What if you decided not to turn him in? What if he has to stand trial anyway? And what if you get asked to be a witness?
Would you save him? Or wouldn't you?
For Sebastian Sallow, Eleanor - Ellie - has been through hell and back. She did it all for...
The song choice for this chapter is "River", covered by Olivia Rodrigo (originally performed by Joni Mitchell).
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I'll be home for Christmas. So, I know today is the last day before the holidays, and it is odd knowing I won't see everyone for some time. It's not long, but this year my whole life feels like a group effort, so knowing I'll be on my own is strange.
When I wake up, it's again early. This time, everyone in the dorm is still asleep. I don't even dare to look at the watch and simply get up, wanting to enjoy a moment of peace before I'll go home and all hell breaks loose. At least emotionally.
When I tap outside, I feel my cold feet on the floor. Tired I walk into the common room and smile at the Christmas tree. The house elves put it up, but we helped decorate it. Since we're Slytherins, we're ambitious, and so everyone got to hang up their wish for their future, written on a piece of parchment in a green and silver envelope.
I am beyond curious to know what Sebastian's says and I even know which one it is, because I was gullible enough to look over to him nearly the whole time when all of us wrote their wishes. It hangs somewhat high, too high for me since Sebastian is one head taller than me. I bet he put it up there on purpose, just so I wouldn't dare to peek.
'Curious?'
When I hear his voice behind me, I smile to myself, before I turn around. 'You got me there,' I say with a grin. 'I am indeed curious.'
'I'll show you mine if you show me yours,' he replies and chuckles. 'I'm sorry, that did come out wrong.'
I try my best not to have my cheeks flush. 'Sounds like a good deal,' I say. I walk over to the tree and smell the pines when I look around for my envelope. It hangs further down and looks like someone's cat used it as a toy.
They really should've cast some protective charms.
'Oh, wow, I guess Nerida's cat found a playmate in your Christmas wish there,' Sebastian laughs when I present him with my slightly dishevelled envelope.
'Darn cat,' I say and roll my eyes. 'Treating my wishes like that? Nasty.'
'It surely won't get a present this year. It has been naughty.'
I've missed this. It feels like this is one of the first conversations we have, just the two of us, that isn't heavy with guilt, shame, or conflict. We're just having fun, spending time together rather than actively having to make time to discuss things we would like to just work out.
Sebastian hands me his envelope and I hand him mine. I'm impatient but try to act nonchalant.
When I take out his piece of paper, I look down at his terrible handwriting and must focus for a second there to read what it says.
And when I can decipher it, I feel the well-known butterflies in my stomach going on a rollercoaster trip.
'I must be honest, it's sort of not the only wish. There's another one on the back. But it is one of two.' Sebastian gives me a crooked grin.
