#bestfriend Sebastian sallow

[wedonthaveawhile]

The outskirts of Gaunt Manor.

An illustration for chapter 21 of The Serpents Hold.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt fluff #Gaunt manor

[casterousaudrey]

Polyjuice Confessions

Word Count: 3k

Pairing: Sebastian/reader

Theme: Jealousy, Pining, Confessions.

Note: Reader is a Slytherin, characters are now in their 7th year, I keep seeing jealous Sebastian fics and wanted to take a shot at a jealous reader fic. Hogwarts Legacy has single handedly made me write fanfics again.

"I am yours"

You never really knew when the pining had begun, maybe it was the time you saw how he looked at you in your first herbology class or the time when he took the fall when you were caught in the library. All you know is the rose-tinted glasses suddenly appeared and they never came off. 

When traveling and defeating ashwinders you fight, you find yourself excited to tell Sebastian of your adventures and long for the praises that he usually blesses you with. He was charming, you knew that a lot of other people knew that. Sebastian was approachable to ask about studies or questions about the class so it wasn't hard to take a liking to him. You have bonded with him in your 5th year, seemingly going through up and downs with him but never really leaving his side. You take care of him when memories of what happened to Solomon and Anne haunted him, he knew he could always come to you for whatever he needed. You were always an owl away.

"Merlin to Y/n? Are you even listening" Your friend Imelda seemingly tries to get your attention by waving her hand in front of your face. She noticed you have been poking at your food without really eating it while your mind seems to wonder only Merlin knows where.

"I was asking if you would be interested in trying out this new course I found somewhere near Hogwarts but your mind seems to be elsewhere. Thinking about Sallow again no doubt." She giggles at your flustered reaction. You finally shoved some food in your mouth to hide the fact that you were daydreaming about a certain someone. "Honestly I haven't the slightest idea why neither of you has told the other your feelings. He's attached to you by the hip which I am surprised he's not with you now, and you never really hear one sentence come out of his mouth without mentioning you!" Poppy, is the nicer of the two friends you have, though she was very vocal about you and Sebastian being each other's soulmate every chance she gets.

"Guys please, we're just very good friends who study, go on adventures, and visit Hogsmeade together from time to time....." You sigh as you can't help the feeling of wanting to do those things not as friends but as lovers. The kind who seem like love-sick puppies that either make people scowl in disgust or reminisce about how young love is so pure. 

"Maybe you should brew amortentia to find out if he smells you

"Or ask Ominis, they are bestfriends" 

"Asking Ominis to ask Sebastian feels awkward. It's like having a human owl as a source of communication" Each time your friends find an opportunity to tease or urge you to confess to Sebastian you can't help the fear of rejection which you ponder, might it change your entire friendship forever? You do feel that after all that you've been through your friendship isn't one that will easily snap but a rejection sure would make things awkward.

"You know Sebastian is quite a charmer, even got some 5th years making heart eyes at him so I suggest just getting it over with. I'm sure if even he doesn't feel the same way you guys would stay tight!" Poppy's urged in an attempt to make feel you better.

"Thank you Poppy that made me feel like confessing to him right now...." You sarcastically said as you shoved another tart in your mouth, groaning at the confusing feelings that has been lingering for quite some time now. You couldn't help it, each day you spend time with Sebastian makes you fall for him even more and his flirty attitude surely helps in really making butterflies flutter in your stomach.

"Speaking of Sebastian being a charmer I've been seeing that Cressida Blume flirting with him and asking for his notes even though she writes her own. Something about non-verbal casting" Just as Imelda finishes her sentence you slam your fist to the table which causes some of the Slytherin students and your friends to jump in surprise. "Merlin I can not stand that girl! Ever since the fifth year about the favor she asked about her diary, she's been acting like a total nightmare towards me. She expected me to do something for free and just because she's good at charms doesn't mean she's the best" 

You said in anger but low enough so that not everyone would know what you were talking about. "She always tries to vex me in one way or another. Ugh, I can not stand her!" If this was a cartoon Imelda and Poppy would see steam coming out of your ears right now. You resisted the urge to brag to Cressida about how you could not only cast non-verbal magic but you could cast non-verbal ancient magic but you didn't want to wander around Hogwarts just saying that you could use a rare type of ability. 

"Stay calm Y/n. No use allowing her to get on your nerves. We should probably go to potions class, by the way, don't want Sharp to get any more provoked today." Coincidentally you and your friends had the same class so you could walk to class together. You finished eating and brushed the remaining crumbs out of your robes. 

You hadn't seen Sebastian all day which you assume he took that time to read up on more for his N.E.W.T.S. In every class you have together it became a habit to sit next to him if your friends don't need you that is. So as you were chatting with Poppy about how exciting the recent classes have been she couldn't help but wonder how your face had contorted to a shocked then angry look.

She looked at where you were looking and saw Cressida Blume sitting next to Sebastian and twirling her hair about. Sebastian on the other hand was too kind to tell her that he wanted you to sit next to him, just awkwardly laughed at her jokes. 

"Merlin help me or I will curse her right here right now Poppy" You glared at Cressida's back but quickly gained back your composure as you sat next to Poppy instead, Imelda sitting behind you with her other Ravenclaw friend. "You really got this 'don't give her a reaction' down to the bone Y/n. So nice and composed" You rolled your eyes at Imelda's comment as Professor Sharp spoke up to open your books to a certain page. 

As the class continued Sebastian kept sneaking glances at you as if asking for help but you, too upset at how he could let your seat taken (although there really aren't any permanent seating arrangements), kept looking away and ignoring his signs. "I'm surprised Professor Sharp allowed us to brew Polyjuice today since the last incident of someone taking the form of Headmaster Black" you coughed as Poppy says this remembering that incident clearly and how you toyed with some of the students while using a Polyjuice to become Headmaster Black back in your fifth year. "I think it was quite funny" you spoke out giggling as Poppy raised a brow.

"You are just so smart Sebastian" Cressida suddenly cackled while touching and shaking Sebastian's arm. She also shot you a smirk and continued doing her flirty gestures toward him. "Talk about attention hoarder" Imelda whispered to you as your anger made you put too many leeches in the potion which made it spark and blow up everywhere much to your dismay. "I expected better from you Miss L/n 10 points from Slytherin" You hung your head low with annoyance ad you heard Cressida snicker in your direction as Sebastian shoots you a worried look. 

"Chin up maybe at least after class you'll get your man all to yourself"

"Thank you for the most part Imelda"

 Imelda smiles at you as she helps redo your potion so that Professor Sharp won't be complaining about your 'irresponsibility'.

In all this jealous rage you wondered if you had confessed sooner you could just storm to any girl who doesn't take the hint and drag Sebastian to the undercroft where it was only you and him, most of the time. One of the happiest moments in your life. Just as you finished fixing your potion you were ready to walk back to the Slytherin common room with Sebastian only for Cressida to still be holding his arm as if they were together and it seems she was dragging him to the library so she could 'get more help'.

"You know I should really get back to my own common room, Cressida"

"Nonsense surely you could spare a few minutes?" You heard her talk to him. As they walked away you feel like you could blow up and it took everything in you not to curse her with ancient magic so that not just anyone can cure her. Maybe it was just your anger talking so you try to calm down as you bid goodbye to Imelda who wanted to ride her broom and Poppy who wanted to visit Highwing. So now you were walking alone back to the Slytherin common room occasionally looking at the painting around Hogwarts to try and cool your mind. 

"Y/n may I have a word" 

"Ominis I thought you would be at the undercroft?"

"Well Sebastian tried to ask for help getting away from that Cressida girl so I ought to try and help but I wanted to ask if you could 'save him' since I have an essay to finish by the end of the day" You furrow your brows as you huff at Ominis' request. Normally you would accept it but you were too blinded with jealousy that you didn't want to approach Sebastian right now or perhaps you did want to steal him away from Cressida, either way, you were still mad at the current situation.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Ominis, he has to handle this on his own for now" 

"Well alright. He is capable of handling his decisions anyways"

he seemed to be confused by your decision but ultimately did not question it.

"Y/n wait up!" You turn to see Imelda running up to you with a tired look on her face.

"Imelda? I thought you were going to practice on your broom for today?"

"Yeah uhh I didn't feel like it today" You raised your brow at that since usually Imelda never gets tired when it comes to practicing on her broom. "Ok... did you want to come back to the common room with me?"

"Uhh yes yes sure! Hello Ominis, you look rather dapper as always" it was Ominis' turn to raise a brow at that. Since when did Imelda start giving compliments to others?

"Imelda are you feeling alright you don't sound like yourself"

"Yes yes as I said I am just quite tired" Ominis, though has some suspicion, ultimately let it go as the three of you walked through the castle while talking about current assignments.

"Y/n what is wrong with Sebastian he sounded rather troubled with Cressida following him around" You grunted and the sudden anger you felt before came back that even Ominis could feel the tension thicken.

"Honestly who does she even think she is? She's hogging my time with Sebastian. I know you're also just going to tell me to just confess to him to get it done with but how can I when someone is always at his side?" Ominis didn't mean to put you in a bad mood, he knew about your feelings for Sebastian but he didn't know you would react with jealousy once someone tries to take your time with him. The time he knew was precious to both you and Sebastian.

"Merlin she makes my blood boil, Ominis. Does she think she can just steal Sebastian away like that? I was the one who has been through everything with him" As you continued to ramble and walk ahead of the two Imelda's cheeks suddenly became redder and redder. As the seeming effects of the Polyjuice wears off and all that was left was Sebastian. He transfigures his outfit to the usual male uniform and walked nervously behind you waiting for you to notice.

"He's my partner in every class Omini, so what doesn't that girl get? He's mine well I hope he'll be ... someday... but that's not the point ugh I have half the mind to Levioso her and leave her hanging there until a Professor finds her. You better stop me when I come to that point Imelda" you waited a few seconds for Imelda to acknowledge your reply only to hear silence from both Ominis and Imelda. 

"Nothing like a good practice with a broom to clear my head" Imelda appears in a corridor in front of you as she skips towards where you were. Wasn't she just behind you and following you?

"Wait, Imelda? I thought you were too tired to go practice?"

"Pfft too tired? When have you ever heard me say that"

"Wait if you're here then who-"

You turn to your back only to be met with a blushing Sebastian staring directly at you and nervously fiddling with his wand.

"I was going to show you how well my Polyjuice potion worked...." With the sudden realization of the fact that you have been rambling about Sebastian this entire while he was there your face also turned red as Ominis snickers beside him.

"Well, Im- I am umm I can explain?" You looked down as your jealousy turns into embarrassment while Imelda still doesn't know what was going on.

"Imelda I think we should go on ahead. It seems these two have a lot to talk about" Imelda only grinned at that and acknowledged Ominis as they went ahead to go back to the Slytherin common room.

It was only you and Sebastian left in that empty corridor, conveniently no one has walked by in a while. A minute passed of just fumbling with your words as you try to explain to Sebastian about your rambling and looking down at your shoes to avoid his gaze.

"See I didn't mean all that I wouldn't hurt a defenseless student... Well, I would play pranks but it's not the same as the one I said-"

"I am yours" you stopped rambling and hesitantly looked up at him with a still-red face that only seems to match his, but Sebastian he had a cheeky grin plastered on his lips. Lips that you have always wanted to kiss.

"Honestly hearing you be all that possessive about me is cute because I know I would've reacted the same" he snickers as he steps closer to you to place a kiss on your forehead which made you even more red if it was possible. "I didn't know why it took me this long to do that but I have been irretrievably in love with you Y/n L/n from the moment I first went to Hogsmeade with you. I think I was just scared of losing another loved one in my life that I hid my feelings away" 

He places a hand on your cheek, which you instinctively leaned into as he tucked a lock of hair behind your ear. "No other woman would have my heart at the mercy of their hands and fills my head with thoughts of love more than you"  

You stared at his eyes, the one that you have seen every emotion appear on and darted to his lips, the same one that you have daydreamed of kissing for forever. With these in your mind, you finally made your move. You cupped his cheek and closed the gap between your lips, ignoring the shocked expression on his face. Sebastian eventually melted into the kiss as he held your hand that was on his cheek and rested his other on your waist slightly pulling you closer 

 His lips were soft just like how you imagined and at this moment you felt that he was yours, wholely and undeniably yours. He smiled into the kiss as he realized you were also his and always have been. As you pulled away to gasp for air you could only stare at his eyes and a smile plastered on both your faces as a weight disappeared on both your shoulders. He laughed as he kissed your hand that was on his cheek and intertwined his own with it.

"God I waited so long to do that but I never expected the circumstances to be like this. Then again  I didn't expect you to be so possessive about me"

"Don't even start Sebastian you weren't meant to hear all that" You playfully hit his arm as the both of you continue to walk through the castle hand in hand just purely happy.

"What? It was cute, and for the record, I did signal for your help"

"Well you could have handled that yourself and told her straight up you didn't want to talk to her"

"And miss the opportunity to see your scowling face and the death grip you had on your wand? Never" Sebastian earned a hip bump for that as you kiss his cheek again in an attempt to make him flustered for a change.

"Well it doesn't matter now because I have a reason to sit beside you every time"

"And what might that be? That you're so unbelievably in love with me?"

"That you're in love with me and that's it"

"Me? Looks whos talking" You rolled your eyes at Sebastian and leaned closer to his arm, occasionally swinging your intertwined hands as you walk. It started as a most frustrating day but ended in the best way possible. A relationship built on understanding, friendship, and support. Everyone would only say that it was a matter of time as you arrived in your common room, Imelda silently cheering and Ominis happy for both of his best friends.

Bonus:

The next day in potions class, you and Sebastian were talking to each other while making your potions when you see Cressida shoot a daggered look at you. You only smirked as you pulled Sebastian down to kiss him on the cheek while Professor Sharp was looking away. He was confused but still smiled, appreciating every affection you give him.

You giggled as you see Cressida look even madder than you were yesterday.

#sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow fanfiction #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow x y/n #sebastian sallow x you #sebastian sallow fluff #sebastian sallow oneshot #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy fanfiction #sebastian sallow x slytherin!reader #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #sebastian sallow imagine #hogwarts legacy imagine #harry potter fandom #harry potter series

[arthenaa]

It's a Muggle Thing - Sebastian Sallow x Fem! Reader

Plot Summary: Going home for the holidays, the boys decided to come with Nora to her hometown. Sebastian just didn't expect to find an interesting muggle there

content tags: muggle! reader, reader is not mc, silver trio graduated already <3, reader is an artist teehee, hl mc is named nora finley and is a half blood, hl mc grew up in a muggle environment, reader is mc's friend, sebastian and mc are aurors and often partnered up together, ominis is a professor at hogwarts, mc has a romantic fling w poppy sweeting rawr rawr i love them, seb falls too fast, mentions of sex at the end but its not rlly the actual thing haha, she/her pronouns and fem terms are used.

A/N: just imagine seb wearing that suit as an auror. im frothing on the mouth

"You're taking a leave?"

Sebastian places his hand on his hips as he watches his partner pack up her things for the day. His bestfriend of 7 years, deemed Hero of Hogwarts, and set for an upcoming promotion as Head Auror of the British Ministry of Magic, Nora Finley, looks back at him with a grin.

"Yep. Why are you acting surprised? I told you about this like weeks ago." She chuckles as she closes up her suitcase, propping it up on her desk before turning to him. Sebastian looks at her with a confused look as he pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue.

After the eventful days of their years as students in Hogwarts, the two had ended up working as aurors for the ministry. Nora was immediately given a position due to her great efforts in preventing another wizarding war and Sebastian was accepted with his great battle knowledge in the dark arts. Ominis however had opted to remain in the halls of the great castle but now as a professor teaching potions (quite comical actually given that Ominis spent most of his time in potions class fumbling over ingredients and messing up potions as easy as a wiggenweld).

The trio had been doing their best in remaining contact with each other (well more of like trying to stay in contact with Ominis), telling tales about their recent accomplishments, funny stories to share and any other details regarding their lives. Their most recent one being Sebastian and Nora's great accomplishment in capturing yet another dark wizard who had tried to harm numerous muggles. Luckily enough, the situation hadn't exploded enough to obliviate a whole town. Sebastian had been expecting to have a small trio reunion to celebrate the accomplishment but now he's been feeling betrayed that Nora had gone ahead and requested a leave for a week.

"Did you really?" He raised his eyebrow, accusingly. Nora shakes her head in amusement.

"I did, Seb. You were probably too busy flaunting your physique to Yaxley at the ball." She teases as she grabs her case before walking to grab her coat. "I think it's quite adorable when you do that. It's like seeing two tiny tiny crups fighting."

Sebastian blushes before rolling his eyes. He watches Nora grab her coat before putting it on. "What about our celebration? I thought we we're going out for a drink!"

Nora shrugs as she puts it on and fixes her clothes. "Too bad. My mother has been requesting my presence, and this leave is the perfect time for me to visit. You can drink with Ominis, though!"

The brunette strengthened his resolve as he followed the witch out of their office and into the halls of the ministry. "I think this is totally unfair. Ominis was begging in the letters for us to get together! I think he's going bonkers with the amount of time he spends with children."

Nora laughs as she nods at a co-worker who passes by them. "That wasn't what he said, Seb. Ominis will be outraged when he finds out you overexaggerate his letters."

"I overexaggerate his letters because he can't say shit to you. He thinks you'll think of him as weak or something." Sebastian argues as they reach the elevator. Nora pulls out her wand, flicking her wrist as the tip of the wand lights up. She then pulls it away as the doors of the elevator open in front of her.

"I don't think of him as weak. I'd die if I was told to handle first years." She sighs before stepping inside the elevator. The house elf managing the elevator gives her a nod, to which she responds with a nod as well.

"Hello, Hank. Ground floor, please." She replies with a smile. Hank only grunts as he flicks his wand to lead the moving platform. She then turns to Sebastian, who looks at her with a frustrated look. "Please don't make too much trouble while I'm gone, okay?"

The wizard doesn't reply for a moment as he watches the doors close. At the last moment, he squeezes his way through, and Nora lets out a yelp of surprise. "Sebastian what—"

"Let us come with you." He grabs her shoulders. Nora raises her eyebrows in surprise. He takes a breath before glancing at the house elf, who gives him a disappointed tsk. He looks back at Nora, who looks at him expecting. "I mean, me and Ominis talked about learning more about you. You've gone to my house and Ominis basically told you about his family so why not let us come with you?"

Nora stares at him for a while before smiling. "Alright cowboy. Don't regret saying yes to this if things go south alright?"

Well, Sebastian could definitely handle it. He thinks. He knows Nora's mother is a muggle and she spent her young days in a muggle environment. It'll be a culture shock for sure but Anne and him had been somewhat exposed to muggle culture. He had books of muggle authors, tasted some of their sweets and even communicated with them for an investigation.

Surely, this will be a piece of cake.

"You said what?!"

Ominis yelled to which Sebastian tried to cover his mouth with his hands. The blonde slaps his hands away rather harshly. Sebastian lets out a yelp of pain before biting his lip to avoid attracting more attention. He had apparated to Hogwarts to visit his old friend and inform him of his talk with Nora. The two stood outside the castle where the garden is. He sees some students send a concerned glance at them as they hesitantly greet Ominis who only waves them off with a hand.

