A/N Warning, this chapter includes child endangerment.
Thank you to pinkwildcat94 for your review, it was so nice to hear from you again. Also a big thank you to my guest reviewer. Can you believe this story has 8600 hits?! Thank you all so much!
Chapter 24: Pure-Blood Politics
Veronica looked in the mirror for the tenth time, since Daphne had left. After the contract had been signed and the engagement made official, Veronica had stolen her daughter away from Marcus. She claimed, she was just so excited with so many things to start planning. Marcus hadn't cared, he needed to get to practice anyway, so he kissed Daphne goodbye, telling her he would see her for dinner with his parents. Once all the men had left, and the two of them were alone in her parlor, Veronica and her daughter had cried and held each other. She had done her best to convince her daughter, she was trying to come up with a way to get her out of this, but no matter what she said, Daphne acted as if all hope was lost.
Daphne had finally pulled herself together and left her childhood home on her way back to Nott Manor. Undoubtedly to cry again, once she saw Theodore and gave him back his mother's ring. Of all the things Daphne would do over the next months, what she had to do first was the one thing she feared the most. Veronica had prepared her for telling Theodore as best she could, knowing there was nothing she could say that would make the task ahead of Daphne any easier for her to do, or for Theodore to hear.
Now she needed to get ready for her guest. Fay Dunbar would be here any moment and would hopefully have information she could use to get Daphne out of the contract. With any luck, she would be interrupting Daphne and Theodore's goodbye with good news. So, she checked her eyes once again in the mirror, making sure the potion had taken affect and her eyes were no longer puffy and red from the crying. She ran a brush one last time through her long blond hair and tossed her hair behind her shoulders. Just as Veronica was sitting down to pour a cup of tea, her maid knocked on the parlor door and entered in the room.
"Lady Greengrass, a Miss Dunbar is here to see you." Veronica's maid said, as she opened the door, allowing Fay into the room.
Fay was taller than Veronica had been expecting, with long, light brown hair, which she kept pulled back with a large clip, at the base of her neck. Fay was pretty with light brown eyes, and high cheek bones. Thin, but muscular.
She walked over to the young investigator and gave her a hug. "Miss Dunbar, thank you so much for coming and for looking into this for me."
Fay returned the hug, "It is my pleasure, Lady Greengrass. I must admit, I don't have as much as I was hoping to have at this point." Fay smiled warmly at Veronica, despite the bad news.
"Will you be requiring anything else, ma'am?" The maid asked.
"No, Nancy dear. We will be fine, thank you." Nancy nodded and left the room.
Veronica sat down in her chair, indicating to Fay to take a seat. "Tea?"
Fay nodded, "Yes, please."
Veronica poured the tea. "Well Fay, anything you have is a start. I am afraid that Daphne was forced to sign the contract this morning and is on her way to end things with Theodore."
Fay smiled and looked at the teacup in her hands. "How is he, Lady Greengrass? I haven't seen Theo, since his trial."
"He is well. Having some trouble with theft from the factories, but otherwise he is settling into the role as head of his family business well. I think the role of being an Earl is giving him some difficulties, but that is to be expected. You all are still so young." Veronica sipped her tea.
"I am sure he will be fine. Theo was always strong." Fay added a little sugar to her tea.
"I did see you were one of the two people, who testified on his behalf. Tell me, how did a Half-Blood Gryffindor, come to testify for a Pure-Blood Slytherin?" Veronica folded her hands on her lap.
Fay blushed slightly. "Theo and I had to conduct detentions for the Carrow's together during our seventh year at Hogwarts. Let's just say, he was 'comforting', a couple of times after it was particularly difficult." Fay appeared to fidget a little in her seat, as she noticed the raised eyebrows of Lady Greengrass. She cleared her throat, "Make no mistake, Lady Greengrass, his mind was always on Daphne. Every girl in school knew Nott was taken. Honestly, I didn't find it fair, that he was being tried for 'crimes' that almost every seventh year in the school committed, simply because of his parentage."
Veronica smiled warmly. She wasn't worried. Daphne and Theodore had been separated for five years. It would be ridiculous to expect he would have spent the entire time alone, pining for her daughter. "I am glad you were there to help him. I can only imagine, what you children went through at the hands of those two insane people." Veronica took a sip of her tea. "Please tell me, did you discover anything useful about Marcus?"
