Tʜᴇᴏᴅᴏʀᴇ Nᴏᴛᴛ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
undoubtedly) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
riddlelog2017-10-30 08:17 am
undoubtedly) wrote in riddlelog2017-10-30 08:17 am
cause the tide is high | and it's rising still
WHO Theo Nott and Lucius Malfoy (Closed)
WHAT Theo thinks he has a good work around to getting registered. Lucius is probably wondering when new Slytherins got so dumb.
WHEN October 10, 1980
WHERE the grounds of Nott Manor
WARNING none
STATUS complete
He's in the past.
He's in the the past and, somehow even more jarring and explainable than that, he's...in the wrong past.
It takes him a few days to really wrap his mind around it, although if he's honest with himself he knew from the moment he woke up that something was wrong. It's in the air, in the wary suspicion flickering in across the faces of strangers regarding each other in the streets, something heavy and foreboding that clings to even the faintest whispers snaking through the grapevine with the most recent edition of the Prophet he manages to get his hands on.
Time deviants, he's noticed no one wants to say too loudly despite the Riddle Administration's seemingly welcoming stance, but Theo has always been good at listening. You heard about what the papers said. All the bad magic they brought with them. Untrustworthy lot--
He's dealt in ministry politics too long not to see the sort of strings this new administration is pulling the public along with, siding them against the unknown, the other. It's not a promising start for anyone who falls outside of their narrow view of normal.
He doesn't trust the registration program, or the trace, or any of the resources available to those misplaced if they make themselves known when he is intimately, uncomfortably familiar with some of the individuals receiving high praise in the papers for their work inside the Ministry. But the ugly reality is that he's going to need allies--allies within this time-- if he wants any hope of getting back to his own. Ones, unfortunately, he isn't entirely confident he'll be able to secure while carrying around the label of time deviant.
But he's heard about the magic anomalies, of witches and wizards waking up too young or too old without explanation, and Theo is a lot of things but he has never been accused of being too stupid to seize an opportunity when one presents itself to him.
If pressed into something like honesty Theo may or may not admit that the last place in this time (or any other) he'd choose to willingly step foot into would be Nott Manor, especially if it happened to be occupied by a Nott other than himself, but his options are few and far between. Either he can take his chances with the trace, with making himself known as he is, or...or he can take his chances under an assumed identity and stolen memories long enough to dig what he needs out of this time. Neither is a safe gamble, but it seems to him that one carries quite a few more useful perks than the other.
It's dark by the time he apparates to the edges of Nott Manor, standing inside the final line of trees before the grounds open up properly to sprawling lawns and meticulously groomed gardens. The manor itself is a looming shadow ahead of him, as dark as the sky above it save for the faint yellow glow of a handful of windows lit along the ground floor, and Theo can feel the very distinct hum of magic running along the perimeter of the property without having to get too close. It's warded. Of course it's warded against anyone his father didn't trust, against anything he hadn't been expecting. His father had always been too paranoid for anything else.
But unfortunately for him Theo learned to bring that magic down years ago. By the time he realizes his spells have been dropped it will be too late to do much about them.
He grips his wand a little tighter, steeling himself, and--
--hesitates. It occurs to him then, with a painful twist inside his chest, that wrong time or not his mother may be inside that manor. That he may be in that manor, all of two months old if that and blissfully unaware in her arms. Dealing with his father is one thing, but there are some kinds of collateral damage too heavy to carry the burden of, some kinds of time meddling that can't be fixed.
In a better time, with better options, without his luck running closer to out with every second he doesn't make a decision on what to do in this new world, he knows he wouldn't be here at all. But he doesn't have the luxury of waiting any longer to make a move. Whatever is waiting for him in that manor, whatever his actions leave him with once the dust settles, he's just going to have to deal with it once it's in front of him. One way or another he'll find a solution. he always does.
He takes a long breath through his nose, jaw set in determination, and raises his wand.
WHAT Theo thinks he has a good work around to getting registered. Lucius is probably wondering when new Slytherins got so dumb.
WHEN October 10, 1980
WHERE the grounds of Nott Manor
WARNING none
STATUS complete
He's in the past.
He's in the the past and, somehow even more jarring and explainable than that, he's...in the wrong past.
It takes him a few days to really wrap his mind around it, although if he's honest with himself he knew from the moment he woke up that something was wrong. It's in the air, in the wary suspicion flickering in across the faces of strangers regarding each other in the streets, something heavy and foreboding that clings to even the faintest whispers snaking through the grapevine with the most recent edition of the Prophet he manages to get his hands on.
Time deviants, he's noticed no one wants to say too loudly despite the Riddle Administration's seemingly welcoming stance, but Theo has always been good at listening. You heard about what the papers said. All the bad magic they brought with them. Untrustworthy lot--
He's dealt in ministry politics too long not to see the sort of strings this new administration is pulling the public along with, siding them against the unknown, the other. It's not a promising start for anyone who falls outside of their narrow view of normal.
He doesn't trust the registration program, or the trace, or any of the resources available to those misplaced if they make themselves known when he is intimately, uncomfortably familiar with some of the individuals receiving high praise in the papers for their work inside the Ministry. But the ugly reality is that he's going to need allies--allies within this time-- if he wants any hope of getting back to his own. Ones, unfortunately, he isn't entirely confident he'll be able to secure while carrying around the label of time deviant.
