Risk // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 12: Reconciliation*

warning: moderately spicy content

"Is that you, Olive?" Ominis called out the next morning in the common room.

His voice startled me, we hadn't really spoken since we talked about our shitty families.

"Hello, Ominis. Yes, it's me."

"Have you seen Sebastian?" He asked me, "He left the dorm last night and didn't come back."

"Oh, uh, no. I haven't seen him, sorry." I lied straight to Ominis' face.

Yes you had, you snogged him!

"I see. Thank you." He spoke softly, "I did want to talk to you about something else. Anne has written to me and she wants to meet. I hate to ask this of you, Olive. But I am incredibly nervous. Do you think you could help me get there? I'm scared to know what kind of state she is in."

Well, unless she'd made some incredibly miraculous recovery lately, she already looked awful the last time I saw her.

"Of course, Ominis. I have some spare time this afternoon, I can take you if you like."

"I would appreciate that. Thank you, Olive. You're a good friend."

A good friend? I certainly didn't feel like it but it was refreshing to hear.

I was completely distracted during my classes which Sebastian was notably absent for. I was worried that what happened last night caused him to leave and I couldn't even go looking for him because I was going to London with Ominis in the afternoon.

Unlike Sebastian's reckless apparition idea, Ominis wasn't able to do it because he couldn't visualise places, so he supplied enough floo powder for the both of us, handing me a small bag after Herbology was finished for the day.

"How are you feeling now about your family?" Ominis asked me as we walked to the nearest floo point.

"I'm alright. I suppose I have to embrace it, it can't be changed. Sebastian actually gave me some really good advice about it all."

"He's good at that, he's done the same for me. It helps to know that your friends don't think of you any differently just because of your blood."

I nodded softly in agreeance, before I realised he couldn't see it.

"How are you and Sebastian these days?" I asked Ominis.

He sighed deeply and I sensed pain in his voice.

"I'm sure you've noticed but things just haven't been the same since Solomon died. We aren't really friends anymore, we only speak when we need something. It's hard to avoid him when we share a room and it pains me every day to look at him and think about what has he been through to make the decisions he has. I pity him. Everyone looks at me and knows my struggle, it comes with the name. They look at you and know your pain, they all know about Fig... but Sebastian, no one knows the things that have happened to him and what he did. It's as if everyone has forgotten his sister is dying a slow and painful death."

For the first time in months, I remembered why the three of us had grown so close in the past. Sebastian welcomed me with open arms, but Ominis was indifferent. But in the end, we realised we weren't all too dissimilar after all. And we were the best of friends. I missed it so much, it began to hurt listening to Ominis.

"Well, maybe one day there is hope for us all." I tried to lift our spirits.

"Perhaps. But I don't know if I can ever completely forgive Sebastian. He's hurt all of us, none more so than Anne."

I sighed softly, completely understanding Ominis' train of thought. He was right, Sebastian had hurt as all.

The trip to St Mungos was quiet, but I linked my arm around Ominis' to help his navigate the busy crowd as the work day came to an end. We made our way into the hospital and I directed him straight to where I remembered Anne was when I came here previously.