Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

A Miracle

For the first time in months, Dracaena, Sebastian and Ominis actually focused on their studies as much as they were able, spending long hours in the Room and the library when they weren't at class. Not only did it serve to improve their grades (something Sebastian had a mild panic over when he realised his Potions work had slipped to an 'Acceptable'), but it helped Ominis keep his mind off his impending hearing for a few days, which was drawing alarmingly close.

They even managed to not think about the Ashwinders, the Gaunts, or Dracus Fotheringham some of the time, but as the date for Ominis' hearing approached, and Ominis became more and more distracted and irritable, Sebastian meandered over to his blackboards more frequently, and Dracaena was left to ponder the implications, remembering it was best to leave Ominis alone when he was this stressed. By the time the evening before the hearing arrived, he'd stopped talking to them altogether, preferring to study in silence and hissing at them if they spoke to him.

Sebastian tried his best to make up for it, showering Dracaena with affection whenever Ominis stalked off in a mood. He pulled her into his lap whenever they had to sit somewhere, his arms locked around her middle, whispering assurances, compliments and adoration until she gave in and snuggled him back, favouring him with all the attention he needed, the distraction welcome.

Besides, the desperate, frantic sounds he made when she pleased him was all the distraction she could ever have wanted.

In calmer moments, neither she nor Sebastian could figure out any more clues than the ones they had, even though Sebastian was often up until the small hours, either remaining in the library until he was kicked out, then breaking in again, or going over what he'd managed to research on magical tampering.

"Fig and Nott were right," he whispered to Dracaena. Ominis had gone off for a long soak in the bath, hissing irritably when she'd tried to ask if he needed anything. "It's really hard to tamper with magical documents, and it always leaves a trace. To meddle with them and only make it look like poor record keeping is unheard of. Practically impossible."

"Impossible?" she repeated, cuddled in his lap, her head resting against his shoulder, his pulse fluttering against her temple. "Like, not magically possible? It breaks the laws?"

"Well... no, not necessarily," he admitted. "But all magic leaves a trace, and you can't fuck around with a magical document without using magic."

"How'd he do it, then?" Dracaena asked.

"I have no earthly idea," Sebastian replied, staring down at his notes, spread before them. "All I can think of either points to leaving a magical trace, or non-magical means, both of which aren't possible. And then there's the way he's managed to erase so much of his work, even erasing memories."

"I don't think that's what he did," Dracaena said. "If you obliviate someone, doesn't that remove everything? Fig and Hecat still know who he is, but if they'd been obliviated, they wouldn't know him at all."

"Yeah, true..." Sebastian said, running a hand over his stubble. "I don't know how he did it, then. But he did. He must be a really powerful wizard."

"He must have worked for the Ministry too," Dracaena said. "If he was able to get in and mess with his records, he'd have to know where to find them, maybe be trusted enough to go about where he liked..."

"Maybe, but I don't think so, somehow," Sebastian said, his hand nestled at the small of her back. "We got in and learned things, and we're students, Drac. He's older, more experienced, and way more powerful. He's probably done this over years, a bit at a time to avoid being caught."