Wordsarelife - Lizzy - Tumblr Blog
Blaise: Well, Draco, is there anything you would like to say to Tom? Draco: How do I put this delicately? You’re a horrible roommate and nobody likes you. Pansy: How about we frame our statement with “When you do this, it makes me feel this, because...”? Draco: When you live here, it makes me angry. Because you’re a horrible roommate and nobody likes you.
daniel le domas, the man you are 😍
Dangerous Game
pairing - daniel le domas x fem!reader
summary - daniel wants to help you survive a deadly game after you're caught in the le domas family's twisted tradition
warnings - talk about murder, maid!reader
wordcount - 1.3k
a/n - first time writing for him so I'm still figuring him out
The night began like any other.
You stepped into the Le Domas mansion in your pristine maid’s uniform, the black-and-white fabric brushing your legs as you smoothed it nervously. The place was massive—larger than any home you’d ever worked in before. The ceilings stretched impossibly high, chandeliers casting a warm golden glow across polished floors. The air was thick with the scent of old wood, leather-bound books, and a trace of something else, something metallic.
“Just keep your head down and do the job,” you whispered to yourself, trying to shake off the unease settling deep in your chest.
It had been two weeks since you started working for the Le Domas family. Two weeks of endless cleaning, serving, and carefully avoiding the family’s scrutinizing gazes. Most of the Le Domas clan barely looked at you unless they needed something. Rich, privileged, and ruthless—their reputation was well-earned. They treated their maids like furniture.
But one of them was different. Daniel. He wasn’t exactly kind, but he wasn’t cruel either. There were times when you caught him watching you, his gaze lingering just a second too long. When he spoke to you, it wasn’t with the same dismissiveness his siblings used. And though he seemed to carry the same entitled arrogance that the rest of his family wore so easily, you’d seen something else in him—a flicker of something more human.
You’d told yourself not to think too much about it. He was still a Le Domas, still part of that world of wealth and twisted privilege. He’d barely spoken to you over the last few weeks, though when he did, it was never in the way he spoke to the other staff. There was something gentler in his tone when he addressed you, a softness that set him apart from the others. You weren’t sure what to make of it. Maybe he was just bored. Or maybe he saw you as an amusing distraction from the mess his family was constantly embroiled in.
Still, you couldn’t deny the way your heart skipped a beat whenever he entered the room, or the way your stomach fluttered the few times his lips curled into a faint, almost hesitant smile as you passed him in the halls. You scolded yourself for the feelings growing in the pit of your stomach. He was rich, spoiled, and more than a little bit of an asshole, but there was something about him that you found yourself drawn to despite your better judgment.
A crash from down the hall snapped you from your thoughts. One of the other maids must have dropped a tray of glasses, and you winced as the sound shattered the calm of the night. Then, a scream—a gut-wrenching, blood-chilling scream echoed through the mansion, freezing you in place.
You turned toward the source of the sound, your heart thudding painfully in your chest. The polished floors, once so pristine, suddenly felt like a death trap. Something was happening, something you didn’t understand. You weren’t sure if you wanted to.
And that’s when you saw him. Daniel.
He appeared at the end of the hallway, his face tight, eyes wild and darker than you’d ever seen them. There was none of that playful aloofness you’d grown used to in the past weeks. He wasn’t the Daniel you’d caught glimpses of—the one who seemed just a little softer when he looked at you. This was something else, something dangerous.
Your stomach knotted in confusion as he strode toward you, his steps quick and deliberate. A part of you wanted to run, but the other part—the part that remembered those stolen glances, those fleeting moments—rooted you in place.
“Come with me. Now.” His voice was low, urgent.
You blinked, not quite processing the situation. “What’s—?”
“No time to explain,” he snapped, grabbing your wrist with a firm but not painful grip. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through you, but there was no time to dwell on it. His eyes softened for just a moment, but the fear behind them only deepened your own. “You need to hide. Right now.”
Your heart hammered in your chest as he pulled you down the hall, the confusion and dread building with every step. His grip tightened around your wrist, and you stumbled to keep up with his long strides.
“What’s happening? Daniel—”
“You don’t want to know,” he cut you off, his voice sharp but laced with regret. He didn’t slow down as he pulled you toward a small alcove near the back of the house. His jaw was clenched, tension radiating off him in waves. You’d never seen him like this before, and it terrified you.
He shoved you into a dark closet, slamming the door shut behind you. The sudden darkness pressed in around you, and your heart raced in the suffocating space. You pressed your ear against the door, trying to make sense of the sounds outside. The distant screams, the frantic footsteps, the laughter—twisted, cruel laughter. This wasn’t normal. This wasn’t right.
Your breath hitched as the door creaked open again, just a crack, and Daniel’s face reappeared in the dim light. His expression was haunted, conflicted, as if he was waging some internal battle. His usual composed demeanor was shattered, replaced by something raw, something vulnerable.
“They’re hunting,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Hide-and-seek, but with real consequences.” His jaw clenched, and you could see the bitterness behind his eyes. “If they find you, they might kill you.”
Your stomach twisted in horror. “What? Why—”
“It’s a tradition,” he spat, the word laced with venom. “A sick, twisted family tradition. You weren’t supposed to be a part of this. You were not even supposed to be working tonight, dammit!” He paused, his eyes flicking down the hall as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. “But once it starts, no one’s safe. Not even you.”
You swallowed hard, your mind spinning. “Why are you helping me?”
Daniel hesitated, his eyes meeting yours, the conflict in them more apparent than ever. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.
“Because I can’t stand by and watch another you die,” he muttered.
Your breath caught in your throat at the rawness of his confession. You stared at him, trying to reconcile the Daniel you thought you knew with the one standing before you now. He was part of this family—this horrifying, murderous family—and yet he was risking everything to help you.
“Thank you,” you whispered, unsure of what else to say. The words felt small, but they were all you had in the face of the overwhelming danger that lurked beyond that door.
Daniel’s gaze softened slightly, but his expression remained grim. “Don’t thank me yet,” he murmured. “We’re not out of this.”
For a moment, the two of you stood in silence, your world narrowing to just the space between you. The house around you was alive with danger, but in that small, darkened closet, it felt like time had slowed, like you were suspended in the quiet before the storm.
“You need to trust me,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
And despite everything—the terror, the uncertainty, the madness unfolding around you—you found yourself nodding. You trusted him, even if you didn’t fully understand why. Maybe it was the way he looked at you, or the quiet vulnerability in his voice. Or maybe it was just that, despite his flaws, he was still the only one standing between you and the nightmare beyond that door.
“Let’s go,” he said, and his hand reached for yours again, warm and steady, even as the rest of the world seemed to crumble.
You took it.
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⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 02: no, there ain't no doubt
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: you and theo begin to investigate the murder, while trying to keep the operation under wraps and each other save from the killer
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, murder
note: hello guys, welcome back to the second episode of nbnc!! i hope you like it so far! if you have any theories, do not be shy and share them in the comments!!!
you were staring at the wall across from you. dumbledores office was different than you would have imagined. you could hear the teachers voice, but it didn’t really reach your eyes, your mind wandering back and forth between what had happened prior.
professor burbages face was such a clear image in your mind. way too clear, way too disturbing. you could feel her eyes linger on you, feel the pain that had etched itself onto her features and the wetness of the blood on your fingers, that you had picked up as you had fallen back into the snow.
you felt theo’s arms around you, as he pulled you into the castle. you had felt his quick heartbeat against your ear, his shaky breath had been louder than yours and you hadn’t been able to stand on your own.
“it’s okay” he had muttered, pressing you to his chest, as if to shield you from every bad thing in the world. “you’re okay” his voice was muffled as he spoke into your hair, hiding his own face as if to gain some sort of comfort from the close proximity.
“did you see anyone?” mcgonagalls voice reached your ears and your mind broke free off the memory.
you shook your head, not having the ability to speak. theo send a worried glance in your direction. you were fiddeling with your hands in your lap, the look of terror still on your face.
“there was no one there” theo said. “we didn’t hear or see anything apart from what we told you” his voice had grown aggravated through all the questions you had had to answer. “can we please continue this another time?”
“just a few more questions, mr. nott” dumbledore said softly, holding a bowl filled with lemon drops towards you. both theo and you shook your head.
theo sighed, but nodded at the professor’s request. then, all of a sudden, he reached over and took your hand in his, so you could hold onto something and knew that he was there.
you looked up and theo send you a reassuring smile.
you ended up at the common room at half past three. the questioning had continued all throughout the night, with the teachers grappling to find answers. you were sure that they knew more than you, as they exchanged mysterious glances at everything theo and you told them.
you couldn’t stop thinking about it and you were so incredibly scared. you wished theo was there, he was the only one that understood what you were going through.
you climbed the stairs to your dorm, deciding that it was to no use to sit around the common room all alone. hermione was fast asleep when you opened the door. the teachers had probably informed them that you were being held back, but probably without disclosing the real reason.
you got rid of your uniform and changed into your pyjama. you took another glance at hermione, before you quietly walked to her bed and crawled under the blanket. she stirred a bit in her sleep, but didn’t wake up, as you pushed your face into the pillow next to her.
you needed some sort of comfort and just knowing she was there was enough to send you to sleep, the exhaustion taking over before your mind could wander back to the nights events again.
the next morning, the castle felt strangely quiet. you awoke after hermione, who had probably already left for breakfast or something else. for a moment, you simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness linger. but the memories crept back in as they always did—professor burbage’s face, the coldness of the snow, and the horror that gripped you when you realized something was terribly wrong.
you slipped out of hermione’s bed, there was no point in staying any longer, pretending that a few more hours of sleep could wash away what had happened. your limbs felt heavy as you dressed, your mind replaying the details over and over. every time you closed your eyes, it was there again—her face, twisted with fear, and the blood, so much of it, on your hands.
downstairs, the common room was empty, except for theo, who was waiting for you. his back was turned, his posture rigid as he stared into the fireplace.
“theo” you said in surprise. he turned around and send you a soft smile.
“i couldn’t sleep much” he muttered, “thought you might want some company”
“but the password?”
“it was way too easy to find out” he shook his head, laughing softly. “you guys should better change it” he added, a bit more worried, realizing the danger a security breach like that held.
you quickly nodded, your eyes wandering over his features that softened when he noticed the tears brimming in your eyes.
he stepped closer, pausing for a second, before he finally opened his arms, so you could cry against his chest.
“i’m sorry” you muttered, ruffling your nose. “i’m sorry”
“what for?” theo asked, voice calm and warm like he could send all your fears to sleep with a simple word. “you saw something terrible and rightfully it messed you up, it messed me up too”
“i’m glad you’re here” you whispered and you could feel him nod his head. “you’re the only one who understands”
“just like you” he smiled as you stepped back. “but i’m also here because of something else” he waited for your permission to explain.
“go on” you urged, cleaning the left over tears from your face with the back of your hand.
his hand went into the pocket of his trousers and he took out a folded piece of paper that he then held in your direction. you took it and opened it up. “professor burbage had that with her. outside”
your eyes studied the symbol on the paper. it looked familiar, but you couldn’t quite place it. the lines were sharp, forming an intricate design that seemed purposeful, almost like a rune. your heart started to race as you stared at the symbol, trying to pull the memory from the back of your mind.
“i’ve seen this before” you whispered, but your voice was uncertain. “i don’t know where, but i’ve definitely seen it”
theo leaned closer, his eyes scanning the paper along with you. “i thought the same thing when i found it. it was clenched in her hand. almost like… like she was trying to hold on to it.”
“did dumbledore see this?” you asked alarmed. “why did you take it?”
“i didn’t think properly before i did, it was the first thing that i saw, i realized only later that she had probably held it in her hand. otherwise it would’ve been wet”
“this is evidence, theo” you shook your head, brushing back your hair with the piece of paper still in your hand. “you can’t just take evidence from a crime scene!” you scolded.
“well, i didn’t know it was a crime scene when i took it” he excused. “apart from that, maybe the rune entails a secret message or something? something the killer could’ve used to get burbage outside”
your eyes widened, before you quickly nodded. “okay” you pushed the paper back into his hand. “what do we do now? go to dumbledore and tell him?”
“because that worked so great before” theo said softly, but you could hear the annoyance in his voice.
“he just said that we can’t be sure it’s a murder”
“well it looked like a bloody murder, didn’t it?” he grimaced, “all the blood”
“yeah” you agreed. “it definitely did. but what do you suggest we do if we won’t tell dumbledore? who could we tell then?”
“no one” theo shrugged. “we keep it between us, until we find out more”
“find out more?” you asked surprised. “do i look like sherlock holmes to you?”
“no, but you come close to doctor watson”
“ha ha” you shook your head and crossed your arms, before you thought for a second. “alright” you finally said “let’s get some breakfast, i might know someone who can help with that after”
he nodded, ready to leave the common room, but you held him back by his arm. “but not together, no one should know what we’re trying to find out. and no word about professor burbage, we don’t even know if it’s public knowledge yet”
“okay” theo muttered. “for someone who claims to have no idea about this, it comes to you pretty naturally”
“i’ve read a lot” you shrugged, but couldn’t bite back the smile that crept onto your face. “come on”
theo and you split up. you sat down at the gryffindor table next to ron and across from harry, while theo wandered off to the slytherin table to join his own friends.
“morning” harry greeted. “where have you been so long?” he wondered, before he raised his brows and touched your cheek. “have you been crying?”
you shook your head, quickly wiping over your cheeks to get rid of the remaining wetness. “no” you muttered. you couldn’t even trust your own voice. theo and you had sworn not to tell anyone what you knew and that probably included your brother. he would find out soon enough anyway.
“good morning” dumbledores voice rang out loud and clear throughout the hall, before harry had the chance to question you further. “something terrible happened yesterday” he paused for a second, before he added. “professor burbage has been found dead”
waves of shock went through the hall, as gazes were exchanged and heavy whisper broke through.
you looked at theo across from you. neither of you had thought that the teachers would share the news so fast.
“we can’t be sure what happened yet, but professor slughorn is currently trying to inform the aurors in the hope that we will soon have an answer to every question you might have” he smiled softly. “for now, please remain calm and—“
the door to the great hall flew open, revealing professor slughorn, who quickly hurried inside. “albus!” he called loudly, not caring who was listening “the castle—, it’s been” he shook his head, as if to try and rearrange his thoughts. “a terrible snowstorm has cut every tie to the outside world” he finished, having reached the teachers table, face reddened and trying to catch his breath.
no one in the hall dared to matter a word, not even ron, as the three of you stared up at the teachers table where dumbledore and slughorn were hurriedly whispering with each other.
“alright, alright” dumbledore nodded finally, as slughorn sank down in his seat. mcgonagall slightly tapped his shoulder in comfort, but slughorn looked like he was about to faint as he wept a hand through his thinning hair.
“it seems like another problem just introduced itself” dumbledore’s smile was unwavering, but you noticed a hint of discomfort on his face. the same discomfort he had worn the day before, when you had told him about professor burbage. “it’s seems that a magically forged storm has reached the hogwarts grounds. there is no need to worry, as this will be taken care of. as stated before, please remain calm, make sure to stay together and continue on with your day”
“magically forged?” harry muttered. “and what about professor burbage? what does she have to do with everything?”
“i don’t know” you replied warily, locking eyes with theo across the hall, before you nodded to the door. “i have to go” you told harry and ron, before you got up to leave.
“what? where?” harry tried to reach for your hand, but you drew it back quickly. “you’re acting strange, y/n. what’s going on?”
“nothing” you shook your head, quickly searching for an answer that would leave him satisfied. “well, i have this uh— girl problem that i need to talk to hermione about” you eventually replied, acting as if you were embarassed.
“oh” harry muttered, while ron’s cheeeks quickly grew rosy, as he averted his eyes. “okay, then go on” harry encouraged uncomfortably. “but, let me know if you need, uh, any help, yeah?”
you nodded and finally left the hall with a last wave to your friends. “bye” they answered your greeting, before they quickly turned their heads, falling into conversation with neville and ginny.
theo, who had caught your hint, met you in the corridor outside the great hall. “did you know they would tell everyone?” you blurted out as soon as he arrived.
“what? no!” he shook his head. “what’s even worse is the storm. do you think there’s a connection?”
“maybe the killer is not finished” you muttered, finger pressed to your chin, thinking.
theo kept silent, watching you with wide eyes, as he thought about what you said. “that means—“
“yeah” you nodded “he’s still here and his next victim is too”
“shit” theo shook his head, his hair moving and a few curls falling into his eyes. he tried to push them back, but it was to no use. his hair perfectly displayed how he was feeling on the inside. he sighed. “you might be right, but we have a chance to stop him, before anyone else gets hurt, so what do we do? you said you knew someone who could help with the rune?”
“hermione” you simply answered.
“of course” theo smirked. “who else?”
as you had expected, hermione hadn’t been at breakfast, not so late in the morning at least. not even the approaching christmas feist was an excuse for her to rest.
you found her in the library, sitting at a table, accompanied by various stacks of books. she was concentrating on a piece of parchment, as her finger expertelly swerved over the book in front of her.
“wait” theo said, holding your arm, before you could walk around the shelf you were standing behind.
“what?”
“maybe i should wait here” theo shrugged. “we agreed to tell no one that we are trying to find out more, remember?”
“yeah, uh, of course” you nodded, outstretching your hand to take the piece of paper with the rune on it into your own hand.
“i’ll wait here” theo promised and you smiled at his assurence.
hermione didn’t even look up when you called her name. she blessed you with ignorance, as she turned the page of her book.
“oh, y/n” she finally said, when you repeated the calling. she pushed one of the stacks of books to the side, so she could have a proper look at you. “are you alright?” she asked, brows furrowed as she stared at you in deep concentration.
you answered her question with a stunned expression to which she sighed, concluding she had to explain herself. “well, you slept in my bed last night, which you only do if you’re feeling unwell or scared” she paused and took another look at you “and you’re in the library before eleven”
“maybe i just wanted to sleep next to someone?” you muttered, cheeks turning red as you thought about theo hearing that you had been so scared the night before you had to sleep in someone elses bed.
hermione shot you a look that clearly said, don’t be ridiculous.
“okay, fine” you nodded. “professor burbage was found dead. i found her”
“i know” hermione said as if you were talking about the weather.
“how?” you asked confused. “dumbledore only announced it before i came here”
“you speak in your sleep” hermione informed. “i went here as soon as i finished eating. i’m trying to find out something about the magically forged snow storm outside”
“how did you—“
“my parent’s letter arrives every tuesday, eight a.m. sharp. this morning it didn’t” she shrugged. “that could only have two reasons: first, my parents forgot to send it, which they never did in six years and let’s be honest, they’re dentists”
you nodded, as if you understood the correlation between the punctuality of letters and dentists.
“or” she went on “somehow the owls had a problem coming through, which they never had before, not in a thousand years” she pointed to the edition of a history of magic in front of you. “then i took a look outside and there it was: snowstorm”
“yeah, okay” you nodded, impressed that she had found out all of that on her own.
“so, what do you need my help with?”
“how do you—“
hermione sighed. heavy. “library, you, eleven a.m., remember?”
“sorry” you winced, before you held the piece of paper in her direction. “professor burbage held this in her hand when i found her”
“this is evi—“
“it’s just a copy” you quickly lied, not willing to risk her going to dumbledore about this. she was your best friend, but she was still hermione.
hermione inspected the paper, before she sighed once more. “would you please tell nott to stop hiding behind the shelf? his eagerness is distracting me”
you didn’t even question how she knew about that, as theo stepped around the shelf and into the open. “hey, granger”
“hello” hermione didn’t even aknowledge the boy, instead she kept staring at the rune. “so you were there too, huh?” she finally said, as she gave the paper back to you.
“huh?” theo muttered, taken aback by her question.
“how did she look?” hermione continued without being fazed by theo’s lack of an answer. it seemed that she had already made up her mind about his involvement. “was there blood?”
“a lot” you nodded.
“well, it was obviously murder” hermione concluded. “but not by magic as it seems.”
“so you don’t know what this is?” you asked. she had not mentioned anything about the rune. “i think i have seen it before, it seems familiar”
“of course i know what it is” hermione replied almost offended. “and you recognize it, because you have seen it before. it was the coat of arms for an old underground organization at hogwarts— the nocturne society”
“of course” theo smiled in recognition. “it apparently got forbidden a few years ago”
“and rightfully so” hermione nodded, as she pushed one of the opened book into yours and theo’s direction. “here. they had connections to the dark arts, sometimes that ended in some real trouble”
you overflew the passages, which talked about various situations where the doing of the organization had led to injuries or other incidents in the school and grounds around it.
“well, why would someone draw this coat of arms on a piece of paper and give that to professor burbage?” you wondered.
“maybe to threaten her?” theo shrugged.
“actually” hermione interrupted, her voice cutting through the room as she glanced between you and theo. “it’s a warning. there have been rumors that the organization had returned, with new members of course, but this was always their way of warning those who came too close to their business”
“so professor burbage might have found out about something she shouldn’t” you concluded. “but would one of them go as far as murder? i mean if it’s someone from the nocturne society it has to be a student, right?”
hermione nodded. “a student with a broken moral compass and no respect for rules”
“i think rules are the least of their worries, granger” theo laughed.
hermione crossed her arms, unimpressed. “well, i wouldn’t know about any of those delinquents” she looked between the two of you, before she added “but i hear your friend riddle has a special appreciation for the dark arts—and certainly no less for forbidden underground organizations.”
you and theo exchanged a glance, before you nodded. “thank you hermione, you’ve been of great help”
“of course” hermione smiled and you and theo got up to leave, but she held you back. “be careful with him” she send a pointed look against theo’s back. “someone who’s so close to people who practice the dark arts might not be far from practicing it himself. he could be dangerous, y/n”
“i’ll be careful” you promised, intentionally ignoring everything else she said. “don’t mention it to harry”
“i won’t” hermione assured. “as long as you get out alive”
you caught up with theo, before he had even noticed you were missing. hermione continued her research on the magically forged snowstorm as the both of you left the library and her behind.
you found mattheo in the corridor to the slytherin corridor. he wasn’t alone, but heavily making out with a girl, which turned out to be millicent bulstrode. they didn’t notice either theo or you as you approached and theo had to physically tear them apart, after repeatedly calling mattheo’s name didn’t work.
“nott” mattheo groaned loudly, millicent still in his arms. she didn’t even acknowledge you.
mattheo furrowed his brows, as he noticed you behind theo. “potter” he exclaimed surprised. “came for a kiss, i suppose?” he kissed the air in front of him.
“hey!” millicent muttered, slapping a hand against mattheo’s chest, but making no move to leave.
“we need to talk to you” theo said coldly, not impressed by mattheo’s attempt to flirt with you.
“we?” mattheo laughed. “who’s we? you and potter dating now or what?”
“no” theo muttered between clenched teeth and even though you didn’t knew him well, you could tell that he was beginning to get angry. “we need to talk” he repeated.