"I need you to lower your voice, Ominis." Sebastian murmurs lowly as he slips his hands in the pockets of his coat. Ominis shakes his head as he crosses his arms.

"Why should I do that? I'm a figure of authority here now, Sebastian. We're not students anymore." Ominis retorts.

"I'm not talking about that! I just don't want your students to see me as some guy harassing their professor. As if I don't get any bad reputation at the ministry." He scoffs as he kicks a pebble on the stone steps.

"Maybe they should. You're literally telling me that I have to go on a one week trip when I have priorities to attend to." Ominis glares at the direction of his voice. Sebastian smiles sheepishly. He had said it out of panic. He didn't want to be alone for the week, and he certainly didn't want to come with Nora alone in a muggle environment even though he told himself it would be a piece of cake.

It sucks being a hypocrite.

"C'mon! It's just for a week. Merlin knows you need a break, Professor Gaunt." He nudges Ominis with his elbow playful. The Potions professor scoffs as he moves away from him.

"Your tomfoolery might've worked on me before, but I've matured. My point still stands." Ominis turns his head away as an act of defiance. Sebastian just smiles softly as his friend. He looks more like a kid who doesn't want to take his vegetables.

"I think Mr. Sallow might be correct on this one." A familiar voice had intercepted their conversation. Ominis lets out a sigh as he drops his arms. Sebastian lights up at her entrance.

"Professor Onai." He bows slightly as a sign of respect. The divination professor only raises her hand to stop him.

"Oh no, no. Please, call me Mudiwa. You're not a student anymore, Mr. Sallow." Professor Onai smiles softly. Sebastian nods at her words.

"Then please, Sebastian is fine."

"I overheard the students mentioning a strange man harassing our beloved professor, so I just had to make sure if I needed to do any saving." Mudiwa jokes as she stands between the two. Ominis rolls his eyes.

"No damsel in distress here." Ominis sarcastically replies.

"That I see. It's an overworked one, I do know." Mudiwa glances at Sebastian, who nods in agreement. Ominis shakes his head, sensing the budding cooperation between the teacher and former student.

"I will not let you make Professor Onai your accomplice, Sebastian. I will not be swayed." Ominis's eyebrows furrow in annoyance. Sebastian only grins at this.

"Who said about anyone being an accomplice? I originally came here to tell you that Professor Weasley is granting you a week's leave." Professor Onai pats his shoulder. "She'll be taking over for your classes given that a new teacher for transfiguration has been assigned."

Ominis's face drops at the new information. Sebastian then giggles into his hand. He turns his head fast towards the direction of his voice. "Did you do this?! Did you really have to contact Professor Weasley knowing I wouldn't agree?!"

Sebastian walks down the steps before shrugging his shoulders. "Eh, perks of being her favorite, I guess."

"You little shit."

"That I am!"

Professor Onai only laughs loudly at the interaction.

The three had apparated to Nora's town much to Ominis's chagrin. After getting smacked in the head multiple times by the young Gaunt, the two had decided that this would be the best time to learn more about their dearest friend, Nora, as well as the muggle community.

Sebastian knows that her closest family knew about her identity as a witch, so it makes Sebastian a little relieved that he wouldn't have to hide his magic, at least inside the comfort of Nora's home.

"We're almost there." Nora says as she leads the three of them through a village. Sebastian glances around, arm intertwined with Ominis, given that he had to hide his wand for now due to muggles. He had his walking stick, but to be honest, using Sebastian as a walker seems much more fun with all the shit he put up with.

Nora then stops at a house with a blue gate before turning to the two and waving them over. She opens it with ease and rushes over to knock on the door. Sebastian pulls Ominis to a stop before dropping his luggage on the ground.

The door opens to reveal an old looking woman who at first squints her eyes before screaming enthusiastically. She pulls Nora into a hug as they jump in each other's arm in joy.

"How wonderful! This is such a pleasant surprise!" The woman or assumed as Mrs. Finley smiles lovingly at her daughter, who holds her hands tightly within hers.

"You know I had to come home, mama." Nora laughs softly before pressing a kiss on her cheek. She then moves to the side to present her companions. "I have guests with me."

"Oh! Come in! We can exchange pleasantries inside. You must be tired from your journey." Mrs. Finley motions for them to come in. Sebastians smiles at the warm greeting as he takes his case and moves inside. Ominis had taken out his wand, knowing that he's safe to use it and walks inside as well.

The auror takes a look around, scanning the interior of his best friend's home. Mrs. Finley excitedly frets over them as she helps them out of their coats and gently moves them to sit on the couch.

"Do tell me about your friends, darling!" She warmly smiles as she sits down on the couch in front of them. Nora laughs at her mother's enthusiasm, and so she introduces the two. Mrs. Finley was a wonderful host. She told stories of Nora when she was young, which the two graciously enjoyed. She talked and asked about the wizarding world and revealed that when she had met Nora's father, who had tragically passed due to his work as an auror that frequents in the front lines, magic was one of the reasons that they had met so she kind of expected that her daughter would one day be exposed to the world of her father. She admits that she's also glad Nora made more friends. The only one she met was her girlfriend, Poppy Sweeting, who had come over once to be introduced. "What an absolute sweetheart," she says.

As Sebastian continues to listen in on the conversation, his eyes glance towards the artwork hanging on the wall, above the couch where Mrs. Finley sat. His curiousity gets the better of him. "The art looks marvelous. Was this curated from a famous muggle artist?"

Mrs. Finley looks back and up at the canvas. Nora answers for her. "Oh, that? That's made by Y/N. A friend of mine."

"Is she a famous muggle artist? What does the artwork look like?" Ominis joins in on the conversation. Sebastians leans close to him to describe the piece. The young Gaunt nods in understanding.

"She is, I believe? She gets her art curated on exhibits." Mrs. Finley smiles proudly. "She's going to be here tomorrow. We have a debut to go to. I hope you brought fancy clothes?"

Ominis purses his lips. "I didn't, but I suppose it's nothing a bit of magic can't fix. A certain someone had me rushing my way over here."

Sebastian coughs into his hand before smiling at Mrs. Finley. "Don't worry, we'll manage."

The party was loud. Too much even.

This debut that they had gone to was of a daughter of a neighbor close to Nora's family, and apparently, most neighbors in the village were pretty close with one another. Sebastian almost felt out of place if it weren't for Ominis clinging to his arm.

"Stupid walking stick. If only I could just use my wand. Why do I have to suffer this way." Ominis grunts as he taps the floor with the object of his frustrations. Sebastian wraps his arm around his shoulders.

"You have me here. Consider this a once in a lifetime opportunity of making me your personal walker." Sebastian jokes. Ominis smiles at his offer.

"I might just make that permanent from all the headache you gave me."

"Please don't."

"You guys! Stop sulking in the corner and come over here." Nora calls them over as she chats with an unfamiliar face. A pretty unfamiliar face, Sebastian thinks as he moves closer with Ominis in tow. "This is Y/N. I was talking about your art to them last night. They were pretty impressed by it."

Y/N. Y/N. Pretty name.

"I'm Sebastian Sallow. This is Ominis Gaunt." The brunette smiles boyishly as he extends his hand for a handshake. The young woman raises her eyebrows in amusement before shaking her hand as well.

"Didn't know your friends at your new school was this handsome." She teases to which Nora rolls her eyes. Sebastian holds eye contact with her for a few seconds before he looks down at his feet due to nervousness.

"Whatever. Ominis! Come with me. I'm going to give gifts to the debutante." Nora grabs Ominis, who lets himself be dragged across the room.

"Still quite the troublemaker, isn't she?" the artist beside him breaks the silence. He almost ignores her, not believing that the question was directed towards him. He's going dumb.

"Yeah. A pain on the ass sometimes but workable." Sebastian scrunches his nose in contemplation. Y/N laughs.

"What do you do for work, Sebastian?" She asks as she moves closer to him, hand twirling the champagne she's holding.

"... Law .... enforcement?" Sebastian raises his eyebrow as he tries to find a perfect substitution to explain what an auror is. Y/N nods in amusement.

"So a police officer?"

"More like detective, I guess."

"Sexy." Y/N winks as she takes a sip of her drink. "I take that Nora is also in law enforcement? The gal barely tells me anything ever since she transferred. I'd get the truth out someday."

"Good luck with that. Nora is one secretive bastard." Sebastian chuckles as he shoves his hands in his pockets. The woman stares at him for a good moment to which he responds with a raised eyebrow.

"That forward?" He teases. She only rolls her eyes at him.

"I'm just doing things you're scared to do, Mr. Sallow." She purrs before setting her champagne down and moving to the dance floor. "Dance with me!"

Sebastian had never seen someone look and dance so messily but beautiful. Balls like this in the wizarding world were often done in elegance and proper etiquette, but seeing someone let loose and move haphazardly across the dance floor was somewhat comforting and fun to watch to.

"Sebastian!" She giggles. The auror smiles before shuffling towards her. They continue to dance together, riding the rhythm and basking in each other's presence.

"And... done!"

The artist turns her canvas around to show Sebastian a new art piece she came up with. The two had progressed to a finer level of friendship. He had gained the privilege of seeing her pre-curated work before it would be released to the public. He considers it his greatest achievement for now. He admires the piece before the woman sets it down to dry.

"I'm really actually amazed by how good you are. I suppose I'd want to have one as well." Sebastia ponders off as he crosses his legs on the couch, elbow on his knee, and chin on his palm. "Might look good in my office."

"You'd probably think too much of me if you set it in your office."

Did Sebastian mention they're flirting more now?

He doesn't know what happened, but all he knows is one second he's dancing and the next he's thinking about her day and night.

He has deduced that this woman is amazing.

He fails to notice Y/N pulls out another canvas before she starts painting. He tries to move, but a hand is held up to stop him. "Stop. Don't move."

"... Right." He mumbles as he settles in a comfortable position. He watches her eyes glance up to him as her brush moves elegantly on the canvas.

During his days in Nora's muggle home, he hadn't expected befriending her childhood friend, Y/N Y/L/N, who is gifted in the field of arts. The muggle had been with them ever since the party, and Sebastian thoroughly enjoyed her presence. It seemed that Nora and Ominis caught on as they tried to give you two as much alone time as possible (Ominis would smirk at him and pat his back like a job well a done. Sebastian wishes he could jinx that smirk out of his face).

He learned more about their community as well. It was nice experiencing stuff without magic that can easily be done by it. Mrs. Finley is a sweetheart and have done nothing but be generous towards them. Sebastian supposes this could be the best week of his life.

"Penny, for your thoughts?" A soft voice breaks him out of his reverie. He glances up at Y/N, who had now paused her painting to look at him with a concerned smile.

"Ah, just thinking how much this week has been amazing." He gives her a lopsided smile as he fiddles with his fingers. "This was just decided on a whim. I'm glad I went here."

Y/N nods in understanding before standing up from her position. "Well, if it's worth anything, I'm glad you did. Wouldn't have met such a wondrous subject for a portrait."

Both of them laugh at her teasing. Y/N walks towards him, to which he holds his hand out. The artist grabs his hand and stands in front of him, looking down at him with a soft look.

"Beautiful." Sebastian mutters as he scans her features. "Have I ever told you that?"

She giggles into her hand. "Well, romances don't exactly work that fast within 4 days."

Sebastian shakes his head playfully. "Cheeky."

The muggle leans down to lessen the distance between them. Sebastian falls silent as he now has a front view to the beautiful woman in front of him. His hands sweat with nervousness.

"But I'd like to try it out." She whispers as she sends him a playful grin before tapping his nose with her index finger. Sebastian lets out an amused breath as he watches the artist flutter around in her studio.

She's gonna be the death of him.

Their joyous one week leave was coming to an end, and Sebastian couldn't help but feel sad about it. He had come to really enjoy his time here, and judging by Ominis's pleased face as he drinks his muggle beer, he too had enjoyed this vacation. Mrs. Finley had suggested having drinks on their final day before they had to depart tomorrow afternoon. A bad decision, really, but who denies that opportunity?

Nursing a beer on his hand, he takes a swig before glancing at Nora who had been reading a letter with a giddy smile. "From Poppy, I assume?"

Nora glances at him with a raised eyebrow. "Mind your business."

"That's not gonna stop me." He leans close to her, trying to get a glimpse of her letter. Nora leans back, shielding it from his curious eyes. "C'mon, what'd it say?"

"She's in America right now." Nora lets out an exasperated sigh. "She got her hands full with a Thunderbird."

Ominis perks up at the mention of the animal. "Ooh, I've always wanted to meet one."

"Being a magizoologist seems quite fun." Sebastian leans back against his chair. "It's the traveling I'm quite jealous of."

"You'd suck as magizoologist. Give it up." Ominis retorts. Sebastian gives him a punch on the shoulder, to which he laughs. The young Gaunt takes a sip of his beer. "This beer is amazing, by the way."

"Right? I'd never get tired of it." Nora smiles as she takes a drink of her own. She then leans forward to give the auror a teasing look. "But now, I'd rather talk about you and Y/N."

At the mention of her muggle friend, Ominis leans forward as well, interested in the conversation. Sebastian grunts in annoyance. "Why should I tell you both shit?"

"Rude. We're your best friends." Nora pouts as she leans her head on Ominis's shoulder.

"She's wonderful, if that's what you're asking." He sighs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Quite talented as well."

"Mhm." Nora hums before moving close to loudly whisper in Ominis's ear. "He's got a crush."

"I do not!" Sebastian argues as he smacks Nora's knee. The young witch lets out a loud laugh.

"Wizards who lie end up in Azkaban, Seb."

"I'd get put in Azkaban for killing your smartass, for sure."

"But I know she's your type. I could basically sense the attraction out of you." Ominis teases. Sebastian shakes his head at his best friends, who continue to tease and poke fun of him.

"Sebastian!" A voice calls him over. It's Y/N.

"Your future wife's calling. Better go to her." Nora smacks his back in encouragement. He gives her his beer before flipping her off as he stands up. He then turns to Ominis and verbally communicates his message.

"Fuck you."

"Yeah, yeah."

He runs towards the person of his interests, smiling as she grabs his hand and pulls him to a secluded part of Nora's home. He sees one of her hands tucked behind her.

"What's up?" He smiles. Y/N shyly moves in her spot before biting her lip.

"Remember that portrait I did? Well, I finished it and it's your last day so consider it a gift." She mumbles before moving her hand from her back to reveal a neatly painted piece. He marvels at the work of art, amazed by how similar the portrait is to his face.

"This... This is wonderful, Y/N." He lets out a chuckle of excitement, smile reaching ear to ear. The artist only revels in his enthusiasm. "Thank you."

"No, thank you for being a dear these past few days. I hadn't met someone and hit it off with them that fast." She chuckles. Sebastian looks at her with an unreadable look. "Consider this a memento for our friendship."

"You make it sound like we'd never meet again." He mumbles as he moves close towards her. She raises her chin in amusement.

"Well, will we?" She raises her hands to dust off any lint on his clothes, which was just an excuse to place her hands on his chest.

"I'll make sure of it." Sebastian smiles. "You said you'd try, remember?"

At the repeat of her words, she lets out a giggle. She then leans close to him. "Is it bad to kiss you this early?"

Sebastian's eyes focus on her lips as he pulls her close with his free hand. "Eh, probably."

She grins as she leans closer. "You probably don't care."

"Just shut up and kiss me." He sighs. The young woman laughs before pulling his collar to give him a firm kiss on his lips.

Something so fast had never felt so right. Maybe it's just a muggle thing.

"5 galleons they're snogging." Ominis takes a drink of his beer. Nora scoffs.

"10 galleons they're fucking." Nora ups her bet. Ominis gives her a look of disgust.

"Too crass, Nora."

"Yeah, well, I'd like to get my 10 galleons soon. I'd bet my fucking life Sebastian will get fucked." She smirks into her drink.

"You're disgusting."

"Thanks, I take pride in it."

A/N: anotha one. SORRY FOR THE LATE POST. i said id post 2 fics but this took longer than i expected. not too proud of this one but it's okay i guess. THANK U SO MUCH FOR THE LOVE ON MY PAST FEW WORKS <333 didnt think it would blow up. have a great day yall!!

#sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy x reader #hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt

[hellfireghoul]

☁️Masterlist ☁️

Hi there! Welcome to my blog. Below you'll find a list of my collective writings. I tend to write mainly fluff but can be a mixture! I'm opening to writing requests so if you have an idea, pop me an ask.

Characters I mainly write for: Leon S Kennedy - Sebastian Sallow - Ominis Gaunt - Eddie Munson - Steve Harrington

☁️-fluff

🌪️-angst

🔥-smut 18+

Hogwarts Legacy

Disclaimer: I do not condone or support any of the actions or anything said by the author of the original series.

Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Hiding - 5.2k words ☁️

Unwell - 500 words ☁️

Goodnight - 4.9k words ☁️🌪️

Always Safe With You - 2.8K words ☁️🌪️

Crossed Lovers - 2.2k words☁️

Ominis Gaunt x Reader

The New Fifth Year (WIP)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 🌪️☁️

PDA - 500 words ☁️

Resident Evil

Leon S Kennedy x Reader

Approval - 4.1k words 🔥

I’ve always hated that nickname - approx 9k words combined☁️

Part 1 | Part 2

Partners, Roommates, Bestfriends - 3.8k words 🔥

Nothing to worry about now - 5.9k words ☁️🔥

A midnight visit ☁️ 3.7k words

#hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #ominis gaunt x reader #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow #fan fic #masterlist #Leon Kennedy x reader #resident evil

[sivellevossen]

Just An Act

~part five~

Prompt: You and Sebastian broke up following the events of 5th year. Now it is 7th year, you and Ominis are together and all seems well… until you and Sebastian are casted as lovers in a play.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7,Part 8, Part 9, Part 10 *completed*

The two of you exited the castle, Sebastian following you like a lost puppy. The crisp autumn air greeted you, the smell of leaves and freshly carved pumpkins filling the air. You always loved this time of year, Hogwarts was always so pretty and nicely decorated. The circumstances reminded you both of your times together going into Hogsmeade to cause trouble, although this time you weren’t the one mindlessly following Sebastian, and you were going to make purchases rather than your typical misadventures.

“Just like old times, Sallow.” You smiled, too busy admiring your surroundings to even remember to acknowledge the awkwardness and tension.

“Yeah, me focused on our mission while you’re too busy staring at the ground.” He scoffed, remembering your tendencies to get easily distracted.

“Shut it! You act like you don’t enjoy the decorated streets!” You shot back at him, nudging him with your elbow in the process.

~

He chuckled, realizing just how much time he missed out with you. He could’ve spent the last year with you and his bestfriend if he had just listened to Ominis in the first place… He hated how Ominis was always right, and this time, the consequence of not listening to him cost him his first love. He couldn’t deny the bitterness he held for Gaunt, as if he was waiting for Sebastian to fuck up to take you from him. Nevermind the fact Ominis treated you the way Sebastian couldn’t, he respected you and encouraged you to do good, while Sebastian was too worried about being a reckless teenager.

Sebastian knew his conflicting feelings towards Ominis would come out sooner or later. How could he be mad at treating you the way you deserved to be treated, but was he really all that good of a guy for shunning Sebastian out of your life? He assumed you knew about Ominis’s actions and probably even encouraged it, knowing that he upmost deserved your resentment. However, your lighthearted demeanor you had around him today started to make him question your motives and feelings.

