Full Disclosure (But I Thought You Knew)

Chapter One | Harry Potter and the Unravelable Nott

Harry Potter — 2005

Harry Potter strolled down the street confidently—hands in his coat pockets, head high, and a smirk teasing his lips. Snow fell in lazy swirls from the gloomy gray London sky, coating the wrought-iron fences and white stone facades of the Georgian-style townhomes that elegantly rose from the sidewalk.

Snow like this was rare in the city, so Harry had chosen to walk this afternoon, just to experience the wonder of it all. Life was too short to apparate or floo everywhere—he knew that better than most. Plus, the Ministry wasn't far, and he liked the anonymity that muggle London often granted him.

Today, he appreciated that anonymity more than usual, as he was far too busy relishing in the jittery feeling of anticipation coursing through his veins to play Chosen One for the wizarding masses. It started in his thumping heart when he spotted the very last house on the row and intensified the closer he got.

In recent months, he'd begun to crave this feeling—the excitement, the uncomfortable fluttering in his stomach that brought heat to his cheeks and a smile to his lips.

Harry's heart hadn't lurched at the sight, let alone thought, of another human being like this since he'd had that silly teenage crush on Ginny in sixth year—a crush that hadn't survived the war, but the parting had been mutual not long after the final battle. War and grief change a person. They certainly changed Harry, to the point that he assumed he'd never feel like this about another person again.

However, and this made absolutely no sense, but he did get it again. It was the feeling he got when he was about to have another one-sided conversation with Theodore Nott.

Harry pulled off his gloves, one finger at a time, and approached the emerald green door of the otherwise nondescript townhouse. The shining golden 846 beside the door proudly displayed the location of the London offices of Malfoy & Nott.

Two years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott, two Death Eaters' sons, pureblood princes with more gold than goblins and no reason to work a day in their lives, opened their business, specializing in curse breaking, potion making, and rune translating. Now, just five years after opening, Malfoy & Nott had a reputation for producing potions of the highest quality, and Theodore Nott was considered the top independent curse breaker in the UK.

Malfoy, of course, was the pretty face of the venture—handling all the funding and press and representing them at events. He made deals and secured clients, smiling for The Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly photographers that followed him wherever he went. Harry knew this because his niece had collected every photograph published and article written about the prat. In fact, sweet little Lyra had a scrapbook full of all things Draco Malfoy, obsessed as she was. Her hopeful, unrequited admiration for the bastard was one of the many, many reasons that Harry still, after all these years, absolutely loathed Draco Malfoy.

Harry did not loathe Theodore Nott, however.

When the Department of Magical Law Enforcement signed a consulting contract with Nott for his services, Harry was assigned to be the DMLE's liaison for Nott. In this position, he would manage all communication with Nott, explaining the context behind any cursed object they needed him to purify and assisting as needed.

At the time, Harry was understandably wary of the partnership. He could barely remember anything about Nott from Hogwarts—just that he was tall, smart, quiet, Slytherin, and his father was one of Voldemort's most loyal, sadistic followers. It was only a natural response for Harry to investigate the bloke.

Harry had interviewed a number of professors and other students at Hogwarts about Nott, including Headmistress McGonagall, and they all gave glowing reviews. He was, supposedly, incredibly intelligent and considerably kind. Even Hermione had vouched for him, having been Head Girl to Nott's Head Boy, despite her...history...with Nott's best friend and business partner.