Author's Note: Hello, I am back again! Trigger warning ahead for those who are sensitive to blood and trauma. In any case, thanks to those who have read so far! I do not own anything, all rights belong to Warner Bros. Happy reading!
Sebastian raced up the hill just outside the village, and on the top stood Ominis, wearing a floor-length black traveling cloak and a worried frown.
"Thank Merlin, you made it." He said, striding forward. There were two broomsticks lying at his feet. Sebastian spared them a glance before fixing Ominis with a hard glare.
"Of course, I made it. I came running as soon as I got your owl. Now, listen…" Here he paused, putting his hands on his hips. "I-I've had some time to think, and I realized that I-" Ominis held up a hand to stop him.
"Apologize later. Right now, we need to go to Blightensby."
"Gesundheit."
Ominis gave him a look of exasperation. "No, you moonmind. Blightensby is the name of Vivienne's hometown, remember?" Sebastian let himself chuckle a bit.
"Of course, I remember. I just couldn't help myself. Now, why do we have brooms? Can't we apparate, or use the Floo Network?" He gestured to the broomsticks on the ground. "And, in any case, can you even- "
"Despite what many seem to believe, I can actually fly." Ominis cut him off again, crossing one arm over his chest and pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand.
"But that isn't the only problem. Blightensby isn't just a wizarding settlement, there are Muggle families too. And we have no way of knowing which fireplace we'd wind up in."
"What about-""Can you even apparate, Sebastian?" Ominis asked irritably, though there was a ghost of a smirk on his face. Sebastian felt his cheeks redden as he said, "I've been…practicing."
Ominis groaned, dragging his hand down his face. Sebastian thought he heard him mutter "Sweet Merlin" under his breath. Unable to resist the urge, Sebastian quipped, "What was that? Didn't quite catch it Ominis." The blind boy shot him an annoyed look, though the effect was ruined slightly by the upturn of his lips.
"Thank you, but I do not feel like getting myself splinched today. So, brooms it is." Ominis bent down and grabbed one of the brooms, and he distinctly heard a mumble that sounded like "We would not have gotten splinched, thank you very much." Sebastian grabbed the other one, preparing to mount it alongside his friend.
"Before we go, what was it exactly that tipped you off that something might be wrong?" He asked. Ominis looked down, his expression troubled. "It was several things, actually. The first being that I showed up in broad daylight, and there was nobody around. All the shops were closed, and there was no one in the streets. Second, when I had gone door to door asking, any neighbors I spoke to said they hadn't even seen Vivienne. Some had claimed that they didn't even know she had left. But no one was willing to share anything more than that. And…" Here he paused, trying to gather his thoughts.
"Here is the most strange, but also…hard to articulate." Sebastian looked at him, utterly confused. "The air… the very air seemed…cold, cruel, and miserable. Like as soon as you set foot there, any happiness you had was drained away…"
Sebastian hummed, deep in thought. What could cause such an effect? Well, there was little time for pondering. Vivienne needed them, and he wasn't going to disappoint.
"Lead the way." he said, kicking off from the ground. Ominis followed suit, and they both shot off into the night.
Some time later, they landed just on the outskirts of the town. It was at the base of a tall mountain, sprawling over the craggy landscape. It was pitch dark, there were no lights, not even streetlamps. And though they were nowhere near the coast, there was a thick mist over the land, choking and freezing. Sebastian immediately felt what Ominis had described, and he suppressed a shiver. Vivienne grew up here? Bubbly, smiling, vivacious Vivienne? It was almost impossible to believe.
They hid their brooms in the underbrush, and both agreed it would be best if they weren't seen. They both cast the Disillusionment Charm, and together they crept into the town. Sebastian's breath came out in little puffs, and though he couldn't exactly see Ominis, he could see the little puffs his breaths made. Silent as shadows, they stole across the main square. It seemed like the very breath of everyone who lived there was frozen. Houses were boarded up, and refuse lined the streets. There was just…no life anywhere. All was desolate, cold and dismal.
At the west side of town, just below an outcropping of rock, stood a large house. The gardens in front of it looked like they had once been well cared for, but now held nothing but naked stems. The path was overgrown with weeds, and like all the other houses, there were no lights on.
"I believe this is it." Ominis whispered beside him. Slowly, they crept forward, deciding to vault over the rusty gate rather than risk trying to get it open. They were almost to the front door, when something caught Sebastian's eye overhead. He glanced up, and almost jumped out of his skin.
