Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

A Remarkable Discovery

Dracaena stirred, something filtering through the fog of sleep, drawing her unwillingly into wakefulness. She became alert in an instant as she realised that Sebastian was stirring beside her, stretching out sluggish hands, his face screwed up, his breathing ragged.

"Anne..." he whispered, a low whine building in his throat. "No... come back..."

"Sebastian?" she twisted, levering herself to sit as he groaned, a low whine building in his throat. She tucked a hand under his head, turning him to her and gently shaking his shoulder. "Wake up, love, you're having a nightmare."

Sebastian writhed, each movement slow and accompanied by another soft whimper.

"Anne..." he repeated, over and over. "Anne... no... Anne..."

"Shh," she soothed, brushing his hair back, pulling him closer. "Sebastian, wake up."

A soft thrum of magic passed through her chest, and Sebastian woke with a little start. He stared around wildly for a moment before his face crumpled, and he curled into her, sobbing against her chest.

"It's all my fault," he wept, his hands tight at her back. "I didn't do enough, I stopped trying, I gave up on her! She's dead because of me!"

"Shh, darling," Dracaena pulled him close, nuzzling his hair. "It was never your fault, Sebastian. You did everything you could for her, you kept trying when everyone else stopped. It's not your fault, it's Rookwood's. It was him, not you."

"I can't," Sebastian sobbed. "It hurts, Drac."

"I know," she murmured, running her hand over his back. "I'm sorry I didn't do more."

Sebastian shook his head, burying his face between her breasts. He mumbled something she couldn't hear, and she tucked down. "I'm sorry? I didn't hear you."

He shook his head again and refused to repeat himself, holding her tight, his agonised cries muffled in her shirt.

"I..." Dracaena sighed, squeezing her eyes shut, wishing she could take it all away. "Bassy... if I could make this stop..."

"Don't," he managed, his fingers digging into her back. "I deserve this. It's all my fault. I never even got to say goodbye." He hissed a sharp breath, pulling her closer. "Promise me you won't do it. Promise me you won't learn what Isidora did. I need it to hurt."

Dracaena winced, then cupped his chin, forcing him to look up at her, his tear-stained face highlighted by soft, silver moonlight.

"I need you to listen to me," she whispered, boring her eyes into his. Sebastian grimaced and tried to turn away, but she held firm. "Sebastian, listen. I don't care how many times I have to say it, but this was not your fault. You did more for Anne than anyone else, your search was tireless. You say you gave up, but you still looked, even after we fought Rathbone. You still had hope. All that happened was we ran out of time. It was a race we couldn't win."

Sebastian's breath hitched, another tear leaking out, and she released her grip, her hand sliding to cup his cheek. "If you have to blame anyone, blame me. I promised to cure her, and I didn't deliver. Don't blame yourself for doing everything in your power when the world was against you."

"It was against you too," Sebastian said, lowering his head to her chest again, curling into her and pushing his leg between hers. "Drac, the Keepers never would have told you how to do it. It's them. They stopped us. It's their fault."

"Yeah, it is," she whispered, winding her fingers through his hair. "Them and Rookwood. Not you."

"And Solomon," he said, bitterly. "He only tried St Mungo's and Blainey. He didn't even want to try a cursebreaker, said there was no point if it was goblin magic. He was against me all the time. Never wanted me looking. It's like he wanted her to hurt."