IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter fifty three

Smoking, she never always liked it, but it felt like a stress reliever most days, sitting at the quidditch bleachers with the wind hitting her cheeks, the clouds swaying in the sky. There weren't much trees, but she felt like she could always hear them in the distance.

Taking a long drag on her cigarette, was the perosn she didn't think she would be with, both sitting in silence, enjoying each other's company. "You do know smoking this can actually kill us right?" Nora asked him, handing it over to him.

"Doesn't matter, our families would kill us before this could." Nott joked, inhaling the smoke as Nora blew hers, coughing it up a little. She should've been in the great hall right now, eating her lunch on this gloomy Saturday back at Hogwarts, yet she was with Theodore Nott, both doomed for failure.

"How's it going with y'know." Nora whispered the last part, although there was nobody around, she still had to make sure only they could talk about. "Me and Avery were the youngest there, it felt odd but he appreciated our presence. Said he needed more younger people."

Nott was leaning forward, resting his elbows on his legs as he stared at his feet, his slytherin jumper and black joggers, being completely for once. Nora chose to stay in a comfortable outfit too, one of Atticus' jumpers and tights, being warm enough without a jacket.

"Did it hurt?" Nora blurted out, Nott looking at her confused. "The mark I mean, did it hurt?" She corrected herself, taking a long drag at the cigarette. A part of Nora had to be alert for what was going to happen sooner or later, needing information from Nott before telling her brother.

"Sticks something into your arm, it stings but if you don't show visible pain in your face he relaxes how much it hurts, seeing how brave and strong you are. He's a sucker for suck ups." Nott laughed a little, smiling.

"Damon had a tear go down his cheek as he tried to hold the pain, he laughed and made it worse for him." Choking on the smoke and laughing, Nora should not have found that funny, looking at Nott and wondering if he put muggle herbs in it, not smelling anything.

"Do you regret it?"

"I've regretted everything in my life, I don't deserve anything that has been handed to me, certainly with this too. I never wanted to be a death eater at age 18, graduating in five months and being an adult. Soon mother and father are going to get me a wife, and I don't think it'll be betty."

Nott rambling gave Nora some closure, watching Nott pull his sleeve up, her eyes widening at how big the mark was, her mouth dropped open, putting her hand over it, a gasp escaping.

"I do regret this the most. Hurts like hell when he uses it as a way for meetings, the snake moves and doesn't stop until it's been 30 seconds." She had an urge to touch it, her heart aching for her oldest friend, biting her lip.

"Merlins tit, I'm so sorry Theo." Nora whispered, looking back up at him and realizing she said his actual name, trying to not dwell over it.

"I know I've been pressuring you, but it's only because your parents are actually onboard with it; sooner or later we're going to have matching tattoos." Nott lightly joked, nudging Nora a little.

More like my brother. "They're idiots, I bet Trixie set them up." Nora spat, disgusted with her eldest cousin. "Looks like it; on the bright side, congrats to cissy and Lucy for getting married."

"WHAT?!" Nora yelled out, clasping her hands over her mouth, eyes widening. "Yeah, the wedding is next year or something, everyone thought they had eloped but Cissy wanted a real wedding." Nott explained, patting Nora on the thigh.

"I have to be a bridesmaid again?" Nora groaned, frowning softly. With that cue, Nora stood up, walking past Nott, the boy stood up, walking beside her as the two walked down the stairs and got out of the quidditch pitch.