THEO NOTT X DAPHNE GREENGRASS – FIRST DAY AT HOGWARTS
Theodore Nott had never had an easy life. Ever since his mother had left home when he was merely seven years old, he’d felt something missing, as if a piece of his puzzle had vanished along with her. His relationship with his father had never been particularly warm — a man utterly devoted to the ideals of pure-blood supremacy, whose motto centred around keeping the family name pristine above all else. It was no surprise, then, that he had promptly sought a new wife — someone to accompany him to society galas and to show off in front of his friends.
Aurora had never been unpleasant to Theo. From the day she’d met him at the wedding, she’d always worn a kind smile. But that was all she ever was — a polite smile at his father’s side. They didn’t speak much. The house was always quiet, empty, and cloaked in shadow.
Theo had hardly left his house during his childhood. His father had forced him to attend a few society functions and to visit the homes of other pure-blood families. It was at one of those events that he met the only real friend he’d ever had — Blaise Zabini.
Blaise had been a constant figure throughout Theo’s youth. His father had been rather close with Blaise’s mother, so the boys had spent a lot of time at one another’s homes. Blaise was the only child Theo had met who hadn’t looked at him strangely, the only one who truly understood him. After all, just like Theo, Blaise was also missing a parent — his father.
And so, on the 1st of September, Theo stood at King’s Cross Station at precisely 11:00 a.m., punctual as ever, hiding his trembling hands beneath his cloak. After saying goodbye to his nanny — who had accompanied him past the barrier, since Aurora and his father were far too tired from the previous night’s gala — he boarded the Hogwarts Express. He didn’t know what awaited him at school, but he was fairly certain it couldn’t be worse than what he’d left behind.
The first thing he did was search for Blaise, who was also starting his first year at Hogwarts. They both knew they’d be sorted into Slytherin, due to their bloodline and heritage. Very few heirs of Slytherin had ever ended up in any other house. Still, Theo often wondered which house he’d have landed in if he hadn’t been raised as a Nott.
After peering through the windows of several compartments, he finally spotted Blaise in the third booth of the fifth carriage. Sitting with him were two rather ordinary-looking boys and a platinum-blond boy who could only be a Malfoy.
When Theo stepped through the door, his face remained impassive. At just twelve years old, he was already a master of expression — or rather, of concealing it. It was the only thing his father had taught him well.
“Hello, Blaise,” he greeted with a small nod and a faint smile, which vanished as quickly as it appeared when he sat down beside him.
“Gentlemen,” Blaise continued after returning his smile, “this is Theodore Nott. Theo, these are Crabbe, Goyle and—”
“Malfoy. Draco Malfoy,” the blond boy finished, sitting between the other two. His voice held the sort of arrogance typical of his father — whom Theo had had the displeasure of meeting — but his eyes told a different story. They sparkled with excitement, ambition, and a hunger for the world.
After the formal introductions — no doubt a reflection of their parents — the boys began chatting about things more fitting for their age. They discussed last season’s Quidditch highlights, their favourite players, devoured half the trolley’s sweets, and endured a brief interruption from a girl with wildly uncontrollable hair. By then, Theo was already feeling more at ease. Of course, he didn’t stray from Blaise’s side. Malfoy didn’t seem half bad — in fact, Theo thought they might even become friends. Though Crabbe and Goyle, in his opinion, were completely thick.
The journey to Hogwarts felt long and a little gloomy until they reached the small dock and caught sight of the castle, glowing in the night. Every first-year gazed up in wonder, enchanted by the towering structure that would become their home for the next eight years.
That enchantment shattered slightly when he heard a voice beside him. “It’s pretty, I suppose. But it’s not the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen.”
Everyone nearby laughed, and Theo turned his head to see who had spoken. A girl with pale blonde hair and eyes the brightest green he’d ever seen stood beside him, staring at the castle with a sceptical look on her face.
When she turned to meet his eyes, Theo knew he was utterly lost. From the moment Daphne Greengrass looked at him, he realised he would do anything for her — burn the world down, if it meant making her smile. Because something in her gaze — so sharp, so alive, so intelligent even at her young age — mended that missing puzzle piece in Theo’s chest. In that instant, without knowing her name, her family, or where she came from, he felt she was someone. A force to be reckoned with.
After the Sorting Ceremony, he learned her name — and shortly after, that they’d be sharing a house and colours. But it wasn’t until that evening at dinner, when they exchanged their first words, that the voices Theo lived with in his head quieted.
Because Daphne Greengrass was speaking — and that, to him, was the most important sound in the world.
