Stars in Shadows | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 5

Y/n's Perspective

I rest my head on my hand as I listen to Professor Onai's lecture in Divination class. Next to me, Garreth's head tips forward as he fights to stay awake. I couldn't blame him. The scent of black tea combined with Onai's soothing voice as she spoke was making me drowsy.

I sit up with a jolt when teacups begin to fly around the room, neatly lining themselves up in front of a student. With a flick of Onai's wrist, teapots started to fill the teacups with black tea.

"For today's lesson, we'll be reading tea leaves. In case anyone needs a refresher on how to read them; simply drink the tea until the dregs remain. Then switch cups with your partner and interpret the patterns." She smiles kindly.

Fantastic. Professor Onai was lovely, but I couldn't deny that I resented her class. The crystal-ball gazing we did last year didn't warn me anything about Professor Fig or Solomon. I bite my lip as I stare into the amber liquid.

I blow gently on my tea before taking a sip. Garreth mirrors me. "I have to warn you," He frowns. "But I usually don't know what I'm doing in this class."

"I don't either," I confess. We quietly drink our tea before we switch cups. I felt the tea warming my insides, making me feel even more sleepy.

"Alright." Garreth sighs as he peers into my cup. He opens up his Divination textbook and starts flipping through the pages, trying to match the photos. I yawn, trying to focus. Garreth lets out a loud gasp, his eyes going wide.

"What? What is it?" Startled, I stare at him. He shakingly points to a raven in his textbook, his face pale. "Okay, a raven. What does it mean, Garreth?"

Garreth swallows, avoiding my eyes. "Death." Half the class whirls their heads toward us. I inhale sharply. Dread immediately fills me. Death? What about my family? My friends? Sebastian? Feeling my hands shake, I clench them into fists. No.

Professor Onai hurries over to our table. "Is something the matter?" Garreth points to the raven in the textbook, then the dregs inside my teacup. Onai picks up my teacup, holding it close to her face as she studies it. She breathes out a sigh of relief before frowning at Garreth.

"My dear, you are mistaken. That is not a raven." Relief begins to flood through my body immediately. She turns the pages of his textbook before finding what she was looking for. "That is what is inside Miss Lovegood's cup." Onai points at the picture of a white bird.

Garreth squints down at the book. "A dove?"

"Precisely. Perhaps the clearest dove I've seen in a tea leaf reading." She gives me a small smile before walking away, checking on the progress of other students.

I make sure Professor Onai is far away before I tug up the sleeve of my robe and smack the back of Garreth's head. He lets out a yelp, pushing my hand away. "Ow!"

"That's for making me think I was going to have an early death," I hiss. My heart is still racing. I inhale deeply before I slowly breathe out. You're okay.