DOROTHEA {fred weasley}

seventy eight

Dorothea enjoyed the Easter break. It felt silly, but seeing Draco and Theo was a reminder of better times. 

It was different, though. The boys walked through the door with Narcissa following them full of worry. Draco had lost a lot of weight, his face was pale but beading with sweat, he marched straight towards the meeting room in the Nott Manor, Narcissa rushing to follow. 

Lucius Malfoy held her back and whispered, "alone."

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy," Dorothea smiled, smoothing her dress and offering the man her hand before giving Narcissa a small nod. "Happy to have Draco home?"

They both hesitated to speak, Narcissa's lip quivering. 

"Terribly," Lucius finally stuttered.

Dorothea raised an eyebrow at their odd behaviour, something she could report back to Snape, she supposed.

At the top of the staircase was Theo, knuckles white from how hard he gripped the bannister as he stared after his friend. 

Dorothea quickly went up to him, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thea," he said.

"Theo," she smiled into his shoulder. "You're shaking," she said, stepping back and holding him by his elbows. "What is it?"

"Outside?" He asked, noticing Ezra and Camille walking into the room downstairs. 

"My balcony," she said. 

Dorothea closed the French doors behind them and offered the boy a drink before taking out a cigarette. 

"Cast a silencing charm," he muttered.

"I can't, they track the spells- Theo, you're worrying me."

Theo looked behind him into the grand room, "you've got the guest quarters now, then?"

"My cousin has been permanently moved into Ezra's room, yes."

"And you're okay with that?"

Dorothea laughed and flicked ash onto the floor, "I'm not even going to justify that with an answer, Theo. Now tell me, what's worrying you?"

"You know he's got that?" Theo asked, gesturing to where Dorothea's dark mark was visible through her lace sleeves. 

"Don't you?"

Theo laughed, "do you know how fucked up it is to be asking a 16 year old that?"

"True, I'm sorry."

"No, I don't. There's something wrong with him. Him and Potter had a fight. Draco got really hurt."

Dorothea nodded, she'd heard about it.

"Potter accused him of... cursing someone. Katie, a girl in our year."

"The quidditch one?"

"Yeah, the Gryffindor."

"Did he?"

Theo sighed and rubbed his eyes, "that's the problem, I have no idea. He doesn't talk to me anymore, doesn't talk to anyone."

"Narcissa seemed worried."

"And Lucius seems proud."

Dorothea shook her head, "he looked exhausted."

"Him and dad are in meetings for the next week, they're planning something."

"Yes, they've not had a lot of interest in me lately. I suspected something was happening."