Ten years after I began at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow is back. And he's Professor Sallow now. He disappeared after the fall of Ranrok and Rookwood, after I lost Professor Fig, and after Ominis and I couldn't keep him from losing himself. But I never...
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"You go ahead," I tell April as she attempts to pull me down the stairs to the Undercroft. "I need to meet Sharp."
"Sharp?!" she squeals adorably in confusion. "My...our Sharpie?" she asks.
"The very same!" I say, presenting a kiss to her lips simply because I can and bounding across the room of requirement towards the main door, relishing the undeniable spring in my step from how good everything feels lately.
Bloody YES it does!
A part of me pauses to wait for the voice that lives in my head that should be telling me I don't deserve this and that I should be bracing myself for the inevitable crumbling of this deep well of happiness that has come to fill my life. But if it's still there, if that voice is cussing and throwing a hissy fit at my audacity to indulge in this level of joy, I don't hear him. I only hear April giggling behind me in the wake of my affection.
"I thought he could help us!" I call towards her. "Go on! I'll meet you down there!"
Punctual as ever, Professor Sharp is waiting in the hallway when I exit, and after a swift and friendly greeting, I usher him inside, figuring it would be far more comfortable for Ominis and far better for Sharp to discover the Undercroft via the Room of Requirement as if it were just some kind of basement to the space, rather than having to explain that it's accessible via other methods to anyone who knows how.
"Ah, the old room. April's quarters, yes? Can't say I've been here since...oh, it's been many Christmasses, now." His voice is nostalgic as he speaks and I can't help but smile whenever I see that side of the otherwise hard-edged professor shine through. "Is this where Mister Gaunt has been staying as well?" he asks as we walk slowly towards the stairs.
"Yeah! He's up there–" I explain without a second thought, gesturing to the balcony, "–and the room has also made a space for Thiago. Quite luxurious." As we approach the top of the stairs, I thoughtlessly continue to explain, "it's also given me direct access to the Department of Mysteries, which is convenient," (Sharp nods and mumbles, "quite!"), "and we use this room down here for training, and April and I are just back there," I say with accompanying gestures.
Sharp stiffens and I realize what it is I've implied...or, rather, completely admitted.
Shit.
"Erm..." I begin to back-track, "I only mean that..."
Sharp cuts me off as we descend the stairs, lifting his hand and speaking with an air of apathetic resignation, "I'm sure I don't need to hear anything more, Sallow. But you'll understand I am compelled to remind you I will not hesitate to pummel you should you decide to act a fool. Though old and injured, I am still an auror, through-and-through. Those are skills that never die."
"Sharpie!" April calls as we enter the Undercroft. She springs towards us and throws her arms around his stiff, unyielding figure that hesitates a moment before he softens to return her embrace. As I keep the smirk that has formed on my lips from breaking into a laugh to see how she shows her affection for him so freely in spite of his natural resistance, I become aware of a slew of subtle but deeply-rooted similarities between myself and Professor Sharp.