“well, you can talk to me later” mattheo smirked unimpressed. “i have other things to do” he took a look at millicent, before he returned his eyes to theo and you. “everyone has to wait their turn.”
“you disgust me, mattheo” theo spit, before he took your arm to lead you out of the dungeon. “come on, we’ll come back later”
you nodded, quickly tearing your eyes away from millicent and mattheo, who had already begun kissing again. “is he always like that?” you asked and theo sighed, before he nodded.
“usually he is a bit more likeable”
“i hardly believe that” you laughed and theo smiled at you. “but maybe we can use the spare time to look for more clues in professor burbages office”
“you think that is a good idea?” theo quirked a brow, clearly challenging you.
“well, you thought investigating a murder was a good idea, so i won’t take any judgement from you”
theo laughed and you thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. you found it almost unbelievable how close the two of you had grown over the span of hours. theo had been practically a stranger all those years you had spent in the same school, but now he felt like he was the closest friend you had. trauma was a really bonding experience it seemed.
professor burbages office was right behind her classroom. a small staircase led up to the door, that held all the clues you were searching for.
“it’s locked” theo concluded when he tried opening the door.
“did you bring your wand?” you asked, but theo shook his head and you had to do the same, after he returned the question.
“well” you smiled, kneeling down in front of the keyhole. “then we need to do it the muggle way” you grabbed one of the bobbypins out of your hair and pushed it open, leaving a long and thing metal stem. you picked the lock expertly and the door sprung open in a matter of seconds.
“where did you learn that?” theo asked, surprised by your unusual skill.
“my aunt loved to lock the kitchen when harry and i were children” you shrugged. “sometimes we were so hungry, there was no other way”
theo nodded and you missed the look of compassion on his face, when you walked into the office before him.
once in the office, you split up, each of you searching a different half of the room.
you sorted through a stack of paper in the cabinet that stood at the back of the room, when you heard theo sigh loudly.
“this is just a bunch of school stuff” he muttered. “i had hoped for something clearer”
“like what?” you laughed.
“i don’t know” he shrugged, as he opened another drawer. “maybe a death threat?”
“i think the killer might be a bit smarter than that” you exclaimed, right as your eyes fell on an opened bottle on the dresser next to you. you raised your brows, before you took the bottle into your hand.
to burbage— for when the pressure gets too much. consider this a parting gift.
you frowned, rereading the cryptic message. "parting gift?" you glanced at the wine again, and suspicion clawed at your thoughts.
suddenly, a sickening realization dawned on you. the note wasn't a friendly gesture—it was ominous, almost mocking. as you examined the bottle closer, a faint but unmistakable scent lingered in the air—bitter almonds.
poison.
“theo,” you called, your voice tight as you held up the bottle. “come look at this—”
but before you could finish, a loud noise echoed from outside the office. both of you froze. heavy footsteps approached. they weren’t casual, nor hesitant. they were deliberate.
theo shot you a sharp look, his hand instinctively moving toward professor burbage’s wand that was still laying on top of her desk. you quickly placed the bottle back on the dresser, your heart pounding in your chest.
the footsteps grew louder, closer. someone was coming. someone who might have known exactly what you were about to find.
theo moved to the door, his face tense as he mouthed. “what now?”
before you could answer, the handle to the office door rattled.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff @uku-lelevillain @lexi2005 @lia-2008
(let me know if you want to be added/removed)
hehe (—me, knowing that the next cliffhanger will actually be worse 😈)
⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 02: no, there ain't no doubt
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: you and theo begin to investigate the murder, while trying to keep the operation under wraps and each other save from the killer
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, murder
note: hello guys, welcome back to the second episode of nbnc!! i hope you like it so far! if you have any theories, do not be shy and share them in the comments!!!
you were staring at the wall across from you. dumbledores office was different than you would have imagined. you could hear the teachers voice, but it didn’t really reach your eyes, your mind wandering back and forth between what had happened prior.
professor burbages face was such a clear image in your mind. way too clear, way too disturbing. you could feel her eyes linger on you, feel the pain that had etched itself onto her features and the wetness of the blood on your fingers, that you had picked up as you had fallen back into the snow.
you felt theo’s arms around you, as he pulled you into the castle. you had felt his quick heartbeat against your ear, his shaky breath had been louder than yours and you hadn’t been able to stand on your own.
“it’s okay” he had muttered, pressing you to his chest, as if to shield you from every bad thing in the world. “you’re okay” his voice was muffled as he spoke into your hair, hiding his own face as if to gain some sort of comfort from the close proximity.
“did you see anyone?” mcgonagalls voice reached your ears and your mind broke free off the memory.
you shook your head, not having the ability to speak. theo send a worried glance in your direction. you were fiddeling with your hands in your lap, the look of terror still on your face.
“there was no one there” theo said. “we didn’t hear or see anything apart from what we told you” his voice had grown aggravated through all the questions you had had to answer. “can we please continue this another time?”
“just a few more questions, mr. nott” dumbledore said softly, holding a bowl filled with lemon drops towards you. both theo and you shook your head.
theo sighed, but nodded at the professor’s request. then, all of a sudden, he reached over and took your hand in his, so you could hold onto something and knew that he was there.
you looked up and theo send you a reassuring smile.
you ended up at the common room at half past three. the questioning had continued all throughout the night, with the teachers grappling to find answers. you were sure that they knew more than you, as they exchanged mysterious glances at everything theo and you told them.
you couldn’t stop thinking about it and you were so incredibly scared. you wished theo was there, he was the only one that understood what you were going through.
you climbed the stairs to your dorm, deciding that it was to no use to sit around the common room all alone. hermione was fast asleep when you opened the door. the teachers had probably informed them that you were being held back, but probably without disclosing the real reason.
you got rid of your uniform and changed into your pyjama. you took another glance at hermione, before you quietly walked to her bed and crawled under the blanket. she stirred a bit in her sleep, but didn’t wake up, as you pushed your face into the pillow next to her.
you needed some sort of comfort and just knowing she was there was enough to send you to sleep, the exhaustion taking over before your mind could wander back to the nights events again.
the next morning, the castle felt strangely quiet. you awoke after hermione, who had probably already left for breakfast or something else. for a moment, you simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness linger. but the memories crept back in as they always did—professor burbage’s face, the coldness of the snow, and the horror that gripped you when you realized something was terribly wrong.
you slipped out of hermione’s bed, there was no point in staying any longer, pretending that a few more hours of sleep could wash away what had happened. your limbs felt heavy as you dressed, your mind replaying the details over and over. every time you closed your eyes, it was there again—her face, twisted with fear, and the blood, so much of it, on your hands.
downstairs, the common room was empty, except for theo, who was waiting for you. his back was turned, his posture rigid as he stared into the fireplace.
“theo” you said in surprise. he turned around and send you a soft smile.
“i couldn’t sleep much” he muttered, “thought you might want some company”
“but the password?”
“it was way too easy to find out” he shook his head, laughing softly. “you guys should better change it” he added, a bit more worried, realizing the danger a security breach like that held.
you quickly nodded, your eyes wandering over his features that softened when he noticed the tears brimming in your eyes.
he stepped closer, pausing for a second, before he finally opened his arms, so you could cry against his chest.
“i’m sorry” you muttered, ruffling your nose. “i’m sorry”
“what for?” theo asked, voice calm and warm like he could send all your fears to sleep with a simple word. “you saw something terrible and rightfully it messed you up, it messed me up too”
“i’m glad you’re here” you whispered and you could feel him nod his head. “you’re the only one who understands”
“just like you” he smiled as you stepped back. “but i’m also here because of something else” he waited for your permission to explain.
“go on” you urged, cleaning the left over tears from your face with the back of your hand.
his hand went into the pocket of his trousers and he took out a folded piece of paper that he then held in your direction. you took it and opened it up. “professor burbage had that with her. outside”
your eyes studied the symbol on the paper. it looked familiar, but you couldn’t quite place it. the lines were sharp, forming an intricate design that seemed purposeful, almost like a rune. your heart started to race as you stared at the symbol, trying to pull the memory from the back of your mind.
“i’ve seen this before” you whispered, but your voice was uncertain. “i don’t know where, but i’ve definitely seen it”
theo leaned closer, his eyes scanning the paper along with you. “i thought the same thing when i found it. it was clenched in her hand. almost like… like she was trying to hold on to it.”
“did dumbledore see this?” you asked alarmed. “why did you take it?”
“i didn’t think properly before i did, it was the first thing that i saw, i realized only later that she had probably held it in her hand. otherwise it would’ve been wet”
“this is evidence, theo” you shook your head, brushing back your hair with the piece of paper still in your hand. “you can’t just take evidence from a crime scene!” you scolded.
“well, i didn’t know it was a crime scene when i took it” he excused. “apart from that, maybe the rune entails a secret message or something? something the killer could’ve used to get burbage outside”
your eyes widened, before you quickly nodded. “okay” you pushed the paper back into his hand. “what do we do now? go to dumbledore and tell him?”
“because that worked so great before” theo said softly, but you could hear the annoyance in his voice.
“he just said that we can’t be sure it’s a murder”
“well it looked like a bloody murder, didn’t it?” he grimaced, “all the blood”
“yeah” you agreed. “it definitely did. but what do you suggest we do if we won’t tell dumbledore? who could we tell then?”
“no one” theo shrugged. “we keep it between us, until we find out more”
“find out more?” you asked surprised. “do i look like sherlock holmes to you?”
“no, but you come close to doctor watson”
“ha ha” you shook your head and crossed your arms, before you thought for a second. “alright” you finally said “let’s get some breakfast, i might know someone who can help with that after”
he nodded, ready to leave the common room, but you held him back by his arm. “but not together, no one should know what we’re trying to find out. and no word about professor burbage, we don’t even know if it’s public knowledge yet”
“okay” theo muttered. “for someone who claims to have no idea about this, it comes to you pretty naturally”
“i’ve read a lot” you shrugged, but couldn’t bite back the smile that crept onto your face. “come on”
theo and you split up. you sat down at the gryffindor table next to ron and across from harry, while theo wandered off to the slytherin table to join his own friends.
“morning” harry greeted. “where have you been so long?” he wondered, before he raised his brows and touched your cheek. “have you been crying?”
you shook your head, quickly wiping over your cheeks to get rid of the remaining wetness. “no” you muttered. you couldn’t even trust your own voice. theo and you had sworn not to tell anyone what you knew and that probably included your brother. he would find out soon enough anyway.
“good morning” dumbledores voice rang out loud and clear throughout the hall, before harry had the chance to question you further. “something terrible happened yesterday” he paused for a second, before he added. “professor burbage has been found dead”
waves of shock went through the hall, as gazes were exchanged and heavy whisper broke through.
you looked at theo across from you. neither of you had thought that the teachers would share the news so fast.
“we can’t be sure what happened yet, but professor slughorn is currently trying to inform the aurors in the hope that we will soon have an answer to every question you might have” he smiled softly. “for now, please remain calm and—“
the door to the great hall flew open, revealing professor slughorn, who quickly hurried inside. “albus!” he called loudly, not caring who was listening “the castle—, it’s been” he shook his head, as if to try and rearrange his thoughts. “a terrible snowstorm has cut every tie to the outside world” he finished, having reached the teachers table, face reddened and trying to catch his breath.
no one in the hall dared to matter a word, not even ron, as the three of you stared up at the teachers table where dumbledore and slughorn were hurriedly whispering with each other.
“alright, alright” dumbledore nodded finally, as slughorn sank down in his seat. mcgonagall slightly tapped his shoulder in comfort, but slughorn looked like he was about to faint as he wept a hand through his thinning hair.
“it seems like another problem just introduced itself” dumbledore’s smile was unwavering, but you noticed a hint of discomfort on his face. the same discomfort he had worn the day before, when you had told him about professor burbage. “it’s seems that a magically forged storm has reached the hogwarts grounds. there is no need to worry, as this will be taken care of. as stated before, please remain calm, make sure to stay together and continue on with your day”
“magically forged?” harry muttered. “and what about professor burbage? what does she have to do with everything?”
“i don’t know” you replied warily, locking eyes with theo across the hall, before you nodded to the door. “i have to go” you told harry and ron, before you got up to leave.
“what? where?” harry tried to reach for your hand, but you drew it back quickly. “you’re acting strange, y/n. what’s going on?”
“nothing” you shook your head, quickly searching for an answer that would leave him satisfied. “well, i have this uh— girl problem that i need to talk to hermione about” you eventually replied, acting as if you were embarassed.
“oh” harry muttered, while ron’s cheeeks quickly grew rosy, as he averted his eyes. “okay, then go on” harry encouraged uncomfortably. “but, let me know if you need, uh, any help, yeah?”
you nodded and finally left the hall with a last wave to your friends. “bye” they answered your greeting, before they quickly turned their heads, falling into conversation with neville and ginny.
theo, who had caught your hint, met you in the corridor outside the great hall. “did you know they would tell everyone?” you blurted out as soon as he arrived.
“what? no!” he shook his head. “what’s even worse is the storm. do you think there’s a connection?”
“maybe the killer is not finished” you muttered, finger pressed to your chin, thinking.
theo kept silent, watching you with wide eyes, as he thought about what you said. “that means—“
“yeah” you nodded “he’s still here and his next victim is too”
“shit” theo shook his head, his hair moving and a few curls falling into his eyes. he tried to push them back, but it was to no use. his hair perfectly displayed how he was feeling on the inside. he sighed. “you might be right, but we have a chance to stop him, before anyone else gets hurt, so what do we do? you said you knew someone who could help with the rune?”
“hermione” you simply answered.
“of course” theo smirked. “who else?”
as you had expected, hermione hadn’t been at breakfast, not so late in the morning at least. not even the approaching christmas feist was an excuse for her to rest.
you found her in the library, sitting at a table, accompanied by various stacks of books. she was concentrating on a piece of parchment, as her finger expertelly swerved over the book in front of her.
“wait” theo said, holding your arm, before you could walk around the shelf you were standing behind.
“what?”
“maybe i should wait here” theo shrugged. “we agreed to tell no one that we are trying to find out more, remember?”
“yeah, uh, of course” you nodded, outstretching your hand to take the piece of paper with the rune on it into your own hand.
“i’ll wait here” theo promised and you smiled at his assurence.
hermione didn’t even look up when you called her name. she blessed you with ignorance, as she turned the page of her book.
“oh, y/n” she finally said, when you repeated the calling. she pushed one of the stacks of books to the side, so she could have a proper look at you. “are you alright?” she asked, brows furrowed as she stared at you in deep concentration.
you answered her question with a stunned expression to which she sighed, concluding she had to explain herself. “well, you slept in my bed last night, which you only do if you’re feeling unwell or scared” she paused and took another look at you “and you’re in the library before eleven”
“maybe i just wanted to sleep next to someone?” you muttered, cheeks turning red as you thought about theo hearing that you had been so scared the night before you had to sleep in someone elses bed.
hermione shot you a look that clearly said, don’t be ridiculous.
“okay, fine” you nodded. “professor burbage was found dead. i found her”
“i know” hermione said as if you were talking about the weather.
“how?” you asked confused. “dumbledore only announced it before i came here”
“you speak in your sleep” hermione informed. “i went here as soon as i finished eating. i’m trying to find out something about the magically forged snow storm outside”
“how did you—“
“my parent’s letter arrives every tuesday, eight a.m. sharp. this morning it didn’t” she shrugged. “that could only have two reasons: first, my parents forgot to send it, which they never did in six years and let’s be honest, they’re dentists”
you nodded, as if you understood the correlation between the punctuality of letters and dentists.
“or” she went on “somehow the owls had a problem coming through, which they never had before, not in a thousand years” she pointed to the edition of a history of magic in front of you. “then i took a look outside and there it was: snowstorm”
“yeah, okay” you nodded, impressed that she had found out all of that on her own.
“so, what do you need my help with?”
“how do you—“
hermione sighed. heavy. “library, you, eleven a.m., remember?”
“sorry” you winced, before you held the piece of paper in her direction. “professor burbage held this in her hand when i found her”
“this is evi—“
“it’s just a copy” you quickly lied, not willing to risk her going to dumbledore about this. she was your best friend, but she was still hermione.
hermione inspected the paper, before she sighed once more. “would you please tell nott to stop hiding behind the shelf? his eagerness is distracting me”
you didn’t even question how she knew about that, as theo stepped around the shelf and into the open. “hey, granger”
“hello” hermione didn’t even aknowledge the boy, instead she kept staring at the rune. “so you were there too, huh?” she finally said, as she gave the paper back to you.
“huh?” theo muttered, taken aback by her question.
“how did she look?” hermione continued without being fazed by theo’s lack of an answer. it seemed that she had already made up her mind about his involvement. “was there blood?”
“a lot” you nodded.
“well, it was obviously murder” hermione concluded. “but not by magic as it seems.”
“so you don’t know what this is?” you asked. she had not mentioned anything about the rune. “i think i have seen it before, it seems familiar”
“of course i know what it is” hermione replied almost offended. “and you recognize it, because you have seen it before. it was the coat of arms for an old underground organization at hogwarts— the nocturne society”
“of course” theo smiled in recognition. “it apparently got forbidden a few years ago”
“and rightfully so” hermione nodded, as she pushed one of the opened book into yours and theo’s direction. “here. they had connections to the dark arts, sometimes that ended in some real trouble”
you overflew the passages, which talked about various situations where the doing of the organization had led to injuries or other incidents in the school and grounds around it.
“well, why would someone draw this coat of arms on a piece of paper and give that to professor burbage?” you wondered.
“maybe to threaten her?” theo shrugged.
“actually” hermione interrupted, her voice cutting through the room as she glanced between you and theo. “it’s a warning. there have been rumors that the organization had returned, with new members of course, but this was always their way of warning those who came too close to their business”
“so professor burbage might have found out about something she shouldn’t” you concluded. “but would one of them go as far as murder? i mean if it’s someone from the nocturne society it has to be a student, right?”
hermione nodded. “a student with a broken moral compass and no respect for rules”
“i think rules are the least of their worries, granger” theo laughed.
hermione crossed her arms, unimpressed. “well, i wouldn’t know about any of those delinquents” she looked between the two of you, before she added “but i hear your friend riddle has a special appreciation for the dark arts—and certainly no less for forbidden underground organizations.”
you and theo exchanged a glance, before you nodded. “thank you hermione, you’ve been of great help”
“of course” hermione smiled and you and theo got up to leave, but she held you back. “be careful with him” she send a pointed look against theo’s back. “someone who’s so close to people who practice the dark arts might not be far from practicing it himself. he could be dangerous, y/n”
“i’ll be careful” you promised, intentionally ignoring everything else she said. “don’t mention it to harry”
“i won’t” hermione assured. “as long as you get out alive”
you caught up with theo, before he had even noticed you were missing. hermione continued her research on the magically forged snowstorm as the both of you left the library and her behind.
you found mattheo in the corridor to the slytherin corridor. he wasn’t alone, but heavily making out with a girl, which turned out to be millicent bulstrode. they didn’t notice either theo or you as you approached and theo had to physically tear them apart, after repeatedly calling mattheo’s name didn’t work.
“nott” mattheo groaned loudly, millicent still in his arms. she didn’t even acknowledge you.
mattheo furrowed his brows, as he noticed you behind theo. “potter” he exclaimed surprised. “came for a kiss, i suppose?” he kissed the air in front of him.
“hey!” millicent muttered, slapping a hand against mattheo’s chest, but making no move to leave.
“we need to talk to you” theo said coldly, not impressed by mattheo’s attempt to flirt with you.
“we?” mattheo laughed. “who’s we? you and potter dating now or what?”
“no” theo muttered between clenched teeth and even though you didn’t knew him well, you could tell that he was beginning to get angry. “we need to talk” he repeated.
“well, you can talk to me later” mattheo smirked unimpressed. “i have other things to do” he took a look at millicent, before he returned his eyes to theo and you. “everyone has to wait their turn.”
“you disgust me, mattheo” theo spit, before he took your arm to lead you out of the dungeon. “come on, we’ll come back later”
you nodded, quickly tearing your eyes away from millicent and mattheo, who had already begun kissing again. “is he always like that?” you asked and theo sighed, before he nodded.
“usually he is a bit more likeable”
“i hardly believe that” you laughed and theo smiled at you. “but maybe we can use the spare time to look for more clues in professor burbages office”
“you think that is a good idea?” theo quirked a brow, clearly challenging you.
“well, you thought investigating a murder was a good idea, so i won’t take any judgement from you”
theo laughed and you thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. you found it almost unbelievable how close the two of you had grown over the span of hours. theo had been practically a stranger all those years you had spent in the same school, but now he felt like he was the closest friend you had. trauma was a really bonding experience it seemed.
professor burbages office was right behind her classroom. a small staircase led up to the door, that held all the clues you were searching for.
“it’s locked” theo concluded when he tried opening the door.
“did you bring your wand?” you asked, but theo shook his head and you had to do the same, after he returned the question.
“well” you smiled, kneeling down in front of the keyhole. “then we need to do it the muggle way” you grabbed one of the bobbypins out of your hair and pushed it open, leaving a long and thing metal stem. you picked the lock expertly and the door sprung open in a matter of seconds.
“where did you learn that?” theo asked, surprised by your unusual skill.
“my aunt loved to lock the kitchen when harry and i were children” you shrugged. “sometimes we were so hungry, there was no other way”
theo nodded and you missed the look of compassion on his face, when you walked into the office before him.
once in the office, you split up, each of you searching a different half of the room.
you sorted through a stack of paper in the cabinet that stood at the back of the room, when you heard theo sigh loudly.
“this is just a bunch of school stuff” he muttered. “i had hoped for something clearer”
“like what?” you laughed.
“i don’t know” he shrugged, as he opened another drawer. “maybe a death threat?”
“i think the killer might be a bit smarter than that” you exclaimed, right as your eyes fell on an opened bottle on the dresser next to you. you raised your brows, before you took the bottle into your hand.
to burbage— for when the pressure gets too much. consider this a parting gift.
you frowned, rereading the cryptic message. "parting gift?" you glanced at the wine again, and suspicion clawed at your thoughts.
suddenly, a sickening realization dawned on you. the note wasn't a friendly gesture—it was ominous, almost mocking. as you examined the bottle closer, a faint but unmistakable scent lingered in the air—bitter almonds.
poison.
