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dfortrafalgar · 29 days

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Special Delivery

(Sanji x Fem!Reader)

Red-Leg Zeff wakes up to surprising visitors.

You can read Part 1 here! Original AO3 link

Days on the open ocean were long and monotonous. It was a decent struggle to keep track of the sunrises and sunsets, but Red-Leg Zeff had developed a system, very recently at that.

Next to a parchment letter and three photographs he nailed to the wall of his captain’s quarters, he tacked up a separate piece of paper and made a tally mark for each day that passed since he received the small parcel. Each day that went by was another day of inwardly hoping to see the image of the Thousand Sunny off the deck of the Baratie. It was wishful thinking, and Zeff was a level-headed man, not one for futile hopes or daydreaming, but could you blame him? He had a grandchild and a daughter-in-law, all things considered, anyway.

The three photographs that Sanji had sent in the package were what greeted him every time he awoke, and were the last images he saw behind his eyelids as he shut in for sleep. As the days turned into weeks, and then months, and now well over a year according to his tallies, and as Zeff’s braided facial hair continued to slowly turn gray at the roots, the pictures stayed the same.

Like clockwork, Zeff rose from his stiff mattress before the sun rose in the morning, stretching his aging muscles and groaning. He gazed off across the room at the photos hung on his wall.

“Good morning, Sa–”

“CAPTAIN ZEFF, YOU’RE NEEDED ON THE BOW.”

Patty’s booming voice outside the thin wooden door sent a startled shockwave through Zeff. He jumped and yelped at the commotion. Followed by the command, a pounding on the door caused the blonde man to grumble and stomp across his small cabin towards the noise. He swung open the door, right before Patty threw his fist into the wood for the hundredth time.

“What in the fresh hell do you want? You’re gonna wake up the whole crew, you oaf.” Zeff rubbed two calloused fingertips against the bridge of his wrinkled nose.

Eagerly, with a light in his eyes, Patty waved a hand in the direction of the ship’s bow. “There’s a large vessel spotted approaching from northwest, about ten miles away. It looks like a pirate ship but we couldn’t make out the image on the sail.”

Zeff stepped into his one boot and rolled up his pants around his peg-leg, making it easier for him to walk. He firmly gripped his chef’s cap in his hand as he marched past Patty and closed his door behind the two of them, leading him out to the front of the Baratie. It took them a few moments to roam down the flights of stairs to the lower deck and dining hall, and upon opening the large double doors to the outer deck, he spotted his kitchen crew huddled around Carne, who firmly gripped a pair of binoculars in his large hands.

“What are you all doing?” Zeff’s voice boomed over the hushed whispers of the kitchen staff, who quickly turned their heads to address their captain. He pushed past the men and placed a firm hand on Carne’s shoulder, yanking him back slightly and grabbing the binoculars out of his hands, holding them up to his own eyes.

“It’s definitely a pirate ship, Captain, but my eyes are shot,” Carne eagerly noted. Zeff merely grumbled in response.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the binocular lenses, but when they did he managed to make out a fairly clear picture of a ship in the distance, now well less than ten miles away and approaching quite rapidly. Definitely a large pirate ship. It had a very odd looking nautical figurehead, almost like a sunflower he assumed, but his heart leaped into his throat when his blurry eyes focused on the primary sail which flowed outward, fully unraveled and pushing the vessel towards the Baratie.

A simple Jolly Roger, a rudimentary skull and crossbones design, with a peculiar red-banded straw hat placed on the head of the skull.

“Should we man the–” Patty began to ask, before being cut off by Zeff.

“It’s the Straw Hats. Prepare the mooring ropes and fenders, they’re going to tie up to us.” Zeff shoved the binoculars back into the chest and hands of Carne, who once again put them to his face and gazed at the sail of the ship. The rest of the kitchen staff ran to awaken the boat crew and make the necessary preparations for a vessel connection.

“Sanji?” Patty simply asked, with sudden wonder in his voice.

“Hopefully,” Carne responded, passing the binoculars to his coworker. “It’s definitely them. Look at their Jolly Roger.”

