(Ominis)

Sharp dragged me roughly through the halls by my ear throwing open the potion's classroom pushing me forward as I stumbled in. Regaining my footing before I fell into a stack of cauldrons or worse as I tried my hardest to salvage my bearings without my wand. 

Bloody castle is an utter mess in this darkness. Even those graced with sight struggle to maneuver this chaotic littered disarray. Normally I can walk about the place with ease, my wand showing where figures and forms are. Helping avoid tumbles and bumps for nearly six whole years with its guide, but not now.

Now all I sense is darkness. Darkness with no escape from its lonesome hazy trenches. God my head hurts. Maybe it's from my other senses working in overtime, or it could be from the fight with Duncan? 

Pft, unlikely, the unsufferable wanker couldn't land a hit on me even if he tried.... No, with my luck it was from Sharp nearly slamming me against every wall and corner on our way here.

I rubbed my forehead feeling Duncans blood smear as it slowly dried making my stomach drop. Disgusting. Throwing my hand down in aggravation I tried to take in as much of the room as my senses could make out sending a stronger ache through me.

"You alright," he gruffly whispered as potions brewed in the background, I nodded.

"I'll be fine," I ground, readying for the earful I was sure to get for the scene I had just caused.

"Hmph," moving away the ex-Aurors steps echoed through the chilly room.

Silence filled the classroom unnerving me as the potions master could be heard shifting bottles. What is he thinking. The scene that he came upon wasn't pretty, my bloodied hands are of proof of that, but he had to know that there must be a good reason for it. He must understand that Duncans actions couldn't stand.

"Professor, if I may-"

"If your next words aren't answers for why I was called to Hogsmeade to pry you from Duncan Hobhouse's unconscious form, I suggest you not speak them," my mouth shut making the ex Auror laugh spitefully. "Bloody hell Ominis.... What in Salazars name were you thinking?" I remained silent. "You've nothing to say?"

"I have many things to say, none of them you'll like ," the man audibly bristled.

"Will they be the truth?"

"You doubt if I'll be honest?"

".... I do.... The scene I witnessed was quite jarring.... I thought I was coming to reprimand one of your brainless bunk mates," he spat. "Imagine my surprise when I found the one levelheaded student I thought I had at this damned school, the man I was just praising this morning asking him to take up one of the highest honors I could offer him, bashing a fellow students face in!"

"He deserved it-"

"No one deserves for you to lay your hands on them Gaunt! You are not reckless like your ill-tempered brother.... At-at least I thought you weren't... But maybe this summer back home had changed you," a pang went through my heart. I'm not like him.

"Sir, please.... I'll tell you everything-"

"I know you will," he clinked a bottle loudly on the table. "Your actions had taken me from a very important meeting this evening. A meeting I was already quite sour to attend and do not have time to entertain whatever tales you wish to spin.... You can drink this potion willingly or I can force it down your throat, but we will be getting the truth out of you tonight Mr. Gaunt."

"Veritaserum," I say in shock, the truth telling potion. One drop and a wizard will know all your secrets in mere minutes. A potion all in my family was too familiar with. It's what father used to get Uncle Septimus to admit he had a male lover he was planning on running away with.

He truly believes I have turned to be like my family. Tears ebbed my eyes as I took a struggled breath in. He has full right to believe that. The thoughts that took over me as soon as Poppy told me what happened were all but good. Each fist I threw was edged back with the need for revenge. I was acting just as the Gaunt every child is warned about. There is no point fighting him, it will only make it all worse.

I reached out, walking cautiously towards where I heard the bottle clink stepping blindly in the darkness until I hit the edge of the table. Searching its top for the bottle as Sharp sighs placing it against my hand.

"I'm sorry, I sometimes forget-"

"It's alright.... I actually appreciate you treating me like you would any of the other brainless prats here," I say curtly back popping the vial as I down its liquid, reeling at the taste. "Couldn't make it taste like honey?"

"Heh, no that would dilute the mixture," he laughed. "How are you feeling?"

"Quite famished honestly! Been hours since I last ate. Heard the elves have prepared tarts for supper. They're a bit bitter for my taste but Threa thinks they're divine. Swears that if you add just a bit of powdered sugar to them that they'll dissolve in your mouth. Hadn't had the pleasure to try it yet, she promised to show me tonight. Sounds delicious though.... So many things about her are delicious," I smack my hand to my mouth. Shit!

"Is that right," the man's voice uplifted. "You mentioned earlier that you and Miss Longbottom have grown closer since she got here."

"We have," I said breathlessly feeling my ears heat up. By Salazars name don't look to closely at me, he laughed hard.

