Judge, Jury and Executioner ((Scott)) [PG-13]

[Theo Darke]

((Please note the content of this post may contain PG-13 material; if you are not thirteen years old or above, please refrain from reading this. The material may be offensive. Thank you.))





Theo paused to listen to the rapid footsteps of someone running behind him. He turned around in curiosity, hoping it would be Lori, even though he already knew it wasn’t her. These sounds were too heavy, too rushed to be Lori. Even when Lori was in a hurry, her steps were gentle and panicked, rather than hasty and forced. It was not in her personality to be rough or violent in any way, and Theo really admired that in her. There weren’t many people who didn’t seek revenge through terrorising other people; Lori forgave others, perhaps too naively sometimes, but she did it anyway, and Theo loved her for it. Finally, the runner’s footsteps increased in tempo until a harassed looking third year boy streaked past, clutching a flying bag after him as he skidded round the corner. Theo opened his mouth, feeling the need to call to the Ravenclaw and tell him to be careful. It was forbidden (technically, but not many people stuck to the rules) to run around school, especially at such a speed; it was extremely dangerous. Sighing and shaking his head, Theo continued onwards to the Ravenclaw Common Room, thinking over the things he needed to do tonight.

“Charms essay… Muggle Studies essay… Transfiguration homework… Help Lori with Transfiguration homework.” Theo felt his lips curl into an amused smirk. Lori Leigh was a bright, intelligent girl, one of the cleverest in their year, and yet her affinity for Transfiguration was absolutely nil. Why, Theo didn’t understand either, but he had heard Lori’s mother, Dana, had once failed her Transfiguration back in her Hogwarts days, and the thought of Dana failing anything was an impossible thought. Dana Leigh had always been a perfectionist – more so than Theo’s mum, Yvonne, who was calmer and more laid back. The two women fit together like two peas in a pod, both sporting blonde hair and having personalities that worked well together. It was usually Yvonne who calmed Dana down in tense situations, and it was Dana Yvonne would turn to when she needed a good chat. Theo liked watching their parents interact; it reminded him of how good friends he and Lori were, and he hoped in their adulthood they would be just as close as they were now.

“What you smilin’ at, Darke?” A loud, cocky voice broke Theo’s thoughts. Blinking, Theo turned around to face four sneering Slytherin boys in his year, glaring at him in disdain. Recognising them as regular terrorisors of his fellow classmates, Theo steeled himself for a nasty conversation.
“Good evening, gentlemen.” Theo replied calmly, shouldering his bag further up his shoulder.
“Don’t ‘gentlemen’ me, Darke.” The leader of the pack of boys scoffed, cackling quite evilly. Theo thought to himself how forced the boy was with his attitude, his entire personality. He knew better than to hide the real him.
“What do you want?” Theo asked, unruffled by the four beginning to circle him. It was true he was not the best physical fighter, but Theo believed in himself; he’d get out of his by using any spells necessary. It may be breaking school rules, but in the face of danger, rules had tom be broken; Theo believed in exceptions. And teachers were bound to pick his side over four Slytherins. Plus he was the golden child, he knew this all too well, but not in an arrogant way. That was probably why he had so many enemies as well as friends – not only was his sexuality an issue, but the fact he was so… good at what he did infuriated jealous classmates.
“Nothin’ much.” The leader of the Slytherins drawled with a malicious grin. “The boys and I were just havin’ some difficulties with our Potions homework. We thought you’d be able to help us out.”
“Sorry, Gary.” Theo responded indifferently. “I’ve got to be somewhere else right now. Lori’s waiting for me.” He was a helpful boy by nature, but he knew there were no benefits in helping Gary Bowell and his lackeys. It was best to stand up than submit to these bullies.
“Your precious Lori Leigh.” Gary sneered in contempt, laughing aloud as his fellow Slytherins joined in too. “And they say you’re a homo. You sure about that, Darke? You know I hate homos, don't you? Cause you’ve always been so protective about Lori. You love her or somethin’, don’t ya? Bet you’re not gay. It’s just a lie to get yourself more attention.” Gary leaned forward into Theo’s face. He had the height advantage of two inches. “One day, I’m gonna get that Lori,” He whispered menacingly, “And I’m gonna break that little fragile body of hers, bit by bit. Then I’ll take her heart and crush it. It’ll be fun. Real fun.”