“theo,” you called, your voice tight as you held up the bottle. “come look at this—”
but before you could finish, a loud noise echoed from outside the office. both of you froze. heavy footsteps approached. they weren’t casual, nor hesitant. they were deliberate.
theo shot you a sharp look, his hand instinctively moving toward professor burbage’s wand that was still laying on top of her desk. you quickly placed the bottle back on the dresser, your heart pounding in your chest.
the footsteps grew louder, closer. someone was coming. someone who might have known exactly what you were about to find.
theo moved to the door, his face tense as he mouthed. “what now?”
before you could answer, the handle to the office door rattled.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff @uku-lelevillain @lexi2005 @lia-2008
(let me know if you want to be added/removed)
lmaooo!! thank you, it was so fun to write 😭😂🫶🏻
—karma
pairing: theo nott x fem!hufflepuff reader (a weasley sibling)
summary: karma is the way you wear his jersey, making sure his team will lose the game
warnings: sexual references, reader is implied to be shorter than theo
notes: i imagined the jersey a bit more like a basketball one or a lacrosse trikot
“here” theo was holding a folded shirt in your direction. you had been sitting on his bed for the past hour, leaning against the bed frame while you were reading your book.
he had spent the time laying with his head in your lap, enjoying your fingers combing through his curls, until he had stood up a few minutes ago.
“what?” you asked looking up from your book. it took you a few seconds to register that the piece of fabric in his hand was his quidditch jersey.
“here” he repeated, throwing it down on the bed.
“yeah, i heard that” you smiled, unfolding the shirt to inspect it further “is something wrong with it? does it have a hole you want me to fix or something?”
theo laughed unamused at your bad joke. “i think i have enough magical knowledge to fix it myself if it had a hole” he shook his head “i want you to wear it tonight”
“tonight?” you asked and he nodded. he was dead serious and you began to laugh. “no” you shook your head “absolutely not”
“come on, baby” he pleaded, sitting down in front of you, pushing the fabric in your direction.
“it wouldn’t be as much of a problem if you guys were playing against ravenclaw or even hufflepuff, i could care less then. but you’re playing against gryffindor, you’re playing against my brothers”
“so what about it?” theo was trying to let his eyes appear bigger than they were, knowing that it would actually help his case.
“what about it?” you repeated laughing, not falling for his tactic of manipulation “everything is wrong with that. even my house will probably be offended when they see me wearing a slytherin jersey. i mean no one really cheers for slytherin, apart from, yeah you guessed it, slytherin”
it was no secret that every house had a bit of a distaste for slytherin. even your house, hufflepuff, which was normally filled with generous and nice people, was cheering for gryffindor. and of course your brothers and your sister were in gryffindor, so it only added to the appeal of cheering for them.
“they would not” theo shook his head “and that’s offensive! a lot of people want us to win, people that aren’t in slytherin”
“name three people” you said, crossing your arms and wearing a winning smile. he was searching for words but eventually just gave up.
“baby” he muttered with that sweet voice he only used when you guys were.. let’s just say in private. you hated to admit it, but it made you weak in the knees.
“theo” you whined, noticing his hand finding a place on your thigh and his thumb rubbing over the exposed skin beneath your skirt “it’s probably way too big, it’ll look weird”
“you could never look weird” theo muttered.
you rolled your eyes, knowing that he had already tricked you into agreeing, the soft kisses he was pestering all over your face also did not help you to stay strong. “okay” you sighed, feeling satisfaction at the big smile that broke out on your boyfriends face.
you pushed the shirt into your bag next to the bed, going back to your book, theo happily cuddling back into your lap.
well, you thought, if you had to wear his shirt, their might also be a way to have fun with it and secure gryffindor’s win in doing so.
even if that way meant to possibly embarrass you in front of the whole school, including your siblings.
but what had do be done.. had to be done, or atleast you figured as much. and in the end, most of them would probably thank you for doing what was needed to make sure gryffindor won. because even though no one wanted to see slytherin win, everyone had to admit that they were strong opponents.
it was just a few hours later, that you parted ways with theo, going back to your dorm to get ready for the match.
“hey, y/n!” hannah, your roommate greeted when she saw you walk through the door.
you repeated the greeting, before you took the jersey from your bag, holding it up in front of her. “do you want to help gryffindor to win tonight?”
she smiled brightly at you, already figuring that you had something mischievous planned by how you were smiling.
it took about an hour to get you ready for the game. hannah did her best in helping you. you had put on a bit of makeup and curled your hair, but hannah had made the most important move, sticking the jersey close to your body, so that it was fitting like a tight dress, not leaving much to the imagining or much fabric to flow down your legs. you were glad that it was long enough to cover your arse, but also not long enough to keep theo’s eyes off of you.
he always got weak when he could see your legs and he had told you before that it was hard to keep his eyes away when you were wearing something tight, making him remember that there was only a thin fabric keeping your body clothed.
tonight you would use that to your advantage.
you were lucky that it was still summer, making it possible after all to wear something so revealing.
you and hannah walked into the direction of the stadium, before she hugged you goodbye quickly, walking off into the hufflepuff stand, while you walked towards where your brother and sister and your friends were sitting in the gryffindor stand. if that alone didn’t make you enemy of the night you weren’t sure what did. it was really a bit daring, sitting in the middle of the gryffindors, while wearing a slytherin jersey, but you knew that you would stick out to theo even more that way.
you slid in the seat in between ron and ginny, greeting them.
“woah” ron raised his hand, looking you up and down “what are you wearing?” his eyes had grown bigger once they had reached the end of your made up dress, probably expecting it to be a tad bit longer.
“what?” ginny asked “i think she looks terrific!”
“she does” hermione smiled next to ron.
ron could not believe what he was hearing. “are you hearing yourselves? she’s literally wearing a slytherin jers— whatever that even is”
“he boyfriend plays for slytherin” hermione shrugged, matter of factly.
ron was busy ignoring hermione and shrugging off his thin jacket. he put it around you shoulders quickly. “you’re basically naked” he argued “please cover yourself at least a bit”
“that’s slut-shaming” ginny crossed her arms and ron looked horrified at that. you almost had to laugh at your brothers expression.
“i-i didn’t mean” ron stuttered, trying to justify what he had said “i wasn’t calling you a slut, i swear”
“i know” you interrupted his rambling “it’s alright ron, i’ll wear the jacket if it makes you happy, it’ll work even better then”
“what will work?” hermione was now bending over ron, ever so interested in what you had planned.
“well, gryffindor will win tonight, let’s just say that”
“i like the sound of that” ginny rubbed her hands together.
“cheating isn’t fair, y/n” hermione furrowed her eyebrows “nor is it allowed”
“i know, hermione” you laughed “and we won’t cheat, i promise. it just happens to be amazing for me and very bad for him that my boyfriend is incredibly attracted to me”
“you’re gonna distract him with seduction?” ginny asked and she was even more excited than you. you nodded and she grinned.
“ew” ron grimaced “can’t you please keep that kind of stuff behind closed doors? i don’t want to see your boyfriend get a hard-on in the middle of the quidditch field”
you furrowed your eyebrows at your brother. “do you want to win or not?”
he seemed unsure, but then eventually nodded.
“that’s what i thought” you smiled, patting his head “it will be over faster than you will even notice it happening, i promise”
“sure” ron muttered, hiding his face in his hands.
there wasn’t time to argue about anything else, because the game began.
the minute the teams flew onto the field you were looking for theo, trying to spot him in the haze of green uniforms. your eyes landed on him eventually and you smiled.
as if he could feel your eyes on him, he turned his head at you. you took that as the perfect opportunity to get rid of ron’s jacket, pulling down the jersey a bit so your cleavage was showing. you could practically watch him slowly lose his mind.
“it’s working” ginny muttered next to you
“i know” you smirked, noticing that theo was still standing perfectly still, watching you across the field.
mattheo, who had noticed his friend had frozen in the middle of the field, took it upon himself to shake theo from his trance.
“what’s wrong with you?” he asked, pinching the boys elbow.
theo did not answer mattheos question so the latter tried to simply follow the eyes of his friend.
“shit” mattheo muttered when he noticed you sitting in the front row of the gryffindor stands, basically wearing nothing. “fuck” he added “this is even too much for me”
that seemed to have been enough to free theo from his trance “what the fuck, riddle?”
“i’m just a man” mattheo shrugged. he then just narrowly escaped theo’s hand, that had been coming close to hit him.
“get it together, man” theo rolled his eyes, concentrating back on the game, but still having you in the back of his mind.
for the first half of the game, slytherin and gryffindor were close to each other considering points, when one of them had one more, the other quickly scored the next, always keeping them even.
“i don’t think it’s working” ron said after some time of eyes jumping between either side of the field.
“it will” you assured.
and you would be right. during the second half of the game, the sides were switched and theo was now much closer to you, making it even harder for him to not look at you.
you turned your head to the slytherin side, smiling at theo and also involuntarily mattheo, who was flying next to your boyfriend.
theo was caught up in the moment once again, watching the way you flipped your hair over your shoulder or the way your lips moved as you threw a kiss in his direction.
a movement next to him made him perk up. it was mattheo once again.
“did you just catch my girlfriends kiss?” theo asked offended and a bit surprised at the same time.
“..no?” mattheo lied.
“stop lying i saw you do it” theo muttered “stop looking at her”
“how do you know the kiss wasn’t supposed for me?” mattheo asked and theo was surprised that he seemed to actually be serious.
“you mean how i know that my girlfriends kiss wasn’t for you? take a wild guess, mate”
mattheo rolled his eyes, giving theo the peace and quiet to continue looking at you.
madam hooch blew the whistle, indicating that the second half of the game had begone. while everyone started moving, mattheo and theo stayed right where they were.
their staring was eventually interrupted by one very angry malfoy. “hey idiots!” he called and theo and mattheo turned to him in surprise “how about you concentrate on the fucking game and make out with y/n later?”
“sure” mattheo and theo answered at the same time.
theo send mattheo an angry look. “you are not going to make out with my girlfriend”
“we don’t know what she’s into yet” mattheo shrugged, once again dodging a slap from his friend.
“oh we do know” theo assured, before he flew across the field, picking up his position again.
the rest of the game was going a lot less smoother than the first half. theo was missing almost every goal he was trying to throw, accidentally hitting enzo once, almost making the boy fall of the broom.
it seemed that whatever enzo did, had made him the victim of theo and mattheo slipping up. mattheo actually managed to hit enzo’s broom with a bludger, almost making him fall down onto the field. luckily blaise had been able to stabalise the broom before it could come to that.
to your surprise neither fred or george came over to ridicule you for wearing the jersey. of course you knew that they were much more laid back than ron, but more often than not they liked to play the big brothers and give theo a hard time. even if they secretly liked him.
they seemed delighted at your plan working the way it did, using theo’s distraction to their advantage, scoring multiple points in a row.
“what’s wrong with the both of you?” blaise muttered absentmindedly, when he had to, once again, call for enzo to move before mattheo’s bludger could hit him.
by the end of the game, slytherin was behind by a hundred points, enzo had a black eye from the one time theo had accidentally succeeded in hitting him instead of the goal, mattheo and theo had flown into each other multiple times and ron was wearing an impressed smile.
“well, look at that” ron said, after you had finished cheering for gryffindors win “who would’ve thought that would work?”
“eh.. me?” you asked, crossing your arms.
“me too” ginny added, hugging you from behind “our sister is a genius, ron”
“that was actually really smart” hermione complimented and you smiled at her approval.
“thanks guys” you nodded “i better go apologize to theo now though. here’s your jacket”
ron was grimacing once again “you can keep it. better put it on before you go down there”
“yeah” you nodded, before you excused yourself, rushing down the stand in the direction of the slytherin changing room.
theo was leaning against the wall, seemingly already expecting you. he was rubbing his arm and you were guessing that he probably had a few marks from crashing into mattheo that many times.
“hey, baby” you smiled.
he was not looking happy, but you knew that he wasn’t actually angry.
“you played really well” you softly held him by the neck.
“we lost” theo muttered, like you were offending him.
“i know” you lay your head to the side “but you still did your best”
“i played like a goddamn beginner” theo furrowed his eyebrow “don’t act so innocent now, i know what you had in mind”
“do you?” you smirked up at him and he was going feral by the way you quickly closed and opened your eyes, suggesting you did not know what he was talking about.
“yeah” he muttered “and it’s super unfair” his fingers down went to the zipper of ron’s jacket “and what’s even more unfair is that you’re all covered now”
“i don’t have to make sure you lose a game now” you added
“oh, totally” theo nodded “my bad”
“you know i love you baby” you whispered into his ear “so i did what you asked me to do”
theo shook his head, impressed how you could still spin this to be his own fault. “i guess you’re right” he finally gave in. “how about we go back to the castle? i still have to shower”
“i knew you wouldn’t be able to be mad at me” you smiled. “but is enzo alright?”
“he will be fine” theo said a bit too quickly. as if to prove his words to be utter bullshit, enzo walked out of the door behind the both of you, holding a cold pack to his bruising eye.
“hey y/n” he greeted once he had been able to recognize you with his other eye.
“hi enzo” you smiled sympathetically “i’m sorry about your eye and everything”
“it’s alright” enzo smiled and you were impressed that he was still this calm after literally being beat up by his best friends.
“sorry” you cringed again as you watched him walk away. he waved at you from afar. “you really did a number on him”
“totally matt’s fault” theo excused.
“totally” you nodded “so will matt be joining us for the shower?” you joked, hinting at the way the boy had been staring at you the entire time, even going as far as catching the kiss that you had clearly send in theo’s direction.
“don’t even start” theo muttered, taking your hand in his and starting to walk up back to the castle.
“maybe i should wear your jersey more often”
“we’ll burn it after this”
you giggled, before you quickened your pace to keep up with him. “maybe just in private” you assured, kissing his cheek.
theo smiled and you mirrored his expression. “i guess that would be alright”
the highest compliment 💗💗
⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 02: no, there ain't no doubt
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: you and theo begin to investigate the murder, while trying to keep the operation under wraps and each other save from the killer
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, murder
note: hello guys, welcome back to the second episode of nbnc!! i hope you like it so far! if you have any theories, do not be shy and share them in the comments!!!
you were staring at the wall across from you. dumbledores office was different than you would have imagined. you could hear the teachers voice, but it didn’t really reach your eyes, your mind wandering back and forth between what had happened prior.
professor burbages face was such a clear image in your mind. way too clear, way too disturbing. you could feel her eyes linger on you, feel the pain that had etched itself onto her features and the wetness of the blood on your fingers, that you had picked up as you had fallen back into the snow.
you felt theo’s arms around you, as he pulled you into the castle. you had felt his quick heartbeat against your ear, his shaky breath had been louder than yours and you hadn’t been able to stand on your own.
“it’s okay” he had muttered, pressing you to his chest, as if to shield you from every bad thing in the world. “you’re okay” his voice was muffled as he spoke into your hair, hiding his own face as if to gain some sort of comfort from the close proximity.
“did you see anyone?” mcgonagalls voice reached your ears and your mind broke free off the memory.
you shook your head, not having the ability to speak. theo send a worried glance in your direction. you were fiddeling with your hands in your lap, the look of terror still on your face.
“there was no one there” theo said. “we didn’t hear or see anything apart from what we told you” his voice had grown aggravated through all the questions you had had to answer. “can we please continue this another time?”
“just a few more questions, mr. nott” dumbledore said softly, holding a bowl filled with lemon drops towards you. both theo and you shook your head.
theo sighed, but nodded at the professor’s request. then, all of a sudden, he reached over and took your hand in his, so you could hold onto something and knew that he was there.
you looked up and theo send you a reassuring smile.
you ended up at the common room at half past three. the questioning had continued all throughout the night, with the teachers grappling to find answers. you were sure that they knew more than you, as they exchanged mysterious glances at everything theo and you told them.
you couldn’t stop thinking about it and you were so incredibly scared. you wished theo was there, he was the only one that understood what you were going through.
you climbed the stairs to your dorm, deciding that it was to no use to sit around the common room all alone. hermione was fast asleep when you opened the door. the teachers had probably informed them that you were being held back, but probably without disclosing the real reason.
you got rid of your uniform and changed into your pyjama. you took another glance at hermione, before you quietly walked to her bed and crawled under the blanket. she stirred a bit in her sleep, but didn’t wake up, as you pushed your face into the pillow next to her.
you needed some sort of comfort and just knowing she was there was enough to send you to sleep, the exhaustion taking over before your mind could wander back to the nights events again.
the next morning, the castle felt strangely quiet. you awoke after hermione, who had probably already left for breakfast or something else. for a moment, you simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness linger. but the memories crept back in as they always did—professor burbage’s face, the coldness of the snow, and the horror that gripped you when you realized something was terribly wrong.
you slipped out of hermione’s bed, there was no point in staying any longer, pretending that a few more hours of sleep could wash away what had happened. your limbs felt heavy as you dressed, your mind replaying the details over and over. every time you closed your eyes, it was there again—her face, twisted with fear, and the blood, so much of it, on your hands.
downstairs, the common room was empty, except for theo, who was waiting for you. his back was turned, his posture rigid as he stared into the fireplace.
“theo” you said in surprise. he turned around and send you a soft smile.
“i couldn’t sleep much” he muttered, “thought you might want some company”
“but the password?”
“it was way too easy to find out” he shook his head, laughing softly. “you guys should better change it” he added, a bit more worried, realizing the danger a security breach like that held.
you quickly nodded, your eyes wandering over his features that softened when he noticed the tears brimming in your eyes.
he stepped closer, opening his arms, so you could cry against his chest.
“i’m sorry” you muttered, ruffling your nose. “i’m sorry”
“what for?” theo asked, voice calm and warm like he could send all your fears to sleep with a simple word. “you saw something terrible and rightfully it messed you up, it messed me up too”
“i’m glad you here” you whispered and you could feel him nod his head. “you’re the only one who understands”
“just like you” he smiled as you stepped back. “but i’m also here because of something else” he waited for your permission to explain.
“go on” you urged, cleaning the left over tears from your face with the back of your hand.
his hand went into the pocket of his trousers and he took out a folded piece of paper that he then held in your direction. you took it and opened it up. “professor burbage had that with her. outside”
your eyes studied the symbol on the paper. it looked familiar, but you couldn’t quite place it. the lines were sharp, forming an intricate design that seemed purposeful, almost like a rune. your heart started to race as you stared at the symbol, trying to pull the memory from the back of your mind.
“i’ve seen this before” you whispered, but your voice was uncertain. “i don’t know where, but i’ve definitely seen it”
theo leaned closer, his eyes scanning the paper along with you. “i thought the same thing when i found it. it was clenched in her hand. almost like… like she was trying to hold on to it.”
“did dumbledore see this?” you asked alarmed. “why did you take it?”
“i didn’t think properly before i did, it was the first thing that i saw, i realized only later that she had probably held it in her hand. otherwise it would’ve been wet”
“this is evidence, theo” you shook your head, brushing back your hair with the piece of paper still in your hand. “you can’t just take evidence from a crime scene!” you scolded.
“well, i didn’t know it was a crime scene when i took it” he excused. “apart from that, maybe the rune entails a secret message or something? something the killer could’ve used to get burbage outside”
your eyes widened, before you quickly nodded. “okay” you pushed the paper back into his hand. “what do we do now? go to dumbledore and tell him?” “because that worked so great before” theo said softly, but you could hear the annoyance in his voice.
“he just said that we can’t be sure it’s a murder”
“well it looked like a bloody murder, didn’t it?” he grimaced, “all the blood”
“yeah” you agreed. “it definetly did. but what do you suggest if we won’t tell dumbledore? who could we tell then?”
“no one” theo shrugged. “we keep it between us, until we find out more”
“find out more?” you asked surprised. “do i look like sherlock holmes to you?”
“no, but you come close to doctor watson”
“ha ha” you shook your head and crossed your arms, before you thought fot a second. “alright” you finally said “let’s get some breakfast, i might know someone who can help with that”
he nodded, ready to leave the common room, but you held him back by his arm. “but not together, no one should know what we’re trying to find out. and no word about professor burbage, we don’t even know if it’s public knowledge yet”
“okay” theo muttered. “for someone who claims to have no idea about this, it comes to you pretty naturally”
“i’ve read a lot” you shrugged, but couldn’t bite back the smile that crept onto your face. “come on”
theo and you split up. you sat down at the gryffindor table next to ron and across from harry, while theo wandered off to the slytherin table to join his own friends.
“morning” harry greeted. “where have you been so long?” he wondered, before he raised his brows and touched your cheek. “have you been crying?”
you shook your head, quickly wiping over your cheeks to get rid of the remaining wetness. “no” you muttered. you couldn’t even trust your own voice. theo and you had sworn not to tell anyone what you knew and that probably included your brother. he would find out soon enough anyway.
“good morning” dumbledores voice rang out loud and clear throughout the hall, before harry had the chance to question you further. “something terrible happened yesterday” he paused for a second, before he added. “professor burbage has been found dead”
ein raunen??? went through the hall, as gazes were exchanged and heavy whisper broke through.
you looked at theo across from you. neither of you had thought that the teachers would share the news so fast.
“we can’t be sure what happened yet, but professor slughorn is currently trying to inform the aurors in the hope that we will soon have an answer to every question you might have” he smiled softly. “for now, please remain calm and—“
the door to the great hall flew open, revealing professor slughorn, who quickly hurried inside. “albus!” he called loudly, not caring who was listening “the castle—, it’s been” he shook his head, as if to try and rearrange his mind. “a terrible snowstorm has cut every tie to the outside world” he finished, having reached the teachers table, face reddened and trying to catch his breath.
no one in the hall dared to matter a word, not even ron, as the three of you stared up at the teachers table where dumbledore and slughorn were hurriedly whispering with each other.
“alright, alright” dumbledore nodded finally, as slughorn sank down in his seat. mcgonagall slightly tapped his shoulder in comfort, but slughorn looked like he was about to faint as he wept a hand through his thinning hair.
“it seems like another problem just introduced itself” dumbledore’s smile was unwavering, but you noticed a hint of discomfort it in his face. the same discomfort he had worn the day before, when you had told him about professor burbage. “it’s seems that a magically forged storm has reached the hogwarts grounds. there is no need to worry, as this will be taken care of. as stated before, please remain calm and make sure to stay together and continue on with your day”
“magically forged?” harry muttered. “and what about professor burbage? what does she have to do with everything?”
“i don’t know” you replied warily, locking eyes with theo across the hall, before you nodded to the door. “i have to go” you told harry and ron, before you got up to leave.
“what? where?” harry tried to reach for your hand, but you drew it back quickly. “you’re acting strange, y/n. what’s going on?”
“nothing” you shook your head, quickly searching for an answer that would leave him satisfied. “well, i have this uh— girl problem that i need to talk to hermione about” you eventually replied, acting as if you were embarassed.
“oh” harry muttered, while ron’s cheeeks quickly grew rosy, as he averted his eyes. “okay, then go on” harry encouraged uncomfortably. “but, let me know if you need, uh, any help, yeah?”
you nodded and finally left the hall with a last wave to your friends. “bye” they answered your greeting, before they quickly turned their heads, falling into conversation with neville and ginny.
theo, who had caught your hint, met you in the corridor outside the great hall. “did you know they would tell everyone?” you blurtet out as soon as he arrived.
“what? no” he shook his head. “what’s even worse is the storm. do you think there’s a connection?”
