The Raven and the Snake (Sebastian Sallow x Ravenclaw MC)

Cold Comfort

"Clora."

Clora urgently tore through the halls as soon as Adelaide's words had finally registered and settled, her legs carrying her just as quickly as her mind raced while Sebastian followed closely behind, barely exerting himself thanks to his longer legs and longer strides.

"Clora," he said again, his tone short and demanding.

She continued to ignore him and sped along, though once they'd reached a corridor that was away from the fuss and wasn't quite so crowded, Sebastian finally shot his arm out to grab her, forcing her to an abrupt halt.

"Whatever you're thinking—stop," he demanded harshly, and when Clora still attempted to wrestle out of his grip and continue on her way, Sebastian held her more firmly and dragged her even closer. "Clora—"

"I have to go after her," she blurted, her voice coming out in a hurried rush as she finally turned to look at him in desperation.

"No. You don't." Sebastian countered, his voice hard and firm and matching the grip he had on her forearm as he pulled her closer still. "Did you forget that the Ministry sent Aurors to Hogwarts for this very reason? They'll be the ones to get Poppy back safely, while you remain in the school, just as you said you would."

Clora was already refusing before he'd finished. "I can't," she urged quietly, staring at the arm that was in Sebastian's grasp. "Not when this is my fault. How can you expect me to sit safely inside the castle when lives are in danger because of me?"

"Because it's not your fault—none of this is. And the best thing you can do for both Poppy's sake and for the sake of thwarting Ranrok, is to simply remain within the castle and let the professionals deal with this." Sebastian's face and voice were still hard and left no room for argument, though they both softened with each word as he slowly trailed the grip he had on her forearm down to her wrist, and then to her hand, squeezing it tight. "And it's also the best thing you can do for me, Clora. Please."

Clora stared at her hand that was now in Sebastian's own, chewing her lip as her mind no doubt raced. And after an excruciatingly long moment, she finally gave a small nod.

Sebastian allowed himself to blow out a small breath of relief at the sight of her surrender, and although he was under no illusions that Clora had completely given up the idea of doing something for Poppy, Sebastian still gave his shoulders the luxury of relaxing due to the fact that he'd apparently prevented her from running off and putting herself into danger—for now.

Though, Sebastian should have known it wouldn't be that easy, and that it wouldn't end there. Because when it came to himself and matters regarding Clora, nothing could ever go right, or be so simple, because that higher power that always tormented Sebastian when it came to Clora seemingly never failed to step in.

So as they walked outside and an owl they'd never seen before flew up to Clora as if on cue, with a rolled-up message in its talons, Sebastian really shouldn't have been surprised to read what it said as Clora unrolled it and sucked in a sharp breath.

You for her. No reinforcements. Aurors get a whiff of this, and you can consider the girl good as dead.

And further down the message, under the barely legible handwriting, were coordinates—coordinates that, no doubt, led to where Poppy was currently being held.

Clora and Sebastian stood still as they stared at the message, their eyes scanning the parchment over and over again in absolute silence, as if it may become easier to digest and absorb the more they went over it. And as they did so, the only sound either of them could hear was the thunderous pounding of their anxious hearts—though the reason for their suddenly elevated heart rates was entirely opposite for each of them.

"This doesn't change anything. You're not going." Sebastian recovered first as he ripped the parchment from Clora's trembling hands and stepped in front of her, one hand on her shoulder and the other holding up the note. "We're going to give this message to the Aurors, and they're going to be the ones to handle this."

Clora was silent for long enough that Sebastian had foolishly allowed himself to hope and believe that she was about to agree to put her own safety first—just this once. Though his hopes were quickly dashed as she soon shook her head.

"I can't risk that," she refused, her voice low and more resolute than Sebastian had been expecting it to be, given her shaken state. "It says no reinforcements—no Aurors. If I ignore that, and something happens to Poppy because of it..." Clora sucked in an uneven breath as she looked up at Sebastian, meeting his hard gaze with one of her own. "You know I can't take that risk, Sebastian. If anything happens to her because I didn't act, and simply hid within the castle...I'd never be able to live with myself."

Sebastian felt his frustrations mounting as he crossed his arms and locked his jaw. "Just as I won't be able to live with myself if anything happens to you."

"Then you can come with me," Clora suggested as she took a step forward. "But you're not stopping me."

Sebastian's arms dropped to his side at that, his irritation and impatience truly at its absolute limit as he stared down at her, taking in the way she defiantly looked up at him.

He supposed that if he were a Gryffindor, maybe Sebastian would agree with Clora, and accompany her with a proud smile as she heroically marched headfirst into danger to save her friend. Perhaps Leander would agree with her, and support her unconditionally, unlike himself. Because anything was worth it to save a friend in need, apparently.

