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thehomeofplatonicfics · 2 months
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Curiosity Killed the Cat
MC!Reader x Sebastian Sallow (platonic!)
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Sebastian was definitely keeping a wide berth from you, you knew this much. What you didn’t know was why. He had been trying to sort out all his dark thoughts, his tumultuous feelings, the guilt of what happened to his uncle and losing Anne, possibly forever. You had done so much for him, he had realised this now. However, you had your own troubles and burdens; the loss of your dear Professor Fig, and well, the entire battle against Ranrok in general. He thought you certainly wouldn’t have time for his emotional problems too. Especially, after how he had treated you in the weeks leading up to those tragic events. He realised how selfish he had been and thought staying away from you would be helpful.
It was driving you absolutely crazy. The fact that the boy you’d given everything to would just now walk by with just a glance and a curt nod. It was worse than anything. More than once, you found yourself tempted to cast a basic cast (or even a confringo) at him just to get him to respond to you, react in some way to your existence.
In the weeks leading up to the end of term, you realised that without Professor Fig, you now didn’t really have anywhere to go once the Summer holidays arrived. You certainly couldn’t go back to the muggle orphanage. Originally, you had been planning to ask Sebastian and Anne if they’d speak to their uncle Solomon, about letting you stay… but clearly that wasn’t going to work anymore. You couldn’t ask Ominis, because he was trying to escape his family, and Poppy had her own issues with family. You thought of then asking Natty, but after she had literally taken a cruciatus curse for you, you weren’t quite convinced that Professor Onai would be willing to have the living, breathing reminder of it staying with them for the whole summer.
So, who had been left? In the end, you plucked up the courage to ask Imelda Reyes. Shockingly, the Quidditch obsessed witch had warmed up to you and had agreed, but only under the strict pretence that you would have to fly together a lot and let Imelda practise Quidditch as much as she pleased with you.
Of course, you felt you had no choice but to agree. However, in between these flying practices, you were finding yourself bored, restless and still thinking endlessly of Sebastian, of Ominis and Professor Fig. You needed something to do, desperately. So, one evening you had pulled out the old familiar field guide that Professor Weasley had given you at the start of your fifth year, and you decided to set a quest for yourself; specifically, to complete all the Merlin trials before the start of your sixth year.
It started out as a fun little distraction, but as the weeks drew on it became more and more like a desperate obsession. Sometimes, you’d spend hours trying to solve them, refusing to eat, drink or rest until you had solved that particular trial. You were slowly but surely running yourself ragged over these damn trials.
It didn’t take long for Imelda to be concerned after your flying times started slowing down, and Imelda being Imelda, she certainly didn’t hesitate to call you out on it. More than once she had uttered, “You look awful, Y/N.”
On this particular day, you planned to solve two Merlin trials that were close to Feldcroft. They were too close for your liking to the village Sebastian grew up in, and you had been wanting to avoid it for a long time, but at this point you just couldn’t help yourself. You had to solve them. You had to solve them all.
Meanwhile, Sebastian was sat outside on the grass by his house, reading a book. He looked up to notice the familiar outline of you flying on your thestral overhead, looking positively wild. Curiosity and concern piqued, he closed his book and decided to try and follow you. It took him a while to track down your trail, only having the vague idea of what direction you were going in, and he sighed in relief when he saw the thestral hoofprints that soon evolved into your familiar steps.
He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he saw you, but he certainly wasn’t anticipating the scene he found. You sat there on the stony cobblestones of the Merlin trial, almost in tears and muttering to yourself. “Where are you?” You frantically whispered, as you started rapidly casting confringo and incendio at literally everything. “There must be another! Why aren’t you working?” You muttered again, growling in frustration.
You stood up to turn and cast confringo once again, as you heard something behind you, but before you cast, you gasped in shock and your wand fell from your hand, clattering onto the cobblestone. Both of you stood there, staring at each other, neither of you sure what to say.
The longer you both stood there in silence, the deeper Sebastian’s brow furrowed in deep concern as he looked you over. “You look awful.” His words echoed in your mind like he was Imelda’s parrot.
“Thanks very much, you don’t look so great yourself.” You retorted, sighing slightly, his words affecting you more than you’d care to admit.
An awkward silence passed between you. “Why are you here?” Sebastian asked, stepping forward. “Why are you here?” You countered defensively, taking a subtle step back. “Saw you flying overhead, got curious.” Sebastian replied nonchalantly, shrugging slightly.
“Curiosity killed the cat.”
As soon as you said it, you outwardly cringed, feeling like it was very inappropriate in the circumstances. Your flushed face looked around for an escape.
“I’m sorry, that was-” “No, it’s okay.” You tried to apologise, but Sebastian cut in before you could finish. Another awkward pause ensued.
“You didn’t answer my question. Why are you in Feldcroft? Shouldn’t you be back at home or wherever.” You kicked the ground with your shoe as you tried to think of a response, stammering slightly. “I can’t go back. Was going to stay with Fig, but obviously that didn’t work out.” You forced an awkward laugh, burying a sob that threatened to surface. “I’m staying with- well, it isn’t important. I’ll be out of your hair soon enough.” You turned away from him, considering the conversation over.
“You’re trying to solve the Merlin trial, aren’t you?” Sebastian said it as more of a statement rather than a question, as if he already knew the answer. You raised an eyebrow, feeling as if he somehow knew what you had been up to this whole time. “Yes, I am. Trying to, anyway. This one is impossible!” You paused, looking at Sebastian’s face with suspicion. “You don’t seem very surprised.”
Sebastian sighed, running a hand through his hair, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before he replied. “That’s because I'm not. Ominis has been writing to me the whole summer with updates about various… things.” At this he paused, a small, sly smirk appearing on his face. “He told me that he’s heard about several sightings of the Hero of Hogwarts-” “Don’t call me that.” You interrupted him, muttering under your breath as you grit your teeth, your face contorting with disgust at that name. “Okay… sightings of a certain person flying around the Scottish highlands and mysterious ivy arches appearing in your wake.”
You turned back completely to face him fully, your mouth gaping open, your shoulders slumping down. “Recently his letters have been sounding more concerned. People are worried about you.” Sebastian sighed loudly, restarting his sentence. “I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t be, I’m fine. Just passing the time, that’s all.” You replied, a little more hostile than you had intended. Sebastian shook his head, reaching for you as you stepped back. “Why are you doing this, Y/N?” Sebastian stepped toward you again. “Why not?” You retorted, your voice raising slightly.
“You’re taking it too far, Y/N. It has become an obsession. It has got to stop.” He pleaded with you. “You hypocrite! This is harmless!” You cried out, shaking your head in disbelief, “You’d know all about taking things too far, wouldn’t you?!” He stopped, shaking his head with a grim expression, knowing that he probably deserved that comment.
“What happens when you’ve finished all of them, Y/N? What then?”
A heavy silence passed between you. You suddenly sat back down on the ground, completely stunned by the question as if you had just taken a stupefy to the chest. In all this time, you hadn’t actually thought about it. You presumed it would take the whole school holiday, but you only had eight trials left to go, and three weeks to do them in. You’d be done, for sure, before then.
“I don’t know.” Your voice sounded small and strangled, as you looked up to the sky which was beginning to darken for the evening. “I have to solve them. I just know I have to.”
At that moment, Sebastian spotted the missing fire pillar that you’d been so fervently seeking. “It’s over there.” He pointed to it in defeat. You immediately threw powerful confringo spells at all the pillars. The arch reveals itself and you sighed in immense relief, finally smiling.
Sebastian smiled along with you. “That’s very satisfying.” He admitted. “It is, for a few seconds. Then I feel empty, hollow, and craving more.”
“So, you look for the next one to find that joy for a few more seconds.” Sebastian shook his head. “That’s a slippery slope you are on, Y/N.”
“I know.” You stared up at the sky, doing anything to avoid looking at him.
“Come back with me, it is getting dark.” Sebastian offered, turning around and walking away, not looking back to see if you were following him or not. For whatever reason, you found yourself silently following him back into Feldcroft. He could hear your footsteps behind him, but chose not to say anything.
As you gingerly stepped through the front door of the familiar house, you immediately felt the intense pang of a bizarre mix of guilt, nostalgia and longing. It was strange to walk in and not see Solomon pottering about, to not see Anne sat on her chair or her bed. “Do sit down.” Sebastian offered, and you hesitated, looking between your remaining options. Instinctively, you avoided Anne’s usual seats.
A cup of tea and an apple was thrusted under your face. “Eat. Drink.” Sebastian practically commanded, the undertone betrayed his deep concern. You looked up at him quizzically. “You look like you need something sweet. I know you like them.”
You tried to smile, but it fell rather flat. As you sat and nourished yourself in silence, a heavy oppressive feeling sat on your chest. “How can you stand it?” You blurted out suddenly, turning to look at Sebastian. He raised an eyebrow, inviting you to elaborate. “Being in this house, alone, I mean.”
Sebastian simply shrugged, moving to lean on the kitchen countertop. “Because I have no choice. These were my actions, and now I must suffer the consequences. I learnt the hard way that some things just cannot be changed.”
“I don’t think I could do that.” “Do what?” “That.” You vaguely gestured at him. He chuckled. “It seems after everything, I still have new things to teach my charge.” A smile and small blush appeared on your face as you thought back to your first trip with him to Hogsmeade. “Ah, there’s the elusive smile I’ve been looking for.” “Stop it, Sebastian.” You smiled despite your words.
The atmosphere already felt a little lighter and a weight felt like it had finally been released from your shoulders. This. This feeling is what you’d been searching for all summer. Sebastian gave a soft smile, kneeling down so that he was eye-level with you. “Y/N, I promise to solve the rest of them with you, together. I want to turn this all into a positive memory for you.”
You wrapped your arms around him in a tight hug. He gasps slightly, surprised by the motion, before he returned it. “You already have, Sebastian.”
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 3 months
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Hey! I was wondering if we could possibly get a part 2 to destruction??
A/N: Why, hello anon! Apologies for the mini hiatus that caused me to take so long in writing this! I haven't flexed my writing brain in a loooong time :(
Destruction - Part 2
Madrigal!Reader x Bruno Madrigal (platonic!)
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Your Uncle Bruno has disappeared.
Those words sent your world crashing down around you. Your fire went out for weeks, your gift seemingly gone. You were devastated, and yet your family seemed relieved. You felt truly alone now, like no one was left who understood you the way your Uncle Bruno did.