“maybe the killer is not finished” you muttered, finger pressed to your chin, thinking.
theo kept silent, watching you with wide eyes, as he thought about what you said. “that means—“
“yeah” you nodded “he’s still here and his next victim is too”
“shit” theo shook his head, his hair moving and a few curls falling into his eyes. he tried to push them back, but it was to no use. his hair perfectly displayed how he was feeling on the inside. he sighed. “you might be right, but we have a chance to stop him, before anyone else gets hurt, so what do we do? you said you knew someone who could help with the rune?”
“hermione” you simply answered.
“of course” theo smirked. “who else?”
as you had expected hermione hadn’t been at breakfast, not so late in the morning at least. not even the approaching christmas feist was an excuse for her to rest.
you found her in the library, sitting at a table, accompanied by various stacks of books. she was concentrating on a piece of parchment, as her finger expertelly swerved over the book in front of her.
“wait” theo said, holding your arm, before you could walk around the shelf you were standing behind.
“what?”
“maybe i should wait here” theo shrugged. “we agreed to tell no one that we are trying to find out more, remember?”
“yeah, uh, of course” you nodded, outstretching your hand to take the piece of paper with the rune on it into your own hand.
“i’ll wait here” theo promised and you smiled at his assurence.
hermione didn’t even look up when you called her name. she blessed you with ignorance, as she turned the page of her book.
“oh, y/n” she finally said, when you repeated the calling. she pushed one of the stacks of books to the side, so she could have a proper look at you. “are you alright?” she asked, brows furrowed as she stared at you in deep concentration.
you answered her question with a stunned expression to which she sighed, concluding she had to explain herself. “well, you slept in my bed last night, which you only do if you’re feeling unwell or scared” she paused and took another look at you “and you’re in the library before eleven”
“maybe i just wanted to sleep next to someone?” you muttered, cheeks turning red as you thought about theo hearing that you had been so scared the night before you had to sleep in someone elses bed.
hermione shot you a look that clearly said, con’t be ridiculous.
“okay, fine” you nodded. “professor burbage was found dead. i found her”
“i know” hermione said as if you were talking about the weather.
“how?” you asked confused. “dumbledore only announced it before i came here”
“you speak in your sleep” hermione informed. “i went here as soon as i finished eating. i’m trying to find out something about the magically forged snow storm outside”
“how did you—“
“my parent’s letter arrives every tuesday, eight a.m. sharp. this morning it didn’t” she shrugged. “that could only have two reasons: first, my parents forgot to send it, which they never did in six years and let’s be honest, they’re dentists”
you nodded, as if you understood the correlation between the punctuality of letters and dentists.
“or” she went on “somehow the owls had a problem coming through, which they never had before, not in a thousand years” she pointed to the edition of a history of magic in front of you. “then i took a look outside and there it was: snowstorm”
“yeah, okay” you nodded, impressed that she had found out all of that on her own.
“so, what do you need my help with?”
“how do you—“
hermione sighed. heavy. “library, you, eleven a.m., remember?”
“sorry” you winced, before you held the piece of paper in her direction. “professor burbage held this in her hand when i found her”
“this is evi—“
“it’s just a copy” you quickly lied, not willing to risk her going to dumbledore about this. she was your best friend, but she was still hermione.
hermione inspected the paper, before she sighed once more. “would you please tell nott to stop hiding behind the shelf? his eagerness is distracting me”
you didn’t even question how she knew about that, as theo stepped around the shelf and into the open. “hey, granger”
“hello” hermione didn’t even aknowledge the boy, instead she kept staring at the rune. “so you were there too, huh?” she finally said, as she gave the paper back to you.
“huh?” theo muttered, taken aback by her question.
“how did she look?” hermione continued without being fazed by theo’s lack of an answer, it seemed that she had already made up her mind about his involvement. “was there blood?”
“a lot” you nodded.
“well, it was obviously murder” hermione concluded. “but not by magic as it seems.”
“so you don’t know what this is?” you asked. she had not mentioned anything about the rune. “i think i have seen it before, it seems familiar”
“of course i know what it is” hermione replied almost offended. “and you recognize it, because you have seen it before. it was the coat of arms for an old underground organization at hogwarts— the nocturne society”
“of course” theo smiled in recognition. “it apparently got forbidden a few years ago”
“and rightfully so” hermione nodded, as she pushed one of the opened book into yours and theo’s direction. “here. they had connections to the dark arts, sometimes ended in some real trouble”
you overflew the passages, which talked about various incidents where the doing of the organization had led to injuries or other incidents in the school and grounds around it.
“well, why whould someone draw the coat of arms on a piece of paper and give that to professor burbage?” you wondered.
“maybe to threaten her?” theo shrugged.
“actually” hermione interrupted, her voice cutting through the room as she glanced between you and theo. “it’s warning a warning. there have been rumors that the organization had returned, with new members of course, but this was always their way of warning those who came too close to their business”
“so professor burbage might have found out about something she shouldn’t” you concluded. “but would one of them go as far as murder? i mean if it’s someone from the nocturne society it has to be a student, right?”
hermione nodded. “a students with a broken moral compass and no fear of rules”
“i think rules are the least of their worries, granger” theo laughed.
hermione crossed her arms, unimpressed. “well, i wouldn’t know about any of those deliqeunts” she looked between the two of you, before she added “but i hear your friend riddle has a special appreciation for the dark arts—and certainly no less for forbidden underground organizations.”
you and theo exchanged a glance, before you nodded. “thank you hermione, you’ve been of great help”
“of course” hermione smiled and you and theo got up to leave, but she held you back. “be careful with him” she send a pointed look against theo’s back. “someone who’s so close to people who practice the dark arts might not be far from practicing it himself. he could be dangerous, y/n”
“i’ll be careful” you promised, intentionally ignoring everything else she said. “don’t mention it to harry”
“i won’t” hermione assured. “as long as you get out alive”
you caught up with theo, before he had even noticed you were missing. hermione continued her research on the magically forged snowstorm as the both of you left the library and her behind.
you found mattheo in the corridor to the slytherin corridor. he wasn’t alone, but heavily making out with a girl, which turned out to be millicent bulstrode. they didn’t noticed either theo or you as you approached.
theo had to physically tear them apart, as repeatedly calling mattheo’s name didn’t work.
“nott” mattheo groaned loudly, millicent still in his arms. she didn’t even acknowledge you.
mattheo furrowed his brows, as he noticed you behind theo. “potter” he exclaimed surprised. “came for a kiss, i suppose?” he kissed the air in front of him.
“hey!” millicent muttered, slapping a hand against mattheo’s chest, but making no move to leave.
“we need to talk to you” theo said coldly, not impressed by mattheo’s attempt to flirt with you.
“we?” mattheo laughed. “who’s we? you and potter dating now or what?”
“no” theo muttered between clenched teeth and even though you didn’t knew him well, you could tell that he was beginning to get angry. “we need to talk” he repeated.
“well, you can talk to me later” mattheo smirked unimpressed. “i have other things to do” he took a look at millicent, before he returned his eyes to theo and you. “everyone has to wait their turn.”
“you disgust me, mattheo” theo spit, before he took your arm to lead you out of the dungeon. “come on, we’ll come back later”
you nodded, quickly tearing your eyes away from millicent and mattheo, who had already begun kissing again. “is he always like that?” you asked and theo sighed, before he nodded.
“usually he is a bit more likeable”
“i hardly believe that” you laughed and theo smiled at you. “but maybe we can use the spare time to look for more clues in professor burbages office”
“you think that is a good idea?” theo quirked a brow, clearly challenging you.
“well, you thought investigating a murder was a good idea, so i won’t take any judgement from you”
theo laughed and you thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. you found it almost unbelievable how close the two of you had grown over the span of hours. theo had been practically a stranger all those years you had spent in the same school, but now he felt like he was the closest friend you had. trauma was a really bonding experience it seemed.
professor burbages office was right behind her classroom. a small staircase led up to the door, that held all the clues you were searching for.
“it’s locked” theo concluded when he tried opening the door.
“did you bring your wand?” you asked, but theo shook his head and you had to do the same, after he returned the question.
“well” you smiled, kneeling down in front of the keyhole. “then we need to do it the muggle way” you grabbed one of the bobbypins out of your hair and pushed it open, leaving a long and thing metal stem. you picked the lock expertly and the door sprung open in a matter of seconds.
“where did you learn this?” theo asked surprised by the unusual skill.
“my aunt loved to look the kitchen when harry and i were children” you shrugged. “sometimes we were so hungry, there was no other way”
theo nodded and you missed the look of compassion on his face, when you walked into the office before him.
once in the office, you split up, each of you searching a different half of the room.
you sorted through a stack of paper in the cabinet that stood at the back of the room, when you heard theo sigh loudly.
“this is just a bunch of school stuff” he muttered. “i had hoped for something clearer”
“like what?” you laughed.
“i don’t know” he shrugged, as he opened another drawer. “maybe a death threat?”
“i think the killer might be a bit smarter than that” you exclaimed, right as your eyes fell on an opened bottle on the dresser next to you. you raised your brows, before you took the bottle into your hand.
to burbage— for when the pressure gets too much. consider this a parting gift.
you frowned, rereading the cryptic message. "parting gift?" you glanced at the wine again, and suspicion clawed at your thoughts.
suddenly, a sickening realization dawned on you. the note wasn't a friendly gesture—it was ominous, almost mocking. as you examined the bottle closer, a faint but unmistakable scent lingered in the air—bitter almonds.
poison.
“theo,” you called, your voice tight as you held up the bottle. “come look at this—”
but before you could finish, a loud noise echoed from outside the office. both of you froze. heavy footsteps approached. they weren’t casual, nor hesitant. they were deliberate.
theo shot you a sharp look, his hand instinctively moving toward professor burbage’s wand that was still laying on top of her desk. you quickly placed the bottle back on the dresser, your heart pounding in your chest.
the footsteps grew louder, closer. someone was coming. someone who might have known exactly what you were about to find.
theo moved to the door, his face tense as he mouthed. “what now?”
before you could answer, the handle to the office door rattled.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff @uku-lelevillain @lexi2005
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⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 02: no, there ain't no doubt
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: you and theo begin to investigate the murder, while trying to keep the operation under wraps and each other save from the killer
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, murder
note: hello guys, welcome back to the second episode of nbnc!! i hope you like it so far! if you have any theories, do not be shy and share them in the comments!!!
you were staring at the wall across from you. dumbledores office was different than you would have imagined. you could hear the teachers voice, but it didn’t really reach your eyes, your mind wandering back and forth between what had happened prior.
professor burbages face was such a clear image in your mind. way too clear, way too disturbing. you could feel her eyes linger on you, feel the pain that had etched itself onto her features and the wetness of the blood on your fingers, that you had picked up as you had fallen back into the snow.
you felt theo’s arms around you, as he pulled you into the castle. you had felt his quick heartbeat against your ear, his shaky breath had been louder than yours and you hadn’t been able to stand on your own.
“it’s okay” he had muttered, pressing you to his chest, as if to shield you from every bad thing in the world. “you’re okay” his voice was muffled as he spoke into your hair, hiding his own face as if to gain some sort of comfort from the close proximity.
“did you see anyone?” mcgonagalls voice reached your ears and your mind broke free off the memory.
you shook your head, not having the ability to speak. theo send a worried glance in your direction. you were fiddeling with your hands in your lap, the look of terror still on your face.
“there was no one there” theo said. “we didn’t hear or see anything apart from what we told you” his voice had grown aggravated through all the questions you had had to answer. “can we please continue this another time?”
“just a few more questions, mr. nott” dumbledore said softly, holding a bowl filled with lemon drops towards you. both theo and you shook your head.
theo sighed, but nodded at the professor’s request. then, all of a sudden, he reached over and took your hand in his, so you could hold onto something and knew that he was there.
you looked up and theo send you a reassuring smile.
you ended up at the common room at half past three. the questioning had continued all throughout the night, with the teachers grappling to find answers. you were sure that they knew more than you, as they exchanged mysterious glances at everything theo and you told them.
you couldn’t stop thinking about it and you were so incredibly scared. you wished theo was there, he was the only one that understood what you were going through.
you climbed the stairs to your dorm, deciding that it was to no use to sit around the common room all alone. hermione was fast asleep when you opened the door. the teachers had probably informed them that you were being held back, but probably without disclosing the real reason.
you got rid of your uniform and changed into your pyjama. you took another glance at hermione, before you quietly walked to her bed and crawled under the blanket. she stirred a bit in her sleep, but didn’t wake up, as you pushed your face into the pillow next to her.
you needed some sort of comfort and just knowing she was there was enough to send you to sleep, the exhaustion taking over before your mind could wander back to the nights events again.
the next morning, the castle felt strangely quiet. you awoke after hermione, who had probably already left for breakfast or something else. for a moment, you simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting the stillness linger. but the memories crept back in as they always did—professor burbage’s face, the coldness of the snow, and the horror that gripped you when you realized something was terribly wrong.
you slipped out of hermione’s bed, there was no point in staying any longer, pretending that a few more hours of sleep could wash away what had happened. your limbs felt heavy as you dressed, your mind replaying the details over and over. every time you closed your eyes, it was there again—her face, twisted with fear, and the blood, so much of it, on your hands.
downstairs, the common room was empty, except for theo, who was waiting for you. his back was turned, his posture rigid as he stared into the fireplace.
“theo” you said in surprise. he turned around and send you a soft smile.
“i couldn’t sleep much” he muttered, “thought you might want some company”
“but the password?”
“it was way too easy to find out” he shook his head, laughing softly. “you guys should better change it” he added, a bit more worried, realizing the danger a security breach like that held.
you quickly nodded, your eyes wandering over his features that softened when he noticed the tears brimming in your eyes.
he stepped closer, pausing for a second, before he finally opened his arms, so you could cry against his chest.
“i’m sorry” you muttered, ruffling your nose. “i’m sorry”
“what for?” theo asked, voice calm and warm like he could send all your fears to sleep with a simple word. “you saw something terrible and rightfully it messed you up, it messed me up too”
“i’m glad you’re here” you whispered and you could feel him nod his head. “you’re the only one who understands”
“just like you” he smiled as you stepped back. “but i’m also here because of something else” he waited for your permission to explain.
“go on” you urged, cleaning the left over tears from your face with the back of your hand.
his hand went into the pocket of his trousers and he took out a folded piece of paper that he then held in your direction. you took it and opened it up. “professor burbage had that with her. outside”
your eyes studied the symbol on the paper. it looked familiar, but you couldn’t quite place it. the lines were sharp, forming an intricate design that seemed purposeful, almost like a rune. your heart started to race as you stared at the symbol, trying to pull the memory from the back of your mind.
“i’ve seen this before” you whispered, but your voice was uncertain. “i don’t know where, but i’ve definitely seen it”
theo leaned closer, his eyes scanning the paper along with you. “i thought the same thing when i found it. it was clenched in her hand. almost like… like she was trying to hold on to it.”
“did dumbledore see this?” you asked alarmed. “why did you take it?”
“i didn’t think properly before i did, it was the first thing that i saw, i realized only later that she had probably held it in her hand. otherwise it would’ve been wet”
“this is evidence, theo” you shook your head, brushing back your hair with the piece of paper still in your hand. “you can’t just take evidence from a crime scene!” you scolded.
“well, i didn’t know it was a crime scene when i took it” he excused. “apart from that, maybe the rune entails a secret message or something? something the killer could’ve used to get burbage outside”
your eyes widened, before you quickly nodded. “okay” you pushed the paper back into his hand. “what do we do now? go to dumbledore and tell him?”
“because that worked so great before” theo said softly, but you could hear the annoyance in his voice.
“he just said that we can’t be sure it’s a murder”
“well it looked like a bloody murder, didn’t it?” he grimaced, “all the blood”
“yeah” you agreed. “it definitely did. but what do you suggest we do if we won’t tell dumbledore? who could we tell then?”
“no one” theo shrugged. “we keep it between us, until we find out more”
“find out more?” you asked surprised. “do i look like sherlock holmes to you?”
“no, but you come close to doctor watson”
“ha ha” you shook your head and crossed your arms, before you thought for a second. “alright” you finally said “let’s get some breakfast, i might know someone who can help with that after”
he nodded, ready to leave the common room, but you held him back by his arm. “but not together, no one should know what we’re trying to find out. and no word about professor burbage, we don’t even know if it’s public knowledge yet”
“okay” theo muttered. “for someone who claims to have no idea about this, it comes to you pretty naturally”
“i’ve read a lot” you shrugged, but couldn’t bite back the smile that crept onto your face. “come on”
theo and you split up. you sat down at the gryffindor table next to ron and across from harry, while theo wandered off to the slytherin table to join his own friends.
“morning” harry greeted. “where have you been so long?” he wondered, before he raised his brows and touched your cheek. “have you been crying?”
you shook your head, quickly wiping over your cheeks to get rid of the remaining wetness. “no” you muttered. you couldn’t even trust your own voice. theo and you had sworn not to tell anyone what you knew and that probably included your brother. he would find out soon enough anyway.
“good morning” dumbledores voice rang out loud and clear throughout the hall, before harry had the chance to question you further. “something terrible happened yesterday” he paused for a second, before he added. “professor burbage has been found dead”
waves of shock went through the hall, as gazes were exchanged and heavy whisper broke through.
you looked at theo across from you. neither of you had thought that the teachers would share the news so fast.
“we can’t be sure what happened yet, but professor slughorn is currently trying to inform the aurors in the hope that we will soon have an answer to every question you might have” he smiled softly. “for now, please remain calm and—“
the door to the great hall flew open, revealing professor slughorn, who quickly hurried inside. “albus!” he called loudly, not caring who was listening “the castle—, it’s been” he shook his head, as if to try and rearrange his thoughts. “a terrible snowstorm has cut every tie to the outside world” he finished, having reached the teachers table, face reddened and trying to catch his breath.
no one in the hall dared to matter a word, not even ron, as the three of you stared up at the teachers table where dumbledore and slughorn were hurriedly whispering with each other.
“alright, alright” dumbledore nodded finally, as slughorn sank down in his seat. mcgonagall slightly tapped his shoulder in comfort, but slughorn looked like he was about to faint as he wept a hand through his thinning hair.
“it seems like another problem just introduced itself” dumbledore’s smile was unwavering, but you noticed a hint of discomfort on his face. the same discomfort he had worn the day before, when you had told him about professor burbage. “it’s seems that a magically forged storm has reached the hogwarts grounds. there is no need to worry, as this will be taken care of. as stated before, please remain calm, make sure to stay together and continue on with your day”
“magically forged?” harry muttered. “and what about professor burbage? what does she have to do with everything?”
“i don’t know” you replied warily, locking eyes with theo across the hall, before you nodded to the door. “i have to go” you told harry and ron, before you got up to leave.
“what? where?” harry tried to reach for your hand, but you drew it back quickly. “you’re acting strange, y/n. what’s going on?”
“nothing” you shook your head, quickly searching for an answer that would leave him satisfied. “well, i have this uh— girl problem that i need to talk to hermione about” you eventually replied, acting as if you were embarassed.
“oh” harry muttered, while ron’s cheeeks quickly grew rosy, as he averted his eyes. “okay, then go on” harry encouraged uncomfortably. “but, let me know if you need, uh, any help, yeah?”
you nodded and finally left the hall with a last wave to your friends. “bye” they answered your greeting, before they quickly turned their heads, falling into conversation with neville and ginny.
theo, who had caught your hint, met you in the corridor outside the great hall. “did you know they would tell everyone?” you blurted out as soon as he arrived.
“what? no!” he shook his head. “what’s even worse is the storm. do you think there’s a connection?”
“maybe the killer is not finished” you muttered, finger pressed to your chin, thinking.
theo kept silent, watching you with wide eyes, as he thought about what you said. “that means—“
“yeah” you nodded “he’s still here and his next victim is too”
“shit” theo shook his head, his hair moving and a few curls falling into his eyes. he tried to push them back, but it was to no use. his hair perfectly displayed how he was feeling on the inside. he sighed. “you might be right, but we have a chance to stop him, before anyone else gets hurt, so what do we do? you said you knew someone who could help with the rune?”
“hermione” you simply answered.
“of course” theo smirked. “who else?”
as you had expected, hermione hadn’t been at breakfast, not so late in the morning at least. not even the approaching christmas feist was an excuse for her to rest.
you found her in the library, sitting at a table, accompanied by various stacks of books. she was concentrating on a piece of parchment, as her finger expertelly swerved over the book in front of her.
“wait” theo said, holding your arm, before you could walk around the shelf you were standing behind.
“what?”
“maybe i should wait here” theo shrugged. “we agreed to tell no one that we are trying to find out more, remember?”
“yeah, uh, of course” you nodded, outstretching your hand to take the piece of paper with the rune on it into your own hand.
“i’ll wait here” theo promised and you smiled at his assurence.
hermione didn’t even look up when you called her name. she blessed you with ignorance, as she turned the page of her book.
“oh, y/n” she finally said, when you repeated the calling. she pushed one of the stacks of books to the side, so she could have a proper look at you. “are you alright?” she asked, brows furrowed as she stared at you in deep concentration.
you answered her question with a stunned expression to which she sighed, concluding she had to explain herself. “well, you slept in my bed last night, which you only do if you’re feeling unwell or scared” she paused and took another look at you “and you’re in the library before eleven”
“maybe i just wanted to sleep next to someone?” you muttered, cheeks turning red as you thought about theo hearing that you had been so scared the night before you had to sleep in someone elses bed.
hermione shot you a look that clearly said, don’t be ridiculous.
“okay, fine” you nodded. “professor burbage was found dead. i found her”
“i know” hermione said as if you were talking about the weather.
“how?” you asked confused. “dumbledore only announced it before i came here”
“you speak in your sleep” hermione informed. “i went here as soon as i finished eating. i’m trying to find out something about the magically forged snow storm outside”
“how did you—“
“my parent’s letter arrives every tuesday, eight a.m. sharp. this morning it didn’t” she shrugged. “that could only have two reasons: first, my parents forgot to send it, which they never did in six years and let’s be honest, they’re dentists”
you nodded, as if you understood the correlation between the punctuality of letters and dentists.
“or” she went on “somehow the owls had a problem coming through, which they never had before, not in a thousand years” she pointed to the edition of a history of magic in front of you. “then i took a look outside and there it was: snowstorm”
“yeah, okay” you nodded, impressed that she had found out all of that on her own.
“so, what do you need my help with?”
“how do you—“
hermione sighed. heavy. “library, you, eleven a.m., remember?”
