Curses & Cries ; Sebastian Sallow

chapter 13: Ominis Gaunt

Earlier that week the pair set out to try Amit. However, he seemed to isolate himself from anyone who went on about goblin-silver and was unfamiliar with the subject that he selfishly kept away to research for days without ever acknowledging the events of Halloween. Letty sensed he was shutting them out and turned to the only other known keeper of the silver: Garreth.

Before that night in the Undercroft, Sebastian, who made a plain examination two weeks prior, came into the room with a brazen air, a book in his hand, and was ready to map out a plan to will Garreth.

"Come Letty, it's time."

"For what?"

"You don't mean to say you've forgotten that you promised to seduce him into telling us?"

"I've done a good many rash and foolish things in my life, Sebastian, but I don't think I was ever mad enough to say I'd seduce Garreth Weasley into giving us the silver."

"Yes you did, it was a bargain between us. I was to annotate The Iliad, and you were to properly tempt him into telling where the silver is."

At that minute Letty was particularly triggered by his tone, for Sebastian was a sly fox who was good at twisting words in his way. Then she saw the book.

"I said I'd do it if you annotated The Iliad only because I didn't think you would!"

"Exactly—so, here. And it's in Greek so you know just how much harder I had to work."

It was very provoking to have been proved wrong and to face a damned plan; two disagreeable things which made her feel awkward and bitter. Naturally, she took the book of poems and realized who she was dealing with. She smiled in spite of her loss, for she knew he always got his way with her—that is, after a load of kissing and undressing.

So, for another day or two Letty behaved in a way that bewildered Garreth. She rushed to Arithmency whenever she saw him, was playful whenever they talked, would scout him in the Great Hall then occasionally jump up to sit with him in a very mysterious manner.

What others started to notice was that Sebastian and Letty were always making signs to one another, and talking about "there goes the weasel" till Ominis declared they had both lost their minds.

On the first Saturday after Letty had gone off with Sebastian, Garreth, as he sat at the highest point of the owlery with Ominis, was scandalized by the sight of Sebastian flying his broom around the field with Letty then finally resting by the lake. What went on there, Garreth could not see, but shrieks of laughter were heard, followed by the murmur of voices and a great flapping of damp robes.

"What shall we do with that girl? She never will tell Sebastian," sighed Garreth, as he made sketches of potion bottles on a piece of parchment with charcoal.

"I'm lost," said Ominis.

"Can't you see? Letty's been running off with me when she isn't with Sebastian. It's very trying," said Garreth.

"Are you—you're telling me she's having affairs with you now?" said Ominis, looking surprised.

"I'm afraid so."

"Hate to break it to you, Weasley, but you're just as mad as they are if you think she's more than a friend." And he opened his new book and began to read.

"I suspect something of you, but I know you'll never admit it," said Garreth after a while.

"What is that?"

"You like her."

"How silly," said Ominis. "Let me read, and don't make false assumptions about my friendship with Letty."