Reflections of Erised

“Ouch!” You yelped, yanking your hand away, looking at where beads of blood blossomed on your finger from where the garden gnome had bitten. “What was that for?”

“Chucking them over the hedge I’d wager.” Sebastian mused, glancing down at where you nursed your injury.

With a flourish he whirled the gnome he had caught overhead and released it, sending the little figure flying out of sight beyond the overgrown bushes. The sky overhead to was full of deep purple rainclouds, the sun fighting to shine through with bursts of infrequent golden light.

The offending gnome you had dropped back to the ground cackled and started to weave away from where you sat upon your knees. “Oh no you don’t.” Sebastian was upon it in an instant, grabbing the pest by its little feet and giving it the same treatment as the last. With a “wheeeeee” it flew over the hedge to join its fellows outside of Anne’s garden.

“Good arm Seb!” Anne called appreciatively from where she sat in her wicker chair by the back door of their hut. “They shouldn’t be returning in a hurry this time round!”

“Let me have a look at that.” Sebastian knelt on the damp grass beside you, taking your hand gingerly in his. “Bugger got you good.”

“Their teeth are sharp!” You agreed, allowing Sebastian to help you up to your feet. “I’ve never degnomed someone’s garden before…or really degnomed anything before.”

“It’s a riveting stuff.” Sebastian chuckled, leading you by the hand back towards the house. “Anne, do you have the bandages by you?”

After the twins got your finger patched up, Anne led the way towards the outskirts of the little town. The sun overhead was winning the fight against the clouds and you soon found your little group bathed in a warm pool of golden light, the trees surrounding Feldcroft illuminated and swaying in a light breeze.

“Sebastian and I loved playing hide and seek in these woods.” Anne gestured to the copse of trees before you. “I thought we could play a round or two before it gets dark.”

The winter days so far north were indeed short and the sun, though brilliant, was on its western decline already. You loved the game of hide and go seek and said as much, clasping your hands together in delight. “I grew up with that game!”

“I will warn you, Anne is an expert seeker.” Sebastian nudged his sister with an elbow. “She was even on the Slytherin quidditch team before…well.” He trailed off a moment, looking askance. “Before.”

“I’ll go first.” Anne volunteered into the tense silence. “I will count to thirty and then whoever I find first is the next seeker. Now go!”

Giggling you glanced around at the nearby potential hiding places. Sebastian unexpectedly grabbed the crook of your arm, tugging you deeper into the trees until Anne was out of sight and you could no longer hear her counting.

“I know these woods like the back of my hand.” Sebastian reassured you, gesturing toward a hollowed out huckleberry stump.

“I’m pretty sure Anne might know them better.” You ducked into the dark opening as Sebastian motioned you to move.

“Nonsense.” He sounded a little peeved, shuffling behind you into the cramped space.

“You didn’t have to show me your best hiding places, Seb.”

Sebastian laughed, his face barely visible in the damp darkness and very close to your own. “We’ve started a trend of sharing secrets and confiding in one another, this is nothing.”

You were silent a moment, breathing in the musky scent of soil as the two of you listened for Anne outside. It was quiet as a grave.

“I wanted to thank you by the way.” You whispered, strands of your hair tickling Sebastian’s cheek. “For telling me about your family…for trusting me.”

“When we first met I knew something was different about you.” Sebastian’s voice was barely audible over the rustling of leaves in the wind above where you crouched. “And not only because you’re the only one who beat me in a duel.”

“Soundly too.” You were still smug he hadn’t gotten one hit in the whole match.

“Yes, yes.” He said impatiently, a teasing smirk on his face. “You didn’t hesitate to tell me about your…erm…condition in the Three Broomsticks so I decided there that I could trust you.”

“I’m glad you did.”

A pause.

“So am I.”

You both listened again for any movement outside, breathing together with mouths slightly ajar with suspense.

“She sure is taking her time.” Sebastian complained, shifting slightly. “My knees are beginning to hurt.”

“What are you, forty?” You teased, laughing under your breath.

“Something like that.” Sebastian held up a finger. “Wait, I can here someone.”

Sure enough, after straining your ears you heard it too. A shifting of foliage quite close to your hiding place and the telltale sound of footfalls. It circled the huckleberry bush several times, not making an effort to be stealthy. Anne was having fun taunting the two of you now.