~

Sebastian smiled at the small physical touch he received from you. Fuck, this was not fair.

You two came up on the Forbidden Forest, each other you staring at it for a bit too long before taking quick glances at each other. You caught each others eyes for a split second and both erupted in a small laugh,

“So MC, do you still frequent the oh-so-scary forbidden forest?” Sebastian asked. The two of you fought countless battles in there, gone through multiple near death experiences, and had fun with the dark arts.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” MC winked at him. Truthfully, you still used dark magic through the forbidden forest, but that was the extent of it. And you only used in in emergencies of course.. however, if you had told Sebastian the truth about your endeavors, he would instantly know you never stopped using it completely. “What about you..” you queried.

“Wouldn’t you like to know” he mocked, using a higher pitched tone. He also didn’t completely swear of dark magic for similar reasons. Every now and again whenever he was mad at the world, or his girlfriend, he would storm into the forest and just unleash his anger out on spiders and poachers. But he had learned how to control it, making sure he used it sparingly and when he truly needed that release. This habit started the day you broke up with him, the forbidden forest had been practically swept clean due to all of his anger, heartbreak, and shock.

You both exchanged suspicious looks. Sebastian’s heart fluttering with a memory of you two battling in there. Those were the days..

You continued the path to Hogsmeade, you letting your guard almost completely down, too distracted by everything going on around you while Sebastian held his tongue. For the first time, he was lost on how to act. He wanted to say so many things to you but knew this was not the setting to do so. He didn’t want to ruin this time together with his sappy feelings and depressing apologies.

He took the time to really admire and observe you. You had grown into a beautiful woman, with feminine curves and a more defined face. Your hands brushed up against his during your walk, and all he could think about was being able to hold them one last time. To experience you one last time. He hadn’t cherished the last moment you two were truly together, and he beat himself up over it. He just wanted closure…or maybe to continue what you had, but he would never admit that.

“Sebastian!” You called from a distant aisle of Honeydukes. Your shout out completely snapped him out of his trance, he had really just been following you like a lost puppy. Since when did you end up in here? He followed the voice, seeing you debating over what snacks to get the crew.

You could tell that the list was a bunch of B.S. The items were poorly and hastily scribbled on with lots of misspellings and cross outs. The professor must’ve really been desperate, because half the list was either unattainable or had no real reason.

“What do you think..?” You asked, looking over a variety of snacks.

“Well you know what I’d pick!” He smiled, waiting for you to grab a handful of his favorite candy.

You hesitated, biting your lip. “And that would be….?”. You felt awful asking for clarification. At one point this boy was your whole world.. but now your world was engulfed by Ominis. You justified your doubtfulness by how much time had passed.. maybe he changed his mind on his favorite candy..hopefully.

Sebastian’s eyes dropped to the floor.. it was awkward. He made it awkward. Of course he did. Your response brought him back to reality, you really weren’t his anymore and things were different. He scratched the back of his neck, picking up some sour candy, “No worries, it’s been a while anyway..” he excused, obviously dejected. You threw a bit more various candies into the basket, making sure you got Ominis’s favorite candy as well, you knew he’d appreciate it once you got back.

It was getting late, the sun setting as you two made your way out of the town.

“Not bad for the first day on set.” You smiled, looking up at him. He had insisted he carried every single bag you guys acquired, and did so with ease. He had gotten so strong and independent, you couldn’t help but keep your gaze on him for a tad too long. You could tell he was lean through the outlines of his muscles through his shirt. He really did mature and it was apparently he was no longer a boy. How could you not stare at him? He looked down, realizing you had been staring and a small blush crept on his cheeks,

“MC… I missed you.” He blurted out, not even thinking about what those words could entail.

“Sebastian..” you started before he shook his head,

“Don’t answer that, there’s no need..” he wanted to avoid anything else springing up in this moment. When and if you two had time, you would properly discuss everything. Although to both of your surprises, neither Ominis or Octavia got brought up all day. You both avoided it like the plague..scared of being hurt by one another even though you had no valid reason to feel that way. You both were done with one another for over a year now, whatever feelings resurfaced today were definitely not to be discussed.

You entered the castle, dropping off the supplies before walking with each other to the common room. Upon arrival, you noticed Ominis sitting on one of the couches, anxiously waiting for your arrival. On the other side of the room, Octavia gossiped with some of her friends.

“Goodnight Sebastian.” You smiled, resisting the urge to give him a farewell hug.

“Goodnight MC.” He responded. You both parted ways, going back to your significant others.

“Ominis..” you smiled, sitting next to him on the couch.

“Dove, I’m so glad you’re back. How was Sebastian..did he make you uncomfortable at all?” He asked in a hush tone, knowing Sebastian was still in the rook somewhere.

“Relax Omi, here I got you something..” you smiled pulling out the candy. His face brightened, instantly being reassured of your relationship. He kissed you tenderly, expressing his love and thankfulness for your gift. He was so grateful you came back to him. When you parted, you glanced across the room and locked eyes with Sebastian who looked discontent to say the least.

You continued your night with Ominis..the feeling of guilt increasing with every minute.. you should not be this worked up about your ex boyfriend..

A/N: hello i am so sorry for the lack of updates!! This weekend got so busy. Regardless, thank you for all of the support I’ve been receiving! Are these parts too short and drawn out?? Should I devote time into making longer parts that would take a little longer to come out? Lmk Ty!

#hogwarts fanfiction #fanfic #hogwarts legacy #ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x slytherin!reader #sebastian sallow x you #ominis gaunt x reader #video games #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts legacy ominis #ominis imagine #hogwarts legacy sebastian #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts au #slytherin

[mopeyy]

Burning (1)

Sebastian sallow x F! reader

angst/jealousy/fluff

Summary: You loved your boyfriend Leander. But what happens when things get messy? And what happens when you start to see your friend Sebastian in a different light?

Authors Notes: This was supposed to come out a LONG time ago, but I got lazy. This part is kind of short, but I'll try to make the next ones longer. not proofread!

You leaned into Leander as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder. You liked it when he held you, he didn't seem to do much of that anymore. Keeping track of the conversation around you was hard. You stood in the hallway while Leander spoke to his friends, two Gryffindor's you didn't even know the names of. You hadn't any idea of what they were talking about until you heard a topic you did know, Summoners Court. Feeling the need to contribute to the conversation you spoke up, "Leander remember in 5th year when I beat you in Summoners Court?" You flashed him a smile, expecting one back at the mention of the memory. But instead, he only looked displeased and slightly irritated. "You only won that because of luck, how many times must I tell you that?" He turned back to his friends, "Truthfully she has no idea how to play the game. She wouldn't understand any sport at all if not for me. Right MC?" He looked at you expectantly with a raise of his brows. You only nodded and gave a soft smile, "Right." His other two friends only laughed at your tenderness before talking about something else. You suddenly felt uncomfortable under his touch and wanted to leave the situation as you were feeling quite embarrassed. You looked around the hallway until you spotted Sebastian and Ominis not to far from you. The two had been your best friends since 5th year, seeming as you went through so much together. You turned back to Leander who was still talking to his friends. You cleared your throat before speaking, "Hey Leander, is it okay if I go and talk to Sebastian and Ominis over there?" When you spoke, you realized your voice sounded smaller than you meant it to be. It usually sounded this way when you spoke to him though. Leander rolled his eyes at the mention of your two friends, "How often are you going to be hanging around those two? It seems you like them more than your own boyfriend." He accused. You looked up to see that his friends were watching your exchange, "Oh, I can stay if you-" he interrupted you, "Its whatever. Go ahead" He lifted his arm off of you and put it back to his side. You whispered a thank you before giving him a peck on the cheek. You walked away from Leander and started to approach your two closet friends.

The freckled boy seemed to notice you first, his face instantly brightening, "Well, if it isn't Ms. L/N" he said with a chuckle. You rolled your eyes at him playfully, "Hi Seb, Ominis." Ominis greeted you with a nod of his head and a smile. Sebastian looked towards where you came from before looking back at you with an annoyed expression, "Were you just hanging around Prewett?" He asked with a raise of his brow. "I wasn't 'hanging around him' Sebastian, he's my boyfriend." Sebastian looked a little disappointed at your response before masking it with a neutral expression, "I know that. it just makes me upset to know that one of my bestfriends is dating a prick." He said, sounding slightly irritated. But not at you, more at the mention of Leander. You decided to brush off his comment, not wanting to speak about your boyfriend. You turned to your blonde friend, "How are you today Ominis?" He only sighed before answering, "I would be just fine if our friend here wasn't dragging me off to go watch the quidditch match today." Sebastian only laughed before ruffling Ominis's hair, "You know you want to Ominis. Will you be coming to cheer me on as well MC?" Sebastian asked with hopeful eyes. "I've already told you Sebastian, I'm coming to watch the match, but I'll be cheering for Gryffindor." You replied with a smile. Your friend only scoffed before placing a firm grip on your shoulder, "You know you don't just have to cheer for Gryffindor because Prewett's playing. Don't you want to sit in the stands of the winning team." he suggested, trying to convince you. You had felt a little weird when Sebastian touched you. It wasn't a bad weird though, it was comforting, like a warm blanket. Leander had never made you feel that way before. You picked up Sebastians hand and dropped it off your shoulder, "Sorry Seb but I'm pretty sure Gryffindor's gonna win. Leander's been practicing nonstop for the game today." you said, feeling confident in your boyfriends' skills. Ominis spoke up, "Thats true, I've heard that the Gryffindors have been out there practicing almost every day." Sebastian gave Ominis a rude side glance, even though he couldn't see it. "Whose side are you on Ominis?" Sebastian accused. Ominis only shrugged with a smile causing you to let out a laugh. You only got to speak with your friends for a little while longer until you all had to get to your next class.

------

You and Poppy were tending to the beast when Professor Howin announced that class was now over. You shared a glace with Poppy before she grabbed your hand and started running. You only laughed as the girl dragged you behind her, "Poppy slow down!" you squealed. She stopped running and turned her pace into a fast walk, allowing you to walk side by side with her. "I cannot wait for the match! I know that Hufflepuff isn't in it, but it is still exciting all the same!" You smiled at your friend's enthusiasm, "I'm excited as well, Leander has really been looking forward to this." You two continued to chat until you neared the quidditch field. You and poppy made your way through the stands until you found a seat in the Gryffindor section. It was only a couple more minutes until the teams came out. Gryffindor came out first and you cheered as you saw Leander. You screamed out his name and expected him to find you in the crowd, maybe give you a smile, but instead it looked like something else had caught his attention. You looked around the stand to see what caught his gaze. But that's when you noticed that what held his eyes was no other than Violet Dupier. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. You tried not to think much of it, but it was hard not to feel a little jealous of her. Violet had smooth white hair that ended at her shoulders. And eyes that were greener than emeralds. Violet is a pretty girl, and you wondered if Leander was thinking the same. You brushed off the thought as you saw the Slytherins enter. When you saw Sebastian enter you started to jokingly boo. His eyes found you in the crowd and he flashed you a smile before blowing you a kiss. You pretended to catch it and hold it to your heart, mockingly batting your eyelashes. Sebastian playfully rolled his eyes before he moved away to get into position. Poppy shot you a suggestive look before nudging you with her shoulder, "What was that all about MC? You like how Sebastian looks in uniform?" You rolled your eyes before letting out a soft laugh, "We were only joking Poppy. You know I'm here for Leander." You answered. Poppy responded with a hum and you both turned to watch the game as it started.

It was a long game, but it eventually ended with a win for Gryffindor. You said goodbye to Poppy and walked down the steps to meet Leander on the field. When you spotted him, he was already speaking to someone, Violet. You rolled your eyes and was about to leave until someone put their hand on your shoulder from behind and spun you to face them. You looked up to see that it was sour looking Sebastian. His hair was quite messy from the game, and his face a bit flushed. "You really thought that was funny huh? to boo me." He asked with a raise of his brow. You gave him a smile, "oh I thought it was very funny." you teased. He grinned and gave you a soft push on the shoulder before speaking again, "I guess you were right though, Gryffindor for the win." he shrugged. You gasped dramatically, "wow, is the Sebastian Sallow really admitting that he was wrong? maybe now he'll have less of an ego." you joked. He only shook his head at you, "Cmon now MC, you know that'll never happen." You softly laughed before becoming a little serious, "I am sorry that you lost though. I know you wanted to win your first game." He looked down at the dirt while shuffling on his feet, "Its whatever, there'll be more games." You felt bad for your friend, knowing how hard he had practiced for the game. You opened your arms to him offering a hug which he accepted. He rested his head on top of yours and you could feel his chest rising and falling against you. The hug didn't last long as you were ripped off of him. You knew who it was as soon as they started speaking. "What the fuck do you think you're doing Sallow?" You only sighed as your boyfriend started yelling. Sebastian turned to face him, "Calm down Prewett, I'm not trying to do anything." Leander only scoffed, "Really? Cause that's not what it looks like to me." You put your hand on Leander's arm, "It's alright, I was just giving him a hug." you said, trying to deescalate the situation. Leander shoved your hand off him before gripping your arm tightly, you knew it would leave a bruise. "Did I ask you to say something MC?" Leander questioned, glaring at you. Sebastion shoved Leander off of you, "She doesn't have to ask your permission to talk Prewett." Sebastian was a couple inches taller than Leander, and he was definitely bigger since he was a Beater and Leander was only a Chaser. It seemed that Leander came to this same realization as he started to back off. "Whatever Sallow, I don't have time for this. Let's go MC." Leander looked at you, waiting for you to come and stand next to him. Sebastian looked down at you and shook his head slightly, telling you not to go. You mumbled a sorry before leaving his side to go stand next to Leander. He grabbed your hand and you two began to walk back to Hogwarts. You knew that if you hadn't gone with Leander, it would only make things worse. Besides, you loved Leander, and he loved you. Right? "I shouldn't have grabbed you like that, I'm sorry. I just don't like seeing you with him." he paused before continuing, "Do you forgive me?" he asked. You kept your gaze on the ground as you two walked, "I forgive you." you mumbled.

TAGLIST:

@snickette

#sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x reader #hogwarts legacy sebastian #sebastian sallow angst #sebastian sallow fic #sebastian x mc #sebastian sallow fanfiction #sebastian sallow x you #hogwarts legacy #leander prewett #leander prewett x mc

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold (18+) // AO3

Sebastian Sallow is treading a dangerous path in his efforts to cure his twin. To their mutual distain, Ominis and Nova are reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid this tense alliance, and the disapproval of Ominis' estranged family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him—and with her suspicion that he knows more about Anne's curse than he's letting on.

A reimagining of the 'In the Shadow of' storyline with a centric focus on Ominis and The Gaunt's.

Rivals to Friends, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Eventual Romance, Eventual smut, Angst & Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

Status: Complete

22/22 chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt fluff

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Twenty (+18)

Warnings: Graphic depiction of violence.

A reimagining of the 'In the Shadow of' storyline with more focus on Ominis and The Gaunt's.

When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

Nova felt Ominis' voice brush against the edge of her consciousness.

She grumbled a passive hum and burrowed deeper into the blanket's warmth. After tirelessly juggling night shifts to support the understaffed hospital, she seemed doomed to face tonight's on tattered scraps of sleep—courtesy of her impromptu guest.

She reluctantly cracked open a weary eye. An amber glow had begun filtering through the curtains. Inhabitants of the bird nest outside the window stirred awake, their shadowy silhouettes dancing across the ruffled hair obscuring Ominis' face.

"The sun is rising," Nova informed him, her words smothered by a groan as she forced life into her exhausted limbs. "Don't you ever sleep? What's wrong now?"

"This scar," Ominis repeated, trailing the pad of his thumb across a blemish on her lip. "You didn't have it last I saw you."

"Seventh year. Tavern. End of N.E.W.T.S," Nova flung an arm over her eyes, each word requiring her full effort to articulate. "I bet Imelda couldn't fly us back to the castle blindfolded. I won."

Ominis' ensuing murmur lacked any sympathy. He continued to trace each uncharted detail of her features until his fingertips reunited with a familiar groove, snaking from ear to eyebrow.

"You still have it?"

Despite her efforts to purge all memories of that winter, even the proficiency of St. Mungo's couldn't erase the souvenir carved into her skin.

"Mm-hmm. The acromantula thought I needed a permanent reminder of the catacombs."

"The night you got that scar was the night I kissed you for the first time."

"I should have known it was a bad omen."

Her laughter bubbled into a squeal as his fingers dug into her ribs. "You have no right to throw a tantrum; you ran away afterwards", she managed to gasp out, holding him at arm's length. "Your signature move."

"I returned, did I not?" Ominis brushed aside her attempts to keep him at bay and drew her up to straddle his hips. "I consistently do so. Perhaps that's my signature move."

"Mm, getting you to open up was more of a challenge back then, though." She shivered as he swept the blanket off her shoulders, allowing it to pool around her thighs while his exploration persisted over the rest of her body. "How the tables have turned."

"Are you suggesting that finding my way into your bed was a challenge?"

"Excuse me?" She snatched the stuffed badger wedged behind her pillow and swung it at his smug grin. "What exactly are you implying?"

She couldn't deny that his painfully accurate comment irked her far less than it would have a day prior. Their sleepless night had devolved from sharp words into soft apologies, and kisses that had stopped being battles. 

"I'm implying your feelings for me never faltered, just as mine remained constant for you."

"Stop trying to romanticise calling me a whore," she grumbled. Her feigned outrage contrasted with the kiss she planted on a lone beauty mark on the centre of his throat. "It might have been a challenge had you not cornered me in your bedroom."

"I would've dissolved those wards in a heartbeat had you asked," he said, tilting her chin to claim her lips in a kiss that was agonisingly slow and sinful. "You know that, but it didn't even cross your mind, did it?"

She opened her mouth to feign an objection, and her toes curled when he took the opportunity to swipe his tongue against hers.

"Admit it, darling. It drove you wild."

She cursed inwardly as the affectionate name trickled down her spine and kindled a simmering heat between her thighs. A raucous crash froze her in place before she could act on any impulses.

Nova scowled up at the window in search of the disruption, and a tawny owl gawked back at her. The morning breeze whipped at the parchment clasped in its beak as it cocked its head to the side with a hoot, amused by the interruption it had caused.

"Pervert," Nova hissed as she shimmied open the stiff window. The bird relinquished the letter into her hand before taking flight and weaving back through the cobbled structures of the Hamlet.

"Is it important?" Ominis asked, his palm sliding up the length of her thigh.

She dug a nail under the distinctive red 'M' etched into the wax seal. "It's from the Ministry."

His hand hesitated on the cusp of delving into scandalous territory. "Sebastian?"

Dear witness,

You are hereby notified that the Wizengamot has reached a verdict for Case C-1892-27861. This will be read to the accused at 4 o'clock this afternoon, 25th August.

If you wish to attend the reading, kindly arrive no later than quarter to the hour.

Sincerely,

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

She read the announcement out loud before handing it over to Ominis. He rummaged around on the floorboards to track down his cane and unsheathed his wand from its sleek black casing. Accepting she had soaked up every drop of sleep she was likely to get, Nova dragged her body down the stairs to brew tea while Ominis scrutinised the letter.

