Truce

8

Jacob-

He was drowning. Every inch of his body felt as though weights were forced onto his skin, painfully pushing him to the bottom of existence. It was his fault, every time he breathed he felt his lungs burning as the water slowly filled his body. He could hear the distant cries and screams of innocent people as they burned above him. He tried to swim but he couldn't, instead being forced to watch as the fire ate away at the people he was supposed to save. 

You can't save them.

Why can't I?

Okay then, swim.

And he tried to swim. To fight every weight holding him back. But the more he fought the more exhausted he became. Exhaustion coursed through his body as he tried to reason with himself. He was a hero. He had to be a hero. If he wasn't a hero then what was he?

You're still in his shadow. 

Shut up.

But he knew the voice was right. He watched as James picked up the babies dressed in white dresses that were burned with ash. His face chiseled and heroic. He helped clear the dirt from the dresses before diving into yet another burning home. Meanwhile he was drowning in water.

Pathetic.

Shut up.

Absolutely pathetic. What a useless Potter. 

Shut up.

Little Potter, born to destroy. Little Potter, just a stupid toy. Little Potter, what a disappointment of a boy!

He tried to move again, the weights suddenly pressing against his heart and his lungs, crushing any form of survival left. His eyes widened as he saw a figure approaching his brother. The figure held it's wand at a crooked angle, a sickening grin appearing from underneath the hood. James was carrying a baby with green eyes. Beautiful green eyes. Lily's eyes.

Watch him die.

You can't make me.

A green spell shot out of the figure's wand and James collapsed to the ground. He couldn't see the baby anymore. God, he couldn't breathe.

Your pathetic. You let your brother die.

You murderer!

And then Jacob woke up. His left forearm was burning and Regulus was sitting right next to him. Jacob should've told Regulus that he saw a vision. That he saw his brother hold a child that was most definitely Evan's. That he saw his brother die. That he saw a figure kill him. That the newspaper clippings that now covered every inch of their dorm scared Jacob to the core. But he couldn't. Instead he laid his head in Regulus' arms and cried.