"I am afraid the only thing about Marcus, which I have uncovered, is according to his teammates, he is less than faithful to your daughter." Fay set her cup down on the table. "Unfortunately, I don't have any proof of infidelity, since they were neither engaged, or even technically dating at the time I got that information."
Veronica made a face of disapproval, "I am not surprised, Fay. Christopher never struck me as the type who would be a faithful husband. I am not surprised his son isn't, either." She picked up a cookie. "Unfortunately, that is not much to go on. Marcus being unfaithful to Daphne will upset Dalton, but it will not stop a Pure-Blood marriage contract."
Fay leaned forward, "Lady Greengrass, that is not all I found out, just the only thing I found out about Marcus. I must warn you, what I am going to tell you next, will be upsetting."
Veronica looked a little taken back. "Please, go on."
Fay let out a deep breath. "During my investigation, I found out Christopher Flint is blackmailing your husband."
"What?" Veronica set the uneaten cookie down. "With what could he possibly be blackmailing Dalton?"
Fay gave Lady Greengrass an uneasy smile, "He claims to have proof Lord Greengrass was a Death Eater conspirator, during both Wizarding Wars."
Veronica stood up and walked to the window holding her arms across her chest. "A Death Eater conspirator? My Dalton?" She turned and looked a Fay, "You are certain? That is just not possible."
Fay stood also, "I am certain Lady Greengrass. However, I do not know what the proof is he claims to have, yet. I am still looking." She walked over to Lady Greengrass and took her hands, "It is my understanding, Mr. Flint wants Daphne's hand for Marcus, or he will expose Lord Greengrass to the Ministry."
Veronica closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. "I must admit, this is much more understandable, than the flimsy reasons my husband has given me in the past for denying Theodore, Daphne's hand. However, my husband has much to answer for." She picked up her skirts and walked briskly toward the door of her parlor, then turned to Fay, "Fay dear, please come with me."
Fay grimaced, knowing she was about to witness, Lord Greengrass get confronted by his wife.
xXXx
Dalton Greengrass paced around in his study. Lucius should have been here half-an-hour ago, and Dalton was getting irritated. Not that his day could get any worse. He had already watched his oldest daughter get engaged to man she didn't want to marry, in order to keep her father's reputation clean. The only thing that could make Dalton feel more terrible than he already did, would be Malfoy having no information for him.
Greengrass looked out the window of his study at the large oak tree out front. He stood there, remembering it being one of Daphne's favorite places when she was younger.
She would climb that tree and fall out until she learned, proper young ladies do not climb trees.
Her sister and she would run around it laughing and chasing each other, until Daphne understood, proper young ladies don't chase their sisters.
After that, she would sit under the tree, and send letters back and forth to Theodore, while Astoria ran around taunting her. Until Daphne learned, proper young ladies don't send letters back and forth to boys to whom they are not betrothed. Then she would send the letters from her room in secret, until the day came when her father realized there was no stopping her from being friends with the Nott boy and started allowing the letters. She would still sit under the tree and read though.
Theodore and Daphne would always retreat to that same tree, when he attended a gathering with his father at Greengrass Estates, to sit and talk, play card games, or just take naps in the breeze. The evening of her fifteenth birthday party, Theodore and Daphne had escaped the party, and Dalton had found them kissing under that oak tree. Theo had carved their initials in the bark. Dalton smiled, while allowing himself the happy memory of watching the boy damaging his tree, then tenderly kissing his daughter. He had allowed them to kiss longer than he should have, but at the time he had no reason to believe he wouldn't find a way out of the predicament with Flint, allowing Nott to be the one who wed his daughter anyway.
Greengrass scoffed to himself, as he remembered how Theodore's father had disliked the match, because he was not a Death Eater. Now, in light of everything that was happening, he couldn't help wondering if he had chosen his friends as carefully as he thought he had. None of his school age friends were able to help when Yaxley threatened his wife. No body was there when Yaxley returned years later and threatened his daughters. Now the only real friend he honestly had; was a man he grew up disliking. Dalton wondered if Malfoy would have helped all those years ago to begin with. He couldn't help wondering if instead of pushing the other Pure-Bloods away, he wouldn't have been better off at least trying to be friendly with people like Malfoy, Nott, Rowel, and Shafiq.
