Hogwarts Legacy: A Continuation of Time

Chapter Three : Poppy

That evening, the two women finished their glasses of wine in silence. As they sat there, a group of owls delivered invitations to their fundraiser.

Ruby had advised Kitty that if she were in her shoes, she would ask Sebastian to leave until he was ready to be truthful. Kitty had nodded in agreement while observing a snowy owl gliding across the garden. However, she knew she needed more information before taking any action.

What did he mean in her vision of the future when he said they could "bring Ominis back"? Surely he didn't mean necromancy? Kitty shook the thought from her head as she pulled back her bed sheets that night.

Although, Sebastian used to favour the extreme. He would have gone to any lengths to save his sister from her blood curse in fifth year. And Ominis was like a brother to him...perhaps he was willing to delve back into the Dark Arts...

Kitty let her eyes flutter closed, trying to forget that horrible flash of green light that often was a precursor to death.

In the following weeks, Kitty felt like time was passing slowly. Sebastian would still leave without giving her a proper goodbye, leaving only a hastily written note on the dresser or the occasional patronus that would flutter through the walls. Although he would apologise and reassure her that everything would be worth it, Kitty's stomach would twist in warning whenever she heard those words.

When he was home he'd eat dinner with Kitty, recalling his day in extreme detail, only heightening her suspicion that most of what he was saying was fiction. There had been no other suspicious activity, the only other change was there seemed to be far more owls coming to and from the home for Sebastian. He'd gaze over his letters quickly, making no comment as he stuffed them into his inside pocket. He never left anything lying around for Kitty to snoop through, not that she hadn't tried. She suspected he stored these letters in his office at the Ministry. She had not yet become so desperate as to contact her father about the possibility of investigating this theory further, although the temptation niggled at the back of her mind.

Ruby would appear through the mantle every other day, often towing with her several house elves, a notebook, and elaborate drawings she had made of seating charts and decor for the fundraiser.

It was just like school. Kitty was reminded of Halloween when Ruby demanded the assistance of everyone in Slytherin's house to hang decorations, move furniture, or make food and drink to her liking. This was only different because this time Ruby was throwing the party for other people, not for her ego, and she also didn't wish Kitty dead, not yet anyway.

"Kitty if you're not going to give your opinion on cornflower or bluebell for the napkins then go and make yourself useful somewhere else." She screeched, dropping the blue napkins on the table and stomping off to inspect the plans for the ice sculptures.

Kitty had sat in one of the many seats that had been set up in her ballroom, which was barely used apart from when Ruby and she tried to promote the Rehabilitation house. She cast her eyes down on the name on the place card before her.

Poppy Sweeting

"Ruby!" Shrieked Kitty, pushing her chair outward, hand shaking as she glared at the name.

"I'm busy, Kitty!" She yelled from across the room shaking her head as she muttered something to a house elf under her breath, They giggled but when Kitty caught their eyes they looked away guiltily.

Kitty's heart raced. Had they discussed this? She wracked her mind for any mention of Poppy's name. No, they couldn't have, she would have remembered that conversation.

"Ruby!" Kitty repeated, disaparating from her side of the room to Ruby. Ruby raised an eyebrow as she eyed the spot the Kitty had reappeared at.

"That-" she said with a smirk "-was incredibly lazy."