Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter FORTY ONE - Pinky Promises and Curtsies

Ominis spent the entirety of the walk back to Hogwarts grinning happily to himself. His fingers traced lazy circles over the wood of his wand down at his side, arms linked with Sebastian and me.

"You're going to have to teach me next you know." Sebastian was swaying Ominis from side to side, gently bumping his shoulder into mine.

"Anne was right, it really is all about having a powerful enough happy memory."

"And what was yours?"

"Sebastian! You can't just ask people that." My lips pressed into a smile.

"Why not!"

"...I don't know. It just seems a bit- personal."

Sebastian squinted his eyes in thought. "It's nothing embarrassing is it Ominis?" He paused and the wrinkles above his nose crinkled deeper. "Merlin, I redact my earlier question if it's something 'intimate'." He shivered.

"I'm tempted to come up with something decidedly scandalous just for you Sebastian."

"I'm honored."

Ominis didn't explain further and the two of us left him to his thoughts, stepping up into the castle and only then letting our arms drop.

"I shall head to bed, I suggest the two of you do the same. Merlin knows you're in enough trouble as it is." Ominis held up his wand and left as alone in the candlelit corridor.

Sebastian rolled his eyes and dropped his shoulders. "You think mastering a particularly difficult spell would get him to loosen up a bit." He rubbed his hands together, smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. "I say we spend some time in the Undercroft with our books. Any luck with your fancy ancient magic one?"

"Not yet- I haven't actually been reading much-" I froze. "Oh Merlin." I tossed my book bag off my shoulders and scrambled for the ancient text, lifting its heavy weight into my chest and tossing open the cover.

The little swirling line just inside was pulsing faintly, yellow and white.

"Shit!"

Sebastian's eyes darted up from the text with an expression I couldn't quite read, but then his lips curled at the edges into the smirk I knew all too well. 

"We better get going then."

----

After a short argument over whether he could actually come with me or not and a relatively quick loss over my protests, I scribbled out a letter to Professor Fig letting him know my plan to visit the keepers (alone) and that I would report back as soon as I was finished.

I knew he would be particularly cross over my decision to go without him, but I had no idea how long the drawing had been glowing and I couldn't waste another second.

We found one of the school's owls and gave it the letter, I then wrapped my fingers around Sebastian's arm, pulling him in the direction of the map chamber.

Our breathing heavy after sprinting down the stairs I pressed his shoulders into the wall just outside the entrance.

"Wait here."

"Barlowe-"

"As soon as I learn where the first trial is, I'll come back for you. I promise."

His eyes flicked to the ground and he kicked his boot against the stone.

I sighed. "Sebastian, look at me."

He did, eyes bouncing over my lips for half a moment.

I held up my hand to him, pinky outstretched. "I pinky promise."

His nose scrunched for the second time in the last hour and I silently noted how cute it was. 

"You 'pinky promise'? Barlowe are you pulling my leg? What on earth is a 'pinky promise'?"

My brows pushed together in confusion. "You honestly don't know?"

"Oh no, I just wanted to seem incredibly dim witted in front of you... of course I don't! Please enlighten me so I can stop looking like an idiot."

I bit my tongue to keep from joking about the impossibility of that last statement and instead held my finger closer to him. "Give me your pinky."

Slowly he raised his hand to mine and I wrapped our small fingers around each other's. "I suppose it must be more of a muggle thing, but a pinky promise, or a pinky swear is incredibly important. Once you make one, you can never break it." I stifled my smile. 

"I pinky promise, Sebastian Sallow, I'll be back for you."

I pulled my finger tighter against his and he mine, smile lighting up his face.

The warmth from his finger remained around mine for a moment as I stepped into the map chamber and hurried across to the large portrait.

"Ah. There you are child. I was beginning to dread something terrible had happened."

"I'm incredibly sorry sir. I only just noticed your symbol."

The man nodded shortly and looked over my shoulder. "Will your professor Fig not be joining us?"

"I came as soon as I could sir. I sent him an owl, but didn't want to waste a moment more of your time..."

Laying it on a bit thick aren't we?

My thoughts echoed in the back of my mind and shifted from my own voice to that of Sebastian's. I really was spending too much time with him.

My focus snapped back to the keeper. "I understand. And I appreciate the urgency, it is of upmost importance that we get you started on the first trial right away." He waved his arm and the tiny stars beneath my feet danced and pulsed with light for a moment. "You will find the location of the first trial marked on the map below you."

He nodded and that was that.

Pressing my boots against the ground I found one particular section of the map brightly illuminated near the far left. 

A tower.

I bent down to inspect it further. It was further north than I had ever traveled before. Past the castle and even deeper into the mountains behind Hogsmeade. The tower stood taller than nearly any other building in the area and I was sure that if I could at least get into the general vicinity, I could find it. My stomach dropped at the idea of having to fly there but there were no other options. We needed to get there, and fast.

I curtsied to the painting and scurried out of the room, excitement quickly flushing out the nerves as I nearly ran into Sebastian.

He had been peering around the entrance and was watching me quizzically.

"Did you just curtsy? To a painting?" He snickered, teasingly poking at my arm.

"Don't make me bruise the other side of your jaw Sallow."

He held his hands to the air in mock-surrender. "My apologies madam Aur-"

"Don't finish that."

He grinned wickedly.

"I know where it is."

He dropped his hands to his hips. "Well?"

I shifted nervously. "You've got a broom right?"