Whatever Ominis had with Allegra, it felt a little bit like something stolen.

A few weeks after Allegra and Sebastian's little (big) row in the Undercroft, winter began to spread its freezing fingers over Hogwarts. A tentative peace settled in between the three of them once more. They didn't mention the fight or the shoulder-bumping or the

general unpleasantness surrounding that night. And in the name of getting along, Ominis paid a visit to the Clocktower to bear witness to some "fun", unsanctioned, borderline life-threatening duels. To support Sebastian.

He was there to support Sebastian, who wasn't fighting until the evening.

He definitely was not here for Allegra, who he knew from Lucan Brattleby's schedule was fighting this afternoon. Ominis just liked being early, by a good hour or two.

Ominis settled into a corner far from the rest of the audience. Leaning against the wall, he listened to the sound of spells flying in the air. Somebody screamed. Somebody's body slammed against the wall. When the Clocktower went silent, Ominis knew the losers were being levitated away from the floor, no doubt to be brought to Nurse Blainey with half-baked explanations for their injuries.

Lucan Brattleby called for the next pair. Above the general roar and chatter of the gathered crowd, Ominis heard a familiar set of hurrying footsteps and their clementine-scented owner.

"Ominis! Part of the audience today?"

It must be strange, Ominis thought, to take such delight in the way she said his name.

"I've witnessed a fair duel or two in my lifetime," he said, "but I don't believe I've had the pleasure of learning what you're fully capable of doing yet."

She hummed, a pleased little note in her voice. "You're here to support me? Goodness. Be still, my beating heart."

Unbeknownst to Ominis, Garreth and Natty were currently exchanging quizzical glances. This was the most either of them had heard Ominis speak.

"Call it curiosity by extension," Ominis replied, making a flippant gesture with his hand. "Sebastian is fighting later. You just happened to be on the way."

"And here I was about to be flattered." Lucan's squeaky little voice rang out from the dueling grounds, and Allegra gave him a goodbye pat on the forearm. Her touch sent exciting tingles up his skin. "That's my cue. Spare me a cheer?"

"If you earn it."

She laughed. "Oh, I'm sure I will."

There was a determined, fiery edge in her voice. Ominis found that sort of dangerously appealing. A broad hand—Garreth's—clapped heavily on his shoulder. Somebody else was approaching, a new set of footsteps marking their presence.

"So, after bearing witness to that strange conversation: will you be betting on anyone today?" Ominis snorted. "I don't particularly enjoy betting on unsanctioned duels."

"Shame," Garreth sang. "There's real money to be made, you know." "Right. Because I'm in such dire need of it."

There was an unfamiliar laugh that rang out beside Garreth. Ominis took a minute to place the name: was that Duncan Hobhouse? "Personally, I wouldn't be betting on the Gryffindors this particular game."

"What's wrong with the Gryffindors?" Garreth asked, a little defensively. "Brilliant girls, both of them."

"I mean, it's just—" Duncan cleared his throat. "You know. It's Natty and that new one. They're...new. Right, Gaunt?"

"Don't rope me into this," Ominis drawled. "And for your information, I wouldn't quite bet on Weasley or Prewett—"

"Hey!"

"But I would bet on those two Gryffindors any day. Onai has always been a sharp witch: Chant wiped the floor with Sallow, and that's more than good enough for me."

"I'll take you up on that," Duncan said fervently. "Fifteen sickles on the Ravenclaws."

"Oh, I'll take your bets to the pool," Garreth piped up. There was a clink of a few coins. "Ominis?"

Ominis fished in his pocket, drawing out a Galleon and dropping it in Garreth's palm. A few excited murmurs rang across the gathered audience.

He'd apparently gathered an audience.

"A Galleon on the Gryffindors," Ominis drawled. He turned in the approximate direction of the dueling field and smiled. There's your cheer, he thought, hoping Allegra would be watching this exchange.

Hoping she would be impressed by it.

Gods, he was practically gallivanting. What in Merlin's name was he doing?

As excited as the crowd was, the duel had to begin eventually. Lucan's shrill whistle rang out. The duel officially began.

"Do me a favor, Garreth," Ominis said. "Describe it to the best of your ability." "Yes sir," Garreth piped up. "Eager to please."

