Exile || Sebastian Sallow

41 | 'Who are you?'

41 | 'Who are you?'

Sebastian Sallow

Late June — The summer before fifth year

The sun blazed above the town of Feldcroft in golden serenity. Not a hint of trouble anywhere. But it also meant there was no hint of adventure anywhere.

One of the worst possible things for Sebastian Sallow, who lazily tapped his fingers on the dining table as he munched on a red apple, looking wistfully out the window to envy his joyous, friendly neighbours. He was bored out of his mind without any schoolwork to occupy him. He missed Hogwarts already.

The curtains swayed from the summer breeze, letting fresh air into the cottage. But it did nothing to cool his sweaty skin from the summer heat. His twin sister was making matters worse. She scrambled around in the far left corner, a cauldron bubbling with all shades of purple, its fumes amplifying the humidity.

He was bored and losing his mind, not to mention the humidity was messing with his hair and curling the ends of it to stick to his forehead. Even his white shirt was starting to feel like second skin.

"Anne, we don't start school for another two months, must you do that now?" Sebastian complained, taking the last bite of his apple and throwing the core into an enchanted bin. "Vacation has just started!"

Anne Sallow huffed a breath and glared, and if Sebastian wasn't her brother, he was sure he would have recoiled from that look. "How about you go outside and stop complaining?"

"But—"

Anne kept her focus on the brewing while chastising, "I'm bored, you're bored, and here I am just occupying myself with some advanced stuff for fifth year because why not, so go find something to occupy yourself, brother. Go! Shoo!"

Sebastian grumbled some more before lifting himself off the wooden chair, rather forcefully at that, because he didn't even know what he could possibly do!

He could read a book. Yes, he was particularly fond of some myths, perhaps the local bookshop would have some more Greek stories for him. He had extra money to spend and he'd run out of new books to read, so why not, he thought. He couldn't always reread the same book of tragedy about Orpheus and Eurydice.

But no, a book wouldn't cut it just yet. Besides, he preferred to read at night.

Perhaps...

"Aha," he murmured, his eyes falling onto his old broomstick by the bed. He strolled over and grabbed it, making his way out of the cottage, but not before taking a peek at his sister's brewing and teasing her. "Have fun with your potions. It looks like you do need the practice, after all, that looks ghastly."

That earned him a ladle to the head.

"Ow!" Sebastian rubbed his head where Anne had hit him, a small laugh out of his lips.

"Go do your Quidditch thing. Our team can't lose again next year, Sebastian, I know for a fact you do need to practice," she countered.

He rolled his eyes and mussed up her hair, finally making way for the door. "Whatever. I'll be back soon. Just off for a bit of a broom flight."

"Don't come home too late!" said his sister just before the doors closed behind him.

It had been Sebastian's first year at Quidditch and their team lost the last game, all because he'd lost control of his flight and didn't catch the snitch on time. So, Anne wasn't completely wrong. He did need the practice. After all the trust his team placed in a fourth year because of his spectacular tryout, the loss affected him more than he liked to show.