A Triage of Curses // SebastianXFemOC OminisXFemOC

Playing with Fire

Vera waited patiently by the stairs as Sebastian had instructed her to. He did mention an area near the dark arts classroom, but this narrow space with its antique hung paintings and shiny marble flooring really didn't seem like the sort of place that hosted illicit duelling. She stood up from her bench, roaming the inconspicuous hallway. Maybe she could find it on her own? Though, knowing Hogwarts, there was probably some sort of mystical passageway that would lead them to the delegated battle arena.

Minutes passed as she wandered about before the boy she was waiting on arrived. He greeted her warmly, leading her to the space beside the stairs, where a starry, ornate wardrobe rested on the walls of the stairwell.

"This dingy old cupboard looks boring at first, but it'll lead us to a private room we can use whenever we like. You'll have to know the password to get in though." he explained, slapping the wardrobe like a close friend.

The schoolgirl examined the doors to this secluded area carefully. To her, the gilded exterior didn't appear as boring or dingy as the boy had described. Its worn wooden doors had numerous clocks of varying sizes, each painted in navy and lined with curves and swirls of gold. Despite its lavish detailing, it certainly didn't look that out of place - Hogwarts was already cluttered with all manner of magical instruments that made sense only in a school for wizards.

"What's the password?" Asked the witch curiously, tracing her fingers over the shimmery stars embedded into its design.

"Cadmus. Like from the three brothers. Try it."

Cadmus was an odd password, but she didn't question the boy openly. The witch did noticed the strange look Sebastian had shot her when she made her mistake with the Chinese chomping cabbages. She hadn't realised why until later in herbology, where professor Garlick had opened the lesson stating that the class 'may have heard of the cabbages from stories used by parents to scare young wizards into good behaviour'. She had to keep in mind not to perform such a faux pas again.

"Cadmus."

...The wood didn't respond.

The girl felt her face begin to burn with embarrassment and looked to her friend for further guidance. Instead of saying something reassuring, the sight of her bewilderment caused him to laugh.

"Sorry, I forgot. You'll need to wave your wand like so..."

Sebastian approached her, taking her wand hand into his smoothly. He lightly pulled it to its low starting position before guiding her softly. Up, down, and then a firm flick to the left. Once the motion was complete, he loosened his grip and grinned at her encouragingly.

"...And then you say the password as you're casting." He coached.

She cleared her throat. It was a source of comfort that the rosy flush dusting her cheeks could be correlated more strongly to her previous embarrassment, but it was certainly not the strongest reason.

"Right...Yes. Of course. I can do that. Sure. Cadmus." Mumbled the witch bashfully as she motioned her wand, trying her best to hide the pink hues that tinted her face from the unaware boy as she recalled the movements.

After a few failed attempts, the clock hands delicately decorating the entrance were finally spurned. They whirred like a machine, spinning and clicking until finally, the doors swung open. The resulting force almost displaced the wardrobe, causing it to wobble in place before settling its golden legs on the marble.

As she stepped down the cold, rocky steps, she spotted an iron gate, and behind it, a warm orange glow. The gate hid a spacious, fire-lit stone room adorned with matching stone columns and a high arched ceiling. The dimensions of this area absolutely could not fit inside a mere wardrobe. Despite having guessed that there would be an obscure, reclusive passageway, she was still wonderstruck by the fact that such a site existed on her school grounds.