"What were you thinking going out there? The Dark Lord's dead!"
The man laughed cruelly. "Some faith you have in him!"
The woman's face twisted, and her entire body shook with anger. Yet, somehow, she managed to keep it under control. She leaned in closer to her husband, and spoke to him in a hushed voice, so that no one would hear. She sounded nervous, but confident. "Look, all I'm saying is that I'm worried about you. You've been so obsessed over the Dark Lord ever since that Harry Potter boy destroyed his powers." Her husband opened his mouth, but before he could speak, she added, "which may or may not have killed him." That seemed to satisfy him. "And if the Ministry catches you again . . . ." her voice trailed off. They both knew what would happen if they were caught. The Ministry had become particularly malicious over the past few months, not only imprisoning suspected Death Eaters, but also their families.
"Look, I'll be more careful from now on, happy?" the man said.
"No, that's not enough!" she shouted, then lowering her voice once again, she whispered, "do you really think it's a good idea to raise the boy in this kind of environment? I mean, he and that Potter-boy will be in the same year - - "
"Then we'll make sure Lucius's son steers him in the right direction."
"Are you listening to yourself?" the woman demanded. "No one's steering my Theo in the 'right direction'. He can be friends with whoever he wants!"
"Oh, so you want him to become a soft-headed Gryffindor? I do not want my child running around with mudbloods!"
"I do not want my child running around with murderers!"
A small head peeked through the doorway.
"What are you doing boy? It's past your bedtime!" his father cried.
The child blinked, turning towards his mother.
"Theo?" Evangeline said, "Come here." She sat down in an elegant arm chair, and little Theodore ran and jumped into her lap. His father scowled in disapproval. But she ignored him, and instead turned to her son. In a gentle voice, she said, "Honey, what's wrong?"
"I heard you two yelling," he said. "Mummy, do you hate Daddy?"
Appalled by the very question, both parents froze for a moment, then broke into forced laughter. Even the two-year-old knew that something was up.
"No, we're just having a conversation."
"A very loud one," Theodore added.
"Go back to sleep," his father said.
The small boy cranked his head towards his mother, hoping that she'd change Dad's mind, but this time, Evangeline didn't protest. "Go back to bed, Dear. It's late."
Theodore left the room, but he did not go to bed. He pressed his ear against the door , listening to his parents' conversation.
" . . . killing innocent people. Is that your idea of fun?"
"Are you telling me that you are siding with the mudbloods?"
"At least the mudbloods don't go around killing people for amusement!"
"Have you gone mad? The Dark Lord promised us success."
"And look at what happened, he was murdered by a one-year-old!"
"HE IS NOT DEAD!"
"Mad, that's what you are. Completely mad."
"I AM NOT MAD!"
"GO TO YOUR ROOM!"
"STOP TREATING ME LIKE CHILD!"
"WELL, I . . . "
Theodore couldn't take it anymore. His parents really did hate each other! Did that mean they didn't both love him? He started to sob quietly. An action that he was scolded by Father repeatedly for doing, but he couldn't help it. Mummies and Daddies should love each other, shouldn't they? Now the tears were streaming down his face like miniature waterfalls cascading down his cheeks. His sadness turned to anger. Why? Why did it have to be like this? Why could they just all get along?
He was so busy fuming, that little Theodore didn't notice his parents walk by.
"THEODORE!" his mother screamed. He froze. Mummy had never screamed at him before. Screaming was what Daddy was supposed to do. Maybe she really did hate him! "WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING UP?"
He turned towards his mother and said something he had never said before. "I HATE you!"
Evangeline stepped back in alarm. Never had her son raised his voice at her.
But Nott wasn't done. He felt the anger in his little toddler boy explode like a violent volcano! He could almost see the lava pouring through the halls. Wait . . . that WAS lava!
Theodore's father pushed him out of the way. "EVANGELINE, LOOK OUT!" he cried, but it was too late.
Now it this was normal lava, it would have killed them all. For normal lava does not run in a straight line, kill one person and stop, as Theodore would late find out, (he would also find out that there were no active volcanoes in England.) But the normal laws of nature do not apply in this case. For what had caused the molten rock river was not a volcano, but rather accidental magic.
Nott Manor had some reconstruction done, so there was no longer any evidence of a lava river down the middle of the drawing room.
But in the end it didn't matter. For no amount of reconstruction could replace the damage done to Theodore's heart. A memory that would haunt him forever. Evangeline Nott was dead, and deep down, no matter how much he tried to deny it, Theodore knew it was all his fault.
Although this Nott guy was really annoying Nico, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the kid. He had lost his mother at a young age as well, but this was different. Theodore actually remembered his mother. Nico had nothing. No memories. No pictures. No stories. He loved her anyway - - or at least that's what he believed. But it's hard to love someone you never knew. And it's hard to miss something you never had. He turned around so that Nott wouldn't see him cry, while oddly the other boy did the same thing. There was an awkward pause.
A crow swooped over, and Nott jumped back in alarm. Nico didn't particularly mind. He liked crows. He thought that they were funny birds, and sometimes offered surprisingly good company in graveyards. But the animal wasn't interested in either of the boys - - he just wanted the Happy Meal.
Nico cleared his throat. " . . . Yes, well, anyways. We really should continue. So, err . . . please rise, Evangeline Bellus Nott . . . " as Nico continued the ritual, he grew more and more nervous. Would Theodore's mother be like him? And how would the boy react to the woman he hadn't seen in years? How would she react to him? What if she was like Thalia's mother, and hated her child? But then why would he bother going through all of this? Just how much did he love his mother? Did he understand the risks? So many things could go wrong in this operation, now that he thought about it. Why was he doing this, again? He didn't even like the kid!
But deep down Nico knew the reason why. He wanted reassurance that a mother and son could still have a connection after being separated for years. So that if he ever met up with his mother . . . the thought was too painful. He should stop thinking about such stupid things. It would never happen. Besides, he knew the basic story, wasn't that enough? No. No, it wasn't. Seeing a woman in flashbacks wasn't the same as actually meeting her. Besides, he had just gotten on his father's good side, maybe he could . . . oh, why even bother? It was a hopeless situation, anyhow. At least he could make one motherless boy happy.
Slowly, a transparent body raised from the ground. The body of a woman. Although she shimmered in a silvery see-through way, there was no doubt that the woman was quite beautiful (or, at least, that's what he suspected, being only twelve, he didn't care much for girls) with god-like features. She had long flowing hair and large almond-shaped eyes. She was absolutely gorgeous. Nico's jaw dropped open. This lovely woman was Nott's mother?
Nott looked at the woman. His eyes were widened in pure awe. But he said one word, that ensured Nico that it had worked. "M-Mum?"
*Wipes tear* that was beautiful. I don't think I've ever written such a serious chapter. Please review!
