┌─────── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───────┐
Chapter Fifteen
YEAR'S END
└─────── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───────┘

─────── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───────

A few week have passed since the day that we studied Boggarts in Defense Aginst the Dark Art. The students were still buzzing about what they had witnessed during the class. Some making fun of others for their fears. Some were mean to Anne for being a nerd but Sebastian was quick to defend her.

No one knew what mine was so that meant I was free from the mean comments, but Sebastian had a few comments thrown his way because of his. People laughed at him becuase he was scared of losing everyone he loved. Just as he defended her, Anne was quick to throw a few punches at those that spoke against her brother.

Then there was Ominis. Word had quickly spread that his fear was his family. It was only matter of time before his brother found out. He didn't seem to mind at first, even let other students make fun of his brother. But then he got tired of their comments and made all of them that were being mean to Ominis scared of him.

He wasn't sticking up for his younger brother, we knew that. He must have had some other motive. The four of us walk into the great hall for breakfast and I see my brother standing by the entrance. He looks up at me and see me with my friends and gives me a disaproving look but doesn't say anything. He know by now that he can't change my mind about my friends.

We walk past him towards the Slytherin table and take a seat. I sit beside Sebastian while Anne takes a seat beside Ominis on the side of the table by the Gryffindor table. "I was hoping that all this talk about Boggarts would be over with by now," I say with a sigh as I see the looks that people are giving us. "It's been weeks."

I ignore the looks and reach for a bagel that is on the table. "It will eventually die out." Ominis says. I'm not sure if he believes his own words as he reaches across the table and grabs a slice of toast.

"So," Anne starts wanting to change the subject as she looks up from her bowl of cereal. "Did you guys finish the homework for transfiguration?"

Both sebastian and Ominis nod their heads but I look up at them. "No, I didn't know how to do it."

Anne looks up at me, "I would have helped you if you asked." she says.

"Would you mind helping me now?" I ask.

She nods her head and pushes her bowl away from her, "Yeah, I ca𑁋" She starts to say and then was inturrupeted by the loud noise of students behind her.

I glance behind her and see Marvolo making his way over to us. "Here comes you're brother." I whisper over to Ominis. I see him tense but slowly nod his head.

I look up from my friend and my eyes train on his brother who I am beginning to hate more and more. Espcially after what I saw him do in the memories, but also just for how he treats his younger brother. His eyes find mine as he approaches us and smirks at me. "Ominis, how are you doing little brother?" He says pushing Anne out of the way and taking a seat beside his brother.

Sebastian looks at his sister and me, all of us sit there tensely, not knowing what he is going to do. "What do you want, Marvolo?" Ominis asks sourly.

Marvolo wraps his arm around his younger brother, bringing him closer to him. "Mother wanted me to tell you that she heard what happened in class, you know with the Boggarts." he starts and Ominis closes his eyes. "She said I might have to teach you a lesson if you don't control the rumors."

I feel myself grow angry at his words, "And how exactly do you expect him to do that?" I ask him, staring into his eyes not letting him intimidate me.

He looks over at me and sends me a smirk, "Well, that's not really my problem now is it?" I roll my eyes at him.

Ominis ignores me and turns his head in the direction of his brother, "Fine," Ominis says in a weak voice, "I'll take care of it."

Marvolo laughs at him and then glances up at Anne and myself, "Can you believe him?" he asks us, "He's scared of his big brother for no reason."

Anne rolls her eyes at him, "Just go away, Marvolo." Sebastian says from beside him.

His eyes trail over to the brown haired boy across from him, "Now where is the fun in that." he says and then turns his attention back over to his brother. "I still got to teach my brother a lesson."

He grabs Ominis by his robes and they stand up, "What are you doing?" I ask standing up as well.

He looks over at me, "Oh, I think you know. I heard that you spent some time in his head." he says with a smirk and then winks as he leads his brother out of the great hall.

I glance at the twins with worry, "We have to follow them." I say, my voice shaky.

Anne quickly stands up and glances around nervously, "You guys follow them, I'm going to get a professor." she says and then runs towards the teachers table, where a few of them sit eating their breakfast.

