「 REBELLION AND RUNAWAY 」

MUCH TO THE CARROWS' CHAGRIN, the news of Luna's escape spread through Hogwarts within their first day back from Easter break. It didn't take long for people to find out that it was Harry Potter who had been behind the rescue mission. After months of not hearing anything about him, this sudden news seemed to elevate the vigour of the students, especially the members of the Dumbledore's Army. The first morning greeted them with a large mural on the wall mocking the Dark Lord's failed attempt at keeping a teenage girl imprisoned.

Of course, the message wouldn't reach the Dark Lord. It was simply to humiliate the Carrows for they had been the ones to kidnap Luna.

Blaise was quiet when Theo had broken the news to him. He did it on the horseless carriage, on their way back to the castle. Blaise looked out of the curtained window, the dusk light casting eerie shadows across his face. "I'm sorry," he said, so quiet that Theo almost didn't hear him, "about Luna."

"It wasn't your fault," Theo replied, surprising himself. Blaise whirled away from the window to look at him. Theo saw the effort he took to hide the relief from his face. He shrugged. "If you had refused, the Carrows would have got someone else to do it. Maybe they would have done it themselves. At least you saved Luna from getting hexed and possibly badly hurt."

Blaise hadn't seemed very convinced. The rest of the carriage ride passed in silence.

After the initial push, more and more rumours about the Chosen One began to circulate Hogwarts. There were reports of people spotting him in various places all over the country, though how the reports entered Hogwarts was a mystery. Nevertheless, it did succeed in rattling the Carrows to their bones, who retaliated by first tightening security and recruiting more Slytherins into the Inquisitorial Squad, and second, by banning Hogsmeade weekends and forbidding certain areas of the castle.

Punishments were made harsher. Any culprit caught were not only subjected to the torture curse but were also force-fed various potions that were said to induce nightmares or temporary immobility or intense clawing inside their stomachs. It wasn't clear what the potions really did - if they really did anything - but the foggy uncertainty was enough to force many to submit themselves to the Carrows' mercy.

The Dumbledore's Army, of course, fought back with equal intensity. They created makeshift newspapers out of spare parchment and distributed them to students and teachers and anyone who wished to read them. Seamus had given one to Theo. It was a very accurate copy of the first page ofThe Daily Prophet, on which was handwritten a few paragraphs about the latest rumours surrounding Harry Potter. On the title section was crafted the words DA Daily.

When Theo spoke his doubts about whether the news was actually true, Seamus beamed and clapped his hands over his shoulders, looking as excited as he had never before been. "You see, that's the beauty! It doesn't need to be true. We just need to paint an image in people's minds that Harry has not given up on us, that he is still fighting." He paused to smile at Theo. "And it's not all entirely untrue. We get our news from reliable sources." And he dropped a wink that raised more questions in Theo than answered them.

The Carrows were oblivious of the DA Daily for the first few days after its inauguration. But when they did get hold of some of the newspapers, they were met with a bank page that hurriedly filled up with Arithmancy or Potions notes, with little words scrawled along the margins that said things like Hush, it's the ugly Carrow. Quick! Write your notes!

Needless to say, they weren't pleased with it.

As the days dragged on slowly, Hogwarts saw more and more innovative methods employed by the Death Eaters as well as the Dumbledore's Army. But the line seemed to have truly been crossed toward the end of the second week when the population of Hogwarts - or what remained of it - filed into the Great Hall for breakfast. Theo sat with Blaise and waited for the food to appear in front of them.

It did appear once the students had settled in. But instead of the usual vast assortment of black pudding, porridge, kippers, bacon and poached eggs, mushrooms, toast, and corn flakes, what did materialise on the table were paper-thin pancakes with a meagre amount of syrup, some soggy crumpets, and burnt toast. A hush fell over the Great Hall as everyone stared at their food in shock.

Theo looked at Blaise who picked up a jug and sniffed the sickly brownish drink before promptly gagging and pushing the jug as far away from him as possible. "Is that ... pumpkin juice?" asked Theo in a whisper. Voices rose around them, but the sound remained quiet and subdued.

"Apparently."

Theo looked at the teacher's table at the front. They looked just as shocked as them. Clearly, it was the work of the Carrows. They, of course, weren't in the Great Hall. They never dined with them and Theo had a distinct suspicion that they were up in their office indulging in a feast.

Blaise put a toast and two slices of pancakes on his plate. With a fork, he began to cut them. Theo stared at him, bewildered.

"What?" Blaise asked when he noticed Theo staring. "It's the oldest trick in the books."

