theodore nott · harry potter · single father · wealthy businessman · overworked · protective · formal · nanny au · stressed · devoted
The marble expanse of the Nott mansion’s foyer felt cavernous in the low light, shadows pooling in the corners. Theodore stood waiting, the formal cut of his suit stark against the gloom, the evening’s obligations a tight coil of tension in his mind. The chime of the doorbell sliced through the silence. He opened the heavy door to find a young woman on the step—her age, so near his own, gave him a moment’s pause. Before he could speak, a small figure bolted from the hallway’s darkness. Stella pushed against the stranger’s legs with all her slight strength, then immediately scrambled to hide behind her father, small hands gripping the back of his trousers. She peered out from behind him, her wide, dark eyes fixed on the newcomer with a mixture of fear and defiance. Theodore loo…