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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

I was in my new house placing daydreams
Patching up the crack along the wall
I pass it and lose track of what I'm saying
'Cause that's where I was when I got the call

So, they killed Cassandra first 'cause she feared the worst
And tried to tell the town

Seers are always pawns in war.

Kendra Nott knew it as a fact and more than that, she had seen it. So when she welcomed her first and only child into the world, she named him Theodore, for he carried the divine gift of her lineage. She knew she was not long for this world, the blood of childbirth ran dark from between her legs and spread with every pulse of her womb.

She looked deep into the indigo eyes of her newborn son and prayed to every deity she had studied during her training as a Seer, to Brigid and Asteria, to Cassandra and Phoebe, pleading that what she had seen in his eyes would not come to pass. 

She invoked the Morrigan herself, tracing a triskele in the pool of blood surrounding her, and called upon her to protect this child from the future she had seen.

Kendra Nott died with her son on her breast and fear in her heart.

Chapter Text

FIRST YEAR

I was in my tower weaving nightmares
Twisting all my smiles into snarls
They say, "What doesn't kill you makes you aware"
What happens if it becomes who you are?

Theodore Nott had never known a time without Draco Malfoy. His earliest memories were filled with a boy with platinum blond hair and piercing silver eyes by his side. So when the house elf who had brought him to the train station squeaked a quick goodbye to "Young Master Theo" before disapparating and he stood, alone, on the platform in front of the Hogwarts Express for the first time, he was not surprised when moments later, with a quick affectionate bump of his shoulder, Draco stood next to him. 

What did surprise Theo as he glanced at his best friend was what he Saw.

Draco, tall and handsome, his white blond strands falling rakishly over one eye and his lips curved into a half-smile directed right at him. One arm wrapped around a petite brunette Theo didn't recognize with a head of curls wilder than his own. A girl who made Theo's heart beat wildly in his chest when she looked at him like she loved him, eyes that spoke of shared secrets and stolen kisses. His other hand reached out to clasp Theo's hand, his breath caught in his chest as Draco raised it to his mouth, his lips brushing over the back of it and his eyes never leaving Theo's.

"Theo! We have to board!" Draco's voice was annoyed as he jostled him, as if he had tried to catch Theo's attention once or twice before already.

The scent of delicate roses mingled with the hints of cinnamon, patchouli, and sandalwood helped ground him as he snapped back to now, being swept into a hug by his beloved Godmother. Lucius Malfoy stepped up behind his wife and set his hand on Theo's shoulder.

"Cissa. Let the boy breathe. For Merlin's sake, you're going to suffocate him like that." Lucius drawled, smirking at his beloved. She rolled her eyes at him as she stepped back, ruffling the Theo's messy curls.

"Theodore. Where is Thoros? Did he not accompany you to the Station today?", he asked after taking a quick look around and not seeing the stern unsmiling face of Theo's father. 

"No, Uncle Luc. Keely brought me today. Father wasn't feeling well." Theo looked directly at Lucius, trying to communicate without words that his father had been well into his cups by the time Theo had finished packing his trunk for school that morning.

"I see. Well, in that case," Lucius placed a few galleons in each boy's hand. "To buy some sweets from the trolley witch. Both of you owl us tonight after the Sorting ceremony, but right now, you need to board before the Express leaves without you."

As Narcissa pulled Draco to her for one last hug, Lucius bent close to Theo. "Theodore. Write to your Aunt Cissa often; she'll miss having you two around the Manor. It will be quiet there with both of you off to Hogwarts. If you discover that you've left anything necessary at Nott Abbey, we will contact your father and have it sent on with Draco's owl. Keep that boy of mine in line, won't you?"

Theo looked at the man, who had been more of a father to him than Thoros Nott had ever been, with gratitude shining in his eyes and a murmured "yes, Sir" as Lucius straightened back up to his full height. With one last squeeze to Theo's shoulder and rumpling Draco's fine hair affectionately, he sent both boys on their way as the train whistle blew.

Draco and Theo quickly found an empty compartment on the train, settling in as the Express left Platform 9 ¾. They were quickly joined by Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Daphne Greengrass; the five of them had been friends since they were in nappies and had planned this first meeting on the train long before they had even received their Hogwarts letters. They were arguing over how the Sorting took place, when someone knocked on the door and slid it open.

Theo looked up as an unfamiliar bushy haired girl stepped in, asking if anyone had seen a toad, and he Knew.

Chapter Text

SIXTH YEAR: SPRING

So they set my life in flames, I regret to say
Do you believe me now?

"Death Eater Whore"
"Slytherin Slut"
"Does he call you a Mudblood when he fucks you, Slag?"
"Traitorous Cunt"
"Know it all Bitch"

The taunts and jeers were hurled at Hermione as she made her way from her room in Gryffindor Tower for the last time, her trunk packed and Crookshanks in his carrier. Theo and Draco had insisted that she was no longer safe there and looking at the hostile faces surrounding her, she found that she quite agreed with them now.

