Stars in Shadows | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 8

Y/n's Perspective

After a hasty goodbye to a confused Samantha, I followed Ominis to the Undercroft. He didn't say anything as we walked. Feeling too intimidated to start a conversation, I stayed silent. I felt my nervousness grow as we entered the Undercroft. I've been in here loads of times with him and Sebastian, or alone with Sebastian, but it had never been me and Ominis. This was a first.

I leaned against a barrel as Ominis sat in one of the chairs. "So," I said slowly. "How are you?" It was our first time talking since the end of our fifth-year. He hasn't sent any letters to me all summer. Unless, I thought bitterly, maybe he had and my mother hid those as well.

"Let's not waste our time on small talk, shall we?" He crossed one leg over the other, scowling.

Damn, okay. I swallowed hard. Despite everything we had gone through together, he still made me nervous. "Alright, sorry. Um...what did you want to talk about?" Ominis and I had a shaky start to our friendship. He obviously disliked me at first, especially with how fast Sebastian and I grew close. But I remained patient with him, and eventually, we became good friends who could trust each other with anything. But after the end of the fifth-year, everything fell apart again.

Ominis wanted to report Sebastian and turn him into Azkaban. It took everything in my power to persuade him with my words to change his mind. My hands would shake whenever I thought about what would have happened if I had failed to convince him. Like now. I reached a hand up to grip my loose hair, trying to steady myself.

Ominis inhaled deeply. "I apologize for being rude. I've had a lot on my mind." His scowl softens. "I also wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss, Y/n. I knew you and Professor Fig were close. I have no doubt in my mind that he was proud of you."

Oh. I felt my eyes water as my throat closed up. It had taken me a while to process his death during the summer. Time helped me heal, of course, but whenever I saw him smiling at me in my dreams, I felt the grief all over again. I shakily take a deep breath. "Thank you, Ominis. That means a lot to me." I would forever keep those words close to my heart. That was quite possibly the kindest thing Ominis has ever said to me. 

"Of course." He stays quiet for a few respective seconds, giving me a moment to dab at my eyes. "I'm assuming you have questions about where I was all summer."

"I do. Are you going to tell me where you were?" I assumed Ominis was angry at me for persuading him to let Sebastian go. I always felt shame rising in me whenever I saw him hastily leaving our classes. And yet, I never regretted my decision to change Ominis's mind.

"You know that I normally stay with Sebastian over the break." Ominis's face tightens. "But I needed time alone. So, I went to my family home." I winced. Ominis must have seriously resented Sebastian if he would have rather stayed with his family.

"Ominis, I'm sorry-" He holds a hand up, cutting me off.

"Do not worry. My father ended up finding Aunt Noctua's will. It turns out, she left me everything. Her home and all of her gold." Ominis smiles bitterly. "It's just a cottage in London. But I spent all summer cleaning it up and going through her possessions."