The Devil Doesn't Bargain (MatD part 2)

Chapter THIRTY ONE - Liquid Luc-an

Heat crept along our cheeks and slipped below our collars - the castle was particularly warm this afternoon though none of us could quite place a finger on exactly why. Students spoke in hushed, hurried tones with their uniforms in various states of undone. My white button up still seemed to cling to my skin but I'd rolled the sleeves up just below my elbows and unbuttoned the windowpane plaid vest completely, allowing my now wrinkled tie free. That too had been tugged loose around my neck, the tip of it just barely grazing the top of my matching patterned pants. My robes had been discarded into my bag at nearly the exact moment we'd entered the great hall and I'd stuffed Sebastian's in as well per his very disgruntled request.

The tonic had took its time looping through his system and after a rather lengthy grumble-filled two minutes, the color had returned to his cheeks and the energy to his step. His own shirt had been unbuttoned at the top, the tie loosened and limp over his chest. He had forgone a vest altogether and without the robe over his shoulders, it was obvious just how much he had been fiddling with his uniform all day. The edges of it wrinkled and just barely tucked into the waist of his pants, kissing the gold chain and circular lump in his top pocket.

Ominis and Anne had opted to return to the Slytherin common room so that they could "spruce up" and Anne could continue her studies, though by the mischievous smirk on her lips, I had no doubt that would also involve a bit of snogging.

Sebastian's mind had most definitely been elsewhere as he'd parted ways with only an eye roll and an under-breath muttered "gross".

"I know where he is." He bumped my shoulder as Anne and Ominis brushed past a few Ravenclaw students with their hoods up over their faces trying to hold in laughter. "Will you come with me? Lucan has taken quite the fancy to you. I think you might be just what he needs to brighten his day."

I wrinkled my nose and gestured to my rumpled appearance. "I highly doubt that."

Sebastian rolled his eyes again and I feared he might lose them in the back of his skull if he continued doing it.

"Shut up and come with me."

"Only because you asked so nicely."

That earned me a ruffled head of hair that I'd quickly pat down once released from Sebastian's clutches, trotting after him with an amused frown to show my absolute distress over the entire ordeal.

Truthfully though, I had been more than happy to accompany Sebastian in pursuit of Lucan. The boy was the sweetest soul with a heart of gold and ever since the first day, I had been in awe of their brotherly like relationship, even if I'd only witnessed it on a handful of occasions. 

Four sets of oversized doors later and we were released to the Viaduct Courtyard. Since arriving at Hogwarts, the sheer size of the doors had always amazed me but what had startled me even more was just how easily they seemed to open given their weight. Sure, it took a fair amount of shoving to crack them open, but once they had been started on their hinges, they swung open as easily as the smaller classroom doors. Perhaps it was a bit of charmed magic, or a groundskeeper with a heavy hand where hinge oil was concerned.

Sebastian and I walked briskly down the moss covered stone steps and through the towering arches that surrounded the entire area. A few students to the left whistled and hollered as Gobstones sprayed a rather large ark of liquid into one of their faces. Another pair of students to the right took turns passing around an oversized top hat with a tattered orange ribbon tied above its brim. Tiny tinkling echoed off the stones as the wearer levitated a few inches off the ground before the hat was tugged from their head and they toppled back to the ground in a fit of giggles, the next student already tossing the hat upon their own head.