Dalton let out a deep breath, and decided, it wouldn't have mattered even if he had been friendly with Malfoy. Lucius wouldn't have been in a position to help him, until now anyway. The others would have helped with Yaxley but would have wanted the same allegiance to the cause, Yaxley was trying to achieve. As much as he hated it, he could think of nothing he could have done in his past, that would have changed the way things turned out.
His was brought out of his thoughts, to the sound of Lucius's footfalls into his study.
He turned to see his new friend, standing in the doorway. "Lucius, please come in."
"Sorry, I am later than I thought I would be, but I only just heard from Weasley." Lucius entered the study and took a seat in the armchair across from Dalton's desk.
Dalton walked behind his desk and pulled out his chair. "Well, you made it, that is all that matters. What did he say?"
Before Malfoy could answer, the door to Dalton's study slammed open and Veronica Greengrass, followed by a young woman, walked through.
Veronica gave her husband an evil glare, before speaking. "How dare you not tell me the truth."
"Veronica, you are interrupting a meeting I am having with Lord Malfoy. Please, whatever has you in such a state, can wait until later." Dalton returned his wife's glare.
Veronica put her hands on her hips, "This cannot wait a moment longer. You have given our daughter away, because of blackmail, you idiot."
Lucius's eyes got wide upon hearing Lady Greengrass confront her husband. He stood up, "Perhaps, I should come back."
"No, you can stay right where you are Malfoy. Somehow, I get the feeling you're involved in this." Veronica spoke with such authority to Lucius; it caused him to sit back down.
"Veronica please, calm down." Dalton walked over to his wife and reached out for her, but she pushed him away. He blanched at the fact, two of the women in his family had now pushed him away today.
"I will calm down, Husband, when you explain to me, how in the world Flint got the idea you were a Death Eater conspirator." Veronica walked over to the couch and sat down, then motioned for Fay to join her.
Dalton looked suspiciously at the young woman, whom he didn't know, as she entered his study and sat down. "We can talk in private, Dear. I am not talking about family affairs in front of people I do not know."
Veronica smiled sweetly at her husband, "Dalton my love, this is Fay Dunbar. She went to school with Daphne. Fay happens to be an investigator, whom I hired to find out information on Marcus."
"I am an investigative reporter, actually." Fay nervously corrected Lady Greengrass.
"A reporter?" Dalton fumed at this wife. "Great! Our families' affairs will be all over the front page of the Prophet by morning."
Veronica waved her husband off. " Oh, they will not. Fay has agreed to use her investigative skills to help me, and not print anything I don't want printed."
Dalton studied the young woman, sitting in his study. "Why? Why would you help my wife, and not print such a juicy story?"
Fay fidgeted in her seat. "I owe it to Theodore Nott."
"What?" Dalton looked surprised. "What do you mean?"
"Lord Greengrass, our final year at Hogwarts was unpleasant. Theodore became a friend. During the battle my fiancé, a Muggle-Born named Justin, came back to fight. At one point during the battle, Justin was overcome by several Death Eaters. Had it not been for Theodore and his friend, Zabini, Justin would have been lost." Fay looked at the ring on her finger.
Justin had been lost, but not at that moment. Theodore and Blaise had fought off the Death Eaters and had gotten Justin and Fay to safety. The two Slytherins, had then gone off to continue fighting. It had been Justin's own insistence he could continue fighting even though he was badly wounded, that caused his eventual end. Fay decided Lord Greengrass didn't need to know that part.
Fay looked back up at Lord Greengrass. "If I can find something to help Theodore and Daphne be together, I will."
Dalton exchanged looks of curiosity with Lucius, then looked back at his wife. "Fine, first I want you to know, my love, I was never a Death Eater conspirator. I did, however, give them money."
Veronica's mouth gapped open with surprise at her husband's admission. "Why on earth would you give them money?"
Dalton walked over to his wife and sat beside her on the couch. "Listen Darling, this is a long story, but one I suppose, it is time you know." He looked at Lucius, "Lucius, would you please close the door and then sit back down. You need to hear all of this as well; you only know part of the story."