“sorry” you winced, before you held the piece of paper in her direction. “professor burbage held this in her hand when i found her”
“this is evi—“
“it’s just a copy” you quickly lied, not willing to risk her going to dumbledore about this. she was your best friend, but she was still hermione.
hermione inspected the paper, before she sighed once more. “would you please tell nott to stop hiding behind the shelf? his eagerness is distracting me”
you didn’t even question how she knew about that, as theo stepped around the shelf and into the open. “hey, granger”
“hello” hermione didn’t even aknowledge the boy, instead she kept staring at the rune. “so you were there too, huh?” she finally said, as she gave the paper back to you.
“huh?” theo muttered, taken aback by her question.
“how did she look?” hermione continued without being fazed by theo’s lack of an answer. it seemed that she had already made up her mind about his involvement. “was there blood?”
“a lot” you nodded.
“well, it was obviously murder” hermione concluded. “but not by magic as it seems.”
“so you don’t know what this is?” you asked. she had not mentioned anything about the rune. “i think i have seen it before, it seems familiar”
“of course i know what it is” hermione replied almost offended. “and you recognize it, because you have seen it before. it was the coat of arms for an old underground organization at hogwarts— the nocturne society”
“of course” theo smiled in recognition. “it apparently got forbidden a few years ago”
“and rightfully so” hermione nodded, as she pushed one of the opened book into yours and theo’s direction. “here. they had connections to the dark arts, sometimes that ended in some real trouble”
you overflew the passages, which talked about various situations where the doing of the organization had led to injuries or other incidents in the school and grounds around it.
“well, why would someone draw this coat of arms on a piece of paper and give that to professor burbage?” you wondered.
“maybe to threaten her?” theo shrugged.
“actually” hermione interrupted, her voice cutting through the room as she glanced between you and theo. “it’s a warning. there have been rumors that the organization had returned, with new members of course, but this was always their way of warning those who came too close to their business”
“so professor burbage might have found out about something she shouldn’t” you concluded. “but would one of them go as far as murder? i mean if it’s someone from the nocturne society it has to be a student, right?”
hermione nodded. “a student with a broken moral compass and no respect for rules”
“i think rules are the least of their worries, granger” theo laughed.
hermione crossed her arms, unimpressed. “well, i wouldn’t know about any of those delinquents” she looked between the two of you, before she added “but i hear your friend riddle has a special appreciation for the dark arts—and certainly no less for forbidden underground organizations.”
you and theo exchanged a glance, before you nodded. “thank you hermione, you’ve been of great help”
“of course” hermione smiled and you and theo got up to leave, but she held you back. “be careful with him” she send a pointed look against theo’s back. “someone who’s so close to people who practice the dark arts might not be far from practicing it himself. he could be dangerous, y/n”
“i’ll be careful” you promised, intentionally ignoring everything else she said. “don’t mention it to harry”
“i won’t” hermione assured. “as long as you get out alive”
you caught up with theo, before he had even noticed you were missing. hermione continued her research on the magically forged snowstorm as the both of you left the library and her behind.
you found mattheo in the corridor to the slytherin corridor. he wasn’t alone, but heavily making out with a girl, which turned out to be millicent bulstrode. they didn’t notice either theo or you as you approached and theo had to physically tear them apart, after repeatedly calling mattheo’s name didn’t work.
“nott” mattheo groaned loudly, millicent still in his arms. she didn’t even acknowledge you.
mattheo furrowed his brows, as he noticed you behind theo. “potter” he exclaimed surprised. “came for a kiss, i suppose?” he kissed the air in front of him.
“hey!” millicent muttered, slapping a hand against mattheo’s chest, but making no move to leave.
“we need to talk to you” theo said coldly, not impressed by mattheo’s attempt to flirt with you.
“we?” mattheo laughed. “who’s we? you and potter dating now or what?”
“no” theo muttered between clenched teeth and even though you didn’t knew him well, you could tell that he was beginning to get angry. “we need to talk” he repeated.
“well, you can talk to me later” mattheo smirked unimpressed. “i have other things to do” he took a look at millicent, before he returned his eyes to theo and you. “everyone has to wait their turn.”
“you disgust me, mattheo” theo spit, before he took your arm to lead you out of the dungeon. “come on, we’ll come back later”
you nodded, quickly tearing your eyes away from millicent and mattheo, who had already begun kissing again. “is he always like that?” you asked and theo sighed, before he nodded.
“usually he is a bit more likeable”
“i hardly believe that” you laughed and theo smiled at you. “but maybe we can use the spare time to look for more clues in professor burbages office”
“you think that is a good idea?” theo quirked a brow, clearly challenging you.
“well, you thought investigating a murder was a good idea, so i won’t take any judgement from you”
theo laughed and you thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world. you found it almost unbelievable how close the two of you had grown over the span of hours. theo had been practically a stranger all those years you had spent in the same school, but now he felt like he was the closest friend you had. trauma was a really bonding experience it seemed.
professor burbages office was right behind her classroom. a small staircase led up to the door, that held all the clues you were searching for.
“it’s locked” theo concluded when he tried opening the door.
“did you bring your wand?” you asked, but theo shook his head and you had to do the same, after he returned the question.
“well” you smiled, kneeling down in front of the keyhole. “then we need to do it the muggle way” you grabbed one of the bobbypins out of your hair and pushed it open, leaving a long and thing metal stem. you picked the lock expertly and the door sprung open in a matter of seconds.
“where did you learn that?” theo asked, surprised by your unusual skill.
“my aunt loved to lock the kitchen when harry and i were children” you shrugged. “sometimes we were so hungry, there was no other way”
theo nodded and you missed the look of compassion on his face, when you walked into the office before him.
once in the office, you split up, each of you searching a different half of the room.
you sorted through a stack of paper in the cabinet that stood at the back of the room, when you heard theo sigh loudly.
“this is just a bunch of school stuff” he muttered. “i had hoped for something clearer”
“like what?” you laughed.
“i don’t know” he shrugged, as he opened another drawer. “maybe a death threat?”
“i think the killer might be a bit smarter than that” you exclaimed, right as your eyes fell on an opened bottle on the dresser next to you. you raised your brows, before you took the bottle into your hand.
to burbage— for when the pressure gets too much. consider this a parting gift.
you frowned, rereading the cryptic message. "parting gift?" you glanced at the wine again, and suspicion clawed at your thoughts.
suddenly, a sickening realization dawned on you. the note wasn't a friendly gesture—it was ominous, almost mocking. as you examined the bottle closer, a faint but unmistakable scent lingered in the air—bitter almonds.
poison.
“theo,” you called, your voice tight as you held up the bottle. “come look at this—”
but before you could finish, a loud noise echoed from outside the office. both of you froze. heavy footsteps approached. they weren’t casual, nor hesitant. they were deliberate.
theo shot you a sharp look, his hand instinctively moving toward professor burbage’s wand that was still laying on top of her desk. you quickly placed the bottle back on the dresser, your heart pounding in your chest.
the footsteps grew louder, closer. someone was coming. someone who might have known exactly what you were about to find.
theo moved to the door, his face tense as he mouthed. “what now?”
before you could answer, the handle to the office door rattled.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff @uku-lelevillain @lexi2005 @lia-2008
(let me know if you want to be added/removed)
ahhh of course!!
⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 01: dinner and a glass of wine
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: the christmas holidays have just begun, but still a threatening atmosphere lies in the air and suddenly, you find yourself at a crime scene
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, (small) jump-scare
note: hello guys, welcome to the first episode of no body, no crime!! i’m so excited for this series and hope you enjoy it as much as i do!! the next episode is coming out next monday!! let me know what you think in the comments <333
the soft tunes of christmas music filled the air around you. the great hall was less filled than normal, most of the students deciding to go home for the holidays.
"can you pass me the potatoes, please?" ron's red hair was illuminated by the soft glow of the fairylights behind him. the auburn sweater he was wearing was highlighting the contrast even more.
"here" hermione said, holding the bowl across the table, as ron eagerly grabbed it.
"where's ginny?" harry muttered. he had his nose buried in a book about quidditch techniques you had bought in hogsmeade. he had been busy studying it all night, but apparently not busy enough to not notice ginny's absence.
"she's sitting with luna" you pointed out, as your eyes glided along the slytherin table. ginny and her had grown closer since the beginning of the year and you had to admit that you had quickly taken a liking to the blonde girl. she was a bit strange, admittedly, but lovely none the less.
"she's been busy all year" ron muttered, mouth filled to the brim. "seems like we've gotten too boring for her"
"allow your sister to have her own friends" hermione shoke her head. "and for gods sake, please close your mouth, ronald."
despite the approaching festivity, the atmosphere in the hall was eerie. maybe because only a few people were sitting at eachs house table, making the hall seem weirdly out of place.
the slytherin table was by far the emptiest. probably because most purblooded and traditional wizard families made a hail mary out of everything that would allow a party, showing off their wealth and status.
the only thing that contradicted this assumption was that several children from the most influential pureblood families had chosen to stay. your gaze swept across the table, taking in each one in turn.
draco malfoy, displaying a usual attitude of displeasurement. you guessed that the malfoys weren't the people to listen to christmas music around the holidays.
next to him, blaise zabini, who was munching on a mouth full portion of potatoes just like ron was.
across from them and her back facing the rest of the hall, including your line of sight, pansy parkinson. her perfect cut bob of black hair moving slightly everytime she turned her head to the side, as she attentively listened to what draco was telling her.
a few feet away, mattheo riddle and lorenzo berkshire were quietly discussing something. it looked somewhat urgent, as both of them leaned over the table top, and not even mattheo, whose face you could see, wore his usual smirk.
just before you were able to wonder about his absence, you noticed theo nott walk into the hall. he looked just like always, messy curls falling onto his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and that face, that made every thought in your head disappear.
not that you liked any of them, but theo had always been your favorite. he was a true slytherin. cunning, loyal and determined. even though he had reason enough, there was no arrogant bone in his body.
you had liked him from the first time you had talked to him last year, when snape had coupled you up for a potions project. he had not even been as pretentious as you had thought he was, considering he was always hanging around malfoy.
but theo was nice, actually nice.
"hello?" ron's voice was so sudden, you knocked over the cup of pumpkin juice beside you.
hermione cleaned the juice off of the table with a simple flick of her wand, as she rolled her eyes at your distractedness.
"what?" you wondered.
"the cookies, please?" ron smiled and your expression turned sour when you noticed the pieces of potatoe stuck between his teeth.
you nodded nonetheless and grabbed the plate of decorated christmas cookies. you took one for yourself, a delicious looking christmas tree, before you planted the whole plate in front of ron, knowing that he was gonna take one cookie after the other anyway.
"i think we're good company" harry said, and while you weren't exactly sure what he was talking about, you nodded.
"obviously we are"
"i mean, she could've brought luna along, right?" he closed the quidditch book with a thud and crossed his arms.
"ehh" you muttered. you were saved by the loud sound of the door, that flew open and revealed professor burbage. she walked up to the teachers table in a hurry, quickly excusing her late arrival, before she sat down next to dumbledore.
you noticed the look of worry on her face and wondered what she was thinking about.
“what’s gotten into her?” hermione asked and you were glad someone else had noticed the professor’s strange behaviour.
“everyone is stressed around christmas, right?” ron muttered without an ounce of interest.
“i’m sure that’s it” harry nodded, glad that he could now shift the conversation back to it’s initial topic. “so, about ginny—“
“you’re mentioning her an awful lot, harry” you joked, enjoying how your brother’s face lost all it’s colour and his eyes darted between ron and you quickly. ron hadn’t even noticed the implication, if he had even listened to you in the first place.
you could read the boredom from the redheads face as he rearranged the cookie plate, until it showed a little scene with a christmas tree, huge presents and two happy gingerbread men.
you tuned the conversation out too, as harry continued to speak. you decided that it was hermiones turn to listen now.
you rather turned your head to look at theo once more, who looked up at the very same time, probably feeling eyes on him. but he didn’t look in your direction, but to the teachers table. you furrowed your brows, before you followed his line of sight, your eyes ultimately landing on professor burbage. she looked just as worried as before, as she hectically looked between theo and something clutched in her hand.
you looked back to theo, who simply rolled his eyes, averting his gaze from the teacher and focusing back on the untouched food beside him. draco muttered something in theo’s direction and the latter barely reacted, managing only a weak smile, before his focus was gone again.
you sighed, deciding you had spent enough time with your friends to leave without feeling bad. “i think i’m gonna head to bed” you smiled, standing up.
“oh” hermione simply noted. “should i accompany you?”
you shook your head, “i’ll be fine”. her offer was nice, but you wanted to be alone for some time. it was especially during times like these, that you most missed what other people had: a real family. you still had harry and your friends, but it was different from what you sometimes wished for.
“i’ll see you guys tomorrow” you waved. ron, mouth filled to the brim, only waved back to your relief and harry nodded, muttering something about a game of chess ginny had promised.
you headed out of the hall just a mere second later, pulling your sweater over your head, that you had taken off in the hall, because of the brizzling warmth of the fireplace at your back. you took the usual route to the tower. it was the place you often spend time at whenever you wanted to be alone.
the stairs creaked loudly beneath each step you took, indicating how old the whole structure was. you walked across the wooden beams, leaning your body over the railing as you breathed in the cold of the air and your eyes wandered across the snow beneath you.
it was so calm up here, so silent.. until. the wood creaked loudly, indicating steps coming up towards you. your heart began beating faster, debating who could be coming up here. you had never ran across someone else at the tower.
maybe it was harry? you stepped closer to the stairs, expecting your brothers dark and messy hair to peak from the entrance, but it wasn’t harry who then stepped onto the plattform across from you.
“hey” theo nott muttered, hands pushed into the pockets of his pants while he looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.
“hey” you said, just as neutral. you tried to act casual, as he walked closer and you followed him back to the middle of the plattform, awkwardly standing next to each other.
theo fished out a cigarette from his pocket. “is this okay?” he asked, pointing between the two of you.
you furrowed your brows, confused what he was talking about, before you realized that he was probably asking about your permission to keep you company. “sure” you nodded and the lightened his cigarette.
“you smoke?” he asked, holding the burning cigarette in your direction as if to offer you a blow.
you shoke your head, although you had to admit that it was intruiging to take a drag when a boy with such blue eyes was the one offering it.
“do you come here often?” you asked softly, deciding it was more awkward to just stare at him in silence.
“sometimes” theo shrugged. “they get exhausting, my friends i mean”
“yeah, mine too” you nodded.
“wouldn’t have held you for a person that particuarly likes to be alone” theo muttered, before he turned his head, blowing the smoke out from his lips, without it hitting you. you appreciated the gesture.
“it gets too much, sometimes” you shrugged. “i don’t mind to be alone”
“then you probably mind my company, huh?” he smirked, looking into your eyes with a deep kind of sincerity.
“not at all” you shook your head, mirroring the smirk on his lips. “although i would prefer malfoy”
“oh shut up” theo laughed, his eyes glistening, almost surprised at the sudden joke. you felt proud that you had made him laugh, even if you had to mention malfoy.
“i’m so sincere right now” you giggled, both of you not believing a word you were saying.
theo threw down his cigarette, stomping on it, before he let it disappear with a flick of his wand. he looked up at you and opened his mouth, about to return a witty remark, when a loud bang rang out.
you both froze at the sound, the laughter abruptly cut off as the echo of the bang bounced off the stone walls. the great hall felt miles away in that moment, and the air thickened with tension. theo’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of concern.
“what was that?” you whispered, instinctively taking a step closer to him. the sudden shift from light-hearted banter to fear sent a shiver down your spine.
“the door” theo muttered in recognition. the tower was right on top of the entryway to the castle. now that you thought about it, the bang did sound awfully like a heavy door falling close.
“who would even go out there now?” you wondered, your heart still beating fast as the shock settled into your features.
“i don’t know” theo stepped away and closer to the staircase. “are you coming or what?”
you quickly nodded, as you followed him back down and through the corridor, before you froze in front of the door.
“maybe it was the wind” you suggested, though the tremor in your voice betrayed your uncertainty.
theo raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism dancing in his gaze. “you really believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but his expression alert.
“well, it’s possible,” you replied, though you didn’t sound convinced. the notion felt flimsy in the wake of the unsettling noise, and the creeping feeling of dread wasn’t fading.
“possible, sure,” he replied, “but it sounded too loud for the wind. we need to check it out. it could be something... important.”
your heart raced again, this time from a mix of fear and curiosity. “important? like what?” you asked, biting your lip.
“i don’t know,” he admitted, glancing back at the heavy wooden door. “but don’t you think we should at least look? it might be someone in trouble.”
you hesitated, looking back down the corridor where you could see flickers of light from the torches along the walls. “but what if it’s something dangerous?” you countered, feeling a rush of apprehension.
“better to know than to wonder,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. there was a spark of determination in his eyes, and you found yourself drawn to his confidence. despite the risk, the thought of turning back felt more frightening than facing whatever lay beyond the door.
theo looked back at you once more, before he sighed and nodded, pushing the heavy door open. what revealed itself was the dark of the night, as snow fell into the entrance you were standing in, quickly cooling your face.
“it’s too dark” theo noted. both of you took out your wands, using lumos to light the way. theo urged you to follow him. the snowfall was so heavy, that even the light of your wands did almost nothing.
theo was just a few steps beside you, when you felt it. “theo” you whispered, as your body and heart froze simultaneously. “theo” you repeated, a bit louder. you could see the light of theo’s wand come closer again. he had heard you.
“are you alright?”
you shook your head, what he probably couldn’t see. you could only make out his body. “there is something there”
“what do you mean?”
“i’m feeling it against my foot” you muttered. “there is something on the ground. i’ll have to come closer to make out what it is”
“be careful” theo held you hand to stabilize your body, as you kneeled down, moving the light of your wand across the object on the ground in front of you. it was dark, black robes, hiding something beneath them. but you just couldn’t make out what it was.
then suddenly, you gasped in shock. your light glided over a face, mouth, nose dripping blood. wide eyes, opened in terror as they stared at you unmoving. you screamed, falling back into the snow, as theo surged forward, trying to catch you.
“y/n!” he called, panic rising in his voice as you struggled to breathe, your heart racing wildly “what’s wrong? what is it?”
“professor burbage” you muttered, over and over again.
“what?” theo leaned in closer, still holding onto you, his face drained of color.
“she’s dead!” you choked out, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the professor’s face, still staring up at you, frozen in her final moment of horror.
you heard theo gasp, his own breath faltering for a moment as he processed what lay before you both. without another word, he pulled you to your feet, wrapping an arm around you to support your shaking body. “we have to go,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear. with one hand, he held his wand forward, the dim light flickering in the swirling snow, while the other held onto you as you stumbled back toward the door.
the last thing you saw as the heavy door closed behind you was professor burbage’s body, half-buried in the snow, her lifeless eyes still staring, as if warning you of something far worse to come.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff
dave is my great love and this was absolutely amazing!!! 😻
Coffee Stains
pairing - dave rygalski x danes!reader
summary - helping out at your dad's diner seemed routine—until a shy musician starts showing up just to see you. after a little teasing from your cousin, you realize there might be more to his visits than just coffee
warnings - fluff, fem!reader
wordcount - 1.8k
a/n - i was upset about the lack of dave fics so I guess I'm taking it into my own hands
The bell above the door jingles softly, but you don't bother looking up from the coffee pot. It’s been like that all morning, a constant stream of familiar faces shuffling in and out, and you’re on autopilot as you pour another round of refills. The smell of coffee, bacon, and pancakes is so ingrained into your senses by now that you barely register it.
Luke’s is packed, typical for a Saturday, and you’re doing your best to keep up while your dad mans the grill. Jess, naturally, is nowhere to be found. He’s probably in the storeroom pretending to work, but you’re sure he’s actually reading something—probably that tattered novel you saw him sneak in earlier.
“Hey, you missed a spot,” Jess’s voice suddenly comes from behind you, startling you enough that the coffee pot almost slips from your hand. You whirl around, coffee in one hand, an exasperated look already on your face.
“Jess, if you’re not going to help, can you at least not distract me?”
He leans lazily against the counter, arms crossed, a smirk already forming. “Just thought you’d want to know your favorite customer’s here.”
Your brows furrow as you glance over the tables scattered across the room. “Favorite customer?” you ask, not following. But then you spot him—Dave Rygalski, hunched over a guitar case, his usual notebook lying open next to him. He’s been coming in more and more lately, always scribbling something down or strumming a few chords when the diner quiets down.
“Dave?” You look back at Jess, confused. “What are you talking about?”
“Seriously?” Jess raises an eyebrow, looking almost amused. “The guy’s been here, what, every other day for the past three weeks? Don’t you think that’s a little... suspicious?”
You blink, trying to follow where he’s going with this. You hadn’t really thought about it—Dave’s always been a quiet presence in the diner. He orders hot chocolate, sometimes pie, and spends hours either writing or fiddling with his guitar. Sure, he’s been around more often lately, but you just figured he liked the place. After all, what’s not to like about it?
“So what?” you say, grabbing another cup to fill. “Maybe he likes the coffee.”
Jess snorts. “Yeah, sure. Or maybe he likes who’s pouring his coffee. Actually, I’ve never seen him drink coffee.”
You pause, the coffee pot hovering mid-air as Jess’s words sink in. His tone is playful, but there's something else there—something teasing and all-knowing, like he’s onto something you’re not. You glance over at Dave again, watching as he absently strums the strings of his guitar, his gaze flicking toward the counter every few minutes.
It’s true—Dave’s never ordered coffee. He usually gets hot chocolate or occasionally tea, but never coffee. Weird. Not that you’ve been paying that much attention... right?
You shake your head, focusing back on Jess. “You’re imagining things. He’s just... a regular customer.”
Jess raises his eyebrows, crossing his arms tighter against his chest. “Uh-huh. A regular customer who spends three hours here every time, barely orders anything, and stumbles over his words whenever you talk to him?”
Your eyes narrow. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, it’s true,” Jess says, his smirk widening. “You just don’t notice it because you’re too busy stuttering along with him.”
You roll your eyes, but the comment sticks in your mind as you glance back at Dave again. He’s scribbling in his notebook now, but every few seconds, his eyes dart up like he’s checking to see if you’re still behind the counter. The thing is, Jess’s teasing aside, you have noticed that Dave gets kind of... flustered around you. At first, you thought maybe he was just shy, but now, as you think about it, there’s a different energy to it. The long glances, the awkward pauses, the way he fumbles for words when you ask him if he needs anything else...
You glance over at Jess, who's now watching you like he knows exactly what’s going through your head. You refuse to give him the satisfaction.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” you mumble, mostly to convince yourself.
Jess just shrugs, but that smirk doesn’t budge. “Whatever you say.”
“Shut up, Jess,” you mutter, setting down the coffee pot a little harder than necessary. “Could you make yourself useful somewhere else?”
Jess chuckles softly, the sound disappearing into the din of the restaurant as you gather up a few more mugs to refill. Despite trying to push it out of your mind, you feel the tiniest spark of curiosity growing in your chest. Could Jess actually be right? Could Dave be coming here to see... you?
