THE KEEPERS: A Hogwarts Legacy Story

Chapter 3

A/N: I don't have a drawing specific for this chapter (i might later, we'll see) but for now I hope you enjoy this art I made of our fave teens from the game :)

Sebastian wended his way down the dirt road and the stone stairs that led to the outskirts of Feldcroft. He didn't care where he was going, really, so long as he could find some quiet.

He had just entered a trail flanked by tall rock formations when, much to his chagrin, he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. Sebastian quickened his steps, but Sunan soon caught up and pulled him by his wrist.

"Sallow! Blimey, you walk fast -"

"Why are you even here?" Sebastian snapped, wriggling his hand off of Sunan's grip. "The last thing I need is someone else acting like Solomon."

"Why am I here?" Sunan echoed, baffled. "You've been ignoring all my owls. I didn't know how you were doing. I was worried."

Sebastian was aware of Sunan's owls. He had ignored most of the owls that arrived for him since the summer started. He had delegated Ominis to go through them in case Anne sent one, and occasionally Ominis had told him who'd sent the owls. Sunan had been mentioned a few times.

"Well, that's gracious of you, but unnecessary. I had Ominis watching over me like a hawk all Summer."

Sebastian took a few more steps down the trail ahead, before he swiveled around and faced Sunan, fuming. "And all these owls - the only owl I need is from Anne. People should get the hint if I'm ignoring their owls. I need space from everyone. Including you."

Sebastian wheeled back around and continued down the trail, hoping Sunan would stop following him now, but the sound of Sunan's footsteps persisted.

"Is this what you have been up to, then? Burrowing into the Dark arts again, holed up in your corner like a damned hermit?" Sunan's voice demanded from behind. "Searching for the cure that will only drown you deeper in despair?"

No response. Sunan went on, frustrated, "I understand what you are going through, but what good comes out of isolating yourself from your friends?"

Sebastian halted. "That's it. Say another word and you'll regret it."

"Sallow - "

Sebastian wheeled around, strode back towards Sunan, and shoved him against the tall rock by the trail.

Sunan grunted as his back hit the jagged surface hard and unexpectedly. He tried to straighten himself up, but Sebastian pinned him back against the rock by his shoulder. Sebastian quickly drew his wand and brought its tip to Sunan's chest.

Silence stretched in the air, heavy and volatile.

Sunan said, cautiously, "Sebastian. You should calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down. Don't act like you have a bloody clue what I'm going through," growled Sebastian, pressing the wand onto Sunan's throat. Sunan's breathing hitched.

Sebastian went on, with a harsh scoff, "and you said friends? Don't delude yourself. We were just using each other. I needed you to find Anne's cure, and you needed me to find Isidora's traces in the Highlands. It seems rather clear now - we've nothing more to offer each other."

Something like hurt flickered in Sunan's eyes. Sebastian's lips pulled into a smirk. "Unless you're angling for more lessons in Dark magic?" He leaned in closer and whispered, "have you tried any of the Unforgivable Curses yet? You were so keen to learn."

Sunan's brow flinched. "No, I have not." His voice went low and sardonic. "Unlike you, I don't resort to Dark magic every time I hit a snag."

"Oh. There's such a thing as a right time for Dark magic?" Sebastian sniggered. "How enlightened of you. Care to share with the class?"

Sunan retorted instantly, "it's more the matter of what you shouldn't do with it." Then he paled a little, as if regretting his words.

Sebastian glared at Sunan, his eyes set stone cold. His jaw clenched and his wand-holding arm trembled finely in anger.

Or was it fear? Fear that he would give into the hot anger at any moment and hurt his friend - verging so close to making yet another choice he would surely regret?

Sebastian dropped his wand. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the self-loathing take over him. What the hell was he doing? He was pointing his wand at his friend. A friend that came to check on him. A friend that stuck by his side when he'd kept making bad, irreversible decisions.

"Sebastian?" Sunan's voice prompted him softly.

Sebastian turned away, letting go of Sunan's shoulder. He covered his face with a hand and muttered, "oh, piss off."

"I ... sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me." Sunan put a hand on Sebastian's shoulder and leaned in. "I shouldn't have said that. Are you, erm. Are you all right?"

Sebastian kept a hand on his face and pushed Sunan with the other, staggering back to widen the distance between them. Sunan didn't push back; he waited where he stood.

Sebastian wiped the tears off, turned away from Sunan. He took a few deep breaths before he spoke again.

"I'm just ... I'm worried sick. I just want to know where Anne is and if she's doing well." His voice broke; he took another deep breath. "I know I deserve this, but she's the only family I have left. And I'm the only family she has left."

Moments passed in quiet. Sebastian now stood with his head hanging low, trying very hard to keep his sniffling quiet, unsure what to do next.

Then Sunan walked towards him. Alarmed, Sebastian bolted upright with "what -" but was stunned into silence.

Sunan was embracing him. Sebastian's first uncharitable instinct was to shove him away. After all, they were in the middle of a heated argument. But he couldn't bring himself to do so.

After Solomon's death, the Sallow home had been flooded with letters and gifts of condolences. Sebastian hadn't opened any of them. Most people didn't know the truth behind Solomon's death; they believed he had died in his sleep. Their kind words - and their ignorance on what had truly happened - served Sebastian nothing but pure torment.

On the other hand, Ominis and Sunan knew everything, but still remained his friends. Why? A small wonder rose in Sebastian. And why did Sunan, for that matter? They'd known each other for less than a year, and their friendship had set off on the prospect of mutual benefits. What did Sunan have to gain from Sebastian now that he'd found Isidora's memories? And after everything Sebastian had done?

Somewhere far out, wind swept across the fields just outside of Feldcroft. Sebastian stood still and listened to the distant sound of sheep bleating and rye ears rubbing together.

He found an inexplicable comfort in Sunan's arms. They were wrapped firmly around him, as if to stop him from slipping off a cliff. The slight rise and fall of Sunan's chest against his, the weight of Sunan's head nestled on his shoulder, the warmth of it all, somehow felt exactly like what Sebastian had needed.

Sebastian shrugged, feeling an itch from Sunan's hair on his ear and neck. Sunan pulled away. Sunan's gaze moved up to Sebastian's, and their eyes locked.

The look on Sunan's face was uncertain, almost sheepish, with a slight crease in his brows. His dark brown eyes stayed on Sebastian's face, blinking slowly, as if gauging what to do next. After a few blinks, Sunan averted his eyes.

"Er," Sebastian uttered, despite himself, as he watched Sunan's face turn scarlet all the way up to his ears.

"I - sorry," mumbled Sunan. His eyes flicked everywhere but Sebastian's face. "That was - uncalled for, I think." Before Sebastian could say anything, Sunan wheeled around. "I should head back now."

Dumbfounded, Sebastian watched Sunan hurry down the trail and up the stone stairs.

Sebastian huffed a laugh and murmured to himself, "what just happened?"