POV ADA MARROW

I was reasonably frustrated, after being informed by Professor Fig our next clue to this entire thing was in the restricted section, even right before we went he was pulled away by Headmaster Black. I stood there dumb founded watching Professor Fig follow the Headmaster out of his office.
Even when I stood there alone I was a bit exasperated, I was too deep in and Fig still insisted on keeping all of this a secret. He's done quite a bit for me the past few weeks, so I'm not entirely irate with him but the situation has grown more dangerous. I couldn't wait any longer for this but how would I get into the restricted section? When I left the room and started down the stairs I was slapped in the face by my time with Sebastian Sallow. He knew how to get into the restricted section but he had also gotten caught. I chewed at my lip walking down the stairs to the main corridor of the Dark Arts building.
Should I ask him? I couldn't lie to him, why should I lie to him? My hand rested on my arm as my thumb rested on my lower lip. Debating if I should really ask him for help when I halted just as I was going to pass that portrait of a false burning witch a hand rested on my shoulder.
"There you are! You've had me worried sick." My head swiveled to face Sebastian, his brow furrowed, "You owe me an explanation about yesterday." All I could do was stare at him, he had caught me off guard.
"Um... Right."
"Are you alright, I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you."
"No it's not that... I actually wanted to talk to you and you're right. You're just as involved now as I am so you deserve an explanation." I glanced around at the students and grabbed his hand leading him off. He didn't resist my pulling, didn't speak and I didn't dare look back to see his face as I pulled him into one of the many dark alcoves in the wing to talk. I faced him then once we were alone.
"You cannot tell anyone this... I can wield ancient magic."
"Yes I figured, I had mulled over the fight with the Troll and you used magic like I've never seen before." He leaned against the wall watching me, pocketing his hands.
"That's not all, Ranrok is after me because of it and because of what Professor Fig and I found at Gringotts."
"Wait, wait. When were you at Gringotts?"

"It was the reason why I was late for the sorting ceremony." I couldn't help fiddling with my fingers. His gaze was intense, it weighed down on me, "I need your help...I need to get into the Restricted Section. What we found had a map and there's something down there that I need."
He was silent for a time, my eyes glanced up at him. He was thinking, assessing me, then he said, "Tonight, after curfew, meet me outside the Library. Tell no one." His voice was firm, I perked up and nodded.
"Of course! I'll see you tonight." He bowed his head and walked past me, I watched him leave and sighed, it was nice getting all of that off my chest. I made my way back, now at least I can be focused in class. Though I found myself suddenly losing focus as I spotted Ominis sitting on the floor at the other end of the hall. He was sort of just relaxing, I hadn't spoken to him much.
My feet carried themselves walking over to the boy.