"Bloody Hell, what is that?!" He hissed, barely keeping his voice above a whisper. He grappled behind him before latching onto Ominis's arm. Ominis nearly stumbled, swearing under his breath.
"What in Merlin's name are you trying to do?" He whispered furiously. Sebastian shushed him, his eyes transfixed above him. "It's…Vivienne."
Only…it wasn't. The figure in the window was older, much older, with long, greying hair and lines of age across her face. And yet…the shape of her eyes, her chin, and even the slope of her shoulders was undoubtedly Vivienne's. Her mother, perhaps…?
If she saw the two boys below her, she didn't react. She continued to stare out the window, unblinking and unmoving. The more Sebastian stared, the more unsettled he became…
"What is it? You said you saw Vivienne?" Ominis breathed beside him. Sebastian shook his head, despite Ominis not being able to see him. When his blind friend made a huff of annoyance, Sebastian spoke.
"No, no it isn't her. They look so similar though… maybe its her mother, or aunt?" Sebastian somehow couldn't tear his eyes away from her face. The face that looked so much like Vivienne…
There was a sudden clanging, dragging sound coming from the side of the house, making both Ominis and Sebastian jump. They looked all around them furiously, but there was no one around. Glancing up, Sebastian was again startled to see that the older woman had vanished from the window. Had she even been there in the first place?
Shaking his head, he gently pulled Ominis's sleeve and headed towards the noise. Rising from the gloom appeared to be the entrance to a cellar. It was shut, with heavy, rusted chains around the handles ending in a large padlock. And a short distance beyond it, a faint bluish light. Almost a glow…
Sebastian moved forward, making sure each step was virtually silent. Ominis stayed by the cellar door, hoping to use Alohomora on the lock. Sebastian was drawn to the mysterious glow in front of him, even as he heard the chains rattling and Ominis swearing quietly behind him. His heart thudded in his chest, his hands felt clammy, and he felt a cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck. He couldn't ever recall feeling like this, not when he faced off against Solomon, not against any of Ranrok's loyalists…it was unnerving, and quite honestly beginning to piss him off.
The glow, it turned out, came from a small window that seemed to look into the cellar. A sense of foreboding flooded Sebastian's veins, making his breath stutter. Inch by excruciating inch, he got closer, and as the mist cleared before his eyes, he finally saw into the room.
And his blood ran cold.
Vivienne lay on the hard floor, clad only in a simple, thin nightgown. The room was dim, lit only by a single torch on the far right. Even in this pitiful lighting, Sebastian could see that she was freezing, her thin frame trembling violently. She seemed to be asleep, her arms wrapped around herself for some kind of warmth her body couldn't provide. Squinting, Sebastian could see that the thin fabric that clung to her body was almost translucent, as though soaked through. Through it he could see numerous bruises and cuts all over her upper body. Some were still leaking blood, others looked horribly infected.
Her face was pale, too pale. Her eyes, even closed, looked sunken in, with large violet colored bags beneath them. Her hair hung lank and damp clinging to her cheeks, her curls nonexistent. There was a nasty cut just under her left eye, the surrounding flesh bruised and purple. She wore no shoes or socks, only that horrid nightgown. And she looked thin…too thin. Vivienne suddenly whimpered in her sleep, and Sebastian felt like his heart would shatter. Then, his expression darkened.
Rage, white-hot and all-consuming flooded him, filled every fiber of his being. Who could have done this? It didn't matter, because they would pay. Sebastian wanted nothing more in that moment than to render this house, this very town to ash, and Merlin help any who dared stand in his way. Vivienne whimpered again, and Sebastian found himself placing a palm against the glass, as though hoping he could reach her, even in her dreams.
No, he needed to be smart about this. He needed to get her out, but he needed to do it without causing her more harm. And hopefully, undetected. Ominis was at his side then, out of breath and sounding quite irate.
"Nothing will get these blasted chains off, and I'm worried about making too much noise." He muttered frantically. "Have you found anything here?" Sebastian sighed and grabbed Ominis's sleeve. He placed his hand on the glass too, as though he would be able to feel Vivienne through it.
"She's in there, and she's in pretty bad shape. I have no idea who or what did this to her, but we've got to get her out of here. Now." Ominis nodded. "The question is…how?" Sebastian fell silent, not sure what to do. His instinct was to barge in, wand ablaze and curse anything that moved. But this was different. Vivienne was hurt, and no telling how badly she was hurt. And there was no telling where, or who did this to her was. As much as he hated it… they needed to be careful.
