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“Mr Weasley, due to your antics in our previous class I’ve decided that it might be worth putting some of your skills into better use, by assisting Mr Gaunt…”
“Professor, I assure you there’s really no need to-”
“And I assure you that I’ve already made up my mind. Mr Gaunt might appreciate a helping hand whereas you might appreciate his help in keeping yours out of mischief.”
“Yes, Professor…”
In all honesty, Garreth should’ve been expecting some sort of repercussion following the rather explosive start to Potions this term. He’d already managed to place himself in Professor Sharp’s bad graces and they were barely even a month in to their fifth year. After introducing himself to the new fifth year student, Garreth had wanted to make a good first impression and while it hadn’t necessarily been good, it had at least been memorable.
What he hadn’t expected was for Professor Sharp to place him under the scrutiny of Ominis Gaunt. Garreth couldn’t lie, he could think of better people to sit beside in the classroom. It wasn’t as though he disliked the dark blond Slytherin boy, they’d just never particularly seen eye to- warmed up to each other… Ominis wasn’t the easiest fellow to chat to, and that had nothing to do with him being a Gaunt. Of course not, not at all.
But while they were on the topic, the house of Gaunt were Slytherins through and through while the Weasley’s were a proud Griffindor family. In that respect, it almost made them sworn enemies. But Garreth didn’t believe in all that boring tradition stuff, although he couldn’t quite say what Ominis’s stance was on the matter.
After Garreth had finished speaking with Professor Sharp, he collected up his belongings from his chair and begrudgingly approached Ominis who was sat alone at his station. Much like Garreth, Ominis also had the habit of turning up to class early, except for Ominis that was every class meanwhile Garreth was late to every single one except for Potions… Funnily enough.
Ominis had his finger on an open book, tracing his finger slowly across the page while his other hand supported his head with his elbow rested against the table. Garreth cleared his throat. Wow, why did he feel so bloody nervous? He’d spoken to Ominis before, but only really in passing. He had a certain aura about him, Garreth couldn’t properly describe it.
“Professor Sharp says we’re to partner up today, a punishment of sorts for what happened last week.”
Ominis lifted his head away from his hand and he quirked an eyebrow at Garreth’s choice of words.
“I wasn’t aware that having to sit beside me was classed as a punishment.”
Bollocks.
“What? I- No… Sorry. That’s not what I meant. I just-”
“Sit down, Weasley.”
Ominis replied dismissively and had already returned back to his previous position with his attention now at the book he was reading, seemingly ignoring Garreth altogether.
Ominis hadn’t particularly been all that bothered by Garreth’s comment which suggested that he’d known exactly what he’d been getting it, he’d just chosen to make the situation awkward for whatever reason. He actually hadn’t meant for it to come out in the way that it had. Well, he supposed it could’ve always gone worse...
Garreth had taken the empty seat beside Ominis with a cauldron in front of each of them. Some of the other students were starting to arrive although class still hadn’t officially begun yet and Garreth felt determined to fix the uncomfortable atmosphere that he sensed between the two of them now. Somehow. Garreth didn’t much like long, drawn out and sullen silences but apparently Ominis didn’t appear to mind them.
“So, what’re you reading?”
“Please don’t make small talk.”
Garreth huffed an irritated sigh. Ominis was going to be a tough old nut to crack. How on Earth were him and Sallow such good friends? Did they just grunt and grumble at each other all day to communicate? From what the young Griffindor had been able to gather, they did seem awfully close.
He began to tap his fingers against the desk in a familiar rhythm and mirrored Ominis’s position with his other hand supporting his head. Ugh, silence it was then… However, after just a short minute of this, which had felt like a lifetime to Ominis, the blond boy abruptly closed his book in his annoyance.
“For Merlin’s sake, is this supposed to be punishment for you, or for me?”
“Forget about the bloody punishment thing, will you? You know that’s not what I meant. Professor Sharp said-”
“Yes I know what he said, I’m not deaf.”
“Then what’s your problem? Because I’m just trying to be nice and talk to you while you’re acting like a complete and utter-”
“Alright, class! Attention please, let’s begin.”
Apparently Professor Sharp had wonderful timing and Garreth’s voice had quickly been drowned out as he announced for the lesson to start. Ominis had shot him a discreet glare before moving his focus towards the professor. It was safe to say that Garreth had decided to use his better judgment and hadn’t dared to open his mouth again throughout the duration of the lesson. Until the next class, that was, once the air had cleared a little and the tension between them wasn’t quite so high.
It was during the middle of their class that Garreth plucked up the courage to open his mouth again.
“So, I’ve actually been thinking-”
“Do that often, do you? Don’t hurt yourself.”
