IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter one hundred and eight

If you asked Nora black what was her biggest fear, 8 year old her would've told you spiders. Fast forward 11 years, she is now becoming the person she didn't want to become, shipping her brother off to Hogwarts as she was now alone again. It was a strange feeling but not a new feeling, using the time to go on a walk, sunglasses on, and smoking her cigarette to calm her nerves.

Nora knew regulus was annoyed at her making her go; but if she could, she would go with him one more time to never be here, and yet... if was simply just too late.

She didn't know exactly where she wanted to go, but somehow she ended up staring at a manor that didn't have a red door anymore, now white. It seemed like everything around her was changing for the worse or better, contemplating whether to go inside or not.

Nora didn't have any purpose going in, not after crying to James about the fact he dropped the L bomb while she couldn't. She cared and appreciated James, yet at the same time she had been lying to him this whole entire time. The constant battle in her head was about to win now, and she didn't know if she could do that to James.

Inside the manor with the no longer red door, we're four boys all watching Nora Black being a little hysterical outside, debating whether or not to go open the gate. "What did you do to her? And why is my sister going crazy? More than usual?" Sirius asked, watching Nora groan in frustration from below.

James hesitated to say anything, shrugging his shoulders and looking away from the window. "I uh, I told Nora I love her." He said, avoiding the eyes of Sirius. "And... what did she say?" Asked Remus, crossing his arms.

"Cried? She just cried." James cringed, avoiding everyone's face, not sure what to even say about her reaction. James knew she meant well, and how she wanted to say it, but he also couldn't pressure her over something that is very intimate and personal. He didn't care she hadn't said it yet, because if he didn't love her, she would've left him already.

"Why the bloody hell did you say that? She doesn't understand what love is." Sirius defended, letting go of the blinds to look at his friend.

Standing outside and finally feeling like she deserved to see him after a week, Nora stomped her cigarette on the ground, opening the gate as she took off her sunglasses as well. Walking up to the door and knocking, Nora fiddled with many of her rings, including the one James gave her, shaking her head when the door opened.

"Where's the red— oh hi Effie." Stopping her rage and softening her eyes, Nora smiled at the woman, letting her come in. "I'm happy to see you here Nora." She told her, taking off her shoes to not have the house be dirty.

"About that, I wasn't coming around here to ignore you; I was just ashamed of my actions that day. I do apologize for that." Nora stated, looking at the woman's eyes. James definitely had hers, twinkling a little when she spoke, softening.

"He really loves you, but of course you knew that. I just want my boy to be with someone they love. And I can see you and him are perfect together. I know you're still partially mad I took Sirius away from you, but I do hope we can work that out too." Smiling at the woman, Nora nodded her head, agreeing with everything she said.

"Deal."

Letting her go into the kitchen, Nora saw a picture of James and her on a desk full of pictures, not even remember seeing this one. "Do you really not like the door?" Effie asked, pouring the girl some pink lemonade to drink.

"Just used to the bright red, that's how I know I'm at the right manor, everyone else has white— except us; our door is black." Nora explained, thanking Effie for the drink. "Well, you're the third person to say that, so I might have to change it back then. Even my own husband doesn't like it."