Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Worrisome Dream

Clutching the case tightly in my hand, I pushed the door to Ollivander's open, the bell tinkling just overhead. Dark clouds were moving over the sky, wind whipping through the cobblestone street, blowing my hair everywhere around me.

"I'm afraid you're on your own," a cold voice called out to me from up the street. Whipping my head around, I saw Victor Rookwood stalking towards me, his top hat angled forward slightly. "I've ensured we have a moment alone together."

Wand drawn, I pointed it directly into his chest. "And why is that?"

"We'll surely, in light of what Ranrok has discovered, our interests have aligned."

I took half a step back, one hand clutching my wand, the other the wand in its new case tucked behind my back.

"Our interests will never be aligned," I snarled at the man before me.

Anger twisted across his features as he advanced towards me still. "The final repository belongs to wizard kind! You wouldn't just hand that over to the goblins, would you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I hissed back, regretting having sent Sebastian off. He was a far better duelist than myself, but in spite of what had just happened with his uncle, I'd told him I would be okay on my own in Hogsmead. My stomach swooped uncomfortably at the thought of him.

"That repository is my birthright!" Rookwood bellowed, his wand still not drawn. It struck me as odd. This man had no qualms killing, and nor did I, a fact that most of the valley knew at this point.

"Charles Rookwood wouldn't have wanted you anywhere near it," I snarled. Tucking my new wand securely into the hilt at my hip, I stepped forward wand raised firmly in Rookwood's face. The gleam of my pink gemstone handle glinted under my fingertips, ready for battle.

"I should have known better than to reason with a child," Rookwood sighed bringing his wand out finally. "I have always said children should be seen, and not heard."

I faltered.

"W-what did you just say?" I demanded, voice trembling as my wand dropped a fraction of an inch.

His voice echoed through my head, bouncing off the memory of Sebastian and I arguing in the Undercroft.

"Have you forgotten? Goblins cursed Anne to shut her up. Said she should be seen, and not heard."

I snapped myself away from the harsh voice of an angry Sebastian Sallow and stared right into Victor Rookwood's face, my lip curling in anger.

"It was you!" I shout at him, my voice cracking in the rage I felt. "How dare-"

A loud crack resounded through the village, as I raised my wand again, but I was too late. Hands grabbed me from behind, I was twisted on the spot, and sucked into complete crushing darkness. It compressed in around me, leaving me desperately trying to claw my way to air.

As instantly as I was sucked in, the darkness around me released and I was forced down onto my knees, the hand of whoever had grabbed me clutching me by my hair.

"Let go of me!" I shouted, struggling against the grasp. "Rookwood! Come out here you fucking coward!"

"Shut it," the man holding me growled, pointing his wand directly into my back, the tip of it digging between my shoulder blades.

I looked around, searching for Rookwood, for any sign of the asshole who had cursed Anne Sallow. It didn't take long for me to spot just how many Ashwinders Rookwood had at his disposal. At least twenty.