You decided to keep a candle burning in your room, always. The flame would never die out as long as you lived. It served as an important reminder to you of all the comforting words Bruno had said about your gift, encouraging you to keep learning to control your gift to the best of your ability.
As the months flew by, you did indeed learn to wield your pyrokinesis to bring joy to the family and Encanto, not just fear. When the weather turned unexpectedly cold and villagers were freezing, they turned to you to keep their fires burning and their homes warm. When festivals were celebrated, villagers now turned to you to create impressive fire shows, instead of asking Abuela to keep you locked away in Casita.
You felt like you finally had an important place in the family, and you wished your Uncle was there to see it.
Occasionally, your temper inevitably flared. At the dinner table, when family tensions were high, the lanterns would flare, and the scolding from both your mother and Abuela would only serve to fuel the flames higher and brighter. But then, you’d hear Bruno’s whispery voice in your head, encouraging you, almost as if he were right behind you and whispering the words in your ear. It gave you the strength you needed to calm down and remain one of the more respected members of the family.
One day, you would find your Uncle again. You knew in your heart he was still out there somewhere, and when that day came, you knew he would be proud of all you had accomplished.
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 6 months
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Hi I recently discovered your account and I’m obsessed your writing is amazing and I don’t know if you’re still doing Tudor!reader Fics but if you are I have a request. So reader is Anne Boleyn’s eldest daughter and had to watch her mothers execution (for the storyline reader was 12 or so years old) and never forgave her farther so when she’s like 15 (maybe the day after Catherine Howard’s execution) she overthrows him as revenge. I hope you understand what I’m trying to say total understand if you don’t want to right it. Have a good day/night❤️
A/N: I love how kooky the timeline would have to be warped for this to be possible but I absolutely love the idea of this! So sorry for taking so long to write this, real life does enjoy getting in my way :(
Revenge
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Someone had to stop King Henry VII, your father, from his increasingly brutal reign. Lady Mary, your half-sister, seemed unable to do anything without the counsel of her precious Ambassador Chapuys. Elizabeth was of course just a child, too young to rule. Edward was a mere baby. It seemed to you that the responsibility of saving the realm fell solely on your shoulders. It was a burden you were glad to take.
You were grateful that you’d had enough time being raised by your mother Anne Boleyn, that you had learnt how to be as cunning and manipulative as she had once been. Of course, having Mary as an older sister helped solidify those ideals, as Mary was able to inspire a great deal of loyalty in others when she wanted to.
It had been a long, arduous task to slowly turn the King’s courtiers against him. An entire year had passed before the perfect opportunity had finally arisen. Only two days had passed since poor Queen Catherine Howard had been executed on your father’s orders. Though you hadn’t been the greatest fan of the silly child, she was just like you… an innocent girl. Too many young women’s lives had been destroyed on the whims of an undeserving King, and the unrest among the populace seemed at its highest. It was the perfect time to strike.
The foundations you had laid throughout the year, telling little white lies here and there, promising things that you’d never do in order to gain the loyalty of the courtiers, would serve you well. The King had noticed some changes but could never trace them back to you. Often you would have agents loyal to you do the work that needed to be done while you were at home with Elizabeth in the country, creating a wonderful alibi.
Knowing that the King seemed to be favouring Catherine, the Lady Latimer, as his potential sixth wife, you realised that she would be the perfect distraction for your coup. You knew she wanted to be with Thomas Seymour so she would be likely to help you, especially as you had always had a good relationship with her growing up. Elizabeth, of course, was easy to manipulate into playing the part that you needed her to.
You dressed in your most regal black dress, deliberately picking out jewels and a French hood that made you look like a true ruler. You took a deep breath in and out to try to calm your nerves and your trembling hands before you went into the court. You gave a subtle nod to Catherine Parr who, along with Elizabeth, went up to the King to talk to him and distract him.
As soon as the King had begun discussing something with them both, you gave the signal to your loyal people who captured his guards and those you knew were still loyal to him, discreetly dragging them away.
You gave a sly, satisfied smile as you secretly prepared your weapon behind your back. You knew that your father’s greatest fear was getting sick, so you poured a poison on your blade before walking up to him, curtsying, and then holding the blade tightly against his throat. “Y/N! What is this?!” King Henry asks incredulously, clearly not believing one of his daughters could pull this off, his face grew white as he saw all the people loyal to you with their weapons drawn.
“I am now your Queen. You will take orders from me, and no one else.” You call out to the people in the court, who begin to cheer. You smile smugly to yourself as you see your father’s world crashing down around him.
“Why, Y/N? Just… why?” You give an incredulous laugh, sneering at him. “Why, father? For my mother.” You lean forwards, your breath touching his face as you snarl your words.
You turn to your guards, and give a sweet smile. “Throw him in the tower.” You command, pushing your father towards them. You sit on the throne, looking around at your successful coup. Allowing yourself a few moments to gloat in your glory, you immediately turn to your advisors. The Queen had work to do.
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 8 months
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Hi there. I really like your fics, (specially the hogwarts legacy and the Encanto ones) so can I ask you for an Encanto fic in which M!reader (or GN!reader if you want more people to feel included) struggles to control their gift which is manipulating any forms of fire. Abuela gets mad for the chaos they have caused and the people are scared of them.
The reader is feeling really bad because they feel that their gift can only cause destruction but then Bruno appears and comforts them and tell them that all of the people are afraid of him too and that the gift they have is truly wonderfull.
If this doesn't bother you can you make this before the events of the movie? Maybe the reader can be still a child who got their gift not so long ago. And also that their mother is Pepa.
Thank you so much and sorry if my explanation was so long and impossible to understand. English isn't my first language. Have a nice day/ night!!
A/N: Thank you so much anon! So sorry for the delay, I ended up with chickenpox for the past few weeks and it is has taken me a while to recover. Hope you enjoy!
Destruction
child!Madrigal reader x Bruno Madrigal (platonic!)
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The whole village was a flurry with anticipation. There was to be a celebration in the village square and the entire Madrigal family was helping with the decorations and preparations. Your cousin Isabela had created the most beautiful flower decorations, and you took one of the flowers in your hand to smell the sweetness of it. A little bit of pollen got into your nose and… “Achoo!” You sneezed, triggering your gift to set the poor, unsuspecting flower aflame.
“Ah! No, no, no!” You muttered, as you tried to stamp the flames out. In your panic, you only made the fire worse as you slowly set alight to ALL the decorations. Soon, half the village square was up in flames. Villagers started running around screaming, pushing and shoving as they tried to get away. Some of the village children ran up towards you before they spotted the flames coming from your hands. “Ah! Monster!” They screamed, running in the opposite direction to you.
Your mother, Pepa, saw the chaos happening. Her eyes narrowed as she saw that you were in the centre of it all. The sky darkened and rain began to pour from the sky, as lightning flashed dangerously and the loud rumble of thunder signified how terribly angry she was with you. “Oh no…” You whispered to yourself, as she came over to you, agonisingly slowly. Luckily, the intense rain was able to douse your flames, including the ones still hovering above your hands.
“Y/N!” A shriek of anger comes from the edge of the village square. You turn to see your Abuela coming towards you, her face in a vicious snarl. “How could you? You’ve destroyed everything your family has worked so hard on today!”
You sniff, tears threatening to fall. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to, I couldn’t… control it.” Your chin wobbles, as Abuela yanks your arm to drag you back to Casita. Your family follows behind you, glaring daggers into your back. “I don’t want to hear it, Y/N.” Abuela shakes her head. “You have created absolute chaos, frightened the villages and disappointed your family. You must control your gift, or you cannot go out of Casita into Encanto.”
You gasp in shock, blinking rapidly as the tears mix in with the rain coming from Pepa’s storm. “You’ll lock me away in Casita?” You begin to sob, hugging myself as we trudge up the steps to Casita. As soon as you all get inside, you run up the stairs and run into your room, slamming the door. You flop onto your bed, staring up at the ceiling. It feels like your heart will break.
The door slowly creaked open, and your eyes land on your Uncle Bruno as he slinks into the room. “Y/N, let’s… have a talk.” You sit up, wiping your tears, as you sit cross-legged on your bed. Bruno sits beside you, a hand resting on your shoulder. “I know what it is like. To have a gift that causes fear in other people.” He says, as you look up at him, listening intently.
“People have a tendency to be… afraid of what they don’t understand. Now, you and I… we both have powerful gifts. Capable of great things… but also capable of causing a lot of damage.” You look down, sniffling, as you hug your pillow. “They see that power, and they are afraid. They don’t take the time to understand it.” Bruno adds, sighing as he looks down at you. “I know it seems tough right now, that no one will be able to see who you are, past the big scary fire…”
“They are so frightened of me… but it isn’t my fault, I can’t control it!”
“You will, with time. And when you can, they will love you for your gift. I think it is pretty neat, honestly.” Your face lights up. “Really?”
“Well, for a start, you can create a bonfire any time you want, and then we can toast marshmallows. Or when it is super dark, and you can just flick your hand and light us a torch? Yeah… your gift is awesome.” His words make you smile for the first time, the candles in your room start to burn a bit brighter.
“You keep your chin up, kiddo. Don’t listen to the others�� listen to your Uncle Bruno.” You smile, feeling the room become warmer from the heat of your flames again.
“Thanks, Tío.”
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 9 months
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Hiya! I am soooo happy you opened your request box cause I've been loving all your fics so far <3 Can I request a hogwarts legacy mc reader fic talking to a portrait of professor fig after the events of the game? I always think they game never acknowledged how upset mc would really be losing fig, like their expression in the funeral was so blank it was painful!!
A/N: Oh my gosh, anon! Thank you so much for being the first person to send me a request! I 100% agree with you, like I was sobbing during that scene and MC just scrunches their nose?! I honestly think this is my best fic, so please if you like it do tell me! <3
I Miss You
MC!Reader x Professor Fig (platonic!)
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It had only been two months since you became the hero of Hogwarts. Only two months since the only father figure you’d ever had died. The professors had quickly commissioned his portrait, and for over a week now he had hung proudly inside the office of his Magical Theory classroom. You had yet to visit the portrait of Professor Fig. The upcoming OWLs, only days away, were your main excuse. That you simply didn’t have time. In truth, you were scared to confront your loss head on… no one could make you admit how much Eleazar Fig’s passing had affected you.
