In the shadows of Blood and Snakes [Sebastian Sallow x Gryffindor MC]

Chapter 14 - Whose fault is it?

(Author's POV)

The sun cast a warm, golden light over the Hogwarts grounds, though the chill in the air reminded Adeen that autumn was settling in. It was a nice morning, cool but comfortable, and Halloween was today to boot, which she was looking forward to.

She was lying on the grass near the lake, absentmindedly letting her magic swirl around her fingers. She looked at it, the blue traces glowing subtly against the paleness of the sky, wrapping between her index and middle fingers and twisting around her ring.

Ominis was a few feet away, reclining against a tree with one leg bent and the other stretched out. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his expression was as contemplative as ever. The tranquility of the morning should have been comforting, but there was an underlying tension between them.

Finally, Ominis broke the silence. "What is it?"

Adeen sighed, feeling a wave of frustration wash over her. She hadn't planned on bringing it up, but there was no point in hiding how she felt. "You knew. Why didn't you tell me?"

Ominis's brow furrowed slightly, a hint of surprise flickering across his face. He took a moment to consider his response, his voice careful and measured when he finally spoke. "...I'll assume Sebastian told you. I had thought you would rather hear it directly from him than from me."

"But he didn't. Caught him red-handed," Adeen said, the memory of last night still fresh and raw. Her magic, which had been swirling calmly around her fingers, began to pulse more erratically, with red swirls contaminating the blue ones, reflecting her rising irritation. She immediately stopped fumbling around with it.

Ominis wasn't surprised. He'd seen this coming, perhaps even expected it. Sebastian had always had a talent for keeping secrets, especially when it came to matters he believed he could handle on his own. It was a habit that had led to more than one disaster in the past.

"And I'll assume you confronted him about it?"

"Of course," Adeen replied, her tone clipped. She felt a flicker of annoyance at Ominis's calm demeanor. He seemed so detached, so unaffected by all of this.

He pursed his lips, considering his next words carefully. He knew he needed to tread lightly. "I've already made my stance clear to Sebastian about how I feel about the Dark Arts. He knows where I stand on this subject. So I assumed he would let you know about what he's up to himself. But it does not surprise me that he didn't say anything. He still refuses to give it up."

Adeen's gaze hardened as she stared at him. "Well, you could've warned me, at least." She picked up a small pebble and began tossing it lightly in her hand, the repetitive motion calming her somehow.

Ominis sighed, a hint of regret in his voice. "I... I am sorry. You're right, I could have warned you. I did try to give you a hint, in my defense. When I told you he was hanging out with other Slytherins interested in Dark Arts."

Adeen exhaled slowly, trying to let go of her irritation. She couldn't stay mad at Ominis, not when he was being so reasonable. "I just don't understand. Why are you taking it so well now?" She lazily threw the pebble into the lake, watching as it skipped once before sinking.

Ominis let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I... I don't know. Perhaps a part of me wants to keep an eye on him, lest he do something else stupid or get himself into dire trouble."

"Well, that didn't work too well last time, did it?" Adeen shot back, her words sharper than she intended. She saw the way Ominis flinched, the sting of her remark hitting home.

He ran a hand through his hair. "No. It did not work," he admitted, his voice tinged with weariness.

"And it doesn't explain why you seem suddenly okay with it. If it had happened last year, you'd have gone crazy on him," Adeen pressed, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. There was something more here, something he wasn't telling her, and she could feel it. Ominis was usually so composed, so controlled, but there was an edge to him now, a tension that he was struggling to keep hidden.