Crucio - A love story

8. The cold plunge

A not-so-welcome break in their routine came in the form of their headmaster, pulling Eloise out of potions class. "Miss Jacobs, a word if you please." He drawled, motioning toward the dark hallway awaiting beyond the classroom door.

Ominis already stood beside a somber-looking auror, looking poised for a fight. His features schooled in his usual mask of annoyance.

"I'm sorry to be the one to bring you this news." The auror stated. Eloise instinctively reached for Ominis's hand, dreading what was to come. Ominis threaded his long fingers through hers as if they'd done this a million times already. "Mister Gaunt has been temporarily placed in a holding facility, to be delivered to Azkaban as soon as he turns twenty-one."

Eloise felt all the blood drain from her face. "What?" She breathed, clasping her free hand over her open mouth, stifling a sob.

"What can we do?" Ominis defensively shot back. "They haven't even called on us to testify on his behalf, how is any of this fair?"

"I'm sorry, mister Gaunt." The auror met his eyes with a stare just as poisonous, letting them know he was doing them a favor by even delivering this news to them personally. "The council found testimonies given by students to be ah-... unreliable."

"This is outrageous," Ominis sneered silently, squeezing Eloise's hand tighter. The auror soon nodded his farewell toward the headmaster before trudging steadfastly up the dungeon stairs.

"Since this is such a hard time for the both of you," The headmaster solemnly nodded. "I will grant you leave from today's classes."

All the two could do was nod politely before making their way over to the Slytherin common room, not letting go of each other's hands before reaching Ominis's empty dormitory. Once there, Eloise fell back against the door, finally letting go of the sob stuck so deep in her throat.

"Shhh," Ominis cooed, catching her before she hit the floor. He crouched down and held her tight while she cried, her head buried in his shoulder and her legs halfway across his lap.

"We'll find a way." He kept repeating, stroking her hair and kissing her temple softly. "There has to be another way..."

They sat there for what felt like years or hours before Eloise untangled herself from Ominis and rested her head back against the cold door. "Do you think he's scared?" She asked.

"There are many words to describe Seb, but scared is not one of them." Ominis smiled a soft smile. "He'll probably have befriended half the other prisoners and the guards by now."

Eloise chuckled, wiping the remains of her tears from her face before turning toward Ominis. His cheeks still sparkled from the trails of his sadness. "You're right," she mumbled, wiping his cheeks with the sleeve of her robes.

"Well," She sighed. "What shall we do with our newfound freedom today, then?"

"You know, I just so happen to know where the Hufflepuffs keep their stash of firewhiskey." he wiggled his eyebrows. "Seems like just the time to go check out if my sources are to be trusted."

"Go ahead." Eloise smiled. "I'll wait here."

Ominis took off not long after that in search of their relief for the rest of the day, while Eloise decided to make herself more comfortable. She swapped out her class robes for a cozy nightgown and longingly stood next to Sebastian's bed.

"Oh, Seb..." She trailed a hand over the untouched duvet, before deciding to lay down on top of the made covers. Everything still smelled of him here. Merlin, she missed him so.

"Join me," Eloise suggested as soon as Ominis crept back through the door, holding a full bottle of firewhiskey and two glasses. He shuffled over to the bed, removing his shoes before sitting in a cross-legged position atop the covers just like she was.