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Charlie hurried through the corridors of Hogwarts, eyes fixed on her destination. Students were beginning to spill from their dormitories now that the battle was over, the air buzzing with questions and half-formed whispers. She ignored their stares. She knew she looked a mess, robes scorched and hair unkempt, but she didn’t care. Not yet. Not until she found Sebastian. She needed to tell him about Rockwood before the weight of the Repository truly crashed down on her, before she allowed herself the luxury of grief.
She bolted down to the Slytherin common room, only to have Imelda tell her that Sebastian and Ominis hadn’t returned. Charlie didn’t waste a second. She went straight to the Undercroft. Her pulse pounded as she opened the clock, hurrying down the stairs and urging the crate to rise faster.
“Charlie?”
Ominis’ voice came from the shadows, and she turned sharply toward him. Relief flooded her as she rushed forward, colliding into his arms. He made a startled sound but wrapped his arms around her, hesitant, as if unsure of the mechanics of an embrace.
“Merlin’s beard, Charlie, are you all right? Sharp got Fig’s owl during class, and I’ve never heard him so panicked-”
The mention of Professor Fig lodged like a stone in her throat. Charlie swallowed it down, forcing herself to let go before she shattered entirely. Still clutching his shirt, she lifted her gaze to Ominis’ worried face.
“I’ll tell you everything, I promise. But first we need to find Sebastian. Where is he?”
Ominis sighed, his free hand brushing against hers until their fingers interlaced. His hand was cool against her own, grounding.
“He went to the Black Lake, after Weasley forbade him from following the professors into the dungeons. Chaos erupted the moment her back was turned.”
A wry smile tugged at Charlie’s lips. Of course Sebastian would throw himself headfirst toward danger.
“Idiot,” she murmured affectionately, tugging Ominis toward the exit. “Come on. We’ll floo to the boathouse, it’s quicker.”
They found Sebastian near the shore, his breath fogging in the frozen air as he hurled stones across the icy water.
“Sebastian!”
He looked up at once, brown eyes widening before relief broke across his features. His shoulders sagged as though a crushing weight had finally lifted. Charlie’s heart leapt as he sprinted toward them.
He seized her in a desperate embrace, holding her as though he might never let go. The force knocked the air from her lungs, but she clung to him, burying herself in the familiar warmth.
“Fuck, I’m so glad you’re all right. They wouldn’t tell us anything and-”
Charlie pulled away and shook her head quickly, cutting him off.
“It’s okay. I’m here. That’s all that matters.” The memory of Professor Fig’s final moments threatened to break her, but she pushed it down with every ounce of strength she had left. She smiled through the ache, gods, how much that smile cost her. “But there’s something I need to tell you. Both of you.”
Her knees wobbled. The weight of everything - Rockwood, the Repository, Fig - pressed down at once, and she lowered herself onto a snow-dusted boulder at the shoreline. Sebastian and Ominis crouched close, concern etched into their faces.
“Before the final battle… Rockwood cornered me outside Ollivander’s. He offered me an alliance,” Charlie let out a short, humorless laugh. “ Of course , I refused. Before I could raise my wand, he Apparated me straight into an Ashwinder den.”
Both boys sucked in sharp breaths. Sebastian’s hand found hers, warm and steady, and her chest eased just a fraction, helping her to continue.
“But the most crucial thing about this whole ordeal was what he said to me when I denied cooperating... He said that he should've thought better than to reason with a child... That children should be seen, not heard .”
Sebastian froze, his hand going still in her hold. Ominis’ expression twisted, pale and furious.
“It was him,” Charlie whispered. “He was the one that cursed Anne.”
Sebastian rose abruptly, shoulders rigid, and stalked toward the lake.
“Are you certain that he said the exact same words?” Ominis asked, voice tight with dread.
“Yes.” Her throat tightened, glancing at Sebastian’s back. “The moment I arrived, he cast the Killing Curse at me, again and again, while I fought off Ashwinders. I barely survived. I couldn’t let him walk away alive.”