"Calm yourself Gaunt I am not going to pry into your love life. You have come to care for her, I don't need a truth serum to know that," my face grew hotter. Merlin does everyone in this bloody castle know! "I am worried about her though.... She mentioned her nightmares have returned."

"They have," I nodded, remembering how scared she sounded at lunch. "I'm worried too."

"Hmm..... She tell you what they were of," this is not what he's to be questioning me about!

"She did," I ground out.

"What was it?"

"The station," I answered growing uncomfortable with where the questions were leading. "Sir she trusted me with this information-"

"I understand that Mr. Gaunt, but I am concerned about her wellbeing. You witnessed her attacks last year, we bent many of the rules to allow you to be there for her during them. I am merely curious if such rules will need to be bent again?"

"They may but .... That.... Is a question for Miss Longbottom to answer, my thoughts on the matter are null to what she wants," he snorted.

"I already spoken to her this morning, I've sent calming draughts for her bedside table but you and I both know they can only do so much-"

"Then ask Threa again what more can be done. If she asks you to consult me after then that is fine. But do not sit here thinking we can make a plan for her without her," I spit back. "Now are you going to limp through this questioning like you walk or are you going to stop wasting this vial and do your damn job?"

"Watch your mouth Gaunt."

"Sorry sir can't help it. Took a potent truth serum. My tongue cannot be held as much as I wish it could. I may not have been the best potioneer but I did pass every written test and know that this serum only has a good hour before it begins to wear off and you've already wasted the first ten minutes. Best get to asking me now as there is no way in hell, I'm going to allow you to pour that rancid drink down my throat again."

"You know you are at risk of expulsion for what you did to Hobhouse?"

"If I'm expelled for my actions today, I would welcome that punishment. I do not regret my actions one bit-"

"You are as stubborn as Sallow you know that," I frowned deeply at the name. How DARE he compare me to Sebastian.

"If you asked him, I'm worse," It's true. All I can say is the truth.

"Hmph.... Fine then. What happened to cause you to almost kill Duncan."

"If I wanted to kill him, I would have."

"Do not get caught up in my wording you know what I'm asking. What drove you to attack him today?"

"Duncan Hobhouse called Threa a whore yesterday," I said plainly as the man went silent. "Implied that she was skilled at riding men as she was a broom. Asked her to hop on his stick promising to give her a good turn," the man remained quiet. "He was referring to his dick."

"Yes, I gathered that Mr. Gaunt," he ground as thunder shook the castle. Curious, I didn't hear about any storm rolling in. "That is... heinous and it will be addressed but-"

"Insinuated that she warms my bed. Not that I am averse to such thoughts, I have dreamt of it thousands of times. She is divine. A goddess amongst us mere mortals. People should be worshiping the ground she walks, feel graced to even sit in her presence. No man, boy, or todger faced dugbog should be able to still be walking after insinuating such vile things.... Duncan Hobhouse being the latter should be thankful Garreth Weasley was the one there to pop his nose yesterday. As If I had heard such boorish words, I wouldn't have stopped swinging," the man sighed.

"Is that what fueled your punches today," if only.

"No..... No today I was only parting a warning."

"What happened to push it past a warning..." I leaned back, unable to stop the sadistic smile. 

"Ominis slow down," Poppy Sweeting's little feet could be heard chasing after me as I carried the newly purchased pet Puffskein down the street towards the town square.

"If you cannot keep up you can feel free to take the bags and head back to the castle. Threa should be arriving to Weasley soon and will be needing a friend if she doesn't get into ancient runes. The dorms password this week is the resourceful will prosper in Latin."

"I'm not the best at Latin."

"I could pronounce it for you but if you say it back wrong the door will bite you," she gasped gawking at my joke as I laughed at her innocence.

"You're joking."

"A bit, but it really won't allow you in. Seek out Deek, he's one of the castles elves, Threa trusts him. He'll make sure her things are put away safely," I kept with my long strides as she continued to follow. "Sweeting?"

"I'm not leaving you to face Duncan alone," I stopped turning on the small woman. My wand pulsed out revealing her a few paces away from me.

"Poppy as much as I appreciate the backup it truly would be best you head back to the castle. The man's heinous actions at the station yesterday has already put strain on your relationship. Do not allow him to be the thing that could break something that might be quite great before it can truly start. You love Samantha, she idiotically cares for him.... If you join me in this, you could lose her... Do not be foolish and choose revenge over the woman you love."

"I'm not the one getting revenge here."

"You picked the puffskein."

"It was your plan."

"You named him Vengeance," I shot back making her laugh as he hummed in my hands.

