After All This Time// Sebastian Sallow x Reader Hogwarts Legacy Fanfiction

Chapter 84

The week was going by quickly, and it was already Wednesday. Sebastian had kept his word and his distance a bit more than he had previously been. It was helping me get used to the way things were now, and to rebuild the lost relationship between us. He was still being a bit flirty, but he was at least keeping his hands off of me for the time being. I'll admit that I missed his touch, but it was better this way for now. 

I was excited about going to the ball with Sebastian. It wasn't anything that had previously been on my mind, but it was something to look forward to in these odd times. On that note, I wasn't sure what to do about Charles. It would be so much easier to talk things through with someone else to get a second opinion, but I didn't know who I could trust, so it wasn't an option. 

I knew that I needed to get rid of him. But I wasn't sure how. The last time I saw him, he made sure I didn't have my wand and always had backup. 

Part of me was beating myself up over this; in the past, it never would've been an issue to take on someone like him and their cronies at the same time. I don't know what the issue was entirely, but I needed to get over whatever fear I had over the subject, and just face him. I know I've been through worse- so I don't know why I was still holding back. 

Every time I came face to face with him, I felt like I froze. I wasn't quite sure how to handle the pressure. This wasn't any different that what I'd been able to do in the past. So why was it affecting me so much now?

regardless of how I was feeling, I knew that the next time I saw him, I needed to do something. I needed to take him down for good. I don't even care what he's after at this point- it doesn't seem like he's willing to share that yet. But if I can find a way to take him down for good, then I won't have to worry about that at all. 

I brushed my hair behind my ears and tried my best to focus on Professor Garlick's lesson, but I couldn't keep my mind from wandering. I'll admit that I didn't even know the lesson. I could get the homework from Ominis or someone later and deal with it when I was able to focus. I aimlessly doodled little stick figures and animals as I sank farther into my thoughts. The negative feelings surrounding everything were sprawled out in my head like cobwebs that I could never clear out. they were endlessly spreading and no amount of upkeep could undo what was happening inside me. 

After class, I made a beeline for my dorm room. My next meeting with Charles was soon, and I needed to figure out how to proceed. 

I wanted to tell someone. I needed a second opinion, or maybe even a voice of reason on how to handle the situation. It seemed that we were finally in somewhat of a civil place, and there was much that could be done with the little leverage he'd given me. But I was never one for making the plans, I was usually the one who took a less stealthy and thought-out approach. 

I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't keep this a secret. I quickly stood up from my bed and went out into the common room, scanning the students present for Sebastian. He was the only one who I could tell. Anyone else would go straight to Professor Weasley about the fact that I've still been persuing Charles, but I knew Sebastian would understand. He had to. 

But I needed to make sure he knew I was safe. There was no way I was letting anything bad happen to him again. 

This thought stopped me in my tracks. I folded my arms across my chest and turned back around. That's the whole reason I wasn't going to tell him in the first place. To keep him safe. What was I thinking just now?

I let out a breath and headed back to my room. 

Later that day after all my classes were over, I headed to the library to try and get some work done. The thought about telling Sebastian was still at the front of my mind. Though thinking about it again, if I was looking for someone to help me formulate a plan, Sebastian really wasn't the one to ask. If anything, he was more hotheaded than me when it came to things like this. 

I don't know though, it was still weighing on me. 

"Hey," someone said behind me. "Is this seat taken?" I turned around to see Sebastian smiling back at me. 

"No," I said, removing my books from the other side of the desk, giving Sebastian a place to put his book bag down. I glanced over at him as he sat down, trying to clear my head. I instinctively averted my eyes back to my books. 

"Is something the matter?" he asked me. "You've seemed a bit out of it all day." he grabbed my hand and pulled it across the desk, making little circles on my palm with his thumb. I'll admit it did help calm me down a bit- he always did- but I was still on the verge of telling him, and it was making me anxious. The words were sitting right on the tip of my tongue, ready to fall at a moment's notice. 

"Nothing's wrong," I smiled.

"Don't lie to me," he stated. "I know you at least well enough to know when you're not telling me the truth." I rolled my eyes and retracted my hand, but he swiftly took it again and squeezed it tight. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I don't think I can tell you this," I sighed. His eyebrows perked up. 

"So you are hiding something from me then?" Sebastian chuckled. "Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready." 

I relaxed a but in my seat, relieved that he wasn't going to keep pushing the subject. For the next little while, we worked on homework together until it got too late to be out in the library. the whole time, I still debated on whether or not I should tell him. He was the person I used to tell everything, and it felt so unnatural to me to have secrets between the two of us.