Lost Devotion // Sebastian Sallow

Bread

The second full week of October had rolled around, the air was now much colder but I was excited for the fall weather. Today was Beasts Class and I was actually looking forward to it, 'was' being the keyword here.

"Ok class, as many of you are already aware, there are numerous creatures that live in and around the Black Lake. For todays lesson I expect you to study them. I have provided a list of the possible entities you may or may not encounter. I expect you to work in pairs from the boats to identify each one you find," Professor Howin announced to us all as we sat in the courtyard.

The air today was particularly cold and I was not looking forward to being out on the Black Lake in a boat with someone trying to find creatures in water so inky you can't even hardly see through it.

"How exactly does she expect me to identify these creatures?" Ominis leaned over to whisper in my ear.

I let out a small giggle, attracting the attention of Professor Howin who did not look pleased.

"Since you two want to talk during my lecture, you are not to be paired for this assignment. Make sure to find other partners, the both of you," she huffed, returning back to handing out the parchment .

"Fucking hell," I groaned at my stupidity.

"Well, I suppose I'll be teaming up with Poppy then," Ominis declared, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Although I must admit, I won't feel quite as secure as I would with you by my side."

Great that meant only one thing. Fate had conspired to pair me with the one person who had always been partner-less, thanks to his untimely arrival back at Hogwarts and the absence of one of our classmates today. The last time we were paired up it was to collect the warts and that went better than expected but now things were even worse between us.

As our class descended towards the boathouse, my mind couldn't help but wander back to that unforgettable encounter with Sebastian again. I vividly recalled the disastrous attempt at conversation, replaying it in my head like a scene from a tragicomedy.

There he was, striding confidently ahead of me, gracefully descending the steps. His arms cradled his books and coat with an air of ease. I couldn't help but admire the sheer strength emanating from his broad back, which stretched the fabric of his shirt in all the right places. His trousers clinging to his legs and hips with a perfect fit, accentuating his every move.

Shit why did he look so damn good, even from behind.

With anticipation bubbling in the air, we all squeezed into the boathouse, eager to embark on our adventure. We gathered around the water's edge, eagerly awaiting our turn to hop into the boats, two at a time. 

As I observed the scene unfolding before me, my eyes were drawn to Ominis, who effortlessly glided into his boat, a picture of grace and confidence before turning and offering Poppy his hand to help her step down. I bet she was loving every minute of this assignment.

I watched the fleet of little boats gliding off into the open water until it was finally my turn to climb into a one. Sebastian hopped in effortlessly, displaying an impressive sense of balance before turning to face me with his hands on his hips.

"Well are you going to get in?" he asked, his voice tinged with a touch of impatience.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"I retorted, swiftly clutching onto the sturdy post that held the boat in place, steadying myself with determination.

I would never admit it to him but dark open water was a fear of mine. Despite how many times I had pushed through and delved into the depths of this lake, I was actually terrified but back then I had no choice.