Unraveling Mysteries (Theodore Nott/Ravenclaw OC)

"Bellarosa," I turned around to see Blaise Zabini walking towards me with a cream-colored envelope in his hands. I stopped and adjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder. Behind Zabini was a tired looking Draco Malfoy and an impassive Theodore Nott.

"Mother wanted me to personally invite you and your mother to her engagement party."

Zabini extended the envelope towards me and I grabbed it before tucking it away in my bag. I turned towards Zabini. "What is this, husband number six?"

Zabini usually didn't take it kindly when people talked about his family but he smiled at me before he gave me a light chuckle. Let me explain. My mother along with Zabini, Malfoy and Nott's mother went to Hogwarts together and were rather close. I practically grew up with four mothers but it didn't do much to make up for the hole my father left when he left my mother.

After my father left my mother when she had me, Nott's mother had died a few years later. The only thing I remember is that I was there when Nott's mother had died and the feeling of warm blood on my face. I sometimes still wake up scratching my face. Afterwards, Nott ignored me and we stopped talking to each other. It strained my friendship with Malfoy and Zabini, but it did not end up destroying it as our mothers still met up, dragging us along.

Right now, Nott was practicing his wand movements in the air instead of trying to engage in Zabini's conversation as Malfoy was. "Yeah. Husband Number Six is actually not a drunkard or old. He tried to learn more about me. I tried to get Mother to spare him but she just brushed it off. He even took me to the Brazil game over break." I nodded.

"Anyway Bellarosa," Malfoy cut in, "I was hoping you would be my date to Zabini's mother's engagement party."

Before I could answer Zabini cut in. "Actually, I was hoping you would be my date. Mother would appreciate it and she also extended an invitation for you to stay at our place until the Christmas Holidays are over. You know, like the old days."

Malfoy scowled. "I asked Bellarosa first, Zabini." I stepped in with a smile, "Actually Draco I don't think you should worry about your date. I'm sure Parkinson would love to go with you. And Blaise, I'll take you up on your offer for being your date. Mother would have skinned me if I showed up by myself again while my perfect cousin had a date. Oh, and tell your mother I would love to stay over."

I smiled up at Zabini and ignored Malfoy grumbling about Parkinson. "Rowena, look at the time. I need to get to the library before the reference books that Slughorn was talking about disappear. Bye boys," I called over my shoulder before going to the library. As I looked back I saw Nott staring at me. I ignored that and kept trekking towards the library.

I was in Transfiguration when the gifts started coming in. The first gift was a plate of brownies with a note on them that read:

I know that you're busy with Prefect duties, Quidditch and preparing for your O.W.L.s but it breaks my heart when you skip your meals. Please enjoy these brownies, I baked them as soon as I heard that you love savory and sweet desserts. From, Your Secret Admirer.

I was first confused. Why would anyone want to admire me? I was the least admirable person that I knew. But the brownies smelled heavenly and I hadn't had anything since breakfast from yesterday. I was too busy helping the Head Girl make the schedule for rounds, preparing for tryouts and finishing my Herbology essay about how to properly tell the difference between a Moon Flower and a Chrysanthemum.

So, I ended up eating the brownie to stop Ross from bugging me about giving her a bite. After that, every day I ended up getting an "award", as my admirer called it, for taking care of myself. At first, I ended up eating the baked goods but after meeting my mother in Hogsmeade to talk about my dress for Ms. Zabini's engagement party, I was told I was gaining too much weight and won't be able to fit in the dress.

My mother told me to lose weight or she was going to cut me off from my money. She had me when she said that if I didn't she'd make me wear a corset. Not a muggle one, a magical one. I started giving away my secret admirers treats but I kept the notes for myself. Whenever I would feel miserable or tired I'd take them out to read, smiling.

As I sat sandwiched between Malfoy and Zabini at the Slytherin table for lunch to discuss Ms. Zabini's engagement party, I sighed. "Why are you sighing," Malfoy asked. "Is it the prospect of being Zabini's date?" At this, Zabini scowled at Malfoy and whispered something quietly to the latter that caused his face to pale drastically.

I smiled and shook my head. "It's just that I've been getting these notes and desserts from this Secret Admirer and I just really want to know who it is." At this Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Why don't you send a letter to your admirer." I just nodded, a smile painted on my face as I thought of why I didn't send a letter.

You see, I was deathly afraid of owls. Have been since I was younger after my brother's owl would sit on my face during the night suffocating me. I didn't believe it at first because Pip the owl was so small and it didn't look like it could but it turned out Pip was coldhearted and just wanted me dead. This continued for a while until I wouldn't sleep for weeks, scared that Pip was going to suffocate me again. Mother was exasperated and we ended up giving Pip away.

"Well guys," I say as I push back from the table, causing Zabini and Malfoy to look at me. "I'm going to go send my mother a letter. Zabini, my dress is a champagne pink color. Bye boys, try not to miss me that much." As I walked around Hogwarts I thought hard, it won't be that hard to go to the owlery right? It's not like all owls are like Pip, plus I could tell my Admirer that we can meet up and when we do, we can discuss ways that we can communicate.