"Okay maybe this is a bit of my revenge too," she reached out petting the creature. "Despite the risks you're not going into this alone. You're my friend Ominis, we stand together," my heart warmed at the small notion. She sees me as her friend. Not just the guy that follows Threa around. "Now let's get this over with. Curfew is soon and I refuse to get caught by those nosey prefects again!"

"You go out after hours," I laugh in surprise as we continue down the street.

"Sometimes, it's the only time you can see the mooncalf's dance," true.

"Sharp asked me to become a prefect."

"Really," she said sounding genuinely shocked. "Huh, guess they'll take anyone these days!"

"Very funny Sweeting," I teased as a high-pitched goblin-like laugh cackled through the square. There he is. I flicked my wand towards him, casting accio at a breakneck speed pulling him towards me then levitating him upside down with a quick levioso.

"Wh-G-Gaunt? What are? What in Christ's name are you-"

"Do not invoke muggle Gods, they will not help you," I bit as Samantha and a few others ran towards us as I continued to pet the creature humming in my arms. His joyful purr seeming to stress the buffoon above me as he wiggled to pull away from the creature unsuccessfully. "Do you know why your dangling Duncan?"

"I-I-I don't-" I tisked holding the beast a bit higher making the man recoil. "Get that thing away from me!"

"Poppy, what are you- Gaunt! Let him down," Dale yelled as I shook my head.

"Cant... Just spent a pretty Galleon to get this cute little guy," I smiled wickedly up at the man. "I'm hoping he will be able to cheer Threa up after the awful day she had at the station yesterday," He gulped. "Tell me Dunkein, what did you think would happen propositioning her like some two-bit whore?"

"I-I," he scrambled. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry? Do you think a mere apology would fix your words? That it takes away the accusations you made? I am not even the one you should be apologizing to!"

"I'll apologize to Threa! Please just put me down, I'm getting dizzy from the blood rushing to my head! Please I beg of you!"

"No."

"Wh-" he cried out in frustration. "Ominis Please!"

"Let him down Gaunt! P-Poppy get your friend," Samantha pleaded to her girlfriend making Poppy laugh.

"I can't control him," she casually drawled leaning against the nearby stone wall. "I'm merely here for moral support-"

"Moral support," her lover spat. "You're in support of this!"

"I told you what Duncan said yesterday was heinous-"

"So, you went blabbing to Gaunt about it! He was talking out of his ass yesterday! He didn't mean any of it!"

"And that makes it okay," I spit turning my fury towards her.

"He-he already has a broken nose he's learned his lesson!"

"I don't think he has," I turned back to the flailing man sneering up at him. "I do not believe he has learned a thing, but he will.... Wont you, Duncan."

"Yes, please anything! Just-just let me down!" I tisked again.

"Can't do that just yet Duncan," I say loudly hearing the crowd form around us, their whispers becoming deafening. "From what I hear you were out touting as a man of confidence. Insulting women's virtues, insulting one's blood status, throwing slurs like they were a second language-"

"-I didn't-"

"-Dunkein I'd advise you not lie when I am ten seconds from shattering your skull against the squares pretty stone and staining it with your blood," he gulped nodding. "Where is that man of confidence now?" He continued to sob. "After hearing all the crude things you had spewed. I had bought this beast with the intention to sever the rod you were begging her to ride and feed it to him forcing you to watch."

"Ominis please," he cried. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. Didn't mean any of it.... Please," his voice sounded truly pitiful as he continued to beg over and over again as I held the creature up a bit higher. "UGH NO!"

"Listen to me very clearly Puffskein Dunkein. You will not go near Threa, you will not speak to her, if I even hear whispers of you talking about her you are done. I will not grant you this courtesy again. I will not hold back. You will have wished I had Garreth's restraint when I'm finished with you.... Am I understood?" He was silent for a few moments as the entire square seemed to go quiet with him.

"Y-Yes," I dropped the spell as he crashed down hitting the stone hard groaning loudly as I hugged the fuzzy creature turning back towards Poppys laughing form.

"How was that? Too much?"

"Honestly thought it'd be worse," she giggled taking the beast from me. "What a good boy you were Vengeance! He'll need extra boogers for behaving so well," she cooed as Samantha could be heard helping Duncan up.

"Are you alright," She whispered so low anyone not paying attention would have missed it as Poppy took my elbow leading us away from the crowd.

"I'm fine. I'm just glad it was him and not his whore," I stopped in my tracks turning back towards the man's voice. The audacious fool. He truly learned nothing? "That bitch would've slammed me into the stone without a second thought-" bitch? Feeling my last string of restraint snap I flew towards the man tackling him to the ground.