Theo blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"They mean to starve us," he explained calmly. "It's an effective method to demoralise a crowd. And then - after a few days maybe - they will offer our regular food in exchange for information or service."

Theo shifted in his seat. It was slightly disconcerting that Blaise knew so much about what the Carrows were planning to do. But then again, he assured himself, Blaise did read a lot of books. Maybe he knew more about torture methods than Death Eaters themselves.

Feeling sick, Theo reached out for a pancake but Blaise stopped him. "Don't. It's undercooked." He pointed at his plate where a slice of pancake lay morosely, dried clumps of flour spilling out of its insides. "Eat the toast. It's burnt, but edible."

Theo eyed the jug that Blaise had pushed away earlier. "What about the juice?" he asked. His throat was parched and he craved a cool drink to wash down the paltry food.

"Probably will give you a stomach ache."

Theo took a bite of the toast. He tried not to gag. It was bitter and hard, but he made himself chew until it was turned into a swallowable glob. Some brave souls began to stand up around them, demanding proper food. But really, there was nothing to do - the professors were just as much a victim here as they were. They couldn't stand up against the Carrows - doing so would result in expulsion, and they preferred to stay here close to the students rather than fully give over the castle to the Death Eaters.

Theo managed to eat half of the crisp black toast before he pushed it away.

One month, he said to himself. Just one more month.

He stared hungrily and doubtfully at the crumpets. They looked like someone had stepped on them. His stomach growled but he wasn't desperate enough to pick up the miserable food.

Not yet, said a sly voice at the back of his mind that sounded awfully like Alecto Carrow's.

Blaise got to his feet. "Come on," he said. "There's no use sitting here. The food won't cook itself."

Wondering vaguely how Blaise could be so calm, Theo followed him. The rest of the crowd has also started getting up. They looked more anxious than angry. The professors who were on their side had no power over the Carrows or Snape; they have realised that this change in their cuisine seemed to be permanent. How were they to survive if they were given inedible things to eat?

Theo felt a hard knot on his stomach. It wasn't due to hunger; it was partly caused by the burnt crisps trying to find a way to digest themselves and mostly by the sudden awareness that if the Carrows felt cornered enough to do something like this, it was probably not long before they would become desperate enough to take life.

A hand pressed over his shoulder and Theo blinked, looking at Blaise. "You almost walked into the wall," he intoned. Still keeping a firm hold over his shoulder, Blaise steered him out of the Great Hall, leaning to murmur into his ear, "Even Crabbe and Goyle weren't spared this new tactic. Shows how much the Death Eaters value loyalty."

Theo started to nod but stopped halfway. "They will probably get better food when they start snitching. Like you said."

When all classes for the day were over, the Carrows called a meeting for the Inquisitorial Squad, gathering in the small room behind the teacher's table in the Great Hall. They assigned different areas of the castle to different members to patrol. Everyone, except Theo, was required to work alone. Crabbe was assigned as Theo's partner because, as the Carrows were so pleased to point out, he was not trustworthy.

They ended the meeting with a cryptic message, saying, "We have a nice feast waiting for those who work satisfactorily."

As the Carrows left the room, followed by the students, Blaise came to stand in front of Theo, regarding him with an expression that he couldn't quite read. Blaise crossed his arms before him and asked, "Want me to poison Crabbe's food?"

Despite himself and despite the hard knot that had been growing bigger and bigger inside his gut since morning, Theo laughed. Blaise seemed pleased at the response and he turned on his heels, grabbing Theo's arm to lead him out of the room. They walked the length of the Great Hall, which was dark save for the dots of light suspended in the air. They were dimmed down, for dinner hasn't started yet.

Theo had assumed they were going to the common room, but when Blaise took the left turn he was surprised. He didn't ask where they were going though. The long purposeful strides that Blaise took showed that he had a destination in mind, and Theo was happy to keep it a mystery.

The Astronomy Tower. That's where Blaise took him.

They climbed the stairs to reach the top - the landing that was the highest point of the Hogwarts castle and that offered perhaps the widest view than anywhere else. Trying to hide his surprise, Theo went over to the edge and looked out.

Hogsmeade was but a small slice at the horizon. Lights blinked at him from what would be the shops, but what caught Theo's attention were the blobs of darkness that shifted and swirled in the air. Dementors. They were directly over the village.

Blaise came up beside him, folding his arms over the parapet and leaning forward. Why did you bring me here? Theo wanted to ask. But instead, he looked at Blaise and forgot his voice.

