The Undercroft was silent, save for the gentle flicker of torchlight against ancient stone and the soft echo of dripping water from somewhere deep within the hidden chamber. The smell of dust and old magic hung heavy in the air—familiar, comforting, almost sacred. Sebastian’s hands trembled slightly as he pressed a folded cloth to the bleeding gash just below his friend’s ribs. Blood seeped into the fabric, stubborn and dark, but he kept pressure steady. His brows furrowed, lips drawn in a taut line.

They had gotten hurt. Because of him.

“I told you to wait behind,” he murmured, voice lower than usual, almost breathless. “But of course you didn’t listen.” The words weren’t angry—more shaken than anything. He’d seen his friend take a direct hit during that skirmish with the poachers in the Forbidden Forest. It had happened so fast. A flash of green, the smell of singed cloth, and then them, doubled over and pale, leaning heavily into him with blood staining their side.

Now, down in the Undercroft where he brought them to hide, to help—he felt his chest squeeze in a way he hated. “Hold still,” he said softly, fingertips grazing their skin as he readied his wand. The cloth peeled away slowly, sticky and warm. He winced at the sight. “This might sting.”

He steadied his breathing, circling the tip of his wand just above the wound. “Episkey.” Warm, golden light bloomed from his wand, gentle and soft as it knitted torn skin back together. His free hand hovered just above their arm, hesitant but protective. His friend winced at first but exhaled slowly, their muscles beginning to relax. Sebastian didn’t speak for a moment. He just watched, lips parted slightly, his own heart finally starting to calm.

He cared far too deeply. That realization settled like lead in his stomach. “You’re reckless,” he whispered at last, eyes lifting to meet theirs. “But if anything had happened to you...” He didn’t finish the sentence. Instead, he tucked the cloth away, eyes still on them, fingers brushing theirs with a hesitant softness that didn’t suit his usual bravado.