IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter fifteen

"You agreed for a Slytherin Pureblood , someone who hates you with all their guts to be their wing woman. This is your fault." Yawning and knowing how late it is for her, Nora rubbed her eyes and turned to see Sirius dancing with girls he definitely didn't know, spinning them.

It looked like potter had to say something to Nora in a serious matter, blowing it off and getting up to dance with the birthday girl; Nancy Macmillan. Nora got up to find punch and hoped it didn't have anything, pouring a little bit for her. "Ah Nora, I see you're back." Lupin smiled, standing by the wall. "Unfortunately, I could be reading right now."

"You and me both." Both sipping the drinks, Nora sighed out to know she wasn't going to be feeling awful about tonight, standing beside Lupin and sighing. "Finish little women?" He asked, looking at Nora.

"Not yet, I've been writing down my thoughts and expressions whenever I can go see if you ever thought about them too. Especially Beth's death."

"Why are we always by a wall whenever we're at a party?"

The music began to get louder, Nora couldn't quite hear what Lupin has just said; the music was about a man singing about he put a gun towards someone's, head and after he pulled the trigger he was dead.

Nora thought it was quite graphic until a wave of nostalgia made her realize that's the song Sirius sings whenever he's at Grimmuald, that's the song regulus loves to hum to at home. Her heart felt warmer, and cheeks went into a darker red shade, almost as dark as the punch. It made her heart sore.

"Bohemian Rhapsody, good song eh?" Lupin asked after seeing Nora gently smile. "It's alright, heard it one too many  times and now I want to scream every time it's played." She exaggerated, chuckling a little. Lupin took notice of that as they both stood against the wall.

"Ready for Christmas break?" Nora asked, raising her voice over the music. "'Course! It's my favourite holiday." The boy smiled, asking her the same question. "Eh, just depends how the two weeks are going to play out. Scared to say the least."

"You're apart of the slug club correct?" Nora proudly nodded as she's been apart of since second year, which she wasn't properly allowed to be, having Slughorn love her like a daughter has advantages. "And proud of it. I'm very good at hiding because technically I'm not supposed to be in it, however I didn't go this year because it was only professors so Slughorn gave me food after."

After doing some rounds and watching Betty make a fool of herself, the two girls wished Lupin goodbye, leaving the common room. "You're leaving now?" Came potter, holding a red cup. "She's going to explode. Plus I talked to more girls and I think you have some candidates to choose over the Christmas break." Nora smiled, patting him and letting Betty lean on her shoulder.

"Alrighty, you lasted four hours longer than I expected you to." Nora said to the drunk girl. "Don't tell my mother, she'll have a— fit." Burping and scaring Nora with it, the two girls walked to their common room as Nora wondered if she would be like this while drinking, wondering what it even tastes like. The only thing she's seen is how people faces make it look sour, as if they're eating a bunch of sour candy in their mouth at once.

"Did you know Potter is incredibly fit? I wouldn't have known." Betty giggled, walking their way up the stairs. "Who told you that?" Nora asked, having her voice a tad higher. "All the girls are talking about, who knew that so many girls were interested in him. Bless his mind for getting over Evans."

"Yes... bless his mind." Nora said bitterly, saying goodnight to Betty before she grabbed her notes for transfiguration and write the ones she finally got from Lupin, remembering to give them back.  "Good night Nor-a." Betty hiccuped again, getting into her bed. "Night."