you and theo grew up together through their families’ wizarding mafia ties. as they got older, that familiarity turned into something deeper, and they eventually fell in love.

after Hogwarts, they married and moved into Nott Manor, where their love was loud, visible, and undeniable.

a few years later, they had a baby boy—enzo. he was now 7 years old and had started attending Hogwarts, slowly growing into his own world outside the manor.

⸻

today, you were in the kitchen of Nott Manor when you heard the front door open. enzo was home.

you smiled instinctively and turned toward the sound.

“Piccolo, you’re home—?”

but the words died in your throat.

enzo walked in wearing sunglasses, despite the fact that it had been raining all day. he didn’t look at you. instead, he rushed straight upstairs.

something in your chest tightened immediately.

your motherly instinct kicked in before you even thought about it, and you followed him quietly.

his bedroom door was almost closed, but not fully, and from behind it you could hear it—soft, broken sobs.

your heart dropped. you knocked gently, keeping your voice as soft as possible.

“Amore…can you please open the door for me, my love?”

the door creaked open just slightly, revealing enzo standing there, still wearing the sunglasses.

you crouched down to his level, concern written all over your face. you reached up to gently cup his cheek.

“Why are you wearing these sunglasses, tesoro?”

he didn’t answer. he just turned his face away slightly, leaning into your touch in a way that made it worse somehow.

after a pause, you carefully reached up and removed them.

and everything in you stopped.

a black eye.

your breath caught in your throat as your expression shifted instantly.

“Enzo— who— who did this?”

your voice cracked as you spoke, sharper now, fear and anger mixing together. he still didn’t answer. instead, he broke into tears against your chest, shaking in your arms.

and you didn’t hesitate. you wrapped your arms around him tightly, holding him as close as you could, protecting him from the world.

⸻

you were in theo’s office with enzo sitting beside you, an ice pack gently pressed to his eye. theodore stood by the window at first, silent, staring out as if he needed a moment to process what he had just heard.

silence from him was never just silence.

eventually, he turned and sat down behind his desk, his gaze landing on enzo. when he spoke, his voice was quiet but firm, controlled in a way that made the air feel heavier.

“you must be very honest with me right now, enzo. no lies.”

enzo nodded slightly, still small and shaken, while you kept a steady hand on his back to ground him.

“who did this?”

there was a pause before enzo finally spoke, barely above a whisper.

“…scorpio.”

the name landed in the room like something breaking. scorpio malfoy. draco malfoy’s son. theo’s long-standing enemy.

theodore didn’t react immediately. his expression stayed still, almost unreadable, but his jaw tightened slightly.

the silence that followed was heavy enough to feel like pressure.

he leaned back slowly in his chair, his gaze going down to his hands folded on the table.

“go upstairs with your mother,” he said quietly.

enzo wiped his eyes and nodded gently before you also stood up, carefully lifting him into your arms. theo hadn’t moved, his thoughts ran. you just left, closing the door behind you.

——

enzo slept curled against you while you stayed awake, still holding him like letting go might undo everything.

then the door opened.

theodore.

he stopped by the bed and looked down at enzo for a moment before his hand came to your hair, fingers brushing through it.

“…he’s asleep?” he asked quietly.

you nodded.

he touched your arm lightly—silent instruction.

you kissed enzo’s forehead and followed him out.

⸻

the hallway was dark, silent except for footsteps.

“i’ll handle it,” theo said.

you glanced at him.

his expression was still calm. still controlled. but something underneath it had shifted.

cold certainty.

he exhaled, then looked at you.

“…properly.”