The Winter of 1981 [ENG]

Feldcroft

Theme music : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VszEUX7AayA

Mid-Summer 1891.

On the shores of Feldcroft, two young men of roughly the same height stood in front of the azure veil of the ocean, upon which the golden tones of the setting sun were reflected. They were just the two of them on this small beach where a light breeze came to caress their faces, while the swell embraced the large rocks. This painting seemed to depict a little earthly paradise found by these wizards, but it was in reality only a temporary refuge for discussion. Above the murmur of the soft waves, the man with blond hair, Ominis, spoke:

- So, Sebastian. The verdict ?

These words had cast a cloud over the second man who answered to the name of Sebastian. The boy glanced behind him at the path which, if one continued to follow it, led to his home. Formerly, he lived there with his twin sister Anne and their uncle Solomon. But things had changed. In the village of Feldcroft, everyone told the sad story of the misfortune that befell the Sallow family, when twin siblings were tragically left alone after the death of their eldest guardian.

- Nothing.

A Magical Law Enforcement Squad had been dispatched to the scene, but no one in the village could blame this old uncle who had long since retired home after an unpromising Auror career, and the case was filed away among the many victims of Rannrok and his gang. Two seagulls circling around above the two friends squawking, before letting themselves be carried away by the wind. The sky was dotted with white clouds, and Sebastian thought he saw the shape of two people holding hands. He imagined himself and his sister. although he is unable to see, the wizard with high cheekbones thought of the same person :

- How is she ?
– Someone whill check on her health regularly.

Ominis did not answer. Without saying a word, his silence says it all : he was convinced that it was the best thing to do for Anne, who was seriously ill. Mais son interlocuteur était embrumé par de sombres émotions auxquelles s’opposait le clair de l’océan, et sa mâchoire se serrait en même temps que son regard empli de remords et de honte se perdait au loin. Before the door was closed behind the passage of the Ministry of Magic, his sister had taken a vow of silence to protect her brother who, as for him, had sacrificed everything to protect her... only to lose more. Without taking his eyes off the horizon for a moment, he replied :

- They said I was able to return to Hogwarts for next year…

An ominous silence between the two wizards ensued.

- Seb ?

The latter then turned his attention away from the seascape, bathed in twilight, to look at the Pure-Blood wizard. Despite the breeze, his hair remained partly impeccably plastered over his sweet face on which a few beauty spots were similar to a constellation of stars. His milky eyes, as if covered with a light white veil, were ringed as if he had not slept several nights in a row.

- Promise me one thing for the start of the school year.
– Yes ?

Sebastian expected to be reprimanded again. He knew Ominis could never forgive what he had done. But the months between these grim events until mid-summer had enabled the wizards to reflect on the situation and, against all expectations, the fair-haired boy raised up his little finger between their faces, as his glassy gaze seemed to stared at the second wizard. A pinky promise. It brought back sweet nostalgic memories, like when Sebastian had first explained the principle of promising by the little finger and Ominis had found it ridiculous, saying : « You invented this thing, I presume ? ».

And yet. It was to the South of Feldcroft, on the small beach of rocks and sand, that two sorcerers promised each other to no longer looking for modifying what is immutable or could be harmful, also meaning to stop all use of Dark Arts at the request of Ominis ; « the past is the past ». Although his relationship with Sebastian is the most precious he had, he still had trouble fully trusting him again. And in reality, it was precisely because he cared for him much more than one could imagine that the situation was doubly difficult for him. Almost in an inaudible whisper amongst the soft sound of the waves lapping on the shore, he said :

- I missed you.

Their intertwined pinkies slowly came apart as confusion appeared on Sebastian's face, as if he hadn't heard such sweet and intimate words from his friend in ages, to the point that he felt like it was, wrongly, the first time. Not knowing what to answer, his lips half-opened with difficulty to let out the first word that came to his mind.

- Thanks.
– You're not supposed to thank me, idiot.

Hearing these words made Sebastian regaining a little more confidence, and he gave his friend a little nudge to tease him. As a response, the Gaunt boy frowned, clicking his tongue in annoyance, but the tiny smile on his lips betrayed him. Although they would never dare to admit it to themselves, the wizards felt a slight pang of relief and hope deep in their hearts, wounded by the past events, and they hoped that life could peacefully resume its rhythm once they returned to Hogwarts. As before.

Since that, on the little beach south of Feldcroft,
They both stood facing the future.
As thoughts replaced words.

One was watching the sea.
The other was listening to it.