「 CHAOS UNFOLDING 」

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN a long, long time, Theo did not dread facing a new day.

It was still quite dark out but Theo was out on the porch, sitting on the chair with his legs pulled up. Colour was starting to spread over the horizon, signifying the sun that was to rise soon. His old Hogwarts habits have remained and he still slept late and woke up early, even though he wasn't nearly as stressed as he used to be.

The sun peeked out from behind the tops of the trees. Theo watched in fascination though this was in no way his first time witnessing a sunrise. But the beautifully diverse colours that seeped through the sky never failed to mesmerise him.

Two months have passed since the war which was now being called the Battle of Hogwarts. Two months since Daphne's death and two months since he faced his father who had raised a wand against him with the intent to kill. The two months have flown by, barely giving Theo the chance to rest. He had attended funerals, visited Daphne's family, gone to Hogwarts to help with the repairs and the redecoration. 

He had perused each edition of the Daily Prophet obsessively during these two months, reading every article about the Death Eaters and the battle, hoping to see the news of them being locked up for life. It has been an excruciatingly slow process thus far. Voldemort and his Death Eaters had taken over the Ministry of Magic toward the end of their rule and they were still trying to weed out traitors from the Ministry itself and to repair the damage caused by Pius Thicknesse who had been put under the Imperius curse and appointed as the Minister for Magic during the war.

Theo had found one morning, to his delight, that Kingsley Shacklebolt had succeeded Thicknesse as the new Minister through popular vote.

He had immediately brought about massive changes to the Ministry as well as to the British wizarding community. It was an ongoing process, for the previous few ministers had managed to thoroughly derail the government in various different ways. But after the appointment of Shacklebolt, witches and wizards all over Great Britain heaved a sigh of relief.

Theo would now be reading the Daily Prophet on the porch but just two days ago, Blaise had threatened to burn all his belongings down if he didn't stop obsessing over the news. For good measure, he had also unsubscribed to the paper, so Theo was now left to sit on the porch alone and watch the sunrise.

Though he had protested at first, Theo was later forced to admit that the Daily Prophet had been doing him no good. Constantly worrying about whether or not the Death Eaters have been convicted has been taking a toll on his mental health but after Blaise had disposed of all of the editions, Theo realised he could breathe freely.

"Good morning."

Theo looked away from the sunrise and found Blaise standing on the porch, a cup in each hand. He slid over to let Blaise sit next to him and accepted his cup, taking a sip of the tea and sighing contentedly.

Right after the battle, Theo had come to live at Blaise's house and had stayed there for a week before he was able to gather the courage to return to his own home and fetch his belongings. On his first night here, he was curled up on the porch, right where he was now but with grief destroying him from the inside, when Blaise had brought him tea. That was when he discovered Blaise's talent in the culinary arts. And he melted on the inside every time Blaise brought him food.

"You have a letter," Blaise said and pulled out a crisp looking envelope from his pocket. The seal, when Theo looked closely, was an insignia of the Ministry. He took another long sip of his tea in an attempt to calm his nerves that have gone into overdrive at the sight of the letter.

"Why would the Ministry write to me?" he asked slowly.

"I'm guessing it's about the trial."

"Will you read it for me?"

Blaise tore open the envelope and let the letter fall out. He skimmed over the letter once before reading it aloud. "Dear Mr Nott. This is to inform you that the trial of those known and suspected to work under Voldemort will be held on the 28th of July. We have been reliably informed that you were one of the many victims of Death Eater twins Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow. We would like to request you to testify against them in court. Please write your response within a week."

Theo gripped the teacup between his hands, looking down at his legs. Blaise was watching him.

"If you don't want to -"

"It's fine," Theo interrupted. "I just want to get this over with."

Blaise folded the letter and put it back in his pocket. "I'll go with you."

"I know." Theo finished his tea with one large gulp, placing the cup on the spot between them. He smiled at Blaise. "I know you will."

Ever since he had come to stay with the Zabinis, Theo felt a sort of peace he had never felt before. Besides that, the stress of exams and homework was gone. They had received a letter each from Hogwarts telling them that they would be allowed to repeat their year coming September. Neither of them had given it a second thought before chucking their letters into the fire.

Theo didn't know what to do with his future, nor did he particularly care. Not having to do anything at all had a sort of attraction to it. Not having to do anything at all with Blaise beside him brought a different kind of pleasure.

"I'm going to go out today," he said to Blaise, leaning over him. "I'm going to look for a flat. You cannot stop me."

Blaise sighed. "What's the hurry?"

Theo didn't like staying here and intruding upon their personal space even though Blaise insisted they didn't mind. And he knew they didn't, but Theo would still prefer finding a place for himself to live in rather than depend on Mrs Zabini. Mrs Zabini has been intrigued by Theo since the beginning and she too had insisted that he could stay with them as long as he liked. In fact, Blaise had come up with various strategies to keep him from going out and looking for a flat, including setting up elaborate dinners and making Theo help them cook.

But it has been two months and Theo's life was starting to feel normal. He didn't want to get used to it. "I've told you. I don't like intruding."

"It's going to be stressful," Blaise argued. "You deserve a break. You've had a rough year and you need another year where you do nothing but eat and sleep. I don't want you to get back and put pressure on yourself all over again."

Theo laughed and snaked his arms around Blaise. "I've had a long enough break. I feel lazy and I cannot take one more moment of you and your family treating me like a fragile piece of cutlery. I need to keep myself busy." He reached up and cupped Blaise's face in his palm. "I love being with you. And I love you. I love that you care so much about me. But you cannot coddle me forever. This will be good for me. I promise."

