Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

A Promise Broken

A/N - Another painful chapter I'm afraid. Proceed with caution.

Silence swelled in the small cottage kitchen, muting even the rain. Amber lamplight washed over the creamy tiles, lighting on the ornaments, the mugs, the plates, the pots and pans that lined the shelves, curving around the petals of the vase of daffodils on the side and the lilies on the table, wilting just a little as time caught up with them, deep shadows flickering in hidden corners. The silence seemed to grow, and with it came a chill, a coldness, a creeping dread, a terrible finality.

It seemed as though the words Professor Weasley uttered were something physical, and Dracaena could almost see them falling from her lips like drops of lead, rolling down her chin to drip to the floor with an unheard clunk, each echo sending a pulse through the spreading circle of silence. Her skin prickled, and it seemed as though she wasn't standing quite where she stood, her hand on Sebastian's shoulder, Ominis by her side.

It was as though she was standing ever so slightly outside of herself, turning to stare at her partners, her vision blurring just a little, the material of Sebastian's shirt under her hand not quite real, her fingers almost sliding through it.

"When?" she heard Ominis say, and his voice was strained, muffled, as though someone had cast the Bubble-Head Charm.

"Last night," Professor Weasley said. "It was quite late, around three in the morning. I'm sorry it took so long to come to you, I've had to make some arrangements with St Mungo's and the Ministry."

"How?" Sebastian asked. His voice was distant, barely a whisper in a dream. A nightmare. Dracaena shook herself, increasing her grip on his shoulder, putting out her other hand to steady Ominis as he swayed alarmingly beside her, his complexion pale and wan.

"I'm afraid the curse took its toll," Professor Weasley said, gently. "She fought very hard, Sebastian, right until the end."

"This... this is a joke, right?" Sebastian said with a desperate, tiny laugh, getting to his feet and staring around at them all. His eyes were so wide they showed the whites all around, the grin on his face fixed, as though painted by someone who had only ever heard a smile described. "It's not a very good one, guys. Thought you had better pranks than this. I'm impressed you got Weasley on board though, unless someone's had some Polyjuice potion?"

"It's not a prank, Sebastian," Professor Weasley said, her tone soft. She raised a hand to him, and Sebastian jerked back.

"Like hell it isn't," he said. "Anne's not... she hasn't... come on, it's not funny."

"Sebastian..." Ominis clung to his shoulder, swaying where he stood. "Anne's..."

"She's not DEAD!" Sebastian roared, making them all jump. He glared at them, his eyes still frighteningly wide, then he wrenched out of their grip and stormed for the door, shouldering roughly past Professor Weasley and throwing it open.

"Seb-!" Dracaena managed, before the door slammed, and the silence resumed, aching and empty.

Professor Weasley looked between her, Ominis, and the door, her lips parted. She raised a hand to her chest, the corners of her eyes glimmering as Ominis sank into Sebastian's vacated seat. They all jumped again as there was a clatter, and Gran hurried back into the kitchen, frowning.

"Goodness me, what on earth..." she pulled up short as she saw Professor Weasley standing by the door. "Ah... you're one of the teachers, aren't you? Mrs Weasley?"

"Matilda," she replied, weakly. "I'm terribly sorry to call at this hour, Mrs Hughes, however I..."

"Where's Sebastian?" Gran demanded, and Dracaena glanced at Ominis, trepidation bubbling in her gut. His expression was blank and hollow.