"Uncle please!" I heard my brother beg as my Uncle Vernon brought his arm up for another blow with the belt. I flinched back, my face into the carpet, as I tried to contain my screams as well as my pain.
"Shut up boy!" Uncle Vernon yelled at my brother. Then he proceeded to bring the belt down several more times on my bare back. When he was done, I was almost out of consciousness.
"Sister!" My brother knelt beside me, which told me that our Uncle must have left. Harry cried and hot tears hit my arm.
"It's alright Harry." I murmured, my vision becoming blacker at the edges. I fought off the feeling for as long as I could. I heard Harry say something about Theo, but I couldn't understand it. "I'm alright, Harry."
At Nott Manor
Theodore Nott was reclining in his library perusing an ancient tome of potions. He didn't wish to obtain a mastery in the subject, he just liked to keep his grades up, which meant studying the subjects on a more intimate level than most.
"Theodore, my boy." Nott Senior walked into the library. Theodore carefully shut the tome and placed it on the table directly to the side of the chair he was lounging on.
"Father." Theodore answered coolly. He had to maintain his mask in front of his father; a known supporter of the Dark Lord. Thankfully, unlike the Malfoy patriarch, Theodore wasn't pressured to join the growing ranks of the Death Eaters like his friend Draco had been.
"How has school been?" Nott Senior asked, sitting down on one of the velvet chairs. Theodore raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He had been home now for almost a month and now his father was making small talk about life at school?
"Fine Father." Theodore answered carefully. "Nothing as momentous as Fourth Year with the TriWizard Tournament and the Dark Lord's return."
"I have heard from Lucius Malfoy about your relationship with one Aria Potter." Nott Senior raised an eyebrow at his rebellious son. Theodore met his father's eyes steadily.
"Yessir. I do admit that the both of us are in a committed relationship." Theodore chose his words carefully.
"I do not approve. Nor do I think that your relationship ought to continue." Nott Senior replied. "And I especially do not believe that the Dark Lord will be pleased by your choice of a future wife."
"Unfortunately for the Dark Lord I couldn't care less about what he thinks of this issue, and I certainly do not care what you think of my relationship with Aria Potter." Theodore said firmly to the elderly gentlemen in front of him. Theo had no reason to fear, unlike Draco, about getting disowned. His father had tried for over thirty years to beget an heir. It had only been when his father was nearly sixty before he succeeded.
"Theodore I am only looking out for you!" His father leaned forward. "Why can you not see this? Aria Potter will be nothing but trouble for you in the end of this war."
"I will be the judge of that." Theodore said firmly, before grabbing his book once more. He had just only opened the book, when a house-elf appeared.
"Master Theodore a letter has come for you." The house-elf handed Theodore a hastily made envelope. Theodore looked at it curiously before he managed to open the document and read.
Theodore,
My sister is in need of assistance. Please come as fast as you are able. Every day counts. Number Four, Little Whinging, Surrey.
Harry Potter
Theodore put down the parchment for a second. He stood up abruptly before looking the house-elf in the eyes.
"Get my cloak immediately." He ordered. The little house-elf immediately followed his command and disappeared, only to reappear in the room again. The elf handed the cloak to Theodore. "Pardon me, Father. But I have business to attend."
Theodore apparated out of the manor, and stated the street name in his head as he felt that feeling of being squeezed to death. When he appeared, he was in the middle of a street of houses lining the clean suburbs. The houses were all the same, and continued on for as far as the eye could see.
Theodore made his way swiftly down the middle of the lane, looking at the numbers on each of the houses. Finally, he found the house he was looking for, number four. Swiftly, Theodore rang the doorbell, before standing back and waiting for the door to open. Within moments, it did, to reveal a pudgy man with graying hair.
"Hello?" He asked, a little snidely Theodore thought. Theo held out his hand.
"Hello, Mr. . ."
"Dursley, Vernon. Who might you be?" He asked, squinting as he looked at the gentleman on his doorstep.
"Theodore Nott sir. A friend of Harry and Aria's." He answered with a little smile. Vernon took a half-step back.
