He Couldn't Be That Bad? // Sebastian Sallow and You (spicy)

31. Tournament Under the Stars: Semi-Finals

As we walked towards the old keep, a stiff breeze stoked the scent of wet leaves. A chill cast of wind picked up and remained in full stride through the stone ruins and pricked over my cheeks and nose.

Inside the keep students are already milling about and finding their places on the sloping lawn.

Poppy is at a makeshift food stand with Adelaide. They are selling snacks and mugs of hot chocolate from an enormous cauldron over a fire. A copper basin is popping corn, the lid bouncing and rattling happily with each puffed kernel. Fire flakes spark in rolled paper cones singed along the outside.

Poppy doesn't so much as look at me while we buy a mug of the hot sugary drink, along with a little cup of popcorn.

I sipped the cup of hot chocolate, passing it to Sebastian as we weaved through the destroyed walls and into the center of the dueling pit.

The contestants begin filing into the arena per Lucan's gesture, and the crowd sitting on the lawn begins to settle in. Easily double the size last time, so everyone is packed in tight.

Lucan strode out to the center of the arena, and his showmanship has improved since the last tournament night. With a flick of his wand, smoke begins pouring out from over the top of the crumbling castle walls, pooling around the arena and weaving between our legs. Curling up in hazy grey tendrils around our ankles and making our cloaks billow slightly. Smoke slithered across the old ruins, around the four crumbled pillars in the center of the arena, and came to a stop at the half wall that separated the arena from the sloping lawn.

Donning his cape and top hat, arms spread wide. A spark and the sound of a whip crack as Lucan furled his cape out dramatically. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Semi Finals of Tournament Under The Stars! Make sure you place your bets before the start of the round, it could be anyone's game!"

Hearing a familiarly obnoxious laugh, I turn to see Ominis is sitting on the lawn with some other Slytherins, and unfortunately, Valeria sits with them. Not beside him, but definitely in their grouping. The whiplash that they give me; I am at a loss with them and conclude she must indeed be a succubus or some paradimensional demon because I can't understand how he can even tolerate her. I peel my attention away before I get too unfocused.

"Before you place your bets." Lucan begins pacing across the arena, cloak floating behind him, his voice carrying grandly. "We're going to start with doubles. First up-" He waves over to me and Sebastian who step forward. "The Savior of Hogwarts and Sebastian Sallow."

"No name for me?" Sebastian nudges his friend disappointedly.

Lucan winks at him but continues. "Against the Grand Master, " He says gesturing to himself with a swish of his cape, "and a substitution– my former partner Hector Jenkins has come down with mono, and will be replaced with Nerida Roberts."

"You've got to be kidding me." I whisper to Sebastian and turn to see Nerrida stride proudly into the arena and come to a stop beside Lucan.

Before, Nerrida had only been a singles combatant. But I'm not surprised Lucan would pick her to join his team. Everyone here wants to win.

They were an unlikely duo, like a dog being friends with a cat. Or rather– a puppy being friends with a mountain lion.

I want revenge on Nerida for making a fool of me in round one. And Lucan will understand the loss if we put on a good show.

Lucan continues. "And round two will be Damon Wilkshire and Sacharissa Tugwood versus Imelda Reyes and Amit Thakkar."

Damon titters behind me. "This evening is going to be a cudgeling."