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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The room before me is circular and disorienting with multiple doors, and I hesitate to enter, as the floor looks as if it's covered in water. "Oh, it's just an illusion. Go right on in," Sebastian explains, noting my caution. In the center of the room, he explains, "we're in the department proper, here. Every door leads to one of the areas of research for the Department of Mysteries. I can show you everything, if you'd like. There's the Time Room, Space Chamber, Love Room, Hall of Prophecy, Brain Room and Death Chamber. That's...where I spend most of my time."
"Oh!" I say, bewildered. I'm honestly fairly overwhelmed given all the information he just shared. And I still feel like I'm coming off of the nervousness and forlorn dread I was feeling only moments ago. I'm surprised by how much the talk of the Killing Curse affected me, but I can't deny the pit in my stomach that is still simmering and preying on the dregs of my existential exhaustion that fuels my sleepless nights as of late.
"Um...do you have a personal favorite?" I ask with some playful flair, unable to process any decision-making abilities on my own at the moment. Sebastian smiles, walking towards me and sliding his arms around my waist. "The Love Room, of course. Used to drive me crazy to walk past it. Whole thing smells like you. Cinnamon...." He says as he kisses me on the head. "...and jasmine..." He says as he kisses me on the forehead. "...and marzipan for some unknown reason but I'm absolutely not complaining..." He says with a smile as he brushes his nose against mine. Then he makes me giggle as he inhales in a silly way as if he's sniffing the air all around me as he says, "but we'll save the best for last."
I'm glad for his humor. I feel relieved and more focused. "Then how about we visit the spaceroom?" I ask with vigor, pulling back from him and holding his hands. "Sounds like my kind adventure!"
"It's the Space Chamber, darling," Sebastian teases as he guides me to a specific door that, to me, looks just like all the rest. He opens it, but holds me back from entering, saying, "I don't recommend going in just yet, unless you want to lose the rest of the afternoon to floating around in the abyss. Made that mistake once, myself. Very disorienting." The view, however, is spectacular. It looks like we're standing on the very ledge of the earth, itself. Before us is a massive, enthralling replica of the milky way and our solar system. Planets of gaseous, kaleidoscoping colors and countless shimmering stars and constellations glisten in orbit. Indeed, there appears to be no floor or ceiling to the room.
As Sebastian's arms wrap around my waist from behind, I say in a genuine way, "I'd gladly get lost with you in here," and I feel his chin rest on my shoulder as I add, "not a bad view, after all!"
He sighs contentedly as we spend a moment gazing at the sight of the sparkling eternities before us. His warm breath envelops my neck as he says, just above a whisper, "it's what I see every time you kiss me, love."
"Well fuck..." I say out loud as I think it and I can feel Sebastian's face burst into a smile before he turns towards me and brushes my hair from my neck in a tender way. Walking aphrodisiac that he is, he begins to leave trails of sweet kisses and passionate nibbles wherever his mouth can make contact, that makes my insides feel like the very galaxies we contemplate.