“Alright alright!” Sebastian huffed indignantly, gracelessly exiting the stump with you close behind him, eager to straighten out of the awkward position you’d been hunched in. “You found us, no need to rub it in.”

“Sebastian!” You yelled, panic flaring in your lungs as your eyes found the source of the noise.

A giant spider, eight legs splayed menacingly at you and pincers clicking. Much like the ones you had encountered in the caves and hills surrounding Hogwarts. You hadn’t expected to see one so close to civilization and it was a very unpleasant surprise.

Both you and Sebastian raised your wands and the same time and shouted “Confringo!”

Two jets of blazing red light hit the spider simultaneously, sending it reeling back and hitting the trunk of a cedar tree with a sickening crunch. Its limbs twitched wildly as the spider righted itself and began skittering back toward you, its eight black eyes glittering with malice.

Sebastian grabbed your shoulder, roughly pulling you to stand behind him as he placed himself between you and the charging monstrosity.

“Levioso!” You shouted, the spider was lifted into the air just long enough for Sebastian to blast it with another curse.

Then it was over, the eight legs curled in on itself as the spider crumpled to the ground and moved no more. You were already looking around nervously for more of them since they usually travelled in numbers.

“I don’t see any more.” Sebastian grabbed your hand and you clung to him as, with sure steps, he hurried away from the spider corpse. “We need to get back. I’ve never seen them so close before.” He was talking more to himself than to you, his voice was strained with worry. “Anne!”

“Over here!” Came an answering reply, and you could see the tension melt off Sebastian’s shoulders.

“I was wondering where you two snuck off to! Perhaps I’m a but rusty on my…what’s wrong?” Anne’s smile faded as she took in your frightened state.

“A giant spider.” You panted, squeezing Sebastian’s clammy hand.

Anne’s eyes quickly flicked down to where the two of you interlocked fingers before she looked back at your faces. “We should get out of here then, where one is more will follow.”

“I can’t believe they’re so close to home.” Sebastian said as Anne led the way back to the cabin. “I’ve never seen one away from the Forbidden Forest or outside of a cave.”

“We should do something about them.” You hated the beasts as much as you feared them.

“I will tell uncle Solomon, he will take care of it.” Anne gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze, lighting several candles on the wooden dining table and moving to light the fire. “He was an auror you know.”

“I heard.” You were still standing close to Sebastian, his arm pressed against yours. You were afraid if you let him go your hands would begin trembling in earnest. “Why did he stop?”

“Perhaps a story for a later day.” Sebastian shifted beside you, lowering his voice so only you could hear as Anne walked to the kitchen. “Anne doesn’t like talking about it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Sebastian smiled at you as you met his warm gaze. “Also…you can let go of my hand if you want…before you cut off my circulation entirely that is.”

“Oh!” You said again, blushing furiously as you released your iron grip on him. “Right!”

“Not a fan of spiders huh?” Sebastian sat at the table, flexing his hand experimentally in the firelight.

“Who is a fan of spiders is the real question.” You joined him, glancing over to where you could hear pots and pans clanging in the kitchen. “We should help Anne.”

Sebastian shook his head, smiling a little sadly at you. “She needs a moment. I can tell, trust me.” He dragged a clay mug over and pointed his wand into it. “Aguamenti.” The mug filled with water and Sebastian pushed it over to you.

“What spell is that?” You took a sip, enjoying the coolness of the water he had summoned.

“It’s pretty simple, just a water-making spell. Comes in handy when you don’t feel like filling a pitcher.” He smiled as you giggled. “It must be difficult, starting school your fifth year…that’s pretty late in the game.”

You sighed. “Don’t I know it.” You watched with interest as Sebastian filled himself his own cup of water. “But the professors have been very helpful in providing tools for me to catch up.”

“Would’ve been more helpful of them to allow you to come to school as a first year with the rest of us.” Sebastian gave you a shrewd look. “But I suppose that’s something you’ve heard enough.”

“You’re right.” You looked down at the notched wood of the table, your fingers resting aimlessly upon the earthen mug. “Especially now that I’ve attended Hogwarts for a few months…I can’t help but feel a little robbed.” You met his intense gaze. “I love it here.”

Sebastian took in your words, nodding slowly, always having the knack to make you feel heard and understood. “I don’t blame you. Hogwarts is special…even with the Ashwinders and the giant spiders…and Peeves.”

