AN: Written for FrenchGinger's The Replacements Competition. So sorry it's late.
Prompt: Fondue. I had to incorporate Theodore in the chapter where Harry ends up in Borgin and Burkes. Let's see how I did.
Many thanks to Caz. She deserves an award for being the greatest beta :) And to Sara for helping me with a cool name for a restaurant in Knockturn Alley.
Sitting on a dark green velvet armchair and dipping his strawberry into a fondue while looking around the Troll's Head was a ritual for Theodore Nott. He scanned the restaurant with his eyes, noting where the corners were dark and full of velvet furniture. He also saw photographs of slain Trolls and wall-mounted trophies of various ugly Trolls on display for the guests to see and admire.
"Hurry up, boy. I want to buy some black widows before we head out and buy your supplies," Abelard Nott said to his son, putting some Galleons on the table.
It was that time again, when Mr. Nott would take his only son Theodore to Diagon Alley to buy his school supplies. Usually Abelard Nott liked to "train" his son for his path of future Death Eater and once in a while lock him up in the Nott dungeon with crumbs and some water. But Theodore was never seen dressed like a Weasley child. Theodore, although he had scars from his neck to his toes, wore the best of clothes. Dragon-hide calf-length coats and shiny Italian shoes. Vests and linen shirts and trousers that cost thousand of Galleons. Only the best would do for his heir and future Death Eater son.
It went the same for school supplies: the most expensive and the very best.
Theodore nodded and finished his last strawberry. Standing up, he and his father left the dark restaurant. Abelard, who had been reading the second-year school list, mumbled, "Can you believe it? They've actually hired that vapid, dim-witted wizard Lockhart…"
Theo looked at his father. He had heard about Lockhart; he was a celebrity of sorts. Nott Sr. hated celebrities.
"Walk faster, boy. I need to get my black widows," Abe hissed, snapping his fingers, making Theodore walk faster through the narrow dark crannies that made Knockturn Alley.
Finally, they reached Borgin and Burkes. The bell clanged, indicating to Mr. Borgin that someone had come in. Looking up, he smiled, showing yellowing unkempt teeth while smoothing his greasy hair back from his wrinkly face. Theodore frowned; he'd always disliked Mr. Borgin for being an unkempt man even if he always tried to look his best around rich purebloods. Didn't he know a spell that fixed his teeth?
"Mr. Nott, a pleasure that you – "
"Cut the nonsense, Gilbert. I don't have time for your flowery words. Give me my widows, now," Abelard ordered, making Mr. Borgin nod and quickly head to the back room.
Theodore continued to stand next to his father. He heard something fall behind them. Frowning, he turned his head and saw someone covered in soot. He shook his head and looked back at the items on the glass counter. On display was a small owl made of pure gold with emerald eyes. He crept closer to it.
"Stand up, boy," Abelard cautioned. "Things in this place are cursed, don't know if that cheap glass can protect you."
Theodore sighed and stood up, his eyebrows furrowed. He heard someone walking and he was about to turn around, but his father's hand held tightly to his shoulder; even though his father was now really old the grip was even tighter than usual. Theodore whimpered in pain. Mr. Borgin came back but dropped the green box that held his father's black widows, making Abelard sigh in frustration.
Borgin wrung his hands. "My apologies, Mr. Nott, it seems I ha – "
"Just shut up and pick up my widows, dimwit," Nott Sr. hissed.
Borgin nodded vigorously and bent down. At that moment the bell clanged, signaling more customers.
"Ahh, Abe what a surprise. How are you this fine day?" Lucius Malfoy asked Abelard, shaking the man's hand. Theodore nodded at Draco. He didn't consider Malfoy a friend, but they had been forced to play together since childhood.
Draco motioned for Theodore to follow him, which he did after his father nodded in approval. "Father told me he was going to buy me a present, but this shop is just disgusting," Draco complained.
"I'm going to buy Draco a racing broom." Lucius smiled at Abelard who smiled in returned.
"I see no point of the broom if I'm not going to be in the team," Draco grumbled and looked at Theodore who was inspecting a shelf full of skulls. "Theodore, are you going to try out? You're an excellent flyer. Flint can make you Chaser."
Theo looked over his shoulder. "Quidditch doesn't really interest me." And it didn't. Yes, he was a good flyer and could be an excellent Chaser, but other things like Transfiguration were more interesting to him.
Draco nodded, knowing his housemate. "Potter got a Nimbus 2000 and he's in the Gryffindor team and he's not even that great, right, Theodore? Tell Father how Harry Potter isn't that great of a player."
Theo sighed. He really didn't have the attitude to obey that command, and Potter was a boring and nervous boy. Theodore never saw him as someone special like everybody else seemed to.