Theo stared defiantly back into Gary’s glare, not intimidated by his dominating behaviour. He was used to this, and he could handle it. Theo was so used to horrible people, especially Slytherins, coming up to him and being snide about his sexuality, often involving poor Lori; she was a victim from his predicament. But it couldn't be helped, and she supported him tirelessly. He was ever so grateful for that. Theo at first found the judgements of other people upsetting, but then he realised he didn't need their stupid approval to be loved by others and accepted. He had Lori and his family and friends who loved him for who he was, and he didn't need to be judged and trialed by people that meant nothing to him. No one was Theo's executioner. He knew well enough the jibes about Lori were used to attempt to infuriate him, but he wasn’t going to arise to the bait. Oh no. Theo always stayed calm in the face of… anything. Adversity, danger, threats. He was about to state something in return, tell them to leave Lori out of the matter, and attempt to leave (and resort to spells if need be), when another voice broke the fray. Surprised, Theo glanced around to see who the newcomer was.

[Scott Ryder G7]

Getting to spend time with Flick was always a good monotony breaker for Scott. The two of them, though quite different in personality, got along well, able to pull each other through the tough times away from their parents and Evelyn. Hogwarts often got lonely before Flick arrived, but now that he could see her any time he needed, Scott was a lot more apt to be a bit social if she was around. They had just spent the past few hours in the student lounge doing homework, when she decided to go off with some of her friends. Smiling, Scott waved good bye as he watched his sister disappear, a crowd of students younger than Scott around her. Sometimes he wised he were a bit more social like Flick, but naturally Scott was more reserved. Calm and collected, his mother would always say. To Scott, it was a matter of self-esteem. He was confident in himself, but not to point where he would easily put himself in a position to stand out in a crowd.

Walking back from the lounge toward the Gryffindor common Room, Scott began to let his mind drift to his family at home. It wasn't easy, with Evelyn and all. Sometimes Scott wished that there were more he could do from Hogwarts. He always noticed how relieved his parents seemed when he and Flick were home for holidays. Evelyn required such consistent care that it had worn on his parents over the years. One might think that such tiresome care would wear on their emotions, such as their love, but Scott could tell that it wasn't the case for his parents. They were all a close-knit family, despite the struggles that Evelyn's condition brought. It was a unique life, but one that Scott had become accustomed to at that.

As he walked, Scott turned a corner to see a group of guys around his age huddled against one of the walls. The one, he recognized almost instantly as a Slytherin named Gary, notorious for his arrogance and constant bullying. Alongside him, Scott noticed the usual sidekicks, each stupider and more oaf-like than the next. In the center, Scott's eye caught the unmistakable blonde hair of Theo Darke, a popular boy from Ravenclaw who Scott knew fairly well from classes. His recent announcement of his sexuality had landed a lot of split opinions on him among other fifth years. Before, Theo was quite popular, and now he seemed to have divided those who knew him, some accepting of his homosexuality and others quite appalled by it. Perhaps that was why Gary and his cronies had decided to corner him, but Scott couldn't be sure. Whatever the reason, it was quite ridiculous that it took four Slytherins to feel remotely comfortable when tormenting another student.

"This looks like a fair fight," Scott spoke up. It wasn't common for him to draw attention to himself and speak up in situations, yet his inner self always seemed ready to come to another's defense. Of course Theo was bright, Scott knew that. It was likely that he could have easily outwit the foursome that had him surrounded. Nonetheless, Scott approached the group, his fingers slightly tracing the thin sliver of wood in his pocket in case a fight broke out. It wasn't common, but still not unheard of. Most of the Slytherins who chose to flex their bullying muscles often stuck with words as opposed to brawn. Ironically enough, many of them didn't have the brains to win a verbal fight as it was. It was the intelligent Slytherins that needed to be feared, not the ones like Gary and his gang.