No, that’s ridiculous. You’re just overthinking this. It’s Dave—sweet, awkward Dave who plays in a band and orders pie like it’s the most important decision he’ll ever make. He’s just a customer, nothing more.
Right?
You steal another glance in his direction, and this time, you catch him looking up from his notebook. The second your eyes meet, his face turns a little pink, and he quickly ducks his head back down like he’s embarrassed. Your heart skips unexpectedly, and suddenly, you feel more aware of every movement you make, like someone turned the spotlight on and you didn’t even realize you were center stage.
Without thinking, you grab the fresh mug of hot chocolate you poured for Dave and start toward his booth. Behind you, you hear Jess chuckle under his breath, but you pointedly ignore him.
“Hey, Dave,” you say as you reach his table, setting down the hot chocolate with a small smile. “Refill?”
Dave looks up, his eyes widening slightly, and for a second, he looks like he might panic. But then he relaxes, his usual shy smile pulling at his lips. “Uh, yeah—thanks, Y/N.”
“No problem,” you say, lingering for just a second longer than usual. You can’t help it—now that Jess has planted the idea in your head, you’re looking for signs. Maybe he does fidget more when you’re around. Maybe he’s blushing a little harder than normal. Maybe he’s—
“I, uh, wanted to ask you something,” Dave says suddenly, his voice cracking a little before he clears his throat.
You blink, thrown off by the sudden shift in the conversation. “Oh? What’s up?”
He hesitates, fingers nervously tapping on the edge of his guitar case. He glances at the counter where Jess is leaning, not-so-subtly watching with a smug look on his face. Dave’s eyes flick back to you, and he seems to gather himself, even though the nervousness still lingers in his expression.
“I, um... was wondering if you wanted to come to one of my shows? The band’s playing at this place in Hartford next weekend, and I thought—” He stumbles over his words again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “—I thought maybe you’d like to come? If you’re free.”
Your heart does that weird skipping thing again, and for a second, you don’t know what to say. Your brain short-circuits for a moment, heart racing as you try to process his question. Is this a date? Is he asking you out? The seconds drag on, and you realize you haven’t said anything yet.
“Yeah, I’d love to!” you blurt out, your voice a bit louder than intended. You can feel your cheeks burning as Dave’s smile grows wider, his eyes lighting up with relief.
“Really? That’s—great. I’ll, um, get back to you about the details,” Dave says, looking like he’s just won some invisible battle with himself. His smile is so genuine, so Dave, that for a moment, all the nerves in your chest settle.
“Sounds good,” you reply, though your heart is still thumping in your ears.
You’re about to walk away, trying to play it cool, but as you turn, your elbow knocks into someone’s mug sitting precariously close to the edge of their table. The mug wobbles for a second, and then, as if in slow motion, tips over completely.
Before you can stop it, the coffee spills right onto your shirt.
“Crap!” you gasp, jumping back, but it’s too late. The warm liquid seeps into the front of your shirt, leaving a dark stain that feels like it’s marking you as the most incompetent person on the planet.
Dave immediately stands, his eyes wide. “Oh man, are you okay?”
You glance down at yourself, desperately wishing the floor would just swallow you whole. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... coffee,” you mutter, brushing at the mess like it’s going to magically disappear.
From across the diner, you hear Jess snickering. Of course, he’d see this. You dare a glance in his direction, and he’s leaning against the counter, watching the scene unfold with that signature smirk plastered across his face.
“You sure you’re okay?” Dave asks again, still looking concerned.
You nod quickly, trying to regain some shred of dignity. “I’m fine. Really. Just need to—uh—grab a towel.”
With that, you dart back to the counter, fully aware that your face is probably the color of a ripe tomato. Jess doesn’t even wait for you to reach him before he starts in.
“Well, that was smooth,” he teases, not even attempting to hide his laughter. “Real subtle. You should spill coffee on yourself more often—it’s definitely working for you.”
You groan, grabbing a dish towel and dabbing at your shirt, which, at this point, is a lost cause. “Shut up, Jess.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, am I supposed to pretend you dumping coffee on yourself in front of the guy who’s clearly crushing on you wasn’t hilarious?”
You glare at him, though you know it’s pointless. “He’s not—”
“Not what?” Jess interrupts, raising an eyebrow. “Not into you? Did we or did we not just witness him awkwardly ask you to his band’s show and then immediately freak out when you spilled coffee?”
You stay quiet, knowing that anything you say will only feed into his teasing. Jess sees the hesitation and, naturally, goes in for the kill.
“Face it, the guy’s got it bad for you. And you—” He points at your stained shirt. “—are totally into him too.”
“I am not!” you protest, but it’s weak, and you know it. Especially with the way your heart still hasn’t calmed down from the whole encounter.
Jess just grins, leaning back against the counter. “Sure, keep telling yourself that.”
You sigh, dabbing uselessly at the stain. “I hate you.”
“Nah, you love me,” Jess retorts, smug as ever. “But not as much as Dave loves you.”
“Jess!” you hiss, but he just chuckles, clearly satisfied with himself.
You shoot him a final glare before heading to the back to grab a new apron. As you pass by Dave’s table again, you can’t help but steal one last glance at him. His head is back down, scribbling something in his notebook, but you swear he’s smiling to himself.
Masterlist
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you'll see it on monday 😈
the fanfiction in my head is soooo good wish you guys could see this
i’ve been waiting for this one. TURN IT UP ⬆️⬆️
White Lie
PART FIVE
pairing - lorenzo berkshire x fem!reader
summary - After accidentally telling your mom you have a new boyfriend, you have to resort to your last option and ask your old friend turned enemy for help.
warnings - fake dating trope
wordcount - 3.1k
series masterlist
The chaos of Halloween weekend was already in full swing when your phone buzzed with an unexpected text from Enzo. You were sitting in your dorm room, lazily scrolling through social media when the screen lit up with his message.
Enzo: My parents just showed up for my game. Staying the whole weekend. We need to keep up the act. You gotta put some of your stuff in my place to make it look real.
Your stomach dropped. His parents had unexpectedly come to town? For the entire weekend? That meant you had to pretend to be dating Enzo at university too, not just in front of family back home. And it was the worst timing—between classes, Halloween parties, and Enzo’s first big soccer game of the season, there was already enough on your plate. Now you had to dive into this charade all over again.
You: You're kidding, right? This weekend?!
Enzo: Trust me, I didn’t want this either. Just need you to make it look like you’ve been staying over at mine a lot. Blaise is there, I told him you’re coming.
With a groan, you tossed your phone onto the bed, wondering how the universe could be this cruel. You and Enzo had kept up the fake dating act so far, successfully fooling both your families—but faking it here, around your friends and classmates? That felt a lot more daunting.
But there was no way out of it now. His parents were here, and if you didn’t step up, they’d see right through the ruse. With a resigned sigh, you grabbed a bag and began stuffing in things that would sell the illusion: some clothes, your toothbrush, a few books, and a bottle of shampoo and conditioner.
As you zipped up the bag, your mind raced. This was going to be tricky. You and Enzo had been keeping your distance on campus, careful not to raise any eyebrows among your friends. No one knew about your fake relationship—hell, no one even suspected you two were close enough to be hanging out, let alone dating.
You grabbed your phone again to text Enzo.
You: How are we gonna pull this off? No one here knows about this, right?
Enzo: We’ll deal with it. Just get to my place and set up. I’m keeping them busy for now.
With a sigh, you slung your bag over your shoulder and made your way across campus to Enzo’s apartment. The streets were buzzing with pre-Halloween energy, students milling about in early costumes, the excitement in the air palpable. Under different circumstances, you'd be planning your own night out with friends, maybe a costume party or a haunted house run. But now? Now you were heading into full-on damage control.
When you reached Enzo’s building, his roommate Blaise opened the door almost immediately, as if he'd been waiting for you.
“Well, well, well,” he said with a grin, stepping aside to let you in. “The girlfriend has arrived.”
You rolled your eyes, walking past him into the living room. Maybe Enzo had told his friends after all, figures. "Don’t start. I’m just trying to make it through this weekend without Enzo’s parents figuring out we’re faking it."
Blaise chuckled, clearly entertained by the situation. “Honestly, I don’t know how you guys are pulling this off. But hey, I’m here to help. What do you need?”
You took a deep breath, glancing around the apartment. It was neat—too neat when you considered only two guys lived here. “I just need to scatter a few of my things around. Make it look like I’m here all the time.”
Blaise nodded, already moving to help. Together, you placed your toothbrush in the bathroom, set a pair of shoes by the door, and left some of your clothes in Enzo’s closet, tucked among his own. As you arranged a couple of your books on his coffee table, Blaise looked over at you, curiosity clear in his expression.
“So... how did you and Enzo even get into this mess?” he asked, tossing one of your sweaters over the back of the couch.
You hesitated for a moment, wondering how much to share. Blaise seemed chill, but he was still Enzo’s best friend—someone who might tease him about this later. “Long story short, our moms always thought we should date, and he was my best option to get out of my mom setting me up with someone else. It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal, just a little act for family gatherings.”
Blaise raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, but now you’re here. At uni. Pretending to be in love. This is next-level commitment, you know that, right?”
You sighed, slumping onto the couch. "Trust me, I didn’t sign up for this. I thought it would just be the holidays. But his parents just showed up."
“Well, lucky for you, I’m pretty good at keeping secrets,” Blaise said, settling into the armchair across from you. “And hey, if it makes you feel any better, from what he’s told me you’re actually selling it pretty well.”
Before you could respond, the front door swung open, and in walked Enzo with his parents trailing behind him. You and Blaise exchanged a quick glance—this was it. Showtime.
Michelle, Enzo’s mom, spotted you immediately and smiled brightly. “Y/n! So good to see you again, dear.”
“Hi,” you said, standing to greet her, the fake girlfriend act snapping into place as easily as slipping on a mask. “What a surprise! I didn’t know you guys were coming.”
Michelle beamed as she stepped forward, pulling you into a warm hug. “Neither did Enzo, the poor thing. We just couldn’t miss his first big game of the season, you know?”
Enzo, standing by the door with his hands shoved into his pockets, shot you a look that said play along. You gave him a quick, tight-lipped smile before turning back to his mom.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” you said, forcing enthusiasm into your voice. “Enzo’s been working really hard this season.”
Frank, Enzo’s dad, joined in with a hearty chuckle. “Hard work pays off, right, son?”
Enzo nodded, stepping further into the room. “Yeah, Dad. Just hoping to put on a good show tomorrow.”
It wasn’t long before small talk filled the space. You and Blaise stayed on the sidelines for most of it, while Enzo’s parents showered him with attention, asking about soccer, his classes, and whether he was eating well enough. Michelle’s eyes wandered the room every now and then, landing on small details—your shoes by the door, the books on the coffee table. Every time her gaze flicked to something of yours, you felt a spike of nervousness.
Blaise must’ve noticed too because he leaned over and whispered, “You’re doing fine. Chill.”
You gave him a quick, appreciative nod, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that this weekend was going to be tough.
Eventually, talk turned to dinner, and Michelle insisted on taking all of you out to a nice restaurant to celebrate the start of the weekend. Dinner went smoother than you expected, though it was clear that Enzo’s parents were all-in on the idea of you two as a couple. Michelle kept referring to the two of you as “adorable” and even asked if you wanted to sit with them at the game the next day.
After dinner, you and Enzo walked Michelle and Frank back to their hotel. The crisp night air felt refreshing after the stuffy restaurant, and the Halloween decorations lining the streets added a festive touch to the evening.
When you reached the hotel, Michelle pulled you into another warm hug. “Thank you so much for joining us tonight. It’s been lovely to have you with us.”
You smiled, trying to mask your exhaustion. “It was great to see you both. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”
As Michelle and Frank entered the hotel, Enzo turned to you, a hint of a grin on his face. “Well, that went better than I expected. Ready for the game tomorrow?”
You chuckled, shaking your head. “I don’t know if ‘ready’ is the right word. I’m just trying to survive this weekend.”
Enzo chuckled, giving your arm a reassuring squeeze. “I know what you mean. Let’s get you back to your dorm.”
The walk to your dorm was quieter, a comfortable silence settling between you two. The Halloween lights and decorations provided a whimsical backdrop as you navigated the campus paths. Enzo seemed lost in thought, his earlier tension easing into a more relaxed demeanor.
When you reached your dorm, Enzo stopped in front of the building, a thoughtful look on his face. “I’ll see you tomorrow. If you need anything, just text me.”
“Will do,” you said, trying to keep the mood light.
Enzo gave you a genuine smile. “Goodnight.”
You watched him walk away before heading inside. As you climbed the stairs to your room, you couldn’t shake the feeling of the evening’s weight settling on you. But you had to push it aside; tomorrow was the big game, and you had to be ready.
ੈ♡˳
The next morning dawned chilly and bright, a perfect day for soccer. The campus was abuzz with Halloween festivities, but you were focused on the game. You put on your warmest jacket, grabbed a coffee from the campus café, and made your way to the stadium.
When you arrived, the stands were already filling up with enthusiastic fans. You spotted Michelle and Frank waving from their seats and gave them a quick wave back before making your way up to where they were sitting.
As the game began, you found yourself caught up in the excitement of the crowd and the intensity of the match. Enzo played with impressive skill and determination, his every move drawing cheers from the audience. You cheered along with the crowd, dutifully playing the supportive girlfriend, your earlier nerves melting away in the face of the game’s energy.
During a brief halftime break, you jumped down from the bleachers to meet Enzo as he ran up to the stands, a look of satisfaction on his face. “How’s it going?” he asked, joining you.
“Great! You’re playing really well,” you said, smiling at him. “Your parents are really excited.”
“Yeah, they are,” Enzo replied, glancing toward them. “You seemed pretty excited too. Sure you don’t wanna join the fanclub? You’ve been cheering louder than they have.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” you said, nudging him playfully. “Just playing my part.”
The game resumed, and the energy in the stadium remained electric. Enzo's team played with renewed vigor, and as the final whistle blew, they celebrated a well-deserved victory. The roar of the crowd was deafening, and you joined in, clapping and cheering with genuine enthusiasm.
As the players began to make their way off the field, you spotted Michelle and Frank weaving through the crowd to meet Enzo. They were all smiles, clearly thrilled with the outcome. Enzo's eyes searched for you in the crowd, and when he saw you, he made his way over, his face alight with excitement.
"Great game!" you shouted as he approached. "Your parents are really proud."
Enzo grinned, his happiness palpable. "Thanks! They’re probably already making plans to celebrate."
Michelle and Frank soon joined you, and Michelle wasted no time in wrapping Enzo in a hug. "That was amazing, sweetheart! We’re so proud of you."
Frank clapped Enzo on the back. “Yeah, you really showed them what you’re made of. Now, how about a little more celebrating?”
Enzo looked at you, a playful glint in his eyes. Your stomach churned.
Michelle was quick to jump in. “We were thinking of heading to the Halloween fair in town. It’s got everything—rides, games, and a haunted house. Why don’t you both join us? It’ll be fun!”
You exchanged a glance with Enzo. “Sounds like a plan,” he said with a grin. “You up for it?”
You shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. “Sure, why not?”
The fair was bustling with activity when you arrived. The air was filled with the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, and the sounds of carnival games and laughter created a lively backdrop. Michelle and Frank led the way, weaving through the crowd with excitement.
As the evening went on, you found yourself enjoying the fair’s festive atmosphere. You played a few games with Michelle, tried your hand at winning a prize, and even sampled some of the treats. Enzo stayed close, making sure to always keep his hand on the small of your back or an arm slung around your shoulders when his parents were nearby.
When the haunted house came into view, Michelle’s eyes lit up. “Let’s do it!” she said, dragging Frank along. “It’ll be a blast.”
Enzo looked at you, a mischievous smile on his face. “You sure you’re up for this? Haunted houses aren’t exactly your thing, right?”
You laughed nervously, lightly slapping his arm. “I cried one time like 10 years ago.”
The line to the haunted house was long, but it gave you time to mentally prepare. When it was finally your turn, you walked through the entrance, and the darkness enveloped you. The occasional screams and eerie sounds from inside only heightened the suspense.
As you ventured deeper into the haunted house, the scares became more intense. At one particularly terrifying moment, a loud bang and sudden movement made you jump, and you instinctively grabbed Enzo’s arm. He seemed to notice how frightened you were and leaned closer, his voice a comforting whisper amidst the chaos.
“Hey, don’t worry. It’s all just for fun,” he said, trying to sound reassuring. “I’m right here.”
You squeezed his arm tighter, trying to steady your breathing. “I know. It’s just—sorry.”
Enzo chuckled softly, his breath warm against your ear. “Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m pretty scared too. Just better at hiding it.”
You didn’t believe him, but you guessed it was nice that he tried. As you rounded a corner, another loud noise made you jump, and this time, you ended up pressed closely against Enzo. He seemed to notice how close you were and shifted slightly, but his arm remained around you.
“You know,” he said, his voice low and teasing, “your eyes are really pretty up close.”
You blinked, caught off guard by the compliment. In the dim, flickering light of the haunted house, his eyes looked warm and sincere. The moment was oddly intimate, and you found yourself looking up at him, your heart racing for reasons beyond the scare.
Before you could respond, another person in a scary mask popped out from the darkness with a scream, and you instinctively buried your face in his shoulder, letting out a small yelp. His arm tightened around you, and you could feel his laughter vibrating against your side.
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice steady. “We’re almost through.”
Eventually, you made it to the end of the haunted house, and the lights of the fair were a welcome sight. You pulled away from Enzo, feeling both relieved and slightly disoriented.
Michelle and Frank were waiting for you, and Michelle grinned. “How was that?”
You gave her a shaky smile. “It was something, that’s for sure.”
Enzo looked at you, a playful glint still in his eyes. “Maybe we should stick to the games? I was promised you’d win something for me.”
You laughed, nodding. “Yes, definitely.”
Chapter Six
Thanksgiving arrived with a crispness in the air that hinted at the winter ahead. The day was clear and bright, a perfect backdrop for the holiday festivities. The anticipation of spending Thanksgiving with both Enzo's and your families had you feeling unexpectedly buoyant. The families had always celebrated together, and this year was no different, except for the added layer of pretending to be a couple.
As you pulled into Enzo’s parents’ driveway, the familiar sight of the house, decorated with festive fall decorations and glowing lights, brought a sense of nostalgia. For some reason, it felt weird arriving without him by your side now. But he had decided to drive home a couple days early to help his parents with the preparations. The smell of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie wafted through the open windows as you walked up to the door.
Michelle opened it with a beaming smile, pulling you into a warm hug. “Y/n! So glad you could make it. We’ve missed you.”
You returned her embrace, feeling a genuine warmth. “I’m happy to be here. Everything looks wonderful.”
Michelle ushered you inside, where the cozy ambiance of the house, combined with the cheerful chatter of the combined families, immediately set a comforting tone. Enzo’s dad was busy in the kitchen, and as you entered, you were greeted by your own parents.
“There you are!” your mom exclaimed, crossing the room to hug you. “Late as always. I was starting to think you’re ditching us.”
“Hi, Mom,” you said, smiling warmly.
After the initial greetings, you joined Enzo in helping with the last-minute preparations. As you worked side by side in the kitchen, he glanced over at you. “Feeling ready for the family fun?”
You laughed, shaking your head. “I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
The dinner table was a feast of traditional Thanksgiving dishes, and as everyone gathered around, the air was filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses. Both families seemed genuinely thrilled to be together, and even your sister seemed to be taking a break from being all up in your bussiness.
During dinner, Enzo made sure to keep you close, his hand occasionally brushing against yours under the table. The ease with which you interacted felt natural, almost too natural.
After dinner, the group retired to the living room for dessert and games. You found yourself genuinely enjoying the evening, from the slices of pie to the friendly competition in charades. Enzo was as charming as ever, but you found yourself appreciating him in a new way—his laughter, his warmth, and the way he made everyone feel at ease.
As the night wore on, you and Enzo took a quiet moment on the porch. The crisp night air was refreshing, and the stars overhead seemed to twinkle with a particular brightness. You leaned against the railing, savoring the tranquility after the lively evening.
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NO BODY, NO CRIME
EPISODE 01: dinner and a glass of wine
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: the christmas holidays have just begun, but still a threatening atmosphere lies in the air. and you can act, you find yourself at a crime scene
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, (small) jump-scare
note: hello guys, welcome to the first episode of no body, no crime!! i’m so excited for this series and hope you enjoy it as much as i do!! the next episode is coming out next monday!! let me know what you think in the comments <333
the soft tunes of christmas music filled the air around you. the great hall was less filled than normal, most of the students deciding to go home for the holidays.
"can you pass me the potatoes, please?" ron's red hair was illuminated by the soft glow of the fairylights behind him. the auburn sweater he was wearing was highlighting the contrast even more.
"here" hermione said, holding the bowl across the table, as ron eagerly grabbed it.
"where's ginny?" harry muttered. he had his nose buried in a book about quidditch techniques you had bought in hogsmeade. he had been busy studying it all night, but apparently not busy enough to not notice ginny's absence.
"she's sitting with luna" you pointed out, as your eyes glided along the slytherin table. ginny and her had grown closer since the beginning of the year and you had to admit that you had quickly taken a liking to the blonde girl. she was a bit strange, admittedly, but lovely none the less.
"she's been busy all year" ron muttered, mouth filled to the brim. "seems like we've gotten too boring for her"
"allow your sister to have her own friends" hermione shoke her head. "and for gods sake, please close your mouth, ronald."
despite the approaching festivity, the atmosphere in the hall was eerie. maybe because only a few people were sitting at eachs house table, making the hall seem weirdly out of place.
the slytherin table was by far the emptiest. probably because most purblooded and traditional wizard families made a hail mary out of everything that would allow a party, showing off their wealth and status.
the only thing that contradicted this assumption was that several children from the most influential pureblood families had chosen to stay. your gaze swept across the table, taking in each one in turn.
draco malfoy, displaying a usual attitude of displeasurement. you guessed that the malfoy weren't the people to listen to christmas music around the holidays.
next to him, blaise zabini, who was munching on mouth full portion of potatoes just like ron was.
across from them and her back facing the rest of the hall, including your line of sight, pansy parkinson, the perfect cut bob of black hair, moving slightly everytime she turned her head to the side, as she attentively listened to what draco was telling her.
a few feet away, mattheo riddle and lorenzo berkshire were quietly discussing something. it looked somewhat urgent, as both of them leaned over the table top, and not even mattheo, whose face you could see, wore his usual smirk.
just before you were able to wonder about his absence, you noticed theo nott walk into the hall. he looked just like always, messy curls falling onto his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and that face, that made every thought in your head disappear.
not that you liked any of them, but theo had always been your favorite. he was a true slytherin. cunning, loyal and determined. even though he had reason enough, there was no arrogant bone in his body.
you had liked him from the first time you had talked to him last year, when snape had coupled you up for a potions project. he had not even been as pretentious as you had thought he was, considering he was always hanging around with malfoy.
but theo was nice, actually nice.