“Oh Peeves!” You rolled your eyes and leaned forward with sudden vitriol in your voice. “He’s awful! Truly! I constantly see him accosting students in corridors and have had to dodge out of his path more than a few times.”

“Sounds about right!” Sebastian mirrored your aggrieved expression. “Not even the other ghosts like him.”

“Isn’t Peeves something other? He’s not a ghost exactly, if I’m remembering correctly.”

“You’re right as usual!” Anne piped up, walking to join the two of you at the table, the smell of cooking food following her wake. “Peeves is a poltergeist. He didn’t have a life before like the other ghosts, he’s always…been what he is.”

“A pain in the-”

“Sebastian!”

“What?” Sebastian gave his sister a hurt look. “I’m only saying what everyone is thinking.”

You and Anne shook your heads at each other as Sebastian raised his hands and slumped back in his chair.

“I’m sad you have to go tomorrow.” Anne said wistfully. “I’d give anything to go with you.”

“I know Anne.” Sebastian’s voice was almost inaudible, his hand finding his sister’s and squeezing. “We’ll find a way for that to happen, I promise.”

“Hogwarts would be a lot more fun with you there.” You tried to coax a smile out of your friends. “Then we could team up and beat Sebastian at dueling together!”

“As much as I’d love that, I’m not much of a duelist.” Anne graced you with a smile, reaching across the table to grasp your hand. “I appreciate your friendship, I’m glad you and Sebastian met.”

On impulse you linked hands with Sebastian, the three of you sitting at the table, joined together and smiling at one another. It felt like being together with family, sitting together cozy in front of the fire with the smell of good food wafting in from the kitchen.

“For now, just keep him out of trouble.” Anne gave your fingers a light squeeze before releasing them.

You glanced guiltily at Sebastian before your eyes flicked back to Anne. “I’m afraid I’ve not been much help in that department.”

She chuckled and Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck. “They’re not lying.”

“Well. As long as you’re there for each other, that’s what matters most to me.” Anne rose, walking back to the kitchen. “Now come on, let’s get some food, I’m starving.”

You and Sebastian grinned at each other before following suit and loading your plates full of baked potatoes, slices of ham, cooked carrots and whatever else caught your eye. You spent the rest of the evening chatting and swapping stories with your two friends, wishing in vain that the night would never end. Now, more than ever, you were determined to help Sebastian find a way to cure his sister. She had become dear to you, and you couldn’t bear the thought of the curse draining her lifeforce painfully a little bit each day.

The next morning, as you prepared to leave the cottage, you found a note tucked under your pillow signed from Anne in her neat writing. Sebastian called your name from the room beyond, and you quickly stowed the note into your school robes, hurrying out the door to join them as Anne bade the two of you farewell before she watched you disappear in a plume of green smoke, travelling back to Hogwarts via the floo network.

You stumbled out of the fireplace, catching yourself on Sebastian’s outstretched arms.

“Thanks!” You dusted ash off your uniform. “I’ll never get used to how jarring that method of travel is.”

“Or how it constantly shouts at you.” Sebastian spoke over the female voice as she began to warble her usual welcome. “Yes! We are off on another adventure, fancy that!” He shared a long-suffering look with you before the two of you made your way up to the castle.

Before you entered the courtyard Sebastian glanced down at your face, taking you aside and brushing his thumb firmly across your cheek. “You’ve got ash on you.”

“Sebastian I’m quite capable-”

“Shh.” He scrubbed at the mark a few more times, making sure it was gone before allowing you to continue on your way. “Honestly, what would you do without me?”

“Perish in a horrible manner surrounded by poachers and covered in soot I’m sure.” You deadpanned.

“Glad to know you’re aware of that.”

“Mm-hmm. Well, have fun in arithmancy. I’ll meet you for lunch in the Great Hall?” You waved to him as you parted ways, heading for your History of Magic class.

“As always!” Sebastian waved back, taking the steps leading toward the east wing. “I’m sure Ominis has an earful to give us about his own holiday!”

You grimaced to yourself, you’d forgotten poor Ominis had to spend his long weekend with his family…not something you envied him after finding out the dark history of the Gaunts.

With a light step and the place on your face where Sebastian had touched still burning, you hurried off to your first class of the new week, somehow more hopeful for your future than you had ever been before.