Ominis sent me an owl that evening, so I headed back to the Undercroft to meet him. Poppy caught me on the way to ask if I'd like to join her at the Three Broomsticks the next morning, which I thought sounded lovely. She seemed nervous, so I asked her if everything was all right.

"I won't know until we speak with Sirona," she admitted. Apparently, there were some rumors of something going on in the Forbidden Forest, but she didn't know more.

Continuing on after my conversation with Poppy, I quickened the pace. It was getting late, and I knew Ominis didn't like pushing past curfew, especially these days. As I entered the Undercroft, I heard shouting.

"Do you honestly think that I would be so reckless?!" Sebastian was visibly shaking.

Ominis was uncharacteristically angry in his reply, "Actually, Sebastian, I do. How many times have you said you would go no further? That this was the last time? And then you break the rules, use Unforgivable Curses, murder someone?"

I watched him visibly deflate as Ominis spoke. He ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair and he took a few deep breaths.

"You may have fooled Eleanor, but even before you found that relic, you were spiraling out of control. You chose to research the Dark Arts and learn the Unforgivable Curses before you fell under its control. What's to stop you from getting yourself into trouble...again?"

Sebastian threw his hands up in the air, exasperated. "You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Sebastian, Ominis, please," I implored, stepping toward them.

Sebastian whipped around, while Ominis straightened in surprise. Had they really been that embroiled in whatever their row was about?

"You're late," Ominis observed sardonically.

I glanced at Sebastian, his dark eyes showing a desperation I'd seen before. "What's going on?" I asked.

Sebastian gestured to Ominis. "I came down here to think and he showed up, asking for you."

"Not like I could see you there." Ominis crossed his arms before in my general direction. "Of course, I explained that you and I were, in fact, not partaking in a meeting of a certain clandestine nature—"

Sebastian seethed.

"—and that we were meant to discuss Anne."

"Why didn't you tell me? You knew—and you didn't tell me." Tears were shining in his eyes. "I have to see her!"

"I..." I looked at my feet.

"Sebastian, your behavior has already been erratic since the beginning of term. Can you blame us for avoiding an addition to the burden you already carry?" Ominis inserted calmly.

Sebastian rounded on his friend again, his voice hoarse with emotion. "How would you know, Ominis? We've barely spoken!"

Though Ominis could not see, his clouded eyes almost seemed focused on Sebastian, incredulous. "And I see now that I was right to keep my distance." Pulling out his wand, he addressed me, "We will have to talk another time, I'm afraid. I'm leaving."

My gaze darted between the two Slytherins as Ominis walked toward the door. I stood frown, unsure what to do now.

Sebastian turned, his arms crossed and back to me. I took a step toward him as the Undercroft door closed, but stopped when he drew his wand. "Please, leave, Eleanor."

"Sebastian..."

"Leave!" It was not a request, and this time he turned, pointing his wand at me.

Shocked, I backed away. I'd hadn't seen him like this since fifth year in the catacombs—right before he killed his uncle—and even then, that anger had never been directed at me. My back came in contact with the wall, and only then did I turn to leave. As the door closed, I heard, "Bombarda!" followed by a loud explosion.

Tears threatened to fall as I rushed from the Undercroft to find Ominis. Luckily, he hadn't gotten far, and I found him pacing in the Central Hall. "Ominis," I called, voice failing me a bit.

He heard me, stopping his pacing and looking my way.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs to a more secluded bench next to the library, where he recounted the full story of what had happened in the Undercroft before my arrival, detailing Sebastian's jealousy turning to anger when Ominis told him that Anne was dying.

"It's been just over a year, and he's never stopped looking for a cure. I worry this will push him over the edge again," Ominis admitted. He covered his face with his hands, looking defeated.

I sighed, leaning forward and staring at a random place on the ceiling. "I would say he's not himself, but..."

"You only knew the troublemaker who spent much of fourth and fifth years in detention for skipping classes, disrespect, and sneaking into places he had no business accessing," Ominis finished.

"Exactly."

Ominis sat with me for a time, staring sightlessly into space, presumably deep in thought before finally speaking, "He wasn't always like this. I mean, he was always mischievous and far too excited to sneak out of the common room after curfew, but Anne tempered a lot of that, I think."

I sat back, listening intently.

"The two of them were a force to be reckoned with, and they always made me feel included from our first day at Hogwarts. Sebastian...and Anne... they're more family to me than most of my family. I would like to think that under different circumstances..." He paused for a few moments before muttering, "Never mind."

I wondered what he'd meant to say, but concluded it was not my business to pry. Instead, I asked, "How is she doing?"

He wrung his hands and closed his eyes. "Not good. I fear she won't make it to Christmas."

"Is there anything we can do?"

He shook his head, swallowing hard. "The healers at St. Mungo's say it's some sort of wasting curse. They've been treating her with some stewed Mandrake and Dittany. She says it helps the pain, if she can keep it down."

"But it's not healing her."

"No, it's not. But we already knew that. Mandrake Restorative Draught was one of the first things St. Mungo's tried when she first became ill."

I sighed, leaning my back against the wall. Part of me understood the desperation Sebastian had felt all last year, and she wasn't even my sister.

"I know Anne isn't ready to see him. I'm not sure he's ready to see her." Ominis sounded so...desperate? His voice was thick with emotion as he added, "I've never heard her sound so weak."

"I'm so sorry, Ominis," I said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

He didn't let go, and we stayed like that for a while, only parting ways when a Hufflepuff Prefect approached the remind us of curfew. Ignoring her knowing smirk before she walked away, I stood with Ominis, turning and giving him a hug before wishing him a good night's rest. Though he seemed hesitant with the affection, I could feel him relax a bit in my arms as he thanked me.

Atthe bottom of the stairs, he went one way and I went the other. I was nostranger to bearing things along, but I couldn't imagine how it must feel to bein the middle of all this.