Fictober23

If you don't stop now 14/10

You were lucky it was so late, the prefect's patrols were over long ago so it was easier to sneak to the castle. Your quest to the forbidden forest took more than expected, what started as an innocent evening flight to keep Ashwinders in line turned out to be scouting a cave, getting lost in it, fighting Acromantulas, making it out of the cave, running into a Poachers, destroyed their camp, verily walking out alive and free the beast they had capture. None of the gosht noticed you on your way in, and you couldn't wait to get in bed after such a drainful day. 

When you entered the Slytherin common room you expected to find the usual darkness and tranquility that reigned there in the middle of the night. Still, you were startled when you ran into Ominis and Sebastian sitting in one of the sofas, waiting for you.

Sebastian seemed to be falling asleep, so you thought maybe you could sneak away without being noticed, but there was no way to throw Ominis off.

"Where had you been, MC?" he asked.

"Shit," you mumbled to yourself. Sebastian woke up completely and looked at you, for a moment he seemed relieved to see you arrive, but the next moment his frown was the same as Ominis's, they were upset with you.

"What are you guys doing down here?" you asked, avoiding his question. "I thought you would be asleep by now."

"Please MC, just answer" Sebastian gestured with his head, asking you to sit in front of them.

"Guys, I'm really tired right now and I want to go to sleep. Can we talk about whatever this is tomorrow?" You told them, trying to get up the stairs and to your room.

"You lost your chance to speak later when you decided to lie to us" Ominis was furious, you had no escape from this, so you decided to obey Sebastian. You approached slowly and sat with them.

"Why you didn't tell us?" asked Ominis "Why did you think we wouldn't realize you were missing?"

You knew that if Ominis could freeze just with his gaze he would have petrified you from the moment you set foot in the common room, it didn't matter he didn't have actual sight. But his gaze on you was cool, which made you feel guilty and uncomfortable 

"I'm sorry, but I had to go" You thought about lying again. To tell them you were in your Room of Requirments and you lost track of time, but what was the point if Sebastian could see the conditions in which you had arrived?

"You didn't have to, you chose to" said Sebastian "MC, look at you, for Merlin's beard! You are full of dirt, bruises, and... Is that blood on your sleeve?"

"I ran out of Wiggenweld potion, but it wasn't a deep cut, I promise" You prayed he didn't ask you to see it.

"The same way you promise you wouldn't keep fighting Poachers and Ashwinders?" Ominis raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You are unbelievable"

"Hold on, I have some Wiggenweld upstairs" Sebastian took a step towards the stairs but Ominis stopped him.

"No Sebastian, this had gone too far. MC, what the fuck are you thinking? Why do you insist on risking your life like this? Wondering the forbidden forest in the middle of the night and fighting dark wizards and Acromantulas!" you were surprised how Ominis could express so much anger and remain in such calm expression simultaneously.

"I told you, it is important. And some people need my help." You excused yourself.

"Seriously? So it just happened that some villager asked for your help at two in the morning?" Sebastian said sarcastically. "I doubt that"

"That wasn't the case tonight, but..." what was the point of explaining if they didn't listen?

"But nothing, MC." Ominis raised his voice a little "You don't go to class, you don't sleep, you lie to us, and you return to the castle at midnight with wounds that you couldn't heal..." his voice started to break "We have asked you, again and again, to stop playing hero. To ask us for help, but you don't listen. I had enough, If you don't stop now we..." he stopped mid-sentence. It seemed as if he had been practicing what he was going to say to you but didn't dare to finish it.

"We won't be your friend anymore" Sebastian finished for him. His gaze went to the floor, escaping yours.

"What? What do you mean?"

"We mean" continued Ominis, with his voice full of bitterness "that we are tired of seeing you get hurt and pushing us aside. So either you stop risking your life or we walk away."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum?" you were shocked, looking from Ominis to Sebastian without knowing what else to say.

"Call it what you want, but tell me your decision by morning. Good night MC" and just like that Ominis walked to the stairs and Sebastian followed him.

"Wait." You interrupted them halfway there. You were shocked, confused, and angry and you couldn't let them walk away like that "Are you really being this hypocrite with me, Sebastian?" Both of them turned to you "I stood by you every time you wanted to risk your life, fighting Goblins and delving into the dark arts, and now you turn your back on me for protecting this bloody school and all of you in it?" 

Sebastian closed his eyes for a second, when he opened them and looked at you his gaze was full of sadness, you had hurt him deeply.

"You know how that turned out. I don't want that for you."

"Besides" added Ominis "It is not your job to protect this school nor the hamlets"

"Then who is it? The authorities? Don't make me laugh" Ominis took a couple of steps down.

"They aren't here anymore MC, but we are. At least if you decide so" You had this conversation before. Ranrok and Rookwood were dead, you didn't have to worry about them anymore. Harlow was rotting in Azkaban, he couldn't hurt you or Nati ever again. Fig and the repository were gone, no one would force you to use your ancient magic you were free. Free to choose a normal life with your friends. Those had been Ominis words playing on your mind over and over while you watched him and Sebastian make their way upstairs.

You could still hear him, even tho they were out of sight. They had left you there with fear and uncertainty about what to do. You wonder if you would still have friends by morning if they would listen to you, or if they would also turn their backs on you and be out of your life.