Inglorious Bastards [Theodore Nott]

Chapter Twenty-Three

Sitting on his bed while petting Lynx that rested on his lap, Theodore stared at the empty bed of Roman Alston and could not help but scowl at his friend's idiocy of trying to find the beast. Lynx let out a sad while, missing her owner.

"I know..." Theodore whispered to the cat. "Me too."

If only he told Roman about what he found, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. He felt stupid! He was a fool for trying to save Roman and Carina by keeping them in the dark, but if he hadn't done it then they would have jumped into the Basilisk's way and got themselves killed because they didn't think it through. But even more, Theodore was mostly trying to keep them from the real threat, much more deadly than the Basilisk, but rather, the one who's been controlling it. The last and remaining Heir of Salazar Slytherin. A man he believed to be dead, but it seems, after overhearing his father's conversation with Lucius Malfoy during the Holidays, he knew that that wasn't the case.

"I heard Alston got himself petrified – if you ask me, it should've happened sooner. That idiot was a shame to Slytherins." Malfoy told Crabbe and Goyle.

Theodore's eyes went to Blaise, expecting the boy to say something, but he kept quiet. And he calls himself Roman's friend?! But he wasn't going to let Malfoy continue talking about Roman.

"And you think you're Slytherin's pride, Malfoy?" Theodore spoke.

Malfoy and his goon stopped their snickering and turned to Theodore who got out of his bed, and Lynx by his feet.

"What did you say, Nott?" Malfoy glared at him.

"Roman was the only thing that makes up for Slytherin's bad reputation – he's more deserving to be called Slytherin than you are." Theodore told them. "Roman has done more than any of you combined could – and he's not a bloody coward like you, Malfoy."

Crabbe and Goyle got up and were about to grab Theodore, but Theodore got out his wand and pointed it at them. Theodore's oddly shaped wand had the two boys back away as it looked like a knife in his hand.

"See, cowards." Theodore told them. "Talk about Roman again, and I swear, it won't only be me you'll be facing."

"You think I'm scared of that cat, Nott?" Malfoy nodded at Lynx's way. The cat hissed at Malfoy and had a pose ready to pounce.

"Yes... but I'm sure you're even more scared of your cousin." Theodore smirked. "Should I send a little message to Black?"

"I'm not scared of that Half-Blood." Malfoy sneered. His eyes went to Theodore's scarred hands. "And don't make me tell your father about this, Theodore."

"Like he scares me." Theodore scoffed.

~*~

Carina learned that Morgan Diggory was a hard person to find, especially when he doesn't want to be found. The boy's Metamorphagus abilities had him camouflaged like a chameleon in the crowd. Hopeless, Carina finally went with Harry and Ron to visit Hermione and Roman at the Hospital Wing, they were just about to enter the vicinity when Theodore and Adrian Pucey left, both walking away from Roman's bedside. The two Houses ignored each other, but Theodore brushed his shoulder by Carina, having her drop the books she carried with her.

"Watch it, Nott." Carina glared at him.

But Theodore ignored her and continued to walk out of the common room with Pucey. Still glaring at him, Carina reached down to collect her things, and to her confusion, there was a crumpled piece of parchment along with her things. reaching for it, Carina started to open the parchment to see its content. She froze when she saw what was written.