Ominis cursed in Parseltongue, harsh and guttural. He too stood up and kicked at the snow, fists clenched.
“Did you make him suffer?” Sebastian finally spoke up, his voice low.
“I did,” Charlie answered, steady. “I used every Unforgivable on him. And I don’t regret it.”
She didn't dare to glance at Ominis. She knew what he thought about Dark Arts, but couldn't make herself feel remorseful, as she remembered how her wand vibrated in her grip when her and Rockwood's spells fought each other. She was a breath away from dying there and then.
Charlie pushed herself up from the stone and approached Sebastian. She pressed her forehead against Sebastian’s back, closing her eyes. She could feel the storm raging within him, and it broke her heart.
“That’s good,” he whispered. Charlie was sure that if he could, he would bring Rockwood back from the dead only to kill him once again. "He deserved that and more. So much more-"
"I know, Seb. I know... He's gone now, he won't hurt anyone else."
Suddenly a raw scream tore out from his chest and Charlie took a step back, tensing when Sebastian pulled out his wand, unleashing his fury and despair on the frozen lake. Spells cracked across the surface, ice splintering, snow erupting with every violent burst. His breath came in ragged white clouds, anguish pouring into the abyss.
Ominis tugged Charlie further back, giving him space. Together they watched as Sebastian unraveled, burning himself out against the winter silence.
An owl’s cry cut the air. Only by chance did it avoid one of Sebastian’s spells, swooping down to land on a nearby rock. A letter dangled from its beak.
“Anne’s owl,” Sebastian rasped, snatching the letter. His hands shook as he tore it open.
“Seb, what is it?” Charlie asked, her stomach twisting.
He didn’t answer. He read it again, then again, eyes wide, as if it was written in foreign language.
“Sebastian!” Ominis barked. “What happened to Anne?”
“The curse…” Sebastian’s voice cracked. “It’s gone.” He sank to his knees, a strangled sob tearing free.
Charlie’s breath caught. “What?”
He thrust the letter into her hands and she straightened out the parchment to read aloud.
"Sebastian Sallow! What have you done?! I told you to stop whatever you were doing, especially after uncle Solomon's death, but you never listen, don't you?! Whatever it was that you did, it worked but... I'm scared to ask for its price. We need to talk. Now. Feldcroft."
Charlie’s mind spun. “Seb… could Rockwood’s death have broken it?”
Sebastian stood up, lifting his head, eyes rimmed red but burning with purpose.
“I need to see Anne. Now.”
He seized both their wrists, dragging them toward the floo flame. Charlie’s pulse skipped when his grip shifted, his hand sliding down to twine with hers.
“It’d be best if you told her yourself,” he muttered. “She won’t believe me.”
Warmth bloomed through her chest despite everything. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for the Sallows yet.
Anne trembled as she listened, clutching Ominis’ hand like a lifeline. “So… it was Rockwood?”
“It makes the most sense,” Charlie said gently. “He’s dead now, and the curse is gone.”
Anne’s eyes flicked to Sebastian, standing tense by the wall, as though afraid to come closer. “And you really had nothing to do-”
“Anne,” Charlie cut in firmly, the girl’s eyes falling back on her. “Rockwood tried to kill me, casting Avada Kedavra at me like it was nothing. When I realized he was the one that cursed you I couldn’t let him live. That was my choice, not Sebastian’s, nor anyone’s else. Mine.”
Anne nodded hesitantly, different thoughts clearly resonating inside her skull. She looked once again at everyone and then back at Charlie. Slowly, she stood up from her seat and crossed the room to where Charlie was standing, wrapping her arms around her.
“Thank you,” Anne whispered. “For everything you’ve done for me… for us. I’ll never forget it.”
Charlie accepted the embrace, awkward at first, then firmly.
Above Anne’s shoulder, Sebastian’s longing gaze met hers, as he mouthed thank you. She gave him the faintest smile in return.
