Aftermath ✧ Sebastian Sallow

chapter eleven

Never Saw It Coming by Tigers Jaw

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Ominis' Perceptive

"Fuck!" Amelia cursed tripping over a fallen box in the Undercroft.

"Carefully, don't drop our guest!" I warned her.

Amelia sighed, likely dealing with her aching shin having just fallen. I told her that she could bring her 'reliable source' to the Undercroft as long as it was under the condition that they be blindfolded so that they wouldn't know where to find the location. It was the middle of the night, Amelia had to lead her guest around the castle blindfolded a few times so that they wouldn't know where they were walking.

But truthfully, I felt like the blindfolded one still. Amelia had refused to tell me who her reliable source was until I agreed we could meet in the Undercroft under these conditions. I could sense someone with Amelia, they were similar in height to her, but I still wasn't sure who it was. 

"Okay, there you go," Amelia had finished guiding her silent guest inside through the heavy metal doors, "You can take your blindfold off now Poppy."

"Poppy?" I scoffed.

I had to hold my reaction back. 

"Wow! This place is incredible. How did you find this Ominis?" Poppy asked curiously finally speaking and reacting to the location.

"It's a long story," I dismissed, "Poppy, you are Amelia's reliable source about where we can find dementors?" I generally couldn't believe it. Poppy seemed so innocent. The image of her knowing anything about dementors was shocking. 

"Yes. I'm friends with a few Centaurs that live in the Forbidden Forest. They told me that there had been dementors crawling in the forest and that they had been tracking them. But the Centaurs have no way of fighting them." Poppy's voice was always sincere making it even more difficult to tell if she was lying. 

"It's true, Ominis," Amelia could sense my hesitation, "I've spoken to the Centaurs with her. No one seems to know why, but there are dementors nearby and this is our best chance to use them for my research. I also think Poppy can learn to cast the charm, I can't think of anyone with more pure happiness." 

I stood there considering for a moment. 

I sighed, wondering how I got myself into the situation, "Poppy, why are you so willing to join us in fighting dementors?" I didn't fully trust allowing Poppy to join without knowing her own desires to risk her life. 

Besides if Poppy was to be hurt, I don't know if I would be able to forgive myself. 

"The Centaurs said that the dementors are feeding off the other beasts in the forest. They are ruining the dens of the species that live there. I can't let that happen." Poppy was very proud and brave in her statement, "Amelia told me that she wanted to test if her ancient magic will work against dementors. There is no one that I trust more than her and I know that she would help me get rid of them either way. I'm willing to assist both of you in your quest if it helps me protect the creatures of the forest. Besides, I know you can't ask Sebastian for his help so you are more short-handed than normal."

"Go on," I asked wondering what story Amelia had told Poppy. 

"Well, Amelia told me something about how Sebastian can't help because he wasn't able to master the spell and that he would stay behind and cover, blah, blah, blah, but we both that was true Ominis," She announced proudly.