"hello?" ron's voice was so sudden, you knocked over the cup of pumpkin juice beside you.
hermione cleaned the juice off of the table with a simple flick of her wand, as she rolled her eyes at your distractedness.
"what?" you wondered.
"the cookies, please?" ron smiled and your expression turned sour when you noticed the pieces of potatoe stuck between his teeth.
you nodded nonetheless and grabbed the plate of decorated christmas cookies. you took one for yourself, a delicious looking christmas tree, before you planted the whole plate in front of ron, knowing that he was gonna take one cookie after the other anyway.
"i think we're good company" harry said, and while you weren't exactly sure what he was talking about, you nodded.
"obviously we are"
"i mean, she could've brought luna along, right?" he closed the quidditch book with a thud and crossed his arms.
"ehh" you muttered. you were saved by the loud sound of the door, that flew open and revealed professor burbage. she walked up to the teachers table in a hurry, quickly excusing her late arrival, before she sat down next to dumbledore.
you noticed the look of worry on her face and wondered what she was thinking about.
“what’s gotten into her?” hermione asked and you were glad someone else had noticed the professor’s strange behaviour.
“everyone is stressed around christmas, right?” ron muttered without an ounce of interest.
“i’m sure that’s it” harry nodded, glad that he could now shift the conversation back to it’s initial topic. “so, about ginny—“
“you’re mentioning her an awful lot, harry” you joked, enjoying how your brother’s face lost all it’s colour and his eyes darted between ron and you quickly. ron hadn’t even noticed the implication, if he had even listened to you in the first place.
you could read the boredom from the redheads face as he rearranged the cookie plate, until it showed a little scene with a christmas tree, huge presents and two happy gingerbread man.
you tuned the conversation out too, as harry continued to speak. you decided that it was hermiones turn to listen now.
you rather turned your head to look at theo once more, who looked up at the very same time, probably feeling eyes on him. but he didn’t look in your direction, but to the teachers table. you furrowed your brows, before you followed his line of sight, your eyes ultimately landing on professor burbage. she looked just as worried as before, as she hectically looked between theo and something clutched in her hand.
you looked back at theo, who simply rolled his eyes, averting his eyes from the teacher and focusing back on the untouched food beside him. draco muttered something in theo’s direction and the latter, barely reacted, managing only a weak smile, before his focus was gone again.
you sighed, deciding you had spent enough time with your friends to leave without feeling bad. “i think i’m gonna head to bed” you smiled, standing up.
“oh” hermione simply noted. “should i accompany you?”
you shook your head, “i’ll be fine”. her offer was nice, but you wanted to be alone for some time. it was especially during times like these, that you most missed what other people had: a real family. you still had harry and you friends, but it was different from what you sometimes wished for.
“i’ll see you guys tomorrow” you waved. ron, mouth filled brim, only waved back to your relief and harry nodded, muttering something about a game of chess ginny had promised.
you headed out of the hall just a mere second later, pulling your sweater over your head, that you had taken off in the hall, because of the brizzling warmth of the fireplace at your back. you took the usual route to the tower. it was the place you often spend time at whenever you wanted to be alone.
the stairs creaked loudly beneath each step you took, indicating how old the whole structure was. you walked across the wooden beams, leaning your body across the railing as you breathed in the cold of the air and your eyes wandered across the snow beneath you.
it was so calm up here, so silent.. until. the wood creaked loudly, indicating steps coming up towards you. your heart began beating faster, debating who could be coming up here. you had never ran across someone else at the tower.
maybe it was harry? you stepped closer to the stairs, expecting your brothers dark and messy hair to peak from the entrance, but it wasn’t harry who then stepped onto the plattform across from you.
“hey” theo nott muttered, hands pushed into the pockets of his pants while he looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.
“hey” you said, just as neutral. you tried to act casual, as he walked closer and you followed him back to the middle of the plattform, awkwardly standing next to each other.
theo fished out a cigarette from his pocket. “is this okay?” he asked, poinint between the two of you.
you furrowed your brows, confused what he was talking about, before you realized that he was probably asking about your permission to keep you company. “sure” you nodded and the lightened his cigarette.
“you smoke?” he asked, holding the burning cigarette in your direction as if to offer you a blow.
you shoke your head, although you had to admit that he was intruiging to take a drag when a boy with such blue eyes was the one offering it.
“do you come here often?” you asked softly, deciding it was more awkward to just stare at him in silence.
“sometimes” theo shrugged. “they get exhausting, my friends i mean”
“yeah, mine too” you nodded.
“wouldn’t have held you for a person that particuarly likes to be alone” theo muttered, before he turned his head, blowing the smoke out from his lips, without it hitting you. you appreciated the gesture.
“it gets too much, sometimes” you shrugged. “i don’t mind to be alone”
“then you probably mind my company, huh?” he smirked, looking into your eyes with such sincerity.
“not at all” you shook your head, mirroring the smirk on his lips. “although i would prefer malfoy”
“oh shut up” theo laughed, his eyes glistened, almost surprised at the sudden joke. you felt proud that you had made him laugh, even if you had to mention malfoy for it.
“i’m so sincere right now” you giggled, both of you not believing a word you were saying.
theo threw down his cigarette, stomping on it, before he let it disappear with a flick of his wand. he looked up at you and opened his mouth, about to return a witty remark, when a loud bang rang out.
you both froze at the sound, the laughter abruptly cut off as the echo of the bang bounced off the stone walls. the great hall felt miles away in that moment, and the air thickened with tension. theo’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of concern.
“what was that?” you whispered, instinctively taking a step closer to him. the sudden shift from light-hearted banter to fear sent a shiver down your spine.
“the door” theo muttered in recognition. the tower was right on top of the entryway to the castle. now that you thought about it, the bang did sound awfully like a heavy door falling close.
“who would even go out there now?” you wondered, your heart still beating fast as the shock settled into your features.
“i don’t know” theo stepped away and closer to the staircase. “are you coming or what?”
you quickly nodded, as you followed him back down and through the corridor, before you froze in front of the door.
“maybe it was the wind” you suggested, though the tremor in your voice betrayed your uncertainty.
theo raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism dancing in his gaze. “you really believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but his expression alert.
“well, it’s possible,” you replied, though you didn’t sound convinced. the notion felt flimsy in the wake of the unsettling noise, and the creeping feeling of dread wasn’t fading.
“possible, sure,” he replied, “but it sounded too loud for the wind. we need to check it out. it could be something... important.”
your heart raced again, this time from a mix of fear and curiosity. “important? like what?” you asked, biting your lip.
“i don’t know,” he admitted, glancing back at the heavy wooden door. “but don’t you think we should at least look? it might be someone in trouble.”
you hesitated, looking back down the corridor where you could see flickers of light from the torches along the walls. “but what if it’s something dangerous?” you countered, feeling a rush of apprehension.
“better to know than to wonder,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. there was a spark of determination in his eyes, and you found yourself drawn to his confidence. despite the risk, the thought of turning back felt more frightening than facing whatever lay beyond the door.
theo looked back at you once more, before he sighed and nodded, pushing the heavy door open. what revealed itself was the dark of the night, as snow fell into the entrance you were standing in, quickly cooling your face.
“it’s too dark” theo noted. both of you took out your wands, using lumos to light the way. theo urged you to follow him. the snow was so heavy, that even the light of your wands did almost nothing.
theo was just a few steps beside you, when you felt it. “theo” you whispered, as your body and heart froze simultaneously. “theo” you repeated, a bit louder. you could see the light of theo’s wand come closer again. he had heard you.
“are you alright?”
you shook your head, what he probably couldn’t see. you could only make out his body. “there is something there”
“what do you mean?”
“i’m feeling it against my foot” you muttered. “there is something on the ground. i’ll have to come closer to make out what it is”
“be careful” theo held you hand to stabilize your body, as you kneeled down, moving the light of your wand across the object on the ground in front of you. it was dark, black robes, hiding something beneath them. but you just couldn’t make out what it was.
then suddenly, you gasped in shock. your light glided over a face, mouth, nose dripping blood. wide eyes, opened in terror as they stared at you unmoving. you screamed, falling back into the snow, as theo surged forward, trying to catch you.
“y/n!” he called, panic rising in his voice as you struggled to breathe, your heart racing wildly “what’s wrong? what is it?”
“professor burbage” you muttered, over and over again.
“what?” theo leaned in closer, still holding onto you, his face drained of color.
“she’s dead!” you choked out, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the professor’s face, still staring up at you, frozen in her final moment of horror.
you heard theo gasp, his own breath faltering for a moment as he processed what lay before you both. without another word, he pulled you to your feet, wrapping an arm around you to support your shaking body. “we have to go,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear. with one hand, he held his wand forward, the dim light flickering in the swirling snow, while the other held onto you as you stumbled back toward the door.
the last thing you saw as the heavy door closed behind you was professor burbage’s body, half-buried in the snow, her lifeless eyes still staring, as if warning you of something far worse to come.
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i love youuuu 🥹💋
NO BODY, NO CRIME
EPISODE 01: dinner and a glass of wine
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: the christmas holidays have just begun, but still a threatening atmosphere lies in the air. and you can act, you find yourself at a crime scene
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, (small) jump-scare
note: hello guys, welcome to the first episode of no body, no crime!! i’m so excited for this series and hope you enjoy it as much as i do!! the next episode is coming out next monday!! let me know what you think in the comments <333
the soft tunes of christmas music filled the air around you. the great hall was less filled than normal, most of the students deciding to go home for the holidays.
"can you pass me the potatoes, please?" ron's red hair was illuminated by the soft glow of the fairylights behind him. the auburn sweater he was wearing was highlighting the contrast even more.
"here" hermione said, holding the bowl across the table, as ron eagerly grabbed it.
"where's ginny?" harry muttered. he had his nose buried in a book about quidditch techniques you had bought in hogsmeade. he had been busy studying it all night, but apparently not busy enough to not notice ginny's absence.
"she's sitting with luna" you pointed out, as your eyes glided along the slytherin table. ginny and her had grown closer since the beginning of the year and you had to admit that you had quickly taken a liking to the blonde girl. she was a bit strange, admittedly, but lovely none the less.
"she's been busy all year" ron muttered, mouth filled to the brim. "seems like we've gotten too boring for her"
"allow your sister to have her own friends" hermione shoke her head. "and for gods sake, please close your mouth, ronald."
despite the approaching festivity, the atmosphere in the hall was eerie. maybe because only a few people were sitting at eachs house table, making the hall seem weirdly out of place.
the slytherin table was by far the emptiest. probably because most purblooded and traditional wizard families made a hail mary out of everything that would allow a party, showing off their wealth and status.
the only thing that contradicted this assumption was that several children from the most influential pureblood families had chosen to stay. your gaze swept across the table, taking in each one in turn.
draco malfoy, displaying a usual attitude of displeasurement. you guessed that the malfoy weren't the people to listen to christmas music around the holidays.
next to him, blaise zabini, who was munching on mouth full portion of potatoes just like ron was.
across from them and her back facing the rest of the hall, including your line of sight, pansy parkinson, the perfect cut bob of black hair, moving slightly everytime she turned her head to the side, as she attentively listened to what draco was telling her.
a few feet away, mattheo riddle and lorenzo berkshire were quietly discussing something. it looked somewhat urgent, as both of them leaned over the table top, and not even mattheo, whose face you could see, wore his usual smirk.
just before you were able to wonder about his absence, you noticed theo nott walk into the hall. he looked just like always, messy curls falling onto his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and that face, that made every thought in your head disappear.
not that you liked any of them, but theo had always been your favorite. he was a true slytherin. cunning, loyal and determined. even though he had reason enough, there was no arrogant bone in his body.
you had liked him from the first time you had talked to him last year, when snape had coupled you up for a potions project. he had not even been as pretentious as you had thought he was, considering he was always hanging around with malfoy.
but theo was nice, actually nice.
"hello?" ron's voice was so sudden, you knocked over the cup of pumpkin juice beside you.
hermione cleaned the juice off of the table with a simple flick of her wand, as she rolled her eyes at your distractedness.
"what?" you wondered.
"the cookies, please?" ron smiled and your expression turned sour when you noticed the pieces of potatoe stuck between his teeth.
you nodded nonetheless and grabbed the plate of decorated christmas cookies. you took one for yourself, a delicious looking christmas tree, before you planted the whole plate in front of ron, knowing that he was gonna take one cookie after the other anyway.
"i think we're good company" harry said, and while you weren't exactly sure what he was talking about, you nodded.
"obviously we are"
"i mean, she could've brought luna along, right?" he closed the quidditch book with a thud and crossed his arms.
"ehh" you muttered. you were saved by the loud sound of the door, that flew open and revealed professor burbage. she walked up to the teachers table in a hurry, quickly excusing her late arrival, before she sat down next to dumbledore.
you noticed the look of worry on her face and wondered what she was thinking about.
“what’s gotten into her?” hermione asked and you were glad someone else had noticed the professor’s strange behaviour.
“everyone is stressed around christmas, right?” ron muttered without an ounce of interest.
“i’m sure that’s it” harry nodded, glad that he could now shift the conversation back to it’s initial topic. “so, about ginny—“
“you’re mentioning her an awful lot, harry” you joked, enjoying how your brother’s face lost all it’s colour and his eyes darted between ron and you quickly. ron hadn’t even noticed the implication, if he had even listened to you in the first place.
you could read the boredom from the redheads face as he rearranged the cookie plate, until it showed a little scene with a christmas tree, huge presents and two happy gingerbread man.
you tuned the conversation out too, as harry continued to speak. you decided that it was hermiones turn to listen now.
you rather turned your head to look at theo once more, who looked up at the very same time, probably feeling eyes on him. but he didn’t look in your direction, but to the teachers table. you furrowed your brows, before you followed his line of sight, your eyes ultimately landing on professor burbage. she looked just as worried as before, as she hectically looked between theo and something clutched in her hand.
you looked back at theo, who simply rolled his eyes, averting his eyes from the teacher and focusing back on the untouched food beside him. draco muttered something in theo’s direction and the latter, barely reacted, managing only a weak smile, before his focus was gone again.
you sighed, deciding you had spent enough time with your friends to leave without feeling bad. “i think i’m gonna head to bed” you smiled, standing up.
“oh” hermione simply noted. “should i accompany you?”
you shook your head, “i’ll be fine”. her offer was nice, but you wanted to be alone for some time. it was especially during times like these, that you most missed what other people had: a real family. you still had harry and you friends, but it was different from what you sometimes wished for.
“i’ll see you guys tomorrow” you waved. ron, mouth filled brim, only waved back to your relief and harry nodded, muttering something about a game of chess ginny had promised.
you headed out of the hall just a mere second later, pulling your sweater over your head, that you had taken off in the hall, because of the brizzling warmth of the fireplace at your back. you took the usual route to the tower. it was the place you often spend time at whenever you wanted to be alone.
the stairs creaked loudly beneath each step you took, indicating how old the whole structure was. you walked across the wooden beams, leaning your body across the railing as you breathed in the cold of the air and your eyes wandered across the snow beneath you.
it was so calm up here, so silent.. until. the wood creaked loudly, indicating steps coming up towards you. your heart began beating faster, debating who could be coming up here. you had never ran across someone else at the tower.
maybe it was harry? you stepped closer to the stairs, expecting your brothers dark and messy hair to peak from the entrance, but it wasn’t harry who then stepped onto the plattform across from you.
“hey” theo nott muttered, hands pushed into the pockets of his pants while he looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.
“hey” you said, just as neutral. you tried to act casual, as he walked closer and you followed him back to the middle of the plattform, awkwardly standing next to each other.
theo fished out a cigarette from his pocket. “is this okay?” he asked, poinint between the two of you.
you furrowed your brows, confused what he was talking about, before you realized that he was probably asking about your permission to keep you company. “sure” you nodded and the lightened his cigarette.
“you smoke?” he asked, holding the burning cigarette in your direction as if to offer you a blow.
you shoke your head, although you had to admit that he was intruiging to take a drag when a boy with such blue eyes was the one offering it.
“do you come here often?” you asked softly, deciding it was more awkward to just stare at him in silence.
“sometimes” theo shrugged. “they get exhausting, my friends i mean”
“yeah, mine too” you nodded.
“wouldn’t have held you for a person that particuarly likes to be alone” theo muttered, before he turned his head, blowing the smoke out from his lips, without it hitting you. you appreciated the gesture.
“it gets too much, sometimes” you shrugged. “i don’t mind to be alone”
“then you probably mind my company, huh?” he smirked, looking into your eyes with such sincerity.
“not at all” you shook your head, mirroring the smirk on his lips. “although i would prefer malfoy”
“oh shut up” theo laughed, his eyes glistened, almost surprised at the sudden joke. you felt proud that you had made him laugh, even if you had to mention malfoy for it.
“i’m so sincere right now” you giggled, both of you not believing a word you were saying.
theo threw down his cigarette, stomping on it, before he let it disappear with a flick of his wand. he looked up at you and opened his mouth, about to return a witty remark, when a loud bang rang out.
you both froze at the sound, the laughter abruptly cut off as the echo of the bang bounced off the stone walls. the great hall felt miles away in that moment, and the air thickened with tension. theo’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of concern.
“what was that?” you whispered, instinctively taking a step closer to him. the sudden shift from light-hearted banter to fear sent a shiver down your spine.
“the door” theo muttered in recognition. the tower was right on top of the entryway to the castle. now that you thought about it, the bang did sound awfully like a heavy door falling close.
“who would even go out there now?” you wondered, your heart still beating fast as the shock settled into your features.
“i don’t know” theo stepped away and closer to the staircase. “are you coming or what?”
you quickly nodded, as you followed him back down and through the corridor, before you froze in front of the door.
“maybe it was the wind” you suggested, though the tremor in your voice betrayed your uncertainty.
theo raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism dancing in his gaze. “you really believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but his expression alert.
“well, it’s possible,” you replied, though you didn’t sound convinced. the notion felt flimsy in the wake of the unsettling noise, and the creeping feeling of dread wasn’t fading.
“possible, sure,” he replied, “but it sounded too loud for the wind. we need to check it out. it could be something... important.”
your heart raced again, this time from a mix of fear and curiosity. “important? like what?” you asked, biting your lip.
“i don’t know,” he admitted, glancing back at the heavy wooden door. “but don’t you think we should at least look? it might be someone in trouble.”
you hesitated, looking back down the corridor where you could see flickers of light from the torches along the walls. “but what if it’s something dangerous?” you countered, feeling a rush of apprehension.
“better to know than to wonder,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. there was a spark of determination in his eyes, and you found yourself drawn to his confidence. despite the risk, the thought of turning back felt more frightening than facing whatever lay beyond the door.
theo looked back at you once more, before he sighed and nodded, pushing the heavy door open. what revealed itself was the dark of the night, as snow fell into the entrance you were standing in, quickly cooling your face.
“it’s too dark” theo noted. both of you took out your wands, using lumos to light the way. theo urged you to follow him. the snow was so heavy, that even the light of your wands did almost nothing.
theo was just a few steps beside you, when you felt it. “theo” you whispered, as your body and heart froze simultaneously. “theo” you repeated, a bit louder. you could see the light of theo’s wand come closer again. he had heard you.
“are you alright?”
you shook your head, what he probably couldn’t see. you could only make out his body. “there is something there”
“what do you mean?”
“i’m feeling it against my foot” you muttered. “there is something on the ground. i’ll have to come closer to make out what it is”
“be careful” theo held you hand to stabilize your body, as you kneeled down, moving the light of your wand across the object on the ground in front of you. it was dark, black robes, hiding something beneath them. but you just couldn’t make out what it was.
then suddenly, you gasped in shock. your light glided over a face, mouth, nose dripping blood. wide eyes, opened in terror as they stared at you unmoving. you screamed, falling back into the snow, as theo surged forward, trying to catch you.
“y/n!” he called, panic rising in his voice as you struggled to breathe, your heart racing wildly “what’s wrong? what is it?”
“professor burbage” you muttered, over and over again.
“what?” theo leaned in closer, still holding onto you, his face drained of color.
“she’s dead!” you choked out, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the professor’s face, still staring up at you, frozen in her final moment of horror.
you heard theo gasp, his own breath faltering for a moment as he processed what lay before you both. without another word, he pulled you to your feet, wrapping an arm around you to support your shaking body. “we have to go,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear. with one hand, he held his wand forward, the dim light flickering in the swirling snow, while the other held onto you as you stumbled back toward the door.
the last thing you saw as the heavy door closed behind you was professor burbage’s body, half-buried in the snow, her lifeless eyes still staring, as if warning you of something far worse to come.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs
spooky season is my fave, so of course i'm gonna spend all my time hyperfixating on a series with all the dark and mysterious themes lmaoooo
NO BODY, NO CRIME
EPISODE 01: dinner and a glass of wine
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: the christmas holidays have just begun, but still a threatening atmosphere lies in the air. and you can act, you find yourself at a crime scene
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, (small) jump-scare
note: hello guys, welcome to the first episode of no body, no crime!! i’m so excited for this series and hope you enjoy it as much as i do!! the next episode is coming out next monday!! let me know what you think in the comments <333
the soft tunes of christmas music filled the air around you. the great hall was less filled than normal, most of the students deciding to go home for the holidays.
"can you pass me the potatoes, please?" ron's red hair was illuminated by the soft glow of the fairylights behind him. the auburn sweater he was wearing was highlighting the contrast even more.
"here" hermione said, holding the bowl across the table, as ron eagerly grabbed it.
"where's ginny?" harry muttered. he had his nose buried in a book about quidditch techniques you had bought in hogsmeade. he had been busy studying it all night, but apparently not busy enough to not notice ginny's absence.
"she's sitting with luna" you pointed out, as your eyes glided along the slytherin table. ginny and her had grown closer since the beginning of the year and you had to admit that you had quickly taken a liking to the blonde girl. she was a bit strange, admittedly, but lovely none the less.
"she's been busy all year" ron muttered, mouth filled to the brim. "seems like we've gotten too boring for her"
"allow your sister to have her own friends" hermione shoke her head. "and for gods sake, please close your mouth, ronald."
despite the approaching festivity, the atmosphere in the hall was eerie. maybe because only a few people were sitting at eachs house table, making the hall seem weirdly out of place.
the slytherin table was by far the emptiest. probably because most purblooded and traditional wizard families made a hail mary out of everything that would allow a party, showing off their wealth and status.
the only thing that contradicted this assumption was that several children from the most influential pureblood families had chosen to stay. your gaze swept across the table, taking in each one in turn.
draco malfoy, displaying a usual attitude of displeasurement. you guessed that the malfoy weren't the people to listen to christmas music around the holidays.
next to him, blaise zabini, who was munching on mouth full portion of potatoes just like ron was.
across from them and her back facing the rest of the hall, including your line of sight, pansy parkinson, the perfect cut bob of black hair, moving slightly everytime she turned her head to the side, as she attentively listened to what draco was telling her.
a few feet away, mattheo riddle and lorenzo berkshire were quietly discussing something. it looked somewhat urgent, as both of them leaned over the table top, and not even mattheo, whose face you could see, wore his usual smirk.
just before you were able to wonder about his absence, you noticed theo nott walk into the hall. he looked just like always, messy curls falling onto his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and that face, that made every thought in your head disappear.
not that you liked any of them, but theo had always been your favorite. he was a true slytherin. cunning, loyal and determined. even though he had reason enough, there was no arrogant bone in his body.
you had liked him from the first time you had talked to him last year, when snape had coupled you up for a potions project. he had not even been as pretentious as you had thought he was, considering he was always hanging around with malfoy.
but theo was nice, actually nice.