Ominis and Charlie flooed back to the castle on their own, leaving the siblings to talk in private. They walked slowly down the corridor, hand in hand, when they noticed students streaming toward the Great Hall.
“What now?” Ominis muttered, his fingers tightening around the wand as they walked through the atrium.
Inside, black banners hung from the enchanted ceiling, a stark contrast to the white clouds that spilled snow. The sight made Charlie’s stomach plummet. Her feet dragged as though the stone floor had turned to quicksand, every step heavier than the last. Her grip on Ominis’ hand tightened. She bit down on her bottom lip until copper filled her mouth, blinking furiously as tears blurred her vision. She didn’t dare let them fall.
“- didn’t make it, apparently. Shame, I really liked Magical Theory with him,” one student whispered as they passed.
Ominis went rigid beside her. His voice was low, trembling. “Merlin’s beard, Charlie… is Professor Fig-?” He didn’t finish.
Charlie let go of his hand, swiping her sleeve across her eyes.
“Yeah. He- he died.”
Her voice cracked, but she forced the rest down. She wanted to tell Ominis everything, that Fig had saved her life one last time, that he had taken his final breath clutching his wife’s wand, but the words lodged in her throat.
“Take your seats already,” Professor Black barked, shooing students forward.
Ominis touched her shoulder gently. “Do you want me to sit with you, Charlie?”
“No, no, I’m okay.” She gave him a watery smile, squeezing his hand once more before letting go. “I’ll be fine. Talk to you later, Omi. Thank you.”
Reluctantly, he raised his wand and moved to join the other Slytherins.
Charlie turned and made her way to her table. Relief washed over her when she spotted Poppy waving her over, saving her a seat. Charlie managed a small smile in return, inhaled deeply, and sat down, her grief locked tight inside, for now.
The grass in the Vivarium was impossibly green, the kind of green that only came after endless storms. Charlie lay on her back, her arms stretched out to either side, her eyes closed against the warm sunlight spilling over her face. The air was alive with the lazy buzz of magical insects and the soft rustle of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze.
Ominis sat cross-legged nearby, leaning back on his hands, his pale face turned toward the sun. His wand lay forgotten in the grass beside him. For once, he looked peaceful, as if the weight of his family antics and his constant anger had slipped away with the winter frost.
Sebastian sprawled in the grass between them, one arm crooked behind his head, the other draped across his chest. His eyes were shut too, but his breathing was deeper than usual, unguarded. He looked less like the boy who carried Feldcroft’s ruins on his shoulders and more like someone who dragged his friends into trouble with a smile on his face at every opportunity.
None of them spoke. They didn’t need to.
The warmth pressed against their skin, seeping through, melting away the frostbite of grief and the raw edges of rage the fifth year at Hogwarts brought. Each minute stretched like honey, slow and golden, as if the Vivarium itself was determined to grant them this reprieve.
Charlie let herself drift, the knot in her chest loosening by degrees. For once, no one asked for answers. No one demanded they be strong or clever or ruthless. They just were - three broken, stubborn, scarred teenagers lying beneath the sun, waiting for the world to stop spinning quite so fast.
And for a little while, it did.
Epilogue
Winter softened into spring, spring spilled into summer, and June arrived before anyone could say Legilimency . The final tally crowned Hufflepuff House Cup champions, after Professor Weasley awarded Charlie Tanglewood an extra hundred points “for her considerable contributions to the safety of Hogwarts.”
Sebastian had whooped, his whistle sharp enough to draw glares from the fellow Slytherins, but he hadn’t seemed to care. His sly grin aimed at Charlie above the students’ heads had said everything.
Now, the trio lounged on the grass by the North exit, soaking up the sun, their brains slowly shedding the stress of O.W.L.s.
Sebastian sat propped against Ominis’ stomach, a book balanced in his lap. Anne’s recovery had restored something in him, a subtle glow as though he dared to believe in tomorrow again.
“So,” Charlie began, carefully, “any plans for the summer?”
