The Sallow Saga - Vol. 2 - In the Shadows of Memories [A HL Fanfiction]

Chapter 11. Breaking the Silence

 The group stood in silence as they processed Cassy's revelation. All the while, Ominis's statue stared blindly out at them all, with a tortured expression. Even Sebastian, who was not easily deterred by unnatural scenes, found the setting in the mirror haunting. The idea of his friend and sister both just shadows and memories of each other in one setting twisted his stomach. He looked down at Cassy and his hatred toward Marvolo Gaunt burnt like a furnace inside his chest. To think he had nearly lost everything in one night, because of one twisted man's mind games; it was almost too much to fathom!

Cassy took a few steadying breaths and unsteadily rose to her feet. Wiping tears from her face, she slowly approached Ominis's mirror. The frame was a dark silver, frozen to the touch, as though it had been bathed in ice for hours. She was fixated on the image behind the reflective pane, the tragedy that the scene depicted.
"Oh Ominis!" She choked, "how can I break you free?"
She looked at the frame's artwork, desperately searching for a clue, but the cold metal was smooth and flawless, offering her very little to go by.

Sebastian rested his hand on her shoulder, making her jump.
"Do you think he knew?" he sighed.
"What do you mean?" Cassy whispered.
"Do you think Ominis knew all along that you had given up your memories to spare us? Or do you think Marvolo wiped his memory too?" Sebastian folded his arms and frowned at the granite depiction of his friend.
Natty shook her head, "you cannot be suggesting that Ominis knew of Marvolo's ultimatum and did not tell us!" She sucked at her teeth, "really Sebastian, I refuse to believe that Ominis would keep something so vitally important, secret!"
"Unless he was too afraid to say anything and suffer the wrath of his brother," Sebastian mused; "let's face it, Ominis has never really been the most outspoken."
Cassy shook her head, "you and I seem to recall our fifth year very differently."
Sebastian frowned, "I don't follow you?"
"Seriously?" Cassy rolled her eyes, "I was on the receiving end of Ominis's chastisements every time we returned to Hogwarts after an extracurricular adventure. He made it no secret that he did not approve of our fighting dark magic with more dark magic."
Sebastian stared blankly at her, "huh..." falling silent, Sebastian returned his attention back to his old friend.

Gareth approached Cassy, "I can't help but feel that as much as you're up to speed with your memories – there's clearly something you're holding back. Why else would Ominis find himself in this situation?"
Cassy chewed at her lip, as she fought against the sting of panic that pricked at her chest. Naturally, Gareth was right but what memory could possibly warrant Ominis to be portrayed in such an unsettling manner?
"Ominis has stood by my side throughout all of this nightmare," Cassy reasoned; "he helped with my reflections, insisted on being my carer. While I know you all did everything within your power to protect and help me – he was there through thick and thin, experiencing every single one of my break downs. Repairing the plates and mugs smashed in frustration against the walls. Holding me as I cried myself to sleep, desperately begging him for answers he could not give! All the while he beat himself up internally, because it was his brother who had done this. Sebastian – he knew."
"Not you too, Cassy!" Natty gasped, "has everyone so little faith in Ominis?"
"Faith, belief and trust has nothing to do with it, Natty!" Cassy explained. "Every breakdown I had, Ominis would experience a pain that was so hard for me to witness! It brought me out of my own misery; just so I could help him. Ominis has never been a coward, every day I've spent around him, I can't help but feel that he is always fighting an internal battle. I'm inclined to believe that Marvolo presented Ominis with an ultimatum, right after he wiped my memories and knocked me out that fateful night."
As Cassy entered a reflection of the events surrounding the night Marvolo visited her cottage, a thin crack began to steadily make its way down the centre of Ominis's mirror. Their friend's statue started to creak, and a few chips of granite tumbled to the ground. Sebastian excitedly turned to Cassy.
"Amazing work Cassy, keep thinking!" he encouraged, barely containing his pride in her; "you've done so well, so far!"