POV ADA MARROW

It had been some time since my talk with Sebastian in the Undercroft. I hadn't really seen him outside of our classes until one day I overheard arguing off to the side of the great hall.
"Anything to do with the Dark Arts should be strictly avoided..." Ominis stated.
"Anything involving Salazar Slytherin is worth the risk." Sebastian had his arms crossed watching Ominis while he fiddled with his hand, leaning back against the wall.
"I'm Sorry, but I disagree. I will hear no more about this Sebastian." He pushed off the wall and started towards then walked right by me, having probably not even noticed I was there. I looked at Sebastian and his eyes landed on me.
"Ada.. Sorry about that, Ominis is being stubborn. I've been trying to convince him to show me the entrance of the scriptorium." He sat down on the bench in front of the window, "If it has anything to do with the Dark Arts he wants nothing to do with it." I nodded, sitting down with him letting him vent out his frustrations.
"I've reminded him that Anne needs a cure and my answers could be in that Scriptorium."
"I will say Sebastian. From what I've heard they can be dangerous but I'm interested to learn more."
He seemed to smile, "I know you are and I also want you to see that Dark Magic isn't something to fear. The Gaunts' know this best... but don't get me wrong they're terrible people. They cast Crucio on Muggles for sport... Ominis he..." He trailed off.
"You don't have to tell me Sebastian."
"Most would be prying my mouth open."
"Well, I'm not most." He was silent for a time, eyes moving from me to stare off onto the blank wall.
"When Ominis was young, his parents taught him Crucio and demanded he use it on a Muggle. Ominis couldn't do it, he told me the screams they would make were the sounds of nightmares." Sebastian looked sad, "When he refused to, his family used the curse on him." My hand went to cover my mouth, eyes widening.
"Oh... No... How could someone do something like that?" My voice was strained, "I see why he's so against it, what awful people."
Sebastian could only nod, "Truly awful, when he was asked again. To avoid feeling such pain he cast it on their victim. He hasn't forgiven himself."
"But he was just a child..."
"I tell him that, but he refuses to see it any other way. He holds such a deep guilt and it doesn't help when rumors of him using Dark Magic spread around like fire. It just bubbles up and eats away at him inside..."
"Natty told me something along those lines... It hurt hearing that from her. Everyone is so scared of him, for no other reason than him being a Gaunt. They don't see him like I see him." I murmured.
"That's what makes it frustrating..."
"Perhaps... Can I speak with him?" I murmured, glancing at Sebastian. Sebastian was silent, then looked down at his hands.
"Perhaps you can, he should be going back to our dorms..." He glanced back up at her, "Let's go, I'll take you to him." He held his hand out to me and I didn't hesitate to take the invitation. Taking his hand briefly only to let go and hold onto his arm. The walk to the Dungeons wasn't long but we stopped in front of the wall.
"Just ignore anyone that stares or asks questions."
"You're taking me into the Slytherin Common Room?" I questioned.
"Yes I am and I don't care if they throw a damn hissy fit." He looked at me pointedly, I smiled wide.
"That was a terrible joke Sebastian."
"No, it was genius." He grinned down at me, then looked to the wall, "Ambition." He spoke loud and clearly and I witnessed a snake rise from the floor sweeping over the wall to reveal the hidden entrance.
"Now see that's not fair, how come you guys get a password and we have to memorize a specific knocking sound."
Sebastian shrugged, "Be happy you're not Ravenclaw, they have to solve Riddles to access their dorms. I've heard rumors that if they can't get in they have to wait outside the door until someone lets them in."
"What about Gryffindor?"
"They just have a password as well." He mused, walking me down the stairway.
"Now I see who the favorites are..." He laughed and his laugh carried everyone in the common room looking at us. Some were not happy to see me and others surprised. Not a pleasant surprise, a 'What is she doing here' surprise.
"Remember to ignore them." He murmured to me, walking me quickly to what I assumed were the boys' dorms. I bit my tongue as Imelda tried to stop us.
"Oh no, sorry Imelda we're much too busy to talk!" He rushed us past her, then stopped in front of a door, "This is our dorm, he should be in there studying. I'll stay at the door and make sure no one disturbs either of you."

