In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 12 - Time's Up

Monday morning, Elizabeth ran into Amit on her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He chattered away about the stargazing conditions the night before, but Elizabeth was rather lost in her own thoughts. Her date the night before with Andrew had gone well - it had been fun to just relax and enjoy Hogsmeade. Her favorite part of the evening had been when they'd passed Ernie Lark playing music on the corner, and Andrew had convinced her to dance with him there in the street.

Andrew wasn't at breakfast, so Elizabeth sat with Amit. She was lost in her own thoughts when the post arrived. Dozens of owls poured into the hall overhead. Elizabeth instinctually covered her plate to keep any stray feathers or droppings from her food. Once the owls had begun to settle down with their recipients, she picked her fork back up. Just then, there was a loud bang. Elizabeth flinched and spun around, towards the Slytherin table.

"Ominis!" Elizabeth recognized the voice, and recognized the pure terror in it.

In an instant, she was up and running. Slytherins were grouped around someone on the floor, and Professors were hurrying down from the head table. Elizabeth forced her way through the onlookers and felt her heart drop. She froze. Sebastian was kneeling next to Ominis, who was flat on his back, unconscious. Something black was slowly veining its way up his left arm.

"Everyone please stand back," Professor Weasley shouted over the chatter. "What happened? Mr. Sallow?"

Sebastian was breathing hard, eyes panicked. He pointed to a rather frazzled looking owl still standing on the Slytherin table.

"He got a letter, Professor, as soon as he touched it..."

"No one touch that owl," Professor Weasley snapped. "Mr. Sallow, help me bring Mr. Gaunt to the hospital wing, will you? Dinah, bring that letter."

Professor Hecat, who was only steps behind Professor Weasley pointed her wand at the owl. A starry, transparent cage formed around both bird and attached letter, which Professor Hecat directed with a flick of her wand. Professor Weasley conjured a stretcher for Ominis. Elizabeth watched helplessly as they trooped out of the Great Hall. As she looked around, she saw that the other students were just as shaken as she was. Some were whispering amongst themselves, while others looked on with horrified expressions. It was clear that everyone was wondering the same thing: who was behind this attack?

Elizabeth felt a sinking feeling as she remembered Ominis' letter from Marvolo the previous week. How had she forgotten that? How had she left her friend to deal with that on his own? After a few moments, the teachers began to shoo the students back to their own tables, though some students started to file out of the Great Hall. Elizabeth could feel Amit's concerned eyes on her as they walked out together.

"That was scary, but I'm sure the professors will sort it out," he said.

Both Sebastian and Ominis were absent from Arithmancy that morning.

Elizabeth felt tense and anxious the whole day. Rumors were flying around the school like fiendfyre, and she did her best to tune them out. When it was finally time for Transfiguration, her last class of the day, she positively ran through the corridors. Elizabeth was hoping desperately that Sebastian would be there, that he would have some news. Such that it was that she nearly crashed into Sebastian himself on his own way to transfiguration. He grabbed her shoulder to steady her. Elizabeth anxiously scanned his face, which was pale and strained.

"Any news?" Elizabeth asked without preamble. "How is he?"

Sebastian ran his hand through his hair.

"He'll be okay," he said.