POV ADA MARROW
The last few weeks since the last trial were incredibly mundane but also normal. At least as normal as a wizarding school can get.
I grew close enough to Poppy for her to introduce me to her friend Highwing, such a fantastic beast and Poppy's words drew me to her cause. The want to stop the poachers grew, I found myself leaving the grounds occasionally to raid poaching camps. The things I saw them do to these poor animals, they didn't deserve mercy.
My first Divination Class introduced tea leaf reading, specifically Tessomancy. My cup gave a warning. A Skull and a Cross was what my partner saw in my leaves. It was a chilling experience but not unsurprising considering what was going on. Even if the last few weeks the Keepers had been silent, Professor Fig told me to not worry and to just focus on my classes and studying.
However, more likely to Professor Figs dismay, I had managed to get into more trouble with the goblins. Adeline, someone I've grown close to, confessed to me that her Uncle has gone missing. I promised I'd help her find out what happened to him and I did. I rescued the man and he returned home. No matter the danger, if I can help I will.
Even with Sebastians' restlessness. Some days I'd return from my raids bruised and hurt and there I'd find him sitting on the steps near the kitchens waiting for me. Accessing any injuries and making sure I wasn't badly hurt. It made my stomach flutter and my heart race, seeing he was so worried about me and even the time spent partaking in the Cross wands competition was exhilarating.
Sebastian and I have gotten closer, the same could be said for Ominis as well. I spent plenty of our free days helping him with his potion assignments. I could really call these two boys my friends. It felt surreal, having gone from being alone to feeling so close to the both of them but it was real. Even as I stood out on the Flying Class Lawn with my broom waiting for Sebastian, I couldn't help but feel grateful. For being given the chance to come here, to start a new chapter and to leave my old life behind. For making such wonderful friends… I sank deeper into my thoughts, fiddling with the ribbon I had tied around the handle of my broom.
"Sorry I'm late." My head snapped up looking over to Sebastian. He was dressed down like I was, I debated if I should wear my mask, I didn't plan on going anywhere near Ashwinders or Loyalist, but there was always that chance of me being spotted.
"It's no worry to me Sebastian. I don't have any other plans for the day. I can't wait to meet your Sister."
"She can't wait either. I'm hoping getting a visit from a new student will lift her spirits." He mounted his broom and I did the same, following after him when he launched off the ground. The flight there was quicker than trying to walk there on the ground. We flew past a castle, where I noticed a large camp of loyalists. It made me uneasy, especially when I noticed the blockades and training dummies scattered around the hamlet. Once we landed down, I went to him.
"Is the hamlet in danger of the Loyalists?" I held onto his arm and he looked hesitant.
"They haven't attacked us, but the entire hamlet is on edge since a large number of their lot took up residence in Rookwoods Castle. Enough of that, today is supposed to be fun. Let's go." He motioned his head off to a small cottage, it looked comfy, inviting and when we entered into the home I saw him slowly sneak up on a girl sitting at table with her back to us.
He gave her a little scare and she screamed, "Sebastian! What are you doing here?" She had the widest smile on her face and Sebastian looked so happy to see her. I couldn't help but smile at the interaction between them. Then I caught sight of a man with darker hair and a graying beard coming out from another room of the Cottage. He looked almost pleased to see Sebastian.
"I got you something." He grinned at her and presented a ShrivelFig to her, she was still smiling.
"Is that?" Then suddenly the man reached out and snatched it from his hand and what was a happy interaction turned into a heated argument. I was almost horrified to witness his uncle evaporate the fruit and yelled at him.
"Nothing can break a curse, when will you accept that!" His anger was laced with a venom, I've been acquainted with all too well.
"Never! I will never accept it!" I was nearer to Anne, when she cried out doubling over in pain. My hands reached out to hold her. Hand on her back.
"Look what you did now!" My head snapped up looking at the man. He blamed Sebastian for this? She was fine until they started fighting, until she was in distress. His Uncle shot me a look and went to Anne, going to care for her. I watched Sebastian rush out of the cottage, slamming the door behind him. I hurried after him, but stopped once I went outside. Seeing him stand there, his face buried in his hands. He let out a strangled cry and kicked a rock, sending it skipping along the ground.
