A Teal Wreath of summer flowers blooms, marking the completion of his journey.

~

Ominis told her to take as long as she needed, but Emma still tried to shower fast. She would have to repair her quest clothes with the loom later, for there was no time.

They had to get back to Anne.

'Avada Kedavra.' She almost slips in the shower. The moment has continued to replay in the back of her mind relentlessly. Her failure to intervene, the green glow of light, the evil aura emanating from Sebastian and the melancholy spirit that emerged from his uncle.

Her hair held her up, for she could not help but wash it thoroughly, seeing the disgusting remains of the Inferi which had stuck to her running down the drain. Poppy had taught her a handy drying spell. She forgoes her usual loose low bun, opting for a half-up style instead.

She dresses in her crimson and cream voyager garb, dons her black embossed tailcoat for the cold and hurries back out of the common room. The halls are still bare early on a Sunday.

At first she does not see Ominis where she had left him by the serpent tiles.

"Emma."

She looks right, spotting him at the top of the staircase by the Kelpie statue.

"I had to hide," he tells her as she reaches him. "Did you see him?"

"Who?"

"Sebastian," he frowns, "I heard him coming and hid."

"He did say he was looking for you when we left the tomb..." Emma admits.

Ominis turns away, "He's not the Sallow who needs us right now."

The sting of jealousy is dull beneath the numbness of such an overwhelming day.

Emma sighs heavily.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" He asks softly, concerned. "I can sense how tired you are. I know you haven't slept in two days." He takes a step closer to her. "I don't want you to push yourself when you should be resting. We know Ranrok is only around the corner."

Mention of her primary nemesis makes her blood cold.

Emma rubs her eyes, "I do feel a bit delirious, but the shower helped," she says, summoning her field guide. "Just promise to take me to breakfast after this and I'll be good to go."

Ominis smiles, "Sounds like a deal."

Her shining golden book opens up to the floo network.

"Let's go."

~

"Hello gorgeous," Emma greets the Hyland cow perched beside the floo flame. It gives a disapproving grunt at their arrival and heaves itself up, waddling away.

The morning clouds above them are pink with sun, despite the crisp snow around them.

When her eyes fall upon the Sallow household, a sense of mourning comes over them. Ominis offers his arm and Emma takes it, only realising now they are both appropriately shrouded in black.

They head towards the cottage.

"Someone is in there with her," Ominis says.

Emma notes the presence of a quaint looking carriage out the front, white with slim silver trimmings.

'Avada Kedavra.' Her chest compresses for a moment. She swallows hard and carries on.

"It looks like...an undertaker of some sort," she tells him. "I don't know much about Wizard funerals."

"They're not much different from the muggle ones, as far as I understand," he replies.

Anne walks out of the house as they reach the stone path to the front door. Her face is tear-stained and pale, breaking when she sees them.

"Oh Ominis," she cries, running to him.

He lets go of Emma and accepts Anne into his arms. Emma bows her head awkwardly as she steps back, trying not to look at his hand on the girl's hair, squashing her irrational jealousy.

Now was not the time.

She gives them a moment alone.

Instead she turns her attention to the covered linen carriage. She paces around it slowly, until she sees the witch working from the opening at the end. Dressed in robes similar to Matron Blainey, except with an almost full face mask, she flicks her wand about, preparing the body.

In the distance, a thestral wearing a harness is drinking from a cow trough.

Emma looks upon Solomon with mournful eyes, lifting her tinted sunglasses to her head out of respect.

I'm sorry, she thinks, I should have stopped him.

The process of death seems simpler in the Wizarding world. Her eyes travel over to the cliff overlooking Feldcroft, where their small cemetery lay to the East.

That is when she meets Anne's teary eyes.

"Anne-" she begins, nervously clasping her gloved hands together.

Before she can begin her speech, Anne throws her arms around Emma's neck.

"Thank you for trying to stop him."

Emma feels a wave of conflicting feelings. At the top of it all, she strangely wants to laugh; she had tried to stop him far too late to be thanked for it.

