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Snape and his Master were welcomed into the Nott residence with a bit more tension in the air…not because the Death Eater and his wife thought they had anything to hide, but because they'd been allied with the Dark Lord long enough to know that, on occasion, having nothing to hide didn't matter.

The assembled family included two older daughters, aged three and five, who both hid behind their mother's robes as she held their month-old son in her arms. Lady Nott offered their guests tea, but wasn't surprised when it was refused.

Thinking that one of his longest-serving minions deserved the barest of explanations, Voldemort informed the couple that there was reason to suspect a traitorous family within the ranks. The husband and wife nodded, and accepted the Veritaserum on their tongues more out of resignation than fear (each convinced that refusing to do so would automatically lead to their deaths).

As Voldemort expected, the Nott family wasn't as blindingly loyal as the Ashburns had been. When asked if they had ever defied the Dark Lord, they came up with two instances…their initial hesitancy when invited to become Death Eaters, and the sequestering of most of their wealth within a pound-denominated Muggle bank account (rather than within a Gringott's vault that could be accessed by the Death Eaters when there was need).

The Dark Lord had long known of the first instance, and had suspected the second.

Voldemort considered his options while the Veritaserum wore off. It was a given that the Muggle account would be closed and the funds confiscated. There would also be "penalties and interest" applied to the couple, with said application to be both public and painful. But as for whether little Theodore was "The Chosen One"…the defiance was twice rather than thrice.

A thought occurred to Voldemort…that he could order Nott to kill his son, and if he refused that would make it three. But then he remembered that the Prophecy said that "The One" was born to those who had already thrice defied him. So it wouldn't apply…or would it?

Needing more time to think, Voldemort held another newborn in his arms as he ordered Snape to cast Cruciatus curses on the couple for their defiance. This allowed the Dark Lord to go back over the prophecy and review verb tenses a few more times. Finally convinced that the Nott baby couldn't be "The One", Voldemort ordered a halt to the torture. He then instructed Nott Senior to have the pound notes stacked in front of his throne within twenty-four hours, and declared that the newborn would be held as collateral.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5739420/5/