"Sebastian?" I reached out, he held up a hand.
"Please, just give me a moment on my own. You don't need to see me like this." He walked off a bit of a ways when he noticed his Uncle come outside. I'd let him have his time alone, instead my jaw was a bit clenched seeing his Uncle start to do yard work instead of apologizing to him.
As I approached I could hear him murmur, "That boy is getting on my last nerve." He was absolutely awful.
"Mr. Sallow?" I tried to hold the annoyance from my tone. He looked back staring down at me.
"You're Sebastians' friend. I'm sorry for my nephew's behavior, he thinks he knows more than the healers at St. Mungos. Nothing can be done to help Anne." His words set a fire in me, I could feel the annoyance seep from my next words.
"Sebastians' behavior isn't the problem and surely there is something to be done about Annes' situation."
Solomon scoffed, "Of course the first girl he brings home agrees with him, there is nothing to be done. Curses can't be broken."
"Healers don't know everything, Sebastian is single handedly working to find a cure for his Sister, he will find something."
"No, he will find nothing and if you want to be of help you should be sure he does what needs to be done and not what he wants to do. I know these two better than you, they're my Stubborn brothers children, Sebastian most of all. Giving her any hope at this point is cruel."
"You make it seem like being stubborn is a bad trait to have." My jaw clenched, "and hope can be a good thing for her-" The anger was palpable, though instead of arguing further he turned away to ignore me. I glanced at the door open and Anne standing there, her face a bit gaunt and pale. She motioned me over and I left his Uncle to stew over the conversation we had.
She led me inside and had me sit down pouring me a cup of tea, I softened my voice.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, as alright as I'll ever be, it's no one's fault for the pain."
"I wasn't expecting your Uncle to be so angry." I murmured, my lips pursed, "he's a piece of work."
"He's just frustrated over everything, me being cursed and Sebastian for still trying..." She reached out grabbing my hand, "Our Uncle is right, Sebastian can't take my pain away. Sebastian speaks so fondly of you in his letters, please do this for me. Make him realize that he's doing the impossible... I miss my Brother." My heart ached for her, I squeezed her hand and looked down at them, my thumb rubbed over the back of her hand.
"I can't promise anything, he's too dead set on finding a cure for you but I can try."
"Thank you Ada. I hope you can visit me again sometime. I miss Hogwarts and I wouldn't mind being in the hamlet if it wasn't so morose."
"I will definitely try and visit, I actually have something for you." I let go of her hand and pulled out a little box.
"Sebastian said you loved Chocolate frogs." Her smile widened, picking up the elaborate blue box.
"I do, oh I do. I haven't had one in ages. I used to throw them at first years, it always scared the living daylights out of them." She reminisces about her time there.
"I find myself wandering around outside of Hogwarts quite a bit and if I'm in or near the Feldcroft region I will definitely stop by to give you a visit." I can see why Sebastian and Ominis were so fond of her. Why Ominis missed her and why Sebastian was so desperately looking for a cure.
"It was a pleasure meeting you Ada."
"You as well, Anne." I finished off the last bit of tea and left the house to check on Sebastian. I saw him pacing off to the side, still looking a bit irate. I walked slowly over to him, hand grabbing him.
"How are you doing?" He squeezed my hand, holding it tightly. As I had hoped he had calmed down some.
"You see what I have to deal with? I'm sorry you had to witness that interaction ."
"He was out of line, I just couldn't believe how angry he was towards you." I murmured, my thumb stroked over the back of his hand.
"He's always angry, he was angry before the curse took Anne and now he's even worse. He's completely given up on her," His head shook, "But I won't, I'll never give up." His determination to save his sister was admirable but knowing Anne wanted him to stop. I should wait to talk to him until we return to the castle.
"Come with me, I want to show you where it happened." He pulled me off by my hand and I followed without a word.
"I am sure I can find something there. To figure out who did it or what spell it was. If I can figure out what spell it was then I can start working on a cure."
He was so distracted he didn't notice the camp of goblins up the hill. I stopped him, "Goblins." I murmured, "We should take them out."
