Different Times: Sebastian Sallow x Reader

11 - New Slytherins

Delilah's POV

As the summer passed, I spent my days reading and thinking about what might have been if they had stayed... if he had stayed.

I filled my days with music and books, occasionally fighting off the odd poacher wandering too close to the Graphorns.

My nights were filled with dreams of him and the few days we had spent together.

I never read his note, afraid of what it might say—good or bad. I didn't want to ruin what I believed it was meant to be. It had only been three days, but when you know you have feelings for someone, you just know.

And I knew in my heart Sebastian meant more to me than I could have ever dreamed of.

Yet here I was, alone.

Alone preparing to go back to school, where everyone assumed the worst about me. I had never done anything to make them think that way other than being related to Tom Riddle. Very few people ever bothered to notice I wasn't that kind of person.

I packed up my trunks and dressed in my school robes. Instead of my vest, though, I put on Sebastian's, leaving it unbuttoned the casual way he used to wear it.

Then I disapparated to the front entrance of Hogwarts.

I sent my trunks to the dorms and made my way into the Great Hall.

Most of Slytherin was already at the table. As I approached, I noticed a boy around my age waving at... me?

Suddenly, new memories flooded into my mind.

Able Thakkar.

"Delilah! I saved you a seat!" he called.

His face looked just like Ann's.

"Able, how was your summer?" I asked as I sat down beside him.

"Oh, spent most of it on a huge family camping trip so gramps could stargaze. You know him—nose always buried in a telescope unless he's with grandma."

I laughed, somehow knowing exactly what he meant despite never having truly lived those memories.

Ann was happy.

Just knowing they had made it back safely and that she had lived a full life warmed my heart.

"What, you don't share his obsession with the stars?" I teased.

"You know I do," he laughed, dramatically flipping his hair back, "but I also like my beauty sleep."

The two of us laughed and caught up on our summers.

A loud sigh suddenly sounded across the table as someone plopped down opposite us.

She had dark brown hair and brown eyes, and something about her felt deeply familiar even though my mind was still catching up with the new memories.

"Why are you staring at me funny, Gaunt?" she asked sharply in a thick Irish accent.

"I just can't seem to remember which branch of your family you're from," I said, trying to laugh it off.

"Be serious, Delilah. With a last name like Reyes-Black, it's not exactly forgettable."

Imelda rolled her eyes.

And suddenly it clicked.

She was the third Imelda in her family, and one of my closest friends.

I finally had close friends.

I vaguely remembered hearing that Ann and my grandmother had set Imelda up with an older student—Phineas Black Jr., who had been disowned for standing up for muggle rights.