Basilisk (Dark Ominis Gaunt x OC gothic romance)

Chapter 48: The Hunt Begins

~~Sebastian~~

It was later at night when she finally met him in the forbidden forest. She was wearing the black and gold robes of an auror, her pale blond hair tied up in a messy bun. It was interesting, that she seemed to care about her outfit, but then so little for her hair. How odd.

"So, where did you want to go? What are we looking for tonight?" Sebastian smile as he put his hands in his pockets casually. He wasn't worried at all about anything in the forest at this point.

"Anything unusual." Veela said cautiously, looking around the forest. "And avoiding centaurs because apparently they don't like me." She said flatly.

"Have a run in with them, did you?" Sebastian chuckled. "It's because you work for the Ministry."

Veela looked to him in confusion. "Why would that make them dislike me?"

"The Ministry isn't kind to non-human creatures, Veela. Even if they are intelligent. It means you represent an organization that doesn't have the best reputation with them." Sebastian shrugged as if it was normal.

Veela seemed perplexed by that. "We've done numerous centaur outreach programs to try and promote a better relationship between centaurs and wizardkind."

Sebastian chuckled as if amused. "On your terms, I'm sure. Was it an outreach, or was it a 'do as we say' program?"

"It was..." Veela frowned as she thought for a moment. "We were trying to negotiate."

"Negotiate?" Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Is that what you call that?"

Veela gave him a wary look. "You don't like the Ministry much."

"I don't like people who think they know better than others because they have a special paper." Sebastian shrugged.

"Or a badge?" Veela ventured, guessing that included her.

"Now sweetheart, I never said that." Sebastian grinned wryly. "Your shiny badge is a bit different. At least you had to pass a test to get it."

Veela tilted her head curiously to him. "You're an odd one. You don't like authority much, do you?"

Oh, if only she knew.

"I don't like authority that thinks they're always right just because they're in charge." Sebastian said thoughtfully.

Veela made a soft sound, thinking about that. "I suppose that makes sense..." she said uneasily, crossing her arms and looking further into the forest. "I didn't realize some people were so distrusting of the ministry." She said softly.

Sebastian couldn't help but laugh about that. "Really? Haven't gotten out of London much, have you?"

She gave him a bit of a glare before she frowned, sighing softly. "Let's get going."

Sebastian waited until she passed before giving a little smile, noticing the strange expression she had. Had he made the little auror question the Ministry? She must be so damn sheltered if she thought the Ministry was some end all be all authority. Out here in the more rural areas there was little reach from London, people mostly did their own thing and minded their own business. He preferred it that way.

Granted there were always those wizards and witches who were fucking morons and had backwards views about things, but... they were usually shunned anyway. Let them be morons on their own.

He followed after her in the forest, looking around warily for signs of a potential ambush as they walked. She was fairly confident in her strides, almost too much so as she burst through the brush without a care for trying to be subtle. He rolled his eyes a bit at how loud she was. If she ever did have to sneak around with a werewolf prowling she was going to get her ass chomped.