Yearning | Hogwarts Legacy

Chapter Four : Quidditch Tryouts

Ominis woke up the next morning and quickly got dressed, briefly forgetting as he tied his tie that Anne Sallow was not going to meet him downstairs. Since their second year at Hogwarts, they had made it a fun tradition to tease the new students, making them believe that mermaids would swim next to the Common Room windows that clearly showed the depths of the Black Lake. It was something they always did together, but now....

Ominis put his robe on. Anne may not be there, but he was. And he didn't want to stop a tradition.

He grabbed his wand and began walking downstairs. Just as he reached the main area, Ominis heard the whispers from a few girls nearby. "Look, it's that new fifth year."

"She's the one who came last night, right? She had to make an entrance instead of showing up with everyone else, didn't she?"

The girls' words stung, and reminded Ominis painfully of when he had arrived at Hogwarts. When his name had been called for the Sorting Hat, older students had made sure he could hear them and their taunts.

"Probably thinks she's so high and mighty too. Not just anyone gets to come to Hogwarts late. I wonder if they thought she was a Squib."

"Makes sense then, since she couldn't find the castle last night!"

"The least you could do is be quiet about your arrogance," Ominis snapped, not able to take the girls' horrible words any longer. He could feel that he caught them off guard, and they quickly walked away from him as if afraid he would actually attack them.

Using his wand, Ominis could feel the new girl was nearby, probably frozen in surprise from the interaction. He carefully stepped closer to her.

"I'm sorry about them," Ominis told her, apologetically. "I remember my first day as well. I had a lot of people talking about me too."

Sebastian had said this girl was small and frail, not looking like she was fifteen years old, and her voice showed that as she meekly replied. "Th-thank you. You didn't have to do that."

Ominis smiled slightly. "I know. But it's the least I can do to help. I'm Ominis. Ominis Gaunt."

"Nice to meet you, Ominis." The way she said his name made the boy's heart beat hard against his chest. "My name is Sabrina Pryor."

–

The first week of classes was the hardest week of Ominis' life. He had sworn to himself that he would be good and that he would stay away from Sabrina, but it felt like the harder he tried to do this, the more Sabrina tried to get closer to him.

At least Sebastian was finally getting the hint that he needed to be left alone.

Finally, Friday afternoon came, and the entire Great Hall was buzzing with upcoming Quidditch trials the next morning. Sebastian and Anne were especially excited and were talking non-stop about it.

"I don't care what position I get," Sebastian said. "I just want to fly."

"Well, being a Chaser would be good for you then," Anne replied. "Imelda also thinks I could be a good Chaser. She also mentioned me being a Seeker."

"Makes sense. You're small, nimble, less likely to get hit with a Bludger."

Ominis could almost feel Anne's gaze on her brother. "Maybe I should be a Beater, then. I like living for danger."

Sebastian's muscles tensed next to Ominis. "You wouldn't."

"Watch me."

Ominis quietly ate his dinner, becoming more and more aware of Sabrina's silence as she sat across from him. Normally, the girl wasn't very talkative anyway, but it felt like her lack of participation was deafening. He couldn't hear her silverware against her plate or the clunk of her goblet when she picked it up, which told him that the girl had hardly eaten anything all night. Someone please notice her, Ominis thought, knowing how self-conscious she often felt being among the twins. Anne, say something. Please.