Lost Devotion // Sebastian Sallow

Saucers

As I descended the steps into the Slytherin common room I noticed that it was now mostly empty. Only a handful of students were scattered about the entire area and thankfully the chairs in front of the fireplace were still unoccupied.

As I sank into the cozy seat, a wave of warmth enveloped me, courtesy of the crackling fire. The common room always seemed to retain a coolness, regardless of the season, but it was during autumn and winter that it truly chilled to the bone. With a steaming cup of tea in hand, I took a sip, allowing my thoughts to wander aimlessly.

It was a bit disappointing not to find Ominis seated in his usual spot, leisurely sipping his own drink or engrossed in his studies. Surprisingly, his familiar presence was absent everywhere I had gone today, and it left me wondering why. Strangely enough, it seemed like everyone was intentionally avoiding each other after the party, although I desperately wished that my assumption was wrong.

I could understand why Imelda would be staying away from me or why Garreth would be hiding but not Ominis and not even Sebastian. Those two did share a room so perhaps they were off somewhere together, finally spending time with each other or getting along once more.

Now that I think about it, I realized that they have been communicating more frequently lately. I even saw them together in the corridors and coming out of the boys' dorm hallway. All I wanted was for them to regain their past bond or at least something close to it. It was always heartbreaking for me to witness how it affected Ominis during sixth year.

"Olivia?" a familiar voice pulled me out of my contemplation.

As I leaned forward in my chair, I caught sight of Imelda with Quidditch gear in her arms. The surprise on my face seemed to mirror her own expression, which appeared on the verge of running away.

"Imelda?" I finally spit out. "I haven't seen you since last night."

The Quidditch gear landed on the nearby couch with a soft thud as she nonchalantly tossed it aside. Walking around to the front of the fireplace, she settled into the other chair, her hand rhythmically rubbing the side of her neck. It was clear that her nerves were getting the best of her.

"Um yeah...the party..." she trailed off a bit and we sat in silence for a moment.

My thoughts were in chaos, a storm raging within me. I silently pleaded with her to break the silence, while internally scolding myself for not finding the perfect words to mend the situation. Yet, this time, I made a firm choice not to interfere. 

I had spent far too many occasions cleaning up messes that weren't my responsibility or trying to fix the problems of others. It was about time I allowed her to take charge and find her own resolution.

Emotions danced across her face like colors on a blank canvas, each one telling a different story. She struggled to find her voice, but eventually managed to croak out a sentence.

"I'm sorry that I kissed your boyfriend." Her face looked as if someone had just died.

It dawned on me that she was still completely oblivious to the fact that Garreth and I had called it quits. In her mind, she had just kissed someone who was off-limits. I found myself staring at her, my thoughts scrambling to formulate a coherent response.

All that escaped from my lips was uproarious laughter, I was unable to stifle it no matter how much I attempted. The sheer hilarity of the moment was overwhelming and it only made her expression become worse. I knew I had to just tell her the truth at this point, I wanted to all along anyway since it happened.