Servitium| Theodore Nott

Chapter Two

Ivory held bittersweet feelings about September first this year, it was both a blessing and a curse.

The beginning of another school year allowed Ivory to get away from her father and the evil that surrounded him. Living with her brother Soren was like watching a ticking time bomb, she could see that something ungodly and unearthly was waiting just beneath the surface, she wasn't too sure how much time the older Galliano had left. At least at Hogwarts he'd be safe from the grimy hands of their father and Lucius Malfoy.

"Look at them, those bumbling idiots," her father sneered as the Weasley family took up a vast amount of space on the platform, with them was Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. "Imbeciles. Floating around as if they own the world, of course they released him of all charges. Patronus Potter."

"There's more mudbloods each year," Soren winced distastefully as a first year and his parents, evidently muggles with how out of place they looked, stumbled clumsily on the platform, asking questions to anyone who would give them the time of day.

Ivory remained silent, her mother waved Blaise and his own mother towards them, they were with Theodore which didn't surprise Ivory. Nott Sr was as absent a father as any, the only difference was that he was present, but he never bothered with trivial events such as dropping Theodore off to the station, or even bothering to know where Theodore was. The boy practically lived between the Malfoy and Zabini Manors.

"Where's your father?" Ivory asked plainly as the two Slytherin boys joined them. She knew the answer would be the same as always, but she supposed she just wanted to rile Theodore up after she had left Diagon Alley on a sour note some weeks ago.

"Don't take the piss," he grumbled. "I've told you not to feel sorry for me, but you're pushing it."

"I don't feel sorry for you," Ivory responded sassily. "Happy Birthday though, what's it now sixteen? You're getting on a bit," she said as if she wouldn't be turning the same age in January.

"You'll write us won't you Ivory?" her mother called to her before kissing her forehead.

"If there's something to write about...goodbye father," she simply said, she wasn't going to get a hint of affection out of that man.

Once she got on the train the excitement that she usually felt wasn't there, her body was going into mild panic. Voldemort was back and so the timer had officially begun, how long until he infiltrates Hogwarts and kills them all in search of Harry Potter?

"Hi, Ivory, how was your summer?" Ivory looked up, speaking of the devil, was Harry Potter smiling at her, but it didn't look too convincing, his eyes were distant, and his voice sounded tired. Ivory supposed he would be, he had witnessed the death of Cedric Diggory first hand, saw Voldemort with his own eyes and survived a dementor attack.

"Can't complain," Ivory replied breezily, she observed him, she could see the silver swirls of magic surrounding him, moving all around his body in some sort of dance, some years ago its potency would have caused her to pass out. Harry Potter was surrounded by ancient magic, this magic was protecting him, and it only seemed to grow more powerful over the summer. Sometimes Ivory could hear whispers saying 'we love you Harry, mama loves you.' Every time she came near him, it was distracting to say the least, but she had figured out how to ignore it. If she shook her head and closed her eyes, forcing her ability down into the depths of her mind, she could no longer see those blasted swirls, or hear those whispers that surrounded some people.

"Yeah, cool, see you later," Harry said sort of awkwardly brushing past her.

Ivory made her way further down the carriage, "I swear you're in your own world, can't believe you were about to walk right past me. I'm disappointed Galliano."