Fic: Reasons, Challenge: Ministry of Magic
Title: Reasons
Author: Vegablack62
Word count: 303
Rating: PG for mention of murder
Characters: Neville, the elder Nott
Summary: Neville pays a visit to a holding cell.
Author's note: Ministry of Magic Challenge, This only vaguely satisfies the challenge because the event takes place within the ministry, but I posted it anyway.
Neville studied Nott through the bars of the holding-cell, before he finally spoke. “Why did you have to kill Susan Bones? You could have just run and left her behind, but you killed her. Why?”
The old man stared back unconcerned by either the scrutiny or the question. His eyes sharpened and he smiled. “I know who you are.” The smile turned to a grin. In the flickering candlelight his elderly face looked like a skull. “How are your parents? As well as can be expected?”
Neville ignored the jibe. “Killing her couldn’t hide your tracks,” he continued doggedly. “You were Voldemort’s friend. Lots of people knew you were holding her for him, so the killing hid nothing.”
“I’m old. I’ve lived free for a long time, while your parents…” Nott’s eyes glittered in his death’s head of a face. “They deserved their fate. You father was the worst sort of blood traitor, full of self-righteous pride in his deviant scruples. Your mother… was a lying bitch.”
Neville stepped closer to Nott, pressing against the bars. “Believe me; I’m glad you despise my mother. It would be horrible if you liked anything about her.”
The glint in Nott’s eyes became triumphant. “I toasted the Lestranges and their success. Imagine my pleasure -- giving money year after year to the Janus Thickey ward at St. Mungo’s.”
Kingsley was watching. He’d only allowed the meeting because Neville had promised to remain calm what ever the provocation.
Neville exhaled slowly. “If you’d let her live, we would have waited to go after you -- there were so many others we needed to catch. You would have had such a lead we might never have found you.”
Nott snorted and turned away. “I have been convicted and sentenced and have nothing to say on the matter. Why are you here?”
“I want to figure out why you are the way you are.”