Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.
AN: This is written as a response to Blackwolf-20's It Happened on the Hogwarts Express Challenge!. It's also the latest entry into HedwigBlack's Weekly Challenge.
Theodore Nott was not, by any means, stupid. Devious as any Slytherin can be, yes. A determined believer in pure-blood superiority? Absolutely. But stupid? No, Theo is far from stupid. And it doesn't take a genius to realise that his father is fully intent on dragging him into the ranks of the Death Eaters, whether he wants to join or not. And in Theodore's case, he has long been of the opinion that joining Voldemort is not what he wants to do with his life.
It's the middle of his seventh year though and although Voldemort has all but won, Theodore is still unhappy with the idea of bowing and scraping to any man, even one as powerful as him. And so Theodore Nott did the only thing he thought he could do and that was to plan to escape to the continent, maybe Asia or America. But he had to survive the trip, something he would not do if his father was searching for him.
And so, when he stepped onto the Hogwart's Express in the compartment at the back of the train for the Christmas holiday, he was prepared and not even the unexpected arrival of Gregory Goyle in his compartment was going to throw his plans out.
"I heer yer goin ter get the mark," Goyle commented as the train began moving and Theo raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Eard it from dad that they's going to in-ind-indu," Goyle paused and decided to give up trying to say the word. "They want you ter join 'em now yer of age. Wish I could."
Theo smiled at Goyle. Of course Goyle wished he could, he was as stupid as they came and was best at following other peoples orders. That's why Malfoy kept him and Crabbe around after all. And he was a thug, stupid and without even the slightest hint of subtlety. Being a Death Eater would suit the two of them, but Theo had his pride. Being some useless yes-man, another pawn was…beneath him.
"I've been of age for over a year now" he pointed out. "You'll get your chance soon enough," he continued with a smile. "Just take a look at how well you're doing in Dark Arts, you'll get accepted in no time!"
"Cheers Nott," Goyle said and Theo gave him a curious stare.
"How come you're not with Malfoy and Crabbe?" he asked, suppressing the urge to tell him to buzz off. Goyle looked puzzled, so he decided to elaborate. "I mean, you three always ride the Hogwart's Express together, so why are you sitting with me instead?"
"Uh, well yer dad seemed tuh think that yer might get a bit of trouble from the DA, cos yer going ter get the mark an ev'rything," Goyle explained, before smirking. "I really 'ope they do, I'd show them stoopid blood-traitors."
"I don't think they'd dare," Theo said with a contemptuous snort, but he knew full well that if it came to a fight then Goyle would be as dangerous to his friends and himself as he was any enemy. Still he had his uses, Theo mused as he fingered the decoy detonator in his pocket.
The train thundered on and he watched the countryside flash by with apparent disinterest as Goyle continued his attempts to make small talk. The trouble with Goyle making small talk was that he wasn't generally intelligent enough to make an interesting conversation, so Theo generally ignored him.
As the train began to slow down, he dropped the decoy detonator. The little device toddled away and detonated as planned. But it detonated just above Theo.
Goyle whipped out his wand and so did Theo.
"Wut was that?" he asked stupidly as he looked around. "Have them stoopid blood-traiters made an attack?"
Theo cursed under his breath as he realised that the decoy detonator hadn't gone off outside the compartment, but behind him.
"Nott?" Goyle asked as a puzzled expression slowly crossed his face.
"Stupefy!" Theo shouted and the spell hit Goyle firmly in the face. As he fell to the ground, Theo bit his bottom lip. There was no way that he could possibly escape without being caught now. As soon as Goyle woke up, he would reveal who stunned him and all of Theo's escape plans would be useless. He didn't like the idea of killing him in cold blood either and that would bring its own problems. Then an idea came to him and a grim smile, Theo pointed his wand at Goyle's head.
"Obliviate," he murmured and he felt a reassuringly familiar transfer of power as the spell took effect. It wasn't a permanent solution, the charm would eventually be broken, Theo had no doubt about that, but it would buy him time, time enough to make good his escape hopefully. And if that failed, there was always the Order of the Phoenix.
Opening his compartment, he slipped out and quickly walked to the nearest door, the one at the back of the train. With a bit of deft wandwork, he unlocked the door and opened it. Then he applied a cushioning charm to himself in preparation for the inevitable impact. Apparition would have been easier, but the Hogwarts Express was well warded against apparition, much like the castle. As the train slowed down somewhere in Yorkshire, he jumped out, curling himself into a ball and even with the charm, landing still hurt. Not stopping to watch the train stop, Theo stood up and dusted himself off, before walking away in a tall and confident manner. Being inconspicuous was an art form that he was very well practiced at. He had to be with a father like his and as a member of Slytherin house.
It took his father an hour to confirm his son had vanished from the Hogwart's Express, but no matter how hard he tried to force Goyle to remember, it turned out that Theo's memory charm was powerful enough to hold until the fall of Voldemort and after that it didn't matter. Theo's father died during the battle and with Voldemort's defeat he returned to complete his education.
AN: The ending is probably a bit off because I'm being forced to rush this a bit. Still, hope it works