Only The Beginning

The Scriptorium

She had never spent much time in the Slytherin dungeons, to be honest they kind of creeped her out. Dark corridors lined with lanterns, it was cold, and she swore the portraits on the walls watched her more intently than others throughout the castle. Olive's footsteps echoed on the stone floors; most students were on their way to bed leaving the area relatively empty, perfect for an evening of sneaking around.

As she rounded the corner down the stairs leading to the common room, there stood Sebastian, just as he said he would be. He was pacing back and forth, something he did regularly these days, head snapping toward her at the sound of her boots clicking on the steps.

"There you are, thanks for coming."

"Always. Now what is this plan we need to come up with?" She rubbed her arm anxiously.

"Right, Ominis has not moved on his stance toward the scriptorium, but there's something there that can lead to a cure for Anne. I can feel it. I just need to find a way to get him to reveal the entrance."

"Well, you said you've talked to him and gotten nowhere. How about I give it a go?" Olive shrugged her shoulders.

"You? I might remind you that he is my best friend, if I can't get him to see reason, I don't think you'd be able to either." Sebastians tone was defensive.

Olive rolled her eyes at the boy and crossed her arms, "What? You scared I'll get Ominis to come around? If you think he still won't budge, then I've got nothing to lose for trying. Come on then, he should be headed back from dinner."

Sebastian grumbled to himself as they rounded the corner, away from the common room. Olive saw from down the hall the red glow of Ominis' wand guiding him, she shoved Sebastian behind a suit of armor and signaled for him to wait there. She continued down the corridor, stopping as she reached her blonde friend.

"Oh, hello Ominis." Olive said with a smile. "Didn't expect to see you down here."

"How could you not expect to see me? This is the Slytherin dungeon." Ominis replied shortly.

"Is it? Sorry, I was coming back from the library. I still find myself getting lost, may need to inquire with Professor Weasley for an enchanted map of some sort, though it is embarrassing to ask."

"I apologize. I find myself a bit on edge lately." He said sheepishly.

"Well, what's got you on edge? Maybe I can help."

Ominis sighed deeply, "It's Sebastian. He won't stop pestering me about Salazar Slytherins scriptorium even though I keep denying his advances. Honestly, I thought he had enlisted you to talk to me and that's why you were here."

"He's still going on about that?" She feigned ignorance.

"He told you about that as well? Seems as though nothing is sacred in our friendship anymore." Ominis said bitterly making a move to push past her.

Sensing this was going downhill she lightly touched his arm to keep him from leaving, "I'm sorry about the Undercroft Ominis. Sebastian was just trying to give me a quiet place where I could catch up to everyone else in our year without prying eyes to watch. He thought you would understand."

Ominis stared at her for a moment with an intensity that made her feel as though he was actually seeing her. His face softened ever so slightly she might have missed it, "I can see how that would be helpful. I'm sorry, I'm doing it again. It's just that Sebastian truly believes that something in that scriptorium can help Anne, but I lost my favorite Aunt Noctua to that scriptorium. She was like me, turned her nose at dark magic, I remember sneaking to read her letters to my father, how she was searching for something that would prove Slytherin wasn't only about worshiping Pure Blood status, she often wrote about her efforts to find the entrance. Eventually her letters stopped coming, and I knew why... I can't fathom another person going down there and suffering the same fate."