Lucius did as his friend asked. Dalton then divulged the entire story to the company in his study. He explained The Dark Lord wanting his allegiance during the first war. His paying off Yaxley once he threatened to physically harm Veronica. His fears Yaxley would turn him over. Dalton told his wife, how Voldemort started demanding his allegiance again at the start of the second conflict, and how he gave Yaxley money, once again. Dalton explained, how once Yaxley was the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department, he had threatened to take Daphne and Astoria. That was the reason he had insisted on the move to France.
Harder to explain was the blackmail, but Dalton told her everything he knew; that Flint knew about the money and threatened to expose him. Flint claimed Yaxley was on his side and would help implicate him if need be. He explained to his wife how for the last two years he had tried without success, to come up with something he could use against Flint, in order to get Daphne out of the situation he put her in.
Once the story was finished, Veronica stood and looked out the window for a while, allowing the tears to finish falling. She finally turned to Fay. "You said you found out Flint was blackmailing my husband, how?"
Fay wiped a tear off her face, "It seems Christopher Flint, likes to boast during foreplay with his secretary, Megon Jones. She was a Hufflepuff, along with my Justin, and a good friend, who was more than willing to tell me everything."
"Ha!" Lucius clapped his hands together. "Sex, the downfall of every man. I love it." Veronica gave him a dirty look, which he ignored. "Tell us, Miss Dunbar, did she tell you what the proof is he claims to have?"
Fay smiled at Lord Malfoy; she could see where his son had gotten his dramatics. "Unfortunately, she didn't know. She did, however, allow me in his office one night to snoop around. I searched for over three hours and found nothing."
Dalton started pacing, "So, we still don't know what the proof is, and I am no closer to getting my daughter out of marrying Marcus."
"What I need Sir, is to search his private office in his home. However, getting in, is proving to be a little more difficult." Fay pulled out a notepad from her purse and started flipping through it. "He has many wards, some of which I have not encountered before, and can't break. Plus, there never seems to be a time, when someone isn't there."
"Astoria." Veronica smiled brightly, like her daughter's name solved everything.
Dalton looked at her. "What has Astoria got to do with this?"
Veronica continued to smile. "She is the key."
"How?" Lucius looked as confused as the rest.
"Astoria and Draco's engagement party. The entire Flint clan will be expected to attend, since Marcus and Daphne are now engaged." Veronica looked triumphant.
Fay smiled as brightly, then her smile faded. "That would certainly give me opportunity, but I still need a way in."
Lucius stood, "I may have a solution to that problem." Lucius looked up at the ceiling and spoke, "Poppy, if you can hear me, please come."
A small house elf, clad in a tiny blue dress and matching shoes, appeared. "Yes Lord Malfoy, how can Poppy help you?"
"Brilliant!" Fay stood and looked at Malfoy, "I am assuming, you are hoping the elf can get me in?"
"Yes, that was my thought." He smiled at the little elf. "Poppy, Draco's best mate Theodore, needs your help if you can. Miss Dunbar is trying to help him also. She needs to get in and out of a heavily warded room at Flint Manson. Do you think you can help?"
The little elf seemed to beam at Draco's name. "Certainly, Poppy will help, if she can."
Fay walked to the elf and showed her the notebook. After a moment of studying it, the elf smiled at her. "Poppy can get through those wards easily Miss. When is Poppy to take you?"
"The night of Draco's engagement party. I will come to Malfoy Manor to meet you." Fay looked at Lady Greengrass. "Hopefully, the proof we need will be there."
Poppy gave a small bow, then looked at her employer, "Does Lord Malfoy need Poppy for anything else?"
"No Poppy, you may go. Thank you." Lucius's voice cracked a little, while saying 'thank you' to the elf.
Dalton walked over to his wife and reached out for her again, this time she didn't pull away. "Thank you, Veronica. As always, you have once again proven to me, that I can't do things without you." Dalton then spun around to Lucius, like he had just been lit on fire, "Malfoy, I almost forgot why you were here in the first place. What did Weasley have to tell you?"
Lucius looked up from the armchair, "He was able to get a look at Flint's bank records. It would seem that during both wars, Flint made transfers of large amounts to a vault belonging to a Corey X. Albany. Unfortunately, there is no record of who this Albany is, so there is no way to get a hold of him. On top of that, no movement has been made in or out of Albany's vault, since before the battle of Hogwarts."
