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A Foreign Affair

A Theo Nott Romance

Chapter 10

Lessie sat cross-legged on her bed in the Slytherin dormitories, her curtains drawn about her for privacy as she stared at the wrapped gift she had for Theo. School had been in session for two weeks and she still hadn't given him the gift. Lessie bounced one of her knees as she continued to stare at the present.

"Knock, knock."

Lessie looked up when a voice called to her from behind her curtain.

"Can knocking apply to fabric curtains," Lessie asked when she drew it back, coming face to face with Daphne Greengrass.

"I suppose it does when you're using it as a door." Daphne sat on the edge of Lessie's bed, arching an eyebrow at her and then at the present at the foot of the bed. "How long will you keep that thing instead of giving it to Theo?"

"How do you know it's for him? I could be for Pansy!"

"Because you already gave Pansy a gift," said Daphne, picking up the small present. "Speaking of which, are things alright between you and Theo?"

Her question was innocent enough, but Lessie knew better. "Theodore and I are just fine."

"He hates being called Theodore," said Daphne, her green eyes flicked up from the gift and searched Lessie's face. They were bright with jealousy, Lessie had come to realize once she learned that that Daphne was interested in Theo.

"He calls me Alessandra, and I call him Theodore. It's a fair tade."

"I suppose." Daphne put the gift down. "Usually the two of you escape for hours at a time, and I noticed you haven't done that since term started. I thought I'd check in." The girl offered her a smile. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Thank you, Daphne, I appreciate it," Lessie responded with a gentle smile. She wondered, if it wasn't for her involvement with Theo, if she and Daphne could be true friends, instead of this shallow trust that they forged.

"Any time, Lessie. Anyway, I'm glad to hear that you and Theo are doing well, because he asked me to ask you if you'd meet him in the Common Room. I didn't want to send you down there if there was any tension in your relationship."

"How thoughtful. I suppose I should get down there, then." Lessie jumped from her bed, more eager to get away from Daphne than to see Theo, and took a seat at her vanity. Quickly she ran a brush through her long dark hair and secured it in a low ponytail, letting it drape over her shoulder. She was aware of Daphne watching her every move, silently judging her. Lessie wanted to tell her that maybe if she wasn't so jealous all the time, then perhaps she would have had a better chance with Theo. Instead, she bit down on her tongue and applied a muted red lip stain to bring color to her tan face.

Finally, she threw on a soft, white cable-knit sweater, put Theo's present in her back pocket, and headed downstairs.

Theo stood near the fireplace, and for a moment, Lessie paused halfway down the staircase to watch the shadows cast by the flames dance across the planes of his cheekbones. There was a time when she believed that a boy like Theo would never be handsome, but after getting to know him, he was one of the most attractive people she knew. Still, her father's warning sounded in her memory, and she realized just how little she knew about this boy and what secrets he could possibly hold.

Theo looked up from the fire, as he he sensed her, and smiled when he saw her, his blue eyes brightening. How could someone with such an honest smile be bad, Lessie wondered.

"I was beginning to think you were avoiding me," Theo said, by way of greeting as Lessie joined him by the fire.

"Not you, per se," she said, staring straight into Theo's eyes. That was a lie.

Theo turned to face her fully. "Alessandra, what's going on? You've been...distant. Did something happen?"

"Nothing happened," Lessie answered and she looked away from Theo.

"Alessandra." Theo touched her arm. "Do you want to go on a walk with me?" He looked up and glanced around the Common Room filled with students working on homework assignments together. "It'll be more private."

Lessie looked around as well. In the corner of the room she saw Daphne sitting with Millicent, Pansy, and Tracey Davis. They were all watching her. When they noticed she was looking they put their heads down and pretended to work on their homework.

"Okay," Lessie agreed and followed Theo out of the Common Room.

They walked, hand in hand, through the school grounds, staying mostly indoors since it was snowing rather hard outside. Their walk led them to a room that was connected to the Great Hall, a student lounge for students to spend time in. At this time, as it was nearly curfew, the room was abandoned, so Lessie and Theo sat on a couch that lined the wall of the room.

"Tell me about your Christmas," said Lessie as she and Theo sat facing each other. Lessie sat with her legs crossed and put the present in her lap, noticing when Theo's gaze flicked to the gift, a slight look of surprise passed across his face.

