The Final Keeper | Sebastian Sallow Love Story

Jackdaw's Rest

She found Richard Jackdaw next to a pumpkin patch congratulating another ghost on finding his head. He looked to be a year or two older than her when he died, with a narrow jaw line and a slightly crooked nose. His ghostly hair fell in waves to his shoulder, but by his clothing she figured he died in the last 100 years.

"A student? I don't remember you all being on the invite list." He held his head in his hand, looking up at her curiously. "But what Sir Patrick says, goes."

Adelaide willed the queasiness to go down. After this she was going on a vegetarian diet in the foreseeable future. "Are you Richard Jackdaw? I found an old book in the Restricted Section, but there's pages missing out of it. I was told you may have an idea of where the lost pages are."

"Merlin's beard! I know precisely the ones you mean. I pinched them from Peeves. How could I forget?" The map on those pages led me to my demise. I was not ready for what awaited me in that cave.The pages are likely still mouldering away with my, er, remains. Quite a final adventure, I must confess."

"The pages are why you lost your...head." Adelaide said carefully, "And I must visit a cave and search for your....corpse?"

Richard Jackdaw flinched. "Yes. You'd think a decapitated ghost would get used to the word 'corpse.' Say, here's an idea-why don't you meet me at the edge of the Forbidden Forest and I'll show you where to go?"

Adelaide nodded, "I'll meet you there...but do you remember who cut your head off?"

"I was having a look about when I suddenly sensed a refreshing breeze-after which I felt, well, light-headed. That's all I remember. Meet me in an hour. I heard that we're playing decapitated head in the middle, and that is my favorite game."

The red haired Witch nodded, her green eyes hopefuly. "Thank you! I'll see you then."

She ran off then, heading back towards the School. She kept up a steady pace, but was definitely out of breath by the time she reached the entrance to the school. She looked at the grand pendulum seeing that she only had fifty minutes to find Sebastian or Ominis and meet Richard back at the Forest. It also occurred to her that she didn't know where the Forbidden Forest was.

She happened to see Feenky sweeping in a corner by the entrance to the Grand Hall. She ran up to the kind elf and smiled, "Feenky! Have you seen Sebastian Sallow? Or perhaps Ominis Gaunt?"

Feenky looked at her thoughtfully. "Feenky saw both the students bickering as they left the dinner table. Feenky believes they were headed towards the Slytherin Common Room."

That was rather far. "Is there any way you'd be able to Apparate them here?"

Feenky hesitated. "It is not encouraged, but Feenky supposes it seems like an emergency situation. Wait here, Feenky will grab the students."

When Feenky Apparated back, she had Sebastian and Ominis on either side of her. Immediately, Ominis covered his nose. "Merlin's beard. What is that foul smell?"

Sebastian didn't cover his nose, but Adelaide noticed he was holding his breath in an effort not to embarrass her. "Adelaide, where have you been? You missed supper."

"I was in a graveyard serving rotten meat to ghosts." Adelaide said flatly, and thanked the House Elf for retrieving the Slytherin boys. "Can one of you show me the Forbidden Forest?"

Ominis stilled. "Why in Merlin's name would you have to go there?"

"Is this regarding the book?" Sebastian guessed. After seeing Adelaide's nod, he continued, "Why would you have to go to the Forbidden Forest if you already have the book."