#dark!sebastian sallow | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

slytherins-heir · 7 days

Text

🇸🇵🇪🇱🇱🇧🇴🇺🇳🇩

word count;; 14k+ pairing;; sebastian sallow x f!reader warnings;; depictions of injury, violence, and death. use of crucio. slight jealousy, angst, and a lil fluff and mutual pining to go along<3 slight lore changes regarding fiendfyre, and use of y/n. slightly dark wizard!sebastian but also saviour!sebastian 💖

*minor hogwarts legacy spoilers but nothing outright*

a/n;; this took longer than expected- i haven't written in so long so i hope you guys enjoy 💖 (i didn't expect it to be this long, and i feel like the end is a bit shit but i appreciate all of you guys sm for entertaining my fics)

Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, away from prying and mundane eyes, stood a behemoth of magic, history, legend and mystery. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The castle’s many stained glass windows glistened, the Black Lake sparkled under the stars, and the Forbidden Forest looked just as foreboding, yet at the same time, peaceful, under the last of that night’s moonlight.

The serenity of the landscape was suddenly disturbed, but not by destruction, instead by one of the most regal and proud creatures. A large, majestic Hippogriff broke through the light clouds that hung over the castle, and on the creature's back was a girl, nothing more than a Hogwarts student. “Let’s go Highwing, before anyone notices we’ve been gone all night,” said the girl on the creature's back as she took in the sights from the height they flew at one more time before returning to her usual student life. As Highwing soared in the sky, her huge wings beat against the wind causing an undeniable rhythm in the air. The large, majestic creature flew, a loud and proud call was let out from her chest as she took one last long soar before beginning her descent back to the ground.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Back in the quiet of the castle, where students slept soundly, the only thoughts in their minds were the dreams that played out behind their closed eyes, there was one student who hadn’t slipped into the comfort and safety of his dream realm, a fifth-year Slytherin by the name of Sebastian Sallow. Instead of being nestled up cosy in his bed just like his fellow students, Sebastian sat perched on a long sofa in the Slytherin common room, eyes drifting between the doorways that were across from him, his books and the mix of half-used, blank pieces of parchment that sat on the table in front of him. “Where is she…?” he muttered to himself, slinking back into the cushions behind him. Usually, Sebastian wouldn’t keep himself so concerned with what someone else was doing, against the rules or not. But Sebastian found himself in this predicament more often than he would care to admit.

The new student, y/n, had a penchant for sneaking off unnoticed, with only the occasional comment from Imelda or Poppy drawing any attention. However, Sebastian on the other hand was more than aware of her disappearances. In fact, her absence never failed to register with him. Initially, he didn't dwell on it too much, respecting her need for privacy, just as he would want. Yet, an underlying sense of worry persisted within Sebastian, despite his rational understanding.

His eyes drifted around the large open room, taking in every inch of the usually bustling common room. Even the large windows at the end of the room that stood proud, looking out under the murky, Black Lake provided no signs of life, not a single thing except for the usual green hue coming from the windows, casting a haunting, yet beautiful atmosphere. It seemed for all the world, that everyone but Sebastian was asleep, everyone but Sebastian was without a worry. His eyes settled on the fire, the flames were a deep, vibrant orange, hinted with hues of yellow and red as they twisted and danced together. Sebastian found himself, once again, getting lost in their hypnotic sway. There had always been something so inciting to him about fire — the beauty of it, yet the destruction it was capable of always just twinkling beyond the captivating twists.

The sudden sound of a light step began to echo throughout the stagnant silence Sebastian found himself in, pulling his focus away from the dancing flames, choosing instead to watch the entrance to the common from the staircase, a drop of hope bubbled in his stomach as he sat up a little straighter and picked up his book, as if to seem like he was unable to sleep; instead of sitting, waiting for y/n to return. The footsteps were soft, almost imperceptible, like the gentle patter of raindrops on a windowpane. They echoed through the dimly lit room, creating a rhythm that seemed to reverberate through the very air. It was as if the very walls of the castle were whispering secrets, hinting at the arrival of someone who could provide answers to the questions that had been swirling in his mind.

"Sebastian?" a voice asked, barely a whisper, barely rising above the gentle lull of the crackling hearth. The soft patter of approaching footsteps punctured the quiet, drawing nearer to where Sebastian sat, engulfed in his thoughts.

"What are you doing up so late? I didn’t expect anyone to be up." y/n inquired, her voice laced with a hint of worry as she settled onto the sofa opposite him. The faint glow of the embers cast a warm light upon her face, revealing the fatigue etched into her features.

Sebastian lightly shook his head, placing his book atop the disarray of parchment. "Sleep eluded me, so I thought to come down here, see if I can make a dent in Sharp’s assignment" he replied, his tone carefully measured to hide the deceit. He hoped the flickering shadows would hide the concern that he felt was all too apparent in his eyes. "Let's not dwell on just my sleeping habits," he deftly redirected, his gaze intently studying her, "You're the one cutting it close, aren't you? Classes in a few hours, and here you are. I'd wager you not making it to our morning classes tomorrow." A strained chuckle escaped him as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, bridging the distance between them.

Her response was uncharacteristically delayed, and when it came, it didn’t come with its usual excitement. She drew in a breath, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames that seemed to ensnare her reflection in their fiery ballet. Her hands moved in a subtle, self-comforting gesture, leaving a hint of an inner turmoil that she hadn’t confided in him.

A flicker of movement drew his attention to a slender cut marring her face—a wound that was unveiled as she turned towards the fire, how he didn’t notice it the second she had joined him escaped him, it bothered him that he hadn’t seen it straight away, he almost felt guilty. His instinct urged him to reach out, to bridge the gap and address the injury that seemed to scream for attention. Yet he restrained himself, settling back into the shadows with a quiet resolve. "When she's ready, she'll confide in me," he told himself, the thought more a plea to convince himself rather than a conviction.

"I… I was out with Highwing," y/n finally murmured, her voice a soft echo in the room. "There was… something I had to tend to, a matter related to the trials. We encountered some poachers, a couple of goblins—nothing more." But her words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths, and Sebastian's intuition screamed in silent alarm deep within him.

The crackling fire no longer commanded her attention as she turned to gauge Sebastian's reaction, searching his face for signs of doubt. She hoped he'd let the matter slide, and as if sensing her silent plea, he simply nodded, acceptance flickering in his eyes. "You know, if there's anyone capable of giving poachers a run for their money, it's you, y/n," Sebastian remarked, the softness in his smile reaching his eyes.

Her response was a half-hearted echo of his grin, her eyes locking with his for a fleeting moment. "Thanks, Sebastian. It means a lot, you know? Having someone believe in me when everything here is still so relatively new," she murmured, the vulnerability in her voice brushing against the silent space between them.

Sebastian's chuckle broke through the heaviness, his smile widening, a shared moment of lightness taking the edge off his earlier worry. "Not believe in you? Come on, you had me outmatched from day one. Anyone who can do that is destined for greatness." His words teetered on the edge of sentimentality, and he quickly steered the conversation back with a playful challenge. "But, since I've been demoted to second-best, courtesy of you, you owe me an adventure. It's only fair, right?"

There was a teasing tone to his voice, but behind it lay his sincere desire to join her, not just for the thrill, but to ensure her safety—something he couldn't admit just yet.

The suggestion drew a soft, airy laugh from her as she rose to her feet, sidestepping the deeper implication of his words. "Next time, maybe, Sallow," she deflected with a lightness she didn't feel, sensing the undercurrents of concern that both of them were dancing around. "But for now, I'm off to bed. We've got Hecat first thing, and you better not be up all night either. Promise me you'll get some rest too?" "Promise," Sebastian nodded, the care in her voice buoying him a touch, though it couldn't fully brush off the thought of her concealed injuries. "Go on, then. Get some sleep, y/n. I'll meet you here in the morning before class."

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

The next day had come all too soon, the cool morning breeze wisped around the castle grounds as the rising sun’s glow cascaded over every inch it could touch. A fragment of the golden glow broke through the dark water that sloshed against the large windows within the common room — causing the room to have more of a glow than usual.

Y/n sat on the edge of her bed, the freshly made bedding underneath trapped between her fingers as she pulled and twisted at the thick fabric subconsciously, deep in her thoughts; she felt almost glued to the bed, her eyes stuck focused on one point on the floor in front of her as her thoughts ran rampant within her.

The sleep that she had promised Sebastian hadn’t come as she had hoped, instead, she had spent the last of the night tossing and turning, arguing with her inner thoughts, overthinking every detail and thought that crossed her mind.

She would love nothing more than to have Sebastian come with her, to have Sebastian by her side every time she left the castle, but she knew that no matter what; great danger would always be waiting right around the corner for her — not a single situation so far had proven anything different. She wondered if she would be able to live with herself if anything happened to Sebastian, but what didn’t cross her mind — Would Sebastian be able to live with himself if something happened to her and he wasn’t there to help her? Or save her?

Her racing thoughts were interrupted by the heavy dormitory door being pushed open and spoke a voice, causing her to jump from her sitting position and almost out of her skin. “Aren’t you coming y/n?” said the voice as a head peaked through the door, the head of Imelda Reyes. “You know Sallow is waiting for you down there, he seems to be under the impression you aren’t coming to class.” she continued, entering the room. “You know how Sebastian is… Not a man with a lot of patience, now is he.” y/n replied swiftly, hoping to avoid discussion as to why Sebastian thought as much, the last thing she needed was someone else asking questions.

Imelda waited for y/n as she grabbed her robes and wand she had left on her beside the locker before following Imelda out of the dormitory and down the winding hallway that led to the common room. The two girls walked in silence, the only sound being their steps across the metal flooring mixed with the light morning chatter of sleepy students coming from the common room some distance away. “What are you doing tonight?” Imelda asked suddenly, catching y/n off guard. “Tonight? Why?” y/n responded without turning to look at Imelda, her brain suddenly coming up with all types of scenarios, her anxiety slightly spiked as she waited for Imelda to spit out her reasoning.

“Well, you’re the only one who feels like a competition out on the pitch y/n, you’re getting better. You can almost keep up with me, so even though Quidditch is cancelled this year, maybe you wouldn’t mind helping me practice? I need someone who pushes me… Anyone else and it would be too easy… You’ll get some experience out of it too, and you might be ready for Quidditch tryouts next year.” Imelda quickly blurted out, completely unaware of how laced with ego her words were, but y/n knew it wasn’t intentional. Imelda wasn’t afraid to let people know she knew what her strengths were, and she never downplayed them for anyone, and that was something y/n admired in her.

“I really wish I could Imelda” y/n said softly as they cascaded down the steps and towards where Sebastian and Ominis sat talking between themselves. “I haven’t gotten around to Sharp’s assignment yet, and I haven’t gotten a chance for Hecat’s assignment yet either, I wish I could help you out, Imelda but I just don’t have the time tonight.” y/n finished, throwing Sebastian a pleading look once she realised he was watching them approach. “Well, what about this weekend? Any assignments we get today won't take the whole weekend to do” Imelda continued, stopping in her tracks once they reached the couches where the boys sat. Imelda perched herself on the arm of the couch, her eyes bore into y/n’s, almost as if she was trying to get into y/n’s mind to make her agree, but before she could even give Imelda an answer, Sebastian had realised the conversation y/n was trying to wiggle out of, knowing she couldn’t tell Imelda the truth.

“I mean, she would love to help you Imelda, but we’ve got plans this weekend, so unfortunately you might have to pick one of the other students, even if they don’t hold a candle to y/n’s skill” Sebastian said as he walked over to stand beside y/n, a smile on his face which y/n returned with a soft smile, grateful for his swift thinking. Imelda opened her mouth quickly to argue with Sebastian, probably to say how practising for Quidditch next year is more important, but Ominis was the next person to protest against Imelda’s arguments; but not for the same reason as Sebastian—Ominis simply didn’t want to listen to their conversation.

“You know Imelda, maybe more people would want to practice with you if you didn’t speak down to them and act as if you were a gift from Merlin himself. You’ve no chance of changing their minds, you’ll learn, as well as I, that there’s no changing their minds once they’ve decided something, together.” The way Ominis spoke left a feeling of bubbling guilt between Sebastian and y/n as they exchanged looks. Was that really what Ominis thought? Y/n began to worry that her and Sebastian’s adventures so far were driving a wedge between Ominis and Sebastian, the last thing she would want would be to cause a rift between the two lifelong best friends, but a nudge to her arm pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up to meet Sebastian’s gaze. He just shook his head lightly, indicating for her to not start overthinking Ominis’ words.

Imelda rolled her eyes at what Ominis had to say, but she didn’t have a retort for him; instead, she turned her attention back to y/n and Sebastian. “Well. Enjoy your adventures. Don’t come crying to me when you need someone to fly with y/n” The snark from Imelda was natural, something anyone who knew her was used to; even y/n already understood despite her short time at the school. “Oh, Imelda you know that’s not-” y/n began to speak, but Imelda was quick to shut her down, her willingness to talk back to y/n but not Ominis didn’t go unnoticed. “Save it, I don’t have time. Some of us have actual responsibilities. I’ll see you in class.” Imelda snapped as she turned to leave, her nose turning even more upwards than it had been in its natural position, leaving the three friends in silence.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

“She’s going to kill me the next time I turn down practising with her.” y/n said as she walked with the two boys towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, she knew she’d definitely get an earful from Hecat over not having the assignments, so being late wasn’t an option. “Surely the girl who beat me at Crossed Wands can put up a fight against Imelda unless she had something to hide about our duel..? Maybe, Felix Felicis?” Sebastian said, turning his head and giving her a look, a sly smile on his face. Anyone who didn’t know him would think this was a real accusation, that he was genuinely accusing her of cheating in their match—but his two closest friends knew it was just lighthearted banter.

“Oh please Sebastian, you know I didn’t know how to brew Felix Felicis back then, tell him Ominis, I won fair and square.” y/n said, looking between the two boys. “She’s not wrong Sebastian, she had only just gotten to Hogwarts, she probably didn't even know that potion existed. She won out of skill, like she said, fair and square” Ominis said tauntingly, getting a scoff from Sebastian. “Well, she’s had actual help and time with professors to learn! Oh, leave it..” Sebastian finally said defeatedly. He would have been annoyed at what Ominis was saying if it hadn’t been about y/n, hearing that he just wasn’t good enough to win did sting him a bit.

They left the warmth of the castle, the cool autumn breeze ran over the friends as they made their way through the grounds of Hogwarts. As they crossed the Viaduct courtyard, y/n noticed the decorations that seemingly appeared overnight. Cobwebs seemed to be hanging on arches, doorways and corners, pumpkins lay strewn about in a range of sizes. Even the smaller decorations and candles had seemingly been placed in such a fashion that it almost transformed the feeling of Hogwarts, even in the morning time.

“Well, those little house elves were hard at work last night,” Sebastian said looking around at their passing surroundings as they crossed over the Viaduct Bridge. “They’re always hard at work… They never get a break.” Ominis muttered, his voice low. The two other friends exchanged glances, knowing where Ominis’ sudden attitude change came from. For a Gaunt, Ominis’ views were unheard of.

The Gaunt’s were cruel.

They were descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself, their heritage and lineage were of utmost importance to them. They had no time for Half-Bloods, and most definitely no respect for Muggle-Born witches and wizards. When it came to house elves, they were no different. They viewed the elves as nothing more than what their purpose served, and at that, there was no respect. Violence was common, physically and verbally, and that didn’t stop at house elves… Their obsession with blood purity, obsession with the Dark Arts, their sadistic ‘hobbies’ Ominis hated everything about their beliefs and what they did, choosing to have his own set of beliefs instead. Any time Ominis spoke about his family, it was never positive. Y/n knew there was more to his story, but she didn’t want to press him about his family and the Dark Arts; knowing the subject would be sensitive.

Y/n hated hearing her friends sound anyway upset, she racked her brain for something to say, to maybe comfort him somehow. “I agree Ominis” she said, placing her hand lightly on his arm as they continued into the Astronomy Wing of Hogwarts. “..but Hogwarts is the best place for them. If they were left to their old masters, who knows what could happen to them.” her voice matched the soft, sensitive nature of the conversation. However, as soon as her hand reached his arm, Sebastian had become all too aware of it. A strange feeling started brewing inside of him as he watched and listened to them. Was he jealous? Was her hand on his arm more than a friendly touch? Sebastian’s mind filled with questions, questions fueled by his sudden jealousy. “I know, I know, but there’s not much comfort in knowing they are still being worked to death,” Ominis spoke glumly, y/n looked sympathetic towards his feelings, and Sebastian wanted to know why it bothered him so. “That’s all they know Ominis, at least they’re safe here..” y/n said, her hand dropping from his arm, not knowing what else to say to ease Ominis’ pointed feelings on the topic. Sebastian felt calmed when her hands dropped to her sides, but now he had to face the fact he was jealous, and over such a small thing. They walked in silence up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower, unsure of where to take the conversation after it hit such a sensitive tone.

“Hecat’s going to have my head you know.” y/n said trying to divert the conversation, and their moods. Sebastian and Ominis both let out a small laugh at her sudden statement. “You didn’t finish your assignment?” Ominis asked, almost as if he was disappointed in her. Y/n shook her head as they crossed the marble flooring and up the right staircases and corridors to reach Hecat’s classroom. “Well, someone was out all night causing trouble,” Sebastian said giving y/n a knowing look, a slight smirk played on his face. “Maybe she will let me hand it in late? If I tell her some of what I was doing? Surely she’d understand right” y/n asked, unsure of how Hecat would handle the situation.

Ominis just shrugged before he spoke, “I wouldn’t know. I like to get my assignments in on time.” y/n just smiled before rolling her eyes, ��Gee, thanks Ominis. That is a great help” she said jokingly. Sebastian took the situation a little more seriously, since he knew more than Ominis about what she had been doing.*

“What are you going to tell her?” Sebastian asked, looking down at her. “What if you just tell her you were out gathering supplies or something, and you got into some trouble? She can’t disprove it, and it’s not really a lie, you’re just… withholding the full story. Plus, you still have that cut on your face still too so surely she’ll believe you..” Sebastian said in a hushed voice, genuinely trying to help her situation. A sigh left her as they approached the classroom, “I guess we’ll find out won’t we..” She said, opening the classroom door and entering, Sebastian and Ominis behind her.

As usual, they were the last few students to walk in besides a couple of stragglers that waltzed in after them. The class was lively, chatter coming from every direction as students spoke among themselves. Ominis walked and took his usual seat in the middle of the class, not bothering to speak to anyone, instead just preparing his belongings for class, the thought of his family heavy on his mind again. Sebastian perched himself on top of his desk at the back of the class, preparing for the incoming babble and nonsense as he watched Garreth Weasley approach him. y/n on the other hand made a direct beeline for the steps up to Professor Hecat’s study, repeating the excuse in her brain. She knocked on the door lightly and it was just a few seconds before the door opened and a voice spoke gently. “Come in, come in” said the older voice, y/n followed her instructions and walked into the little room above the classroom. “Professor Hecat, would you have a few moments?” y/n asked, her voice unwavering but she was still nervous nonetheless.

Hecat turned from the array of books she was sorting, directing her attention fully to y/n. “Of course, what is it Ms. y/l/n?” Hecat asked, raising an eyebrow slightly at the girl's words, stepping closer to her student. “I, I don’t have the assignment Professor” y/n said while looking at the ground, she looked up at her professor before continuing; “I intended to finish it last night but-” Hecat cut swiftly across her sentence; “but you thought you could come with excuses instead of the assigned work?” Hecat asked, her hands crossing over themselves in front of her. Hecat examined her student’s reaction to her words, suddenly noticing the mark on y/n’s cheek. “Merlin, what happened to you child? You’re hurt” Hecat said almost in a distressed voice, y/n simply just continued on her ramble in hopes Hecat would let her finish. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Professor. While I was out, we came across a poacher camp. I couldn’t leave without doing something, and I understand my studies are important..” y/n spoke fast, but Hecat listened to every word, just as y/n hoped; she prayed Hecat would understand the excuse she had, considering Hecat’s past of fighting poachers.

“But with all due respect Professor, I won’t let poachers or any other horrible person get away with their actions just so I can do an assignment” The words came from her before she even could think about them, it was kind of what she wanted to say; but it came across a lot more disrespectful than she expected, or so she thought.

Hecat’s face remained stoic as she took in her student's last few words, giving the impression that she was not happy. Suddenly a small smile cracked across her face as she looked at y/n. Hecat had not expected such a valid excuse in her mind, never mind expect such with passion, conviction and sincerity. Hecat merely nodded, her smile never once fading now. “I’ll give you until our next lesson, I see no reason to punish you for something I would have done as a student, someone’s got to do something about that lot,” Hecat said, her voice was light now, almost as if what y/n had said to her reminded her of herself.

“Thank you Professor” y/n said as she turned around to leave the study, unsure of what else to say; this wasn’t the outcome she had expected. She reached just outside the door, on the balcony looking down at the class, her eyes instantly looked at Sebastian. Her heart began to race slightly as she realised he was looking directly back at her, ignoring whatever nonsense Garreth was spewing at him. Hecat’s voice calling her pulled her attention back from Sebastian, turning around once more to face the Professor. “Oh and Miss y/l/n? Next time you decide to take on poachers, be prepared. Never go wrong with carrying some essence of dittany with you as well as your usual potions” She took Hecat’s words seriously, nodding once again at the older woman. “Of course Professor, I’ll make sure to keep that in mind.”

Y/n made her way back down the short flight of steps and across the classroom as she ran through the thoughts of how lucky she had gotten with Hecat, how lucky she had gotten that Hecat saw some of the young student in herself. She took a seat beside Sebastian, letting out a sigh of relief as she sank back into her chair. “I see you’ve still got your head.” Sebastian laughed, turning to look at her. “She was… Okay with it. I told her about the poachers and that seemed to work in my favour.” y/n said, the worry that was present in her voice before class was now gone, finally able to think of more important things than an assignment. The class passed by relatively slowly, but no student was surprised. Even in such an interesting class, theoretical studies were always dragging time along, seemingly never-ending. So once Hecat dismissed the class, students almost threw themselves out of the door to get to their next class in hopes that whatever was next was more lively.

Ominis left the class without a word to anyone, leaving Sebastian and y/n to throw each other worried glances. They knew better than to follow Ominis and hunt him for answers as to what was wrong, instead, they gathered their belongings and made their way from Hecat’s classroom, making their way back down to the Potions classroom.

“So, about our adventure,” Sebastian said, the two walking side by side across the hallways, they moved slightly every now and then when another student, or group, pushed their way past. “I was thinking we could go tonight, I don’t have much to get done and I’m sick of being in this castle.” Sebastian’s words were filled with hope, and something else that she couldn’t put her finger on.

“I don’t know Sebastian I-”

“Oh come on y/n, I’m not some fragile little thing that’ll get hurt the second we leave, I can defend myself you know.” Sebastian’s voice didn’t have its usual joking tone to it, causing y/n to look up at him while they walked.

“I never said you were Sebastian, I know you can but-” He cut her off again. “So it’s decided then. Tonight, we’re going on an adventure.” Sebastian’s voice was light again as he spoke, basically telling her rather than asking now. “Fine Sebastian. But we’re doing it my way. There’s something I have to do, so promise me you won’t do something reckless?” her words were serious, and a tone of defeat was lingering in her voice. “I promise y/n, we’ll do it your way.”

