Depths of Despair ✶ Theodore Nott

thirty five. you better hold your breath

A mere hour felt like days, and when finally allowed exit from the Potions classroom, Valerie exhaled in relief.

     Alongside Snape's constant nagging was also Theodore's teasing tone whispering phrases responsible for blushing and awkward coughs to clear up the tension into her ear. She almost felt pity for herself, dragging her feet along the floor — Kieran sighing when catching up with her shortly thereafter.

     "Is it Snape or is it Nott?" he asked, easily able to read off his best friend's demeanor that she was annoyed.

     "Both."

     Before allowed to answer to her misery, a figure pushed Kieran out of the way on his mission to reach Valerie, said Slytherin frowning and clenching his fists in exasperation. "Out of the way, Potter," he snarled — Harry flinching at the sharpened tone, however opting to ignore him. Instead, Valerie met her half-brother's pleading gaze, unable to brace herself before he'd grabbed a hold of her sleeve, intent on dragging her along.

     "Whoa—!" Valerie exclaimed in shock, trying to break loose yet failing as the Gryffindor's stubbornness took over. "Potter, what are you doing?"

     Harry obviously rolled his eyes at the use of his surname rather than actual name, however ignore the girl's attitude. "I need your help." He looked toward Kieran, who was easily keeping up with their haste pace, and his brows immediately furrowed. "Leave, Lacroix."

This appeared to tip Kieran over the edge, "No need for the attitude, Potter. You are the one who came and interrupted our conversation, actually, so maybe you are the one who should leave?" Valerie sighed at both their behaviors — reaching out a hand to hold her best friend back when he reached out to shove her half-brother away.

Kieran groaned when the strings of wandless magic pushed him into stillness, and his gaze flickered toward Valerie. Right as he went to speak, most likely intent on motivating her to let him go, she held up a hand. "Don't," her voice interrupting, haltering his movement along with the words he planned to voice in protest. "This is an unnecessary conflict I advice you not to take unless you want months of detention from McGonagall. Again."

He hesitated, fueled by annoyance toward Harry — who, alongside Valerie, appeared rather triumphant. "Fine," he did, either way, eventually force out. "I'll meet you in class."

"Will do," Valerie replied, and thereafter remained silent until he disappeared out of sight. When turning toward Harry, she crossed her arms across her chest: narrowing her eyes at him. "What do you want?" She'd much rather get him to speak quickly, rather than drag it out and risk potential awkwardness.

     "I need your help," Harry said, repeating his words from before without realizing it. He appeared slightly on nerve in regards to her obvious annoyance, however tried his best to ignore it. James had sent him multiple letters trying to convince him to forget about the stupid Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry that both Valerie and Harry both had formerly spared no regrets to take part in. It was second nature for both their friend groups to lightly dislike each other, hence why it was indeed weird to now be forced into politeness.

     "You said that already," Valerie countered: voice cold in a way she once been taught by her mother.

     Her half-brother grimaced and clenched his fists. While he regarded her mannerisms as arrogance, she was simply doing her best at trying to scare him away. Unsuccessfully so, because it was commonly known Harry Potter was stubborn like few others — Valerie tempted to simply walk away, even though realizing it probably would do their relationship no good.

     Their pace remained haste as they turned down the hall to attend their upcoming charms class. After taking a second or two to calm himself down from irritation, Harry tried again to get her to listen, "It's the second task. I need some way to breathe under water."

     "Under water?" Valerie was frowning, features displaying doubt.

     "Yes," said Harry. "Can you help me or not? Hermione hasn't been able to figure something out yet, which leaves you as my..." Valerie smirked widely, because it was so blatantly obvious the words pained him to speak aloud. "... That makes you my only option."

     She raised an eyebrow and looked straight forward for a second, humming in response. It appeared that her passiveness aggravated her, because suddenly he stood right in her way — forcing her to halter her pace and come to a stop only a few centimeters from the door to the Charms classroom.

     "Do you know something, or have I completely humiliated myself by even bothering to ask you?" Harry exclaimed in exasperation, only amusing Valerie even more. She did, indeed, know of some spells he could use, but did however doubt to which extent he could perform magic. All solutions popping into her head were high-level charms, and she'd need a little while longer to figure out which ones would be best suited to offer him.

     "I have some things in mind," she told, side-stepping to walk past him.

     He had no time to protest, or even agree to her words, because by the time had turned around, she had already disappeared into the classroom — taking a seat alongside Theodore again, as Kieran had of course ventured off to accompany Daphne.

     As the class carried on, professor Flitwick demonstrating and writing on the board in front of the room, Valerie discreetly flipped through her charms book: scanning page after page for a good option for holding one's breath a long time.

     Ever so often would Theodore glance over, curious as to why she was so distracted. She decided to ignore him, grabbing her quill and ink while scribbling down notes on a piece of parchment to give to Harry on a later occasion. Although multiple spells could be found that would work in regards to it's purpose, she did have another option in mind — one that would, however, require Harry to raid Snape's supplies if he wished to access it.

     Only when Theodore gently nudged her did she raise her eyes from her own penmanship, giving him a questioning look. Hazel meeting deep blue, he motioned to beside her which caused Valerie to immediately turn around to spot professor Flitwick observing her with care.

     "Miss Leclere," the small man spoke the very second he realized she had acknowledged his presence. "I would appreciate if you turned your attention back to the front of the room, if you don't mind."

     Her gaze fell upon the board, only now realizing that she must have missed a lot as it was full of notes that had not been there before she drifted off into her own world. "Yes. Of course, professor." With the entirety of the class staring at her, she straightened out her posture, put away her quill, and then flipped her book shut — motioning to Flitwick that she was ready to focus on the class again.

     He nodded shortly, before picking up the lecture right where he left. Only when certain nobody was watching her, she finished off her list by writing down the word Gillyweed.

     She waited patiently until the ink had dried before folding the parchment four times. Her eyes landed upon Harry, sitting only a few seats away from her, and then she whispered a spell: wandlessly making the list disappear.

     Her half-brother flinched when it suddenly made an appearance right before his eyes — landing on the desk. After quickly reaching out, unfolding, and seeing what it was, he immediately searched the room for Valerie: stopping when managing to meet her gaze. 'Thank you,' he mouthed, the words followed with a grimace.

     Valerie simply shrugged and looked away.

. . . . .