In the Brilliance of Longing | Ominis Gaunt

In the Brilliance of the Keepers

(a/n: sorry this one is a bit short! it took me a while to complete chapter 8 (it's a monster for sure), but i'm now fully into my new apartment and i can continue posting twice a week or so! thanks for y'all's continued support!

also, slight emetophobia warning for this chapter, the passage's beginning and end are marked with asterisks. ttfn.)

September 19, 1891: Letter to Sebastian Sallow

My Sebastian,

I need your assistance this evening. Please meet me in Central Hall at midnight. Another excursion into the restricted section is in order.

See you then,

Kitty

12:02am - September 20th, 1891: Central Hall

The tingling sensation I've been feeling was definitely a side effect of my ancient magic abilities. The more I used my power, the less noticeable it would become, but it would always come back. I had spent the majority of my free time the past few days taking on challenger after challenger at Crossed Wands. When I ran out, I resorted to spider dens in the Forbidden Forest.

I had just returned from such an outing and I was meeting Sebastian in hopes he would be able to help me find information regarding my condition. I know it was incredibly unlikely, but there were at least three students in Hogwarts' history who shared the same talent, so the library may have held some answers.

I walked down the stairs to meet Sebastian, and there he was leaning against the railing just as he was the first night we snuck into the library together.

"You look even more beautiful than you did last time," he smirked at me, his voice low and sultry.

"And you're even more dashing," I whispered. Sebastian and I had grown closer over the past few days as I fell for his charming nature. Ominis was still present in the back of my mind, but now that we were friendly with one another again it felt like it was okay to let him go. He seemed happy with Anne back, and I didn't want to get between them - no matter how badly I wished I was in her place.

When I approached the railing, he turned around with me, scoping out the entrance to the library. The area was thankfully deserted. Never too careful, we cast the disillusionment charm and made our way down the stairs.

We made it into the library with no issues and quickly opened the gate to the restricted section. Now we only needed to worry about the stray ghost every now and then.

"If you don't mind me asking, darling, what are we looking for?"

I sighed with a small shrug, "I'm not entirely sure. Something that could tell me more about ancient magic?"

He gave me a quizzical look, "I don't think I've ever seen anything, and I've read all these books cover to cover."

"Miriam Fig discovered it somehow, it can't be that secretive." He nodded, and we walked down the first staircase. We came out from under our disillusionment charm and began perusing the rows and rows of bookshelves, occasionally hiding from one of the resident phantoms.

It took hours, but I eventually stumbled upon an untitled manuscript in an old, dusty, black leather portfolio. The manuscript was written by I. Morganach, no doubt Isidora. Since the Keepers were keeping her from the triptych, perhaps this could give me a little more information about what this feeling was.

I grabbed it and walked to Sebastian, showing him. "I found something, let's go."

He grabbed the manuscript from my hands. "I've never seen this before."