"You have told me thousands of times, Draco," Lucius hissed, adding that it wouldn't be prudent for them to say bad things about the Hero.
Theodore was used to hearing that – his own father kept saying he had to be polite to Potter. But not for long. Mr. Borgin stood up, clutching the green box full of black widows.
"Now, Abelard, you do know that the Ministry is going to conduct some raids. Having these around will cause an uproar for you," Lucius told Nott Sr..
Abelard waved his hand. "Don't worry, I have these little ones hidden. Only I know where they are."
As Theodore and Draco walked further into the shop, they spotted a withered hand on a purple velvet cushion. Theo raised an eyebrow; he could practice with it, transfiguring it into objects of any sorts. But then he strayed away from it when Mr. Borgin said that it was friends of thieves – one thing his dead mother had taught him before her demise was never to steal. Even his aging father had told him the same. Stealing was for poor wizards, for Mudbloods.
His father repeated that same mantra which caused Lucius to reprimand Draco for being beaten by a Mudblood. That meant Granger. Draco looked angry and abashed but mostly shocked. He whispered to Theodore, "Granger's a Mu-mudblood?"
Theodore sighed. He felt sorry for Draco because he knew that Malfoy had a small crush on the bushy-haired Gryffindor and had never known of her blood status. Nott had been going to tell him last year, but Zabini had told him that it wouldn't be a good idea. "She is."
And Theodore began to walk further. He had truly seen someone there, but no one was at the back of the shop. Draco was following him, silent. Maybe thinking about the Mudblood. Poor bloke. Theo left him watching an opal necklace that was cursed.
Theodore spotted a large black cabinet. Looking closely, he noticed it had carved runes on it. His scarred weedy arm stretched to open it, to see what was inside – maybe more runes –
"Come on, boy, if we don't finish today it'll be full of people by tomorrow," called his father.
Lucius called for Draco as well. Theo sighed and turned back, pulling on Draco's arm. Mr. Borgin said goodbye and both fathers left the shop with their sons.
Theo turned to look at Draco. "Are you alright?"
Malfoy nodded absently. Theodore shrugged and saw at a distance the Giant from school – that gamekeeper bloke. Theo could hear the whispers from his father and Malfoy Sr.. Most likely they were discussing the Dark Lord…
Finally, they turned onto Diagon Alley and then into Flourish and Blotts. Theodore headed straight to the Transfiguration section, pushing his way through Lockhart fan girls. It seemed that Draco had recovered from his shock because he remarked, "Father told me Hogwarts hired Lockhart to be our new Defence Professor…"
Looking at the smiling blonde author, Theo felt something weird about him, that he shouldn't be trusted. From just one glimpse, Theodore could know who was who and their intentions. Shaking his head, he looked back at the book at his hand. He was at the second chapter when Draco nudged him. "Look who's here! Scarface, the Weasel and the Mudblood. What an ugly sight. Come on." Draco tried to convince him to follow him, but Theodore was never a fan of making people feel less and he wasn't Malfoy's bodyguard.
"No, I'd rather stay here and read – how about you go alone," he said, looking at his book.
Malfoy huffed. "You're never fun, Theo." And he went on his way.
Theodore was happily reading his new Transfiguration book when he heard some commotion in the book shop. Abandoning his reading, he saw a cauldron explode. Draco and Lucius as well Potter, the whole Weasley clan and the Mudblood were there. Sighing, Theo rolled his eyes and walked back to where his father was waiting for him.
"See there, Theodore. Malfoys always like to make some kind of noise in history. But us Notts have control over it. We call the shots," Abelard Nott told his son.
This confused Theodore. If Notts had control, then why did his father still idolize a defeated man? Surely it would go against what his father had just said, right?
Swiftly, both Notts left Flourish and Blott's, but not before Theodore noticed something.
Potter was that someone who had been in Borgin and Burkes, but why had he been there?
"Merlin, it's already getting full," Abe whispered.
Taking out his wand, Abelard seized Theodore's arm. Sighing, Theo looked back at the shop. So many questions and so little time. Besides, Theodore really didn't care why Potter was there; he wasn't like Draco who was bitter from not being able to befriend the half-blood. Theodore was the boy who listened and didn't like to make too much noise like Draco did.
Theodore liked being alone. And if he wasn't, he was having talks with the Fat Lady, or he was listening to Zabini tell him about his latest conquest or listening to Malfoy tell him about the Mudblood he could never have. As he felt the pull of dissaparating he took a deep breath, well at least he was going to get another DADA Professor.
AN: Not my best work, I know. But please leave a review on your thoughts :)