As you left an early morning study session, you mused about how difficult it would be for Professor Fig’s successor. They would surely know that they had big shoes to fill. You imperceptibly shook your head to yourself, whoever they were… you almost felt sorry for them.
Heading down the corridor towards the Great Hall for a well-deserved breakfast, you walked past the classroom you’d come to know so well. Suddenly, you felt rooted to the spot. It was like you were hit with your grief all at once. You realised what you were truly afraid of… the future, one you had to face without your mentor.
You needed to see the office. You needed Professor Fig. Gliding towards the classroom, eyes searching the corridor for anyone watching you, you slipped through the classroom door. Passing through the empty classroom, you cautiously opened the office door that you once used to bolt through. The confidence was gone, maybe forever.
It was difficult to miss the large painting hanging behind the professor’s desk, and your eyes instantly locked with his familiar brown ones. He gave a smile of relief, and you felt your breath hitch in your throat. “Ah, Y/N. I wondered when I’d be seeing you. What brings you here?” You felt yourself welling up, and you balled your hands into fists to try and maintain some composure. His voice was like a drop of rain in the midst of the hottest desert.
“I just… I just need some advice.” The words tumbled out of you before you could think about it as you slowly stepped closer and closer to the painting. “The Hero of Hogwarts needing my humble advice? Sounds serious.” He spoke with a bemused tone. You jumped up to sit on top of his desk, hunching over to make yourself as small as possible, hands clasped tightly. Anything to stop yourself from breaking down. “You are… were a hero too.” You muttered under your breath.
“What troubles you, my young friend?” He looked at you with furrowed brows and a concerned gaze. He had never seen you so downtrodden before.
“Well, I don’t know… I guess just - everyone else has had five years to prepare for the exams. And I, well, I’ve only had one.” You rolled your eyes at yourself, almost feeling silly for complaining about it. “And you’ve done exceptionally well, you’ve surpassed any expectations that anyone had of you. Including me, and my expectations of you were already very high.”
“What if I’ve not done enough?” You questioned, deliberately looking anywhere except at Fig’s painting. “What if I don’t get the grades I need?” The painting shook his head with a lopsided smile. After all you’d accomplished, you still couldn’t see your true worth. “I know you shall. I’ve seen you work, I’ve seen your abilities. There is no doubt in my mind you’ll get at least Exceeds Expectations in every class.” You shook your head slowly, wanting to believe it but feeling like something was blocking you. A few moments of silence passed, the professor patiently waiting for you to continue, knowing instinctively that something more was bothering you.
“What will my future be? What do I want to be?” You looked up, staring directly into his painted eyes, desperately trying to remember his real ones. How warm they had been, how you could see decades of wisdom and experience behind them. “I’ve known so little about this world, and now I have to decide my whole future in it.” Your voice cracked as you struggled to keep your emotions bottled in. Professor Fig nodded his head sagely, and you knew he understood what you needed in that moment.
“You’d like my help to decide?” It was more of a statement than a question. “Help me prioritise which subjects to focus on.” A hand ran through your hair, then over your face. “I’ll need the best grades in subjects I carry to NEWTs… and those exams determine my career, right?” The painting hesitated, clasping his hands in front of him before humming in agreement.
Silence again. This time it was charged, heavy with words unsaid. You wanted to break the silence but didn’t know what to say. Technically, the Professor Fig in front of you wasn’t really him and as you chewed on your lip staring at floor below the painting, you were painfully aware of it.
“I think you should consider taking Magical Theory as a NEWT.” Your head whipped up to meet Fig’s gaze, eyebrows raised. “No… No, I couldn’t.” He frowned, his head tilting slightly. “Why not? We spent the whole year researching your own magic, I think you could teach the class yourself now.” He chuckled to himself, but the eyes that once sparkled when he laughed remained the same dull brown. Another reminder that things would never be the same. “Because… it wouldn’t be you teaching me. I don’t think I could stand it. Someone else standing where you should be.”
You stared at each other for a few moments before you broke the eye contact, lowering your eyes into your lap, your hands almost bleeding from how deep you were digging your nails into your skin.
“Y/N, I may never have taught you officially in my class, but you’ll always be my proudest achievement. I hope you know that.” He always knew exactly what to say, even when you didn’t know what you needed to hear. The tears slipped down your cheeks before you could stop them, and soon the floodgates opened and all the bottled emotions came seeping out at once.
“I miss you so much. I don’t know how I’ll do this without you.” Loud sobs echoed across the office, and a hand lay on your chest as you tried to fight the intensity of what you were feeling. “You taught me everything, I wouldn’t even be here without you. And now I have to continue on without my… father.”
The painting of the Professor looked shocked for a moment before he melted into a warm smile. If he could have hugged you, he would have. “I’ll always be here, Y/N. I know it isn’t quite the same. But the advantage of being a painting is that you’ll always know where to find me. I won’t be off on a week-long research project… or sent off on one of the headmaster’s silly errands.”
A quiet giggle escaped you, soon developing into a real laugh. It was brief, but it was time you’d laughed since he died. Professor Fig smiled down at you, pleased to see a glimpse of your old self again. You wiped away your tears, summoning a parchment and quill. “Okay. Let’s get down to business, shall we?” You announced with a true smile, one that the painting returned with a fond nod. It wasn't quite the same, but the painting would help you through your grief. You'd always have a piece of your mentor in your heart.
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 10 months
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Surprise!
I'm opening up my ask box for the first time! I may not be particularly fast at posting, but please do send your requests in! <3
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 10 months
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Hi everyone! I spent the entirety of my work commute yesterday creating a playlist inspired by Hogwarts Legacy's Slytherin MC's journey as a grey hero. Since I put so much effort into it, I wanted to share it with you all! Hope you enjoy my weird music taste <3
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 10 months
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The Heart Drowns
Reader x Charlotte Heywood (and the Parkers) (platonic!!)
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Sometimes being in Sanditon seemed like a curse. The town was beautiful, and of course you loved it and it’s people dearly… but everything kept going wrong for you, you were often miserable. As the latest victim to Edward Denham’s mind games, your heart sufficiently broken in the process, you headed for the only place that could provide you peace and solace. The beach and the calming waves of the ocean never failed to make you feel better.
Of course, such a simple plan was going to go so horribly wrong for you. The wind picked up dramatically as you walked along the edge of the ocean, your dress billowing out and your bonnet almost falling off your head. Your instincts told you to turn back, but as the tears continued to flow, you deemed your heartbreak more important.
The heavens opened down onto you, your dress soaked in just a few short seconds, the rain and sea combined and hellbent on making you a true tragic heroine. An urgent shout caught your attention, turning towards the safety of the town to find your friend Charlotte Heywood pointing frantically at the sea, the Parkers just behind her waving you back to the land.
You looked where Charlotte was pointing, gasping as you saw the biggest wave you had ever seen coming towards you. Trying to run away, it was already too late. The sea swept underneath you, and you were thrown under the cold, harsh water. You could only vaguely hear the screams of worry coming from the shore, your own heart pounding loudly in your head. It was difficult to hold your breath as the ocean tossed you about.
Your bonnet now lost to you, it floated up to the surface, to the horror of the Parkers. They had, along with Charlotte, run down the steps onto the beach, yelling out your name as they tried to find a glimpse of you. Tom and Arthur were already removing their tailcoats and cravats to jump in and extract you.
It was Charlotte however you reached you first, as you struggled to find the surface to take a breath, your hand just barely breaching the surface. Your lungs ached and you felt the world slowly fading to black when a frantic hand grasped tightly onto yours. Charlotte tugged you to the surface, Tom scooping you up in his arms as your head finally breached the surface of the water.
The trio rushed up the beach back onto the safety of the shore, laying you down on your side. The water you had swallowed came rushing back out of your mouth on the street, as you loudly hacked and coughed your way through your first breaths since rescue. “Y/N, can you hear me?” Charlotte asked, rubbing your back softly, as the Parker brothers decided who would fetch the Doctor.
You vaguely nodded, the air burning your chest and throat. Heavy tremors wracked through you, from the cold air and the shock of the ordeal you’d been through. Tom ran off to find Dr Fuchs, leaving you in the care of Arthur, Mary and Charlotte.
“Let us get her inside before she catches her death out here.” Mary quietly instructed the others, who nodded sharply in agreement. Charlotte and Mary gently helped you to stand, the former putting an arm around your waist to steady you as you swayed. Arthur took off his coat, handing it to Mary as she wrapped it around you. “Thank you, Mr Parker.” You rasped, barely audible. “Don’t try and speak, dear. Save your strength.”
You softly nodded to show you understood, as you took tentative steps towards Trafalgar House. Even with heavy assistance, you had to stop often, doubled over coughing and spluttering and your legs acting like you were a baby deer. Despite Arthur’s coat covering you, your soaking wet clothing was chilling you to the bone and you were heavily shivering. Charlotte felt that she was having to hold you up more and more. She turned to Arthur with a half pleading, half concerned look. He instantly recognised what he wanted her to do. “May I, Miss Y/N?”
You were gathered into his arms before you could blink, and you clung tightly to him as the trio speedily made their way home. They burst through the doors of Trafalgar House, rushing you up the stairs into the guest bedroom. Arthur laid you down on top of the bed and left, before Charlotte and Mary began helping you out of you soaking attire.
“I’m sorry, Charlotte.” You croaked, wincing at the burning sensation in your throat. “It’s okay, Y/N, really.” Charlotte paused, placing a hand on your shoulder for a moment before continuing. “What were you doing out there in this weather anyway?” She asked, undoing your stays to pull your clingy undergarments away from your chilled skin.
“I needed some fresh air and a walk to… muddle through my murky thoughts.” Mary brought over a nightdress for you and helped to put in on. “Has something happened?” Charlotte pressed, watching your face fall as you chewed the inside of your cheek.
“Recently, I meddled with the wrong person and… had my heart sufficiently hurt in the process.” You lowered your head, as the pair pulled back the covers and helped you settle down onto the pillows, which propped you upright. “Oh, Y/N. I am so sorry, I didn’t know.” A sad smile appeared as you fiddled with the edge of the blankets. “It’s okay, I really should have known better given his reputation.”
You doubled over coughing again, and Mary rubbed your back soothingly as she raised an eyebrow at Charlotte. There was only one person they could think of. “Sir Denham?” Charlotte quietly asked, as you flopped back against the covers. A tear slipped down your cheeks, confirming everything.