"I thought I already told you," said Theo, tracing slow patterns on her palm.

"You said it was "good", and you didn't elaborate," Lessie smiled. "You let me talk about myself so much, and I want to hear you talk."

"It's my accent that you're attracted to, isn't it?"

"That might have something to do with it." Lessie laughed. "Really, Theodore. How was your vacation? How's your father?"

Theo's tracing stopped. He was quiet for a moment as he withdrew his hands from Lessie's and folded them in his lap. "Funny you should ask about him," Theo murmured.

"Why is that?" Lessie felt her heart beat speed up at Theo's guardedness. Wasn't he usually open with her, or did her father's warning make him seem suspicious?

"I actually spent my holiday with the Malfoys," Theo answered, his eyes not meeting hers.

"Well, that seems fun. Did you and your dad have a good time?"

Theo was continuously silent. Carefully, Lessie reached out and put a hand on his knee. "What aren't you telling me, Theodore?"

"The Malfoys were kind enough to let me join them on their Christmas holiday because my father was away on business. So was Draco's father, actually. Then, when the night was over, I went home to an empty house, that was my holiday. It is entirely different from your own loud and amusing affair."

"Theodore, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you would give me that look." Theo looked up and raised an eyebrow at her. Lessie could see a mixture of emotions flick across his face: something like pride, and something like shame. She opened her mouth to reply, but Theo continued to talk before she could say anything. "Your look says you feel sorry for me, and I don't want that."

"I do feel bad," Lessie agreed, "but I'm more angry than anything. It's the holidays, couldn't your father take work off to be with you?"

"Not from this job." Theo shook his head as a dark look crossed his face. He then puffed out a sigh, and the look left his face. "But, I suppose I should be grateful for the Malfoys. As much as he is a prick, Draco has the capability of being a very good friend."

"I'm glad you have him."

"And I have you." Theo smiled, almost shyly at her. "At least, I'd like to think I have you. It's almost February, and I feel like this is our first proper conversation since school started up again. It's different."

"It's just…" Lessie bit her lip. "It's weird being back at Hogwarts. I had a really great time with my family and with my extended family. I got letters from Erin and Stone, and it made me wish more than anything that I had them here with me. I guess it just took me a while to adjust to being back here, and I needed some time to process on my own. Don't get me wrong, Theodore, I'm so happy I have you. Is it selfish for wanting it all? My Ilvermorny life and you?"

"It's not selfish, it's natural," Theo answered. "And I suppose I can't blame you for journaling on your own."

Lessie smiled; of course Theo would know that she journaled all her thoughts. "You can have your secrets, Theodore, and I can have mine." Her mind raced with questions and concerns about Theo and his father, but she knew Theo wouldn't answer those questions. At least not yet.

"What secrets might those be, Alessandra?" Theo leaned forward and played with Lessie's hair that pooled over her shoulder, his eyes darkening with want. Lessie leaned forward to press her lips to his and his hands snaked around her waist to draw her closer.

Lessie came up for air first. She smiled when she saw Theo's pupils dilated, his breathing just as ragged as hers. She ran a thumb over his lips. "I don't kiss and tell, Theodore."

"You cheeky American."

"You puzzling Brit." Lessie reached into her lap for the present and pressed it into Theo's hand. "I'm really bad at giving gifts, so I held this one for a while. Merry late Christmas."

Theo smiled faintly as he sat back to turn the present over in his hands before he tore into the wrapping to produce the knife she had bought in Spain. "It's supposed to be able to cut through almost anything, and it's charmed to never grow dull or rust. There are also little parts attached to it so you can mash something or crack something open. I figured it would help you with your potions."

The small multi-purpose knife had a gleaming wooden handle, and Theo flicked it open to admire the shiny silver blade. He closed the knife and put it in his pocket for safekeeping.

"This is perfect, Alessandra, thank you."

"I'm so glad," Alessandra puffed out a breath of relief. "Your present was so sweet, and I couldn't think of anything for you."

"I love it," Theo complimented again, smiling when Lessie moved forward to lean against his chest.

They sat in silence, listening to the fire crackle. Lessie's eyes were closed, her face serene, though her body was relaxed, her mind continued to turn. Carlos Morales was not a man who spoke lightly when it came to instructions. By being so close to Theo, Lessie felt the same as she usually felt around him, safe, respected, and understood. But guilt made her stomach flip; when she left Spain at the end of her vacation, she knew she lied to her father, and she would see Theo after her father's warning cooled from her memory.

