Sleeping, it felt something she was forced to do if she wanted to be alive the next day, staring at her ceiling as she listens to one of Cassie's rants with a hufflepuff boy, the time nearing close to six in the morning. Nora felt herself slowly slipping away from reality everyday, her senses were fading, her patience was growing thin, december wasn't looking good for her.
"But anyways, he understood how I can't commit, but he's still very cute." Cassie sighed out, turning over to see if Nora was still listening.
Thinking about her quidditch game this morning, Nora had very ill time to prepare herself, one lesson with Atticus and Evan while regulus made fun of her didn't help; knowing it's possible they'll lose cause of her— but for some reason, Nott nor Avery cares.
"Yeah, that's nice." Nora mumbled out, her feet being tucked back in, hanging over the edge a little bit. Flipping herself to look away from the blonde, Nora yawned, knowing she wasn't going to be sleep now, deciding she would take a shower to prolong her morning.
Shutting the door behind her, Nora looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes looked a little puffy, taking out the broad in her hair. Her hair was getting much longer now, wondering if she should trim some of it, stepping into the shower, letting the warm water hit her back, waking up a little bit.
Lathering her hair with the soap that was shared for all the girls, Nora felt her mind take over, the million voices in her head overtaking all her other sense, almost getting soap in her eyes.
Today felt particularly weird for Nora, coming out of the shower and wiping the mirror with her hand, wondering if there was anything visibly different with her. Her jawline did like sharper; but her eye bags look darker.
Tying her robe and waving her wand to make her hair dry with a mumble of a spell, Nora walked out, heading to her wardrobe, putting on simple clothes for morning breakfast, the game not until 1, enjoying this time to read her book and be with herself.
Changing quickly and noticing the time be half an hour later, Nora made her way out of her dormitory hearing nothing but silence in the common room; walking down the stairi
The mornings were peaceful, just the way she liked it, no younger years running around, the fireplace cracking loudly, silence was her best friend. The corridors were peaceful enough, some students doing their walk of shame from other houses, smirking at the boys who had to leave.
"Morning Black." Avery winked, coming from the direction of the Ravenclaws, proudly walking back. "Third base I see?" Nora joked, laughing with him. "No, just cuddling." He mocked back, walking past her.
Rolling her eyes and heading to the great hall with many staircases that may almost send her to the hospital, Nora made the mistakes of going on the moving staircases, noticing James come out not fully knowing Nora was there.
"Why are you up so early?" She asked the boy, her staircase moving for him, leaving on the railing. James turned to look at Nora, noticing the way he hesitated to speak a little; biting his lower lip.
"Er— I couldn't sleep, especially with you playing quidditch today." He said honestly, walking a little closer to Nora. The girl shrugged her shoulders, feeling James kiss her forehead, patting her shoulder. "I'm a little nervous, the lads gave me some pointers but I'm stressed out enough. I don't know how you lads do this all the time."
She felt her speech speed up out of nerves, looking at James who looked more concerned than Nora. The brunette squinted her eyes, looking at James, the thoughts running through his head before he took a second to breathe, looking at her.
"Just curious; what's going on with you, Avery and Nott? I've never seen you be close with them before." He said, his voice a little shaky. Nora furrowed her eyebrows, thinking of what he meant by that, shrugging.
"When we were younger we were closer; they're like the brothers we've never had. When Sirius was in Gryffindor; they took me under their wing." She explained, memories rushing through her mind, smiling a little bit.
Nora noticed James didn't have his glasses on, his hair was all scrappy— bedhead, and was too quiet for his own well-being. "You like me right Nora?" James asks all of a sudden, stopping Nora in her tracks, realizing he had stopped walking and was now behind her.
She felt a wince through her whole body, asking fairly loud in a corridor that echoes, clearly not caring. "'Course I do, we've done this little dance before." Nora explained, looking around to see if anyone was coming.
