Ominis stood in the doorway, his chest heaving as the remnants of Marvolo's twisted presence lingered in the air, thick like smoke. The wind rustled through the curtains at the far end, carrying a chill that nipped at his bare feet, reminding him of the cold, dark reality surrounding him. He reached toward the window, straining to catch any movement outside, but there was only silence, broken by the soft sigh of the night wind.
A surge of self-reproach flooded him, an ache settling deep in his chest. He clenched his fists, feeling the roughness of his palms as frustration twisted within him. How could he have fallen asleep? He had thought a cold front would protect Charlotte, but his family's cunning knew better.
The image of Charlotte’s trembling hands and the raw fear radiating from her replayed in his mind, igniting a dangerous anger within him. Not just at Marvolo, but at his father and the so-called “healers” who had failed to keep watch over his brother.
He hissed, dragging a hand through his hair. When he returned to the bedroom, he found Charlotte still trembling on the bed, her golden aura illuminating the shadows. He took her hand, squeezing gently as he knelt beside her.
“He’s gone. I need to speak to my father,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I won’t leave you alone.”
She whimpered softly, a sound that pierced his heart. He longed to pull her close and hold her until dawn broke, but he couldn’t. He would not leave her to face the darkness alone.
Instead, he found himself kneeling before Charlotte in his father’s study. The tension in the room was suffocating, crackling like static as Ominis held her trembling hand, grounding her in his presence. Lord Gaunt stormed in, fury radiating from him, each footfall echoing ominously on the marble floor.
“This is what you bring upon this family?” he sneered, voice cutting like a blade. “The Gaunt name, tarnished by that feeble brother of yours and a mute little wife who cowers at the slightest disturbance.” His disdainful gaze swept over Charlotte, who flinched under his glare but held Ominis’ hand tighter, drawing strength from him even as fear darkened her features.
Ominis chose to ignore his father's words and stood, instead focusing on the pressing matter at hand.
“Where were they?” Ominis demanded, his voice low and simmering. “The healers. The ones you swore would keep Marvolo contained.”
Lord Gaunt’s tone was dismissive, irritation barely masked. “Do you know how much effort it takes to keep them here, Ominis? How much I have to manage for your sake? Marvolo is a danger, yes, but I have-”
“A danger?” Ominis’s voice cracked with fury. “He nearly killed Charlotte tonight! You promised me she would be safe here.” His hand clenched around his wand, the weight of betrayal heavy. "Do you even care what happens to her? Or is her life just another pawn in your games, like mine?”
A tense silence stretched between them, the oppressive cold of the study wrapping around Ominis like a vice. His father’s tone turned sharper, laced with chilling authority. “Control yourself, Ominis. She is here to fulfill a purpose, just as are you. Do not let sentiment cloud your judgment.”
Ominis’ pulse thundered in his ears, anger boiling to the surface. "Sentiment? This is about responsibility. Something you seem to know nothing about.”
His father’s eyes narrowed, a dark rage simmering behind them. “Watch your tone, boy. You think your duty means anything to me? I am paying those healers handsomely to manage Marvolo, yet they’ve failed me, just as you have! Both of you. Nothing but disappointments.”
Ominis knew he should quit while he was ahead, but the fury coursing through him was too strong. He stepped forward, letting go of Charlotte’s hand. “Perhaps if you took responsibility for once-”
The slap echoed through the study, sharp and humiliating, a stark reminder of his father's control. Ominis's face burned from the impact, his cheek flaming as Charlotte gasped softly, instinctively reaching out to pull him closer, a desperate gesture to shield him.
His heart hammered, torn between instinctive defiance and the deep-rooted fear of his father. A man who had crushed him under the weight of expectations since childhood. But Ominis could not abandon the Gaunt name; it was the only shield he had to protect Charlotte. The name was his armor, yet it also imprisoned him.
Lord Gaunt's voice dropped to a furious hiss, a stream of Parseltongue pouring from his lips like venom. The unnatural, serpentine sounds filled the room, echoing like an army of snakes; to Charlotte, it must have sounded like pure malice, cold, sinister and ancient.
To Ominis, each word cut clear as day: “You dare defy me, insolent boy? After all I’ve done to mold you into something worthy of this family, you repay me with this shame? You are a disgrace, unworthy of the Gaunt blood. Do not think you can speak to me like that. I am the head of this family, and you are nothing more than a tool to secure our legacy. And as for your wife, she is here to serve her purpose, not to be pampered and coddled.”
Ominis felt large hands grip his collar. His father's approval had been beaten into him, each lesson instilling obedience under his family's oppressive rule. He didn’t dare move, didn’t dare meet his father’s gaze directly, but he felt Charlotte’s trembling hand on his arm. For her, he would bear any weight, endure every insult.
He spoke back in Parseltongue, voice tight but resolute. “I live for this family. I follow every rule, play every part because if I don’t, who will protect Charlotte? She is under my care, and nothing you say will change that.”
His father’s hiss deepened, laced with scorn. “She is nothing but a burden. A weak, silent stain on our bloodline. And you, my son, are bound to me, bound to this family, whether you wish it or not. Defy me again, and there will be consequences.”
The grip on his collar shoved him away, sending him crashing back into Charlotte’s arms. Ominis felt cold sweat trickle down his back, his heart hammering with both fear and defiance. The weight of his father’s words pressed down on him, threatening to shatter his resolve, but Charlotte’s presence gave him strength. Her trembling, a silent testament to her trust in him.
Gritting his teeth, he met his father’s fury head-on, his own hiss resonating with defiance and desperation. “Then so be it.”
In that moment, as the venomous words settled in the tense silence, Ominis understood the grim reality: he would endure any insult, any blow, to shield Charlotte. The Gaunt name, however twisted, was all that kept them safe. For now.
~~~
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The Light in My Darkness ||Ominis Gaunt X OC||
FanfictionAn Ominis Gaunt x OC love story ~~~ Having been betrothed to each other since birth, it was no secret that the Heir of Slytherin would marry the only daughter to the pure-blooded Fawley line. Charlotte Fawley, the only daughter of Viscount and Visco...
