Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 8: Shit Families

I entered class intentionally almost late to avoid any unwanted interaction with Sebastian. I was glad I entered late because he was already standing next to Imelda, the two of them snickering as Leander was casting spells in a flurry at Garreth. Apparently over something said in the Gryffindor common room this morning. Knowing Leander, it was probably something ridiculously stupid,

"Alright, that's enough. Master Prewett, if you insist on destroying my classroom every time you enter it, I will take more than house points away from you. In your seats!" Professor Hecat said, making her way down the stairs.

I sat at the table right towards the back and caught Sebastian's eye as he turned to find a seat of his own. He headed towards me, though Everett Clopton beat him to it and sat down absent mindedly next to me and Sebastian had to pretend like he wasn't going to try and come and sit next to me. Normally, I'd be annoyed by Everett, but today I was kind of glad he sat there. The longer I could avoid facing the realities of what I think almost happened this morning, the better.

Thanks to Leander's lack of emotional control and subsequent outburst, most of the lesson was spent revising the importance of using spells for good and blah blah blah, stuff I'd heard a thousand times before. It took every inch of control to not audibly yawn, especially when Everett kept babbling on about... something, I truly don't remember. Nor did I care.

I booked it out of class quickly when it ended, thankful I didn't have to see Sebastian the rest of the day. I actually didn't see him until Sunday morning when I emerged from the common room to find him sprawled across the lounge in front of the fire with a book in front of his face. His gaze was drawn to me as he heard the footsteps I was trying really hard not to make sounds with.

"Olive!" He sat up quickly and closed the book on the table. "Come here, I want to talk to you."

Ahh, fuck.

I suppose I couldn't avoid it forever.

I walked over to him slowly and sat on the opposite end of the lounge, giving him not much to work with except for a small smile.

"I think I've discovered something about your family." He said, digging through a stack of parchment he had laid out on the table.

"Oh?" I sat forward a little, showing him I was interested to avoid the topic of the Quidditch stand incident.

"If what I've discovered is correct, your mother was born into the Rosier family. Have you heard of them before?" Sebastian asked, pushing a piece of paper across to me that had a family tree he'd scrawled on it.

"No, should I have?" I looked up at him for more clarification.

"Well, you know about the Gaunt family already. Very prestigious, obsessed with image, money and pureblood status. The Rosier's have very similar ideals. When your mother was revealed to be a Squib, they cast her aside, hid her, removed her from the family tree. They didn't want anyone to know, it's why they would have sent her to England."

I struggled to take in any of Sebastian's words... I always thought I was just from some humble muggle family but to know I was closely related to a bunch of Dark Wizards who bred only with others who believed the same bullshit about muggles and muggle-borns as them... it was barbaric. It made me feel sick. It definitely explained why I was sorted into Slytherin. I never thought I fit in here. Until now.

"Are you alright, Olive?" He asked me gently, shifting slightly closer.

"Y—yeah... I'm fine. It's just... a lot to take in. Are you sure that's right?"

"I am, Olive. There was some books in the restricted section on pureblood families. I managed to find your mother's name in only one, an old one that was obviously made before she was made an outcast and the timelines and locations add up. I'm sorry. If it's any consolation, this doesn't mean anything. Nothing changes and no one will think of you any differently because I certainly don't. You just know where you came from and you can change that." He placed his soft hand on my knee. I knew it was for comfort, but I flinched a little.