She didn’t know if he was being honest or just telling her what she wanted to hear, but she had accepted it, knowing Sebastian would not let it go, not until he got to come along with her. ‘This is the last thing I need..’' she thought to herself, as she mulled over the fact that any task would only be made more difficult with Sebastian there, his tendency to charge in guns blazing all of the time left little space for plans to be executed with stealth and precision was something y/n knew could be an issue and could possibly jeopardize the task at hand.

They walked the rest of the way to Potions without talking anymore about the topic, instead just talking together like normal friends, no talk of dark magic, no talk of danger or poachers, no dark wizards' name even graced their lips… It was something she wished was more common, but between her life and her friends that she held close; having a ‘normal’ friendship was off the cards. Between her two best friends, one a Gaunt who defied his family’s expectations, and the other with a longing for dark magic and power, she knew that the current flow of normal conversation wouldn’t last long; the trio were anything but regular students of Hogwarts.

Sebastian, Ominis and y/n all chose the same workstation, each friend on each side of the large table between them, a collection of cauldrons, ingredients and vials laid strewn about on every table; chatter was lively in the class as the students worked on their potions. Professor Sharp walked around the room, his injured leg causing his steps to falter occasionally as he made his rounds, not affected in the slighest. He inspected everyone’s potions, some gaining compliments; others causing him to say nothing more than a grunt before moving to the next. Ominis avoided joining much of the conversation as y/n and Sebastian discussed their plan for that night, y/n on the other hand didn’t delve too into detail about what she had to do, not wanting to speak about it in such a busy environment.

The potions class seemed to fly by relatively fast, some students received praise for their attempts at the potions; other students would have been lucky to be ignored by Sharp. One of those unlucky few students being Garreth Weasley. The trio looked up as they heard Sharp clear his voice as he approached Garreth, who was standing by his cauldron. The potion Garreth had brewed seemed to stench up the class the longer it brewed, the mixture seemed to expand in the cauldron before it swelled up; a large bubble formed on the top; shaping into a hand that seemed to reach for saving from the dreadful potion — the desperate potion’s stretched hand deflated with an amusing “poof”, the sound it made seemed like the last painful exhale from something that had been holding onto the last few seconds of it’s life before letting out that last, pathetic sound.

Garreth’s failure earned him a deep frown from Sharp. “Mr. Weasley, I cannot keep repeating myself. Please follow the instructions that are provided to you and refrain from your own… concoctions. You may yet still have time to pass this class and prove you’re not a failure. Please keep your own ‘potions’ for when you have mastered the simplest, yes?” Sharp said as he looked down at the ginger boy who was fighting off a frown of his own from falling upon his freckled cheeks.

Sebastian, Ominis and y/n couldn’t help but chuckle amongst themselves once they heard Professor Sharp’s words and watched Garreth’s attempt at the potion dissolve the shape it had taken and recoiled back into the large cauldron.

Professor Sharp had taken notice of the three best friends joking amongst themselves as he made his way towards their shared table, not failing to compliment Amit’s potion to a high extent as he passed by the table Amit shared with Garreth and Poppy— Amit always had a way of succeeding, even if it wasn’t a strength of his. He held himself to a high standard within his classes, so it was no surprise that this class was no exception.

The three friends subdued their light laughs and mutterings towards each other the closer that Sharp got, turning their attention back to the potions that had sat in front of them. Sharp didn’t speak a word as he made his way around the table, glancing at each of their brewings intently. They stood and almost held their breath — hoping that their potions, at minimum, were passable. A thoughtful ‘hmm’ left Professor Sharp as he stood up a little straighter after studying their potions. “For three who seemed most interested in watching others, you haven’t disappointed me completely” Sharp said in his usual indifferent tone, his eyes flittering between Ominis, Sebastian and y/n. “Next time, please pay attention to your own cauldrons and not other students,” Sharp said bluntly, causing y/n and Sebastian to look at each other. Professor Sharp turned his attention to Ominis fully now; “Well done Mr. Gaunt, I assume you’ve been practising? This potion is well brewed — Ten points to Slytherin.” Sharp said before he turned and made his way back to his desk. Sebastian and y/n turned to Ominis, a smile on each of their faces. Ominis hadn’t been the best at potions — but he was determined to overcome the struggle that came along with the class due to the pressure he applied to himself. A satisfied smile came across Ominis’ face upon hearing Sharp's words. A sense of contentment washed over Ominis as one of two friends spoke; “Nice work Ominis, I guess we should probably practice too” y/n said with a chuckle, genuinely happy that her friend managed to overcome a hurdle that he too often struggled with.

Luck had been on their side as the three had received compliments on their potions, clearly showing they had some skill when it came to the careful craft, but Professor Sharp didn’t hesitate to let them know they still were not up to his high-held standards, that they still had some growing to do within the area.

Once the class had tidied away their potions and cauldrons, returning ingredients and books to their rightful place, the rest of the day passed with surprising ease. Most of the classes seemed to pass swiftly, and the friends were not about to complain about that — all complaints had been reserved for their History of Magic class. The class dragged on as Professor Binns’ dull, monotone voice filled the room. The odd student took notes, and paid attention to the dry words that left the ghost professor's mouth, the rest of the students feigned interest. Some students watched Binns float as he lectured on, staring through the transparent man, and some passed notes (taking full advantage of the professor’s obliviousness). Sebastian sat with his head resting on his hand; his eyes fighting to stay open. Ominis sat in silence, his gaze turned towards the window as he let Binns’ lecture float by his ears — his mind elsewhere. Y/n’s energy to the class was not much different, her body language showed she was listening intently to Binns’ words, but rather her mind was somewhere else — somewhere far away.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

As nightfall came, the usual hustle and bustle of the castle quietened down, most students now working on assignments, while others wandered about the castle or loitered around talking to friends. The only chaotic noises to break the relaxed environment and subdued chatter came when some of the ghosts of Hogwarts flew past, Peeves was tormenting a couple of first years, and the usual screams and shouts of Eddie Cleaver rang through the halls as he wisped past.

Outside of the castle, the Halloween decorations came even more to life, the candles cast their golden, warm hue upon parts of dark passageways, corners of the courtyards, casting an a beautiful but ominous glow over the decorated areas — the aura hanging on each of the old stones of the castle radiated halloween charm.

Where festive scenes were lacking, there was one student, beyond the walls of the castle, beyond the care of Halloween decorations. Flying above the Forbidden Forest was a large creature with a small figure on its back. The autumn breeze blew past y/n as she perched on Highwing, she took in every sight below her, taking advantage of her high vantage point. She knew this task wasn’t going to be easy, she knew this was where danger truly lay. Highwing and the girl made their way lower to the ground before Highwing began to gracefully saunter through the forest, the creature knew of every twist and turn within the treacherous forest. Y/n’s senses were on high alert as all sorts of noises happened around her, but she and the Hippogriff continued on, not willing to be shaken or have her focus thrown off.

Back in the safety of Hogwarts, Sebastian stood outside of the Slytherin common room, frustration bubbling in him. Y/n had been an hour late meeting him and it bothered him deeply. He marched briskly up the steps leading to the main part of the castle, praying in his mind that she would be around the corner — though his silent pleas had not been answered. Instead when he rounded the corner, to his surprise, he saw Ominis sitting on one of the seats near the entrance to the library, his wand in hand and a rather thick book in the other.

“Sebastian? What are you doing here?” his voice was confused as his attention to the book he held dropped. “I thought you were going on your adventure?” Ominis’ voice was heavy, his tone dropping at the last word. “I was but, Y/n. She was meant to meet me outside the common room an hour ago. I’ve been looking all over for her.” Sebastian sighed, approaching his friend. “What?” Ominis asked bluntly, suddenly a tone shifted in his voice to slight concern. “Sebastian, she left already. I passed her before she as she was on her way, she said you were meeting near the forest.” Ominis finished his sentence, the genuine concern now present in his voice. “She said what?! She intentionally left without me? And lied? Why-” Sebastian was now full of emotions, a mix of worry, concern and a tinge of anger that she would lie to him, that she would leave him behind; Sebastian’s thoughts and emotions were then flickering all over the place.

“You don’t think, do you, Sebastian? She doesn’t want to drag you into trouble, or danger.” Ominis said knowingly, and he was right, she didn’t want to but Sebastian in any dangerous, or stupid, situation — but this logic didn’t sit with Sebastian in the slightest. “So it’s okay for her to run towards danger alone but not with me?” Sebastian’s voice showed all of his emotions at once, causing Ominis’ eyebrows to rise and a sigh to leave him before he spoke.

“She just doesn’t want you getting hurt Sebastian.”

“And I don’t want her getting hurt, but she doesn’t care about what I want, so why should I care about her wanting to go it alone?” Sebastian had a good point that even Ominis couldn’t argue against, and Ominis didn’t argue his friends point; instead what he spoke next was the quite opposite.

“Then go after her Sebastian, she was heading to the forest. She seemed flustered when we met, she was quite anxious…” Those were all the words Sebastian needed for his mind to decide his next course of action. “I’ll talk to you later Ominis,” Sebastian said as he turned on his heel and began to jog briskly from his friend before he began to run towards the large doors that were at the end of the large hall, every fibre of his being told him something was wrong.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Y/n was quiet and careful with every step she took. Her wand was held tightly in her hand, ready for anything. She took note of the surroundings, seeing what she could use to her advantage. Just on the edge of where the poachers set up camp, was a clearing, giving a view of the night’s starry sky over the hill’s ledge. She thought about being able to cast the poachers off the steep edge that looked over the forest, she took note of where the forestry ended, the last thing she would want is to end up burning down an entire magical forest. To her advantage, the trees stopped just before the encampment, allowing for the use of fire spells; a favourite of y/n’s.

She watched from behind the bushes as poachers spoke to each other about plans, not knowing of the student who lurked not far from their camp. She stepped quietly across an opening in the trees, Highwing not far from her. Highwing’s safety was a major concern to her, even in such a tense moment. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if anything happened to the creature.

“What will we do with the egg?” said a poacher, y/n’s head snapped around the tree to get a better view. “Cage it, don’t know if it’ll hatch. Keep it safe. That’s a lot of money.” said another poacher with a laugh, y/n’s stomach twisted at the sound of capturing and selling any creature or egg. “How d’ya reckon they managed to capture that beast ‘nyway? Nowt’ easy ‘bout a Horntail, ‘n’ bet a few of ‘em ended up crispy” said a poacher who sat by the fire that burned in the middle of the camp. There were a few tents set up around the area, all around the fire. Cages were all over the ground, some empty, and a couple contained little Nifflers that looked terrified, Y/N’s heart cracked as she saw the full scene, but her mind was now in overdrive.

A Horntail? Captured? How? This added a whole new layer to everything going on, added something else that she felt that she needed to take care of. The thoughts of her initial reasoning for being out that night swarmed her mind, now with the added stress of releasing the Nifflers and a dragon egg. Her mind spun with solutions to the situation that seemingly got more dire the longer it dragged on.

She couldn’t stand there anymore, looking at the creatures and listening to the horrible conversations between the poachers.

As poachers continued to talk about the dragon amongst themselves, y/n made her way closer to the camp, taking a mental note of where every poacher was located. She glanced back at Highwing who stood proudly in the shadows, the Hippogriff took another step forward. Y/n’s breath caught in her throat, afraid Highwing would catch the attention of the poachers. ‘I should have never brought her’ y/n thought to herself, swearing at her own stupidity and recklessness, thinking now she may have put Highwing in danger too — that Highwing would draw attention. Thankfully, as if Highwing would read her mind, the creature didn’t make a sound, and y/n pressed on, relieved.

She noticed a lone poacher close to her, his back turned to the student. She closed the gap between them while raising her wand, a whisper then left her lips, only loud enough for the incantation to work; “petrificus totalus”

The lone poacher seized up as if frozen before his body dropped to the ground. Y/N breathed a sigh of relief once he was down, ready to approach the rest of the camp. She took note of the three poachers that were left, thinking to herself; “only three, okay..” She had dealt with more than three poachers in the past, so this didn’t cause her any concern. Instead of taking a tactful approach, she took advantage of how little poachers were at the camp.

She leapt from the shadows pointing her wand directly at the poacher that sat by the fire. “Depulso!” she shouted, a blast of light came from her wand, directly hitting the poacher and sending him flying into the high burning fire that once provided a source of warmth for the poachers — and now it was being used for their demise. His screams filled the air, even as his body was engulfed in the flames, his screams were still audible but now mixing with the sound of the fire crackling in an attempt to break down the foreign mass of skin and bone that had been forced into its core.

The remaining two poachers were suddenly caught off guard as turned to see her standing there, her Hogwarts robes billowing in the breeze that drifted by — but the robes were a dead giveaway as to who she was, a situation she had not predicted happening. “You!!” shouted a poacher, his wand quickly got drawn as he got prepared to fight. “Confringo!” came from the poacher, a burst of fire headed straight for y/n, she quickly rolled out of the way, barely missing the intense attack that had been directed at her.

Her heart began to beat faster, and she realised she made a mistake wearing her robes; now giving everyone a sign that she was the student causing trouble for them, the student that Rookwood was pursuing rather intently. She ran across the camp, firing at both poachers but neither seemed to b giving up or dropping anytime soon. Neither she nor the poachers gave up their relentless casts, and the situation only seemed more dire when a couple of more figures started approaching. Y/n noticed this and she panicked, causing her to almost get hit with a powerful cast of Reducto that someone just fired at her.

“Highwing!” she yelled, not seising her casts or wand movements once, “Get out of here! GO!” she screamed at the Hippogriff to leave her behind, knowing if more poachers came that they wouldn’t hesitate to try take the creature — or worse. Highwing hesitated, watching the student who cared for her so much fight off the oncoming attack from multiple directions. “NOW HIGHWING!” y/n screamed, her voice breaking as she deflected a jinx hurling towards her. Highwing didn’t take another second before sprinting out of the forest, understanding the urgency of the situation. The Hippogriff’s heart was now beating fast as she ran back through the forest and towards the school — hoping to catch someone’s attention, anyones attention that could help.

Y/n kept fighting and dodging curses, not stopping for a second. She knew if she didn’t put her everything into this, she wouldn’t be coming out of this fight, not alive anyway.

“Reducto!” she got a hit on a poacher that was moving closer to her, the man suddenly burst into nothing but ash that lingered in the air before settling on the ground, every atom of the poacher was simply reduced to nothing but specks of grey that settled on the ground where he once stood.

Despite her success so far, it had seemed to her as if every time one poacher went down, another appeared in the last’s stead. Frustration began building in her as she did everything she could to try to keep her mind focused on the fight, but as soon as she found it, the focus was snatched away with blunt force. Y/n’s full attention was pulled from the fight by a swirling stream of purple smoke that twisted its way to the ground, as the smoke dissapated, y/n got a clear view of who had just joined the fight, and the stakes were raised tenfold when she realised who had just joined the fight. “You’re the little bitch Rookwood wants!” shouted a scratchy female voice, the insult cutting through the air like a knife.

Ashwinders…

Y/n cast a quick protego shield as the poachers kept their attack going, she knew she had to get out of this and fast. Her mind ran through spells, jinxes, curses anything that would give her a leg up on the competition now but it seemed almost impossible, her knowledge finally halted her, leaving her with little choice. She kept letting off fire spells one after another, the bombardment somewhat helped the odds of the fight be in her favour for a moment — just a moment. A familiar swirling sound was light upon y/n’s ears. She forced herself to pay no heed to the sound, until a second purple tornado-like smoke appeared before spreading. Once the violet smoke disappeared, in it’s wake stood another Ashwinder, this one seemingly larger than the first.

“Petrificus totalus!” shouted the new Ashwinder, this time a male voice came from the Duelist. He landed a perfect hit on her without much effort, causing her entire body to freeze up. She had lost complete control of her body as her wand fell from her hand and landed by her feet. She was completely defenceless. She screamed obscenities in her mind, unable to open her mouth even the slightest bit. She was done for. Her body didn’t even have a chance to fall and hit the ground before another spell was cast at her now statue-like body. “Wingardium Leviosa!”

She was at the complete mercy of the Ashwinders and the last remaining poachers, the poachers were clearly exhausted from the fight, retreating away from the duelist who now walked closer to the camp. The Ashwinder that cast the Levitation charm pulled y/n closer to them as they closed the distance, leaving her suspended in the air, frozen, unable to defend herself. “Do you realise how much of a nuisance you’ve been? How many problems you’ve caused for us?!” screamed the male of the duellists, his voice was full of venom and hatred, and at that moment y/n truly feared for her life.

“Well no more! No more stupid little brats thinking they can stop us!” the Ashwinder controlling her lowered Y/n so he could stare directly into her eyes as he spoke with his cruel voice. Y/n had no option but to listen, to hang onto every word spat at her.

The looming female Ashwinder began walking towards her accomplice and the frozen student. Once again the scratchy, female voice spoke while stepping up to the suspended girl; “…and when your little friends hear about how we tortured you, how you begged for your life before we ripped you to shreds, they’ll learn not to interfere. They’ll learn their place. Like Rookwood says, ‘Children should be seen and not heard’” the female Ashwinder continued in her vicious, venom-laced voice. The Ashwinders were wholly and completely unaware of the tiny bit of information she had just given y/n, and she knew exactly what she was going to do with it if she got out alive… Even in that moment, she forgot about the threat to her life; only thinking about what the female Ashwinder had just said, information that could help Sebastian and his sister. 'Children should be seen and not heard'

A poacher suddenly appeared, pulling an empty cage with him. The cage wasn’t much bigger than what a couple of Niffleres were in, but that wasn’t something that either the Ashwinders or poachers cared for. “Someone get a word to Rookwood! Tell him we got the little bitch.” said the female Ashwinder as she glanced at the cage, ideas running rampant through her head. “..until then, we’ll have some fun, wont we girl?.” Y/n was suddenly dropped to the ground, but her still frozen body was then shoved into the cage, the girl left completely defenceless, completely overrun with terror.

The remaining poachers and the Ashwinders watched as y/n lay motionless in the cage, finding no amusement in the idea of caging her anymore, not when she couldn’t express her fear, not when she was quiet. Y/n saw the female duellist raise her wand once more, suddenly casting at y/n with something she couldn’t defend herself against; even if she had her wand.

“Crucio!”

There was a split second before the curse hit her that allowed her mind to register the curse and the bright green sparks that emanated from the tip of the Ashwinder’s wand.

The pain was unbearable, y/n’s body was no longer frozen; the Unforgivable Curse that was cast on her overpowered the weak-by-comparison charm. A searing pain washed over her entire body, feeling as if every inch of her skin was set on fire; it felt like a million cuts all over her body that were being cleaned with pure alcohol. The pain caused her to writhe in the cage, her body tensing and dropping, and tensing again. The only sound that came from her was sounds of pain, screams that pierced the night air rang out through the forest, the pain didn’t feel like it was ever going to stop and when it did, the relief didn’t last long before the curse was cast on her again, this time even more painful. Her screams reached a pitch she didn’t think possible, the screams were so bloodcurdling that they set her own hair on edge, anyone nearby surely would think there was a banshee wandering about.

She wanted to beg, to plead for them to stop, but the more she tried to make words come out, the more intense the pain soaring over her body got and the more she in turn screamed.

Some distance away, Sebastian walked towards the Forbidden Forest, his ears caught a scream, a scream that sent a shiver down his spine, and his blood ran cold when it broke through the air. “Y/N!” he said to himself, panic rushed over him as his feet began moving faster, Sebastian was now sprinting towards the sounds. He was so focused on following the directions of the screams and watching the ground for obstacles he had to divert around, that he didn’t notice the white creature heading toward him until it was too late.

His body fully collided with Highwings strong body, knocking him backwards. Highwing took notice of Sebastian and reared on her back legs, trying her best to signal him distress. He didn’t even think about standing back up, panic flooded his voice; “Highwing?!” he knew if Highwing was alone, those screams definitely came from y/n. Highwing was stressed, cries came from the creature, almost begging him to understand her as he stood back up to his feet, ensuring his wand was with him. “I know, I know Highwing! It’s okay, I’ll find her okay? I promise I’ll find her” he didn’t know if he was trying to convince himself or the Hippogriff that was in front of him. He stroked Highwing’s chest signalling for her to calm down, the intensity of the situation and his determination to save her made Highwing and Sebastian forget they hadn’t ever met properly, the Hippogriff uncharacteristically trusted him straight away.

“I need to go, I have to find her” Sebastian said hurriedly as he stepped away from her, continuing on his path to find y/n. Highwing let out a neigh before following him, she then overtook him as if to lead him to the poacher’s camp. He knew Highwing shouldn’t be near the poachers, but he wasn’t about to try to tell a Hippogriff what to do, especially not at such a critical time. Instead, he followed her heavy footsteps through the forest, winding around corners and trails after the Hippogriff.

Screams rang close by to where the boy and the creature, stopping them dead in their tracks, y/n was close by — quite close. “Please Highwing, stay here. Stay safe. I’ve got this.” Sebastian said in a nervous but confident voice. Highwing’s head bowed, acknowledging his wishes which took him by surprise.

The distinctive sound of screams disappeared, but only for a moment. The harsh Ashwinder’s voice was audible from where they stood. “CRUCIO!!” this time it was screamed with pure hatred. Sebastian instantly snapped his head in the direction of the camp, now knowing where exactly to go — his hastened steps taking him to the location of the screams.

Y/n wanted to beg, to plead for them to stop, but nothing but harrowing screams could leave her mouth, tears streamed down her face and she finally felt defeated; finally met her match. In that moment she wished for it to be over, wished for the pain to end at any cost, but it never did. The excruciating pain only ever stopped for a single moment until another round of the torture curse was thrust upon her. Y/n felt her mind drift from her, she was unable to think of anything anymore, unable to focus on anything but the pain; not even thoughts of Sebastian could break their way through the brutalising pain that the Ashwinders cast on her.

From out of the blue, an explosion erupted from the camp, debris from a tent flew in every direction. The remaining poachers and the male Ashwinder were the first ones to act in retaliation, turning their full attention to the cause of the explosion. The female Ashwinder on the other hand, kept her focus on y/n, clearly enjoying inflicting pain on the student — revelling in her screams and cries rather than the idea of joining in on the combat just yet.

Sebastian walked into the camp as debris fell around them, the fire that had caught on the tent fabric now burned intensely around them, but it didn’t bother Sebastian in the slightest. He didn’t so much as flinch as he stepped through stray flames on the ground, the fiery atmosphere seemed as if it motivated him even more. He was enraged. He set his sights on one of the poachers who was preparing an attack, but Sebastian was quicker. “Diffindo!” Sebastian’s cast caught the raggedy-looking poacher, the spell’s power sliced through the man as if it were a knife and he was just a sheet of paper, the poacher fell to a lifeless pile on the ground; his fatal injuries directly across his stomach that split him into two caused blood to run and stain the ground around him.

The female Ashwinder that had been intently torturing y/n looked up from the writhing and contorting girl in the cage, the anger radiating from the duelist was imminent, but Sebastian’s anger was more. “Oh look. One of your little friends has come to see the show,” spoke the raspy-voiced woman. Y/n’s eyes drifted towards the camp’s entrance, catching sight of Sebastian firing off at the surrounding poachers, making quick work of them. The Ashwinder considered her next course of action for a split second, toying with her options of joining in the fight or torturing the girl.

