The List

Chapter 7. Friends to enemies.

Sebastian was right. The dungeons were cold. And it was barely the end of September.

She missed the Gryffindor tower, where on weekend mornings, when the weather was still kind outside, she would open a window and let the breeze inside her dormitory.
And she would sit by the frame, cup of tea in hand, listening to the sounds of the animals coming from the Forbidden Forest.
Listening to the echo of the students laughing and conversing right below, on the connecting bridge between the tower and the rest of the castle.

Everleigh didn't realize how bad she had missed that little routine until she didn't have it anymore.
Instead, she was down in the dungeons, freezing to death, and brooding over the fact that there always seemed to be darkness surrounding the common room. She could recognize it was beautiful, but she deeply missed the sunlight.

Drinking the last of her cup of tea, she sat the porcelain mug on the desk before she was grabbing the parchment full of scribbles she had been working on.

The Quidditch's Captains of the four houses had met and discussed ways to make a fair calendar that guaranteed that every house was going to get their chance of using the field to practice. By some miracle, and perhaps because she had won the Quidditch's match between them, Sebastian had agreed to abide by that calendar. Even if in their meeting he hadn't given her so much as a glance.
The boy had occupied a seat across from her at the big desk in the Heads Office, and his eyes had stayed on the wooden surface at all times.

If Everleigh didn't know any better, she would think he was hurt. It had been almost a week since their heated conversation, and Sebastian was diligently keeping his distance from her. Even the classes they shared together, nothing. The boy would look at anything but her.

She was immensely happy that he was out of her way, and yet... it didn't feel right. Like it was her who was in the wrong.

Parchment still in hand, she left her dormitory and crossed the common room until she reached the hallway that belonged to the Slytherin boys's dormitories. Everleigh stood in front of the first door, a little bigger than the rest, and with the CAPTAIN lettering decorating the frame.
She knocked a couple of times firmly and then waited.

Soon enough, the steps became louder and louder, before the door opened, and Sebastian Sallow stared back at her, blank expression on his face. He was wearing some long pajama pants that hung from his hips, messy hair and of course, no shirt.
Perhaps she had woke him up, since he didn't have classes that morning. But he didn't seem sleepy.

— What can I assist you with today, Grayson?

His forearm came to rest on the frame as he faked a voice of interest, which Everleigh tried not to roll her eyes at.
Her hand extended towards him, offering the piece of paper.

— I've been working on the calendar for the Quidditch's field. This should be good for everyone.

Sebastian grabbed the parchment from her and his eyes moved all around it in silence. For at least a minute, he didn't say anything, and Everleigh shifted her weight from one leg to another.

— Not bad. — He finally said, folding the paper carefully. — I suppose it's acceptable enough.

— Good.

She responded, almost right away. He nodded, shrugging nonchalantly.

— Good. — Sebastian kept staring at her, waiting for something else to come out of her mouth. And Everleigh looked at him just the same. Perhaps she was waiting for him to apologize, but the feeling that she had to be the one to initiate it was still there. — Did you need anything else?