It was Chant and Onai versus Dagworth and Larson. Constance Dagworth struck first, firing an Incendio toward the Gryffindors. Ominis could hear bodies rolling across the stone floor. He could hear Allegra shout a Levioso, and Natty followed with a beautiful Incendio that sent Andrew Larson screaming.

As he flailed and stamped at the flames catching on his robes, the annoyed Constance shouted,

"Confringo!"

The crowd gasped. Ominis found his fingers digging into Garreth's arms as he furiously described the battle.

Before his anxiety could fully spill over, Allegra's voice cried out, "Protego!" The chime that rang out from her shields was beautiful.

Merlin, if competence wasn't attractive.

Natty's Accio struck next. It was chained by Allegra's Descendo, a move that had Constance crying out as her backside collided roughly with the floor. A powerful Diffindo from Allegra sent the two Ravenclaws scattering to dodge. They played right into Natty's next Levioso. With a combined Depulso, both Dagworth and Larson's backs slammed roughly against the wall. A pair of happy girlish squeals filled the air. Lucan feverishly announced their victory.

And when Garreth howled, cheered, and clapped his palms off, Ominis found himself clapping along.

Allegra ran up to him afterward, breathless and panting, hands resting lightly on Ominis' wrists. Swept up in the cheers, Ominis held out his palms and took both of her hands in his, grinning as she jumped up and down.

"Well done," Ominis said. "Looks like I put my money on the right people." Allegra laughed. "I told you I would earn that cheer!"

"Yes, well," Ominis said, "you'll only get the one out of me."

"We'll see about that," she said, and he could practically hear the smile in her voice. "What're you going to do with the winnings?"

Ominis shrugged. "Gloat?"

"Oh, you would," Allegra said, voice coming out in a laugh. "I hope to see you around for my games more often, Ominis. You're an excellent motivator."

She left with a pat goodbye, and he found himself smiling lazily long after she was gone.

After that duel, he almost started looking forward to History of Magic.

Ominis was starting to privately think of it as their time now. It was ridiculous, he knew, and almost a little foolish. But he was grateful for this time: for the easy, laid-back energy Allegra brought with her. History of Magic was just her and him. Him and her, sharing candy and using the subject to catch up on homework in companionable silence.

It was a snowy Friday when it happened. A tense Friday, one that came after a night-long squabble with Sebastian. He'd been caught out of hours in the library again. Ominis had stayed awake all evening waiting for his return.

He could probably guess what Sebastian had been studying so intensely in the library, and it probably didn't have anything to do with any of their subjects.

On this particular Friday, the chill was starting to creep into even Ominis' bones. A good majority of the class was half asleep by the time he stepped into the History of Magic classroom.

She was late.

He sort of missed her today.

Perhaps it was fate that answered him: almost as soon as he thought of her, Allegra came into the room. Her footsteps weren't hurrying today. They were slow and almost dragging, and she sat down next to Ominis with a heavy sigh.

He spoke up from the crook of his arms. "Bad night?" Ominis murmured. Allegra's laugh was dry. "Like you wouldn't believe. And you?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

He didn't push. She didn't push. As Binns droned on about some Minister of Magic or the other, Ominis found himself slowly falling asleep once more.

And, a few moments later, Ominis woke up.

He woke up to something soft against his cheek and a solid weight bumping against his shoulder. He woke up to his fingers just barely brushing against an arm, to a leg pressed against his underneath the table. Ominis could feel her breath coming in and out, even and deep and definitively fast asleep.

"Allegra?" Ominis whispered. She didn't respond.

She was pressed up against him, gone off somewhere to dreamland, and Ominis was breathing in the scent of clementines, pine rosin, and just her. He froze. A lock of something soft—her hair— brushed against his fingers.

He didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to think it, because thinking would make it real, and real things tended to be difficult to deal with.

So he swallowed the lump in his throat and dared to lean back against her. Ominis let himself fall back asleep. He let himself hope, as he slipped into that comfortable, drowsy state, that the stars would align and he would somehow be allowed to feel this. To enjoy this. To want this.

But of course, the stars were never going to be that kind.

It wasn't happening.

It wasn't.