If he’d learned one thing during their short time spent together, it was that Ominis Gaunt was just insufferable.
“You know what? Never mind then.” Garreth had huffed in frustration, resulting in a subtle smirk from Ominis. He’d won, for now.
But unfortunately for Ominis, Garreth Weasley was persistent. They’d been leaving their third Potions class of the term when Garreth had caught up to Ominis in the hallway. The rest of the students had filtered out alongside them too. Garreth was determined to get through to Ominis, for whatever reason the more he pushed him away the more inclined he felt to latch on and try a little harder in his efforts.
They’d just spent Potions class together again and Professor Sharp seemed quite keen to keep the two boys together, so whether Ominis liked it or not Garreth didn’t want to have to spend the entire term dreading the company he was in during his favourite lesson.
Garreth had been a little breathless by the time he’d caught up to Ominis who was striding ahead alone to an unknown destination.
“So, guess what?”
“No.”
Great start. But he digressed.
“I’ve been working on a potion that I think you might like.”
“Is it one that makes you disappear completely?”
“Ha, no… Although how would you know if I’d disappeared completely?”
Ominis had stopped rather abruptly in his tracks and had turned slightly towards Garreth’s direction who was now by his side. “Excuse me? Was that supposed to be funny?”
“What? No! That isn’t- that’s not. Oh forget it. Look- Listen. It’s an oculus potion, Ominis, the potion I’ve been working on.”
Garreth had quickly tried to explain himself and Ominis had rolled his eyes before continuing to walk with Garreth having quickly catching up to him and matching his pace. If Ominis was being honest with himself, he found Garreth’s incessant bumbling rather amusing.
“Oh how original. Do you not think that I might’ve been made to try every oculus potion under the sun already? They don’t work for me.”
“Aha… But you haven’t tried mine, now have you?”
“I’m not trying any potion that you’ve concocted, Garreth.”
“Oh come on, please?”
“No. What if it brings me out in a rash? Or makes my hair fall out?”
“Are they two major concerns of yours then, I take it? Your skin and your hair?”
“Oh shut it, Weasley… You know full well what I mean.”
“Well you don’t have to worry about any of that, tried and tested it myself.”
“Really. And?”
“And I’m not bald or covered in boils. I only had a small sip but it made me feel wonderful, euphoric even, and I could swear I had clearer vision than ever before.”
Ominis hummed.
“You’re considering it, aren’t you?”
“Well I suppose it’s worth a try…”
“Yes! You won’t regret this.”
“For your sake, I hope I don’t.”
Later that day Ominis was sat with Sebastian outside of the Potions classroom on a wooden bench just across from the door. Garreth had arranged to meet Ominis but as soon as he’d informed Sebastian of their plans, of course he was going to be there. Just in case.
“Are you sure about this?”
“I wouldn’t be if Garreth hadn’t already tried it himself, apparently it worked for him.”
Sebastian hummed in an unconvinced contemplation. “I’m not so certain I like this.”
“This is quite the role reversal, isn’t it? Me diving head first in to peril and you playing mother hen. Refreshing, isn’t it?” Ominis gave a soft smirk at his own words just as they both heard the approaching footsteps that belonged to Garreth Weasley.
“Huh. I’ll say.” Sebastian returned the humoured smirk.
“Ah! There… You both are.” Garreth had finished flatly. “I didn’t realise you’d be bringing your uhm- friend along with you.”
“Well his friend insisted.” Sebastian folded his arms across his chest once he’d moved to stand up and Ominis remained seated while his friend addressed the Griffindor boy. “Just in case anything goes wrong, I know exactly who to blame. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all.” Garreth reassured Sebastian, who was clearly apprehensive about all of this. “Come along then, let’s head inside the classroom, away from prying eyes.”
“Because that doesn’t sound ominous at all…” Sebastian said with his voice dripping with sarcasm. He gave Ominis a small nudge as the other boy rose to his feet. Sebastian’s gaze lingered on Ominis for just a fraction longer than strictly necessary.
“Hilarious, Sebastian.” Ominis commented dryly with a sigh as he fought back the smile that threatened to creep up along his lips.
“Right…” Garreth murmured as the two Slytherin boys made their way into the classroom with Garreth in tow. He suddenly felt strangely like a bit of a third wheel, that was the only way to describe the atmosphere that lay heavy. But he ignored that and pressed on with the reason why he’d dragged them into an empty classroom. “So…” Garreth broke the short silence and cleared his throat. “I have the vial right here.” He retrieved the small tube from his pocket concealed within his school robes.
“Ugh! Is it supposed to be brown?” Sebastian exclaimed with blatant disgust.