"I'm so sorry Anne," she declares, voice shaking. Ominis wears a compassionate, sombre expression. "I should have destroyed that thing when we found it in the first place."

She shakes her head, "It's not your fault. Sebastian was on a path that...no one could pull him from," she responds sadly, drawing back and seizing Emma's hands. "But I never thought it would take him so far."

'Avada Kedavra.' Her stomach twists uncomfortably.

Emma squeezes her fingers comfortingly, "None of us did." She can not think of anything uplifting to say on the topic of her twin, for what could she possibly say to improve anything? "Ominis and I are here for you, Anne. You won't spend any of this journey alone, I promise."

Ominis nods, coming towards them, "Emma's right. Whatever you decide to do."

Anne smiles gratefully through her tears. Emma offers her a handkerchief.

"It's hard to think about after," she sniffles as she dabs her tears. She casts a weary look at the nurse, "Come on in."

Emma and Ominis follow her into the little cottage. There's a certain level of eeriness being amongst the things of someone who has passed. Anne winces in pain of her curse, stumbling into the nearest dining chair. Emma sits in the chair beside her, summoning a glass of water with her wand.

"I told them he passed in his sleep," Anne confesses after she finishes drinking. "I just...I didn't know what to say to explain. I was so overwhelmed!"

She continues to sob into the hanky and wince in pain.

"I think..." She begins in a frightened whisper, "I keep thinking we should turn him in."

A dead silence fills the room. Emma glances back outside at the carriage. At Solomon. Would it be an injustice on his part for his nephew to not face punishment?

"I feel like a monster!" Anne wails. Emma puts an arm around her shoulders.

"You're not a monster. It's a hard thing Anne," she begins, "He did an awful, unspeakable thing. I'm sure he will come to regret it greatly, but as it goes with all unforgivable curses...he had to mean it."

Ominis nods, "I agree. He can not go unpunished."

Silence hangs in the air again. Emma's face slowly turns to dread as she thinks about that punishment, and what it will mean for Sebastian.

"Yet the thought of him in Azkaban...and knowing how afraid he has been to lose you at the root of the cause..." She wonders aloud.

"His failure to find a cure alone will punish him, not to mention the guilt of what he has done," Ominis adds.

Anne bursts into tears again at their words. Emma continues to hold her as she sobs.

"I could not bear to put him through that!" She cries.

Emma sighs. They are all deeply conflicted, split by their love and their horror.

"Perhaps we should discuss it after," she suggests, fixing Anne's rumpled scarf. A shadow falls over the room and the girls look to the door, the Matron standing there with a soft smile.

"He's ready to go."

A humble crowd of fourteen assembled on the hill, from Hyland citizens to ministry men. Emma was impressed given that it had only been a few hours. She and Ominis waited outside the cottage for Anne to prepare herself.

The pair watch in silence as the matron attaches the carriage to the thestral. She rewards him with a chunk of meat.

"Can you see them?" Ominis suddenly asks quietly.

"I can," she confirms, "Since the dragon attack. I'm quite fond of them, really. They're gentle, shy creatures."

Her mare Darquess and her stallion Nightshade had just had another foal.

The matron turns to them and nods, signalling that she is ready to go. Emma smiles, glancing up at the sun, now high in the sky. The light blinds her exhausted eyes. It glistens off the end of the coffin in the carriage.

"I never got to thank him."

"What?" Her head flicks to Ominis.

"Solomon," he answers hushedly, "He took me in when he didn't have to. Even transfigured his armchair into a cot for me to sleep on when I stayed over. He fed me over the entire holidays during which I stayed there. I tried to offer money once. I think he was more offended than anything."

'Avada Kedavra.' Her teeth grind.

Emma smiles, "What a thing to remember him by. I'm sure he knew you were grateful without you having to say it, though I doubt you let anything go by without gratitude."

He gives a bashful chuckle.

Suddenly, a brutal wave of fatigue crashes into her.

"Merlin," she stutters, unable to stop herself from tipping forward, body suddenly weak and floppy.

