Stay - Theodore Nott

Chapter 10

"Typical," said Harry darkly to his friends and his sister as they walked down the corridors of the castle. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." The Twins had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Kirra reasonably as she gave her brother a reassuring look "and besides, I'm more worried about Theodore."

"Anyway, I know Nott and Malfoy are always going on about how good they are at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk." Ron added into the conversation and Kirra nodded her head unsurely, trying to convince her brother that it would be fine.

Theodore and Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. Draco had complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters.

Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly.

And Rudy had had an argument about baseball with Adira who couldn't see the point of a game where there was basically beater and then a bunch of dogs running around for the ball. Kirra had caught Rudy prodding his poster of the New York Yankees with his wand, trying to make the players move.

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At breakfast on Thursday Kirra and her two best friends had decided to sit over at the Gryffindor table with her brother and his friends. They had been listening to hermione all morning as she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages.

Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Harry nor Kirra had received a single letter since they had got there, something that Theodore and Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

Theodore on the otherhand, had a large Blakistons fish owl which had often brought him the same things as Draco, due to the fact that he had been living with the Malfoys ever since the downfall of his father and his mother being locked away in Azkaban (which of course no students knew about besides Draco and Theodore).

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. "It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things — this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red — oh..."

His face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "...you've forgotten something...." Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table with Theodore, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Kirra, Rudy, Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. The boys were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, whereas Kirra just wanted to defend the poor boy, the boys and the Hufflepuff girl got ready to pounce but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor." Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.