Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter FIFTY - My Hero

The exhaustion hit harder than a Bludger and I had to force my gaze away from my bed as I left for class. Thankfully I had had enough time to shower, brush my teeth and do a general refresh after the meeting with the keepers, but didn't feel rested. I wondered how Sebastian was faring. I hoped he had had a chance to take a nap, I wasn't sure the dark circles under his eyes could get any darker.

The first two classes, Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures, passed by relatively quickly.

The sweet girl I had bumped into in the bathroom this morning, Poppy, had offered up the little stool next to her in Care of Magical Creatures and taken to giving me all sorts of information that 'one couldn't find in a textbook'. I found her aptitude and passion for magical creatures incredibly inspiring and the idea of it all very addicting. By the end of class, Poppy had taken out a large folder of notes and sketches over everything that had been covered in previous terms and placed it in my hands, insisting I borrow it.

"Glad to have found someone who finds these sweet creatures as interesting as I do."

Next up was Charms.

Sebastian was waiting for me outside the classroom. Leaning his back against the wall nearest the windows, ankles crossed. Ominis was at his side and as I approached, it seemed as if they had been arguing. Sebastian spotted me before I could hear much.

"Good afternoon gorgeous!"

"Sebastian, for Merlin's sake, stop flirting with Atley or you're going to scare her off." Ominis brushed past us towards the door. "And I do so love her company."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and then winked at me, following his friend into the classroom. 

I jogged past him to catch up with the blonde boy. "How did you know he was greeting me anyway? It could have been anyone."

Ominis snorted. "My dear, Sebastian has been fairly single-minded when it comes to other students in this castle ever since meeting the new seventh year. A garden gnome would sooner kiss my finger than Sebastian greet anyone else with such pleasantries."

"Hey!" Sebastian protested, falling in line with us. "I am pleasant to other students."

"I think Lee Aster's broken nose would say otherwise." Ominis set his wand down on the desk closest to the professor's and reached a hand out to find the seat of the bench.

"Speaking of the two of you, I could have sworn I told you to go to bed after I left last night. Yet Sebastian didn't return to our room until this morning. And Atley, darling, I can hear in your voice how exhausted you are."

"I'm sorry Ominis," I'm not sure why I felt the need to apologize but it slipped out anyway. "I asked Sebastian to help me with my homework so that I-"

"If I hear either one of you talk about your homework again, I will be finding a way to permanently lock the Undercroft."

 "Oh c'mon Ominis, you love us." Sebastian pitched in, nudging his friend as he sat on the bench beside him and tapping the spot to his right for me.

"I do not." Ominis huffed and leaned down to grab into his bag but something small and silver tumbled out of his breast pocket.

"Here ya go mate." Sebastian wrapped his fingers around the small piece of metal and lifted it up onto the desktop, glancing down at the object and smiling. "You dropped your tintype."

"Thank you." Ominis wrapped his fingers quickly around the little picture and tucked it back into his chest pocket, tapping it lightly.

I watched as the gears behind Sebastian's eyes shifted and then clicked into place moments after mine.

"Oh Ominis." He grinned. "You DO love us!" He slapped a hand so hard over Ominis' shoulder that the poor boy nearly tumbled off the bench.

"What in Merlin's- Sebastian! What are you on about now? Did you not just hear me-"

"I'm talking your patronus memory being of the three of us and that photo."

Ominis' cheeks turned bright red.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

I smiled into my lap.

"Alright class! Please open your texts to our last lesson. We will be reviewing today." Professor Ronan skipped across the center of the room between the desks, tossing an apple between his hands.

"This isn't over." Sebastian whispered. "Don't think I'm going to let you live this down."

Ominis groaned.

Normally Professor Ronan's classes were incredibly exciting. I never knew exactly what we would be doing, but review day meant little more than sitting at the desks and reading to oneself, taking the occasional note.

I could feel my lids growing heavier with every sentence I read on the page. I brought my right arm up and cupped my cheek in my hand for support- my skull feeling two times heavier than normal.

I hadn't even realized I'd begun to nod off until I felt a warmth squeeze the top of my thigh and a whisper tickle my ear.

"Barlowe... I'm sorry to wake you, but- you've almost hit your head against the desk twice." His fingers squeezed against my leg again. "...and it s incredibly embarrassing for me."

I laughed sleepily and rolled my neck in an attempt to clear my sleepy mind. "Oh I'm terribly sorry my skull bouncing off the wood would embarrass you too much."

"No no, I mean, I've had to physically catch your head to keep it from hitting the table and I have to drop my quill to do so. Did you know how loud those things are against wood in a silent classroom? It's criminal honestly."

I laughed quietly and ran my hand down under the desk, twisting my fingers against his over my thigh, whispering against his ear.

"My hero."