A Man Has Horns // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 47 - Bad Influence

We re-entered the Scriptorium with no difficulties or trouble. There was no need for any spell casting beyond Lumos. 

"Right," I said as we were in the study room, surrounded by the bookshelves and artefacts belonging to Salazar Slytherin himself. "What is it you are specifically looking for then?"

"It's um...." Sebastian paused as if not wanting to tell me the answer. "It's a book. Either ummm.... Secrets of the Darkest Art or..."

I already felt a pang of regret with the book name. 

"Or?"

"Or Magic of Most Evil," he blurted a bit more silently, almost as if in hopes for me not hearing him, and put his head down and immediately started looking busy. 

"You have to be kidding-" I looked at him but kept my mouth shut to say anything else. 

He was right. I argued about everything and anything with him. Maybe it was my nerves but these moments did not make it an easy feat. 

He looked up with questioning eyes, non-verbally confirming whether I was going to help him. 

I understood and nodded and started scanning the bookshelves besides him. 

_____

We looked over books and scrolls elbow to elbow. 

There were some seemingly completely unrelated titles to Dark Magic, such as Transfiguration in Architecture and compendiums on some niche subjects such as Moon phase analysis of the 14th century Litha periods. 

I would briefly pick a few out and gently thumb through a few pages, not lingering too long so I would not seem distracted. 

Sebastian had not seemed to have shared the same attitude though, often flicking through a book here or there not too dissimilarly. 

I moved to the next shelf and immediately felt coldness brush my body. 

I looked over and saw a taxidermied raven's carcass, a black tinted glass box with 3 locks and various old leather bound books. I squinted at the titles and saw they were all regarding Dark Magic. I stood still, unfocusing my eyes from the items and thought whether I should or should not alert Sebastian. 

"This..." I heard him right behind me, "...is definitely it."

Life had made the decision for me. 

I looked more finely at the titles. 

Ceremonial Magick Practice and Sacrifice.

Blood Curses and Power: The Forbidden conduit to glory.

The Macabre and Magickal Occult.

The tittles were never ending and each had shamefully made my fingers itch for a closer inspection. 

Forbidden Knowledge of Black Transfiguration. The Complete Volume.

The Darkest Art of Charm.

Finally I looked at a very dirty black leather cover that seemed to had been thoroughly worn out from being lodged around life...

Magic of Most Evil.

I reached and pulled it from the shelf now standing and looking at the burnt tittle. 

"Here," I said stunned still gazing at the book, feeling its cold covers in my hands. 

"You found it?" he turned to me, having been engrossed in another book from the same shelf. 

I kept starring at the tittle and finally mustered to open it.