AN: Written for Ravenclaw House Homework assigned by Professor Lola on Hogwarts Online II.
AN: I wanna thank my beta, Caz, she's the best!
At a very young age, Theodore Nott hated his father. Someone so young shouldn't have this feeling – especially towards a parent.
But you see, young Theo knew that he hated his father with so much passion. After all, it was quite clear to him that his father had never loved him.
He was the only heir, a pureblood boy, a son who would follow his father's path as a Death Eater, and be a faithful follower of the Dark Lord. Theodore was a trainee.
Nothing more and nothing less.
So it was common in the Nott Manor that Abelard Nott would "train" his son for his path. Malfoy was doing the same, and Abelard didn't want to be second best or disappoint his Lord when the time came for the boy to take his rightful place.
Nott Sr. knew deep in his heart that the day would come when the Dark Lord rise again, and he and the boy would be there for him, to serve him faithfully.
Abelard's project was going well. He saw the boy as a simple lab rat and it would be interesting to see how the boy would end up. Most likely Theodore would be like him – he would die of embarrassment if the boy came out like a Hufflepuff. But Abelard had a certain way to stop that. After all, he'd never wanted the boy, but Katherine had wanted it so much. He had not been able to deny her.
But now he was regretting it. The boy distracted Katherine too much…
Screams of pain could be heard in the Nott dungeon. Young Theodore couldn't help but scream in pain as his father crucio'ed him again and again. But he didn't dare cry – his father hated crying and would whip him if he saw Theo crying. And he had to be strong for his mum, the five-year-old boy thought.
Being crucio'ed was the most horrible feeling. It felt like he was being electrocuted non-stop. His head felt like it was going to split in half, his brain felt like it was sizzling, knives were stabbing him, and for some strange reason he felt like blood was seeping out of cuts in his body. That never happened.
His green eyes opened and looked down; indeed, he was bleeding. Blood was sputtering from his face, chest and arms. Gasping, he began yelling, "Pease, father! Stops just stops!"
Abelard Nott had used sectumsempra on his own son. Without a thought of remorse.
"Shut up, boy! Be a man!" he shouted. "This is nothing compared to what's in store for you," his cold voice said to the young Theodore.
Theodore couldn't help it and began crying, begging for his father to stop. It only served to make Nott Sr. angry at the weakness of his own son. Taking out the whip that was kept in a metallic box in the dungeons, he went forth and began whipping the boy, making his cuts even nastier. Theo was now stained red, but getting paler by the second.
Theo kept thinking that this was the end, that this would be the last part of his father trying to kill him. This thought had come to his mind various times, but he somehow felt that this was it.
He wasn't going to see his mum or Milly. He was so afraid. His sobs and tears continued with so much pain and sorrow. Little Theodore would die without saying goodbye to his mum.
It must have been hours, or minutes, maybe even seconds that had passed with the bloody torture. For Theodore time was gone. His mind didn't want to dwell on how long he was suffering.
But when he heard the door of the cell being hit, he realised someone was trying to get in. It made Theodore look up – no one interrupted his father. His father didn't like being interrupted when training him. Shouts could be heard. "Let me in Abelard!" It was his mum.
Immediately his tears stopped and he began to breathe correctly again. His father had stopped the whipping.
Abelard sneered at Theodore before he made his way to the door and slowly opened it. Katherine Nott pushed her husband aside, and ran towards her son with tears in her eyes. "My Teddy. My poor baby," she cooed, while holding his small body to her, staining her elegant clothes with his blood. Katherine tried to stop her own tears, but seeing her baby being maimed like this was torture. Quickly she stood up, deciding that she would floo Healer Baggs. Unfortunately for her Abelard had taken her wand.
"What do you think you are doing?" Abelard hissed at his wife when she tried to sidestep him. His hand went to her upper arm and twisted it, making her almost drop Theodore.
"I'm taking my son to his bedroom and then I will call Healer Baggs to tend to him," Katherine snapped. Again she tried to pass him but he wouldn't budge.
"No. Don't you see you'll just make him weak? When the Dark Lord returns, I don't want a son who will run crying to his mother for not able to take what the Dark Lord has in store for him." Abelard glared.
Katherine glared back at her husband, and with all her strength she pushed him and quickly ran for the dungeon corridor with her elf by her side. Theodore was groaning from the pain, and he was afraid to open his eyes. He didn't want to see his mummy crying or even see his father behind them. His mother quickly gave instructions to Milly. "Open the door, Milly, and quickly floo Healer Baggs – he knows what to do, okay, I'll be in my room," she said in a rushed voice, while looking back at her husband who was walking calmly behind them. Katherine immediately knew that meant she would pay later for what she had done.
They were almost there. Katherine went up the stairs to the floor that her room was on. Theodore was breathing deeply, holding his mum tightly. He felt safe again. No harm would come now. She was here and she would sing his lullaby while rocking him to sleep and she would kiss his head and he would wake up and this nightmare would end.
