#slytheryn

Sebastian, Anne, and Y/n have been inseparable from a very young age. All three having grown up in Feldcroft made that fact inevitable. They spent all of their time at Hogwarts together, along with Ominis Gaunt of course. The four of them ate meals together, sat together in class, and spent nearly every night laughing together in the Slytherin common room. 

That all changed when Anne fell ill. 

After Anne was cursed, the pain was far too great for her to keep on attending Hogwarts. She would have to stay home these last few years, away from her friends and away from the magic within the school. Sebastian had immediately volunteered to stay behind with her. Being her twin brother, Sebastian could not imagine going to school without her. But Anne was quick to deny his offer. In his stead, Y/n decided that they would be the one to stay behind with Anne. Neither of the Sallow twins were happy about this arrangement either, but Y/n managed to convince them both with time. They told Anne that as long as the Ministry allowed them to use magic off campus, and professor continued sending assignments by owl, they wouldn’t fall behind. They told Sebastian that he needed time and space in order to research a cure for his sister. Not to mention the fact that Anne would never be completely honest about her state to her brother. Y/n would be his eyes and ears back home, keeping track of Anne and reporting back. 

For a while, this solution worked. All were happy for a time. Sure, Ominis and Sebastion missed their friends at school, but each sent enough owls to compensate for the loss of time they had. Y/n was still learning spells from home, keeping up rather nicely with the rest of the 5th-years all things considered. Sure, their progress would be more proficient from the school, and they couldn’t do everything the same, but it was enough. 

It was an ordinary day when Sebastian had come to surprise his sister, and Y/n of course, with n impromptu visit. Neither expected his arrival, but both were elated upon seeing him. 

Anne had been sitting at the dining room table, reading one of her books as usual while Y/n was reading through their schoolwork behind the hanging  curtains used to separate the bedrooms when he arrived. Y/n heard the front door open, sure, but they simply pictured it had been Anne’s uncle, Solomon, heading outside to finish his work. It wasn’t until Anne gasped with delight that they had turned to find Solomon, still standing in his spot behind them. 

“Sebastian!” Y/n heard Anne announce. Now they were quickly heading into the main foyer of the house as well. “Where did you-”

Before Anne could finish, Y/n took advantage of the small space between the twins and jumped up to give Sebastian the biggest hug they could muster. “Sebastian!” they celebrated as well. “What are you doing here?” 

“I came to see you both,” he said with a smile. “Hogwarts is not the same without you.” 

As Y/n opened their eyes, still hugging the boy in front of them, they noticed another person standing behind. 

“Who’s this?” Anne asked curiously. Y/n stepped back to allow Sebastian space to introduce his new friend. 

“Oh, of course,” Sebastian said, nearly seeming to have forgotten. Whether he had forgotten that the new student was there or that the two hadn’t met them yet, Y/n didn’t know. “Anne, Y/n. This is Jo. The new fifth year I was telling you about.” 

“Hello, Jo,” Anne said with a polite smile. Y/n offered a small wave yet no words left their mouth. 

“How do you do?” Jo replied, returning Anne’s grin. 

“When I told them I was coming to visit they wanted to come with and meet you,” Sebastian continued, nudging Anne slightly as he did so.

“And you as well, Y/n,” Jo finished, still smiling although now it felt more awkward than polite. “Ominis always seems to talk about you both nonstop. Sebastian too.”

“Does he?” Anne chuckled. “Oh how I do miss Ominis. How is he doing?” 

“He’s Ominis,” Sebastian responded, returning Anne’s small laugh. “He’s been a bit perturbed lately.” 

“Oh?” Y/n said, speaking up for the first time since introductions have been made. “Why is that?”

“He’s rather upset that Sebastion has shown me the Undercroft I think.”

“The Undercroft?” Y/n repeated, both their and Anne’s face exhibiting pure shock. “Seb’s shown you the Undercroft?” 

