The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter TWENTY SEVEN - Blame or Thank

After a good long while getting Ominis back into his shirt and an even longer while waiting for a stubborn Sebastian to lace his own boots, the four of us were finally ready. Leaving the Undercroft had never been such an ordeal.

Getting the two boys out was like herding cats, though I was quite sure it would have been easier to shuffle Brahms out of the room. The cat in question had climbed onto a pillar and was cleaning himself through the chaos.

Sebastian had gotten distracted by something he'd seen on top of the piano and a rather nervous Ominis had followed closely behind, as if he didn't, Sebastian might accidentally splinter the keys.

Anne pressed her face to her hands and shook her head. "We're going to get in so much trouble if someone catches them like this."

I squeezed her upper arm in a way I hoped was reassuring. "It's not that obvious they're drunk."

Something loud crashed and clanged behind me and Brahms peeked over his paw. Sebastian had stumbled into Ominis, just narrowly missing the piano bench and the two were now a pile of limbs on the floor.

"I'm alright!" Sebastian shouted and Ominis grumbled.

"I dare say that s'debatable even on the best days."

The two helped each other up and abandoned whatever they had originally been distracted by and instead continued walking in the general direction of the gate. Neither was able to keep a very steady line and I wondered just how potent that bottle must have been.

Anne cocked her head pointedly and I offered a sheepish smile in return. 

"We just have to make it through the school, they'll sober up on the walk I'm sure!"

Dropping her hands, she looked at me as if I'd completely lost it before her eyes snapped back over my shoulder.

Ominis was twirling around, fumbling with his wand and Sebastian had waltzed himself right out the Undercroft gate.

"I'm going to kill him." Anne scoffed.

Ominis turned his nose quickly, brows high.

"Not literally Ominis."

The boy's shoulders relaxed.

Darting outside, we were thankful to find Sebastian leaning against the far wall, hands hanging loosely by his side and eyes on the ceiling.

"Why d'ya reckon they make the roof turn like that? Aesthetics?"

Perhaps this is going to be harder than I thought.

I absentmindedly ran my fingers over the chain at my neck. Isidora's pendant hanging cold against my skin.

Anne and Ominis brushed past us, their arms wound together. Ominis wore a happy little smile while Anne wore an opposing frown.

"You encouraged them, he's your problem." She nodded to her brother and shuffled Ominis down the hall without giving me a moment to round up my charge.

Scrambling forward, I wrapped my hand around Sebastian's and the boy beamed down at me with a lopsided grin. Voice too loud. "Oi! When d'they start letting angels attend Hogwarts?"

I pulled my lips tight, attempting to smother the smile there. "Would you shut up? We could get caught if you keep this up. You never know who could be watching."

Sebastian leaned in, cedar and a faint trace of alcohol tickling my lashes. "Never stopped us before."

I shoved at his shoulder, my traitorous heart hammering away. "Just, act normal until we are a fair bit away from the castle. Alright?"