Chasing Oblivion

SEVEN

"So, you're telling me that he murdered an innocent Muggle child?" Ron repeated in shock, speaking up for both him and Mione as James and I explained what he had experienced in the past two years and that someone was threatening my life.

"Yes," I nodded, cringing at the furious expression adorning their faces.

It was understandable though, I couldn't fault them for feeling disgusted and desiring retribution, but I couldn't allow them to act on it, not when it comes to James.

"And is currently one of the most wanted men?" Hermione pitched in, expression sour as she glared at James.

"Don't you dare act like we all haven't been in the exact same position," I growled, James' hand tightening on my own, silently giving me his strength and patience to continue this conversation. "The Ministry was corrupted then, how do we know that it still isn't?"

"They're a lot more careful, Li. Everyone who was even suspected of such treason was investigated and put on trial. The war is over," Hermione stressed the words, knowing that she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince me.

"He's my family," I explained in a small voice, knowing exactly how much that would hurt them to hear.

"But you're our family too," Harry mumbled quietly, staring at me with sad eyes.

"If it wasn't for him, I would be dead." I allowed the sentence to hang solemnly in the room for a few moments before continuing, "Harry would be dead, and Voldemort would be alive. If you want to leave then leave, I won't stop you, but we could really use your help."

"You know I'm in, I'd be pretty stupid if I wasn't," Harry smiled tightly over at us, taking another sip of his now lukewarm tea.

Ron and Hermione share a contemplating look before vocalising their decision, "Well if Harry's stupid enough to help you lot then I guess we're in."

It was with those words that I knew we would either destroy the reality we knew, or maybe, just maybe, we could get out of this relatively unscathed.

"Movie?" I called out to James, not knowing where in the house he'd be, and it was too large and I was too lazy to search it.

"What'd you have in mind?" He shouted back, his voice echoing down the stairs as I wandered into the living room that we had recently stocked with a TV and a shit ton of Muggle movies.

"Come help me choose," I spoke normally, knowing that he had already made his way down the stairs and was leaning against the doorway. I gestured to the few movies I had narrowed it down to, a few classic horror movies and a comedy.

"Our life is enough of a horror show as it is," James chuckled, swiping up the comedy movie and inserting it into the awaiting DVD player.

He lifted me up from the floor and tossed me onto the couch uncaringly, laughing as I landed in a tangle of limbs.

"James," I pouted up at him, furrowing my eyebrows as I glared.

He lifted up my legs and set them in his lap, reaching over to toss me the remote. It was, unfortunately, my turn to do the remoting.

"I-I want to thank you," James mumbled softly, his index finger tracing soft patterns over the skin on my thigh.

I looked over to him in confusion, my attention no longer remaining solely on the comedy movie playing in the background. A sad smile adorned James' face and I realised that for the first time since he had been back, there were no walls. Every single little emotion was clearly displayed on his face – pain, regret, sorrow, guilt, and love.