“Just so they would have a space to pracice their spells,” Sebastian defended. “Catching up to five years worth of teachings takes time and space after all.”

“Which I’m sure the professors have more than happy to supply?” Anne asked with a slight tone of sarcasm.  

“You can’t be upset with me, Anne,” Sebastian said, his straight face slowly turning into a slight smirk. “Look what I’ve brought you.” 

Sebastian pulled a small fruit out of seemingly no where as Anne let out a small gasp. 

“Is that what I think it is?” 

It was then that their Unlce Solomon spoke up, snatching the fruit from his hand before Anne could reach it. 

“Hey!” Sebastian protested. 

“We’ve been over this, boy,” he began. “Shrivelfigs cannot reverse a curse, nothing can! The sooner you accept that reality the better.” With that, he pulled out his wand and evaporated the fruit into thin air. 

“But we haven’t tried everything!” Sebastian combatted. 

“There is no cure!” Solomon yelled. “When will you accept that?!” 

“Never! I can never accept that!” 

“Sebastian!” Y/n called as Anne had suddlenly been toppled over by sudden onslaughts of pain. Right as they got his attention, Anne screamed out from the pain. 

“Now look what you’ve done,” Solomon lectured, rushing the Anne’s aid alongside Y/n. Sebastian was at a loss for words for a moment. 

“A-Anne I’m sorry,” he stuttered before Solomon turned to growl at him once more. 

“Leave,” was all he said. Sebastian didn’t put up a fight. Jo followed out right behind him. 

“Sebastian, wait!” Y/n called out, rushing out the door behind them. 

“If you don’t mind, I just need a moment alone,” they heard him say to Jo. Jo stepped aside right away, but Y/n knew better. 

“Seb!” they called again.

“I don’t wish to talk about it, Y/n.” 

“Yes, you do,” they responded simply. “Sebastian Sallow I have known you for well over a decade now, I know when you need to vent.” 

“I shouldn’t have come,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll see you later, Y/n.” 

Y/n watched behind as Sebastian turned to leave, Jo following close behind. Y/n didn’t know how long they were standing there before Anne slowly made her way out the door, placing a hand on their shoulder.

“You should be resting,” Y/n said simply, a longing gaze still following where Sebastian had left. 

“I know,” Anne smiled. “I don’t like them.” 

“Who?” 

“Who do you think?” 

“Yeah,” Y/n sighed. “I don’t like them either.” 

---

It had been weeks since you had last spoken to Sebastian. He had sent you an owl or two since the last he visited Feldcroft, but you’ve heard nothing since. 

“Have you heard anything?” they has asked Anne after a few minutes of silence during dinner.

“From Sebastian?” she confirmed. “No, not since his last owl. I’m a bit worried.” 

“So am I.” 

The pair fell into a pregnant silence once again, neither wanting to express what they both feared. 

“You should tell him,” Anne spoke up after another moment. 

“Tell him what?”

“How you feel.” 

“No!” 

“Why not?” 

Y/n sighed. “The four of us have been friends for as long as I can remember. The three of us even longer. He doesn’t see me in that way.” 

“How would you know that if you don’t say anything?” 

“Because, Anne! I can tell.” The two fell silent again, but this time only for a second. Anne stayed quiet because she knew that Y/n had more to say, her silence was her own way of encouraging them to do so. “It’s just…” Y/n continued. “You say how he was acting around Jo. You saw the way they made his eyes sparkle. He’s never looked at me like that.” 

“He only looks at you like that,” Anne quickly combatted. “I didn’t see that familiar gleam in his eye until you walked in that day. That ‘sparkle’ you saw was not reserved for Jo. It was for you.” 

“I would have seen it before,” Y/n shrugged. “If I was able to notice it then I should have been able to see it if it was there in the past.” 

“But it has been!” she insisted. “Trust me! Every longing glance, every wistful stare, I have had to watch Sebastian give you. You’ve just never seen it because you were too busy giving him the same look.” 