It wasn't that he had never seen Blaise in unnatural lights. The Slytherin common room had fireplaces cut into the walls that radiated bright green and shiny emerald lights and they had spent quite a fair amount of time in front of the fire for Theo to see the iridescent shadows around the sharp bones of his face. He had seen Blaise in the dim light of the dormitory and the way his cheekbones were highlighted by the pale lights on the walls. They had been friends long enough for Theo to have seen Blaise in every situation possible.

And yet, when his eyes fell on his best friend as he looked out into the dusk sky, Theo couldn't help the wild flutter in his chest and the searing twinge that was usually associated with hunger. The latter, he thought vaguely, was possibly due to the insubstantial lunch they had been served in the afternoon (overcooked roast potatoes, some dry peas and carrots, and only enough Yorkshire pudding to sate the appetite of less than half the population of Hogwarts). Nevertheless, Theo blamed Blaise for all the new ways his body behaved.

"I know you like coming here," Blaise said as though he had read the unasked question in his mind. Theo, with some effort, turned his eyes away. "I don't really understand why, to be honest. But it must be nice. Since you like it."

Theo leaned over the parapet to stare at the ground below them, almost in front of the main entrance doors of the castle. "It's kind of creepy," he said, "when you recall that this is where Dumbledore died."

Blaise jerked his hands away, as though suddenly hit by a cold force. He turned toward Theo and laid his elbow over the edge, grazing his eyes over him. "Do you have any plans for what you're going to do after we leave Hogwarts?" Blaise asked. Theo noticed a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Um - I don't think so," Theo answered, taken aback. Blaise hardly spoke about the future. He was more of a live-in-the-moment person. "Why?"

Blaise turned away again. He rubbed his hands over the sharp edges of the parapet, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Theo stepped toward him. "Are you okay?" was all he could ask, for he wasn't used to seeing Blaise like this.

"I was thinking -" he began, pausing every few seconds to catch his breath, "- I don't think I've ever told you before, but I've kind of planned to run away ..."

"Run away?" Theo exclaimed, unable to keep his voice down.

"Well, run away is probably not the correct term," Blaise added quickly. "More like - leave the country. Leave the UK, in fact."

Theo stared, dumbfounded. Blaise didn't meet his eyes but instead kept his gaze focused on the Forbidden Forest that loomed darkly in the background. How was he to respond to a confession like that?"

"Why?" asked Theo after a few minutes of deliberation.

Blaise shrugged and finally looked at him. They had both moved toward each other sometime during the conversation so their knees touched when Theo shifted his weight from one leg to another. Neither of them moved away.

"It's hard to explain," said Blaise. "You'll probably think I'm being silly."

"Try me." Though he sounded indifferent, Theo was suddenly ruffled by the idea that maybe he would never see Blaise again after graduation. 

Blaise held his gaze for a moment and took a deep breath. "Well, sometimes I feel like my life is too monotonous, meaningless. I've felt like this for years. When I look at Corben, I realise how unfulfilled my life is compared to his. He has ambitions, he wants to be an Auror. I don't know what I want to do in the future. I don't even know if I want to do anything." He stopped, hesitating. "This year, it's the most alive I've felt. Not the violence," he added quickly, glancing guiltily at Theo, "but the uncertainty. Not knowing what's going to happen the next day, not knowing whether I'm going to be the next victim of the Carrows - it feels invigorating."

He moved one more step closer to Theo, who had to fight the urge to step back. It wasn't right - the things Blaise was saying. It was scary and Theo felt like he didn't know Blaise at all.

"I know what you're thinking," said Blaise. He was looking out toward the Forbidden Forest again. "But I've not gone mad, trust me. I'm not going to turn out like the Carrows. They thrive on inflicting pain on others. I'm not like that." He frowned doubtfully. "At least, I hope not."

The hard knot in his gut tightened further. If Blaise had already made up his mind, Theo knew there was nothing he could do to change it. And did he want to change his mind? He would fully support any decision that made Blaise happy. He tried not to think about the fact that Blaise was going to leave him behind.

He laid his hand on the parapet, realising a little too late that Blaise's hand was already there. But Blaise didn't move away. Instead, he gently brushed his thumb over his arm, sending a tingling sensation crawling through him. "Why are you telling me this now?" Theo asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Two reasons, mostly," said Blaise. "I've been considering and reconsidering the idea of moving to a different country - somewhere with a different climate, different cultures - for a few years. I could never come to a decision but after this wretched year, I have realised that I really need it. I need something new and unfamiliar in my life. Or I might just go mad."

Theo nodded, though he wasn't sure he really understood. "And what's the second reason?"

Blaise looked squarely into his eyes. "I want you to go with me."