Zeff had turned his back to his two right-hand men to help the others prepare the baratie’s starboard side for the tie-up. Crew men, freshly shaken awake from their slumbers, bustled around the lower deck tossing heavy, tightly coiled ropes to each other, tying them around the deck’s bollards and laying them down to make them easier to access when the Thousand Sunny would pull up alongside. Zeff quickly found that there wasn’t much for him to do, the sight of his crew excitedly scurrying around as the news of the Straw Hats’ return to the Baratie spread like wildfire from the mouths of the men bringing a fond smile to the old man’s face.

Now within enough distance to the Straw Hats’ ship that they could hear the excited yelling of their captain perched cross-legged on the top of the figurehead, waving his hand in the air. A few of the other crew members leaned over the side of the ship, excitedly waving to the Baratie crew. Once close enough, a large, strangely built blue-haired man launched a heavy rope from the deck of the Sunny downwards towards the Baratie’s crew, who grabbed it and began to pull it taught. An orange-haired woman (Zeff thought she looked familiar) instructed the sails to be furled while the larger men of the ship helped the Baratie’s sailors moor the two vessels together. A few stragglers from the floating restaurants crew looked through their portholes at the commotion. Carne and Patty assisted the blue-haired man (were his arms made of metal?) in raising a gangway for the Straw Hats to board the Baratie, but their captain, still donned in the same straw hat that he wore when they first visited the luxury cruiser, wasted no time in launching himself off of the figurehead and landing with a hard thud on the wooden deck.

“Hey, Geezer!” His smile almost covered his entire face. “Do you have any food?”

“Luffy, seriously? Can you not wait a single minute?”

A familiar voice caused Zeff to turn his head. Through the hustle of the crews finishing their mooring duties, a head of bright blonde hair and a thin trail of gray smoke met the old chef’s view. He immediately broke out into a fond smile. Sanji was leaning precariously over the side of the Sunny, any more and he would tip over the side, a large grin on his face. Next to him was a young woman, a bit shorter than him, with a steady hand placed on his shoulder ensuring that he didn’t fall overboard. She gazed down at Zeff, and her face broke into a grin just as large as Sanji’s.

He recognized her as the woman in the photographs. She was just as beautiful in person.

The gangway was successfully tied, joining the two boats together, and the two first mates excitedly welcomed the Straw Hats aboard the Baratie. The four who had already visited almost five years prior marveled at the impressive renovations done to the vessel. New decks, refurbished dining and lounging, impressive paintwork on the outer hull. The same blue-haired man from before (his arms were made of metal!) was starstruck by the craftsmanship of the restaurant and immediately began asking questions to a few of the crewmen. A green-haired man with three swords on his hip and a shorter man with curly black hair greeted Carne and Patty with excitement, remembering the two of them from their first visit. The two women from the Straw Hats, with tangerine and black hair, quickly exited the gangway and joined their companions. Zeff watched curiously as a skeleton donned in formalwear hauled himself over the side of the Sunny, followed by a fishman. The Straw Hats were a very curious bunch, but he was filled with a giddy, child-like joy at the sight of them all, healthy, fit, and just as excited as his own crew was for the surprise reunion.

Sanji and his wife disappeared from the side of the Sunny, but quickly reappeared. Sanji was the first to step onto the gangway before turning around and taking something from his wife, who swiftly followed his lead. She looked like a natural on the water, and Zeff hummed, pleased. Sanji turned around to march down the ramp, a child held in his arms, tightly gripping his shirt in her fist. The two were the last to disembark, and immediately headed toward the Baratie's captain, who stood in mild shock as the three approached.

Sanji passed the child back to his wife so he could greet Zeff with a handshake, but he was beaten by the captain’s speed as he enveloped the smaller man in a bear hug, almost lifting him off his feet.

“Sanji,” he muttered, voice quivering. “You look incredible.”

“Hey, no crying on me now, Zeff,” Sanji returned the gesture in kind, squeezing his adopted father back and jostling the hat on the older man’s head.