Fay walked over to Lord Greengrass's desk. She ripped a piece of paper out of her notebook and started writing. Every so often, she would stop and bite on the bottom of her Muggle pen, then continue to write.
After a few minutes, she turned to the three older people in the room, "Do you think it is possible, Flint was also paying off the Death Eaters?"
Dalton led his wife back over to the couch and sat down. "I suppose. He is a Pure-Blood. I am sure he was wanted as much as I was."
"Yes. He was wanted." Lucius looked troubled, "I am embarrassed to admit, getting Flint to join, was my task. One I didn't accomplish. Each time I spoke with him, he was adamant that I was the one on the wrong side, and he would sooner die, than join."
"Did you accept money from him?" Dalton sounded angry with his new friend.
Lucius looked up at Dalton, "Certainly not. I reported back to the Dark Lord Flint's refusal to join and was instructed to keep trying. The Dark Lord didn't start killing off Pure-Bloods, who opposed him, until his return. At that point, he wanted allegiance or death; he had no tolerance the second time around." Lucius began pacing the room, "Getting Flint's allegiance the second time, was again my task, until my incarceration."
Dalton nodded his understanding to his friend. "I suppose getting him to join was as difficult the second time, as it was the first."
"Yes, but the Dark Lord wanted it much more desperately. His, along with Andrew and Marcus. By the time I was incarcerated, the Dark Lord was not only after every Pure-Blood, but also any sons, who were at least sixteen." Lucius again looked troubled. "I would not be surprised if Flint was visited by more than just myself, during either war." He looked at Fay who was continuing to write things down, then scratch them out. "Why do you ask Miss. Dunbar?"
Fay picked up the piece of paper and held it up, "This proves nothing, yet. But if you rearrange the letters in the name Corey X. Albany, you get Corban Yaxley."
"No, could it be that simple?" Dalton stood and walked over to Fay, to look at the paper.
"Yes, it could." Veronica looked pleased with Fay. "Dalton dear, the man threatened your family to get you to pay him off. Is it such a leap, to think you weren't the only one?"
Lucius walked over to Fay, also to look at the paper. "It does seem that simple, Dalton. I will admit, had I been against the Dark Lord and threatened by Yaxley, I would have also paid him off to protect my wife and son." Lucius gave Dalton, a pleading look, "I was so certain I was on the right side. Blinded, by Pure-Blood Politics."
Dalton slapped his old housemate on the back, "You were not the only one, Lucius. I must admit, there were moments, I felt your side was the right one. It was your leader and his methods not the cause I didn't fully support."
Fay walked back to the couch, picked up her bag, and she turned around while putting her things back. "Lady Greengrass, if you allow, I will leave. I do have a deadline for another case I am working. Still have to put lines in the paper, if I want to get paid, I am afraid."
Veronica gave the young woman a hug, "I will send an owl, letting you know the details of the party. I have not yet started planning it, so I suppose I better get to work. We will want to be having it, as soon as possible."
As Fay left the room, Lady Greengrass turned to her husband. "You need to have a talk with Theodore."
"Why?" Dalton crossed his arms over his chest.
"I am assuming, you told all of this to Daphne. Yes?" Veronica's hands were back on her hips. "It is the only reason; she would have agreed to marry Flint."
Dalton removed his glasses and rubbed his temple. "Yes, Daphne knows everything."
"Well Dalton, Theodore needs to know as well. Right now, your daughter is headed over to Nott manor, to collect her things and tell him about her engagement. How well do you think that is going to go?" Veronica looked mad enough to spit nails at her husband.
"Veronica, my love, I really think telling Theodore is not the right move here." He continued to rub his temple.
Lucius sat back down in the armchair. "I must agree with Dalton, Veronica. As much as young Nott loves your daughter, he can be a bit of a hothead. There is no telling how he would react to such information."
"React? He wouldn't lay a hand on Daphne." Veronica scoffed at the men.
"It is not Daphne I would be concerned for, but rather Christopher Flint." Lucius laid his walking stick across his lap. "If Theodore confronts Flint with either words or brute force, which he would undoubtedly do, there would be no stopping Flint from turning whatever 'proof' he has, over immediately. That would not help us, but only cause to complicate things."