Just as the poachers dropped, two more swirls of purple smoke slammed into the ground, and Sebastian’s eyes snapped around the camp. He was determined to not let them get the better of them. Once the female poacher realised there were more Ashwinders for reinforcement, she knew what she would do next, try and fluster the student who had just so brazenly walked into the camp, thinking he was a match for them. The ego of the student was something that the Ashwinders hated, that a student thought he would be a threat to them.

But that was the Ashwinder’s undoing.

Underestimating Sebastian Sallow and hurting the ones he cared for was one way to write your death, one way to bring your death upon you in whatever way he saw fit. He could be unforgiving, he could be just as cruel as them, if not more.

“Crucio!”

Another wave was sent over y/n, just as painful as the last. Her screams didn’t care for her wanting to hold them back, so she didn’t distract Sebastian, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even fight the pain, even when he was right in front of her. “Sebastian!” she screamed his name,she was surprised for just a moment that his name rang out through the air, yet she was unable to get anything else out as she continued to convulse in the cage, causing her to hit off of the small prison she had been put in. Sebastian’s attention was instantly drawn to where the scream came from. What he saw sent him into a rage, his mind no longer considering a rational approach. His focus was tied to the female Ashwinder, and y/n could almost swear she saw someone other than Sebastian through her tears. Someone to fear. Someone who didn’t care about the repercussions of the actions he would take. Sebastian raised his wand, his intentions so clearly stated in his mind that he didn’t even have to speak a word as he cast at the Ashwinder.

In a turn of events, karma came in the form of Sebastian, the Ashwinder that had been getting so much satisfaction from torturing y/n had folded to the ground, now letting out her screams of pain as she twisted and writhed around on the stone ground beneath her. Even in her own pain, even without him saying the incantation; y/n could tell that Sebastian cast crucio on the duelist. The power required to do such a thing, she knew right now Sebastian had one intent on his mind — but it didn’t bother her, for all of that moment when the crippling pain dissipated she had felt something she had not in some time — relief. Relief from no longer being tortured, and the relief that came with Sebastian’s arrival to the horrific situation she had gotten herself into.

He turned his attention to the now-gathering Ashwinders that cast all types at him from the edge of the cliff. Sebastian dodged and deflected the mixed hues of green and red that flew at him, a sudden power in him unlocking in the heat of the battle. Sebastian held his wand aloft, his eyes glinted with the power that was building within him. Y/n watched as Sebastian moved his wand so elegantly through the air, she was unable to make out what incantation he said, but within a moment she all but knew, and worry came over her in the form of a tsunami.

From the very tip of his wand came fire, but not bursts as he had been casting previously. Instead, it streamed from his wand, his eyes followed the growing stream as it formed shape above and around him.

From her confined space, y/n could feel the intensity that cracked through the air, as harsh as a leather whip that came from hell itself. As Sebastian’s concentration deepened, the once fiery twists that streamed from his wand began to writhe and twist with the movements of his wand, it’s chaos seemed to find order under his control, but how? The flames had a life of their own, as if with each breath Sebastian took, so did the flames; each breath bringing it more to life than the last.

“Sebastian, no!” y/n yelled, hoping that she could stop him from casting such a devastating spell, but it was too late.

The Fiendfyre’s colour was a deep, malignant crimson that seemed to bleed its ominous glow on everything around, casting everything in a hellish glow. The Ashwinders, who once underestimated him were momentarily halted by the spectacle, caused by a student no less. They watched in horror, and fascination, as the flames above Sebastian’s head began to form shape. The fire had begun to grow and take form as the shape of a head formed, followed by a long sinuous body and a flickering tongue. The Fiendfyre serpent, a terrifying sight to see, hung in the air as its body looped and coiled, as if ready to attack at any moment.

Despite the fear that built up within y/n, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sight. Fiendfyre was known for its destructive properties, synonymous with ruin and its desire to consume everything in its path; including the caster, but as she watched, rather than their surroundings burning to the ground around them, the two students included, it seemed to be controlled by Sebastian with eerie precision. Despite the fear that built up within y/n, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sight that came to life in front of her. Y/n, (and Ominis), knew that Sebastian felt a certain way about the dark arts and dark magic, she knew it was something he desired to learn about, to know how it worked, even how to weild it; but she didn’t know his interest would go to this extent. Oh no, this was far beyond her comprehension.

What would Ominis think if he witnessed something so unbelievable? Something so… Incredible. Something told her that Ominis wouldn’t find it the same awe–inspiring spectacle that she did, that he wouldn’t ever be open to the beauty in anything dangerous or related to the Dark Arts.

It was a clear demonstration of Sebastian’s hidden depths, the years of study and practice, and an undeniable connection to the Dark Arts he had that y/n had never fully appreciated, but was also a show of his determination, and dedication to the craft, but also of the lengths he would go to for those he cared about, the lengths he would go to for power… Sebastian had achieved something so unheard of, something that was considered even impossible; not just casting Fiendfyre, but bending it to his will, controlling the flaming serpent that paid homage to Salazar Slytherin; someone Sebastian revered for his affinity with the Dark Arts.

Her astonishment was complete as she watched Sebastian take control of the flaming serpent. In all the tales she had heard, Fiendfyre was a wild, uncontainable force of destruction, yet here it was, a testament to Sebastian's formidable power and dark affinity.

The spectacle before her was both stunning and terrifying.

As the Fiendfyre serpent hovered, a guardian beast conjured from flame and wrath, it was clear that the battle had shifted. With the serpent of fire at his command, Sebastian was not just a defender; he was a storm that couldn’t be controlled, reshaping the terror of the night into something he could be proud of. The serpent of fire seemed to pulse with a life of its own, its eyes glowing embers that locked onto the Ashwinders with a predator's gaze. The heat that emanated from it was oppressive, the air shimmering in waves that made the scene before her look like a mirage. Yet, this was no illusion; it was a vivid, terrifying reality.

Sebastian moved his wand with a fluidity that belied the danger of the spell he commanded. The serpent of Fiendfyre responded, its movements synchronised with his intentions. With a flick of his wrist, Sebastian directed the serpent, its body slithering through the air, weaving around the spells cast by the Ashwinders, creating a protective barrier of fire and fury around him. Not a single spell or jinx cast by the Ashwinders penetrated the serpent, the flames seemingly protected Sebastian, and and its focus was directly locked onto the Ashwinders.

As the Fiendfyre serpent surged forward, its fiery form twisted and contorted with sinister grace. With a menacing hiss, it lowered its head, the flames writhing and flickering like a serpent preparing to strike as the air around shimmered with its heat. Sebastian's control over the dark magic was palpable as he guided the serpent with precise movements of his wand.

With each command, the serpent responded, its burning eyes fixed on its targets with predatory intent; Sebastian’s eyes matched the serpents. What once seemed like just a reflection of the flames in his eyes was now something more; his eyes glowed with the same bright, fiery, scarlet flames as if his irises were consumed by the flames he produced.

Whisps of fire cracked from the serpent, as if threatening to drop its destructive touch on everything that surrounded them, to ultimately consume everything — but it did not give into it’s dangerous threats. It continued to follow the commands made by the male student, almost as if the Fiendfyre and Sebastian had a deeper connection — as if the troubled student and the chaos he controlled had an understanding of each other.

The fire serpent grew larger, as if standing tall and proud — a predator staring down its helpless prey. The foes that remained infront of Sebastian only had a moment to examine the power being shown right in front of them — they had lost their chance to flee once and for all. Y/n could only make out small moments from the now one-sided battle, her focus was intently tied to Sebastian and the Fiendfyre as her fear slowly melted away, as if the terrifying sight was the answer to all of the issues — no longer viewing the Fiendfyre as their demise.

In the blink of an eye, the serpents mouth opened; it’s jaws parted as it’s blazing fangs were on full display as it suddenly lunged forward with the command of Sebastian’s wand movements — with a simple flick of his wrist, the monstrosity darted through the air with the speed of light. How Sebastian controlled the fiery demon with such grace, such elegance, was something that those witnessing the events unfold could believe — especially not since he did it while anger raged inside of him, if not stronger than what he wielded. The scorching snake dashed across the camp that separated the Ashwinders from their imminent death. All y/n could make out was the blur of crimson and amber, along with its radiating and blazing heat that emminated from the fire beast as it darted past towards it’s prey, its mouth still agape, still baring its fierce fangs. The Fiendfyre was unrelenting once it reached its casters target, its widened mouth slamming shut around one of the Ashwinders with such force, that y/n could have sworn shockwaves were sent through the ground.

Sebastian continued to focus on the frenzy of fire that he commanded, each movement he made was graceful and intentful — like a dancer whoms body married the notes their body intertwined with — the attacks from him and the creature he controlled were just like master and puppet. Deliberate. Intentful. It didn’t take long for Sebastian and the Fiendfyre to make short work of the enemies who had underestimated him — their bodies no longer stood before him, the Fiendfyre had ultimately consumed their bodies — every atom of their beings had been ripped from existence. The serpent that had one stood strong, proud and dangerous retreated back from where it attacked the helpless duelists, and y/n couldn’t help but feel as if Sebastian’s control of the Fiendfyre might just fail as the battle ended. She expected the blazing form to disobey it’s caster, she expected it to lose it’s controlled form and spill its hot, lava-like fire until it consumed everything. To her shock, the Fiendfyre continued to obey Sebastian even though it wanted to break free, wanted to burn everything it possibly could.

The snake slithered back for one more proud stance in the air before its swelled size began to deflate — the fiery snake wove its way around Sebastian once more, as it twisted it soaked in the last few moments of fresh air it would get until he cast it again. It lost its solid shape, as it returned into the tip of Sebastian’s wand it melted back into it’s original form before disappearing completely. Once the conjured beast was completely gone, a spark came from the end of Sebastians wand. He barely acknowledged the spark that sigalled him that the cast was complete before he ran over to the cage that y/n had been stuffed into.

Sebastian noticed the lock on the cage hadn’t been locked — it reminded him of hearing the cruciatus curse, hearing her scream. Even though he had handed out karma, it didn’t make him feel any better. The unlocked cage just showed what the Ashwinders had intended; they didn’t lock it simply because they didn’t have to, because she would be able to leave even if she wanted to. He pushed the thoughts aside quickly before ripping the cage door open with such intensity y/n was surprised that it didn’t break away. Sebastian threw his wand aside as he turned his attention to getting her out of her confinments. His hands grabbed her legs which were closest to him and began to pull her from the cage as gently as he possibly could. Y/n couldn’t move a muscle besides the involuntary twitches her body made — a lingering affect of the repeated use of the Cruciatus curse on her, one that Sebastian hoped was only temporary.

“It’s okay, it’s okay” Sebastian said softly as his arm looped behind her knees, making it easier for him to fully pull her out of the cage. Sebastian sat down on the ground from the kneeling position he had been in as he pulled her body as close to him as possible between his outstretched legs. He put an arm around her shoulders to support her upper body as he held her close, his other arm wrapping around her too. “It’s okay, it’s over now… you’re safe, I’m here,” he said softly before resting his chin against the top of her head. He was just happy to have found her— while she was still breathing. Y/n body still ached from the curse being cast over and over, as if every drop of strength she once had was gone — now barely even able to sit herself up on her own, her upper body being supported by Sebastian, her head resting just at his shoulder as she sat between his legs, Sebastian had let the second arm that wrapped around her fall and moved her legs so they lay over one of his own spread legs so she was in a position that helped him hold her even closer — almost scared that if she wasn’t curled into him that he might lose her again.

Her voice was soft, and slightly weak when she spoke; “I’m sorry Sebastian-” her attempt at apologising for leaving Sebastian behind was cut short by a chorus of “shhh”s that came from him. His hand that had moved her legs then ran through the side of her hair as he placed a kiss atop her head in an attempt to sooth her, as well as himself. “Don’t apologise, please. You’re safe now,” Sebastian said with a light shaky voice, his chin resting on the top of her head, unwilling to let her out of the attempted embrace.

A sudden crack of a tree branch breaking, along with footsteps made Sebastian’s head snap in the direction it came from as his heart began pounding again while y/n felt a surge of fear when the sound rang through the air, instantly thinking of the situation she had barely just escaped not long ago, and she began to tremble slightly with fear.

Sebastian’s own mind went to the worst scenarios possible; more poachers, more ashwinders, some of Ranrok’s loyal goblins — but as quick as his mind presumed danger, the cause of the sounds stepped from the dark shadows into the camp. Sebastian had taken note of y/n’s slight shaking, her head turned into his chest and he began to try soothe her again. “Hey, it’s okay- it’s only Highwing,” Sebastian said softly as he stroked her hair again, his thumb brushed against her cheek occasionally — something that gave y/n a sense of warmth and comfort.

Highwing stepped into the camp and instantly saw Sebastian on the ground with y/n, and even the Hippogriff seemed worried at the sight of the two students as she stepped slowly and carefully across the camp towards the friends. As she grew closer, Sebastian noticed something in her mouth and he raised his eyebrow slightly to himself. Despite the light front the still burning campfire, it did little to help Sebastian pin-point what she was carrying. Y/n’s head rested against Sebastian’s chest as she turned her head ever-so-slightly to see the Hippogriff approaching slowly. As Highwing stood infront of the two friends, she bowed her head to them as she dropped what she was carrying from her mouth just by where y/n layed on Sebastian. “Looks like someone’s brought you something you may have lost,” Sebastian said with a smile as Highwing nudged the object closer with her beak.

On noticing it was a wand that Highwing carried over so diligently, Sebastian reached out the hand that once administered comforting touches to y/n, the other remained around her shoulders and picked up the wand, tucking it into the inside pocket of y/n’s robes for safety. A small smile danced across y/n face as Sebastian placed her wand away safe and turned her head slightly more to look at the loyal Hippogriff. “Thank you, Highwing,” she said, resulting in Highwing raising her head and letting out a satisfied sound before she lay back fully on the ground. Sebastian and y/n watched Highwing settle for a moment before y/n turned her attention back to Sebastian, looking up at him slightly as she took a moment to think about her words.

“And.. thank you, Sebastian… If you hadn’t had come I-” before she had a chance to get the next word out, Sebastian had cut her off. “Stop,” he said, the word was demanding but his voice was gentle as his hand ran through the side of her hair once more before resting on her cheek, his thumb wiping away a tear that had fallen from her eyes. “You don’t have to thank me. The most important thing is that you’re safe” Sebastian said as he looked at her with his brown eyes that seemed to make his gentle words seem even softer. As he spoke, his words caused her heart to swell. Sebastian’s voice was more gentle than usual, an inflection of a deeper care for her rang through his words leaving the two to share in a quiet moment before y/n broke the silence - not being completely sure how to approach the conversation.

“When you told me what you heard the day Anne was cursed… ‘children should be seen and not heard’..” she said in a soft voice, hoping to cushion whatever blow her words were about to have on him. She could feel Sebastian’s body tense up underneath her and noticed how the arm around her tensed as his jaw clenched. Sebastian’s heartbeat increased as a mix of anxiety, anger and anticipation bubbled within him - not speaking a word, rathering to let her say what she had to say. “..when the ashwinders had me, one of them said the exact same thing..” she paused for a moment, her own anxiety brewing at the thought of how Sebastian would react. “..they were quoting Rookwood, Sebastian.. Rookwood was there that day, he was the one to curse Anne..” she finally said as she looked up at him, gauging his reaction to her revealing the truth behind his sisters condition.

She had expected Sebastian to take the news badly, terribly even - and he would have been right to. Instead, Sebastian gave a small nod as his jaw remained clenched. He wanted nothing more than to go find Rookwood in that moment and make him pay.. To make him experience even a percentage of the pain and suffering his sister had no escape from. Despite his desire to go find Rookwood and do such unforgivable things, he knew in that moment y/n needed him, even if she wouldn’t admit it to him - or herself. He continued to hold her, his grip around her tightened ever-so slightly; a signal to her that despite his quiet demeanour, his mind was anything but.

Her soft hand being placed on his one of his anger-flushed cheeks pulled him from his thoughts long enough to notice her looking up at him, concern etched across her features. “…we will find him Sebastian, we’ll make him pay. I promise.” her words were flooded with sincerity and determination as she spoke, her eyes locked on his. Regardless of what she had just been through, it was clear that Sebastian and his sisters situation was a priority to her rather than her own wellbeing; her selflessness, her care and determination made Sebastian’s true feelings for her flourish more than they had already. A small smile tugged at the corner of Sebastian’s lips as he gave a gentle nod, not trusting his voice to not waver at her promise. Her words and touch soothed the anger that was twisting within him; it slowly being subdued by the emotions that came as a result of her tender actions.

The two sat there for a moment without speaking a word, instead they just looked into each other’s eyes as the campfire’s slowly dwindling flames cast a warm glow on them. It seemed like the rest of the world melted away around them, as if the Fiendfyre came back to life and swirled them in their own bubble. Every thing in that moment, from the breathing of Highwing who lay not far away to the sounds of nature around them, felt right. Y/n was so wrapped up in the moment, so lost in the brown eyes that bore into her own that she didn’t notice Sebastian’s free hand making it way up until it was placed on her cheek, his thumb grazed over her soft skin in such a gentle way that it made goosebumps wash over her skin. Not a single word was shared between the two, instead it felt like the two were the opposite end of magnets that drew closer to each other in slow motion. Her eyes flicked between his and his lips as his face drew closer to hers, both heartbeats sharing an increased speed as their breaths were slightly elevated against one another's. Everything seemed to move slowly as the distance between them decreased, the tension increased; anticipation bubbling under both of their skins until their lips finally met.

It felt like every firework in the world had been set off simultaneously the second his lips touched hers, for both of them. Sebastian's hand moved from cupping her cheek and ran through the side of her hair before stopping at the back of her head, their lips never parting once as they finally indulged in their once-hidden feelings towards each other.

Everything seemed at peace — even if just for a moment. No thoughts of dark wizards, or goblins intent on destroying the world, or the trip to St. Mungo's that y/n would undoubtedly require For just a moment, the two didn’t feel the pressures of the crumbling world around them, didn’t feel the pressure of all the odds being stacked against them. Instead, they let themselves melt into each others touch, revelling in the kiss that spoke volumes for them — the anxieties relating to their feelings for one another that they had both bottled and shoved aside all melted away.

It wasn’t a moment they would rush from, for the first time that year they felt a sense genuine relief and happiness wash over them, as if the pair had The Draught of Peace coursing through them.

It was a moment of genuine emotion, genuine connection between them - two kindred spirits coming together like dancing flames that grew as one as they intertwined with one another; and nothing could ever snuff out the spark.

(a/n; thank you guys for reading, hopefully it wasn't as bad as it is in my mind~ I'm gonna start posting more regular fics/one shots/scenarios I've been building in my head so keep an eye out💖)

💖Sebastian Sallow Taglist💖 @angel-anna @cyan1decandy (let me know if you want to be added for upcoming fics)

112 notes · View notes

fierymiasma · 1 year

Text

✰ Homecoming ✰ // Sebastian x f!MC

Summary: She visits Sebastian in Azkaban ten years after sending him there. The years haven't been kind to him.

He decides to return the favor and pay her a visit in Feldcroft in her lonely cottage. He's not letting her out of his sight ever again.

Part 2

Tags: Dark!Sebastian, Azkaban!Sebastian, angst, Making out, Jealous!Sebastian, Obsession, Possessiveness, Sebastian living his villain era.

|| Masterlist || AO3 ||

A/N: Thinking of making this a series. Let me know what you think!

"You don't have to do this." Natty softly reminded her, eyes brimming with concern.

The savior of Hogwarts clenched her jaw, refusing to look at Natty. The salt from waves crashing on the island that held Azkaban stung her eyes. Ten years had passed since she had condemned Sebastian Sallow to Azkaban. Not a day had gone by that she did not question her choices.

Had that one singular moment changed the course of her future? Life after Hogwarts hadn't been too kind to her, though she suspected, she was a lot more fortunate than Sebastian. Ominis and Anne were always there for her, whenever they had free time apart from each other, that is. Maybe, Sebastian would find some comfort that his oldest friend was taking care of his twin sister.

She craned her neck up gazing at the imposing prison on front of her.

…Or maybe he'd be betrayed that Ominis had moved on from the other boy so quickly.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Natty asked again, interrupting her thoughts. The auror worried at her bottom lip. "My friend, we don't have to do this today. Let's come back another time."

They both knew that was impossible. Natty, the newly appointed head auror of her division had pulled so many strings to arrange this meeting. And the hero of Hogwarts herself, had flexed her name to wave away any scrutiny.

Nervously, her hand drifting to her left shoulder, right on top of her most recent burn wound. Nestled underneath protective wrapping was a reminder of her most recent bout of carelessness and string of poor decision making. How many times had she staggered back to Feldcroft, bleeding on Anne's freshly polished doorsteps? She knew Anne, Ominis, and all her friends hated the long spiral of self-loathing she had embarked on. How she disappeared for days, even weeks at a time with little to no warning, only to come back wounded, pockets brimming with more gold and treasures.

Visiting Sebastian wouldn't be the first dumb decision she made this week.

"I have to do this, Natty." She didn't know why. "Let's go."

Passing through the heavy gated doors of the prison, she clutched her cape tighter, trying to protect herself from the bone-chilling cold around her. She had been here once before, in her school days. She looked around. It was very much the same. She could see the puffs of cold air coming from her lips, no doubt thanks to the floating dementors above her. Haunting, ghostly vestiges of men and women with dead eyes in living bodies. Muttering anxious voices and abrupt screams echoed the long hallway to Sebastian's cell. Decaying teeth in the emancipated skulls of prisoners waiting to die.

She was scared to see what had become of Sebastian, the troubled boy from her youth.

Walking deeper into the dark bowels of the prison, Natty stopped, shuffling nervously. "You go on ahead. I'll wait here." It was too painful to see a once close childhood friend in the state he was in.

The hero of Hogwarts cringed. This was all her fault.

Creeping up quietly to jail cell, she noticed how the fading moonlight illuminated the person imprisoned there. A man's back was turned away from the door. Shirtless, she could see the constellation of freckles. Deep scars had long since healed in ragged patterns on his back. There were long linear wounds freshly oozing. Dark red, slowly clotting blood stained the beautiful freckles. She shuddered to think how he could have gotten those. His prison number was tattooed on his left deltoid.

The burn wound on her back tingled in sympathy.

Sebastian.

She must have whispered that out loud. The boy-no-, the man, in front of her turned around. She took a startled step back.

She expected hollowed wasting cheekbones like so many of the prisoners here. What she hadn't expected was for Sebastian to have filled in so impressively. All the adorable baby fat that had clung to his cheeks was now gone. Well-defined toned muscles clung to his bones. His shoulders were broader now. He had a beard, which only framed his devastatingly handsome face.

And his eyes….fiercely beautiful, trained on her every movement like a predator lying in the shadows, waiting for his time to strike. She couldn't help but shiver at the sight. Sebastian blinked, his eyes roaming over her body, assessing her as much as she was him.

She inhaled sharply. Underneath his scars, Sebastian had filled impressively.

There was a pregnant pause as the two once friends looked at each other and how the decade of time had treated the other.

"I must finally be going mad, the most gorgeous girl in all of Hogwarts is standing right of front of me." He cooed.

She expected anger and resentment. She hadn't expected this.

She swallowed. Well, looks like Azkaban didn't make him lose his charm. "Hello, Sallow, I'm surprised you still remember me."

His voice was raspy. "How could I forget? The beautiful witch that put me behind these very bars."