I glance up at Sebastain, neither one of us saying anything as we take off running out of the great hall. My mind was racing, fearing what Marvolo was going to do to my friend. He wouldn't use the torture curse on his brother at school, would he? Surely not. But I hardly knew him, I didn't know what he would do. He thinks because of his family that no one can touch him, that he wouldn't get in trouble. That he wouldn't face the consequences of using the unforgivable curses.

But today he will face those consequences, even if it's just from Sebastain and myself.

I see them ahead of us. He has to hear us chasing after us as he drag Ominis into an empty classroom. I pick up my pace with Sebastian right beside me. We stop outside the door, catching our breath but also to get our wands out and prepare ourselves for a fight.

Sebastian counts to three quietly and then he opens up the door. We barge in and see the older Gaunt brother standing in the front of the classroom with Ominis standing in the space between the desks. Marvolo's eyes look to us as we enter. "Oh good, you showed up." he says with a smile.

I ignore him and rush to Ominis, Sebastian doing the same. "You guys need to leave." he whispers to us.

"Not without you." Sebastian tells him.

Ominis shakes his head, "No, he'll torture you as well."

I grip my wand tighter, "He won't be torturing anyone."

I glance up at his brother who had been listening to our conversation and he raises up an eyebrow still with a smile on his face. "Is that so?" he asks making his way closer to me. "And how exactly do you plan on stoping me?"

He reaches his hand out and brushes the hair away from my face as I glare at him. As if sensing my discomfort being so close to him, Ominis pushes his brother away. "Marvolo enough. Leave them out of this."

I see him take his wand out and glare at his younger brother, "You're such a disgrace to this family. Associating yourself with halfbloods. You shouldn't even have the Gaunt name." he tells his brother. He raises up his wand and begin to say a spell.

"Expluso!" I shout before he can say anything. Blue light emits from my wand and Marvolo is thrown back, hitting the wall behind him just as the door to the classroom is opened.

"Lila Snape!" Professor Sharp yells, "What are you doing?"

I turn to look at him and then back at Marvolo as he stands up and smirks at me. He steps closer, "Oh, did I not mention that I saw him coming. Have fun in detention." He walks away pretending like he is hurt to make it look worse for me. "Professor she attacked me for no reason. I was just talking with my brother because some students were bullying him and she barged in here and threw spells at me." He lies.

Professor Sharp's eye fix on mine and I can see the disappointment in his eyes, "Is this true?" he asks and I look back at the older Gaunt brother who mouths the word crucio and then points to Ominis. I know what he is saying. If I don't agree and tell Sharp that this is what happened then he would torture his brother again.

I slowly nod my head, "Yes sir, that is what happened." I say.

Sebastian and Ominis both glance at me confused. "What? That's not what happened, sir." Sebastian interjects. "We were defending our friend."

Professor Sharp lets out an annoyed sigh, "Ominis, why don't you tell me what happened?"

I look at Ominis and see him about to answer and then see him wince. I furrow my eyebrow in confusion as he grips his head and turns his head in Marvolo's direction. I look to him and notice that he seems to be lost in thought.

"Yes." Ominis says barely audible. "That's what happened." he whispers his voice breaking.

Sebastian looks at him with confusion but doesn't say anything. "Ms. Snape follow me." He says and then walks out of the room.

"You didn't stop anything." Marvolo says as he grabs my arm stopping me form walking out of the classroom. "I still need to teach my little brother a lesson." his voice is so low that only I can hear him.

Before I get the chance to turn back around and tell my friends he pushes me out of the door where Anne is standing there waiting for us.

"What happened? Is Ominis okay?" She asks her voice laced with worry.

I shake my head and then the Professor is calling me telling me to hurry up. I leave my friend standing there confused as I walk down the hall, catching back up with the professor. I don't say anything, I have nothing to say.

We walk for a while, I figured that I would be serving detention in the library as usual but that doesn't seem to be the case.

"This is the second time this year that you have started a fight." Professor Sharps speaks after a long silence between us.

I don't say anything, I only just nod my head.

"If it happens again, I will send you to the Headmaster." he tells me.

The news doesn't bother me. Even if I do get expelled from the school, at least I would go defending my friends. "I'm sorry." I manage to say and then roll my eyes knowing what he is wanting me to say. "It won't happen again."

