Ilyatathâs RP Characters Aesthetics: Darius Nott
âI believe in something, Iâm fighting for it. Iâm tired of people giving me orders and then come and say I donât think for myself. That Iâm just some tool. That Iâm not even alive.â [âŠ] âYou want to know what it means to be alive? It means killing one of our ownâwithout hesitation, without remorse,â and indeed there was none in his cold and yet burning eyes, âbecause the life of my brother is more important to me than anything else. [âŠ]â
âWeâre not the same.â Faye took another step back, shaking her head as her jaw clenched tight. She had no place to dictate what he did, nor him for her, but that didnât erase the emotions, the upset at hearing that he had abandoned the cause. âI chose my family. You chose Charlus.â Faye had not forgotten what the other twin had said, instead remembering the judgement heâd bestowed upon her family and his, calling them monsters and saying that they deserved Azkaban. That hateful words of her supposed friend fueled her just as much as they had angered. And now, hearing Darius praise her parents, she didnât understand how he could follow someone who thought so differently. âYouâre just going to forget about Atalia? Chryson? Your mum and dad? Why?â Faye didnât care to lower her voice, the sounds of the battle did well enough to keep them between her and him. âBecause youâre not getting enough attention? My family knows what itâs like to be ignored. They sacrificed! They sacrificed, Darius, because thatâs what war is about! They believe in this cause and thatâs enough for them, and itâs going to be enough for me.â Faye took another step back, still never once peeling her narrowed eyes off of him. Her choice words had left her breathless, chest rising and falling along to her beating heart. With a breath, she calmed herself enough to bring her voice down, to allow her emotions to be heard. âIâm not replaceable. Unlike you⊠I plan to stick around long enough to prove them that.â There was no goodbye as Faye turned her back to him. She had nothing more to say, and so much more to prove. To him. To everyone.
To explain meant to reveal too much about his family. It wasnât simply the abuse they all suffered at the ends of Theodore, or the fact that Daphne never did anything to stop him. It was being negated the right to wear a Dark Mark over and over again. It was so much more. And it was tempting, really, to pour out the depth of his feelings and everything that had brought him to this decision, but there was no way Darius could explain all of that in a few moments. And he could not trust her, not now that it was clear Faye stood with the Death Eaters and had something to prove to them even if they did not deserve her loyalty or her dedication.
So, Darius kept his mouth shut, swallowing down all he had to say, and kept his wand lowered while she walked away. Because in the end, she was right on one thingâshe was not replaceable, not to him.
Just as soon as Faye had taken a step forward, she took another back, his words shocking her. âWhat the fuck.â His reaction, questioning her like he did, it was far from what she had expected. None of her friends had been able to understand, none were able to be there and allow her to feel happiness towards her parents freedom. She had never expected them to understand what would follow after that but Darius- she thought with him she might have escaped the negativity and have some support. His sister had given her that, his brother hadnât. âDonât you start. Iâve had to listen to everyone hate on my parents and my decision. I didnât think Iâd have to deal with it with you too. You were supposed to be the one person that got it.â Faye narrowed her eyes and her brow furrowed. She didnât raise her voice to defend her beliefs. She shouldnât have to. Though she had not spent the years vocally boasting her support for the cause, Faye had never dismissed it. It was never the cause her anger was directed at, it was the absence of parents and the leaders that wouldnât come to their aid. Faye believed in the cause. She just believed in her family more and that was what Hogwarts had seen.
