Nev Laid in bed, curled up softly and trying to sleep, turns out taking a 3 hour nap in the greenhouse wasn't a good idea. He heard the door click open and he fluttered his eyes shut, hearing Notts shuffling as he softly walked over to his bed, out of curiosity Nev opened his eyes subtly, seeing him knock back a potion into his mouth before shuddering. He then pulled off his white button up and Nev's stomach churned in horror.
His back looked as if it had been mauled. Obvious scars from torture curses and possibly lashings. It seemed like the rumour from Miriam was probably true, his arm was wrapped up but he suspected there was something beneath.
The strange thing is it was only his left covered, when he realised the other forearm was blank he connected the two and felt a knot of anxiety well in his stomach. The boy was so thin, ribs protruding from his skin and spine poking out as he slipped on a large shirt, he saw him tense, look outside and turn on his heels, walking out. He didn't know why he was losing his breath, all lightheaded and woozy but it seemed to never cease, even after the boy returned 2 hours later, smelling of wassail and soul biscuits, flower bundle in hand that made Nev realise it was the day before Samhain.
The entire school was meant to be doing this, setting the protective herbs up and making the snacks. They were all meant to be casting wandless incantations at this time but they all forgot, all but Nott it seemed. The boy plucked a yellow daffodil and placed it below Malfoys pillow.
He then promptly flopped onto his bed, curtains drawing like an automatic charm. He let himself fall into a deep sleep now that the spirits of the dead were eased. The morning came warm as fresh wine, dripping into the windows sweetly, he woke first, Nev noted, not a soul to be heard awake outside the doors or within the room. He looked through his closet for his light yellow jumper, the one with a mandrake patch sewn into the sleeve and willow leaves embroidered all over, finally catching sight of it he slipped off the herbology themed t-shirt to pull on the herbology themed sweater instead.
The weekend was the best time to celebrate wassail, they didn't have classes the next morning so they could get as drunk as they wanted with no consequence. He sat on his bed, book out and reading on a new variant of Gilly weed. He heard some rustling, curiously checking if it was harry he saw Nott's arm poked out of the drawn curtains, grabbing around until he caught onto his hanged cloak, swiftly pulling it in. he heard the clink of a vial, the popping of a cork and the sloshing of liquid. The boy blindly placed it on his nightstand and crawled out, grabbing his clothes and changing in the bathroom. When he came out an owl tapped on the window, he seemed to recognize it, opening the glass and petting its wing.
Nev recognized the crest on the letter, St. mungo's. Did he have someone there? Or was he a patient? Nev knew not to speculate.
He set it down on the nightstand and gave the owl a treat, sitting down at the edge of his bed and staring at the letter until Malfoy woke. The blonde boy yawned and looked at his friend "why're you brooding so early? It's the ass crack of dawn" he looked amused until the brunette kept staring at the letter.
"Did that just arrive?" he asked, worried in his voice, Nott confirming that and the blonde seemed to chip away, mask falling until he couldn't conceal his fear. In the end it was Malfoy who picked it up, reading and reading. His face contorted into a series of fear, shock, disappointment then relief he sighed and turned to Nott "she'll pull through, her core's damaged but she'll live"
he smiled, then turned to Nott's night stand "there's meant to be 2 on here, why's there three" he glared, Nev turned to his book, listening subtly because even he was curious also because he had never heard the boy speak before.
Much to his disappointment there was no answer "theo.." Malfoy started, even when Nott was silent Malfoy could understand everything from his expression "fine. But I'm not dropping this. Come on, pansy's already at breakfast" the Slytherin hummed, grabbing his robe and signaling for him to follow but he didn't, only shook his head and raised his palm up in excuse, Malfoy shrugged and left, Nev flipped the page, only focused on the edges as the words blurred together. He felt Nott's eyes on him but they quickly left, then the sound of another vial clinked and it convinced him. Whatever that potion was, it had a sedative in it, Nev could smell it. It wasn't safe to drink it all so quickly, he faintly recognized the smell of valerian and poppy from the vials. Pomfrey only prescribed those for small doses, often diluted with food.
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I Think I Like It When It Rains / TheoNev.
العاطفيةTheodore Nott was used to being in the background, he preferred it really, saved him the unneeded attention. 8th year was much the same, save for harrowing panic attacks and cliches roads of self-discovery. who'd have known that one Neville Longbott...
