ThNott

Five months.

That was all that had happened since Arabella Malfoy and Theodore Nott ended a two-year relationship that, according to everyone, seemed impossible to break.

And yet, there he was.

Sitting in the Great Hall with Evelyn Greengrass.

Nobody needed to say anything. It was enough to just see her.

The same carefully styled hair. The same perfectly arranged skirts. She even tried to smile with that elegant calm that had always characterized Arabella… but it simply wasn't her.

"My princess?" Theodore heard her say with complete naturalness.

Arabella stopped moving the spoon for a second.

That was his nickname.

The one that only existed between them.

He said nothing. He continued eating his breakfast as if he hadn't heard.

Until something silvery glittered on Evelyn's neck.

A necklace.

Not just any necklace.

It was the necklace Theodore had given Arabella for their second anniversary. The same pendant, the same chain, even the tiny, almost invisible crack in the clasp.

Blaise frowned.

—Wasn't that...?

—Yes —Daphne answered in a low voice.

Theodore looked up and his eyes met Arabella's.

She just smiled politely.

As if nothing hurt.

As if I weren't watching another girl reenact a poorly acted version of her past relationship.

Evelyn laughed at the same jokes that had once made Arabella laugh. They walked the same hallways. They sat in the same spot by the lake. Theodore even tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear in exactly the same way.

Everything was the same.

Except that it wasn't.

Because no matter how hard Evelyn tried to take Arabella Malfoy's place…

There were things that couldn't be copied.

And Theodore knew it every time he, for a moment, searched for those blue eyes that no longer belonged to him.