Body and Soul | Ominis Gaunt

Chapter 8: Shadows of Tension

Chapter 8: Shadows of Tension

Not edited or proofread but I'll get to it...eventualy....hopefully

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Snowflakes littered the air as late fall enveloped Hogwarts and shrouded the Undercroft in secrecy. The hushed whispers of Sebastian's research cast an air of unease over the once vibrant sanctuary.

Aurora watched as Sebastian's gaze flickered between the worn pages of one of the books he took from the restricted section months ago, oblivious to the mounting concern etched onto her face. The sanctity of the Undercroft had become an arena of whispers and shadows conspiring to unveil the secrets consuming her friend.

The crate creaked as Aurora shuffled over to the make-shift kitchen they had set up in the corner of the Undercroft in their 4th year. Something about Sebastian needing ample access to pumpkin pie prompted them to call a few house elves for help to transfigure the space.

Aurora, her voice barely more than a whisper, stopped by Ominis who was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed with his familiar concentrated look in his face.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Ominis' mouth deepened into a frown as he gave her a stiff nod, his eyes reflecting her unease. "I've been listening to him mutter under his breath this entire time - 'I'll stay away from the dark arts' my arse - the amount of curses he's muttered in the past 30 minutes is enough to send a man to Azkaban."

Rory came to lean next to him on the counter, their shoulders a breath away from touching. "I'm conflicted between supporting him and stopping it before it gets any worse." She confessed, her heart hammering in her throat. "We are all he has, and I want Anne back, but I just don't know if I want to potentially lose him in the process."

Aurora watched as Ominis' eyes flickered over to her, as if he could see her insecurity and hesitance. She felt stripped bare under his gaze before he flickered it back to Sebastian.

A breath away.

Aurora's breath caught in her throat when she felt Ominis' fingers brush against hers. Heat bloomed beneath her skin at the fleeting touch.

Breaths frozen in the air.

Hearts beating in unison.

One more centimeter and Aurora could feel the rough pads of Ominis' fingers begin to envelope her own.

"Guys, I think I've found something! A way to break Anne's curse."

Auroras heart sank as they both ripped their hands away, the warmth of Ominis' touch dissipating like smoke in the air. Clearing her throat, she made her way over as unaffected as she could

"Found what exactly Sebastian?" She asked.

Sebastian, undeterred by the palpable tension, continued, "A cure! It's in Salazar Slytherin's Scriptorium. Ominis, you know where it is, right?"

Ominis tensed, his reluctance evident as he pushed himself off the counter. "Yes, but delving into the dark arts—"

"This isn't dark arts, Ominis," Sebastian interjected. "It's research. I'm not casting spells, just gathering information. Please, I need your help."

Ominis, frustration etching lines on his forehead, stopped in front of Sebastian, "You're playing with fire, and you don't even realize it. There's no cure Sebastian - what did your book even say?"

Anger flashed in Sebastian's eyes, "there is a cure. And I don't know, the book speaks of a relic and references a book hidden in the scriptorium that explains its use. But this is it, I just know it."