POV OMINIS GAUNT

My head relaxed back against the wall, only listening to the echo of footsteps as my peers traversed the corridors in the wing, until a set stopped the echo hearing the sound of a heel click against the marble flooring.
I opened my eyes and felt a robe brush against my arm now as someone had sat down rather close next to me on the floor.
"Hello Ominis, you look rather comfy." That soft honey voice couldn't be anyone else but that new Fifth year girl.
"Did you need something Ada?" My voice was a bit hesitant, I had honestly been avoiding her after my conversation with Sebastian, she was trouble.
"Well I wanted to see how comfy the floor was to have you lounging around on it." I could hear the smile in her voice as she teased me, it made my heart flutter. Damnit.
"Ah well, it's as hard as Marble I'm afraid."
"Yes, well it's also nice and cool." I could hear her hand slide along the floor.
"That it is... " There was a slightly louder set of footsteps approaching us. Stopping in front of us, my head tilted, waiting for a voice to match the footsteps too.
"Excuse me you're the new Fifth Year, Ada correct? I'd like to speak with you alone." It was Duncan.
"Finally grown a spine Puffskien Dunkien?" I chuckled, and heard Ada sort of giggle, trying to suppress it. Then I heard her get up, "I'll be right back Ominis." Why was she leaving with him?
They happily didn't move far away enough that I couldn't overhear the entire conversation.
"A secret herbology corridor?"
"If you could get something from one of the plants there then that insufferable nickname will be put to a rest."
I could hear her hum, "You really shouldn't let such things bother you Duncan but you've piqued my interest I'll get what you need from there."
Had she agreed to go to an overrun herbology corridor for him? So he could fake some resemblance of bravery? When I heard her walking back to me I stated out loud,
"You can't really be willing to put yourself in such a risk to go there." I sounded confused and exasperated. She was worse than Sebastian, Sebastian was at least selfish when it came to helping people but she didn't know Duncan, he hadn't offered anything for her help either.
"I want to see it and if I get to help someone along the way it's a bonus."
"Well I can't let you go there alone." I insisted, getting to my feet quickly, brushing off my pants.
"Are you sure? I don't want you to get hurt." She sounded worried now for my safety. I couldn't stop the scowl,
"I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I'm just behind Sebastian in wand combat and I think I know a bit more about dangerous plants than you do." My voice was a bit sharp towards her, she didn't get upset at all. I could hear her hum,
"I suppose we should do it now then, I don't have any classes until after lunch."
"Neither do I, let's go." I felt her hand rest on my arm, my eyes went wide, was she leading me?
"Duncan told me where the entrance should be, hopefully it will be quick." She tugged at my arm a bit to follow her. I didn't pull my wand out, just letting her lead me. I missed Anne, she'd do the same thing all the damn time.
We walked for a bit then I heard people flying around on their brooms and we were stopped by the moonmind himself.
"Where are you two going in such a hurry?" Leander asked us.
"I wanted to take Ominis to the beehives to try some of the honey. It's absolutely sweet." My head tilted in her direction, she had lied so effortlessly to him.
"Is it? Perhaps I can join the two of you." Oh by Godric's heart no.
"I would extend the offer but your friend over there is looking impatient."
"Ah right.. Perhaps another time Ada, it can be just the two of us-"
"Bye Leander!" She stated, did he just ask her so nonchalantly on a date? It was subtle and she didn't seem to catch it. Pulling me along down the path.
"You seem to lie with such ease." I comment towards her.
"Yes unfortunately." She then murmured, "I don't like lying, but it's useful, a good lie can save your neck." Those words were from experience, people don't lie naturally like that. It takes experience, what had she gone through to need to lie as expertly as she did.
She slowed us down walking in silence then led me off the path to a set of stairs I've never been down before. She was kind enough to help me down the steps then was back to leading me over the grounds until we stopped.
"Did you find the entrance?" I asked.
"Yes but there's overgrowth blocking it, if you could just stay back. I'm rather new with this spell." She let go of my arm and I waited for her.
"Incendio." I hear something catch fire and burn away in an instant, I'm such a hypocrite. I'm with her going somewhere dangerous right after I told him we should keep contact to a minimum. My mouth flattened into a line, though Sebastian was most definitely not going to listen to me. So there would be no point listening to myself.
I felt her grab my hand and start leading me through a doorway, now I had to pull out my wand. She stopped, "oh my... the plants really have overgrown here." She was quiet.
"What plant is it?" I asked.
"It's a dark tendril looking thing..." she murmured.
"Don't touch it, it's devils snare. It's weak against light and fire." I had started to walk on the slightly uneven ground but felt her hand grab my sleeve.
"Careful, there's a down column." She helped me duck down under it, "Maybe I should go on, on my own this place is falling apart." She murmured, I rolled my eyes.
"I say we abandon this and tell Duncan to come here himself." I stated.
"Well I'm definitely not doing that." She murmured.
"Then I'm going with you, I can handle myself." She was still holding my sleeve, holding me there.
"Lumos." She was silent for a time, "it's everywhere, it's almost overtaken the entire area." Her hand moved to mine and started leading me. I could feel what she meant the place was falling apart, I had to be careful walking over the shattered bits of rubble. As we walked in silence, I felt the urge to break it.
"So... Do you normally drag guys off to hidden areas? I'm sure Leander thinks we went off to snog considering how quickly you dragged me away." She stopped hand letting go of mine. I heard a small strangled gasp.
" I didn't even think of it like that." She was so quiet even her voice didn't carry through the corridor, "I am so sorry, I didn't think what it would look like dragging you here with me."
I wanted to laugh, "Why are you apologizing to me, you're the one sneaking around with a Gaunt." I moved forward and felt the presence of a fallen pillar. I slipped over it. Holding a hand back for her to take.
She took it, squeezing my hand as I heard her step down beside me, "What does being a Gaunt have anything to do with it."
"They'll think I'm trying to corrupt you with Dark Magic." I let out a bit of a huff starting to walk a bit more confidently over the rubble now leading her along by her hand.

