In the Shadow of Regret (Sebastian Sallow Story)

Chapter Seventeen| One that ever has loved me

Warning!!! This chapter has depictions of trauma, death, and anxiety. If anyone is sensitive to this please read with caution.

Sebastian's POV

I suddenly feel a sharp pain in my shoulder as I move over to place my book on the ground. "Fuck" I groan to myself as I slowly lower myself onto my back. Brattleby has gotten significantly stronger since the year before. Perhaps it is time that I stop holding back the next time we duel.

As I lay on the grassy field just outside of Hogwarts, I close my eyes to take in the warm summer breeze. With each breath that I take, I can already feel my body slowly start to relax. Easing the aching pain in my shoulder. I take my robe and place it underneath my head as I concentrate on the sounds around me. I never realized how therapeutic being out here can be. Especially when all I want is to be left alone. Alone to reflect...Alone to grieve...Alone to heal. 

I slowly start to drift to sleep and as I do everything goes silent.

I open my eyes and find myself back in the catacombs. I push myself up onto my feet and take a glance around. Is this a dream? How did I get here? I turn around and notice a large stone table at the end of the room. I move in to take a closer look and I instantly recognize the object placed in the center. It's the relic. I reach out to grab it and as I do the relic is suddenly yanked behind me. I turn around and see Solomon. My hands begin to tremble as I am frozen in place. All I can do is look back at my uncle...

"She cannot be healed, Sebastian! You must stop!" Solomon yells as he begins to walk towards me. I back up only for me to trip over my feet and fall to the ground. My eyes still not leaving his. As I attempt to scramble onto my feet, my blood instantly runs cold as I hear a familiar voice from behind me.

"I won't let her suffer! Avada Kedavra!"

Solomon is thrown onto the ground by a ray of green light. Once again I am unable to move as I stare at Solomon's lifeless body. I slowly look over my shoulder and see a pair of black boots. I look up to see Amara standing over me. She is dressed in all black with her face being just barely visible under her dark robe. She kneels to look at me and removes the hood from her head. I look into her eyes, but it isn't Amara who is staring back.

"W-what did you do?" I say

"I didn't do anything..." She replies as she glances down at my hand. "You did."

I look down to see my wand bearing a faint stream of green smoke.

"I am not a murderer... and yet you treat me like one..." she says as she stares back into my eyes. My breathing begins to pick up drastically as I watch Amara stand back up. She pulls her hood over her head and the minute she does...she changes into a dementor. My heart immediately accelerates. I am paralyzed with fear as I am left unable to break eye contact with the dementor. The dementor leans in and begins to suck air out of my lungs.

That is when I am finally able to wake up. I let out a strained gasp and as I look around I realize that I am back at Hogwarts. I try my best to slow down my breathing by taking a couple of deep breaths. But despite my best efforts it doesn't seem to be working. Ever since Solomon's death, I have been prone to sudden bursts of panic. I thought I had seen the worst of it, but this, this was different.

My vision is blurry to the point where I cannot see my own hands in front of me. The whole world feels as though it is closing in despite me being outside. I don't know what is worse, closing my eyes and seeing the dark silhouette of the dementor or keeping them open to witness the world closing in. As a final attempt to ease my breathing, I decide to close my eyes and focus on the sound of the nearby lake.