She occluded. Blank-faced and dry-eyed was the only way she could get through this, releasing the tears burning behind her eyes would only give the feral Lions satisfaction and that was something Hermione refused to do. She looked forward, mentally counting the steps it was going to take to get herself across the common room to the portrait she needed to escape through.

As she took the last steps off the stairs and into the Common Room, a space cleared in front of her. Almost like magic, she thought, biting back the inappropriate giggle that bubbled in her throat. The room fell deathly silent as Harry and Ron stepped forward.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Hermione started to speak just as Harry threw up his hand to stop her, his green eyes narrowed and icy. Before he could say anything to her, the thud-thud-thud of a trunk being dragged down the stairs echoed in the staircase Hermione had just come from. She turned to see where the disturbance was coming from and a small smile flashed across her face at the girl walking towards her.

"Ginny." Hermione felt as though the relief in her voice was almost tangible as the youngest Weasley made her way down the rest of the stairs.

"Mia." Ginny stepped to Hermione's side and grabbed her hand, practically infusing the Gryffindor bravery she had in spades directly into Hermione just by locking their fingers together.

The outrage in Harry's voice and the growl in Ron's as they simultaneously shouted Ginny's name was almost comical. Ron rushed towards his sister, screeching at her to go back upstairs before he owled their mum. Before he could lay a hand on her, however, Ginevra had cast her signature spell at him, the hex causing large bats to fly out of his nose and flap around his head, beating against it with snot-covered wings.

A cry of "Won-Won" caused Hermione to roll her eyes as Lavender charged forward, watching as she swung at Ginny with girlish slaps, doing nothing more than irritating the volatile redhead who pushed her away easily. Stumbling over her feet, she ended up in front of Hermione, but scurried away quickly as Hermione threateningly brandished her wand in Lavender's face.

Brushing her wayward curls from her face, Hermione grabbed Ginny's hand once again, pulling her forward. The only thing standing between them and the doorway to what felt more and more like freedom was Harry Potter.

"Potter. Move." Hermione wasn't playing Little Miss Nice Gryffindor anymore. She was quite over this entire situation and wanted nothing more than to be in the Slytherin Dungeon with her boys and her real friends.

"What the fuck, Mione? You even sound like that fucking ferret. And Ginny, where the fuck are you going? I thought you were going to be my girlfriend!" Harry's hateful words, dripped with scorn, while Ron sputtered in indignation at Harry's pronouncement. 

Hermione laughed coldly as the two girls pushed past him. Harry reached out to grab Hermione's shoulder when a voice cut in from the doorway.

"I would think twice before laying a hand on her, Potter. Unless you want to lose it." Theo stepped away from the portrait hole, a dangerous look on his face that only softened when his eyes met Hermione's. He reached their side in a few steps, grabbing Hermione's hand and motioning for Ginny to walk ahead of them.

"Miss Weasley", he drawled in posh tones, sending a wink in her direction. "I do believe there are a few special someones waiting in the corridor for you."

As Ginny scrambled through the opening, trunk bobbing along behind her, Theo and Hermione walked slowly towards it, the entirety of Gryffindor House had their eyes glued to their every step.

As they drew closer to Harry, Theodore paused and looked him in the eyes. He spoke clearly, wanting to make sure Harry heard every word he was about to say.

"This will be the moment you regret the most, Chosen One. I told you what I Saw, what was coming, that we could stop it. I did that for Mia's sake, not yours. She was so sure that you would put childish feelings aside for the greater good and in turn, you betrayed her. Now, she's ours and we will stop at nothing to keep her safe. When you watch people die in your name, under your command, remember this moment and know that you chose wrong."

He walked Hermione to the portrait hole and sketched a quick bow in her direction before passing her over to the pale hand reaching through the entrance for her. He sent a mocking salute in Harry's direction as he left, the silence in the room as the opening swung closed behind him was deafening.

Chapter Text

SUMMER BEFORE 6th YEAR

They knew, they knew, they knew the whole time

Blaise stepped out of the Floo, stepping aside quickly to make room for his girls to follow right behind him.

Luna came through first; she was very comfortable with international travel, normally spending summers with her father on the hunt for Blibbering Humdingers or the ever-elusive Crumple-Horned Snorkack. She dusted the soot off of her fairy wings as she situated herself next to Blaise to wait for the third member of their triad to come through the Floo.

They waited. And waited. And waited.

After a full 5 minutes had passed, Blaise cocked an eyebrow in Luna's direction, getting a shrug in response. With an exasperated noise, he took a few steps heading towards the fireplace, ready to go back through in order to corral their girlfriend when it lit up in acid green.

Ginny stumbled through the Floo, her face nearly the same colour as the magical flames she had travelled through. Blaise reached out instinctively, fingers gripping her biceps as she wobbled on the edge of the hearth. After bracing them both, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled the shaky redhead against his chest to steady her. Her gorgeous copper locks, usually pulled off of her face, had become dishevelled, with strands sticking to her damp forehead. Pale and peaked, she looked up at him, gave him a strained half-smile, and proceeded to vomit down his front.

