Like Moths to a Flame // Sebastian Sallow [Book One]

Chapter Four: A Troll Encounter

Sebastian finished relatively quickly at The Magic Neep. Shrivelfig fruit wrapped carefully in his knapsack, he headed back down to the square to wait for Damien.

Along the way, he began running through questions that he would very much like to ask Damien if he had the chance. Where had Damien been the past few years? What was it like to find out he had been accepted at Hogwarts? Who told him and how? Just to name a few. He hoped the Ravenclaw would be forthcoming.

Sebastian patted the fruit in his knapsack gingerly. The book he had found in the library was a long shot, but he'd try anything to get Anne well again. Before he had left home for the new year, she had worsened rather dramatically. Seeing her so unwell pained him more than he'd even admit to Ominis. If he ever found out who the goblin was that had cursed her...

He shook his head in an attempt to banish his suddenly negative train of thought. It wouldn't do him any good to start now. Damien would be back soon.

Speaking of Damien, he was walking out of Ollivanders now. Sebastian adjusted his knapsack as Damien raised a hand in greeting and walked his way.

"I officially have all of my supplies," he said.

Sebastian nodded in affirmation. "Excellent."

"Did you get what you needed for your sister?" Sebastian smiled to himself. It was good of Damien to ask. 

"I did, so I suppose the world is our oyster now," he said aloud, grinning ever so slightly. "Let's see what else we can get up to."

They had barely taken a few steps when a loud roar echoed through the square. Sebastian watched in horror as an armored troll burst its way through the bushes on their left, stopping directly in front of them. 

A group of older witches began casting spells in its direction without much effect.

While shocked, Sebastian acted quickly, pulling out his wand instinctively. It seemed Crossed Wands practice had instilled in him constant vigilance. He was the first of the two boys to cast a spell the troll's way. Basic Cast was the most he could muster in his panicked state.

Luckily for them, a witch in police robes and two associates ran into the square to take over.

"Bombarda!" she yelled, hitting the troll dead on. "Draw it away from the building! Away from the building!"

The three officers chased the troll away from the square.

Sebastian was in the middle of a sigh of relief, glancing in Damien's direction, when a second troll burst through the shop directly in front of them. Shrapnel flew everywhere, a rock slicing across Sebastian's cheek. He didn't have time to wipe the blood off his face, as he readied his wand again.

The troll roared and swung its club at Damien, who dodged it clumsily. Sebastian could feel a drop of sweat slide down his forehead. 

"Confringo!" he yelled, attempting to distract the troll. Damien was still getting his bearings and the troll seemed fixated on him. "Levioso!" he cast at the troll's club. Maybe if he could separate the troll from its weapon...

"Protego!" Damien was back upright, a determined look on his face.

Sebastian took a quick breath. "Are we weakening him at all?"

Damien didn't respond as he threw a volley of Basic Casts at the troll.

"Keep at it! We'll wear him down eventually," Sebastian continued, finishing off with a resounding, "Diffindo!" that bellowed through the square. Why was no one coming to give them assistance? They were certainly loud enough.

He was about to pummel the troll with another series of Basic Casts when Damien directed his wand at a crate, silently levitating it into the air and smashing it on the troll's head. The impact was so intense it sent a shockwave outward, shaking the cobblestones beneath their feet.

Sebastian froze. He would have dropped his wand from shock if the troll hadn't already recovered and started attacking again. Eyes wide, he stared incredulously at Damien. "What was that?"

"A taste of his own medicine!" he responded, laughing. Did Damien really just laugh? Is he actually having fun? Sebastian couldn't believe it, but now that he could see they had a fighting chance, he realized that maybe he was enjoying himself too.

Sebastian returned the laugh. "Nicely done!" He caught his second wind. "Confringo! Levioso!"

The troll did seem to be weakening. It was stumbling around a bit more than before. Now if only Damien would use that trick he did again.

The troll was getting desperate. It began flinging its club haphazardly around its body.

"Look out! Levioso!" Sebastian roared in an attempt to dodge the troll's heavy handed swing. He wasn't quick enough. The club hit him dead-on in the stomach, throwing him up in the air and knocking the wind out of him.

Damien continued his volleys as Sebastian struggled to his feet, ignoring the sawdust and grit of the wreckage that now coated his once pristine Slytherin robes. They almost had it now. The troll was beginning to sway.

"Confringo!" he yelled again. The troll fell to its knee. "That's right, you lumbering lout!"

"He's faltering!" Damien had noticed too.

Sebastian yelled back, "A few more hits should do the job!"

Damien lifted his wand high. He took a deep breath, his expression calm, but his eyes hardening. He said absolutely nothing, but shards of light erupted from the tip of his wand, aiming for the troll. When they hit, Sebastian watched as the troll burned from the inside out. It happened faster than the blink of an eye. One moment the troll was there, the next it had turned to ash that was drifting away.

Sebastian stood stock still as the ash dissipated. What kind of magic was that? He shook his head. Who was this boy? He looked down at his wand, trying to avoid Damien's gaze. He didn't want the Ravenclaw to see the disbelief in his eyes. But Sebastian didn't have much time to collect his thoughts as the police officer and her two associates returned.

She ran over to Damien. "Goodness, a second troll! Did you two take on a fully grown troll? By yourselves?"

Damien and the officer continued their conversation. Sebastian was having a hard time focusing on what they were saying as his mind continued to race.

He had never seen that kind of magic before, but it was powerful. So powerful. Powerful enough to heal?

His ears picked back up on the conversation. "...the makings of an Auror, if you ask me. If you are unharmed, perhaps the two of you wouldn't mind helping me put a few things back to where they were?"

"Of course, officer," Damien responded.

She smiled back at him. "Singer. Officer Singer. And thank you again." It crossed Sebastian's mind that while she had addressed them both, she never once glanced in Sebastian's direction. It was somehow clear even to her that Damien was the true hero of this encounter.

Mr. Hill of Gladrags Wizardwear broke his concentration. "You there! A moment if you would." 

Sebastian sighed. He didn't much care for Mr. Hill, but he'd rather talk to him than help out Damien for the time being. He still needed to figure out how he wanted to address everything that just happened. He couldn't seem too eager to learn about Damien's abilities and whatever magic he had wielded.

"I'll go and see what he wants," he addressed Damien, turning around before he looked him in the eyes.

He'd reset while Damien cleaned up. Then he'd find a way to ask about everything that happened. He had to know more.