In the Shadow of Seventh year

Chapter 26: Some Sadness and a Successful Surprise

On Christmas day, you were riding your broom over to the Graphorn entrance in hopes of speaking to San Bakar. 

You hadn't been asked by Sebastian to go to the ball tonight, which left you feeling upset. If it weren't for the fact you hadn't seen him at all the last weeks, you would've asked him instead, but as it was, he had seemingly vanished. 
   Even Ominis hadn't been able to get a hold of him in their common room. He could tell Sebastian did make use of his bed, but probably came in after his best friend was already asleep and was gone by the time he woke up. 

He did show up during classes, but he kept a distance by pairing up and sitting next to others, making sure to be the first one out of the classroom as soon as the teacher dismissed them.

It had infuriated you, but mostly it made you feel lonely and upset. Did he change his mind about the break? Did he really want to break up now? 
   You knew that didn't make sense and Sebastian wasn't the type of person to not communicate that, but it didn't stop the doubts.

You had hoped to catch him last night to finally ask him to the ball, but there was no sight of him anywhere.
   It had made your sleep restless and this morning you couldn't bear hearing Lenora and Adelaide gushing over the Yule ball and the Christmas presents their partners had given them.
   Poppy hadn't said anything about either the ball or the gift she had received from Ominis, choosing to comfort you instead. You were grateful for her, but you did see the new gold necklace she was now wearing. It was thin and had a tiny Hippogriff dangling on it. 
   You hadn't opened any of your gifts, but you had seen Sebastian didn't send you one which only soured your mood.

Refusing to stick around and wallow in self-pity or hearing the others talk about the ball and get ready for it, you had decided it would be a good idea to make yourself useful by going to try and speak to the last Keeper. 
   You never really liked him and weren't sure he would even listen to you, let alone provide you some answers, but Niamh had wanted to say something about MacMillan's ring and for now it was the only lead you had. 
   So it was time to grit your teeth and hopefully get some answers from the distrustful San Bakar. 

"Damn it!" You exclaimed as you dismounted your broom and stared at the ruins of what once held the entrance to his trial. 
   The entire pathway to the carved out face of a Graphorn had caved in. 

This could not have been a coincidence. Your uncle had really thought about each and every portrait of the Keepers. 
   You couldn't even find it in you to feel defeated. There was only a slight disappointment.
It wasn't like you had any real hope that San Bakar would've actually provided some answers.
   Whether it was because he didn't want to tell you or because he genuinely didn't know, it didn't matter anymore. He was gone.

You truly had only wanted to distract yourself today. It would've been great of course if you actually found some answers in the meantime, but really, a distraction was what you needed most.
   Every student had been gushing about the Yule ball this past week, gushing over what they were going to wear, who they were going with and how magnificent the Great Hall must look.      
   You had been just as excited, but now you weren't able to go. It stung and now that this little trip didn't seem to bring anything but disappointment, you could only feel sadness.

You had been feeling quite lonely without Sebastian there and seeing your friends with their partners didn't help.
   This morning with Adelaide and Lenora was the final straw and it made you decide to go by broom just like you once used to do when you hadn't discovered all the Floo Flames in the Highlands.
   All you has wished this trip would provide, besides the distraction, was some answers. Answers to what was so special about Goblin silver that made Niamh more or less imply it wasn't a simple chore to take MacMillan's ring off. 
   Was that too much to ask?