"Beppe!" Blaise shouted for his House Elf while Ginny lolled in his arms. 

He glanced at the older woman, who stood chuckling in the doorway of the Floo parlour and gave her a cheeky grin. After laying Ginny down carefully on the chaise while Beppe tended to her with a cool cloth and casting a Scourgify on his clothes, Blaise strode over to his grandmother.

"Nonna. I've missed you so much." He bent down and wrapped her in a hug. She smelled like home, an aromatic bouquet of the rosemary and garlic from baking bread mixed with the scent of lemons that hung heavy in the air of their coastal town. It instantly relaxed him. It had been too long since he had been home.

"Il mio dolce ragazzo. Seems as if you have your hands full these days." She stepped back, laying her hands on his cheeks as she looked at him. "So handsome. Won't you introduce me ai tuoi tesori?"

He looked over to Ginny, who was sitting up and sipping on his elf's famous cure-all, fresh lemon and mint infused water, while Luna sat behind her, brushing and braiding her hair. Satisfied there was not going to be any more sick making an appearance, he tucked his grandmother's hand in the crook of his elbow and led her over to meet his girls, his treasures as his much loved Nonna had just called them.

Holding hands, Luna and Ginny stood as the pair came towards them. Blaise grinned at them both as he reached for Luna's hand, pulling her and Ginny to his side.

"Nonna, may I present to you the loves of my life. This is Luna," the blonde greeted Blaise's grandmother in her usual airy voice, "and Ginevra." The redhead quickly shot Blaise a dirty look before also greeting the Zabini matriarch.

Nonna Zabini stepped forward and cupped Luna's face in her hands, laying a kiss of welcome on both cheeks. She started to step back from greeting her but suddenly, she was  staring into the depths of Luna's guileless blue eyes as if she was searching for something within them.

"Una veggente." Her breath caught in her throat and she turned towards Blaise. "Grandson, you didn't tell me that one of your beloveds was a Seer."

Blaise and Ginny both turned to look at the petite blonde, who was now humming to herself while twirling the ends of her hair, causing glitter to flutter and swirl around her, creating a shimmering cascade of colour, then disappearing just before it would have settled on the floor. She was enchanting in that moment, like a moon goddess with tiny stars descending from the sky to light her pathway to the realm of mortals.

Ginny shook her head before she elbowed Blaise in the side with that sassy smirk he loved on her face, "we should have seen that coming". He chuckled in response as he shook his head in a resigned disbelief.

Her attention now focused on Ginny, Nonna pressed her hand against the redhead's forehead, gauging her temperature before brushing her fiery strands back. She also kissed both of her cheeks in welcome before announcing  "and a warrior this one is. I hear both the call of the raven and the howl of a wolf within her."

With a tiny crack, Beppe apparated back into the parlour and cleared his throat. Once all four sets of eyes were on him, the small house elf announced that dinner was ready.

Blaise, ever the gentleman, offered his arm to his grandmother and proceeded to escort her to the dining room. Luna and Ginny, hand in hand, followed the pair. After Blaise seated her at the head of the table, he proceeded to tuck Luna into the chair directly to the right of the matriarch and placed Ginny next to where he sat, directly to his Nonna's left.

She reached out for Blaise's hands and gave them a loving squeeze; then, the woman who had both spoiled him as a young boy and raised him into a man, rose to her feet gracefully, lifting her wine glass in a toast. With a pleased smile on her face, she gave her blessing to the three young adults before her.

"Your soulmates will bring honour and great fortune to the House of Zabini. Though dark, difficult times lay ahead, know that the three of you will always find safety and peace within this home. Possa la vostra gioia durare cento anni."   

As Nonna sat back down, Ginny and Luna blinked back tears and drank to the toast in their honour, filled with awe at the love and welcome they had received since arriving at the Zabini home. Talks of classes and Quidditch, with Nonna asking both girls about their plans for the future, filled the air as a delicious antipasto was served followed by a light seafood soup.

When the table had been cleared of the first courses and refreshing glasses of Limoncello had been poured, Blaise turned to his grandmother and asked with a hopeful tone in his voice, "linguine tonight, la mia cara nonna?"

She grinned back at him, as she replied, "of course, Beppe made your favourite, tu ragazzo viziato." With that, the table filled with platters of linguine tossed with garlic, red chilli peppers, white wine, olive oil, parsley, and fresh clams all cooked to perfection.

Nonna turned to Luna and made to serve her some with a quick "pasta alle vongole"?

Luna grinned cheerily at Mrs. Zabini, she couldn't figure out why everyone was so scared of her.  "Yes, thank you. I like it with clam sauce."

Silence blanketed the table as Blaise and Ginny whipped their heads around from the whispered conversation they had been having to stare at the blonde. The quiet shattered as  Ginny snorted and before Blaise could cover her mouth, responded with "That's what she said." before breaking into helpless peals of laughter.

After a long beat, in which Blaise looked on, wide-eyed and unsure of how they had gotten to this point, his grandmother joined Ginny in her boisterous laughter until their stomachs ached and tears streamed down both womens' faces.