"I won't go quietly, I'm burnin' this town."

Magnus could not afford to lose this war. Because of Theo, because of the vassals. Because even if everything gets worse, the fire of war cannot kill the fire of Nott.

1997. Chaos reigns in the country. The Ministry has fallen, Voldemort is in power, Death Eaters hunt Muggle-borns. Hogwarts has become a cage: Dumbledore is dead, Snape has been appointed Headmaster, the Carrows spread fear and cruelty. Harry Potter is on the run, and no one knows how the war will end.

Magnus Nott, who once took the Mark willingly, now curses his youthful foolishness. He serves the Dark Lord out of fear — for his son, his mother, for the vassals who have trusted the House of Nott for generations. When Voldemort demanded that Theodore also receive the Mark, Magnus was powerless. Now he looks at his son’s left arm with the same hatred he feels for his own.

At Nott Manor, Magnus leads a double life. By day he is a loyal Death Eater, sneering in the face of fear. By night he locks himself in the farthest tower and works on a secret domain — a pocket dimension where he can shelter his family, his vassals, and all who have trusted the Notts, should the war spiral completely out of control. He writes short letters to Theo, hiding between the lines the same message: “Hold on. I’ll get you out.” He drinks bourbon to fall asleep quickly and to drown out his fears and his conscience. And he waits, wondering whether tomorrow will come and what it will bring.