A Sweater for Redemption • DISCONTINUED

THREE

Ch. 3: Big Brother 

Olivia Potter was in the middle of taking her afternoon nap when it was so rudely interrupted by her older brother and his groupies. He came rushing in the Hospital Wing demanding answers, but then James fell silent.

"Who's sweater is that, Olivia? Oh my god! You had sex didn't you?! Are you pregnant?! I'll kill them!" James demanded, getting riled up.

Olivia was mortified, covering her face with her hands. "No! God, James. I didn't have sex. And even if I did—it would be none of your business," she hissed at him. She slapped his arm.

James put a hand over the spot she hit, wincing, as if it seriously harmed him. "Godric, Ollie. I'm your brother. I'm meant to be overprotective."

He sat on the side of the bed, reaching for his sister's hand. His shoulders visibly relaxed; his sister was okay—pardon the bruises covering her body and the hand prints around her throat.

"What's on her arm," Remus asked gently.

Olivia curled her arm into her chest as James reached out for it. Sirius reached out, catching her off guard. He yanked the sleeve down, staring at the word forever etched into he flesh.

"Blood traitor..." He looked up at Olivia, a saddened look on his face. His voice was raw with emotion, "Who did this to you? Ollie, please."

"Regulus—"

"Regulus did this?" Sirius hissed, his face starting to turn red. He threw Olivia's arm down, starting to storm off.

"No, Sirius. Sirius, stop. I might be dead if it weren't for Regulus. He saved me. This is his sweater," she said softly, holding onto Sirius' arm tightly.

"He saved you? Are you sure he didn't carve those words into you? It's exactly what mum would tell him. Like word for word," Sirius said, almost sounding anxious. He bounced from foot to foot, eyes flicking between James and Olivia.

"Who hurt you?" James asked softly.

"I'm choosing not to press charges," she said, very matter-of-fact. "I won't say who."

"Olivia Florence Potter—"

"No!" she snapped at her older brother.

Silence fell over the group. Olivia usually let her older brother have his way since it never caused her any harm. But she felt sick to her stomach. The parents of these Slytherin's had ties with the darkest wizard ever. A wizard who loved blood superiority who would see her whole family and friends killed for their blood and beliefs.

She wrapped Regulus's sweater tighter around her. It smelled like a campfire and cinnamon. She curled into it, curling up even more on the bed.

"It's her choice, James. We can't stop her," Peter added.

"Fine. Can we get you anything?" James asked his sister.

"My knitting needles. And that emerald green yarn, please."

~

The next day, Olivia was discharged with half of a green sweater and pain medicine. Madame Pomfrey could have healed her cuts and bruises but she refused. She wanted those Slytherin's to know that she wasn't afraid of them, though she was truly mortified. She held her head high despite it all as she sat down at breakfast with Mae. Mae's toast fell from her hand.

"Who hurt you?" she hissed, starting to get up.

Olivia grabbed her best friends arm, pulling her back into her seat. "I'm not telling anyone. But Regulus saved me."

"Stand to the side and watch as you get bullied Regulus. As in Sirius Black's brother?! Guess he has a soft spot."

Olivia spared a glance over her shoulder to the Slytherin table. The boy in question had his eyes fixed on her. He didn't look away when their eyes met, either. He watched with curiosity as if she might get hurt again and need further saving. (It was entirely possible, she wasn't as graceful as her brother.)

"Regulus Black is even more cold blooded than his brother. It's a disease that runs in the family," her nose scrunched up. "Thinks I'm a blood traitor just like the rest of them. His only weakness is his mummy not telling him to do."

Her words came out as a snarl. Mae moved back in her seat as if to get away from the anger that rolled off Olivia in intoxicating waves. Olivia shook her head at Mae eating her food. She was certain that Regulus was messing with her, that he was just as cruel as the boys that cut up her arm and beat her silly.

She removed all sympathy she had for Regulus, but her heart was incapable of doing so. The tiniest bit of sympathy remained in the depths of her heart which was somehow big enough to find understanding for the most sinister of Slytherin's. Even for Tom Riddle.

~

Olivia let her brother walk her from dinner that night to her dormitory. Olivia tucked her hands in her robe pockets as they started down a staircase .

"So you didn't sleep with my best friends brother? Or any of the psychopaths that hurt you?" James asked for good measure, hand tapping anxiously on his jeans.

His sister only glared at him before her features softened. "He's taking his anger out on you again?"

She'd seen him searching for someone for Sirius to direct his anger at that wasn't him.

James nodded, his voice suddenly sounding tight and strained, "He's a mess, Ollie. I don't know what to do with him anymore. He's just always yelling at me and half the time Remus and Peter end up sleeping in the common room because Sirius kicked them out. He's not stable. I've been writing mum but she doesn't know what to do and I'm scared I might lose him. I can't lose him, he's my best friend."

James hurriedly wiped at his tears that had fallen. He sniffled, his nails digging into his palm.

"Easy. He'll be okay. He always is. We'll talk to mum during Christmas. Just make sure you're there for him. Okay?" she asked softly.

James nodded, running a hand through his already messy hair. She leaned over and kissed her brother's cheek as they arrived. "Good night, James. Sleep well," she smiled at her brother. "Give the boys a kiss for me!"