But Sebastian didn't care about that, and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't even really care what happened to Poppy—not truly. Not if making sure nothing happened to her had to come at the cost of risking something happening to Clora, because as long as Clora was alive and safe and well, then nothing and nobody else mattered.

He wasn't a noble and chivalrous sort, and while he'd always drawn similarities to Clora being a princess, Sebastian himself was no prince. He'd already known as much, too, but as the two butted heads and truly made their differences in morals be known once again, he couldn't help but be reminded that he truly was more like the villain. After all, Sebastian was greedy and selfish and had absolutely no qualms with leaving Poppy to her fate and simply locking Clora up in some tower if it meant he'd be able to watch over her, and keep her safe.

And if wanting to keep Clora safe even at the cost of others made him a villain, then so be it.

"Is that a challenge?" Sebastian darkened immediately at her words and her feisty disposition as he took an intimidating step closer to her. "Because I could stop you, and I'm prepared to."

Clora swallowed dryly as she stared up at him, the both of them tense and still and waiting for the other to make some sort of move. Though they only continued to stare at each other like that, in silence, as the tension between them grew and grew until it was heavy and thick enough to cut with a knife.

Though eventually Clora rose to his provocation as she quickly reached into her robe to dig for her wand, finding it and gripping it tightly as she brought it out and drew it as fast as she could.

But Sebastian was on her instantly, his hand shooting out to grab at her wrist and hold it down by her side, while her wand slipped out of her fingers and fell onto the grass as he continued to take a step closer.

"And I wouldn't even need magic to do so," Sebastian informed her, low and even, and the way his hand strongly gripped her small, delicate wrist only further proved his point to each of them as they stared at each other. "I'd rather not have to drag you kicking and screaming in my arms back to the Room of Requirement, but I will, if that's what it will take to save you from yourself."

Clora flattened her mouth in uncertainty and defiance at his words, staring down at her wand that was still on the ground, as if deciding whether she still might try to retrieve it again somehow.

Sebastian noticed, and seeing that the fight hadn't yet left her despite his warnings and the way he'd clearly overpowered her made him release Clora with an angry growl, allowing her to pick it up as he turned away to pace and rub his aggravated hands through his hair.

"Who's to say they even have Poppy? That she'll be at those coordinates?" Sebastian grilled her impatiently as he finally spun to look at her again, clenching his jaw at the way Clora held her wand and stared back at him—as though he were the threat, and as though she also saw him as the villain. As though he wasn't the only one fighting tooth and nail to keep her alive and safe, when she and everyone else seemed so hellbent on doing the exact opposite.

"Leave this to those more competent, Clora. To the Aurors. This is why they're here—so let them earn their damned paycheck."

"Now the sudden faith in the Aurors?" Clora argued, and Sebastian was happy to at least see her stow away her wand before she stubbornly crossed her arms at him. "You didn't seem to have the same views on their competence when you came to rescue me all on your own. Twice."

"That was different," Sebastian denied flatly and instantly, and Clora couldn't help the exasperated noise that left her.

"Different how? Because you love me, and don't love Poppy?"

Sebastian made an exasperated noise right back as he stared at her, as though she were asking him if one plus one truly equalled two.

Obviously, he wanted to say. Of course that's why.

Because other people could afford to be put into danger, or have their lives risked as they waited for further reinforcements, or for the proper authorities to arrive.

But not Clora.

"Different because they aren't after Poppy, or anyone else," Sebastian bit back instead. "They're after you, and going to save Poppy yourself is exactly what they want."

Clora, at the very least, didn't argue on that front as she continued to look at Sebastian for a moment longer, before she once again looked to the angrily-crumpled piece of parchment in his hands.

"I know it's what they want," she admitted after a beat. "But even so, I still have to go. They might kill her just to show that they're serious, and then do this all over again with a different student. I can't just wait around to find out."

"Clora—"

"Sebastian. The goblins need me—you know they do. And while they might kill Poppy, we both know they won't kill me."

Sebastian expelled a sharp, frustrated laugh as he shook his head and turned on his heel, gesturing feverishly with his hands in his irritation. "No, just harm you—amongst any other number of things. Apologies if that doesn't exactly do much to reassure me."

"I'll take a bit of harm over the potential death of one of my friends," Clora rebutted, but the combative fire in her voice was gone, and her insistence was now gentler and imploring as she stepped towards Sebastian, grabbing his arm to stop his brisk pacing.

Because there was no need to fight any longer. They both knew Clora had him, with her sincerity and her kindness and her insistence as she looked up at him, just as they also both knew there was nothing Sebastian would be able to say or do to change her mind on the matter. Especially not when she had a point, as much as Sebastian didn't want to admit it, and didn't truly care whether he was being logical or not.

But instead of admitting any of that, or continuing to fight a fight that would only end up in his favour if he truly was willing to lock Clora up in some tower, Sebastian simply expelled an irritated huff of air through his flared nostrils as he swivelled to face her fully.

