Allurement | Sebastian Sallow

"You were that reason."
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Sebastian's smile faltered. He looked almost reluctant and Liya felt a pang of guilt for pushing him into doing something he obviously didn't want to do.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to-" She hurried to say but Sebastian stopped her.

"I'll do it." He said, with little conviction at first, but he straightened his shoulders. "I haven't cast in a long time either."

Sebastian stepped ahead, flipping his wand around his fingers with precision.

Liya let him have his space but still stayed a few feet behind him just in case. Even Ominis looked intrigued, tilting his head expectantly.

Sebastian shut his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Expecto Patronum."

A small flicker of magic, a hopeful breath,
and...nothing.

Silence.

Sebastian frowned, tapping his wand a few times against his palm.

"Expecto Patronum."

This time there was absolutely nothing.
"Sebastian..."

"No. Don't pity me. I-" Sebastian bit his lip, looking around wildly, as if all the answers he needed were written on the sky.

"It's just that it has always been my memory with Anne." He continued, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. "The time we were playing gobstones in our old house be-before our parents...passed."

He racked his hair in frustration."I don't get it. Why didn't it work!"

Liya reached out to touch his hand but he recoiled instantly, his face aghast.

"I just need to be alone." He managed out flatly, shoving his hands deep into his pocket before walking off.

Liya stood there for a few moments frozen. Every fiber of her being wanted to follow him but out of respect for his wishes, she stayed put.

The chill in the air felt sharper now, biting at her skin like it, too, had recoiled from her.

Sebastian didn't like to get vulnerable in front of others, she knew that. Whenever Liya asked him about his troubles, he would deflect with a witty joke or change the subject completely.

Guess they were more alike than they had thought.

"He'll be alright," Ominis piped up from his seat, casting a comforting smile at Liya's direction.
But it did little to soothe her worry.

The silence was deafening, suffocating almost.

Minutes passed.

Liya decided enough was enough and walked over to Sebastian, the blades of grass crinkling with each step she took.

Sebastian didn't wander far, to be fair he was just some meters away. But the mere distance covered felt like an eternity before she reached him.

He wasn't pacing. Just...standing still, looking utterly lost and broken.

Liya moved to stand beside him, the wind blowing her hair all over her face. In one swift motion, she slipped her hair into a low ponytail.

Sebastian's eyes remained ahead, his body rigid and tense.

Liya waited for him to make the first move, but it never came. He didn't look at her or acknowledge her. It was as if he was in some sort of a trance, dissociating from reality.