DELGADO || Sebastian Sallow (Hogwarts Legacy)

Part 88 - Unexpected and Curiosity

ꕀꕥ〡~𐀔~〡ꕥꕀ

❝What do you think you're doing?❞

______________________________

Returning to our room in the Gaunt summer estate, I paused to take it all in once more.

A sanctuary. A second home, alongside Lleida and Hogwarts.

Un lugar seguro, (a safe place). The words made me smile.

I still couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that this was mine now, too. Marvolo had given me the key as a gift. This was my house-because soon, I would be Mrs. Gaunt.

The tall windows overlooked a breathtaking garden at the center of the estate. Deer wandered lazily across the lawn. An owl perched in the branches of an ancient tree, its feathers catching the light.

Marvolo had thrown me into that pond near the picnic spot earlier. The water had been unexpectedly warm, and yet I still smiled at the memory.

I had said yes-to our marriage, to our shared life, to the bond that would tie us together.

Of course, there were still countless things we'd have to discuss if we wanted this to work. But those could wait. The most important thing now was to marry as quickly as possible. With Mr. Gaunt fleeing the country, this was our chance.

A wedding without standards. Without rules, domination, contracts, or dangerous agreements.

Just a man and a woman in love.

And yet, I couldn't ignore the truth, I loved Sebastian equally. By doing this, I was betraying him in every way possible. But the matter was already decided-already sealed in ink-black letters on paper. A contract that could not be reversed. And he knew it...

At least, I hoped he remembered.

Sitting at the small desk in the corner, I dipped my quill into ink and began jotting down a list:

Things to do before the wedding
- Hair
- Nails
- Makeup
- Invite guests

Mierda. How could I invite people to a secret wedding? The moment I sent an invitation, it wouldn't be a secret anymore.

I couldn't invite my aunt or my brother-they hated Marvolo and disapproved of our relationship. Sebastian was out of the question; he would try to stop the ceremony, even at the cost of his life. Anne would tell the whole world in an instant. I wasn't inviting Marvolo's friends-they were... not appropriate. My future in-laws? Absolutely not.

That left only Poppy-if she wasn't too afraid to come.

Ominis had told me what happened to her on Halloween night. Mr. Gaunt had taken her to the Undercroft, blindfolded and tied her to a barrel. He hadn't harmed her physically, but he had tried. Fortunately, Ominis had intervened before his father could so much as touch her or cast a single spell.

He and Poppy belonged together. Two people bound by a haunting past but carrying kind, beautiful souls. Both gentle, caring, and unyielding in their love for others.

Speaking of Ominis, I should check on him-see if he needs anything, whether that's a helping hand or my "expert" opinion on the wedding dress he's supposedly making for me.

I couldn't help my curiosity. What would it look like? What color had he chosen? Would it be a lavish cascade of fabric, or something sleek and simple?

Smirking, I left my room and wandered down the hallway in search of him.

A quick peek couldn't hurt.

I opened door after door, only to find empty rooms: closets, storerooms, a potion lab, guest bedrooms, bathrooms, an office, even a gardening room. Then there was the kitchen-two of them, actually-a wellness center, and a ballroom so polished it could have belonged in a palace.