He finally stood up, and she took another step back. He was so much taller now. The top of her head only came up to his shoulder now. He got closer, hands gripping tightly on the bars of his cell. "You look even more beautiful than the day I lost you." His eyes roamed over her new curves greedily. "Azkaban hasn't been kind to me. But, someone must be looking out for me to bring you back to me."

The hero of Hogwarts coughed politely. He was being far too forward. "Sallow, I bring you news of Anne and Ominis, if you wish to hear it. You deserve to know at least that."

Sebastian tilted his head and put on a mocking smile. "Oh, and where are they now? I have not seen them since I walked through the doors of this prison."

She crossed her arms. "They had good reason, Sallow."

His brows knitted together. "Since when did you ever call me Sallow? It's Sebastian to you, darling."

Her face burned. Thank Merlin that the only guards here were witless dementors.

"If you even care, both Anne and Ominis are well. Anne is still in as much of good health as she can be, and Ominis is taking care of her."

He ignored her words. "What about you? How have you been?" He asked.

She blinked. The burn on her left scapula tightened in discomfort. "I've been…well, I have a cottage in Feldcroft. It was a good a place as any to settle down."

Sebastian pressed his face against the bars of his cell. His manic, small pupils made him look a bit deranged. "All by yourself? No doting husband taking care of your every need?"

She said nothing, lest she reveal too much of her personal life.

Her silence was enough of an answer. "Unmarried?" The reflection of the torchlights flickered in his eyes. "It is rare in this day and age to see a woman in her twenties unwed. Why, some would wonder if you're waiting for someone."

She flushed. He'd gone too far. It seemed like a decade of Azkaban made him forget basic manners. "That's none of your business, Sallow." She barked. She begun to turn away.

Wait," his hands clawed through the bars desperately grabbing after her. "Please before you go, I just have one request."

Against every smart decision, she turned around.

Sebastian grinned fiercely, his teeth clicking against the bars. His sharp tongue dipped out licking his bottom lip. "A kiss."

She was scandalized. "Sebastian! A kiss? Here?"

His darkened eyes had not left hers. He looked devilishly handsome. "Not like the dementors could see."

This was a foolish mistake. She shouldn't even be entertaining this madness. And yet, she couldn't stop herself from stepping forward, getting closer to Sebastian's cell. Her eyes fluttered towards his wide smile. Sebastian had truly gone mad. Angling her face between the bars, she leaned in.

Instantly, she was overwhelmed. While she was expecting a chaste first kiss, Sebastian ravaged her. His lips were heated, pressing bruisingly firm against hers. The sharp tease of Sebastian's canine against her lips was dizzying. Sebastian snuck his hands out of his cage, fingers clutching her hip. Her skirt snagged the stone floor as he pulled her as hard as he could against the metal that were separating them. This hypnotic kiss left her spellbound as Sebastian drank her red lips greedily.

She felt drunk when they parted. Sebastian's tongue darted out, licking his bottom lip, chasing the last of her essence. His dangerous eyes stared at her longingly.

As she left the depths of Azkaban with Natty, she couldn't stop thinking of those eyes that followed her as she left Sebastian.

It was their first kiss together, maybe their last.

•.¸¸.•´¨* •.¸¸.•*´¨•.¸¸.•´¨`

The sky was a dark grey when Ominis delivered the news. She had been tending to her garden, trying her best to trim back rebellious venomous tentaculas.

His face was ashen, stricken with grief, when Ominis approached her. He held the latest Daily Prophet in his hand. And somehow without him saying anything, she knew what news he brought.

Sebastian Sallow, Murderer of Solomon Sallow, Found Dead in His Cell

She looked at the tall blonde man before her. Although he was a grown man, he looked quite like the scared child in the Undercroft asking her what to do about Solomon's death. His usually stoic face was grief striken, tears threatening to spill over onto his cheeks.

Sebastian Sallow…..dead.

She looked at Ominis, the bearer of bad news. The ground swam before her vision. Her knees felt too weak to support her.

"A-are you alright?" He asked, tentatively. A stupid question really, given the news.

She preceded to vomit on her poor garlic shoots.

•.¸¸.•´¨* •.¸¸.•*´¨•.¸¸.•´¨`

It was two weeks since the death of Sebastian Sallow, a poor unfortunate boy who got mixed up in dark magic. Ominis had taken care of the affairs, writing a polite, tersely short obituary. Anne, took the unfortunately very familiar task of identifying and laying the body to rest.

And the hero of Hogwarts had done nothing. Nothing but wallow in her bed. Her limbs numb and body cold. She was fortunate that Anne was capable of such strength as the poor sister ironically took care of her as she laid in bed her grief unable to move her.

It was frankly pathetic for the strongest witch of their generation to be taken care of someone like Anne, especially given that it was Anne's own brother who had passed.

"Please, you cannot lay in bed all day." Anne sat beside her bed, begging the grieving girl.

She said nothing. She hadn't spoken much since Ominis had told her the news.

Anne sighed before gathering her skirt. She gingerly got up and moved towards the front door of the cottage.

The hero of Hogwarts stared listlessly at her friend's trailing form.

It was unfortunate that the wizarding world viewed ancient magic and dueling prowess as a greater strength over Anne's strong will.

"I'm sorry." she whispered lamely, knowing how inadequate her words were.

Anne turned around, staring at her. The dark circles under the twin's eyes made her appear much older than she was. She nodded slightly before closing the front door of the cottage behind her.

The minutes, or perhaps hours, passed languidly as the hero of Hogwarts laid in her bed. By now all her magical plants have for sure wilted. She was sure that the food remaining in her pantry had long rotten. But she paid no heed to these.

Sebastian…

…what had she done?

"Hello, darling."

Emerging from the shadows on her cottage, like a dark creature, was Sebastian Sallow himself.

For the first time in two weeks, she shot out of bed, hands habitually fumbling for her wand.

He looked nothing like how he did back in Azkaban. Beard completely gone, hair trimmed, wearing robes that flattered his appearance, and smelling of unfamiliar cologne. She couldn't help but wonder if he had done to escape Azkaban.

She shivered, thinking about the dead body they found in Sebastian's cell.

"What's the matter? Lost for words?"

Her mouth was agape. What was he was doing here? How did he get in without her noticing? She had half a mind to yell. Ominis and Anne were so close that they would come to aid in in a minute's notice.

"Don't think about screaming for help." Sebastian said, pacing the room. I have already muffliatoed the whole cottage."

Her voice was sore from disuse. "You shouldn't be here."

He looked around at the various of extraordinary knick knacks and forbidden trinkets that she had collected on her adventures. His long robes swept around him. "You have made yourself a nice little home." His eyes flickered towards the single sized bed she slept on. "Looks rather lonely doesn't it."

She was afraid. She knew of a Sebastian Sallow, the big-hearted charismatic boy from 5th year. This version of Sebastian, the man before her, was something else entirely.

He was a beast free of his cage. Without the bars of Azkaban in between them, what was Sebastian capable of?

He tapped a wand, something Sebastian wasn't supposed to have, loudly against his thigh. He wasn't supposed to have one. They had snapped his beautiful green handled wand in two the second he stepped foot in Azkaban.

Her eyes tracked Sebastian's pacing form closely. "Are you going to kill me?" She asked, her voice finally catching up to her.

Sebastian scowled, "That's the first thing that's on your mind?"

She swallowed. The wand in Sebastian's hand was very familiar. "Why else would you be here then? Other than to get revenge for what I did to you."

Sebastian laughed. It was not the loving, charming one from school, but hallow and terrifying. "Don't play dumb, darling. You're far too clever for that." He crowded her, nose practically touching hers. The back of her knees hit the edge of her bed. "You know why I'm here."

She inhaled deeply. "I haven't had the foggiest idea what you mean." She said, turning her head away from him. He was so close to her, the tip of his nose brushed against her turned cheek. "Please get out of my house. I swear won't call for help. I won't tell a soul you were here."

"You wound me. After all you did to me, and you pretend to be a stranger."

"I have no idea what you mean." She insisted through gritted teeth.

A very familiar wand pressed into her chin lifting her face up to look into his dark eyes. "So you just let any crazy loon in Azkaban steal your precious wand from your pocket as you kiss them? You just happen to have a bottle of Polyjuice potion in your left pocket, a potion you never carried back when we were in school together?"

She squeezed her eyes tightly, trying to drown on Sebastian's words.

She felt a hot breath of air against her ears. "You let any man in Azkaban get close enough to you to kiss you?"

She collapsed onto her bed, head dizzy. She blinked back tears. To be held hostage by her own wand. A part of her wondered if by tomorrow morning aurors would find her dead in her own house, killed by her own wand.

Sebastian wouldn't do that…would he?

"Sebastian, I don't like what you're implying. It's a crime to break anyone out of Azkaban. Please," she sobbed. "why are you here?"

Sebastian softened, his expression almost close to something she would recognize in her youth. "You're full of surprises. There I was, about to lose all hope and finally wither away like the rest of them when a miracle stumbles upon my cell."

She drew her knees to her chest.

" I'm here simply because I wanted to thank the prettiest girl I know for breaking a dangerous criminal like me out of Azkaban."

Bile swirled in her stomach. She didn't know why she did it. She didn't know what compelled her to spend a whole month brewing Polyjuice potion before seeing Sebastian. She didn't know why she kept her wand in a conspicuous easy to grab location. Sh-She hadn't…meant to do it. It wasn't a conscious decision on her part. There was no thorough thought-out plan in motion.

The ruse was up. She sighed blinking away the tears. "I knew you weren't dead. The second that the Daily Prophet announced it, I knew you had escaped, and I was responsible for it." She shook her head, trying to chase the tears away. "Why I don't know is why are you here in Feldcroft in my house. You could be anyway in the world right now. Why here? For payback? For revenge? To torture me?"

Sebastian's sly smile faltered a bit. Did she really think so little of him? In all of his years of Azkaban, all the torture, the madness…Did she not know, the only thing keeping him sane was his love of her? How she was the shining beacon, a version of his own inner Patronus, in the darkness that not even the dementors could take away. Perhaps they could drain him of their shared good memories, perhaps they could remove the happiness he felt upon thinking of her. But what the dementors couldn't shake his pure love for her. The thought of vengeance or any malice towards her hadn't even crossed his mind before she mentioned it.

"Why wouldn't I come home to you? This is where I belong, next to you." Carefully, he wiped the tears away from her eyes. His heavily scarred hands slowly found hers. His coarse thumb rubbed circles in her smooth skin. Gingerly, he uncurled her fingers, before gently returning her own wand back into her hand. "If you have any misgivings, if you're afraid of me, you can petrify me and return me right back to Azkaban. My life is once again, in your hands."

She held her own wand numbly in her hand. Her mind blank, heart pounding in her throat. Sebastian was so good at convincing Ominis and her to follow his lead while they were in school. Was this all a mind game?

She shifted back in her bed until her back met the cool wall of her cottage. Sebastian stalked forward. Gently, he gripped her by the chin forcing her to look up.

As an adult, well-versed in ancient magic, she was seldom afraid, both in her personal life or on the dueling grounds. She wasn't supposed to be afraid of Sebastian. She knew what he was capable of. In a fight, she was confident that she would come out on top.

So why did her heart beat so fast when he was so close to her?

"Scared?" Sebastian drawled, sensing her unease. "Nervous even? No protective prison bars separating you and me." His breath was hot against her lips as he leaned forward.

"S-Sebastian." She whispered.

He pulled back a bit, calculating gaze assessing her expression. "I might be a criminal, but I'm not a monster." His brown eyes looked lighter. "Say that you don't want this. Say you're disgusted by me and this will all go away."

"Sebastian. Please."

He surged forward, his mouth meeting hers. She felt again the familiar wave of helplessness and the surging tide of warmth on her lips. If she thought their brief kiss in Azkaban was addictive, this was ten times more so. His insistent mouth was parting her trembling lips, drawing out sweet sensations that she had never felt before.

She knew, knew that kissing Sebastian Sallow, was a terrible idea. But the protesting voices of her head were lost to the drum of her hot pulse and the tingle of her ready lips.

They broke apart, gasping for air. His arms curved protectively around her, nestling his nose into the crook of her neck. He smiled into her hair. He was home.

He would do anything in his power to make sure that he would stay.

Part 2

#hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow x mc #hphl #sebastian sallow fanfiction #harry potter #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow fic #harry potter hogwarts game #jealous!sebastian #dark!sebastian sallow #dark!sebastian #Azkaban!Sebastian #fierymiasmawork

983 notes · View notes

undercroft-comfort · 11 months

Text

by Aereenity ( Twitter )

#sebastian sallow #dark!sebastian sallow #thestral #hogwarts legacy #not my art

440 notes · View notes

myrachondria · 9 months

Text

In The Depths of His Obsession - Part 1

(Dark!Sebastian x f!MC, Ominis x f!MC {implied})

☆view my bookcase here!☆

Part 1 of this teaser!

summary | 5 years after the events of their 5th year, Sebastian has been released from Azkaban. He never stopped loving MC and now is his chance to take what is his, by any means necessary. Only one issue - looks like someone beat him to it. No matter, he will do what needs to be done.

warnings | possessiveness, stalking, slight angst

notes | one person's bad ending is another person's happy ending 🙃

word count | 2K

Betrayal. An excruciating pain tore through his heart as he was forcefully dragged away from the hallowed halls of Hogwarts by the cold, unforgiving grip of the Aurors. His gaze met the faces of those he once considered his truest friends—the very ones who had betrayed him. Imprisoned in the chilling depths of Azkaban, he made a solemn vow to avenge the unforgivable betrayal by those he had trusted above all else—his own sister, Anne, his dearest friend, Ominis, and the love of his life, MC.

Sebastian did anything and everything he could to help cure his sister from the curse that plagued her. She was cursed by Rookwood the summer before their fourth year, and ever since then she would get these bursts of pain randomly, leaving her weak and unable to do anything. He spent two years trying anything and everything to help her, including studying the Dark Arts. Sebastian had ended up getting into a fight with their uncle, Solomon, after Soloman attacked both himself and MC. Sebastian regret what he did, killing his uncle, but he would not let Sebastian at least try to heal Anne, and it was in self defense. Why was his uncle attacking a couple of 16 year olds? However, Anne did not see it that way. She helped turn Sebastian in. When he got out, oh Merlin, when he got out he would make sure to make her pay. He did all of this for her and this is how she treated him?

And then, there was Ominis. They had been best friends since they were 11 years old. They were more like brothers than friends at that point. He remembers the first day him and Anne met Ominis. Everyone was whispering and gossiping about the youngest Gaunt now attending Hogwarts, the youngest decendent of Salazar Slytherin. The Gaunts were known to be a family of Dark Wizards and having strong connections, both through friendship and as well as familial, so the other students were scared of the young Gaunt. And to add on top of that, Ominis was blind, which made him all the more fearful. But Sebastian and Anne befriended him and quickly learned that he had a kind heart and was a sensitive soul.

He showed the twins the Undercroft, where the three of them spent all their time together. The grew so close to each other that Sebastian even thought that there might have been a mutual romantic connection between Ominis and Anne. Maybe Ominis could have officially become his brother one day, well, brother in-law. After Anne was cursed, Ominis tried to help Sebastian find a cure for her. But all of that came to a head in the middle of their fifth year, as Ominis gave more and more pushback, talking down to Sebastian about studying the Dark Arts to find a cure for Anne. As if Ominis had never engaged in the Dark Arts himself, casting Crucio on innocent muggles. Their situation was the same, both of them had no other choice, but Ominis refused to see it that way. Traitor. Sebastian would be sure to find him and make him pay, that is, if his family hadn’t gotten to him first.

The thought of that made Sebastian smile.

And then there was MC. His darling MC. Not even the dementors could take away or taint his memories of MC. Sure, when he was first imprisoned he hated MC. But she was manipulated into turning him in. Or she didn’t know. She looked heartbroken, after all. Ever since they had their first duel in their DADA class, he was smitten with her. And even moreso when they went to Hogsmeade together and took down a troll. A troll. She was amazing. She understood him when no one else did, she followed him through any plan to help cure Anne. She shared everything with him, and he with her. Even things that weren’t his to share, such as the Undercroft of Ominis’ past. Shortly after they confessed their feelings to each other, that incident with his uncle happened. Soon enough after that, he was being dragged away, promising her that he would never forget her.

And now was the time. Because he was only 16 when it happened and because Solomon had attacked them first, he was only sentenced to 5 years, pending good behavior. Of course he was on good behavior. How could he not be? If being on good behavior meant that he was able to see MC sooner, he would be on his best behavior. And if he stayed out of trouble for a year, he could even get his record expunged and live a completely normal life, like nothing had ever happened. Obviously, he wasn’t going to do that, he had two individuals he needed to hunt down, but as long as he waited a year and wasn’t caught it would be fine.

An Azkaban guard walked up to his cell and opened it, leading him to the edge of the island, where a boat waited for him, along with a few other prisoners. Sebastian stood and took a deep breath of the outside air, of the fresh air. His eyes adjusted as he looked around the island, it was evening time and the island looked just as eerie as one would image. The guard lead Sebastian, along with a few others, to a small boat tied right at the edge of the island.

They all listened to the guard’s instructions on what to expect in the next few days, how to retrieve their wands, what they’ll be provided with, and so on. Sebastian boarded the boat and it set sail back to civilization. He sat in the corner by himself, thinking about how the next few months would be for him. First, he would find out where Anne, Ominis, and MC where and what they’ve been up to. Then, he would approach and win back MC. And then, depending on how Anne and Ominis were doing, he would wait a year before implementing his revenge plan.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the boat docking and being tied down. The guard from before lead him and the other prisoners off of the boat, and towards the Ministry approved inn nearby. All of the prisoners, well the former prisoners, were given a fresh pair of clothes as well as their own room for the night. Sebastian took his pajamas and waited for everyone else to shower as he was deep in his thoughts. The hot water felt like bliss on his body, it had been so long since he felt hot water on his skin. Slipping on his cotton pajamas and laying on the bed, he quickly fell asleep to sweet thoughts and dreams of MC. Falling asleep that night was so easy since he didn’t have to wear the scratchy uniform or sleep on the cold floor. More importantly, falling asleep was easy because he was finally a free man.

The next day he was able to collect his wand as well as a few other things to help him start a new life. He reviewed the terms of his release, the biggest one being that he could not leave the country for one year and had to check in with the Ministry on a monthly basis for one year. He sighed. Annoying, but doable. His heart ached to run away and start fresh, but for her, for her he would stay. He signed the necessary documents and quickly went on his way.

First, Anne. He traveled to the home that he once knew so well, but now felt unfamiliar. Would he see Ominis with her? Would that be for the better or worse? On one hand, he wouldn’t have to hunt Ominis down then, but on the other hand, it would mean they were happy together and he would have to fix that. Standing in front of the door, he slowly opened it.

“Hello?”

Silence.

He wandered around the small home slowly. The memories of his childhood flooded his mind as he looked around. It was pretty much the same as it used to be. Except, no one was home. Actually, it looked like no one had been home for a while.

He wandered outside to the back and noticed two tombstones. Solomon Sallow and Anne Sallow. Seeing her like that, knowing she had passed away… It didn’t take long before the tears started flowing from his eyes. She was his sister, after all. How did she die? Was she alone? Was someone at least there with her during her last few moments?

All of this was just too much for him. He went back inside the house and slept for the rest of the day.

The next day, he wandered into town and spoke to a few of the people. It turned out that she was never cured of her sickness and eventually passed away. She did have a couple of friends that visited her time to time, so she wasn’t alone. That was a relief.

Next was Ominis. As luck would have it, while Sebatian asked around to find out where his former best friend was and what had happened in his life, he found MC first. She was just as stunning as he remembered. No, even moreso. He watched her exit a store, a couple bags in hand. He kept his distance, not wanting to scare or alarm her. She was still so kind and still had that alluring aura to her.

He quickly found out where she lived and decided that he would pay her a short visit. Maybe he could finally start an official courtship with her. His heart swelled at the idea. Once she left, he went into a local florist’s shop and purchased a beautiful bouquet of her favorite flowers. Next, he went and bought himself a nice outfit, complete with a vest and tie.

He returned back to his home in Feldcroft and got ready for his visit, his heart pounding in his chest. Looking at himself in the mirror, he was now unrecognizable. Gone were the boyish looks he once had, and now a fully grown man stared back at him in the mirror. He looked so similar to the photographs he had seen of his father. He wiped a tear before it could fall onto his cheek.

Now, it was finally his turn to be happy. To get married. To start a family. He would do anything for MC. He would even forgive Ominis if she asked.

He began on his way to her home, interestingly enough it was not too far from his own. It was evening at this point and while he would have preferred to visit her during the day, he could not bear to wait a moment longer. As he approached her home, he could see her living room lit up from a nearby fireplace. He stopped in front of the window, wanting to make sure that she was not busy before he interrupted her. He took a peek inside, and what a sight he saw.

He saw MC, the love of his life, inside sitting on the sofa talking to someone. And who else would it be that she spoke so intimately with besides his former best friend. Maybe they were just friends? Sebastian continued to watch them speak to each other.

He watched as they engaged in an intimate discussion. He watched the way she looked at Ominis. He watched how Ominis reached out and held her hand while comforting her. He watched how she didn’t flinch or pull away. He watched the two of them embrace in a hug that was all too similar to the way he used to hug her.

Sebastian then experienced a specific feeling that he had grown to know all too well. Betrayal. Turning his face, he vowed to make his former best friend pay for stealing the love of his life away from him. He dropped the flowers to the ground and began on his way back to his own home.

If only Sebastian had continued watching the two of them, just for a few moments longer.

tag list:

@imaslytherpuff @wickedfury

220 notes · View notes

anto-pops · 3 months

Text

The Serpent's Paramour CH 2 - Sebastian Sallow x Female!Reader

Summary: Snarky, post-Azkaban Sebastian makes his grand debut

Word Count: 5.6k

Warnings: 18+, aged up characters, explicit language

Chapter 2 can now be found here on Ao3 !

Your dreams were fleeting. A flurry of images and voices alike assaulted your mind as you slept, some instilling fear in you while others left you confused, but despite your best efforts, you couldn’t recall a single one of them. Every time your emotions started to drag you from the depths of your nightmares, an invisible force was pushing you back down, forcing you to remain stuck somewhere between consciousness and the catatonic-like state you found yourself in. A weightlessness had settled over you and dulled your senses as your eyes darted rapidly behind your eyelids, trying and failing to will your body into obeying your commands. It was as though your brain was awake but the rest of you simply… wasn’t.

The unsettling feeling only worsened the onslaught of visions that assaulted your sleep addled mind.

After nearly an hour of warring with your own limbs, movement began returning to you. It started with your feet; you could wiggle your toes with some effort, then eventually rotate your ankles fully. Bending your knees came next, followed by your fingers flexing and your shoulders loosening. As soon as your upper body started responding fully, your eyes snapped open, and your pulse skyrocketed as you were met by the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.

Correction– it was a bed canopy. One that had most certainly not been in your rented room at the tavern.

Hastily, you shot up, your hands fisting in the thin cotton sheets in a bid to ground yourself as you tried to figure out where the hell you were. The four-poster bed you’d been sleeping in was enormous, and the sheer curtains that hung from the wooden bars overhead had been tied up to reveal an equally large room. The walls were a dark blue, illuminated by the moonlight that spilled through the floor to ceiling windows to your right, and the darkness that surrounded the moon outside told you that it had to be the middle of the night. How long had it been since you’d been snatched from Bainburgh?

