Run Away ✧ Hogwarts Legacy

chapter ten

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Trigger Warning: This chapter includes sensitive conduct - please see the comment for a full description of conduct. 

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Fifth Year

Dark, wet, gloomy graveyards were becoming very undesirable places by that point in the year. It was gross and dirty with spiderwebs clinging to their clothing with each step deeper into the ancient catacomb. The next owl that he sent out to her should be to go somewhere less dreadful. Maybe I could ask her to dinner? Sebastian Sallow considered to himself randomly as he walked. No, that's too forward. She might say no. It should be more casual like a picnic by the lake. Or is that not forward enough?

"Are we heading in the right direction still? I feel lost in here," Antheia asked as they entered what must have been the hundredth burial room. 

"Almost there, I promise." Sebastian smiled back at her. 

He did his best to not let his voice sound too worried. The truth was that he realized he was lost about five rooms around but wasn't going to admit that out loud. As far as Antheia was aware he always had everything under control. 

Bringing her along with the risk of possibly needing to use dark magic still lingered in the back of his head. He had been honest with her when they entered about the Imperio curse appearing often during his research and expected her to change her mind. In truth, he wanted her to stay behind.

When Antheia said she wouldn't learn the spell but still wanted to help, then selfishly he began to worry more. Afraid of history repeating itself. 

There had seemed like no logical reason to use a mind control curse against the creatures inside the catacomb. Spells and charms of all kinds of magic worked just as well at destroying any threats to them. Mostly, Sebastian was afraid of running into another trap like that bloody door in the Scriptorium. Using an unforgivable on Antheia wasn't an idea he was fond of.

Be weary as the effects are similar to that of the Imperio Curse. He had read in the notebook. The base of the magic may be the same as the curse. Anyone handling should be experienced in the curse as a counter to the relic's power and its protector. 

Sebastian still hadn't figured out who the protector of the relic had been. It kept appearing in his research by only that name. 

But if was going to come down to fight then he was confident in winning that at least. Antheia was likely powerful enough to stand anyone down and if he needed to know the curse to win that fight then he'd take that choice for the both of them. 

"I think this should be the last room," Sebastian grunted as he began pushing against the heavy stone door. 

The moment it was just creaked enough for one person to slip through the growls of spiders made themselves present. As if the skeletons were annoying enough, now the spiders wanted a turn. 

"For Merlin's sake," He cursed under his breath.

"You go ahead," Antheia offered, "See if you can find anything and I'll take care of the spiders."

"Are you sure?"

"I won't be much help trying to find that relic," She laughed lightly, "But I'm pretty good at killing spiders."

Sebastian looked into the empty room on the other side of the door and the table of documents, boxes, and everything he read about. Leaving her alone wasn't the chivalrous thing to do, but he felt drained from the hours of fighting already and her ancient magic seemed like an endless source of energy. There was still a lot about her magic that drove his curiosity, but that could wait. Eventually, he nodded and went in ahead of her.