Disclaimer: Characters by J.K Rowling, lyrics (If You Want Me) by One Less Reason
…And In A Life Like This
Chapter Four:
…It's Not Mine
To tell you what you're doing wrong
Sometimes I think about your face
And there's times that I don't think of you at all
"As my son, you will do what you are told and that means living your destiny!"
Alexander's voice thundered through the Mansion as Theodore, now 17, stood watching him blankly. The escapades of the last two years, where Theodore and Knobb spent every break destroying anything that Alexander had been doing or at least attempting to do since the return of the Dark Lord two years before, had left Theodore stronger than before. So far Theodore and Knobb had succeeded in making at least 4 of the plans Alexander had been assigned go wrong, all of which had ended in Theodore's brutal assault by his father. But the beatings and threats were worth it to watch Alexander return after a day with the Dark Lord, squirming and looking as pale as a ghost. But Theodore knew Alexander would not banish or kill his son. Draco Malfoy had already proven that year when he killed their Headmaster that the Dark Lord was asking his Death Eaters for their sons and hoping they too would sell themselves to the creature his father admired. So far many of his Slytherin 'friends' had, but Theodore wouldn't. He never would give himself up to someone like that, something that pathetic. Theodore knew strength, and strength did not come from beating a 17-year-old boy in a duel. Strength came from admitting who you could and could never be, something Alexander had never understood. And so the threats and beatings had continued.
I know you would never say
What I did that made you feel so small
Spent the whole year on my face
Now with a little help I'll stand up on my own, my own
The year before Theodore had found his inspiration in the one person he had always admired, his cousin Jonathon Rook. His father also on the wrong side of the law, Jonathon had too been forced into following 'the Malfoy boy' into a life of darkness. Jonathon, already 18 and not tied down by the things that held Theodore back, Jonathon had left home and his old life, leaving his father Renius almost literally spewing and prepared to kill the boy if he came near him again. But Jonathon had never had any plan to return to his father's home, and so became the shining light in Theodore's life, the inspiration that would lead him to the ultimate betrayal of his father and the eventual demise of all around him that he hated and loved. It would also pave the way for Theodore's return to the ultimate battle between good and evil and his redemption in the eyes of the world around him.
But first he'd have to deal with the hate and the loss.
If you want me
Then you got me
Just never leave me alone
Alexander spent most of the holidays away from home, something which Theodore didn't mind at all. In fact, Theodore spent most of his holidays blissfully happy and free from his controlling monster of a father. It helped that Knobb had enjoyed so much his work at Hogwarts that he was constantly making Theodore the most delicious meals, and the common appearances by a new friend were a welcome surprise.
During the year before Theodore and his classmate Daphne Greengrass had become somewhat inseperable, the rumours they were a thing had continued until Daphne had threatened to break Pansy Parkinson's jaw if the rumours continued. Not because she was embaressed, she later confessed to Theodore, but because she was the rumour starter around here and not that pug dog Pansy. Theodore didn't mind, in his heart he knew he didn't need any more complications in his life, and whatever Daphne was he was happy with where they were. There was no point ruining something perfectly good in his life while everything else around him had turned to shit.
But just like everything else in Theodore's life, the reality of who he was and who he would only ever amount to be would come back to haunt him. And, on the 2nd last week of the holidays, it did when Alexander came home with anger and persistance evident in his gaze.
So tell me you need me and I will stay
You believe me and I will wait
That you'd come back for me every time I fall
"You thought you could lie and hide her from me, didn't you?"
Alexander was sitting in the den the Tuesday after his return, his voice low and ominous as he spoke and Theodore passed. At first Theodore had missed what he said, then like an echo his father voice came into his head and he understood. Alexander knew about Daphne.
"I don't know what you're talking about… as usual." Theodore played dumb.
Alexander just turned in his seat and let out a growl. "Really son? You don't know anything about your affiliations with a fellow student? Did you really believe I wouldn't find out?" It all came out in one breath, almost like Alexander was forcing it out of himself painfully.
Theodore just shrugged. "She's a Slytherin, pureblood, so what do you care?"
Alexander stood up then, no longer willing to take his son's cockiness. "You know perfectly well why I care. You have a job to do son, a person to live up to and he doesn't need you canoodling with little girls. She isn't even the child of a Death Eater!"
"It's all the bloody same isn't it? Selfishness and pathetic following?" He paused. "Daphne or not, I'm never going to follow you father, so maybe you need to get used to that."
He turned to walk away, but Alexander spoke again, sending fear down Theodore's spine. "You will follow me son, and you will lose the girl, otherwise I'll make sure she gets lost."
Theodore's throat went dry. Surely his father wouldn't go after another Slytherin? But then, when Theodore thought about it, his father's allegiences had never been with Slytherin, only with Voldemort. He himself hadn't even been a Slytherin when he was at Hogwarts, he was a Hufflepuff. So Theodore turned back to his father. "And what will you do if I do make her disappear?"
Alexander smiled softly. "I'd leave her alone of course."
His smile was like venom, and Theodore felt sick as he nodded slowly to his father and turned away. He didn't trust his father one bit, but it was safer for Daphne to be out of the picture anyway. He was sure she'd understand that.
In your heart there's just no place
There's no room to make a mistake
And with one wrong turn you would never make it home
"A welcome surprise!" Daphne smiled as she opened her door to find Theodore standing there staring at his feet. Almost instantly she picked up that something was wrong.
"Come inside?" She suggested, waving a hand nonchalantly at the living room behind her. Theodore simply shook his head though.
"I'll be quick, I'll say what I need to say and then go."
Daphne's expression softened. "What is it Theo? What's happened? Has your father done something to you, to Knobb?"
Theodore's heart broke at what he was about to say. Daphne worried so much for him, she'd worried ever since he'd told the truth about his father and his destiny. Back then she had promised she would do anything to make sure Theodore came free from his father, but Theo knew this could only ever be words. He would never be free of his father, and he didn't have the power or guts to free himself like Jonathon had. No, it seemed Theodore was destined to eventually follow in his father's footsteps and become Voldemort's slave. But he would put it off as long as he could. At least until he could no longer. And, if putting it off meant Daphne was in danger, it was time to face the truth.
"I'm going to give in to him Daphne, I have to join them."
Daphne gasped. "Theo, no, you can't, you're not one of them."
Theodore shook his head. "No Daphne, I am one of them. I was born one of them, I was sorted into a house full of them, and I'm destined to become one of them. There's no point putting it off any longer because people are just going to get hurt, people I care about. People have to go, including you and Knobb." His last sentence was a realization. Knobb was in danger too, and now feeling like a stupid member of Hermione Granger's club SPEW, Theodore feared for the House-Elf's safety.
Daphne frowned. "You don't, you can't… uh, no." He voice rose angrily.
But Theodore just turned away from her. Her voice followed him until eventually he heard the front door slam. He glanced back at her house, watching her stalk away from him, down the side and out of the back of the backyard into the forest behind. She had gone to walk it off, Theodore had guessed she might do that. She did it often. It was one of those little things that made Theodore love her.
Tell me your heart will never change
That you'll always feel the same
That you'll stand beside me even if you think I'm wrong
I was wrong
A/N: Alright, i knwo this chapter was supposed to include the Battle of Hogwarts and the 7th year, but i've gone a little off plan. That will be in the next chapter and it's now a six-parter. The next part is called ...It's Plagued. Enjoy.