In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 61 - Sanguine Lies: Part 1

Ominis

Ominis knew he had put it off too long already - he needed to visit Anne. To see if what his father had said was true, to warn her. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her - he did - but going meant confirming that she was in danger, which there would be nothing he could do to fix. If he knew his family, whoever was in their pocket would be firmly entrenched at St. Mungo's.

So, late Saturday morning, after he awoke, Ominis fished out one of his nicer sets of robes. He dressed carefully, making sure everything was pristine, his hair meticulously styled as he always did, as if it mattered in the grand scheme of things. With one final tug to make sure the robes laid right, he felt presentable enough. Ominis made his way out of his room and into the common room, his mind still preoccupied with thoughts of Anne. He weighed his gift in his hand. It wasn't much, just some books, but still. He really should have visited her more often, and he felt terrible.

"Ah, Ominis!"

He sighed and paused, turning towards the voice.

"Yes, Grace?"

He heard her approaching.

"My parents requested we have dinner with them tonight," she said, sounding a touch nervous.

"Finally want to meet me, do they?" Ominis said, hearing the bitterness in his own voice and shaking his head. "I'll be there. When and where?"

She inhaled, paused, then said, "The Twisted Platter, six o'clock."

"That what?" Ominis asked, furrowing his brow.

"It's a restaurant in Tinworth?" Grace said, "Have you not heard of it? It's very popular."

Ominis frowned. "No, I haven't. Shall we meet at the front gates at quarter to six?"

"Alright," Grace said, hesitating again. "Where are you going now?"

"Private business," he said curtly. "I'll see you this evening then."

Without waiting for any further questions, Ominis turned on his heel and walked briskly toward the Great Hall to use the fireplace. If he apparated to St. Mungo's, he'd have to enter through the street entrance, and he had never gone that way. As he trekked upwards through the dungeons, he was met with yet another interruption.

"Ominis! Hold up."

Ominis slowed to a stop, sighing. A door along the hallway slammed, and Ominis' wand showed a figure approaching.

"What is it, Garreth? Good news, I hope."

"Er, well, yes," Garreth said awkwardly. "At least, I think so? But... well..."

Ominis rolled his eyes and dug his coin purse out of a pocket, digging inside.

"How much?"

"Seven galleons?" He could practically hear Garreth cringing at the request.

"Seven galleons? Merlin, Weasley. I'm not made of gold."

His fingers paused, wondering if he even had that much left.

"I'm sorry," Garreth said, apology bleeding into his voice. "But I swear -"

"I know, I know," Ominis said, cutting him off and digging out the right amount. "Take it."

He pushed the gold and silver into Garreth's hands, then tucked his coin purse away. If his math was right, he had twenty-four sickles and five knuts left. Just over one galleon.

"Great, thanks," Garreth said, "Do you want to come see...?"

"No," Ominis said, shaking his head. "I have other things to attend to, we can talk tomorrow."