POV OMINIS GAUNT

My fingers ran over the small bumps, trying to focus on studying for our next History Exam when I heard the door open and close. Sebastian was back, I knew it was him. I could hear him talking outside.
"Sebastian, I swear if you bring up the damn scriptorium one more-" I stopped hearing the click of heels, that wasn't Sebastian. In Fact that gate and the hollow sound the heel made, sounded like Ada. "Ada?" I turned my head towards her steps, soon feeling her presence behind my chair.
"Yes Ominis it's me." My mouth opened, dumbfounded that she was here.
"Why are you here? HOW are you here?" I dropped the book on my desk, rising up to my feet.
"Sebastian brought me in. I wanted to speak to you about this Scriptorium." I could feel her hands touch mine soon holding them. Any anger I held was muffled by the feeling of her hands in mine and her leading me off somewhere. She sat me down on what i assumed was my bed and she sat down beside me,
"I understand your caution with Dark Magic."
"No you don't."
"I do... " She said it firmly, hands squeezing mine harder.
"Ada, I do not mean to offend you but I grew up with it. You did not." Her grip loosened.
"I know..." Her voice had gone so quiet.
"I need you to understand, my Aunt Noctua went searching for this place. The only reason I know of it is because of the letters she sent to my Father. She was determined to prove the family wrong about Salazar Slytherin. To prove he was more than our family ideals. It got her killed."
I felt her thumbs rub over the back of my hand, "Then it's even more of a reason to see it for ourselves. This could honor your Aunt Ominis and you can finally know what's happened to her. Sebastian could finally find a cure for Anne as well."

I was silent, I could hear Sebastian outside telling Imelda to sod off. I could hear the pop of an ember from the heater in the middle of the room but most of all I could feel her gaze on me.
"If not for Sebastian or Anne. Will you do it for me?" Her voice was so soft, it made me close my eyes and reveal that she'd talk to me like that. I tried to steady my voice, but it still came out shaky. It wasn't fear, she distracted me too much for it to be fear.
"Fine, we'll do it together... Let's get Sebastian and go." I couldn't help but feel a wave of despair take over me, when those words left my lips.

POV SEBASTIAN SALLOW

I had managed to get Imelda to leave us right as the door opened behind me. Ada was leading Ominis out by his hand. His brows were pressed together, face hardened and he looked ready to bolt.
"Oh so, she can convince you but not me." I elbowed him lightly, walking beside them, Ada positioned in between us.
"You did not tell me what I needed to hear." He murmured softly, eyes landed on us as we walked. Murmurs spread through the common room as people saw Ada holding Ominis hand. Ada seemed to want to let go but Ominis kept a firm grip on her hand.
"If you're all done gawking at us perhaps you can do something more worth your time." Ominis voice spit out a Venom towards our fellow housemates, most returned to their previous activities, others lowered their voices more. I couldn't help but smile, it pulled at my lips.
No matter how much they try to pull him down to their level, you can't defang a viper. That's the Ominis I wanted to see. To see his chin up, confidence oozing from him. His family ruined that, ruined him. We stopped outside of the Common Room, Ominis pulling his wand from his pocket, now using it to lead us around the twisting halls of the dungeon. Then stopped us in a corner, he let go of Adas' hand.
"I do not know how to open it, only that it has something to do with threes." His hands held and fiddled with his wand.
"Well it's a good thing three heads are better than one." I mused while looking around with Ada and I heard a groan from Ominis.
"It's two heads Sebastian."
"By that logic Gaunt, then three heads is better than two, simple mathematics." I lightly tapped his foot with mine.
"Perhaps it's something to do with the unlit braziers?" Ada murmured, "I'll light them." I watched him walk a bit closer, using incendio to light them quickly and when she finished my head snapped back to the wall as the stone slid open to reveal a passageway.
"Seems we found the door." I hummed, going down first.
"I hope we're ready for this."
"Hold my hand Ominis, I'll help you down the stairs." I heard Ada, waiting on the steps for them.
"Lumos." I raised my wand up, lighting the way for us. I could feel it, this is the right path. This is the path to saving my sister.