"Emma!" He exclaims as she falls into him. He quickly catches her under the arms, steadying her. "Sit down!"

"I'm fine, I just need a momen-"

"You have not been fine since your fight with Rookwood!" He snaps, taking on almost all of her weight with an arm across her back. It is a great relief to her tired body.

Knowing he can support her weight is somewhat of a heartstopper, even in her delirium. The ice is slippery beneath her boots as she balances herself, hands against his chest.

"I'm sorry Ominis," she forces out breathlessly.

"I don't mean to be cold but, is this so important? Should you perhaps lie down until we're back?" He suggests, eyebrows creased with concern in the cute way she has observed before.

"Absolutely not," she declares, "I promised I would be there for her. So I shall. Sleep after."

Ominis sighs, "Do you need me to help you along the way?"

They could hear Anne's footsteps approaching. Emma quickly backs away, immediately feeling a chill.

"It would be unjust to take you from her on such a day," she tries to say sweetly, but it comes out sounding rather melancholy. His brow furrows deeper.

The door opens to reveal Anne shrouded in black.

Her face visibly darkens when she looks around.

"Even though I wish not to see him, I had hoped he would come to our uncle's funeral..." She laments. In her hands is a box, which she manoeuvres carefully as she shuts the door behind her.

She looks at Ominis, then Emma, with a look of numb despair.

A small smile curves her mouth.

"Thank you for being with me." Her statement ends with a wince as she grabs her chest in pain.

Ominis offers Anne his arm and Emma gives them space to line up behind the carriage. She planned to hang back, give them a lead, but Anne looks over her shoulder at her with desperate eyes.

She holds her free arm out to Emma, who is left with no choice but to lock elbows with the other girl.

'Avada Kedavra.' Her eyes water.

Together, they follow the carriage through the hamlet. Anne begins sobbing uncontrollably straight away, stumbling a few times as they come around the bend. Emma holds her tight the whole time, keeping pace, never rushing. Ominis faces ahead with a stone solemn face, as if grounding himself.

They both work hard to escort Anne up the hill to the cemetery. The attendees look upon Anne with great sorrow, some in tears, others unable to keep looking.

Professor Sharp is there. He gives them a nod.

The three stop at the edge of the empty grave.

A few moments of silence pass as the crowd wait for Anne to gather herself. Emma once again adjusts the girls' clothing, rumpled from her grief. She summons another handkerchief for her.

Anne dabs her face and takes a few breaths.

"My uncle Solomon..."

~

Three people spoke of the dead.

Emma and Ominis remain at Anne's side throughout. Emma sneaks a peak at him a few times, but mostly her eyes are trained back on Feldcroft, hoping to see Sebastian in the distance.

Something tells her the shame of what he has done will keep him away for now, even if he's not conscious of it yet.

After Anne's heartfelt speech about her uncle's family life and how he took in her and Sebastian, a big burly Auror from the ministry spoke on his career. Bernard Ndiaye, the shopkeeper in Feldcroft, gave a fond account of Solomon's place in the community and time at Hogwarts. Emma remembers him telling her he had lived in Feldcroft his whole life.

All recollections were incredibly fond. Emma realises in her few uncomfortable conversations with the man that she never knew the real him. They were always at odds because of Sebastian.

The coffin is sealed after Anne places the box she had brought from the cottage in beside his head. The entire time, all Emma could do was chant an apology to him in her mind, guilt aching in her tired bones. She kept her lips sealed to hide her yawns.

The attendees stayed for the burial, then one by one, started back down the hill. It began to rain.

Ominis produced the same umbrella he had while in the snow with Emma. They stick by Anne as the sky pours down on the fresh soil of her uncle's grave.

"He never showed," she murmurs, voice creaky and weak. Emma looks at her face, to see the tear stains dried on her face. Her stricken grief has shifted to a solemn one, a clear change in her demeanour.

Feeling helpless, Emma rubs Anne's arm once more as she had been doing the entire time, before stepping out into the rain towards the grave.

