How Could I Ever Forget You? // Sebastian Sallow / Professor Sallow x reader/mc

"Professor Sallow?"

Today was your first mission as a real, qualified Auror. Years of hard work, training and determination had all led up to this moment. You, Natty and a few other new recruits were being sent to deal with some poachers that were terrorising a local village. Easy enough, you thought to yourself. You had dealt with dozens of poachers before, not to mention dark wizards and goblins too. The only difference now was that Sebastian would not be by your side, looking over at you with pride every time you took one down. But you'd convinced yourself by now that you didn't need him. You could handle yourself.

I think it's time you move on.

The words embedded your head. For whatever reason, hearing that from Ominis scolded you more than anything could have prepared you for. Those words left a scar. Perhaps it was the sheer embarrassment, or that those words were the closest you'd get to Sebastian's own.

"I've got this," you whispered to yourself, eyeing down your brand new uniform, a coat that hugged your body in all the right places. You couldn't help but wonder if Sebastian would be proud of you, for making it this far. He was the one who taught you everything you knew, after all. The first wizard you'd ever beaten in a duel. He alone was responsible for all of this. 

~~~

You mounted your broom, peeping through the long grass that reached just above your head. Dusk had fallen, and the poachers were surrounded. Blissfully unaware of the ring of budding Aurors hiding behind a disillusionment charm.

Natty had signalled you to move forward, carefully taking step by step, weaving through the grass in order to get a better look of the enemy. Slowly....Slowly.... Crack.

A twig beneath your feet. The poachers shot up, startled, shouting at one another, words you couldn't quite make out.  

A flash of red flew above your head. That was it. The first spell fired. A battle was underway.

The other Aurors stepped forward, revealing themselves in a circle of fire. It was magnificent, thrilling even. You eyes focused upon the poachers, frantically darting around each other. However there was one, in the middle of the noise, so calm. So.. collected. He had his back turned to you, basking in the violence. Eventually he revealed himself, slowly stepping in your direction. He wore a mask that fell just below his eyes, eyes that were glowing in the foggy darkness.

You had gotten it all wrong, these were not just poachers, these were dark wizards. You inhaled, the smell of smoke consuming your lungs. Lifting your wand, preparing to take him-

"Avada Kedavra-" a flash of green sparked in your direction. A loud thud rang through your ears, as your surroundings began to spin, almost moving you to someplace else.

You tried to think, but you couldn't reach. You tried to breathe, but you'd forgotten how. Suddenly an image flashed before your eyes, clearer than the night sky above you.

It was Sebastian. Dread in his eyes as he held out his wand. The dread quickly turned to anger, the anger turned to hate. As his lips trembled, revealing the same words you'd heard just moments ago. Avada Kedavra. The same flash of green, the same thud. Solomon crashing to the ground in front of you. A loud ringing pierced through your skull. And there it was again, Sebastian, the same words, the same flash of green, the same thud. Over and over. Until suddenly- darkness.

~~~

"Ominis, is she alright Ominis?" Sebastian's voice trembled. "I read it in the Prophet, new Auror down after poacher attack. They didn't name any names. Ominis, please. Tell me she's okay." His eyes pleaded in desperation. Sweating through the fear, he sat at the kitchen table, head in his hands. His thoughts spiralled down a rabbit hole of despair. I could have protected her. How could I let this happen? If only there was a way I could go back in time. Perhaps I would never have spoken to her at all. I could have prevented this, all of this.