Homecoming from Hogwarts

"Is your mother all right, Theodore?"

Like Lockhart, old Nott immediately spotted his son coming towards them with a hoe.

The scene that the little wizards thought would happen, where the father and son met and cried in each other's arms, did not happen.

The Notts just stood in the field, staring at each other.

It's been just over two months since we last met, but everything seems different.

Theodore looked at the panting, dark-faced old man in front of him, and could not associate him with the majestic head of the Nott family in the past.

Theodore was also surprised by his father's first question. He thought he would ask about the Dark Lord's movements, whether he had achieved any gratifying results after the defeat in the Battle of Diagon Alley, and whether he knew that the Dark Lord had a plan to rescue him from prison.

But none of these questions were mentioned, and the father only asked about the mother's situation.

"She's fine—"

Theodore felt a sore nose at his father's old age. He hesitated and said in a hoarse voice, but under his father's still wise gaze, Theodore lowered his head.
"That's right, the family business has encountered some problems recently, and my mother is worried about it--"

Old Nott chuckled and started swinging his hoe again.

He had not noticed it just now, but now, looking closer, Theodore was surprised to find that his father was actually quite adept at this rough and menial farm work.

“I can guess, the Plaza Accord, right?”

"How do you know, father?"

Theodore asked in surprise.

That was after his father was arrested.

"Oh, newspapers are allowed here, Theodore—"

There was a strange satisfaction on old Nott's dark face that Theodore could not understand.

"The guards here update the newspapers in the library once a week. They won't let us see every issue, but if the Ministry of Magic and Brian have made any major achievements, they are always happy to let us see--"

Theodore pursed his lips and remembered that they had indeed seen a library in the prison.

If you think about it this way, the Ministry of Magic does treat prisoners quite well.

There is definitely no such "welfare" in Azkaban, Theodore thought for sure. That place is purgatory, and any normal person who goes in there will be driven crazy.

but
No matter how good the welfare is, this is still a prison, right?
"What should I do, Father?"

After a long silence, Theodore also began to swing the hoe, but his movements were clumsy, and the hoe was not so much digging the ground as tamping the soil more tightly.

"Tell your mother not to worry too much about the family business, Theodore—"

I don't know if it's because of Amosta's presence, but Old Nott still didn't talk about the Dark Lord but continued to talk about his wife.
"Tell her to get rid of the business that should be thrown away."

Throw it out?
Theodore was stunned and said excitedly,
"That's the wealth accumulated by the Nott family over many centuries, father!"

"Don't you understand, Theodore?"

Old Nott glanced at his son and shook his head in disappointment.
"I suppose you must have been reading the Daily Prophet, thinking about the Plaza Accord, the restructuring of the Ministry of Magic, the combined forces of the International Confederation of Wizards, and what the Ministry of Magic and Brian are doing in the ruins of Diagon Alley—"

Theodore knew everything his father mentioned, but he didn't understand why his father mentioned them. Shouldn't he be more concerned about whether there was a way to escape from here?

"Times have changed, Theodore—"

Old Nott said,

"If pure-blood families still want to survive, they must change their past ways. Tell your mother, if she doesn't know how to do it, then keep an eye on the Malfoy family. The Malfoys are always the most cunning, and they always know how to change themselves to adapt to the environment."

Times have changed. The Malfoys?
They were still serving the Dark Lord, weren't they?

Theodore hesitated, but since this was his father's instruction, he would obey.
"I will convey your instructions to mother, father--"

Old Nott nodded in satisfaction, but seeing his son's gloomy face and depressed eyes, he also felt a little depressed.

"Don't be resentful, Theodore—"

Taking a deep breath, Old Nott glanced at Amosta Braine who was talking to Jasna, and said unexpectedly.

"No. What are you resentful about?" Theodore asked hesitantly, not following his father's thoughts for a moment.

"Don't resent your professor, I mean Amos Towers Blaine."

Old Nott said, looking at his son calmly.

Facing his father's gaze that seemed to be able to see through his heart, Theodore's eyes flickered, and he opened his mouth to speak, but was speechless for a moment.

Did he resent Professor Blaine?

The answer to this question is beyond doubt. Not only him, but many people have had a new perspective on Professor Bryan, whom they once revered, since this summer.

Everyone can see that Professor Brain wants a change, but the direction is exactly opposite to the Dark Lord.

Being from pure-blood families, they undoubtedly favor the Dark Lord's philosophy more.

"What a wonderful wizard—"

Theodore's thoughts were interrupted by his father's sudden sigh. He looked over and saw his father staring at Professor Brian.

"Sooner or later, his achievements will surpass Dumbledore. Oh, maybe I can say——"

Old Nott looked at Amosta with deep emotion.

"He has achieved far more than Dumbledore.

People all admire Dumbledore, but what has he accomplished in his life? I can say that apart from defeating Grindelwald, Dumbledore has not achieved anything remarkable in his life.

But look at your Professor Braine, Theodore. Everything he did changed the wizarding world.

I dare say that the Dark Lord will be defeated by him sooner or later, and I believe it won't be long before that day comes. When that day comes, Dumbledore will no longer be able to be compared with Brian!"

“You really think so!”

Theodore remembered that he had had many conversations with his father, but none of them shocked him as much as this one.
Staring at his calm father, Theodore was stunned until the end.

"T-Trust that the Dark Lord will f-fail and Professor Blaine can win?"

"certainly--"

Old Nott smiled suddenly, and the fleeting cunning in his smile frightened Theodore.

"Otherwise, why would I be staying in Avalon Prison?"

Under the warm sunshine, Theodore suddenly felt a chill!
What does it mean to be in Avalon Prison? Wasn't my father imprisoned here after he was arrested?

Could it be that!
Theodore trembled slightly with a sense of panic as if he had accidentally heard a great secret.

"A loyal Death Eater. Humph!"

The ghostly smile just now disappeared from old Nott's face like a flash in the pan. He lowered his head, not wanting his son to see the disdain on his face.
"Even though I'm here, I know what those Death Eaters who claim to be loyal to the Dark Lord are doing behind the scenes. They're hedging their bets!

Who do you think owns Diagon Alley? What concessions did Brian and the Ministry of Magic make in private to allow the reconstruction of Diagon Alley to start so quickly? -"

Theodore trembled more and more violently, and felt as if the world had become so strange!
"But I know that, just like Dumbledore and Grindelwald, there will be a terrible battle between Brian and the Dark Lord sooner or later. Hehe, I don't want that!"

Old Nott, who had been muttering to himself with a shrewd look on his face, suddenly stopped talking. He twitched his nose, looked around blankly, and quickly found Gilderoy Lockhart, who was wolfing down the pie and some eggs that Harry had taken out!
Gulu!

"That's... Harry Potter?"

Old Nott, who had just shown his shrewdness, stared straight in that direction.

"You intend to"

Theodore didn't react for a moment.
"You are planning to attack Harry Potter here, father. This may not be a wise choice. My wand was confiscated when I landed on the island. Besides, Professor Brain is here -"

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

Old Nott straightened up and waved his hand impatiently at Theodore.

"I want to ask, oh, how is your relationship with Harry Potter at school?" (End of this chapter)