Shadow of a Grave ✧ Sebastian Sallow

chapter eleven ✧ flowers on the grave

Flowers on the Grave by The Maine

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Sebastian Sallow didn't dream when he laid down that afternoon and that had upset him. Years had struggled with endless days and sleepless nights simply because he used to fear the troubles that his dreams would bring each time. For the first time in his life when his head hit the pillow, he fell asleep quickly and peacefully, yet not a single dream. For once he wanted to fall asleep so he could dream of Amelia, but when he closed his eyes he saw nothing at all. It was as if he blinked and was awake again.

The only joy that came with waking up without seeing her had been the timing. Amit Thakkar had led him through the empty hallways to the statue of the witch with one eye after receiving the letter only an hour before. It hadn't taken much longer after they arrived that stone silently began to turn and familiar faces appeared from the hidden passage behind.

The little boy named Bash held his mother's hand as the two exited through the secret passage. Sebastian had been happy to see them unharmed but was caught up waiting for the faces that didn't follow behind.

"Where's Bella?" He asked anxiously.

The three adults had their way back to the Professor's chambers as Poppy had filled them in on what had happened. How the Ministry of Magic had approached them before they were reaching Hogsmeade and it had been Marvolo's men searching for the missing young witch and the man that kidnapped her. The couple split up in a rush, each taking a child with them. Ominis and Annabel had gone off on their own. The blind friend knew that they were both targets and it seemed like the best opinion under those conditions. If they were found by Marvolo or his men then they would only put the other two in danger.

Not long after they parted, the Aurors stopped Poppy and Bash to question them. Both Gaunts would have been handed over to the Ministry if they hadn't split up at the last moment only now that meant that they needed to be found again.

"Ominis said the school would be the next place that Marvolo would check at this rate," Poppy added as she cuddled her sleeping son in her lap, "He said it wasn't safe for them and that he'd need to find somewhere else for now."

"Any ideas where he could have gone?" Amit asked as he laid a map out on the table.

It had been so long since Sebastian had been in the area that his eyes ran across it with a newfound glory. Places that he had completely forgotten about and some that he hadn't thought about in years. All of them held special memories of his past and now spread across the table before him. 

Poppy merely shrugged as she looked over all of the possibilities, "Could be anywhere."

Sebastian hadn't needed to see the map to know where the old friend had chosen to go. If Ominis hadn't had time to share the location when he took his daughter, then he chose something that didn't require an explanation. His wife hadn't known because it didn't have any meaning to her.

But it had a lot of meaning to their friendship and he had known it instantly. The blind boy had told him as much before they parted when he left behind the photograph of Anne Sallow on the mantle.

"He's in Feldcroft," Sebastian announced as stood up and grabbed his coat.

It was already late and every minute that passed without his daughter was driving him mad. He didn't want to waste any more time worrying if the two were okay. He needed to get to them and let his mind rest.