Marked

The Muggle

"She's Potter's best friend" - no, fuck that. if Granger was gone, Draco was with her. Theo was sure of it.

Draco Malfoy was not dead. He couldn't be.

"Tell me what really happened up there," he'd demanded, throwing his books down angrily and confronting Professor Snape.

He hadn't even had the decency to look cornered.

"You already know what happened, Mr. Nott - "

"Bullshit - "

"Theo - "

"Tell me the truth!" he yelled, thumping his fist angrily against his chest. Come at me.

It seemed like everything Theo did now was a challenge, a dare. Lie to me, his face said. Lie to me, and see how I take it.

Snape's mouth had formed a thin, grim line.

"Death can be difficult to accept, Theo - "

"He's not fucking dead," Theo ranted through gritted teeth. "Draco's not dead - "

"Mr. Nott, perhaps I can recommend some counseling for you," Snape had said smoothly, not looking up. "It seems you are losing control - "

"I don't like to be deceived, Professor," he'd said disdainfully, though truthfully, he was all bravado. He couldn't blame Snape for seeing through it.

"Sit," Snape said firmly, gesturing to a chair. Theo complied with a miserable grimace, slamming his back against the seat.

"I understand you are upset."

"I - "

"Listen to me," Snape interjected, cutting him off angrily. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "Listen to me carefully."

Something about Snape's tone had piqued Theo's interest, and he sat quietly, though he pressed his lips together tightly in an unconcealed expression of impatience.

"Draco Malfoy cannot be reached. He cannot be found. He is gone," Snape said slowly, before adding morosely, "because he is dead."

"If," Snape continued, "if you continue to make noise - if you continue to follow smoke where there is no fire, you will cause damage like that beyond your wildest imagination."

Snape cleared his throat quickly. "And again," he added, "I say this, because he is dead. Do you understand?"

Theo nodded slowly.

His next move had been much more tactical. There was a lot less yelling, and no cursing, which until then, had been about as tactical as Theo had ever managed.

"Father."

Nott, Sr. had turned unhappily at the sound of his son's voice.

"Theodore."

Theo coughed, clearing his throat.

"I want to take Draco's place," he said firmly, rooting his feet in the ground as he spoke, in the hopes that he would be as immobile emotionally as he was physically.

His father had laughed at this.

"No you don't, Theodore," he said skeptically. "I understand you lost your friend, but I don't think you can grasp - "

"I want to take the Mark, Father," he said, shaking his head. "And I'm of age. You can't stop me."

"You may be of age, but you're hardly a functioning adult," the elder Nott had snapped. "Draco got himself killed. You would only do the same."