A Cruel Fate of Endless Devotion

Chapter twelve: Don't Let Me Become A Monster

As she limped down the stairs, Melody tried not to scrunch up her face in pain. While Professor Fig and Poppy encouraged Melody to visit the hospital wing, she refused. If she was going to complete the trials and defeat Ranrok, she needed to remain under the radar to avoid suspicions from the Nurse or her other Professors.

As he waited in the undercroft for Melody, Sebastian brushed his hands across the piano. He hadn't seen Melody in any of their shared classes since he ran into her at the Thestral Den. His ears perked up when he heard the gate creak open. As Melody walked into their mysterious hangout, Sebastian was shocked to see how badly beaten up she was. 

"Poppy wasn't exaggerating. She looks awful"

The bruise around Melody's left eye was a sickly shade of yellow, extending from her brow to her cheekbone. It was accompanied by a constellation of small cuts and scratches that marred her otherwise smooth complexion, hinting at the violence she had endured.

"Melody," Sebastian said, his voice filled with worry. "Have you gone to see Nurse Blainey? Those bruises should have healed by now."

In a gentle gesture, Sebastian gently cradled Melody's injured face in his hands. Her tired eyes closed as she leaned into the warmth of his palm. "No. She's getting suspicious about my injuries. I can't have her or anyone else figuring it out" she groaned, clutching her side.

"Come on," 

Sebastian wrapped an arm around her waist and guiding her over to the couch. The warmth of the crackling fire enveloped them, creating a comforting and intimate atmosphere.

"Did it not occur to you to take a wiggenweld potion?" He asked, unable to suppress a chuckle. "Merlin knows you have thousands of them in that extension charm you have on all your robes."

"Haha-ow! Ow!" Melody hissed. "I ran out and forgot to brew more. They won't be done for hours"

Sebastian rolled his eyes before walking over to a cabinet and grabbing the stock of wiggenweld potions he kept. "You're hopeless without me Sterling, you know that, right?" He cheekily said as handed her the vial filled with the familiar bright green liquid.

"Since when did you start keeping a stock of wiggenweld?"

"Since I've started hanging out with you. It seemed like a smart thing to have on hand at all times" he casually answered, sitting on the couch beside her.

Sebastian's heart swelled with relief and wonder as he watched Melody's wounds vanish before his eyes. He couldn't help but marvel at the power of the potion and the incredible healing abilities it possessed.

"I spoke with Poppy," he said after a few moments of silence.

"Oh yeah? Trying to replace me for a better Hufflepuff?" she jokingly asked.

Sebastian laughed, winking at her. "Maybe I should. Poppy keeps me out of trouble unlike you"

"Oh please, You love our adventures"

"I must confess, you are right" Sebastian admitted.

"Where did you run into Poppy?" Melody wondered. Aside from the classes they shared, Melody couldn't think of any other place where the two of them could cross paths.

"Down at the Three Broomsticks. She pulled me away before I could get into a fight with Leander" 

"Although the twat deserved a swift kick in the arse" he muttered to himself.

"Another fight with Leander? What did he do now?" Melody's frustration grew as she anticipated the answer. She had long grown accustomed to Leander's troublemaking ways, but that didn't make it any less exasperating.