IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter seventy one

Two weeks, 14 days, is only how long she's been at home for, swollen eyes, voice gone, weak legs. All the anger that was once going on Sirius, was finally all being laid onto her, their human punching bag with nobody to help her, bruises everywhere and not caring if they're covered up or not.

It's also been fourteen days where regulus and Nora haven't talked, avoiding him and the stupid reasons as to why he said yes. She didn't want to hear it, nor does she have to, leaving the house every chance she gets; purposely slamming it for all to hear. Nora was at a point where she didn't care about life.

Life; was a funny word sometimes. Exactly what did she have to live for when her family is turning on her. It's also been fourteen days where she hasn't written to James like she promised, sighing and moving on with her day.

Wearing black trousers, a brown jumper and a leather jacket, she had found a secret stash of Sirius' cigarettes still at the house, sitting on a swing and trying to get rid of the thought of being a death eater, already crying once today, not wanting to cry again.

"You know smoking is bad for you." Said a voice towards her, looking up and rolling her eyes, slowly swinging back and forth. "You're not the first person to tell me that, Severus." She sighed, taking a long drag on her cigarette, leaning back to watch the smoke go in the air.

Severus had cut his hair, it was no longer the long hair he once adored, also fixing the way he dressed. He looked so mature in the last two weeks of not seeing him, stunned as he came to sit beside her, starting to swing back and forth with her.

"You look awful." He said, not in his usual judging voice, but somehow more concerned than ever. Nora didn't respond to him, offering if he wanted a cigarette, getting rejected. "So, why did you bring me here Nora?" Asked Severus, gesturing to how there was absolutely nobody on the playground.

There had been barley any kids on the streets anymore, no yelling children; the muggles knew something was wrong however they didn't at the same time, taking caution regardless.

"I wanted to talk to someone, can't I do that?" She sassed, exhausted to even talk, trying to find the strength to get past what she needed to say, looking carelessly at Severus.

"Haircut looks good." A small smile creeped onto Severus' face, patting his hair a little and mumbling a thank you. "So? Tell me what's wrong." Severus said, beginning to just sit in the swing, Nora sighing and looking at him.

"Regulus agreed to be a death eater, and now they want me to as well." Nora said with a straight face, no more tears left to cry, practically numb in the eyes. Severus' face fell, shocked, stunned, amazed all in one. For once he was too stunned to even speak.

"What?" Was all he could say. Nora shook her head, inhaling the cigarette again and watching him look away from her. Her arse was starting to hurt on the swing, her eyes droopy all of a sudden, dropping the cigarette to crush it and not let it burn, using the rocks to cover it.

"You voluntarily took it right?" Nora asked, trying to understand why her parents are making her do this. "I did it to protect myself Nora, I'm a half-blood, I was going to die anyways, why not die a little later in life?" Severus said nonchalantly, acting if dying wasn't so bad.

Nothings new with him, the same mentality with everyone else. Nora didn't like his answer, sighing and looking down at the rocks underneath her, wanting to fall and not ever get back up again.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about it Nora, are you mental?" Asked Severus, Nora getting off her swing as she heard Severus come behind her. She's been feeling off this entire time, as if it wasn't even her in her own body, wanting a different scenery.