Ten years after I began at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow is back. And he's Professor Sallow now. He disappeared after the fall of Ranrok and Rookwood, after I lost Professor Fig, and after Ominis and I couldn't keep him from losing himself. But I never...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I look down at the small basket Professor Onai sent me away with just moments ago, after she graciously met with Anne and I to discuss the infamous prophecy I retrieved with Sebastian at the Ministry. While I walk, I look blankly at the neatly penned script of the label she tied with a gold ribbon around the basket's handle: For Professor Sharp, with salutations. – Professor Onai
Salu-fucking-tations.
It's as if my instinct to smile over their years of ever-so-subtle expressions of admiration for one another is negated by my instinct to roll my eyes at their unspoken, mutual commitment to fastidious abnegation. So, blankly, I stare at the whatever-this-is potion ingredient that she gave me which is apparently abundant around Uagadou but quite rare in our part of the world.
From Natty to Mama Onai to me to Sharpie. How romantic.
Once outside, chilly air fills my nose, invigorating me to the depths of my personality. The outdoors always feels more electric to me this time of year. Something about the fresh, spicy musk of vegetation when it exists in this state of early dormancy and decay is tantalizing. It's impossible for me not to take huge, cleansing breaths with every inhalation of my lungs. Meanwhile, crispy leaves crunch beneath my feet, and Anne's feet, too, while we meander the pathways in the courtyard.
Next to her slight, ailing figure that's in a constant state of warring with itself, I'm hyper aware of how the leaves beneath my feet sound like a hungry beast comping with shameless weight on the bones of its victims, compared to the sound of leaves crunching beneath Anne's feet that have a delicate, ballerina-like 'swish'to their light-footed chorus.
In my mind's eye I can hear my mother's laughter from my childhood, 'is there an elephant stomping about in this house? Walk lightly on your feet, my little button!'
"So, regarding the prophecy – each of us has completed a...." Anne trails off.
"Cycle. Yeah." I finish her sentence. "Professor Onai told Sharp and me the same thing – that she got the distinct impression about multiple cycles concerning our prophecy."
"Our prophecy? How about that. So you've already completed a cycle?" she asks hesitantly. Her voice is soft and strong. "And I've already completed one?"
"That's the idea. Feels like that all went down back when..." Sebastian went down a self-destructive, Dark Magic rabbit hole? "...well, during school..." which you couldn't attend because Victor Rookwood cursed you for life? "...uh, back when I first..." arrived at Hogwarts during fifth year with some rare fucking magic that – turns out – your twin brother can manipulate with me?
Thank god Anne jumps in. "Yeah, I suppose that sounds about right." She laughs cautiously, musing, "strange to think so much of that might have been fated, somehow."
"Yeah..."
"And now we're in a new cycle?" she asks. Her tone is kind but her eyes are squinted. "...together?"
