𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐒𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰

Chapter Two

Ominis Gaunt had always been a man who kept to himself. Outside of his extremely small circle of friends, people hardly heard from him. He'd show up to events from time to time, but if there was no motive for him to do so, it would be as if he never existed. That's just the way he liked to do things, the way he liked to live his life.

After turning eighteen and getting his inheritance from his family, he left. Call it cruel to get his money and leave, but he was tired of his family's constant abuse. He had already been avoiding them for years, so they barely cared. And he hardly contacted them. But nothing felt different. He had inherited his late Aunt Noctua's estate and had been living there ever since and up until late last year, alone.

However, since moving here eight years ago, he had become well acquainted with a family whose estate was nearby, the Austen's. More specifically, their daughter Vienne. Vienne often wandered around from place to place, and for as long as she could remember, the other estate closest to her home had been abandoned for the past couple of years-or vacant at the very least. The former owner she had known had just suddenly disappeared one day.

However, when she was fourteen, suddenly it seemed as if someone was living there again. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, she walked up to the door and knocked on it to see who was there. An eighteen-year-old Ominis Gaunt opened the door, wondering who could possibly be at his home.

Vienne was surprised to see him; after all, she had no idea who he was. But the two began to talk, and Ominis explained he had inherited this place from his aunt. Vienne recalled speaking to Noctua Gaunt on a number of occasions, and her work fighting against blood supremacy had actually led Vienne to take on many of the same beliefs. Unknowingly, Ominis and Vienne spoke for hours after this first meeting.

Vienne felt slightly bad for the man. He was so young, living all alone, and he didn't seem to have a good relationship with his family. She also quickly took note that he was also blind, which made sense as to why his eyes were never on her. She often went over to keep him company; the two of them simply sitting around and talking about whatever came to their minds.

Ominis soon began to value her as the good younger sister he never had.

That one curious visit turned into eight years of wonderful friendship. However, Ominis no longer lived alone now-that all changed late the year prior.

His dear friend, Sebastian, was now staying with him. And what a relief that was.

For the past ten years, Sebastian had spent his life practically rotting away in Azkaban. Living hell on earth for ten years. Every day Ominis thought about him and how much he must be suffering. Those ten years weren't easy for either of them.

The unfortunate events that had taken place in their fifth year of school had an astronomical effect on the both of their lives. Although Ominis, Anne, and their friend, who had witnessed it all, had all agreed to keep what had happened between Sebastian and his uncle a secret after Sebastian promised to do better, the word still somehow got out about what had really happened.

And quickly, all of their lives fell apart.

Sebastian was arrested and put on trial for murder and the use of unforgivable curses. And no matter how hard his friend and his sister recounted the story, pleading with the jury for his innocence, he was sentenced to ten years in Azkaban for his crimes.

Sebastian, to say the least, was terrified.

A sixteen-year-old boy going to Azkaban. What a thought that was.

But by the end of the trial, he truly believed he deserved this punishment. The guilt of killing his uncle was already eating away at his heart, and through the stress of all of this, it had completely crumpled. He didn't even try to fight back or say anything as he was sentenced; he simply looked down at his hands in his lap, unmoving.