IN HER EYES. || OMINIS GAUNT X CLARA DIGGORY FANFIC. | HL REIMAGINED

CHAPTER II: TOO YOUNG

All I could think to myself was to keep running, keep out of their hands. I couldn't be sent to Azkaban and proving my innocence or act of self defence, rather, was also turning out to be impossible. I loathed being continuously hunted and sought after. Should I ever, ever be able to change anything, it'd be to make sure that children under the age of seventeen could not be sentenced to Azkaban. What a dreadful place that was.

Clara had told me all about it when she'd visited with the ex-Auror back in her fifth year and needless to say that the lady whom had been imprisoned, had gone insane. There was no coming back from a place as dark and doomed as that. So, I'd do anything to keep myself out of harms way at that point. Even having to resort to more drastic measures.

I was currently hiding out in Marunweem, knowing a fellow Slytherin student whom had offered to take me in. "Imelda," I voiced, handing her a piece of parchment which she took, a knowing look on her features. "You know how dangerous this is, Sebastian." She voiced and I nodded, though shrugging shortly thereafter. "I need her to know that I'm alive, that I... Well, you know what I mean."

And with a curt nod, she was off. I watched longingly through the windows of the creaking cottage in which she lived, wishing to be a free man again and step foot wherever I could or pleased. But in order for that to happen, I needed to be able to prove my innocence and with Anne having died eight years ago this year, I wasn't exactly sure on how I could.

It had also been a hectic seven years on the run and without any avail to finding something which could clear my name. The Basilisk? Granted, for that one I would take punishment even if it had been in Clara's best interest and within a deadly challenge the school had set for us. But my uncle? Pure self defence. If the Killing curse wouldn't have killed us, his endless repertoire of other offensive spells sure would have.

And that's what I'd been trying to gather, but I would need Clara's testimony as well as Ominis'. With Clara, there wouldn't be an issue, though Ominis... With his family being Gaunts, it was sure to be revoked from his side. The Ministry wasn't very fond of the Gaunt family and the malpractice they had been doing upon Muggles and Half Blood wizards. I wasn't sure what harm it could do, but I had to go and talk to them both.

I had stood there, countless times. In front of their home, inside which my son lived, but I never dared to go closer. I had only seen head of hair as dark as mine and Clara's, though never a face. Being catapulted back to that moment where I'd seen him, it... It took my breath away and I could feel raw emotions surfacing from deep within me. Emotions I had kept buried ever since he had been born.

Never once had I allowed myself to feel, to think what it could have been like with Clara. Not until that letter. I knew it would nearly break me to write it and it had, knowing that my life was completely ruined. The Hogwarts professors had to be very disappointed in me, I was sure of it. If only they knew the truth behind what had happened, they would surely vouch for me as well. But they had to believe it and that's where the predicament laid.

As Imelda entered the home again, she smiled compassionately at me. I didn't need it, but it was nice to know that there were people around me that cared. Even if I had been a dickhead towards her in the past as well. She had always meant well, even when she was coming across as a raging teenager, and that's what I've always appreciated about her. Even if she wasn't Clara's favourite, she sure as hell was one of mine for everything she had done for me in the past as well as what she was presently risking.

I could feel tears brimming in my eyes and she headed on over towards me, an 'oh, Sebastian' slipping past her lips as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer and began to draw patterns across my back. "I'm so sorry this all happened to you, you deserved so much better." She muttered and I could feel myself beginning to sob at that point. Everything I'd ever built had been lost and it was all because of my own stupid actions. How I'd been so blindsided and how all my efforts to save Anne had been in vain.