Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Crucio

"There's got to be something," Sebastian muttered, pouring over yet another book on Magical Theory. "All I can find are footnotes, or his name as an editor! There's nothing he's written himself!"

"I'm sure there will be," Ominis said, frowning over his essay. They were in the Room again, lounging on the sofa. Sebastian had given up all pretence of finishing his homework, preferring instead to rifle through the pile of books they'd stolen from the Restricted Section over the last couple of days, searching for anything to do with Dracus Fotheringham. "It might be worth taking a break, however. Give yourself some space to process it all."

"Fuck that," Sebastian muttered, and Dracaena rolled her eyes, the ending of the paragraph she was writing on the best ways to correctly identify werewolves deciding to pack a suitcase and leave her brain at high speed before she could finish it. She sighed, and laid down her quill.

"Ominis is right," she said. "Perhaps we could do with a break."

Sebastian raised a brow. "Miss 'do your homework or I'll hex you' is suggesting a break?"

"Bite me," she said, and he grinned, his eyes gleaming, before he turned back to the tome, the back of his neck flushed. "I mean it. We could do with focusing on something else for an afternoon."

"Such as?" Ominis leaned in, his fingers trailing under the loose hem of her blouse. She stilled, her heart beginning to pound as his cool fingertips brushed her skin. She glanced at Sebastian, who seemed too busy with his book to notice anything other than a fire in the immediate vicinity.

"The poachers," she said, and both men tensed, turning to her. "Even if we don't go and wipe them out, it's worth at least doing a little investigation. We could find something useful."

"Good idea," Sebastian said, tossing his book to one side and getting to his feet, stretching and groaning explosively. "I haven't had a good fight in ages."

"We'll avoid that if we can," she said. "I suggest reconnaissance as animals, keeping our distance, and if it's safe to do so, only then will we attack. We don't know who they've got in their corner."

"I agree," Ominis said, as Sebastian rolled his eyes. "It's much better to be cautious."

"Alright," he sighed, raising his hands. "When do you want to go?"

"Why not now?" Dracaena said.

"Haven't you two got double Transfiguration this afternoon?" Sebastian asked.

"Well, yeah, but I don't think Weasley would mind too much if we skipped one afternoon."

"She might," Ominis said. "Especially if we both missed it."

"Maybe you should go, then," Sebastian said, resting a hand on Dracaena's shoulder. "Tell them Drac's got a cold, or something."

Ominis' eyes narrowed. "I don't think so. If there's going to be any sort of scrap, or information to be found, I'd like to be there for it. It'd be easy enough for us both to say we simply lost track of time."

"That works," Dracaena said. "We'll have to be careful that we don't make a habit of it, though. The Professors know more than they let on, Hecat said as much to me in fifth year when she told me to go to Crossed Wands to get more duelling practice in."

Sebastian jerked. "She knows about that?" he gasped. "Merlin's beard! How? What else do they know?"

"That's my point," she said. "We must be careful."

"Alright, fine," Ominis said. "Are we going or not? We've got twenty minutes before the bell, and I expect we won't get much investigating done in that time if we change our minds."