POV ADA MARROW

"Dark, ominous, corridors..." I heard Sebastian leave a tease in his voice, "My favorite." I couldn't help but snort at the awful joke.
"No comment." Ominis stated dryly.
"Oh come on, that was a good one." Sebastian whined, he stopped facing a pile or crumbled rocks. Ominis let go of my hand going to stand by the locked door. His hand touched it, "A dead end?" Then we heard the stone up the stairs shift back into place.
"Suppose the only way out is forward." I murmured, I glanced off to an alcove in the wall seeing dried parchment. I looked it over, glancing up only briefly to see Sebastian using Reparo on the rubble.
"Ominis, your Aunt Noctua was here. She left a note."
"Your Aunt? You didn't tell me she came here." Sebastian sounded surprised and looked hurt.
"There was no reason to." Ominis murmured, then his head looked from us to the door.
"What is that hissing sound?" I asked, approaching Ominis.
"You can hear it as well Ada?"
"Yes but, is there a snake in here?"
"It's Parseltongue... Sebastian, what exactly did you fix?"
"Well it looks like a stone tablet displaying a man speaking with snakes." Sebastian looked over to us.
Ominis grimaced, "I know what to do." He murmured, my eyes fixed back onto him.
"What do you mean Ominis?"
His hand went to rest over his chest, "I'm a Parselmouth. I have the ability to speak with snakes. An ability only those directly descended from Salazar Slytherin possess. When Sebastian fixed that thing, the hissing started and I heard a voice telling me to speak to it."
"That is amazing Ominis." I was excited, I could see a hint of embarrassment.
"Yes well it's associated with the Dark Arts, I haven't used it in forever... but if it's the only way forward."
I witnessed Ominis speak in a series of hisses, the sound from his mouth carried. It was... ominous. How it bounced along the walls and sent a shiver from my spine to my feet. I wasn't scared, I was more enamored by his ability.

I could see the snakes on the door slither along as the door unlocked, "Ominis! You have an extraordinary ability indeed." I took his hand, smiling wide at, "Can I speak with you more about this after we get to the Scriptorium?" I was eager to learn more.
"I..." He looked a bit taken aback, "It couldn't hurt to speak with you about it. Seeing as you're new to all of this."
I felt arms rest over my shoulders and saw Sebastian rest his other over Ominis, "That's the spirit, let go." He led us into the next room, this one was darker then the last. I found more notes from Noctua Gaunt. More trials await us,
"She said There's pain but rewards beyond." I murmured, looking over the gates. Sebastian looked stumped on how to proceed, so I stepped in. Examining the corresponding gates and odd Snake like statues. It was now I chose to move the rings under the statue. I watched it raise into a striking position and then after some time strike at my face.
"Ah!" The metal fangs cut into my face and I heard worry from both boys from outside the first room.
"Ada?!" Ominis sound frantic.
"I-I'm fine!" I called out, hand going away from the spot under my eye, seeing blood on my hands. "The snake statue striked at me." Didn't I have enough problems without adding another scar to my face?
I'd have to work faster, "Sebastian describe the symbols on that gate for me." He did, not hesitating trusting my words about me being fine. My hands worked quickly turning the rings until I could hear one of the gates open. I sighed in relief and left the room ducking under the broken up gate. I felt a hand on my face.
"Let me see." Sebastian stared down at me, fire from the torches I had lit dancing off his face. "You're bleeding."
"Really Sebastian I'm fine. I've had worse injuries than this." He didn't seem convinced.
"If you were any shorter it would have taken your eye out."
"But it didn't. Let's continue and move on." I squeezed his hand, trying to reassure him. We worked together getting the other gates unlocked without much trouble. Thankfully I hadn't been bit again and we three walked through the last gate, into a hallway. Far enough in the torches started to light up the room and the gate slammed shut behind us.
"We're locked in again." Sebastian held a hint of irritation.
"Salazar Slytherin is not yet done with us." Ominis began to pace along the wall. Worry straining at his features. Walking further in, an echo of a scream split through the hall. Etches of agony on the next door would haunt my dreams tonight. Then a crunch under my shoe. Bones, I had stepped on bones. My breath sucked in, reaching down to pick up Noctua Gaunts last note.
"Ominis." A hand went to my mouth, my voice sounded strained.
"What? What is it?"
"We found your Aunt.." Sebastian murmured, staring down at the remains, "She got trapped and died here because she couldn't cast an unforgivable." My face turned looking back to Ominis, panic had set on his face, his eyes going wide.
"I shouldn't have listened to either of you." His voice went high.
"Ominis, it'll be okay, I know what to do." Sebastian looked at me, "Tortured faces, Crusio etched on the floor. We have to cast the cruciatus curse to continue on." He looked back to Ominis.
"Ominis you need to cast it on one of us."
Ominis face turned to fury, "I can not, i will not. I thought you knew me better Sebastian."
"Ominis, you wouldn't be casting it on an unwilling victim, you wouldn't be at fault."
It doesn't matter Sebastian! The spell won't work unless you actually mean it and I could never cast it on either of you." His voice was pained, still pacing. Murmuring how we were going to die here. If Ominis was correct, we wouldn't be able to leave.
"Ridiculous, as if dying here is better than casting a damn spell." Sebastian was annoyed, "Fine, fine I'll cast it."
"You know how to cast it?" I questioned.
"That's it, I'm not sure if I can." Sebastian was chewing at his lip. "But I don't yearn to follow in Noctua Gaunts' footsteps."
He looked at me, "We have a choice. Either I cast it on you or I teach you-"
"You will do no such thing!" Ominis barked, "I will not have you tainting her with Dark Magics Sebastian."
"Ominis, this spell is useful and you know I have plenty of dangerous people after me."
"Ada, these spells take parts of you away and darken the remains of your soul!" He was walking towards us, "I can not and will not allow it."
"So you'd rather I cast it on-"
"Stop it! Both of you!" My voice was harsh but it stopped the incoming fight, "Sebastian just cast it on me, get it over with."
Sebastian's face hardened, he exhaled, "I won't forget this Ada."
"Wait no-" Ominis called out.
"Crucio!"

