Me and the Devil: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter NINETY THREE - Whispered Wishes

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green to blue - slowed + reverbed - daniel.mp3)

I had always thought it unfair that time could fly on the best days and drag on the worst. Today could not have proved my point more.

Smells of roasted chestnuts and creamy hot chocolate flooded the house as we sat together in the tiny Sallow home by the rage of the fireplace and the roar of our hearts. We'd ogled over our gifts and swapped stories of our happiest memories. Ominis and Sebastian had both recounted their successful patronuses and even though Anne had already read the stories in their letters, begged for more details. She'd offered to give me a few pointers of my own should I want it and I had happily agreed. We had planned to spend tomorrow working on it.

Sebastian had disappeared into the kitchen for a bit and instructed everyone to stay out while he "worked his magic".

I wasn't sure if that was literal magic or not.

What seemed an eternity later, he reemerged with a bright red tablecloth that was just a bit too small for the dining room table but he placed it on anyway. One of the sides hung higher than the other. He'd added plates and silverware, goblets and napkins while the three of us giggled through the commotion. Taking our seats in the worn wood chairs, Sebastian shuffled out with three heaping plates of spaghetti balanced along his arms and a spare fork between his teeth.

"Mah'lahday" His words muted and skewed around the fork as he placed a plate in front of me.

Steaming noodles with cubes of bright red tomato smiled up at me, he had even placed a little green leaf on the very top. I peaked closer with a grin as he placed the remaining two plates in front of Anne and Ominis.

Anne's giggles like bells. Lifting the little green leaf up to eye level she spoke between laughs. "Is this a strawberry leaf?"

Sebastian took the spare fork from his mouth and pointed it to Anne like a wand, annunciating each word with a flick. "Hey. I'm working with what I've got. Watch it missy."

She stuck her tongue out and Ominis tapped her shoulder.

"Do I have one?"

Sebastian paused midway back into the kitchen.

"Ominis, do you really think I would leave out my special ingredient on your plate? That wouldn't be very Christmas-spirit-y of me now would it?"

Ominis had let out a quick, exasperated breath before leaning towards Anne and whispering just low enough I could barely hear. "Darling, can you please remove the leaf... I think I should rather like to not choke on Christmas dinner."

Ominis did in fact, not choke on dinner and the four of us had now crowded back into the living space. He sat in the corner of the couch, Anne at his hip and gently running his fingers across her knee as she read aloud from the book I'd gotten her.

Sebastian and I were laying on the ground, toes warming by the fireplace. My head was on his chest and he was running his fingers through my hair as we all listened in comforted company.

"But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore--