Chapter 6. January 4, 1891

"No... Why so fast?.." Sebastian lamented, sitting in a comfortable armchair in the Slytherin common room. He leaned his head back against the backrest and wearily glanced at the door, which was slamming shut almost every ten minutes, letting in students returning to Hogwarts after the winter break. Although the holidays had gone splendidly, and he even felt refreshed, the thought of the endless lectures and homework starting again tomorrow was simply killing him. He sighed heavily once more and lazily turned his head to the opposite side, where Ominis was sitting on his haunches, petting Imelda Reyes' cat. Imelda was telling him something with a self-satisfied grin, crossing her arms on her chest, and Ominis only nodded occasionally, responding to her. "Imelda, don't you dare try to charm my heir of Gaunt," Sebastian thought, giving her an appraising look. She only glanced back at him indifferently, continuing to speak animatedly. But for Ominis, the cat was much more interesting: big, with silvery-gray velvety fur and sparkling yellow eyes.

Throughout the past week, Sebastian meticulously studied Salazar Slytherin's manuscripts, spending long sleepless nights with them. His days were fully devoted to Ominis, but when Ominis fell asleep beside him after midnight, Sebastian would carefully slip away to the empty common room and sit by the fireplace with the writings until morning. Sometimes sleep overcame him right there on the rug, and other times he found the strength to crawl back to his bed. Of course, Ominis knew about these nightly pursuits but avoided bringing up the topic, only mentioning a couple of times that it would be tough for Sebastian to continue at such a pace. He extracted a promise from Sebastian to tell him everything he discovered and not take any action without him. Despite it all, he wanted to help Sebastian and be there to protect him from the dark influence of Slytherin's magic as much as possible.

Yesterday, Anne wrote a joyful letter, expressing her excitement about waiting for them tonight. She mentioned feeling practically healthy with the anticipation of their meeting and asked Sebastian to buy her some licorice wands. The letter was filled with so much positivity that Ominis concluded Anna must be feeling worse than she let on. Sebastian sensed it too, but he preferred to believe that it was just their imagination. On the same day, they spontaneously decided to take a trip to Hogsmeade to get the licorice wands and enjoy some butterbeer at Sirona's. Once the school term starts, they'll probably only be able to leave Hogwarts once a week at best, although, of course, they could always sneak away through the secret passage.

Ominis approached Sebastian, lightly and almost imperceptibly touching his hand, and smiled as he sat in the adjacent armchair. "You've become a bit bolder, Ominis," thought Sebastian, in response, running his fingers along the back of Ominis' hand.

"Have you seen our schedule yet?" Ominis inquired, luring Imelda's cat into his arms.

"I'd better not have seen it. Tomorrow morning, we have two hours with Binns. At least I'll catch up on some sleep after all these nights," Sebastian gloomily replied, anticipating endless, detail-filled stories about goblin uprisings.

"Oh no," Ominis groaned, sighing and sliding down in his chair, causing the cat in his arms to protest loudly.

"Then there's Transfiguration and Spells... Well, that's a bit better. But Astronomy at night on Friday — that's a real torture. Seriously? On Friday?" Sebastian continued lamenting, studying the schedule sheet lying on the coffee table.

"That's enough. Let's enjoy these last hours," Ominis waved his hand toward his friend, urging him to stop, "Tell me instead, did you find something in those manuscripts? Are you planning to tell Anne about it?"

"Yes, the writings mention a certain relic that can destroy dark curses. It's written where it can be found, but I need to study everything in more detail," Sebastian evasively replied, wiyhout looking Ominis, "I think I'll tell Anne about what I found, but I don't want to involve her in all the details, you know?"

"Alright, I'll keep quiet. Just please, Sebastian, don't do something you'll regret," Ominis urged.

***

Half an hour had passed since uncle Solomon left the house. Anne hoped that he would linger in London and stay overnight, so Ominis and Sebastian could spend more time with her. How she missed them, and Hogwarts as well. She was ready to diligently do all her homework and go to bed right after curfew, just to be there. But the dark curse of the goblins weakened her to the point that she couldn't even help uncle with household chores. She felt herself fading, her consciousness trembling on the brink between life and death. Perhaps she wasn't afraid. Her sadness stemmed only from having to leave behind everyone she loved and who loved her. She thought about how her brother would grieve when he realized there was no cure for her illness. She thought about Ominis, who would bear the heavy burden in the form of a his heartbroken best friend. "Ominis," she whispered almost soundlessly. Her heart quickened a bit as she began to recall his face, his voice, his calm demeanor. Nervously fidgeting with the folds of her skirt, she anticipated the meeting with him. She had liked him since their first year, but was she in love with him? Could one fall in love with someone who had never shown any signs of romantic interest beyond friendship? Perhaps, it was possible. She wanted to confess her feelings to him before it was too late. Maybe she could have those moments of happiness, like in the romantic novels she never read but had heard about from her classmates. And even if it didn't work out, it would be much easier for her if she could put her feelings into words.

Anne coughed, feeling as if someone had clenched her insides into a tight fist. Tears welled up from the pain, and she found it hard to breathe. She tried to reach for the glass of water on the table, but it was too far, and she tumbled from the bed onto the prickly, rough carpet. The coughing choked her, her face turned pale, and her hand, still reaching for water, fell weakly, as if the strings suspending it had been cut. But just as suddenly as it had come, the coughing fit subsided. Anne lay on the floor, breathing heavily, gasping for air with her mouth, letting it fill her lungs that felt constricted by pain. The horrifying wheeze emanating from deep within seemed disconnected from her; it sounded like something an ancient old woman might produce, not a young girl. Gradually, the objects in front of her began to take shape again, blood returned to her limbs, and her heart settled back into its rhythm. Trembling and wiping the cold sweat from her face, Anne slowly rose on her weakened legs, taking a step toward the table and finally reaching the water. She downed the glass in a couple of seconds and began smoothing the strands of hair that had come loose from the bun. She pinched her cheeks, bit her lips to bring a healthy rosy color to them. She forced a strained smile at her reflection in the small tabletop mirror, then let the corners of her lips relax, smiling again, this time slightly softer and more natural, trying to release the tension in her stiffened facial muscles. She lightly patted her face with her palms.

"I'm fine, I'm okay," she whispered with her lips, taking deep breaths.

Anne clung to the window, looking out into the darkening Feldcroft, waiting for the two silhouettes to appear. She rested her head on her crossed arms on the windowsill and gazed in the direction where the boys were supposed to come from. Slowly exhaling against the cold glass, she began drawing a heart in the condensation. She smiled, anticipating the long-awaited meeting. Whom of the two did she want to see more? She couldn't really answer that question. Sebastian had been an integral part of her life, her beloved twin brother, by her side almost every minute since their birth. That was until she was forced to leave Hogwarts on the recommendations of the healers from St. Mungo's and the Hogwarts deputy headmaster. It happened just over six months ago, and she remembered those events with painful clarity. Since then, she had seen Sebastian only once a week when school authorities allowed students to leave the castle, and sometimes two or three times when Sebastian left the castle secretly. However, a couple of months ago, uncle Solomon found out that Sebastian was studying dark magic. He refused to listen to any justifications, as for him, there was no excuse for using it. His anger and rage scared Anne so much that she imagined the worst: that her uncle would use his connections in the Ministry to permanently deprive Sebastian of his wand and the opportunity to complete Hogwarts. But that didn't happen; he only mercifully forbade him from getting close to Anne and their home. Such a decision seemed generous compared to what could have been done, especially since he couldn't monitor it 24/7.

Anne tried to convince uncle that Sebastian had no malicious intentions and that anyone in his place would try to find a cure, but each attempt ended in her crying and her uncle's yelling. She often sent notes to Sebastian, as their family owl traveled to and from Hogwarts quickly, and her uncle couldn't notice its absence. Sometimes, when her uncle was away from Feldcroft, they secretly met. Each meeting was like a breath of fresh air for Anne, preventing her from losing touch with the outside world she loved so much.

Ominis often, though not always, came along with Sebastian, and her heart would leap with joy when she saw that her brother wasn't alone. She never considered herself his friend because it wasn't quite like that, although she wanted it very much. They never spoke to each other without Sebastian being present, but Anne loved being in his company. She hung on to his every word, every gesture. There was something about him that no one else had, something that attracted her so strongly. What exactly? Who knows. Perhaps his noble, restrained behavior; maybe his deep, silvery-sky eyes; perhaps his soft, velvety voice that she mentally whispered to every night, "I like you," and then couldn't fall asleep. But he was her brother's best friend, talking to her, hugging her, caring for her only because she was the sister of the boy who once decided to introduce them. They probably wouldn't have spoken at all if it hadn't been for him. Though she knew for sure that Ominis was sincerely showing his friendly love for her.

Anne sighed, glancing at the clock again, then back at the window. The clock's hand moved so agonizingly slowly, as if it wanted to stop, but her gaze compelled it to keep moving forward. Finally, Anne noticed two figures approaching in their school robes. She eagerly got up, rushed to put on her coat and scarf, wanting to meet them outside as soon as possible. But then she hesitated, growing suspicious. Something seemed peculiar in the way they walked, and upon closer inspection, she understood what it was.

Usually, Sebastian was at the front, practically running, excitedly recounting all the gossip to Ominis, which he would later share with Anne. Ominis followed quietly, his wand extended in front of him. Sebastian always noticed Anne in the window as soon as their figures appeared over the hill, waving to her with joy. However, today they walked slowly, as if they had no hurry to see her.

"They are so close to each other, as if discussing something far from school matters," Anne thought, setting aside her outerwear and continuing to watch the boys attentively. Her gaze slid slowly and suspiciously over them and suddenly froze. "Why are they holding hands? They can't...?" her thought stumbled over such an odd and inappropriate word. But, it seemed like that word was the right one. Anne pressed her palm to her mouth, a tense frown forming between her eyebrows. An uncomfortable chill ran down her spine, as if she were spying on them and seeing something she shouldn't. The boys stopped, and Sebastian tenderly adjusted Ominis' scarf, and — did she imagine it? — pulled him closer, gently and genuinely kissing him on the lips.

Anne's eyes widened in shock, and she looked away immediately. A painful twinge pierced her chest, her legs felt heavy as lead, and she sank heavily into the chair by the window. She wanted to clarify everything, to talk to Sebastian and confirm her suspicions or dispel them. But at the same time, she wanted to forget what she had seen, to stop feeling the jealous snakes slithering in her stomach. She felt a budding resentment towards Sebastian, even though he had no idea about her feelings for Ominis; no one knew, except her diary. "Perhaps it's better to keep silent. They'll tell me if they deem it necessary," she bitterly thought and bit her trembling lip. All the determination that had been building up inside her for years, which was about to push her to talk to Ominis, vanished as if it never weighed anything. Now her feelings for him would be buried with her. And so be it. Confessing to Ominis and hoping for reciprocity would be too selfish, considering she would have to leave him fairly soon.

Anne put her coat back in its place, turned away from the window, and closed her eyes. She needed to regain her composure, put on a friendly and welcoming demeanor. They should have a good time, just like they always did before. It didn't matter what was in her mind and heart. She had grown accustomed to putting her own desires aside if they could interfere with someone else's happiness because her own happiness was no longer a priority. Anne approached the door and opened it just as the boys were about to knock. Sebastian smiled widely, swept his sister into an embrace, and twirled her around the room, expressing how happy he was to see her. Anne laughed heartily, wrapping her arms around his neck in response. They looked so happy, as if everything that troubled them had disappeared for a moment, like characters from a picture about the best friends.

Ominis stood at the threshold, his wand directed towards them, and he, too, was smiling. When Sebastian let go of Anne, she approached Ominis and hugged him in greeting. Perhaps a bit more cautiously than usual. In response, Ominis embraced her tightly, almost to the point of cracking her bones.

"I missed you," he said, stroking her hair gently. Everything inside her coiled into a hot, pulsating knot.

"I missed you too," she smiled, stepping back and looking into his face. Her heart, pricked by suppressed emotions, beat faster. Her gaze lingered on his lips a little longer than it should have, noticing traces of clearly more than one passionate kiss.

She quickly turned away and hurried to Sebastian, who was busy in the kitchen, boiling the kettle and laying out sweets from all his pockets onto the table. He casually told her stories about what they did during the holidays, skillfully avoiding particularly dangerous places. "The basement of Honeydukes is something, I must say. No matter how many times I end up there, I'm always thrilled," Sebastian grinned and shot a sly look at Ominis, who blushed instantly upon hearing those words. Anne noticed this and looked questioningly at her brother, but he pretended not to notice, while stuffing several toffees into his mouth. Anne let out a restrained sigh and started arranging cups on the table, preparing tea and sharing her own few news with the boys.

When the entertaining and everyday stories were over, and several cups of tea had been drunk, Sebastian decided it was time to share something more important.

"Anne, Ominis and I have found out something about your curse, and it seems there might be a way to lift it," he began, enthusiastic yet restrained, "We found information in the books about the existence of a relic capable of absorbing dark curses. When I find it, when I figure out how it works... we can heal you."