All Ominis could hear were the sounds of Anne's racking sobs. He smelled ash and smoke and tasted death, bitter and heavy, on his tongue. With the help of his wand, Ominis fell to his knees and found Anne slumped over something-someone-that was laying crumpled on the floor. With trembling hands, Ominis realized that he was touching the lifeless body of Solomon Sallow.

"No," Ominis breathed. "No."

"It was him!" Anne cried. "Ominis, it was Sebastian!" Pained cries rang from her lips. When Ominis placed a hand on her shoulder, he found that tears were spilling from his eyes, landing with soft thumps on the cold stone floor of the catacombs.

He'd only been gone for half an hour.

Later, in the Undercroft, Ominis screamed his throat raw. He couldn't remember all that he said. He didn't even know if Sebastian was listening, but he found that he no longer cared. In the emptiness of the Undercroft, Sebastian's panicked sobs and Ominis' words were deafening.

"How could you?" Ominis said finally, throat aching, eyes burning from the tears. "You left her to bury him alone!"

"I didn't mean it!" Sebastian cried, voice cracking. "It just—I can't explain, Ominis, I just—"

"You used the Killing Curse! How could you have not meant it!" Ominis wanted to hit him. He wanted to hit something. "Anne's torn over the thought of turning you in, but now it's clear you don't deserve anything less than Azkaban!"

"Enough!" It was Allegra's sharp voice, loud and commanding, ringing out from the Undercroft's entrance. "Stop, both of you, please."

Ominis turned on his heel. When he collided roughly with a wall, he ignored the pain and slumped onto the floor, burying his fingers in his hair. How did they get here? How did it happen so quickly?

His ears were ringing so loudly he could barely make out the conversation on the other side of the room. Allegra's voice was sharp with emotion. Sebastian's was hoarse, his replies garbled and wracked with pain. But there was one thing Ominis could pick out with clarity:

"I didn't mean it."

He heard footsteps coming his way a moment later. Wordlessly, he reached out with both hands and let Allegra wrap her strong, sturdy arms around him. He buried his face in the warmth of her neck. "I should have been there for the funeral," Allegra said hoarsely. "I shouldn't have left you alone-I'm so sorry."

"We have to turn him in," Ominis said under his breath. "Allegra, he needs to pay for what he's done."

"No," Allegra replied. "We can't."

Ominis was ready to yell at her, too. Was she defending him even now? But that was until she went on.

"...poor Anne. She's just lost her uncle, her health. Taking her brother away, too...I can't do that to her, Ominis." He felt the Gryffindor pull away, felt her rise to her feet. There was a familiar presence coming closer. A presence that Ominis had once loved, a presence that had once felt like family.

"Allegra-" Sebastian's voice was shot. "Ominis, I..."

"Don't you come near me," Ominis growled, hating how his voice broke into a sob. "Don't you dare."

He heard him take a few steps back. "I'm sorry," Sebastian whimpered. "Get out!" Ominis snapped.

"Ominis, that's enough!"

There was a soft swish of movement as Sebastian crashed into Allegra, accompanied by the ruffle of clothes as he pulled her in for what must have been a hug.

"Whatever happens next, I'm glad to have met you," Sebastian said. Then he was gone, the gate closing behind him.

"Godric's heart," Allegra said, voice sounding wet and weary. Ominis heard her sniff. "I can't think straight anymore." She began pacing, footsteps pounding on the floor of the Undercroft. "Ominis, let's—let's just go."

"What?"

"I can't be here tonight, and I don't want to be alone." Her hands ghosted over the top of his cheeks. "Do you?"

Ominis didn't reply. Instead, he let Allegra pull him to his feet, letting her lead the way.

His grief was almost buried under his anger when he realized how high up Allegra was taking him. It seemed like they'd climbed a thousand flights of stairs.

Now, astoundingly, it felt like Allegra was pacing up and down the same length of floor and dragging Ominis with her.

"What are you doing?" Ominis asked irritably.

"I'm trying to concentrate!" Allegra hissed. Ominis was half-tempted to pull his hand away from hers and run to the Slytherin dungeon, away from the girl who'd clearly snapped under pressure.

But then there was a soft, tinkling sound of magic. Stone creaked and crumbled. A magical charge, almost like a breath, billowed into the air.

"In here," Allegra said, finally releasing his hand. "Mind the step, Ominis."