“The right one is out there for you, Y/N. I just know it. You are wonderful, kind and a good friend.” You smiled up at her, eyes brimming with more tears at hearing such lovely words about you. “Thank you. And… thank you for saving my life.”
Your companions both smiled, Charlotte giving your hand a squeeze before they both moved towards the door. “You need to get your rest, the doctor will be here soon.” They shut the door behind them, and you settled back into the pillows. A hopeful little smile present despite everything. The encouragement was just what you needed.
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 10 months
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Butterbeer Woes
MC!Reader x Ominis Gaunt (platonic!)
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You sat in your dorm room, head in hand, as you wrote your Herbology essay. Your owl flew into the room, perching on her stand, causing you look up and smile upon seeing the letter enclosed in her talons. Putting the quill down, you moved across the room to take the letter. Easily removing the wax seal, you immediately recognised the letter was from Ominis.
Dear Y/N,
Meet me outside the entrance to Hogsmeade, we can’t meet in the undercroft. Sebastian might come. Do not tell him where you are going.
Ominis
You quirked an eyebrow, curious about what he wanted and why he wanted such secrecy. Tidying away your things and leaving the ink to dry on your parchment, you grabbed your broom and headed straight outside. You flew as fast as you could, running the rest of the way once you hit the No-fly area.
You spotted him leaning up against the lamppost, his wand flashing slightly as it detected your presence. “Y/N, I’m glad you came.”
“Ominis!” You breathed, hand on your chest as you tried to catch your breath. “This sounded important. What’s happened?” Ominis raised his wand, clearly scanning for company before shaking his head. “Not here. Follow me.” You quirked an eyebrow at his behaviour before reluctantly trailing behind him.
He led you to the Three Broomsticks, not waiting for you to speak before he headed inside. You shrugged to yourself, wondering is anything would ever be normal, before you followed him inside. “What is this about?” He shook his head again, heading off again. “We need to be as far away from that blasted portrait as possible.” You half-smiled, seeing his point. Perhaps you shouldn’t have returned it to its rightful place but… it had felt like the right thing to do.
The pair of you sat down and Sirona came over to give you both a butter beer. You thanked her, waiting for her to completely leave before turning to your companion. “It’s about Sebastian.” You rolled your eyes, forgetting Ominis couldn’t see it. “I figured that much. What has he done now?”
“Nothing in particular right now. But his behaviour has changed and I am concerned.” He paused, taking a sip of his butter beer, causing you to follow suit. “I know you’ve tried to calm him down. Gently.” He shook his head, and you furrowed your brows trying to see where he was going with this. “I think we need to be more forceful.”
It was your turn to shake your head. You agreed with Ominis in principle, but in practice you weren’t sure if it would help or hinder. “He’s already pushing back. Already being incredibly rude…” You frowned, thinking of how mean he had been to you on your last adventure. “I’m not sure how much our interference will make a difference.” A sigh escaped you, a quiet thud sounding on the table telling Ominis you had just flumped your head into your hand, elbow propping you upright.
“Can I be honest with you?” Ominis asked, catching your attention as you raised an eyebrow. You hadn’t known Ominis to be anything but brutally honest. “Of course.” He sighed, taking a gulp of butterbeer. “I’m worried he won’t stop.” You nodded, your gaze blankly staring out towards the bar where Sirona served more of the locale. You didn’t have the guts to admit it, but deep down you knew this was completely true. From your adventures together, you had a feeling you knew Sebastian in ways that Ominis never would.
I’m…” You hesitated, fiddling with the butterbeer tankard as you tried to decide whether or not you should say it. “I’m starting to… side with his uncle.” There, you’d said it. Your eyes flicked up to watch Ominis’s expression, surprised to find that he was clearly not shocked at all. “If you step in, push him too hard… I’m worried he will hurt you.” You carried on, wanting how to get all your thoughts out in the open.
“What about you?” His question hung heavy in the air. You took a swig of your butterbeer, the taste in your mouth suddenly bitter. You knew the day would come where it might come to that. That you might have to raise your wand against your closest companion, no matter how much you tried to save him.
“I can take care of myself.” Ominis cracked a small smile. Having witnessed your combat ability in person, he knew that this was absolutely true.
Ominis opened his mouth to say something more, when you shushed him urgently. The doors to the Three Broomsticks opened and revealed Sebastian strolling in. “He’s here. We need to leave.” Hastily the two of you stood up, hiding behind a pillar. Silently, you casted the disillusionment charm on the pair of you. “We’re charmed, let’s sneak out the upstairs door.” You whispered, tiptoeing past Sebastian as he talked to Sirona by the bar.
The disillusionment charm stayed until you had both re-entered the streets of Hogsmeade. “That was too close.” Ominis shook his head, taking a big sigh. “I agree,” you replied, hand on your frantically beating heart. “Let’s get back to the castle.” The pair of you headed back to Hogwarts, turning down the path out of view just in time before Sebastian himself reappeared.
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 11 months
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Who is in control?
Betazoid!reader x Deanna Troi (platonic!)
Warning: Discussion of mental health and eating disorders contained within.
A/N: I just really love fics where Deanna gets to actually do her job. This is a topic very close to my heart <3
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A betazoid never ate alone. Not if they could help it. You had a whole ship of thousands of people to choose as your meal companions… yet you still sat alone, hidden in your quarters, a measly bowl of soup before you. You tried to justify breaking tradition; were you really alone if you could hear everyone’s thoughts? You still rang a miniature gong during your meals, so it didn’t matter, right?
Anger bubbled up within you, your spoon thrown across the room and clattering against the door. Why were you doing this? You thought to yourself as you compulsively grabbed the bowl, it soon meeting the same fate as the spoon.
Such a strong emotion would not go unnoticed for long. The ship’s counsellor, Deanna Troi, was relaxing in Ten Forward when she felt your anger, followed by disgust and fear. She didn’t need the computer to locate you, the emotion was deep enough to immediately track you down.
Immediately she rushed through the doors, heading straight for a turbolift to get to your quarters. Deanna slightly shook her head to herself in disappointment. She’d noticed you had begun to withdraw in recent weeks and she hadn’t seen you in Ten Forward at all in several days. Perhaps she should have acted sooner. She should have realised that it wasn’t just a bad couple of days at work. As counsellor, she had the right to request access to your replicator records and see what (if anything) you’d been requesting from the computer.
She sighed as she stepped through into the turbolift. “Deck seven.” She called out, before falling back into thought. Deanna didn’t want to have to request the records, she hoped you’d either confide in her or that your discussion would soon disprove her suspicions entirely.
Stepping out onto deck seven, Deanna felt the intensity of your emotion grow stronger as she approached your quarters. The anger was gone though, she noted, replaced by a real sadness. The fear was still there, stronger than before. Deanna raised an eyebrow, her theory seeming more and more possible. But oh, how she hoped she was wrong.
You sat on the floor of your quarters, tears rolling down your face as you stared at your reflection in the mirror. Soon you became aware of Deanna outside your quarters. She was simultaneously the last and the first person you wanted to see in that moment. “Go away.” Before she even had the chance to ring the bell you’d telepathically called out to her, warning her against coming any closer.
Deanna sighed again, her hand resting against the door as she bowed her head in frustration. “Let me come in, Y/N. Please.” The counsellor begged, her concern radiating into your mind. It almost broke your heart. She shouldn’t be concerned about you, you weren’t worth it. “I don’t need any help. Go. Away.” You curled up into a little ball, crying harder. Deanna could hear it through the door. “I can’t do that, I know that’s not true.”
Anyone passing by would have perhaps thought Deanna was going crazy, just standing outside your door and shaking her head every so often in silence. “Please,” Deanna tried again, “don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.” She felt your sudden spike of anger that faded as quickly as it arrived. “I’m… I’m not.” You faltered, slowly standing up. Perhaps you realised this confrontation was inevitable, and it would happen with or without your cooperation. At least this way it was still somewhat in your control.
Deanna removed her hand from the door and stepped back, a kind smile already prepped on her face as she anticipated the door opening. She tried her best to school her expression as the door opened to reveal you, looking a pathetic sight. “Come in, counsellor.” You gestured dejectedly, wondering how you we’re going to get out of this situation. Just how much did Deanna know?
As Deanna stepped inside, you realised she’d see the soup splattered all over the floor. The four deities had abandoned you, clearly, you were doomed. To her credit, Deanna merely observed the soup with a sad little nod and then turned her attention back to you as the doors closed. “You know why I’m here, don’t you?” Deanna asked aloud, breaking the silence for the first time.
“Because I threw some soup on the floor.” You replied, avoiding her gaze. Deanna frowned, knowing you’d put up a fight. “No, Y/N. Why don’t you tell me what’s been going on? I’ve noticed that you’ve isolated yourself the past couple of weeks. I haven’t seen you in Ten Forward for a meal in days.” She took a deep breath, processing all that she was sensing from you. “Why, Y/N?”
Wow, you thought, going straight for the jugular. You stood frozen to the spot, your mind battling out all your options. You couldn’t lie, Deanna would know. You couldn’t say nothing because Deanna would still know your thoughts, your feelings… just as you knew hers. But telling the truth, you couldn’t do that either. It would ruin everything.
“What would ruin everything?” Deanna asked, having heard your entire internal monologue. There was no escape. You broke down, raising your hands to your face, your shoulders shaking. “The research project… I feel mistreated by my colleagues. Like I’m just a pathetic little assistant to them to do all the tasks they don’t want to do. I’m not in control of my own research proposal. Not in control of my own career.” You told her telepathically, not trusting your voice to say the words aloud.
“I wanted to be in charge of something in my life, to feel like everything wasn’t spiralling out of control. And this… this I can control. This became my project.” You sobbed at this point, your body jerking in half at the force of the emotion. “You know, seeing how long I could go without any food.” Deanna’s heart broke at your confession, and she guided you to the sofa where you fell into her shoulder as you cried. She wrapped her arms around you, wishing she’d acted sooner.
“Why didn’t you come to me?” The counsellor asked, rubbing your arm soothingly as possible. “I was so embarrassed.” You removed your face from her shoulder, trying to take deep breaths in and out. “I thought that I could… that I could stop anytime I wanted to. But, I couldn’t. I wanted to but I couldn’t stop!” The tears landed in your lap and you looked down at them, not wanting to look at Deanna’s expression. You didn’t need to, you could tell she was horrified.
