Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Seventy-Three

"Rach." He whispered in the dark. "What are you going to do?"

We were both awake. Neither of us slept. He just held me on that couch until my tears had stopped and my violent tremors settled. Then we sat in silence.

"I don't know." I answered simply.

"Are... you sure he..."

"Yes. I watched him."

"Did you try to stop him?"

"Yes."

He sighed.

"I know. I'm supposed to stop him. That's literally my mandate. I tried. I failed. He killed them. Right in front of me. And Vicky encouraged him."

"Vicky." He spat her name. I felt the same way.

"We'll be suspects. They'll come asking questions. About where we were."

"You were with me." He stated it so firmly. I didn't even have to ask him.

"We won the cup, attended the party then we went to bed. You were with me the whole night. I'll swear. Under any enchantment. It won't matter. Because you're always with me. And everyone knows it."

"Seb..." My throat was closing. "I can't... ask you... "

"You're not. You're not asking a damn thing. You were with me. You hear me? You were with me. Period. You're NOT going back to Azkaban. YOU'RE NOT." He said loudly and I jumped a little. In answer, his arms tightened slightly around me.

"There are loose ends. I... don't know... if I can cover... I don't know."

"Talk me through it." He suggested.

"I... I told Garreth. I mean, Will showed up to fetch me after the match and I was with Garreth. I blew him off telling him 'it was a family thing'."

"He won't be questioned. Especially if you say you were with me. There wouldn't be a need to ask another random student. You're fine."

"There was an elf. At the manor. We told him our names. He escorted us through the house. He was ordered not to mention the meeting by... Mr.... Greengrass... before he dismissed him but does that hold when your Master was killed? He saw us, knows our names and knows we were the last ones there before they were killed. It's an open and shut case if he says anything."

"House elf law is tricky. If his Masters were killed, he could be inherited and then still bound to the original orders. If he's not inherited, he becomes property of the Ministry. Most likely they will question him regardless. It is a tricky thing. I think he won't say anything as he was bound at the time. And still bound until the estate is settled, which won't be until after... a... trial." He swallowed hard. I could feel it. "I think it'll be ok. What about Vicky? How badly does she want you out of the picture?"

"I would say pretty badly. I kind of blew up at her. I was ... so angry. And Will is totally under her thrall. She needs him for the inheritance. But she definitely doesn't need me."

"Well, that's our hitch. We need to watch her. How did you leave them?"

"Not well. After I threw up in the bushes, I screamed at them. And cried. Then I ordered them to go somewhere crowded to be seen for their alibi. They left quickly."

"Dammit, Rachel, why are you so fucking smart? Their alibi will most likely be rock solid at The Three Broomsticks. They're ALWAYS there. And Sirona's word is gold to the Ministry."

I sighed. "So, you're telling me... to prepare... to go back to Azkaban?" I said huskily.

"NO! I won't let you. We will run. If it comes to that, we will fucking run, do you understand me? You're NOT going back to Azkaban. I won't have it." He was so confident and in control. I didn't understand it. But I needed it. I was falling apart and he was strong. I needed that. "Answer me that you understand. That you believe that I will protect you."