[Theo Darke]

Theo relaxed somewhat as he caught sight of familiar short brunette hair and a hardened face. “Scott.” He nodded in acknowledgement at the Gryffindor with a smile perking at the corners of his lips. The fellow fifth year was a boy he’d spoken to on many occasions, though not in depth, which Theo lamented somewhat because from what he noticed of Scott, he seemed the type Theo would befriend. Scott had always been rather polar in comparison to Theo though, endearing others to believe they weren’t compatible. Whilst Theo was popular and well-known (even before the issue of his sexuality surfaced), Scott had always remained in the background, sticking to his few friends and avoiding disagreement. Theo, in looks and interests, was completely different, as he was of average height with golden blonde hair, his favourite past time being to sit in the Common Room with a good book on his lap. Scott on the other hand was known for his Quidditch skills, with his tall, thin frame and brown hair. He also got lower grades than Theo – but that was only because Theo always came first, so anyone else was bound to be overshadowed by him. Theo and Lori were usually top in their class (with the exception of Transfiguration for Lori), but Scott, Theo knew, did fairly well too. He was above average intelligence, and he detected a streak of a hardworking nature in him.

Theo shifted so he could get a better view of Scott past one of the Slytherin boy’s broad, taller shoulders. Out of the six of them, Theo was the third shortest, but he didn’t place himself any weaker than any of them. Gary was the largest, muscular and thick-set in build. It was probably why he was the ringleader; his cronies were too afraid of his physical strength even if their brains were larger in comparison. Though, Theo decided, anyone who chose to follow Gary was an idiot. The only thing Gary provided was a tarnish to one’s reputation (the boys obviously thought differently), and protection in the physical sense. But being with Gary didn’t stop you from getting in trouble with the teachers. Theo quickly caught Scott’s eye, and his lips curled into a thin smile so Gary couldn’t see it. No doubt he would interpret it as something else and launch into a bloody fight. “Scott, I was just telling these gentlemen that I had to get going. No need for anything drastic.” He sent Scott a warning look not to make the situation worse than it already was unless necessary. Hopefully he would understand. Scott had always seemed the sensible type; he didn’t involve himself in fights, so his presence was somewhat surprising. But Theo had always suspected Scott wasn’t all he appeared to be.

Theo turned away from Scott as Gary spoke. “Get lost, Ryder. This ain’t none of your business. Darke and I have some unresolved issues.” Gary snarled with a growl, walking towards Scott in a menacing manner. “And you, Darke,” He glanced at Theo over his shoulder with a malevolent smirk, “Ain’t going nowhere, you hear me? We ain’t finished yet. Boys, keep him down whilst I tend to this piece of filth.” Gary spat in anticipation as he neared Scott. Theo’s eyes narrowed at these words, watching as the other three Slytherins began to close in around him to fill Gary’s large absence of presence. In his other eye he noted Gary’s advancement on Scott, before making a firm decision. They wouldn’t get out of this without aggression of sorts. Reaching into his pocket, Theo drew out his wand and pointed it at the nearest boy, who looked too excited for Theo’s liking. Before the Slytherin realised it, Theo had performed the body-binding curse on him, leaving him thrashing on the floor in his wake. Turning, he did the same to the other two who prepared to lunge in fury to avenge their fallen comrade.
“Three down, one to go. Too easy.” Theo muttered to himself as he turned to see how Scott was faring with Gary. He hoped Scott was okay, otherwise he was aware it was his fault he’d be injured.

[Scott Ryder G7]

Scott recognized a hesitant look on Theo's face, but shot him back one that implied they need not worry. Knowing that Theo was a prefect, Scott was doubtful that he would resort to using magic, and in all reality Theo could easily take quite a few points from the Slytherin crew if they got out of hand. This shouldn't take much more than some smooth talking, though it wasn't Scott's forte, and bit of outwitting on his and Theo's part. Gary quickly began trying to intimidate the both of them, approaching Scott as he raised his voice in a manner that made him seem more like an oaf than normal. As Gary's words caused flecks of saliva to spray at Scott's face, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that, in a flash, Theo had surprisingly managed to down each of the other three, obviously having resorted to magic.

Wiping his face to distract Gary's gaze, Scott took his wand with the other hand and quickly cast a spell that tied the shoelaces of Gary's shoes together in knots. Then, in a rush, he ran past the stunned Slytherin and passed Theo in the process. Once around the corner, he stopped, waiting to see if Theo would catch up with him. They wouldn't have much time though, as neither of the spells that they had used were very permanent. Still quite shocked that a prefect had used magic in the corridors, a known objection to the rules, Scott simply shrugged it off. That particular rule was broken all the time, and he figured it was better than what might have been the outcome if the two of them hadn't acted quickly enough to stop a real fight from breaking out. Unfortunately for Scott though, he had made enemies... four more enemies than he really would have preferred to have. With a smirk, he watched Theo turn the corner. "Looks like you really didn't need my help back there," he said, smiling and hoping Theo wouldn't make a big deal of it.

