Of Cunning Minds: Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 2 - Table for Two

"If your mouth is open, and I'm assuming it is, I'd suggest closing it. I've heard quite a few flies buzzing around this dingy place."

Thea snapped her mouth shut. Hundreds of thoughts swarmed her brain as she struggled to comprehend what was going on. Ominis Guant had just asked for her help in breaking a prisoner out of a high security fortress as if it was as simple a favor as passing a pot of tea. "H-how—" she stammered.

"We shan't discuss the theatrics now," Ominis held up a hand. "I have urgent matters to attend to at the Ministry." He pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket and extended it to Thea. She grabbed it carefully. "This is the address of my manor. Come by tonight and we can continue this conversation over dinner." The tip of his wand glowed and he pivoted to exit the bookshop. Thea's mouth fell open once again as she watched her old friend walk away. A strange feeling bubbled in her stomach; it was a sensation she hadn't felt in many years. She was just about to label it as nothing more than confusion when Ominis suddenly turned to face her again, his body just inches from the front door. "It's nice to hear your voice again, Thea." He smiled gently. "It makes me happy."

Happiness. That's what it was.

~~~

The rest of the day dragged by slowly for Thea. She shelved more books, assisted a few customers, and helped Percival finish the front window display. Normally, these activities were calming and therapeutic. They allowed her to forget about the troubling events of her past. Of course, the memories resurfaced almost every night when her head touched her pillow, but, for ten hours of the day Thea could experience peace in the quaint shop.

That was not the case today. Her conversation with Ominis played repeatedly in her head as she tried to concentrate on her work. She could no longer deny the spark of comfort and joy she felt when he smiled at her. An old friend had somehow managed to bring her more peace than her quiet life ever had. But that feeling was fleeting, and it quickly became replaced by panic.

Sure, Thea had found herself in more dangerous situations than she could count during her fifth year at Hogwarts. She encountered trolls, acromantulas, poachers, inferi, and dragons on a weekly basis. Dark wizards and malicious goblins showed her no mercy as they casted cruel spells one after another. But, somehow, the idea of coming face to face with Sebastian Sallow scared her more than any of those creatures. Breaking into Azkaban would be a challenge, but it would be nothing compared to confronting this corner of her past.

At last, moonlight began to shine in through the shop windows and Percival hung a battered closed sign on the front door. Thea bid him a quick goodbye before snatching her coat and hurrying out onto the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley. The nippy spring air stung her cheeks, and she clutched her coat more tightly around her body as she made her way to the Leaky Caldron.

Thea was greeted with immediate warmth when she entered the pub. It was crowded with locals and she had to squeeze her way forward to reach the bar. "Hello, Bruno." She greeted the barkeep with a smile. "Is it okay if I used your fireplace?"

The large, bearded man behind the counter was busy pouring Firewhiskey into a row of tankards. He acknowledged Thea's presence with a polite nod and jerked his head to the left. "Of course, it's in the back room on the left." His voice was gruff. "Stay warm out there tonight, missy!" He called to her as she ducked through a particularly rowdy group of wizards. She waved a hand in acknowledgment and tossed a galleon into his tip jar when she passed behind the bar to enter the much quieter back room.

The fireplace was small and damp, but when Thea tossed in a handful of Floo Powder, it roared to life, emitting a green glow throughout the room. She reached into the back pocket of her pants and extracted the now crumpled envelope. She tore it open and removed a thick piece of parchment. The address was printed in dark green ink.