Sins of the Father | Sebastian x OFC (Caroline Rookwood) | Ominis x Garreth

Chapter 4: Familial Duties

Caroline

**

The curtains were drawn tight as she huddled into Imelda's pillow for comfort, the tingle of her friend's silencing charm embracing her as she sniffled. She had ran from the corridor after her row with Sebastian, afraid and too angry to go back to her rooms. That girl was likely there— and wherever she was, Sebastian followed.

Imelda and Nerida ushered her in at her insistent knocking.

"I have a few dung bombs left, I can set them to go off during the middle of their session," Imelda seethed, rummaging through her trunks in search of the sack, hoisting them out as she began to stomp towards the door.

"Melly," Nerida blocked the door with her body, "That won't do a thing, you know that! Caroline's room will end up smelling for days and she's got that meeting in the morning at Hogsmeade."

"Ugh!" The Quidditch captain threw her hands up, shouting, "At least let me set her curtains on fire!"

"No, Melly...same issue—the smell? Caroline's brother will have a fit if she walked in smelling like a chimney."

Despite Imelda and Nerida's attempts to cheer her, or in Imelda's case offer her services, Caroline could only manage a weak smile. Imelda had sighed, stroking her hair until well past curfew, insisting Caroline get some sleep before hogging Nerida's other end of her bed.

He was such an arse.

Caroline wasn't sure when Sebastian had become so cruel. He did lack a certain tact, but he was never willfully hateful with his words. Like Ominis, he championed equality among students, helped the first years navigate around the castle, and generally showered the castle with his elaborate pranks. At least he did... before the incident with Anne. He changed so much.

She opened the robe she had been clutching all night, peering down at herself. How was she supposed to know she would run into him? Besides, it wasn't as though her nightgown was too tight, it fit comfortably. Sure, she wasn't wearing anything underneath but why in Salazar's name would she subject herself to wearing a corset to bed?

Hopefully he would be out of her room by sunrise...

**

"Where were you last night?"

Caroline paused the stroke of her powdered brush as she stared at the messy haired blonde girl through her mirror. She was sitting in her bed, frowning at her. The color really didn't suit her, it was starting to turn a murky shade of green...

"Not sure why that's your concern— we're not exactly friends, are we?" She bit out, applying a light rouge to her lips.

"Whatever you said to Sebby last night didn't sit well with him," the girl spat narrowing her eyes at her, "Because of you, he didn't want to come inside and tuck me in."

Sebby? How pedestrian...

"Funny," Caroline stood smoothing her dress as she fixed the strands of her blonde hair framing her face, making her way towards the door, "You'd think for all the times he's come inside you, you'd be at a no vacancy."

She smirked at the shout of outrage behind her as her hands grasped the handle to open the door—that's at least a win for the week.

Caroline's eyes narrowed, her good mood dissipating in an instant at the sight of Sebastian at their door. He looked shock to see her, shuffling and stammering back.

"Good morning," he coughed, his head bowed towards the floor as he peered up at her with those warm brown eyes of his.

Oh—now he wanted to play apologetic?