"We're falling and we're losing control."

The people of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have taken over the school, Harry Potter is on the run, and Theo isn’t even sure if tomorrow will come.

1997. Hogwarts is no longer a school. It has become a cage. Dumbledore is dead, Snape has been appointed Headmaster, and the Carrows run rampant through the corridors, spreading fear and cruelty. Those who once only whispered about blood purity now openly curry favor with the Death Eaters, hoping to claim a place at the throne.

Theodore Nott returns to the castle with a heavy burden on his left forearm. He did not take the Mark out of conviction, but to save his father, a father who no longer wished to serve the mad Lord. Magnus Nott, once a willing supporter of Voldemort, now understands: the war has spiraled out of control, and the Dark Lord long ago crossed the line into madness. But the Mark does not forgive a change of heart, and the Notts, like so many others, are being dragged deeper into the whirlpool.

The war creeps ever closer. The Carrows demand proof of loyalty from the Slytherins. The Mark itches more and more often. And somewhere out there, beyond the castle walls, Harry Potter is gathering his strength for the final battle. A battle Theo would rather not think about.

Because if Potter loses, they are all lost. If Potter wins, Theo will have to answer for what he carries on his arm. Neither outcome offers him peace.

So for now, he sits in the nighttime stands, watching the stars and smoking, hiding the flame in his palm so that no one sees. Because this moment — right now — is all he has.

P.S. Image — In my time, he was Theo — Mattheo didn’t even exist yet, and then they changed him to Mattheo. I’m old school, so for me he’s Theo.