Up and Down

Power and Price

"Ominis Gaunt! Sebastian Sallow!"

Sebastian is still aching all over. The Quidditch match had left him with what is sure to be a collection of blooming bruises tomorrow, and he can still taste blood in his mouth - both his own and the oldest Gaunt sibling's.

He spits. The saliva is tinged with red.

"Professor Fitzgerald? Is Anna-"

"She is in the Repository!" The former Headmistress is beside herself, her painted hands wringing, "she's gone down to it, I'm not sure what she'll do."

"What is down there?" He never really asked. It is something that twists Anna's face and darkens her eyes with pain. Fig died there, and she is still mourning her old mentor.

So he didn't pry.

"Power. Too much power for one person to contain or control. Please... you have to get down there-"

"Didn't you say only she can open the door?" Ominis frowns, his face is still pale after being inflicted with the Torture curse yet again.

"Open, yes. Blast your way through? No. As long as you know where it is..."

The Headmistress explains where to find the secret passage in a hushed whisper. Sebastian nods, remembering that is where he ran into them leaving the Repository after the battle, Fig's lifeless body floating by professor Weasley's spell, Anna's grimy tear-streaked face turning away from him.

"That power has driven the last heritor of ancient magic insane. It is pain and anguish distilled, and if one imbibes it one joins with it..."

Sebastian nods. He saw it in the Pensive. Anna showed him the memory of Isidora and the pain she stole. He still thought the witch had a point... but Anna would never agree to experiment on people.

After all, pain is a symptom, not the cause, as Anna has proved with his sister.

"I beg you, get to her before she does something rash."

"But what is she already did?..." Ominis' voice is grave.

He always thinks of the worst. But, given his past, it's not surprising he is a pessimist.

"I do not know. If she is beyond the reach of reason... you may need to do what we had to all those years ago."

"You put Isidora down!" Sebastian snaps at the portrait. The woman's face falls, "like a rabid dog! I won't, I can't do it to Anna!"

The Headmistress sighs.

"Love can make us do reckless and inadvisable things. If she is too far gone, I can only hope one of you would be able to do what needs to be done... like San Bakar did. He loved Isidora, and thus he was the one who let her go."

Sebastian's stomach drops. He saw in Anna's memories the flash of emerald and Isidora's breath going out. Was she killed... by her own lover? He couldn't imagine doing such a thing to Anna. Never.

"I shan't do it," Ominis' voice is firm and Sebastian nods in agreement, "you cannot ask this of us."

Professor Fitzgerald closes her eyes.

"I cannot force you to. I only hope it's not too late... and that all three of you can make the right choice if and when it comes to that."

"Come on, Ominis, we've wasted enough time," Sebastian grabs the other boy by the wrist and breaks into a trot, guiding him.

Ominis is perfectly capable of moving around on his own, of course, but running with his condition is not a wise thing, not unless he has someone to help.