la douleur exquise | sebastian sallow

CHAPTER 1

The time of century was upon them, after everything Flora had faced in her fifth year, anyone would automatically assume that this young witch would fear nothing, but in a matter of minutes her palms had become clammy, her breathing shallow with every intake. She was nervous.

Flora was awaiting the arrival of a close friend on the outskirts of Feldcroft, the place of which she had been staying. Her long days at her shop, selling everything and anything that she had come across on her endeavours across the Scottish Highlands. At the young age of 16, after her fifth year came to an end, she was given an opputunity to purchase a shop in Hogsmeade, the events that led to it were unfortunate, but it had given her the resources to buy her own litle cottage, that of the destroyed house of the late Isidora Morganach. She had found it rather ironic that this is where she would end up, but nontheless she had poured her heart and soul into making it her home. The time she had taken to remove every inch of that previous inhabitant from it's four walls was worth it, as Flora could finally relax with any ties that were left, were now finally tied and she could sit in peace, relax in her own place, invite round the friends that stayed at the end of it all.

She looked on at the cottage, the sun beginning to slowly hide from the sky, falling just behind her little cottage, allowing the moon to make it's much awaited appearence in the night sky.

"Have you been waiting long?" She had heard a familar voice call from behind her. She turned on her heel, a small smile etching it's way onto her features as she looked on at her best friend; Ominis Gaunt. He too had returned a smile, a common courtesy considering he couldn't see the one on the young witch's face.

"Ominis." She greeted, slowly walking over and placing a hand on Ominis' shoulder before bringing him into an embrace. "How have you been? It seems a while since we last spoke."

"Awhile?" He had said, disdain apparent in his voice, Flora couldn't help but take a step back, her face dropping. "It's coming up close to 2 months, Flora." He argued, making the young witch stand in silence. "You just left, vanished. I didn't hear another word from you since the owl you had sent 2 days ago."

"I had my reasons, Ominis, just know that I never intended for this all to hurt you." She answered, her voice soft. "I didn't think you would want for me to reach out again, considering what we had went through last time-"

"So you thought it would've been best to just be silent on the whole matter." He argued, his voice stern and louder then before. "I have been on my own since the end of last year. No Sebastian, and no you. After everything we had been though, you still continue to think of me as the poor little Ominis."

"Now, that is not at all how it was." Flora now returns the sterness in her voice, disbelief also laced in her words. "You were angry at me, how was I supposed to know that you'd brush it all under the rug the next day?"

"You ask, Flora!" He yelled, frustration beginning to form in his tone. "You ask. I could've told you that I was just scared at first, but exhillerated at the same time." He added, shaking his head in dismay. "I got to see, if only for a moment. The castle, the paintings, you." 

"I'm sorry, I made the wrong decision." She reasoned, clutching at her sleeves so that they covered her hands. "We never should have gone ahead with it anyways, I vowed to never venture down that route. Some things, unfortunately, just need to be left alone."

"You were worried I would ask you to do it again, weren't you?" Ominis offered, making Flora release a sigh. "It's alright, let me understand these things. You can't just leave all the time."

"Truthfully, I was scared. After everything I had went through with the Keeper's, learning of what Isidora had done with this same power. I was worried I would somehow become her." Flora's voice grew shaky, causing Ominis to hold out his hand.