Movement to the left of the room caught his eye, and he saw that mysterious blue glow again. Tearing his eyes away from his dear friend, he cast his gaze into the far corner, and froze.
There, somewhat hidden behind a shimmery barrier, was a dementor. Sebastian had never seen one before, only in drawings in textbooks. But there was nothing else it could be. Towering, cloaked and hooded, it hovered a good six inches off the ground, occasionally running into the barrier. It was this that had caught his eye, the reflection of the barrier keeping it in its prison. Its large hands, easily bigger than his entire head, poked through the sleeves of its tattered cloak. Slimy and scabbing, with long dirty nails like talons. If Sebastian strained his ears, he could almost hear the long, slow death rattle of its breath. Turning fearful eyes once again to Vivienne, Sebastian's urgency to get to her returned tenfold.
"Ominis," He whispered, paying no heed to the tremor in his voice. "We've got another problem." "What is it?" Ominis replied, his voice tense. "There's… there's a…dementor in the room with her." Ominis looked dumbfounded.
"What?" he seethed. "No, that's impossible! Dementors don't just leave Azkaban! They can't! Besides, what's keeping it in the room with her?" "There's a…barrier keeping it from getting nearer. Its… silvery blue…"
"A Patronus charm." Ominis stated. "It's the only thing that can repel a dementor. Do you see an animal-like shape, or is it just the barrier?" Sebastian looked confused but shook his head. "No, there's nothing else." Ominis frowned. "Then its not a corporeal Patronus. That could be a problem. If the caster is away for too long, the barrier will eventually fade. But if it's still there…"
"Then whoever is keeping Vivienne here must still be nearby." Sebastian finished. Ominis nodded. "Yes. This explains the awful aura surrounding the place. But this is strange… Dementors won't leave their post unless it's official Ministry business. Unless…" Ominis fell silent, but before Sebastian could question him further, they heard a curious sound, like metal scraping against metal, then heavy-sounding footsteps.
The door opposite the dementor flew open, and just as it did Vivienne sprang awake, scuttling away as far as she could, which wasn't far until she got too close to the dementor on the other side. A man stepped into the room, hands behind his back, looking down his nose at the girl on the floor.
"Hello, daughter."
Ominis frowned. "That voice," he breathed. "It… sounds familiar…" But Sebastian paid him no mind. His eyes were focused entirely at the newcomer, the man who just declared himself to be Vivienne's father; his opponent.
He was tall, well over six feet. But he was rail thin, completely bald except for a small goatee on his chin, the exact same shade as Vivienne's hair. His eyes were narrow, and half hidden by round spectacles that perched on his thin nose. He was wearing simple tweed trousers and a white shirt, no tie. But it was incredibly clean and pressed. In his hands, which were still behind his back, was an unnaturally long wand that he kept tapping rhythmically against his thigh. He walked back and forth, his small eyes never leaving Vivienne, who by this time had struggled to her feet. Sebastian noticed that unlike her father, she didn't have her wand.
"Well, shall we see if we can make any progress tonight, my dear?" His tone was casual and calm. It was as if he were discussing the weather. Vivienne didn't answer. Sebastian could see that she was still visibly shaking, though whether it was from cold or fear, he didn't know. Her father walked toward her, taking long, slow strides.
"You know the punishment for failure, don't you Vivienne?" He said, stopping in front of her. He raised his hand, the one with the wand, and used it to lift Vivienne's chin. She glared up at him defiantly, seemingly determined not to show her fear.
"You know as well as I that it won't work. It hasn't worked thus far, so- "
CRACK! Her father lashed out with his wand, causing Vivienne's head to snap to the side. She stumbled, but she didn't fall. She didn't even make a sound. There was a fresh cut on her face now, oozing blood. Sebastian made to go forward, but Ominis grabbed his arm. He shook his head at him, his eyes wide and fearful. Sebastian turned back as her father spoke again:
"We both know that is a lie, Vivienne. Why else would I have consented to let you go to that blasted school? Because surely it wasn't that insufferable Professor Fig?" Vivienne visibly flinched at the sound of her old mentor's name. Her father walked around her in circles, his tone mocking.
"Oh, what is it dear? Are we still mourning the loss of that old fool?" Vivienne bit her lip, her eyes screwed shut. "You know full and well that he was the reason you got to experience Hogwarts, after he discovered your talents." He sneered. Not getting the reaction he wanted, he continued to taunt her.