âI get it.â Darius snapped, though he managed to keep his voice downâit was almost a hiss. âI get standing by your family.â He had stood by his family, always. As a Death Eater, and even now that he was fighting against them. Especially now. âAnd I don't hate your parents, or your decision to stand by them. They are heroes. They sacrificed years of their lives to the cause.â He had always respected the Travers for remaining loyal through the years. They could've talked, but they hadn'tâor at least nothing indicated they had. Their support had been unwavering, even now, even when they had only been freed after years and when it was most convenient to whoever was in charge. The problem was not Faye's parents. âIt's you that doesn't get what I mean. How the way they treat us is wrong. How we are kept in the dark or treated like nothing more than pawns to sacrifice blindly. As if we are replaceable.â He shook his head. His hand clutched even more tightly his wand but he wasn't raising it at her. He was angry and frustrated. Why was he keep having these conversations in the worst moment possible? âThe fact is.. I get it. You are following your parents. I'm following Charlus. We are the same, we are just not on the same side.â
Anna could feel their breaths mingling between them, Darius far too close for her liking. Another time and another place, and she wouldâve been pressing in closer to him, waiting for him to pull her in. She wouldâve been eager to be in a position like this. Now, neither the time or place, she backed away a few steps. Despite circumstances, she was still a whole other person than she was when she let him beat her down. It didnât make it any easier to pull herself together, any easier to remember to breathe, but it was good to remind herself. She was worthy of more than what he could ever give her, no matter how sorry he was.
âI just donât see how I should have the right to take someone elseâs life.â It was an afterthought, more to herself than anyone, but he was definitely close enough to catch it. Her mind was wandering away from the battle beyond them, away into deeper thoughts in her own mind. âItâs not my place. Iâm no better than anyone else.â She glanced over at him, wondering how he felt justified in playing God, taking lives when he saw fit. A part of her still remembered him as the little boy who used to believe so much in her, who wanted her to do anything she set her mind to no matter what. Another part of her knew him as a more vicious person than that, more selfish. She sighed, pulling herself from her memories. âBut itâs going to get me killed one of these days.â Hearing another scream, she flinched, eyes shutting tight as she tried to keep herself from screaming in return. âI am weak,â she murmured. She wasnât meant for this.
Darius stayed his ground as Anna took a few steps of distance between them. He had not disliked the proximity, but wasn't minding the added space now. If anything, it gave him way to push his mind away from the ghost of her hands around his wrist.
He couldn't understand how she did not see it, how she could say something like that. Had his words had so much weight on her? Had he had all that damage that she could not see that she was better than others? He was frustrated with her and with himself. He almost clicked his tongue but stopped the movement just in timeâwhispering was one thing. He took a deep breath in instead. He breathed in with his lips pressed into a thin, severe line as his gaze, sharp and intense, bore into her face as if commanding her eyes to open again.
âYou are better than others.â His sharp, confident voice said in a low but sure tone. âNot everyone is made to take a life, but this does not make you less worthy. Doesn't make you weak. You need to understand this, Anna, because otherwise you'll get your... wish.â He twitched his nose, his lips. Darius hated the very idea of Anna dying, non existing. âFind your place. Each of us has one. You just need to find it.â He had it, as bitter as the taste of it was he had found his place beside Charlus. And even, maybe, beside her.
Chryson bit his tongue. Now wasnât the right time to pick a fight with his brother, not in the middle of an attack when neither of them were guaranteed to make it out alive. So, he avoided Dariusâs words altogether, pushed them out of his mind. âI could never ask you to hide when Iâm not hiding. I know you have people out there you love just as much as I do.â His eyes turned to the end of the alley as Darius cast his spell, and was mildly relieved when it came back clear.
Turning back toward his brother, he nodded, pulling out his wand. âItâs as good a time as any, I think.â Before Darius could do anything, Chryson pulled him into a quick, tight hug. Maybe his brotherâs words should be taken at face value, no extra meaning read into them. But still, Chrysonâs next words came freely. âI love you too, Darius. Donât you die either.â Without another thought, he turned and walked to the end of the alley, glancing back with a small smile for his brother before disappearing around the corner.
A little bit of the weight settled back down. Chryson could only hope Charlus had heeded their brotherâs warning and gotten far, far away from the village. He turned slightly, running a hand through his hair as he looked around. Had the entire fucking family decided to switch sides without bothering to let anyone know? What the hell was happening? He noticed the raised eyebrow and shrugged, feeling defensive. âHell if I know what any of you lot are doing anymore. I had to ask.â
He crossed his arms. âDarius. Just donât do anything stupid or reckless. We need to have that talk when we get back to the castle. All of us.â And then his jaw dropped. Darius turning his back on the Death Eaters? It seemed to be coming out of nowhere. Out of them all, Darius was the last person he would have ever expected to leave them. âSeriously?â But Charlus was on the other side, and Chryson could understand the appeal. Atalia was the only thing drawing him toward the group, and the love of a sibling was a strong force. âBloody hell. Be really fucking careful, Darius. Thereâs quite a few people out there that wouldnât take well to blood traitors.â
Darius bit back the harsh and bitter words that rose to his tongue. He pressed his lips and when he opened it there was only this clicking sound he made with his tongue. His scowl turned and tiwsted into an offended frown. âI want to remind that Iâm the one that has been training for this all these months while you played the broody heir,â he said, a bit annoyed to be told to not do anything stupid or reckless. He wasnât the one dating Lily Potter and going around with her. Ugh. So disgusting to add to the stupidity of it all.
