In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 34 - Cupid's Arrow

Sebastian

Sebastian passed the rest of his detentions dwelling on the wonderful memory of Lizzie roasting Larson alive and beating him with crates. He also enjoyed remembering Larson's heartbroken face - Sebastian had seen him slip out after Lizzie and Ominis, so he'd followed. He hadn't heard or seen what she'd said to Larson when he'd caught up to her, but his face afterwards had been exquisite. The only thing that grated against him was just how much time Lizzie and Ominis were spending together. It was like they were rubbing it in his face.

Often, when he went to the library to work on tracking the Elder Wand, he would see them sitting together at another table. Lizzie would be bent over her homework, and Ominis idly fiddling with something as he always did. On the last Saturday in February, he also saw them from a castle window, walking down to the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match together. Ominis was hardly in the common room these days, and when he was, he was either sitting with Aria, or pointedly ignoring him. Sebastian knew he had made Ominis angry, but he didn't know how to make it right. He missed his friends and the easy camaraderie they used to share. But every time he tried to talk to him, Ominis would shut him down with a glare. It was frustrating, to say the least.

One evening, after dinner, Sebastian decided to try his luck again. He found Ominis sitting alone in the common room, working on the puzzle box Anne had given him. Sebastian hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down across from him.

"Ominis," Sebastian began tentatively, "I know I messed up with Larson, and I'm sorry. He just... sets me off."

Ominis didn't say anything, so Sebastian continued.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen. I've been a terrible friend, and I don't know how to fix it."

Still, Ominis didn't say anything.

"Please, Ominis," Sebastian pleaded, "I miss you. Can we just...can we just talk?"

Finally, Ominis turned towards him, his expression inscrutable.

"I care about you, Sebastian. That's why I'm so angry. You keep doing this. You keep hurting people and expecting them to forgive you just because you say sorry. That's not how it works."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

Ominis sighed.

"I want you to understand. I can tell you don't see what was wrong with what you did." Ominis stood. "I'm going to go find Elizabeth, excuse me."

Sebastian watched as Ominis walked away, feeling frustration burning inside him. Ominis could be so stubborn. He didn't understand why Sebastian had needed to chase Larson away, and he wouldn't let it go. Sebastian tapped his finger against the arm of his chair as he thought. He just needed to find the right words for Ominis to hear. Like When Ominis had asked him to promise to stay away from the Dark Arts - Sebastian had simply said he understood that desire, and Ominis had forgiven him for the scriptorium fiasco. He hadn't even actually had to promise to give up the Dark Arts. Sebastian spent a long time sitting there, staring into the fire, searching for the right words to twist the situation back in his favor.

One plan that was much easier to hatch, was one purely for his own curiosity. Sebastian had spent a little time copying his breakdown of Galdric's spell onto a new parchment, but getting a few key parts wrong - on purpose, of course. In the next Magical Theory class, Yaxley once again simply worked her way through the chapter of the textbook, just in different words. Sebastian smirked to himself as he watched Yaxley drone on about spellcraft and the theory behind it. He already knew it all. When class ended, Sebastian waited until most of the other students had left before approaching Yaxley's desk.