Silver and Green with Envy: A Sebastian Sallow Story

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Oh. Poppy. We weren't sure you'd make it for a bit, there."

"I feel bad. I told Xander I had to grab something from my room then ran all the way here."

Natty smiled a little. "He will forgive you. If Sebastian can forgive Elena for half of her shenanigans, this is nothing."

"Wait a minute! My shenanigans!?"

Natty laughed hard as she pleased, pulling her coat on. We helped Poppy hurry into her dueling attire then headed out. Once we were clear of Hogsmeade, we looked for a good spot to apparate to our destination. 

"You're positive we're headed to the Cape?"

"Elena I have the letter in my pocket if you really want to read it."

"Give it to me."

She fished it out and handed it over. "lumos". My wand lit up the side of the road we were standing on, and I stared at the letter. Well, if you could actually call it that. It seemed to be nothing more than a cryptic string of words and a couple of drawings. 

"Poppy, this isn't a letter."

"No it's a map. A puzzle. I...I had to bribe Everett Clopton to figure it out for me."

Natty tilted her head a bit and tried not to laugh. "Couldn't you have asked Amit? Or any other Ravenclaw?"

"I tried, but Amit was too busy with his damn telescope, as usual. Everett was right there and I was getting anxious."

I tucked the letter away. "Well. Everett wouldn't have been my first choice, but he's not a Ravenclaw for no reason. Let's do this."

"MISS VARRIS!"

All three of our faces turned toward the shout, and I saw Officer Griffs running toward us full tilt.

Shit.

 I stuck my arm out and felt Natty and Poppy grab on. I almost got us out of there but he shouted for us to wait and held up both of his hands. They were empty.

He caught up to us, out of breath. "Miss Varris. I..." He had to take a gulp of air. "I have something for you."

He dug around in his bag for a moment before pulling out a small black box. Opening it, three vials, containing a shining blue liquid.

"...If you're going where I think you are, you're going to need those."

I gently took the box, confusion plastered across my face. Before I could ask he interjected again. "Auror Platt does not know I'm here, and I would appreciate you keeping this between us."

"I...Why?"

"Let's just say I have a stake in all of this as well. Or consider it a thank you for putting that smug little bastard in his place the other day. Alright, go on then. And do try to not get yourselves killed."

With a grin, and a little salute, he Disapparated in front of us. I looked down again at the box, and realized I didn't ask him what he had given us. "I wish Sebastian was here. He's amazing with potions, he'd recognize this in an instant, I'm sure."

"What was that about 'putting that smug little bastard in his place' about?"

"I...might have left out the fact that while I was talking to Officer Griffs and Auror Platt, that I tore into the latter for being...incompetent." 

"Elena, you didn't!"

"I very much did. And the only person in the room who didn't find it amusing was him."