âI know.â He knew all too well. He used to mock the blood traitors, used to think they were almost worse than halfbloods. âBut as I said, I do actually know what Iâm doing.. And I have to find the others, I canât hide.â That was maybe a bit harsh, but he had never liked to stay back. He wanted to fight. âSpeaking of which.. this might actually a good time to go back out there,â he said, as he heard no more sound around. He cast a scouting spell and it came out all-clear. âWeâll see each other later. Try not to die.â It was as close as saying âI love youâ he could go.
Faye looked worse than she was. It was the blood on her clothes that suggested different; the blood that didnât belong to her. Aside from the crimson stains, she had only endured a light dusting from the wreckage of her fatal spell and the few scratches and cuts along both skin and cloth. Underneath it all, Faye was fine, perhaps even better than she had been before stepping foot into Hogsmeade.
âI saw my parents.â The few words had been wanting to burst out of her. It had happened, after so much time and such longing. After never being able to say it before, Faye found herself wanting to say it and to keep saying it. Only not everyone would understand. Darius, however- she believed that he would. âThey look older. I know that sounds completely moronic and obvious but- I donât know. Itâs different. Itâs great.â Before today, she had never seen much beauty in wrinkles and age. Seeing her parents changed that. So she understood when Darius spoke about being on his familyâs side. It was his further elaboration that confused her. âWhat do you mean? Of course weâre fighting on the same side. Your family, my family, the Death Eaters. I know I havenât gotten the mark but I will. After today, I donât see why I wouldnât.â Faye shook her head from side to side, inching a half step closer. It was instinct now, drawing closer to him, even more so when he confused her. As she took that step, her eyes went down to glance at her own arm, at where sheâd eventually accept the mark. With her eyes trained on her scratched skin, Faye wore the faintest of smiles before she poke again. âI made my first kill. Two, I think.â
Blood on her clothes, and yet she seemed fine. Darius still watched her, carefully. Now he wasn't simply searching for wounds, now he was trying to read her. It had always been difficult with faces but hers had slowly started to become more familiar. For someone not born to feel empathyânot easily, not spontaneouslyâhe understood. He had gone through a form of separation too, with Charlus, only they were never physically distantâit was different, but he still understood her. It was an odd feeling to have.
He wished it could be as easy as Faye made it sound. He would have loved to have all his family's be allied to the Death Eaters' cause, and then have her there too. But as she spoke about getting the Mark he remembered all too well that feeling of betrayalâat his father, at the Death Eaters. âSo, you see your parents, you kill someone.. and you get the Mark. Is that it? Is that simple? What about the cause? Do you even believe in it?â It had always angered him, those kids that would come in and repeat a few words without passion, without belief. What was the point to have your arm inked and charmed, if it meant nothing to you? How could they?
Anna froze softly as she heard him speak words she never thought sheâd hear him say. Iâm sorry. It was shocking, to say the least, to hear someone like him actually take some blame for some of the pain heâs caused her. It didnât nessecerily make it better or take away the months of strange torment, but it was nice to hear. Like she hadnât been overreacting, hadnât been exaggerating his own behavior. âThank you, but sorry doesnât take what you did back. The damage is already done.â A scream could be heard in the distance, a reminder that they were in the middle of a battle. It wasnât the place for this kind of chat. At least, not out in the open. Moving her wand to her pocket, she grabbed Dariusâs arm and pulled him into the darkness, easily maneuvering them into a shadow. It had been the closest theyâd been since Spin the Bottle. Letting go of him as if he burned her skin, she sighed. âItâs safer for us over here⊠at least, for now.â Was she letting him hide with her for a bit? She blamed the part of her that was curious about his apology, about his sudden change of heart, of sides of the battle. Heâd hurt her, but he didnât deserve the treatment the Death Eaters would give him as a traitor.