Blaise looked unconvinced and ready to argue. Theo kissed him, soft and slow, tangling his fingers between his hair. Blaise seemed inclined to refuse the kiss but he gave in in the end and enveloped him in his arms.

"Besides, the faster we find our own place," said Theo once they broke apart, "the faster we can go on that trip."

The trip was now their word for what they used to call running away. Theo was correct to assume that although he was reluctant to admit it, Blaise wouldn't want to leave his brother behind. It had taken a lot of coaxing for him to finally accept the fact that he didn't really want to leave.

Theo had suggested that they go on a trip for a fortnight or so instead. So far it was merely speculation - it was still quite a while before they would decide on the details. But Theo was adamant to do it, no matter what, no matter when. The words Blaise had said to him on the Astronomy Tower that day had struck him deeply and he would do anything to make sure Blaise didn't suffer the insecurities he felt.

Blaise nodded, agreeing finally after two months. "Okay. We'll go after lunch." He waved his wand to make their teacups disappear and said, "Do you want to walk with me?"

Theo carefully untangled himself from him. "Aren't we supposed to go in and have breakfast now?"

An amused smile appeared in Blaise's face. "It'll take some time. Fowley's experimenting."

Fowley too was living with them. A week after the battle, Theo had returned to his house to bring her here. She had cried and put up a mighty protest, saying that she belonged in the Nott family and it would be disgraceful to leave. Theo could simply have ordered her to go with him as she was inherently required to follow a direct order from her masters, but he was reluctant to do so. He wanted her to be happy and forcing her to live somewhere she didn't want to wouldn't make her happy.

In the end, she agreed when Blaise started talking to her about his mother and how she would need Fowley's assistance in the kitchen. Her eyes had instantly brightened up. "You have a mother?" she had whispered in wonder. Then it didn't take her long to pack her bag with her few belongings and leave the Nott Residence behind her for good.

"She seems to have forgotten me after she found your mother," Theo said, grinning.

"I think she just misses having a motherly figure." He stood and held out a hand. "Walk, then?"

They went hand in hand down the porch, across the rosebushes in the garden, and out of the Zabini household. Unlike Theo, they lived over the hills. Their house was large and Victorian. The path they followed sloped downward in a smooth curve and a bench stood attached to the ground on one side. His first night here, Theo had woken from a nightmare, ran outside, and sat right on this bench. Blaise had come out a minute later and sat with him.

Blaise squeezed his hand. "Do you still get nightmares?" he asked.

Theo was silent for a minute. "Sometimes."

They reached a large field spreading out on the three sides in front of them. Theo stepped in and sprawled down on the soft grass. The sky was blue and bright and his hair whipped across his face as the breeze blew past them. When Blaise sat too, he crawled over and settled down between his legs, leaning back against his chest. Blaise's arms instantly wrapped around him.

"What sort of place do you want to live in?" Theo asked. He caressed Blaise's arm gently.

"I don't care. As long as I'm with you."

"Don't try to be cute," Theo chided. "I'm serious."

"I am too."

He twisted his neck to send a mischievous grin in Blaise's direction. "So I get full liberty to choose our home? You won't interfere in any of my choices?"

"I won't." Blaise started to place soft feathers of kisses over his neck, making it incredibly difficult for him to speak.

"So I can - uh - choose a muggle place?"

"Yes," Blaise answered between kisses.

"Surrounded by muggles?"

"Sure."

"Muggle neighbours who insist on sending us Christmas cookies?"

"As long as they aren't nosy."

Theo turned fully to meet his mouth with his own and they dissolved into another kiss. Blaise pushed him back until he lay on the grass, rucked up his shirt, and touched every inch of his skin with fervent fingers. Theo let out a shuddering gasp.

They broke away from their kiss to catch their breaths. Blaise lay on his side with a leg draped around Theo's waist. He was wearing shorts. Since they have come back from Hogwarts, Blaise has started to wear shorts more frequently. It wasn't odd considering the weather was warm, but it was odd because Blaise seldom wore them. Suppressing a smile, Theo laid a hand over his bare shin.

"I do like your legs," he said.

"What?"

"You asked me, remember?" Theo reminded him. "When you and Corben came to stay with me. I never answered. Well, it's a yes. I like your legs."

"Of course you do," Blaise said, smiling. He pulled down Theo's shirt and placed a hand on his abdomen. "You've gained weight," he said as though only just realising it. It was true. Theo had stood in the front of the mirror last week and stared at his protruding belly in shock. "Fowley and my mother must have come to an agreement to feed you as much as they can."

"So have you," Theo said, rolling his eyes.

"So have I?"

"You keep bringing me food," Theo pointed out. "I couldn't sleep that day and you made pancakes for me. At two in the morning. Who does that?"

Blaise laughed endearingly. He kissed Theo's cheek. "You deserve it."

They remained in each other's arms for a few more minutes before deciding that they should get back for breakfast. Blaise stood first and then pulled Theo up.

"Don't pretend that you don't love it when I make you eat," Blaise said as they made their way home. Theo blushed and didn't meet his eyes.

They were greeted with a chaotic kitchen, with Corben and Mrs Zabini yelling and Fowley reassuring them that everything was going to be fine. Nothing, however, seemed fine to Theo. A thick layer of smoke hung over them and a mysterious ticking noise was coming from one of the lidded pots on the stove.

But Fowley was smiling. She was wrapped in a clean, fluffy green towel that Mrs Zabini had given to her as soon as she'd stepped foot in the house. She was smiling and she was happy.

Blaise pulled out a chair for Theo and they sat watching the chaos unfolding before them.

Blaise squeezed his hand and smiled. "Welcome to the family."