“Y/N, look at me.” You shook your head, not ready to face the reality of what was happening. “Look at me.” Deanna commanded again, making you flit your eyes up to meet hers for just a moment. It was enough for the counsellor to confirm what she had to do in that moment. “Are you in control?” She asked, already knowing the answer. You knew she knew it too, so you didn’t bother to hide the truth. “No.” You whispered, bowing your head as you gripped either side of it. It felt like it was about to explode.
There were a few moments of silence, the tension cutting through you deeper than a blade ever could. “Lieutenant Y/N L/N, as chief counsellor, I am relieving you of duty as per order 39, section alpha 8, effective immediately.”
You gasped, your eyes as wide as saucers. Everything you’d worked so hard for… gone. Just like that. “No. No! Please!” You begged Deanna, standing up abruptly. The counsellor already knew what you were about to do. “Security, deck 7 section 8.” She tapped her combadge, watching with sadness as you ran out of your room and into the corridor.
Deanna followed, watching the team materialise in the corridor as you ran past a crewman. “Stun them only!” She ordered, pointing at your retreating form. It didn’t take long for a phaser fire to hit you squarely in the back, and you collapsed onto the floor. “Troi to Sickbay, medical emergency. Deck 7, section 8.” She smiled to herself in relief as she heard Beverly’s voice acknowledging. Dr. Crusher was probably the best person to collaborate with to ensure you returned to duty in good health.
Beverly shortly arrived with her team, placing you onto the stretcher and getting you to sickbay. Deanna, in the meantime, walked beside them and explained the situation. “You’re not surprised. Why?” Deanna asked, as they placed you onto a biobed.
“I’ve noticed they’ve been awfully avoidant of me… and the rest of the medical team. Unusual behaviour considering our departments work so closely together. I’ve been thinking of visiting them myself but I just didn’t have the time.” Beverly shook her head as she ran a tricorder over you. “But I didn’t think it’d come to this.” The Doctor fastened your safety restraints, then beckoned Deanna to follow her. “They’ll be out for a few hours. We should discuss a treatment plan now. The sooner we can get them back on duty, the better.”
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 11 months
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Enough's Enough
Reader x Professor Weasley (platonic!)
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Dear Y/N, I have something vitally important to discuss with you immediately. Please meet me in the Transfiguration courtyard at your earliest convenience. Professor Weasley
You gripped the letter in your hand, crumpling it slightly, as you deeply sighed. Thanking the owl who delivered it with a light stroke of their feathers, you felt the pit of butterflies in your stomach. You knew what this would be about. It had been a long time coming, and frankly you were surprised the professor hadn’t acted sooner.
Leaving your common room, you headed straight for the courtyard. It was better to get this over with as soon as you could. As you walked, you tried to figure out how much of the truth you could reveal. Professor Fig still wanted you to keep your ancient magic secret, but that was becoming increasingly difficult to do.
Pushing open the heavy doors, your eyes adjusted to the dimmer light outside. The sun was just beginning to set and it created a long, foreboding shadow by the deputy headmistress. Swallowing nervously, you took a deep breath in and out to steel your nerves as you walked up to her. “Good evening, Professor. You wanted to see me?”
“Yes, I -“ She paused, raising a disapproving eyebrow. “You’re not wearing your uniform.” You looked down at yourself, flushing as you realised you’d forgotten to change back from your adventuring gear. You’d found the Hogwarts uniform to get in the way too much when battling the ashwinders. “No… I’m not.” You breathily replied, not really knowing how to respond. The air felt electric between you, almost like the professor was looking for a fight. That couldn’t be right, could it?
“This is another example of precisely what I wanted to discuss with you. You’ve been deceptive with me from the very beginning, and I’ve turned a blind eye to it thus far.” She took a deep breath in and out, a false smile not quite reaching her eyes. “After all, this was all seemingly on Professor Fig’s behalf. But the rumours I’ve been hearing recently are taking this too far.” She stepped forward, looking you squarely in the eyes. “Enough’s enough. I want to know what’s going on.”
The look in her eyes made you cower slightly. There was no escape this time. This was a situation where no matter what you did… you wouldn’t win. Would you betray Professor Fig’s trust or risk Professor Weasley’s wrath and punishment? You stammered, the mental battle in your head raging as you tried to find a way to avoid both scenarios.
“Most of it is on his behalf, that still is true. I am helping him with his research.” You explained coolly, praying the blank expression on your face didn’t betray the fact your heart was beating what felt like a thousand times a minute. Matilda sighed, shaking her head slightly. “But what are you up to out there? I’m concerned about the amount of time you spend outside of the castle.”
You bristled this time, irritated by the interrogation. “I attend every class, I complete all my additional assignments - some of which also lead me outside the castle. I leave the castle in my free time, just as any student is free to do so.” There was a defiant edge to your voice as you stared the Professor down, hoping she’d back off.
“But you are not free to be breaking curfew, especially as often as you do so. I’ve seen you returning to the castle at all hours, often looking a little worse for wear.” Your expression faltered for a second, not realising how close of an eye she’d truly been keeping on you. Professor Weasley saw it and kept pressing, hoping that she’d finally get you to crack.
“I’ve heard you even go missing on the weekends, disappearing without telling anyone where you are going. Even Professor Fig.” At this, you looked up at her with wide eyes, tears threatening to flow. It was hard to defend yourself against what was all true.
Matilda waved her hand, bringing your field guide out of your bag and slowly travelling towards her outstretched hand. Absolutely not. You snatched it back and cradled it into your chest. She’d see all the quests, the errands everyone had asked you to do. She’d probably never let you leave the castle again.
“Y/N,” She scolded, her hand still outstretched. “Let me see the guide.” You shook your head, the tears finally overflowing as you took a shaky step back. “You wouldn’t understand. It’s too much. I can’t do everything everyone asks of me! The classes, assignments, Fig’s… research, and everyone asking me for help! But I can’t just leave them to suffer!” You hugged the guide against you, almost sobbing now. “I’m just… I’m just a kid.”
Professor Weasley’s stern expression slipped for a moment, her concern for you shining through. She’d wanted to break through your obstinate façade but… not like this. This was the final straw. Clearly, she’d have to have a serious conversation with Professor Fig. “Y/N, tell me everything that is going on and I can help you. I can’t help if you keep all this a secret.” Her voice was a little sharp, highlighting her frustration with your stubbornness.
That was it. You had to get out of here, away from her before you broke down and told her everything. Your eyes frantically flitted across your surroundings searching for an escape route. Seeing no other choice, you took a step back to open your napsack and summon your thestral, Sepulchria. You landed on her back flawlessly, her wings spreading wide. “Let’s go!” You desperately commanded, the gust of wind from the thestrals takeoff causing Matilda to take cover.
Urging Sepulchria up and forward, you soon left Hogwarts behind, heading for sanctuary in Feldcroft. Tears flew off your face as you heard Professor Weasley’s shouts. “Return this instant! Y/N! Get back here now!” You couldn’t return now… you just couldn’t.
The deputy headmistress ran her hands over her face as she deeply sighed, watching you become a mere speck in the sky. That did not go to plan at all. If you wouldn’t tell her all, then Eleazar would have to. This was all getting ridiculous. She rushed to the nearest floo network point, reappearing outside Professor Fig’s classsroom. Sweeping through the classroom, she knocked as she walked through the door of the office. Professor Fig looked up with surprise at his visitor.
“Eleazar, Y/N has just bolted on a thestral and refused to give me her field guide.” Professor Fig stood up from his desk, his eyebrows furrowed. Godrick’s heart, he hoped you were alright. “This has gone too far now. Tell me what you two have been up to, today.” Well, he thought, it was finally time to reveal all.
“Sit down, Matilda. This may take a while.”
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thehomeofplatonicfics · 11 months
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Gaining Control
Confessor!reader x Kahlan Amnell (and the gang) (platonic!)
AN: This is sort of a continuation of Rescue Me, Confessor here!
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Standing behind the mother confessor, your new black confessor’s dress billowing behind you in the wind, you took a shaky breath in and out. Kahlan was overjoyed learning that after being the last of her kind, the confessor race’s number had increased back up to three. Her sister Denee was looking after Aydindril while she was questing with the seeker. However, since discovering your existence, Kahlan and Richard had decided to return to Aydindril and escort you to your new home there.
Of course, there was no reason why the mother confessor couldn’t oversee your training along the way. You twisted the key to your radahan in your hand, glancing nervously between Kahlan and a D’Haran solider that Cara had captured for you to practice on. It was hoped that, with this practice, by the time you reached Aydindril you wouldn’t need the radahan anymore.
“Are you ready?” Kahlan softly spoke to you, her hand resting gently on your shoulder. Her touch was the only one you wouldn’t flinch away from, your confessor magic not working on another confessor. Being unable to control your ability meant that everyone else you touched would instantly lose their free will. The idea of being able to finally control it was a dream that you’d given up long ago.
You gave a tentative nod, not feeling able to speak. Kahlan took the key from your hand, inserting it into the lock and turning it sharply. The opened radahan fell into her hands, which she then passed on to Zedd. You stepped up close to the D’Haran solider who looked anything but a warrior in that moment, clearly intimated by a confessor so seemingly powerful that even her own kind kept a lock on her.
Kahlan stepped up behind you, her hands resting on your shoulders, guiding you and keeping you grounded. “Just remember what we practiced together, you’ll be fine.” The mother confessor spoke softly in your ear, trying to be encouraging. She threw a hesitant glance Richard’s way, who looked back with a tight and false smile.
“Let’s start with just a light touch of your hand.” You nodded once more in acknowledgement, reaching out a trembling hand towards the captured soldier. You took a deep breath in and out to calm yourself, trying to remember all that Kahlan had taught you. With a small brush of your hand against the D’Haran, you tried to withdraw your hand immediately… but it was too late. You could not control the flow of magic coursing through you, and you watched helplessly as the soldier’s eyes went black from confession.
You hadn’t been free to use your confessor’s power in 6 years. Having not used it in so long meant you were very weak. You didn’t even try to save yourself as your knees buckled and everything faded to black as you lost consciousness entirely. Already half-expecting it to happen, Kahlan was right behind you with her arms outstretched to catch you. Gently, she lowered you to the ground, placing your head in her lap. All the while, your newly confessed soldier cried out to you with pleas of devotion. The others, of course, ignored him entirely and all spoke simultaneously.