"You finally got your wish. You finally got to go to school, like you always wanted. And how did you return dear, old Professor Fig's kindness?" His voice took on a fake-sounding pout, and he jutted out his bottom lip to further the effect. "By killing him."
"No!" Vivienne cried out, her voice full of anguish. Sebastian's heart gave a painful twinge at the sound. "Oh, you might not have casted the curse that did it, but you, and you alone are responsible for his death." Her father crooned. Vivienne shuddered, one hand curling around her middle while the other covered her mouth to muffle her cries.
"But I wouldn't say he died for nothing, sweetheart." He said, this time using his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Sebastian's insides churned. "How dare he touch her " he thought. His hands were balled into fists, his left curled tightly around his wand. "You can finally return the favor," the man continued, "Finally pay the debt you owe simply by existing…"
He stopped next to her ear again, a cruel smile on his thin lips. "Because finally, we know the reason for your power, and what causes it. Do you know what that is?" He said, his voice high and singsong. Vivienne said nothing, she just stood there, staring straight ahead, trying to catch her breath. Despite her bravado, it looked as if it took all her willpower just to remain upright. Something her father seemed to notice as well.
"Pain," He said, leaning close to her ear. "Your power is all about pain. It controls it, removes it, creates it," He struck her again with his wand, punctuating each blow with his words. Vivienne muffled her cries, but she refused to fall.
"You've caused so much pain, haven't you Vivienne? Even from the moment you were born, all you've done is cause pain!" Vivienne was shaking her head wildly, tears finally falling down her cheeks.
"No, no… it-it doesn't work that way. My power…" "Your power is what caused your mother to become the shell that she is!" Her father yelled, getting into her face. "It is your fault she's like this, your power did this to her, and you can undo it!" Vivienne just shook her head harder, her sobs coming out as painful gasps.
"It-it-it wasn't my f-f-fault… I… had no c-c-control…" "Oh, but you learned how, didn't you?" her father said, his words soft and deadly. "Word reached even all the way out here… how you took on that blasted goblin, poachers, and alllll sorts of creatures…" He tapped his wand on Vivienne's body, on her shoulders, her torso, and her legs, as though looking for which part of her to strike next. The very image sent Sebastian's hair on the back of his neck on end.
"Yes, news reached us here that you used some…particular spells on your journey, spells that are certainly not in Hogwarts's curriculum. Tell me daughter, just who showed you those curses?" Vivienne was gasping for breath, her eyes flickering between her father's and the tip of his wand.
"No-no one. I learned them on my o-own." Her father tsked, walking around her so that her back was to him. He looked at the dementor, still fighting against the barrier, seemingly lost in thought. Vivienne tensed her body, squeezing her eyes shut-
"DIFFINDO!" Her father roared, slashing at her back with his wand. This time, Vivienne did fall, landing hard on her hands and knees as she screamed. Blood blossomed through her nightgown, spilling onto the cold stone below. The gash was wide and deep, and as her cries continued to echo around the chamber, Sebastian and Ominis were paralyzed with fear and uncertainty. How? How could this have happened? He clearly was a madman, deranged. And he was dangerous. How were they supposed to rescue her?
Ominis's sharp intake of breath had Sebastian whirling around to look at him. His milky eyes were wide, his hand covering his mouth.
"Of course, it all makes sense…" He breathed. "What? What makes sense?" Sebastian retorted. They didn't have the time for this! They had to find a way to get Vivienne- "Jonah Marston. How did I not see it before?" Ominis said, looking stricken.
"What are you on about?" Sebastian was quickly losing patience, and Vivienne was running out of time; her father was advancing again.
"Jonah Marston. Head of security at Azkaban prison." Ominis said in a rush. "That's why he has a dementor here, that's why this entire town is like a graveyard. He's using the dementor to suck the happiness, the life out of all the people here! And that's," He gestured to the man before them, doing nothing but watch his daughter suffer at his feet; "Vivienne's father. I knew I recognized his voice. My father knows him; he came to the manor a few years ago."
"Are you sure?" Sebastian said hurriedly, not taking his eyes off of the man. "I'm positive. Trust me, I never forget a voice."
As Ominis finished speaking, it seemed that Jonah Marston grew bored of his daughter's cries of pain, lunging forward and hauling her to her feet by her hair.
