Wild Hearts ✮ James Potter

Chapter 36.

TW: Mentions of Abuse.

A burning ball of rock high above the earth, who knew a star would be seen as such a beauty.

But that night, as Mia Estella Walburga Black lay in bed, even she couldn't find the beauty in such a natural wonder.

It was Christmas Eve, gentle snowflakes were fluttering from the sky and settling on the ground. But for what felt like the hundredth night in a row, Mia was laying on her back with tears running off the side of her face in pain. She had endured yet another session of cursing and kicking, so much so that she now had no visible skin left on her torso that wasn't blue or purple.

She had never in her life felt more alone. Regulus had not been sneaking into her room to help her, so she suffered in solitude. In fact Regulus had been oddly distant as of late. He would snap at her for things she couldn't control, he would begin laughing subtly at some of their parents jokes at her expense. She didn't recognise her baby brother any more.

She let out a breathy sob of pain as a tear stung the deep cut that was lining her cheek bone. Bruises littered her face and her lip was split open and seeping blood.

Yet again, she was left alone with her thoughts and spiralled into a tunnel of self loathe and anxiety.

When did things get so bad?

As if the universe had heard her silent pleas for help, James voice began whispering in the two way mirror. She knew it must be 8:00. Every single night at 8:00 without fail, James or Sirius would call her name into the mirror and wait for five minutes. Mia had been yet to speak back to them or even pick up the mirror out of fear of them seeing her fragile state. But that night she didn't care. She didn't care what she looked like, she didn't care how upset they'd be when they saw her injuries and damage. She just didn't care, she didn't know wether it was out of fatigue and exhaustion or just pure loneliness and vulnerability.

Because she needed her boys.

So she slid her hand under her pillow and grabbed the mirror. She held it right above her face to look directly at the boy she loved.

But the moment their eyes locked through the mirror, she wished she hadn't.

When she saw the way his smile dropped off his face and the crinkles around his eyes disappeared, she could not hold back the gut wrenching sobs as if her heart was slowly cracking. She could do nothing but howl in pain and torment as she could not do it anymore.

She was giving up.

She heard some muffled voices on the other end of the mirror and when she collected herself enough to look up, she was met by a kind face with missy hazel eyes.

Euphemia Potter.

A sudden wave of relief flowed through her as she took in the adults appearance. But also unbearable anxiety, for the Potters could do nothing for her, she had to stay there for Reggie. She knew that it didn't matter anymore who knew the secrets of 12 Grimmauld Place because she had no way out.

Until Regulus agreed to leave too, she was trapped.

She had no choice.

"Listen here my darling, you are always always welcome here. In fact Fleamont and James will come and collect you right now if you so wish-" Her kind words of reassurance were cut off by Mia's scratchy and weak voice.

"Mrs Potter I can't thank you enough for taking Sirius in. You saved his life..." she paused for a minute as a sob wracked her bruised body.

"But I can't leave my brother. And I think you knew that already but I shall never forget your kindness Mrs Potter." Mia said in a sincere tone before she stuffed the mirror back under her pillow.

She thought that as soon as she had rid herself of the Potter's company, that she would break down once again not being able to glue together her breaking heart. But she was wrong.

She did not cry.

She did not panic.

She did not begin her spiralling thoughts of hatred and depression.

She simply stared up at the ceiling. Or more specifically, she stared up at the tiny constellation that Sirius had drawn on the ceiling right above her pillow.

Alpha Canis Majoris.

Sirius.

The brightest star in the night sky.

He had drawn it for her so it would be the last thing she would see before closing her eyes.

He had drawn it for her so that even on the cloudy nights when no stars could be seen, she would still have the shiniest constellation above her.

But as she lay there waiting patiently for morning to arise. She did not see the constellation as bright and merry. But as a reminder of what she was missing.

As a reminding of how her brother was free and she was not.

A reminder that Sirius had a real family and she did not.

She stood looking at herself in the dirty cracked mirror. Her mother had forced her into a lavender coloured blouse and a pair of flared black dress trousers. Her hair had been scraped back into an uncomfortable bun and a pair of heavy yet dainty earrings hung from her ears.

She did not recognise the pale and emotionless girl that stared back.

Who was it? Because it certainly wasn't her.

But then if she looked closely, there were small details that hinted to the colourful child that lay under the heavy blanket of trauma.

The small scar on her chin that Sirius had caused after he bit her in anger when they were 3. The tiny freckle on her cheek that was shaped sort of like a heart if you stared at it long enough. And then there was those cerulean pools. No matter how broken the girl was, her eyes would never change. The deep shade of Azure that spun round would be enough to identify her from one hundred miles away.

"Hurry up Child." Walburga Black's voice screeched through the house like the shrill cry of a beast.

Mia smoothed down her flawless shirt and headed downstairs. She had expected to be greeted by a delicious breakfast prepared by the house elves. She had expected the house to have an unusual warmth to it seeing as it was Christmas. Because even Grimmauld Place could not stop every ounce of Christmas cheer from entering the grey walls.

However, what she did not expect was to be wrenched out the door and apparated without any warning.

She did not expect to land with a crack in none other than Malfoy Manor.

And nothing could prepare her for the eerie chill that settled in the mansion. The icy terror that littered the air could mean one thing. And one thing only.

Hey guys I'm so sorry for the late update but I've had exams lately and am having to stay at school for 2 hours extra 🙄 But it's fine because it makes me smile when I come back and see your comments 😂 Love you guys
~M