Hearing Gary still shouting bits of profanity, Scott knew that it wasn't wise to stick around for long. He wondered if Theo would bother reporting them to anyone, not that it would matter much. They and Scott had been the ones who broke the rules in the end, despite the fact that it was in self-defense. Rules were rules, and so they wouldn't really gain any sympathy from a teacher once the whole truth was dispelled. Figuring he would just do best to forget the incident even happened, Scott looked back at Theo with a grin of farewell. "Being that you are the prefect, I'll let you decide how to clean up the mess." He laughed a bit, figuring that Theo would likely leave Gary and his goons to tend for themselves. "I should be going though, before someone comes round. Wouldn't want to lose any points for Gryffindor. Ravenclaw's got quite a lead on us," he said with a hint of despondency that he hoped Theo wouldn't catch. Scott wasn't necessarily opposed to the Ravenclaws that seemed to glean housepoints like they came free by the handfuls. Turning on his heel, he gave a wave and headed toward the Gryffindor common room. "Later, Theo."

[Theo Darke]

Theo watched with relaxing worry as Scott disarmed Gary in a matter of seconds, and smiled. Although he didn’t encourage the usage of magic against other pupils, he knew Scott didn’t have any other choice. Either he would’ve cast a spell, or Theo would’ve been forced into action. He doubted Scott would’ve gotten out of the brawl unscathed otherwise. Gary had never been the best wizard, as he didn’t work hard enough to pass any of his subjects. At least, Theo thought, both he and Scott had stuck to charms which caused little, if no harm, and would wear off rather quickly. On that note, Theo let Scott run past him and round the corner, though he hesitated as though waiting for him. Sending the four floored Slytherins one final apprehensive, but satisfied glance, Theo turned and jogged towards Scott, eager to get away from any more confrontation. He was not pleased with himself for using the body-bind curse on the three boys back there, but he had had little choice, really.

Theo approached Scott and slowed down, now being quite a distance away from the Slytherins. Theo was glad of the separation, and halted to catch his breath before Scott, tucking his wand away in his pocket. He glanced up as the Gryffindor spoke, and smiled widely in return. “Maybe. But I’m grateful for your help.” Theo replied modestly, genuinely appreciative of Scott’s kind efforts. “Thank you very much. You made the escape much smoother. I’m sorry for entangling you in such a predicament… We… I should not have resorted to magic… But I didn’t really see any other way out.” Theo shook his head regretfully, his breath finally returning to normal. “Sorry.” He offered in an apologetic tone, “I’m an awful prefect… I should not have involved you too. If the teachers ask around, I’ll be sure not to mention you.” Theo sent Scott a reassuring grin. He was aware of his prefect status and duties, and he tried as much as he could to uphold it and the responsibility that came with the post. He knew well he had broke one of the rules today, but it was too late to worry about that. Theo knew it was the right choice at the end of the day.

Theo was about to thank Scott again, when Gary’s shouting could be heard down the corridor, nearing the pair as they conversed. “I should’ve performed a silencing spell.” Theo joked as he turned his head to look behind him in uneasiness rather than fear. “Okay. Good idea.” He replied to Scott as he watched the Gryffindor begin to leave. “Thanks for your help again, and my apologies…” Theo laughed in amusement at Scott’s farewell words, nodding. “It’s a house thing.” He shrugged with a helpless smile, not wanting to sound too stereotypical or proud; Theo was proud of the Ravenclaws, he was thankful he and Lori hadn’t been separated when they arrived at Hogwarts almost five years ago, as his loyalties would’ve felt split, and not being able to share a Common Room was a sad thought. However, it had been guaranteed from the start that Lori and Theo would both be Ravenclaws, especially since both their parents had once belonged to that house. Theo watched as Scott disappeared round the corner, feeling a huge urge to follow him and continue their conversation, but it was not the best of times, as he could hear approaching footsteps and angry voices. Grimly, Theo set off in the other direction with disappointment in his chest. The next time he saw Scott Ryder, Theo was eager to have the chance to have a proper conversation with him. He seemed like such an interesting person, and he got a good vibe from Scott. Theo supposed he had Gary and his goons to thank for their first meeting in a long time.