Shadow of the Prophecy

Ch. 8 - I Wish I Could Escape It. I Don't Wanna Fake It.

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Hello readers! This chapter is a parallel chapter in Theo's POV to accompany chapter 7. There is a trigger warning for this chapter that involves coercion/non-con. You do not need to read this chapter to progress in the story, although it does highlight some of Theo's inner dialogue and thought process. I will do a line break for the scene - where it begins and ends - so you may skip over it. Thank you for reading!

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Theodore Sallow

December of his 6th year

He doesn't know how to tell her.

Theo leaves Sallow Hall one day ahead of schedule, and the entire ride back to the castle, Anne's words replay through his mind like a mantra. All good things to those who wait.

Anne had done much to restore his hope, but outside of her presence and alone in the carriage, there was little to do but think; such thoughts can only turn to darkness and melancholy. Theo knows he will have to take his consort to the celebration. His sister is correct; his present affections for Helena would not only jeopardize his family's financial security and future, but Helena as well. Even should his family lose their inheritance and their social recognition as part of pureblood society, the Sallow family name is still old. His family would never again have some of the more luxurious creature comforts they were accustomed to, but being completely destitute was unlikely. Someone would hire Solomon and himself as a clerk or in some other such wizarding career if not the Ministry itself. Push to shove, the Sallows will always have their long, colored history of fighting against dark magic, and that is not something as easily swept away as their status.

Helena, no matter how remiss Theo is to think it, is a muggleborn. No matter how bright and magnificent and worthy, muggleborns are still considered outsiders to much of the wizarding community. Some would even go so far as to say that as a muggleborn, her family has stolen magic from true witches.

If he made his designs on her more serious and public - if he made her his - the list of enemies and people seeking to harm her would only grow. A muggleborn girl does not simply take something that belongs to a pureblood such as Agatha Nott, and that is how the Notts would see it. Without a career and a stable source of income of his own, Theo cannot even begin to hope to protect her from such wrath.

Theo knows himself and the lengths he would go to protect Helena now. She is his dear friend and the girl he is in love with. When Flint had sent two boys after her, he had broken his collarbone in three places. The only thing that had saved him from reprimand was Flint's sense of humiliation at being bested by both a muggleborn and Theo himself. The amount of enemies like Flint seeking to harm Helena should he buck his role would amplify tenfold. Continuing to protect her with such open threats of violence would land him in a cell in Azkaban, and Helena alone and vulnerable. No; Theo must keep up every appearance of obedience in this farce, at least until Agatha Nott has graduated.

Theo can see himself grimace in the reflection of the carriage window. His fingers run across the note he had once again placed in his vest pocket. He does not think he will ever remove it; it is now a permanent staple in his wardrobe. A piece of a life he had wanted for himself and couldn't have. At least, not yet.

Still, Helena had wanted him to take her to the celebration, and he does not know how to tell her that he cannot in a way that will not hurt her. She had all but told him with her gift and letter that she cares for him deeply. He will not see her hurt, even in this, and not with him as the cause.