You // Vivian and Theo

[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

"You stood by me through the hardest times, you gave me everything, you were my solid ground, you picked me up when I was down, and you were there when there was no one else around.
No, I'm not turning my back on you, there's something I've got to do..."

Vivian was sitting in potions class, bored out of her skull. She was tapping her pencil on the desk, annoying the hell out of Professor Slughorn. That was her only entertainment, and for now it would have to do. Vivian didn't have any friends in this class. She didn't have many friends at all in her own year. The girls all hated her, especially at seven in the morning when they got up looking like hell and she rolled out of bed looking like some guys wet dream. That definitely was not the stuff of lasting friendship. Especially not where a Slytherin girl was concerned.

Finally class ended, and Vivian shoved her stuff into her back pack, making her way towards the door. She filed out along with everyone else, rolling her eyes as they took their sweet time. She heard girls giggling up ahead, and when she reached the door she saw why. Theo was standing there, presumably waiting for her.
"Hey, Theo..." Vivian heard one girl say, in what she obviously thought was an attractive voice. Vivian rolled her eyes, yet again. Her eyeballs were getting a work out today.

She and Theo, both being NEWT students, had free periods. This next one they both happened to share, so it wasn't unusual for Vivian to find Theo waiting for her outside the potions classroom. A part of her thought that maybe he enjoyed the attention from the simpering younger girls.

"Hey, Theo," Vivian said when she approached him, in a sweet, breathless voice, mercilessly mocking the girl who had just spoken. The girl in question skulked away, blushing, and muttering to her friends. Everyone knew that Theo and Vivian were friends, so once Vivian claimed Theo's attention there wasn't much they could do.

"I'm glad you're here. One more minute with these sycophants and I would have blown my brains out." A few of Vivian's classmates undoubtedly heard, but she didn't care. The two of them started walking together, following the flow of students making their way out of the dungeons.

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[THEODORE JACOB NOTT]

Theo had spent the morning trying not to fall asleep in class and he managed to have relative success. He’d gotten a decent nap in during ancient runes and he paid attention in defense against the dark arts. He loved dueling, and so defense against the dark arts, no matter how much reading they had to do, was one of his favorite classes. But now he had a free period, which he usually spent with Vivian because Daphne had ancient runes, a subject Theo’d not be caught dead anywhere near. He’d tried it out as an elective for course, but he didn’t make it through half a class before walking out. It wasn’t for him, at all.

So now he stood outside the Potions room, like he usually did, waiting for Vivian to get out of class so they could spend the free period hanging out. It was a good deal, as Vivian couldn’t get mad at him for not spending enough time with her. That and well he enjoyed spending his free with Vivian because he was her friend. The class started to let out and Theo watched as girls came pouring out. They started giggling when they passed him and he smirked slightly as the first group passed. A second group approached him and a younger girl looked at him, saying hey and flashing him an attempted flirtatious smile. Theo let out a small laugh before raising his brow and waving her away, not bothering to even say hey back. But then another voice entered his ears and he grinned as he turned to see Vivian.

“Hey Viv, what shall we be doing today?” he asked with a smirk as he began walking with her down the hall. It was a nice enough day out, but October chill felt like it was starting to set in. Theo didn’t mind winter much, but he certainly preferred the summer months. He hated being cold.

But then he heard someone gasp down the hall, and several students shrieked slightly. Theo’s eyes moved immediately toward the noise and his eyes widened at what they saw. No. No. They couldn’t have. But he knew as soon as he saw the Ministry workers that it had to do with him, and that blasted later. He knew something would go wrong.

”Shit,” Theo muttered as the Ministry officials made their way down the hall, straight to the pair of them.

”Theodore Nott?” the man asked.

Theo’s face fell into one of annoyance at the sound of his full name, but he nodded begrudgingly anyway. ”Yes.”

”You’re going to have to come with us. We have a few questions for you…”

Shit.

[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Vivian smiled at Theo, and ran a hand through her hair as he asked what they should do. "Oh, I don't know," she replied, "we could always go hang out by the lake." Vivian wasn't in the mood for anything that required too much effort. She and Theo often hung out by the lake, and soon it would be too cold to do so. Vivian liked to play with and tease the Giant Squid. She was one of the only people who didn't seem to be afraid of it, and it didn't seem to mind her teasing. In fact, it appeared to rather like her, and the attention she gave it. But before Theo could answer, she heard a shriek and a wave of mutterings coming their way.

Vivian looked down the corridor to see what was causing the disturbance, and saw two Ministry of Magic workers walking towards them. She felt Theo go stiff next to her, and put two and two together about a second after he had. This was about that letter.

She could almost feel Theo's nerves as the Ministry Workers strode forward determinedly, but Vivian was cool and calm. Not that she could be anything else. But, she thought, this might be one of those times when Theo was glad to have a friend like her. In these types of situations you couldn't lose your head. These people would make you try to feel nervous, scare you, and before you knew it you were confessing to everything, when they had nothing on you. Vivian couldn't be scared.