But he's heard about the magic anomalies, of witches and wizards waking up too young or too old without explanation, and Theo is a lot of things but he has never been accused of being too stupid to seize an opportunity when one presents itself to him.
If pressed into something like honesty Theo may or may not admit that the last place in this time (or any other) he'd choose to willingly step foot into would be Nott Manor, especially if it happened to be occupied by a Nott other than himself, but his options are few and far between. Either he can take his chances with the trace, with making himself known as he is, or...or he can take his chances under an assumed identity and stolen memories long enough to dig what he needs out of this time. Neither is a safe gamble, but it seems to him that one carries quite a few more useful perks than the other.
It's dark by the time he apparates to the edges of Nott Manor, standing inside the final line of trees before the grounds open up properly to sprawling lawns and meticulously groomed gardens. The manor itself is a looming shadow ahead of him, as dark as the sky above it save for the faint yellow glow of a handful of windows lit along the ground floor, and Theo can feel the very distinct hum of magic running along the perimeter of the property without having to get too close. It's warded. Of course it's warded against anyone his father didn't trust, against anything he hadn't been expecting. His father had always been too paranoid for anything else.
But unfortunately for him Theo learned to bring that magic down years ago. By the time he realizes his spells have been dropped it will be too late to do much about them.
He grips his wand a little tighter, steeling himself, and--
--hesitates. It occurs to him then, with a painful twist inside his chest, that wrong time or not his mother may be inside that manor. That he may be in that manor, all of two months old if that and blissfully unaware in her arms. Dealing with his father is one thing, but there are some kinds of collateral damage too heavy to carry the burden of, some kinds of time meddling that can't be fixed.
In a better time, with better options, without his luck running closer to out with every second he doesn't make a decision on what to do in this new world, he knows he wouldn't be here at all. But he doesn't have the luxury of waiting any longer to make a move. Whatever is waiting for him in that manor, whatever his actions leave him with once the dust settles, he's just going to have to deal with it once it's in front of him. One way or another he'll find a solution. he always does.
He takes a long breath through his nose, jaw set in determination, and raises his wand.
no subject
She had not been taken from him suddenly or viciously, but she'd been taken from him all the same and, while Theo is not a man moved often by deep sentiment, what few memories he does have of her from his childhood are more precious to him than any amount of gold possibly could be. Painful or not, they're all he has left of her and even at his most candid and with those he trusts most rarely can he bring himself to speak at length about them.
At his worst, pseudo-familial bonds or not, Theo is inclined to rethink his preference on keeping his hands clean if anyone were to try to use them against him.
He knows what this is, what Lucius is doing and how he intends that particular blow to land, but where anger has every right to flare like an ember brought to tinder, the look that cuts across his face is a raw, painful thing.
He'd had the thought himself that she could be here, in this world, in that manor, but to hear it, to hear her name along with the opportunity Lucius is trying dangle enticingly in front of his face--
The idea he could see his mother again after so long if only he just made the right compromises is almost too good to be true.
She is not his mother here, of course. Not really, not anymore than Lucius is his father figure in the absence of a suitable one, but Theo is not so great of a liar that he could ever convince himself that his choice hasn't just been firmly made. "I--"
Theo couldn't say how much of this is manipulation due to Lucius' position in this time or manipulation born of whatever feelings Lucius' visions have managed to stir, or, maybe, that it falls somewhere in between. Suddenly, perhaps stupidly, Theo finds it less important than it might have been a moment ago.
He clears his throat and straightens, trying to reel himself back in. Tonight is not the night to let himself be cracked open wide just at the careful drop of a name. "Thank you, Lucius." Mr Malfoy hasn't been Theo's manner of addressing him for some time now and it feels like an unnecessary formality here given the situation when it's only the two of them. "For the advice and the information and...I'm sure you can understand why I may like some time with it before I decide what my time here will look like."
no subject
He wants an answer but he also knows when someone's on the edge of being pushed too far, and instead Lucius inclines his head at Theo. Yes, he could take him in. It would no doubt be a fight, and it would no doubt be more difficult than either of them wants at this hour. He could push Theo harder in the direction he wants him to go in...or he can be patient, and Lucius is quite good at patience. "Of course, Theo," he says out loud. It goes without saying that should Theo disappear again, Lucius Malfoy will be looking for him, but he trusts he's done his job well. He's played both logic and emotions, and he hardly expects any former Slytherin worthy of the house to make a snap judgment. "I certainly hope we shall be seeing you in different circumstances soon."
no subject
His mind may be made right now, it may stay made even come true morning after he's had time to toss and turn on it, but what he needs is just enough distance to try to look at it with a clearer mind to decide how poor of a decision he's about to make. He's luckier than he could probably truly know that such an opportunity is being given to him.
He smiles and it's small but more genuine than any has been from him all night. Manipulation or not, Theo can still appreciate the way a game is played and he can still be grateful for what allowances Lucius has tried to give him inside this particular set of circumstances. "Time will tell, I suppose. Perhaps you won't be disappointment."
It's all he has to give and there's nothing much to say after. His smile curves wider just a fraction, inclining his head slightly in turn, before Disapparating with a crack.