"Gladly." He growled out, taking out his wand. Now I wish I had brought my mask.
—
The fight was quick, having taken them off guard made it even easier. I sighed, "That was much easier with help." I murmured.
"I told you, you can take Ominis and I with you on these little raids you do."
"I'll think on it Sebastian, it's just-"
"Dangerous? I'm very aware of that, you know it's awfully annoying how you disregard your own safety for the safety of your friends." I bit my lip at his words, avoiding eye contact. I continued up the hill, Sebastian following after me. I looked over the manors ruins, the dig site the Goblins had started up; the weapons and tents.
"They're definitely looking for something here..."
"They are but what?" Sebastian murmured walking up to the open entrance, my eyes scanned over the well and the view of Feldcroft.
"Sebastian... I've seen this view before. At a Pensive at Gringotts. Isadora lived here!"
He perked up then, "What? Really, she used to live here?"
"Yes." I turned back to him and went inside seeing the burnt portrait, "There has to be more here."
"Those stones are stacked oddly, like some ones trying to hide something." He walked over and toppled the blockade with his foot. Then started climbing through the hole. I followed and right next to the hole was a stairway down.
"Lumos." I murmured, lighting the way down. I watched as devil snare shrunk in on itself and the clutter of books, furniture and papers scattered around the small room. Sebastian wasn't far behind me, standing in the center of the room taking it all in. I found some journal entries, reading it over about how she wanted to take away people's pain. I pockets the journal entries, wandering a bit deeper in. I spotted the mirror seeing through it to the Undercroft.
"Sebastian..." I breathed out, "I can see the Undercroft through this mirror."
"You can do what?" I heard his steps approach me, "I can't see anything but our reflection."
"It's something to do with my powers, I know it sounds strange-"
"Please, Ada, nothing you say sounds strange." He stood beside me, glancing up and I smiled at him.
"I can walk us through the mirror to the Undercroft."
"I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. You can walk through this mirror?" Now he sounded surprised, I couldn't help rolling my eyes.
"What happened to nothing I say sounds strange?"
"It's not strange, it's surprising." He commented, I huffed and grabbed his robe sleeve and dragged him through the mirror. Stepping through it led us straight to the Undercroft. Sebastian was bewildered,
"Ominis will be floored when I tell him this..." I couldn't help but share in his bewilderment.
"Why would the mirror lead us here?" I was walking a bit closer in, then a Tryptic appeared, doors slowly opening, "Look!" I grabbed his arm, pointing to the tryptic.
"What in Merlins' beard is that doing here?" Sebastian led us closer, "There's a note..."
I plucked it from its place, looking it over, "It has symbols that I've seen the keepers use."
Sebastian looked down at me, his eyes going wide, "You don't think... Could Anne be cursed by ancient magic?" He sounded all too hopeful.
"I'm sorry Sebastian but I didn't see any of the magic surrounding her like I usually would."
He licked his lips, arms crossing then a hand went to rub his jaw and mouth, "It doesn't rule it out... I didn't expect the visit to end like this, Ada thank you but I need to go and see Ominis."
"About?"
"Ominis knows the entrance to Salazar Slytherin's secret scriptorium, it could possibly hold answers on how to cure Anne." He was about to leave when I grabbed his hand.
"Before you go... We need to talk." He looked back at me, smiling but I wasn't smiling. "Anne, wanted me to talk to you. She wants you to stop looking for a cure-"
"I will do no such thing!" He looked outraged.
"And I don't want you to either." I admitted, my voice quick, "I understand why you're searching so fervently. I feel I can grow as close to Anne as I have with you and Ominis." I squeezed his hand, he was silent watching me, his outrage was gone now, "But I feel you've been neglecting her, she misses you... So much, you're so focused on finding a cure that you're unintentionally ignoring her. We should visit her more often, you should visit her more often. Spend time with her and not talk about curing her in front of her or your Uncle."
He took a deep breath, "I'll think about it Ada." His hand squeezed mine, then let go leaving me alone in the Undercroft.
Authors' Note: Shorter chapter with one POV, longer one in part 10. Who do you prefer in this story?