revenant || sebastian sallow.

CHAPTER ONE.

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"Ominis, you have to believe me!" I shouted to him as my voice echoed in the Undercroft.

He let out an annoyed sigh. "Millicent, you and I both know the odds of Sebastian nonchalantly enjoying a butter beer at the Three Broomsticks is well...slim."

I looked down and anxiously twiddled with my fingers. Of course, Ominis hadn't believed me, who would? Given Sebastian had been nothing but talk between students for the past year, I guess I wouldn't either.

"I swear I saw him; I might miss him greatly but, I don't think I'm going crazy enough to hallucinate things." I said sternly. Ominis chuckled.

"You're sure you haven't lost it, Millicent? Swear you've been nonstop mentioning him ever since he ran off." He paused. "I wonder what he's doing right now! Should I send him an owl? Do you think he would respond, and so on and so on, I'm amazed at the patience I've kept with you, honestly." He mocked.

Feeling a bit like a burden my cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. Maybe I had been a tad overbearing with my endless talk about Sebastian and my overthinking about it all.

"I'm sorry Ominis, you know it's been difficult for me. However, if you had the chance, wouldn't you go find him too?" I said looking up at him trying my best to analyze his face.

He scoffed but a slight grin appeared on his face. "Hm, maybe. Just not now, I have much more important things to focus on. But if you'd like to go find out if this mysterious figure was indeed Sebastian, knock yourself out, Millicent." He replied, leaving the Undercroft and leaving me and my thoughts in solitude.

I believed everything happened for a reason, so it couldn't have been a coincidence that I had seen what I had yesterday.

I hadn't seen him in a year, yet there he was. Or at least I was almost sure he was there. Maybe he wanted someone to see him, to spark up the conversation that he might return to Hogwarts, but if that was his plan then he surely hadn't anticipated me being there.

I couldn't tell anyone about this, not knowing if it was really him or not. But was I sure determined to find out.

My mind had been an absolute mess for a while now, overthinking, running through every possibility in my head before he disappeared...what had I missed?

If I could finally set my mind free and seek some answers, I would.

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Walking down the corridors of Hogwarts felt strangely different this morning. Whether it was my newfound confidence into finding out what had happened, or if I hoped I would suddenly bump into Sebastian on my way to my journey, I felt better than I had in weeks.

Gliding down the hall, I stopped when I finally arrived outside in the courtyard. Grabbing my broom, I hoped on and began to fly.

I got a couple confused looks from student as to why I was suddenly leaving so early on a school day, but right now, I didn't quite care if I missed my classes. Flying around and looking down at the beautiful landscape, I took a deep breath.

I hadn't quite planned what I would do if I saw him again. What I would say.

I knew this little trip was a longshot, but if he had really returned, I knew the one place to look.

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Arriving at Feldcroft, I flew in and landed quietly as I looked around, the town seemed emptier than it was before, only occupied by some older residents who were tending to their gardens.

Sighing, I began to take a few steps. I hadn't remembered which was was specifically the Sallow's residence, but I had a feeling I would be able to tell.

As I looked around a bit more my eyes focused on a burnt down residence, basically ashes and only part of the frame remained, some burned furniture shown inside. My eyes widened and I put my hand to my mouth.

Approaching closer, I saw the once thriving flowers and plants in front of the house were now also charred. I nodded my head in denial as I looked for someone to speak to. Finding an old woman in the house a couple blocked down, I jogged over and stood in front of her, she looked me up and down in a confused manner, waiting for me to speak.

"Hello. I'm awfully sorry to bother you but, do you happen to know about what happened to that burnt down house over there?" I said pointing for a second. I looked back at the woman who now had a pitiful look on her face, but a tint of fear shown in her eyes. I wondered why.

"A nice family used to live there. A young boy and his sister. They were taken care of by an older man, their uncle, I had heard. They haven't been back for a long time." She said her voice trailing off.

"Why?" I asked. I couldn't let this woman know I knew him but seemed like she knew more than she was letting on.

She paused, putting down the gardening tool she was using.

"I heard his sister got very ill, and eventually their uncle passed away. Nobody knows exactly why, but we all assumed it was because he got what the young girl had. After that, I saw the young girl pack her things and leave. That was the last of what I had heard till last year." She replied.

"Last year?" I said almost too desperately.

"Yes. The boy. He had come back. Some of the neighboring people tried to ask him where he had been, but he ignored us all. Simply came, set fire to his house, and rushed off on his broom." She continued, her skin forming chills. My faced turned into one of concern, I reached out and held onto her hand as I could see recalling the events were not easy for her.

"Me and the boy, we locked eyes for minute. For the split second I met his eyes, I saw a great deal of torment, pain, and most of all... anger." She paused. "It's like his eyes were full of glowing green venom...that boy put a good scare into me that night."

I let go of her hand gently and gave her a comforting look.

"I appreciate you being able to tell me all this, I'm sure it wasn't easy to witness such a thing. Has the boy come back since that night?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not. Seems he only had one thing in mind when coming here. To rid Feldcroft of his former home." The old lady said shrugging and putting herself back to work.

I walked away and had to compose myself for a minute. Why would Sebastian ever do a thing like this?

The Sebastian I knew loved his home, his family, and most of all his sister. I hadn't a clue on why he would purposefully burn down the place they grew up together. That and the fact all their old belonging seemed to have been burned along with the house.

I snapped out of my thinking and once again walked over to the house. Kneeling, I took a bit of the ash in between my fingers before letting it fall.

Whatever bit of evidence I might've found in this house was long gone now. That discouraged me, but surely there was another way of locating Sebastian. The only thing was, I know had no idea where else he would go.

The facts I once thought to be true were now under doubt in my head. However, I knew a couple things.

I now had more questions I wanted answers to.

Sebastian Sallow is now a stranger.

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