🥀 Roses and Novels | Hogwarts Legacy Fanfic | Sebastian, Ominis and Evander

🥀 - Chapter 29 -🌹

(Helena's Perspective)

It took weeks agonizing, endless weeks before I saw Ominis again.

He gave me all the space I needed, quite literally. He vanished from every corner of my life. No sign of him in the Slytherin dorms, at breakfast, or even in the hallways. And in class? He was always the first to leave, never letting me get close enough to say a single word.

I missed him, terribly.

I longed to tell him how I felt, again and again, but he wouldn't give me the chance.

As the days passed, whispers began to circulate around the school about an upcoming masquerade ball. Suddenly everyone was hunting for masks, gowns, and dates. But I only wanted to go with one person. The one who was avoiding me like I didn't exist.

And then.. of course, the next time I saw him, it wasn't under ordinary circumstances.

I was in the infirmary.

–Two Days Earlier–

I'd gone into the forest with Garreth, helping him collect ingredients for another one of his mysterious potions. He never revealed exactly what he was trying to brew, but as far as he was concerned, I was the best at finding rare ingredients and navigating the hidden corners of the magical world.

We wandered the woods, laughing, singing, joking like old friends. Garreth always felt like the big brother I never had. He made me forget Ominis, even if just for a few sweet moments. Sometimes, I suspected he had a quiet crush on me but I never brought it up.

We'd found three of the four ingredients. The last one? Mongrel fur.

Garreth led us to a cave high on a snowy ridge in the Black Forest. According to him, it was a known den. We crept inside carefully, avoiding spider burrows along the path. I held my wand tightly, ready. Garreth knew a few spells but he was always more focused on his potions than self-defense.

The cave was empty.

*Strange. No Mongrels. No fur. Nothing.*

Then I heard a scream from outside.

I rushed back out and saw Garreth in full panic, wand raised. Behind him stood a massive, white wolf. Its fur gleamed like snow, and its eyes golden-brown and mournful locked onto mine.

"Garreth, don't move. Stay low," I whispered, easing him down.

The wolf mirrored our movement. Slowly, I conjured a piece of raw meat in front of it, keeping my hands raised. It sniffed me, its cold nose brushing my cheek. We stared at each other something passed between us. Trust? Recognition?

It took the meat gently... and turned away.

I grabbed Garreth's hand. "Now we run."

Branches cracked behind us as we fled, the white wolf in pursuit, faster than we ever could be. I shoved Garreth behind a tree and dropped to my knees again.

Hands up. Eyes locked.

The wolf skidded to a stop, sniffed my face once more... and sat in front of me. Silent. Powerful. Sad. I wanted to touch it.

Then rustling came from the left.

A Mongrel burst from the brush.

The wolf turned, leapt, and collided with it. Teeth, claws, howls it was a blur of violence.

I spotted my chance, dove in, and quickly sliced a tuft of fur from the Mongrel's side. But as I turned, pain tore through my thigh—its claws had found me.