After The Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 3

Fig was Dead

Siren's body shook as she draped herself over his; Miriam's wand pressed against his chest. Tears trailed their way down her cheeks leaving wet marks on his clothes. Sobs, screams, and chokes all fought to escape her throat as her body convulsed, trying desperately to intake air. Everything that she had trained for, everything she had fought for, and she couldn't save her Professor Fig. Her face was pressed against his chest, eyes closed tight. If any goblins remained, they could kill her right here, and she wouldn't even know. She wouldn't even care. Siren could hear footsteps start to approach her.

"They're down here!." Sharp called. Siren could hear his shuffled steps get closer to her. Then a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." she sobbed. "I didn't- I - I couldn't - ." Too tired, and too weak, she allowed Sharp to pull her away from Fig's body and into his chest. Sharp now kneeled next to her, holding her tight. If Siren wasn't so wracked with grief, she would have questioned the odd behavior of the man who was usually so gruff and stoic, but who held her now, as if he was keeping her from falling into a million pieces. All the professors made their way around them now.

Shah, Onai, Hecat, and Weasley surrounded them now. They all pointed their wands at Fig, raising them gently to bring his body into a motionless levitation. They began their walk, much like a procession, up the long trek out of the depths of the school. Sharp adjusted the small girl in his arms, the one he realized just defeated the most dangerous threat the school had seen, so he was now able to carry her comfortably. Her sobbing had now stopped and her eyelids were relaxed, her breathing steady as though she had fallen into a slumber. She had fought hard to defeat Ranrok, her energy now drained. He stumbled for a minute, putting too much pressure on his left leg before righting himself.

Weasley had noticed the stumble and turned around to help Sharp, but he shook his head at her. He nodded forward, silently letting her know to go forward, he would be fine. The walk up to the map chamber was slow with Fig as well a Sharp carrying Siren. They had kept Fig's body in the map chamber, not wanting to walk him through the students, but Sharp stumbled up every stair until he finally laid Siren on one of the beds in the hospital wing. When he turned around, he was surprised to find a large group of students at the door, craning their neck.

"Professor, what happened? Is she going to be okay?" Poppy Sweeting asked, walking forward in front of the crowd. Before he had a chance to say anything, Professor Weasleys voice rang out.

"Excuse me everyone, please let me through!" She called as the sea parted. Professor Weasley immediately made her way over to the nurse who was currently inspecting the sleeping girl.

"All appears well," the nurse sighed, "I will apply a healing charm to help with some burns, but other than that, it looks like she just needs some rest. Her energy feels nearly depleted."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Poppy's voice spoke up again. "She has helped us all out so much this year, if there is anything we can do, we would love to repay the favor." The other students around her nodded.

"She helped me get some potion ingredients." Garreth spoke of first, realizing only after speaking the words that he maybe should not have admitted that in front of both professor Sharp and his Aunt.

"She helped me face my past." Natty continued. Then, like floodgates, all the students began to speak up.

"She helped me get my gobstones back."

"She got the mermaid relic for me."

"She helped my brother's feet turn back from beets."

While all of the other students continued to list things off, Sebastian, though desperate to see her, stayed near the back of the group.