"I need you to actually mean those words." he says as we walk up some stairs. A silence falls over us again as we make our way to wherever it was that we were going. "As I am sure you have figured out, you will be serving detention." he says and I nod my head. I knew as much. "Professor Onai was saying earlier that she needs help in her room cleaning up, so instead of cleaning out books in the library you are going to the divination classroom."

"Why doesn't she just use magic to clean it up?" I ask him.

"Because, it's a good job for those that get detention." he answers. He stops walking at the bottom of the ladder leading up the divination class. "I will also being taking away twenty point from Slytherin for your behavior."

I shrug my shoulders, I didn't care anyways. It's just some stupid house cup at the end of the year. We had won it the last two years anyways. I don't respond to him and begin to climb up the ladder.

"You'll be done in an hour." he calls up to me.

I climb up the rest of the ladder and open up the hatch that leads into the classroom. When I stand up I am greeted by the professor.

"Hello, I take it you will be serving detention with me this hour." she says and I nod my head still upset that I an in detention when I didn't do anything wrong. I don't voice my anger though. "Right," she says and then walks over to the mess in the floor. "We were studying with the crystal balls today in class, as you remember, and one student knocked theirs off which caused others to knock off theirs." she informs me.

My eyes glances around at the mess in the floor. There is particles of glass everywhere. "Could you not use reparo on them?" I ask turing my attentionn back to Proessor Onai.

"Well, yes we could, but this is detention after all. You got to do things the harder way." She tells me and then makes her way to the closet and pulls out a broom and a pan, "Here you go." she hands them to me and I take them without question. "Alright, I will be back in an hour to release you." she says and then descends down the ladder leaving me alone in the room.

I let out a huff of annoyance and glance around at all the glass in the floor. There was no way I would be sweeping all of the glass up. "Accio glass." I say and bring all the glass into the pan and then dump it into the nearby trash can.

An hour's worth of work done is a few seconds. Now I have the rest of the hour to do nothing.

I walk to the back of the classroom and look around. There is still one crystal ball out on display in the back. I stare at it for a moment, considering touching it in hopes that I get to see more from the group of people. I could learn more from it and there is no danger because I'm not really there. I can't say for certain if they would be memories but they could show me the future or something that is happening now.

I find myself stepping closer to the ball and I take a seat in front of it. I take in a deep breath and bring my hands up to cup around it before I can change my mind. I close my eyes and I feel myself be transported to someplace within my mind.

It wasn't the same place as the last time. The castle ruins weren't even in view. Instead I found myself standing in a forest that was very familiar. I could see the buildings of Hogsmeade in the distance. I have only been there once, the first time the third years went.

There was a group of people standing beside me, I knew none of them. They wore a deep purple cloak. There was three of them. I was thankful that they couldn't see me, but even so I quickly moved behind a tree and peered around it.

"I don't understand why we have to wait." One of them complained to the others. "We could easily take her now."

One of them walked away from the group and moved towards the tree I was hiding behind. "Let's just go get her." The other said.

The last one shook her head, "No, you can't do that." She says with annoyance. "You know what happened if you don't follow orders."

The first guy turned to the girl, "Well, I could be doing a whole lot more than keeping watch on a student."

"Fine, go get her." She says and walks away from the two of them. "It's your funeral."

After she disapprated away the second guy turned to the first, "No, I don't think so." He says. "I think if we return with her then he wouldn't be mad."

The first guy seemed to think about this, "Yeah, I mean as long as she isn't hurt." He says.

The second guy pulls out his wand as he looks at the castle from the hill they were on. "Or as long as she doesn't look hurt." He says with a wicked smile.

Was this happening now?

The sun was rising which made me think that it was present time. I feel my heart start racing as the two men disapparated and reappeared closer to the castle grounds. "This should be easy." The first guy says.

They step out of the forest and make their way towards the school. I stood behind them at a distance, not wanting to get any closer to them.

The sound of someone apparating behind me causes me to turn around quickly on guard. I raise my wand up before I remember that I wasn't actually there. 