This time, Theo did step back. Or, more accurately, he staggered back. If he had been asked to guess what Blaise would say next, this wouldn't have been on his list. The stone of the parapet dug into his skin as he gripped it for support.

Blaise straightened up. "I'm sorry. That was the wrong thing to say." He looked at Theo, eyes covered with what looked like regret. "I won't force you, of course. What I meant is that if I asked you to come with me, would you?"

Theo ran his tongue over his lips. He was almost coming to terms with separating with Blaise and then this was sprung on him, throwing him off his balance. Blaise stared at him, nervous and expectant.

What did it mean? Could Theo begin to hope that Blaise might, somehow, reciprocate his feelings? Surely not. He only wanted Theo to go with him because he didn't want to be alone and Theo was his only friend. It was silly to think that Blaise thought of him as anything other than a friend. He has never given any sort of a hint like that.

He danced with you at Slughorn's party.

But, as it has already been established, it didn't mean anything.

It was a few minutes before Theo found his voice, during which Blaise waited patiently for him to speak. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want me to go with you?"

Blaise took a moment to answer. "Because when I think about my future, I cannot picture it without you."

Remarkably, the stubborn hardness inside his stomach vanished. Theo scrutinised his best friend, trying to find any sign that he was joking. He decided that he did not care whether Blaise loved him back. What he had just said - those few simple words - had turned his insides into a gooey mess, and he thought that he could live with that.

"Of course, I won't force you if you don't want -"

"I will," Theo said before Blaise could finish. "If you ask, I will go with you."

A radiant smile lit up over Blaise's face that turned his knees into water. He felt grateful for the support of the parapet beside him.

"Really?" asked Blaise like he couldn't quite believe it.

"Yes," he said firmly. "Because I cannot -" picture my future without you either. But Theo had never learned to be quite as straightforward as Blaise so he stopped, nodded stiffly, and said, "Yes. I will."

They looked into each other's eyes for a second before simultaneously looking away. Theo was blushing, and he hoped for the growing darkness to conceal the smile that he couldn't fight off.

"We should go," said Blaise, looking at his watch. "It's dinner. Time for more soggy potatoes."

As they descended the stairs, Blaise nudged him with his elbow. "You know, I was actually bluffing," he said. When Theo turned a questioning glance at him, he explained, "About the forcing you bit. If you had said no, I would have started planning ways to pack you in my rucksack and take you with me."

"Of course you would."

The atmosphere inside the Great Hall was much livelier than Theo would have expected. He hoped, briefly, that their cuisine was back to normal, but was immediately disappointed when he saw the meagre amount of food laid out on the table. When he started to take his share, however, he noticed a difference. None of the dishes before them were burnt or overcooked - they were simply served in much lesser amounts than usual.

There was only roast beef for main and treacle tart for dessert, which was significantly less than what they were usually served. Theo thought it was enough for him, but soon he realised that there wasn't nearly enough for everyone so he had to take almost a quarter of his regular helpings to make sure Blaise, or the people around him, didn't starve. It wouldn't satisfy his hunger in any way, especially after the meagre breakfast and lunch he had had, but at least the food was edible.

As Theo chewed slowly so the roast beef would last longer, Corben came out from another end of the table and slipped in opposite them. "Have you heard the latest rumours?" he asked conspiratorially.

"No. What?"

Corben leaned in with an air of mystery, then whispered, "Harry Potter robbed Gringotts."

That caught Blaise's attention, who had been quite focused on his dinner. "That's impossible."

"Isn't it supposed to be the safest place on earth?" asked Theo.

"It's supposed to be." Corben grinned. "But they robbed it, apparently. Somehow. Come on, where have you two been hiding? Everyone's been discussing it for hours."

Theo felt heat rise to his cheeks, so he took a large mouthful of beef, before promptly regretting his decision. Only a small chunk was left on his plate. He stared at it morosely for a minute and then turned his attention to his surroundings. Sure enough, people were whispering to each other, heads bowed low. A clear aura of excitement hung in the air, something Theo had forgotten the feel of.

"Even if they did," Blaise argued, "how would anyone know? We can't communicate outside of Hogwarts."

Corben looked over his shoulder toward the Gryffindor table. "They're doing it for sure. They must have found a way."

Theo helped himself to a tiny slice of tart. "Well, in any case, it's going to drive the Carrows mad. So that's a win."

As if on cue, Amycus Carrow marched into the Great Hall just then, followed shortly after by his sister. Theo groaned loudly, earning a laugh from Blaise that took him by surprise. A hush descended over them though the initial excitement still hung in the air, almost tangible.

