Curses & Cries ; Sebastian Sallow

chapter 11: Victor Rookwood

Letty was very busy in the library when October began. Days were somber and chilly, and the afternoons were short.

For two hours, the sun lay warmly in the high window, Letty with her papers spread out upon a desk before her, while Sebastian promenaded in with snacks accompanied by Ominis, who was evidently proud of the flourishing new romance.

Quite absorbed in her work, Letty scribbled away till her last assignment was complete, then looked around to find Ominis asleep among empty candy wrappers, and Sebastian busy at work. Now it was her turn. Usually she would be last drowning in ink during these sessions, so upon setting down her quill she took a moment to admire him.

"You're doing it again," said Sebastian. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I was just thinking—I've known you for a good while now, Sebastian. And I've always wanted to tell you, but I couldn't."

"So, you just kept it to yourself just as I did?"

"Yes... and because I gave up on you in second year when you thought it would be funny to play with my field guide." Here, they both laughed. "But when you asked me to the Yule Ball, I found it hard to say no, and I knew I was doomed."

"Because you had a good time."

"Afraid so," said Letty.

Sebastian smiled despite himself.

"Well, we shall never have to hide anything again. And everyone will see it without words."

"Are you going to talk the whole hour?" Ominis asked presently.

"Of course not. Why?" said Sebastian.

"Because if you are, I'll shut you up myself. I haven't had a good night's sleep because of you. Letty, did you know he—"

And, embarrassed, Sebastian struck Ominis in the chest. "If you finish that sentence, I don't know what I'll do."

If anything he was not quite ready for Letty to know of the nickname he took to calling her, so he ordered Ominis to leave him alone and to not talk, for he had "work to be done" if they wished to go to Hogsmeade that weekend.

When the sun peeped into her room early next morning, Letty got dressed and went down and saw a remarkable sight, for Sebastian was reading on the sofa in the middle of her common room, and Ominis stooped low by the astronomy books with Amit.

Each boy made quite the effort in attire, for they weren't in uniform nor robes of green, but clad in warm, autumn tones and knit sweaters that she rarely saw but was fit for the occasion.

"The girl who can't stop staring! Well, you look very much like a rose yourself," said Sebastian, and while he left his post at the sofa, Ominis and Amit made their way from the bookcase to meet her.

"Am I missing something?" said Amit upon hearing that exchange.

Samantha walked past them with a stingy air, for she disliked seeing her cousin with the wrong sort and even worse now that the word had got out about "the raven and the snake." Often, she would avoid their eye and pretend she didn't see them in hopes that they wouldn't approach her. Not like they had a reason to anyways.

They were soon ready, and the procession set out, collecting Garreth and Poppy by the edge of the fountain on the way. Fortunately it was early, and not very many people walked the village, so they roamed about in quick succession, and no one bugged them of their business.

As Ominis went along, feeling like an anchor to the two boats, he was determined to find a gift for Letty's birthday. Sebastian, he knew, who carried her books and wrote her letters and kept Leander away from giving her a hard time, would prove a formidable competition; one he might fail to contest.