Recollection

Fourteen

CW: Blood, gore

Sebastian's POV

"Office hours are over-" Professor Sharp droned as he opened his office door, annoyed that his evening of grading papers was interrupted by the repeated rapping on the door. "Mr. Sallow? What on earth happened to you?" His vexation snapped to concern when he saw the state Sebastian was in. Bruised face, bloody nose, cuts on his lip and eyebrow, hunched over and holding the left side of his ribs.

"A proper Hogwarts welcome I presume." He followed Professor Sharp into his office as he opened the door wider to invite him in. Sebastian limped to the chair across from Professor Sharp's desk and collapsed into it. On top of some broken ribs he assumed his left ankle was at the least sprained as well.

"You should go see Madam Blain-"

"No... I can't." Sebastian raked his fingers through his disheveled hair, his fingers catching on knots that were bound together from dried blood. He had awoken on the floor of the boys locker room in a pool of blood presumably from his nose and a high-pitched ringing in his ears. He wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious as his memory of the beating he took came back in patches.

Every inch of his body was in pain as he struggled to get himself off the floor. As he pulled himself up using a bench, his head felt like it was spinning and his vision tunneled. It would have taken him ages to get to the hospital wing and he didn't want to risk running into anyone else in his current state, not to mention he was embarrassed that he couldn't fight back. Not that it was a fair fight, three against one, but even if he did fight back he would have violated his probation. He hated how vulnerable he was and knew this was only the start of what he presumed to be Ambrose's scheme to bait Sebastian into getting himself in trouble so he'd be out of the way. He was determined not to fall into Ambrose's trap and had enough. Sebastian wasn't wasting any more time and decided to find out if Professor Sharp had been serious with his offer earlier in the week. "I need your help...also maybe a wiggenweld or two." he grimaced.

Professor Sharp rummaged through one of his desk drawers and pulled out a vial of wiggenweld along with a medical kit he kept on hand in case of any mishaps that occurred during his classes.

Sebastian quickly uncorked the bottle and chugged down the potion in one gulp. He felt the healing properties of the green liquid immediately take effect and despite some of his injuries being far too severe for the potion to heal, he still felt a great deal of relief.

"How can I be of assistance?" Professor Sharp's tone was still full of concern second guessing if he should fetch Nurse Blainey himself.

"I've wasted a week already. I've already been through every book in the library when my sister was sick. Every book I'd like to research goes against the terms of my probation. I'm constantly worried about saying the wrong thing to my healer but I don't have a choice because of the veritaserum. I can't defend myself. I get anxious in large places and everyone looks at me as if I am going to snap at any moment." Whether it be from stress or a concussion, Sebastian was rambling. He felt completely and utterly helpless as if the entire world was out to get him.

"Take this, "Professor Sharp pulled another vial from his desk, a clear potion this time. Sebastian felt his thoughts slow and his mind settle. A calming draught. "Now take a deep breath. Let's focus on one problem at a time."

"I just feel so helpless." Sebastian admitted.

"You're not. I offered my help and I assure you I will. You can speak freely within these walls...without the coercion of veritaserum. I must admit it is rather unorthodox for you to be subjected to the serum during your sessions."