"I suppose by that noise you detest the idea of that sort of magic."
"I do, I despise it." My voice was a bit sharp, but when talking about those rumors I couldn't help it. To be lumped in with my cursed family, I couldn't help the vitriol that escapes my mouth.
"My family also apparently deals with Dark Magic." She murmured, it caused me to stop.
"They do? What was your last name again?" I asked, turning to face her just a bit more.
"Marrow, I had only just received the name. I didn't even know they were still alive until the Ministry workers told me."
"Unfortunately that's not a name I'm familiar with."
"I wouldn't think that they would be. They're located in a Northern Land. One said that I have a brother that goes to Durmstrang. I believe his name is Nox?"
"That's the name of a light extinguishing charm."
"Fitting for a Dark Wizard family then." She stated, her voice a bit curt then silence, "Oh. Wow, that is a very large Venomous Tentacula." She started leading me again, towards wherever that damn plant was. I heard her light some braziers in the surrounding room. Then she let my hand go. Walking away from me, so she had connections to Dark Wizards but from her words it sounds like she had been abandoned by them.
"Here hold this, I think I see a ladder leading us out of here." She handed me something.
"Hell, that's a big leaf. How big is that plant?!" I had cared for one before in the Greenhouses but this was huge.
"This way Ominis! Quickly!" I felt her grab the front of my robes, almost dragging me to the ladder. She urged me up first, I pocketed my wand then started climbing pushing the trap door to climb out. I could hear her follow behind me and close it.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"The greenhouses, perfect!" She took the leaf from me, "Thank you Ominis for going with me. I'll see you another time?"
"Yes well I suppose I will... Ada?" I heard a door close, my hands raised and threw them down to my sides. She was gone, my hand went to my eyes rubbing over them.
"Infuriating.." I murmured, pulling my wand out to walk myself to my next class.

POV ADA MARROW

I had managed to sneak out of my common room, making my way down the stairs towards the Library when I got pulled off to the side, pressed up against a wall out of sight. Sebastian raised a finger to his lips telling me to be quiet. I only nodded and he gave me some space, "The Prefects are hanging around the Library entrance. We have to sneak past them." He murmured.
"I can be sneaky, let's go." I was a bit excited, but he grabbed my wrist.
"Hold on now, you need to learn a spell. Using it will make you nothing more than a flicker of light." A new spell as well, I'm sure I looked excited as his grin grew.
"So I'll be invisible?" I questioned, then he shook his head.
"No, the only way to be that invisible is with a cloak and well cloaks are expensive but spells... Spells are free. Here let me show you then we can get in."
The spell was just as easy to use as others, Sebastian was a rather good teacher as well.
"Good now remember if they catch us they'll gladly rat us out to the professors and I for one don't want to get thrown into detention for a weekend." He casted it and I did as well, following him closely and quickly passed the unsuspecting prefects and through the door quietly but were halted by the sight of the Librarian putting away her returned books.
He grabbed me and pulled me off behind a bookshelf, "I thought you said she'd be gone." I murmured quietly, sticking close to him.
"I said she should have been gone, not that she would be. It's fine... I need you to get the key from her desk, I'll distract her then meet you by the gate." I bit my lip and nodded, vanishing myself again as I saw him wander off deeper into the Library. I stayed hidden waiting for Sebastian's' distraction. A crash sounded at the very end of the Library, Miss. Scribner turned around.
"Is someone there?" Then I walked off, I hurried behind her desk snatching a key resting on it and snuck along the wall turning the corner and running into Sebastian. I had gasped and he covered my mouth with his hand, he had startled me but not enough that I'd actually scream. I smacked his hands away.
"Ow.. ow okay!" He hissed, moving away to allow me to unlock the gate. He stayed hidden until we were deep enough in, well past the other ghosts roaming the restricted section. We were safe now. We dispelled our vanishing charms and I began wandering. Mostly ignoring everything that didn't have that glow.
"So what exactly are you looking for?" he asked, looking over the books.
"I'm unsure but I'll know it when I see it." I stopped watching a book flip open to elegantly written pages and before my fingers could touch it. Sebastian yanked my hand away and I saw the book start snapping closed with sharp metal teeth. Moving with a fury trying to bite me, thankfully it was attached to its shelf by a chain.
"Careful, it's not fun getting bitten by these things." I nodded, I could already feel the ache in my hand.
"So um, why do you come here so often anyway?" I asked, walking deeper in. The deeper in we went the less books we found and the more items, statues, chests and armor were lined or stacked up along the walls.
"I'm looking for a cure for my Sister Anne. Everyone else has given up on saving her but I know she can be healed." He held such determination, I smiled at him.

