Ten Years Since Ranrok's Defeat
With a loud crack, Ominis Gaunt appeared in the middle of a dense forest, at the foot of a small hill. He casted Revelio, making sure that he was not followed or about to be ambushed. The walk home was about two miles, but it was worth it rather than to risk the safety of his home.
He did not get five feet in when he heard leaves crunching to the right of him. His hand wrapped around the handle of his wand, readying a spell in his mind.
"Sebastian."
A figure emerged from behind a tree. He was dressed in all black combat gear, along with a full length robe. Since when was he one for theatrics and flair?
Neither of them said a word until:
"How did you know it was me?" Sebastian Sallow asked, twiddling with his wand while he paced up and down the same six feet. He kept his distance to Ominis, however.
"That stink of yours."
"Ouch," Sebastian smirked, holding his hand over his heart. "That really hurts, Ominis. I thought we were friends."
"Were," Ominis emphasised. "We were friends. Until you have chosen a path I do not agree with. A path I specifically warned you again."
Even with the small distance between them, Ominis could feel the dark magic seeping out of Sebastian. He came from a family of dark wizards, and grew up around more of them than an ordinary individual would encounter in a lifetime. He knew how this sort of magic would corrupt one's mind. Sebastian was long gone, and by the time he realised, there was no saving the bounty hunter.
"How mighty Gaunt of you," Sebastian retorted. "The lowly orphaned peasant Sallow, how could he possibly know better than the direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin? Oh, how your superior morals have shamed me."
Ominis clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on his wand. A million questions were running through his head:
How did he ever consider Sebastian to be his best friend?
When did it all go downhill?
Was it when Anne got cursed?
Or perhaps it was when Sebastian performed the Cruciatus curse on their friend without hesitation or concern for her well-being after?
Ominis' silence satisfied Sebastian, knowing that he had gotten under Gaunt's skin. Over the years, they had stayed away from each other. Disagreement only grew between them and the final straw was what happened during their sixth year at Hogwarts. That placed a permanent wedge between the two men, one that neither of them had any intentions of removing.
Despite this, Ominis always tried to be the bigger person, be civil. It irritated every inch of Sebastian the morals he held. Why could he not relent and accept that the world was not black and white, nor would it ever be.
"I do not regret choosing this path. You know damn well why I became a bounty hunter," Sebastian continued. "You hold your holy morals over me because of my inclination for the Dark Arts all these years. How are you any better than me? Stalking is hardly the gentleman way now, is it not?"
Aliana.
All these years spent avoiding each other, and Sebastian willingly came to him because of Aliana Young.
Ominis should have known.
During their time at Hogwarts, Sebastian was the one who got to know Aliana first; the witch who joined as a fifth year. 'Sebastian's girl', as some would call her.