Cautiously and quietly, you swung your legs over the side of the bed and planted them on the cool floorboards, none too pleased to discover that your boots were nowhere to be found. Looking around briefly revealed that all of your belongings were missing, most notably your wand, and that fact ignited a spark of fear in your heart. Your palms grew sweaty in the span of a few seconds, and you frantically started searching for something– anything– that you could use as a weapon.

The mahogany dresser across the room had a few trinkets and potted plants on top of it, but nothing substantial or pointy that you could use for stabbing. There was a small door to the left of it that you made a beeline for and threw open, stunned to find a spacious bathroom on the other side. Once again, there was pathetically little at your disposal to use for protection, but you still ripped open every drawer in the hopes that something would stand out and prove useful.

In the midst of your frantic searching, a sign of life made itself known outside the double doors of the bedroom. Two voices, both distinctly male, talking to one another as they made their way inside the room. Poking your head around the bathroom door, you watched as the strangers crossed the threshold of the entryway and halted in their tracks, their gazes zeroing in on the empty space on the bed you’d previously occupied. There was no way to gauge their expressions– seeing as they had masks on that concealed the bottom halves of their faces– but their eyes widened in blatant surprise as they scanned the room to presumably look for you.

“Guess the lady is awake,” said the one on the right. His black bowler hat cast a shadow over his icy blue eyes, and he side-stepped his companion to move further into the room. His gait reminded you of a wolf; predatory and calculated as he hunted his prey.

The other man didn’t move out of the doorway, but his red hair brushed across his shoulders as his neck swiveled in your direction, spotting the sliver of your face that had been peeking around the doorframe of the bathroom. “Playing hide and seek are you? You’re not doing a very good job of it.”

Bowler hat followed his associate’s line of sight, his narrowed eyes fixing on you before gesturing for you to exit the bathroom. You didn’t move a muscle. “Come on girl, if you’re up and moving then the boss is going to want to see you. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you bastards give me my wand,” came your even reply. You were grateful that your voice didn’t crack and betray just how scared you were, but you were certain your reluctance to leave the bathroom was doing that for you. Neither man seemed threatened by you in the slightest, and something akin to annoyance flashed in the redhead’s dull, gray eyes. He was probably irritated that the job of escorting you to his boss now fell to him.

He took a leisurely step forward, and your grip on the doorframe tightened as a result. “Alright, I’ll be nice about this. Your presence is requested downstairs, so if you could be so kind as to move your ass on your own, I would be much obliged.”

“Do I have a choice?”

The two men said nothing– opting to instead glance at one another as a silent, mental exchange transpired between the two of them. The hard, unyielding glint in bowler hat’s eyes made the hair on the back of your neck stand on end, and you decided then and there that you adamantly refused to willingly set foot outside the bedroom without a fight.

“I’m not going anywhere until you pricks give me my wand and the rest of my belongings.”

The red headed bloke in the doorway pinched the bridge of his nose through his mask, and he sighed loudly before throwing his hands out in exasperation. “We don’t have your stuff, but maybe if you go downstairs, you’ll have better luck retrieving it. Just a thought.”

“You’re really bad at lying,” you fired back instantly, your tenacity growing stronger as you came to the conclusion that both men were feeble-minded.

“And I’m growing tired of your attitude,” bowler hat interjected, taking a few steps closer to you. “I liked you better when you were asleep. Hurry up and come downstairs–”

He didn’t get the chance to finish. A split second later, you had bolted out of the bathroom and were running for the dresser in the bedroom, grabbing the first thing nearest to you to throw at his stupid, ugly hat. It ended up being one of the smaller potted plants situated on the edge, and the dirt inside the pot flew out of its container to spill all over the man before shattering against the hardwood floor. His hands flew up a second too late in an attempt to protect his face from the torrential downpour of soil that cascaded down the brim of his headwear, and the string of curses that fell from his lips were ignored entirely as you grabbed for a candelabra next.

Without hesitating, you jumped forward and swung the three pronged pricket down atop bowler hat’s head, and a yowl of pain erupted from him as he dropped to the floor clutching his hat tight to his skull. You whirled around, preparing to do the same to the second goon who separated you from the other side of the doorway, but you drew up short when you turned to find his wand leveled at your chest.

His eyes were wide with obvious shock as he readjusted his grip on the handle of his wand, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet as his eyes flicked between you and the man groaning on the floor. “Merlin’s bloody balls, relax woman! Don’t do anything you’ll regret–”

Not one part of you regretted flinging the candelabra at him in the next second. In fact, you felt a sick amount of satisfaction when the thick, metal base of the decorative holder smacked into his forehead, and as soon as his wand bearing hand flew to his face to feel the extent of the damage, you were running to skirt around him and exit the room entirely.

It was all for naught, however, seeing as an unseen force suddenly suspended you in midair in the doorway. You shrieked indignantly, your feet kicking out behind you in a pathetic attempt to fight the invisible, magical hold that prevented you from going anywhere. “Put me down, dammit!”

“The hell I will,” bowler hat grit out as he pushed himself to his feet, and as you rotated fluidly in the air, you saw that it was his wand that maintained the spell holding you. “You’re wilder than a feral animal.”

The redhead groaned softly as he stood straight, a semi-circle bruise from the candelabra’s base already making its home in the center of his forehead. “Wait, we were told not to use magic–”

“Fuck what the boss said,” spat bowler hat. “Ain’t no way I’m letting her get within an inch of me after that insane display. Just walk ahead and get the doors open, I’ll move her ass into the dining room myself.”

Your hands flew to the hem of your nightgown in an attempt to keep the material from riding up your bare legs, which in turn prompted you to roll around listlessly in the air. There was another beat of silence as yet another mental exchange transpired between the two bruised men, and all the while you struggled against the magic keeping you off the ground. It didn’t matter though. In the end, the ginger fellow conceded to the others demands and walked out of the room and down the hall, and you were easily levitated down the wide staircase after him with bowler hat hot on your heels. You were half tempted to grab onto the edges of the walls to hold yourself back from being moved any further, but your captor must have assumed you would try something like that, because you were kept wholly in the middle of the staircase and the hallways that followed.

It was hardly important now, but you realized that the house you now found yourself in was huge.

The two men moved quickly, barely giving you a chance to take in the scenery around you before you found yourself inside the aforementioned dining room. There was the distinct sound of a chair being scraped against the wooden floor before bowler hat maneuvered your suspended body into the seat, shoving you into the velvet cushions with more force than was necessary before glowering at you from under the rim of his dirty headwear.

He angled the pointy end of his wand at you as he growled, “Don’t even think about running anywhere, or I’ll petrify you and let you sit there frozen solid. Understood?”

“Whatever,” you scowled, digging your nails into the armrest of your seat. “Anything that gets you out of my face faster– I’m tired of looking at your abhorrent hat.”

“Big words coming from the girl wearing pajamas,” he shot back instantly, but he still ripped his chapeau off to reveal the salt and pepper hair beneath it. The color alone had you thinking that he had to be at least fifty years old.

“At least my pajamas aren’t covered in dirt. It’s a fitting look for you though; you already struck me as a spineless worm.”

You could tell there were at least a hundred different things the man wanted to retort with, but he seemed to bite his tongue before throwing his hands in the air and stomping towards the double doors leading out of the dining room. His red headed partner looked to be at a loss for words as he slouched in the doorway, lingering in place for a moment before striding out after bowler hat, and a weary sigh slipped through your clenched teeth.

You might have gotten the last word in against him, but that still left you trapped in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by equally unfamiliar people, and hopelessly without magic. The entire property had to be warded against apparating, because even that seemed impossible to accomplish. It appeared that you would have to bide your time and make your escape later. At least, you would if you survived that long.

It seemed like whoever the ‘boss’ was wanted you alive, though. Judging by what the two men had said earlier, it didn’t sound like their employer had even wanted them to use magic on you. Not that you’d given them much choice, but still…

You had never been more confused in your life. What the hell was going on?

As you sat quietly waiting for whoever was in charge of your abduction, you took the opportunity to take in the cavernous room with unwavering precision. Aside from being spacious, it was also equally barren. Very little decor lined the walls or littered the tables strewn throughout the room, and the smell of dust was unmistakable. If you had to guess, you would assume that the house was typically empty on a normal day and was only being utilized currently as a makeshift base of operations. That, or the people who stayed here simply didn’t care to keep their space clean.

It was also nigh impossible to overlook the unmistakable stench of dark magic. It seeped through the walls and hung heavy in the air, making your skin crawl and your stomach lurch. That realization alone had you reevaluating the sort of people you found yourself surrounded by.

In the half hour you sat by yourself in the dining room, you’d taken note of every possible exit. There were eight windows, four of which looked like they could be opened, and three sets of double doors. One of those entryways was the one you’d been brought in through, so you knew it led to the second story of the house, but the other two remained a mystery. You had to assume one paved a path to the front doors– a path to uncertain freedom– but you weren’t sure how many dark wizards lingered in the yet-to-be-seen corridors. Without your wand at your disposal, you were almost afraid to find out.

Hindsight was twenty-twenty, and you silently cursed yourself for never having taken Natty up on her offers to teach you wandless magic all those years ago.

You were suddenly pulled from your thoughts when a booming voice reached your ears through the doorway straight ahead, and you stiffened in your seat when the telltale sound of something hitting the wall caused the doors to rattle violently. Maybe you were just paranoid, but the pained groan that followed the noise had you thinking a body was to blame for the hinges creaking in protest. Remaining composed and unafraid seemed a little bit difficult after that, but you didn’t have time to dwell on your trepidation. The doors before you were thrown open with indisputable strength, the massive wooden slabs ricocheting off the plaster of the house with a deafening bang– and if that wasn’t enough to set your teeth on edge, the overpowering smell of dark magic that flooded the room most certainly was.

An imposing figure stood in the doorway, all broad shoulders and long legs as a muscular pair of arms crossed over an equally defined chest. He had to be well over six feet tall, his unruly brown curls adding to the wild, dangerous look he had going for him, but you didn’t balk before him like your body demanded. Chin held high, you glowered at the black-clad dark wizard in an unspoken challenge, daring him to come closer even though you had no means of defense at your disposal.

“You’re a hard woman to find,” drawled an eerily familiar voice, and a barely there crack formed in your resolve as you scrambled to make sense of why he was here. It was impossible. It had to be. “I heard you dropped a tree on some of my Ashwinders in Cragcroftshire. You’ve made quite a reputation for yourself, I’ll give you that much.”

Things had just gotten a lot more daunting.

Sebastian Sallow strode into the dining room leisurely, looking confident and comfortable as he sidled up to the opposite end of the table to flash you a smirk that made your heart hurt far more than it had any right to. The boy who had turned your whole world upside down years earlier was standing a few feet from you, gazing down at you expectantly as though there was nowhere else in the world he was meant to be. Last you had heard he was in Azkaban serving a life sentence for the murder of his uncle, but that assumption went right out the fucking window now. Had he escaped? Was his sentence reduced? Had he even ended up at the prison in the first place? For all intents and purposes, Sebastian looked content, healthy, and definitely not like a former inmate. The only thing that gave away his true nature was the pungent smell of dark magic that radiated from him and the deadly glint in his dark eyes– one that you had seen once before while in the catacombs all those years ago.

After four years without so much as hearing a whisper of his name, he was responsible for bringing you here?

Your shock had to have been evident on your face, because Sebastian’s smirk transformed into a full blown grin as he slowly made his way to your side of the table, pinning you with a predatory stare that never wavered as he got nearer and nearer to you. Even if you weren’t dressed in measly pajamas, you would have felt exposed. Those piercing eyes of his seemed to look straight through you, and with the added fact that your wand was missing in action, you had never felt more vulnerable.

Instead of sitting down across from you, Sebastian swiftly plucked up the chair from directly beside you and turned it around so he could straddle the seat with his hands folded over the top of the backrest. The motion drew your attention to his arms, and you dimly realized that you’d overlooked the massive tattoo that stretched down his neck, then presumably over his shoulder and along the entire appendage before the ends of the design frayed out on the top of his hand. What little of it you could see looked strikingly like sharp, jagged lightning coiling around his right arm, and you briefly wondered if the inky pattern signified something else entirely.

When your eyes flicked back up to his, Sebastian was studying you with a curious expression on his face, and your nails dug into the skin of your palms as you clenched your fists in your lap. There were too many questions racing through your mind– most of which had to do with how the hell he was even here in the first place. You wanted to ask him if he had broken out of prison, or if all of this was some long awaited revenge scheme he’d concocted over the last four years to get back at you for remaining complacent in his incarceration. You wanted to ask why in the nine-hells he was associating with Ashwinders of all people, and why they were evidently referring to him as their boss.

You wanted to ask, but you couldn’t formulate the words. Your mouth opened, closed, then opened again, and Sebastian just smiled all the while, clearly enjoying the sight of you rendered speechless. “Take your time, I know I’m good looking. Go ahead and get all the ogling out of your system now.”

The condescending comment did more to snap you out of your stupor than anything else, and you gave him a nonplussed blink before glaring daggers at the cocky sonofabitch. “What the fuck is going on here?”

“I guess you haven’t been paying attention. That’s alright, I’ll refresh your memory. I had my men track you down outside of Bainburgh and place you under a sleeping charm to bring you to me here,” he gestured at the vast dining room for emphasis, ignoring your burning stare as he continued explaining. “We set up a temporary residence here while we scoured the countryside for you with nary a hair of luck until a few days ago, which I’m sure you can recall. You know, because of the tree and everything? Anyways, I’ve just been informed that apparently after you woke up, you smashed a plant against Devlin’s head and threw a candle holder at Joshua’s face. Nice work, by the way. Those two could stand to get knocked down a peg or two and they went against my express orders to not use magic on you– which I gave them hell for, mind you–”

“What do you want from me, Sebastian?” Your question was laced with indignant anger, but it was the way you practically hissed the brunet’s name that made him stop talking. He sighed dramatically, the entire situation seeming more like a joke to him than anything, and his nonchalant demeanor only enraged you further. What was wrong with him?

“You’re no fun, all work and no play. You remind me of Devlin,” he muttered the last part, and you damn near shot forward to shove him out of his seat and make a break for the door.

“Are you serious right now?” You snapped at him, growing angrier when he cocked an expressive brow at you. “You sent your lackeys to chase me through the Highlands before kidnapping me and stealing my belongings, and now you have the audacity to crack jokes? What. Do. You. Want?”

The larger man considered your outburst for a few tentative beats of silence. He audibly ground his teeth together, his fingers flexing briefly before he narrowed his eyes. Then in the firmest tone he’d used thus far, he said, “What I want is to cure Anne, and that ancient magic of yours is going to help me do it.”

The tension that filled the room following his statement was thick enough to cut with a knife. Sebastian didn’t elaborate, didn’t offer any additional information, and didn’t so much as blink as he held your incredulous stare. Beyond being stunned that he actually thought you would willingly help him, you were astonished to hear that Anne was even alive after all this time. Ominis was the only person who ever deigned to stay in touch with her, but after you’d distanced yourself from him during your sixth-year, you’d unwittingly fallen out of the loop regarding Sebastian’s twin. What was she like now? Did Sebastian even know?

You found it sorely difficult to believe that she would have been willing to speak to him after everything he’d done.

Sebastian could practically see the plethora of thoughts racing through your mind, and he pursed his lips as his eyes started to roam down your rigid form. He looked more serious now than he had since setting foot in the dining room, and you tensed further under his scorching gaze as you tugged the hem of your nightgown lower down your legs. The blasted thing dated back to your fifth-year and had served you well enough during your travels, but now you desperately wished that you had bought something that covered more of you.

“You must be hungry,” he stated next, and the random change of topic practically gave you whiplash.

His old wand had to have been destroyed by the Ministry after his arrest, because he drew an unfamiliar one from somewhere on his person and flicked it towards the table to conjure up a kind of feast you hadn’t set eyes on since your time at Hogwarts. There was a platter covered in chicken, as well as bowls overflowing with mashed potatoes, salad, and a colorful assortment of vegetables. He’d even taken the liberty of including a carafe of wine with the impromptu meal, and your eyes went wider than saucers at the sight. However, you made no move to indulge in the hearty spread, still reeling from all that had transpired in the last five minutes.

Sebastian looked at you expectantly– waiting for you to start eating with raised brows and an innocent smile on his face. Naturally, your first thought was that he’d poisoned the food, and your hands stayed firmly grasped in your lap as you narrowed your eyes at the empty plate in front of you.

Picking up on your thoughts easily, Sebastian chimed in, “Why would I poison you if I need you alive?”

“Well you’re just full of surprises, I would hate to assume otherwise and end up foaming at the mouth on the floor.”

“Just eat the food, I promise it’s not contaminated with anything. You’re–” he cut himself off, seemingly debating on whether his next comment was worth saying, but he could hardly hold back now that he had your attention. “You look like you need it.”

He didn’t wait for your reply, leaning over the back of his chair to spoon a hefty dollop of mashed potatoes on your plate despite the chilling glower you shot his way, and before he had the chance to deposit any more of the food in front of you, you were yanking the serving spoon out of his hand with surprising speed. Sebastian’s eyes were comically large as you tossed the utensil back into the bowl and dragged your plate closer to you, plucking up the fork to your left to prevent him from getting anymore… bizarre ideas.

“You’re a lot snappier than I remember,” he mused as you aggressively shoved the fork into the fluffy potato concoction.

You worked a small amount onto the prongs before fixing him with another glare, “And you’re a bigger prick than I remember.”

To your surprise, he laughed. The sound was as light as it was gruff, and he shook his head faintly as you brought the fork to your face to sniff the food. It smelled fine– looked fine– but you still took the tiniest bite to work over your tongue before swallowing. It was good, and the revelation had your stomach voicing its approval in the form of a low growl, much to your dismay. Sebastian simply watched, waiting for you to get a few bites in before he rocked back in his seat and started talking again.

He expertly twirled his wand between his fingers as he started, “I have it on good authority that there’s an old, long forgotten relic hidden away in one of your precious ancient magic sites. My men and I had been scouting the place out for a while but it’s locked up tighter than a miser's purse, and I was a day away from throwing caution to the wind and just blowing up the entrance when I had an idea.” His twirling ceased as he angled the tip of his wand directly at you, and you froze with your fork wedged between your lips. “I thought, what if like calls to like? What if instead of trying to pick an ancient magic lock, I just use an ancient magic key?”

Your brow furrowed as you set your fork back down on your plate, and Sebastian followed the movement with a disapproving look. “You should have just tried blowing up the door,” you murmured.

“Oh, believe me, I thought about it. But I seem to recall a certain someone telling me all about the safeguards and traps that can be set off if a site is breached by someone without the same power.”

Dammit. Now that you looked back, you had divulged the details of your past escapades to Sebastian, retelling the tale of how Ranrok had unintentionally activated an enchanted Guardian statue the size of a tower after setting foot in the Gringotts vault. The fleeting memory of Professor Fig made you wince, and your frown deepened immeasurably further. “How do you even know the relic is in there?”

Sebastian tipped back in his chair again and spread his arms wide, the utter size of him failing to escape you. When had he gotten so… big? “How did I ever find information on the things I wanted? Research.”

You shot him a dry look, “That’s incredibly vague.”

“Is it?” The smug bastard flashed you a wide grin, showcasing a matching set of dimples on either side of his cheeks.

If he was right and there truly was a relic of some sort hidden in an ancient magic site, how had you never come across it? At this point there were very few locations in the region you hadn’t discovered yet, and you’d always strived to be thorough in your investigations. Isidora’s darker abilities called for nothing less, and considering you knew next to nothing about the volatile magic you’d ignorantly absorbed beneath Hogwarts, you left no stone unturned during your explorations.

Sebastian didn’t know about the repository, though. He hadn’t been there– had already run off in the wake of his uncle’s death and abandoned you to deal with Ranrok yourself. All this talk of needing your ancient magic amounted to just needing your ancient magic, nothing else. He was none the wiser to your darker abilities that had you scrounging around dilapidated ruins in the first place, and you had no intention of cluing him in now. You were suddenly grateful that he’d left you to fend for yourself all those years ago, seeing as he’d now come galavanting into your life in pursuit of your powers. Again.

History really had a funny way of repeating itself.

You leaned back in your chair and crossed your spindly arms over your chest, pursing your lips as you stared Sebastian down. “Say you’re right and there really is some age-old relic buried in the pits of an ancient magic site. Why would I help you? You haven’t exactly done a bang-up job of making a good impression here.”

The pout that stretched across his face positively dripped with mockery, “What, is my hospitality not up to your standards? Should I have replaced the platters with fine china, or provided you handmaidens to freshen up before having you brought downstairs? My apologies, your highness.”

“You’re an asshole,” you grit through your clenched teeth. The sting from your nails biting into your biceps was the only thing that distracted you from the overwhelming urge to maim him with your bare hands.

With an exaggerated sigh, Sebastian rose from his seat and rolled his shoulders before winking down at you, “And you don’t have a choice in the matter, princess. Get used to my mediocre living standards, you’re going to be here for a while.”

Indignant anger surged to life in your veins, and your magic practically screamed with the desire to be released. “So, what? I’m your prisoner now? I can’t stay here–”

“You’re my honored guest,” Sebastian clarified with a taunting bow, his head dipping well below his waist as he swept his arms out at his sides. “You can go wherever you please within the house, but you may not leave. None of my men will harm you, you have my word.”

His word didn’t mean a damn thing to you and he knew it. The mention of ‘his men’ only served to infuriate you further; these were the same shoddy sorts of people the two of you had relentlessly dispatched in your fifth-year together, and the fact that he was now associating with them only deepened the trench of distrust that yawned in front of you. “Do your underlings know that you used to ransack their camps with me back in the day? Why would they take orders from you?”

He waved you off with barely there interest, “The past is the past, don’t you worry your pretty little head about any of that. As for why we’re working together, call it a mutual understanding. I scratch their back, they scratch mine.”

For the love of Merlin– “What kind of mutual understanding? What do you get out of this?”

Something flashed in his dark eyes then– something cold, sinister, and calculating– and you couldn’t stop yourself from shrinking back in your seat even though it pained you to appear demure in front of him. Then the look vanished, replaced with the indifferent mask he’d worn since setting foot in the dining room. “I can’t tell you all of my secrets now, can I?”

“So you expect me to just take your word for it? Believe that I won’t be stabbed in the back at the first opportunity–”

“Believe whatever you want,” he snapped. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he rolled his eyes and stalked towards you, and you had to physically crane your neck back to maintain eye contact with him when he stopped mere inches from you. He picked up your abandoned fork with his tattooed arm to bring some of the mashed potatoes to your lips, and your cheeks burned with humiliation. “But you will be here a while, so I suggest you get comfortable, princess.”

Your hands shook with blatant anger as you smacked his hand away from your face, sending the fork clattering across the table and leaving a trail of mashed potatoes in its wake. “Don’t call me that,” you hissed at him.

Sebastian’s boisterous laughter echoed throughout the room as he spun on his heel, striding towards the doorway he’d come through earlier, and as he vanished around the corner and the doors shut behind him, you were left alone once more.

Only this time with more questions than answers.

#sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow x reader #dark!sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #sebastian sallow x female!reader #hogwarts legacy fanfic #my writing #full sending it and posting chapter 2 cause I wanted to get Sebastian into the story asap #also I felt bad about the cliffhanger LMAO #WIP TSP

66 notes · View notes

ultraviolet-x · 11 months

Text

Aight so who actually sent him here??🤨🤨

#sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy sebastian #avalanche studios #avalanchegaming #dark!sebastian sallow

209 notes · View notes

blueraineshadows · 7 months

Text

Lured

Dark!Leander x F!MC x Dark!Sebastian

Triggers: NSFW 🔞 smut, sexual language, dubious consent at the start, dominance, choking, capture and imprisonment, manipulation, blindfolded, tied up character, branding, edging, bisexual characters.