"Now now, Vivienne, again with the lies? We both know that you are not talented enough to learn those curses on your own." Sebastian's hands were shaking, and he could swear he heard the wood of his wand creaking with the effort. Ominis was rattling off ideas on how to best go about rescuing their friend, but it was all buzz in Sebastian's ears. All his focus was on the two people in that cellar.
"Oh, and such joy you must have felt, causing so much pain…using those curses." Jonah said into her ear. Vivienne didn't answer, refusing to take the bait. Her hands were fisted in her hair above her, trying to lessen the pain in her scalp. "How you must have relished the sight; the soul leaving your victims eyes as you destroyed them…" Vivienne was shaking her head again, biting her bottom lip so hard it bled.
"See, that is the root of your power. And you can tap into that power again, and give back what you stole… you can give your mother her life back. Isn't that what you want?" He released her then, shoving her forcefully away. She stumbled, but somehow managed to regain her footing. Vivienne took several deep, shuddering breaths and hung her head. Blood still dripped from the fresh wound, leaving the back of her nightgown almost saturated. It seemed only sheer will was keeping her upright at this point. It had gone deathly quiet, and both boys scarcely dared breathe.
"Nothing… nothing would make me happier…than to have Mother back…" Vivienne said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her father smiled, an unnaturally large smile, that looked too big for his face. He stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, as though in comfort. Vivienne suppressed a shudder, and Sebastian felt his skin crawl.
"But…" The smile dropped from his face, and what replaced it was a look of utter contempt. "But… I cannot bring her back." Vivienne said, whirling around to face her father. "Nothing can bring her back! My power doesn't work that way! I sealed it away, so no one could take advantage of it! Please, Father, if you would just listen-"
"I've had enough!" He roared, pushing Vivienne to the ground, brandishing his wand like a whip. "I've had enough of your excuses! I've had enough of your lies! You've been nothing but trouble ever since you were brought into this wretched world! I don't care what it takes, Vivienne! YOU. WILL.DO THIS." He raised his wand high, and Vivienne desperately tried to get back up, looking for a way out, anything to help her. But there was nothing she could do. And it was as if in slow motion, her father brought his wand down, and Sebastian knew what he was going to do.
"CRUCIO!" He thundered. Vivienne collapsed in a heap, a gut-wrenching scream tearing from her throat as she writhed on the ground. Bolts of dark red energy pulsed around her body as she convulsed, her screams echoing off the cellar walls.
Sebastian saw nothing but red. He had had enough of seeing her be tortured. He had enough of waiting. Sprinting away from the window, he removed the Disillusionment charm and in the same breath, aimed his wand at the cellar doors.
"BOMBARDA!" He screamed. The cellar doors splintered apart, and he didn't even wait for the dust to clear before Sebastian tore down the cellar steps, Ominis hot on his heels. Another, thicker door was at the bottom, but Sebastian made quick work of it too, before bursting into the cellar proper. Jonah had frozen, shock written on his features as he turned toward the noise, his wand lowering as the curse on Vivienne subsided. Her screams faded into sobs, though her body continued to twitch.
"What the devil is this? Who are you?" Jonah barked, advancing on the two boys, but Sebastian was quicker. Without hesitation, and with pure venom in his eyes he raised his wand high and bellowed with all his might:
"CRUCIO!"
Jonah collapsed onto hands and knees with a sharp yelp of pain. Sebastian kept his wand on him, keeping the curse active for as long as possible.
"Ominis, grab Vivienne. I'll be right behind you." Ominis nodded and hurried over to a struggling Vivienne, who was slipping and trying not to collapse in a pool of her own blood. Feeling and smelling the iron in the air, Ominis called out "We need to go, we need to get her to safety, NOW!"
Before Sebastian could respond, there was a deep, menacing chuckle that reverberated around the room. Sebastian stood rooted to the spot as Jonah slowly stood up, the red bolts of energy still crackling around him, the curse still in effect.
"Well, well well…" He crooned, opening his arms wide as the last bits of red energy faded away. "You must hate me quite a lot boy, for not knowing me." He continued, stepping forward, putting his face mere inches from Sebastian's.
"So…are you the one who taught the Unforgiveable Curses to my daughter?"
Authors note: Dun-Dun-Dunnnnnn. Betcha weren't expecting that? I kid, I kid. Anyway, the fun isn't over yet. Stay tuned for chapter four, and don't forget to leave a review and a like, I really appreciate it. See you next time!