Chapter Text
Ominis didn’t hate charms. In fact, he quite liked it. The only thing that irritated him was that he couldn’t see Professor Ronen cast them. The blond would usually be a little behind in the class, since he’d have to get the professor to give him explicit details on how to move his wand to cast the spell. Sometimes he’d flick his wrist incorrectly at the end, or maybe he’d forget to go from left to right instead of right to left. It was an absolute nightmare.
That was until 5th year when they gained a new student. She was so gentle and sweet when she noticed Ominis needed a bit more time to learn how to cast a spell. The way she explained it was much more helpful than anything Professor Ronen’s explanation in the past four years. Even if outside the class she’d run off with Sebastian to pursue the Dark Arts, ignoring his concerns and getting all of them hurt.
The unfortunate events of 5th year weighed on him, making him almost aloof at times. He was lethargic and didn’t even try in most of his classes anymore. It’s not like it mattered, since the teachers either were scared of his family name or pitied his disability that they’d give him top marks anyway.
She noticed it when they returned to Hogwarts for 6th year. Professor Ronen’s lecture was being drowned out by the thoughts running through his head. Last summer was one of the only years Ominis had to return to his family instead of going to the Sallows'. He wondered how Anne was doing with the loss of her Uncle and the banishment of Sebastian. He hadn’t spoke to his best friend since he killed Solomon, but he still deeply cared for him. He knew Sebastian couldn’t go back to see Anne, so he wondered where he was off to. Hopefully keeping himself out of trouble.
His friend helped snap him out of his impending thoughts, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Do you need help with the spell, Ominis?” She asks, a warmness in her tone. She caught him off guard, making him turn to her quickly in surprise.
“Oh. Yes, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” He apologizes for his harsh reaction. “I’d love some help.”
She delicately grazed her fingers over his, describing how to cast the spell. Her light touch sent a strong shiver down his spine one that he quickly shook off.
He followed her lead, flicking his wrist and chanting the spell in tune with one another.
And it worked. He casted it the first try.
His chest swelled with pride and joy but he kept his elation to a small smile. She, on the other hand, smacked his arm in excitement.
“That was amazing, Ominis! I’m so proud of you!” She cheered, ruffling his hair in joy. He laughs, something he hasn’t done in what feels like years.
After that, he started to come out of his shell a little more. Sometimes they’d spend time with each other, either practicing spells in the undercroft or studying in the library. They were becoming close, and that’s how he learned she was still in contact with Sebastian.
When she informed him that Sebastian had spent his summer with Dark Wizards, the blond stormed off to search for his reckless friend. The two boys had a screaming match right outside the grounds of Hogwarts, the forest being their only audience. The blond lectured Sebastian about how the Dark Arts wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
“Those were the type of people who cursed Anne! Do you even remember last year? How horribly everything went? How you almost got yourself, Anne, me, and her killed?! Is this worth losing everyone you love?!” Ominis screamed through tears in his eyes.
That must’ve hit Sebastian hard because he stopped speaking and walked off.
They didn’t speak again for the next few months, even with her telling him that Sebastian has changed for the better. His love and care for him didn’t stop, he just knew he’d have to accept that Sebastian’s curiosity of the Dark Arts was something that wasn’t going to change.
In true Sebastian style, he apologized. Although this time was different. He felt more sincere, more heart broken. Sebastian just wanted to help his sister, but he was going the wrong way about it. He was still Ominis’ best friend - his brother.
The two Slytherin boys held each other and cried in the Undercroft, apologizing for the way they’ve treated the other. Sebastian couldn’t promise him that he wouldn’t get involved in the Dark Arts, but he’d promise it wasn’t going to be like how it was in 5th year.
Ominis held him to that. He’d follow his two headaches of friends into whatever trouble they were getting themselves into, even if he hated it. He’d rather them be idiots with him than be idiots by themselves.
He’d flinch when he heard them use unforgivable curses, sometimes reliving his traumatic past. He tried his best to rationalize it, knowing they weren’t using them on innocent people like his family. They were using it on poachers, dark wizards, Inferi, and anything or anyone else who was hurting the helpless.
It was difficult to forgive the brunet for the death of Solomon, even after his new friend explained that it was life or death.
“You weren’t there, Ominis. Solomon was going to kill us. The only thing different about him and Sebastian is that he didn’t have the guts to use the unforgivable curse and Sebastian did. That’s what saved us that day,” she explained one afternoon in the Undercroft. They were alone, practicing a spell Professor Hecat taught them earlier.
“The more we know about them, the better we can defeat them.” He hears her flick her wand and destroy a stack of wooden boxes with one spell.
“I understand, but does that mean you two must use the unforgivables yourselves?” He asks, just wanting her to be safe. They’ve become closer this year and his fondness of her is growing almost every moment.
“That’s the risk Sebastian and I take.” She hits one more target, taking it down. “We aren’t going to expect you to do the same, but we do appreciate you always having our backs.”
“I only do so because I know you’d both do the same for me,” he says, giving her a soft smile.
She pulls him into a hug, her arms tightly wrapped around his middle. A flip switches inside him. This was the first time he’s ever felt his heart beat so hard from joy, and it was making him nauseous and excited at the same time. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, feeling how different her frame was from his.
His affection towards her only grew stronger from that moment, to the point where he was actively looking for her when they had down time between classes.
“No, Ominis. I don’t know where she is. I’m not her bodyguard.” Sebastian says, munching on a sandwich in the Great Hall. It was noon and she hadn’t been to class all day.
“Well I was just wondering if you’ve seen her, because obviously I can’t.” The blond waves his hand in front of his eyes. “I’ll go ask Poppy.”
He’s about to walk away when Sebastian’s next words stop him in his tracks.
“Why are you so obsessed with finding her anyways? You’ve got a crush on her or something?” Sebastian asks, obviously joking, but the face the blond was making gave him away.
“I- no! We are friends and I wanted to spend time with my friend-“ Ominis fumbles, almost dropping his wand.
Sebastian practically chokes on his food with laughter.
“Oh my goodness!”
“I’m leaving!” Ominis swiftly walks away in embarrassment, knocking into some students along the way.
He tucks himself in the first empty corridor he could find, rubbing his face to try and calm down the heat from his cheeks.
Even with his new found feelings towards his friend, he remained civil and gentlemanly. He never expected anything from her and practically forced down the butterflies in his stomach whenever they were around each other.
The touch of her hand when she laughs and playfully hits him, the warmth of her leg when they sit next to each other in class, the scent of her hair as the wind blows, he pushed it all down deep inside him where no one could find it.
They were going into their last year at Hogwarts soon. Certainly he could let go of his crush in that amount of time, couldn’t he?