The two released their warm embrace, and Sanji held out a hand towards his wife and the child in her arms. The woman stepped forward with a warm smile.

“Red-Leg Zeff, it’s an honor to finally meet you!” she said with profound enthusiasm before introducing herself. “Sanji’s been talking nonstop about this visit and how excited he’s been to see you again!”

Sanji flushed, embarrassed, but Zeff could only muster a hardy laugh. He remembered Sanji as a stubborn, hard-to-crack kid, endlessly determined and stopping at nothing to get his way, and the man who stood before him was all of that and more. He was gazing tenderly at his wife, cheeks rosy with embarrassment and adoration, a smile adorning his thin lips. Zeff was beyond proud of the man Sanji had become.

“So, who’s this little one?” he asked, cautiously approaching the child in the woman’s arms. His heart fluttered at the sight of her.

She had wavy, strawberry blonde hair and her dad’s ocean-blue eyes. A mixture of her mom and dad’s skin tone, and she was clearly developing Sanji’s facial features. The right corners of her eyebrows had a very slight upward curl. She was beautiful, and her large eyes gazed curiously at Zeff as he approached.

“Sora, this is your grandfather,” the woman said affectionately. “Say hi!” She bounced the baby on her hip.

When she came to the infantile conclusion that Zeff was indeed not a threat, her chubby cheeks wrinkled with a smile revealing a few barely there baby teeth. Zeff held out one of his thick, calloused fingers, and she eagerly reached for the man. Sanji’s wife passed the baby, Sora, over to him, and he held her like a delicate porcelain pot, like she could break at any moment. Sanji watched the action fondly.

“Her name is Sora, she’s almost two now,” he said, his voice light and airy, almost a whisper.

Zeff bounced Sora, his granddaughter, in his arms, and she released a shrill giggle which brought a smile to his face. “Sora…” He knew that was Sanji’s late mother’s name. It seemed only natural that his daughter would take the honor of bearing her name. “She’s beautiful,” he sighed, looking at his son and daughter-in-law.

Sanji looked like he was fighting back tears at the sight of his honorary father holding his daughter. His wife gently squeezed his hand, and the floodgates leaked, making her chuckle.

“He’s been a bit nervous,” she said toward Zeff.

The gruff captain stepped toward his son and ruffled his smooth blonde hair in his free hand. Sanji sniffled, picking his head up and wiping his eyes on his sleeve. His shoulders trembled slightly with the motion of his repressed crying, but he quickly shoved it down and locked eyes with the fatherly ones staring at him. Zeff didn’t need to ask any questions to know how much a moment like this meant to Sanji. A child so wronged by his family and the world, growing up with no purpose, no encouragement, losing the one source of love in his life, forced to age so rapidly to survive some of the worst experiences a human should ever have to face. To have been blessed with a crew that cared for him, fulfilling his dreams, practicing his passion, meeting one special woman who loved and supported him, and being the father of his own child, Sanji was finally content. He was finally happy, finally content.

Zeff’s voice cracked as he uttered the sentence that he knew would make Sanji crumble. “I’m so proud of you, son. Look at how far you’ve come.”

Sanji’s blue eyes welled with tears that he had been holding in since his own childhood. The commotion from the rest of the two crews faded into a muffled static as Zeff pulled Sanji’s head into his chest, holding him close. Sora’s hand lightly smacked the top of Sanji’s hair, making him laugh, but it came out as a crackled sob. His wife laughed, rubbing his back.

“I didn’t want to cry,” he uttered into Zeff’s chest, voice blank with slight resentment.

“It was inevitable,” you responded with a humorous lilt.

“I know.” He easily relented to your words, picking his head up from Zeff and placing a hand on his father’s shoulder, giving it a firm smack. “Sorry for getting your shirt all wet, old man.”

Zeff’s chest bounced with the force of his laughter. “You’re gonna pay for it, kid. You’re on dish duty.”

Sanji’s mouth fell open in a panicked retaliation, but after realizing Zeff was, in fact, joking around, his tense shoulders fell in relief. Sora reached back out toward her mom, who took her from Zeff’s grasp leaving both his hands free again. He was able to deliver a quick, encouraging slap on Sanji’s back.