Veronica sighed heavily. "I do not like the idea of keeping him in the dark. Both Daphne and he are going to be in such pain. Some of that pain could be eased, if he knew the truth."
Dalton put his arms around his wife from behind. He laid his chin on her shoulder and tried to comfort her. "They will survive the pain, Darling. Daphne has you and her sister to comfort her. Theodore has his friends. They will get through this. Hopefully, it won't be for long."
xXXx
Seven Days Before Theodore's Seventh Year
"Theodore! Get back upstairs." Tim noticed the seventeen-year-old had come down, as he check the wards on the house, again.
Theodore shook his head no. "I will not let you and Tom fight alone. This is my battle, it's me he wants."
"My brother and I are capable wizards Theo, but I need you upstairs guarding, Clair and Madison." Tim placed his hands on Theodore's shoulders and looked at him with a stern expression.
Theodore continued to protest. "School starts in one week Tim, perhaps if I just go with him..."
"He will force you to take the mark, Theo. Is that what you want?" Tim pleaded with the teen.
"No, it's not what I want. But Tim, even if we fight my father off today, what's to say he won't come back?" Theodore looked scared.
"He's not alone Tim!" Tim and Theodore heard Tom yell from the other room.
Tim rushed past Theodore and into the living room, where his brother Thomas, kept watch out the window. "How many are with him?"
Tom looked away from the window, to address his younger brother, "Five. That I have seen. Apparently, you must be as good a wizard as my sister-in-law claims young man, for them to send six Death Eater's to retrieve you."
"Tom, he has been trying to collect all the Pure-Bloods, not just Theodore." Tim looked at Theo, "Upstairs, now!"
"No!" Theodore followed Tim into the kitchen, "If I stay down here and fight, it increases our odds. Besides, if I am upstairs, then I lead my father directly to Clair and Madison. At least, if I am down here, he will have no reason to go up there."
"The kid makes sense Tim!" Tom yelled from the other room.
Tim sighed and ran his hand over his face. "Tom, you're not helping!" Tim yelled back at his brother. He then looked at Theodore. "Fine, but you stay behind us. Do exactly as Tom says, and do not try to be a hero."
Theodore gave Tim a reassuring smile, "Yes, Sir."
"I told you Tim, we should have picked him up at the station and left for Tennessee that day." Tom checked the wards on the house once again, while he watched the Death Eaters, led by Theodore Nott Sr., get closer.
Tim took his position by the back door. "We can't leave until Theodore is eighteen. The ministry here may consider him of age at seventeen, but the US ministry says he is not until he is eighteen. We only have a couple more weeks, Tom."
Theodore took his position in the doorway, which separated the living room and the kitchen. "I am honestly surprised it took my father this long to find me. Yaxley released him from Azkaban, weeks ago." Theodore strained his neck and tried to look out the living room window, when they all heard the first blow to the wards. "I was starting to look forward to completing my education at Ilvermorny."
Tim winced, as the second volley to the wards hit, "You still will Theodore, don't lose faith in Tom and me, already."
The third volley from the Death Eaters, shattered the living room window, but the wards held.
Theodore watched as Tom pulled out a weapon he had only seen in Tim's movies. "Is that a gun?"
Tom looked over at him and winked. "Sure, is kid. I might be a wizard, but Mom was a Muggle. She didn't raise fools."
Tom held the pistol up, aimed and fired. Theodore couldn't help, but inch closer to the window. He was amazed, how the bullet went right through the wards and hit its target. The man fell to the ground. Theodore's stomach started to get a little upset, when he realized the man was dead. Theodore had seen torture, blood even, but had only seen someone die fourteen years ago, when his mother passed away. He didn't like how his stomach felt, from the thought that Tom had killed that man. Killed the man, to protect him.
"Well, hit anything?" Tim asked from the kitchen.
Tom smiled, "Now it's five on three, little brother."
Tom aimed his weapon again and fired. This time, the bullet only grazed its target.
Another volley to the wards shook the house, then Nott Sr. addressed its occupants. "Theodore, I know you're in there, son. It's time to come home. I understand you didn't want to be in that big manor all alone, but I am out now."
