Always : Theodore Nott

Chapter 54

They talked, hidden away in the tower until the sun rose, lighting up the dewy winter morning. The told her everything from the day he left her father's apartment, right up to last night. He told her about how they never went to France, and where they ended up instead. He told everything about the Dark Lord and the cabinet and the plan to kill Professor Dumbledore. Both of them cried, both tears of joy and sadness. She told him about Harry's theory, and of course, her meeting with Dumbledore. She was heartbroken at how truly defeated he was, utterly broken. She knew him inside out, so she knew how badly this all must have been affecting him. What broke her heart most of all is that he thought he couldn't tell her, that she would hate him for what he had become, what he had signed up for and what he had to do, and what becoming a death-eater truly meant.

"I hate myself Aurora,"he said as tears streamed down his face, catching in the morning sun.

Aurora sighed, her heart heavy in her chest after such an emotional night.

"Theo, you didn't chose this. You don't want to take part in any of this. You need to realise this doesn't.....it doesn't.......doesn't make you a bad person. You were forced into this. You have done nothing wrong,"she said, struggling to find the words.

He looked down at her.

"Not yet,"he said, his eyes glossy.

Aurora sighed deeply.

"So, you can't keep disarming the mending charms Malfoy is putting on the cabinet. What are you going to do when he figures it out?,"she asked, changing the subject.

Theo shook his head and buried his face in his hands.

"I honestly don't know. Aurora I can't, I cannot do this. Killing my headmaster? I mean? I just-I don't know. Voldemort thinks Dumbledore is the smartest and most cunning wizard alive. He knows he can't touch Harry while he's around,"he said.

Aurora nodded.

"He'd be right. The man is a bloody genius, even knew about us for the love of Merlin,"she said.

He sighed.

"He also thinks as highly as the person described in the prophecy. You,"he said.

Silence descended upon the room.

"I-I don't even understand that. What can I do that everyone else can't? I don't get how it comes down to me protecting Harry,"she said.

He sighed.

"You are the most powerful witch I've ever met, your magic is superior to everyone else's,"he said.

Aurora nodded.

"Hmm, yeah. I don't know,"she said, disregarding his words.

"You told me it spoke of two people, bound by fate. That's Harry and him obviously. You also mentioned protectors, that's you and someone else. We just need to figure out who that other person will be,"he said, in almost a whisper.

Aurora felt her stomach churn. Who could the other person be? Who could she be up against? Bellatrix Lestrange? Dorian Nott? Lucius Malfoy? Aurora shivered at the thought.

"We will, but right now we need to focus on what's in front of us and that is the cabinet,"she started,"Malfoy cannot figure it out. They cannot be granted access to the school."

His eyes were heavy, he looked at her dead in the eyes.

"Aurora, there's a war coming,"he said sadly.

She did her best not to get upset by how traumatised this poor boy was.

"I know-."

"And you and I, are currently on opposite sides,"he said, gesturing between them with his finger.