She kneels down beside it, without stepping on him, and takes out her wand.

"These will never wither," she tells Anne, waving her wand in a slow circle at the stone. A Teal Wreath of summer flowers blooms, marking the completion of his journey.

'Avada Kedavra.' She wobbles in her crouch, quickly getting to her feet.

Emma returns to Anne and the three of them stand in silence for a couple more minutes, until the rain becomes too heavy.

"Let's get you back," Ominis says after a while.

"You need to lie down," Emma adds.

It's a slow walk, but they make it back down the hill, across the stone bridge and up to the village.

"I won't turn him in," Anne announces suddenly as they near the house. "Even though a part of me wants to see him punished, I can not bear the thought...whatever the two of you decide. All I know is, I don't want to live here anymore."

Emma hurries ahead to open the door.

"You don't have to think about all that right now," Ominis soothes as they step inside, umbrella disappearing. "Just rest for now."

Emma waves her wand, using the spell Figg had taught her to make some tea for the three of them. Anne removes her shoes, coat and scarf before curling up on her bed. Ominis sits at the table, equally glum.

Once finished, Emma picks up the tea and saucepan and carries it to Anne. She sucks in a deep breath through her teeth.

"There's something I have been meaning to tell you," she begins, placing the dish on the bedside table as she sits beside her. "It may not be a good time but...perhaps it will bring you some peace." Ominis leans forward with his elbows on his knees, nodding approvingly.

Anne's eyes flicker to her expectantly.

"I was abducted the night before last from Hogsmeade by Victor Rookwood and his gang."

"What!?" Anne sits straight up, clearly distressed.

Emma shakes her head and encourages her back down, "He wanted to betray Ranrok to me, but only so he could gain control of what the goblins have. I obviously declined and so they stole me away to the Ashwinder castle."

Anne clutches her hand, "And?"

"And," Emma glances at Ominis, "There won't be any Ashwinders around to curse children now." Realisation begins to dawn on Anne's face, "You see, when he could not convince me to join him, he said 'children should be seen and not heard'. I knew then..."

Anne lets out a shaky breath, turning over to stare at the roof.

"Now he's dead, Anne. I blew him up myself," she cringes at her own words immediately, forgetting the morbidity of the day for a moment.

The other girl, however, does not seem to mind.

"Oh thank you Emma," she sniffles gratefully. "I knew it wasn't a goblin. But Sebastian..." She trails off, not having to explain further to either friend.

"He was working with goblins and wanted to hide it. He knew they'd be blamed."

Anne takes the information in her stride.

Emma has her sit up and drink the tea. She uses her wand to release Anne's hair from its bun, then tucks her under the blankets. It does not take long for the exhaustion of the day and her illness to overcome her.

A spell is cast to keep the area around Anne silent while they talk. She joins Ominis at the table.

"Don't make me say it," he remarks softly.

"I know, I know," she smiles, "I should be resting too."

"Exactly," he responds. The elegant pronunciation of his words always gets Emma in the heart. "Do you know...you failed to mention the kidnapping part when you told me the story."

"Did I?" She ponders innocently. Ominis gives a grunt of disapproval. "As I recall it is the first time I've been captured."

"And the last, hopefully."

Her heart races as she smiles, "Well, there's one way you can see to that."

He cocks his head.

"Accompany me to Hogsmeade from now on."

He laughs, "Well I did promise you breakfast."

She returns his chuckle, glancing at Anne to make sure the spell is working. Her eye catches a photo of Sebastian on the wall, causing quite a sting.

'Avada Kedavra.'

"Oh Ominis," she sighs into her hands, "What will we do?"

"I don't know," his voice shakes. "Sebastian is my best friend. He's been my best friend since we were eleven. I don't want to lose him but..." he voice breaks, "I don't think we have a choice."

Emma's eyes fill with tears, "We have a choice it's just, both options are awful." She wipes her face with the back of her hand. "Either way we have lost him."

He nods solemnly, "To Azkaban or to horror. If we go with the first, we'll never see him again."