The man asked Theo his name, and Theo confirmed it.

”You’re going to have to come with us. We have a few questions for you…”

Vivian grabbed the back of Theo's shirt, keeping him firmly where he was. She was standing close to him, so the Ministry Workers wouldn't see. She looked the perfect picture of calm. Calm, and innocent.
"What's this about?" she asked, in a confident voice.

The Ministry of Magic officials seemed to be taken aback. But only for a second. They were both men, which possibly worked in Vivian's favour. They both looked at her for a moment, and then one of them said,
"Its about a letter your friend here wrote. Now come-"

"What letter?" Vivian continued, interrupting. "What did it say?"

The Ministry wizards now seemed to be getting rather irritated with Vivian. She was glad, because it meant they lost their cool, and they replied instantly.
"We don't know," said Ministry worker number two, and Vivian raised an eyebrow. Ministry worker number one saw this, and expanded.
"The letter burst into flames when a Ministry Official tried to open it. But we know where it was going, and we know where it came from, and we have reason to suspect your friend here."

"So, if you don't mind..." said Two, reaching for Theo as thought to 'escort him' out of the castle.

Vivian made a snap decision.
"That was my letter."

The Ministry workers stared at her, and she could feel Theo's eyes on her too. She knew now how much information the Ministry had, and it wasn't a lot. She was sure they wouldn't be able to make a thing stick to her... well, she was pretty sure.

"I can prove it," she said, since the Ministry workers looked incredulous. She pulled out her wand. "Here," she said, shoving it into One's hand.

[THEODORE JACOB NOTT]

The Ministry officials said they had to ask him a few questions, which was fine. Mostly. He had nothing to hide. So he tried to contact an ex-death-eater and he happened to be death eater affiliated himself. He knew McGonagall knew that. It’s why he was careful to keep up appearances at everything she held throughout the year. He held the appearance of a kid who made a mistake, misguided by his family. Even though he knew exactly what he was doing and was perfectly clear about what side he was on and what he believed. He’d not let that on. Not right now, at least.

But the second that he went to open his mouth he felt the back of his shirt being gripped, and he knew it was Vivian because no more than a second later she was asking what it was about. Inwardly he wanted to groan, to tell her to let him handle it himself. He didn’t want to get her involved in all of this. She was a neutral party, and as much as wanted more supporters for his cause, he felt he’d be endangering her in a way. He didn’t want to put her in danger. Because he knew what he was, what he believed…It was dangerous. He was one of those people they were searching for to lock up. Sure he didn’t have a mark on his arm, but that didn’t make him any less guilty of fighting against Harry, against all of them, in the war.
Vivian continued to press on, and the moment that she claimed it was her letter his eyes widened.

”Vivian, don’t,” he warned, his eyes soft and full of worry. His head was full of worry, too. She didn’t need to get mixed up in all of this. She handed over her wand and he furrowed his brow as his eyes fell toward the floor. She was going to take the fall for him. He knew it and so did she, and he didn’t really deserve her to do that. Most people probably would’ve just let him dealt with it, but Vivian was fierce in her loyalty, that much he knew. Perhaps she was too fierce. Did she really know what she was getting herself into? She had to, right? She wouldn’t just do this blind on a whim, mostly because she didn’t have whims. She didn’t have impulses. She made calculated decisions, and Theo supposed that this one was just one that she made quickly. He sighed inwardly, silently thanking her for doing so much more than he probably deserved. He was an ass to her most of the time, and the both of them knew it, but he didn’t want her to suffer together.

The Ministry worker took her wand and Theo sighed aloud once before deciding to open his mouth.

”I wrote it,” he said, but by now the Ministry worker was using his own wand to reveal the last spell used, and of course it was the spell used on the letter. He looked toward Vivian and the Ministry worker let out a slight cough before narrowing his eyes at Vivan.

”Well well Ms. Blackwell. It looks like you have quite a lot of explaining to do,” Ministry worker one said and Theo swallowed as he looked at Vivian, silently thanking and chiding her all at the same time. She didn’t have to do this. She shouldn’t do this. But she was, and he knew he had to be grateful for that because most people would have let him handle it on his own, and while he thought that was ultimately the better option, Vivian obviously didn’t.

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[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Vivian tugged on Theo's shirt as he said to her not to do it. He was going to blow everything. If he got himself in trouble too, then what was it all for? One of them clearly had to take a fall here, and the logical option was Vivian.

If Theo went to the Ministry, they'd start digging around in his past. They obviously had enough information to link him to Lestrange. Vivian knew that Theo had supported the Death Eaters. This could be the last nail in his coffin. He could do time, at the very least be expelled from Hogwarts. And what if they decided to check Theo's wand for the spell? They wouldn't find it, and that would raise questions, and then Vivian would have come forward anyway, to try and help Theo.

