Swallow your pride

Last Farewell

Sebastian's PoV

Sebastian walked through the Great Hall, where it was unusually quiet. Everyone had their heads buried in the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. There were gasps and low whispers among the students. He had a bad feeling about it. He quickened his pace and as he approached the teacher's desk, he saw the shocked faces of his colleagues. When they looked up at him, he felt as if he saw a hint of...pity in their faces.

Sebastian's heart thumped in his chest. He forced himself to speak, his voice a low rumble. "What's going on? What's in the Daily Prophet?"
Professor Sharp stood up, rolled up a copy of the newspaper and spoke carefully, "Mr. Sallow... it would be better... if we go to my office."
Sebastian's jaw clenched, his heart now pounding in his chest. The gravity in Sharp's tone and the careful way he spoke made Sebastian's unease grow.
"Alright," he said, his voice tight. "Lead the way."

Sebastian followed Professor Sharp through the halls, his mind racing with questions and anxieties. The silence between them was heavy, only broken by the sound of their footsteps. Once they arrived at Sharp's office, Sebastian's heart was now racing, a thousand worst-case scenarios running through his mind.
He stepped into the office and waited for Professor Sharp to begin.

Sharp closed the door behind Sebastian and gestured for him to take a seat. Once both were seated, Sharp placed the Daily Prophet on the desk between them. Sebastian looked down at the paper, bracing himself for whatever news it might bring.
"Sebastian," Sharp said, his voice grave, "I need you to remain calm when you read this."

Sebastian swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and nodded, his heart now in his mouth. He took a deep, shaky breath and picked up the Daily Prophet, his eyes scanning the headline. "Tragedy in the most powerful pureblood family. " Sebastian's stomach twisted as he read the headline, the words sending a chill down his spine. He quickly began to read the article, his eyes racing over the lines of text, his mind already bracing for the worst.

'Respected in the wizarding and muggle worlds, the Gaunt family has suffered a huge loss. According to our sources, Lord Gaunt's eldest son has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for particularly serious curses. In addition, two veiled bodies were taken from Gaunt Manor. It is speculated that should be the younger son, Ominis Gaunt and his wife Yarra Yaxley Gaunt. However, this information has not yet been confirmed. The Ministry of Magic does not want to release more information until the matter is properly investigated.'

Sebastian's heart dropped as he read the article, the words hitting him like a punch in the gut. The sheer gravity of the situation settled over him like a dark cloud.
"No," he muttered, his voice low and choked, "It can't be... Not Ominis... Not Yarra..."
He ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing, trying to figure out what could have possibly happened.
He looked up at Professor Sharp, his gaze intense and desperate. "This can't be true.... Can it? Ominis... Yarra... Are they... are they really...?"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the question, his eyes pleading for assurance, for a different reality.

Professor Sharp spoke in a soothing voice. "Calm down Mr. Sallow. You know how journalists are... they are often just looking for a sensation... As a former Auror I have some connections. Hold on, ... I try to find out what happened."

Sebastian took a breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions raging within him. He knew Professor Sharp was right, the Daily Prophet was known for sensationalism and often twisted the facts. But the idea of Ominis and Yarra being hurt, being... gone... It was almost too much to bear.
"Okay," he said, his voice slightly steadier now, "Please, find out what you can, Professor."

Sebastian sat there, fidgeting anxiously as he waited for Professor Sharp to make the call. The silence in the room was deafening, the sound of his own breathing and the ticking of the clock was all that broke the stillness.
He couldn't help but imagine the worst-case scenarios in his mind, each one making his heart ache a little more. Ominis... Yarra... He hoped more than anything that they were alright, that this was all just a misunderstanding.