"You've barley been talking to me. We're meeting in secret. It's like you're ashamed or something." James angrily said, not raising his voice. Nora felt her hands go into fists, swallowing the lump in her throat, her nails digging into her skin.
Maybe because this is forbidden for me.
"I can't deal with this right now James. You're the one who wanted this to work. You're in a relationship where the girl can't date people from other houses, or their blood status. Don't even start with me about this."
"What do you mean by blood status? We're both Pureblood."
Anger was surging through her veins; unhappy to know she'll be having a sensitive conversation with James in a public setting, over something he can't understand. Everything she said felt like it went through one ear and out the other, tilting her head.
"Why, is it because I'm a blood traitor? Or I talk to muggle borns? Or is it because we don't throw out our own family members?" His eyes widened, recognizing the fact he went too far, his anger overshadowing his thoughts, the anger he's held in for years towards Nora was finally showing, and he wasn't the only one.
She felt herself wince, a sharp pain to her chest as he eyes went watery for a moment. Nora realized this was the way James wanted to take his conversation, not wanting to stop him, her internal anger getting the best of her.
"Some days I look at you and wonder how someone could ever like an arrogant toe rag that claims they love taking care of people, but never batted an eye towards me for four years." She stopped speaking for a moment, wanting to catch her breath, James still breathing hard.
"But all of sudden, you can't shag Evans and you use me for bait. And for a moment, I didn't care; because I've had this hatred towards you, that made me soon like you, and going against everything I stand for just to be with you. If you can't see that, I don't know what you can."
"Wait— fuck, Nora!"
Nora didn't wait a second more than to leave, James still standing there alone as her lips quivered, her vision being blurry, hugging herself as she went towards a wall, far away from James.
Nora pulled her knees between her chest, putting her head down as she let defeat take her, sniffling a little as she let herself be miserable, wishing she had Atticus with her right now. She tried to ignore the feeling of yearning for somebody, wondering why James was acting like that.
I don't deserve this, Nora thought, her heart beating faster than any other time, her stomach churning.
"He's a dick y'know, can't believe you like him." Said a familiar voice to Nora, coming to sit beside her, putting their head on her shoulder.
She knew it was Regulus, his voice never startled her no matter what; even if her head was down and completely zoned out. Nora looked up to face her brother; a tear running down her cheek, frowning. "You know I fancy him?" Nora asked, completely dumbfounded as her brother smirked, wiping away her tear.
"I know a lot more than you think I do Rory." Her nickname, it's been almost years since she felt that unique word come out of someone's mouth, regulus was only four when he thought his sister was named Rory, forever taking it into account whenever the siblings wanted to have nicknames. For Sirius, he didn't need a nickname as he made his dumb joke between the word serious, and his name.
Nora felt her heart be warm, smiling a little at her brother. "You've been happier these past few months; I knew it wasn't Atticus when he went out with McDonald, but I did see you be nice to Sirius and his friends recently, so I either suspected Lupin or potter, I knew Pettigrew wasn't going to be it."
Tightening her jaw, Noras eyes soon became less blurry, staring at her brother with nothing but sad grey eyes. "No lad should make their lady cry, especially not one who would literally kill for their love." Regulus said, directing that towards Nora, making it implement into her head.
"You sure read a lot to talk like that." Nora told her brother, scoffing a laugh before resting her head on the cold wall, shivers going down her spine.
"What I'm trying to say is, you deserve way better than what potter was giving you. Lupin could treat you better." Regulus joked, nudging his sisters shoulder. Nora sniffed, wiping away another tear that was running down her cheek with her thumb, her eyes red, mixed with anger and sadness.
"Thanks Reg." Nora said softly, reaching her hands out for regulus to help her get up, her legs going limp for a moment.
"Now, use this anger to help us win our game, I'm not trying to hear Sirius laugh like a maniac again."
Anger was a good word for the face Nora had on, standing with her arms out, Avery and Nott handing her the girls uniform for slytherin, clenching their jaws. "This was only worn once, you're changing history just like Druella Rosiser-Black." Avery winked at her, Nott clapping in the background.