Zedd held out the radahan for Kahlan to place back around your neck, but she softly pushed it back away. “No, Zedd. I won’t put her in that cage again.” The wizard hesitated before a flash of recognition appeared in his eyes and he nodded sagely. Cara, meanwhile, opened her mouth in shock and raised her arms in the air. Richard just opened and closed his mouth several times before finally recovering his sense to speak.
“Kahlan, you can’t be serious. Did we not all just watch the same thing? Right now, Y/N’s a danger to everyone.” Kahlan reached out to Richard and caressed his arm softly. “How can she learn to control her ability if we keep it suppressed under lock and key? Y/N needs to get used to the confessor magic being present in her daily life.”
Cara stepped forward, about to object again, when you shifted slightly against Kahlan and started to come to. The others, wary of your unleashed magic, moved several paces back before you opened your eyes. The mother confessor, however, softly cupped your cheek with her hand, watching intently to make sure you were alright. “Welcome back, Y/N.”
You glanced up at Kahlan’s gentle smile, then you frowned as you heard impassioned declarations of servitude from the guard. A tear slipped down the side of your face. You reached up to your radahan - but all your hand clasped was your bare throat. You shot to your feet, stumbling as you did so. Kahlan supported you as you frantically turned to her. “Where is it? Put it back! I’m a monster!” You sobbed, trying to back away from everyone else like a cornered deer.
“Y/N, please…” Kahlan put her hands out to try and calm you down. “Listen to me. You are strong enough to control this, I know it. I know it won’t be easy.” You hesitated, torn between bolting and actually trying what the mother confessor was saying. She took advantage of your doubt to cross the gap between and take your hands in hers.
“We will keep training, no matter how long it takes, I know you can do this.” You nodded, sucking in a deep breath as you returned Kahlan’s gaze resolutely. You would control this. You had to.
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The Curse Transfer (Part 2)
Reader x the Sallow twins and Ominis Gaunt (platonic!)
Read Part 1 here!
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Your body unused to the curse that Anne had carried for so long, it tried to fight this foreign entity in full force, creating more havoc in your body as a consequence. You lay half-asleep and half-awake in Sebastian’s bed, tucked tightly into the covers. Anne diligently sat beside you, her face gaining more colour with each passing hour as yours only grew paler.
To her surprise, Solomon was proving to be fairly helpful in taking good care of you. He was cooking some soup for you to eat once you fully awoke. Only knowing some basic medicinal spells, Anne stuck with the tried and true method of a cool flannel over your forehead in an attempt to tame the raging fever you were suffering. She found this task trickier than she thought though, for in your delirium you kept twitching and tossing your head. The flannel struggled to stay in position.
Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Ominis and Sebastian were pacing in the undercroft eagerly awaiting your return. As the hours passed, the more anxious they became. “Y/N should have been back by now. They said they’d be back in a few hours.” Ominis turned in the direction of his friend, uncrossing his arms to let them hang defeatedly by his side. “You should have told me what they were planning to do… we could have stopped them before they did… whatever they’re doing.” Sebastian half-snapped, the venom in his voice missing, replaced with fierce concern for you.
“I think we should go to Feldcroft. Something must have gone wrong.” Ominis sighed, shaking his head. He’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this. “That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said today. Let’s go.” Sebastian replied, already heading out of the undercroft.
Anne dunked the flannel back into a bowl of cool water, replacing it back onto your forehead. This seemed to revive you, as your eyes fluttered open and fixed alertly onto Anne’s face. “Hello Y/N,” she began, a hand gently placed on your shoulder. “How are you feeling?” You opened your mouth to reply, but you couldn’t get any words out. A sharp stabbing pain pierced your stomach and you let out a sharp gasp. The pain started spreading through your stomach and abdomen, like a thousand tiny needles being repeatedly stabbed into you.
A deep guttural cry escaped you, as you flipped over onto your front curled up into a tight ball, one arm clutching at your stomach, the other desperately grasping at the bed linens and balling them up in your fist. Anne, being in the unique position of knowing exactly what you were feeling, knelt down onto the floor besides your bed and pried open your hand to replace the bed linens with her own thin hand. “It’ll pass soon, I promise.” Anne soothed, frowning in sympathy as you continued to loudly cry and writhe in pain. “Try to focus on breathing, Y/N.” She began, as you tried your best to follow her words.
It was at this worst possible moment that Sebastian and Ominis came bursting through the door. “Y/N?” Ominis called out to you, not knowing what was happening to you. “Anne, what’s wrong with her?” Sebastian asked as he rushed to his sister’s side. Your friends finding you like this distressed you even more, and you squeezed Anne’s hand as tight as you could as you hyperventilated. “Remember to breathe, Y/N. Can you do that for me?” Anne tried to soothe you while holding her free hand out to ward off her brother from getting any closer.
“Your friend took on her curse, Sebastian.” Solomon solemnly stated as he stepped out from the shadow of the kitchen. “What?!” Sebastian stepped back, looking between you and Anne and instantly knowing it to be true. He would have sacrificed anything for Anne to be cured but… not you. Never you.
Ominis stepped forward desperately feeling for your hand, and clasping it in his own so gently once he found it. “Breathe with me, okay? Deep breath in…. Deep breath out…” Anne murmured close to your ear, focused solely on you while Sebastian processed his shock.
You followed her instructions to the best of your ability, a pathetic little cry escaping as you breathed out. “Good! Now again…” The pain began to subside a little, and tears that you didn’t know you’d been holding dripped down your cheeks. “It’s okay. We’re not mad at you, I promise. You did well.” Ominis muttered to you, somehow anticipating what you felt about their arrival.
Sebastian found his voice again, moving towards his sister with teary eyes. “Anne… you really cured!” He pulled his twin towards him into a tight hug, Anne gratefully hugging him back with a squeeze. “How did they-?” Sebastian half-asked as he partially pulled away. “Did they know? Why would-?” He found himself cut off as your exhausted sobs distracted him.
Ominis gently helped you sit up, wrapping his arm around you as you leaned against his chest. All the while, he murmured softly to you every comforting thing he could think of. Solomon came over carrying a bowl of soup, holding it out to you. “You should eat this… help get your strength back.” He spoke to you softly and kinder than you’d ever heard him before.
You took the soup bowl from him, cradling it against your chest. A small tired smile appeared as the warmth of the soup radiated into your hands. “Thank you.” You whispered hoarsely, sniffing as you tried to calm yourself down. With a shaky hand, you took a spoonful of the soup. It instantly soothed your sore throat, and you felt a little more like yourself again. “It’s good… really good. Thank you!” You praised the ex-auror in between spoonfuls of the soup, eager to finish the bowl.
As you ate, your friends distracted you with all that was going on at Hogwarts since you left that day. “Oh, Professor Fig is looking for you.” Ominis added at one point, resulting in an eye roll from you. “Of course he is…” He’d likely found out you’d restored Isidora’s portrait. You’d have to avoid him until you figure out what you could say to him.
Finishing the soup, and with the companionship of your friends, you felt a little stronger. Whether you were strong enough to remove the curse was yet to be seen. Still sat in bed, the container was handed to you, before everyone stood back and out of the way. Everyone watching you perform your ancient magic somehow gave you extra strength. You felt powerful… special, something you’d rarely felt in your life. You came to the conclusion that you liked being able to show off.
Your fingers curled around your wand as you brought the tip to rest against your chest. Taking a deep breath in, you looked up to notice everyone’s expressions; concern from Ominis, gratitude from Anne, fascination from Sebastian. As you breathed out, a sly smile appeared. You twisted your wand, your smirk giving way to a grimace as you cried out in pain, dragging the curse out of you. The swirling black and red magic floated for a moment, before you carefully placed it into the goblin silver container, sealing it forever. It was finally done.
The allure of this power was strong, you could see why Isidora had succumbed to it. The rush of hugs you received from everyone, all expressing their relief, made you firm in your resolution to only use this magic when only absolutely necessary. You had a found family now, one you never wanted to jeopardise.
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Talented Scholar
Tudor!reader x Elizabeth Tudor (platonic!)
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Your older sister, the Lady Elizabeth, was well known in the court for her intellect and wisdom beyond her years. You felt that others expected you to be the same, born only a few months before Anne’s unfortunate demise. In some ways you were, often found in various places around the palace with a book in your lap. You spent your free time studying. Languages were your favourite, and you spent many hours conversing with various members of the court in equally varying languages.
It was unfortunate that you never reached your full potential, struggling with perfectionism. No matter how good your writings were, you felt your sister’s was better. She seemed to get ideas immediately, while you had to ruminate on them a little longer to understand them. Your motivation to keep studying hard began to waver, you wanted to get all these new concepts immediately, you wanted to be just like Elizabeth.
King Henry’s latest wife, Catherine Parr, noticed how you started to withdraw yourself from the court and stop your lively conversations. She grew concerned and she wanted to encourage you both. In her chambers one evening, she began pacing the floor, a book in her hand which she tapped against her leg every so often. “What if… I created a friendly competition between them?” She asked aloud, though not really addressing anyone in particular. Catherine flipped through the pages of the book she was holding, noticing it was a Latin text. That would be perfect for both you and Elizabeth. She decided to talk to you both about it the following day.
And so, you were summoned to your step-mother’s chambers first thing in the morning. You stood there fidgeting next to your elder sister, staring at the Queen with curiosity. “I have a little academic competition for the two of you. However, I would like you both to support and encourage one another in this task I give you.” You and Elizabeth turned to look at each other with a small smile and you gave her a slight nod of your head which she returned. From behind her, Catherine produced two identical books which she handed to you both. “This is a Latin text by the Roman Tacitus. I’d like you both to translate all of it into English. The goal is to translate it the quickest but for it to still make sense.”
You grinned at Elizabeth as she held onto her book more tightly. This would be a fierce competition. “This will be a true challenge, Your Majesty. I hope we shall not disappoint.” Elizabeth stated, as she gazed at the book in her hand intently. “I have every faith that both of you will excel in this.” Catherine replied, her gaze held on you for a beat longer, hoping she was encouraging you.
The pair of you ran off to find a quiet area of the palace to start working on the translation together. Elizabeth sat one end and you sat at the other end. Soon the only sounds were of page turning and pen scratchings on parchment. After an hour or two had passed, you placed your pen down and chewed on your lip. You looked down at the tricky passage, then over to your sister who was still diligently working on her text. Swallowing your pride as you stood up, you headed over to her.
