Pulling Strings - Theodore Nott

27. Foes within and without

A sharp tang of iron hung in the air when she first set foot in King Cross station. This time, in a shocking turn of events, her mother had wanted to see Ophelia off before she returned to Hogwarts. Cordelia's nose was raised in a clear show of disgust about the hordes of muggles running around the station, simply going about their day. Ophelia didn't dare say anything about it, but she was used to it by now, and it didn't bother her.

"Theodore, don't fall behind, I don't want to lose you among these people." Her mother looked behind them and Ophelia followed out of impulse. Theodore's bored expression greeted her as so many times before. He was walking slowly behind them with his trunk on tow and when his eyes met hers she quickly turned her attention back to the entrance to Platform 9 ¾.

Of course, Ophelia suspected that her mother had only agreed to accompany them to board the train as a way to gain points with Lord Nott, by offering to take care of Theodore too. Not that the boy himself looked pleased about it. She wished her mother had not volunteered. Wasn't it enough to have spent almost three weeks locked in a house with him?

Actually...more like two weeks. Thankfully for her, she had not seen much of him over the last week of her stay at Nott Manor. Yes, they had had to stand next to each-other at the New Years Eve's party at Parkinson's Manor but nothing else. He had seemingly not bothered her further since that night when he hid under her bed. She was thankful for it.

Truly. But it also made her restless.

She knew him— Or, at least knew him more now than at the beginning of the year. He didn't strike her as a forgiving person. She had embarrassed him in front of his grandfather and he had not done anything to get back at her.

Why?

This past week was hell for her. She didn't mind that he was ignoring her—of course not. But it was too quiet. It was almost as if he had been swapped for another person altogether. The only sign that he was the same boy was the constant scowl in his face, she doubted that any other person could manage to look miserable and bored all the time as he did.

Still, she did not feel comfortable. It was a relief to be going back to Hogwarts, not only because she was finally going to be seeing Anna again, but because it meant she would no longer be alone with him. At his mercy. Guarding her back at all times, afraid of how he might retaliate.

Nothing could ensure her that she would be safe from him at Hogwarts though, but at least she would have someone on her side. Unlike in Nott Manor.

When they managed to cross to the platform, her mother's face relaxed into a pleased smile and before she could even utter a word, Theodore was walking past them and stopping, forcing them to stop too.

"Thanks for the company, Lady Selwyn." She could not avoid rolling her eyes at the false politeness in his voice. "But I believe that I can manage from here—"

"Oh! Won't you two sit together on the ride back?"

She watched as his eyes widened, a perfect mirror of her own. "No!" they both blurted in unison. She quickly looked at the floor, mortified.

Theodore cleared his throat. "No, I mean— I'm sure Miss Selwyn has other friends to sit with, my cousin for example. As do I." Without waiting for a reply, he gave a stiff nod and strode away toward the train, his pace just quick enough to make it clear he wasn't going to look back.

For a few blessed seconds, silence reigned.

Then Cordelia let out a quiet, disapproving sigh.

"What happened the other night?"

Ophelia's neck nearly snapped from how fast it moved. "What do you mean?"

Her mother gave her a look. Making it clear from the way her eyes looked down on her, that she was disapproving of something Ophelia had done.