He felt a sudden jolt and he opened his green eyes to see his mum gasp. His father had pushed her, making her drop Theodore.
It happened all too fast.
Abelard dragged his wife by her long brown hair, all the way down the long stairs of the Nott Manor. Katherine bit her lip from the effort of stopping herself from crying. Theodore's mouth opened in horror at seeing this – he could never get used to seeing his father hurt his mummy. Nott Sr. and Katherine were now in the entrance hall. Abelard was so mad that he began hitting his wife, his family ring marking her cheek, bruising Katherine. "You bitch! I'm the Lord of this Manor, and what I say is law!" he yelled at her while he kicked her on the ribs.
Theodore glared as he began walking down the stairs, holding onto the railing. He felt so angry, so helpless, so desperate, and he wanted to hurt his father so bad. He didn't realize that he was shaking the railings; his mind was focused on his father.
"You make me look like a fool!" Abelard slapped her again. Katherine was now all bruised and was holding her ribs tightly, but his feet landed on her small hands making her yelp in pain. "When the boy grows up he'll not listen to me!" Again another kick, this time on her arm.
Theo gritted his teeth. His hands were trembling and his green eyes looked up at the chandelier.
"Please, Abe!" Katherine pleaded to her husband. "I don't like it when Teddy sees."
Abelard just ignored this and kept hitting her.
Theo hated his father so much. With all his heart. From a very young age he'd known that his father never wanted him, and it hurt but it hurt more when his mummy was hurting. His five year old mind had matured so much in so little time. His green eyes glared at the regal chandelier that the manor possessed. How would his father feel if his precious chandelier fell on top of him? Theodore knew that his father was so proud of that ridiculous chandelier; it had been in the family for centuries.
That's when finally Abelard stopped hitting his wife. "What the..."
He and Katherine felt it. The manor shook as if there was an earthquake. Theodore focused on the chandelier, wanting to drop it on top of his father. That will hurt him, that will show him to not hit his mum. Abelard looked up at the chandelier. It was shaking as well. He narrowed his eyes – he didn't know how it was possible. There were charms on it for it to not shake or fall. It was ancient.
With confused eyes Abelard and Katherine looked up at their son.
Theodore was standing straight, but he was shaking. His hands were holding ontp the railing making it shake, his green eyes were squinting at the chandelier, his mouth was set in frown and his face looked focused and angry.
Then suddenly the chandelier fell. It was fast but slow at the same time. Theodore's right hand moved as if he were shoving a fly away. Katherine gasped. Abelard turned to look at her as she was magically pushed away from underneath the chandelier. Abelard's eyes widened and he looked up as the ancient chandelier of the Nott family fell on top of him. The tiny diamond-shaped glass of the chandelier scratched Nott Sr.'s cheeks and hands.
The air was white with dust and plaster from the ceiling and the floor was filled with tiny balls of fire. Theodore slowly walked all the way down to the entrance hall. He was still hurting from his "training". He looked confused; he hadn't known that he could do that. Katherine slowly stood up, her green eyes frightened. Abelard just looked shocked. He tried to stand up and walk to the boy.
It was eerily silent for about a few seconds that felt like hours.
Then Abelard Nott started laughing. Katherine trembled in fear. She already what he was thinking, what he was to say.
"Merlin! This is a surprise!" Abelard yelled excitedly while slowly walking to Theodore who just glared back. "Wait till Malfoy hears this! My son has shown he is magical!" His laugh continued. Theodore looked down. It was the first time his father had acknowledged him as his son. "Non-verbal magic! Ha!"
Abelard got hold of Theo's shoulders, shaking him a bit in his excitement. "I knew that the training I was giving you would turn out well! You will serve the Dark Lord well, I can see it now. When he returns he will want you by his side, not Draco or Greg or the fat one! He will want you!"
Theodore just looked up at his father in fear. He didn't want to be a Death Eater. He didn't want to be like his father.
"Milly!" Abelard shouted.
Immediately the house elf apparated with a trail of smoke. Bowing she whispered, "Yes, Master Nott?" Her big violet eyes widened at the state of the entrance hall.
"Bring firewhiskey or champagne, we are going to celebrate!" Abelard said joyfully, not bothering to clean the cuts he had.
Katherine shook her head. "No." She didn't want this. The last thing she wanted was for her Teddy to be like her husband.
Abelard turned around with a sneer. "Be quiet, Kat. It's a time of celebration, don't ruin it." Looking back at his son, he said, "You will become the greatest Death Eater there is. You'll make me proud, boy. You'll bring the Nott name honor and praise."
Theodore Nott kept quiet. Maybe this would stop his father from hurting his mum. He smiled, knowing it was the right thing to do. His mummy was safe now.
Too bad his father killed her two years later.
AN: I've noticed that I always make Theodore suffer. :( But hey that's why he has Luna ;) Please Review!