Ominis brought his wand out of his pocket. Carefully, he stepped into the room. The change was instant. Warm, cozy air washed over him. There was a mess of smells hitting his nose: Ominis could smell brewing potions and growing herbs somewhere in the room, but there were also strange scents of grass and something...animal.

"Where have you brought me?" Ominis asked.

'This is the Room of Requirement," Allegra's tired voice rang out from somewhere in front of him. "Professor Weasley allowed me to use it so I could practice my magic in peace."

"I thought it was a myth." Amazed and amused, Ominis tried asking the Room for a place to sit. It took only a split second and a sudden creak of wood before he felt a soft, plush cushion under his hands. He slumped into the newly-conjured seat. "I also think it sounds an awful lot like preferential treatment," Ominis mumbled.

"Hardly. Any student can use the Room. This is just...my pocket of it." There was a pause. Ominis could almost feel the blanket of exhaustion weighing on them both, but Allegra was dashing this way in that, movements marked by hurried footsteps.

He swallowed the dryness in his throat. "Are you...alright?"

She laughed, loud and sarcastic. "Perfectly fine, thank you."

Ominis bristled at that. "I do not need to be condescended right now."

Her voice was softer, gentler, the second time around. "Sorry. I'm sorry, Ominis. It's just been...a day."

Thump, thump, thump. Pacing. Rustling cloth. The sound of a fire being lit, a cauldron boiling, rustling cloth.

"Allegra."

More movements. More pacing. "Yes?"

"Just—" he rose to his feet, letting his wand guide him to her presence, closing his free hand around her wrist. "Stop. Breathe."

She did so, letting out a long, shaky breath. Wordlessly, he led her back to the chair he'd been sitting in. It wasn't sensible. Ominis knew that. In a room where she could have sat literally anywhere else, Allegra was allowing him to lead her to the same seat.

But it didn't matter. He hadn't wanted to be alone tonight, either. Ominis felt her comforting weight sink next to his.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Allegra asked tiredly.

"No," Ominis said flatly. He ran a palm over his face, feeling exhaustion creeping into his shoulders. "I don't know. I want a sleep potion. I want a pillow, a blanket, and twelve uninterrupted hours. And I need..."

There was an amusing rush of magic as the Room rushed to fulfill Ominis' commands. Allegra even let out a soft giggle, accompanied by the fwump of cloth being summoned. He felt himself smile when something soft landed on his lap.

"Well, there you are, Mister Gaunt," Allegra said in a sing-song tone. He heard the tinkle of a glass bottle as it materialized in front of them. "And with free delivery! How wonderful."

Despite himself, Ominis let out a chuckle. He pulled the cloth free from Allegra and took a moment to wrap it around them both.

She was so close he could feel her breathing, so close he could feel some of her hair tickling his face. Allegra smelled like clementines and fire and smoke. She smelled and felt like—

Like things he didn't know he wanted.

Like things he didn't know he was allowed to want.

It had been a few months by now. The seasons had faded in and out. Their shared History of Magic classes had brought them closer, almost imperceptibly so, and with every whispered conversation and bit of muffled laughter, Ominis found himself toeing the line between thinking of her in a friendly manner and thinking of her in an entirely different way.

Because how could he not? It was silly, yes. It was almost a little sad, the way he found himself so easily attracted to the first sweet, friendly girl who'd elected to give him a fraction of her attention. She was funny and kind and he didn't feel like he needed to put on a polite, friendly mantle with her. Allegra was easy. Like Sebastian had been, at one point, before he became—

He stamped that thought down hard.

She was here, connected to him by a blanket and a comfortable chair. All he needed to do was lean forward, and…

Allegra slumped against him. Ominis was startled for a moment. His heart leapt. Although he was surprised, he wrapped his arms around her middle and found her holding him in return. Arm against arm, squeezing tighter by a fraction as if they could pull each other back together, ad if they could wash away the things they'd witnessed and done.

"I'm tired," Allegra admitted. She pulled away from him. There was a brush of skin on skin, and he heard her let out a wet sniff. "Ominis, this is—all of this seems a little—"

"Too much," he said softly. "I know."

There was silence, heavy and thick, and the air shifted as Allegra leaned back in her seat.