“I do expect you to help prepare this feast, though. Show me how much you’ve improved since you left.” He winked at his son. “Though, I doubt you improved that much.”

“Shut up, old man! I’ll make you the best feast you’ve ever laid eyes on. A feast that could kill you!” Old habits die hard, and the family meandered towards the rest of the crew, who were now milling around the lower dining hall excited for a meal to celebrate the Straw Hats’ return, and Zeff’s new granddaughter.

Zeff clapped his hands, alerting his own crew, who frantically took their places around the ship to cater to their pirate guests. He quickly made his way into his kitchen, rustling through the main pantry for a piece of equipment he hadn’t needed to use in a very long time. He pulled out a small food processing machine, equipped with an internal blade perfect for mashing fruits and small vegetables.

“Captain, do you need anything?” Patty was rolling up his sleeves and washing his hands in the large wash basin.

“All the fresh fruit we have. The kid doesn’t have teeth yet, she needs some mush.”

#fem reader #reader insert #x reader #one piece x reader #op x reader #vinsmoke sanji #sanji x reader #black leg sanji #special delivery #black leg sanji x reader #vinsmoke sanji x reader

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lauriewildfree · 4 months

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Silveroceanshipping is back after 3 years sdjsjshds

They were at a new year party at Dareth's dojo karaoke bar and let's just say that Emri drank too much, something she doesn't do that often at parties but this was only the case. Here Peg is holding her to make sure she doesn't get hurt, Emri well..she feels like she's seeing stars at this point and is telling her about the Red Dead Redemption lore.

Peg is not angry at her, she is not ashamed either, she is just very worried. That's all

The pose i used as a reference belongs to mellon_soup

#my art #yuno draws #clutch powers #lego ninjago #ninjago oc #ninjago #art tag: wildfree angel #ninjago clutch powers #ninjago emri #emri powers #the adventures of clutch powers #peg mooring #silveroceanshipping #ninjago au #ninjago rewrite #oc x canon #powers siblings au #clutch's sister

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magicalrocketships · 6 months

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Random fic ask i just made up: What is the nearest book to you right now, or what is the last movie you watched, and what would a fic based on that book/movie look like?

Any ship you want, and drawing however heavily or lightly on the plot of the book/movie as you want 😊

What a marvellous random fic ask you just made up. I'm just going to press pause on what I was actually going to talk about in this post and just circle around to the thing I've actually just been watching, which is ANOTHER detective show where the serious and methodical detective is derailed by being partnered (officially or unofficially) by a extrovert sometime-confidence-trickster who trades in being liked.

All I'm saying is (obvs acab) so let's throw this one BACK IN TIME, say the 1950s, and make Max a PRIVATE DETECTIVE somewhere around Monaco and have Daniel fall into his path as a bit of a playboy with a series of richer friends and girlfriends who kind of pay his way, and nobody really minds that Daniel can't afford to be in their set, because everyone loves him. Daniel's a bit bored, but he's got to keep in with the crowd who pay his way, and then there is a MYSTERIOUS DEATH at a club, and MAX shows up to investigate on behalf of some rich relative of the dead guy, and the whole time he's trying to investigate, there's this handsome vaguely hungover guy who keeps hanging around and asking questions and being annoying and getting in his way, but who actually gets doors open for Max because Max can't be bothered playing nice and he doesn't know the right people.

Daniel, fascinated by this single-minded, sometimes rude Dutch guy who always wears a variation of the exact same off-the-peg suit, and who is sharply focused on getting to the bottom of the death at the club, and Daniel finds himself blowing off his friends and the current divorcee paying his way in order to track possible leads through the back streets, and breaking into a YACHT and spending three hours cramped in a tiny room trying to listen to an illegal card game through the wall, and the whole time Max is pressed up against him, his breath warm against Daniel's throat, and Daniel's hand just settles on the curve of Max's ass, and Max trembles a little beneath his touch but they have to focus on the MYSTERIOUS DEATH and not on the way Daniel's lifelong need to be close to men is suddenly thrown into sharp focus.

