St. Catherine's Home For Children
It was an oddly warm day for the bustling town of London, with the patrons all standing in the shade provided by the shoppe awnings to talk to one another – ladies fanning themselves and men unbuckling their collar. Enoch only had his sleeves rolled to his elbows, trying to walk as quickly as he could to avoid being in the sun any longer than he had to.
The station wasn't as busy as it usually was, with Enoch not having any trouble getting on and finding himself a seat on the train. He even got to sit by himself and take in the view of the city passing him by outside the window. He could feel himself getting more impatient, with his leg bouncing and him anxiously pulling at a loose thread on his pants. He hadn’t seen his two friends for forty-one days – he had been counting – so he was itching to finally meet with them again.
He had spent over a month being at home, only form of communication being owls arriving at his bedroom window with rolled-up parchment he always ran to open and read.
It's called St. Catherine's Home for Children. The caretakers are nice enough, we're fed, we're bathed, we have a place to sleep at night. It's not as bad as I previously thought. If you ever expect to visit before the school year starts, I will warn you – the muggles can see all.
That was the last owl he received. At first he was shocked that his pure-blood friends somehow found sanctuary at a muggle children's home, but he quickly grew at ease knowing they weren't getting into trouble instead. He felt they, especially Sebastian, were a lot safer in a place where no one knew who they were. At least until things died down.
The building itself wasn't off-putting, at least in Enoch's eyes as he stood on the sidewalk in front looking up at the gothic architecture. It definitely screamed Catholic and not Magic, however. The thought made Enoch swallow his concerns and brace himself before entering the large front doors up the concrete steps.
Inside was quiet, and spacious. Enoch thought it was abandoned before he heard footsteps rounding the corner down the hall. There, he made eye contact with a nun . He had a few thoughts of running back out the door he came in, thinking there was no way his two wizard friends stayed in a church full of nuns. But once she gave Enoch a knowing smile, he knew it was too late to back out.
"Can I help you?" The sister said as she approached Enoch quietly. Her voice was sotto, almost at a hush that Enoch could barely make out.
"Um," Enoch started, stuttering and pulling at his sleeves to lower them. "I'm here to visit Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt."
"Relation?"
"I'm their friend."
"Name?"
"Enoch... Edevane."
The nun paused a moment before giving Enoch another smile. She then turned around and started walking down the hall. Enoch hesitated before following at a safe distance behind, nervous and wondering if that was what she intended for him to do.
He was led to another set of large doors that the nun opened up to enter a beautiful courtyard. Vines and various plants surrounded the area, even covering the cracked cobblestone pathways underneath their feet. A large fountain sat in the middle of it all, with a couple kids using the water to splash each other. Enoch took note of all the children that took up the courtyard, all of different ages ranging from toddler to teen. He tried looking out for his friends as he continued to follow the nun through the yard.
"Don't be so dimwitted, Ominis. This story is so obviously mythical. All of these books are. They don't even know what the real meaning of 'magic' is."
There sat Sebastian on a stone bench with his foot up and his back leaning against a pillar, open book in hand. And as Enoch got closer, he spotted Ominis sitting on the ground weaving string in his hands.
Enoch stopped behind Sebastian and contained his smile, wondering how he should greet them. He hadn't seen them since the day they left Hogwarts, yet he had kept them in his mind everyday since.
"I believe there's someone behind you, Sebastian," Ominis said as he faced Enoch's direction. Sebastian sat up straight and spun around, a new smile taking up his entire face as he realized who it was.
"Enoch!" He exclaimed as he tossed his book aside and stood up, taking his friend into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Sebastian."
The hug lasted a good few seconds before Sebastian pulled back and patted Enoch's shoulders. "I didn't think you'd actually visit us. Not many wizards would come to a muggle place like this."
Enoch gave an awkward smile in return. He wasn't used to the term muggles quite yet. And he also wasn't completely honest with his friends about where he came from.
"I'd greet you too, but I don’t do well with hugs." Both Sebastian and Enoch glanced at Ominis, who was still wrapping a red string around his fingers to make some kind of shape.
"It's nice to see you again, Ominis," Enoch spoke with a smile.
"Come, sit." Sebastian pulled Enoch's arm and they both sat down on the stone bench in front of them. "The muggles didn't give you too much trouble when you arrived, did they?" He whispered.
Enoch chuckled nervously. "Not really. But seriously Sebastian, what were you thinking coming to a place like this?"
"It's not like we had a choice. I had to keep clear of the ministry. I can't let them know..." he trailed off, giving a weary look towards Ominis. "what happened. After Ominis and I ventured around London for a couple of days we found this place. It was just somewhere that could keep us alive for a while."
