In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 65 - Fragile Illusions

A/N: For some ungodly reason I wrote the WHOLE article for Durmstrang - you are welcome to skip it. I debated cutting it, but... eh, it was written out already.

Sebastian

When Sebastian had finally returned to his room that night, finding Lizzie asleep in his bed, he'd torn the page on Inferi out of the book and burned it. The next morning, she had asked him to teach her once more, and when he'd refused, she'd left in a huff after accusing him of not caring about defeating Rookwood. She hadn't spoken with him since. The absence of both his friends reminded him of the previous year, when they'd refused to speak with him. Sebastian felt the creeping fear of once more being alone, and gave in, breaking his word to himself that he'd give Ominis space. Though, he refrained from trying to speak with him, at least.

He found himself mulling over what words he might say to get Ominis to forgive him, but knew they wouldn't work. Sebastian still couldn't think how to fix the situation he had created, but without knowing who was threatened, he wasn't sure how to proceed. As for Lizzie, he knew exactly how to draw her back in - he still had the map of camps. However, heading out into the Forbidden Forest with an angry Lizzie sounded like a bad idea, so he wanted to let her cool off first.

The next Saturday, after she had had a week to herself, Sebastian slid into a seat next to Lizzie at the Ravenclaw table. He noted Larson a few seats away, but otherwise ignored the irritated glares he received from disgruntled Ravenclaws.

"Hello darling," He said tentatively.

"Yes, Sebastian?"

She looked up from the newspaper she was reading. He chose to ignore the cold tone of her voice as well, as his curiosity was peaked. He had only seen her with a newspaper a handful of times.

"Something interesting in the news?" He asked.

She shrugged, softening a little as she folded the paper. "Something Ominis gave me, from Aria. You can read it if you want."

Sebastian took the paper when she offered it, scanning the article. "One hundred years since the Tournament was canceled, huh. You know, I always thought the Triwizard Tournament sounded fun."

"Of course you would enjoy a deadly tournament," Lizzie said, "There will be another article next week on Beauxbatons, apparently."

Her initial comment made an edge of nerves grow in his gut, but only minorly, and only because Larson was within earshot. Who was to say if he was listening in, and what he might go running to his father about. He'd felt remarkably safer, being back at Hogwarts, but he hadn't forgotten Silas Larson.

Sebastian tucked the paper away in his bag to give it more of a read later, though he would be more interested in an article on Durmstrang. The school's reputation had always interested him - a school that shared his view that all magic should be taught. Well... maybe not all magic, he amended.

"What do you think," Sebastian asked, giving Lizzie a charming smile. "Would I make a good school champion?"

She rolled her eyes, returning his smile, but hers was almost wicked. "You would only stand a chance at being school champion if I didn't enter."

Sebastian supposed that was fair, who else would be Hogwarts champion but the Hero of Hogwarts?

"Would you?" he asked. "Enter, that is. If there was a Tournament?"

She wrinkled her nose. "No, of course not. I have quite enough to be getting on with without having more trials to do."

"So then I would be champion," Sebastian said, grinning.