In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 32 - Tangled Webs

Sebastian

After Sebastian had handed Larson's ass to him, Professor Weasley dragged him up to the Headmaster's office, where he'd been given detention every evening for the next two weeks. It had been worth it though, seeing the blood and fear on Larson's face. What hadn't been worth it was Ominis abandoning him. Then, he'd heard Larson and Lizzie had fought, and when he'd tried to talk to her about it, she'd hit him. Somehow that simple smack had shook him more than even their duel at Crossed Wands when she'd been in a rage. There had been hurt and anger in her eyes this time. He hadn't found out until later that Lizzie and Larson had broken up, but no one seemed to know exactly why or what happened.

Sebastian had planned to talk with her, but she'd all but disappeared for the remainder of the week. Professor Weasley had him writing lines every evening, for the most part, so that gave him plenty of time to think. He stewed on that slap. She might have been mad in the moment, but she'd come around, right? All that time they'd spent together, all the secrets they'd shared. He couldn't believe she would abandon him - and it was the same with Ominis. They would both come around, would both see sense once they calmed down. They would all sort things out like they always did. All of them were better with Larson out of their lives anyways. He was not a better man than Sebastian was. He would have turned them all in in a heartbeat if he knew anything about what they'd actually done.

With detentions in the evening, Sebastian only had his free periods to work on homework. He chafed at this loss of time - he was itching to begin tracking down the Elder Wand. It had to be real. There were countless powerful wands mentioned throughout history, and Sebastian would bet every galleon in his Gringotts Vault that you could trace a path from wizard to wizard with these wands, that they were, in fact, all the same wand. He could find it. He would find it - for Anne. Some days he did forgo his homework, instead flipping through history books, recording wizards with notable wands.

In his Magical Theory classes, Sebastian paid closer attention. He was curious if Ominis' rumor had been true. Professor Yaxley lectured with certainty, as though she knew the subject like the back of her hand, but Sebastian kept his textbook open. The rumor had been right - while Yaxley didn't recite the textbook word for word, she followed each chapter almost exactly. There was nothing she said that couldn't be learned from the book. This puzzled Sebastian. Perhaps it was just because she was a new Professor? Perhaps she hadn't had time to refine her curriculum yet?

By the time the first apparition lesson rolled around on Saturday, Sebastian still hadn't seen Lizzie. She was at the lesson, though. He hoped to speak with her, but she glared pointedly at him through the crowd, so he didn't approach. She looked rather tired and haggard, wearing the cloak Ominis had given her for Christmas. Sebastian frowned when he spotted some stains on it that looked suspiciously like dried blood. He saw her turn her glare elsewhere, and followed her look. Larson was making his way towards her, but Larson was closer to him than to Lizzie. Sebastian grinned.

"Hey there bud," Sebastian said, cutting off Larson's path to her. "How are you doing?"

"Oh sod off Sallow," Larson said, scowling at him. "Haven't you done enough?"

"I would if I could. Weasley said I'm supposed to apologize to you," Sebastian said offhandedly.

"Do it later then, I need to -"

"I don't think she wants to talk to you."

Larson's eyes snapped to Sebastian's when he cut him off. They glared at each other for a long moment before they were interrupted by the Ministry wizard, clapping and calling for attention. Satisfied that he had distracted Larson, Sebastian glanced at Lizzie, only to find her standing next to Ominis. Both of them were looking rather pale. He felt a little tug at his heart. What were they up to without him?