Curses & Cries ; Sebastian Sallow

chapter 14: The Flowers, the Dress & the Letters

"May I come in please? Or shall I be a bother," Ominis asked from the other side of the compartment door.

Sebastian lifted an eyebrow, but Letty scowled at him and said at once, "Of course, Ominis, you may. We should have asked you before, only we thought you wouldn't want to sit with us again."

Sliding the door and stepping inside, he said, "I only wished to see you both about the party. Won't you need a nice ensemble, Sebastian?"

The one-sided storm hadn't cleared from overhead and Sebastian was convinced of the sense of wrong Ominis had done to them both, even if he hadn't meant it. Finding a cure was the pride of his heart and was regarded by him and Letty as a mission of great promise. It seemed a small mistake to others, but to Sebastian it was a breach of trust, and he felt that Ominis's dishonesty could never be made up to him.

Still, it was only in Sebastian's head and they were getting closer to where the silver was hidden, so he thought to try and behave.

He said, "I'll check Hangleton Square once we get there."

"Then might you go with Garreth?" suggested Ominis.

"You know I won't," was his stern answer, and from that moment he ignored Ominis entirely.

As Ominis took his leave, Letty whispered, "Sebastian, you ought to forgive him. We have to keep it together if we want to make it through the week."

That was code for something else, which Sebastian had taken for their plan.

At that moment he wanted to lay down his head on Letty, hoping to ease his anger away, but it was unmanly to bicker then step back. He felt so deeply injured that he really couldn't quite forgive yet.

So, he shook his head and said gruffly, staring out the hazy window, "All he had to do was tell us."

With that he marched out of the compartment, and there was no merry or sentimental Sebastian the rest of the way.

The House of Gaunt was a point of interest that never got old to Letty. It was a mansion near a lake, raised upon a grassy bank, and the last time she was there the roses overhung the archway between the gates in sweet welcome. The semicircle flower garden had only the remains of tulips and uncut grass. In November the roses wilted, and ivy and vines covered the walls of the house, climbed the pillars, and over the railing of the wide terrace looking out south.

Beyond its doors were the six friends who got on nicely and were settling into their rooms. Letty's was the most visited, with Garreth bringing in his set of wizard's chess for all who wanted to play.

At last they rose for dinner, wondering what kind of meal they would find prepared by Moloch, and once downstairs, ate up a feast. They talked about the ball, which Ominis told he had sent invitations to other Hogwarts students to attend, while the house elf cleared their plates and came out with a chocolate blancmange.

"Well, it seems I'm off to The Square with Weasley tomorrow," said Sebastian once the events of that evening had ended, and, upon entering her room, took it to the edge of her bed. "Won't you come with?"

"According to Ominis, he's already got me something to wear, so I've no need to go. Unless you want me to."

"Damn! How will mine compete with that now? At least pretend my gift is decent." And Sebastian held out a stack of envelopes as thick as a book. The notes were held together by twine and an effortful knot.

"Good gracious, how many is this?"

"Eighteen because I know you're simple and you like that side of me. Now, don't read them all at once," he was saying in Letty's excitement of tearing one envelope apart.