IN RUINS- James Potter

chapter seventy four

Nora took a deep breath, relived to see them finally getting better, watching him get a little angry.

"I've been so stupid listening to them for them to just manipulate me and not even remember my birthday— but of course you did! Because you've been raising me more than them.... and I just feel like a fool and arguing with you has been the worse, I never want to do that again with you Nora."

This was his version of I'm sorry.

Nora opened her arms without hesitation, immediately accepting for the flaws he's done over the summer, seeing growth in him. Regulus flew to hug his sister, both a little emotion as Nora kissed his head, nestling it on her shoulder, lightly crying to her.

"I don't want to be a death eater Nora. I'm scared, I already lost a sibling I can't lose another one." He choked, tightening the hug a little bit, Nora telling him to calm down a little. "You won't Reg, I'm here for long term no matter what. I'm always going to be here for you." She reminded, stroking his back and trying to help him.

"I'm.... sorry for being a dick." She heard him slightly mumble, holding her waist a little while longer, not wanting to go. In some ways Nora was always a mother to regulus, and a sister to Sirius, but the two brothers were always enemies, swearing to herself that she would never get in the way of their feud.

But with both Nora and regulus now being death eaters, she didn't know of staying alive was possible, and if regulus were to ever die, she knew Sirius would eat himself alive to know they never had a brotherly relationship, using James instead.

It made Nora wonder if she would break her own promise, involve herself or let them never have the relationship she has with her brothers, seeing herself in the mirror that was hung, taking a minute to see the current situation they were in. Regulus eventually let go of the hug, not crying anymore, looking up at Nora.

"I'm sorry if I was ever selfish Reg, even if you didn't mean it, I swear I'll be there for you more." Nora said, wiping the final tear off his cheek. "I know you will, you always have been."

Nora bit her lip, while she was happy to see the this fragile side of regulus, there was a lingering feeling from her father creeping into her mind. It wasn't it place, but it made her what to wonder if he knew yet, breaking the hug.

"Are you hungry? I know a muggle coffee shop not too far near a bookstore." Nora suggested, pressing her lips into a fine line.

"Yeah alright, better than being here." Regulus said, both exiting the room to go and get changed. Nora had been getting better at muggle clothing, wearing black bell bottoms and a white shirt to match, putting her leather jacket over, fixing her hair into a ponytail to not have it in her face.

Grabbing her wand and shoving it in her back pocket, the two left together, muggle money in their hands, going down their stairs. Regulus had followed Nora, taking the scenery route and cutting through a path, wondering how she knows about this coffee place.

"Taking the scenic route is simply better; plus there's a little pond coming ahead." Nora said, walking over a little bridge, turning to see the frogs below them, regulus on the other side noticing them. "Is this what you've been doing when you leave the house?"

"Oh no, I sit on a playground set near the house, the swings are very fun." She told him, knowing how depressing that really sounds, frowning at the thought of that. "Oh, well that's sad." She heard Regulus mumble, continuing their walk.

"I'm glad it stopped raining, I didn't think it would." Regulus commented, noticing all the puddles that were still on the ground many days later. Nora was just lucky she didn't catch a cold that day, sometimes replaying it in her head of how she just left so abruptly, guilty of leaving James with being so defensive of her towards Sirius, hoping it didn't start anything.

"I quite like the rain, feels better that way." Nora told him, soon making it to a busy road, staying on the pavement and making their way to the shops, seeing the coffee shop she had discovered, hoping he will like it.

"I'll just get whatever you have." Regulus told her, standing very close to his sister. Nora could see how busy it was for a random Wednesday, everyone getting their morning coffee. Nora rolled her eyes when she saw the same boy taking orders, sighing and being polite.

"Oh hi Emily— and who is with you?" The boy, Jack asked, regulus smirking at the fake name. "Kyle." Regulus played along, nodding his head at the boy. Ignoring the look her brother was giving, Nora didn't even need to say his order, Jack already punching it in for her.

"Could you make it two?" She asked, Jack already one step ahead of her. "Anything for my favourite costumer," he winked, openly flirting with her. Nora knew it was 18 year old boy syndrome, especially with the muggles being no different from the boys at Hogwarts, however they truly had to worry about getting a girl pregnant.

"Here's ten pounds." Nora said, letting him keep the change, putting it in the tip jar in the front. "It'll be a few minutes, take a seat." Jack said, the wandering eyes looking Nora up and down.

The two sat down; regulus giving a slow clap for her act, quite impressed. "Is this the reason why you come here?" He joked, pretending that is wasn't bothering him. "Merlin no, he just started when I started coming here, he said it was fate and I told him to get hit by a car. I'm not sure why he still wants to talk to me after that comment." Nora shrugged her shoulder.

"You don't even look like an Emily," regulus said, squinting his eyes. "Out of all the names." He said in a disappointment tone. "Okay Kyle, like anyone would believe you're a Kyle." Nora hissed, pretending to be normal again when Jack came, smiling at Nora again.

"Two mediums mocha frappes, enjoy." He said, regulus giving a disgusted look. "It's basically chocolate coffee. I quite like it." Nora told him, giving the towards him. Regulus read something on the coffee, Nora rolling her eyes at how he was reading what was in it, liking her drink.

"Re— Kyle just drink it." Nora said, Jack walking past the two to another group. "How's the little man liking it?" He asked, leaning on Nora's chair, both looking at regulus. "He likes it; now please fuck off." Nora mumbled the last part, looking at regulus to get up and leave, quickly following him out.

"Are all boys like that?"

"I think just muggle boys." Nora laughed, her laughter fading when the two stopped and looked at eachother; their hands slightly burning from the hot drink.

"We're going to be okay right? With the war and everything?"Regulus asked, squinting his eyes a little as wind slowly started to pick up faster, their hair going all over the place.

"I would lie and say we're going to be okay, but at this point; I think it's best we also stick together and never fight again. You and I regulus, we're all we have; let's not ruin it."

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Did anyone else laugh for Nora and regulus' name? It was Timmy's and hailees other characters ( in case you didn't get it ). ALSO OH MY GOD 100K?! THIS WAS THE BEST GIFT I COULD EVER RECEIVE OMG! I LOVE U ALL SO MUCH!!!