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

🥀 - Chapter 58 -🌹

(Helena perspective)

I stared down at the grass to stop myself from sobbing again. But I couldn't. The tears welled up in my eyes like raindrops from a storm.

Ominis shifted beside me and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, handing it to me with a kind smile.
"Let your emotions flow, love."

A soft hand gently squeezed mine, followed by two arms wrapping around my shoulders. I turned to see Anne beside me, her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm here for you, dear," she whispered. "I'll be over there with Garreth, alright?" She pointed to their seats, where Garreth stood in a sharp black suit. He blew me a kiss and smiled. I returned the smile with a grateful nod.

Behind us, unfamiliar faces gathered quietly and took their seats.

As the sad music began and the ceremonial master stepped up to speak, I couldn't stop it anymore, I broke. I cried, the kind of devastation that leaves you hollow. Evander was gone, and we were here to bury him. I'd tried to save him with our magic, but it hadn't been enough.

I pressed my hands over my face to hide the tears, my red eyes, my shame.

Sebastian shifted closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. He leaned down and whispered against my head,
"Come here, sweetheart. You don't have to hide."
He pulled me into his arms, and I broke harder, burying my face in his chest.

"Ominis and I have seen every part of you, Lena. You won't scare us away."

"I killed him, Sebastian..." I whispered.
"No, you didn't," he replied gently.

I looked up at him with tear-soaked eyes. "He died..." I choked.

Sebastian saw the pain in me, and tears built in his own eyes. He cupped my face and wiped my tears with his thumb.
"He wasn't strong enough," he said softly. "But it was not your decision, Lena."

I lowered my face again. "If I hadn't come back, he'd still be alive."

His fingers caught my chin and lifted my gaze. His jaw clenched, and he spoke through gritted teeth,
"Don't you ever say that. Never. He chose that path for you. He knew what he was doing. You did nothing wrong."

From the other side, I felt a hand press against my thigh and a whisper close to my ear.
"You know we'd do anything to save you. You didn't think it was just his decision, did you?"

I turned, startled. Ominis was beside me, hand still resting gently on my leg.
"You helped him?" I asked.

Sebastian still held my chin, locking me in his intense stare.
"We gave him a nudge," he murmured.

"What did you do?" I pulled away from Sebastian, turning to Ominis.

He smiled faintly. "Let's just say Sebastian added his magical touch."

A warm pressure on my right thigh now, Sebastian.
"I just showed him how much I cared for you," he said.

Another squeeze on the left.
"We both did," Ominis added.

I looked down at both their hands resting on my lap.
"So... it's not entirely my fault?"

They squeezed my thighs one last time, then turned their hands palm-up. I took them in mine, intertwining our fingers.

"No," they said in unison.

"We wanted you here, with us," Sebastian said.

"Thank you, boys... for being here," I whispered.

After the ceremony, I stood by the drinks table, talking with Ignatius and Raphael. I expected resentment, blame. But there was none. They weren't angry with me. That alone was terrifying.

I had feared Evander's brothers would hate me for his death, for bringing danger into his life. But they understood. They knew about our magic. About Alaric. And they knew Evander died protecting something he believed in.

Across the lawn, I saw Sebastian speaking to my mother. He smiled politely as they talked. She returned his smile and joined us at the table, taking a drink in hand. She looped her arm around mine and pulled me in close.

"I just met the most charming young man, Sebastian Sallow, was it?" she said, sipping her wine.

*Here we go.*

"He gave me a poem," she continued. "Said it was for losing someone dear. Such a thoughtful gesture, don't you think?"

I glanced toward Sebastian, who now stood near the food table with Anne and Garreth.
"That was... kind of him."

My mother sipped again. "If you and Ominis aren't happy anymore, you should go for that Sallow boy. What a lovely man." She laughed softly.

Ignatius raised a brow. "Auntie, you do know they have history, right?"

"I know. But people change," she replied. "He's good-looking, and he's a gentleman. And with that kind of introduction, he has my blessing."

Sebastian turned his head and caught my eyes. He smiled.

"I'll consider it, Mum," I laughed quietly.

To our left, a lone figure stood by the shade of an elm. Cloaked in a long black suede jacket, face hidden by a lace veil and wide-brimmed hat.

"Do you know who that is?" I asked my mother, uneasy.

She squinted toward the figure. "No... I really don't."

Raphael stepped forward. "I didn't see them during my speech." He walked closer. "Hello. My condolences for your loss. May I ask who you are?"

The figure didn't respond. Just stood, silent.

"I ask again, who are you?" Raphael said.

Then, the figure turned and pointed directly at me.
"You did this!" a screeching voice spat.

The clothes collapsed to the ground, empty.

Black smoke erupted upward, then reformed on the ground.

Sebastian was instantly at my side, shielding my mother and me behind him. Wand raised.
"Don't get any closer."

"Alaric..." my mother breathed.

Before us stood my father, pale and scarred across the face, three jagged claw marks near his eye.

"Leave this place, Alaric!" Ignatius shouted.
"You're not welcome here," Raphael added.

Alaric chuckled. "Can't I say goodbye to my dear nephew?" He stepped toward the coffin.

"Levicorpus!" Ominis shouted, striding toward him. Alaric's body lifted, spinning in the air.

"They told you nicely. You should listen," Ominis snapped.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Alaric laughed. "He's my family, too."

"You being alive is the problem," Ominis growled. "You're like a cockroach, impossible to get rid of."

He ended the spell, and Alaric dropped. He scrambled for his wand—

"Expelliarmus!" Ominis disarmed him, then immediately:
"Incarcerous."

Dark ropes bound Alaric's body. He struggled but couldn't move.

Ominis grabbed his arm.
"I'm taking you to Azkaban. I hear they've missed you."

Alaric sneered, staring at my mother and me.
"I'll come back for you both! Do you hear me?! I WILL KILL YOU!"

And with a flick of his wand, Ominis apparated them both away.