Tim pulled Theodore into the kitchen and pushed him behind himself. "He doesn't want to go with you, Nott. Why don't you just leave him alone?"
Nott Sr. laughed. "Which Hamilton is that the Healer or the Rancher? Doesn't matter, he is my son. I am not leaving without him."
Another volley hit the wards and they fell.
Tom aimed again and pulled the trigger. This time, he didn't miss his target. "Hee-haw. Four on three, our odds are gettin' better."
The Death Eaters responded, each of them let off a hex, before they disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. Within seconds, the four Death Eaters were in the house. Tom tossed the Muggle weapon aside and pulled out his wand. Before Theodore could think, the rooms were filled with green and red streaks of light. He stepped out from behind Tim and began to duel with a sandy haired Death Eater, he recognized as James Rowel. James had been two years ahead of Theodore in school, and one of the last people Theodore thought would be a Death Eater. But with things as they were right now, many holdouts had joined Voldemort, in hopes they could save their skins, or protect their families. Most people just didn't have the courage needed to stand up to him, once they saw of what he was capable.
The streaks of light continued all around. Tom fought two Death Eaters in the living room, while Tim dealt with Nott Sr.
Theodore continued his duel with James, neither of them seemed willing to actually hurt the other. Theodore looked over at Tom and saw a green streak from his wand hit one of the two Death Eaters he fought. The man fell to the ground and didn't move.
"There is a woman and a child in this house, find them!" Nott Sr. yelled at his two allies, who remained. Tom and his opponent continued to fight, as Nott Sr. sent a hex off at Tim. It hit him square in the chest, but only stunned him for a second. It was long enough for Nott Sr. to turn his wand on Tom, and along with the hex from the other Death Eater, Tom flew through the air and hit the wall. He fell to the ground and didn't get up. Theodore had to fight the desire to run and check on Tom, as the Death Eater he had dueled, ran past him and up the stairs.
Theodore stunned the Death Eater as soon as his feet hit the stairs, the man fell to the ground. Just then, Theodore heard his father's voice bellow out the torture curse, and Tim hit the ground with a scream from the pain. Theodore knew all too well, what that pain felt like and couldn't stand to listen to Tim scream. He turned his wand on his father and yelled, "Expelliarmous" as loudly as he could, and watched his father's wand fly several feet up in the air. Tim fell to the ground, and within seconds started to struggle to get back up.
Theodore realized he had forgotten about James. He spun around, to continue his duel with his former housemate, to find he was gone. Theodore looked frantically around the room. While he tried to piece together where James had gone, he heard the loud piercing scream of Madison.
He turned back to the stairs, and saw that James stood at the top of the stairs as he held Madison by one leg over the banister. "Rowel, don't! My god, she is only a baby."
Tim started for the stairs, "Clair!" Tim yelled for his wife as he took the stairs, two at a time. He had almost made it to his daughter, when the curse hit him again. Tim fell down the stairs and screamed from the pain.
Theodore yelled again. "Rowel, no! Don't do it!"
"Then don't make me do it, Nott." James gave Madison a little shake and caused her to scream even louder.
"How could you? A baby!" Theodore took the stairs slowly, one at a time. He hoped he could get to Madison before James got the nerve to actually do something, he could never undue.
James held his arm out a little further, "What's it going to be, Nott? You or the baby?"
Clair finally came into view; blood ran down her face from a gash in her forehead. She had, what seemed painfully obvious, to be a broken leg, but she tried for all she was worth, to get to her daughter. James pointed his wand at Clair and stunned her once again. The image of Clair, as she lay motionless on the ground was one, Theodore knew he would be visited by in his dreams, for years to come.
"Hold the little girl, higher." Nott Sr. instructed.
James did as he was told. Theodore looked back down the stairs to his father, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Theodore watched his father release the curse on Tim and point his wand at Madison.
Nott Sr. began to say the words that sent chills down Theodore's spine, "Avada!..."
Theodore jumped in front of his father's wand, "NO! Father, please don't. I will go with you. Just leave Madison alone."
Nott Sr. sneered at his son, but then allowed his mouth to form a small smile. "I knew you would finally come to your senses, Theodore. Rowel put the baby down."
As Clair came to, James handed Madison to her mother.