And maybe it turns out that it's someone in Daniel's set, and Daniel's faced with the choice between telling the truth to Max or lying and saving his friend, and he chooses his Max and his rich friends exile him from their group. So it's just Daniel, trailing after Max, and Max takes him to this boat moored in a harbour down the coast, and it's small and familiar and private, and it's Max's, and it's where he goes when he's not working a case. And he takes the boat out to sea and makes a very boring lunch of soup and bread, and Daniel's sunbathing in small shorts, and they eat lunch and then Max, impulsively, leans over and presses his mouth to Daniel's. Daniel beams like the sun, and kisses him back.

Also, each subsequent mystery is just focused on someone else on the grid, like the mysterious death of Fernando's extremely rich wife, (Lance in the wings with his alibi and a lot more money than Fernando's wife) or George being framed for the death of the controlling partner in his law firm, eventually exonerated by photographer Alex, or the one with the BEES and the mysterious German guy who owns them. Saving unlucky Charles from always being in the wrong place in the wrong time, except this time he's discovering the body by tripping over it and finding the murder weapon stashed in his apartment. OH GOD maybe Charles is the Prince of Monaco. Anyway, whatever. And each mystery ends with Max and Daniel out on their boat, Daniel in a series of tinier and tinier shorts, Max with his gin and tonic and Daniel with a ridiculous cocktail, Max flushed with the sun and Daniel not regretting any of his choices in leaving his old life behind to solve mysteries with Max.

Please note that at no point in this ask did I refer to the rather lengthy Sweet Home Alabama AU plot I forced Sarah to listen to last week, which got out of hand and got too angsty and where I left it, Daniel was in hospital for the second time and Max was following him half way across the world and nobody was even mentioning divorce, so that went well. Two thumbs up to that.

#fic i wish i was writing #my fic #monaco private detectives reporting for duty

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slytherizz · 6 months

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Whatever it Takes - Sebastian Sallow x Female!MC/Reader

Summary: Sebastian and new fifth year girl embark down a dark path together. Both have to carry a burden far bigger than themselves. To save his sister and the wizarding world as they know it. They know what needs to be done, as they descend into a world of dark magic and it's consequences.

Kindred spirits, ready to risk it all no matter the cost to their own souls. But they may get a little more than they bargained for as their growing feelings for each other threaten their mission at every turn.

Together, they'll do whatever it takes to save the ones they hold dear. No price is too high.

You can find the entire fic on Ao3

Tags: Character Study, Angst, Friends to Lovers, Sebastian Sallow POV

Warnings: 18+, explicit sexual content, explicit language, angst, mostly angst, no beta

A/N I realised I never actually posted my first fic here as I wasn't on tumblr when I began posting on Ao3. Literally just a 58k character study I did for Seb when the game first came out. There are of course, lots of chapters and scenes peppered throughout that aren't canon compliant as I fiddled with the timeline (Extended to 3 year time span). Reading this fic isn't necessary to skip to Part 2 'In the Shadow of Us' but may add ✨seasoning✨

Chapter 1

September, 1890

Prewitt was always insufferable, and the summer had only made the Gryffindor more arrogant. He’d come into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom bragging about some ludicrous adventure he’d had with his Aunt. Something about hitting a troll over the head with its own club whilst visiting family in the South of France. True or not it had rubbed Sebastian the wrong way. He would have loved nothing more than to have spent the summer duelling up in the hills around Feldcroft with Ominis and Anne, generally getting up to no good. Since the pains that plagued his sister, only grew worse he’d had little time to adventure across the Scottish Highlands under his uncle's strict leash.

Prewitt had raised his wand across from him, “Scared of being knocked off the top spot in the crossed wands, Sallow?”

A taunt that would have hit his mark if delivered by a better duellist. He stepped to meet the boy's challenge, he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to knock him down a few pegs. He launched three quick spells but Prewitt was on the defensive, his Protego firmly in place. Maybe he had gotten better, but not good enough. Despite trying to keep Sebastian under lock and key all summer, Solomon couldn’t be around at all times. Sebastian had been practicing too.

