In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 102: Private Chats

Previously:While in Galdric's tomb with Gregorovitch, Andrew overheard Elizabeth mention to Ominis that Sebastian had killed his Uncle (albeit in vague terms relating to a dream) plus their ensuing conversation about trusting Sebastian. Faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not to tell his father this news, Andrew was driven to distraction, resulting in a dumped potion and burned hands. Meanwhile, Ominis was forced to make an unbreakable vow with his father to marry Grace and deliver the dowry, but did not confide this to his friends. He and Elizabeth chatted, and Elizabeth spawned the idea that perhaps the Relic influenced Sebastian's mind. We also finally saw Sebastian's Patronus - a Pine Marten! The Quidditch game got off to a rough start, with Andrew still distracted and a meeting with his father looming, and combined with his hurt hands and with Imelda and Mason having new brooms, the game was a disaster, resulting in something slamming into Andrew, making him fall off his broom.

I am so so sorry - I tried to push myself to get another writing project done before Valentine's Day and just ended up in a writing slump when I didn't get it done (It's still not done...). All winter it's been rather hard to write, actually. I'm hoping I'm breaking out of it now that spring is here

Sebastian

Saturday morning found Sebastian grudgingly bundled against the wind and joining his friends in the quidditch stands. Both he and Ominis sported the correct colors of green and silver. Elizabeth, however, wore blue and bronze - to each their own, Sebastian supposed. They'd headed to the pitch slightly ahead of the crowds, wanting decent seats, but were far from the first to arrive. Sebastian trailed along behind his friends, content to let them choose the seats, when he spotted a familiar figure midway down the front row. He nudged Elizabeth and pointed.

"Aria!" Elizabeth called, brightening as she waved.

Aria looked up from the book she was bent over, shielding it from the wind, and smiled at them. Sebastian's eyes immediately found a blue and bronze scarf draped around her neck. As they claimed the seats next to her, Sebastian leaned in.

"Turning traitor now that you've graduated?" He asked, grinning. "Where's your Slytherin spirit?"

"My brother has enough Slytherin spirit for the entire house," Aria said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, someone has to root for the underdogs, right?"

Elizabeth made a noise of protest and Aria laughed. The four of them settled into a comfortable banter, catching up on their week apart since their trip. Sebastian preferred to sit back and watch, for the most part. And by watching, he saw how, when Elizabeth shuddered against a particularly chilly gust of wind, Ominis subtly cast a nonverbal warming charm on her. He also saw how Aria kept glancing down at the pitch. He was curious why Aria had chosen to don Ravenclaw colors, and wondered if it had something to do with Elizabeth. Or perhaps she'd lost a bet. The conversation didn't circle back to a topic that would make it easy to bring the subject up, so he held his curiosity in check.

Elizabeth, too, grew progressively quieter, withdrawing from the conversation more and more. She glanced at him several times, leaving him wondering what she wanted. After finally catching her eye, he raised an eyebrow. She glanced at the pitch, then sighed and turned to whisper something to Ominis. When he shrugged, she stood.

"Could I talk to you for a moment?" She asked, "Somewhere more private?"

Sebastian checked his watch, a feeling of foreboding roiling to life in his gut.

"Er, now?" he asked, "There's only ten minutes until the match starts."

"We can watch from the stairs," Elizabeth suggested. "And, it won't take long."