Anna's POV
The next morning, relief washed over me as I saw Theo laying down on the other bed. He was okay, he was alive and Ms. Weasley had healed him. I laid there in silence, wondering how we came to this. Two years ago, we talked for the first time and since then, he became my Ancient Runes mate. He made the class so much more fun, much funnier than Granger could ever hope to do. And here we were, in my uncle's childhood house because he had to flee from his home and he trusted me enough to ask me for help. I looked out the window. This day was going to be fun, the others would be delighted to see Theo at breakfast. A pillow suddenly hit my face and I turned to him.
"Oi! What was that for?"
"You looked way too deep in thought for your own good, Anna. Couldn't risk you drowning in them," he cheekily said and I snorted.
"Please, I know how to swim."
He burst out laughing at that and I joined him until someone opened the door. The twins were there in the doorway and Fred looked at Theo. He walked towards him, making him back off a little.
"So you got to stay, huh?" His voice was cold. "Let's be clear, Nott, if you hurt anyone here, and I mean anyone, I will rip your head off."
"Fred." He turned to me, his eyes still cold. I didn't back down and looked right back at him. I understood why he threatened Theo, it was fair, I just wanted to cut it short.
"I mean no harm," Theo said before I could. "I won't hurt anyone."
Fred looked him up and down. "You better. Snake."
"Fred, you don't even know why he's here, so back off will you?"
"Oh please, enlighten us Anna," George said.
"It's not my place to say." George turned to Theo, he looked just as intimidating as Fred but it felt so much colder from him.
"Then you enlighten us. Why the fuck are you here?"
"Disagreed with my father," Theo shortly said.
"Aw, that who gave you your bruises?"
I pushed Fred away from him with force, he pissed me off at the moment. "Watch your fucking mouth."
"Or what?"
"You and I both know I could beat you. Your choice if you want to try it."
George looked at me in shock, Fred with anger. He'd seen Theo bruised, I had seen him and now we all knew his father had done it, probably with some magic as well. I had been hit by the person supposed to take care of me, I wouldn't let him make comments like that.
"What's going on here?" Ginny asked from the doorway.
"Anna still defends her fucking friend even if he's a snake," George provided.
"You'd do the same." They both turned to her, shock and betrayal written on their faces and I laughed.
"Ginny!"
"It's true! Plus, I don't care if he's a Slytherin, Anna wouldn't be friends with biggots and I trust her judgement."
"Thanks Gin, I appreciate it."
"You've taken care of more biggots on your own than everyone combined here, except the adults maybe."
"See that's why you're my favourite."
"She's your favourite?!" The twins repeated.
"Obviously." They rolled their eyes.
"Alright."
"We trust your judgement as well."
"But, by Merlin Nott-"
"You hurt one of us-"
"You're dead."
"Sounds fair," Theo agreed.
"Now let's go, breakfast's ready."
Fred and George followed behind her. Well that was done, they were probably going to be okay with Theo now. I grabbed his arm before he got out of the room, I had to warn him about the others and explain a little.
"Okay, so euh now the Twins and Ginny will be okay with you, but that doesn't mean the others will be. It sucks and is unfair, I know. I don't know how much the adults will have told them, but Ron, Harry and Granger don't know you're here. There's euh- lots of tension between them and your house, in case you hadn't notice and it seems to run really deep so I'm sorry about them in advance. Do you want to take your breakfast here instead? I'll stay with you and you won't have to stay with them."
"It's okay, Anna. I know there's a lot of tension, but we'll be fine yeah? And anyways, I can't really defend myself if I'm not there."
"Okay."
I smiled at him and we went downstairs, both of us taking a deep breath before entering the kitchen. My eyes immediately went on my brother and his friends, who seemed shock to see Theo, almost angry. I sent them a look that was clearly telling them to keep their mouth shut and they did. Even Hermione did. We ate breakfast, the ambiance tense, but everyone was peaceful. I couldn't imagine how Theo felt. Harry and Hermione left first, Ron ate a bit more and the rest stayed as they talked. Moony came towards us after he ate and sat down.
"Dumbledore will want to talk to you, Theo. He's coming tonight," he informed in a hushed voice.
"Oh, oh okay yeah, that sounds good, yeah."
"I want to be there," I said.
"Anna..."
"No. The only reason I'm not there is if Theo asks me to." We turned to him at that. I hoped he knew I wouldn't be angry at him if he didn't want me there.
"No, I'd like if you were there. You could help me if I don't know what to say."
"Of course."
Moony sighted but nodded and went towards Padfoot, probably telling him I would be there as well. He looked at me with a desperate but amused face and I grinned. I went upstairs with Theo, completely ignoring the others who fell quiet as they heard us walk by. I sat on my bed and he went to the window. We stayed quiet for a while and I watched him. It couldn't be easy having to run away from your house.
"How do you feel?" I tried to chase away the image of his bruised body from my mind.
"I'm good, yeah."
"You know you don't have to lie to me, right?" He tensed up.
"What makes you think I'm lying?"
"Because you just tensed up when I told you to tell me the truth." You also had to run from your home and almost met Voldemort aka one of the most terrifying person in our lives.
"I'm fine Anna."
I got up and walked next to him. London was beautiful from here, even if we couldn't see much. Maybe I'd live in the city later, once I got out of Hogwarts and the war finished.
"It was terrifying," he whispered, looking down at his hands. I let him speak, not obviously turning my attention to him. "Just the idea of having to get that mark- I couldn't do it. It's not me, I can't do it. And Father. I had never seen him so angry. I think he would've killed me."
I grabbed his arm, my jaw clenched as I kept looking out the window. He thought his father would kill him. His father or Voldemort could've killed him. I put my arms around him and held him close. He let himself relax against me and I felt small tears fall down on my skin.
