Consuming Darkness: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 19

-Ronnie-

I sat in the Great Hall with Ominis after Christmas breakfast as Natty taught us the rules of wizard chess. It was very similar to muggle chess, just far more violent. All of us were stuffed and the rules of this game were starting to lull me into a doze.

A loud crash woke me up as Natty's queen broke my king to pieces. Natty let out a loud triumphant laughed. "You sleep on duty and I will rise victorious!" She gloated.

I laughed. "You truly are a master!" I bowed my head to her mockingly.

"Next time don't fall asleep and maybe you'll stand a chance!" She teased.

"They must put something in that Christmas morning feast that makes you want to take a long nap," Ominis yawned. There's was more to my exhaustion than the food. The sleeping potion was not working nearly as much as I needed it to. It only offered me a few hours of nightmare free sleep. It did help me fall asleep faster but then it left me feeling slightly drowsy all day. My nightmares had lessened over the last week or so, maybe because of the potion but I think it was more because I had found some peace in the last few days with Sebastian. His presence alone seemed to calm my nerves. After the morning I'd snuck out of the castle he had made me feel far less alone in my suffering. And if I was being honest with myself it had been very cathartic to be able to cry to Ominis in the Undercroft. He had been so sweet and exactly what I had needed to let go of all of the feelings that I had been holding onto. I don't know what I would have done without them.

Where was Sebastian? I hadn't seen him all morning. I probably needed to go look for him. He seemed distant yesterday. I'm sure it is about Anne and the rest of his family.

"I think you'd be better than me at this game," I suggested to him. "You'd probably be able to give Natty a run for her money."

"I'm sure I would if could see what I was doing," he laughed.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget that crucial fact," I laughed.

"I'm sure there are some that accommodate the blind," Natty offered.

"Then that is my new mission. I will find a wizard chess that you can play and it will be my late Christmas present to you," I smiled at Ominis. He placed his hand on my knee beneath the table and every thought in my head went to the sensation of his hand on me. He probably meant nothing by it, but he hadn't been so forward with his touches before.

"I like that idea!" Natty exclaimed. "I'll ask my mother if she knows of any."

"Then I will be able to crush the both of you in this very loud game," he laughed. Ominis seemed lighter this year. Last year he had so much plaguing him and his concern for Sebastian had weighed heavy on him. I was glad that they had made up, and I was glad to see this side of him. His finger began to trace circles on the top of my knee, a movement that felt less like that of a friend.

I would be lying if I said that I had not thought of Ominis in that way last year. He was so kind and wise. I also could always go to him for advice, but everything that had happened with me delving into the dark arts with Sebastian disrupted any thought that I had given to that. The fact that he was willing to send Sebastian to Azkaban and the lies that Sebastian and I had fed him definitely solidified us remaining only friends. But his hand on my knee and they way he had comforted me in the Undercroft felt more than friendly.

"I'd like to see you try," I shot back with a teasing tone. He had grown up over the summer, taller and more masculine.

We talked for a little while longer about the rest of the days festivities and traditions and Ominis' hand remained on my knee and even moved slightly higher onto my thigh over the duration of the conversation. I did not move it or draw attention to it because I did not know how to feel about it.

I stood up, rather abruptly, clearing my thoughts. Ominis looked slightly surprised. "Do you know where Sebastian is?" I asked.

Natty grinned. "Is he less "stupid" now?" She mocked my word choice from our last discussion about Sebastian. My stomach had immediate butterflies and my mind went to the way he'd kissed me. I felt my cheeks begin to redden as my thoughts became dirtier.

"You're blushing!" Natty pointed at me.

"Stop!" I exclaimed my cheeks burning hotter as I covered them.

"What happened?!" She asked knowingly.

My eyes went to Ominis. Had Sebastian told him? My gut instinct told me no.

"Nothing!" I insisted. I flashed her a look and looked at Ominis trying to tell her I didn't want to talk about it in front of Ominis.

She smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Fine! Nothing happened I guess."

I held my hands together and brought them to my mouth and bowed my head towards her in a silent thanks.

She giggled.

"Do I not get to know what you two are on about?" Ominis remarked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"I'll tell you later," I lied and shrugged to Natty. "But do you know where I might find Sebastian?" I asked him again.

"He's sad about Anne, and his parents..." and his uncle he added with our needing to say it. "He said he wants to be left alone." He informed us.

"On Christmas? Absolutely not! He's not allowed to mope about on Christmas," I exclaimed.

"He's Sebastian... he could find a reason to mope on any given day," he claimed. He wasn't wrong.

"I'll go find him and bring him back up."

Ominis grabbed my hand and I looked at our hands skeptically. "Don't be gone for too long," he smiled, but there was something else in his voice. I wish he wasn't so hard to read, or maybe he wasn't hard to read at all and I just did not want to admit I knew exactly what he was doing. I looked at Natty and her eyes widened as they flashed between us. She looked to me and I knew I owed her at least some explanation for what was going on. I wasn't even sure what was going on.

"Any idea where he is?" I asked, my hand still in his.

"Where do you think?" He offered with a scoff. The Undercroft.

"Okay. I'll be right back," I responded and let go of his hand to go find Sebastian.

"I can't wait to talk to you later!" Natty called after me. I waved my hand over my shoulder acknowledging her but also not wanting to talk any more to the two of them.