POV OMINIS GAUNT

I heard her screams rip through the hall. Blood curdling, spine chilling screams. It was all too familiar to what my family did to muggles and to hear her screaming brought me down to my knees beside her. I felt at the ground and when I touched her I held her tight against me. She sobbed, curling into herself.
"Ada, oh Merlin Ada." Her body trembled and I heard Sebastian make a noise.
"The door melted away... We made it." He murmured.
"Ada? Ada are you alright?" My hand wandered to hold her face, my body was fighting between freezing up into a panic attack and wanting to get her out of this place.
"The pain." She murmured, "It was unbearable... I would have done anything to make it stop."
"Come on, up you go." I felt Ada being pulled from me,
"Wait, let her recover."
"She's fine, right Ada?" Sebastian held little worry in his voice, so sure she could bounce back quickly after such pain.
"Y-Yes, I'm fine, let's just get out of here." I scrambled up to my feet, reaching out to hold her hand. She murmured, "I'm fine Ominis... Really." Her hand squeezed mine and pulled me into the Scriptorium.
"Ada, it's hard to believe that."
"I'm not asking you to believe, I'm asking you to trust me." My hand held hers tight and kept her by me, coming here had brought more than answers. It brought suffering upon someone I held so dear to me.
"I found a spell book!" Sebastian called out, he was already scavenging the place. I could feel something bearing down on us. Something unwelcoming and harsh.
"Great, now let's get out of here, I don't want us to spend another minute in this cursed place."
"I don't want to leave yet, but I owe you both. Let's find a way out." Finding the exit wasn't hard but Ada had pressed her weight onto me.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"I... My body feels so numb."
"That happens, your nerves are damaged. I'll help you to your common room..." I could hear Sebastian opening the damn spell book. Flipping through pages while Ada suffered.
"We must make a promise here to not use Dark magic again." I hissed out, "I mean it Sebastian, no more!"
"I understand." I could feel his gaze on me then slip away so I assumed to rest on Ada. His steps were soft and I heard him so close, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, really I'm fine. I just need to rest."
Sebastian was quiet, "I'll see you tomorrow Ada and I'll see you when you get back Ominis. I'm going to start delving into this spell book. I can feel it. The cure is here." I heard him walk away, stating the password to our common room and then it was purely silence.
I could feel deep in the pit of my stomach, that I had lost a piece of my friend in the Scriptorium.