As I made my way to the owlery, I stopped by outside the room before taking a few deep breaths and taking out a quill and parchment.

I have to say I do appreciate the desserts but I am on a water-based diet. I replace all my drinks with water and hope not to die of want. If possible can we meet up? Maybe at the corner of the library between the history and potions section near the window?

I quickly folded the parchment and got out my mother's letter and entered the owlery, starting my search for an owl that will most likely not try to kill me. "Here," a voice said behind me. I turned around to see Nott standing behind me, staring at me with an owl on his arm extended towards me. "Um, no it's fine Nott. You take it, I'll find another one." I gave him a weak smile before turning around and continued looking for a owl.

"Bellarosa, just take the bloody owl. It's not going to hurt you and it's not that bad of an owl. After all it is my owl." "Fine Nott," I replied. Nott extended the owl towards me and I hold my arm out, slightly wincing when the owl jumps on my arm. "Okay, so Mr. Owl or are you Mrs. Owl? No focus. Okay owl all I need you to do is give these letters to who they go to. Give the letter to whoever is closest first okay. Oh, and smell this if you don't know who to give this letter to," I say as I put one of my admirer's letters in front of the owl.

I smiled at the owl and went to the window before putting my arm out and waited for the owl to leave. But it didn't and just sat on my arm. I started waving my arm a little, panicking and the owl screeched at me. At this point I was waving my arm in circles, crying, with the owl's talons piercing my skin. "Bellarosa calm down. Your scaring her."

"Oh, I'm scaring her am I Nott," I screamed, "You said the bloody owl was not going to hurt me and that it's not that bad of an owl. But your stupid bloody owl is piercing my arm." Nott glared at me for a second but then he huffed. "Artemis, come here." The owl flew of my arm and nipped at my hair before settling on Nott's arm. The owl then extended its leg towards Nott, before flying off, and he took the folded piece of parchment with a look of interest before opening it.

"Nott," I said slowly, "give it back." Nott continued reading and re-reading. Something inside of me snapped and I pushed pass Nott and left the owlery, cursing whoever thought that having owls deliver letter was better than a fox or a camel. Now I could forget about my admirer ever showing up.

I rubbed my eyes as I sat in my little nook of the library. The potions essay was mocking me and I couldn't figure it out, even with Slughorn's recommended reference books. I was horrible at Potions. History of Magic I can ace along with any of my other classes nut Potions was in its own category of difficult for me. I wasn't a book smart, passes all of her classes Ravenclaw. I was that one Ravenclaw who prefers reading mysteries or rom-coms, playing the bass and procrastinating.

Lucky for me, old Sluggy loves my family. He knew my mother and my father, and because of that he's taken it in his own hands to get me a tutor in Potions so I don't fail. After all, Sluggy sucks up to people and their children look to him for help. The thing about Potions isn't that I can follow the directions, it's just that halfway through I end up experimenting on ways to make it so the potion required less ingredients.

I took out my Secret Admirer's latest note. It wasn't really a note but more of a drawing. Of my side profile to be exact. It was from when I was sitting between Zabini and Malfoy, talking about Zabini's mother's engagement party, staring off into space. In the corner it was written, I hope you weren't thinking too much about me. So far, I only know a few things about my admirer.

They had to be a Slytherin since I was sitting at the Slytherin Table when they drew this. They were probably left-handed as whenever they wrote the notes, some of the writing would be smeared as if their hand was going over their prewritten words. They could bake and that they could draw.

I sighed and looked down at the drawing, tracing the loop in the I as I thought of who my admirer might be. A Slytherin that was hopefully not a first to third year as I do not want to be known as a cradle robber.

"Miss Bellarosa," I turned around and smiled as Slughorn waved me to his desk. "Yes Professor," I asked hoping that he'd hurry up so I could make it Quidditch practice on time and not have to run laps. While Rivera may look like the girl you could bring home to your mum, she swore like a sailor but her attitude was worse than her swearing and what was worse than that attitude of hers was her lack of patience.

"I'm happy to tell you that I got you a tutor for potions. A very quiet lad he is but I feel you two will get on fine. If you want I can schedule a meeting for both of you. Perhaps, in front of the Great Hall tomorrow at four?" I mentally went through my schedule. "Yes, I can make it at four if I run from the greenhouses. Thank you, Professor." At that Slughorn smiled and waved me away, "No need to thank me. Tell your mother I said hello and she can drop by for a cup of tea whenever she wants." I nodded and left.

I was officially late. I was supposed to meet my Potions tutor and I was late. Not that late mind you, only seven minutes late, but being late never created a good first-hand account of the type of person I was. If I hadn't stayed behind and helped Professor Sprout with watering the Moon Flowers and then spent time talking to her about how overgrown greenhouse five looked I wouldn't have been.

But here I was running towards the Great Hall, running and tripping in the slick mud. Not a good way to make a first impression. As I stumbled into the castle and turned the corner to the Great Hall I ended up crashing into someone and landing on my bottom. Great.