Ominis gave a displeased hum, his frown creasing the sunlight from his otherwise serene face.
“Unfortunately. My parents have already informed me that I am expected at my uncle’s birthday, along with a litany of other Gaunt family engagements. The thought alone is enough to make me ill.”
Charlie winced, looking at him. After everything she’d learned of the Gaunts, the idea of Ominis trapped with them all summer felt unbearable.
Sebastian shut his book, guilt flashing across his face.
“Sorry, Omi.”
“Don’t be,” Ominis sighed. “It was inevitable they wouldn’t let me avoid them another year. Solomon or no Solomon.”
Silence fell, heavy but familiar. There was still so much left unspoken, but at least they had each other to face the hardships.
“What about you, Sallow?” Charlie nudged, trying to ease the heaviness. “Mrs. Farrell’s still looking after Anne, right? Are you headed back to Feldcroft?”
Sebastian’s shoulders sank. He flipped his book open again, though Charlie doubted he saw a single word.
“Yeah… probably. Things with Anne are… fragile. We’ve a long way to go.”
Charlie hesitated, tearing at blades of grass. The invitation burned on her tongue. Would they even consider it? Spending summer with muggles?
“What about you?” Sebastian’s voice tugged her from her thoughts. “You never talk about your family much.” He glanced at her over the rim of his book, his eyes glinting in the light, and suddenly she wasn’t ready for two months without them either.
Charlie shrugged, forcing a smile.
“Not much to tell. My parents died when I was little, so I only know them through my grandparents’ stories. I’m half-blood, Ravenclaw mother and Gryffindor father. My grandparents are Muggles, but you’d think they’d gone to Hogwarts themselves, the way they carry on about magic. You should hear the tale of the Howler they managed to send Mum in her first year.”
Both boys laughed, and Charlie seized the opening.
“You could… Come visit in August. If you want, of course.” The words tumbled out too fast, her face hot. “They have a big house that’s mostly empty now, and they love guests, and-”
She bit her tongue, staring up at the cloudless sky. Ominis and Sebastian were both watching her, or in Ominis’ case, simply facing her in that unnervingly perceptive way, and she wanted to melt into the ground.
“Well?” Sebastian drawled, smirk tugging his lips. “What do you think, Ominis? Tempted?”
“Hmm. I’d need to rearrange my busy schedule,” Ominis mused. “But it does sound preferable to being reminded of how profoundly I’ve disappointed my entire family.”
Charlie sat up and smacked his shoulder. He smirked, utterly unrepentant.
“Sod off. I’m rescinding my invitation. Ungrateful snakes.” She pretended to stand up. Sebastian closed his book abruptly.
“Wait- Hey! I don’t
have
any family left to disappoint, so August works fine for me!”
“Traitor,” Ominis accused, shoving him off his lap.
Charlie turned and walked away slowly, speaking loud enough so that they could hear her.
“Maybe I’ll just invite Anne. Or perhaps a nice Gryffindor or two-”
That did it. In seconds, Sebastian had flung an arm over her shoulders while Ominis caught her arm on the other side, the three of them tangled together in motion.
“Did I mention I make the best pumpkin pie?” Sebastian teased. “It would be a tragedy to miss pumpkin season.”
“Pumpkin season doesn’t start until mid-September,” Ominis sniffed, only to yelp when Sebastian smacked him on the head.
“Don’t listen to him,” Sebastian said, eyes dancing. “He’s never even seen a pumpkin.”
Charlie tried to keep a straight face as both boys leaned closer, but the laughter bubbled up anyway. Other students cast curious glances, but she didn’t care.
Hogwarts was her home, and it hurt to leave. But knowing she could bring a little of its magic to her muggle world… Well, it didn’t sound too bad.
\mischief managed\
SarenaLyreen Thu 21 Aug 2025 02:28AM UTC
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Omivander (The_Only_Charlie) Thu 21 Aug 2025 08:30AM UTC
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