Your-royal-advisor

Ca-thunk.

Remembering how skittish Potter had been, Theo forced himself to keep working, showing no reaction as the door creaked open.

After a few seconds, Theo risked a glance up. Potter stiffened. His face was thin, with none of the baby fat that Theo expected.

Theo looked away to hide his frown. "Mundo vulnus." The blood on his hand vanished.

Potter gasped. "What was that?"

"Magic, to clean my cuts," Theo answered in his smoothest tone. Daphne said he could be 'prickly.' He wasn't sure what she meant by that, so he thought that by channeling the opposite of prickly, he could keep Potter at ease. "It's not that bad. Just needs a bandage."

He cast about for something to transfigure, but Potter pulled out a clean white rag from the closet.

"You can use that until you find one." Potter said, sounding unnaturally somber.

"Thanks." He nodded at the spot of wall next to him. "You can sit with me, if you like. Better than being in the dark."

Potter shifted uncertainly. His shoes were full of holes. After a second he sat down, folding his skinny arms around his skinny legs, hardly taking up any room.

"Did you say...magic?"

Theo raised his eyebrows. Potter's green gaze searched around, trying to focus on his face. Theo felt a twinge of guilt. Bad enough to get de-aged in your Transfiguration class, only to also lose your glasses and sprint around a magical castle half-way blind.

"Yes, I did magic," he said. "I'm a wizard, like you."

"No!" Potter gasped.

"Yes," Theo's mouth twitched. Potter was far more expressive at eight than fifteen. He could see every little thought running through his head.

"Is that why they - they -" Potter paused precipitously. "Were my parents wizards, too?"

Something cold settled in his chest. "Yes, they were."

Potter let his hands fall limply to his lap. Theo could tell by the trembling in his shoulders that he was angry.

"Where am I?" Potter asked finally.

"The school we attend to learn magic. It's called Hogwarts."

"Do my Aunt and Uncle know I'm here?"

Theo hesitated. Just as he was trying to decipher the tremor in Potter's voice, his hand absently touched his bare arm.

His bare arm littered with bruises.

Theo froze, staring at the unmistakable halo of fingers wrapped around his biceps. They were so large that they disappeared under the tent of his ill-fitting sleeve.

Suddenly, the way Potter had sprinted from the classroom when Ron Weasley tried to hold him back made sense.

"No," Theo said impulsively, "You're safe here."

Potter squinted at him suspiciously.

Theo raised his wand, not allowing himself even a second to question what he was about to do.

"I swear to you, Harry Potter, that I will keep you safe until you're big enough to protect yourself again."

A flash of light sealed his promise.

"Was that a spell?" Potter whispered, awestruck.

"Yes." He shrugged his cloak off and shrank it down. "Put this on. It'll keep you -"

"Safe?" Potter interrupted excitedly. "Is it magic?"

"It is. And with it, I can always find you. This way you'll never be lost in the castle."

"Whoa..."

Theo smiled a little, taking care to fasten it with the fine silver raven pin it so it wouldn't fall down.

"What's your name?"

"Theodore Nott. But you can call me Theo."

Potter's jaw dropped. "Like from the Chipmunks...!" He gasped reverently.

"What?"

Potter pointed at Theo's tie. "You're wearing green! Just like he does!"

Theo looked around desperately, praying that nobody had overheard an eight year old compare him to a wood rat.

"Theodore's my favorite!" Potter added, grinning for the first time. "Do you like to cook? Can you sing?"

"Um...I don't know how and, uh..." Magic help him, he couldn't lie to that earnest face. "I can sing."

"Like Alvin and the Chipmunks!" Potter yelped. "Do you know their songs?"

Theo had no idea what he was talking about. "I know...uh, Greensleeves?" He said weakly.

Potter tipped his head. "I don't know that one."

"Nevermind." Theo got to his feet. "Let's go to the hospital wing."

"For your hand?"

Theo hesitated. "Yeah. And you were hit by a spell earlier. Do you remember?"

Potter shook his head.

"Well, it's nothing to worry about. We'll get it fixed up. Come on, it's not far."

"Um..."

"What is it?"

Potter looked nervously at his feet. In a flash, Theo realized how stupid he was. He couldn't see.

"Here," Theo held out his uninjured hand. "Sometimes the stairs like to vanish. Hold my hand until we get there."

Potter worried his lip.

"Remember, I promised to keep you safe, Harry," Theo encouraged, using his given name like they were friends. "I have to make sure you don't trip and fall."

Harry tentatively took his hand.

Theo kept his grip light. It was Harry who squeezed him when Weasley and Granger came rushing around the corner.

"It's okay," Theo murmured.

"You're nice like Theodore, too," Harry whispered nervously.

"Nott! Let go of him!" Weasley snapped.

"Harry! Harry, come over here!" Granger panted, grabbing at him.

Theo stepped in front of Harry.