Depths of Despair ✶ Theodore Nott

fifty three. strange activity

Sneaking around the Hogwarts castle at night was not ideal amidst Dolores Umbridge's reign of terror, however it was a bother treading nearer to necessity the lesser amount of days remained before Christmas.

Luckily, Valerie Leclere and Theodore Nott were both scheming bastards, able to sneak past Filch parading the corridors with ease. Ever since the beginning of school in September, the age-worn man nowadays resembling more a ghost in appearance than he did the actual living, had been on a warpath. Elated with the changes having taken place under Umbridge's rule, he served detention to students straying from bed with as much enthusiasm as Kieran when serving himself scrambled eggs for breakfast, thriving in the misery of the pink-clad woman's dictatorship.

Valerie had to cover her mouth to not fall into laughter when watching him stride by from inside an empty classroom: stomping his feet in rhythm like a medieval knight marching off to battle, a lopsided grin, more similar to a grimace as it failed in translation, expanded across his features.

Only when he was out of sight did her focus return to the task at hand, subconsciously gripping onto Theodore's hand when leading him out of the darkened classroom. When conversing, their voices were quiet, barely audible even to themselves. Although having evaded Filch, miss Norris still stalked around the castle with her tail in the air, and surely other teachers would have also been tasked to stand watch: being caught meant detention, and the image of Kieran's carved up hand still surfaced both their minds.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" asked Theodore after a while of Valerie trying to orientate herself in the darkness, and if listening closely enough, one would recognize a teasing tone accompanying his words.

They had stepped off the stairs onto the seventh floor, and quite frankly, Valerie had no clue as to where she was going. Would she ever admit defeat aloud? Never, hence why she stubbornly continued to drag him along. "Yes," she replied shortly, thankful of her back being turned toward Theodore so that he could not see the frown causing a crease in between her eyebrows to appear.

"Really?" questioned Theodore, sounding as if near the brink of laughter. Following Valerie's reveal of the task at hand, he had acted as a surprising source of new ideas. In truth, the very reason for their current nocturnal promenade was due to Theodore Nott knowing a place where they could conspire in secret without risk of being overheard.

"Yes," Valerie repeated, however her statement was followed by a vulgar curse uttered through gritted teeth. Hogwarts' layout was confusing even in broad daylight, with its moving staircases and many doors, however without much light to guide them, it resembled more and more a bloody maze.

Her step haltered for only a second, silently debating whether or not to take a right or a left turn. When having settled on the left, her grip at Theodore's tightened, signaling for him to follow along without the nonchalance having made an appearance across his demeanor. He followed without protest, however could be heard chuckling each time her shoulders tensed in confusion at the route she'd selected.

Eventually growing tired of his quiet snickering, she stopped walking all together, spinning around with frightening grace, hair falling into her face as she turned to look at him: frustration fueled alive within much like the way it had during the times they both insisted they despised one another. "Stop laughing, you arrogant prat."

His response came at an instant, Theodore lifting his free hand into the air: feigning innocence. "Pardon me," he then mused, overlooking Valerie's expression with what could only be interpreted as admiration. "It's just..."