"hello?" ron's voice was so sudden, you knocked over the cup of pumpkin juice beside you.
hermione cleaned the juice off of the table with a simple flick of her wand, as she rolled her eyes at your distractedness.
"what?" you wondered.
"the cookies, please?" ron smiled and your expression turned sour when you noticed the pieces of potatoe stuck between his teeth.
you nodded nonetheless and grabbed the plate of decorated christmas cookies. you took one for yourself, a delicious looking christmas tree, before you planted the whole plate in front of ron, knowing that he was gonna take one cookie after the other anyway.
"i think we're good company" harry said, and while you weren't exactly sure what he was talking about, you nodded.
"obviously we are"
"i mean, she could've brought luna along, right?" he closed the quidditch book with a thud and crossed his arms.
"ehh" you muttered. you were saved by the loud sound of the door, that flew open and revealed professor burbage. she walked up to the teachers table in a hurry, quickly excusing her late arrival, before she sat down next to dumbledore.
you noticed the look of worry on her face and wondered what she was thinking about.
“what’s gotten into her?” hermione asked and you were glad someone else had noticed the professor’s strange behaviour.
“everyone is stressed around christmas, right?” ron muttered without an ounce of interest.
“i’m sure that’s it” harry nodded, glad that he could now shift the conversation back to it’s initial topic. “so, about ginny—“
“you’re mentioning her an awful lot, harry” you joked, enjoying how your brother’s face lost all it’s colour and his eyes darted between ron and you quickly. ron hadn’t even noticed the implication, if he had even listened to you in the first place.
you could read the boredom from the redheads face as he rearranged the cookie plate, until it showed a little scene with a christmas tree, huge presents and two happy gingerbread man.
you tuned the conversation out too, as harry continued to speak. you decided that it was hermiones turn to listen now.
you rather turned your head to look at theo once more, who looked up at the very same time, probably feeling eyes on him. but he didn’t look in your direction, but to the teachers table. you furrowed your brows, before you followed his line of sight, your eyes ultimately landing on professor burbage. she looked just as worried as before, as she hectically looked between theo and something clutched in her hand.
you looked back at theo, who simply rolled his eyes, averting his eyes from the teacher and focusing back on the untouched food beside him. draco muttered something in theo’s direction and the latter, barely reacted, managing only a weak smile, before his focus was gone again.
you sighed, deciding you had spent enough time with your friends to leave without feeling bad. “i think i’m gonna head to bed” you smiled, standing up.
“oh” hermione simply noted. “should i accompany you?”
you shook your head, “i’ll be fine”. her offer was nice, but you wanted to be alone for some time. it was especially during times like these, that you most missed what other people had: a real family. you still had harry and you friends, but it was different from what you sometimes wished for.
“i’ll see you guys tomorrow” you waved. ron, mouth filled brim, only waved back to your relief and harry nodded, muttering something about a game of chess ginny had promised.
you headed out of the hall just a mere second later, pulling your sweater over your head, that you had taken off in the hall, because of the brizzling warmth of the fireplace at your back. you took the usual route to the tower. it was the place you often spend time at whenever you wanted to be alone.
the stairs creaked loudly beneath each step you took, indicating how old the whole structure was. you walked across the wooden beams, leaning your body across the railing as you breathed in the cold of the air and your eyes wandered across the snow beneath you.
it was so calm up here, so silent.. until. the wood creaked loudly, indicating steps coming up towards you. your heart began beating faster, debating who could be coming up here. you had never ran across someone else at the tower.
maybe it was harry? you stepped closer to the stairs, expecting your brothers dark and messy hair to peak from the entrance, but it wasn’t harry who then stepped onto the plattform across from you.
“hey” theo nott muttered, hands pushed into the pockets of his pants while he looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.
“hey” you said, just as neutral. you tried to act casual, as he walked closer and you followed him back to the middle of the plattform, awkwardly standing next to each other.
theo fished out a cigarette from his pocket. “is this okay?” he asked, poinint between the two of you.
you furrowed your brows, confused what he was talking about, before you realized that he was probably asking about your permission to keep you company. “sure” you nodded and the lightened his cigarette.
“you smoke?” he asked, holding the burning cigarette in your direction as if to offer you a blow.
you shoke your head, although you had to admit that he was intruiging to take a drag when a boy with such blue eyes was the one offering it.
“do you come here often?” you asked softly, deciding it was more awkward to just stare at him in silence.
“sometimes” theo shrugged. “they get exhausting, my friends i mean”
“yeah, mine too” you nodded.
“wouldn’t have held you for a person that particuarly likes to be alone” theo muttered, before he turned his head, blowing the smoke out from his lips, without it hitting you. you appreciated the gesture.
“it gets too much, sometimes” you shrugged. “i don’t mind to be alone”
“then you probably mind my company, huh?” he smirked, looking into your eyes with such sincerity.
“not at all” you shook your head, mirroring the smirk on his lips. “although i would prefer malfoy”
“oh shut up” theo laughed, his eyes glistened, almost surprised at the sudden joke. you felt proud that you had made him laugh, even if you had to mention malfoy for it.
“i’m so sincere right now” you giggled, both of you not believing a word you were saying.
theo threw down his cigarette, stomping on it, before he let it disappear with a flick of his wand. he looked up at you and opened his mouth, about to return a witty remark, when a loud bang rang out.
you both froze at the sound, the laughter abruptly cut off as the echo of the bang bounced off the stone walls. the great hall felt miles away in that moment, and the air thickened with tension. theo’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of concern.
“what was that?” you whispered, instinctively taking a step closer to him. the sudden shift from light-hearted banter to fear sent a shiver down your spine.
“the door” theo muttered in recognition. the tower was right on top of the entryway to the castle. now that you thought about it, the bang did sound awfully like a heavy door falling close.
“who would even go out there now?” you wondered, your heart still beating fast as the shock settled into your features.
“i don’t know” theo stepped away and closer to the staircase. “are you coming or what?”
you quickly nodded, as you followed him back down and through the corridor, before you froze in front of the door.
“maybe it was the wind” you suggested, though the tremor in your voice betrayed your uncertainty.
theo raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism dancing in his gaze. “you really believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but his expression alert.
“well, it’s possible,” you replied, though you didn’t sound convinced. the notion felt flimsy in the wake of the unsettling noise, and the creeping feeling of dread wasn’t fading.
“possible, sure,” he replied, “but it sounded too loud for the wind. we need to check it out. it could be something... important.”
your heart raced again, this time from a mix of fear and curiosity. “important? like what?” you asked, biting your lip.
“i don’t know,” he admitted, glancing back at the heavy wooden door. “but don’t you think we should at least look? it might be someone in trouble.”
you hesitated, looking back down the corridor where you could see flickers of light from the torches along the walls. “but what if it’s something dangerous?” you countered, feeling a rush of apprehension.
“better to know than to wonder,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. there was a spark of determination in his eyes, and you found yourself drawn to his confidence. despite the risk, the thought of turning back felt more frightening than facing whatever lay beyond the door.
theo looked back at you once more, before he sighed and nodded, pushing the heavy door open. what revealed itself was the dark of the night, as snow fell into the entrance you were standing in, quickly cooling your face.
“it’s too dark” theo noted. both of you took out your wands, using lumos to light the way. theo urged you to follow him. the snow was so heavy, that even the light of your wands did almost nothing.
theo was just a few steps beside you, when you felt it. “theo” you whispered, as your body and heart froze simultaneously. “theo” you repeated, a bit louder. you could see the light of theo’s wand come closer again. he had heard you.
“are you alright?”
you shook your head, what he probably couldn’t see. you could only make out his body. “there is something there”
“what do you mean?”
“i’m feeling it against my foot” you muttered. “there is something on the ground. i’ll have to come closer to make out what it is”
“be careful” theo held you hand to stabilize your body, as you kneeled down, moving the light of your wand across the object on the ground in front of you. it was dark, black robes, hiding something beneath them. but you just couldn’t make out what it was.
then suddenly, you gasped in shock. your light glided over a face, mouth, nose dripping blood. wide eyes, opened in terror as they stared at you unmoving. you screamed, falling back into the snow, as theo surged forward, trying to catch you.
“y/n!” he called, panic rising in his voice as you struggled to breathe, your heart racing wildly “what’s wrong? what is it?”
“professor burbage” you muttered, over and over again.
“what?” theo leaned in closer, still holding onto you, his face drained of color.
“she’s dead!” you choked out, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the professor’s face, still staring up at you, frozen in her final moment of horror.
you heard theo gasp, his own breath faltering for a moment as he processed what lay before you both. without another word, he pulled you to your feet, wrapping an arm around you to support your shaking body. “we have to go,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear. with one hand, he held his wand forward, the dim light flickering in the swirling snow, while the other held onto you as you stumbled back toward the door.
the last thing you saw as the heavy door closed behind you was professor burbage’s body, half-buried in the snow, her lifeless eyes still staring, as if warning you of something far worse to come.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs
⛧༺ NO BODY, NO CRIME ༻⛧
EPISODE 01: dinner and a glass of wine
pairing: theo nott x potter!reader
summary: the christmas holidays have just begun, but still a threatening atmosphere lies in the air and suddenly, you find yourself at a crime scene
warnings: extremely big trigger warning for the whole series, in this chapter: mentions of blood, a corpse, (small) jump-scare
note: hello guys, welcome to the first episode of no body, no crime!! i’m so excited for this series and hope you enjoy it as much as i do!! the next episode is coming out next monday!! let me know what you think in the comments <333
the soft tunes of christmas music filled the air around you. the great hall was less filled than normal, most of the students deciding to go home for the holidays.
"can you pass me the potatoes, please?" ron's red hair was illuminated by the soft glow of the fairylights behind him. the auburn sweater he was wearing was highlighting the contrast even more.
"here" hermione said, holding the bowl across the table, as ron eagerly grabbed it.
"where's ginny?" harry muttered. he had his nose buried in a book about quidditch techniques you had bought in hogsmeade. he had been busy studying it all night, but apparently not busy enough to not notice ginny's absence.
"she's sitting with luna" you pointed out, as your eyes glided along the slytherin table. ginny and her had grown closer since the beginning of the year and you had to admit that you had quickly taken a liking to the blonde girl. she was a bit strange, admittedly, but lovely none the less.
"she's been busy all year" ron muttered, mouth filled to the brim. "seems like we've gotten too boring for her"
"allow your sister to have her own friends" hermione shoke her head. "and for gods sake, please close your mouth, ronald."
despite the approaching festivity, the atmosphere in the hall was eerie. maybe because only a few people were sitting at eachs house table, making the hall seem weirdly out of place.
the slytherin table was by far the emptiest. probably because most purblooded and traditional wizard families made a hail mary out of everything that would allow a party, showing off their wealth and status.
the only thing that contradicted this assumption was that several children from the most influential pureblood families had chosen to stay. your gaze swept across the table, taking in each one in turn.
draco malfoy, displaying a usual attitude of displeasurement. you guessed that the malfoys weren't the people to listen to christmas music around the holidays.
next to him, blaise zabini, who was munching on a mouth full portion of potatoes just like ron was.
across from them and her back facing the rest of the hall, including your line of sight, pansy parkinson. her perfect cut bob of black hair moving slightly everytime she turned her head to the side, as she attentively listened to what draco was telling her.
a few feet away, mattheo riddle and lorenzo berkshire were quietly discussing something. it looked somewhat urgent, as both of them leaned over the table top, and not even mattheo, whose face you could see, wore his usual smirk.
just before you were able to wonder about his absence, you noticed theo nott walk into the hall. he looked just like always, messy curls falling onto his forehead, dark circles under his eyes and that face, that made every thought in your head disappear.
not that you liked any of them, but theo had always been your favorite. he was a true slytherin. cunning, loyal and determined. even though he had reason enough, there was no arrogant bone in his body.
you had liked him from the first time you had talked to him last year, when snape had coupled you up for a potions project. he had not even been as pretentious as you had thought he was, considering he was always hanging around malfoy.
but theo was nice, actually nice.
"hello?" ron's voice was so sudden, you knocked over the cup of pumpkin juice beside you.
hermione cleaned the juice off of the table with a simple flick of her wand, as she rolled her eyes at your distractedness.
"what?" you wondered.
"the cookies, please?" ron smiled and your expression turned sour when you noticed the pieces of potatoe stuck between his teeth.
you nodded nonetheless and grabbed the plate of decorated christmas cookies. you took one for yourself, a delicious looking christmas tree, before you planted the whole plate in front of ron, knowing that he was gonna take one cookie after the other anyway.
"i think we're good company" harry said, and while you weren't exactly sure what he was talking about, you nodded.
"obviously we are"
"i mean, she could've brought luna along, right?" he closed the quidditch book with a thud and crossed his arms.
"ehh" you muttered. you were saved by the loud sound of the door, that flew open and revealed professor burbage. she walked up to the teachers table in a hurry, quickly excusing her late arrival, before she sat down next to dumbledore.
you noticed the look of worry on her face and wondered what she was thinking about.
“what’s gotten into her?” hermione asked and you were glad someone else had noticed the professor’s strange behaviour.
“everyone is stressed around christmas, right?” ron muttered without an ounce of interest.
“i’m sure that’s it” harry nodded, glad that he could now shift the conversation back to it’s initial topic. “so, about ginny—“
“you’re mentioning her an awful lot, harry” you joked, enjoying how your brother’s face lost all it’s colour and his eyes darted between ron and you quickly. ron hadn’t even noticed the implication, if he had even listened to you in the first place.
you could read the boredom from the redheads face as he rearranged the cookie plate, until it showed a little scene with a christmas tree, huge presents and two happy gingerbread men.
you tuned the conversation out too, as harry continued to speak. you decided that it was hermiones turn to listen now.
you rather turned your head to look at theo once more, who looked up at the very same time, probably feeling eyes on him. but he didn’t look in your direction, but to the teachers table. you furrowed your brows, before you followed his line of sight, your eyes ultimately landing on professor burbage. she looked just as worried as before, as she hectically looked between theo and something clutched in her hand.
you looked back to theo, who simply rolled his eyes, averting his gaze from the teacher and focusing back on the untouched food beside him. draco muttered something in theo’s direction and the latter barely reacted, managing only a weak smile, before his focus was gone again.
you sighed, deciding you had spent enough time with your friends to leave without feeling bad. “i think i’m gonna head to bed” you smiled, standing up.
“oh” hermione simply noted. “should i accompany you?”
you shook your head, “i’ll be fine”. her offer was nice, but you wanted to be alone for some time. it was especially during times like these, that you most missed what other people had: a real family. you still had harry and your friends, but it was different from what you sometimes wished for.
“i’ll see you guys tomorrow” you waved. ron, mouth filled to the brim, only waved back to your relief and harry nodded, muttering something about a game of chess ginny had promised.
you headed out of the hall just a mere second later, pulling your sweater over your head, that you had taken off in the hall, because of the brizzling warmth of the fireplace at your back. you took the usual route to the tower. it was the place you often spend time at whenever you wanted to be alone.
the stairs creaked loudly beneath each step you took, indicating how old the whole structure was. you walked across the wooden beams, leaning your body over the railing as you breathed in the cold of the air and your eyes wandered across the snow beneath you.
it was so calm up here, so silent.. until. the wood creaked loudly, indicating steps coming up towards you. your heart began beating faster, debating who could be coming up here. you had never ran across someone else at the tower.
maybe it was harry? you stepped closer to the stairs, expecting your brothers dark and messy hair to peak from the entrance, but it wasn’t harry who then stepped onto the plattform across from you.
“hey” theo nott muttered, hands pushed into the pockets of his pants while he looked at you with an unreadable expression on his face.
“hey” you said, just as neutral. you tried to act casual, as he walked closer and you followed him back to the middle of the plattform, awkwardly standing next to each other.
theo fished out a cigarette from his pocket. “is this okay?” he asked, pointing between the two of you.
you furrowed your brows, confused what he was talking about, before you realized that he was probably asking about your permission to keep you company. “sure” you nodded and the lightened his cigarette.
“you smoke?” he asked, holding the burning cigarette in your direction as if to offer you a blow.
you shoke your head, although you had to admit that it was intruiging to take a drag when a boy with such blue eyes was the one offering it.
“do you come here often?” you asked softly, deciding it was more awkward to just stare at him in silence.
“sometimes” theo shrugged. “they get exhausting, my friends i mean”
“yeah, mine too” you nodded.
“wouldn’t have held you for a person that particuarly likes to be alone” theo muttered, before he turned his head, blowing the smoke out from his lips, without it hitting you. you appreciated the gesture.
“it gets too much, sometimes” you shrugged. “i don’t mind to be alone”
“then you probably mind my company, huh?” he smirked, looking into your eyes with a deep kind of sincerity.
“not at all” you shook your head, mirroring the smirk on his lips. “although i would prefer malfoy”
“oh shut up” theo laughed, his eyes glistening, almost surprised at the sudden joke. you felt proud that you had made him laugh, even if you had to mention malfoy.
“i’m so sincere right now” you giggled, both of you not believing a word you were saying.
theo threw down his cigarette, stomping on it, before he let it disappear with a flick of his wand. he looked up at you and opened his mouth, about to return a witty remark, when a loud bang rang out.
you both froze at the sound, the laughter abruptly cut off as the echo of the bang bounced off the stone walls. the great hall felt miles away in that moment, and the air thickened with tension. theo’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of concern.
“what was that?” you whispered, instinctively taking a step closer to him. the sudden shift from light-hearted banter to fear sent a shiver down your spine.
“the door” theo muttered in recognition. the tower was right on top of the entryway to the castle. now that you thought about it, the bang did sound awfully like a heavy door falling close.
“who would even go out there now?” you wondered, your heart still beating fast as the shock settled into your features.
“i don’t know” theo stepped away and closer to the staircase. “are you coming or what?”
you quickly nodded, as you followed him back down and through the corridor, before you froze in front of the door.
“maybe it was the wind” you suggested, though the tremor in your voice betrayed your uncertainty.
theo raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticism dancing in his gaze. “you really believe that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed but his expression alert.
“well, it’s possible,” you replied, though you didn’t sound convinced. the notion felt flimsy in the wake of the unsettling noise, and the creeping feeling of dread wasn’t fading.
“possible, sure,” he replied, “but it sounded too loud for the wind. we need to check it out. it could be something... important.”
your heart raced again, this time from a mix of fear and curiosity. “important? like what?” you asked, biting your lip.
“i don’t know,” he admitted, glancing back at the heavy wooden door. “but don’t you think we should at least look? it might be someone in trouble.”
you hesitated, looking back down the corridor where you could see flickers of light from the torches along the walls. “but what if it’s something dangerous?” you countered, feeling a rush of apprehension.
“better to know than to wonder,” he said, his tone serious yet gentle. there was a spark of determination in his eyes, and you found yourself drawn to his confidence. despite the risk, the thought of turning back felt more frightening than facing whatever lay beyond the door.
theo looked back at you once more, before he sighed and nodded, pushing the heavy door open. what revealed itself was the dark of the night, as snow fell into the entrance you were standing in, quickly cooling your face.
“it’s too dark” theo noted. both of you took out your wands, using lumos to light the way. theo urged you to follow him. the snowfall was so heavy, that even the light of your wands did almost nothing.
theo was just a few steps beside you, when you felt it. “theo” you whispered, as your body and heart froze simultaneously. “theo” you repeated, a bit louder. you could see the light of theo’s wand come closer again. he had heard you.
“are you alright?”
you shook your head, what he probably couldn’t see. you could only make out his body. “there is something there”
“what do you mean?”
“i’m feeling it against my foot” you muttered. “there is something on the ground. i’ll have to come closer to make out what it is”
“be careful” theo held you hand to stabilize your body, as you kneeled down, moving the light of your wand across the object on the ground in front of you. it was dark, black robes, hiding something beneath them. but you just couldn’t make out what it was.
then suddenly, you gasped in shock. your light glided over a face, mouth, nose dripping blood. wide eyes, opened in terror as they stared at you unmoving. you screamed, falling back into the snow, as theo surged forward, trying to catch you.
“y/n!” he called, panic rising in his voice as you struggled to breathe, your heart racing wildly “what’s wrong? what is it?”
“professor burbage” you muttered, over and over again.
“what?” theo leaned in closer, still holding onto you, his face drained of color.
“she’s dead!” you choked out, voice trembling, eyes fixed on the professor’s face, still staring up at you, frozen in her final moment of horror.
you heard theo gasp, his own breath faltering for a moment as he processed what lay before you both. without another word, he pulled you to your feet, wrapping an arm around you to support your shaking body. “we have to go,” he muttered, his voice tight with fear. with one hand, he held his wand forward, the dim light flickering in the swirling snow, while the other held onto you as you stumbled back toward the door.
the last thing you saw as the heavy door closed behind you was professor burbage’s body, half-buried in the snow, her lifeless eyes still staring, as if warning you of something far worse to come.
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs @chimchoom @eggsysstuff @uku-lelevillain @lexi2005
THIS. i can see it
slytherin fratboys drunkenly sing we are young by 3OH!3 while mattheo and lorenzo are riding children’s bikes stolen from some parking lot, theo is jogging after them with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a burnt out cig in the other, blaise is filming them on his phone, unintelligibly yelling to egg them on and snickering, and draco is trying to catch up to them, calling them stupid idiots (he was taking a piss in the bushes further up the road and they forgot about him)
hey guys, i’m actually just an idiot lmao. no body no crime part one will arrive one day later than planned. i’m super sorry but your girl forgot her laptop at home, before she drove to her bfs house. now i just have to post it a tiny bit later 😭😭
hope y’all forgive me
taglist: @melsunshine @shereadsandcries @ch3rry-lips @the-sylver-dragon @mayamonroem @allurearia @prongsprincessworld @brokenpoetliz @winterbarnesblog @mysummerwinesblog @cowboy-luvr @ahead-fullofdreams @mietlynn @maxsisly @too-efn-old-to-be-here @reverse-soe @insideoutjulie @thestrawberrythatgotaway @dvartesgfs