In the Shadow of Azkaban

Volume II: V

I gasped in horror as Xilia approached Ominis. She held her wand by her side, and it flickered with flames. Morganna scrambled out of his arms to avoid the rampage. Her eyes were petrified.

Xilia raised her hand and slapped Ominis across his cheek. Hard. "You insolent boy. You are not Milton," she seethed.

Ominis did not move. He endured the abuse while I feared for him. I caused this.

"What was the reason?" She slapped Ominis again. I noticed she favored his left cheek. I pressed my hand against my own scar.

"Stop it!" I cried. "Please!" Tears formed in my eyes, and my vision became blurrier with every second. I made my way over to Ominis. 

I stood by his side. I placed my hand against his waist and leaned into him. I rubbed his back slightly.

He spoke quietly, "It was a true misunderstanding. I meant to strike Sebastian. My wand faltered since I could not seem to control my emotions, and it casted her instead." Ominis let his face drop toward the ground.

"You are one lucky fool that Kassia trained at St. Mungo's. I will send my owl for her." She eyed Ominis and I both before she stormed inside.

"I told you we should have treated you before," Ominis hissed in my ear.

"I thought she would have appreciated the situation." I whispered back.

"Xilia and Kassia are both relatively good women. They taught Marat and I to treat women akin to goddesses. So, if anything, that was the opposite reaction I was hoping for." He sighed to himself.

Ominis placed his arm at the small of my back and guided me inside.

We passed the cramped foyer quickly. It seemed I was already creating bad memories in the home.

Once we entered the main foyer, there were two arched staircases on either side of the space. They led up to a landing that went to the different wings in the manor.

There were huge paneled windows at the back of the room. The entirety of the estate was made of solid wood and stone. There was a mixture of Maple and Cypress within the mouldings.

In the center of the staircases was a marble statue. A man that shared both Marat and Ominis' face was carved into the rock. His body resembled that of Orion and Milton. This had to have been Mercurio.

Someone had marked him with a quill and drew a lightning bolt across his chest. I did not study it too long for fear that his brothers might assume I took interest in the dark arts. Kassia must have used the killing curse on him.

I followed Ominis up the left staircase. He was silent, and the only noise I could hear was his wand's glow waxing and waning. We turned and made our way down the hall.

"This is where you will be staying. There are wards on this room that do not allow men to enter, so I am unable to help you acclimate." Ominis nodded his head down, and he entered the chamber next to mine.

I stepped inside the bedroom to see that my trunk and belongings had already been put away. I took in the details of the quarters. The canopied bed had a light pink duvet covering it. Fluffy pillows were spread against the exquisite, wooden bed frame.

Two night tables were fashioned on either side with lit candles. A note was tucked underneath one of them.

I approached it hesitantly. Envelopes and letters tended to bring me anxiety now. I moved the candle off of it and began to read.

Mistress,

You are to meet me for tea in the morning at eight sharp. Please wear the clothes picked out for you laying across the dressing screen. Do not be late.

Mother Gaunt

I stared at the handwriting. It was so close to Ominis.' There had to be something I could say to fix what had happened earlier, but I was not able to come up with anything.

I removed my robe and neatly folded it up. I stepped inside the bathroom to see an enormous clawfoot tub. My mind thought back to when Ominis would conjure these for me after we made love. The thought put me at ease.

I ran the water and stepped inside. I buried myself inside the bubbled liquid. The warm sensation against my skin cured the endless exhaustion in me.

I thought about the next few months here until I heard a light rapping at my door.

"Give me one second!" I said loudly. I drained the tub and dressed into a clean nightdress and robe.

I pulled the door barely ajar. I looked out and didn't see anyone at first, but then I saw the top of Morganna's pale hair at my waist.

"Oh. Hello," I said timidly.

"Miss," Morganna hesitated, "Can I come in?" She rolled her thumbs together against her stomach.

I held my breath when I looked at her eyes. I imagined this is what Ominis looked like at her age. But him, at eight-years-old, would have already been blinded. I sighed.

"I apologize if I am interfering with your rest," She interpreted my sigh as a yawn. "I just had to let you in on a secret." She smiled softly at me.

"I'm the only one rooting for you. The rest of my family is unsure of your motive since you aren't a pureblood. They truly believe that you are after the estate." The words practically fell out of her.

"I assumed." I put my head down and stared at my hands.

"I know you'll be able to convince them otherwise. I cannot wait until you're my aunt." Her voice was high-pitched as she leaned in to hug me.

She ran out the door as fast as she could.

I shook my head. Ominis must have been sending Morganna owls or communicating with her somehow when we were at Hogwarts. How else would she know that he had asked me to marry him?