Lacerta Black -- James Potter --

13

trigger warning: controlling relationship, violence

The people on Diagon Alley were shocked to see Lacerta Black hanging off the arm of Charles Selwyn. True, her expression was bored and vaguely distant. He looked ecstatic at not only having one of the most desirable girls at Hogwarts, but a girl from one of the most powerful families in the Wizarding World. There were no real feelings between the two, besides animosity on the girl's part.

Her hair, once again straightened, was in an updo because that was how he liked it. She was wearing a dress he had picked out, because it really showed off her curves. Her face was covered in makeup, because he didn't like the dark circles resting underneath her eyes. Everything was designed by him. 

She really hated herself. 

She followed him around as he purchased more clothes for himself. Lacerta watched as he tried on three of the same robes with the only difference being the color of the fabric. He ended up choosing a Slytherin green because it looked good with his eyes. 

She wanted to stop at Florean's ice cream shop, but he said no because he didn't want her to look chubby for their wedding. Then he began to go on about the new diet she should go on to lose some of the fat on her thighs. 

"Instead of second helpings during dinner," he advised as she stuffed the urge to strangle him down, "try eating just a bit of fruit or some salad instead. You don't look like you need a full plate anyways."

The word prat rested on the tip of her tongue. The mantra, 'for Regulus,' was repeating over and over inside her head. He was much too young to be a Death Eater, too innocent. If she married this pig, then he would be free of the burden. 

"Shall we go to the Leaky Cauldron. . . darling?" she added it as an afterthought. It boasted his ego and he eagerly agreed, leading the way to the pub. 

"We'll take a firewhiskey and a water for the lady," he winked her way as if he'd said something humorous. She tried to smile at him, but it must've looked more like a grimace because he looked away.

Their drinks didn't take long to arrive, and he took them to a table right in front of the dusty windows so that he could show off their relationship. She sipped on her water, picking at the polish on her nails as she endured another talk about him being Quidditch captain next year. He was a chaser.

She remembered when they had dated for the last six months of their fifth year. He had been so charming the first time around. . . and really bloody handsome, but that was beside the point. She wondered when it would all start again. The false 'I love you' as he beat her senseless. The drunken apologies that ended with him blaming her for making him upset. The cheating on other girls then blaming her for not sleeping with him. 

He had isolated her from all her Gryffindor friends, who she was forced to meet up with in the dark of night so that he couldn't see. They had all begged her to end things and supported her when she finally did. James had been by her side the entire time with that caring smile that always made her stomach flutter, but he was with Lily Evans then.

"Lizzie?" said boy spoke, bringing her out of her thoughts by calling her the name he reserved just for himself. He stood there in a large jumper that must've belonged to his father and the most confused expression she'd ever seen. 

"Oh, Potter," she sat up, not sure what to say. "What--?"

"Why are you talking to my fiancé, Potter?" Selwyn intervened with a proud smirk as he went to take her hand, but she stupidly put them in her lap.

He didn't look hurt or upset, he looked pissed off. "Good joke, Selwyn," he scoffed. "Nobody would come near you with a six-foot pole, let alone marry you."

"It's true," she said gently, not sure why her chest tightened painfully at the pain in his eyes. "We are to be married in the summer. Our families organized it."

Lacerta had tacked on that last part so that he knew she didn't want that. She didn't know why she was so desperate for him to know that she would never resort to marrying that asshole unless she absolutely had to. 

"Lacerta," she could've winced at the use of her full name, "can I talk to you, alone?"

"No," Selwyn stood up and yanked her along with a painful grip on her upper arm. "We have some wedding planning to do. Got to plan the honeymoon."

She had never seen James so anger. Not even when he almost died and confronted Sirius for the pain he'd caused. Not when he confronted Snape for calling Lily a Mudblood. "You must be out of your goddamn mind if you think she'd marry a bastard like you. Now, let go of her before you tear her arm off."

"Like I said, Potter," he sneered. "Got to plan the perfect place to fuck the shit--"

He was cut off by James's fist connecting with his nose, breaking it and sending blood down his face. It sent the Slytherin boy to the floor with a high-pitched cry of pain. James hardly flinched at his bloody knuckles as he pulled the sleeve of her dress up to see the newly forming bruise. His brows were knitted together.

"You could come back with me," he pleaded. "My Mum is getting a new book and then she can apparate us out--"

"I can't James," she pulled away from, suddenly feeling colder than before. "My parents. . . I just can't. You should go before he gets up."

"And leave you to take the blunt of his anger?" he laughed. "No fucking thanks."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words. Selwyn, whose nose was now crooked, pushed himself off the floor. "Let's leave, Lizzie. I can't stand a place that lets blood-traitors and Mudbloods in so freely."

James stepped up to him and grabbed his collar, "If I hear or see that you laid even a finger on her, I will rip you apart piece-by-piece."

He nodded at her one last time before he grabbed his things and left. She didn't know why the sight of him threatening Selwyn left her so flustered. It lingered in her mind for the rest of the day, making her blush slightly every time she thought about it. 

"What's got you all. . . blushy?" Regulus asked as they laid on the roof to look at the stars.

Her face turned a darker shade of pink, nearly red, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I have covid lol so I might update more or less depending on how I'm feeling. Also, the next ten or so chapters are going to deal with heavy themes such as domestic abuse, gaslighting, self-loathing, and panic attacks. I'll add trigger warnings on the top, but I don't want to upset anyone. Get ready to be sad :).