She kept quiet for a moment, but heard no noises from the battle too close to them. The loudest sound was their mingled breathing, her pounding heartbeat. A jackrabbit in her chest. âAidanâs supposed to meet me here with your cousin.â There was no use keeping it a secret; Darius would want to know who was working to keep Scorpius safe. âHe promised me.â She tried not to think about the countless other promises her brother had broken, not the fact that her breath was shaky as she thought about it. Her brother shouldâve been there by now. âJust⊠I get that you think Iâm weak and fragile, but I just need you to stay here for a few moments more. I donât want to be alone right now.â He couldnât stay with her forever, nor did she want him to. But she figured, as they were already there, they might as well talk.Â
Darius' expression was still severe, serious and guarded. His lips pressed against each other, a thin line of displeasure at her answer, but it was not the proud, ego-centric hurt kind of displeasure. He knew she was right. The damage was done and no word of sorry would rewind time. But he knew he owed her the apologise, and he surely appreciated the 'thank you', the acknowledgement that he had tried. âNeââ He was interrupted by the scream. His hand gripped his wand tightly. His sense were on high alert.
Her hand around his wrist surprised him and he was easily pulled into the darkness. He could feel the soft pads of her fingertips over his skin and then it was gone, just as quickly as it had come. His skin felt strange. Tingling, almost burning in a way. Darius looked at her with a wary kind of surprise. He said nothing, too stunned still by her touch, by their proximity. It had been so long since they had been so close in the dark. âWhat?â He whispered, surprised, only, not completely. Ugh. Bloody Higgses. He said nothing else as she asked to stay. He didn't know what to make of that. The battle was raging outside this alley and he wasn't the type to hide and do nothing. Even now he felt the itching in his hand, the one around his wand, looking for another chance to throw jinxes and curses around. âI never thought you weak,â he said, because this was the one thing that was bothering him now. Of all things. âYou simply lack the training for this. Probably the instinct too.â Anna had never struck him as someone to be violent, to torture and kill people. âThat doesn't make you weak.â Despite what his father had always told him, but he was learning to unlearn what Theodore Nott had taught him.
TITLE: Bonds above Beliefs
WORD COUNT: 935
CHARACTERS: Darius Nott, Marion Quirke, Teddy Lupin
CONTENT WARNING: character death
Darius Nott had always believed that purebloods were better and that the world of magic belonged to them and them alone. Muggleborns were nothing but an accident of nature. A sign that Muggles still had ways to steal magic from those who rightful should possess it. Halfbloods and Halfbreds were abominations, the tainting of pure blood that ought to have been preserved and passed on along with history and honour.
None of those beliefs had changed in the last months. If you asked him, Darius would still tell you that no muggleborn had a right to walk the halls of Hogwarts and learn magic. They ought not to be let in their world. They did not belong and never would. What had changed was the fact that he had learned that his beliefs were no more important than his own blood and the bonds he had found himself forming with the most unsuspected of all people.
So he blamed his twin, Charlus, and he blamed Teddy Lupin and Anna Higgs. He liked to blame them all for each and every curse he directed to his ex-comrades, to the men and women in silver masks and dark cloaks. He blamed them for being stuck with Marion Quirkeâreally, of all people he had encountered, she had to be the one he had been stuck fighting withâduring the last part of the battle.
Oh, Merlin, Morgana and Morgauise, does she ever stop talking? Marion was going on and on, babbling something about some guy named Luke and a certain Darth Vader. He had no idea who those people were and what they got to do with him and Charlus and the current situation, but she was set on explaining it to himâat length.
âNeither I or Charlus have had our hands cut off, but I'm considering cutting off your tongue,â he hissed as they ducked behind a building. They were being chased and this was the worst moment to have this conversation. Though, to be fair, Darius could see no moment he would willingly sit down with the likes of Marion Quirke and talk about the War of Star or whatever else she was going on about.
