Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 5: St Mungos

Olive,

I think I've made a link between the cloak and something else I've just learned. Meet me in the Undercroft as soon as you wake.

Sebastian.

The letter placed so kindly on my bed by my owl was definitely not a welcome sight this morning. Fuck. I had my regularly scheduled weekly morning walk with Garreth today. It's why I was up so damn early. I knew Garreth would be waiting for me just outside the dungeons so there was no avoiding him... I could go and see Sebastian first, but then I'd have to take Garreth to the Undercroft which was not even remotely close to being an option. I could do the walk, then see Sebastian... but then Sebastian would be waiting for hours.

Fuuuuuuck.

Could I just ignore them both and go back to sleep? I wish, but that was unlikely.

Okay. Plan of attack. Ask Garreth to go for a shorter walk today, maybe to the boat house then see Sebastian in the Undercroft. Genius.

I threw on my pre-picked outfit from the night before and slipped on my boots quietly, slipping out of the dormitory and common room unscathed. And right on queue, the red-headed boy was waiting for me just outside with a wide grin on his face.

"Morning, Olive. The usual walk?" He said, removing his legs from the wall that was propping him up and stretching them behind him as if he were getting ready to run a marathon.

"Actually, can we do a shorter one today? I just have something I need to do before class today." I cringed as I asked. I did enjoy our walks so I hated to disappoint.

"Oh. Certainly. Just around the castle grounds then? We could probably break into the Quidditch stands and get a good vantage point there to watch the sunrise." He suggested.

"Sounds perfect. Shall we?"

Unintentionally, I marched ahead of Garreth, today he was unable to keep up with my pace.

"In a hurry are you?" He panted after me as we marched across the grounds of Hogwarts.

"Sorry. You told me I needed to be fitter."

He stifled a laugh, "You're right, I did. Well, we're almost there. I guess I can catch my breath then."

Garreth helped me jump over the barriers blocking the stairs up to the Quidditch stands and I was grateful I was wearing pants this morning and not a dress or skirt as he'd put me in quite a compromised position.

"My boot is caught in the gate." I said quietly, my lower half bent across one side of the top of the gate and my upper half on the other, my stomach teetering as I balanced on the bar of the fence.

"Oh. Let me help." I heard Garreth gulp hard as he approached me, shimmying my boot out of the hole I'd got it caught in. I swung my leg over and jumped down, watching Garreth climb it himself with a lot more grace and finesse than I.

"Thanks. Shall we keep moving?" I suggested, choosing to ignore the fact I'd just had my ass hanging about in the air.

"Definitely. So, which stand? Yours or mine?"

"Oh, Slytherin for sure." I cockily replied.

He laughed again and agreed, not putting up much of a fight, beginning the ascent up the stairs until we were in the stands.

"You know, I've never thought of coming in here to watch the sunrise. It's actually not too bad." He commented, leaning back on the seat.

"It is." I replied, a genuine smile appearing on my face. He was right.