Although it was theoretically a  house , Nova's residence stretched the definition of the term. The kitchen and living space were squeezed together, and a lofty bedroom teetered precariously above.

Just a two-apparition and floo connection to St Mungo's and the same in the opposite direction to Poppy's cottage by the coast—it was perfect for her. Still, she couldn't deny Ominis had a point when she said it would be a stretch to accommodate Sebastian too.

"Will you be able to attend before your shift this evening?"

Nova admired the sight of Ominis descending the ramshackle staircase. His guiding hand trailed the bannister while the other gripped a blanket perilously low around his waist, revealing far more than it concealed.

"It'll be tight, but I should make it if I leave right after," she said, returning her attention to the screaming kettle. "Are you going? I assume you're already aware of the verdict."

He didn't reply immediately; instead, he reached out to locate the sagging crimson couch and flopped onto it with a sigh.

"It wasn't easy convincing the minister to conclude the trial without my father's influence," he finally confessed, abandoning any pretence of naivety. "I intend to relish in the rewards. Besides, I'm eager to hear you describe Sebastian's face when he sees us together."

"The last time he saw us together, he threw me down a hallway."

"He's not the Sebastian he was back then."

"No. He's not..." Nova nibbled at the loose skin on her lip, reluctant to re-raise the topic of Sebastian out of fear it might sour their morning. Luckily, Ominis' words ricocheted in her mind and shot her thoughts down a different path.

"Wait, together? Is that safe? Isn't your mother going to be there?"

By Ominis' account, his mother was nothing more than a vindictive drunk, hardly as formidable as his father. She would relay the scandal back to him though, and Nova wasn't convinced the head of Gaunt House wouldn't pull off a miraculous recovery.

"I have my doubts. I wasn't the sole target practice of Marvolo's cruciatus," Ominis confessed. "She's not grieving, but she's shaken. If she does decide to join us, it will likely be for appearances or to contest me on the inheritance."

"There's already talk of inheritance?" Nova prodded one of his sprawled limbs with her knee, balancing a steaming mug in each hand.

The wizard hauled himself upright, tossing the flattened cushions onto the rug so she could cosy up to him instead. "When my father fell ill, she wanted to ensure everything would be rightfully hers if his condition deteriorated, but he's leaving all his possessions to his eldest son. After my brother's passing, that became me."

"Is that why she's hiding from you?" Nova asked, opting not to place her drink on the side table—more to have something to squeeze than to drink as her nerves began to spiral. Ominis had ascended from a Gaunt pariah to a man primed to inherit obscene wealth and influence. It was sure to paint a target on his back.

"It's not worth delving into. Considering my father is still alive, encountering her seems unlikely."

On the surface, Ominis appeared to genuinely believe his own words. Yet, as they strode down stark, desolate halls of the ministry, his slender fingers tapping against the serpentine head of his cane betrayed him. He was nervous.

Nova diverted her attention from the unsettling rhythm by watching their intertwined reflections morph and contort in the glossy black tiles lining the passage.

Any sense of calm was torn out from under their feet as they rounded the corner to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"Ominis," Nova whispered his name, but the skeletal woman at the far end of the corridor whipped around at the sound of it. "She's here."

Ominis nodded with cold detachment, "Alone?"

Her eyes narrowed as she dissected the two individuals flanking the Gaunt. It hadn't been long since she'd laid eyes on her former tormentor, but it had been a while since she was permitted to be this close.

"No, she's with the Flints—Alice and her mother, I assume."

"Alright, go straight into the courtroom and take a seat behind the Minister's podium. I'll join you."

Nova only half-listened to his futile request, her muscles clenching at visceral memories when Alice brandished her wand.

"I swear to Merlin, if today doesn't play out as it should," she spat at Ominis, "over my dead body, will that filth walk free after what he did to my Marvolo."

Her anger hadn't waned.

The charges may have been dropped when Nova resurfaced from the room of requirement two winters back, but Alice's grief had driven her to carry out her own retribution—Immobilising Nova's body and tearing through it with cruciatus in broad daylight.

Panicked spectators had intervened before irreversible damage was inflicted, resulting in Professor Black giving her nothing more than a slap on the wrists before tossing her back into class. It wasn't until allegations questioning his duty of care emerged that he reluctantly approved a magically enforced restraining order for the remainder of their schooling.

"If you're referring to Sebastian, you'll have to take it up with the Minister," Ominis informed her calmly, guiding Nova forward with a firm hand against her back. "He administers the verdicts."

Nova hated herself for flinching when a wand swiped into their path.

"I mean it, you won't get away with this."

"Alice, you were only ever his pawn, a means to keep tabs on me. My brother's death and my termination of our arrangement should serve as your chance to seek better companionship."

"You and he aren't even close to comparable. It should have been you lying dead in that cave."

Nova's words were already midway out her mouth when she realised she regretted them, but pride prevented her from halting their progression. "That wretch might still have a pulse, had you not been such a notorious rat."

Her remorse intensified as Alice lunged forward with her bare hands, a sight infinitely more terrifying than the cruciatus curse.

“Petrificus totalus.”

Alice's body stiffened, then teetered back into the arms of the portly woman concealed behind her slender frame. Despite the counter spell being easily achievable, Alice's mother made no attempt to administer it. "How dare you! First, you cast your own mother out into the cold, and now you assault my innocent little girl!"

"I don't appreciate this ambush," Ominis fought to keep his tone even, though his frustration caused the cane clutched in his hand to crackle with restrained magic. "I've made it clear my mother is welcome in her home. Furthermore, I've proposed to split the estate in the event of father's passing, which is a very generous offer..."

"It's not yours to offer," the grandiose witch spat venomously at her son. "I won't allow you to besmirch our name by parading around my house with your filthy mudblood—"

Terror flashed across her face as Ominis' expression hardened, his knuckles tightening until they turned bone-white around his cane.

"You will address Nova by her name. You will stand with us in the courtroom, or my offer is revoked, and I will demand you be escorted out."

Her mouth hung open, torn between the impulse to argue and the urge to flee.

She apparated, followed closely by Alice's mother, still cradling her rigid daughter.

Nova's eyes roamed over Ominis as he ran a hand through his hair with a heavy exhale.

"I've got this sudden urge to drag you into a broom cupboard."

His stern expression tempered as he took her hand, and they entered the courtroom together. "If you send word when your shift ends, I'll meet you at the hospital and escort you straight to bed. How does that sound?"

"Ideal."

As it turned out, the Minister had more pressing matters than dedicating ten minutes of his day to read a verdict. Without their superior at the helm, the Wizengamot also opted to forego the reading. Only Nova, Ominis, and a scattering of officials were present.

Sebastian was notably more casual than his previous court appearance, clad in a knitted jumper, his unruly locks of hair defying gravity. Nova couldn't fulfil Ominis' request and describe his expression—The veil of tears clouding her vision obscured any discernible features, but she was relatively sure he was smiling up at them.

"Attendees of the courtroom," the appointee said monotonously, displaying apparent disinterest in the proceedings. "We gather here to deliver the verdict on… Sebastian Sallow? Standing accused of the murders of Marvolo Gaunt and Soloman Sallow."

Sebastian squirmed uneasily in his chair as the official paused in her speech, sifting through a paltry pile of paperwork and giving each document a half-hearted skim before continuing.

"After examination of the evidence, members of the Wizengamot have reached a verdict. Sebastian Sallow has been found liable for luring Marvolo Gaunt into the Feldcroft catacombs, resulting in the latter's tragic demise."

Nova gripped Ominis' hand so tightly that she felt her nails cutting into his palm.

"Liable," he whispered to her. "Liable, not guilty."

"However," the Ministry employee pressed on, casting a glare of irritation towards the interruption, "He alone did not initiate the tragedy. The true instigator remains at large—a faceless witch or wizard who saw fit to curse Anne Sallow, setting this chain of events into motion."

A clap of thunder from the enchanted ceiling mirrored the fury flickering across Sebastian's features at the mention of his sister, but the court remained indifferent. An Auror shot a spark up at the rafters, muting the disturbance.

"In light of this and given that the association of dark magic has been attributed to the deceased uncle, Soloman Sallow, this court decrees the following sentence for one Sebastian Sallow: a five-year suspended sentence for his involvement. You shall  not  be imprisoned on the condition you refrain from engaging in unlawful activities during this period. Should you breach the terms, you will face the full sentence determined by this court. We expect you to take this opportunity to lead a lawful and productive life."

He's coming home.

"Is it over?" Nova's voice was drowned out by the flood of her tears and the onlookers rising from their seats, Ominis among them. Still grasping his hand, Nova stumbled behind him, her feet barely touching the ground as he practically sprinted to the stand.

An Auror attempted to separate Sebastian from Ominis, but he embraced his friend tightly. Nova's tearful gaze shifted between the two bodies, unable to distinguish whose shoulders were trembling; both seemed plausible.

"Where are you taking him?" she demanded, her voice quivering with panic as the Auror tried again to usher Sebastian towards the exit.

"You may retrieve him twenty-four hours after completing the necessary paperwork."

"One more day," Sebastian exclaimed, lifting her off her feet in a hug that threatened to crush her ribs before reluctantly yielding to the officer's pull. "Just twenty-four hours and everything will be back to normal. It's over."

Ominis adamantly denied any connection between his mother's presence and his refusal to leave Nova's side until they reached St. Mungo's apothecary, though it was clear he was flustered.

Pushing her unwelcome worries aside, Nova dropped a bouquet of valerian sprigs into the steaming cauldron. It belched up a burning mist of luminous fog, and she ducked to avoid it with a hiss. Her night with Ominis was beginning to take its toll. A slow nod of her head followed each blink, and the exhaustion was threatening to plunge her headfirst into the scalding potions.

A refreshing shot of vigour flowed through her veins when her supervisor apparated into the apothecary and flung a file onto the brewing station.

"There's been a skirmish," she declared stiffly. "The fourth floor is understaffed already, and now it's flooded with wounded Aurors. This batch needs to be finalised and delivered to them.  Immediately ."

When my father was admitted to St Mungo's, I made certain you'd be kept far away from his ward. 

Ominis' words echoed in Nova's mind, but before she could convey them to her superior, she had stormed out to bark orders at another apprentice.

Nova charmed the ladle to fill phials with the swirling crimson liquid, her teeth clicking in disapproval at the sight of the grim report: stinging hexes, a backfired bombarda, and a slew of gangrene curses. It was bound to be carnage up there.

Whoever Ominis had managed to pay off had been thorough. The magic of the barriers, typically used to deter wandering patients and visitors, shimmered into visibility as Nova approached the threshold of the fourth floor.

"I've been dispatched from the apothecary," Nova announced as she approached the reception desk. "I have the requested potions."

The staff member stationed behind it didn't spare her a glance, her fingers fumbling through a bloodstained stack of ministry paperwork on counter-curses. "Then stop dawdling and take them through?"

Nova rapped her knuckle against the blockade, "Don't you think I would if I could?"

The witch finally looked up, her eyes narrowing as they fell upon Nova's name tag. "Oh, you're that one."

"You'll need to call someone to collect—"

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the nearest open door, weakening into a sickening gurgle. The commands of a healer followed, directing attempts to staunch the flow of blood.

"Does it look like we have spare hands?" the employee snapped, dispelling the barriers with a dismissive wave. "Get moving."

Nova tightened her grip on the trolley and steered it toward the commotion. The sight was a visceral assault on her senses, and she had to fight to keep her composure. The auror's wand had been obstructed mid-bombarda, shattering it and tearing apart half his face in the resulting blast. Shards of splintered mahogany were embedded in his tattered skin.

She seized a vial of blood-replenishing potion from the collection, her gaze flickering briefly to the diagnostic projection suspended over the bed. "Anything else besides this and Skele-Gro?" she asked, banishing the blood with a flick of her wand before administering the medicine.

"Pain relief. Lots of it," the head healer replied. "Are you competent in fabricating synthetic skin?"

Nova conjured a layer of iridescent coating and secured it over the wounds while the healers worked to regrow the damaged flesh. As the situation stabilised, the other staff members dispersed to attend to less urgent patients until only Nova remained. She tilted the man's head back to assist him in sipping water and topped up his pain relief before leaving him to rest.

Closing the door to the ward behind her, Nova took a few steps toward the reception desk, though her head was craned in the opposite direction. At the far end of the fourth floor, where the private rooms were located, she spotted his name etched on the door.

Gaunt, M.

Ominis' incessant voice in her head screamed at her to leave, but her legs refused to obey—carrying her closer so she could inspect the scribbled notes.

Private Room 1 - Confidential

Diagnosis:  Unidentified curse, dark. Research ongoing.

Medication:  Draught of living death.

Unauthorised access or tampering with this information is subject to extreme consequences.

Draught of the living death?

Her skin erupted in a wave of goosebumps. The powerful potion was exceptionally rare, inducing a death-like slumber as a last-resort measure to stall symptoms and buy time for diagnosis and treatment.

He was asleep.

The door had no handle and was accessible only to hospital staff. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Nova's palm instinctively found its way to the panel, and with a faint click, the door permitted her entry.

The noxious stench of dark magic billowed from the figure in the hospital bed like a thick fog. Its tendrils snaked under her skin and coiled around her senses. Every inhalation felt like shards of glass tearing through her chest, threatening to slash her apart with every breath.

The unresponsive wizard embodied the name Gaunt—His pallid skin stretching taut over his skeletal frame. His complexion was a sickly blue hue, starkly contrasting the intense black circles underlining his eyes, rimmed with veins that pulsated with every laboured breath escaping his brittle lungs.

The appearance, the smell… It sent Nova stumbling backwards out of the room. Her body crashed to the floor, her pain lost in the rush of adrenaline and confusion. Her mind raced, frantically sifting through memories, trying to recall any mention of the relic since Marvolo's murder.

The curse that was slowly consuming the man before her was indistinguishable from the one that killed Anne.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt fluff

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Nineteen (+18)

Warnings: Smut, light choking, dominis.

A reimagining of the 'In the Shadow of' storyline with more focus on Ominis and his family.

When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

The carriage's tremors on the cobblestone road shot up Ominis' arm and reverberated through to the grip he held on Nova's jaw. His emotions were barricaded behind a stony expression, but his free hand hunted for her wrist, as though he could physically prevent her from apparating away from him.

"You almost had me believing you feel nothing but animosity towards me.”

"I feel nothing for you," she bit out. The more venom, the better the chance it had of purging the lingering taste of him on her lips. She was still clutching the knot of his tie with such force that the texture embedded itself into her skin. "I don't know who you are anymore."

"Mm-hmm," He disregarded her words with a hum, tilting her chin up before audaciously crashing his mouth back into hers. It was more of a fight than a kiss, a spiteful exchange that set her blood boiling. Her nails dug harshly into the back of his neck, and he retaliated by thrusting a fist into her hair, using the leverage to pull her onto his lap.

The power struggle was stirring a perverse pleasure, and she despised that being on the losing side was only turning her on more. Her knees anchored on either side of his hips as her dress shamelessly gathered up around her thighs and she drove her tongue into him like it was a knife.

"You know me," he insisted before muttering an incantation against her lips, charming the thin curtains to drape themselves across the windows.

"I did," she spat, swatting his hand away from her face. "And then you disappeared. Not a single letter, not a visit…"

"You know I wasn’t able to visit you."

"You found a way to visit Sebastian."

"Only once." Distant echoes of cruciatus pulsed in his fingertips as they wandered down to her throat, forcing her to look at him, all his movements were deliberate and achingly controlled. "Don't worry, I was duly punished for it."

His mouth grazed over hers, infuriatingly soft and tempting—and when she tried to deepen it, he intentionally withdrew.

His jaw was practically screaming to be met with the force of a clenched fist.

The fact a denied kiss could get her so needy, the fact he knew it would make her flutter apart for him like a house of cards made her want to nosedive out of the carriage door.

I need to get out of here.

Rallying enough focus for apparition proved challenging as a warm palm caressed her thigh. Part of her was seriously scandalized that he was skimming the hem of her dress, but a significantly more dominant part was dying to know how far he was willing to take this.

Retracting her hands, she roughly dragged her nails across the racing pulse on his neck and sensed a distinct twitch between her thighs. Chalking it up to a bump in the road, she gritted her teeth against the temptation to grind down and find out.

"You've gone unusually quiet," he observed, his grip firm on her waist. She suppressed the touch-starved relief of being held—a deceptive illusion of I've got you, you're mine.

It was difficult to recall if she'd ever been this aroused.

Their first encounter was more about satisfying a longing for comfort than indulging in lust.

Her second time was a foggy, alcohol-fuelled tumble with her yule ball date in an act of retaliation after learning the news.

The betrothal announcement was just a scrap tucked away in the socialite section of the Daily Prophet, easily missed, but someone wanted her to know—Ominis wouldn't have been the one to mail it to her, of course. Nova deduced it was the fiancée who pointed the finger at the Slytherin trio for the demise of the Gaunt brother she truly wanted.

A searing pain lodged itself between her lungs at the memory.

"You're engaged," she chewed out, forcefully shoving his hands off her skin.

"You want to discuss that now?"

"You're engaged, and once you’re done with me, you'll be gone. You won’t put me through that again.”

The timber seat groaned beneath his weight as he reclined in it, and after a thoughtful pause, he carefully spoke. “Do you believe I possess the freedom to allow Sebastian to walk free, but not call off my own betrothal?”

An onslaught of questions thundered into her mind, but his tempered features were melting away her defences. He was cradling the back of her skull, and her relief was bleeding into arousal.

It didn’t make sense.

He had a debilitating fear of crossing his father's boundaries, but here he was, seducing a halfblood in the back of his family's carriage, orchestrating Sebastian’s trial, calling off his engagement... Either he had outgrown the fear of his father's wrath or…

His father isn’t coming back.

Ominis’ knows he isn’t coming back.

“What have you done to your fath…”

Ominis kissed the words out of her mouth with a lewd groan that she swallowed down and she gave into the urge to grind against him, he was thick and stiff between her thighs and when he rolled his hips up to meet hers it sent a wave of sparks racing across her skin.

The air inside this wretched mode of transport was stifling, the coarse fabric of the seat was imprinting into her knees, and her neck ached from bending down to avoid hitting her head on the roof.

“Can we apparate now?”

"We?" Ominis repeated before capturing her lips to pre-emptively silence any potential retort. "Do you want to join me?"

She eyed him warily, “Where?”

He raised his hand in a gesture of invitation.

Without thinking she placed her palm against his and the walls of the carriage exploded outwards.

Nova staggered into a vast chamber, shoes clacking against the polished hardwood floor. The room was cold and bleak. A canopied bed inhabited the centre and a sturdy wardrobe stood against the distant wall. The expansive windows towered up to the intricately carved ceiling, but the view was obscured by the iridescent haze of protective wards.

Gaunt Manor.

Panic gripped her throat, burning her oesophagus all the way to her chest. ,.

“What have you... why...”

"This is the safest place you could be," Ominis’s hand landed on her shoulder, and she instinctively recoiled away from it. "No one can breach these wards unless I allow it."

"What if someone hears me?"

“No one will hear you,” he assured her. “The house is empty. Ever since my father's hospitalization, my mother has been hiding at the Flint's."