Long fic. Please check the triggers.

The side street off Knockturn Alley was dim, shadows long and stretched in the low evening sun, the few people about kept their heads down and hoods low as they scurried or lurked. Soon, the shadows would consume the little light that was left and the dark would bring out those who liked to dabble in mischief and mayhem.

MC kept her vigil at the end of the little cobbled street, the buildings leaning forward as though tired of existence as she kept her eyes trained on a particular shop at the far end. Her client had been very helpful in their directions. Their stolen artefact was definitely not in the care of Borgin and Burke, the establishment far too well known for the likes of this particular trinket. This item had been stolen by a thief who was out-witting even Burke's best pilfering agents but nobody knew who it was.

MC had spent years tracking down artefacts, trinkets, treasures, even luring people out of their hiding places when the call came. She was good at it and earned good coin for her efforts. This skilled thief was stumping even the Ministry, so when this client had come with information and the job to track this item down, MC had leapt at the chance.

She was on the scent, the shop in sight, and come nightfall she would be going in. She had her suspicions, her contacts had whispered some clues that had tickled at some memories buried deep in her stash, and she wondered if her instincts were right.

....*....

The front door would be too obvious, but after scouting out the exterior of the small shop, a curious frown marred MC's brow. There was enchantments at work here. Circling the building made one arrive at the front without seeing anything but solid brick. It was the front door or nothing. For a shop, it was well guarded, and her suspicions hiked up another notch, an eager excitement teasing at her.

Peering through the grimy shop window revealed no more than a display of books and nondescript items, nothing that stood out or encouraged one to step inside, and she wondered if maybe her client had been wrong. This didn't look like a place for the dark and forbidden, but then appearances could always be deceptive. Her curiosity was piqued, and she determined to dig a little deeper.

There was only one way to find out. Swift and sure, MC clicked the lock with a flick of her wand, and she slipped inside, closing the door ever so carefully behind her. The interior was dark, the scent of old books and dust in the air as she stepped silently past racks of more simple fares. The counter was dark wood, the register an old brass affair, and a glass lamp stood unlit beside it.

It was a curiosity shop, but the dust betrayed the lack of custom, and the possibility of it being a front for something else was all too clear. She stared curiously around, her finger tips trailing along the spines of old tomes as she neared the door that led to the rear of the shop.

A creak of wood behind her made her still. She held her breath, ears pricked up as she listened. Another creak, and the subtle low breaths of another in the room reached her ears. Her fingers, slender but strong, gripped her wand, heart pounding as she waited.

It was not uncommon to face a skirmish, she was well practised in it, and was rarely afraid. She had faced bigger and badder things in her time. Her senses strained, every fibre on alert towards the presence behind her. She wondered if her suspicions were about to be confirmed. Was it him?

She barely flinched as the tip of a wand slid against her throat, warm breath fanning against the edge of her hood. Fingers gripped at the black fabric near the top of her head, a strange shiver sliding down her spine as it slid back to reveal her hair beneath. The wand tip pressed deeper against the flesh of her neck and she swallowed, tense and curious.

"Of all the witches in the world that could have walked into my shop in the dead of night, it would have to be you wouldn't it?"

MC felt her heart stutter behind her ribs at that low, soft voice. Her mind scrambled, searching for a memory that shivered in fog. She knew that voice. He knew her. But it was not the voice she had been expecting. MC was thrown, caught off guard at her suspicion being squashed by that almost gentle tone.

Fingers touched her hair, a soft caress that threaded downwards to brush loose strands back from her face. Her eyes moved to glance sideways, wanting to see who it was but not ready to make a move yet. That voice niggled at her. She knew it, but she was struggling to put a face to it.

He moved closer, a spicy scent mixed with a scent that was very male filled her nose, and she felt the warmth from his body close at her back. Hot breath bloomed under her ear and then he inhaled slowly through his nose, taking in her scent like a predatory beast. The close proximity, the warmth, the allure of that scent and that voice, it all combined to leave her confused. She still hadn't moved.

"Still so beautiful," he said softly. "Beautiful and deadly."

She gasped, shock making her stiffen as a pale hand plucked her wand right out of her fingers. Since when had she ever been so slack?

He chuckled, low and deep, as her wand disappeared out of sight. This time, she turned, her eyes lifting, having to look up into a face that made her gape. She stared at his pale skin that seemed to gleam in the dark, a strong brow and nose and dark eyes that burned into her own.

He was harder looking than she remembered, his face angled and full of darkness, a confidence lingered in his gaze that hadn't been there when she had known him at school.

"Prewett," she whispered.

His full lips twisted into a smirk. "So, you remember me?"

The tall, awkward Gryffindor boy who had helped her in Herbology with soft words and shy smiles was gone. This was a man. A man with the glow of the dark in his eyes. He was the last person she had expected to see here in this part of Knockturn Alley, but the voice now matched up with her memory of him.

Leander Prewett had caught her in the dark and taken her wand from her, and she had let him.

"What happened to you?" She asked, stunned.

His smirk disappeared and she uttered a small cry as slender, cold fingers circled her throat. MC moved to step back but he tugged her forward, his face so close she could see the smattering of freckles across his nose in the murky light.

"Don't underestimate me, MC," he said. His voice was low, soft, but there was an edge to it. An edge that seemed to scrape down her spine with delicate nails, and she arched her back at the sensation, her body reacting before her brain could stop it.

MC stared at him, her throat bobbing under the tight feel of his cold fingers around it. This was different, a whole new side of the boy she had known. He had been a fair duellist, he could hold his own, but he had been awkward and his mouth often opened before thinking. His posturing and bluster had not made him one to take that seriously, but this man before her now was leagues away from all of that.

Her heart began to thud a little faster as she stared into his eyes, that strange scraping shiver in her spine spread outwards and into her limbs.

She had met some nasty pieces of work over the years, had a few scraps with them, and taken more than one down when the need arose. Some of them had even lured her into their beds, the ones with irresistible smiles and dark eyes, the ones who had a particular cocky charm that reminded her of one boy in particular.

But Leander had never turned her head in that way. So why was she now quivering in his hands? He had taken her wand, he wasn't exactly choking her, but his hand could squeeze if he wanted, and she wasn't pushing him off when she should.

"Well?" He prodded. "Are you going to reveal why you're creeping around in here after hours?"

His hand at her throat subtly tightened and she gulped. His eyes blazed and she just couldn't look away. Leander Prewett was making her blood sing, her skin waking up and her pupils dilating as he held her in a choke hold in the dark. Everything about this screamed at her to kick him in the shin and tackle him to the floor. She needed to get her wand back and get the fuck out of here. Abort mission.

But she just stood there, eyes locked with him, her body responding to his darkness in ways that would have had her laughing in disbelief ten years ago. He looked too certain and assured, a knowing smirk on his lips that suggested he knew exactly what she was doing here.

"I... " She stopped, her voice cracking on that simple sound.

His head tilted and his eyebrows twitched upwards. "My, my," he said slowly. "The Hero of Hogwarts is speechless."

"Don't call me that," she said quickly.

Her hand grabbed at his forearm as he squeezed her throat even tighter, her lungs beginning to constrict with panic. "Please... Leander... "

He chuckled. "I know why you're here. He said you would come, and he was right."

"What?" She rasped. "Who?"

Her original suspicions flared once more. He wasn't alone, but the idea of Prewett working with him... No. It couldn't be.

Leander let go of her throat, moving with such speed that all she could do was keep sucking in breaths with long gasps, coughing a little at the freedom in her throat as he pinned her arms behind her back. He pressed his face close to her ear as he shoved her up against the nearest bookshelves, the wood pressing sharply against her ribs. His nose was in her hair, the sound of his steady breaths against her ear making her shiver as his body held her in place.

"What are you going to do?" She asked, her voice betraying her as it wobbled with uncertainty.

He hummed softly, a hand pressed to her waist, fingers gripping harshly and her head tilted backwards, eyes fixed wide on the dusty books in front of her face.

"I'm going to take you to him," he murmured. "I reckon he is going to be pleased to see you. We've heard about you, your little deeds and clever tricks. He said the artefact would draw you out, and he was right. You walked right through the door as if I had called your name."

She trembled. Her client had given her this address, had claimed the thief frequented this shop, and she had indeed walked right in here.

It was a trap. The bastard had tricked her again. Every time she got close, he played a new hand and left her unbalanced. When would she learn?

MC grit her teeth, angered at herself for not taking more care before entering here, and now she was without a wand and pinned against a bookcase. Leander was strong, and he was so different, unpredictable, and she had no idea what he might do next.

"What do you want?" She asked.

He chuckled again, his hand at her waist moving around to press against her stomach, holding her firmly against the lean hardness of his body. Her breathing hitched slightly and she bit softly against her own tongue. Fear mingled with the strange swirl of excited curiosity.

"You," he whispered against her ear.

Her gasp was swallowed by the swirl of black and the sharp crack of Disapparation.

....*....

Leander's grip on her was firm as they stumbled into a firelit chamber. The stone floor was gritty under her boots and the air stale as though they were underground. MC turned her head, eyes darting quickly about to take in the sloped curve of the stone ceiling and the huge fireplace. Some of the columns were cracked and crumbling, the look and feel of the place suggesting age and little use.

"Where are we?"

Leander didn't answer, he just moved her forward, her feet scraping across the stone as they approached a doorway in the far corner. There were storage crates along one wall, barrels and items draped in sheets, chests that promised more curiosities that tugged at her thoughts. She couldn't seem to help it, her heart lusted after beautiful things. She craved the rush of the discovery, of touching something that had perhaps been untouched for countless years.

Leander hauled her away from the storage and she turned her gaze on the dark maw of the archway he was pushing her towards. The entrance way appeared to shimmer, a shift in the light against the inky black behind it. A memory came to mind of enchanted archways that would shift a room, illusions that led her through ancient trials, magic that she'd had to puzzle her way through in order to prove herself worthy.

But she wasn't a clueless teenager anymore. She didn't need to prove anything to anyone. One look at that doorway made her balk, though, and a slither of fear finally slid down her back as she began to resist with her feet, pressing back against him. "Wait... Leander... "

He pushed her harder. "Move," he ordered.

MC resisted, not wanting to go through that archway, something told her that going through it would be like crossing a line she couldn't step back from. She twisted, pushing back against Leander as she found her fight.

But he was stronger, over powering her easily and backing her up against the stone wall, those cold, long fingers wrapping around her throat again. In the glow from the fire his red hair gleamed, the hard lines of his face thrown into shadows and sharp angles. He was quite the sight, formidable and unmoving, so far from her memories of him, and yet it didn't look wrong on him. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect.

"Why are you doing this?" She said, writhing against his grip.

His lips lifted into a smirk. "I like it when you fight back," he said. "You always did have fire in your belly, MC. I could see it in your eyes when we were at Hogwarts together, and you've still got it, even now."

"Let me go," she said.

"Are you going to behave?" His eyes glittered, almost as though he was daring her to say no.

"What happened to you?" She asked again.

The hand around her throat shifted, smoothing up and around, his thumb grazing gently just under her jaw. She lifted her chin slightly, the delicate caress of his fingers sliding into her hair feeling far more delicious than it should. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore it.

"Don't." The word slid from her lips in a pleading whisper.

She felt his warmth move even closer, fingers sliding back down her neck to press against the flutter of her pulse. It raced, a betraying throb against his fingers as his breath tickled near her ear. "Don't what? Touch you?"

His words caressed the shell of her ear and she shivered, hands grabbing his forearms, fingers curling into the black fabric of his robe.

"I can feel the rush of your blood," he whispered. He pressed his fingers harder against her pulse and a soft whimper left her lips. "Are you scared? Or maybe you like this?"

Her eyes opened and she met his gaze, the firelight dancing in the depths of his brown eyes, pupils wide and fixed on her.

"Do you want me to like it?" She taunted. "Or, do you want me to fight you off?"

"Plenty of time for all of that once we go through that door," he said. "You walked willingly into the shop, and now you're going to walk through there. He's waiting on the other side for us."

She paused her wriggling at those last few words. MC turned her gaze towards the endless dark through the archway, that odd shimmer catching at the corner of her eye. Her breaths quickened, anticipation thrumming through her.

He was waiting.

Surely her suspicions had led her to the right place, the game of cat and mouse they had played for years could be coming to an end...

"Who's waiting?" She asked, as if she didn't know.

Leander smiled. "Let's go and find out, shall we? I reckon you won't be disappointed."

He didn't let her go, but he didn't have to push her either as they stepped up towards the archway. As they stepped through, a chilling sensation spread over her skin as they passed through the enchantment. Her eyes blinked as the darkness shifted into the ambient glow of lit lamps. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed the chamber they had left, but a warped vision of it through the shimmer of the spell.

The room they were inside now was more inviting, lit softly and with comfortable furniture and books. So many books. Shelves and tables filled with them, piles stacked around the room and even on the floor. A cheerful fire crackled in a hearth and rugs covered the floor under settees and easy chairs. There were two other doors, wooden and both closed, but no windows. As she had first suspected, it appeared that they were indeed underground, but the high ceiling arched upwards with delicate stone work and beams of solid wood.

Her eyes swept the room quickly, assessing everything with a sharp eye before her gaze settled on the man sitting in the chair nearest the fire. Her lips parted, the fight leaving her body as her gaze travelled over the long limbs, the confident way he sat and the devastating smirk that pulled at his mouth.

"Sebastian," she whispered.

It had been seven years since they had graduated Hogwarts with promises on their lips, but neither of them had kept them. He was still beautiful, even more than she remembered, his hair still ruffled and begging for her hands to run through it. His face was leaner, the angles sculpted in tempting lines that she used to smooth with her finger tips as a girl.

But that was so long ago. Since then, he had led her on a dangerous dance through Scotland and England, ducking through the shadows as they both chased after artefacts and knowledge. Sometimes she had been one step ahead, but he was cunning and quick, and she had felt the bitter taste of frustration more than once.

In one smooth motion, he stood and stalked across the space, head slightly dipped as his dark eyes roamed over her. The flutter in her pulse before was nothing compared to the way it hammered now, her knees weakening and her mouth going dry as he drew ever closer.

Stupidly, she stepped back, bumping up against Leander who chuckled right near her ear, his hands sliding down both of her arms. She would get no back up from the tall red head, she was sure.

"Hello, MC," Sebastian said, his voice deeper and richer than their school days. "I'm so glad you could finally make it."

"You did this," she said. "You set me up."

Amusement danced in those deep, brown eyes, eyebrows lifting playfully. "And you played the game so well, MC," he said. "I'm a little disappointed at your predictability. I expected more of a fight if I am being honest."

"Honest?" She huffed. "Im surprised you know the meaning of the word."

He was close enough for her to see the amber flecks in his eyes, the firelight picking out the gold in his hair. He lifted a hand, long fingers catching her chin and tilting her head to his liking.

"If memory serves me correctly, you love the game as much as I do," he taunted. "Do not preach to me about honesty, my darling. Your heart is as dark as mine, if not darker."

She glared at Sebastian, defiance making her pull her chin from his grasp. Leander's grip tightened on her arms and she felt his breath at her ear again.

"Be a good girl now, MC," he warned.

Sebastian's eyes moved to Leander. "Where's her wand?"

Leander slipped her wand from his robe and handed it over to Sebastian. MC shifted, arm snatching out to make a grab for it but Sebastian was faster. She growled in frustration, dodging to one side to wrench free from Leander's grip. She stumbled and ran, circling a table and almost skidding on a rug.

"She's not playing nice," Leander said. "She looks like she is thinking of trying to escape."

Sebastian's laugh was low and soft, his fingers slowly spinning her wand, his face lowered as he watched her through his lashes. "I do love it when they run," he said softly. "It makes the capture so much more satisfying."

MC gulped, eyes wildly searching for a route out of here, Sebastian's soft laugh sending shivers over her skin. There were two wooden doors that were closed and the enchanted archway she had passed through. With no idea what lay behind those doors and her wand in their possession she had limited options.

Had they done this before? Lured women down here and tortured them? Had they become that dark and twisted? Her heart was thudding as she eyed them both.

"Give me my wand," she demanded.

Sebastian slowly shook his head, his fingers smoothing over the wood of her wand, his gaze thoughtful before he aimed it at her.

"What the fuck is this?" She asked, backing up, her legs hitting against a high backed chair.

Sebastian's eyes glittered with something, a shifting shadow in their depths that pulled at something deep within her. She stared at him, unable to tear her gaze away as he stalked slowly towards her. She skirted round the chair, still backing up, not taking her eyes off him for a moment while he had her own wand aimed at her.

In doing so, she had missed Leander circling around the other way, and when his hands grabbed at her from behind, she squealed. Bucking against him, she twisted and fought, but he was stronger, his arms wrapping around her until she was pinned, her chest heaving against his iron grip. His lean hardness was pressed against her back, his own quickened breaths in her ear.

"Naughty girl," he rasped. She tried to squirm and he chuckled. "I think we might have to chain our little plaything up, Sebastian. She isn't playing the game."

Sebastian stalked closer, his eyes dark, his teeth rolling his lower lip. MC struggled, trying not to look at him and failing.

"There's my fiery girl," he said softly. "Don't worry, Lee. She will play, we just get to have a little fun breaking her in first."

"Fuck you," she spat.

The tip of her own wand settled against her skin, trailing softly over the back of her hand and dipping down to her wrist. Her heart pounded and she couldn't tear her eyes from Sebastian as Leander held her steady.

"Incarcerous."

A silvery wisp slithered from the end of her wand, parting into two and solidifying into a rope that twisted sensually around her wrists, sliding effortlessly against her skin. The ends broke free from the end of her wand and were deftly caught by Sebastian before he pocketed it. His smile was of smug delight.

"Now I have you," he said. Leander loosened his grip on her as Sebastian gave the ropes a tug. She had no choice but to stumble forward. "No more hiding, MC. I've finally caught you."

Her heart raced, she was trapped, at his mercy. She should be kicking and screaming, but she wasn't. Just like before, when Leander had her pinned against the bookcase, it was a twisted curiosity that thrummed through her rushing blood.

"What are you going to do?"

Sebastian's eyes shifted to Leander as he moved to join him, they shared a dark look before they both turned their gazes back to her.

"Now the fun really starts," Leander said.

Sebastian's smile sent a tingle down her spine.

....*....

The silvery bindings around MC's wrists were cool and strangely soft, and when she pulled against them they didn't hurt her, but they were strong and held her in place. The coolness was welcome against her flushed skin, her body trembling with conflicting waves of uncertainty and unbidden desire.

Her arms were lifted, the bindings holding them up where Sebastian had attached them to a wooden beam. Her feet were on the ground but she couldn't move far. She was effectively a prisoner, hanging there, her eyes following the two men as they circled her slowly like two predators, their eyes hungry for the kill.

"She looks good, doesnt she?" Leander said, pausing in front of her, his gaze moving slowly down her body.

Sebastian moved to stand beside him. "A prize indeed," he agreed.

"Is this what you lured me here for? To tie me up and stare at me?" She asked. "What's next? Torture? Pain? You want me to suffer?"

Sebastian's eyes were dark. "Oh, there will definitely be torture, and maybe you will suffer a little, but the pain will be sweet. I promise."

MC felt her lungs constrict, breath stuttering as she pulled on her bindings. She shook her head. "Fuck you," she bit out.

Sebastian chuckled. "Patience, my darling."

Leander was becoming fidgety, his fingers flexing and his movements antsy as he eyed her. "When can we start playing?"

Sebastian reached up to brush his knuckles down his cheek. "All in good time, my love," he purred.

Leander leaned in to the gentle touch, a soft sigh leaving his lips. MC stared, transfixed, a flutter of fire stroking outwards between her thighs. She clenched them together, her mind trying to deny what her body was seeking.

"Are you... you two are together?" She asked.

Leander narrowed his eyes. "Is that a problem?"

Her eyes widened as Leander took hold of Sebastian's chin and kissed him full on the mouth, Sebastian responding with a low moan. She gaped, not expecting that at all. Neither did she expect it to make heat flare deep within her, her arms pulling on the ropes as their kiss deepened. MC had to look away, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to think of anything else that wouldn't fire her up like this. She couldn't give in. She wouldn't play their game.

"Is someone jealous?" Sebastian teased. MC flinched as his fingers trailed from her jaw to her neck, the touch light but confident. She swallowed, her throat visibly working as she shifted away. A crease appeared in his brow, and he took hold of her jaw, forcing her to look up at him. "Play nice, MC."

"Do you think she would like a taste before the real games begin?" Leander whispered.

Her eyes flew to him. "What?"

Sebastian nudged Leander towards her. "Try her," he said softly.

MC trembled as Leander advanced, her feet sliding backwards, the ropes pulling tight until she could go no further. His eyes blazed, tongue sliding over his kiss swollen lower lip as he gripped the front of her robe and dragged her forwards.

"Leander...no... "

Her whimper made his lips twitch and he dipped to nuzzle at her neck, her head twisting as her whispered pleas spilled from her lips, denying what her traitorous skin responded to. She felt the brush of his nose, his hands gripped her waist and then lips tasted her skin. He wasn't gentle, his kisses exploring her until he was at her ear, a wave of goose bumps spreading over her skin despite her efforts to twist free.

Leander sighed, breath hot, and then he claimed her harder, his mouth sucking at her neck, tongue flicking in tempting strokes. It sent rivers of fire through her, a soft sound leaving her mouth that made his hands slide greedily around her, holding her closer as the suck turned to pain. It was a sweet awakening that made her lips part with a cry.

This shouldn't feel this good, but Leander's mouth spread fire on her flesh, the sting of his bite sure to leave marks on her skin. With Sebastian watching on, the erotic situation she found herself in was heightened. She was no prude, she had seen plenty in the underbelly of the Wizarding World, even Muggles had their dark side. But this situation was a new one for her, and while a slow fear curled in her gut, there was also curiosity and desire, a deep throb that made her thighs clench with a shameful need.

Fingers took hold of her chin again and Sebastian studied her face with approval.

"I think she likes it," he said, pleased. His eyes were dark with arousal and she was losing herself, her arms slackening in their bindings.

Leander dragged his mouth up to her jaw. "She is so lovely," he murmured. His hands slid down over her hips, moulding her with firm fingers. "So soft."

MC stared into Sebastian's eyes and he smirked, slow and devastating. His fingers brushed her hair back from her face, gentle as he slid them into her locks before he gripped tightly, making her wince. With a sharp tug, he pulled her head back, her throat fully exposed now. At the first hungry claim of his mouth on her skin she groaned. Both of them, one each side, devouring her.

Her eyes stared up at the dark, high ceiling, her mind shattered in shock, her blood aflame with a need so sharp and sweet it made her bones melt. Leander's firm grip on her hips held her steady as her legs trembled and her wrists went slack on their bindings.

"Such a good girl," Sebastian crooned.

A low hum of agreement came from Leander as his hands cupped her behind, fingers digging into her soft flesh through her clothes. "I want more."

Sebastian moved back, his hand on Leander's shoulder. "I think it's time to play a game," he said.

Leander reluctantly lifted his mouth from her, eyes eager. "I do like to play."

"What... what kind of game?" MC asked.

