Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Forty-One

"Ok, students, you all look splendid in your red robes. Does everyone have their parchment slips?" Professor Garlick asked us in our new common area the next morning. We all held them up. Mine was shaking in my hand, I was so nervous.

"Wonderful." She replied. "Let's head to breakfast. It is chilly this morning, so I suggest everyone put their fur collars up as we make our way to the castle."

The walk wasn't long. We were only a few yards out of the courtyard and then the large wooden doors loomed above us, the battlements rising in their knowing way to admit us into the entrance hall.

The hall looked exactly the same with one exception. The Goblet of Fire was placed directly in the center, the blue flames dancing lightly with no smoke.

We all approached one by one and tossed our parchment slips into it. Once my slip left my hand it floated magically, being sucked into the flames and didn't burn but disappeared with a bright flash and a pop as the dancing flames flew up slightly at the new entry. Just like everyone else's.

Once we were sitting, we all watched as the Beauxbatons students all submitted their names as well. They all looked much warmer in their red furry Durmstrang robes, just like we were. I felt bulky and a bit uncomfortable but so much warmer than yesterday. Almost sweating. THIS. This must be how they stayed warm in the depths of winter here in the mountains.

Seb grasped my hand under the table. "Nervous?" He asked. "Your hand is shaking."

"Yes. I've been perpetually nervous since... well since I enrolled at Hogwarts." We both laughed at my honest joke.

"I'm sure we'll be fine. I know it's new and different, but this is going to be so much fun! I can't wait until the first task. I'm going to KILL it!" He said, throwing me a wink.

"And what makes you think you'll be Champion?" Leander asked him, looking affronted.

"Because I'm Sebastian Sallow. There's clearly no other choice." He was being so overly cocky this morning. I assumed the bravado was due to his own nerves.

Leander just rolled his eyes at Seb.

"I think we have a good cross section of strengths here." Natty replied. Always the logical one. "Any one of us would make a fine Champion." We all smiled at her encouragement.

Just then the strange, quick-footed house-elves rolled into the hall depositing food on our plates. Giant sausages and toast. No jelly though. I sighed, poking at my weird looking sausage.

"Bratwurst, darling. Eat it. You'll like it! You like sausage. Plus, you need protein to keep up your strength and all you ate last night was that rice pudding." He was watching me too closely I thought as I sliced off some bratwurst and a house elf plopped another strange fish on my plate. Small, smelly, and not appealing. I poked them.

"Sardines. You're meant to put them on the toast and have a sandwich of sorts." He smiled.

"Um, no. Help yourself." I piled my sardines on his plate and ate my toast plain. The sausage was good though. I actually liked it. So, I ate the whole thing and was surprisingly full by the end of breakfast.

"Hogwarts students!" Professor Ronen clapped his hands. "I have your schedules and maps." He began to pass them around. Mine and Seb's schedule were EXACTLY the same and I breathed a sigh of relief. I wouldn't be alone.

"Spells and Jinxes first. I suppose that's like Charms class..." I mumbled to myself. I turned to look at Seb. His eyes were lit up like it was Christmas morning.

"Dueling. Dueling class after." He said, full of delight. I almost rolled my eyes at him.

"Shall we?" I got up to grab his hand and make our way through the castle to our first class.