Bad Romance : Theodore Nott

5: Hypocrite

[victoria's pov]

It's been two weeks since Fred and George had been sent to the hospital wing and since I've seen Mattheo's horrible face. He had completely changed since before his first year and before he had met his stupid group of friends. He just needed to see that he didn't have to behave that way around his friends.

Speaking of his friends, Theo had not bothered to show up to the last two tutoring sessions. I was beginning to think he was merely wasting my time and trying to get to my head. And as much as I was unwilling to admit it, it was.

Snape's class was a daily task of me playing catch up. I hated everything we did in that class and all of it was just a riddle of twists and turns. Plugging in and knots that couldn't be untied from their problem unless you were the Magnificent Matilda.

As I rushed to potions, I sat myself beside Milicent and heard Draco snickering to Crabbe and Goyle. Snape caught the class' attention as he asked us to turn our books to page sixty-nine.

More snickering was heard from the Slytherin table, though Snape ignored it and began to lecture. I look over and see Theo smiling at Enzo, who had clearly just made a joke. I roll my eyes and turn my attention back on the screen.

Many minutes later, Snape hands us the results of the fourth quiz we took last week. I'm timidly sitting quietly as Millicent asks, "How do you think you did?"

"Well, I hope," I say unconvincingly. "It was sort of hard and I couldn't practise well."

I shot Theo a look, who was ignoring my presence.

Millicent is handed her paper and she frowns. "Oh, an acceptable..."

I stare at my paper, my hands shaking with disbelief.

"I got a D," I cried quietly in disbelief. "Dreadful! Me!"

My mum was going to kill me.

"I'm going to-" I stop and look at Theo. "I'm going to strangle him, oh my Merlin."

"Nott?" Millicent asked. "What's wrong?"

"He's absolutely cruel," I explained. "He let me rely on him and stopped helping me just like that! He acts as if I offended him personally."

Millicent only shrugs and says, "Well personally, I believe you have more options than just Nott."

"He was never an option, Millicent," I say defensively. "I'm just in disbelief. Now I've got to look for a new tutor..."

I see Theo smiling proudly at his grade. It was obvious he was staring at the big "Outstanding" on his paper.

"You'll be making murtlap essence," Snape called upon the class. "Which one of you can tell me what exactly that is?"

It was more of a command than a question, but a few hands raised in the air. Though he called on none of them and picked on a Gryffindor instead (who was not Hermione and discouraged, put her hand down), who indeed did not have the answer to his question.

"Typical," Snape scowls and turns to Theo. "Nott, you must know."

Theo nods once and answers, "Unlike what most think, it's not just an antidote to burns, but prevents the body from catching bacteria and heals scar tissue."

Snape raises his head, pleased. "Excellent. Twenty points for Slytherin."

Though I wasn't complaining, it was quite a lot and obviously biassed. I wasn't the only one who knew, as a few Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students gave each other funny looks.

"Today you will be attempting to make this potion with a partner, as Professor Sprout has been needing some," Snape continues. "And because your potion needs to sit out for at least twenty minutes, I suggest you begin now."