(The Potters and the Prisoner of Azkaban, act three, chapter seven)

𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹

"I think Merlin is testing my limits." Nora spoke with a deep sigh, looking out over the Black Lake.

Elijah let out a deep breath when his daughter's face popped up on the screen, his chest finally feeling lighter after minutes of tension. Hermione had told him everything would be okay, but his mind couldn't stop racing with fear. She was his daughter, and no matter how many times people told him not to worry, he just couldn't. 

The thought of something happening to her had been eating at him, filling his head with a million "what ifs." But now, seeing her safe and sound, all those terrifying thoughts began to fade. Seeing his daughter with his own eyes was the only thing that could make him believe it.

"Meaning?" Cedric asked in confusion as he looked up from some last minute homework given by Snape for Christmas holiday started.

"My broomstick is ruined. My bloody broomstick. It just snapped because of a tree. I hate that tree.Someone should punch it."

"Nora, it's a tree." Cedric muttered, seeing the hate his friend had for that tree.

"That ruined our broomsticks! And we lost the match, by the way thank you asking Hooch for a rematch. I know she said no, but it was sweet to ask."

"Well, I don't think it was very fair on how we won." Cedric replied.

"Hmm." Nora hummed. "You got electrified and fell from so high. How in bloody hell did you even survive that?"

"Yeah, I would like to know that as well." Caroline muttered.

"Dumbledore probably saved him like he did with Harry." Elena suggested.

"I think so too." Bonnie agreed with her.

"I got luckily. Well, I suppose we all got lucky that day." Cedric spoke.

"Nah, we should be thanking Madame Pomfrey for always saving the day when we do something stupid." Nora said with a small smile.

"They should give that woman a raise." Finn spoke.

"I can't imagine the stress that comes with taking care of people that lose their bones." Jeremy spoke with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, without Madame Pomfrey you would probably not be sitting here. With all the visits you do."

"I'm not in the Hospital Wing that often!" Nora defended herself as she leaned her head back against the tree.

"They're there almost as much as you were in all those seven years," Lily said to James, her tone teasing but with a hint of nostalgia.

James chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Well, they had to learn from the best," he replied, a playful gleam in his eyes. "But I like to think I wasn't that reckless all the time."

Jasmine passed her brother a mischievous grin. "They've definitely got that from him." She paused for a moment, her expression softening. But honestly, she was always worried about her brother. Just like she was with Nora and Harry now. "You and your adventures..."

James waved her off with a laugh. "Worried? Please, Jas, you know me. I always had everything under control."

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, smirking. "Sure, Mr. 'Under Control,' if we're not counting all those detentions."

"Let's not forget that Jasmine was with us in detention most of the time." Sirius spoke, smirking at Jasmine.

"Let's not forget that I was the one who was allowed to leave earliest." The Potter spoke back.

"Once maybe-"

"Always." Lily spoke, cutting Sirius off before he could finish his words.

"Sure." Cedric replied playfully. "You totally didn't have an arm without bones."

"Oh, don't remind me." Nora spoke with a groan as she though back about Lockhart. "Besides Madame Pomfrey has the best chocolate. I should probably go more so that I can beg her for more chocolate."

"Thank God for Remus." Jasmine whispered to Elijah.

"Why?" The Original replied with confusion.

"I have never seen him without at least one chocolate bar. It's one of the reasons why Remus is one of the most important people in her life. He's her 'chocolate dealer' as she calls him from time to time." 

"I'll bring you some back from Hogsmeade when the next trip is." Cedric promised her.

"And this is why you are one of my favourite Hufflepuff." Nora smiled wildly at him.

"Oh, please, like we didn't already knew that." Cedric joked and Nora let out a laugh. Her friendship with Cedric was already meaning a lot to her. She couldn't help but laugh, her smile widening. Somehow, despite only knowing him for a few weeks, Cedric had already become someone she trusted. Their easy banter felt like they'd been friends for years.

It was a weird thing for her, becoming this close with someone after knowing them for so little time. It had only happened two times before in her life. With Hermione and Ron.

"I love that for her." Rebekah spoke with a sincere smile.

"Can I ask you something?" Nora questioned.

"Anything." The Diggory replied.

"So, hypothetically. Strictly hypothetically. Okay, so, like imagine you have a brother, who hates someone incredibly much and so do your friends. But you are dating a friend of the person they hate. What would you do?"

"Who are you dating?" Cedric asked.

"Me? No one!"

"Oh, please." Kol spoke. "She did not get the bad at lying genes from me." He pointed to himself, before pointing towards Klaus. "She's got them from you." 

"She does not." Klaus replied with an annoyed look at his brother.

"Please, you can't even fake an American accent without someone knowing that you're British." Kol let out a laugh.

"And how-"

"Brothers, please." Elijah spoke, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's just continue."

"So who is this about then?" Cedric raised his eyebrow at her.

"Stop dogging the question." Nora quickly spoke.

"I would just tell them. Being honest is always the best."

"But what if you're afraid to tell them since you're scared that that they will get mad?"

"I stand by what I said. Being honest is always the best." Cedric repeated his words.