Sebastian smiled and stroked her cheek. "Listen to her, Lee. She is so hungry for more."

Leander moved slowly to her right, Sebastian hovered on her left, his wand spinning distractedly. "I thought you liked playing games, MC. You've been trying to hunt me down for months, have you not?"

"And now I have finally found you,' she said, lifting her chin with defiance.

Both of them chuckled and exchanged a look. "You're only here because we let you find us, sweetheart," Sebastian said. "We thought you might want to come and play with us."

MC felt her pulse quicken at his words but her eyes were watching the pair of them carefully. They looked too poised and ready to pounce again, her neck still damp from their kisses was like a taster, a mere glimpse into what they might do.

"Why in Merlin's name would you think that?" She asked.

"Oh, come now, MC," Sebastian said. "Look how prettily you moaned for us just now. Don't tell me you wouldn't like more."

Leander smirked and stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her, the gleam in them difficult to look away from.

"Well, you thought wrong," she said, however the tell tale breathlessness in her voice didn't hold much conviction.

Sebastian tilted his head, his hand slipping into his pocket to pull out the artefact. The little sphere shimmered in the glow from the lamps, the colours of it bleeding into each other just as the client had described.

"Not even for this?" He taunted. He rolled the sphere in his fingers. "I bet you would love to get your hands on this."

Incredibly rare and desperately sought after, the Seeing Sphere was a prize indeed. A sacrificed drop of blood would be absorbed into that shimmering surface and images would appear in its depths, prophetic images. MC stared at it, fingers twitching with the urge to caress that alluring surface that slid effortlessly through Sebastian's fingers.

She had never seen it before, only heard the whispered rumours, so when it was stolen she had lusted after the chance to hunt it down. But, of course, Sebastian had to get his hands on it first.

"You would never give up such a thing," she scoffed.

He grinned. "Play the game and find out."

Her eyes moved from him to Leander and back again. Were they being serious? "Will you give me my wand?"

"Absolutely not," Sebastian said immediately.

She scowled. "You could at least release the ropes, my arms ache."

"You need to be a good girl for us first," Leander said.

MC could see how they were both carefully moving around her, one on each side like predators stalking prey. Her feet shifted on the stone floor, needing to keep moving as though she could actually escape. She glanced up at where the ropes were fastened around the wooden beam. They were fixed tight, the beam solid and thick. She had no chance of pulling that free. She sighed and hung her head.

"What do you want?" She asked.

Sebastian gave a deft flick of his wand and the button at the top of her blouse slid free. MC gasped and looked down as the button below popped open next.

"Stop it," she hissed.

A third revealed the lacy edge of her chemise. She glared at Sebastian and he chuckled.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before," he taunted.

MC felt her cheeks grow hot, her gaze flicking to Leander as he took another step forward.

"I haven't seen it before," he said. "Time to play nice and share, MC."

He stepped forward, a pocket knife in his hand. She eyed it warily.

"What are you doing?" Her voice wobbled as she spoke, his other hand holding her still as he held up the knife. She gasped, a hiss of surprise as she felt a pin prick on her finger tip, the blood welling up into a droplet.

"What are you doing?" She asked, eyes wide with horror.

Sebastian moved closer, holding up the Seeing Sphere and Leander held her hand tightly, guiding her bloody finger to it's shimmering surface.

"We want to see what happens when you touch it," Sebastian said, his voice heavy with intrigue. He gave her a dark smirk. "Just think about what you want, your deepest, dirtiest desires."

MC tried to pull back, but Leander yanked her arm forward with ease, her finger sliding over the surface of the cold sphere, her blood smearing in a streak that shimmered before it melted away. MC felt the thud of her heart as all three of them stared at the ball waiting to see what it would reveal. She may have been tied up against her will, but the draw of the artefact had her intrigued, she wanted to see how it worked, seduced by its magic and potential.

Inside the sphere an image began to form. MC was in a clearing, her hands raised as she channelled ancient magic, the sky a roiling mass above her head as blue bolts of lightening struck the earth near her feet, dark shadows shifted around her, faceless figures that seemed to evaporate and reform in ghostly mirages. MC shivered, not understanding what the image meant and as she looked at Sebastian, ice slid down her spine at the hunger she saw there. The glow from the sphere seemed to reflect in his eyes, the flicker and shift of her power a desire all of its own.

She had suspected that his interest in her when they were young was fuelled by the power she could weild, it was one of the reasons she had drifted from him in the first place, and it seemed not much had changed. Is this what he wanted from her? To use her power for his own ends?

Inside the sphere the image began to shift, and MC realised she was now naked, her body twisting as if floating through water, her hair fanned out around her head. She watched, transfixed, as Leander and Sebastian appeared with her, their bodies also exposed, and then they were entwined in lewd positions, the expression on their faces revealing the pleasure shared.

MC felt her cheeks grow hot, the memory of their kisses on her neck adding to the tingle of desire that crept over her after watching the images unfold inside the sphere. Both Leander and Sebastian were watching, their lips parted and eyes blazing as they looked at each other and smiled.

"Well, well," Sebastian said, turning to MC. "What a filthy mind you have, sweetheart."

She shook her head, trying to deny it, but her mind filled with erotic thoughts regarding the both of them.

"This is a trick," she said. "This isn't me. What kind of dark magic is this?"

The image in the Seeing Sphere faded and Sebastian slipped it back into his pocket. He turned those hungry eyes on her, licking his lips.

"Time to satisfy those dark desires," he said.

MC shook her head, pulling on her ropes and leaning back. "No," she said. "I'm not going to let you use me."

"And how are you going to stop us?" He asked, his head tilting curiously.

Leander moved around behind her and she twisted, trying to keep them both in her line of sight. He slid a hand down her back and she scooted forward, her body colliding with a waiting Sebastian, who took hold of her robe with a gleam in his eyes.

"Let's get you out of these clothes, shall we?"

They worked as a pair, unbuttoning and tugging until she was in naught but her socks, her cheeks and chest flushing red at the way they were looking at her. They circled her again, finger tips grazing against her waist, her hips, her arse. She trembled, twisting and pulling on her ropes as her skin betrayed her, prickling into goosebumps and tingling with each teasing caress.

She shook her head, denial spilling from her lips in muttered protests, but they kept touching. Gentle teases of finger tips sliding over her hips and along her thighs as she twisted and pulled on her ropes. They removed their own robes and shirts, bare chested now, the both of them sculpted with firm muscle, limbs lean and strong.

"Let's see if she can tell us apart," Sebastian said. Leander moved towards him, his hand sliding up over Sebastian's chest. MC watched through lowered lids, intrigued despite herself as Leander caught Sebastian's lower lip between his teeth. The sight was erotic, elements of the forbidden, and she fought against the way it made her thighs tremble, heat coiling tight and hot. They kissed and Sebastian whispered something against his mouth, words that she couldn't quite catch. Leander smiled and nodded before turning his dark gaze on her.

He had a piece of fabric in his hand as he approached her and she tried to pull back as he wrapped it about her head, a blindfold, her eyes hidden behind the black fabric. He slid his thumb down her cheek, toying with her lower lip, and all she could do was tremble.

"No! Why do I need this?" She asked, shaking her head, but the fabric didn't shift.

"Its all part of the fun," Leander whispered.

Now all she could see was darkness, she could only rely on her other senses, her ears straining as she heard Leander step back. She shivered, her skin prickled, the ever present tug of heat settled firmly between her thighs. She turned her head from side to side, anticipation making her lips part and her arms pull on the ropes.

Footsteps, slow and deliberate, circled around her and she shifted, trying to follow them and then whimpered as fingers trailed up the back of her thigh. The touch felt like a trail of fire, the fingertips grazing her skin more titillating because she had no idea which one of them it was.

"Stop," she pleaded, but the word was broken, pathetic. The tightening of her core making a liar of her.

More fingers tickled softly just under her breast and she flinched, the touch illicitng a small cry from her lips as the hand cupped her breast, the thumb sliding over the peak and then, the hand was gone. Her eyes moved from side to side behind the blindfold, her chest rapidly working as she panted softly. Her breasts felt heavy, aching, the peak taut after the fleeting touch.

A low chuckle sounded to her left and she turned, just as a hand caressed her arse. "Sebastian," she gasped, her hips lifting into the touch.

A low hum sounded at her back, a brush of lips on her shoulder blade. "Good girl," he murmured.

MC clenched her thighs as his hands moulded her arse and swept to hold her hips, guiding her against him, she felt the fabric of his trousers as he began to grind against her. Her back arched, arms straining on the ropes as she shamelessly pushed against him, the heat in her core throbbing.

"Look at her, she loves it," Leander said, somewhere in front of her.

Sebastian chuckled and then let go, stepping away from her and she whined, stumbling a little. Her cheeks coloured, shamed at how much she wanted more. She heard them both circling again, her ears trying to follow as she heard the rustle of clothing, the not knowing driving her to an edge.

"What are you doing?" She licked her lips, her voice far too needy for her liking.

Silence. She stilled, ears pricked, holding her breath as she waited, the hairs on the back of her neck lifting as one of them blew gently against her back. Goosebumps spread up her arms and her pulse was skittering wildly, gasping for air into taut lungs.

She jumped as hands slid up her thighs from the front, all the way up until thumbs grazed at the junction of her legs, the hands swooping around underneath and parting her legs. She looked down, but of course, could see nothing. The touch was super sensitive, every nerve ending on full alert, so when the swirl of a hot tongue licked against her inner thigh, dangerously close to her heat she moaned loudly.

Neither of them spoke, she could only imagine which one was there before her. Were they looking at each other, using silent gestures to communicate while she hung on her ropes, blind, desperate and shamefully aroused?

The tongue moved higher, erotic, hot, mouth sucking at her sensitive flesh and the muscle beneath quivered, the heat at her core intensifying as she felt a head brush against the hair there.

"Fuck," she whined. "Who is that?"

No answer. The mouth stopped, lifting from her skin and she bit her lip at the urge to beg for more.

A sharp slap connected against her arse, not too hard, but enough to make her jump, the sound of it splitting through the silence followed by her cry of surprise. Her hair was grasped and her head was tugged back, hot breath fanned against her neck and teeth nipped at her earlobe.

"Naughty girl. Don't ask. You have to guess." The voice was a rasp, but she knew who it was, melting as Sebastian nibbled along her neck.

"I'm sorry," she said, immediately biting against her tongue for letting the words slip free of her mouth. She was pitifully at their mercy, desperate and needy.

Sebastian's hands glided up her waist and over her ribs, cupping her breasts and teasing the peaks, drawing soft moans from her as he devoured her neck. Meanwhile, Leander’s hands smoothed up her thighs and around her hips, his mouth pressing hot kisses across her stomach. So many hands and distracting mouths, it pulled her deeper into the haze of lust that pooled thick and hot.

She had long since abandoned the idea of running, her body soaking up everything they were offering, her mouth no longer pleading and denying, but whimpering and gasping as fingers moved ever closer towards her core, but never actually touching it.

"Please," she whispered.

Leander pressed his face against her, just below her navel, his hands cupping her arse, and he moaned at her little plea. "Such a good girl, begging for it," he said.

He kissed her flesh, slow, teasing, moving lower and to the side and down over her thigh. She parted them for him, so eager, so ready for more. His mouth moved to her inner thigh, his tongue a delicious promise as he licked and teased. Her hips flexed, her pussy hot and wet, aching for him to taste her, but he stopped, and she felt him withdraw.

She whined, desperate and frustrated, and he dared to laugh, a soft snigger at her discomfort as she heard him move away. Not only that, Sebastian removed his touch too, stepping away and then they were circling again. Hands slid across her stomach, her back, fingers swirling under her breasts and over her hips.

MC pulled on her ropes, her shoulders now aching from being held up for this long, her head lolling slightly. Sebastian had promised her torture, and she had envisioned dark curses and pain, but not this. This sweet torture of hating them, but wanting them, her body aching to be taken in the most filthy of ways.

She would take them both if she had to, at the same time. She realised she needed it, craved it like the opium whores in the dens of London.

A firm grip on her hips made her lift her head, anticipation making her draw a deep breath as those hands slid upwards to her arms, kneading the strained muscle there. Soft kisses trailed across her collar bone, the spicy scent of cologne and male skin teased her nose, the same scent she had picked up in the shop. Teeth grazed her throat and she tipped her head back.

"Leander," she sighed.

She felt his smile against her throat, his hands swiftly grazing down to her arse, pulling her close against him. Her breasts grazed bare chest, and she arched, his naked arousal rubbing against her hip. She moaned, writhing against it. If he was naked he was planning on putting that impressive thickness to good use.

"You want me to fuck you," he murmured into her ear. He shifted, guiding his hard cock between her thighs, the silken length brushing up against her folds. He rubbed it back and forth, groaning into her ear. "Mmm, I can feel how wet you are."

"Yes, gods yes." She panted, hips seeking out more friction as a warm body pressed against her back.

"I'm going to need a feel of this," Sebastian said into her other ear.

MC gasped as she felt Sebastian's cock slide against her arse, the tip slippery with pre-cum as he slid it along the curve of her cheeks and between her thighs to join Leander's. She yanked on the ropes viciously at Leander's low moan, both of them rubbing against her folds and each other. What she would give to be able to see!

Their cocks thrust between her thighs, rubbing her in teasing strokes that were nowhere near enough, her slick dripping out to coat them both.

Sebastian was panting in her ear, driving her crazy with want as Leander held her hips, grinding her against their cocks. Their moans sent her spinning, their lust for each other making her twitch and burn with heightened arousal. She was enclosed within their combined heat, sweat beginning to prickle at the back of her neck, dampening her hair and making her squirm.

"Let me see," she begged. "Fuck, let me see."

"No," Sebastian said. His hand slid between her thighs, and she felt the deft stroke of fingers against her folds, she threw her head back with a groan and then she shuddered as he pushed two fingers deep inside her. "Fucking hell, she is soaked, Lee."

Leander pulled back. MC whimpered and tugged on her ropes, realising she wanted to drag him back, hips rolling as Sebastian began to thrust his fingers in and out of her twitching opening. But her whimpering turned to moans as she felt Leander's sinful mouth on her thigh again.

Sebastian continued to fuck with his fingers, pulling out her leg as Leander spread her open, his tongue finally licking a leisurely stripe across her opening, lapping around Sebastian's fingers as he worked her so well.

"Listen to you," Sebastian taunted into her ear. "So desperate, so needy. Such a good girl for us."

When Leander found her clit, sucking and swirling over it with devastating rhythm, she felt the tightening almost immediately. Her walls fluttered and clenched around Sebastian's fingers and her thighs began to tremble.

"She is close," Sebastian said. "Too close."

Immediately, they both pulled back, cutting her off and leaving her literally hanging. A cry of disbelief was all she could manage, her whole body quivering on the precipice of release with no way of getting them back.

"Bastards," she choked.

She throbbed, legs shaking as she swayed on the ropes, wincing at her desperation. She could hear their smug laughter and grit her teeth, frustration clawing at her. "Oh, man up and just fuck me already," she spat.

They went quiet. Not a sound except for her own quick breaths and the roar of her pulse in her ears. She shifted, pulling on the ropes, that prickling sensation teasing up her back again as she tried to place where they were in the blackness of her vision.

"Someone is getting impatient, aren't they?"

Her head twisted sharply to the left. Leander. A finger teased at her sternum, trailing slowly downwards through the valley of her breasts, and then disappeared. Soft footfalls and then a palm glided over her hip. She whimpered, and he chuckled, a dark sound that sent a shiver over her.

"Maybe we should let her have a taste."

Behind her. Sebastian. Her eyes darted uselessly behind the fabric, her whole body tense as she waited, but nothing happened. A taste of what?

The pressure in her shoulders suddenly released, the taut ropes slacking off and she staggered, strong arms circling from behind stopping her from collapsing to the floor. She gasped, surprised, groaning at the resistance in her tired arms as they fell to her sides.

They had released her, although the cool bonds were still attached to her wrists, she was still roped. Sebastian nuzzled into her hair.

"This is far from over sweet girl." His hand wrapped about her throat, fingers on her jaw tilting her head back as his other hand cupped a breast, rolling the peak gently. "Who do you want first? Me or Leander?"

MC swallowed hard, shifting against his grip but he only held her tighter, her sweat slick back pressed against his firm chest.

His mouth pressed against the skin under her ear, hot, teasing. "Come on, don't be shy. You're the one who wants us to take you."

His hand slid downwards, teasing strokes that drifted lazily over her aching core, making her twitch, poking at the unsatisfied tightness that needed release.

"Is it me you want? You want me, right here..." He pushed a finger into her, slow, deliberate, and she arched with a gasp.

"Or, maybe she wants me," Leander said, his voice surprisingly close. Her head twisted under Sebastian's grip, desperate sounds spilling from her as hands took hold of her hips, tilting her upwards. "I could fill you up, MC. I want to watch you take all of me."

"I want to watch, too," she begged. She lifted an arm, aiming for the blindfold, but her wrist was caught and pulled backwards. She grumbled at the block, wriggling against Sebastian's hold but failing.

"No peeking, darling," Sebastian crooned. "We get to watch. You get to feel."

Her legs were parted, both of them supporting her weight as she felt the tip of Leander’s cock brush up against her, rubbing slowly over Sebastian's fingers. MC thought she might actually lose her mind, her hands reaching out to grab firm muscle, smoothing up Leander’s chest as Sebastian guided him inwards. His tip breached her folds, nudging in and she gasped, hips rocking forwards as he slid even further in.

"Oh... gods, that's big," she stuttered, her walls stretching to take him, fluttering at the satisfying fullness as he pushed deeper.

"He feels good doesn't he?" Sebastian whispered knowingly. "You just wait. He fucks so well."

The images Sebastian's words conjured seared through her mind, Sebastian on his knees while Leander took him. MC shuddered, thighs clenching, her fingers digging sharply into Leander's chest.

"Do it," she begged through clenched teeth. "Show me."

Leander worked his hips, grinding against her, his cock so deep it nudged harshly against her limit. She winced, but pushed back against him, desperate for friction.

"She is so tight," Leander said, humming in approval. He guided her hips, fingers tightening as he pulled back to thrust. MC moaned at the delicious drag and thrust, and he did it again. Leander growled. "Fuck..."

Sebastian adjusted his grip on MC, she could feel the tautness in his arms, the heat and rapid lift of his chest. "Give it to her, don't worry, I've got her," he said.

Anticipation exploded into hot shock as Leander snapped his hips, thrusting hard and firm. MC grunted, her hands scrambling for purchase, her body slammed back into Sebastian as Leander filled her, over and over. Each punishing pounding filling her up, his thickness sliding effortlessly against her hot spot, and that throbbing ache twisted dangerously.

"Don't let her come," Sebastian warned, his voice betraying the effort it took to brace up against Leander’s brutal force.

MC bit down, clenching her teeth against the sounds that wanted to burst from her mouth, she could barely keep her scrambled thoughts together, but didn't want to reveal how desperately close she was to spinning over the edge.

Sebastian was right, Leander knew how to fuck. The angle, the pace, his sheer size and strength. She ached to be able to see it, longed for it, her hands exploring the sweat slicked skin of his shoulders and chest. She tried to imagine the flush on his pale skin, the intensity of his dark eyes and her core trembled.

A hand splayed over her abdomen, pressing downwards, she guessed Sebastian's. He moaned near her ear. "Gods, I can feel you inside of her," he said.

His mouth claimed her neck in a stinging suck, and she brought a hand to his hair, curling her fingers into his rumpled locks and gripping.

The wave of her release rose up, muscles contracting and she couldn't stop the moan, long and desperate. Gods, she needed this, craved it. She held her breath, teetering, ready to let go and drown.

Sebastian ripped his mouth from her neck. "No!" He commanded. "Not yet!"

He yanked MC backwards, Leander’s fingers scraping painfully over her hips as he slid free from her. Her own hands tried to grab at him with a cry of frustration, her orgasm cut off for a second time, legs useless and trembling beneath her.

"No, please," she said, her voice cracking. Stunned, she felt tears sting her eyes under the blindfold. So close! "Sebastian...please!"

Just like when they were clueless kids at school, Sebastian was selfish and controlling. The twisted games that had driven them apart back then came back to her, filled her with frustrated fury that she had found herself back in his grip, her body caving under his silken tongue and dangerous eyes.

She planted her feet and twisted from his grip, shoving back and stumbling forward, slipping in her socks. She reached up and tore the blindfold from her head, blinking against the sudden rush of light and colour. She rasped breaths in and out, her gaze focusing on a very naked Leander.

Her eyes washed over him, his freckled skin as flushed and sweaty as she had imagined. His cock was rigid and glistening, pink and swollen from being buried deep inside her. She tore her eyes from him, core contracting at the memory of it.

Dazzled by the sight of Leander, she had hesitated too long. Sebastian was on her, pinning her arms behind her back easily, the muscles on her shoulders screaming in protest.

"Bad girl," he growled. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, a tear slipping from the corner of her eye and trailing down her cheek. The deep sound of his voice was like finger nails down her back, shiver inducing and opening her up to his darkness. It shouldn't feel so good to hear him call her that. But it did. It pulled at something deep within her. So, when he shoved her down, she went willingly, her eyes opening to fix on Leander's darkly smug face.

"On your knees," Sebastian ordered. He gripped her hair with one hand, her wrists with the other.

Leander stepped closer, his hand pumping himself, cum beading at his tip. MC leant back, eyeing him, but Sebastian pushed her head forward. He was on his knees behind her, and she felt the ropes at her wrists tighten, binding them together at her back.

"Bad girls dont get what they want, MC," he warned. "You're going to open that pretty little mouth and take him like a filthy whore."

As if in protest, she clamped her lips tightly together, fighting against his hand at the back of her head. Why did he always have to get his own way? His hand slid around her throat again and she swallowed against the pressure, turning her head, but he gripped her jaw and forced her back, his thumb probing her lips apart.

"Play nice, MC," he urged. "Be a good girl, and you will be rewarded."

Leander caressed her face, brushing back her hair, and teased his weeping cock against her closed mouth. MC couldn't tear her eyes from his, the dark glitter of his gaze taunting her. The sweet boy she had known was nowhere to be seen as he pushed his swollen cock against her mouth.

Sebastian's thumb found his way into the corner of her mouth, her lips finally slackening as she bent to his will. He slid his thumb in further and she couldn't resist sinking her teeth into it. He hissed sharply, his fingers gripping so tightly on her hair she winced.

"Bitch," he rasped, pulling his thumb free. "She bit me."

MC laughed, the sound bubbling up and out through her lips, but it was cut off as Sebastian squeezed her throat. She fought against her ropes, gulping as he yanked her head back, her eyes lifting to see the flare of annoyance in his dark eyes.

"This could get a whole lot worse for you unless you play nice," he warned. "You will get no rest, no respite, until we are satisifed. You wont be leaving here until you are dripping from the both of us. However long it takes to fill you up, and we've got all night sweetheart."

She heaved in her breaths, tied, trapped, and throbbing. Her eyes moved between the two of them, both of them unflinching and solid, a wall of male desire. Their earlier passion for each other came to mind.

"What about you two? What if I said I wanted to see you dripping from each other?"

Leander smirked. "Like that idea do you? Maybe we could oblige you, but not if you misbehave, MC."

She writhed against Sebastian's hold on her, choking slightly against his hand. "I thought you liked me being a naughty girl," she taunted, her words tight around the chokehold. "Good girls don't want to be fucked hard by bad boys. I don't want to be a good girl, I've never been a good girl and have no intention of being one right now."