"Wow." Nora said, sarcasm dripping as she turned to go to the girls change room, ignoring the speech they were trying to hype up Nora with. She had her own way of hyping herself with, the fear James will be having when she knocks him out today, puts a smile on her face immediately.
Silence overtook the change room, the three girls looking at Nora up and down, scoffing a little. "Do you even know how to ride a broom?" Nora didn't know who asked, her back facing them as she looked at them. "If I didn't; don't you think I wouldn't be on the team?"
Marlene McKinnon hit the girl who said it in the chest lightly, making her knock off the smart-arse comments; shaking her head. "She's been trying to do the smack talk for ages now. She won't let up." McKinnon apologizes, letting Nora go on the other side of the change rooms.
"How come the lads get their own change rooms according to their house but we don't?" Nora asks, looking around the room, knowing they turned this old storage room into a place to change.
"This is why." McKinnon said, four girls in the change room; awkwardly staring at each other. "So I guess you were better than Flint?" She asked, curious of Nora.
Nodding her head and changing into the uniform, sighing. "Avery thought so." Not wanting to do any more small talk, Nora fixed her hair as she let her curls stay loose, putting her hair into a low power tail and grabbing the broom Avery gave her, devilishly smiling at the girls.
"Good luck." She grinned, turning away as her smile was wiped off her face as she saw some of the boys in Gryffindor come out, death staring at the boy who made her eyes puffy this morning, clenching her jaw.
"Ready?" Atticus came up to Nora, grabbing her clothes to put in his bag for after the game. Nora watxhed the way James was still looking at her, his eyes filled of sadness, hesitating to even apologize to her.
"I was born ready." Nora said, her eyes turning to regulus, a grin appearing on his face, patting her shoulder. "Don't be too nervous. We'll be there to protect you." Atticus reassured her, walking behind Avery.
Nervous was one word Nora could describe her feeling; thousands of eyes watching her on the pitch was overwhelming, the jitters and cold feet wrapping all into one emotion.
She felt the need to faint on purpose, delaying the game and not wanting to play. She was in too deep with the emotions and feelings around her, walking and noticing McKinnon talk to both Evans and James, him awkwardly standing there.
"Keep looking, nothing will change." Regulus whispered, both looking at James; their heads tilted a little bit. Nora scoffed, looking at her brother, scrunching up her eyebrows. "Reg we didn't break up, he's just being an arsehole, it happens." Nora said, being naive.
It wasn't her fault though, she thought it was normals for couples to go through a rough patch, clearly this was one, needing to work out the differences they have in each other. There were qualities that she didn't like of James; and clearly he felt the same way of her.
"Maybe a buldger to his face will make him be better." Regulus mumbled, loud enough for his sister to hear. Nora chose to not say anything, noticing Nott wrap his arm around her shoulder, making her look away from the Gryffindors.
"Nervous?" He asked her, taking his arm off, smiling at her. "Not anymore." Nora told him, taking a deep breath. Staring at the boys eyes as he gave her a sentimental smile.
"Just sit there on your broom and don't move. Like we've rehearsed." He told her, quickly leaving, hearing Avery call him in. Nora rolled her eyes at that comment, hearing the cheers as made her way back to the tent, the Gryffindor team going first.
"Ah yes, James Potter everyone; aren't those eyes just lovable?" Nora heard Sirius through the speakers, being the commentator for this match. Something about Sirius being the one to talk about the players on the field made her blood boil a little bit, concerned of what he would say when her and regulus made their way, biting her bottom lip.
Walking over to stand between Avery and Regulus in the line, Nora looked to Atticus on her right, giving her a thumbs up as Sirius began his speech for the Slytherins.
Walking out of the tent and onto the field, Nora watched the lads get on their brooms as they flew up and flew around the pitch, many people cheering for her as she made her entrance.
"And welcoming number 24... my sister nora black?! When in the bloody hell did this happen?" Sirius yelled, standing up and trying to grab Noras attention. Smiling and getting onto her broom, the lads gave Nora a fist bump as she gripped her broom, all cheering for her as many of the girls in the other houses clapped.
