Enter for the Quidditch League Competition - Semi Finals - Caerphilly Catapults - Beater 1

Prompt: Old Enough To Die

Optional prompts used: 4. [spell] Silencio; 6. [character] Neville Longbottom; 9. [emotion] love (platonic or romantic)

Word count: 1,393

Warnings: Canon Divergence

tonight we make the final flight

Theo looked around the common room at the faces of his colleagues and his friends. He couldn't help but keep looking at the first years, who were scared as they didn't understand what was happening.

Theo couldn't blame them; he was scared too. He was only eighteen, but the Dark Lord didn't care about that. In the mind of that dictator, Theo was old enough to die for the cause.

But it wasn't Theo's cause. It never was. It was always his father's cause and his father's idea about a world with only purebloods in it, which Theo thought was so stupid but he had never been brave enough to say that to his father.

What made a pureblood superior to a half-blood or a Muggle-born? Especially when the brightest witch in his year was a Muggle-born.

"What are we going to do?" Blaise asked, coming near him and looking at the same thing as Theo: the first years huddled together in front of the fireplace. "We can't let them walk into battle. It would be suicide."

Theo nodded. The war had reached Hogwarts, and it wouldn't be long until his father and friends would storm into the castle, unleashing a wave of destruction and chaos.

He thought they still had some time, but it was apparent that the Dark Lord had other plans if he was ready to fight children. It was a good thing Draco had told him about the plans, or else he didn't think he would have time to think about finding a way to protect the first years.

"We need to get them out of here and think about what we want to do," Theo murmured, turning to his friend. "I know this may sound crazy, but we need to find Longbottom and his friends."

Blaise looked at him as if he had lost his mind, and, in a way, Theo thought he had. He had felt lost ever since the beginning of the year, and he knew it was because she wasn't there. Theo knew he had to let go of the idea of being around Hermione Granger; any possibility of something happening between them would be over after the events of that day.

"I know Longbottom has an underground group of students somewhere in the castle, and we need his help." Theo's mind was racing, and he didn't have much time to think about it. "Gather the firsties. I'll talk to Longbottom. It's too important to wait until something happens."

Blaise seemed to be worried about him, but Theo needed to do it. It was something that Hermione would do, so he just needed to trust his gut instinct.

"We still have time, Blaise, thanks to Drake's letter," Theo said, forever grateful for his friend's thoughtful action. "I'll go ask for help, and pray we make it out alive tonight."

His idea of a joke didn't sit well, but that's what he was feeling. If his father discovered his treachery, Theo himself would be at the receiving end of his father's wand.

Taking a last look at the common room and the firsties, Theo nodded at Blaise and left.

.:.

"Tell me exactly why I shouldn't hex you right now," Longbottom said. Theo found it funny that he had already ended up at the wrong end of a wand. He just hadn't imagined it would be Longbottom's.

"Because I need your help," Theo said, hoping Longbottom would hear the hopefulness in his voice and lower his wand.

Longbottom narrowed his eyes at Theo, and his grip on the wand tightened before he finally lowered it a bit. "What would you need my help with?"

Before Theo could say anything, they heard footsteps coming near them, and they saw one of the Carrow twins, most precisely Alecto, coming their way. Before Longbottom could react, Theo acted faster.

"Silencio," Theo whispered, sending the hex towards Alecto, and countered with another before he could realise. "Stupefy!"

Alecto's body thumped on the floor and Theo looked at Longbottom, who seemed impressed. "I guess we'll have to take care of it later. What do you need my help with? I can't say I'm not curious about it."

Theo swallowed, trying to put his thoughts into words that made sense. "We—Slytherins, I mean—I know that something is about to go down tonight. I came here to both let you all know so you can prepare—and to ask for help.

"We can't let the firsties get hurt—it isn't right. I presumed you would be the safest choice to help them. I may be totally missing the mark here, but I definitely don't want to see the children getting hurt." Theo finished his speech and looked at Longbottom, who seemed taken aback.

"I didn't know you cared about the children, Nott," Longbottom said, and Theo flinched. "Alright, that was kind of harsh, but I don't know what else you want me to say."

"Tell me that you'll help me protect those children," Theo said, his voice unwavering in his conviction. "Are you going to help?"

Longbottom smiled, and Theo relaxed. "Yes, we're going to help."

It was then that Theo felt he could relax a little. The last time he would feel relaxed until the end of the war.

.:.

Standing like a vengeful angel in the middle of the passage they were sending the children through was the witch he was crazy about: Hermione Granger. Theo's heart almost stopped at the sight. He knew right away that he would do everything in his power to protect her.

"What are Nott and those Slytherins doing here?" Weasley snapped, and it took everything in Theo not to roll his eyes at him. He knew the redhead was an obnoxious prat, but he thought he knew how to read a room.

"We're here trying to protect innocents," Theo said, trying—and failing—to not look at Hermione's face. She kept sneaking glances at him, and in those moments, Theo could see the same girl who he watched all the time in the library.

He was reminded of the first time they had a conversation, and every time after, where they would exchange small talk and sometimes, even small brushes of arms and hands. Theo lived for those moments, and to say his seventh year was hell without her, was an understatement.

Both knew it was too dangerous to do anything with the war brewing, and Theo hoped that after tonight, he could finally tell her about his love for her. He knew she loved him too—in which way, he wasn't sure yet, but he knew she loved him. The end of the war was long overdue; he longed to be able to shout his love for Hermione Granger from the rooftops.

But first, he would have to deal with Weasley.

"Not all of us are like our parents. Some of us actually want to fight for what it's right, not for what is convenient," Theo drawled, feeling his insides brighten with the way Hermione's eyes brightened.

"And this was supposed to make us trust you?" Weasley continued, walking towards Theo, but Longbottom stopped him in his tracks.

"Now is not the time to start petty fights, Ron. Theo came here to ask for help and we helped him. You can either accept it or shut up," he said, and Theo's respect for Longbottom grew.

"If Neville is vouching for you, I'll give you a chance," Potter said, and Theo swore he saw Hermione smiling as Potter spoke. "As long as you don't betray us."

"What? Harry, you can't trust him!" Weasley started protesting, which made Theo a little worried about his mental state, if he was being honest. "He's a Slytherin—his father is a Death Eater! He will betray us as soon as—"

"Silencio!" Hermione said, finally muting Weasley's big mouth. Theo's love for her doubled at that moment. "Right now, we're all in the same situation. We should help each other instead of fighting among ourselves."

Potter looked around the room. "Tonight, we're brothers in arms. If we're old enough alone to fly, then we're old enough to die."

Theo could never have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would fight alongside Potter and the Light side, but if it meant being by Hermione's side, he would do it.

Tonight, everything was going to come to an end.