"So you're not gonna stay here? Where else are you gonna go?"
"I'm not quite sure yet. Ominis refuses to go back home."
"And that is not negotiable," Ominis piped in.
"It's not like I can ask you to take us into your home." Sebastian paused. "Where do you live, by the way?"
"Oh, uh," Enoch scratched his neck nervously, taken aback by the sudden personal question. "It's somewhere on the other side of town."
"You lived this close and you never told me." Sebastian scoffed. "You always have loved your secrets, haven't you?"
"Another time, Sebastian. Promise. I'm more worried about how you two will even get out of here once the semester starts."
"I'll figure it out. I always do." Sebastian had a confident, slightly arrogant, smirk plastered over his face. His confidence was the type that could get him through war, yet also was the reason for all the bad things that happen to him. Enoch admired it when he had first met him. The type of assertiveness that never wavered was something Enoch always wanted for himself. Whatever Sebastian wanted, he got, no matter how hard it took to get there.
“But since you’re here, I have something to tell you,” Sebastian started. Enoch raised his eyebrows, waiting for Sebastian to continue.
Sebastian closely eyed a nun as she walked by, creating eye contact between them. The gleam in his eye only strengthened as if asserting dominance between them. He truly was grateful for the sisters taking him and Ominis in, but was still very wary of the fact they were muggles – religious muggles. He waited until she had walked past and broke their eye contact to continue speaking.
“I believe I know where Anne is.”
This greatly piqued Enoch’s curiosity, since Anne left with barely a word to Sebastian months ago and she was all he ever talked about in his owls sent to Enoch over the summer. “You found her? Is she alright?”
“Last week she sent an owl to Ominis.” He stopped, reaching into his back pocket. In his hand he held a folded piece of parchment out to Enoch that he grabbed reluctantly. Unfolding it he saw a short note in neat font.
Ominis
I miss you greatly. It is different not having you around on the hot days of summer. I do not have anyone to play gobstones with, that I can beat, nor do I have anyone to go on walks with around the farmland. It is strange not living in the hamlet anymore, but don’t worry. The family I now live with are very nice, and they’ve done their best to take care of me. One of them is a herbologist, and her medicines do help a bit. I hope we can see each other again in the future. You’ll stay on my mind until then.
Anne
“She’s living with another family,” Enoch said as he scanned the note over after reading it. “That’s good to hear. She seems happy.”
Sebastian took the note back and folded it gently, putting it back in his pocket. “And I think I know where this family lives. Anne and I have a special connection. We’ve been together our entire lives, we always have that intuition when the other is in pain, or sad, or in trouble. Along with that, we would always be able to find each other easily throughout the castle back at Hogwarts. It’s like we just, knew, where the other was at all times.” Enoch furrowed his brows taking in all of Sebastian’s words. He was getting lost a bit, but tried to understand what he was saying.
“It faltered once she had left. I could barely feel her presence, and it made me so incredibly worried. But, once she sent that owl to Ominis, and I held the letter in my hand, it’s like I could see her write it. I could feel just how far away from each other we were. And once I stopped to focus on that connection, I could mark right where she was.”
“That’s incredible,” Enoch finally answered. “Is it because you two are twins that you have that connection?”
“I’m not sure exactly. I just know it’s always been this way. But,” he stopped and repositioned himself on the bench so his whole body faced Enoch. “I can finally go and find her, and see her, and talk to her. And I want you to come with us.”
“You waited for me? But why?”
“You helped me tremendously and cared for Anne just as much as I did. You’re a close friend who I value a lot. I feel it’s only right that you come with.”
Enoch looked away in thought. His heart fluttered at the sudden words of admiration. He thought of Sebastian in a high light after spending the whole year at Hogwarts with him, no matter how messy it ended up being. He understood his desperation, and thought his loyalty was a valuable trait that showed his true character. He wanted Sebastian to show that same loyalty to him.
“Alright,” Enoch agreed. “I’ll come with.”
“There is just one thing Sebastian hasn’t thought of quite yet,” Ominis said. Both the boys sitting on the bench looked towards the boy sitting on the stone ground, still weaving the string in his fingers. “How exactly are we going to leave the orphanage?”
“Are you underestimating my abilities, Ominis?” Sebastian teased as he folded his arms.
“Not underestimating, simply concerned of how you believe the easiest way to leave the building without the caretakers knowing.”
“Who said we had to sneak out?” Sebastian stood up confidently and dusted off his clothes. “As much as I am the master of stealth, I am the master of interrogation as well. Give me one moment.” Enoch watched as his friend practically pranced away and couldn’t help but let out a small, stunned laugh.