"So, I should just tell the others?" Nora asked.

"See! It is about you!" Cedric spoke, a smug expression on his face when she overspoke.

"Fine. It's about me." Nora admitted.

"But, who are you dating?" Cedric asked in confusion.

"We're not dating. Me and Theo. It's just I went on a date with him and we like exchanged letters all summer long. And I am really starting to like him. But I don't even know if he likes me, so even if I admit it to Harry, Hermione and Ron, and he doesn't like me, what's the point?" Nora wondered.

"Believe me, you'll be feeling relieved when you just tell them. And don't be afraid they're going to be mad. There are worse things in the world." Cedric gave her a reassuring look.

𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹

"I'm sorry to hear about your broomsticks. Is there no chance of fixing it?" Remus asked as he walked carefully through the woods, his pace steady but slightly uneven. The twilight sun filtered through the trees. The Potter twins, Harry and Nora, along with Mary, walked beside him. Remus' difficulty in stepping right did not go unnoticed by Nora, who glanced at him a few times, her brow creased with concern. She had noticed it before, but something in his movements today seemed more strained than usual.

"No." Harry replied sadly.

"They're beyond repair. Smashed to bits after that last Quidditch match. All the spells they tried didn't work." Nora paused when she saw her brother wanted to ask the Professors something.

"Professor, why do the Dementors affect us so much? I mean, more than anyone else."

"It's like they're... drawn to us." Nora added.

Elijah furrowed his brow as he listened, a contemplative look on his face. He always admired the twins' strength but understood all too well the toll of such dark encounters. "The weight of the past always finds a way to surface," he thought, a touch of sympathy crossing his otherwise calm expression.

"Listen, Harry, Nora..." He spoke gently, choosing his words carefully. "Dementors are among the foulest creatures to walk this earth. They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory, until a person is left with absolutely nothing but his worst experience

"You two are not weak. Dementors affect you most because there are true horrors in your past. Horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine. You have nothing to be ashamed of. The things you've seen, the things you've lived through, no child should ever have to bear those burdens." Mary spoke as well.

Jasmine's eyes softened as she heard friends' words. "They've already been through so much," she thought, recalling how protective she felt toward them. "I hate seeing them struggle like this." She exchanged a look with Elijah;

"I'm scared, professor." The Potter boy admitted as Nora stayed silently, not wanting to admit it as well.

"I know," Mary spoke up, her voice steady but full of empathy. She had been listening quietly, her sharp gaze flicking between the twins. "There's no shame in it, Harry. Fear is natural. And you're right to be afraid. Dementors thrive on our fears, on our pain. It's how they gain power." She turned her head to look at Nora, who remained silent, eyes fixed ahead. "You also have nothing to be ashamed of. The things you've both been through no wonder they affect you more." She knew the youngest Potter was scared as well, but she just wasn't going to admit it as fast.

James clenched his jaw, feeling a surge of protective anger. "Dementors shouldn't even be near kids, especially not my son and my favourite niece." He spoke, his fists tightening at his sides. It was no secret anymore that Lily and him saw Nora almost as their child as well.

 "And I'd consider you a fool if you weren't." Remus spoke.

Lily placed a comforting hand on James' arm, sensing his frustration. She shared the same protective feelings but knew how resilient their children were. "They're stronger than we give them credit for." she spoke to him, her heart swelling with pride for both Harry and Nora.

"I need to know how to fight them. You could teach us." Harry spoke, coming up with the idea of them teaching them how to stop fearing those Dementors. If they just knew how to not let them affect them as much as they were doing now. "You made the one on the train go away."

"There was only one that night." Remus spoke, coming to a stop by the tree Hedwig was waiting for them as Remus looked back at Nora.

"But he's right. You made it go away, professor."  Nora spoke.

Damon let out a scoff, but there was a hint of admiration behind his sarcasm. "They've got guts, I'll give them that. Not bad for a couple of teenagers."

Stefan nodded in agreement. "It's not a bad idea. Learning how to fight back is important Especially with everything going on in their life." He said.

"I don't pretend to be an expert, Nora. But as the dementors seem to have developed an interest in you two. Perhaps I should teach you. But after the holidays. For now, I need to rest." Remus spoke as the four of them looked over at the lake.

Sirius watched Remus closely. "Rest?" He asked, his concern for him growing. Remus never admitted to being tired, but Sirius could see the toll the full moon had taken on him. "I'll make sure you get that rest, Moony. And as for the twins, we'll deal with those Dementors together. No one is hurting my family if I can help it."

Elena watched the twins closely, feeling a deep empathy for what they were going through. She had faced her own share of darkness, and she knew the toll it could take. "I hope they know they don't have to carry this weight alone." She spoke quietly to her best friends.

Bonnie stayed silent but thoughtful. "There has to be a way to help them fight without putting themselves at risk." She wondered aloud, already thinking about possible magical solutions.

𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹

A small moment with Ced and Nora <3

Words: 2054

Posted: October 11, 2024

THANK YOU so much for 240K reads like omg I love you all!

Be sure to comment. I love reading them and it keeps me motivated! And thank you all so much for reading again!

mwah mwah

Katherine