Y/n sat and thought about it for a moment. Anne was right. At least, they hoped she was. And they weren’t going to waste any more time. Without another word, Y/n rushed to their shared bedroom with Anne, rummaging through everything to find a spare piece of parchment. When they found one, they began to write. 

My dearest Sebastian,   they wrote

I’ve spent enough years waiting for the right time to tell you this, but I think the time has come. Seb.. I -

Their writing was cut off by a loud bang coming from outside. Y/n whipped their head up and took their wand out quickly, slowly approaching a window. They half expected to see one of the Feldcroft residents using confringo or bombarda on a nearby training dummy. But what actually awaited them outside was much worse. 

Feldcroft was under attack.

Goblins, aall Ranrok’s followers were storming the village. Solomon could be heard hollering from them outside. It wasn’t until Anne shouted that Y/n sprang into action. 

“Anne!” they called, bursting through the front door of the Sallow’s house. Anne was crouch over near the ground, panting for breath as more goblins began to storm the village. “Where is everyone?” they wondered allowed, seeing no one but themself and the Sallows defending the village.

“Probably hiding in their cellars,” Solomon concluded before raising his voice so they could hear and shouting out, “COWARDS!” 

No matter what the trio did, more goblins seemed to keep coming. Y/n didn’t know what they were after, but they didn’t wish to find out. 

Then, out of no where, Sebastian had arrived with Jo trailing close behind. The two didn’t hesitate before jumping into action, helping the other three defend from the goblins attacking. The battle seemed to never end. 

Y/n and Anne had finished off the last of the goblins surrounding them, stopping for a moment to take a small rest. Before they knew it, another goblin was approaching Anne with his sword raised above his head, Anne didn’t have time to react. Just as Y/n began lifting their wand once again, she heard someone else shout from across the square, “Imperio!” 

They turned to see Sebastian holding his wand out towards the goblin, a sinister look in his eyes that were partially clouded over. 

“Sebastian,” they gasped in slight disbelief, standing up from their crouched position on the ground. Before anything else could be said, everyone watched as the goblin before them brought his own sword to his neck, and sliced it. Y/n’s hands flew to their mouth. Anne gasped from her spot on the ground, her eyes widening in fear. They were each frozen. Sebastian ran to Anne and offered his hand to her to help her up. Anne looked at him in fear, unmoving.

“Boy, what have you done!” Solomon spat in his direction, rushing between he and Anne.

“Saved my sister!” Sebastian combatted. “I-”

“With an unforgivable curse! From that damned book no doubt!” he continued, helping Anne off the ground and ushering her inside. “Your father would be ashamed! You’ve gone too far, Sebastian. Stay away from her. From all of us.” 

As Solomon led Anne inside, Y/n stayed standing where they were, eyes focused unwarily at Sebastian as Jo ran inside, no doubt to defend his actions to his family. 

“Y/n,” he said slowly, almost begging as he approached them. “Please, you have to understand that I-” 

“This isn’t the first you’ve used dark magic, is it?” they asked simply. 

“I would never-” 

“You have to mean it to cast those curses.” 

“I had to protect Anne! Surely you can understand that.” 

“I love Anne as dearly as you do,” they began. “But Seb, she doesn’t want this. She doesn’t want you to lose yourself for her. In the end, none of us win that way.”

“I did what I had to do. To protect her. You would have done the same.”

“There are a hundred other spells you could have used to ‘protect’ her!” Y/n combatted. “All of which have not been labeled as dark, unforgivable magic!” 

“You wouldn’t understand.” 

At this, Y/n scoffed. “Me? I wouldn’t understand? I have been here  every day, Sebastian! While you and Ominis are at school, I’m here. With Anne. I watch her struggle every day and I would give anything to take that away from her. So don’t you dare tell me that I don’t understand.” 

“Y/n!” Sebastian called as they turned away from him, walking back towards their house. Y/n didn’t turn back. They didn’t want him to see the small tears welling up in their eyes.