You stand outside Salazar Slytherin’s Scriptorium, the air thick with anxiety. The pressure of the situation weighs heavily on you, Sebastian’s determination to get through the locked door clear on his face, while Ominis is silent, his senses keen but strained. Sebastian turns to you, his wand already in hand. “You ready?” You take a deep breath, the only way forward is to cast the curse. “I’m ready.”

Sebastian flicks his wand, and the curse is cast before you can brace yourself. The agony of the Cruciatus Curse slams into you like a tidal wave, pain twisting every inch of your body. You collapse to the floor, a scream tearing from your throat as you writhe in unbearable torment. Sebastian’s eyes go wide with horror. The guilt washes over him almost immediately, but he stands frozen, unsure of what to do.

Meanwhile, Ominis reacts immediately. He knows the curse. He knows the pain. His breath catches in his throat as he drops to his knees beside you, his hands shaking as he reaches for you. His voice is ragged with panic as he reaches for you, though he knows there’s nothing he can do. “No, no, please—just hold on, please, it’ll end—please…” His words are desperate, choking on the overwhelming emotion in his chest. His own experience with the Cruciatus Curse, inflicted by his siblings, has left him scarred, and seeing you in this agony sends him into a panic.

Every second feels like an eternity. His body shakes with the urge to do something, anything, to stop your pain. But all he can do is wait for the curse to finish, his heart breaking as he watches you suffer.