"Your kind aren't welcome here." Vernon snarled, his true nature exposed. Theodore laughed, before striding inside the home. Vernon gaped and moved backwards. "You get out of my house immediately!" Vernon shouted.
"Vernon?" A tall, thin woman whose face resembled a horse came out of one of the rooms off the hallway. "Whatever is the matter?"
"This, person, invaded our home!" Vernon's face was turning an interesting shade of purple, Theodore thought idly.
"Hello, Mrs. Dursley, I presume. I am a friend of Aria and Harry's and wished to speak with them." Theodore said with a faint smirk. He held out his hand politely for her to shake, but she merely backed up into the wall.
"Please, leave our home." She whimpered.
"I'll contact the police!" Vernon exclaimed. Theodore raised an eyebrow at this idle threat.
"Please do, Mr. Dursley, and then you will have to explain about the signs of abuse and neglect your niece and nephew will show on their bodies." Vernon paled momentarily, until his face reddened once more.
"Now look, I don't know who you think you are, but you have no business in my house threatening my family!" Vernon thundered, taking a small step forward. Theodore looked at him bemused, before putting a hand on the railing.
"Well, I will go upstairs and collect my fiancé, if you do not mind." Theodore said. Vernon gulped as Theodore made his way up the clean stairs. He came to the landing and immediately laid eyes upon a small door with numerous locks upon it. Theodore took out his wand and pointed it at the door.
"Alohamora." The door creaked open slightly, and Theodore kept his wand out as he walked inside the room. He had to duck as he entered the room due to a book being thrown at his head. "It's me!" He yelled out, and looked up at Harry Potter.
The person who was Harry Potter was quite unrecognizable. His unruly black hair was quite limp with the lack of grooming it had seen for the summer. He had several bruises showing on his face and Harry Potter, the savior of the Wizarding World, was wearing discarded clothes, too big for him.
"Theo?" Harry asked, his face showing his disbelief. Theodore nodded and found his arms filled with a lithe green eyed, black haired teenager. Theo was a little uncertain about what to do with this teenager, but he merely put his arms around him in a comforting embrace. "I'm so glad that you came."
"Yes, Harry. I got your letter and came as fast as I could." Theo assured the Potter heir. Harry nodded and stepped back after a long moment. "Where's Aria?" Theo asked. Harry looked at him quite panicked for a moment.
"I don't know!" He said, his voice sounding quite frantic. "Uncle Vernon had punished her about a week ago. They left her with me, until she started to make too much noise. Then Uncle Vernon took her and I haven't seen her in a couple of days."
"Alright Harry. Calm down." Theo tried to calm down the black haired boy in front of him. Even though he was trying to help the boy in front of him, his own heart was pounding due to this unforeseen circumstance. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly Harry meant by punishment and where she was now.
"But Theo, what if she's not okay?" Harry asked, his eyes bright with concern.
"Let's worry about that in a few moments." Theo said in a calm voice, his usual Slytherin mask in place as his mind raced over the possibilities of what could have occurred. "Is there anything you need in this room?"
"No. Everything is in our trunks that are locked in the cupboard beneath the stairs." Harry explained. Theo closed his eyes for one moment, before he opened them once more.
"Alright. Let's go." Theo led the way down the stairs, and into the hallway where the Dursley's were still located. Theo pointed his wand at Vernon.
"You can't use that!" He crowed, sounding victorious. Theodore smirked at the man.
"Actually I can. I am seventeen and no longer considered a minor in the eyes of our government." Theodore said with a light smile. "Now, do I have to use a spell on you or are you going to tell me where Aria is?"
"I don't have to tell you anything!" Vernon snarled. Theodore raised an eyebrow before muttering a light tickling charm. It only lasted for several minutes, but by then Vernon and Mrs. Dursley were scared. "She's in the basement!"
"Thank you." Theodore said, before turning around. He walked into the kitchen and down into the basement where he found Aria lying on her stomach atop of an old cot. His stomach rolled as he looked at her exposed back.
He muttered a feather light charm and picked her up off the bed. He was careful not to jostle her wounds too much before carrying her up the stairs. Once he was in the hallway he handed his wand to Harry.
