The Dark Promise// Theodore Nott

Ch 5

Steam collected around the empty room, so thick it would be hard to breathe. Theo was in there for nearly an hour, thinking about what Olivia had told him that night. He knew she was smart, so why hadn't she mentioned the correlation to the eating curse and you-know-who. Maybe she didn't want to scare him. Or the book was just bullshit. A prank to scare wizards who put their nose in things that didn't belong there. It was obvious it was about the dark lord. Killing an innocent? What would be more innocent than a baby?

He hadn't mentioned it either, so he was no better. He felt that if he said it, that would mean the rumors were true. The dark lord was coming, and his father was playing some part of it. He dreaded coming home for the winter holiday. He would have to se his father in person, and something told him he wouldn't like what he saw. Anxiety filled in his belly, rolling around like a hot stone. What if you-know-who did come back? Would he expect anything from him? What about Draco and the other boys? Did they know anything? If they did, they wouldn't mention it to Theo. They may have grown up together. Ate at the same table and lived in the same circle, but they never saw eye to eye.

He shut the water off, letting small droplets of water run off his hair and onto his face. He stared at the tile that sat at below his feet. Was he going to be a death eater too? Was he going to be the dark lord's servant like his father? He knew what that would entail, and the truth was, he knew he had too much heart for it. He didn't necessarily like his muggleborn classmates, but he didn't want to see them die either. He also didn't like his pureblood classmates either. They could be just as chaotic and crude as anyone else. Why did they have the right to run the wizarding world? He thought of Draco sitting on his little throne, looking down at people with less blood status than him. Cornwell would be fine, being a half blood, but she would still have to serve anyone with a higher status than her.

Cornwell. She would hate him if he joined the death eaters. She would spit at his feet and never kiss him again. He lifted his fingers to his lips, remembering the short sweet kiss they had shared only hours earlier. He felt the hot stone of anxiety cool when he thought of the kiss. He didn't know what came over him tonight. The truth was he had wanted to kiss her that night she had cured Draco. She was brave and full of adventure. How else would she have the courage to walk into Borgin and Burkes for that stupid book? He felt stupid for asking if she threatened the sorting hat. She was a true Gryffindor, through and through.

He slowly walked out of the shower, grabbing a fresh towel from the rack and drying himself off. He was in there much too long. The tips of his fingers were pruning, and his mind had wondered for much to long. He was worrying about something that hadn't happened yet or would most likely never happen. He-who-must-not-be-named was dead. His father was going mad, but not because of the dark lord coming back. He would deal with that when he went home, but for now, all he wanted to do was spend more time with Olivia. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to kiss her again.

He slipped on a pair of underwear and his favorite sweatshirt before looking in the mirror. He ran his fingers through his wet hair, wondering if she liked him back. She had let him kiss her sure, but that was just one kiss. The rest of the night seemed to go as normal as it could be, given what they were talking about. She explained everything she had read in the book. It even explained how to get rid of the Eating Curse, should one be afflicted. It would take great strength and magical prowess, but it could be done. She was acting nervous, but something in her eyes told him she liked it.

He made a plan in his mind. When he got back to his dorm, he would owl her, telling her to meet him in the library again. He would tell her he liked her, officially. If she rejected him, oh well, he could deal with that. If she liked him back, then maybe dealing with this whole mess could be bearable.