"They won't hurt you. You don't have to and won't go back or get that mark." He laughed slightly.
"Thank you, Anna. You saved me."
And I'd do it again.
We walked in the kitchen. All the adults were there except for Dumbledore. The others stayed upstairs, cleaning and doing other things. They definitely weren't cleaning though. Fred and George probably had other long ears of theirs to listen. Dumbledore arrived just as we sat down.
"Good evening, everyone." He nodded his head to us. "May I know, what exactly happened for you to be in this house, Mister Nott?"
I was surprised. He usually didn't go straight to the point, or made it sound much nicer. Though, thinking about it, I would definitely have said it worse.
"Euh, my-" Theo cleared his throat and straightened himself. "My father and Voldemort wanted me to get the dark mark. I refused, which obviously displeased him. He got angry and became violent, sent dark spells in my direction, almost killed me. I apparated near here, I had gathered Anna hadn't been far from King's cross for the start of the year. I sent word to her and luckily for me, she found me. Remus and Sirius found us and lead us here."
I'd never heard him talk like that. He was usually much more, free and vulgar in his sentences. It felt weird. Did he talk like that with his father? Dumbledore turned to Remus.
"Anna wouldn't come back without Theo, Professor. I decided to trust her judgement and let him in, I had one of your papers."
"You probably did well, Remus. Thank you for bringing them back here." He turned back to us. Why was he so passive? Always so calm, it was unsettling. "Mister Nott. Why did you refuse to take the Dark Mark?"
"I don't believe in his cause. The blood supremacy thing- I don't believe in it."
"You must understand, it is rather rare for someone brought up in this environment to change their mind. Multiple members of the Sacred 28 your age joined him in the first war. Even if I do believe Miss Potter wouldn't have come to your rescue if she did not trust you, I must make sure your presence is not threat for us." I frowned. How could he possibly be a threat? "If you are comfortable with it, I believe everyone would be relieved if you answered a few questions with veritaserum."
"What?!" They couldn't do that. Hell, the ministry barely used it.
"Of course, we will not apply it if you do not consent, Mister Nott."
"I'll do it."
"You don't have to," I immediately said.
"I know, Anna. It's okay."
I watched carefully as Dumbledore gave a small vial with barely anything in it to Theo and he drank it.
"Do you believe in Voldemort's cause?"
"No."
"Do you believe in blood supremacy?"
"No."
"Do you regret not taking the mark?"
"No, of course not."
"Do you regret running away?" What did that have to do with anything?
"No."
"Very well. Thank you, mister Nott," Dumbledore said with a nod. "Let us wait for the effects to wear off."
I looked around the room as we waited. None of them had reacted to Dumbledore's suggestion of using Veritaserum. It's like they expected him to do that, expected it to happen. Wanted it to happen. I didn't think they'd trust Theo, but I didn't think they would be willing to let him take this bloody potion we hadn't even learned to brew yet. Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised. War was getting closer and closer after all. Maybe it was already here or at the doorstep, I did not know. We were all scared and in fear we do stupid things. Even let a minor take an illegal potion.
"The effects have worn off," Theo affirmed, his voice still so calculated. Dumbledore smiled and looked at him.
"Mister Nott, I am glad to hear that you are not on Voldemort's side. Would you consider being on our side?" What was he doing?
"Yes, I suppose so. I want him gone."
Dumbledore's face was open yet didn't let you know anything about his own feelings, his voice was calm and even. "Would you consider going back and giving us information?"
"No," I blurted out.
"Miss Potter, I believe this is your friend's decision."
"No, I will not let you make him a spy."
"I assure you, he will be protected."
"Yes because that means so much," I said. He couldn't be doing this. He couldn't even be considering this
"I believe I am well able to protect people, Miss Potter." He stayed calm, it was annoying.
"Ginny almost died in the Chamber of secrets in her first year at Hogwarts and Harry saved her. You didn't protect her."
"I'm afraid it was out of my reach, I admit."
"And yet you had promised people's safety as long as they were at Hogwarts."
"Miss Potter, I understand your anger-"
"You don't!" I got up. Why was he so calm? Why were they all so calm? How? "Sirius managed to sneak onto the school grounds and was at the end of Ron's bed with a knife! If he had been what people thought he was, Ron would be dead. Harry saved Ginny in our second year, he got your stone in first year and you didn't do shit."
"Anna, please, calm down," Remus said.
"No!" I turned back to Dumbledore and starred at his eyes. "You promised no champions would be hurt yet Cedric is dead! Voldemort is back because you couldn't keep your fucking students safe." He stayed silent. "None of us will be able to make Cedric come back or 'unhurt' the students who were hurt, but I will not stand there as you ask my friend to become a spy for you when you already have a grown man doing the same shit." I was shaking and holding back my tears. He would not take someone else away from me.
"I don't want to become a spy," Theo softly said. "I don't fit the job."
"Very well, Mister Nott. You are welcome to stay here for the rest of the holidays, possibly the next ones if Sirius will allow it." He gave a smile. "You are free to leave now."
Theo got up and grabbed my arm. "Come on, Anna. Let's go." I followed behind him, still looking at Dumbledore but he never looked at me. Own up, my mind screamed. The others were upstairs and seemed to be waiting for us, I wasn't sure. I walked right passed them and walk into my room, Theo closing the door behind me. He gave me a hug and I just fell into it.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just snapped at him like that in there. It was your decision," I whispered, still feeling dazed.
"It's okay. You needed to and you didn't say any lie, so. Plus I don't know if I would've dared refuse without you."
"Hm."
"Come on, we should get some sleep."