'Avada Kedavra.'

"If we choose not to turn him in, things can't go back to how they were." The whole time she speaks, she stares at Anne. "She won't want to see him for a while, I think. Perhaps she can move to a Hamlet in the North or East. He doesn't have to know where, at least at first. And we..."

We.

"We mustn't let this slide, Ominis."

'Avada Kedavra.'

He sighs deeply, "You're saying we should turn our back on him."

All of a sudden her heart feels as if it is bursting.

"I'm saying you were right this whole time and I was wrong!" Her voice raises as the emotion starts to boil in her, "I never should have let it get this far. I should have stopped him when he so rudely demanded me to exploit my teachers and power for his search.' She cracks open further and further with every word, the guilt and anger and trauma of the day finally breaking her. She yells through angry tears, "I should have stopped him when he used the Cruciatus curse so easily on me! I should have stopped him when he lied to us. I should have stopped him when we found the relic. I should have stopped him when he tried to teach me Imperio."

Ominis had shuffled forward, seized the hand not furiously squeezing the handle of her wand.

"I should have blasted him back to the castle when I found him with those Inferi!"

"Emma-"

"I countered that wretched curse twice against Rookwood, but I was completely helpless in the situation just because it was my friend casting it."

"The Killing Curse is near impossible to defend against, even for you, from behind him," Ominis interjects softly.

"But don't you understand, Ominis?" She comes down to his tone, "It's my f-"

"Don't even say it," he interrupts defiantly, moving his chair closer. "Emma, this was a tragedy. One that has been in the making for a lot longer than you have been here." He conjures a handkerchief. "We could have tried to stop him earlier, but the choice was always his. Besides, we know now how far he was willing to go to protect his search for a cure."

Emma nods, sniffling, "Because he's afraid to lose her. Now he's lost her anyway." She dabs at her eyes.

"And he's lost us," he adds sadly.

"You...agree then? We must turn our backs or turn him in?"

He sighs again, closing his eyes, "I'm not sure. I think so."

Neither of them say anything as Emma continues to dry her face. How embarrassing, she thinks. She did not want to make any of this day about herself. It had to be about Anne.

She watches the girl roll over in her bed, clearly still asleep. Her pretty face is peaceful, but pale and gaunt.

"Are you and Anne..." she begins aloud, without thinking.

Ominis freezes for a moment, before slowly drawing back from the hunch he had been in while comforting her.

"Are Anne and I what?" He asks suspiciously, a frown on his face.

Emma regrets her thoughtless decision straight away, having clearly crossed some sort of boundary.

"N-Nevermind," she mumbles, pulling her fingers from his grasp.

Ominis tuts, "No, I want you to ask cause perhaps you will realise how preposterous what you're implying is."

He can hold up his frown for only a little longer, before his mouth twitches into a smile. Emma kicks him.

"Ow!" He laughs, rubbing his shin. "Well what did you expect? I already told you Anne is like a sister to me."

"You could have just said that!" Emma argues, trying not to smile.

"Forgive me for trying to make you smile," he responds, still chuckling and nursing his leg. "No need to resort to violence. We're Slytherins, not Gryffindors."

"I'm not that type of Slytherin," Emma smirks.

She waves her wand, conjuring the other two cups of tea over.

"What about you?" He asks, head turned away.

"What about me what?" She responds dumbly as she sips her sickly sweet brew.

"Is there someone you have your eye on?"

Now it was her turn to freeze. She ponders carefully what to say.

"You could say that."

He turns back towards her.

"Who?" He demands.

Emma sips her tea slowly, the thought of straight up saying 'You' swirling in her mind.

"Promise you won't tell?" She smiles.

Ominis nods. So she places her cup down and leans forward. She can see a tinge to his cheeks.

"Professor Sharp."

He doesn't speak or react in any way for a few moments. Suddenly, he waves his wand and Emma's handkerchief plonks into her tea, ruining it.

"Oi!" She laughs loudly.

"Well I can't exactly kick you, can I?" He responds primly.