“Hiding?”

"Visiting. Turning to them for comfort—apparently, mine wasn't enough."

His attempt to deflect the mistake fell on deaf ears, the unintentional confession wedging uncomfortably between them.

Hiding?

Why is his mother afraid of him?

Should I be afraid?

Nova pressed her back against the opulent mahogany walls as the heir of Slytherin towered over her.

The realisation of her isolation hit hard. No one could hear them, no prying eyes would be sneaking a glimpse through the windows. She readied to apparate, only to feel her magic sparking under her skin as the anti-apparition wards held her prisoner. The fortress around them was impenetrable.

She was fascinated by it—by the danger, by Ominis, and by whatever he had done to fight his way back to her. Staring into his eyes, they looked older, as though a decade had slipped by since she last studied them.

Her sigh of surrender poured into him as he claimed her lips, and the lustful twitch in her stomach flickered back to life. He clutched her hips possessively as he indulged in her, his mouth trailing from her lips to her throat, respectable kisses intensifying to lustful bites that stained the column of her neck. His hands glided across her shoulders, stumbling over the sleeves of her dress, unfastening them and pushing the fabric away until it pooled at her feet.

"If you want me to stop, tell me." His words dripped with forced sweetness but were devoid of any genuine kindness. A tactic to coerce her into confessing she wanted him.

"You..." Any insult she had poised on her tongue dissolved as he sank his teeth into her pulse, crafting a bruise into her skin. Her attention redirected to feverishly scrabbling at the fastenings of his shirt.

Ominis scoffed, the derisive sound scattering like poison across her skin, "I don't want you to stop. Notice how easy it is to admit it?"

“Fuck you.”

The palms exploring their way down her ribcage stilled and reversed their course, coiling into the strands at the nape of her neck so tightly she could barely twitch her head, "That’s what you want me to do to you, isn’t it?"

Nova could feel him swelling against her pelvis as he pinned her against the wall. She arched her hips as a way of replying, meeting his throbbing arousal with a defiant grind. The self-loathing she felt for surrendering to him so easily was, to some degree, alleviated by the location of their transgressions. His family had haunted her nightmares for months, passive-aggressive sex with their surviving son in their ancestral home felt like fitting revenge.

"Then behave yourself. Any more attitude and I won't think twice about calling your bluff and leaving you here.”

His warning trickled down her spine and awakened a smouldering heat behind her navel. She suspected it was an empty threat but had no desire to test her luck.

"I'll be nice," she said reluctantly, swallowing down every retort she’d rather be spitting at him.

He loosened his hold on her hair. "Prove it."

With an almost insultingly sweet kiss, she began to steer them towards the bed. Surmising her intended destination, he dug his fingers into the flesh of her backside and lifted her off the ground. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she delved her fingers into the blonde silk of his hair, dragging her nails down his scalp and the sound he made—she wanted to pull it from him over and over again.

With an involuntary yelp, their connection was severed, and he let her fall back onto the crisp linen of the bed.

“Get on your knees.”

She obliged, clutching his thighs for support while he loomed over the foot of the bed.

Banishing the rebellious curls that had fought their way out of her braids with a swift brush Ominis began to chart the contours of her face. His fingertips perused every peak and trough, lingering on an unfamiliar scar marring her upper lip—the triumphant mark of a won bet. Her pulse quickened to meet his palm as it hovered on the precipice of her neck.

She wondered how she felt to him, and why her heartbeat felt like it might burst through her chest when the edges of his mouth twitched into a smile.

An unsettling and unfamiliar sense of intimacy coiled in her gut, and she swept her tongue across the pad of his thumb to steer them back on course. Taking the hint, Ominis slipped the digit between her parted lips and began unhooking the buttons of his trousers.

“Open that pretty mouth, darling.”

Her jaw went slack around his fingers, and his rigid length sprang out as the last of the buttons conceded. His lashes fluttered when she licked a stripe up the sensitive flesh and to her satisfaction, they flickered closed entirely when she met him with a swirl of her tongue.

Determined not to miss a second of his wavering control, she gazed up at him as his imposing length glided across her tongue, trying to gauge how long he'd permit it before pinning her to the mattress to regain the upper hand.

Fingers tightened in her hair as he quickened his pace, rolling his hips into her throat. She welcomed it with eager, greedy moans, the sounds mingling with his own throaty pleasure as she continued to descend until her nose brushed against the fine hairs on his stomach.

“You take me so well,” he rasped, repeatedly striking the back of her throat. “Being so good for me—I knew you had it in you.”

Out of spite, she held him in place and released a sultry moan, strategically ensuring it reverberated in all the right places. Ominis withdrew, blinking rapidly.

Nova sank into the absurd mountain of decorative pillows, wiping her palm against her wet chin and using it to provocatively tease along his swollen shaft. “Can’t handle it?”

“What did I say about attitude?”

Her lips tightened into a thin line as she scrutinized him—the pale skin of his erection standing in stark contrast against his pressed black trousers. His shirt was ruffled, frayed threads marking where the top two buttons had been torn off. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes dark with arousal.

“You’re wearing too many clothes.”

“So, take them off,” he instructed, pulling her across the sheets by her thighs.

She shifted the material up his torso and tossed it to the side. He was a beautiful shade of moonlight, scattered stars in the form of beauty-marks embellished his skin. Her fingers danced across them but were interrupted when he gently drove her into the pillows, his kisses reverent as they grazed along the curve of each of her ribs.

Elaborately carved bedposts emerged into her view as she tipped her head back, the flickering glow of sconces hovering at the edge of her vision.

He hissed in feigned disapproval as a fingertip teased along the edge of her saturated underwear. "Did you squeeze these thighs together while slashing at me with those sharp words?"

A deflective rebuff hovered on the tip of her tongue, but reluctant to risk him stopping, she swallowed her pride.

“Yes.”

The ruined material found a home somewhere at the foot of the bed while Ominis pressed his lips on the inside of her knee, his hands kneading and contorting around the curve of her flesh. Every coherent thought slipped away as he ascended higher. A displeased moan was poorly stifled when he paused his journey to suck a bruise into her thigh.

“Please, don’t stop.”

"Please?" he repeated, a playful lick granting her a sliver of relief from this delectable torture. “So well-mannered.”

The air was knocked from her lungs as he began to devour her.

Pink marks bloomed underneath his fingers as he grasped at her plump flesh, pulling her tight against his eager mouth. He was intuitive, lining up his movements with the rhythm of her breath catching. Altering his pace until she was writhing underneath his splayed hands. He tangled their fingers, noting every clench of hers as if finely tuning himself to her. It was merciless and precise, sending thick waves of pleasure streaking through her body.

"You taste incredible," he muttered, twisting his mouth away for a few torturous seconds. "You're going to feel like heaven, aren’t you?"

Anticipation dripped from her lips in the form of a deprived whine.

“Be a good girl and tell me what you want,” he hummed as his tongue curled against her receptive bud. “Tell me, so I can give it to you.”

Her heart felt like it was going to crawl out of her ribs, she’d never been called a good girl before, and now it was all she wanted to hear. The shift from hurling verbal daggers at him to hungering for his praise was a bitter pill to swallow.

Nova cupped his jaw, drawing him to her lips, and somehow, it felt more intimate than being thoroughly pulled apart by his mouth. The kiss wasn’t fierce like the others—like they were trying to wage a war with their tongue, it felt genuine.

Fuck it.

“I need to have you, now.”

Ominis muttered a satisfied string of praise, but she could tell he hadn’t expected it. True to his word, he lowered his forehead against hers, aligning himself to the entrance to her warmth.

She could suffocate in the depths of his cloudy blue eyes if they kept flickering down at her with such adoration. Witnessing such tenderness after seeing the other side of him—commanding, capable, reducing the Minister himself to his knees—she wondered if anyone else had the privilege.

“If you want me to stop, just tell me and I will,” he promised, scattering kisses across her collarbone.

Something had shifted between them and the sweet sting of him pushing inside her drew her attention before she could decide if she preferred it. His velvety hiss as she adjusted to him shuddered down her spine. He was moving in tediously slow increments, and when she attempted to grab his hip, he intertwined their fingers, pinning her firmly to the bed.

 “Let me take my time with you.”

He touched her body like he was praying—slow worship like she held power to free him from whatever burdens he needed to release. If she could perform such a miracle, she'd do it for him in a heartbeat.

She drove her heels into the mattress to push up against him, but he grabbed the back of her knees and held her in place, spreading her apart under him. There was nothing she could do but take it as he struck the deepest parts of her with each perfect drag of his cock.

“Harder, fuck.”

Eighteen months of his absence intensified his presence. Each touch felt like flames licking her skin, each kiss felt like drowning, and each thrust was driving her closer to the edge. Cautiously, his palm found her throat, applying a delicate pressure to her windpipe.

“Oh—fuck—just like that.”

"I want you to be loud for me," he commanded. She sank her nails into his shoulder blades to pull him close and he buried himself to the hilt inside her, circling his hips to initiate a delicious friction against her bundle of nerves. "I want to hear how good I make you feel."

He cast away the final remnants of fabric veiling her body, his mouth avidly exploring her breasts, kissing and sucking until the point where their thighs were colliding became increasingly soaked. She was vaguely aware of moaning his name over and over, as if he had fucked every other word out of her. The reward manifested in the form of a harder thrust with each repetition.

"Such a good girl, doing so well," he purred into her ear. "I can feel you tightening, will you come for me?"

“Keep calling me a good girl and I might.”

His rhythm faltered at her demand, whether or not he indulged the request remained uncertain as the phrase that involuntarily slithered out of his mouth and ignited her senses was a shrill symphony of high-pitched hissing.

"Oh, what the fuck—"

Stars streaked across the black canvas of her closed eyes as she clenched around his cock, mumbling a cracked profanity into his mouth. She drowned in the weightless waves crashing over her, while he kept hissing garbled strings of parseltongue through every throb of pleasure. As the dark haze clouding her vision began to lift, Ominis was nestled in the crook of her neck, his breath heavy as he poured himself deep inside her with a broken groan. His fingertips gripped her throat too tightly, but she welcomed it—Five small souvenirs of their misdeeds would be gladly taken.

They eased back into the pillows, grabbing forgotten covers to shield them from the chill. The inevitable awkward silence sneaked up on them, bringing with it unavoidable questions and the harsh light of reality.

Ominis' fingers gently combed through her hair for a few moments before he finally spoke, "Are you alright? Can I get you anything?"

She gave him a vague hum of dissent as she nestled against his body. The warmth of his chest beneath her cheek and the gentle rise and fall of his breathing threatened to lull her to sleep, but the discomfort of the environment was clawing back under her skin with a vengeance.

She trusted Ominis wouldn’t have brought her here if he wasn’t convinced she was safe, but it felt like cruel déjà vu. They’d been here before. His arms around her with promises of protection from the Gaunt’s, and come morning, she had woken up alone.

Her heart plummeted into the pit of her stomach.

"I should go," she declared, peeling herself away from his embrace. The abrupt loss of heat was stoking her rising urge to cry. Her bare feet slapped against the frigid floor as she hastily gathered up her belongings.

“Are you alright?”

"I’m fine... I just can't stand this place. I… I don't want to fall asleep here."

Ominis pulled himself up to perch on the edge of the bed. The once impenetrable mask of apathy had completely crumbled away, leaving him alone with an expression of genuine confusion and fear.

"Do... you need anything?" Nova asked awkwardly, fidgeting with the clothes bundled in her arms.

“Can I come with you?” he asked quietly, “I can’t stand being here either.”

The thought of leaving him in such a vulnerable state was excruciating. It dawned on her why, when the roles were reversed, he chose to slip away while she slept.

Combing back the sweat-soaked strands clinging to his brow, she instructed him to drop the wards.

He did, and they apparated.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt fluff

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Twenty-One

A reimagining of the 'In the Shadow of' storyline with more focus on Ominis and The Gaunt's.

When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

Nova's nails gouged into the sterilised walls of the hospital ward as she fought to her feet. She shook her head, blinking rapidly, desperately hoping she was hallucinating – it was just a cruel figment of her exhausted mind.

A sharp ringing drilled into her ears as she cast a glance back at the bedridden Gaunt. Dark magic pulsated from his lifeless body in tangible waves, swathing itself around Nova's clothes and sinking into her skin.

She turned on her heels and ran.

Her feet were heaving through quicksand, the ground dragging her under with each despairing stride. She collided with the reception desk, the impact startling the healer behind it. The woman shouted, but her words were incomprehensible as Nova scrambled wildly for parchment and a quill.

Ominis had insisted she send for him immediately following her shift so he could escort her home. As she started to pen the note, it shook loose a realisation. Ever since her impulsive decision to pull him to her lips in the carriage, he hadn't left her side. She'd chalked it up to having missed one another but now saw the ulterior motive.

He was guarding her.

Ominis was afraid. Paranoid. Was he complicit in his father's cursing, or was he the next target?

Where the fuck is St. Mungo's owlry?

Nova made a strangled noise as she shoved the parchment aside—a sound caught between a growl and a sob. Owls were too slow; she needed him now.

Fear tightened its bind on her chest as she bolted down the corridor, shepherded by the guiding signs to the visitors' lounge. Stunned inpatients clutched their chests at the heavy doors crashing against opposing walls as Nova burst through them.

She grasped a handful of floo powder, the fine particles slipping through the cracks in her fist as she cast it into the fireplace.

The witch touched down on the outer edge of a prodigious estate. An emerald flame fought against the wind beneath a crumbling carving of Ignatia Wildsmith.

"Gaunt Manor."

The darkness was oppressive. Her first instinct was to strike up a lumos, but the wind's shrill cries through the undergrowth put her on edge and made her reluctant to reveal her position. Tall spires of a gate stood sentinel to her left; the eroded iron proudly emblazoned with the Gaunt crest.

It grated loudly against the gravel as Nova forced it open and squeezed through the gap.

The mansion's silhouette was just a shadow against the inky expanse of the night sky. The path stretching toward it was flanked on either side by a dense thicket of trees, their gnarled branches reaching out to snatch at wisps of her hair as she ran past. Agony ripped through the muscles in her neck as she tried to advance, but her magic spluttered under her skin as Ominis' wards impeded her every attempt to apparate.

The entrance to the Manor itself was fortified with an excessive array of shields, evidenced by the scorched and blackened ground encircling the perimeter.

An apparition materialised as Nova's foot descended onto the first step of the patio, causing her to stagger back in shock.

"Name?" The house elf asked.

"Nova Fen…."

The creature condensed into a singular point and disapparated with a faint crack.

With a hand pressed against her pounding heart, Nova fought to regain control of her breathing. She tilted her head back, scouring the tall rows of ornate windows for any sign of Ominis, but no hint of life shined through any panes.

After an unbearable delay, a sliver of light sliced across her face as the front door scraped open. Gnarled fingers curled around the edge of the narrow crack as the elf cautiously peered out. Without warning, a net of charms shot from his fingertips—a finite incantatem followed by a slew of polyjuice detection spells.

Satisfied with her identity, he widened the doorway a fraction with a resigned grunt. "Grimkin wasn't informed of visitors."

"I need to speak with Ominis. Is he home?"

"Master was asleep. Getting himselfs fit to be seen."

"No one else is here, are they?" Nova strained to see through the slit in the door, her oesophagus constricting with each passing second Ominis failed to appear in it. "Who are you? Ominis never mentioned a house elf."

"Grimkin has faithfully served the house of Gaunt for a century!" the elf's tone spiked with offence at the contention. "Would have served for many more."

"Would?" Nova repeated, the blood draining from her face. The shadows swallowed her as she instinctively retreated beyond the reach of the light. "What's stopping you?"

Grimkin slowly raised a crooked finger.

The gale whipped at Nova's skin as she shivered helplessly in the shadow of the Manor. The splintered fingernail of the Gaunt's devoted servant pointed accusingly at her panic-stricken face.

"Gaunt business aren't for discussions with filthy blood," he hissed through gritted teeth before firing a spell.

Nova's wand shot up, and a powerful protego blossomed around her.

Grimkin's magic surged towards her, but it dissipated harmlessly into the Manor's protective wards, dismantling the defences and unveiling a clear path for her to enter the household.

"Grimkin is instructed to bring the witch inside and see to it her every request is met."

Nova held steadfast to her shield. "You... you said would," she stammered, hovering at the threshold of the breached wards. "You know something, don't you? About what's happening to Ominis' father?"

"We hold master Gaunt in our thoughts. His family is hopeful for a swift recovery." Grimkin answered, his enunciation jarringly eloquent for an elf.

It was a rehearsed response. Ominis had imparted it when Nova questioned him on the convenient timing of his father's illness. She'd heard him recite it endlessly to well-wishers at the Ministry, each repetition more hollow and insincere than the last.

"Ominis has instructed you to say that, hasn't he?"

"Gaunt matters aren't for discussions with fil—"

"You've been ordered to meet every request I have, Grimkin," Nova snapped, dispelling her protego and levelling her wand at the vexed elf. "I request answers. What have the Gaunt's gotten themselves into?!"

"Not anything," Grimkin spat in outrage, his fists clenching at his sides. "The Gaunt's is having their innocence dragged through the mud. They stand tall, noble, honourable—"

"Then who's behind the cursing? Who's dragging their name?"

"Nasty brat stole master away from his blood, poisoned his mind he did. Cowardly snake slithering in the dark, spreading lies and curses like a plague."

"Stole him away? Are you talking about... Do you mean Sebastian?"

"The trial of Sebastian Sallow," Grimkin snarled the words like they scorched his tongue. "Filthy lies. The downfall of House Gaunt."

"No... no, Sebastian was on trial for the death of Marvolo. I'm talking about the curse that's killing Ominis' father."

“As is Grimkin.”

“Nova?”

A familiar crimson light poured across the porch as the door swung open fully at the hands of Ominis. He held his wand aloft, its blinking tip directing its focus to Nova's defenceless form on the darkened path.

"I told you to send an owl when your shift ended. It would be best if you didn't travel alone," he said with his customary air of dissatisfaction. He had thrown an old Slytherin jumper on over his nightwear, his flashing wand clutched firmly in hand. It was a comforting sight that embodied the word home. "Come inside the wards."

Nova's chest convulsed with a sob, and Ominis blurred into a watery haze as tears flooded her eyes.

Sebastian.

Sebastian was behind this, and Ominis knew it.

"I know who cursed your father."

They festered in an unbearable silence, buffeted by the raging gale that thrashed at their clothes and battered dead leaves against the protective shields they flanked on either side.

There was a subdued crack at Ominis' feet as Grimkin disapparated from his master's side.

"Sebastian has the relic, doesn't he?"

"The relic was destroyed."

"Ominis, I saw it. Your father was bedbound. The tendrils of a dark curse were throbbing under his skin. It was the spitting image of Anne before she—" Nova dropped her eyes and stared at her hands, still stained with blood. "You intentionally kept me from seeing him; you can't stand there and claim you know nothing."

Ominis's knuckles cracked as he tightened his grip on his wand. He hovered on the precipice of the wards before taking a hesitant step beyond them. "You need to lower your voice or come inside, now."

"I'm not stepping foot in there. I don't know where I'm safe anymore."

"You're safe with me. You know I'll do whatever it takes to ensure your protection."