âThe hands are not the point,â Marion protested, and instead of being terrified of him as once she had been, she huffedâhuffed! Scared, yes, but apparently not of Darius. He could not explain how easily she had come to trust and follow him around. âThe point is that you made the same choice that Anakin made at the end. You choose Charlus over the.. er.. Dark Side. That is so cool!â
She had to be utter bonkers, Darius had no other explanation. âOkay, but now shut up!â He hissed again, but of course, she ignored him.
"Noooo. You are not getting it. This is so important! You are Anakin Skywalker and Charlus is Luke. Which, I admit, it's a bit weird because they are father and son and you are siblings.. but I don't really think any of you can pull off being Leia." Marion went on and Darius was sure he would be getting an headache.
"I thought I was Dark Whatever." And that seemed to be the wrong thing to say because her face lit up.
"Darth Vader," Marion corrected him, but she was smiling all too brightly and happy for being chased by Death Eaters. "It's the sameâoh! Teddy!" She called, sounding as relieved as Darius felt. He was grinning, thinking he would finally be able to drop her off with someone else. âHe'll agree with me! He knows about Star Wars.â She made it sound like it was something to be proud of, but Darius failed to see the point. Â
He ignored her and regarded his friend. âTake her. At this point I feel she is a curse,â he said, and Teddy looked at him in that way of his to fix you with his gaze. He didn't care, he was just glad Teddy was okay.
âTell him, Teddy. He's just like Anakin Skywalker!â Marion insisted. Had she no sense of priorities?
âFine, I am,â Darius relented. âNow, do shut up.â He said, and to his surprise and relief she did. Finally. But Teddyâs expression changed and he understood immediately what that meant.
Darius turned just in time to catch Marion as her body fell onto him, shielding him once again.
âTraitor!â the Death Eater had shouted and cast another curse at him. They had been meant for Darius. And they would have hit him if she had not been so bloody stupid. Stupid, stupid Marion Quirke and all her talk of Jedi and the Light Side.
She had put herself in front of him. Why? Why had she done that when she had never really liked him? Why she had always struck him as the kind of person that hides from danger instead of rushing towards it? He would have asked her, but her wide eyes were open and fixed and held no life in them. She was not talking anymore.
A third spell hit them, but he was smiling. He got the bastard that had killed her. He could hear him scream in agony as his spell melted him from the inside out. But he also felt his body become weaker, crushing down under Marion's weight. He could not move. He could not escape Marion's lifeless eyes.
âWhy?â He asked her, the sound barely escaping his lips as the spell took over and locked his mind into an unmoving body. Why did you have to save my life, you annoying mudblood?
It drew a chuckle from Scorpius, this confidence. âGood.â he said. Because despite it all, he didnât want his cousin to lose and be miserable. He was about to say that they couldnât bring Thad because heâd freeze, and that he found it unfair that Darius didnât even bother to search for the other frogs, and that he wondered why bring Thad only to make Owlivia jealous, but he said none of this. Partly because Darius was already walking, partly because it was Darius, and when it came to things like this, Scorpius was willing to trust him. Perhaps about other things, too. More things that Scorpius wanted to admit. He followed, walking behind at first, then catching up and smiling at Dariusâ hands which held Thad so lovingly.Â
Darius brought his other hand close to the one holding Thad the Frog, and without thinking he did one of the very few feat of wandless magic he was capable of---he kept his frog warm, unconsciously following his instinct about what it needed. As they walked on and made it closer to the owlery, Darius told Scorpius about Owlivia and Owlexander, and showed a passion that very few people had known him to posses.Â
Despite the fight they had, there was a quite afternoon ahead of them and nothing more than cousins banter happened.