"What a gentlemen," she hums sarcastically, feeling a giddiness cover all the bad feelings up. She falls for Ominis more and more. "Just like Professor Sharp."

"And how would you know?"

"Woman's intuition," she responds, "I saw him petting the village cats."

"And it was love from there?" He smirks.

"Unconditional," she jokes, giggling away. "In all honesty it's a shame Professor Sharp is not married."

"Perhaps he is and he simply wishes none of us to know," Ominis suggests.

Emma nods in agreement, "We are an awful bunch. Though he probably just doesn't want Gareth to know."

They continue to laugh together, the room feeling lighter.

"I do enjoy his talent for mischief. I know you have since our first potions lesson."

Emma grins at the memory, "I regretted it immediately but looking back now, it wasn't all that bad. Sharp thought it was funny, really. And I was honest with him straight away, even though Gareth tried to take all the blame."

"So he denied your part in it?"

She hums, "I suppose that's what friends do."

The statement brings the mood of the room back down.

That's what friends do.

It relates to their current problem well.

They both sigh audibly.

"Knowing him, if the guilt isn't consuming him now, it will soon," Emma says. "Is that really punishment enough?"

"If he were imprisoned he would have to stop his search. No one else would get hurt."

She nods, "I'm sure he'll say he won't do anything like this again, that he'll stop his search but..."

"We've both heard that before."

Her eyes move back to Anne, turned away from them.

"She's an incredibly just person," Ominis begins, "It always surprised me that she ended up in Slytherin. She's more suited to the other houses in my opinion, but she had to be with Sebastian. The hat took ages to decide."

"She'll never see him again if he's in Azkaban," Emma mutters, a tear falling down her cheek.

Ominis sighs for what must be the hundredth time that day.

"So we agree; not only will his guilt and failure be his punishment, but he loses us too."

She slumps back into her chair, "If not for killing his uncle then for fighting us with his Inferi to increase his ability to manipulate Dark Magic."

"A rather unforgivable act."

Emma feels herself ready to slip off to sleep, the strength she had gathered to get through the day all but gone.

"We have to be strong, Ominis," she yawns, "We can not keep his friendship. If we're not going to let Black and the Ministry help him see the error in his ways, then it is up to us. We must also-" She stops to yawn again, "-support whatever relationship Anne wants or does not want with him."

"We must...cut him off entirely? I share a dorm room with him."

Emma's head lolls back, "Better he share a dorm at Hogwarts with a reminder of his failure, rather than an Azkaban cell with another murderer."

"You're right," he nods. "He's avoiding a lifetime of punishment."

The topic is clearly over when Ominis waves his wand over his shoulder. A bed pops out from the wall opposite Anne's.

"Sebastian's," he explains, thankfully knowing already Emma had no interest in sleeping in Solomon's empty bed.

"But...what will you do?" She asks, rubbing her eyes as she stands.

"Oh I'll be here," he flicks his wand again and their History of Magic homework appears on the table. "When you wake, breakfast."

She pouts jokingly, "Thats three breakfasts you owe me now."

He laughs as he sets out his parchment. Emma shrugs off her coat and boots at the door and turns to Sebastian's bed. Right now, it looks wonderful.

She watches Ominis as she peels off her gloves and removes her glasses from her head. He uses his wand to write with a quill.

"Do you fancy anyone?" She asks boldly, placing her things on the bedside.

Ominis continues writing for a moment, no sound but the scratch of his quill in the cottage.

"Should I answer with a joke as you did?"

"I answered with truth before the joke," she counters, unlacing her overtop, smiling dreamily. "I do have someone- not Sharp -in mind. Or heart, I suppose."

Ominis taps his quill in the inkpot.

"As do I," he states simply, before returning to writing.

"Who?" She chirps.

Then she had to laugh, because despite being blind he still looked directly at her with exasperation and then rolled his eyes.

"Nice try."

She grins, shuffling into bed.

"Goodnight Ominis."

"Goodnight, Emma," he responds softly. She can hear the smile in his voice. "May you have sweet dreams."