"Are you okay," a voice asked softly. I nodded and grabbed the hand extended towards me. "Thank yo––oh hi Nott." Nott nodded and stared at me. "What's wrong Nott," I asked. Bloody Rowena, I just had to crash into Nott, what is my tutor going to think? "Bellarosa you are almost ten minutes late, Slughorn did tell you that we were supposed to meet up at four, right." That wasn't a question, more of a statement and I pitifully muttered out my excuse about Sprout.

"Fine Bellarosa, but first let's get you to the Hospital Wing. You have scratches all over your face." At this, Nott grabbed my arm and started dragging me to the Hospital Wing, where I sat on a bed while Nott stood in front of me. "So, you have a secret admirer?" I groaned and nodded. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice. But yes, I do have an admirer but I'm going to make sure it's not a secret anymore."

At this Nott raised his eyebrow at me questioning me and urging me to go on. "Well for one, I know that he or she is a Slytherin. They're left-handed and are an excellent artist along with cook." Nott nodded. "So, this means you ate this admirer's cooked food without knowing what was inside it? That's very irresponsible, someone should tell your mother."

"Don't you dare Nott," I said getting up. "You have no right to meddle in my life," the sentence ended with me twisting my finger around on Nott's chest. "And what are you going to do about that Bellarosa," Nott asked, his head turned so his lips were brushing my ear.

Before I could answer Nott turns and leaves, reminding me to come and get him whenever I needed help. What a great tutor. Note my sarcasm.

I was sitting in the Hogwarts Express next to Zabini who was trying to drill different ingredients that could replace each other in a potion. "Zabini, I don't think anything is going to get through Bellarosa's thick skull." I glared at Nott as he returned from the trolley with some snacks in hand. He tossed Chocolate Frogs at Malfoy, who was staring out the window, Pumpkin Pasties at Parkinson, clinging to Malfoy, and Pink Coconut Ice at Zabini who just nodded. Nott nudged me to the side and sat down next to me before handing me a handful of Sugar Quills before sucking on some himself. When I made no move to take them, Nott turned and gazed at me.

I just nodded and took a quill before enclosing my mouth around it.

"May I take your bag Missus," I looked down and saw Dooey, the Zabini's house elf staring at me. "Of course, here you go Dooey," as I gave Dooey my bag I looked, around the foyer of the Zabini's home. It looked the same except for the fact that since the last time I was here, three more pictures of Ms. Zabini's late husbands.

"Right here Missus, please follow me. Mistress wants all the guests to reside in the West Wing of the house. During your stay, Missus, Dooey will be taking care of you so whenever you need anything just give Dooey a call. Do you want Dooey to stay, Missus?" I turned and smiled at Dooey as we reached the room that I was going to be staying in.

"No Dooey, I am fine. I'll just unpack. Could you inform me if my mother arrives?" Dooey responded with a quick "yes Missus" before leaving with a crack. I looked around the room and set out organizing the clothing that I was going to be wearing at Ms. Zabini's engagement party. As I was putting away my finished Charms essay I looked up to see an owl pecking at the window.

I reached out for the window, angling my body away, and opened it before jumping behind the writing desk. The owl left the parcel on the writing desk and returned to the window. I quickly opened the parcel and smiled. In the parcel was what looked to be a very old locket. It was silver and had dark blue gems encrusted in the surface, making the outline of the rune for love. Smiling I clipped the locket around my neck and opened it.

Inside the locket was a picture of a woman with light caramel hair and deep blue eyes. In her lap was a boy that looked five, with darker hair than the woman but with the same eyes. The boy was laughing and looking at a girl who was wearing a badly made flower crown around her head and clutching on to her mother's dress. And then I knew, who my admirer was.

2 years later

I pulled my dragonhide coat around my shoulder's as I went to find my boyfriend. Theo and I have been dating since he gave me the locket with the picture from our childhood in it. Turns out, the locket was his mothers and he told me that he wanted to complete the promise we made when we were younger. I, of course, was confused as my brain had blocked out that fateful night.

Turns out the day that Theo had stopped talking to me was the day that we were at his family manor to witness his mother's death. It was gruesome, to say the least, but after his father was done, I had let out a whimper and he had turned on us. Theo's father tried to use a dark magic curse on me but ended up hitting Theo instead, scarring his back badly.

After his father came to his senses and found out what had happened he was apologetic. His father made it look like that the family was attacked by former Death Eater's. Theo's back was treated, but the scarring never went away and my memories were blocked. Theo, trying to protect me, had ignored me.

I turned a sharp corner before slowing down when I saw Theo. His head was down as he crouched down by the marble grave in front of him. I stopped and gazed at him as he ran his hand over the headstone of his mother's grave. Silently, I conjured up a bouquet of daisies, and walked behind Theo, announcing my presence.

Theo and I crouched by his mother's grave. He was arranging and rearranging the flowers into a crown. When he was done he put it on the ground before his mother's grave. "Goodbye, mother," he said silently, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. "Goodbye."

Yup, I'm just downright depressing. There were many interesting things about the background Slytherins like how Theodore Nott's father most likely killing his wife. Blaise Zabini's mother having a whole line of guys wanting to be with her even though she may or may not have killed her previous husbands.

Requests are open.