Ten years after I began at Hogwarts, Sebastian Sallow is back. And he's Professor Sallow now. He disappeared after the fall of Ranrok and Rookwood, after I lost Professor Fig, and after Ominis and I couldn't keep him from losing himself. But I never...
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[[NOTE: June 27, 2023 - To celebrate hitting 30,000 reads (THANK YOU!) I created an audio version of this chapter because I love it so much. Enjoy! xo - June]]
"Helloooo Professor Sallow" I say ludicrously, with a full mouth of apple, mimicking a proper British accent. I snicker quietly to myself, quite pleased with my delivery.
He jolts at my presence and I see a flash of what looks like dismay on his face.
"Oh please, Sebastian," I roll my eyes unapologetically. "I'm not contagious, you know."
He musters a short laugh through his stiff-postured stoic-ness. My heart skips precisely three beats.
"You just surprised me, that's all," he says calmly.
"If youuu sayyy sooo" I say nonchalantly, punctuating the end of my sentence with a crisp bite of apple and adding frankly, "you should laugh more."
A smile stirs within his restrained lips and I can't quite decide if I'd rather bloody those lips with my fist or lick them with my tongue when he asks "what are you doing?" and I use the donut in my hand to point to the view of the star-lit sky in front of me.
After a moment of consideration he asks, "You're not saving this spot for anyone, are you?"
I guffaw unceremoniously as if to say 'who would I be waiting for?' and offer, again in the terrible accent, "by all means, good sir," with a sweeping gesture of my arms.
He smiles a more natural smile and sits down to my right, his movement both jostling the bridge and wafting his intoxicating scent towards me. Bergamot and honey and pine mmmmm. It warms me from the inside and a stupid grin creeps across my face that I don't fight displaying.
He takes in a deep breath and plants down next to me in a comfortable way like we might have done as students. In a way that doesn't feel like he's trying to keep his distance as much. It feels so nice to not have him on the defensive and I realize, despite the extraordinary people in my life, no closeness with anyone has ever felt quite like closeness with him did.
Drinks still buzzing strong within me, I look over at him lazily, and lift both my hands with the provisions I have left. Explaining, of the donut, "I'm sorry there's less of this one than there is of that one. Priorities, you know?" He chuckles and I continue with a coy smile, "mi snacks...es su snacks."
Sebastian laughs again with more abandon – he's loosening up a bit – as he plays along, snatching the apple from my hand to have a bite. His fingers grace mine as he does and my skeleton nearly jumps out of my skin.
"Careful now, that's got my cooties on it," I joke. He rolls his eyes and looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Professor Collins..." he begins with a question in his voice.