If she took the fall now, she would go to the Ministry, and her step-dad, as much as she loathed him, was good for one thing; getting out of sticky situations. He wouldn't want a family scandal, and he had stayed neutral during the war out of self-interest. He wouldn't want his step-daughter linked to the Death Eaters. Theo didn't have that. Would his 'father' care, if Theo was sent to Azkaban? Would he hire a lawyer? Vivian didn't think so. And besides, they had evidence against Theo. The evidence against her was circumstantial at best; her wand had, at some point recently, performed the same type of spell that had been performed on the letter.

But still, she didn't know why she had jumped so quickly into action when the Ministry official had reached for Theo. Yes, there were plenty of logical reasons why it should be her, and not Theo, that went with them. But she hadn't had time to think them all through. What she did know was that when that Wizard had reached for Theo, something inside of her had just said "No."

”I wrote it,”

Vivian pinched Theo's back, hard. She knew what she was doing, dammit!
"He's just saying that to try to protect me," she said, "I cast the spell." she was careful not to admit to anything too explicitly. It wouldn't do if she dug herself into a hole she couldn't get out of.

”Well well Ms. Blackwell. It looks like you have quite a lot of explaining to do,”

Vivian didn't ask how they knew her name. Obviously they'd done their research on Theo.

Two reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, but it was a far from comforting gesture. He tried to steer her away from Theo, and she shrugged him off. She turned back to Theo, and, playing the role of the emotionally upset little girl, threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Owl my step-dad," she said, quietly and quickly in Theo's ear "John Woods. Do it now, as soon as we leave. Tell him what's happened. He'll know what to do." Vivian hoped Theo appreciated what she was doing for him, because going off with these Ministry goons wasn't the sacrifice she was making here; asking her step-dad for help was.

She let go of him, and gave him a quick, hard kiss on the cheek, before flashing him a wink. 'I'm still me, see? Everything's fine, no need to worry...'

Vivian turned back to Ministry workers One and Two, picked up her bag (she had dropped it when she had thrown her arms around Theo in a fit of 'emotional desperation') and raised her eyebrows at them.
"Ready when you are."

She trusted Theo to send that owl as soon as possible. Vivian was seventeen, and therefore of age. She wasn't obliged to have a parent or guardian there with her when she was questioned. She didn't know how long they would have her before she could get hold of her step-dad, and by then they might have dug up Merlin knew what.

[THEODORE JACOB NOTT]

There were signs. So many signs that Vivian knew what she was doing. The tugging of his shirt, the pinching of his back (which had actually really hurt), the way she spoke to the Ministry officials. She was so sure of her words that if Theo hadn't known any better he might have believed her himself, but he did know better, and he knew what she was doing was a huge gesture. Still, after she pinched him on the back he knew he shouldn't open his mouth anymore, so he didn't. He stood there quietly, stoic, listening as they said Vivian had a lot of explaining to do, and that she wrote the letter.

One of the Ministry officials reached out their hand and placed it on Vivian's shoulder and for a moment a panic crept through Theo. What would happen if she didn't know what she was doing? What would happen if they found something more? If they made something more incriminating just to make it seem like they didn't have the wrong person? What if they found out Theo was the right person and they hauled him off to Azkaban and told him to wait his years for the Kiss. He almost shuddered at the thought, but he was pulled from his worries as Vivian threw her arms around him. He furrowed his brow for a moment but the second she began speaking he wrapped his arms around her too. Okay, owl her step-dad. John Woods. He'd know what to do.

"You better know what you're doing, Blackwell... And thank you," he whispered just as quietly in her ear before she released him. The kiss on his cheek and the wink she threw him had him shaking his head at her, and he couldn't help but let out a laugh. She turned back to the Ministry officials and watched as they escorted her down the hall.

"Be careful!" he shouted down the hall. It was a useless suggestion really, but he wanted her to know he was worried about her. Because he did want to protect her. If she had written that letter he knew he would have done the same for her. And the moment the officials turned the corner with Vivian Theo turned and headed straight for the owlery to write a letter to John Woods. It was Theo's fault she was in this mess and he fully intended to get her out.

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[VIVIAN HOPE BLACKWELL]

Almost as soon as she had spoken, Two put a hand on her shoulder and started to escort her down the corridor, out of the castle. Students stared and whispered as she passed, and there were a few mutters of 'I knew it,' but Vivian couldn't care less. She was doing this for Theo, not for them. If Theo had gone with the Ministry Workers there was a very good chance he'd end up in Azkaban. If Vivian went with them, there was a very good chance she'd get off. And besides, what would she do without Theo, anyway? She'd be bored out of her bracket.

"Be careful!"

Vivian heard Theo shout down the corridor at her, and felt a grin spread across her face.
"Theo, I'm always careful!" she said, turning around to call back to him, laughing slightly as One made her turn back around and keep walking, out of the dungeons and out of the castle.