"From who? The Ministry? Your family? Sebastian? You've left me in the dark, Ominis. I have no idea who's out to get me."

"You're safe with me," Ominis repeated, his palm encasing the back of her neck as he pressed his forehead against hers. He was warm, he was so warm, and she was cold. "I was tasked with taking inventory of my brother's... acquisitions... after he passed away. It took me the better part of a year to track down the relic."

"And you destroyed it?"

"The relic was destroyed."

She grasped the implication behind his deliberate choice of words. Ominis would never lie to her but tailor his language to conceal the truth.

"You weren't the one who destroyed it, were you?"

His sightless eyes drifted across Nova's features momentarily before he began to pace around her like a caged animal. "You remember how furious Sebastian was. He was self-destructive, striking out at anyone attempting to offer their hand. How did you put it? He was determined to wipe out my family or die trying?"

"Is he still trying?" Nova's wand bit into her fist as she clenched it tighter. She would bury a million Gaunts to protect Ominis, but the thought of striking down her closest friend tested her resolve.

"My father was playing on Sebastian's outbursts to hinder any progress I made with the authorities. He delayed Sebastian's trials at every opportunity." His voice cracked as his hand painfully clamped around her wrist. "Nova, the things he was demanding I do for him... Keeping Sebastian on tenterhooks was his only leverage to make me do them. He would never release him. I had to make Sebastian work with me; I could only get you both out if he cooperated."

"Ominis, what did you do?"

"I thought... it would provide him closure if he were the one to dispose of the relic..."

Nova felt as though she were one ragged breath away from shattering apart.

Sebastian wasn't vengeful. At the verdict, he had wrapped his arms around Ominis and cried. He was grateful.

"You brought it to him."

"No. Even a Gaunt wouldn't dare to be caught in a ministry facility with something that dark. I buried it in Feldcroft." Now that she had gotten him talking, he couldn't seem to stop. Unbelievable words poured out of him, faster and faster. "When I visited him, it was to arrange an off the record day-release with the warden. I guided Sebastian on where to find the relic, instructed him on the spells necessary to destroy it…"

"Are you out of your mind?! What the hell did you expect to happen—"

"That's not all," Ominis interrupted. The corners of his mouth twitched several times before his admission of guilt spilt out. "I informed him to stay clear of a restaurant in muggle London—The Brasserie Royale—as that's where my father would be conducting business, all day."

The ground tilted under Nova's feet, and she staggered backwards. Her wand slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.

Ominis had armed his best friend, stoked his anger, and directed him towards his target.

He might as well have unleashed the curse with his own hands.

"You used him."

"I provided the means for him to mete out justice as he deemed necessary."

"All those years you preached against dark magic…"

"I was expected to wield dark magic daily on innocents just like Anne. This was the only recourse; it was for the greater good." Ominis' fists kept opening and closing as though he were suppressing the urge to break something. "He'd make threats against you too. He would threaten to use Imperius on me, force me into hurting you when I refused to crucio his associate's children. I had to do something."

Nova buried her face in her palms as guilt pierced her heart. If she hadn't been consumed by anger and grief after Ominis' abandonment, she might have understood what he was returning home to. She could have fought to get him out—her mind had shielded her from it.

They'd both made mistakes born from heartache.

"Sebastian broke the cycle," Ominis whispered, dropping his forehead against hers. "He let go of the relic and his thirst for revenge; he saved us."

"The ministry will connect the dots."

"Only a handful knew of Sebastian's release, and those who did have been obliviated."

“Grimkin… He knows...”

"Grimkin is loyal to the Gaunt's. I am the Gaunt's now." Ominis proclaimed, his touch leaving trails of fire along Nova's skin as his fingers cradled her jaw. "It could be us. I want it to be you and me."

Nova croaked out an unintelligible string of syllables as a flush of heat burst through her chest. "What... What are you—"

"That thought was my lifeline. It held me together when I left you. Each vile act I was coerced into, every cruciatus I endured. They were all sacrifices made in the pursuit of being reunited with you. Please, I beg of you, forgive me."

She wanted to tell him she loved him.

She loved him the instant he raised her off the scriptorium floor and soothed her excruciating skin with soft hands and softer words as she shivered blindly against his chest. Her lungs could never draw a full breath without him near. Wherever he was, she needed to be there. She would stand by whoever he became, always.

Even if she could articulate words through the spasms wracking her chest, Ominis wouldn't have heard it.

The brittle snap of branches at the edge of the treeline had his undivided attention. Unlike the previous whispering of the wind in the undergrowth, this one came without a gust of a passing breeze.

"Nova, get inside."

She was frozen. Her eyes locked on the shadow creeping out of the woods.

Ominis positioned himself defensively in front of her.

The figure raised a wand and spoke.

"Avada Kadavra."

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt fluff #Gaunt manor

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Twenty-Two

Content Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence and gore.

A reimagining of the 'In the Shadow of' storyline with a centric focus on Ominis and The Gaunt's.

AO3 // Masterlist

The Gaunt Estate flashed green as Nova rammed her body into Ominis.

The forked bolt of emerald lanced from the tree line, its heat blistering Nova's skin as it narrowly missed her shoulder and cleaved a deep crater into the earth. Molten grit and wisps of smoke snaked through the air as they lay winded on the ground, carrying with it the searing radiation of the killing curse that permeated their lungs.

Her chest was on fire; she couldn't perceive which way was up, but the bite of gravel slicing into her palms assured her she was alive. She reached a trembling hand towards Ominis, his name escaping her lips in a raspy cough.

Confirmation of his survival came in the form of a hoarse "Depulso."

He was ripped from under her fingers as she was propelled towards the Manor, but someone intercepted his spell, and Nova was wrenched to the ground—her skull cracking against the marble steps outside the boundary of the wards.

A shadow slithered closer to where Ominis lay, hacking up lungfuls of smoke.

Nova clenched her teeth against the agony flaring up her spine and brandished her wand, hurling an incendiary hex in the direction of their assailant.

The golden orb streaked past the attacker as they parried to the left, offering a fleeting glimpse of Lady Gaunt's twisted face before it detonated in the thicket behind her. Flames eagerly devoured the dry leaves and began creeping into the dense foliage, the flickering blaze exposing two more figures closing in.

"You've stolen everything from me, you foul rat!"

A boot stamped down on Ominis' wand as he fought to raise it. He choked out an incantation that hacked through his mother's Achilles tendon, and she shrieked in pain as her leg crumpled beneath her.

Nova's vision swam as she fought against the tide of unconsciousness threatening to drag her under. She clawed back to the surface, spurred on by the sound of Ominis calling her name.

"I'm… here," she gasped, each shallow breath accompanied by something grating inside her chest. A veil had descended over her eyes, casting the world in a crimson haze. She palmed at it and felt warm, slick liquid trickling down her wrists, saturating the fabric of her hospital pinafore. "Ominis?"

"Get inside."

He swayed to his feet while deflecting an onslaught of stunning spells closing in on him from all three assailants.

A diffindo tripped past his defences and cleaved his kneecaps. A sharp cry ripped from his throat as he fell to his knees, blood pooling in the scattered pebbles beneath him. Before he could muster the strength to dodge, a stunner found its mark—blasting into his shoulder, and Ominis slumped, defeated, at the knees of his mother.

Nova's grief-stricken scream raked up her scorched throat.

She was in agony.

All they suffered had been for nothing.

They should have stayed in the Room of Requirement, starved to death as Ominis had warned her they would. At least it would have been on their terms. Together.

She had been drowning ever since she awoke to his note, alone.

But those words, they had been the only thing keeping her from sinking deeper.

 

Nova,

Leaving while you sleep is not easy, but if you ask me to stay, I won't have the strength to resist.

I have to go in order to find my way back to you, to truly be with you.

My absence isn't abandonment. Trust that every step I take is in pursuit of you.

I love you.

Ominis.

 

Adrenaline sped through her veins.

She knew their execution was inevitable, but only with Ominis' by her side would she accept it. Hand in hand, braving whatever death had in store for them as one.

She forced her head up.

"Marvolo…" a familiar voice spat, their form looming over Ominis' body like a herald of vengeance. "This is for him."

Alice's hand shivered as she levelled her wand.

Nova's shattered ribs were grinding against her efforts to inhale. She pressed a bloodied palm against the balustrade for support and snarled out a disembowelling jinx.

Sparks blasted from her wand, but maternal hands snatched Alice out of harm's way, and the killing curse intended for Ominis blasted off into the clouds.

Alice's mother knocked back Nova's hex.

"Not my daughter, you bitch!"

Nova became disillusioned and flattened herself against a wall, channelling her desperation into redirecting the spell's trajectory back towards her attackers. Its momentum had slowed significantly with the twice-altered path, but she threaded it through the dark witches and nicked Alice in the abdomen.

A look of fright flitted across her face as she clawed at her wounded belly. A pause followed, thick with tension, before the first droplets of blood began to seep through her fingers—and then the torrent came.

Her mother's wild desperation to defend her child made her duelling technique exaggerated and predictable. Nova's eyes traced her wand movements, foreseeing, moulding, and repelling each incoming attack into blazing flares that tore through the night sky.

Signals for help.

Golden light fell across Ominis, who was regaining his bearings. His fingers skimmed along the rough gravel, seeking out the familiar touch of his wand. Nova's opponent made the deadly mistake of diverting her attention towards him to draw her out of her position, arching her wand for a close-range Bombarda.

The Auror Nova had tended to earlier in the evening glinted in her mind at the recognition of the spell—how he had been obstructed mid-cast. Inspired by the memory, Nova bloomed a protego around Alice's mother as she voiced the incantation.

The intention was to incapacitate, to inflict enough damage to keep her down.

Instead, the blast slammed into the walls of the shield and ricocheted back into the witch.

Billows of dense smoke dissipated into crimson streams that cascaded down the forcefield's walls, carrying sluggish chunks of debris in their wake.

Nova shook her head, blinking and trying to clear her vision.

Alice's scream made it real.

Flames curled around the twisted branches that flanked Gaunt Manor, the stifling heat further hindering her attempts to breathe and the light seeping through the black spots clouding her vision.

The air was thick with the scent of blood and dark magic; Alice was kneeling amongst the carnage with gore swarming her abdomen.

Nova's healer instincts kicked in.

She dispelled the disillusionment and staggered forward, only semi-lucid.

"Let me see," she croaked, dropping to her knees and prying Alice's icy hands from the wound.

She laced synthetic skin over the puncture and sealed it tight to contain the damage while cataloguing the potions needed to stabilise Alice's deteriorating condition. A calming draught first, to alleviate her distress—she was shrieking and clawing at blood-soaked grass for reasons Nova's mind was fighting to suppress.

"St. Mungo's, ward four." The words scraped up Nova's throat as she slipped Alice's wand into its owner's hand. "Apparate."

Alice's eyes were hazy and unfocused as she hiccupped blood, scarlet freckles painting her paling lips. Her fingers stiffened around the glossy oak; her wand was sparking, but she remained.

The anti-apparition wards.

Nova's panic collided with a visceral dread when she turned to Ominis and found him locked in a duel.

Mother and son were exchanging hexes of escalating malice, each probing for a weakness in the other's shields. Ominis was skilled in defence and held his ground as his mother advanced toward him to exploit an opening at closer range.

He growled out an arresto momentum, freezing her arm in an upward trajectory and a torture curse flashed red against the clouds. She was casting too many dark curses; Nova could see the colour draining from her skin as she continued pushing herself to the brink of magical exhaustion. The attacks she discharged were wilting into feeble downward curves, but she knew how to exploit her weakening state. She released a storm of diffindos, knowing Ominis stood little chance of deflecting them all.

The ghostly blades struck Nova and Ominis, the serrated edges tearing through the flesh of their raised arms with excruciatingly slow force, their bodies jerking backwards as the spell struggled to hack all the way through.

This was it.

Nova was beyond exhausted; every inch of her body screamed for respite.

Ominis' voice rang out as he tried to shelter them against another blitz of slicing spells.

Then, silence.

Something tumbled into Nova's lap, and she whimpered as liquid began seeping across her thighs.

Ominis' signet ring winked at her from his severed hand, fingers curled in a final, futile attempt to grasp hers.

His defeat had breathed some life back into his mother, and her black eyes flitted to her next target.

Nova had seen this before.

Wrath blazing in a Gaunt's fading eyes, their wand poised to deliver the final strike.

Wood bit into Nova's bloodied skin as the two witches raised their wands in tandem.

Her nightmares served a purpose.

All she had suffered hadn't been for nothing.

She wouldn't let it be for nothing.

She mirrored the spell Marvolo had cast at her a thousand times in her restless sleep.

"Avada kadavra."

 

Nova woke with a gasp.

The killing curse crackling in her ears mutated into fierce thrashes of her heart against her ribcage. Her fingers were trembling, stacks of paperwork slipping from her lax grip and fluttering across the Persian rug.

She blinked away the remnants of the memory in a panic, her mind lagging behind as it writhed through the grove where she and Ominis had fought together.

Pushing the heels of her palms into her eyes, she performed the exercise Poppy had taught her to wrestle back control from the nightmares.

"Three things I can see," she whispered, expelling the black abyss by easing the pressure and cracking her eyelids. Relief flooded her as she beheld the sight of the ornate hearth, the dwindling embers winking off the polished mahogany.

Her eyes flitted down, searching for a second focal point—her shaking hands. Drawing in a breath, she flexed her fingers to steady them. The scars running the length of her forearms sneered at her and challenged her resilience, but then a third factor wound its way around her ankles.

"Three things I can feel," she whispered to the creature poised on hind legs, his imploring paws snagging at the hem of her dress.

She lifted the young kneazle from the ground and settled him onto her lap, where he immediately set about exploring. He butted the soft curve of his head against her chin, and she nestled her face in his thick ginger coat, allowing it to brush away her tears while counting the rhythmic purring from her little companion as the second sensation.

She scratched his chin, wincing at the cramp that gnawed at her knuckles. The endless paperwork from sorting through Ominis' affairs had caused an insistent ache to radiate through her tired fingers.

Three things I can hear.

The room was filled with a symphony of quacking from the lake outside, carrying in on the gentle breeze wafting through the open window.

"Are the nightmares plaguing you again, my dove?"

The motherly cadence of the former Lady of the Manor wrapped around Nova's scattered thoughts like a hug.

"That night at Gaunt Manor," Nova told the canvas, her voice muffled by a comforting swath of orange fur. "I haven't had it for a while. It caught me off guard..." Nova sank deeper into the plush armchair, its velvet cushions moulding to her body.

The serenity of Noctua's living room eased her turbulent mind, and the warmth of the evening sun filtered through stained glass and planted technicolour kisses on her skin.

This was her penance? The consequence of the atrocities she performed that night?

 "…just the product of a guilty conscience."

Noctua's painted eyes softened with quiet sympathy. "The fault doesn't lie with you, sweetheart."

That was difficult to dispute. Gaunt influence didn't even play a role in swaying the Ministry's opinion in her favour; it was a clear-cut case. Ominis was ambushed for his inheritance, and Nova was caught in the crossfire.

St. Mungo's were less lenient, but that was understandable. Unforgivable Killing Curse aside, Nova's suppression of a bombarda maxima and Alice bleeding out as she crawled down the driveway in a wasted attempt to bypass the wards were extensively documented in the Daily Prophet. Healers and patients alike refused to entrust someone who had taken the lives of three witches so brutally with the healing of the masses.

Gathering her strength of mind, Nova knelt on the golden threads of the rug and began sifting through the documents scattered across it. A commotion erupted from the adjacent floo parlour, breaking her concentration as she arranged the parchment into numerical order.

A grin tugged at the corners of her lips, the tension in her soul easing.

"How does a blind amputee stick the landing better than I do every damn time?"

Noctua shook her head affectionately from her gilded frame. "Go see how their first day went; I always knew those young men were destined for greatness."

Nova filled the doorframe just in time to witness Sebastian hauling himself to his feet, brushing off a thick layer of ash that coated the arse of his Auror robes.

Ominis was laughing at his plight, a vision of immaculate perfection.

As Nova's amusement interlaced with his, he extended an arm, the emerald flame from the fireplace casting a glint off his silver, enchanted hand.

"We're home."

She fell against his chest, where his steady heartbeat served as a soothing rhythm to hers.

Today marked the longest they had been apart since the ambush; she prayed it would become easier with time.

When she had regained consciousness in the hospital, concussed, ribs shattered, and skull fractured, Ominis was, of course, already lucid and at her bedside.

They had recuperated side by side while his legal team handled affairs at the Manor in his absence. It was during this time Noctua's letters were discovered in his father's bureau, prompting the immediate recovery and proper burial of her body.

In her will, she had bequeathed all assets to Ominis.

 

Noctua's home towed a perfect line between Manor and cottage, a stark contrast to Ominis' ancestral home. While the latter flaunted every corner of its estate with harsh architecture and ostentatious sculptures to parade its lineage and wealth, Noctua allowed nature's hand to govern her grounds.

The Slytherin trio shed their shoes and headed straight for the estate's crown jewel. Oak planks groaned softy underfoot as they stepped onto the veranda overlooking the beauty of Noctua's lake. Swans glided across the glittering surface, the lazy songs of their cygnets harmonising with the lapping waves. Cherry blossoms danced in the breeze, their petals joining the cascading foliage of the weeping willows.

With champagne in hand, they gathered around the firepit in joyful celebration.

"First day of training down, just one thousand and ninety-four to go," Sebastian toasted, his forehead scrunching as he noticed Ominis was only half listening. "What are you looking for?" 

"Where is my son?"

"Oh, he was here just a moment ago…" Nova scanned the area, her eyes landing on a kneazle-shaped lump nestled in a ray of sunlight. "Garreth? Daddy's home, baby boy."

The golden creature was napping on the timber beams, his body so flat that it wasn't immediately clear where the sunbeam ended and kneazle began.

Nova slipped her palms beneath the furry mass, lifting him off the ground without breaking his shape and depositing him into the waiting arms of his doting father.

"I hate that you named him that. You've made it needlessly difficult to warm up to the thing," Sebastian grumbled, which seemed like a barefaced lie to Nova, who was watching him scrape up a thumb of cream from his scone and offer it to the spoilt Kneazle. Garreth blissfully lapped it up while reclining in Ominis' arms, basking in chin scratches.

"It was Ominis who promised Weasley we'd name our firstborn after him, not me."

"I didn't think he'd hold me to it so… passionately."

"Have you met Garreth?"

The smooches Ominis had begun planting on the kneazle's little baby head was a stroke too far for Sebastian, who redirected his attention to Nova's mostly reordered stack of papers, which were fighting to break free from beneath a paperweight.

"So, is this the pitch?"

"It is. We're almost there; just a few kinks to iron out, and then I'll be hand-delivering it to The Minister."

"Read him the opening statement," Ominis urged.

Nova pulled the letter from under the marble weight, revealing a beautiful script on the highest-grade parchment.

 

Esteemed members of the Ministry,

I trust my name is familiar to you, as are the recent events Ominis Gaunt and I have faced, which have led to his inheritance of the Gaunt fortune and his ancestral Manor.

We have opted not to reside there, considering the horrors we faced. So, I present to you our plans to reclaim the meaning of Gaunt Manor and donate it to a cause that impacts the lives of those in the wizarding community.