"Elizabeth? Have you done this part yet?" You asked as you showed her the page you were on of the text. "I think it is a little too tricky for me." She took the parchment you were working on, comparing it to her own, flipping back to a different page. You stood there awkwardly for a few moments while she gazed at the two different translations. "What do you mean, Y/N? You've done a wonderful translation so far. You've always been talented in languages, I should not be surprised."
You felt your cheeks flush, the unexpected praise from your sister being music to your ears. "Oh… thank you." You whispered, lowering your gaze embarrassed by the compliment. "Is it this section here that is giving you trouble?" Elizabeth asked, and you responded with a nod. "Ah, I see. Here… this will help." She began scribbling notes for you in the upper corner of your parchment, and then handed it back to you. "Do you think you handle the rest?" You nodded again, heading back to your spot. "Thank you, Elizabeth."
After this, as you both worked on the translation over the next few days, the two of you began to relax a little more. Talking, laughing and getting other courtiers involved. It was the most fun you had ever had, and you felt truly happy and confident. Elizabeth won the contest in the end, but for once you didn't care… for you had earned something even more valuable than a win along the way.
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I Can't Lose You Too
Sebastian Sallow x reader (platonic!)
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You knew you were close by to the Ashwinders’ camp, ready to cast your disillusionment charm to pick them off one by one. After everything the professors, the keepers and even your friends were asking of you however, you felt stretched thin, losing sleep trying to keep up with it all and your senses were dulled in your exhausted state.
It caught you off guard, the body binding spell being whispered behind your back. You tried to dodge but it was too late. You could do nothing as your body tensed and fell to the ground, causing a scratch on your face as it cut on a small stone on the way down. You couldn’t even cry out in pain. The ashwinder gloated as he took your wand, levitating you into a cage and locking it. Your eyes tracked your wand, which the ashwinder put down on a table nearby. All you had to do was wait for the spell to wear off and then you could try and escape.
You soon realised that the ashwinders would no doubt react if you started moving around however, and so, even as the spell wore off, you remained lying still, thinking about a way to get out without your wand. You sighed quietly in frustration, wishing you’d been more insistent that Natsai showed you how to cast wandless magic. Being able to summon your wand would have been extremely helpful in this moment.
The sun started lowering in the sky, and you felt yourself shiver. Hesitantly, you glanced at the ashwinders to see if they were watching you. You were still just wearing your school robes, and you grimaced as you noticed snowflakes start steadily falling to the ground. It was going to get cold fast. A tear slipped down your cheek as you wondered if anyone had noticed you were missing.
Luckily, your captors seemed to have forgotten about you. They settled around a campfire drinking beer and cheering about their victory. Unfortunately, you’d forgotten about escaping. The snow fell so quickly creating a blanket layer on top of you. You curled up in a ball shivering, as the snow fell through the bars of your cage. It was too cold and you were too hungry to think.
After a few hours, you had stopped shivering. You were too tired to fight anymore. Through bleary eyes you noticed a stream of red light and suddenly it felt there were screams and shouts everywhere around you. An ashwinder landed on their back beside your cage, and you caught a flash of black and green robes running past.
Closing your eyes, you smiled to yourself. It was Sebastian. You were safe with him, you didn’t have to fight. He’d protect you. “Alohamora!” Sebastian’s panicked voice rang through your ears as he opened the cage. His brows creased even more when you didn’t respond to him at all. He reached to touch your hand, flinching back as they were ice cold. “Merlin, Y/N. Let’s get you back to the hospital wing quickly.”
His hands moved so gently under your arms to help and lift you out of the cage, but he grunted as you didn’t even try to assist him in doing so. “Ugh,” Sebastian grunted, “There’s a cottage nearby, we can use the floo network from there. Come on!” For the first time, you moved your head to look at him. “No!” Your voice barely came out more than a whisper.
Sebastian let go, shocked. “What? Why?” He asked, wondering if you were delusional, or worse… cursed. “Please, don’t. I’ll be in trouble.” He drew a hand over his face, hiding his incredulous grin. Even in such a crisis as this, you were still his guardian angel; the little goody-two-shoes who would do no wrong.
“No, you won’t. I promise.” Sebastian pleaded, holding your hands in his as he tried to warm you up just a little. He shivered himself as the snow fell on him too. “It’ll be fine. You’ll see.” He began slowly pulling you out of the cage again, muttering apologies under his breath as you cried out in pain.
“Okay, up we go!” Sebastian tried not to show his terror in his voice as he lifted you up in his arms, settling on his broom and keeping a tight grip on you. He flew to the cottage close to the ground just in case you did fall off, so that you wouldn’t be hurt too badly. “Stop, stop, please.” You hoarsely whispered, your eyes fluttering closed. Sebastian was convinced you had no idea what you were saying.
As the two of you arrived at the cottage, Sebastian carefully dismounted the broom and carried you into the cottage. He laid you on the bed to warm up by the fire while he prepared the floo powder. You curled up in a ball, your eyes so heavy now. Sebastian would keep you safe, and you were so tired. “Hey… hey!” Sebastian raised his voice, seeing you fall asleep. “Don’t you dare, you need to stay awake for me. Can you do that?”
You could not. Despite your immense power, at that moment you were powerless. Your life hung on by a thread. You couldn’t even hear your closest friend anymore, unconsciousness enveloping you. “Don’t you dare do this to me! I can’t lose you too!” Sebastian yelled at you, but you remained unmoving.
He scooped you back in his arms, grabbing some floo powder in his free-ish hand, throwing it down as he yelled out for the location just by the hospital wing. Sighing in relief as he looked around to see you were both in the right place, Sebastian burst into the hospital wing.
“Mr Sallow! It is past curfew-” “There’s no time for that, please!” He begged, placing you down on the nearest bed, tucking you into the blankets tightly. His warm hand remained on your frozen shoulder as the nurse began questioning him on what you’d been up to and what was wrong. She quickly established a small heat bubble around your bed, gradually increasing the temperature. She didn’t want to shock your body by warming you too quickly.
“I suggest you get some proper rest, Mr Sallow.” The nurse began, already ushering him towards the door. “This will take a long time, and you can see them in the morning.” Sebastian hesitated, pulling your wand out of his robe pocket and placing it on the bedside table beside you. “I’ll be back before breakfast, Y/N. I promise.” He muttered to you, squeezing your hand before he left to go to the common room.
Sebastian was true to his word, though you’d never know so. Still unconscious, he held your hand as long as he could, telling you about how all your friends were worried about you, how they missed you and hoped you’d get well soon. “They’re still so cold. Why are they still cold?” Sebastian asked the nurse, a tear glistening in the corner of his eye. “I told you, Mr Sallow, this is a delicate process and it’ll take time.” He shook his head, looking down at you and squeezing your hand tighter. “Professor Weasley has asked if you could speak to her about the events leading up to this before your lessons start. She should be arriving shortly.”
He squared his shoulders in preparation, schooling a neutral expression on his face. You had practically begged him to not let you get you in trouble, and he had promised you. He’d do anything to keep that promise, even take the blame himself.
“Ah, Mr Sallow. I thought I’d find you here.” Professor Weasley called out as she entered the room, looking at the Slytherin expectantly. Sebastian said nothing though, merely nodding in acknowledgment and then turning his head back to you. “How is our new student?” She approached your bed carefully, standing just behind Sebastian, concern clearly etched on her face.
He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again, humming to himself as he tried to figure out how to answer. “I don’t know.” He eventually answered, unable to think of anything better. “But you do know how this happened, don’t you?” It was more of a statement than a question, as the professor reached through the heat bubble surrounding you to test how well you were warming up herself. “Yeah…” Sebastian began, trying to think of a convincing lie. “It’s my fault. I asked them to.”
“Asked them to what?” Professor Weasley urged. “The ashwinders, they have a camp near Hogsmeade, they’ve been terrorising the village folk and I… wanted to make them pay.” He took a deep breath in out, his brain working overtime to keep creating the story. It sounded true for now, at least. “I asked Y/N to help me. They agreed because… because they didn’t want to see me get hurt.” While it was a lie in this context, Sebastian knew it couldn’t be more true. You’d followed his path through dark magic, always trying to keep him safe. "I was distracted and they got taken."
"I see. I think under the circumstances, we'll be seeing you in detention for a few days." Professor Weasley eyed Sebastian carefully, suspecting he wasn't giving her the full story. "I suggest you head to your classes now." With that, Sebastian hesitantly got up from his seat, giving your hand one final squeeze. "I'll be back to see you this evening, Y/N. Hang in there." He muttered to you, sheepishly hanging his head as he walked around the professor and headed to class.
Two days later, the whole castle was still talking about you. Sebastian felt the concern radiating off the entire classroom while he sat in Ancient Runes. Professor Fig kept glancing and frowning at the empty seat next to Natsai where you always sat. As he was about to leave class, he received an owl from the nurse, informing him that you were awake and up for receiving visitors. He ran through the halls to the hospital wing, rushing up to your bed.
"Its good to see you, Y/N." He breathed in relief, seeing you sat up in bed with a small smile on your face. "Not as good as it is to see you." You replied, your voice raspy from not being used in so long. Sebastian's brow creased in concern. He sat down beside you in the chair that become so familiar to him. "How are you?" He asked, reaching out to touch your arm, noticing the heat bubble was now gone. "I've missed so many classes… I'll need to work hard to catch up." You looked away from him, feeling awkward.
"Don't worry. I'll help you catch up." You folded your hands in your lap, staring at them as you tried to hide the tears welling up in your eyes. "Thank you, Sebastian." You whispered, and he could tell immediately that you were thanking him for saving your life, not for schoolwork. "Any time. Its the least I could do for everything you've done for me." This brought out a genuine smile from you as you finally looked at him. "That's what friends are for, right?" "Right."
You swayed in the bed slightly, and Sebastian had spent enough time looking after Anne to know that it meant you were tiring, still weak. "Hey, easy… easy does it." He helped you lie back down, but was distracted slightly by the door opening. "Looks like you've got more company." He frowned as he saw Professor Fig and Weasley head towards you. Clearly, the nurse had somehow informed everyone you were awake. Sebastian wouldn't be surprised if there was a queue outside to see you. "I'll see you after dinner, okay?" You said nothing, merely pulling him into a quick hug, all your emotion poured into it. You guessed it was time to finally face the music.
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The Curse Transfer
Anne Sallow x reader (platonic!)