“Looks can be deceiving, Sebastian…”
“Indeed.” Ominis added monotonously.
“Besides, wait until you get a whiff of the stuff, positively divine.” Garreth uttered with pride as he removed the cork topper from the vial, the intoxicating scent escaping from the tube and filling the small area around them with its potent aroma. They all took a seat on the three stools that surrounded one of the desks within the classroom.
“Wow… You’re right.” Sebastian said in disbelief, reaching over to take the vial from Garreth to inspect the liquid further.
“Smells just like Honeydukes, right?”
“No.”
“No.”
The two Slytherin boys had echoed almost in unison and Ominis stepped over closer to Sebastian so he could too investigate a little deeper.
“I’m getting… Cinnamon, old parchment and- and there’s something else that I can’t quite put my finger on...” Ominis said in wonderment, allowing his mind to wander momentarily in his own speculation.
“Huh. To me it smells like spearmint, vanilla and… Hm. Blackthorn, I think.” Sebastian quirked an eyebrow.
“I wasn’t aware the potion would smell differently to each of us, I’m not so sure why it would.” Garreth trailed off in his confusion, a small frown on his face.
“Well give it here, then. Let’s get on with it.” Ominis took the small tube from Sebastian’s hand and didn’t hesitate to drink the contents of the vial in one swift motion.
“Ominis, wait-” Sebastian had barely even managed to get out the words but it was already too late.
“How does it taste?” Garreth asked in his excitement.
“It tastes- Erm… It tastes-” Ominis had muttered slowly before he promptly collapsed forward on to the desk, causing Sebastian to practically dart up from his stool with urgency to wrap an arm around his friend.
“Ominis!” Sebastian cried out. “Oh Merlin, he’s dead!”
“Sebastian calm down, he’s fine. Just knocked out.” Garreth had approached cautiously and stationed himself the other side of Ominis, who was still flat out against the desk.
“What do you mean ‘just knocked out’? Is this normal? I knew he shouldn’t have drank that bloody potion!”
“You’re overreacting, look… He’s clearly breathing, just give him a minute to-”
“Ominis? Ominis! Wake up, can you hear me?” Sebastian had rolled Ominis’s torso over to his side to get a better look at his face. His eyes were still closed and he had a peaceful look about him, as though he was sleeping. But it did nothing to help settle Sebastian’s concern over all of this. “Oh Ominis, I’m sorry this is all my fault, I shouldn’t have ever agreed to this, I swear I’ll avenge you, I’ll strangle Weasley with my bare-”
“Mhrm… Sebastian?” Ominis began to move, blinking in bewilderment and sitting up slowly.
“Ominis! You’re alive!” Sebastian practically grinned from ear to ear as he sat back down on his stool beside Ominis, still with an arm supporting his lower back, taking the precaution in case Ominis were to topple off his own chair.
“Of course he’s alive, Sallow, you absolute moron!” Garreth said in his own frustration. “I had no idea you were so bloody dramatic.”
“Sebastian…”
“Are you alright, Ominis?”
“How could I not be? With you here with me?”
Sebastian quirked a single brow at the unusual response given by his friend but quickly brushed the comment aside to investigate further.
“I- Okay… Well, how do you feel?”
“And can you see?” Gareth piped up in his own intrigue.
“I can see… Shadows and light, brighter than before-”
“Oh… I guess it didn’t work then. Not really.” Garreth’s shoulders slumped and he gave a faintly disappointed sigh while Ominis continued to speak, reaching out towards Sebastian as he did so.
“I think I can make out your face, Sebastian.”
“Well you are touching it so-”
“And it’s wonderful, your skin is softer than I ever imagined and your hair- oh sweet Merlin, your hair…”
“Err… Ominis? Are you feeling okay? You’re being very- ‘touchy’.”
Despite Ominis having stolen the opportunity to run his fingers through Sebastian’s hair, Sebastian made no attempt to move away from his friend.
“Garreth, what in Merlin’s name have you done to him?”
“You mean, this isn’t normal?”
“No, Garreth! Of course it’s not normal, you idiot! Do you seriously think that Ominis is ever this bloody affectionate?”
“Well I don’t know, do I? He’s different with you.”
“Yes but not like this!” Sebastian was incredulous. He turned his attention back to Ominis to address him instead. “Ominis… You’re acting a little bizarre, so I think it’d be best if-”
“We kiss?”
“I- You- What?!”
Sebastian might’ve toppled straight off the chair if he hadn’t been sat so close to Ominis and with the other boy’s hands on him to support him somewhat. Ominis, on the other hand, hadn’t at all been fazed by the proposed idea. Garreth cleared his throat a little awkwardly and slowly moved to stand, getting up from the table that the three of them had been surrounding.