Through no fault of their own, muggle-born witches and wizards face prejudice daily. These children form the majority in all wizarding poorhouses. Many transition from muggle institutions, where their unique needs were not met, and upon arriving in the wizarding world, they have stunted knowledge and a sense of alienation.

It is our duty to extend a hand.

The Gaunt Orphanage will be a sanctuary with a workforce of half-blood and muggle-born employees who, in addition to providing practical care, will offer empathy based on shared experiences. These mentors will guide the children through their formative years and provide vital support academically, socially, and emotionally.

We can't undertake this alone. We seek the collaboration of the Ministry; your guidance in navigating regulatory processes, finances and legal compliance will be invaluable.

Please find enclosed details of our proposal. We await the opportunity to discuss this in greater detail.

Nova Fenwick and Ominis Gaunt.

 

"See what happens when you refuse to put a baby in your spouse?" Sebastian mused, his lips freckled with specks of scone. "They adopt fifty."

Ominis nodded as though this was entirely conventional, "I'd rather take in an army surplus children than endure the presence of another Gaunt on any given day."

"The pitch is exceptional, Nova," Sebastian smiled earnestly, "And if they don't listen, you'll soon have that shiny new surname to throw around."

Nova's heart swelled as she admired the polished ring gleaming on her left hand.

The signet ring she had refused to accept belonged on Ominis' finger, now resting snugly on hers.

She had barely gained consciousness before he had slipped it on her finger, with tearful declarations and heartfelt promises to swap it for a diamond at the earliest opportunity, but Nova didn't want that.

It was a part of him, a cut of his identity. He couldn't change his ancestry, but he could redefine what it represented.

"We won't rely on our name to gain rewards; we're going to be better than that." Ominis intertwined his hands with hers, gently tracing his finger over her ring as he drew her onto his lap.

"You used it to get a felon on the Auror training program," Sebastian pointed out, injecting a dose of reality into the moment and somewhat dampening its charm.

"That was necessary. I have to keep an eye on you."

"See, this is why things went awry last time: I'm not sure if you're aware, but they aren't exactly operational."

"That does it, go to your room."

"I plan to." Sebastian let out an arduous sigh as he rose from his wicker chair. "You know, it's been eight months since we moved here. I think it's time I start sorting through Anne's things."

"Do you want some help?" Nova offered, brushing her hand against his as he moved past, his watery eyes catching the sunlight.

He blinked hard, "No, I'd prefer to do it alone. Thanks, though. I'll join you for dinner later."

Garreth, who had been draping lazily on the arm of Sebastian's chair, stirred at the sound of his uncle departing the table. Extending his velvety paws out in front of him, he descended with elegant fluidity onto the hardwood floor, his claws emitting soft taps as he trotted after Sebastian. Nova and Ominis exchanged a laugh upon hearing Sebastian cooing a greeting, evidently making an exception for the kitten.

"So, are you feeling prepared?" Ominis asked as he topped their glasses with more champagne.

"Mostly, I still need to finalise plans for the hospital wing... It's refreshing being back in a healer mindset."

Since her termination from St Mungo's, she had immersed herself in studying theory, with a particular focus on paediatric care for Wizardkind.

Perhaps she'd take her exams and become the orphanage healer.

"My contact at St Mungo's seems to think we'll be receiving our fair share of unnamed newborns," she informed him, tapping her ring against the stem of her glass. "It's going to be difficult to resist giving them the surname Gaunt, isn't it?"

"It's certainly tempting to head an emergence of half-blood and muggleborn Gaunt's. Have you many first names in mind?"

"How many Garreth Gaunt's do you propose we introduce to the world?"

"Good lord."

"Let's see how bizarre we can make your father's legacy."

"My ancestors will surely be writhing in their graves," Ominis purred, his smile brimming with satisfaction as he clinked his glass against Nova's.

"Let them writhe," she replied.

Let them squirm for eternity in the shadows of their mausoleum. Their time in the sun had set, and the stars of a new generation were blinking a hopeful awakening.

At the lake's edge, Nova and Ominis would unite as one beneath raining cherry blossom—the name that had kept them apart, binding them together.

Two souls that had touched hell could, at last, breathe freely, embrace, love and cast its radiant light to every dark corner.

"The Gaunt's," Ominis breathed, pressing a kiss to Nova's lips. "Perhaps it's not such a terrible thing to be."

Author Notes: The story arc of The Serpent's Hold has finally reached its end, and I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who has liked, commented, or silently followed along; your support is everything.

I have two epilogue chapters planned for the near(ish) future. The first will likely be smutty because exploring the capabilities of that enchanted hand is a NEED. The second will be domestic bliss ft. Sebastian being a doting uncle to a plethora of orphans because that will heal my soul.

I also have plans for a two-part fic that covers the time jump between chapters sixteen and seventeen told from Sebastian's POV. It will include the murder of Daddy Gaunt and the inner workings of the Ministry justice system.

Thanks again for reading 💕

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #hogwarts mystery #slytherin #ominis smut #ominis fluff #ominis fic #hogwarts legacy fic #bestfriend Sebastian sallow #the serpents hold #harry potter #ominis #ominis gaunt smut #ominis gaunt fluff

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Ten

Summary: When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

Warnings: Gore, Nudity

Nova's fingers laced through Ominis' hair as she guided him back across the threshold. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her against him as they stumbled in tandem. His other hand rose to her face, but as his fingertips grazed the gouge carved across her cheek, Nova recoiled from him with a sharp hiss.

Ominis looked shocked, then upset, then downright furious. He fumbled for a handle before muttering a terse "Excuse me" and stormed out the doorway.

The ensuing slam gave way to retreating footfalls echoing down the hall. Nova fought to draw breath, brushing her thumb over the lingering sensation of him on her lips.

Her memories were shrouded in a thick mental fog. She couldn't muster any details between waking up with Ominis earlier that morning and finding herself now, staring blankly at a swirling pool of bubbles. All she knew for certain was the lavender-scented water beckoned to her with each melodious ripple against the tiles, so that's where she directed her focus.

Her cloak was thrown to the ground in a puff of dust. She winced in pain as she wrestled with her trousers, the fabric saturated and heavy with coagulated blood. Whimpering softly, she eased them into the water and wrapped her body in a veil of frothy foam.

Moonlight danced through the stained glass window, casting various colours across the wavelets. She floated onto her back; the pull of the water teased her hair into its depths and her mind with it.

Her meditation was cut short by a jarring rap at the door. It took her a moment to register Ominis' return, clutching a nurse's satchel at his chest which had likely been pilfered from the hospital wing. 

He muttered what she assumed was an apology, his cheeks flushing crimson at the inappropriate intrusion. "I... The nurse was on to me."

Had it not been for the thick blanket of bubbles, she might have felt embarrassed too, but they concealed more of her skin than her clothing had. However, she supposed his visual impairment concealed enough.

"You're fine. I'm fully clothed," she said, just to see if he'd believe it.

He huffed in lieu of a reply and turned towards a nearby bench, rummaging through the contents of his stolen goods. "This won't fully heal you. You'll be scarred unless you decide to wise up and go see a nurse."

The back of his head was awarded an irritated glare. He turned to toss a vial in her direction, and the small container sank through the bubbles, disappearing somewhere beside her.

"Thanks."

She made no effort to retrieve it.

He pulled some bandages from the bag and flung them onto a chair before striding toward the door.

"Ominis, are we alright?" she called after him.

"We're fine."

"Are you alright?"

He halted, his grip on the doorknob so tight his knuckles turned white under the pressure. "I'd prefer if we could just forget tonight ever happened."

She would have interrogated him further, but dealing with his tantrum exceeded her current mental capacity.

"Forgotten," she said flatly, knowing her immediate surrender would ruffle his feathers.

He drummed agitatedly on the doorknob before loosening his grip and turning around, his feathers duly ruffled.

"If someone were to… If my family were to assume I had any involvement with..." A wave of self-disgust contorted his features as he choked on a word.

Half-blood.

The pain had been more bearable when she was slammed against a cave floor.

"Understood."

"I don't mean it like that." he snapped, shoving his thumb and forefinger into his eyes.

"How else am I supposed to interpret it?"

She could barely detect his silhouette dithering by the doorframe, veiled by billowing steam and the haze of tears threatening to spill.

"You should leave."

Not one to follow orders, as evidenced by his punctual arrival in the catacombs, he slumped cross-legged at the bath's edge. His fingers combed through the grit on his cheeks, leaving angry red marks in their wake.

"I didn't mean it to come out like that." He repeated the sentiment, gathering a handful of bubbles. They stewed in an oppressive silence as he bounced the frothy cluster between his palms.

"I presume Sebastian has divulged more about my private life than you will admit."

"Possibly."

"I suspected as much." His brow was creased into a frown, but the usual fire in his tone was absent. "As far as my parents are concerned, there hasn't been any formal cancellation of plans."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her body sagged against the side of the bath, too depleted to pick up what he was putting down.

"Living with Sebastian serves everyone's interests. My family don't have to look at me, and I'm spared of their presence... but they still view me as their commodity, and when they have a use for me, they'll want me home."

"Sebastian told me you were emancipated."

"That's what we tell everyone, and it's what I like to believe." He sent the bubbles scattering into the air with a decisive clap. "But I'm under constant surveillance; I must second-guess every move I make."

"By Black?"

He nodded, "and Alice."

Nova wrung her hands together, the mention of his prospective wife igniting a pang of jealousy.

"Have you had any recent encounters with her?" Ominis asked, submerging his hands into the water to embark on the task of scrubbing acromantula guts from his skin.

"Not since you pushed her down the stairs."

"She believes that was you. You shouldn't have taken the blame," he shifted to clean the other arm despite the first still being marred in a watery brown tinge. "Do you remember one of the first things I ever said to you?"

"That I'm ignorant?" she asked, the opportunity to deliver a jab lifting her spirits slightly. "Or that I was framing Sebastian?"

He dipped his foot into the water and launched a splash in her direction.

"Ew, don't pollute my bath with your grotty foot," she shot back, retaliating with a well-aimed splatter that drenched his sullied hair.

"I warned you that Alice's bite is worse than her bark."

"Alice doesn't scare me."

"She terrifies me," he confessed with a heavy sigh before arriving at his point. "I can assure you, she's been waiting to uncover something to use against you. She'd waste no time running straight to my brother if she suspected something between you and me."

"Are you intending to live by your parents' rules forever?"

"I have to somewhat, until I'm eighteen at least, and even then..." He didn't need to finish his sentence; Nova knew the tactics his family employed to get their way. "I have plans, but there's no place in them for anyone else."

Despite being on the receiving end of their kiss, she felt rejected. She couldn't muster the energy to point it out.

"Got it."

"Would you like me to leave?"

She didn't want him to, but her pride prevented her from asking him to stay. She kept silent, hoping he'd get the hint—and he did. Shrugging off his jumper and rolling up his shirt sleeves, he ran his wet fingers through his hair, dislodging clumps of thick dirt that amalgamated into a muddy sludge.

"I can't see anything through all the bubbles and steam. You can hop in and wash your hair if you want to."

"Have you been paying attention to anything I've said?"

"I absorbed about twenty percent. I'm pretty sure that spider gave me a concussion," She took pleasure in his exasperated groan. "Anyway, there's nothing scandalous about two friends sharing a bath fully clothed."

"I know you're not fully clothed."

"A slanderous accusation. I will be notifying Black."

"Don't even joke about it."

"Ominis, he's not policing the bath schedule on Christmas Eve." She told him, her lungs beginning to ache from the exertion of conversation. "I understand where you're coming from. I'm just... I could have been killed tonight. I can absorb only so much dysfunctional family drama right now."

She sank under the water before he could respond, savouring the blissful silence. Her tension dissipated into the gentle ripples of the water as she exhaled slowly, descending to the floor to begin unravelling the tangled knots from her hair.

When she emerged with a gasp, Ominis was on his feet, ready to leave. He shifted his weight between them uneasily. "I'd appreciate it if you kept what I've shared with you to yourself, for both of our sakes."

"What happens in the prefect's bathroom stays in the prefect's bathroom," she assured him, eyes clamped shut as she rubbed away the droplets infiltrating them. She anticipated the closing of the door, but after a prolonged pause, she instead heard Ominis withdraw his wand and whisper an incantation. A swath of black fabric was conjured and wrapped tightly around her eyes.

"Really?" Her hand struck the water's surface indignantly. "You could have just asked me not to look."

The rustle of fabric hitting the floor was shortly followed by splashes at the opposite end of the bath. The waves of his entry lapped against her neck.

"Can I get rid of this now?" She tried to adjust the fabric covering her face, but her hand recoiled involuntarily before she could remove it. "What... Have you brought your wand into the bath?!"

"I bring my wand everywhere," the distance in his voice suggested he hadn't ventured past the steps. Nevertheless, she counted it a victory that he had chosen to join her.

"You make quite a racket for someone aiming to keep a low profile," she said, alluding to the cacophony of splashes as he lathered his hair.

"You said it yourself: no one will be wandering the halls at two o'clock on Christmas morning."

"Oh, shit!" She jumped, colliding with a tap and further adding to her assortment of injuries. "Merry Christmas!"

"Mmm-hmm. You too."

"What have you asked Santa for this year?" she persisted, trying to coax some holiday cheer out of him.

"To be dragged into a catacomb and cursed, and yourself?"

"Santa's diligent tonight," she said, feeling a lightness in her heart when he chuckled. "Thank you for taking the curse, by the way. How bad was it?"

"Not quite as dire as the Cruciatus Curse, but still unpleasant. I know I'm not, but I keep feeling like I'm still under its influence."

"You're not, I assure you. I watched it drain from your eyes. Though, you can pretend you were still under when you kissed me if you want."

They floated silently for a few minutes before Ominis broke it.

"What happened with the acromantula? You had the ingenious idea to set its home on fire; what happened after that?"

"I can't... really remember." Nova entertained the possibility she might genuinely have a concussion. "It hit me before I could even grasp what was happening. Sebastian wrestled it off, but not before it slammed me into the ground... It burrowed into a crack at one point, I think?"

"So, picture me about a minute behind you. I heard shouting and some deafening crunches, then it fell silent."

Guilt churned in Nova's stomach. "You thought it had killed us."

"For a moment, yes, I did. I admit tonight has seen me make a few impulsive decisions, but I was genuinely shaken. I hope you can understand."

"That's why you kissed me; you were still reeling from my death?" Her cheeks inflated with stifled laughter. "When's Sebastian getting his?"

Her brain responded too slowly, and the splash stung as it smacked her squarely in the face.

"Ow! Don't do that. I'm broken."

"Use the dittany, you idiot," he scolded, though there was a hint of a smile.

Nova's toes groped along the bottom of the bath until they located the vial. She unhooked the latch with clumsy fingers and felt the warm oil spill across her hand. She slapped it onto the deep wound, prying her fingers under the blindfold to rub it in. The pain immediately subsided into a dull throb.

"Is there any more in that bag? I spilt it before I could get my legs."

"Legs?" he repeated, clearly unimpressed. "Sliced your face and your legs, likely gave you a concussion, and you still don't want to see the nurse?" She heard him grab the satchel from the side of the bath and rummage through it. A splash accompanied his warning of "incoming."

"Could you stop throwing them at me? I can't see shit."

"Welcome to the club."

"I'm a new member. I don't have seventeen years of echolocation experience."

His laugh got cut off as he ducked beneath the water, resurfacing a moment later, wiping water from his face. "Here."

Her fingers collided with his outstretched hand, and a rush of heat scurried through her at the connection.

"Thanks," she idly rolled the vial between her fingers without any immediate intention of applying its contents. "Don't tell the matron I spilt her dittany. That woman terrifies me."

"Don't tell her I stole it, and I won't mention the spillage."

"Deal."

"What happens in the prefect's bathroom stays in the prefect's bathroom, doesn't it?"

He'd established his boundaries, but that remark felt too much like an invitation.

Nova extended her hand, which met his chest with an almost immediate collision. A fingertip skimmed along her cheekbone, sweeping aside the damp locks clinging to her skin. The fabric of the blindfold was slid over her head before being tossed aside.

Though Ominis was mostly underwater, Nova stole a moment to appreciate him. Beauty marks were scattered over his moonlit shoulders, his untamed hair framing his pale eyes. He was beautiful.

His soft touches mapped every rise and fall of her features as if he were sculpting each detail into his mind.

"Your verdict?" she asked, barely above a whisper, afraid the slightest noise would startle him away like a deer.

"I don't have much basis for comparison," he replied, "but... pleasant." He stepped closer, pressing her against the cool tiles, their foreheads meeting in a soft clash.

"I'll take pleasant."

His sigh of surrender prickled against her skin as she slowly pressed her lips against his. He continued his exploration, weaving his fingers through the strands at the nape of her neck. His smile quirked against her mouth when he caught a knot, and the ensuing tug coaxed a soft moan from her.

"We should go," he whispered, planting a final kiss on her forehead before tearing away.

Nova's mind spun too wildly to track his movements with her eyes, fixating instead on the scattered cluster of bubbles where he had just withdrawn.

"Here."

She finally glanced up upon hearing his voice.

He had managed to pry open the prefects' lockers and helped himself to a black cloak, extending another toward her. He waited as she struggled to extract herself from the bath and cocooned her dripping body in the robe.

Any trace of emotion was concealed behind a mask of stoicism as he vanished their soiled clothes, drained the bath, and removed every other trace of their presence.

When they emerged from the Slytherin floo, the common room was empty. Presumably, Sebastian would hole up in the Undercroft to study for the foreseeable future.

"Would you like me to walk you to your dorm?" Ominis offered as he slowly backed towards his own.

"Uhm, I'll probably just..." Nova's eyes flitted towards the sofa, where their makeshift nest of pillows still awaited. "I'm alright, thank you."

"Well... Merry Christmas. Goodnight." With that, he bolted to his dormitory, leaving her abandoned in the dark.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis #ominis headcanon #ominis fic #ominis multichapter #hogwarts mystery #sebastian sallow headcanon #ominis x sebastian #bestfriend sebastian sallow #Slytherin #prefects bathroom

[wedonthaveawhile]

The Serpents Hold // Chapter Eleven

Summary: When Sebastian turns to dark magic to cure his sister, Nova and Ominis find themselves reluctantly thrust into a partnership to aid him. Amid the disapproval of Ominis' family, Nova wrestles with her growing feelings for him and also with the nagging suspicion that Ominis knows more about Anne's condition than he's letting on.

AO3 // Masterlist

Warnings: Violence, nudity, masturbation

Nova brushed away the dried dusting of soil from the devil's snare's tangled roots. Her Herbology partner was using his wand's light to keep the vines at bay while enthusiastically recounting the tale of his family's Christmas party.

"So, that's when it dawned on me that I'd spiked the eggnog with a tad too much brandy," Garreth regaled, his eager hands waving dangerously close to the dormant tendrils. "Aunt Matilda is down for the count..."

Nova stifled a laugh at the thought of their respectable conjuration professor blackout drunk. Her laughter morphed into a jolt of panic as Garreth's flailing hands triggered a response from the roots.

"Garreth, focus!"

