Bad Decisions

I Don't Take it Lightly, I'm Speaking Politely

Occurs between chapters 8 & 9

It was a hot night. That, or the anger Sebastian had pushed down was boiling to the surface already. Ella had already disappeared into his parent's room, so he had some breathing room... finally. Ominis had asked something, Sebastian couldn't be sure exactly what it was with the dull thumping in his ears. He was used to it—it would pass.

Agonizingly slow, but it would pass.

Anne's look of concern fell away and was replaced with that sad, sympathetic look she always gave him when Ella stomped out of a room. He didn't meet her eyes, he was too busy trying to jerk his sleeves up so his skin could breathe.

"What time is it?" He asked after a moment, and his voice betrayed him. Tense from the effort it took to keep the rage out of it. He gritted his teeth together to keep all of his thoughts from pouring out to Anne, who already knew them.

He didn't look at the way his sister narrowed her eyes—she already knew the plan. She probably knew it before he decided on it.

Fucking Weasley.

And he'd called him a snake? He wasn't the one waiting in the wings to snatch her the moment she was unattended.

"It's 2330, Sebbie." Anne lifted her chin, silently questioning him.

"I'll be back," Sebastian mumbled in response.

Anne tilted her head. "Where are you going?"

"You already know."

"Don't do anything you'll regret."

He laughed. She must have not understood the depths of his current hatred for Weasley. "That's not the best moral compass, right now, Anne."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's not going to work, either. I know what you would do to Kirley."

Ominis sucked in air. "Sebastian, she's probably not even asleep—"

Ominis was always worried someone was going to figure it out—it was exhausting. He was so concerned Ella was going to figure it out and run screaming to every part of his family that would listen. Nearly drove Sebastian insane with his constant paranoia over it.

"She is or she'd already be in here." He rolled his eyes. "She's dense but she's not stupid."

"If you're going to speak with Weasley," Ominis paused, and Sebastian turned to face him as he finished rolling his sleeves. "You're going to have to leave your wand. I was serious, Sebastian, no getting expelled. Violence isn't the answer to this."

Sebastian didn't properly respond, he just yanked the wand from his waistband and tossed it on the kitchen table. He had no reason to use it anyway. Magic was far from satisfying enough in that regard, and it was far from the best way to deal with it. He didn't know Ominis was on about, though because getting Weasley in trouble with Black wasn't going to teach him a thing either.

Anne threw several conflicted looks at Ominis, and it didn't escape Sebastian as he walked past her and into their old childhood room in the tent. Their parents had always kept a couple of Wiggenwelds put up in there since Anne was clumsy and Sebastian was accident-prone in their youth. It was far from the stock they kept at home, but it was something.

"What are you worried about?" Sebastian asked as he returned to the living area with the potions.

Anne wrinkled her nose. "I don't want you getting into trouble."