Invisible String - Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Fourty-Six: To the Moon and to Saturn

"Do you think that Ominis will actually like my dress," Poppy asked, brushing my hair back from my face as she twisted the long blonde hair into an elegant pile of swirls and cascading curls. I smiled warmly at her in the mirror, the vanity table vast as we had come to the Room of Requirement to get ready.

She was already wearing the beautiful black silk gown she had purchased in Gladrags Wizards Wear, the silver serpent straps glimmering in the dimmed candle lit room. Her hair was sleekly curled, contrasting its usual messy appearance, her skin shimmering lightly. She looked absolutely radiant.

"Poppy, Ominis can't see your dress," I reminded her lightly. She laughed, and glanced at the snakes on her shoulders.

"You don't think he's going to-"

"He's not going to be upset about the snakes, Pop. You should have seen him in the common room the night I drug him to yours. I've never seen Ominis so flustered."

She blushed and added a few more pins to my hair, succeeding in pinning it back. The french twist she'd given me allowed the full back of my dress to shine. The low swooping cut out, the ties of the two capes trailing from the long velvet sleeves.

It really was a beautiful dress.

I loved it. Somehow, I couldn't help but wonder if I was still fit for such a beautiful gown. So much had happened since I had bought it, so much darkness, so much pain and agony. I just wanted one night to be normal, for one night to allow me the grace of wearing a beautiful gown, and feel like a normal girl.

How could I be normal, with all that I did? With all that I still wanted to do?

Our essays had been handed in, mine lightly covered in tear tracks as I thought about the way the killing curse had torn apart Sebastian and Anne. Yet, I couldn't help but to be grateful he'd used it. If he hadn't used it against Solomon, if I hadn't used it against Rookwood, and if he hadn't used it against Poppy's father, I wouldn't be here.

He may not be here.

Poppy.

Poppy who was doing my hair. Who was slowly falling in love with Ominis Gaunt and all his complexities, who smiled purely at him while the rest of the school thought him a true Gaunt in all respects of the word. Poppy who the killing curse had torn apart inside, even if she didn't admit it, even though she didn't cast it.

Poppy, who always knew more than she let on, and who was watching my emotions flash across my face in the mirror as she added some shimmering substance to my hair to match the stars.

Sweet and innocent.

I was full of desire for pain and power. I wanted to. continue my reading, my practicing of dark spells. I wanted to seek these things out, and her blissfully happy life with Ominis was one of those reasons.

She sighed as she finished pinning my hair. Her hands traveled over my shoulders and squeezed gently.

"You deserve a day of normalcy, Abbi."

I looked around at her, slightly startled, my eyes wide. "I-I don't-"

"You and Sebastian," she said, playing with the velvet sleeves, picking off imaginary strings. "You both deserve to feel happy and normal. I know this year- what's happened- I know that's what you're thinking about. That night."

I didn't say anything, my heart returning to a normal pace. She was talking about Ominis's family. She didn't know what Sebastian and I had done, what we'd continued to venture into. She was simply my best friend, sweet and innocent, protected by the things I was doing.