The fact was, Prewitt was predictable. Sebastian saw the telltale shake of his arm, his balance was off and his feet were so close together he knew he could sweep him off them. But mostly the Gryffindor didn’t commit. His spells fell short as most did when duelling and too afraid of getting the incantation wrong to really follow through with a cast. Stopping his onslaught, Sebastian let the magic thrum in his fingers. The feeling always comforted him, the hum in his blood as it pumped around his body. He paused for one second to savor it and waited biding his time. As expected, Prewitt took the bait. Dropping his Protego he threw out a shaky leg locker jinx which Sebastian quickly brushed to the side with a wave of his wand.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he crooned. Then he struck.

Prewitt's footing wavered, losing his balance he wasn’t fast enough to protect against the spell. Just in time, the Gryffindor managed to redirect the spell up onto the great skull that loomed above their heads. The skeleton groaned as the head came loose of its moorings directly above the redhead. All the colour seemed to leech from Prewitt’s face as the enormous mass of bones quickly impressed upon him.

“Levioso!”

As quickly as it had come loose, Hecat suspended the skull just in time to save his opponent from a rather painful visit to the hospital wing. Pity. So much for the Troll Slayer. Couldn’t even defend himself against a beast that was already dead.

Hecat looked them both over, before leveling him with an exasperated look. He liked the professor, a skilled witch he admired. She understood the value of knowledge, that anything no matter how small may make all the difference in a fight. Hecat was an older woman with greying hair and a slight hunch to her shoulders one might assume her frail. Never underestimating your opponent, was a lesson learned the hard way. Not anyone can take down a dragon poacher ring, you had to be resourceful, and cunning.

The professor had launched into a speech he knew well. He’d heard it on his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, every ear in the room had pricked up, they were silent, and he remembered feeling the coil of excitement. Anne’s eyes had shone that day as she looked at the professor as if a heroine from one of her adventure books had leapt off the page. He’d groaned at it in his 3rd year when she’d caught him sneaking behind the Quidditch stands with that pretty Ravenclaw girl he’d liked instead of writing 16 inches on werewolf and nocturnal beast identification. Last year he’d cursed it. Where were the brave witches and wizards to protect Feldcroft, his hamlet to save his sister when she needed them? Why couldn’t they teach him the knowledge he needed to do it himself?

“…Knowledge. To the wise age matters very little.”

But this time it felt different. He didn’t resent hearing this tale, in fact, deep inside something stirred. That little fire inside he guarded so fiercely, quivered to attention sending a little shiver down his spine. Hecat began their lecture.

“Levioso? A levitation charm?” cried an exasperated Prewitt, Sebastian shot him a glare. But too quickly Professor had turned her attention to the Gryffindor.

“Levioso!”

Prewitt shot up all eyes to where he was now suspended in mid-air squirming. His cheeks and ears burned almost as bright as his hair. Sebastian smirked slightly, not being able to resist the curl of his lips at the boy's gangly limbs flailing in the air like the squid in the lake. He heard a small snigger from an unfamiliar voice behind him. He turned slightly. To his right trying to disguise her laughter was the new fifth-year girl that had come charging with Professor Fig at last night’s Sorting Ceremony looking a bit moon-eyed and breathless. Just as he’d once looked when he’d first walked into the great hall all those years ago. Strange to have someone wind up at Hogwarts in their fifth year, stranger still was the conspiratorial look Professor Fig had given her as he ushered her over to the lumpy old hat on the chair. Sebastian liked a mystery and someone who liked to see Prewitt made a fool of gets points in his book. She met his gaze, and he quirked an eyebrow.

Hecat then releasing the charm Prewitt fell ungracefully to the floor in a heap of limbs. He clambered up awkwardly dusting himself off before slinking to one of the desks in the darker far corner of the room. No doubt to blend in to quell the embarrassment as the rest of the class took to their seats. Sebastian settled in his favourite seat by the window.

