Passionate Professors || Sebastian Sallow

Part 1 | Ch. 19 - Research

After the initial shock, my nightmare had faded and the world around me returned. I set out for a quiet breakfast in the Great Hall. Sliding onto the wooden bench, I quickly scooped myself a bowl of creamy oatmeal and topped it with a heavy dose of brown sugar.

While the dream itself was a typical one for me in the past, it had been a while since I was forced relive the events of the Scriptorium in my dreams. Last night was the worst it had ever been. Maybe it was because spending real time with Sebastian brought some memories back that I tried so hard to bury, or maybe my nightmare was trying to tell me something.

I was more than thankful it hadn't been one of those dreams that felt like I was on the outskirts of someone else's mind. At least the events that happened in this night terror, were of some variation that happened to me in real life. Unlike other mornings when I wake with a start, covered in sweat, having witnessed what seemed like a memory, just not my own.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear the fog, before taking my first bite, spooning the warm oats into my mouth. My head spun with more questions about Sebastian, still stunned from our passionate kiss.

"Hello," said a sleep filled voice, while sitting down across from me, a concerned glint in his brown eyes.

"Hi," I said, knowing it was Sebastian before I even looked up. I offered a slight smile, my heart fluttering at the sight of him.

He poured us two mugs of coffee, adding a spoonful of sugar and a splash of milk to mine. He remembered how I drank it and I blushed at the thought.

"Are you alright? I heard you screaming in your sleep last night." He asked, tilting his head and taking a sip out of the ceramic cup, wincing at the heat of the liquid.

Of course he did, because we share a wall, our doors are right next to each other. I wondered if he had wanted to knock and wake me, stroke my hair and hold me while I let the bad dream slip away. Or was that too soon? As much as I wish we could forget, ten years of hurt doesn't just go away overnight. I'm not sure how comfortable either of us would feel on that level just yet.

"Oh, yeah. I'm okay—I get nightmares sometimes." It was embarrassing to know other people could hear me cry out. Poor Herita Longbottom was right next door too.

"Me too," he watched the steam floating up out of his coffee, his hands wrapped around the cup for warmth. "Mine are usually about Anne," he looked up and waited for my eyes to meet his, "or you."

My heart sank in the back of my throat and I tried to swallow it down, hearing the rhythmic beating in my ears. "Mine was about the Scriptorium," letting the thumping subside, "you cast 'Crucio' on me this time." I managed to say, not wanting to go into detail.

Sebastian stared off into the distance and I could practically see the gears turning in his mind. Getting a closer look at him, I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, peppered with brown freckles. His jaw muscle feathered as he clenched his teeth. He must've been remembering that moment we went into Salazar Slytherin's hidden chamber. It began what was a chaotic chase searching for a cure to Anne's life-threatening curse, resulting in our failure. He lost himself in Salazar's handiwork, the dark magic seducing his young mind, the pressure building up to help his sick twin sister.

I needed to change the subject, before he got too far into the dreadful memories we shared. He'd lose himself again.

"I know I'm not supposed to know," I said catching his attention before lowering my voice to a whisper, checking around us to make sure no one else was listening in. "Garreth filled me in on the Wiggenweld investigation."

He scoffed too loudly, "I knew he couldn't keep his mouth shut, he loves to know things and use information to seem better than he is."

"No, he didn't offer the information, I practically begged him to tell me. I want to help." I added, "I took out some interesting books from the Restricted Section that might be able to point us in the right direction." I gestured to my bag filled with the old texts.