Nott Sr. kicked Tim in the gut, "Did you really think you were going to keep my son from me, Hamilton? Interfere in our family affairs again, and Theodore won't be able to stop me from killing your bitch and your Half-Blood offspring." Nott Sr. looked over at his son, "You have ten minutes to get your things, so we can leave." He turned around and walked into the living room, "Rowel, get down here. Help McNair gather this trash and dispose of it." Nott nudged the dead body, of one of the Death Eaters he had brought with him, with his foot and tsked. "Your brother is certainly a better wizard, than you Hamilton. Hope he survives, I would love the chance to take him on again, one day."
Tim hurried to where his brother laid on the floor and started to examine him, as Theodore walked up the stairs. James laughed at Theodore as they walked past each other.
Theodore caught his arm and stopped him, "You think threatening a baby is funny?"
"No, I think your devotion to these people is funny." James continued down the stairs, but Theodore swung at him and broke his nose. Blood splattered down the older boy's shirt. James yelled out in pain and held his face.
"Now, that is funny." Theodore whispered in James' ear, then continued up the stairs.
He stopped at the top and knelt beside Clair. "I am sorry, Clair. I never meant to put you or Madison in danger. I should have left as soon as we heard he was looking for me."
Clair reached up and put her hand on Theodore's cheek. "No, you shouldn't have. Tim and I wanted to be here for you, and I would... will do it again. Theodore, be careful. Stay alive, but don't lose yourself."
"I will be careful, Clair. I promise. You raised me right. Trust in that." Theodore gave Clair a hug. "I love you, Clair."
"I love you too, Theo." Clair smiled up at him, while she tried to hide the pain she was in and comfort little Madison, who hadn't stopped crying.
Theodore went into the room that had been his for the last two summers and looked around. Most of his things were already packed. He had been ready to run, from the day he heard his father had been released from Azkaban. All he needed to pack, were his turntable, some clothes, his broom, and the picture of Daphne on his nightstand. It only took a few minutes to cast the 'reducio' spell on the turn able and broom, so he could put them in his trunk. Theodore picked up the picture of Daphne and watched her smile at him and blow a kiss. He smiled at it, then took the picture out of the frame, and tossed the frame in the trunk and snapped it shut. He looked at the picture again, pressed a soft kiss to it, then folded it in half and shoved it in his back pocket.
Once Theodore was downstairs, he saw Tim still knelt over his brother while he performed some sort of healing spell. His father had gone outside to wait.
Theodore took advantage of being alone with Tim, "Tim."
Tim turned around and smiled at Theodore, he stood up and walked to the teenager and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I understand why you're doing this; just promise me you won't give in to him."
"I won't, Tim. How is Tom?" Theodore pulled back and looked over at Tim's older brother, still unconscious on the floor.
Tim glanced at his brother, "He will be fine, it will just take a little while, a few hours, maybe."
"I am sorry, Tim. I never meant for Madison to be in danger like that, or for Tom to get hurt." Theodore's voice cracked as he spoke.
"Don't you give it another thought. We are all fine, you are the one who is in danger now." Tim glance at the staircase, he knew he needed to check on Clair. "I will be taking them to Tennessee, just as soon as I can arrange the portkey. You have the address, right?"
Theodore nodded yes.
"I am sorry Tom and I let you down." Tim looked at his brother, "Perhaps he was right, and we should have left sooner and just dealt with whatever punishment the ministry handed down."
"You didn't let me down, Tim. You and Tom were facing incredible odds. Even if we had won the day, they would have kept coming." Theodore tried to sound certain.
Tim hugged Theodore again. "I love you, Son. Please be safe and let us know that you are, when you can."
Theodore squeezed his eyes as tightly closed as he could, he hoped to keep the tears in and not let them fall, but a couple made it out, anyway. "I will write as soon as I can. I love you too, Dad."
Theodore went outside and walked up behind Nott Sr., looked straight ahead said, "I am ready to go, Sir."
Nott Sr. turned around, and grabbed Theodore by the neck with both hands, he gave a tight squeeze, which caused Theodore to gasp for air. "Make no mistake boy, you will pay for what you did here today. Just not before you are presented to our Lord, and you take your mark. You will need all your strength for that."
Nott Sr. released his son. Then grabbed him roughly by the back of his arm, and apparated them back to Nott Manor.