"You know what happened from there," I said flexing my blood-stained hands as Sharp sighed deeply. The room went tensely quiet, the cold dungeon only heightening the chilling darkness that surrounded me. Thunder shook the room harder, must be hell of a storm outside.

"I.... Understand why you had lost your temper. Duncan was out of turn and will be punished for his words accordingly. Of that I swear to you.... But do you understand that what you did must be met with punishment as well?"

"I understand that professor. I will take any punishment you deal gladly. I do not regret any of my actions today and would do it again in a heartbeat," the man hummed.

"You have a high sense of Justice Gaunt," I nodded.

"Those who do wrong must face the consequences."

"And you'd apply that justice to everyone you meet?"

"I would... Merlin, I helped turn in my best friend for killing his uncle. It killed a part of me to do it, but it was the right thing. Standing up to Duncan was the right thing, I will not be sorry for it," he hummed again.

"Alright," he let out a long sigh. "You will spend your next two months in detention after your last class every day. From there you will report here for your nightly patrols as you will be taking on the prefect role."

"Will I," I drawled dangerously back. Punishing me by forcing my hand. Is he truly that desperate for a new prefect? The detention I get, but this?

"Take it as your punishment for this whole fiasco... With the new appointment you will be expected to stay in high academic standing this year, else your actions from today will be brought to Black and you will be expelled. No arguments you make will change this decision, am I clear" all things considered, it's a good deal. Anything is better than having to go and live back in the hell I did this summer.

"Abundantly Sir."

"Good! I will have the badge sent to you in the morning along with your patrol schedule.... I also want you to go and apologize for beating the man senseless-" 

"No."

"No? Ominis this isn't up for discussion-"

"-I do not give a fwoopers fuck, I'm not doing that! Force me to become a Prefect fine, but Dunkein got what he deserved!"

"I'm not saying he was right in any of this," he fought. "But that isn't going to matter to his parents. All they are going to hear when Dinah writes to them is that their son is in the hospital wing because the Pure Blood Heir of House Gaunt beat their half-blood son to a bloody pulp!"

"I don't see what his blood status has to do with this. If she tells them the horrid things he said-"

"They won't care. He is a half-blood you are pure, they will hone in on that and demand a harsher punishment. If you get ahead of that with an apology-"

"This is utter bullocks! I-" A loud banging came at the door.

"Sharp," Threas voice echoed into the room sounding rightly pissed as a welcomed warmth raced through me. "Professor, open the door!"

"Ugh... Should've known she'd be coming for you," the door audibly unlocked as it swung open her steps hurrying into the room stopping feet from me.

"Oh Merlin Ominis," her serene voice gasped sounding out of breath. Is she alright? "Look at you," her hands were on me quickly roaming up my form setting every part of me aflame. Her hands trailed up to take my face firmly caressing my cheek gently making me groan.

"Don't stop," I said breathlessly feeling her stiffen.

"What," she squeaked back.

"Your touch feels divine," I say back unable to stop the words vomiting out.

"What's wrong with him," her head whipped towards the professor who audibly recoiled.

"I-"

"What did you do!" She spat as thunder shook the castle harder making the Professor clear his throat. Is she... Is she causing this storm?

"Threa, you need to calm down-"

"Do not tell me to calm down! What did you do to him," My hands went instinctively to her waist trying to calm her shaking form.

"I'm alright.... Sharp did nothing I hadn't consented to," her breaths struggled to calm as I rubbed comforting circles into her waist. "Merlin, you feel so nice in my hands like this," she gulped deeply as my entire face grew aflame. "I.... Godric's heart I said that out loud?"

"You did."

"Ah, heh.... If you both will excuse me, I am going to fling myself off the astronomy tower now," I tried to pull away as she held me in place. "Threa-"

"What did you give him," she spat at the professor ignoring me holding on tightly as she could.

"He has taken a highly potent vial of Veritaserum. He cannot help what he's saying, the truth will just spill from his mouth if he doesnt keep his mind guarded.... Seems your presence calmed him enough to let that guard slip." The room went silent as Threas warmth though calming sent a new fear threw me. A fear that grows closer to coming real the longer I'm under this damned potions effects.... She cant know the truth.

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Authors Note: Next chapter we are finally getting something spicy for real this time!!🌶🌶🌶

Thank you all who have read this far. Let me know what you think of how Ominis responded. Did he go to far? Was Sharp wrong using truth telling potion? Will Threa send the castle tumbling down? Let me know in the comments. Until Next Week!!!