No Choice But You // Ominis Gaunt x Reader

Chapter 2

The sorting ceremony was over quickly, and the feast started. I placed myself at the back end of the Slytherin table, away from the others. 

Everything I ate felt like ashes on my tongue. I stopped eating after a few bites and switched to sipping on the goblet of water to make myself look busy. 

Occasionally, a second or third year came up to me to marvel at my accomplishments from my fifth year. I gave them fake smiles and regaled the tales as if they weren't as horrible as they were. They were happy. Then they would leave, giggling and chatting with their friends about how they got to talk to the 'hero'. 

If only they knew. 

If only all these people knew what I'd done back then. 

Everyone knew what happened with Sebastian because of the articles in the Daily Prophet. Everyone knew his tale of woe, and how he had no other choice but to turn to the dark arts in his time of need. While I was happy he was granted a pardon, I only wished I'd gotten some kind of punishment myself for everything that had happened. Maybe then, I'd be able to turn back to my old life like nothing had happened as Sebastian did. 

I could see him at the head of the table, frivolously chatting away with his old buddies like old times. Everyone was happy to see him back. I couldn't deny that I was too, but I knew I wasn't worthy enough to talk to him. 

Another second-year approached me, a Gryffindor, tapping me on my shoulder, pulling my eyes away from Sebastian. 

"Is it true you took down a troll in Hogsmeade during your first day at Hogwarts?" they excitedly asked. I noticed their friends huddled a few feet away, monitoring the interaction. I plastered on a smile. 

"It is," I said, raising an eyebrow. "Pay attention in your defense against the dark arts class, and you may learn a thing or two that will help you if something like that happens to you."

"Are there trolls in Hogsmeade often?" they asked, nervously. 

"Haven't seen one there since that day, luckily," I laughed. "I don't reckon you'll be running into trolls anytime soon. But keep your wits about you." 

They nodded and ran back to their friends. 

I let the fake smile fall away, and I counted the minutes until the Headmaster sent us back to our commons. Like last year, I'd be roomed with Imelda and Nerida, which was little cause for concern. Both of them tended to keep to themselves. The only outlier was Anne Sallow. She might end up in my room this year as well. There was a great chance that she would be. 

Once the feast was over, I quickly headed down to the Slytherin commons, dodging familiar faces and questions on my way. Imelda was a prefect, so she was stuck showing the first years around.

The seventh-year dorms were in a special place--up a set of stairs near the back of the commons. It was an abnormally large room to celebrate our tenure at Hogwarts, with extra plush beds, and we even had our own closet space and desks. There was a beautiful chandelier lighting the room overhead, and lush Slytherin colored carpets lavishly strewn about the floor. I found the bed with my trunk at the end and immediately readied myself for bed. Our dorm even had its own bathroom attached to the dorm, which was a luxury I was going to take full advantage of. Less crowded showers and fewer people huddled over the same mirrors trying to do their makeup in the mornings. Not that I had any room to pay attention to such things as makeup. 

I was already laid down in my bed with my head under the covers when I felt the mattress shift. I poked my face out to see Anne Sallow seated at the edge of the bed. 

"You've really let yourself go, haven't you?" she said. "You're not the same girl I met all those years ago when Sebastian brought you home to meet me."

I scoffed and pulled the covers back up. I was ready for lights out. I just wanted to go to sleep and fast-forward myself to tomorrow when classes would start and distract me from everything else. 

Anne ripped the covers back, making me look at her. "Talk to my brother. He misses you."

"He shouldn't talk to me," I stated. "He should keep far away from the likes of me."

"I don't think so," Anne said. "He told me that thinking about you and Ominis were the only things that kept him sane during his time in Azkaban."

I shuddered. I didn't want to think about what it was like for him there. It was the fate I should've had, but the one he was given instead. My fault. I squeezed my eyes shut. 

"Just stop being a prick to everyone and talk to us," she pleaded. "You're only hurting yourself."

"Whatever." I yanked the covers back up. Anne left in a huff. 

That night, I had nightmares, just like normal. 

* * * 

Ominis looked at me with dark eyes. A dagger was in his hand, and he plunged it into my side. I didn't even flinch, despite the pain. 

It was nothing compared to the lasting effects of using dark magic. 

Inside me, tendrils of darkness and curses twisted about, tying my stomach into knots and encasing my heart in a thick coating of shadows. Feel nothing. Think nothing. Say nothing. 

"You don't even feel bad, do you?" he spat. His glossy eyes frowned as he twisted the dagger between my ribs. I felt the tickle of blood as it trickled across my abdomen. 

Feel nothing. Think nothing. Say nothing. 

I owed Ominis so much. I owed him a friend. I owed him his happiness. I owed him everything. I would never be worthy to talk to him, so I kept my mouth shut. 

I fell to my knees against my will, succumbing to the loss of blood. I still felt nothing. At least it was nothing in comparison to the lasting effects that using the unforgivables had on me. 

"You are not even sorry," he hissed, driving the dagger into me, all the way to the hilt. 

Everything went black. 

Feel nothing. Think nothing. Say nothing.

I let myself fade into the darkness.