Sins of the Father | Sebastian x OFC (Caroline Rookwood) | Ominis x Garreth

Chapter 42: Flying Fancy

Caroline

**

Fall, 3rd Year

Pain.

In simplicity—it was a feeling of discomfort and suffering. At its core, pain, clawed indiscriminately at one's entire being and was only measured by the root of the feeling itself. And the root of Caroline's pain at this given moment? Brown hair, freckles, and a disarming smile—Sebastian had given her his sheepish one as he packed his bag, apologizing for his hurry before he left her at their potions station with Duncan Hobhouse himself.

Caroline gave Duncan a soft smile, hurrying out before he could utter an invite to walk her to Care of Magical Creatures. "There you both are!" She brightened, gasping as she spotted Ominis and Anne at Central Hall, bounding and latching to them as Duncan's footsteps faded behind her.

"Was that Hobhouse following you?" Anne asked, peering over Caroline's shoulder to glare as her pursuer hobbled out the Great Doors into the lawn.

"Yes... Sebastian left immediately after class," she blew a stray hair from her face. They normally walked together, discussing new novels and him trying to barter for her Transfiguration notes, "Something about a letter?"

"Ah—" Ominis coughed, shifting on his feet, "I believe that was a love letter from Samantha Dale."

"Oh." Caroline fought to keep her face impassive, her breath catching at the revelation. There it was clawing—the hand of pain, cold and wrapped in thorns as it grasped at the edges of her heart. She forced a smile, her soft laugh overshadowed by Anne's snort.

"Another love letter? For Sebastian? That's the sixth one so far this year," Anne laughed, "Did he read it to you?"

"It's the same as it has been since the first. I'd rather not repeat it, if you don't mind," Ominis groaned, pulling at Caroline's and Anne's forms attached to his arms as they made their way across the lawn.

"Pity! I'd love to know if there was anything new in it—it would certainly serve for great conversation during dinner with our uncle this weekend," Anne smiled.

"Why in Merlin's name would that interest your uncle?" Caroline asked.

"Not him! Uncle has invited the Coopers for dinner this weekend," Anne's eyes gleamed as she cackled, "And I've happened to hear Isaac's quite smitten with Samantha Dale."

"Anne! You little imp!" Caroline gasped, "You wouldn't dare! Not to poor, sweet Isaac, would you?"

"Oh! It's just a little nudge—although, if I'm to nudge, it might be best if I tell him before the weekend. Oh!" she ran forward, waving as she spotted Isaac's sandy blonde hair, "There he is, now! I'll meet you both at Beast's class!"

Caroline shook her head, humming as she and Ominis walked towards class. The sound of Madam Kogawa's whistle blew in the distance as the new set of first years struggled to fly on their brooms. She was watching Anne and Isaac walk and converse in front of them—a normal and decidedly not odd occurrence according to Anne despite Isaac's next class being on the far side of the castle. Caroline was waiting for it—the twitch of his lips and the droop of his shoulders. It was a reaction she herself often bore witness to during her own rejections of confessions from would be paramours. But they were laughing together, gesturing wildly without any awkwardness between them.

"He doesn't like her."

"What? You mean Isaac?" she asked, quirking a brow at Ominis.

"No—well... yes. Isaac doesn't really like Samantha as Anne supposedly heard," he sighed, "I meant Sebastian and Samantha."