Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

The Letter

Dracaena met up with Ominis after class, and they returned to the Room of Requirement, easing the door open.

Entering, they found Sebastian already seated on the sofa, frowning over another piece of parchment. He jumped as they came in, and snatched for it, quickly scrunching it into a ball.

"Hi," he said, somewhat breathlessly, leaping to his feet and heading to the fireplace. "I didn't realise the time."

Dracaena frowned, her eyes on the parchment as he tried to hide it behind his back. A suspicion formed.

"Accio," she said, pointing her wand. The parchment flew from Sebastian's hand, and he grabbed wildly for it with a yelp as it zoomed towards her. She caught it.

"Dracaena," he said, starting forward. "Don't."

"Care to tell me what it is?" she asked, as Ominis frowned beside her. "I don't think this is an essay, somehow."

"It's none of your business," Sebastian snapped. "Give it back."

Ominis' wand slid into his hand. "What are you up to?" he asked, suspiciously. "I hope you're not up to your old tricks."

"My old... what the hell do you mean?"

"Being secretive," Ominis said. "Furtive. Hiding things from us."

Sebastian glared. "I'm allowed to have private things! Dracaena, give that back. Please."

A small, heavy something settled in her chest. Ominis was right. He was acting strangely. She couldn't risk him slipping, not when the punishment would be life in Azkaban! She couldn't lose him again, not if she could help it. She unfurled the parchment.

"Don't!" Sebastian cried, leaping forward.

She scanned it. The parchment was a mess of scrawled sentences, more crossings out than legible words. But there was enough there to get the gist of the letter he was writing to Anne. It was full of apologies, begging her forgiveness, pleading with her to let him visit her.

Dracaena looked up, her lips parting.

"Sebastian..."

He glared, his face twisting. "Give it back."

She handed it over, and he snatched it, tearing it into shreds and stalking to the fire, his back rigid.

"What is it?" Ominis asked.

Sebastian whipped around. Don't, he mouthed.

She pretended not to see.

"It was a letter to Anne," she explained. "Nothing more sinister than that."

But Ominis straightened, glaring in Sebastian's direction as the latter raised his hands, palms upwards, gaping at Dracaena.

"A letter to Anne?" Ominis repeated. "You know she doesn't want to speak to you! Sending her a letter will only serve to make her feel worse than she already does!"

Sebastian clenched his fists. "You don't know that," he said. "I need my sister back, Ominis! I need to know she's alright!"

"She's fine, for Merlin's sake! Well, as fine as she can be, considering everything she's been through! Stop being selfish for once, Sebastian, and let her live her life in peace!"

Sebastian reared up. "Selfish!? I'M being selfish!? All I ever wanted was to find a cure for her, for her to be better and not keep suffering that horrible pain day after day! I gave up everything for her!"

"You are being selfish! It was never about her! You wanted her to be cured so YOU could have YOUR sister back! You wanted it so things could be normal for you! She doesn't want you around anymore!" Ominis yelled.