The Keeper's Snake // Sebastian Sallow

Duels and Depths

Sebastian arrived in the Undercroft before Fiona. He was eager to see her and discuss what she had learned. Going a day without talking felt really weird to him, but he brushed it off as just a fluke. He heard the door to the Undercroft open and saw Fiona walking in.

"There you are." Sebastian said.

"There you are!" Fiona jokingly replied.

She had also felt weird not speaking to him the previous day, but she needed the time to herself to gather information. She took a moment to take Sebastian in, with his freckled face, tall figure, and big brown eyes.

Sebastian too was taking Fiona in. Both of them stood in silence for half a minute before Fiona spoke first.

"So how were quidditch tryouts? Did you make the team?" She shyly spoke.

Sebastian cocked a lopsided grin.

"Fi, I was already on the team. It's not very Ravenclaw of you to forget information." He was teasing her.

"Right, um, yes you did tell me that."

Fiona felt a bit flustered. She kept picturing a sweaty Sebastian in his quidditch uniform on a broom. She had never been one to daydream about a lad, so she pushed her thoughts away. She simply fancied him, nothing more.

"Well you are going to tell me what you learned yesterday?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh of course!" Fiona remembered why they were in the Undercroft in the first place.

"So as I wrote to you, I went to the library to look up books on ancient magic. The only book with even a referral to it was the one you happened to steal..."

"I didn't steal it, Fi," Sebastian spoke in his defense, "I simply borrowed it. In fact I brought it with me."

Fiona rolled her eyes and let a grin slip.

"As I was saying," Fiona continued, "when realizing the book I wanted was not in the library, I had to pivot. I looked up any books with references to professor Rackham. I found one on the great professors of Hogwarts. Apparently Rackham started Hogwarts in his fifth year, just like me. The book said he had a talent for using his magic to build and create. I suppose he is behind what we found at the library, in the forbidden forest, the vault at Gringotts."

"Ok," said Sebastian, "that's not too entirely surprising."

"But there is more. The book mentioned his mentorship of a future DADA professor, Isidora Morganach. She was a Ravenclaw who started in her fifth year like me! I bet she could also wield ancient magic. The book mentioned how she spent time traveling around Europe and learning from healers, but unfortunately, there was no more information. It said she passed away in her sleep after teaching at Hogwarts for 2 years."

"Fiona, it kind of seems like a dead end." Sebastian admitted.

"But what if my ancient magic could be used to heal?" Fiona asked.

Sebastian froze. Was she saying she thought she could help Anne? He could never ask that of her. But how could he turn down help for his twin?

"Fiona, you need to slow down, you still need to learn more about this mess with Rackham. Take your time ok. You don't need to overexert yourself."

Fiona was a bit confused. She thought Sebastian would be happy with what she was implying. Hadn't he said he would never stop looking for a cure? With a small sigh, she accepted his words.

"Well then you will be happy to know Fig is returning on Friday from London, with the book. We plan to go straight to the map chamber when he arrives."