One Monday morning, just like any other, Theodore Nott stepped out of bed to begin his day; however, that day would be anything but ordinary. He dressed the wounds he had gotten the previous night and got dressed in dark jeans, a black band t-shirt, and a light blue hoodie. Theo went downstairs after he was sure his father isn't home. As he ate breakfast, he thought back to the previous night and couldn't wait for summer break to be over so he could go back to Hogwarts.
*Flashback*
Theo walked into a dark house. 'Great, dad forgot the electricity bill again,' he thought as he made his way to the stairs around the broken pieces of furniture. There was just enough light to see the shapes of things, but not details.
Theo started to climb the stairs, but stopped on the fourth step when he saw a figure at the top. Mr. Nott stood at the top of the steps, a beer bottle in hand, anger burning ferociously in his eyes.
"You... you boy... what the heck are you doing here." He took a swig from his bottle and wiped his mouth.
"This is my house, dad," Theo replied calmly.
Mr. Nott began breathing heavily and menacingly. "Dad?" he said angrily and slurred.
"Yes. I'm Theo, you're son," Theo stated as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Mr. Nott descended quickly down the steps, stumbling once or twice. He grabbed Theo by the shirt and pulled him up so his face is even with his. "I have no son!" he spit out.
He threw Theo across the room. Theo slammed against the ground and was cut by shards of glass he landed on from a freshly broken bottle. He groaned and used the wall to stand again.
"Please, dad, snap out of it," Theo pleaded.
"I told you! I have no son!" Mr. Nott roared. He picked up an empty beer bottle and threw it at Theo. The bottle broke on the wall, just missing Theo's head. "Get out of this house! Now!"
Theo stumbled out of the house. He used all the energy he had left to climb the tree next to his house and climb into his room. He collapsed on his bed, stomach facing down so he wouldn't drive the glass any deeper into his back, and fell asleep.
*End of flashback*
Feeling a bit better since his wounds were dressed, he decided to take a walk. Theo walked to the playground and sat down on the swing, facing the beach after he discovered it was deserted. Nostalgia set in as he looks at the peaceful waves crash against the sandy shore. He wished his mother was there and wished for the father he once knew; the one that didn't abuse him and didn't drink all the time.
"Theo?" a voice called from the edge of the playground behind him.
Theo swiveled around on his swing and saw his friend, Evangeline, walking towards him. He gave her a small smile as she sat in the swing beside him and turned back to face the ocean. Theo pulled a pack of Marlboro out of his pocket and took one out. He held the pack out to Eva.
"Cigarette?" he asked.
"No thanks … Are you alright?" she asked him.
Theo shrugged, lit the cigarette and took a long drag.
"I know that face … you had another encounter with your dad, didn't you?" she questioned.
Theo nodded. "Last night," he answered.
"You really need to do something about this, Theo. One day, you're going to be in a fatal condition because of him. If you don't tell someone … I will," Eva told him.
"No! No, no, no, no! You can't! Then they'll ship me off somewhere with a new family, a new neighborhood... without you…" Theo panicked.
"You never told anyone and made me promise not to tell anyone that your father abused you, just so you could stay my neighbor?" Eva asked in awe.
Theo nodded.
"Theo, you're such an idiot," Eva said with a grin and hugged him.
"Not exactly …" Theo whispered.
"You should stay at my house until you heal completely," Eva offered, letting Theo out of the hug.
Theo hesitated for a moment before he agreed. "Alright… I'll have to go and get some clothes from my house first though."
Eva nodded. They set out for Theo's house, having a small conversation on the way there.
They got to Theo's house and went inside.
"Stay here," Theo told Eva quietly. He cautiously went towards the stairs. Everything seemed fine so he went to his room, put some clothes and the deflated beach ball his mother gave him into a bag and went back down to Eva.
"Let's get out of here before-" Theo went cut off by a weird groan/roar type sound.
Eva's eyes widened. "Theo!" she yelled, fear reverberating from her voice.
Theo whipped around to see his father in the same raggy clothes he had been in the night before, a bottle of beer in his hand, and hatred burning in his eyes.
"Get out of my house!" Mr. Nott yelled at the two.
"We were just here to get some of my clothes," Theo said, giving him a firm look.
Mr. Nott laughed coldly. "You have no business here, boy. Leave! Now!"
Theo didn't answer, he just looked at his father sternly.
"Move. Now." Mr. Nott growled.
"You can't tell me what to do," Theo defended himself.
Mr. Nott let out a strange sound that resembled an angry cat and lunged at Theo, smashing the bottle that was in his hand over Theo's head.
Theo fell and ended up lying on his back. He was bleeding where the bottle had come in contact with his head.
"Mr. Nott, please stop hurting him!" Eva cried. She had tears brimming in her eyes, which Theo just now took notice of.
"Eva, get out of here," Theo called to her.
Mr. Nott turned on Eva. "What did you say, girl? You want me to stop hurting him?" he backed her up to a wall, picked her up by her shirt, and pinned her against the wall.
Suddenly the door bursts open and Blaise enters the house.
"Does no one understand privacy," Mr. Nott roared, dropping Eva and allowing her to fall to the ground.
Quick as lightning, Blaise advanced on Mr. Nott. He punched him in the gut. Mr. Nott bent over from the pain and vomited from the impact and alcohol. Blaise picked up a piece of wood from the broken table and hit Mr. Nott on the head with it, making him fall unconscious.
Eva scurried over to Theo, like a mouse.
"Are you both alright?" Blaise asked the pair.
Theo nodded. "I'll be fine." Eva agreed.
"How did you know?" Theo asked.
Blaise motioned to Eva. "Do you know how loud she screams?"
Theo let out a small chuckle and nodded.
"Why didn't you use magic?" Blaise asked.
"Under-aged," Theo answered as though Blaise were an idiot.
"I seriously doubt the Ministry would have minded once you explained what was going on," Eva told him.
"You know why I can't," Theo responded, looking at her.
"One more year, mate, than you can use all the magic in the world. Let's just get you two fixed up … and Theo?" Blaise started.
"Yeah?" Theo asked.
"You're staying at my house until we go back to Hogwarts," Blaise told him.
Theo smiled. "Thanks."
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The End! Let me know what you think ^_^