bed. Ominis' letter. Florence's mood dropped as she read the note, though she figured it would be expected knowing Ominis' history with trying to change Sebastian's mind in the past.

Florence knew she had to speak with him today, their N.E.W.Ts were next week. If she didn't nip it now, she knew he would never pass his exams and neither would she. Luckily, she ran into him unexpectedly in the library on her way to study. He was already reading, though not the content for their upcoming exams.

"Need help studying?" she offered, pointing at the irrelevant book he had.

"No thanks." He replied, still deep in his book.

"Well, can I meet you in the Undercroft later?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. After dinner." Sebastian said, brushing Florence off.

She thought about that interaction all day, frustrated by his lack of interest in her lately unless it was for his own sexual benefit. She ate dinner at the Ravenclaw table, again, Sebastian taking no notice of her missing from the table. She left early and head straight to the Undercroft, waiting almost an hour for Sebastian to show up.

When she finally heard the clunk of the door opening, she was seething. But she took deep breaths as he approached, realising getting angry wasn't going to help her cause.

"Hey." Sebastian said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

"Hey." She replied softly, not really reciprocating his advances.

"I anticipate this isn't one of our usual night time meet-ups?" he said.

"No, it isn't. Listen, Sebastian, I wanted to talk to you about the Harlow thing." She began.

"Not you too. First Ominis is on my case and now you." Sebastian said, his posture changing to show frustration as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I'd say we are well within our right to be concerned about it." Florence said, defensively.

"Why does no one listen to me? Why can't anyone see my side?"

"Because it's ridiculous, Sebastian! What are you thinking, going after an escaped criminal?"

"So what? I'm a fucking criminal, Florence. I should have been there in Azkaban too. God knows I might have had the cure already if I was thrown in there with him."

"What? So you want Ominis and I to turn you in to the authorities? You want us to send you away?"

"No, that's not what I meant. But, you telling me he's a criminal means nothing to me, Florence. What is the difference between Harlow and I? You know what I'm capable of. I can do it."

"What's wrong with you?" Florence felt herself getting upset, her breathing getting faster and heavier, her head beginning to feel dizzy.

"Please, just listen to me, Florence. I have a plan." Sebastian said.

"Sebastian, no. I..."

"No, please. For once in your life. Hear me out. I believe he may be building encampments again. To hide. We find it, we find him. I need you with me, we need to get the information out of him to find out what Anne is cursed with." His eyes scanned Florence's for a response.

"Sebastian, are you suggesting torture?" Florence was shocked.

"No, not exactly. Well, kind of. I don't want to use crucio again." He said.

"Do you realise what you're asking me to do? Risk my life chasing an incredibly dangerous man with the slim chance we find him, only for me to wield the magic I've had hidden for two years to maybe get an answer for someone who has been missing for almost two whole years and once told me she didn't even want to be cured this way! Do you know how crazy that sounds?" Florence said, feeling her anger getting the better of her.

"It's not crazy, Florence. This is my last hope. Please... I need you. I need your help." Sebastian begged, realising getting angry at her wasn't going to change her mind.

Usually, all she would have to do is look into his puppy dog-esque brown eyes and she would cave to his every will. But this time, she knew she couldn't and she was determined to stand her ground.

"No, Sebastian. I told you. I can't and I won't support this. I'm sorry." She felt empowered as she stood up to him.

"Are you serious, Florence? I need you. If you can't commit to this then I don't think I can commit to you." Sebastian said, his voice growing louder.

"What? You're giving me an ultimatum? Risk my life again for something that may not even work or I lose you?" Florence asked, tears welling in her eyes. She hated crying in arguments.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Sebastian said, his voice now almost yelling.

"I... I can't. I can't do it. Not again." She said, tears starting to roll down her cheek.

"Fine. Have it your way. I'll do this on my own. Forever. Don't expect to hear from me again. It's done." Sebastian yelled at her, turning and quickly exiting the Undercroft.

"Sebastian... please..." Florence called after him, her voice croaky and tears rolling down her face in waves.

He didn't turn back. Florence sat on the floor of the Undercroft and cried hard. Alone. For hours.

--

She woke in the morning, still on the floor of the Undercroft. Her eyes were baggy and swollen. Her back ached from sleeping on the hard floor. She skipped breakfast and headed straight to her last ever Charms class. Poppy noticed her face and pulled her in for a hug. She didn't ask what happened, simply offered her support. She adored that about Poppy.

There were whispers amongst her peers as Sebastian entered late as usual and sat on the opposite side of the classroom instead of in his usual seat next to Florence. She spent the whole class with her head down, looking at her book, suppressing more tears. She couldn't bring herself to look up at Sebastian, knowing she would immediately break down in front of everyone.

"Hey, Florence. Are you alright?" she heard a warm voice call after her as she left the classroom. It was Garreth.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Thank you, Garreth." She replied, wiping her nose on her robe as she struggled to stop her tears.

"I hope it wasn't what I did the other day." He said, his eyes full of regret.

"No." Florence chuckled. "This has nothing to do with you at all."

"Well, I'm relieved to hear that. But hey, if there's anything at all I can do to make you feel better, I'm here. Even if it's just someone to listen." He said. He rubbed Florence's back gently before leaving. Sebastian must have seen this as he scoffed at Florence as he walked past her quickly, shaking his head as he walked up the stairs, as if Florence couldn't feel any worse.

--

The N.E.W.Ts came and went quickly, Florence tried her best to focus despite her aching heart. She hated sitting in those exams, knowing she was breathing in the same air as Sebastian, who hadn't spoken a word to her since the Undercroft and seemingly didn't care about it. He walked everywhere with an arrogant vibe around him. His lack of emotion about their break up made her feel even worse.

Eventually, the day came to leave Hogwarts for good. She had hoped Sebastian would reconcile with her before they left, but she couldn't see him at the lake. She decided to hop into a boat with Poppy and they rowed across the lake she never got to cross in her first year. Tears streamed down her face as she turned back and looked at the castle she had grown to adore over the short three years she attended. It gave her some of her fondest and most challenging memories. She cuddled Poppy, noticing she was crying too.

"We'll be alright." Poppy said as they moved closer and closer to the other side of the lake, arm in arm.