A Cruel Fate of Endless Devotion

Chapter twenty: The Relic

"I cannot believe you tried to brew a potion that would increase your speed just so you can win against Slytherin today" Natty laughed as Garreth finished explaining why he was in detention.

"I'm desperate! They've held the champion title for years, it wouldn't be fair if they won again" he pouted.

"Didn't you say that Castiel spent nearly all weekend coming up with new plays for the match?" Poppy asked him.

"What if they aren't good enough? We're in the semi finals, Poppy. We've got to win"

"You will!" she said, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"It would help if a certain someone over here would cheer for us instead of the opposing team" Garreth playfully shot at Melody.

"Oi, don't blame your losses on me" she giggled. "Just because I sit with Ominis in the Slytherin section does not mean I'm cheering for them to win,"

"So you say," Garreth teased.

"I help Poppy and Natty make every sign for every match Gryffindor is in. My support for you is shown" Melody teased back.

"Speaking of, we need to go get those. I left them in my dorm room" Natty said.

"We'll be cheering extra loud for you Garreth. You'll do great today" Poppy told him.

"Go get em tiger!"

**********

"You truly do not have to sit with me every match, Melody. I'm sure that your Gryffindor friends would love to have you over there" Ominis said as they waited for the teams to fly out onto the pitch.

"Oh hush! You know I like watching the matches with you. Besides, the more I explain the game to you the better I understand it myself" she giggled.

"Here we go! Whoo hoo!" she cheered as the team flew out.

Melody's brows furrowed in confusion as the two captains shook hands, but Sebastian wasn't one of them. Her eyes immediately scanned the rest of the Slytherin players, but he was nowhere in sight. Doubt and worry crept into her mind as she replayed their conversations about the semi finals match. Sebastian had been so passionate, so determined. She couldn't help but wonder why he was absent now. Was he injured? Or had something else happened to keep him from playing? The uncertainty gnawed at her, leaving her with a sinking feeling in her chest.

"Ominis, we have a problem,"

"The match hasn't even started. Madam Kagowa didn't blow the whistle"

"Sebastian's not out there. Imelda Reyes is filling in as Captain" she told him.

"What? That's impossible, Sebastian would never let someone else take over as Captain. Especially not during the semi finals and especially not Imelda Reyes, he can't stand her" he scoffed.

"Ominis I'm telling you, he's not out there!" Melody told him as her eyes scanned the Slytherin team one more time.

"We need to go," Ominis said as a feeling of dread bubbled up in his chest.

**********

"Wow. So this is what the Slytherin common room looks like" Melody thought as Ominis granted her access inside. With everyone down at the Quidditch match, there would be no one to stop him from bringing in an outsider.

"Stay here. I'll go up to our dorm and see if he's there" Ominis instructed her before jogging off to the dorm he shared with Sebastian.

"They have such a cool common room! Absolutely freezing but wicked!"

The Slytherin common room exuded an air of grandeur and sophistication. The walls were adorned with emerald green tapestries, depicting the serpentine symbols of the house. The room was dimly lit by flickering torches, casting dancing shadows that seemed to bring the ancient stone walls to life. The furniture, crafted from dark, polished wood, exuded an aura of power and ambition, perfectly reflecting the nature of its inhabitants.

"He's not here!" Ominis shouted as he ran down the stairs.

A feeling of dread filled Melody upon hearing that Sebastian wasn't in his dorm. "He must be in the undercroft then. It's the only place I can think of besides maybe the library"

"Let's go"

**********

A wave of relief washed over Melody as she saw Sebastian engrossed in a book. The tight knot of worry in her chest loosened, and a sense of calm replaced her earlier anxiety. She couldn't help but smile, grateful that her imagination had conjured up the worst-case scenarios that now seemed so far-fetched.

"He's here. And he looks just fine" she told Ominis.

"Are you aware that the Quidditch semi finals are going on right now?" Ominis asked.

But Sebastian didn't answer, he didn't even flinch at the sound of their voices. Not even the slightest movement to acknowledge their presence.

"Sebastian?" Melody said as she shook his shoulder. "Oh my Merlin!"

His eyes were bloodshot and sunken, surrounded by deep, purplish bags that seemed to weigh heavily on his exhausted face. Strands of unkempt hair stuck out at odd angles, as if they hadn't seen a brush in days, and his wrinkled clothes gave off a stale odor that matched his disheveled state.

"You look wretched! How long have you been down here?" she asked him.

"This book! This book is the answer to everything! We did it Melody! We found hope!" Sebastian exclaimed as he held out Salazar Slytherin's book towards her, shaking it as he spoke.

"I think you should let me handle this myself. I don't think you two need to get into another argument" she whispered to Ominis.

"I think you're right. Come and find me later, and good luck"

As soon as the gate clicked behind them, Melody turned back to Sebastian. His eyes looked like those of a starved lion as he stared at the book in his hands. His eyes seemed glazed over and Melody could have sworn that she noticed a shimmer of green in them.

"Sebastian?" she nervously asked.

"Umm... what did you find in the book?" she tried again when he didn't answer.

This time his head snapped up, a crazed smile on his face as he dragged her over to his study desk, opening the book up for her to see. "The book mentions a cave where there's a tomb. Inside is a relic that has the power to reverse dark curses! This is it! This is the answer to curing Anne!" he shouted, repeatedly slamming his palm on the book.

"We have to find this tomb! You have to help me!" he said as he grasped her arms, shaking her as he spoke.

"Ah! Sebastian that hurts"

Melody winced in pain as Sebastian's grip tightened, causing her arms to throb. Her distress was heightened by his complete disregard for her discomfort, as he remained fixated on the mysterious writings in Salazar Slytherin's book, his eyes filled with an unhealthy obsession.

"Will you help me?"

She wanted to say no. To tell him that he was beginning to scare her and that this book was doing nothing but corrupting him, but she couldn't.

"Of course I will"

"I knew it! I knew you were the perfect one! You're always there when I need you"

Sebastian placed a soft kiss on the corner of her lips. Melody's breath hitched in her throat as she fluttered her eyes up to meet his gaze. He had never done that before. Her heart raced, her mind filled with a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't help but wonder what had prompted this sudden display of affection.

Was it a sign of something more, or just a tactic to ensure she would help him?

"I've got to finish this book. I'll meet you in the library tomorrow"

The lines between reality and darkness begin to blur