"We're going together," he said sternly, brokering no room for any sort of argument. "You're not leaving the grounds without me."

Clora's eyebrows lifted up a fraction in surprise at his words. "So...you're letting me go?"

At that, Sebastian couldn't help but bark a sharp, derisive laugh. "Letting you go?" he repeated incredulously, wishing he had as much power over Clora as she seemed to think he did. "You know as well as I do that if I continue to refuse, you'd only find a chance to slip off on your own sooner or later. And that's something I can't risk." He summarized swiftly, and Clora couldn't even deny his claims as she sheepishly pursed her lips and nodded, and Sebastian couldn't decide if her admission was endearing, or exasperated him further.

"We'll also be taking the relic," Sebastian added with finality, levelling a stare at Clora and daring her to argue.

And it was Clora, so she promptly did just that.

"No, we can't—"

"Clora." Sebastian cut her off sharply. "Don't start. Not now."

"It's not because of that—listen to me," Clora insisted, holding up her hands imploringly and defensively. "The message said no reinforcements, Sebastian. And I'm quite certain that an army of Inferi at our backs would qualify as such."

Sebastian was quiet at that, his only move being the crossing of his arms and the shifting of his weight as he thought.

"We can't bring it, and you know it," Clora pressed on. "If they see us approaching with a horde of Inferi, they may stay true to their word and kill Poppy before we can even get there."

"We're already taking a risk by going," Sebastian countered as he began to pace once more. "We have to bring it, Clora. The two of us going alone would just be suicide."

"I agree," Clora admitted easily, which made Sebastian skid to a halt as he turned to look at her. "Which is why I have another idea."

********

Even through his overprotective goggles, Sebastian had to admit that Clora's plan was a good one.

Well—as good as any plan could be, given their situation.

But while Sebastian may have admitted that it was a good plan, that still didn't stop him from complaining about the fact that they were even doing it to begin with. Because the best plan, as he hadn't yet grown tired of telling Clora, was to simply stay in the school and let the proper authorities handle the situation.

Though they were a bit past that now, especially as they dismounted from his broom and walked through the woods, drawing closer and closer to the coordinates on the parchment as Sebastian went over their plan of action, over and over again.

"Make sure you stay close to me," Sebastian said for what had to be the hundredth time as they trudged on, snapping twigs and branches as they walked. "No matter what happens."

"I will." Clora returned for what also had to be the hundredth time as she adjusted the bag she carried over her shoulder.

"And by close, I don't mean the same vicinity," Sebastian clarified as he shot her a knowing look, slowing to let her pass him so he could watch her back and their surroundings. "I mean within arm's reach. If anything goes wrong, I'm disapparating us out immediately, Poppy be damned."

"Don't worry," Clora assured, which naturally did absolutely nothing to assure him, especially since Sebastian could hear the smile in her voice that she was struggling to smother as she walked ahead of him. "I will."

Although what they were doing was still dangerous, one of the things that managed to calm Sebastian somewhat was that it was goblins who had been spotted taking Poppy, and so it was a goblin camp that they were infiltrating. And while Ranrok's Loyalists had been granted their own form of magic thanks to whatever Ranrok had usurped for himself and given to them, it still wasn't magic magic.

Meaning they, at the very least, didn't need to worry about any Killing Curses flying their way.

They did still have to worry about armed goblins with hand-me-down magic, however, and as Clora and Sebastian finally made their way out of the clearing and the camp of tents came into view, Sebastian overtook Clora so that he could walk in front.

"Sebastian, no," she urged as she walked right back in front of him, shoving past his arm even as he tried to keep her behind him. "I'm the one they're expecting."

Or, the one they should have been expecting. But as they drew nearer to the camp, the goblins guarding the outskirts all raised their weapons as they took in their approaching forms.

"Well, well," one at the front drawled as he scrutinized both Sebastian and Clora with blazing red eyes, poising his weapon as though he was ready to charge. "You wand-carriers picked a bad spot for a date."

"We're here on business, not pleasure," Clora informed them diplomatically and unflinchingly, and Sebastian only realized he'd begun taking steps forward to place himself in front of Clora once more when he felt his chest bump into her already outstretched arm, stopping him before he could. "You have a Hogwarts student—Poppy Sweeting. I've come for her, as requested."

The goblins went silent at that, looking from each other, then back to Clora with narrowed eyes as they came closer, and it once again took everything in Sebastian's power to not simply push Clora's arm aside and step in front of her like he wanted.

Looking down at Clora and seeing her standing protectively in front of him made Sebastian restless—almost itchy—and he had to fight against every instinct within him in order to remain where he currently stood behind her. Especially when the goblins dug out Clora's infamous wanted poster, stepping closer and closer to her as they looked from it, to her, then back to it as they verified her identity.

