A Change of Heart // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 46

"You used Amortentia on him?" Florence yelled at Imelda.

She saw Imelda's posture change, she began to fidget.

"No. Why would I do that?" Imelda defended herself, maintaining her composure.

"Sebastian, what can you smell?" Florence asked him.

"Uh..." he stuttered. "Coconut... and peonies."

Florence threw her arms out, knowing her soap was floral scented and her hair always smelled of the coconut infused shampoo she'd used since she was at Hogwarts.

"That doesn't prove anything." Imelda said, a smirk across her face.

Florence now directed her attention directly to Sebastian, turning her body away from Imelda.

"You don't remember anything about me?" she questioned.

"I remember loads. We were best friends in school." He replied.

"What about say, in the last twelve months?" Florence asked.

"What? This is the first time I have seen you since our seventh year. Are you alright, Florence?" Sebastian asked her.

Florence's eyes widened, realising the extents Imelda had reached to conceal Sebastian from her.

"You don't remember anything? Anything at all?" Florence asked once more.

"No, Florence. I can't be more clear. There's nothing to remember." Sebastian said, obviously getting frustrated by her incessant questioning

"Fine." She said, turning and leaving the house.

She began hyperventilating, feeling her vision become black. She carried herself to a tree and collapsed against it, struggling to catch her breath.

"Florence? Florence? Listen to me." Leyton followed her out and crouched in front of her. "I think we have a plan that could work."

Florence struggled to hear his words through her ringing ears and blurry vision. She lifted her head to look at him, letting him know she was making some attempt at listening.

"I think Sebastian's been a victim of Obliviate and he's under the influence of Amortentia. In case you've forgotten, Gerard is an Obliviator. There are ways to reverse this. Tonight, we will take him. A husband-heist if you will." Leyton smiled.

"Alright. But... isn't the way to break Obliviate by torture?" Florence said, her vision returning to normal as her mind returned to the current moment.

She saw Gerard and Leyton cast a look to each other. Gerard gave Leyton a quick nod of approval to answer the question.

"Yes." Leyton said softly.

The colour drained from her face as she realised the severity of Imelda's consequences and what it was going to mean for Sebastian if she wanted any chance of getting him back. She felt sick.

"Let's get him and then we'll talk about it." She said.

--

They waited the day nearby in the tent, Gerard casting an invisibility charm on it in case Imelda came looking for them.

"So, how long have you been friends?" Florence asked, trying to distract her mind from the monstrosity she was currently facing.

"Well... we graduated in... what, 1885?" Leyton looked at Gerard, puzzled.

"Hm... something like that. So we've been friends for almost 20 years." Gerard answered.

"Wow. And how long have you been...?"