"Unlock the door and cast a feather light charm as well as a shrinking charm on the trunks." Theodore commanded. Harry complied and soon the three of them were getting out of the house. They walked a few houses up from number four. Theodore turned to Harry. "I will have to apparate Aria to the manor. Then once I get her situated come get you."
"I understand." Harry nodded. Theo hummed, seeming pleased at his answer.
"But you will not be able to come to my house." Theodore said after a few moments. "My father will be quite put out to have to deal with having Aria in his house, let alone you. He might give you over to the Dark Lord, just to get in his good graces."
"That's fine." Harry said with an understanding smile.
"Good. Think about where you want me to apparate you when I get back." Harry nodded and Theo quickly apparated Aria and he back to the manor. "Dopsy!" The house-elf arrived. Her eyes widened at the sight of Theodore holding a wounded girl in his arms. "Take her to my room. I will be back shortly. Do not tell my father about her."
"Dopsy understands Master Theodore." The house-elf took Aria and disappeared upstairs. Theodore apparated once again.
"Have you decided?" Theodore asked Harry. Harry nodded.
"Take me to the Grangers." Harry said with an uncertain smile. Theo nodded and asked for the address. Once he knew, Theo apparated them to a house in the middle of Muggle London.
"Here you are." Theo said. Harry smiled at him. "Aria's trunk?"
"Here. And thank you again." Harry said to his sister's boyfriend.
"It was no problem." Theo said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I'll keep you updated on Aria's condition."
"I'd like that Theo. Thanks again." Theo nodded curtly once more before he apparated once more to his manor. He made for the study where he hurriedly flooed Severus Snape, Aria's godfather.
Nott Manor, Aria POV
With a groan I woke up. I sat up, not feeling the pull of my wounds on my back. Confused I sat up, and looked around me in a bewildered glance. The room in which I was in, was massive, with beautiful black furnishings and silver walls.
I looked down at the bed upon which I laid, and found myself on a massive king size bed. The sheets were of the finest silk and silver.
"OH!" I looked around startled at whoever had interrupted the silence. I looked and saw a tiny house-elf. "I must alert Master that you are awake. He is currently discussing his affairs. I will be right back."
"Wait!" I called out, but the house-elf was already gone. With a sigh I fell back onto the soft sheets of the bed.
"So you finally awake." A familiar voice filtered into my eardrums. I turned hurriedly to face the voice.
"Theo?" I gasped, looking at my handsome boyfriend who was leaning against the door frame. He had a smirk adorning his face. I drank in the sight of his welcome being; tall and slender with high cheekbones, brown wavy hair, gorgeous golden hued eyes.
"Hello, love." Theo smirked and came into the room. "How do you feel?"
"A lot better than I remember being. What happened?" I asked, curious as I leant against the headboard. Theo smiled, a little sadly, and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
"Harry sent me a letter, asking for my aid. I did not hesitate to visit your relative's house. There I found a disturbingly gracious Harry Potter, who hugged me. And then I found you in the basement."
"Oh." I said, feeling a little overwhelmed. Theo would have seen everything. Now he knew what happened to me whenever I went home every summer. I could only wonder if he would want me anymore.
"Aria, you could have told me." Theo said in a gentle voice. I flinched and looked down at the bed. Theo sighed and pushed my head up to look at him with his long fingers. "I still love you for who you are."
I leaned forward and gave my boyfriend a kiss. He laughed, before his expression became a little more serious.
"Aria, I have thought over the weeks that we have been apart." Theo started and I giggled a little. He gave me a slight glare, before lapsing into his speech. "I cannot stand to be apart from you. I cannot take it when I see you in pain, as I have witnessed this past week. I need you by my side, always and forever."
"You are so sweet Theo." I grinned, but he shook his head.
"What I'm trying to do, is to ask you if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Theo asked, sliding from the side of the bed, to kneeling on the floor. He pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket. "I know we will have to wait for a while, but I cannot imagine having you free for the next few years. Please say yes."
"Of course I would love to marry you, Theodore Nott." I gasped. He grinned and slid the ring on my finger.
"One day you will become Mrs. Theodore Nott." He kissed me passionately then. I grinned into the kiss.
"And I will anxiously await that day."