Allegra's hands were fiddling with something—her tie?—and loosening the knot. "There's something I need to tell you. I don't like being dishonest, and I figure you've had enough of being lied to. But it might not make any sense."

"There's nothing you could say that would shock me anymore, Allegra."

She took a deep, steadying breath. "I...have the ability to see ancient magic. It's why I'm rarely at the castle during my free time, and why I work so closely with Professor Fig."

Ominis furrowed his brows. "Go on."

"This ancient magic, this...ability, it all has to do with Ranrok and members of the school called the Keepers. There was another one like me, long ago, called Isidora Morganach. I'm piecing her story together one memory at a time." Allegra let out a sigh and continued. "Whatever I find, whatever I learn, it's the key to stopping Ranrok and his loyalists forever."

Ominis blew out a sigh of his own. "It's tied to what happened with Sebastian somehow, isn't it?"

"Isidora was using the ancient magic to take away pain. Sebastian and I witnessed her do it through a Pensieve memory." Ominis felt his blood chill at her words. "I fear that I gave him the wrong kind of hope, gave him the last push he needed to..." Allegra sucked in a breath. "...do what he did."

"It is not your fault," Ominis said hotly. "It isn't anyone's fault but his. You and I were trying to stop him all this time."

"He always said that he was doing it for her."

"It stopped being about Anne and you know it," Ominis hissed. "Somewhere down the line, I lost my dearest friend not to his search for a cure, but to greed. It'll never be the same."

"No," Allegra agreed, "but I'm here." She sighed, and Ominis felt her move a hand to her forehead. He could imagine the absolute headache that must be going on in her head. "Am I mad to think I could do it for Anne, Ominis? Take away her pain?"

"If the Keepers were guarding that secret so fiercely, I don't think it's wise." He sighed, laying his head on hers. "I don't know, Allegra. I don't know much of anything anymore."

"You're right," Allegra mumbled.

"How nice to finally hear that."

Despite the situation, they shared a short laugh. Allegra spoke.

"I think it's time we stopped doing things in her name," Allegra whispered. "I realize, this whole time, that we barely asked her how she wanted to deal with her curse. I don't want to take that away from her anymore."

"I'm glad you understand." He felt a prick of rage in his chest. "Something he never learned until it was too late."

"Ominis," Allegra soothed, "it's over now. There's nothing left for us to do."

Silence settled over them both. At this point, Ominis could feel the sleeping potion creeping its way up his veins.

"Whatever you need to do, I'm here," he murmured. "Just don't…" He didn't say it, but he really didn't need to.

Just don't go.

Friends were rare things to Ominis Gaunt. Such relationships came easy to people like him and to people like Allegra because making connections was part of their nature. Not to Ominis. Friends were treasured, precious parts of his life, and he loathed the feeling of losing them. He didn't want to lose her tonight. He didn't want to lose her, period.

He felt the brush of a small, soft hand against his, electric and impossible and yet there, and Ominis swore he could feel himself melt when she threaded their fingers together. Ominis tilted his head away to hide the flush he knew must be covering his cheeks. Even so, he dared to trace a thumb over her fingers, memorizing the combination of her soft palm and surprisingly callused fingertips, letting himself cling to this anchor. Just this once. Just tonight.

Her voice was soft. "This is..." "Yes," Ominis mumbled. "It is." "Maybe we should talk about it."

Yes, Ominis desperately wanted to say. Tell me you're feeling the same things I am, because I'm confused and flattered all at once and my Gods, your hand is small, and where did you get these calluses?

Instead, he squeezed her hand, running a flustered palm down his face.

"Maybe we should," he mumbled. "One day. I'll do the whole thing for you and stumble over my feet asking you out to Hogsmeade."

Allegra laughed, soft and breathy. "Why Hogsmeade?"

"It's an entire tradition, didn't you know?" Ominis said, swiping a thumb down the back of her hand. "A Hogwarts rite of passage, being asked out to the village. It involves a good deal of stuttering and blushing."

"Somehow, I can't conjure the image of you stuttering and blushing in my head."

"I'll give it an honest try." Ominis turned back to her, letting himself smile. "In the name of...tradition."

They shared a short laugh. And there, in Allegra's little room won through favoritism, they let the Dreamless Sleep potion pull them under, drifting off to sleep with their hands linked.