Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Lies and Memories

During Dracaena and Ominis' double Transfiguration class, Professor Weasley demonstrated the rather difficult art of turning an inedible, mildly rotted dish of food into a sumptuous meal. Half the class had their robes pulled up over their face, and Ominis especially seemed to be suffering from the pungent aromas seeping from the plates before them all.

"This is foul," he muttered, his face creased with revulsion. "If Weasley hadn't forbade the Bubble-Head charm, I'd have used it already."

"Agreed," Dracaena said, leaning away from her plate of furry potatoes. "But I suppose it makes sense... smell is usually the best way to tell if something's off. Bloody good encouragement to get it right, too."

She waved her wand, and her potatoes turned pink. She cursed, and tried again, vanishing the fuzzy mould, but failing to replicate Weasley's delicious effects.

Ominis shook his head, leaning as far back from the desk as he could. He twisted his mouth, sighed, and shuffled a little closer to her.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," he murmured, just as Everett managed to set his plate of mushy cabbage on fire.

"Oh?" Dracaena frowned, concentrating on her spell. "What is it?"

Ominis drew a sharp breath, then recoiled, gagging.

"Merlin's sagging pants! This is intolerable!" he waved a hand before him, his eyes watering.

"Concentrate on what you wish your plates to become!" Professor Weasley called, raising a brow as Everett's cabbage began belching large clouds of bright blue smoke. Dracaena chuckled, and cast a sneaky gust of wind, freshening the air around her and Ominis for a moment.

"Oh... thank you." Ominis straightened, sweeping his hair back.

"What did you want to ask me?"

He paused, closed his eyes, and let out his breath in a long, slow sigh.

"Dracaena... you've been hiding something from me."

She blanched, her heart jumping into her throat. Did he know? How did he know!? "I... what makes you say that?" she stalled.

Ominis glanced her way, his crystal eyes cool. "Well, for one thing, the mild alarm and hesitation in your voice just now. Then there's the way you and Sebastian occasionally stop talking when I come into a room with the pair of you in it, as if you've been discussing something you don't want me to hear. The excuses you then give me."

Dracaena swallowed, her mouth dry. "They're... they're not excuses, Ominis."

He folded his arms. "I know you well enough to know when you're lying to me, Dracaena. You speak just a little faster, and your voice rises in pitch by half a note." He sighed, softly. "Look, I don't want to pry. It's entirely possible I'm just being paranoid, and you've been speaking with Sebastian about issues personal to him. Merlin knows he always felt extremely comfortable sharing everything with you, even things that weren't his to share. And that's fine, I don't mind that at all. What I mind is the lying. I thought... I rather hoped I meant enough to you for you to be honest with me."

Dracaena bit her lip.

"You... you do, Ominis. I don't want to lie to you," she said, taking care to speak slowly. Ominis tilted his head and cast a mildly exasperated look in her direction. She almost smiled. "I don't! But... you're right. I'm sorry, but I have been... keeping something from you. I thought it would be better if I said nothing at all, I didn't want to worry you."

His jaw tightened a little. "I'd rather a little worry by understanding than a lot of worry by imagining."

Dracaena nodded and took his hand, lacing their fingers together under the desk.