Thatâs why he had spoken of coffee, yes. âDeal.â he nodded. âAnd when you lose, Iâll take you to my favourite place in London, and you donât get to complain about the match then. Itâs a no-complaining zone.â Then, almost suddenly, Darius offered to introduce Scorpius to his Owl, and Scorpius glanced at the sand, then over at the castle, then back at Darius. âIâd love to.â And his voice was neither teasing nor confused, neither doubtful nor sarcastic.Â
Deal. Darius smiled despite how much he had not wanted to smile. But he did. He smiled. Genuinely. Then he corrected his expression and arched a brow, tsked and said âDeal. Because Iâll never lose,â he said, with the pride and confidence that made up Slytherinsâ fame.Â
âOkay,â he said, nodding. "Weâll bring Thad too.â He would remember where his frogs were and check on them later. He would have to research them thoroughly, but for now he could introduce Thad to Owlivia. So Darius started walking, keeping the Thad the Frog carefully and affectionately in his hand, as he lead the way for his cousin.
âIn a not-so mean looking Irish Pub. I can take you there this Sum-⊠one day, if you want.â He paused. âFor a cup of coffee, of course.â And his smirk grew. He had very much understood that Darius meant someone else, and not the frog himself, but to hear the answer to his unspoken question forced him to bite down on said smirk, to keep himself from laughing. Owlivia. âSounds like youâre quite the pair.â
Darius wanted to ask what had Scorpius been doing in a not-so mean looking Irish Pub but the question was forgotten for what his cousin said next. âAs long it has nothing alcoholic into it,â he pointed out. âYouâll take me there when I win my Quidditch match this Summer.â It still hurt Scorpiusâ refusal to play, to join in instead of just sitting on the sidelines. But he would hold him to it, to be there.Â
He said nothing in reply to his comment on him and Owlivia. They were, indeed, a well suited pair. He loved his owl. âWant to meet her?â
âDonât you dare call them Notts.â Scorpius mumbled. âYouâre not Irish but they sure are. Bought them from a mean looking Irish this Winter to save them.â He watched Darius be all gentle with the tiny creature and smirked a bit. There was another reason why he didnât want them to be Notts. It  felt wrong. It wasnât his own family, not really, not anymore. To make them Notts made them part of this clan of hateful people, and he wanted them to be Dariusâ, and Dariusâ alone. âThad. Why wonât she be happy? Because itâs such a ridiculous name?â He was teasing, obviously. He had no idea who âsheâ was.Â
Darius twitched his nose at Scorpiusâ mumbled reply. He thought it over. He would have liked the frogs to be called Nott. That was his name and his familyâs name. âWhere have you encountered a mean looking Irish?â He asked, as if he had forgotten that his cousin lived in London. But usually he imagined Scorpius hidden somewhere isolated instead of one of the busiest city of the Isle. âIâll think about it,â he relented about the naming. OâDarius sounded so ridiculous. âI meant Owlivia, not Thad.â Not caring that he was giving away the true name of his owl. He would deny to his death if need to. âShe can be possessive. Doesnât like to share.â
Darius could tsk and huff and bitch around as much as he wanted, Scorpius knew that he was intrigued by the frog long before he reached out for it. âThere are plenty of them in that bit of sand. I meant to show them to you a while ago, but I kept forgetting.â It wasnât like life had been particularly slow these weeks. âTheyâre getting old now, though, so I thought you ought to see them quick.â The frog crawled over to Darius hand and whistled again. âTheyâre yours. All of them.â And it wasnât even a joke, made out of a whim. It was true. âI gave them no first name but their last name is all OâDarius.âÂ
Darius expression did not soften but he was always so gentle with animalsâalmost uncharacteristically so. He brought his hand holding the little frog closer to himself, and looked at it. A desert rain frog. âThey,â he repeated, casting a glance to his cousin. He had meant to glare but he did not accomplish it. âThat name is ridiculous. You are not calling my frogs that. We are not Irish,â he pointed out, and he didn't even bother to his slip over claiming the possession of the frogs. âThey are all Notts, of course. This one is Thaddeus. Thad for short.â And he smirked at the animal, and then once again he remembered Owlivia. âShe won't be happy.â
Anna nodded at his words, satisfied for a moment. He would have attacked her by now were he meaning to, but keeping her wand aimed at him was a good idea. They could talk, but she could be prepared to protect herself if need be. âOh, I know who I can trust, Darius. I know where my friends stand.â While she knew that statement wasnât true, she hoped it would be true. She wanted to be more sure that she kept the best of people around, people with the right mindset about this war. But, looking at her first love, the boy whoâd hurt her so deeply, she knew she could be very, very wrong.