“I don’t think I want to know what exactly he has up his sleeve now.”
Enoch glanced back towards Ominis. He always seemed to be in his own world, and Enoch always wanted to just take a peek inside his mind to see what kind of things went on in there. They started off on the wrong foot last year, but Enoch felt that Ominis had grown a liking to him as time went on. Enoch was glad as he also looked up to him. Ominis was just as loyal to Sebastian as he was, even though he disagreed with everything he did. Enoch saw just how much Ominis cared about Sebastian and did everything he could to keep them together as Sebastian went deeper and deeper into his desperation to save Anne.
“What are you doing, Ominis?” Enoch decided to ask to get rid of the silence between them.
“They call it ‘cat’s cradle,’ I believe. Someone taught me how to do it recently and it keeps my hands busy. But it just confuses me. Is its shape supposed to be a cat?”
Enoch gave a knowing smile in response as he continued to watch Ominis weave the string in his hands. It was a sight seeing the other two boys indulge in such muggle activities.
“Alright, are we ready to head off?” Sebastian asked with a huge grin as he approached them.
“And just how did you manage convincing them?” Ominis pressed.
“Come on, Ominis, tell me you haven’t lost all your faith in me?”
Ominis let out a sigh, picking himself up off the ground. “You do worry me at times, Sebastian.”
The two boys bickered as the three of them made their way out of the building. Sebastian had made a statement to "walk fast and don't make eye contact" that raised the other two's suspicions, but they obliged. And once they successfully made it onto the street, they made their venture to the train station.
"I looked at a map," Sebastian started as they made their way through the crowd at the station. "And I believe it's a small village just south of here." He proceeded to tell Enoch the name, in which Enoch went to figure out what train they needed to take. Sebastian stood at a distance, eyeing every muggle that went past him. Ominis stayed close by his side, still holding onto the sleeve of Sebastian's shirt so as to not lose him.
Their train arrived in a little over half an hour. The boys boarded and Enoch led the way to find seats. The seating on the train was two seats in each row, so Enoch sat in an unoccupied seat behind Sebastian and Ominis.
"We're going to be riding the train to Hogwarts this year, Ominis," Sebastian stated. "That's a change."
Enoch leaned forward and rested his arms on the backs of their seats to get a better listen. "You seem to forget I've already ridden the train my first year," Ominis replied.
"I didn't forget, but sometimes I don't realize there was a time you didn't live with me." Sebastian glanced up at Enoch resting his head on his hand. "And this is your first year riding the train to Hogwarts as well. Sorry, but I don't think it's going to be as eventful as a dragon tearing your carriage in half."
Enoch snickered. "I sure hope it isn't. I'd rather keep my belongings intact this time."
"And your head. Can't say the same for that poor fellow who worked for the ministry."
Enoch looked away in thought, his mind going back to the day he went to Hogwarts with Professor Fig. He remembered it like it was yesterday, and could feel the same fear he felt seeing that dragon obliterate that man right in front of him. It was the first time he really saw something like that in his life. Something so brutal. And he had no idea just how worse his life was about to become.
The boys stayed in small conversation until they reached their stop. Sebastian had exited onto the platform and stood still, staring off into the distance. Enoch glanced over at him and waited for him to do something, as he had no idea where they were even going.
"Sebastian?" He asked to get his attention.
"She isn't far from here. We need to go west."
The boys continued on, Ominis's hand practically glued to Sebastian's sleeve. He hadn't been able to use his wand the entire summer and frankly wasn't used to not being able to navigate without it. Sebastian had quickly gotten used to being Ominis's eyes wherever they went.
"This is it," Sebastian exclaimed, stopping in front of a dilapidated, two-story home sitting in the back of a long walkway. The front of the yard was guarded by bushes and metal fencing, the gate slightly ajar. "She's here, I can feel it."
"Well, there's no time like the present," Enoch stated, ushering Sebastian to lead the way.
The gate let out a shrilling creak as it opened and, as if on cue, the wind began to blow the large oak tree that took up the right side of the yard. Enoch began to grow nervous, walking up to a stranger's home with the only reason being Sebastian's twin-like sense to find his sister. And he was nervous to see Anne on the other side of the door, as well. The last time he had seen her was holding her uncle's dead body that had just moments prior tried killing him and Sebastian. It was another moment of the previous school year that was engraved in his mind, one that played over and over again at times. And he expected the same to be for Sebastian, only ten times worse.
Sebastian paused for a moment reaching the front door. Enoch took notice of his quick breaths and knew that out of the three of them, Sebastian was the most anxious. He patted Sebastian's shoulders in reassurance, receiving a quick smile in return.