***

Chin resting on his hand, wand in the other he lazily flicked at the Fwooper feather on his desk suspending it and letting it fall back down. The classroom buzzed around him, the clang of the practice dummy and the grumbles of a Ravenclaw boy who just couldn’t seem to grasp he was meant to be casting a spell not stirring a bloody soup with his wand movements. The sounds slowly drifted away, and he found his mind started to wander as the September sun warmed his face. He’d spent months practicing Levioso in his second year in the Undercroft whilst preparing for his first duel with the Crossed Wands. Anne had been here to help him then. Any free moment they had had been spent holed up in that secret back room adjusting their wrist movements by tiny degrees. More than once they’d caught the other a bit too hard and sent them careening a bit too high whacking their heads on the ceiling or in one instance Anne had dropped him right on top of a broken cauldron breaking his wrist in two places. The matron in the hospital wing had been suspicious but they certainly weren’t the first to wind up there due to unsanctioned duelling. So with all their limbs still attached, she didn’t pry.

Those memories had an edge to them now. What good did all their practicing do when Anne couldn’t protect herself when it really mattered? Why couldn’t he protect her when it really mattered? Since that day in the summer before their fourth year, Sebastian was more determined than before. Age didn’t matter to the wise, as Hecat always said. Now he spent hours poring over seventh-year advanced spell books and banned books on curses he’d pilfered from the restricted section. Winning at the Cross Wands had once made him gleam with pride, and his boasting probably made him an insufferable prat to be around. Now the winning didn’t taste as sweet. In his search for anything to help Anne his knowledge of spells and duelling skills had progressed far beyond what he needed for matches. He only used it as a way to sharpen his skills, he was being reckless in the duels. In some instances, three on one, pushing himself to his limit with every new spell he learnt. Some fights tougher than others, he’d been caught by a couple of stray jinxes from some of the more formidable 7th years but he’d beaten them too, all the same.

He cast his eyes across the room, Hecat was encouraging the new fifth-year girl who was striking the practice dummy suspended in mid-air. She was good. U nrefined but quite natural in her movements so unlike the overeager predictability of Prewitt’s spellcasting. Sebastian pushed off the table to stand in the middle of the classroom to examine her closer. Her movements were rather erratic as you’d expect from someone untrained, but there was a certain fluidity to how she held herself and moved her wand as if not a tool in which to cast but a very extension of her arm. The magic that thrummed from her wasn’t something she controlled, it was a wild and untethered thing she redirected like water. The static from her magic made her stray hairs stand on end as she pulled back from her attack and let the dummy fall to the floor with a clang

Hecat smiled at the girl before catching his eye “Very good. But the best way to practice is by duelling. We’ll start with you two.” She said gesturing to Sebastian who was watching from the side. "Duellists take your marks”.

She may be new and rather capable, but Sebastian was sure it would be the same thing with every duel these days.

“Time for a proper Hogwarts welcome” he smirked, striding across the room and into position.

***

Never say Sebastian Sallow was a bad loser. As he lay flat on his arse, breathing hard his heart still thundering quickly as he shook off the remnants of the spell that struck him. She stood above him wand still raised slightly. Their eyes met.

Her eyes shone with that look of triumph a feeling he knew well. He lived that feeling. It was that look he usually gave opponents. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been the one on his back, but he couldn’t say he minded the view. Her hair was wild around her face, her lips slightly parted, panting lightly. A delicious sound. A conquering heroine. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips. Finally, someone interesting.

He hadn’t duelled like that in a long time. He’d let her strike first casting a protego when they’d begun their game. He was a gentleman after all. Not gentleman enough to let her win but she was new and letting her get a couple of shots in early was only polite. Then he’d countered quickly, no point in going easy and wearing her out on her first day but to his delight she’d deflected with a protection of her own. Their dance began, as expected from her work with the dummy, she duelled more reactively and unrefined. Her wand lashing out from her fast like a whip, she seemed to cast with her whole body. She’d leave her left side fully exposed only to pivot so quickly the vulnerability was lost in a flurry of robes and long hair. He cracked a smile, finally someone interesting to compete with. He parried and struck with his wand missing his mark again as she moved like a knife through butter. She looked up and their eyes met. Sweat glistened faintly on her brow, a wide grin spread across her face and a feral tenacious glint in her eye. She looked like a woman who’d been lost in the desert, the magic thrumming through her was the water she’d been denied that she desperately gulped it down until she was sick with it. That’s when he’d hesitated. At that familiar look in her eyes. Her blow struck him square in the chest and that’s when he’d landed with a thud.

