The Shadow Trio | Year 7: Running from the Light

Part 4 - Sincerest Apologies

~ Sebastian's POV ~

I forcefully push open the large door to the Three Broomsticks, savoring the cool, night air over the stuffy atmosphere inside the Inn. I begin pacing back and forth in front of the rustic, medieval building. A warm glow from the stained glass windows casts down onto the cobblestone street.

My heart is beating uncontrollably and I can feel the blood pumping through my veins in a fit of rage. My muscles feel impossibly tense and I just need to hit something immediately before I physically hurt someone instead.

I let out a sigh of frustration before releasing a loud grunt, kicking the weathered stone of the building, as hard as I possibly can.

"Fucking Omimis!" I say out loud to myself.

"Why can't he understand that I'm doing all of this to protect them?"

I picture the argument my blind friend and I just had moments ago. Although I don't regret a single word that I said, I can't help but visualize our girl's face. She didn't say much tonight, but I can read her face as easily as one of my forbidden books. She was upset at my choice words, or maybe it's the fact that my little secret's out. I hate disappointing her, but I hate risking her safety even more.

Suddenly, I snap out of my thoughts by the sound of faint footsteps approaching.

"Huh?" I say while looking around. Unfortunately the street lamps are too dim to be able to see at this hour of night.

"Who's there?"

No one replies.

I take my wand out of my charcoal coloured longcoat.

"Lumos." I cast.

A bright, white light illuminates the tip of my wand effortlessly. I hold my wand out to see a freckled, redheaded young man standing only a few metres away from me.

"We meet again, Sallow." He says ominously.

I lower my wand and roll my eyes so hard that I could see the back of my skull.

"Fucking Weasley!" I grit through my teeth.

"What... Did you come back for another round then? I'll beat the shit out of you for a second time, I don't care. I'm not in the fucking mood."

I watch as he takes a few steps closer to me and I prepare myself for another fight.

"I didn't come here to fight." Garreth replies while holding up his hands in defence.

"Why are you here then? And also... how in the fuck did you know we were here?"

"Did you follow us?!" I exclaim while taking an intimidating step towards him.

The dumb bloke folds his arms and replies, "No, I didn't follow you. I'm not a fucking creep, Sallow."

"Nearly Headless Nick saw the three of you leaving the castle, heard you talking about firewhiskies."

I give him an intense stare, "So I'll ask once more... why the fuck did you come here?"

Weasley steps closer to me with a slight limp, so that he is now standing under the dim lighting of the Three Broomsticks. From this distance, I can really see the damage that I've done to his body. He has an obvious black eye, that will likely be swollen shut by the morning, if left unhealed. His nose also displays dried blood, matching my own. His freckled hand rests on his stomach from where I kicked him.

"I... I came to apologize." He says bashfully.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, mate." I reply while leaning against the stone wall of the building.

"You said some pretty offensive shit to our girl."

I shove my hand in my coat pocket fishing out my cigarette case and silver lighter that has "B. Sallow" engraved on it. The lighter belonged to my late father, Benjamin.

I light up my smoke while Weasel Bee begins speaking again, "No, I do need to apologize to you. I'm sorry I said those things, I was drunk and..."

He sighs, "Look... I'm jealous of you, alright?"

No surprise there. I dismiss his comment by taking another deep drag.

Garreth begins, "You're the top student at school, Quidditch captain of the Slytherin team, every girl wants you..."

I let out a low chuckle at his accurate assessments of what it means to be The Sebastian Sallow.

He continues, "And now... you have the prettiest girl in school. Little Garreth Weasley can't even make a potion without blowing up half the classroom. You have the perfect life, Sallow."

"Don't-" I say while cutting him off.

I put my hand up in the air, gesturing for him to stop talking.

"Don't you dare say that. You know why I'm out here, and not in there, Weasley?"

"I just had a fight with my best friend. They... they think I'm a monster, I know it. And on top of all that, she's not even my girl."

"I mean... not really."

Garreth scoffs at my last statement, "Bull shit. She follows you around like a little mooncalf."

I smirk at the perfect comparison he makes and reply, "She does, but not in the way you're thinking."

"She doesn't want to ruin the friendship that the three of us have, and if she chose me... it would break Ominis. I can't do that to him, all we have... is each other."

"So, even though it pains me to say it, if you want to shoot your shot, Weasley. Go for it."

I bring the cigarette back between my lips and inhale, hoping that by the time I exhale, the wanker will be gone.

"You don't mean that, Sallow." Garreth replies.

"Who she can and cannot date is not my decision to make." I truthfully, but at the same time regrettably, tell him.

"Right." Garreth quickly murmurs.

"Maybe I should go inside and give her a sincere apology to her face."

"Go on then, lad." I say, gesturing to the door.

Garreth walks passed me awkwardly before heading inside the Three Broomsticks, himself. Once again, I am left alone outside in the quiet of the night, exchanging the tranquility for the loudness of my thoughts.

I let out a long sigh. "Fucking brilliant."

I lean my head against the cool, stone wall and look up to the night sky. I spot a thestral in the distance, flying well over the small village of Hogsmeade. I envision it touching down and bringing me anywhere other than here.