Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Reading Between the Lines

Four long, tense hours passed as Dracaena kept watch, her wand in hand, light roving over the tunnel in which they camped, throwing deep shadows over the juts and dips of the stone walls. No sooner had she scanned her surroundings, her gaze was drawn back to Sebastian and the lines on his arm.

She knew enough of the world to know what such neat, uniform marks meant. Those were no bramble scratches, no animal bite, no mishap with a spell. They were deliberate. Tears welled in her eyes as she focused on them, the thin, red stripes stark against his freckled skin. How long had he been doing it? Since he learned of Anne's death? Since her rushed funeral? Perhaps even before?

How had she not noticed? Why hadn't she pushed when she asked him why his arm had been hurting him? Was this part of the reason he resisted lying with her, gently shying away from her advances? He didn't want her to see? Now that she thought of it, he'd not even removed his clothes properly in her presence for quite some time.

Dracaena gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as a tear slid over her cheek. She knew he was hurting, but to do this? His new recklessness, seen before only when he was being corrupted by the relic, coupled with this mad fervour to find the Source, his last hope of bringing his twin back. God only knew what he'd do if it didn't work.

She shivered, hugging herself, her knees drawn to her chest as she scrubbed her cheek. They didn't know what the Source was capable of, not really, and all Fotheringham's research suggested it was meant to be used as a weapon, not as something like a cure for death.

Even if it could do it, what would that mean for Anne? Dracaena had no idea what lay beyond the veil of this life, only that ghosts existed and that spirits could be called back, for a time. Even that old legend about the Hallows that Ominis had told her, that Resurrection Stone, couldn't bring someone back properly. What if the Source was like some kind of cruel genie, or a fae creature, known for trickery and deceit? Was it sealed away because its very nature was Dark? If she was brought back, would Anne be in terrible pain once more, or would she be forced to inhabit her old body, now surely rotting, bloated and worm-eaten, and Sebastian would be forced to watch his twin suffer once more?

She jumped as Sebastian stirred, then sat up with a yawn and a groan.

"Timesit?" he managed, peering over the fire at her.

"It's been a few hours," she replied, pleased that her voice was steady, her face hidden by her hair. "You can sleep a little more, if you like."

"Nah," he stood up, groaning as he stretched. "You need to rest too, love."

He moved over, tilting his head as she looked away. He sat beside her and took her hand.

"You okay? Not too freaked out by this whole adventure I hope?"

Dracaena forced a laugh. "No, this is actually pretty standard for me. Trolls, dugbogs, dragons, dementors... and now a gorgon to cross of my list of things I never thought I'd survive an encounter with." She leaned on his shoulder, nuzzling against him. "And you?"

"I mean, I near about shit myself in that maze more than once," he said, resting his head on hers. "And I kinda feel like I should have done more, you know? I get that it was Ominis' trial, but all the same... I'm meant to be able to protect you both. What use am I if I can't do that? I couldn't even save Anne."

He winced and looked away, his breath hitching. Dracaena pulled his hand into her lap, covering it with both of hers.

"We'd never have survived without you," she whispered. "I need you to be here with me, Sebastian. I need you by my side. I can't do any of this without you."