The Final Keeper | Sebastian Sallow Love Story

Anti-Hero

Adelaide stared at herself, her eyes welling up with angry tears, but she refused to let them fall. Her reflection smiled at her arrogantly. It walked towards her in a slow, creeping fashion-never taking its eyes off of her.

"You do know what going to happen, don't you?" It's voice was distorted, but at the same time also sounded like her.

Adelaide gritted her teeth, "You're just a stupid Boggart."

Its smile grew, cruelty making the red eyes glow like flames when stoking a fire. "You weren't strong enough to save your father. In fact, you killed him." Adelaide felt Professor Hecat stiffen behind her. Shame injected itself straight into her heart like a lethal injection.

"He was already gone from the dementor." Adelaide snapped, raising her chin defiantly.

It shook its head mockingly. "We both know you still have the blood on your hands. In fact, your hands are constantly dripping, aren't they?"

"Everything I've done was necessary to protect someone."

"And yet it's still not enough is it?" It began to pace in front of her, always walking in a half circle before rounding back. "You were never strong enough to defeat Ranrock. He's dead now. You're never going to be strong enough to defeat Amir. Sebastian had to save you. Isn't that your fate? Always being saved." It grinned, "So repetitive."

She shook her head, "I'll become stronger."

"When?" It hissed suddenly rushing up to her face. "When is that? That's your response every time you fail. It wasn't when Sebastian put his life on the line for you. You were too busy laying on the ground, eager for death. Ready to accept your loss. You're out of time. The Yule ball is in two days."

Adelaide bit the inside of her cheek, tasting blood. "I will end this."

"I will...I will...I will. That's all it is with you." It mimicked her voice perfectly now, tilting its head to the side. "You need more power. Use the power that's in the repository. Take everyone's pain for yourself. Only then can you save the people you love."

She shook her head again, "I can defeat Amir-anyone-with my own power. I finished the trials. I survived everything."

It began to laugh almost manically. "You survive because you have help. You need more power. Or else you'll be faced with this reality."

The Boggart morphed in a cloud of black smoke into a bloodied corpse. It was Anne. Her hair was matted against her face as blood dribbled out down her lips creating a sadistic smile on her face with blood. Her chest was torn open with large gashing wounds all over her body. She chest heaved up and down unsteadily with choking noises escaping her.

It morphed again, this time she saw Ominis on his knees staring at her. There was a gaping hole in his abdomen and bloodied tears fell down his face. His voice mournful, "Why couldn't you save us?"

Dread filled her as it morphed for a final time. Sebastian stood up, but he seemed perfectly fine. That was until an incorporeal voice echoed around the room, "Avada Kedavra." She watched in horror as the Sebastian in front of her was thrown off his feet, hitting the wardrobe with a sickening thud. His eyes paled as the cast took away his life, but he stood up again. He stared at her for a moment before taking a step forward. "You can't save any of us. You can't even safe yourself. You're weak. And you'll die weak."

It ran towards her and for a moment she thought about accepting the pain. Accepting that she needed help. Accepting that she was weak.

But that was the easy way out. She wasn't the same witch that arrived at Hogwarts, scared and alone. It wasn't weak to accept help. The love she had for her friends and Sebastian was reciprocated, and that was her true strength. She didn't need to take anyone's pain. Adelaide cured Anne without being tempted by Isidora's rationality. She didn't need to accept anyone's pain. Because she would always find a way to be stronger without it.