There he was. The man who now haunted my nightmares. He looked mad as he watches his people walk towards the castle. He raises his wand and points it at the second guy and then he utters the killing curse.

I flinch back as the green light leaves his wand. I refuse to turn my head as I head the thud of his body hitting the ground.

"No, please. I promise we weren't going to do anything." The other guys pleads.

The leader takes slow steps towards the other, "Now, why don't I believe you?" He asks rather calmly as if he didn't just kill someone.

"We were just going to get her and bring her back to you." The man tries to explain.

"And I told you not to go near her, just to keep an eye on her!" The leader yells at him.

I take a step away from the two of them, opting to hide behind a tree again.

The other guy nods his head, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

The leader nods his head, "You're right it won't." He says causing the other guy to look relieved. "Because you'll be dead." He finishes and then casts the curse.

There wasn't enough time for me to shield my eyes this time as I see the green of the spell hit the man in the chest. Even from where I stand a few feet away I could see the life leave his eyes as he falls to the ground.

I stumble backwards and let out a gasp. I try to will myself to let go of the crystal ball. I had seen enough and I want to leave.

The leader turns around and his eyes instantly find mine. "So nice of you to join me." He says walking over to me where I stand in the tree line.

I back away from him. He shouldn't be able to see me. I wasn't actually here. I feel myself struggling to take in a breath and soon I am gasping for air. I back up until I feel my back hit against a tree as I look up at the man with fear in my eyes.

He stands directly in front of me, close enough that he reaches out his hand and brushes away the hair that has fallen from my hairband. I turn my head away from him, too scared to actually move away from him or to raise up my arms to fight him.

"You have no idea how long I have spent looking for you." He says as he stares down at my face.

I close my eyes as he grabs my chin and makes me turn my head to look at him. "Why?" I mutter, my voice barely audible.

He smiles down at me, "You are special my dear."

My hand reaches into my school robes slowly and my fingers wrap around the wand. I quickly pull it out and point it at him. "Dupulso!" I shout making him fly backwards in surprise. I had caught him off guard. 

"If you want me so bad, why not just take me now?" I ask him as he stands up from the ground. I wanted to know his plans so I can be prepared.

He smiles at me, "Eager to join me?"

I raise my wand again, "Never." I say and then try to think of a spell that I can use against him. "Diffendo!"

The spell speeds towards him but he was expecting it and throws up a shield. "Nice try, but that won't happen again." He takes a step closer to me, "Expulso!" He shouts.

I try to throw up a shield with protego but I wasn't fast enough. I feel the impact of the spell as I am sent backwards into the tree. I feel the breath get knocked out of me as I fall to the ground trying to take in air.

"Diffendo." He says and I wasn't ready for another hit, my wand had fallen out of my hands from the impact of the spell hitting me that I can't defend myself as the cut hits me. This may not be real but it feels real as I look down and see a cut spread across my stomach.

I let out a scream from the pain of it. My breathing gets heavy as I glance back up at the man. "How?" I manage to say through the pain.  I slowly stand up despite it causing more pain to shoot through me. "How can you even see me?" I ask with my hand holding onto my side where the cut is.

I feel my hand become soaked in blood but I can't bring myself to look down at it.  "You think something as simple as a crystal ball will stop me?" He asks stepping closer to me. "I can sense whenever you are near, we are 𑁋" he says but then is cut off by someone appearing beside me.

I turn my head to see who it was and am relieved to see my best friend. Sebastian looks at me and then turns towards the man in front of me. He steps in front of me, his body shielding mine.

"Oh, the Sallow boy. I was hoping for the Gaunt one." The man says eyeing my friend.

Sebastian glares at him, anger was clear in his body language as I stand behind him, my back against the tree for support. "What do you want with us?" He asks.

"Us?" The man says as he holds his wand in his hand and bring his other hand up to hold the tip of the wand in it and twirl it around. "Now her," he says pointing behind Sebastian, "I want, but you," he says and the grips his wand tightly, "are disposable."

My eyes widen at his words and I see him raise up his wand. I will myself to let go to the crystal ball. I needed to right this minute. I grab Sebastian's hand and I hear the words. "Avada Kedavra!"