"Ah, so you are," the goblin that held the poster scratched his chin, crumpling it and throwing it to the side. "Come to hand yourself in, then, have you?"

"I have," Clora answered obediently as she took another step forward, and the goblins snickered amongst themselves as Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

"Hold on! Not an inch closer—throw your wands over, first. The both of you," the goblin commanded, his eyes finally falling onto Sebastian as if he'd just noticed him. "Could've sworn the note requested no reinforcements."

Before Clora could respond, Sebastian finally did take a step forward, inwardly satisfied at the way they all raised their weapons higher as he did so.

"One wizard—and a teenaged one, at that—can hardly be considered reinforcements," Sebastian argued, crossing his arms and targeting their pride as he looked between the lot of them. "Unless you believe the two of us really could take out your entire camp."

The goblin grunted and shook his head as he waved his hand in annoyance. "We'll forget about it so long as you throw your wands over without fuss. Now."

"Not until I've seen Poppy," Clora argued, flattening her mouth and squaring her shoulders as she once again drew the goblin's attention. "If I'm to trade myself for her, the least you can do is prove you even have her—and that she's still safe."

The goblin's grumbled amongst themselves some more, though they didn't argue. Two of them broke off from the ever-growing group that was currently interrogating both Clora and Sebastian, ducking into one of the tents further in the camp, while the rest remained glaring at them, their weapons still raised and ready.

Yet despite the situation, all of the tension seemed to leave Clora's body as she saw them drag Poppy out in the distance, the relief washing over her so strongly that she almost felt as though she would fall to her knees.

"Poppy!"

"Clora?!"

The Hufflepuff only had time to balk and stare incredulously for a moment longer before she was once again unceremoniously shoved back inside the tent. Though now that they had confirmation that Poppy was indeed alive and well, Clora and Sebastian looked to each other and nodded as they finally threw their wands over to the mass of goblins surrounding them, the whole camp seemingly having come out to observe what was going on.

"Why, thank you kindly," the one that was seemingly in charge chuckled, keeping his narrow red eyes on the two of them as he scooped up their wands and moved back to his initial position. As he looked up at them once more, however, his eyes finally took notice of the bag that Clora had slung over her shoulder, and she gripped it more tightly as his scrutinizing glare fell on it. "The bag, too. Toss it over."

"But—" Clora started, glancing at it hesitantly as she chewed her lip, and doing her best to look as if she truly didn't want them to take it. "Inside, there's—"

"It could be a bloody cucumber sandwich inside for all I care! Toss it!" the goblin demanded again, taking a step forward towards Clora as he pointed his weapon at her. "Toss it, or I'll take it from your lifeless corpse."

Sebastian promptly yanked the bag from Clora's arms then, throwing it over to them wordlessly as she watched it go with a look of over-dramatic panic and fear.

The goblin sneered at them as he yanked her bag up from the ground, baring his teeth in suspicion at her reactions.

"What's in here, eh? Extra wands? Planning to use your dirty tricks after we extended the courtesy of a fair trade?" he ground out through his pointed teeth, shoving the bag into another goblins chest for him to hold. "Should've expected as much from wand-carriers." The goblin spat onto the grass to emphasize his disdain, before turning to the goblin he'd passed the bag to. "Open it."

Clora and Sebastian held their breaths as they watched the goblin lean and peer forward as the one next to him began to open the bag, starting by cracking it open only slightly. Though the goblin seemed to realize something was wrong as he opened it even just that little crack, and as the bag soon began to shake and thrum in his hands, he desperately tried to close it again.

But there was no going back, and as the clasps of the bag forcefully snapped open completely, every goblin that had once been surrounding them went running as all Hell broke loose.

A barrage of horns and leathery skin stampeded through the camp as their tamed Graphorn exploded out of the nab-sack, trampling the goblins who had been nearest to it upon the bag being cracked open, and the beast relentlessly and uncaringly continued on its way, both the sound and vibration of its footsteps thundering forward as it plowed through any and all resistance it came into contact with.

Clora and Sebastian quickly ran forward and ducked to grab their wands, the attention sufficiently and swiftly having been taken off of them as the large beast terrorized the camp, easily crushing any unlucky goblin who failed to outmaneuver its heavy footsteps.

With the entire goblin camp now entertaining their unexpected visitor, Clora and Sebastian dashed for the tent they'd seen Poppy get dragged into only moments prior, though once they pushed back the flaps and looked inside, they both couldn't help but let out an exasperated groan at what they saw.

Because despite this being a goblin camp, they'd very clearly gotten some help from Dark Wizards, seeing as the inside of the tent was much larger than the outside would otherwise suggest.

Poppy, however, was still nowhere to be seen, perhaps due to her captors taking her somewhere else in response to all the commotion, or Poppy herself having taken the opportunity to flee amidst the chaos.