Like Moths to a Flame // Sebastian Sallow [Book One]

"Levioso! Accio! Incendio!" Damien yelled from across the room, Leander his unfortunate target.

Sebastian stood in the back of the crowd beside Natty. It was a good turnout for the championship match. He'd found a decent spot between heads to watch everything going on without being at the front of the pack. He didn't particularly want to stand out, as he was still embarrassed by his poor show last week.

Ominis didn't come this year. He said he didn't feel there was a point since Sebastian was out of the tournament. He also wanted to get some rest since he was still recovering from his illness.

Sebastian focused his attention back on the match. Damien had already defeated Charlotte, the rare Hufflepuff member of Crossed Wands. She was currently slumped on the floor, dazed.

Sebastian wasn't surprised when Damien told Lucan he planned on dueling solo for the final match, but he was still impressed. Competing alone against four of some of the best duelists at the school was quite a challenge.

Leander stumbled backward as Damien pelted him with three Basic Casts in a row.

Just to mess with Leander, Sebastian called out, "You're better than that!". He grinned to himself as Natty shoved him playfully on the shoulder.

"That was mean-spirited," she said, though the barely restrained amusement in her voice made it anything but scolding.

"What? He's an arse."

"It would be more effective to cheer on Damien."

Natty did made a good point there, not that Sebastian would ever admit it.

"I don't hear you providing any words of encouragement," Sebastian said aloud. 

She giggled, cupping her hands to her mouth, and called out, "Go Damien!"

Damien glanced over in her direction as Eric and Nellie both sent Basic Casts his way. Despite the distraction, he blocked them with Protego and then managed to cast Stupefy at Nellie, knocking her back.

Eric attempted a poorly aimed Incendio, which Damien didn't even need to block. Meanwhile, to Sebastian's great amusement, Leander was floating in the air, angrily muttering to himself.

Sebastian, never one to be outdone by a Gryffindor, followed Natty's lead. Mindful of Damien's safety, as soon as there was a lull between spells, he shouted out, "Give 'em what for!"

Damien scanned the crowd, searching for the source of the sound. When he spotted Sebastian, he tossed him a winning grin, then, as if he hadn't already done enough damage with that dapper smile of his, he... winked. 

He winked! Merlin's arse, what was Damien doing? 

Sebastian's legs felt like jelly beneath him. And then, his whole body lit up. The heat hit him like a Stupefy to the chest. Was it always this sweltering in here?

He was so thoroughly distracted that it took Sebastian far too long to realize Natty had stopped watching the match. Instead, she was looking at him, head tilted, a curious glint in her eye.

"What?" Sebastian said, his voice coming out rougher than he intended.

"He didn't wink at me."

"What do you mean?" he said, acting as if absolutely nothing was wrong. Because it wasn't. No, it was not. Not at all. Normal things were happening in his body, move along. 

Natty tossed Sebastian a sly grin, but kept quiet. Then, finally, she shifted her attention back to the duel. Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief and did the same.