Sebastian sucked in a deep breath and gave a confident knock on the door. They only waited a few seconds before the door had opened, and they were greeted with a short and stocky man with grey hair and glasses teetering on the edge of his nose.
"Can I help you?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow and examining each of the boys.
"Hello sir, we're looking for Anne Sallow. Is she here?"
The man stood in silence for a moment, seemingly trying to stare into Sebastian's soul. "And who are you?"
"I'm Sebastian Sallow, her brother. And these are my friends, Ominis Gaunt and Enoch Edevane."
The man stared once more, as if challenging Sebastian to leave. "One moment." He proceeded to close the door and the boys were left tense, wondering if he was going to get Anne. Enoch took a glance at Sebastian once more and saw that his expression was still, and determined.
The door opened again and they were greeted with the small, frail girl they had ventured so far for. She seemed to have gotten smaller since the last time Enoch saw her, and he felt his heart sink, only left wondering what Sebastian was thinking.
But before they could process anything the door was being shut again. Sebastian quickly stopped it with his hand, meeting Anne's eyes.
"Wait! Please talk to me," he practically begged. "Please, Anne."
Anne's face was filled with worry and sadness, and her eyes went haywire looking all over the place before settling onto the floor below her. "I'll only talk to Ominis," she firmly replied, continuing to avoid Sebastian's gaze.
Enoch could feel just how hurt Sebastian was in that moment. They were silent before Ominis had let go of Sebastian's sleeve, bringing Sebastian back to the real world.
"Alright," Ominis replied to Anne. Sebastian looked at Ominis before finally stepping back to allow Anne to bring him inside. And once the door was shut again, he let out a sigh he was holding in the entire time.
The two boys took this time to sit on the front porch step, Sebastian throwing his head into his hands. Enoch bit his lip in thought. He had no idea how to comfort his friend, who so desperately wanted to see his sister again, yet was pushed away so harshly.
"I can't believe my own sister doesn't want to see me."
"She just needs time, Sebastian."
"She's had time. Months. And she still won't look me in the eye."
It was a harsh reality Enoch had no idea how to prove to his friend. He understood both sides greatly, a boy who tried everything to bring his sister back and a girl who watched her brother go back and kill her only other family member.
After what felt like an eternity to them, the door opened behind them. The two of them jumped up and turned around and watched Ominis exit, shutting the door behind him. His face was solemn, and Enoch could tell he was hurting as well.
"Well? What did she say, Ominis?" Sebastian pressed.
Ominis played with his shirt sleeve and looked like he was thinking about what exactly to say. "She doesn't want to see you."
"Well that's obvious. You were in there for about ten minutes, what else did she say to you?"
"She doesn't hate you. She wanted you to know that."
Sebastian had his fists balled and anyone could tell he was losing his patience. "She doesn't hate me yet doesn't want to even talk to me. That sure makes sense."
"You need to understand what she's been through, Sebastian." Ominis's words were getting harsher, and he had his fists in a ball as well.
"She needs to understand how hard I worked for her." He gestured towards the house they were standing in front of. "And-and now she's living with some other family who hasn't given everything up for her? Who even are they?"
Ominis paused for a moment. "The couple she lives with, one of them is a herbologist and the other works in the ministry."
"What?" Sebastian said in shock. "She lives with someone who works in the ministry?! And she thought that was a good idea?!"
"She did what she had to survive, Sebastian!" Ominis yelled in return. "Just like us going to the orphanage. She was safe and cared for. She knew what she was doing."
"She knew what she was doing, alright! Mingling with the ministry with the situation we were in!"
"The situation you brought yourself in!"
"I had to, Ominis! He was keeping me from her, he tried killing us! We were no family to him!"
"He was family to her! The last family she had, Sebastian! If you had just listened to us none of this would have happened."
"And if anyone were to listen to me, Anne would have been cured by now!"
"Can I interject?" Enoch spoke up to stop their ever-growing argument. Surprisingly, they both stopped and looked over at him. "Should we be talking about this right outside of their home?"
“You’re right,” Sebastian answered quietly, beginning to walk down the steps. “If I spend another moment here I might very well be sent to Azkaban after all. Maybe that’s what everyone wants out of me.” He continued to walk off and Enoch looked at Ominis, uncertain and on edge. Ominis himself had his eyebrows locked together and looked to be contemplating something.
Enoch was unsure of how to go about the situation on hand, with Sebastian being very stubborn and short-tempered, and Ominis still having his strong opinions on what had happened last year. But he was sure of one thing, and that was that he was going to try his best and make their next year at Hogwarts a pleasant one.