Anne's eyes lit up with a faint glimmer of hope. She had long believed that she didn't truly believe in all the theories Sebastian proposed, but she readily agreed to do everything she could to support his faith in them. However, this new theory was different; it wasn't about drinking a potion or casting a spell. In Sebastian's voice, she heard a firm confidence that hadn't been there before. Her seemingly calm resignation suddenly gave way a little, allowing her to believe that a normal life might still be possible for her. After all, Anne was just a teenage girl who wanted to live like her peers. She tried to come to terms with her grim future and genuinely thought she was succeeding, but it wasn't the case. She didn't even realize how rays of hope broke through the dense clouds of despair every time Sebastian claimed that this time it would definitely work.

Anne noticed that Sebastian spoke about the relic with caution, and it made her wary. Perhaps, due to its uniqueness and complexity, this method was also dangerous. "Could it involve dark magic?" she thought with frustration, secretly hoping that Sebastian's exploration of dark magic would lead to no results. Then there would be a chance that he'd give up on it, and their lives would return to normal. She shifted her gaze to Ominis, who fiddled with an empty cup, appearing to distance himself from the conversation. He clearly knew more than Sebastian had told her. Her brother caught her glance and fell silent, looking tense.

"Ominis? Tell me the truth about this relic. How did you find out about it?" Anne asked, shifting her wary gaze toward Sebastian, who feigned nonchalance as he swayed in his chair.

"Sebastian found out about it from a book in the Restricted Section. For now, we don't know much about it; we need to learn about it a lot more," Ominis replied, not turning to face the table, but his cup spun faster in his hands, betraying his excitement.

"You broke into the Restricted Section? How? What kind of book?" Anne continued to inquire, staring intently at Sebastian, trying to catch any changes in his expression or tone.

"It's not that hard to sneak in at night," Sebastian answered, his gaze wandering over the furniture behind his sister as he ignored her last question.

"Ominis?" she turned back to his friend, but he only shrugged vaguely.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Anne's voice started to betray her unease, sounding strained, "Sebastian, tell me this has nothing to do with dark magic."

"For now, I can't say; we know too little. We don't know where this relic is or how to use it," Sebastian replied, trying to make his voice sound firm and convincing. After all, he really didn't know much about the artifact and hadn't even seen it.

"It is related, isn't it?" Anne said with a joyless smirk. She knew for sure that if Sebastian wasn't convinced of the connection between the relic and dark magic, he would vehemently argue that there was none. His evasive response could only mean one thing: he just didn't want her to worry. Tears of disappointment and anger glistened in her eyelashes. How many times had she told him that she didn't need healing if it required using dark magic?

"Anne, listen..."

"No, Sebastian. You listen to me. You have to stop all these senseless attempts!" she rose abruptly from her chair, her voice trembling with anger and restrained tears. Why wouldn't he listen to her? Why did he keep sacrificing his normal carefree life? Using dark magic could never end well, and who would know that better than him?

"They are not senseless! I am closer than ever to helping you now! You will die, Anne, if we don't do something!" Sebastian yelled, jumping up from the table and leaning toward his sister, sitting across from him. She had to understand that he couldn't stop searching, that he couldn't afford to lose her either.

The room fell silent. For the first time, words about death were spoken aloud. Anne pressed her trembling lips, holding back tears. Sebastian breathed heavily, looking at her with fear. Ominis gently touched his cloak, urging him to sit back on the chair. He sank heavily onto the seat, gripping his friend's hand and squeezing his fingers tightly. Ominis felt the painful tension in the air, mixed with love, attachment, and fear. He couldn't take sides, as supporting Anne would betray Sebastian, and siding with Sebastian would endorse his pursuit of darkness. But he also wished for things to return to how they were before, to be the inseparable trio, getting into various troubles and attending extra lessons. In their minds, thoughts of the injustice of it all swirled, believing that the lives of ordinary teenagers should not be this way.

Anne pressed her clenched fist against her lips and began to cry quietly. Sebastian approached her, pulling Ominis along with him, whose hand had already gone numb from being tightly held. With one hand, he brought Anne closer, resting his chin on top of her head, and with the other, he drew Ominis in as well. Ominis felt a moment of awkwardness but, upon hearing Anne's quiet sobs and sensing Sebastian's chest tremble, he wrapped his arms around them both. Anne tightly grasped the fabric of his cloak, burying her face in her brother's shoulder. They were like fragments of a broken mirror, reflecting each other's pain while unsuccessfully attempting to come together again.