The Keeper's Snake // Sebastian Sallow

The Scriptorium

Fiona entered the Great Hall on Monday morning after her eventful weekend. She had been to Feldcroft with Sebastian and found out she and Ominis would be in-laws in just 3 months. She couldn't wait to tell Sebastian everything. She spotted him and Ominis at the Slytherin table and joined them, sitting down across from the two of them. Things seemed... tense between the two Slytherins.

"Good morning Ominis, good morning Sebastian!" Fiona was cheery. She had slept rather well.

"Good morning Fiona. I suppose I can call you cousin in the near future." Ominis greeted Fiona.

"Cousins? What are you on about mate?" Sebastian was confused. Fiona was about to clear things up for him, when Ominis snapped back.

"That's enough from you, Sebastian. If anything you should be staying away from all things Gaunt related." Ominis seemed very upset. Fiona didn't know what to say to diffuse the situation. She simply looked at Sebastian and mouthed the word 'Undercroft,' to which he nodded in response.

"Well I'm clearly not wanted here." Sebastian said as he got up and left the Great Hall.

"Ominis, are you ok?"

"Fiona, I must say I am worried about the upcoming nuptials. Being connected to the Gaunts is not a good thing." Ominis looked stressed out.

"But Colm said Morgana was like you, that she doesn't care about blood status."

"He was telling the truth. Morgana is indeed one of my favourite relatives. She is a close second to my aunt Noctua." Ominis had tears forming.

"Is Noctua Morgana's mother?" Fiona wanted desperately to take Ominis in her arms, but she respected his boundaries with physical touch.

"No. She was my father's sister. She always treated me with warmth and kindness. She despised the dark arts. She was my safe haven amid my awful family."

"You said she was, is she dead?"

"We can only assume that. She disappeared years ago. She told us what she set out to do.... We never heard from her again. And to think Sebastian wants to go there!" Ominis was upset.

"Ominis, what are you talking about?" Fiona was very confused.

"Follow me." Ominis ordered. He got up and set off, with Fiona trailing behind him. He was taking her to the Undercroft, where Sebastian had been waiting for Fiona. She was hoping the boys could have a civil discussion.

The two stepped into the Undercroft, and Fiona saw Sebastian sitting at the desk with a book open.

"Sebastian, what are you doing down here?" Ominis's tone displayed his annoyance. Fiona decided to step in.

"I asked him to meet me here. Can we all talk about what's going on between the two of you?" Fiona tried to keep her voice calm, not wanting the temperature in the room to rise even further.

"Why don't you tell her Sebastian?" Ominis spat. Fiona shot Sebastian a questioning look. Sebastian let out a big sigh. He stepped closer to the other two.

"Fiona, I took a book from the restricted section a few weeks ago, a book on Salazar Slytherin. Salazar Slytherin believed the dark arts were not to be feared but rather understood. I thought maybe learning more about him would leave me to insights into a cure for Anne. She was cursed with some sort of dark magic after all." Sebastian was speaking to both of them, but was looking Fiona in the eyes. He wanted to read her reaction to his words. He couldn't stand the thought of disappointing her.

"The book mentioned a secret scriptorium that Slytherin kept somewhere in the castle. It said only a true Slytherin could gain access. I can only imagine the knowledge stored inside there. There could be something to help my sister, and Ominis, he is true Slytherin, so I asked him about it weeks ago..."