"With you looking for the cure I'm sure she'll be better in no time." I saw him glance at me, eyes softening a bit.
"You have no idea how much I've longed to hear someone say that to me... Perhaps you'd like to meet her? We don't live far from the Castle, just in a little Hamlet called Feldcroft." My hand moved to rest on his arm.
"I would love to meet her Sebastian-" A loud crash was heard in front of us, the troll armor having fallen, Peeves floating along in his bright garb and evil wide smile stared down at us.
"Naughty, Naughty~ You'll get caughty!" He cackled, "You're in trouble! I'm telling Scribner!" He shrieked in delight then seemed to fly right off away from us.
"Damnit, I need to stop him. Or at least make up an excuse for being down here." he turned to leave but i grabbed his hand.
"Don't get in trouble because of me." I stated, the worst I'd get was a slap on the wrist but how many other times he'd been in detention they'd be less lenient with him. He looked down, glancing at my hand. Then at my eyes, he just smiled.
"Don't worry, I have a way with the Faculty... Besides, I enjoy having friends that are indebted to me." He pulled away, "Now where'd that damned Poltergeist go off to." He vanished and I was left standing there, faced with exploring everything on my own.

POV SEBASTIAN SALLOW

It hadn't been long, I was making my way back through the Restricted Section trying to find and convince Peeves to do something else with his time. When I was caught, scolded and glared down at by Miss Scribner. I could only look down, I had been warned.
"That being said Mr. Sallow. Peeves had informed me that you were not alone down there." I saw her movement behind a bookshelf and her wide eyes as she stared at me, "If you've been coerced into doing this tell me now..."
I didn't want her to get in trouble, I agreed to this knowing the punishment for next time. I had only hoped I didn't get caught.
"You're a bright boy Sebastian, don't let this ruin you..." Miss Scribner murmured, softer almost pleading to allow her to place the blame on someone else. I bit my lip and straightened looking her in the eyes as I said,
"There's no one else I went alone."
"Oh Sebastian..." She sounded sad, disappointed in me, "What will your Uncle say..." She murmured.
"Wait!" I stiffened and looked at her, eye wide.
"I coerced him to take me there!" She'd ratted herself out, damnit. Scribner straightened looking between the two of us. Eyes assessing, then they landed back on Ada.
"You're the new Fifth year." Ada nodded eyes looking down, "Honestly Mr. Sallow can't you impress a girl in any other way besides rule breaking?" Miss Scribner sounded exasperated, she thought I was trying to impress Ada. It took me by surprise that she'd think that.
"Yes, Ma'am I'm sorry. I overheard other students talking about it and Sebastian told me he had snuck in before..." She was quiet, chewing her lip again. She was lying through her teeth and I felt almost elated that someone would do this for me.
"I-If anyone should be in trouble it's me..." My eyes shot to Scribner and hers had softened looking at Ada. Ada did have a sort of soft appearance like she'd do no wrong.
"I commend you for speaking out, Miss. Marrow but I'm afraid I'll still have to give you both detention..." I saw Scribner glance at me.
"I shall withhold going to the headmaster and telling your Uncle of these exploits but if I catch either of you in there again it will be expulsion." The older woman chided, "This weekend, Mr. Sallow can escort you there. Now go back to your Common Rooms please." Ada nodded and grabbed my hand dragging me out of there. My face may have been a bit red, she was leading me off to the floo flame. I stared at the back of her head, she'd risk herself for me. Didn't even blink an eye at the thought of a Faculty member thinking we were sneaking around together.
She leaned close and murmured, "I found it... When I learn more I'll tell you about it." She was gone then having returned to her Common room. I was a bit dumbfounded if not incredibly pleased. My hand gripped my breast pocket as my heart thudded away.

Author's Note: Bit of a longer chapter with Ominis and now with added change to the main story.