The newcomers strode up to the teachers' table and Amycus stood behind the podium that was usually used by Dumbledore for his speeches. He flitted his eyes over his audience, then gave a wide grin. Everyone's eyes were on him - the Carrows never stepped foot inside the Great Hall during mealtimes.

"You all have noticed the alteration in your food, I expect." His voice carried through the air, heavy and pleased. "Don't worry, children. It wasn't permanent. It was merely to give you a taste of what we are capable of. Lately, some of you -" At this, his eyes wandered over to the Gryffindor table, "- have been quite impertinent. Such behaviour will not be tolerated as long as we are here. Look at your plates, everyone. How empty they are! It breaks my heart to do this, but it must be done. Every time you come in here for breakfast, or for lunch, or for dinner, remember who is responsible for the cutting of your daily meals. Every act, every doodle on the wall, every sign of disrespect and insolence that take place from now on, will result in further cutting. And if you do not start standing up for your honour against the few muggle-loving filths, you may, I'm afraid, have no food at all in your plates by the end of the next week."

Amycus turned an exaggeratedly pitying face toward them.

"Whatever you see henceforth," he continued, "any act that goes against the rules, from anyone - no matter what house, no matter what age - let us know. If you do not want us to cut your rations, report any act of incivility to us."

Theo sat frozen on his seat. When he managed to find his voice, he leaned over and whispered to Blaise, "This is worse than what you had predicted."

Amycus clasped his hands before him. "Oh and don't worry about the burnt toast and everything. It won't happen again. We aren't that cruel, are we?" And the twins laughed by themselves for a few seconds.

Blaise looked at Theo. "More like the house-elves in the kitchen threatened to poison their food if they made them purposefully burn the food again."

Despite himself, Theo snickered. He slapped Blaise lightly on the arm and chided, "Don't be silly. House-elves can't threaten people."

"Well, the Carrows are not their masters, so I'm sure they can."

Alecto Carrow had now taken the podium. She was saying something but the chatter in the crowd has risen, cutting her off. Blaise reached out to take the remaining treacle tart from the tray before them and slid it into Theo's plate. "You eat that. I'm not hungry."

Surprised but gratified, Theo ate it promptly.

A commotion was heard, specifically, from the Ravenclaw table. Alecto Carrow halted midspeech and looked over at them. Theo, and everyone else, were now craning their necks to see the face of the next unfortunate victim. They didn't have to put so much effort because someone stood on the bench and climbed onto the table, kicking away the plates from his path. Theo had to squint to recognise who the person was. Terry Boot. Seventh-year Ravenclaw.

"Why are you doing this?" he bellowed at the Carrows. At his voice, everyone instantly fell silent. The shock was so severe that Theo felt that his heartbeat could be heard by Blaise beside him. "Is it because Harry Potter is no longer a national mystery? Because he's fighting? Admit it! You're scared."

Theo was astounded at the nerves of the boy. He wasn't just standing up against the Carrows inside the walls of a classroom - he was challenging them, that too in front of the entire school. Theo suddenly feared for his life.

Terry Boot threw his hands up in the air and addressed the students around him. "Have you heard the rumours, my friends?" he demanded. "Those aren't rumours. Everything you've heard about Harry Potter is all true. These buffoons -" he thrust an accusatory finger at the twins who were surprisingly calm, "- cannot restrain us inside the castle. They can scare us all they like by the torture curse and by threatening to take away our food. But they cannot stop us from fighting. Because guess what? Harry Potter is still fighting. He has broken into Gringotts and escaped on the back of a dragon. Yes, it's true! We do not know what he stole. We do not know who he stole it from. But you can bet that it has something to do with Vol-"

But he wasn't allowed to finish his speech. A splash of light sparked at the corner of Theo's eyes and Terry Boot was thrown backwards. A clatter of plates shattering pierced through the air as he fell on the table. Amycus Carrow, grinning manically, raced forward and dragged Terry to the ground where he lay crumpled whilst the Death Eater, having forgotten his wand, punched and kicked him repeatedly.

Theo realised what was going to happen before it happened. As one, the Ravenclaws rose to their feet, wands held aloft. Someone shot the defensive charm which caused Amycus Carrow to stagger backwards and an invisible wall was formed between him and Terry. Amycus looked fearful for the first time.

Theo was unable to see anymore as the Ravenclaws pressed in and around Amycus. A minute or so later, he popped out of the crowd like a cork in a bottle and was out of the Great Hall in a flash.

⋆

yes, theo. "i can't imagine my future without you" is not gay at all.

ok so. i'm aware that the gringotts robbing thing happens much later than this. but i have a specific outline for this book and this timeline works best even tho it probably doesn't make much sense so you gotta bear with me.