Shadow of the Key | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 13: The Fifth Link

Sebastian's POV

"This is the Undercroft?"

Sebastian leans against the pillar, arms crossed with his leg kicked out, "Yes. This is where we all usually come to hang out, whether to study, practice spellcasting, even just to play gobstones. It's a nice place away from prying eyes."

Valencia looks around in pure wonder and astonishment, "This place is... wow."

He chuckles at her reaction, "Yeah. Wow."

She giggles, "You didn't have to show me this place, you know. I know Amie mentioned it last night, but it seemed like you two were just having your own moment."

He gives out an awkward laugh, "Y-Yeah, well I was just concerned for her is all."

She hums in acknowledgement, looking around the room and taking the space in. They remain in silence while she walks around and checks out every crack and corner of the sacred place.

When she turns to the far wall, she halts, noticing the tryptic and pensive, studying it. Sebastian raises an eyebrow.

"This..." She walks closer to the tryptic and runs a finger over the frame, "This is Feldcroft, isn't it?"

He simply nods, "It is."

"Is this Isidora's painting?" She inquires.

Amelia must have told her a bit about it. Valencia was the first person to witness her use of ancient magic. And not in the best way.

He strides over next to her, looking at the tryptic, "Yes. Amelia and I were visiting Anne and my uncle in Feldcroft during fifth year when I went to go show her the spot where Anne was cursed. We ended up coming across Isidora's old Manor which burned down in a fire the night... the night it all happened with Anne."

She seems to sense his hesitation and turns to him with concerned eyes, "I'm sorry."

He gives her a dismissive wave and brushes it off, "She's cured now, thanks to your sister. Nothing to worry about."

"What did you two end up finding at her Manor?"

"We were able to find some of Isidora's journal entries on her use of ancient magic. I'm sure Amie told you a bit, but when we went further into the Manor, she found a passageway which led us back here. This tryptic ended up appearing once we stepped through. After I did some more research on it and recognized some of the locations, we were able to go and find the missing pieces of the portrait. Isidora never appeared, she couldn't, but once we put the pieces of the tryptic together, this pensieve showed up. Did Amie tell you about it?"

She nods, "She did, she told me about the trials and the other pensieves that she viewed as well. The Keepers and Isidora didn't see eye to eye on the use of it."

"That's correct."

She turns back to the tryptic and looks down into the pensieve in thought, letting out a soft but hurt chuckle, "It's funny, Amelia used to be jealous of my magical abilities and my time at Hogwarts. But now... I think it's completely backwards."

He turns to her in confusion, "What do you mean?"

She shrugs, "I'm just a regular witch. I can't do half of the things that she is able to do. In all my time that I spent here, in all of the books that I've read, I've never heard of magic that existed like hers does. She's special. Curses are hard to remove, but she was able to do it with your sister like she was simply removing a splinter, from what she had told me. Having magic like that is... truly astonishing."

Sebastian sighs, "It also comes with consequences though. With magic like hers, anyone would die to get their hands on it. I was upset with her earlier after she told me she took the magic from the repository, but I can also understand why she did it. But now, it seems like everyone will be out to get her now with that knowledge. Even bloody Harlow who's suppose to be locked up in Azkaban."

She turns to him then and gives him a reassuring smile, "She also has a lot of people who would do anything to protect her, especially you. She's powerful, Sebastian. She was able to take down Ranrok, Rookwood and Harlow in a single school year. At 17, no less. She can do it again," she places a comforting hand on his shoulder, "She's going to be okay, we'll both make sure of that."

He lifts his gaze to her and smiles, pulling her into a bear hug, "We will."

Amelia was truly lucky to have a sister like her. In just this past day, he felt as though Valencia was like another sister to him as well.

They both just want to protect what matters most to them.

They pull away from each other and she gives him a grateful smile, "Thank you for showing me the Undercroft, I promise your secret will stay safe with me, as if it were my own."

He nods, "Thanks, Val."

The sound of the Undercroft gate opening has them both turning their heads to see Amelia, Anne, and Ominis walking into the room. Anne and Amelia take sight of them and stop in their tracks, both of them wide eyed in realization.

Ominis stops shortly after and glares in Sebastian's direction, "There's two people present."

Anne gives Sebastian a confused look while Amelia was flickering her gaze between him and Valencia in bewilderment.

"Val?" Anne asks in disbelief.

"Valencia?" Ominis asks after, eyebrows furrowed.

She gives them a shy wave, "Hello."

"What..." Amelia begins, "What are you doing here Val?"

She softly chuckles, raising her arms up in defense, "I'm sorry if this is weird, Sebastian just wanted to show me something and we got a bit deep into conversation."

"About?" Amelia asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You," Sebastian answers.

Amelia raises both of her eyebrows in surprise.

Valencia offers a soft smile to her and gently holds both of her hands, "Yes, you. We both know you're going through a lot at the moment and we want to help however we can. You scared us both to death, you know. I know I can't do too much besides research, but I'd like to help however I can."

She releases her hands and turns her attention towards Ominis with a polite smile, "I won't come down here anymore if that's not something you're comfortable with, Ominis. I know this space means a lot to you, I can promise that this secret will be safe with me. I wouldn't want to jeopardize your trust. I truly envy the friendship you all have. I just... wanted to be a bit more in the loop is all."

She steps away from him then and turns to everyone with the same soft smile spread across her lips, giving a polite nod and heading out towards the exit of the Undercroft.

But before she can reach the gate, Ominis gently grabs onto her wrist.

She turns her head to him with surprised eyebrows.

He gives her a soft smile and a reassuring squeeze on her wrist, "Consider yourself in the loop, Val."

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Welcome to the Shadow gang, Val ♡