Between The Shadows | Ominis Gaunt x Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 19: Transfiguration

Sebastian POV

It was evident that Ominis was angry with me, and me alone. After returning the books to Scribner, I caught a glimpse of him and y/n arguing in hushed voices. As I approached them, they seemed to have reconciled already.

I suspected that when Ominis said he was going to help me with Anne's cure, he actually meant anything besides dark magic, and I was prepared for that reaction. However, when y/n offered to retrieve and test unicorn blood, my emotions suddenly shifted from shock to terror. I immediately recalled the nightmare that had been haunting me since the first night we all fell asleep together in the Room of Requirement. In the dream, Ominis always ended up lying dead on the cold floor of the Feldcroft Catacomb and y/n was standing over him, screaming that she had killed him for me. Was this the inevitable outcome if they continued to involve themselves with me?

I was willing to take the risk for my own sake, but the idea of putting y/n or Ominis in danger was unbearable. It had been some time since I had even entertained the thought of asking y/n to do dark magic for me, the mere idea made me feel disgusted with myself. How could I have even considered it?

No, I decided to put the plan of retrieving unicorn blood to rest for now. Of course Ominis was mad, I should have known better than to mention it in front of y/n. She was always enthusiastic about experimenting with new ideas, especially the riskier ones.

We were on our way to Transfiguration class, but there was still an awkward tension between me and Ominis. I couldn't tell if he didn't believe that I had moved on from the idea of using unicorn blood or he was worried about y/n. As a Legilimens, he should have been able to read my thoughts and know that I was sincere, but he seemed hesitant to use his gift. I thought I had Ominis all figured out after years of friendship, but the events of the past two days left me feeling like I barely knew him at all. It was as if I had been always looking at him through a blurry lens but if anything, the enigma drew me to him even more.

As we entered the classroom, Professor Weasley sorted us into small groups for our human transfiguration practice. At the beginning of the year we were quite excited to dive into this area and despite the potential danger, we were even determined to practice without supervision. However, after a mishap in the first class of the semester, where a Ravenclaw named Everett Clopton replaced half of his bones with wooden branches, we were a bit more cautious. The excruciating pain forced Clopton to stop mid-transfiguration, and he spent several days in the hospital wing receiving Skele-Gro treatment.

Of our entire year, Ominis was undoubtedly the most skilled at transfiguration. He once claimed that it had something to do with determination and willpower. I wouldn't say that neither y/n or me were far behind when it came to the level of our determination but he proved his words again when he was the only one at the end of the class who managed to transfigure his skin to resemble dragon scales. Considering he wasn't even able to know what colors are, it was most impressive that the scales were a breathtaking bright emerald green, with a silver snake-spiral pattern that shimmered in the light. As if that wasn't enough, his own eyes glowed with a terrifyingly monstrous look, sparkling like diamonds.

I watched as y/n whispered something to him, causing him to chuckle, then he kissed her hand and replied something just for her ears. She was still bright red as she enchanted him to return to his normal state.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy every time I saw them so intimate and at ease with each other. Just as I was starting to think that maybe I should bring it up next time we were all together, Garreth Weasley approached y/n. She was gathering her books just a few steps away from where I was doing the same.

"Hey y/n," Garreth started with a slimy smirk. I would never understand how she could have ever dated that guy.

"Oh, hi Garreth," she turned towards him politely with a smile.