"Shit, my bad," he mumbled, regaining control as she finished clearing the last traces of dirt. "So anyway, we're pretty sure Aunt Matilda's dead at this point, but then she sits up and demands we bring her a man."

Nova's throat clenched around a stifled snort, prompting Garreth to erupt into a fit of giggles. The daring plant seized the moment and snaked its vines around Nova's fingers.

"Watch out!" Garreth amusement dissolved into urgency as he conjured a beam of light to repel the advancing vines.

"Now, my dear class," Professor Garlick began to chastise gently. "Like a botanist carefully studies every leaf and petal, let's pay close attention to the details of our actions..."

Garreth and Nova exchanged sheepish glances before refocusing their attention on the task at hand.

"How about you? How was your Christmas?" His gaze flickered across the scar marring her face, though he chose to keep his observation to himself.

"I didn't really do much," Nova replied honestly. She had devoted most of Christmas Day to recuperating in bed. Throughout the remainder of the holidays, aside from her occasional efforts to convince Sebastian to rest, Nova's interactions with him and Ominis had been minimal.

"I was the only Slytherin here, so it turned out to be quite a dull affair," she added, glancing at Sebastian and Ominis hunched over their assignment on the opposite side of the bench, hoping they caught the dig.

"Wait, you were here? At Christmas?" Garreth wiped the back of his hand across his frown, painting a streak of mud across his smattering of freckles. "Had I known, you'd have been invited to witness Professor Weasley inebriated. Consider this an early invitation for next year."

"That's very kind..." Nova's attempt to respectfully decline the invitation was interrupted by a rip in a sealed bag of hippogriff manure. The resulting burst open and pelted Garreth with the fusty, dried-out chunks.

Sebastian fought back a cackle, but his endeavours failed spectacularly. He pushed Ominis as if reprimanding him. The blind wizard was clutching his wand in his usual stance, but his knuckles were whitening from the oddly tight grip.

Nova stooped to their level and summoned over the hovering watering can, dousing them in a torrent of plant food.

Professor Garlick made valiant attempts to regain control of the class amid the peals of laughter and startled screams as the plants lashed out at the preoccupied students.

The herbology professor's hand came to rest gently on Nova's shoulder while addressing all three offenders: "Our classroom thrives when everyone can focus and bloom comfortably. How about taking the rest of the hour to recharge your petals and return tomorrow ready to flourish with us?"

Suppressing a snarky retort about the endless metaphors, Nova grumbled, "Sorry, Professor," as she gathered her belongings and marched out of the classroom.

"Just so you're aware," Sebastian began, hurrying to catch up to her, "I was an innocent bystander in all that."

"You're guilty by association."

"At least we scored a free period. Guilty as charged if it means we get to loaf around."

"We've got twelve minutes until our next class."

"Bahh," Sebastian waved away that minor blip. "I was planning on skipping it anyway. I'm onto something with that relic. Remember the chamber in the catacomb? I found a way in, but it's not exactly ideal. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to outsmart the magic—"

"Come on, can't you at least try to attend everything on our first day back?" Nova interrupted. She had no excuses to conjure on his behalf; they had all been exhausted last term.

Although he kicked up a minor fuss, he eventually relented. They strolled under the courtyard's stone arches, taking a few laps to pass the time until they found themselves caught up in the bustling stream of students heading to their next class.

Nova made a deliberate effort to avoid colliding with Alice as she pushed past her, her gorgeous blonde curls flicking at Nova's face as she tossed them over her shoulder. In silence, Nova seethed, bitterly lamenting that she tripped and fell on a knife over the holidays.

The sensation of Sebastian's finger tracing the bumpy line of her scar cut through the tangled ivy of her thoughts. "How did you mess this up so badly?"

"I went a bit heavy-handed with the Dittany. It healed too quickly, and now the flesh is jagged and uneven."

"Dittany? Where did you even find Dittany?"

"Ominis had some lying around," she replied, gesturing vaguely as she lowered her voice, conscious of their current company.

Sebastian grunted a reply, his interest already waning as he absently dug remnants of soil from his fingers. "You have to admit, it was a little funny seeing how irritated he got just because you bat an eyelash at Garreth."

Goosebumps flared across Nova's skin as she noticed Alice's deceleration in pace, her ear delicately pivoting toward their conversation. Anxiously hopeful it was just a coincidence, Nova grabbed the hood of Sebastian's cloak, causing him to stumble backwards in a clumsy dance as she whisked him out of earshot.

"He didn't... What?" Nova stammered, her words faltering as she grappled to find the right ones. "Ominis only puts up with me because I'm your friend."

Sebastian scoffed, unconvinced by her feigned surprise. "Yeah, he was flinging shit because he's utterly indifferent to you flirting—"

"I wasn't flirting."

"And don't think I haven't noticed your relentless eye-fucking either," Sebastian sneered, seemingly oblivious to the raised eyebrows directed their way. "I can only tolerate so much before it genuinely makes me vomit."

"Sebastian! Could you please lower your voice?"

"What?" He protested, throwing her a shrug. "He's been so uptight lately; maybe putting the chap through a mattress will help him unwind."

"Merlin's balls, he's ignored me for days, Sebastian. I don't think he wants me within a mile of his mattress," Nova said, her frustration getting the best of her and abandoning any pretence of indifference.

Sebastian sighed, his dragging heels leaving tufts of grass in their wake. "He's gone off to sulk in the library," he remarked wearily. "Can you just go kiss and make up? I thought I was done with getting caught up in your hostile mating rituals."

After class, Sebastian headed off to continue his studies in the Undercroft, leaving Nova to wander aimlessly. Her hopes were pinned on an encounter with Poppy until she realised her legs had subconsciously guided her to the library.

She quickly brushed aside the idea of confronting Ominis about his behaviour. If he was going to act pathetic, she had no intention of wasting her breath on him. At least, that's what she told herself as she pushed open the library door. Her gaze swept across the scattered students until it landed on him, tucked away in a corner, studying alone.

A slight scowl scrunched his brow, as it often did when he was deep in concentration. Nova couldn't help but wonder if he wore the same expression once alone on Christmas Eve.

She wasn't naïve. Though he might have concealed any physical signs, the abrupt departure and the urgency in his actions left little doubt as to why he had left her so rapidly.

After his sudden exit, she had paced the outskirts of the common room for numerous laps, fighting the temptation to follow him.

But what if she hadn't?

What if she had stormed into his dormitory, flung open the curtains of his bed with a flourish of her wand and uncovered him lost in vivid fantasies of her?

Would he have been furious? 

Or would he have surrendered to the moment as she crept in beside him, delicately nipping at each beauty mark adorning his moonlit skin? Her robe slipping from her shoulders as the loose tie came undone. Or perhaps he would have impatiently tugged it from her body himself...

"Excuse me."

A Hufflepuff attempted to manoeuvre past as she stood motionless in the doorframe.

"Oh... sorry," she awkwardly stumbled further into the room, conceding that Sebastian had a point. This eye-fucking needed to stop.

She strode purposefully toward Ominis until just a few steps remained; at this point, her confident gait slowed into a hesitant shuffle.

"Hello," he greeted calmly, his attention fixed on his studies.

"It's nearly one o'clock."

She cringed for thinking before speaking.

"Yes, it is," he replied, an amused smile quirking the corner of his mouth—a gesture that only served to annoy her.

"Would you like to get lunch?"

Finally, he lifted his head, looking thrown off as if her question wasn't what he expected to be greeted with. The silence was heavy, and Nova didn't dare breathe when his resigned huff sliced it in half.

"Yes, I could use a break. Where are we going?"

"Three Broomsticks?"

They stepped out from the Hogsmeade Floo flames into a sparser crowd than usual. With students back at school and locals returning to their routines, the town was refreshingly tranquil, albeit marred by the biting cold.

"Are you not freezing?" Nova asked, weakly attempting to resist appreciating him in the plaid ensemble as she noted the absence of his cloak.

"Someone drenched it in plant food."

"Goodness, you must have been a real dick to deserve that."

"Unfortunate accidents were made," he said dryly, sidestepping the invitation for a verbal sparring. Nova sensed that was the extent of his apology. "I retrieved our worksheets for our next class," he continued, "yours and Sebastian's."

"Is that what you were studying in the library? It looked intense."

"No, that was seventh-year Potions. I'm aiming to take my exams early. The sooner I pass, the sooner I can apply for the Auror training programme."

"You're graduating early?" Nova felt a pang of unease settle deep in her chest. The familiar ache of Ominis Gaunt running away. "What are you trying to get away from?"

"I'm just doing well in all my subjects. It feels like the next natural step."

"Did your careers meeting suggest becoming an auror?"

"Are you basing your career decisions solely on what's discussed in those meetings?"

He made a valid point; Nova had been sure of her path for as long as she could remember.

"I want to be a healer."

Ominis responded with a derisive snort. "You'd think a future healer would be more inclined to visit one when they're wounded. I've heard a few comments today about your disfigurement."

"I'm hardly disfigured; it's barely even noticeable."

"Blind. Not stupid." 

A post-Christmas lull has settled over The Three Broomsticks. Its snug interior was bathed in the soft flicker of antique lanterns. The laughter of a modest gathering of regulars huddled around a crooked table mingled harmoniously with the crackle of the fireplace.

Sirona warmly welcomed them with a smile, mentioning she'd bring over their accustomed orders, which Nova found impressive, considering she'd only visited once.

"It's been a while since you've slipped me a literary recommendation," Ominis remarked, guiding them to a secluded corner of the tavern. "My reading list has gravitated towards happier stories lately; you might want to see to that."

"Well, if you're going to complain about my choices..." She flicked a crumb off the table before settling into the plush armchair.

"It's not a complaint, just a plain old fact."

Her fingers tapped lightly against the table's surface as she pondered a suitable suggestion. "Out of the ones I've already given you, do you have a favourite?"

"Frankenstein," he replied without hesitation, shifting his chair closer to the table and inclining his arms on its surface.

"Reasoning?"

"Well, it frustrated me that Frankenstein's monster was cast aside by his creator, but I couldn't put it down." Ominis began twitching his woven fingers. "I needed to know if he found peace."

Nova caught her lip between her teeth to suppress any untimely remarks. The unspoken parallels between Ominis' life and that of the titular monster weighed heavily in the air—both were created for a purpose they vehemently opposed.

"I take it you weren't a fan of Victor."

"Counted down the pages until he died."

Nova furrowed her brow, "How did you know he died?"

"Mary Shelley didn't hold back on the foreshadowing."

"Spoilsport."

"It's not my fault I'm perceptive."

Sirona glided over with a polished wooden tray; their lunch balanced precariously upon it. She placed two frosty Butterbeers and a pair of sandwiches before them, the savoury fillings bulging out provocatively between slices of sourdough.

"Do you have any books lined up for me?" Nova asked, enthusiastically gulping her ice-cold drink and lapping up the creamy foam that lingered on her lips.

Ominis began tapping his foot, the rhythmic knock of his knee quivering the table and their frothy drinks. Then, he conjured the textbook he had been studying and pushed it across the table.

"Wow. It's a real page-turner," Nova said dryly, skimming her thumb across the pages to gauge their thickness.

"You've been grading well, haven't you?"

"I scrape by." She inspected one of the pages on advanced techniques for healing potions—ingredients she could only dream of acquiring as a sixth year. It felt like she was trying to decipher a foreign language.

"You should consider taking your exams early. St Mungo's accepts trainees from seventeen, meaning you could begin your training immediately if you wanted to."

His features betrayed no hint of ulterior motives, but there must have been a reason driving his insistence.

"I have nowhere to go once I leave Hogwarts. It's in my best interest to stay as long as possible."

"I thought you were going to live with your uncle?"

"I'd prefer the streets."

"An impressive testament to his character, I must say."

"And what about you? Are you planning to stay with the Sallows?"

"For a time," he shrugged, "Aurors get decent pay, some travel perks, and access to certain anti-detection spells. Not to mention relocation privileges."

"Hmm," Nova's lips lingered on the edge of the glass as the psychology behind Ominis' aspiration to join law enforcement clicked into place. "Alright, Mr Moral, picture this. Every law is temporarily suspended. No law enforcement, no repercussions. What's the worst crime you're willing to commit?"

"I shall be locking myself in the Undercroft and waiting it out."

"That's hardly a crime," she groaned into her palm. "Stop being so rational. Is that truly the extent of your imagination?"

"Very well," Ominis began drawing lines on the worn surface of the table as if etching out a plan in the woodgrain. "I would suggest looting, but only if it were from someone deserving and an item that wouldn't be sorely missed—"

"Like Robin Hood."

"Precisely. Steal from the rich to give to the needy."

"Needy, like a pair of homeless Slytherin's."

"Something along those lines." He chewed on the inside of his lip while tapping a rhythm on his plate, "Does breaking into Gringotts count as looting?"

"I'd say that's more akin to an armed heist."

His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Why would I be armed?"

"I may be wrong here, but Gringotts might have security measures. A spot of thunderbrew and a chomping cabbage wouldn't go amiss."

"Are you suggesting that on a night when all laws are barred, Gringotts guards will clock in for work and exert maximum effort to thwart a heist?"

"I did ask that you stop being rational, but your point is well taken. Please continue."

"Alright, let me think…" he said, straightening up and brushing aside the invisible remnants of the previous plan to formulate a new one. "Let's suppose I arrive right at the outset; let's say this entire thing begins at nine o'clock..."

"You're punctual even in hypotheticals."

"I'd make for a poor criminal if I left my arrival time to whimsy."

"An intelligent criminal wouldn't be in the first wave."

Ominis raised his hand in a gesture of bafflement, "Provide me your logic, and I'll debunk it in seconds."

"You think you're the only one showing up at Gringotts? No. You watch others load up their loot, identify the weakest link, incapacitate, take their carriage," she tapped the side of her nose. "Always delegate the dirty work, Gaunt."

He reclined in his chair, his expression betraying a begrudging sense of approval. "That's not terrible, and I do consider myself a rather proficient driver."

"You can't ride a broom, but you can drive a carriage?"

"Two entirely different means of transportation."

"Alright," she conceded, "and I'm reasonably skilled in duelling. I'll fight the baddies, and you can make sure we escape without repercussions."

"Deal, but you must promise to be a punctual criminal."

"Mayhaps," she breathed a laugh around a bite of sandwich, her heart missing a beat at the fleeting flash of fondness in his eyes.

She respected his wishes to keep things platonic but was becoming aware that a lunch date hadn't been the most diplomatic move if she was aiming to suppress her feelings.

A general lightness of spirit always accompanied dining with a friend, didn't it?

"Speaking of punctuality," Nova glanced at the clock behind the bar, feeling a sudden readiness to wrap things up. "We don't have much time before we should head back for History."

Ominis sighed deeply while stacking his empty plate ontop of hers. "Binns won't notice whether we're there or not. Shall we have another drink instead?"

Nova hummed a contemplative tune, feigning a moment of consideration to conceal the delight. Her charade was interrupted by the door chime heralding the arrival of another patron.

A blast of chilly air swept through the tavern as Alice entered, her disdain evident in the curl of her lip as she regarded the establishment. She was clinging to a man's arm several years her senior. He, too, looked wildly out of place in a well-tailored suit, matching black robes and oozing an atmosphere of superiority.

"Nova?" Ominis' voice snapped her back to attention. "Would you like another drink?"

"Yes, sorry," Nova murmured, her eyes darting down to her empty glass as she assembled her composure. A knot of tension tightened in her stomach as she debated mentioning Alice's arrival, fearing bringing it up might upset the fragile peace they had managed to achieve. "I'll have whatever you're having."

"Alright," Ominis replied, gathering their empty glasses before making his way to the bar.

Nova kept her head down, pretending to peruse the menu while nervously picking at the worn edges of the parchment.

The chair opposite her emitted a grating screech as it was forcefully dragged across the floorboards. Alice's companion helped himself to Ominis' seat and graced her with a deceptively friendly smile.

"Um, my... my friend, he'll be back in a moment," Nova stuttered uncomfortably, glancing at Ominis, who was leant against the bar, utterly oblivious and patiently awaiting his turn to be served.

"No matter; it's you I'm here for, sweetheart," the man replied smoothly, brushing aside her discomfort with unsettling ease. His nose wrinkled in aversion as he scanned the humble surroundings of the pub. "Rather shabby here, don't you think? You're welcome to join my friend and me elsewhere. I hear you two are acquainted."

"Absolutely not." The repulsion tainting her words tumbled out somewhat unintentionally.

The intruder's lip quivered as his smile threatened to morph into a sneer. "It is not becoming of someone of your station to insult me," he snarled through clenched teeth, his tone sharpening. "I have come to deliver a warning, so I strongly advise you to show some appreciation."

"Who… are you?"

He arched an eyebrow and inclined on his forearms. "Someone else has trodden the path you're currently traversing, my dear, and they found themselves severely burned."

"Path?" Nova demanded, her patience wearing thin with the cryptic nonsense.

He scraped aside a rebellious wisp of blonde hair that dared to stray from his immaculate hairstyle.

"We will not be made to look like fools, and creatures of your ilk will not mock our standing," he hissed, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers with such intensity that a wave of goosebumps raced up her spine.

Nova recognised the shade of blue a fraction too late.

Her chair crashed against the floor as she rocketed to her feet. Her panicked eyes fixed on Ominis as he strode back to the table and set their drinks down.

It turned into an excruciatingly slow ballet.

Nova moved towards Ominis, her hand extended to grasp his arm and pull him away, but he was already in motion, pulling out his chair, drawing back at the resistance that signalled someone had claimed the spot.

"Hello, baby brother."

Nova's hand darted for her wand, but Marvolo's was at her throat before her fingers could wrap around the hilt.

She couldn't tell whether Ominis could tell a wand was rammed against her jugular; he was frozen. With pleading eyes, she sought the attention of one of the patrons, but Marvolo had positioned himself strategically, effectively obstructing their view.

Nova raised her hands within his line of sight, and he begrudgingly lowered his wand with a sneer.

Marvolo moistened his lips with a serpentine swipe of his tongue, appraising Nova from head to toe with palpable disgust. "You've always had a propensity for women who fight your battles... Remind you of dear Auntie, does she?"

This remark seemed to jolt Ominis back to reality, and he regained his senses enough to position himself in front of Nova.

"It's a tragic affair concerning Noctua.," Marvolo continued. "I understand how dearly you cherished her. You should know it pained me deeply to leave her behind, but she simply refused to move."

Ominis' features twisted into an explosive rage as he lunged forward, his wand raised high.

Marvolo flung him back as effortlessly as drawing a breath. The sickening crack of Ominis' body meeting the wood of a nearby beam sent a shockwave of silence throughout the pub.

"Exercise caution, Nova," Marvolo purred as he gestured for Alice to approach. "You wouldn't wish to share the same fate as his last love." he scooped up their abandoned drinks from the table, leaving her with a chilling nod of farewell before he and Alice apparated.

#hogwarts legacy #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwarts oc #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #hogwarts houses #sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow x mc #ominis #ominis x sebastian #bestfriend sebastian sallow #sebastian sallow headcanon #ominis headcanon #ominis gaunt headcanon #ominis gaunt fic #marvolo gaunt #the gaunts hc #the gaunt family #hogwarts mystery #garreth weasley #hogwarts legacy garreth