She held out her hand for Sebastian, her lips quirked slightly at one side. He took her outstretched hand as she hauled him up off the ground.

“Not bad for a beginner. You give as good as you get” he said with a grin, dusting himself off.

***

He was lurking by the door to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom waiting for her to finish with Hecat. As expected, Prewitt and Imelda hadn’t hesitated with a few snide remarks and jeer at his expense. Sebastian’s own defeat had clearly helped mend Prewitt’s bruised ego from earlier. Even ‘Puffskein Dunkein’ had shot him a mocking smile. The audacity of a man afraid of a Puffskein to think he’d be embarrassed. Sebastian cocked an eyebrow as if to say, ‘Do you want a turn?’, had the Ravenclaw boy averting his gaze and quickly shuffling out.

They all thought he was embarrassed. But the fact of the matter was, he wasn’t. Far from it. In fact, he was ecstatic. He’d not had a chance to duel like that in a long time not with someone like him. The look he caught in her eye he knew then they shared something. She wasn’t afraid of it. Not of that power that thrummed and ebbed in her veins. His teachers, his peers, and especially his uncle Solomon were afraid of that innate power they all had. The fear, that had professors restricting the spells they taught. The fear, that kept them from driving the loyalists out of the hills around Feldcroft. The fear, that kept them from doing whatever it takes to find a cure for Anne. He didn’t see a shred of that fear when he looked at her in that duel.

She was walking then toward the back of the room, heading for the door, fumbling with some odd book in her bag. He moved swiftly to fall into step beside her.

“That duel was quite something,” he said nudging her arm slightly drawing her attention.

“It was good practice.”

“Practice? It felt more like I was duelling an expert” he wasn’t lying, that kind of trust in one’s abilities was something it took most people years to forge. “Didn’t expect a new student to be so deft with a wand…but perhaps this wasn’t your first due?” A leading question he knew, this girl was unusual, to say the least, and wherever she’d come from, maybe they had more kindred spirits.

“It was in fact. Maybe I just have a knack for it” She didn’t meet his eyes, trying a little too hard to sound aloof.

“Be coy if you like, but I know better. Magic requires intention and talent” he smirked. He liked this game, someone who kept their cards close to their chest, but he wanted to duel with her again and Sallow’s always get their man. So, he dangled the carrot “In fact, you might be a perfect fit for a certain exclusive, unsanctioned duelling organisation.”

She gave him a sideways glance up through her eyelashes though he could feel the spark of interest, her eyebrows raised “Exclusive and unsanctioned?” she mused “Count me in.”

A rulebreaker too. Merlin have mercy. He could work with this one.

“I knew I was right about you. If you want to get the most out of your time at Hogwarts. You’re going to need to break the rules now and then. Whether it’s joining a secret duelling club or sneaking into the restricted section of the library. You just have to be clever enough not to get caught.”

“And what? you’re offering to be my clever guide around this place?”

“Of course, I would never leave a lady to fend for herself. Especially not one that flipped me in a duel so easily.”

“Hmm, it may not be the last time I get you on your back.”

He spluttered, was she implying…surely not. That was just about duelling. Either way, his face flushed slightly.

"If you fancy a partner send me Owl, despite my performance today, I am the reigning Champion. We could make quick work of this year's competition if we work together." Spotting Ominis on the floor below ducking around the Defence Against the Dark Art staircase he slowed his stride to cast one last look at the girl before he took off after his friend “I’ll see you soon. Perhaps somewhere…unsanctioned”.

A conspiratorial smile was shared, and he was off following his fellow Slytherin into the Undercroft.

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