The Shadow of Slytherin

Restricted? Since when?

Getting past Scribner was simple, Sebastian, a fan of destruction as it seems, managed to distract her long enough for you to get the key that opens the restricted section. The ghosts that guard the lower level, however, refused to cooperate. Whenever you got one distracted, the other just had the sudden impulse of coming your way.

Cussing, Sebastian hides behind the massive globe while you sit on the stairs and wait, listening to the two ghost talking to one another, complaining about stories long passed, but their enthusiasm about it is admirable. "How much longer do we need to wait here?"

A smile on your lips, you pull out the field guide and check one of the pages Alec has slipped into it during your stay at the library. A distraction spell, it lures the victim to a certain spot and keeps them stuck there, delaying their reaction to anything around them.

Macula differa, you whisper and watch as the ghost hushes over to the wall, their face turned from you. After another moment of waiting, you silently count the time it takes for the ghost to move again, then grin at Sebastian.

"How did you know that one?" The rustling of the fallen apart Armour at the end of the short hallway draws his attention to the ghost that moves out of that strange trance of hers and continues floating about.

Macula differa, you whisper once again to draw the ghost closer to you and make her hold until you and Sebastian have passed. The same goes for the other ghost and as soon as you have reached the lower level, you remove the disillusionment charm as well.

"Did Atticus Gray tell you that one?" Sebastian asks out of the blue as he walks behind you towards an old door. "I saw you talk to him in the common room"

"So?" You raise your eyebrows as Sebastian steps closer to you, "Is that forbidden?"

A sigh rolls over his lips as Sebastian moves even closer, "No, it's just-, he's-"

"Bad news" The eyes rolled, you walk over to the door, but your sights fall onto a book with a skeleton and wings on it, old runes decorating the cover. They remind you of some of the writing in the mausoleum, but when you reach out to take the book, Sebastian's hand holds onto yours.

The usual light hazel eyes now dark, he places his face before you, "You don't want to read that, it's dark magic, evil. Just let it go"

"Fine" You let out, removing your hand from his grip, "How do you know it is evil?" At his guilty look, you lean closer, "So you have read it, but I am not allowed?" The eyebrow raised, you open the door at the end of the hallway and walk down a stone flight of stairs.

The both of you make it just to the door that leads down another flight of stairs when a giant armour rushes to the ground. Snickering, the poltergeist Peeves appears and threatens to expose the two of you, but Sebastian promises to catch him first.

With a sigh, you repair the armour and move on alone, warning Sebastian to be careful. You meant to ask him not to tell on you, but it seems ridiculous, after all, he is in this situation because of you, so why not share the punishment, it might give you time to read more books.

After Peeves has caught you and Sebastian tries to find him, you are once again left alone, walking through the dark, down another flight of stairs, but hear the hum of ancient magic, it draws you to the middle of a small room. A stone arch that presents you with another spiral staircase when you have lifted the ancient magic. "Fantastic" you hiss, descending into the dark.

Your eyes used to the nothingness of light around, you stand before the entrance of a strange place, the runes above the entrance not readable. A cold wind blows against your back, forcing you to walk closer and through the heavy doors before you.

***

Still shivering at the thought of those protectors that fought against you, just as in Gringott's bank, you head up the stairs to find Sebastian in the library, Peeves and Mrs Scribner with him, but he does not rat you out. On the contrary, he acts as if alone the entire time. And just as Peeves floats in your direction, the door to the library opens and Atticus walks in, calm as ever, his eyes on Sebastian.

"Ah, Sallow, there you are. Sorry, Mrs Scribner, I told him to stay close, but he is a fast one-" Atticus jokes, clapping Sebastian on the shoulder, "I needed him to check on something with me, but he must have misheard," his eyes wander to Sebastian, "I did not mean the library. We will not bother you any longer"

With those words, Atticus drags Sebastian with him out of the library and along the corridor towards the green house.

"What the hell, Gray?" Sebastian hisses when Atticus finally releases him from the tight grasp on the back of his collar.

The head turned to see if anyone listens in on their conversation, Atticus leans closer to Sebastian. "Where is our little Morningsun? I heard you two sneak out, and-"

"I left you for two minutes" You snicker as you approach Atticus and Sebastian, your eyes on Sebastian, who has his jaw clenched when you smile at Atticus, "Come on, we won't get it tonight"

"Get what?" Atticus's hand presses against your arm as he prevents you from leaving. "I am the prefect, I could write you up for being out of your room at night"

"Then write me up, I am sure Professor Weasley would like to know what your boyfriend did with my field guide that the collective of Professors have entrusted me with and now whenever I open it, well, it is a vivid picture" you hiss at Atticus while pulling Sebastian with you along the corridor and out of Atticus's sight.

"What?"

"I don't know" Your hand waves through the air, "I almost got caught when peeves came closer, and I knocked over some bookshelf. Let's just get back to the common room" Your mind still on the book you have taken against Sebastian's warning, you mumble on, unaware of what he has said.

"Who left what in your what?"

Rolling your eyes, you press Sebastian against the wall, your face close to his, "The spell, it wasn't the only thing I found in my book, but we got rid of Gray, like you wanted, so, quiet" You use the disillusionment spell on you and Sebastian and hurry along the halls back to the common room where you both drop onto the sofa.

Laughing, Sebastian places his head on your lap, the feet towards the burning fire place to warm himself. "Well, that was something"

"You think? Now I just have to figure out what to do with-" The mind wandering off, you lay your head back and shrug at the sudden impact on the window. The giant squid in the black lake has thrown a tentacle against the window, the screeching of glass under the suction cups, plopping each time they remove from the glass. "Lovely"

Rolling onto his stomach, Sebastian pulls himself on top of you, watching as the tentacle vanishes from the window. "You're not afraid of our little friend, are you?" His face turning from yours as he realises what he has done. "Sorry" He utters jumping off the sofa.

Your body still on the sofa, you stare at Sebastian, who places his hand in front of his face and turns from you, "Ehm, no, I'm not afraid, the noise is just not something I want to hear this early in the morning" You try to laugh off the situation, but Sebastian does not say another word and heads in direction of his room. "Hey, thanks for coming with me" you yell out, but hear the door shut, and then the quiet, nothing but the crackling fire, wood hisses and cracks in the heat, but you as well return to your room and drop onto the bed, tired, but happy to have found the book.