“I would say you two need to get a room but considering we’re already in one, maybe I’ll just leave…”
”Like hell you are! Garreth, what’s happening?! What have you done to him? Why is he being like this? I thought you tested it?!”
“I did! I don’t know! I only tried a sip but it wore off fairly quickly…”
Garreth trailed off while he stared at Ominis in confusion meanwhile Ominis seemed quite insistent to just melt against the heat radiating from Sebastian’s body.
“I just want to hug you, hold you, be with you… Just for a moment…” Ominis purred softly in a lowered tone, one that hopefully Garreth hadn’t been able to pick up from his position. A warming heat had found its way to Sebastian’s face, very slightly tinging his cheeks a pale pink.
“Ominis, you’re clearly not in your right mind right now, so just- let’s just calm it down a bit while Garreth over here, Garreth who is still very much here, finds a way to help you.” Sebastian’s voice sounded rather dry for those who were paying close enough attention. “And if he doesn’t fix this then he’s as good as dead.”
“Fine hold on, for goodness sake. I’ll check my potions book.” Garreth said as he placed his bag down on the table to dig out the book from inside.
“Be quick about it!”
Keep your hair on, Sallow…”
“Sebastian…” Ominis had practically ditched his own seat in favour of closing any remaining gap between him and Sebastian. The young blond Slytherin had leaned closer, to whisper something into Sebastian’s ear which caused that blush to darken considerably.
“Oh Merlin’s beard- Hurry up, will you?!” Sebastian told Garreth in desperation.
“Okay… Okay- Oculus potion, where are you? Ah, here it is! It’s- Ah. Oh no.” Garreth had flicked a page over in his book back and forth once or twice before the realisation had quickly set in.
“What? What’s ‘oh no’? I don’t like ‘oh no’, Garreth!”
“Well, it seems as though two pages of my potions book were stuck together so apparently I’ve brewed half an oculus potion and half-”
“And half a what?!”
“And half an amortentia potion...”
Sebastian froze and stared at Garreth’s in disbelief, briefly glancing down at Ominis who was now snuggled against his chest with very little willingness to let him go.
“A love potion?! Garreth I’m going to bloody kill you, do you hear me I-”
“Well don’t worry, the effects will wear off soon on their own. Anyway I’d better be off. Three’s a crowd and all that.” Garreth gave a half hearted, if not faintly nervous, chuckle as he reached for his book and his bag and slowly began to back away towards the door.
“Don’t you dare leave me here, Garreth Weasley or I swear to Merlin I will-… And he’s gone.” Sebastian grumbled in defeat as Garreth darted out of the classroom before he’d been able to say or do anything else.
“Finally…” Ominis clung on to Sebastian as though his life depended on it, cuddling the other boy as close as he was possibly able to. All Sebastian was able to do was sit and wait, and hope that Professor Sharp wouldn’t enter the classroom. Sebastian also had to try and pretend that he wasn’t enjoying every little moment of this…
It wasn’t known exactly how much time had passed.
“Sebastian…”
“Shh it’s okay, Ominis.”
“Why are you petting my hair?”
“Oh.” Sebastian cleared his throat. Shit. Evidently Ominis was back to his usual self. The potion had worn off, just as Garreth had said that it would. “Well you see, Garreth messed up the potion and combined an oculus potion with a love potion and you were acting a bit weird so-”
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re still petting my hair…”
“Sorry.”
“I didn’t say stop.”
“Oh… Sorry.”
Ominis hummed when Sebastian resumed the action and despite the effects of the potion having now worn off, he’d made little effort to put some space between the two of them. “Did you know my wand is made from blackthorn?”
“Oh-Kay… What does that have to do with anything?”
“You said the potion smelt of blackthorn to you.”
Sebastian blinked.
“Ah I see, yes- yes I did.”
“And the smell that I couldn’t quite recall, well I’ve realised the familiar scent belonged to Feldcroft. Or more specifically, your home.”
“It’s your home too now, you know.”
“Our home.”
The two boys had each smiled. Ominis could almost hear the cogs turning inside Sebastian’s head.
“So the potion made us both smell things that remind us of each other?”
“Apparently so.”
There was a short pause and a careful yet comforting realisation washed over the both of them. The air that surrounded the both of them felt warm and pleasant. Sebastian held Ominis that bit closer while Ominis reciprocated the action in kind.
“Perhaps I don’t need to kill Weasley after all.”
Ominis gave a small, lingering smile still with his head rested against Sebastian’s chest while the other boy’s fingers continued to gently tease through his hair.
“Mm… Not today, at least.”