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Despite your sore misgivings, you had reluctantly agreed to try and remove Anne’s pain the way you had seen Isadora do with her father. You had found a way to restore Isidora's portrait to get the information the keepers so desperately held on to on how to do it. After speaking with her though, you were even more convinced that your gut feeling was right and that this was a terrible idea.
However, it somehow felt like Sebastian was metaphorically holding his wand to your head, like you had no choice. Part of you wondered if he would do it for real if he realised you wanted to back out. Of course, you wanted to save Anne. Of course, you cared about her.
Perhaps, this was about more than just Anne though. You wanted to save Sebastian from himself, save his relationship with Ominis, save his relationship with you. Perhaps, this was even the cost for wielding this magic. The guilt, the fear that came with casting ancient magic you barely understood. In some ways, you were afraid of yourself.
With a shaky hand, you wrote a letter and sent your owl to Anne, asking her to meet you outside Feldcroft. You begged her not to tell Sebastian. It would be better for the both of you if he wasn’t there, hissing and pressuring you like a serpent in your ear. However, you realised that there was the possibility that something could go wrong. Carrying your broom to prepare to leave for Feldcroft, you noticed Ominis in the courtyard. You could trust him.
“Hello Y/N.” Ominis called out to you, and you were glad he couldn’t see the shock on your face that he knew you were there. “Ominis. I was just about to leave for Feldcroft.” You saw him frown, and you anticipated what he was about to say. “Sebastian doesn’t know.” You stated urgently, glancing around to see if the fellow Slytherin was prowling nearby. “I’m meeting Anne. It’s better for now if he doesn’t know, but…” You trailed off, the feeling that this was a horrible idea bubbling up through you once again.
“But what?” Ominis pressed, reaching out for your arm. “If something goes wrong - if I’m not back by tonight…” Ominis sighed, shaking his head and no doubt worrying what crazy situation you’d gotten yourself into this time. “We’ll come find you, Y/N. I promise.” Hearing the words you needed to hear, you summoned your broom, adjusted your bag containing the goblin silver you needed, and then flew speedily off to Feldcroft.
There had been no shortage of goblin silver in the camps of Ranrok’s loyalists and in the poacher camps you’d cleared out with Poppy, it had been easy to find a suitable container. Yet, as you flew towards the hamlet and looked down into your bag, you worried whether or not it would be enough.
In the distance, you spotted Anne walking towards where you were meeting. You lowered yourself down, dismounting your broom just as she arrived. “Hello Anne, I’m glad you could make it.” You greeted her with a little smile, hoping the look on your face didn’t betray how nervous you felt.
“I’ll admit your letter made me very curious. Now, tell me everything. I want to hear it all, please.” You sighed, nodding in resignation as you held your friend’s gaze. It was only fair you supposed to tell her the whole story. Together the pair of you sat down on the grass, leaning your backs against the stone wall. There, once you were both comfortable, you told Anne everything; from the carriage ride to Hogwarts all the way up to restoring Isidora Morganach’s portrait.
“Thank you.” Anne whispered, gently clasping your hand in hers. “For what?” You asked, your brows furrowing. “Thank you for saving my brother. I trust you.” You squeezed her hand in reply, words failing you in that moment. Her faith was inspiring, but you couldn’t help but feel it was terribly misplaced.
“Are you ready?” Anne nodded. You swallowed, biting your cheeks as you carefully prepared the goblin silver and your wand. You did your best to copy Isidora’s instructions exactly, terrified of faltering for a single moment. The tip of your wand pressed into Anne’s heart, and a moment later you were pulling out a swirling ball of black and red. Anne gasped for breath, seeing her curse take corporeal form in front of her eyes. Staring at the ball of magic in front of you, your hand felt the ground for the goblin silver.
Your fingers just touched the edge when you heard an agressive shout, Solomon had found you. “What are you doing? Get away from her!” He yelled, breaking your concentration. The cursed magic tried to find the nearest vessel to be its new host, which unfortunately happened to be you. You watched helplessly as the magic settled in you, a discomforting and dull throbbing pain spreading throughout your whole body.
Anne turned to her uncle, excitedly explaining what you had done, and it was obvious that she was no longer afflicted by her curse. You took comfort in that, at least. Sebastian would be proud, you hoped. You barely listened to Anne’s explanation, your teeth gritted together as you tried to block out this new pain. How had Anne lived like this? Solomon turned to you and gruffly apologised for shouting at you. Trying your best to hide what had happened, you gave him a forced smile and a slight bow of your head. Thankfully, he quickly turned around and left you two alone.
The pair of you followed his figure as he grew further away, before Anne's eyes snapped back to you as you doubled over in pain, grunting. She reached out to you, glancing down at the goblin silver that was still empty, her eyes widening in realisation. Your cries grew louder as you clawed at your sides, feeling the full brunt of the curse.
"Its alright, its alright… Just try and breathe through it. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth." Anne directed you softly, her hands on your shoulder somehow grounding you. "It'll ease soon, I promise." She murmured, lowering her head so you couldn't see the guilt written all over her face.
The Sallow twin waited patiently your pain to subside, your cries eventually quietening down. She pulled you in a hug, rubbing your back soothingly. "I'm so sorry, Anne." You whispered, wiping away your tears as you fell back against the fall, your breathing still heavy as you recovered.
"What for? I feel like I should be the one apologising to you." Anne removed her shawl, wrapping it around you as she noticed you shaking. "That you had to live with this for so long. How could you stand this every day?" You pulled the shawl tighter around you as a shudder went through your body. She shook her head sadly, choosing not to answer you directly.
"Let's take you back home to rest. The sooner you can recover enough strength to remove the curse and put it in that container, the better." She held out her hand for you to take, as she helped you stand. You found it was too painful to fully stand upright, and Anne wrapped an arm around you to support you as she helped you walk back to the Sallow home.
Solomon was just outside, and piecing together what had happened without Anne having to say anything, he opened the door and pointed over to Sebastian's bed. Both helped you to lie down, pulling the blankets over you. Anne sat by your side, hoping to be a peaceful presence as you drifted off to sleep, too tired by the curse to fight any longer.
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As It Used to Be
Bone-mender!Reader x Miss Peregrine (platonic!)
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Everyone was sat around the dinner table, just as it used to be before. Everything was as it used to be, it was safe once more. Your fellow peculiars, your family, were laughing and joking… Jacob made a wonderful addition by bringing in some fresh conversation. And yet, you sat back in your chair staring at your plate, not engaging with anyone at all. You couldn’t stop the feeling of dread creeping over your bones.
A particularly loud laugh from Emma shook you from your daze, and you forced a smile on your face as you brought your focus back to your family. You thought no one had noticed your lapse in attention, but you had failed to notice the beady eyes of Miss Peregrine watching you curiously. She decided to keep a close eye on you until the reset.
After dinner, everyone watched Horace’s latest dream… everyone except you, that is. While everyone crowded around the sofa, you hovered behind your makeshift family like a guard dog, pacing the floor. Olive and Fiona noticed and frowned to each other, before returning their attention to Horace’s dream. Miss Peregrine, however, was growing increasingly concerned by your behaviour. She was about to pull you aside to find out what was wrong, when Horace’s dream ended and the children all began getting ready for the reset.
The headmistress was determined to get to the bottom of it after she maintained the loop. However, the younger children commanded her attention until they went to bed. She noticed your door was closed, suggesting you were in bed. So, she walked past your room with a small shake of her head, not satisfied that she’d have to wait until the morning to confront you.
You were still awake, however. Staring up at the ceiling, you tried to calm your racing mind down, to quieten all your thoughts. There was still that foreboding sense of fear, that something was going to happen again, you just couldn’t shake it.
It was not until the early hours of the morning that you managed to fall asleep, though you would not remain so for very long. You began to dream that the Wight and his hollowgast had come back. They grabbed Claire and Hugh and you heard a sickening crunch as the hollow broke their bones in an attempt to grab their eyes. You ran towards them, trying to touch them and use your peculiarity as a bone-mender to heal them both. But you were too late. You had failed to save them.
You woke up with a scream as your body involuntarily launched itself upright. Loud, shuddering breaths echoed in the room as you frantically searched your surroundings. Realising where you were, and knowing you’d had yet another nightmare, you slumped against the wall in defeat, allowing yourself to cry.
A few seconds later, you heard rushed footsteps heading towards you. In anticipation you turned your head towards the door, the relief of seeing Miss Peregrine rush in making you cry even more. “Oh, little one…” The headmistress muttered as she sat on the edge of your bed, reaching her hand out to rest on your shoulder. You launched yourself towards her, clinging onto your mentor in as a tight a hug as you could manage. After the initial shock Miss Peregrine returned the hug, smoothing down your hair as she gently shushed you.
“You had a nightmare, Y/N?” You nodded, sniffing as you tried to wipe your tears away. “I’m guessing this isn’t the first time, is it?” Miss Peregrine asked, though she already knew the answer. “No, it’s not.” You whispered, turning your gaze away from her.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” The headmistress asked, her hand softly clasping yours. “I didn’t think it was important.” You replied defensively, continuing to avoid eye contact. “Well, now that I’m here, would you like to tell me about these dreams?” Finally you raised your gaze to look at the Ymbryne, hesitating for a moment before deciding to give in.
“Its about the… the Wight. And the hollow.” You began, shuddering at the mere mention of them. “They keep hurting the others, my family. And I try to heal them, try to save them… but I’m always too late. I never make in time, I always fail to save them.” You struggled to maintain composure as you looked up into Miss Peregrine’s concerned gaze. “I have to protect them! I won’t let anything hurt them!” You felt yourself being pulled into another hug and you made no effort to resist, Miss Peregrine softly shushing you once again.
“I know you won’t, Y/N. You already do a wonderful job, and we are lucky to have a bone-mender with us.” Miss Peregrine pulled back, cupping your face gently, her thumb gently brushing your cheek. “But you don’t need to be on guard all the time. We are safe here, our adventure has passed. I hope to not need to return to battle for a long, long time.”
You nodded slowly, trying to take the words in, wanting to believe them to be true. “Why don’t we go downstairs and I’ll make you some nice soothing tea.” Miss Peregrine offered gently, standing up and offering her hand to you. “Thank you.” You whispered, pushing back the covers and climbing out of bed to join her. Her arm wrapped around you like a wing, and together the two of you spent a quiet early morning. You were safe, just like you used to be.
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