🥀 Roses and Novels | Hogwarts Legacy Fanfic | Sebastian, Ominis and Evander

🥀 - Chapter 40 -🌹

-Three Days Ago-

(Sebastian's Perspective)

Anne and I had just returned from a week in London. We'd spent our time at our cousin Aurelia's farm, she's got a modest place out in the countryside, surrounded by buzzing hives and golden meadows. She even let us fill a jar of honey ourselves, straight from the bees. Aurelia works for the Ministry of Magic and gave us a private tour of her office. I'd never seen so many wizards crammed into one room before. It was chaos... but somehow organized.

I taught Anne to play a bit of Quidditch during our stay, and she taught me how to garden. It turns out she has quite the talent for it, those green thumbs of hers left our little patch thriving. We explored the city too, hopping between three different restaurants in a single day, eating until we couldn't anymore. At a quaint candy shop, we stocked up on chocolate frogs, enough to last us at least a week.

Every night, we climbed onto the roof of the barn to watch the sunset. When the stars emerged, we read from a worn astrology book under the open sky. There was something timeless about it, just me and Anne, like we were kids again.

Sometimes, I'd read her my favorite passages. She always adored Pride and Prejudice, especially one bit I'd read to her a dozen times:

"I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle... What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous... By you, I was properly humbled..."

And on quieter evenings, she'd return the favor. Anne had a soft spot for Romeo and Juliet, and whenever she read it aloud, her voice made the words come alive, tragic, romantic, painfully beautiful.

"O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical! ... Was ever book containing such vile matter so fairly bound? O that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace!"

Her voice still echoed in my mind.

When we returned to Feldcroft, we decided to camp in the backyard one last night. We lit a fire and roasted marshmallows. Mine kept falling off the stick, Anne found it hilarious. In retaliation, I crammed ten cold marshmallows into my mouth just to prove a point. I couldn't even chew.

That night, we laughed like we hadn't in years.

It was the best time we'd had together since before she got sick.

Back at my house, I flipped open my old calendar and ran a finger down the dates.

Helena's birthday was coming up.

And somehow... I knew I wouldn't be invited this year.

I couldn't help but think of her very first birthday celebration. The first one I threw for her, because no one else ever had.

She'd once told me she never had friends to organize anything, never had a proper birthday. That didn't sit right with me. So I did what any self-respecting friend would do: I planned one myself.

I invited some Slytherins she got along with, a few from our classes, and of course, Ominis. I decorated the Three Broomsticks with garlands and balloons and arranged a long table, placing a small gift or flower in front of each seat.

🙟•◦ 🎕 ◦•🙝

-The memory-

I found her in the library, nose buried in some massive book, surrounded by parchment and a jar of ink. Her white feather quill stood tall beside her, and her knees were tucked tightly against the desk. Her hair was tied back loosely.

I crept up behind her and grabbed her shoulders. "HEY FIG, WHATCHA DOING?"

She jumped, sending the book flying, and flailed her arms back into my face.

"SALLOW! Don't do that!"

I laughed and perched on the edge of the table, grinning with a chocolate frog in hand.

"I don't have time for you, Sebastian," she grumbled. "I've got to study for Potions. If I mess this up, Professor Sharp will skin me alive."

"Forget studying. I'll help you tomorrow. Right now, we're going on an adventure."

"You suck at Potions, Sallow. I'd be better off asking Ominis, and he's blind."

"Ouch. That's cold, sweetheart. But seriously, drop the books. I have a surprise for you."

I grabbed her hand and pulled her up, glancing her over. "No... this look isn't going to cut it. You look like you've just risen from the grave. Come on, zombie girl, let's fix that."

Dragging her toward the Slytherin dorms, I opened her wardrobe, grabbed a red top, black boots, and dark pants, and shoved them into her arms.

"Get dressed."

"I'm not changing in front of you, Sallow."

"Merlin, Helena, relax. I'll wait outside."

I leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, whistling as I nodded to a few girls passing by. After a few minutes, I opened the door.

She stood there, radiant. I walked right into her, and her hands steadied me.

Her bright blue eyes met mine.

"I'm ready," she said with a smile.

I reached up and gently pulled the elastic from her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders.

"Now you're ready."

She stepped back, still smiling. "Thanks, Sebastian. So where are we going?"

"Hogsmeade."

We reached the entrance of the Three Broomsticks. I covered her eyes.

"Don't peek, Fig."

Inside, everyone waited in silence.

When I lifted my hands—"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HELENA!" the room erupted.

Her smile... I'll never forget it. Her eyes shimmered with tears she tried to blink away. She turned to me and punched my arm.

"Did you do all of this, Sallow?"

I bowed. "No big deal. Everyone deserves a real birthday."

I handed her a small box. "Happy birthday, Lena. Hope you like it."

She opened it slowly, pulling out a sleek, green wand handle.

"You found it!? How?"

I grinned, arms crossed. "I have my ways. Let's just say I had some help from the gods."

Ominis cleared his throat from across the table. "You mean Gaunts, Sebastian."

She ignored him and turned back to me, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Sebastian, I love it. Thank you so much."

She slid the handle onto her wand, gave it a practiced swish, and the candles on the cake burst to life.

We smiled at each other. It was perfect.