His gaze was upon her, and she suddenly felt very uncomfortable. âIâm fine,â she muttered, trying to get his attention away from her figure, his eyes more on level with her own. âAidan warned me about all of this before it started. I found this spot, and Iâve been here ever since.â It was the most she wanted to tell him, and the easiest way to say that sheâd made it this far on her own. âWhy donât you have your mask on?â she asked, feeling as if she had a right with their current question game. âIâve always known you to fully support their cause. Iâm the blood traitor out of the two of us, remember? Good for nothing.â
Darius almost replied at that because trust felt stupid, trust was for weak people. But then he closed his mouth. Wasn't he trusting Charlus? Wasn't he trusting her, right now, not to kill him on the spot? Maybe. Possibly. He didn't really want to think about it.
His tongue clicked and his expression twisted in annoyance when she mentioned her brother. He still did not completely trust him, still disliked him for so many reasons, but he put aside any ill will towards the older Higgs. At least Aidan had warned his sister, though he had then proceeded to abandon her on her ownâhadn't he? Darius was getting annoyed and it was not the moment for that, so he focused on her question instead. âWhat would I do with the mask? It has no tactical advantage. Death Eaters would know who I am anyway . At least this way, the others are not going to kill me when I turn a corner,â he explained, failing to make anything clear. âI.. remember,â he said, looking down. He didn't like to feel guilty. It was a feeling he rarely experienced and fully loathed. âWell. It turns out that I prefer be loyal to my brother's blood than to my father's.â And saying it like that made it a little more easy to swallow. He was still proud of his choice. âAnd.. I'mâ.â
Darius paused. He looked at her, at her eyes, into them. He held his head high, his shoulders straight, and took a deep breath. âI'm sorry,â he said, and while he had thought this would be difficult, it turned out it was not. âI'm sorry for having said all of those things about you. They are not true. They never were.â He twitched his nose. âWell. You are a blood traitor, or anyway.. a traitor to the cause. But turns out, I understand choosing one's brother over it.â
Faye took a deep, long breath, releasing it quickly with the deflation of her tense shoulders. Her experience this battle had been reserved to strangers and the family sheâd been waiting for for nine year, strangers in their own right. Darius was the first familiar face, outside the girl sheâs killed. Despite the hell he often brought, she could not refrain from smiling. He was alright. âAs much as Iâd love to curse your arse, weâre on the same side-â Keeping her eyes locked with his, she slowly lowered her wand to her side, though her grip on it remained strong. Then, as inappropriate a time as ever, Faye giggled. â-Are we not?â She took a step closer, looking at him from head to toe, searching for any noticeable injuries or telling signs of what heâd endured. She failed to dwell on his lack of mask, never even imagining him the type to abandon the cause.
Darius had, until the moment he had warned Charlus, been loyal to the Death Eaters and done as Zabini had orderedâsaid nothing, warned no one. His betrayal of the group had happened a few minutes before it all started. Or maybe it had happened the moment he had chosen his twin over them, days before all of this was even planned. Either way, the end result was the same. Darius Nott was fighting against the Death Eaters.
He had a cut that sliced right over the old scar on his cheek. His hair were a bit tussled and his clothes had not survived the loss of his cloak without a few smudges and scratches. But other than that, he only looked tired from all the running and fighting. While she looked at him, Darius did the same and much like Faye he was checking for injures and other signs of what she had gone through.
âI'm on my family' side,â he said, his voice unwavering and unyielding. He did not exactly lowered his hand but kept it somehow not completely raised against her but neither he lowered it. âJust like you.â Because he had never seen Faye Travers like the type to care a knut for the cause. She didn't believed in it as he did. But she loved her family and that, they shared. Because as much as he loved the cause, as much as he believed in it, had fought for it and would have done it still, he loved his brother more. âThat.. doesn't exactly put us on the same side, though.â He knew it was dangerous to admit it, but he had little expectations to make it out of this battle without people knowing, without her knowing, that he had fought on the other side. âBut I'm somewhat pleased to see you have not gotten yourself killed.â