Sebastian tightened his grip, grinding against her bare arse, his cock hot and twitching. She pushed back against him, her eyes on Leander and smirked in satisfaction as Sebastian moaned.

Leander narrowed his eyes. "Open your dirty mouth so I can fuck it," he said, aiming himself towards her again.

MC held eye contact. "Untie me first," she countered.

"And why would we do that?" Sebastian asked. His thumb caressed her jaw, a gentle touch contrasting with his firm, choking grip.

MC rubbed herself against him again, soft cheeks against hot arousal. When she spoke, the harder tone in her voice slipped and a subtle edge of need shone through. "I want to touch you."

A flicker of something flashed across Leander's gaze, the hard glitter softening for an instant before disappearing behind hardness again. MC felt her core flutter, curious to know what the tall red head was hiding behind his stern face.

"Please," she whispered. "Let me touch you."

Leander's eyes shifted towards Sebastian over her shoulder and he gave a subtle nod.

"Don't make me regret this," Sebastian said with a sigh. "One stupid move, and I will rope your arms and your legs, do you understand me?"

"I understand," she agreed.

He released her throat and she coughed, staying still as Sebastian used his wand to loosen the binds at her wrist. The cool charm vanished and she flexed her hands, bringing her arms around to her front, brushing hair back from her face as she readied herself.

She looked up at Leander with a nod of thanks before she dropped her gaze to that mouth watering arousal. She swallowed thickly and then opened her mouth. This time, Sebastian's hand was gentle as he cupped her jaw, his mouth at her ear so that she got the full benefit of his groan as Leander pushed his cock past her lips.

....*....

Years, months, so much time spent chasing down dark artefacts and even darker wizards. MC had dabbled in many things, but never had she allowed two men to take her at the same time.

It hadn't been something she had considered, not coming across the opportunity, or meeting two men that could tempt her into such an act.

Curiosity had always landed her in trouble. She often found herself in dangerous situations and thrived on getting herself out of tricky binds. Her curiosity and pride had led her here into this underground chamber that was clearly the living space of her two old school friends.

Her greed for getting her hands on the Seeing Sphere, for being the one to catch the elusive thief, had her on her knees, naked, with her mouth wrapped around Leander's cock.

He was a big boy, and he knew how to use it, but she took him. Her hands gripped at his strong thighs, the permission to finally touch and move fueling this savage lust that consumed her. She sucked at him greedily, soaking up the deep moans of pleasure she stole from his mouth.

All the while, Sebastian was at her back, his mouth marking her flesh and his hands teasing her just enough to stroke the fire in her belly, but holding back with devastating skill so that she didn't find that elusive peak.

As a girl, she had craved Sebastian's touch, her heart had yearned for him until she thought she might cry. Over the years, that become a rivalry, and she thought those soft feelings had festered into something bitter and twisted.

One touch, one kiss, one glance at his dangerous little smirk and she was yearning for his touch all over again. As his mouth spread hot kisses across her shoulders and down her spine she tilted her hips, offering herself up shamelessly to his hand, parting her thighs so he could seek out her core and drive all rational thought into oblivion.

Leander's hands were in her hair, holding her steady as he fucked her mouth, her eyes streamed from the size and power of him. But she wasn't a quitter, and she dug her nails into his thighs and urged him to release.

She didn't even stop when Sebastian hauled her hips higher and positioned himself, pushing his own throbbing arousal against her slick folds. She moaned around Leander, eyes rolling as Sebastian slid deep, thrusting into her with approving groans and sighs.

Caught between the both of them, MC was coiled tight, the ache for release twisting with savage need. Being cut off from pleasure twice, she feared it happening a third time, but her body was relentless in its chase for it. Her hips rocked to meet Sebastian's urgency, her mouth worked to give Leander what he wanted.

She was being such a good girl for them and she craved her reward.

Leander gripped her hair tightly with a deep groan, and MC braced herself as his cock began to twitch and throb.

"Fuck... MC," he gasped, as spurts of hot release filled her mouth.

She almost gagged, swallowing in gulps, eyes streaming, her hand softly cupping his balls as they emptied. She leaned forward to press her forehead against his stomach to catch her breath. Sebastian had stilled for a moment, she could only imagine that they were looking at each other, whatever bond they shared glowing in their eyes.

For her, it was pondering this sudden intimacy with a man she didn't know, the flesh of his stomach hot against her face, soft red hair tickling against her nose. His musky scent surrounded her, and she smoothed a hand up and over his hip, a curious heat tingling through her. Without thinking too much, she pressed a kiss just below his navel. In response, his long fingers carded through her hair, gently cupping her head against him.

"Shall we move this somewhere more comfortable?" He suggested.

MC turned to look over her shoulder, Sebastian was flushed, eyes dark and skin glistening as he held her hips. He was still buried deep within her, and as their eyes met, she gently rolled her pelvis, savouring the thick fullness of him. His eyes glittered, his lips twisting into a smirk. He gave her arse a squeeze and nodded.

"I reckon our knees would thank us for getting off this hard floor," he said.

It was Leander who helped her to her feet, and when she swayed, legs trembling, he easily swept her up into his arms. Carrying her bridal style, he walked towards one of the wooden doors set into the stone walls of the cavernous room. MC put her arms around his neck and leant her head against him, a moment of respite.

This was a far cry from the dusty, dark shop where he had caught her and pushed her into the bookcase. The flicker of curious attraction that he had brought into life there had now grown into something else, intimacy shared, and behind the hardness his face portrayed, she suspected that the boy she remembered was still in there somewhere.

It was that part of him that held her like this, that carried her to the large four poster bed and placed her carefully on the neatly made sheets. She looked up at him, meeting those dark eyes and smiled. He didn't smile back, but she was sure that something softened behind his eyes.

The room was not as spacious as the main living space, but it was still quite big. The furniture was dark wood and old, drapes hung at the corners of the bed, and rugs softened the space here too.

Sebastian lit a lamp with the flick of his wand, crossing the room with a confident stride despite his naked form. He approached the bed, eyes roaming over her as he licked his lips. MC clenched her thighs together, her arms aching from being tied, her core burning with pent up frustration at their prolonged stimulation.

Sebastian Sallow had been a torment for years and this was unlikely to end any time soon. When their gazes met, memories and tension combined to pull on the strange bond they shared. They had killed for each other, they had whispered dark secrets and walked dangerous paths hand in hand. They had argued and stung each other with harsh words.

He had hurt her, and no doubt she had hurt him too, not that he would ever admit it.

As he approached the end of the bed and climbed on to it, those dark eyes never leaving hers, the deepest parts of her reached for him. Despite everything, her body had a will of its own and answered to the darkness he conjured.

He gripped her ankles, pulling her down the bed and spreading her open, lust flaring in his gaze. She gripped at the sheets, twisting them up in her fingers as heat flared thick and hot at her core.

Please, no more torment, no more urging her to heights and then leaving her suspended and aching. Her eyes begged him for it, her lips uttering whimpers as he pressed his mouth to the inside of her ankle in a soft kiss.

"Please," she whispered.

The artefact could wait, as could the coin she would earn for retrieving it. They were problems for later. For now, she needed her reward from these two, the artefact had shown her their bodies entwined, and so it had come to pass. She was ready to see it through.

Sebastian moved closer, settling between her thighs, his eyes alight with hunger. His hand smoothed up her skin, cupping a breast, hips grinding lazily. MC's hips lifted to meet him, the teasing press of his arousal not enough, she wanted more.

"You've been a good girl," he said softly. Leander hummed in agreement, his fingers gently tracing along her thigh as he shifted, moving himself behind Sebastian. "Do you deserve a reward?"

MC nodded, her hands taking hold of Sebastian's forearms, his flesh warm and taut. "I'm ready," she said.

Sebastian's smirk was smug as he bent his head, his tongue flicking across her skin towards a breast, teasing at the peak before drawing it into his mouth. MC moaned, her hands sliding up to his head and the soft brunette locks that tumbled in irresistible waves.

As his mouth moved downwards, soft kisses and teasing strokes of tongue sending swirls of heat straight to her core, Leander was touching Sebastian, his hands roaming over his back and hips. MC tried to shift to see better, distracted as Sebastian moved ever closer to her core.

At Sebastian's first exploratory lick, MC groaned, eyes closing as he began to swirl and suck over her clit, her body responding immediately. Tight heat coiled delicately making her hips flex and her thighs part even wider. With one hand in Sebastian's hair the other reached up to grip the bedsheets behind her head as she began to feel the rise.

She gave herself over to it, surrendered to the skill of Sebastian's mouth, her eyes lidded as she watched Leander adjust Sebastian's hips and begin to pleasure him. Sebastian's mouth faltered, a low moan vibrated against her heat and she felt her stomach clench.

Fascinated, she pushed herself up onto her elbows, watching as Leander worked Sebastian from behind, pumping his length with one hand and working him open with the other. She stared at Leander, the flush on his cheeks and the hunger in his eyes. When his gaze lifted to her, he smirked and gave her a cheeky wink. Her core fluttered, heat rolling outwards, and a moan slipped past her lips.

Sebastian's moans and his careful ministrations combined with the erotic scene before her eyes. MC fell back against the mattress, her hips lifting upwards as the first wave of heat crashed over her. The clench was exquisite, tightening her muscles and curling her toes, her head tilting back as she cried out in pleasure and relief.

There was to be no let up, as she gasped and clutched at bed sheets, Sebastian continued, sliding fingers inside and curling them just enough to ride out the pleasure, ripples of aftershocks making her legs shake uncontrollably.

"Seb," she gasped, her hand splaying over the top of his head and trying to push him off. "Merlin, please..."

He devoured her, his tongue working harder, his hands clamping down her bucking pelvis and she arched, shuddering and whimpering as a second orgasm rushed over her. Her eyes blinked against a hazy blur, cheeks and neck flooding with heat as she was consumed by it.

When Sebastian finally lifted his head, she was gasping for air, spread out on the bed, boneless. He shifted, moving up the bed, his cock swollen and dripping as he positioned himself. She barely moved, watching him through dazed eyes as he slid into her fluttering cunt.

"I'm not through with you yet," he said, taking hold of her chin. "I'm going to fill you up now, darling."

She groaned, his wet mouth claiming hers in a messy kiss, her own taste coating her tongue and lips. He began to move, thrusting into her at a steady pace, the tilt and slide of him reigniting the flutters deep in her core.

Her head rolled, still dazed, and then she felt him shift, his thighs widening and pushing against hers. He slowed and stilled, buried deep and then he shuddered. She could feel his cock twitching and looked up to see Leander. He was buried deep inside Sebastian, rocking his hips and pushing Sebastian even deeper into MC.

She gaped, bracing her hands against Sebastian's chest as they found a rhythm together, Sebastian a moaning, whimpering mess between them.

To see him reduced to such a state surprised her, but it was stimulating, erotic. She lifted a leg, her foot teasing along Leander's arm as he gripped Sebastian's hip, thrusting into his arse with powerful thrusts.

Leander's eyes were dark, lost in his lust, but he found her gaze and grasped her calf, sliding his hand up her leg in a caress that made her shiver. As a trio, they moved, Sebastian chasing his release within her, Leander pushing for it within Sebastian.

MC was aroused by them both, her hand snaking down to caress Sebastian by the balls, her finger tips stretching out to graze against Leander with each thrust.

They both moaned, Sebastian tensing up and pressing his head to her chest.

"Give it to me," she panted. "I want to feel you do it."

Sebastian's groan was almost desperate, his hand squeezing her breast as his eyes closed tightly. MC looked up, her gaze meeting with Leander's, his eyes intense as he stared at her. She felt the clenching deep within, another orgasm reaching a crest as Sebastian gave in. MC cried out, clenching around his cock as it throbbed and let go, her eyes locked on Leander who remained relentless.

Sebastian clung to her, their bodies slick with sweat as Leander chased his own release. MC continued to watch him, the strange intimacy making her heart thud harder, and when he finally came, his hand slid up Sebastian's back and found hers. She took it, linking their fingers, all three of them joined in the final moment.

....*....

With no windows to give a clue about the world outside, MC had no idea how long she had been down here with Sebastian and Leander. The three of them had dozed on the bed, her in the middle, and she had woken to the warmth of their sleeping bodies each side of her.

Sebastian lay on his stomach, his face towards her, his cheeks pink and his lips slightly parted. Asleep, he looked more like the boy she had known, soft and adorable. She watched him for a while, wondering if things could have been different if all the terrible things hadn't happened. She dared to trace a finger from his temple to his jaw, a soft touch to remember the good things, because there had been some.

He didn't wake, and she left him be, carefully shifting around to look at Leander.

The red head was asleep on his side, dark copper lashes fanned out across the hard plane of his cheekbones. His lips were so deliciously full and pink, she knew how soft they felt against her skin, and it fascinated her. Out of this whole experience, he was the one that intrigued her the most. How did he end up in the bed of his rival? How did a boy once so awkward and soft become hard and dark?

Unable to resist it, she shuffled closer, her gaze roaming over his freckled shoulders and firm, lean muscle of his arms. The dusting of red hair on his chest and stomach begged for her fingers and she carefully placed her palm against his chest. He was warm, solid, and she closed her eyes as she slid her hand upwards, leaning in to press a kiss near his collar bone.

He tensed, his arm moving, and her eyes flew open as he grasped her wrist, stilling her hand. Slowly, she tilted her head back to look at him. His eyes were more hazel brown, not like Sebastian's chocolate eyes, and she was so close she could see tiny flecks in the low firelight. He was watching her through sleepy lids, blinking curiously as his thumb caressed her wrist.

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

Her gaze dropped to his mouth, full, inviting, and she realised she wanted to feel those lips against hers. She licked her lips and met his eyes again.

"I didn't mean to wake you," she whispered, her fingertips flexed against him. "You looked so peaceful."

He studied her carefully, not letting go of her wrist. "I'm surprised you didn't try to sneak away while we slept."

Her lips parted and she stilled. The realisation dawning on her that she hadn't even considered it. "Me too," she whispered.

"Why stay?"

She leaned even closer towards him, her lips lifting slightly. "Well, you have my wand for a start," she said. Her smile widened. "And I'm not sure if I can walk yet after what you two did to me. My arms are killing me."

He grinned, bringing her hand closer to his mouth. His fingers slid from her wrist to caress her fingers. She let her fingers entwine with his, noticing a curious marking on the inside of his wrist. It looked like the shape of an 'S'.

"Did we hurt you?" He asked softly.

She shook her head. "Surprisingly, no."

She watched as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, warmth tingling up her arm. She brushed her fingers against those lips, watching as she did so, her eyes darkening with hunger.

How easy it was to replace her fingers with her mouth, claiming his lips in a kiss that went against everything that occurred before. Her kiss was soft, gentle, exploring the feel of him as her body pressed even closer. He didn't respond at first, either surprised or maybe uncertain. But then he kissed her back, deeply, his hand grasping her hip to pull her close as his arousal twitched and grew, pressing her down into the bed.

"You'd better not be having fun without me."

They paused in their kiss, breaking apart to both turn their gazes to Sebastian. He was awake and leaning on his elbows, his sleepy eyes dark as he watched them.

MC smiled and reached for him. "Snooze you lose, Sallow," she said. "Get over here."

....*....

One Month Later.

A low mist clung to the banks of the river, the mud was slippery and thick under her boots and MC was crouched low near the bushes as she glanced back behind her. The bridge to cross the rushing waters was just ahead and she swiped damp hair from her cheek, her hood useless against the moisture in the air.

She had managed to sneak out of the Ashwinder camp, her pocket laden with pilfered tomes and whatever gold she had managed to snatch for her efforts. As she crept through the darkness, the moon a pale half crescent in a sky littered with heavy clouds, she kept herself calm, collected. Under the cover of some nearby trees, she paused, leaning back against scratchy bark as she contemplated her next move.

Her contact, a bad tempered Auror by the name of Ralph, had told her of this camp and the highly sought after books they had in their possession. The Ministry were keen to get their hands on these tomes, the pages thick with dark magic and information on some of the most prominent Wizarding families in their world. A quick glance in one had revealed the Gaunt name, her memories awakening of the blind, blonde boy that had been a part of her life at school.

She patted her robe, her transfigured pocket containing a wealth of valuable information, powerful and dark magic, tools for persuasion and damage control.

She licked her lips, savouring the haul, her skills once again putting her in these positions. These books would earn satisfactory reward in both pride and gold. All she had to do was deliver them to the cranky, old Auror and take her prize in return.

But, she hesitated. She closed her eyes, her body shivering with goosebumps and heat coiling thick and fast in her abdomen, skin tingling as she thought of soft lips, dark eyes and the delicious pull of ropes on her wrists.

It had been a month since Sebastian and Leander had ensared her, four weeks since they had teased and tortured her and then claimed her for their own. She had left their lair with her wand, but no artefact, but her body had been well satiated, and her mind ensared with the possibilities.

The Seeing Sphere had shown her using her power, dark shadows at her beck and call. Sebastian's desire for knowledge and power had drawn Leander into his arms, the pair of them outwitting some of the most powerful witches and wizards of their time. With her on their side, the possibilities were endless.

The Auror, or her lovers.

MC closed her eyes and Disapparated.

....*....

The underground chamber looked the same as it did when Leander when had brought her here a month ago. She still had no idea where it was, merely closing her eyes and using her memory of it in the hopes of landing here, but here she was.

She took a few steps, her gaze falling on the shifting magic of the doorway portal. She wondered if either or both of them were present. As she stepped up to the shimmering charm on the archway, she hoped she was making the right choice.

She stepped through the magical barrier, the room softly lit and warm, the fire burning in the great fireplace. Sebastian was in the chair by the fire reading, his head lifting as she appeared. His smile was one of slow satisfaction.

"You came back, darling," he said.

She moved into the room, circling a settee and standing on a large rug before him. "You don't sound surprised to see me," she said.

He stood, closing his book and placing it on top of a pile beside his chair. He stepped up to her, reaching up to pull back the hood of her robe, a slight crease on his brow.

"You're all wet," he said. "You must be chilled. Let's see to that and then we can talk."

She did shiver as the hood slid free of her hair, his fingers glancing across her cheek as he moved to pour her a whiskey. She glanced around the room as she removed her robe, both wooden doors were closed, the chamber quiet. No sign of the tall red head.

"If you're looking for Leander, he isn't here," Sebastian said. "He went out a while ago and won't be back till later."

MC took the offered whiskey glass and sipped, meeting dark eyes and feeling her cheeks flush. He had guessed what she had been thinking.

"You are quite taken by Prewett, aren't you?" He teased. He took a large mouthful of whiskey, eyes calculating as he studied her. "Is that why you returned? Because of him?"

Her stomach twisted as butterflies erupted, the heat of her core lazily turning over as she thought about it. Partly, yes, Leander had turned her head, but also, Sebastian's own darkness had called to her. Just like it had years ago.

"I've brought you a gift," she said. She swirled her whiskey in her glass, watching him through her lashes. "But I think Leander should be here before I say more."

Sebastian's eyes gleamed with interest and he slipped his wand from his pocket, a smirk twisting his lips. "Is that so?"

He charmed a little bird, whispering to it before sending it upwards. It flapped its wings before vanishing in a sprinkle of sparks.

"Then please, take a seat," he said, gesturing towards the settee. "Leander will be along shortly."

....*....

The books were spread out over the table top, Sebastian leaning over an open one, his eyes devouring the page. Her gifts had gone down as well as she had expected, a kiss from each of them. There had been more whiskey to toast her success in retrieving them, and now she felt suitably warm and flushed.

Leander came up behind her, his arm snaking about her waist and he pressed a kiss to her neck. She closed her eyes, savouring the feel of his closeness. Sebastian looked up and smiled.

"Shall we make it official?" He asked, slipping his wand out again.

Leander nodded and took hold of MC's wrist, sliding up her sleeve to expose the pale, tender flesh of her pulse point.

"What's this?" She asked, tensing up a little.

Sebastian moved around the table, twirling his wand, eyes dark and possessive. Leander held her against him, his grip on her wrist firm.

"Time to make you ours," Leander said softly into her ear. He pressed a kiss to it, lips soft and teasing.

Sebastian pressed the tip of his wand to her pulse point, eyes meeting hers. "Are you sure this is what you want? This will bind you to us, forever."

Her heart pounded, thoughts racing, and then she felt the warm press of Leander's hand on her stomach, Sebastian's gaze full of fire and promise. She nodded.

"This is what I want."

Sebastian uttered the spell, his voice soft and dripping with shadow and the brand scalded her skin. A cry left her lips and she flinched, a fire spreading from the brand through her blood, encasing her heart and making her head throb. Her vision swam, and she was vaguely aware of Sebastian's touch to her cheek, her legs giving way but Leander's strong arms holding her up.

And then all was black.

....*....

The pillow was soft as she stirred, blinking against the low light of a lamp. She could feel a presence, a life force that thrummed in her blood, she frowned, confused, as it seemed to shift, splitting off into two separate forces. One was close, the other was nearby, but not too far.

She turned and stilled. Leander was sitting on the bed beside her, he reached and brushed hair from her face.

"You're awake at last. How do you feel?"

She took a breath, slowly sitting up, the life force closest to her seeming to throb and grow warmer as she met his gaze. She put a hand to her chest trying to make sense of it.

Leander smiled and took her hand, pressing it against his chest where his own heart would be. She gasped, the life force heightened into a sweet pulse. Her eyes widened.

"I can feel you!"

"It's strange to start with, but you get used to it," he said. "You must be able to feel Sebastian too. He is in the other room, but he could be anywhere, and you will still feel it. We are connected to each other through our life force. Only death can break it."

MC smoothed her hand against his chest, swallowing hard. "Joined. Forever."

Leander nodded. "Sebastian saw it inside the Seeing Sphere. He made me confess," he said, blushing. He dipped his gaze. "I... I was in love with you at school. And after seeing the vision, and getting the truth out of me, we set the trap to lure you to us."

"This was your aim all along?" She asked, shocked. Her pulse tripped madly, thoughts scattered as she stared at him. He had loved her? Her own cheeks grew warm.

"That it was," Sebastian said from the doorway. He moved to join them at the bed. He put a hand on Leander's shoulder and caressed her cheek.

"The spell joins the life forces of those in love. We both loved you already. We just had to see if you would return it," he said. "The Seeing Sphere foretold that you would, but I couldn't be sure, and when I awoke to see you kissing Leander with such softness, I knew it as truth. We just had to wait for you to return."

Tears stung her eyes. She loved them both? She didn't love anyone. Her heart had always been closed off to such softness, such vulnerability. And yet, she could feel them both. Two extra pulses of life alongside her own, every heartbeat linking them in ways that no other could ever come close to. She looked down at her wrist, the burn mark there in the shape of an 'S', a raw version of the healed mark on Leander's wrist that she had noticed in bed that night. She traced it with her finger. She would never be alone again.

Leander's hand slid into her hair, cupping the back of her head, the touch gentle. Sebastian had hold of her chin, his thumb teasing at her skin, his eyes magnetic. She looked at them both, glad she had walked through that archway, taken the chance and brought the books here instead of to the Auror.

"Ours," Sebastian whispered. "Forever."

"Forever," Leander smiled.

Lured Part 2 - Before

#dark!sebastian sallow #dark!leander prewett #blueraineshadows #Sebastian Sallow #Leander prewett #hogwarts legacy fanfic

88 notes · View notes