Shadow of the Key | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 26: Anti-Hero

"I would die for you, I would lie for you, keep it real with you, I would kill for you."

- The Weeknd

Sebastian's POV

Upon exiting the Portkey, Sebastian felt a sudden sharp slice in the side of his head. He dropped to his knees on the hard wooden floor, letting out a pained groan as he pressed his hand against the gushing wound.

He felt incredibly dizzy and disoriented, borderline nausea. Whether it was from traveling through the Portkey, the searing gash in his head, the after effects of Amortentia and firewhiskey, or all of the above, he didn't know.

His heavy eyes glance up to see the cloaked Gaunt standing just a few feet away from him, unmoving. Watching Sebastian in utter stillness and silence.

He tried to blink away the blur from his vision while his unfocused eyes looked around to gather a sense of where that Portkey had taken them.

It looked like an arena.

Dozens of pillars stood around them, each adorned with a lit torch. There was an open roof that peered out into the night sky, the gloomy clouds covering the twinkling stars that were usually out.

Even the climate knew this was a dreadful night.

The only thing that was able to slightly ease his racing mind was spotting a partial view of Hogwarts in the distance.

"Sebastian Sallow."

He looks back towards the figure with furrowed brows who continued to stand there unmoving. He glared inside their hood to see which Gaunt stood before him, but all he saw was a shadow of a face.

He couldn't even recognize the voice that came from them. It was monotonous, almost robotic. Void of all emotion. He wasn't able to detect a shred of venom or malice in their words.

"Who the fuck are you?" Sebastian demanded, clutching his blood-soaked head and fighting the urge to retch, "Why did you bring me here? Where are we?"

"Pick up your wand."

He gives them a questionable look before he takes a glance down and sees his wand laid out before him. Asking to be picked up.

They were looking for a fight.

But why?

He shifts his blurry eyes back up and pierces daggers into the unknown face, "If you're a Gaunt, why not send me to Azkaban? You know what I've done. Why help cover it-"

"Imperio."

Sebastian's head was whipped backwards with a green flash overtaking his vision, his racing mind coming to a halt. His head brought itself back up on its own accord, his actions betraying him.

He was a fucking marionette.

"Sebastian Sallow, pick up your wand."

Attempting to fight off the mental restraints, his hand reached forward on its own and gripped the green checkered handle, rising to his feet and facing the one who was pulling the strings of his mind.

The Gaunt remained unmoving and emotionless as they spoke again, "You no longer deserve the luxury of living, but I will offer you a fighting chance to live another day until we secure the girl."

What...?

Sebastian stood there just as emotionless while he mentally battered and kicked against the green cages of his mind, making any attempt to break free from the spell that held him captive in his own body.