Still. Her father, a No-Maj auror, or what no-majes referred to as a bounty hunter or a hit man—and a highly skilled one at that—had nothing nice to say about the Nott family, and that meant something.

"Oi! You two. I take it that you kiss and made up?"

"Piss off, Draco," Theo sighed as Lessie sat up, making an annoyed face at Draco who shot her one in return. The blonde boy then smirked in both an arrogant, but somehow amicable way.

Draco sauntered into the student room, the smirk still on his lips as he sat in a plush armchair across from them. "It's curfew," he said. "I'm rounding up all the stragglers, you're the last ones still out here. Also, it's about time, Aragòn. This bloke here was more mopey than usual because you weren't talking to him."

"Shut it, Draco," Theo's neck slowly began to color. He was surprised when Lessie and Draco shared a laugh at his expense.

"I could tell, he had the girls play messenger for him."

"That's because he doesn't have any balls to do it himself."

"You're one to talk," Theo said, rolling his eyes as he and Lessie stood from the couch.

Draco laughed again and rose from his seat. "Anyway, I'm done with my rounds, I'll walk with you two back to the Common Room."

Halfway to the Common Room, Draco switched subjects from quidditch and the homework load (there really wasn't much homework, Lessie just thought Draco liked to have something to complain about) to something more substantial.

"Say, Theo, have you heard the news about yesterday?"

"What news," Lessie asked, looking over Theo and at Draco.

"About Azkaban?"

"That prison?" Lessie had tuned out most of the quidditch conversation and now found herself incredibly alert. "What happened there?"

"I have." Theo's brisk tone surprised her. He hardly made eye contact with her when he spoke. "Let's talk about it later."

"Don't you think it's odd that something this large could happen?"

"Later, Draco." His tone was almost harsh, allowing no room for argument.

Draco opened his mouth as if he wanted to protest, but one look at Lessie kept him silent. Instead, he nodded his head once, as if the boys had a silent agreement.

They were quiet the rest of the way to the Slytherin dungeons.

At the top of the stairs that led to the dormitories, Theo distractedly kissed Lessie's cheek. "Sleep well," he said, and headed toward the boy's dormitories.

"'Night, Aragòn," Draco also said, walking away with Theo.

For a moment after they left, Lessie stood there, her eyebrows knitted together before she quickly descended the stairs. She walked over to one of the large tables that students used to do their homework, and found a copy of the day's Daily Prophet.

The front page showed Azkaban and aurors investigating a crime scene. There was a mass breakout at the prison that was supposedly impenetrable from the inside and the outside. The prisoners were some of the most notorious Death Eaters.

Lessie knew about Death Eaters—they were the dark wizards who followed Voldemort, killing No-maj born witches and wizards and terrorizing the global wizarding community.

A sinking feeling settled in her stomach as she scanned the news article. Her father and mother had said they met while tracking a dark wizard known for ruthlessly murdering no-maj people. Though her parents never specifically mentioned if it was a Death Eater, based on the timeframe, Lessie assumed that the dark wizard must have been working for Voldemort.

Her parents' assignment to track him was thwarted by someone in Theo's family. And Theo refused to discuss the breakout in front of her. Lessie let the newspaper fall from her hands, and she leaned heavily against the table, because in that moment she felt as though her body had turned to liquid with realization.

She couldn't—wouldn't—believe that the boy whose eyes crinkled when he smiled, the boy who was so kind to her when she needed a friend, was involved in Dark magic.

But…

Just how deeply involved was Theodore Nott within the Death Eater community?

Author's Note:

THOUGHTS FOR YOU: First off, I am very sorry for this late chapter, but life happens! SECONDLY! I HAVE NOT READ CURSED CHILD YET! But, I have managed to spoil it for myself. So I know a small bit of the role Theo plays in the screenplay-and I have begun to adjust things accordingly. I think that's the hardest part about writing fanfiction for stories that have recently been continued. Anyway...does it change the ultimate plan? Maybe, maybe not, but keep reading, friends.

And THANK SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS ON CHAPTER 9! Your reviews are absolute LOVE.

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