Basilisk (Dark Ominis Gaunt x OC gothic romance)

Chapter 18: Lost Friends and Whispers

Late night double basilisk!

Very different from the rest of us...

———————

~~Ariadne~~

Ominis seemed rather uneasy about telling Marie about their secret lair, but it was necessary for her to be able to keep watch for them. She watched Marie's expression as he spoke in parseltongue, the sounds of it making her shiver a bit after last night. If she wasn't careful she was going to have a thing for that.

Marie gaped in shock as the wall opened partially, the floor moving aside to reveal stairs that led down into the floor.

"If you'd be kind enough to keep the other servants from snooping much I'd really appreciate that." Ominis said to Marie, a bit more formal with her than necessary.

Marie chuckled a bit at the formality but nodded. "I'll let them at bay. At some point perhaps you should consider rehiring some servants of your own?"

Ominis hummed at the thought. "It will be difficult to get rid of the servants here already without my family becoming suspicious."

Marie gave a wicked little smile that Ariadne knew all too well. "I'll get to work on that." She said in a dark tone.

Ominis went quiet for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. "Yes, you two are definitely sisters."

Both girls giggled in amusement before Ariadne tugged him toward the stairs. "Come on- I have the notes all snug and secure," she patted her corset where she'd stuffed the notes in. No one would ever dare look there! It was perfect!

He chuckled softly at where she'd stashed them, waving his thanks over his shoulder to Marie as they walked down the steps before they closed behind him with a wave of his wand.

Ariadne walked them over to the couch, undoing the few bottom lacings of her corset to take the notes out again. "Alright. We wanted to start with the earliest ones?" She asked softly, sitting beside him on the sofa and leaning back against his shoulder.

"Sure." He smiled, wrapping an arm around her affectionately as she took the first one out.

'Bonjour, Ominis-'

Ariadne paused in surprise. "This is from Damien. Is he French?"

"Did you never talk to him?" Ominis said in amusement.

"No... I never really met him at all." Ariadne said with a bit of embarrassment. She'd always been reading...

"He had a very thick accent. Hard to miss it. It lessened with time, though." Ominis chuckled.

"Huh." Ariadne had no idea he'd been French.

'I hope your time outside of school is going as well as it can. I'm quite busy these days dealing with some dark wizards who think they can mess with people around Hogsmeade. Unfortunately, they are mistaken!

I have been learning more spells outside of school, and Sebastian has been a wonderful duel partner to practice them with. I fear he has grown quite morose without Anne around. I hope I can cheer him up somewhat, but you were always much better at that than I am. I am far more useful for fighting than for talking.

I have sent a small box of chocolate with this letter. I hope you are able to get it!

Adieu, mon ami!

-Damien'

"So he was fighting dark wizards?" Ariadne said in surprise.

"He did that a lot." Ominis sighed. "Almost too much sometimes. Damien and Sebastian share the weakness of not knowing when to stop."