The Downfall (Theo Nott FF)

24. The Vanishing Cabinet

There was not a loyalty like the friendship of Marilyn, Pansy, Theo, Draco, and Blaise. They made their pact years prior to attending school. No matter what happened, they would stick together. They knew they would be initiated, they knew they would carry on the legacy their parents had left them, they would continue their bloodline, keeping the circle small, keeping their families rich and pure-blooded. No one would ruin that. No one would take that away. It was all they had. In a world of uncertainty, where their parents and peers were exposed for supporting the dark lord and people died around them regularly. The one thing they knew for certain was that they had each other. If not each other, what did they have?

It was time to go back to school now that the ball was over. The group hadn't seen Mattheo nor had any of them spoken to him since the Hogsmeade incident. Marilyn's task loomed over her head. Now that she was initiated, she was to start her task. Fixing the vanishing cabinet. Not only was she taking on a task she has no idea how to complete, she was assigned to it with Mattheo.

Knowing he was well-versed in dark magic, Marilyn could only assume that's what they were going to use to fix the vanishing cabinet.

"Lynnie are you going to finish that?" Pansy asked her, gesturing to her toast. They were in the great hall eating breakfast with the rest of the school. Marilyn shook her head and pushed her plate to Pansy, her stomach turning, creating knots. 

"Oh shit, look it's Mattheo." Blaise said to the group, nodding his head towards the entrance to the great hall.

Mattheo was walking in heading for their table. Marilyn noticed he had a scar across his nose. She could only assume it was from Theo's punch.

"Looks like Theo's left him a nice mark" Draco chuckled. Theo looked up, staring daggers at Mattheo.

As Mattheo approached the table, Theo stood up, facing him.

"Nice scar Riddle, hate to see you get another one so I suggest you walk away." Theo threatened.

"Relax Nott, I came to apologize." Mattheo growled. He turned to face the group. "Father didn't really teach me to have friends so excuse me if I'm a bit new at this. I only really know how to make trouble." He said. His face showed little empathy and little emotion. Marilyn wondered if he even meant what he said. But Mattheo often didn't show any emotion on his face. His father most likely didn't teach him how to have those either.

The group looked at him, no one saying anything.

"You're alright lad." Blaise chuckled, reaching his hand out.

Mattheo shook it, nodding curtly. 

"Now, I also did come over here because I have to steal Marilyn for our task." Mattheo shrugged.

Marilyn's stomach dropped. She quickly looked to Theo. He was staring at Mattheo, his eyes dead and unreadable.

"Are you sure we have to go now?" She asked, hoping they could put it off a bit longer.

Mattheo shook his head and Marilyn reluctantly stood up and followed him as he led her to the room of requirement. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the two entered the room of lost things, Marilyn shivered. It was colder in the room, she could practically feel the ominence of the vanishing cabinet that stood tall and mighty among the trinkets and other lost things.

Mattheo pulled the sheet off the cabinet.

"So what's wrong with it?" Marilyn asked, watching Mattheo open the cabinet door.

"It's supposed to work like a passageway. The other one is in Borgin and Burkes. Father wants to use it to get the Death Eaters into Hogwarts without anyone knowing." Mattheo explained, running his fingers over the grooves in the cabinet. "It's not working though, this one's damaged. There's little magical property to it."

"Magical property?"

"How much magic a certain thing holds. Most wizarding objects have magical property. Muggle objects have no magical property unless they've been charmed." Mattheo explained, still facing the cabinet. 

"Can't we just...Reparo!" Marilyn casted a repair charm on the cabinet but nothing happened.

Mattheo stared at her. 

"I just thought it might work" Marilyn chuckled. Mattheo smirked at her before turning back around. 

They stayed there for a couple hours. Mattheo stood staring at the cabinet, muttering different dark incantations. Marilyn had been looking through old dark magic spell books, trying to find an answer. 

"Some of these spells are horrid" Marilyn muttered, flipping through the pages.

Mattheo chuckled.

"They're useful." He smirked. 

"We get by just fine without using such horrendous spells and hexes." Marilyn grumped at him. Mattheo turned around, now he was facing her. 

"Dark magic can let you do things you can't do with normal magic. Dark magic opens more doors." He smirked at her, leaning his back against the cabinet.

"You can do well enough without it." Marilyn scoffed at him, sitting up on the old trunk she had used as a place to sit while she browsed dark magic books. 

"You could be so powerful with it" Mattheo whispered to her, lowering his eyes and grinning slightly at her. They locked eyes. Marilyn felt her heart rate increase.

"How powerful?" She asked, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. 

He took a step forward, now towering over her as she looked up at him from her seat on the trunk.

"More powerful than you could even imagine."

"I'm satisfied with the magic I use now"

"Sure you can be satisfied, but dark magic can give you things you could only dream of. Dark magic will give you more."

Marilyn had a feeling they weren't talking about magic anymore. 

"Ugh- I- We've been here long enough...Let's just come back tomorrow. Try again.." She sputtered as she stood up, scrambling to grab her things. She paused trying to find a casual way to say goodbye. Mattheo looked at her, an eyebrow raised, his mouth a bit agape. Marilyn found herself too awkward to speak. She sighed, giving up and strutted out of the room, leaving Mattheo alone and dumbfounded.