"Merlins tits! My twin sister is creating history!" Sirius yelled into the microphone one more time, absolutely stunned. Nora looked to see Sirius where the professors usually sit, waving at him as he had his hands on his head; absolutely shocked.
"I think he might faint." Regulus yelled over the loud crowd for Nora, both watching Sirius get yelled at by the professors to sit down immediately. Nora tried to not laugh, turning to the Slytherin crowd, Betty and Cassie cheering for her and standing up.
Please don't let me fall. Nora thought, seeing Madame hooch come to the pitch, ready to have the snitch up in the air. Nora watched Nott and Marlene McKinnon be ready to grab the buldger, both watching it fly into the air.
Nora felt like she was sweating already, standing near one of the hoops; wishing she went to the Hufflepuffs to have some muggle herbs to calm her senses. "Get ready Black!" Atticus joked, immediately grabbing the buldger, hitting it to Avery to hit.
Trying to stay alert, Nora always resulted to watching James; being frazzled under the pressure of Nora protecting all three nets; never throwing it at her to save. Somehow, Nora was shocked to know they've only gone past her four times , closing her eyes and wishing the best to not get scored on, hearing Sirius cheer for her through the mic.
"Better watch out lads, my sister is out for blood." He joked; laughing a little before McGonagall told him to knock it off. Watching regulus race for the Golden snitch against Meadows made Nora nervous, sticking her leg out as McKinnon tried hitting the quaffle.
Wincing at that feeling, Nora grimaced and heard another point go to slytherin, watching her brother still try to find the snitch as Atticus fist bumped Avery; going for another round.
"Okay what the hell? What have the Slytherin been eating? it's 40-130. Dorcas you better find that snitch or so help me merlin." Sirius said over the microphone; shocked to see how well they were doing.
A smile lingered on Nora's face, not being very nervous anymore, watching James hit the quaffle, rushing over to try and save it, just barley making it there as she felt winded for a moment. Her eyes darkened for a moment towards James, swirling her tongue the inside of her cheek, scoffing at him.
"Oh merlin, looks like Slytherins secret weapon was Nora, we're screwed." Sirius said, some of Gryffindor trying to boo the Slytherins. Nora grinned when she heard Sirius say that, watching regulus reach his hand out as he grabbed the snitch; falling to the ground after losing his balance, wondering if he still had it.
Nora rushed down to the ground, her brother violently hitting the ground, holding his stomach, noticing his face bugger than it was before. "Where is it?" Nott asked, everyone gasping when regulus spat out the snitch, having it in his mouth the whole time.
"You have to be kidding me." Marlene McKinnon said outloud; everyone looking at Madame hooch for an answer. "He had it regardless; winners are slytherin!" She yelled, helping regulus up. Running over to her brother, Atticus and Avery picked up the boy to be on his shoulder, cheering for the lad.
"You were a beast out there Black, would you like to continue playing after the break?" Avery asked the girl, coming over to hug her. Nora sighed out loud; wiping off a little bit of sweat she had on her, shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't know; I'll think about it."
"So that's a yes." Avery told her; ruffling her hair. Nora gave a gentle smile; turning around to see Regulus be the centre of attention for once, her heart going warm for him. Nora soon looked over to the Gryffindors; her smile brightening when she saw Sirius run over, immediately hugging her despite of what anyone else would say.
"Holy shit Rory; since when were you good?" He joked, pinching her cheeks like she's four again. Nora smacked her brothers hands away, ruffling her brothers hair. "Like you said, I'm a secret weapon, my twin."
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ugh; hardest chapter to ever write I swear. Also, it's officially been a a year since I've created IN RUINS, so to see the journey it's been makes my heart warm with happiness. Thank you to every one of you for reading this and letting me explore the characters I put every moment of my time into. Without all of you, this story wouldn't be read.
See you later,
-t