The Dark Promise// Theodore Nott

CH 4

Olivia worked tirelessly for the last couple of days researching anything about dark curses she could get her hands on. She couldn't get a definitive answer to any of her questions. All of the books in the library, even in the restricted section, only said that there was a theory that dark magic could change a person. It was possible it could change a state of their being, making them a shell of who they once were. Nothing she had already known.

It had become her obsession. She did want to help Nott, but she also wanted to know for herself. Sunday had come, and since she had a free day, she had decided to take a little trip to Knockturn Alley. It wasn't like she found herself around those parts much. In fact, she was a little nervous when she stood at the front door to Borgin and Burkes. She looked around, making sure no one she knew would see her walking in.

There was not a soul inside the shop, not even behind the counter. This brought her some relief, she didn't want to explain why she was there to anyone, after all she made a promise. If Mr. Borgin asked why she was there, she would just say she was curious about the effects of dark magic. There would be no need to bring Nott into the mix. If word got around she was studying things like this, it would be very much on brand with her.

Her hand ghosted the tombs that were covered in spiderwebs, not being touched in ages it seemed. Suddenly, a book had caught her interest. The title read 'The taking of an innocent. A curse that knows no bounds.'

She pulled the book off the shelf, quickly immersing herself with it. The book only talked about the effects of one curse in particular. The Eating curse the author called it. In the first chapter, the author explained that sometimes, when you killed an innocent being who was truly pure of heart and had powerful magic of their own, the being would curse you. It would slowly eat you up on the inside, growing bigger as it ate away at your very core. Your soul.

Surely this wasn't what was happening to Theo's father. The man was a confirmed death eater sure, but would he really kill a completely innocent being? Something in her gut told her there was at least some correlation. She looked at the cover once again, seeing that there was no author named. It was very odd, seeing as this wasn't a handwritten book. It was old but was printed for wide distribution it seemed. If that was the case, why no author?

"I don't think you have the money for that book young lady. If you do, I would be suspicious of where you got it." Mr. Borgin said, standing behind her. Olivia jumped at his words, so enthralled in the book that she didn't realize he had come out from the back of the shop. How long had he been standing behind her? She turned to him, showing him the front cover. "Do you happen to know who wrote this?" She asked. If she couldn't get this copy, maybe she could find it somewhere else.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He said with a sly smirk, taking the book from her. "I would like to know indeed." She said, furling her eyebrows to indicate that she was very serious. The man looked over the book, as if he hadn't glanced at it in at least twenty years. "This book is dense. Why would a little witch like you be interested in things of this nature?" He said in a mocking tone, holding the tome in front of her as if to taunt her with it.

"I am interested in breaking dark curses. This seems right up my alley." She said, trying to seem confident. It wasn't a lie exactly. She was interested in curses, but he didn't have to know about her other intention. The man looked at her for what seemed like a very long time, then back at the book.

"You a Hogwarts student?" He asked, assessing on whether he should sell it to her. "Yes, I'm a seventh year." She stated truthfully. If she lied, then he would think she was lying about everything. If she told the truth, then he would be more willing to help her. That was her thought process anyway.