Ten years after I began at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow is back. And he's Professor Sallow now. He disappeared after the fall of Ranrok and Rookwood, after I lost Professor Fig, and after Ominis and I couldn't keep him from losing himself. But I never...
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To the dearest of Sharpies in all of the land,
Wanted to pop you a quick note to remind you how much I appreciate who you are and all you do for me. I'm sorry I haven't visited more these last few weeks. I was so looking forward to seeing more of you now that we're colleagues, but you know better than anyone how upside down things have become. I hope it all evens out soon and we can drink too much fire whiskey together.
Anyway, I wanted to say I love you. I don't tell you enough.
In a very objective, non-sappy way, I realized this Christmas will be our ninth together. Seeing as I only had twelve with my father, it's surreal to think you've been my dad almost as long as he was. Thank you for that.
I'm sorry for how angry I was towards you a few weeks ago. I didn't understand the position you were in with Sebastian. Now that I know more, I really do apologize. I shouldn't have been so reactive. I should have slowed down and taken more time to understand.
Thank you for being an advocate for him. I know you care about him in your own way, but your support of him may be one of the best gifts you've ever given me. I shudder to think what would have become of me if he'd have been sent to Azkaban. Thank you for not giving up on him. Thank you for seeing in him the same kind of star dust that I do.
Thank you for being who you are in my life, Sharps.
Supply run, soon?
All my love to the moon, [[Crossed Out]] Your Snidgett
(Sorry – I decided that was too sappy and then I crossed it out which was really weird. Whatever. It's me. This note is from April, obviously.)
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In my haste I decide not to re-write my harried note to Professor Sharp and tuck it in my pocket to send via owl later as I collect the books I've found in the library this afternoon. It's quite the haul. I have at least a dozen, if not more, on various subjects related to the unforgivable curses, the history of mind-control, the history of magic in the East, and anything I could find that even remotely had to do with the impact of human emotion on magic.
I spent hours scouring the shelves and I haven't left the library since Ominis and I parted ways from the repository before lunch. The calm, quiet and solitude was a much needed change of pace after the morning he and I shared. We decided to finish going through Sebastian's collection of memories and, needless to say, the journey through his 'India years' and his mastery of the Curciatus curse was a torment to witness.
Like the other places he lived, Sebastian included some memories of Ladakh, India that were breathtaking. Talking out loud to Ominis and I throughout, he wanted me to see the stunning teal-blue color of Lake Pangong. He found quiet moments for Ominis to hear the sounds of the town and the tapestry of natural sounds in various nestled outlooks of the high mountains. In a particularly special memory during a sunrise hike, Sebastian found himself mere feet away from a snow leopard. He listened closely to its purring for long minutes to share with Ominis, tracking the animal closely with his eyes for my sake. His sake, too, of course. But it was for all of us.