I close my eyes as I see the green light coming towards us. My heart races inside of my chest and when I open my eyes again Sebastian and I are inside the Divination classroom. I let out a relieved cry as tears fall from my eyes. I look at Sebastian who stands in front of me in shock.

"He was going to kill me." He says and I nod my head.

"I didn't even think he could see me. I was just trying to learn more." I try to explain to him.

I look down at my stomach and see that there was no cut. It hasn't actually been real. I had no idea if that curse had hit Sebastian if he would be dead for real, but I didn't want to find out.

"Please don't ever do that again." He says once he gathers himself.

I nod my head, "I don't want to." I tell him. "That was scary."

I reach my hand up to wipe away my tears and then I realize that there is blood coming from my nose. "How did you know I was up here?" I question him and I walk to the Professor's desk and take a tissue and wipe my nose.

"Professor Onai, she found me and told me to come and get you that she had to go do something." He says. "When I walked in I saw you with the crystal ball and I tried to call for you but you didn't answer and then I saw blood coming from your nose and I decided to join you."

I smile up at him, "Thank you for coming when you did." I say and then my hands reach into my robes looking for my wand. I had lost in the the fight but I breath a sigh of relief when I feel it. "I tried to leave as soon as he noticed me but I couldn't."

He brings his arms around me and pulls me close to him as more tears fall down my face. "It's alright. We're okay now." He says but I can tell that he still shaken up from having that curse directed at him.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

For the next few days Hogwarts is on lockdown. No one can leave and no one can arrive. Turns out the reason why Professor Onai had sent Sebastian to come and get me from detention was because she was headed outside, towards the forbidden forest. She explained later that she knew something bad was about to happen.

When she got there, two bodies laid there but there was no one else around.

Professor Black had shut down the door of the castle but assured us that we would be safe and should still continue our studies.

The night we left the Divination classroom we met up with Ominis and Anne and explained everything to them. At first Ominis was furious with me that I would do something so reckless but then he brought me in for a hug. He was glad that Sebastian and I were alright.

Anne was terrified when Sebastian told her about the curse being used against him.

The four of us were scared of the group who Ominis had still come up with nothing about who they were. As the days went by we pretended that nothing had happened. Ominis had told us that his brother was only messing with him before, that even he wouldn't dare use that spell in the school.

The Sallows had officially agreed to let the boy stay with them this summer once Anne had explained to them what happens when he is at home. When Marvolo heard about this he was mad because he couldn't hurt his brother but he didn't bother any of us. And to no one's surprise Slytherin won the house cup even though we were in last place a few days ago.

Now we stand outside the train station waiting on the train to come and get us and take us home. The Sallows and Ominis don't really need to take the train. They live not too far from the castle, but they always have so I don't have to ride by myself.

"You still got your journals, right?" I ask them. I had almost forgotten about the notebooks my grandmother had given me last year.

Anne is the first to nod her head, "Yeah," she says and then the boys nod their heads.

"You have to promise to let me know what you guys end up doing this summer." I tell them. "It's not fair that you guys get to hang out all summer and I'm stuck with my boring family."

Sebastian smiles at me, "I wouldn't say boring." He says, "You live in the muggle world, that's got to be interesting."

I shrug my shoulders, "It can be sometimes, but the Wizarding world is so much better." I tell him and before much longer the train stop at Kings Cross and we all get out. I bid my friends a farewell and make my way to my mother and brother who are waiting for me.

°

°

°

°

°

°

°

And that's the end of year three. I honestly didn't have much planned for this year until I started writing and things just came to me. But I'm really happy with this year and it's kind of the start to all the bad things that are going to happen. It was also the start to the longer chapters because there was a few with 5,000 words.

Year four is the one I've been looking forward to since I came up with this idea. But year four has taken me the longest to write because I burnt myself out but I'm slowly getting back into writing this story. I've written three chapters within a few weeks which is better than going months without writing anything. But it's also not like before where I would write like three chapters a day.

So far, I haven't written year five yet, year four is the longest chapter word wise. Year five will have more chapters but the word count for year four is a lot. I didn't plan for it to be that long I guess I just got carried away but despite burning myself out I still enjoy it. Now I need to start working on year five because year six is going to be a good year.