Toujours Pur ~James Potter x O/C

I left them there

Christmas was not celebrated in the Black household.

With the Christmas holidays fast approaching, the Black children were dreading it. At home, Christmas was just another day, a day where their parents yelled at them and send them to their rooms. Growing up, the 3 knew about Christmas, and started a tradition where they all woke up before their parents and exchanged presents secret. When they were younger, it was just small things from around the house, whatever they could fine. But it wasn't really the present that mattered, it was more the sentiment behind it, the act of defiance, however small, that bonded them together.

Ever since 1st year, Sirius had always returned home for Christmas, fearing for what would happen to Luna if he didn't.

When the 3 Blacks got off the train, saying their goodbyes to their friends, they weren't surprised that their parents weren't there. Walburga and Orion Black were not the type to socialise with muggles if they could help it, so they left it up to their kids to find their own way to and from Kings Cross.

Sirius, who had turned 17 at the start of November, had just recently got his apparation licence, so the trip was much faster than usual.

Upon opening the door, the 3 immediately wished that they'd stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays.

Standing in the hallway was their lest favourite cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.

Bellatrix Lestrange, formally Black, was a terrifying woman. Luna tried her best to not show just how much she feared her cousin, but it was as if Bellatrix could sense her fear, and did everything in her power to scare Luna even more. Bellatrix was a tall woman, who had long, curly black hair and looked uncannily like Sirius and Regulus in the face. She was what everyone would picture Luna to look like if they had only seen her brothers.

Stepping in front of the twins protectively, Sirius was the first to make his presence known by clearing his throat.

Bellatrix turned, let out a cackle and smirked, "Ahhhh, didn't realise the Gryffindor scum would still be here"

Holding his ground as Bellatrix advanced upon them, Sirius was honestly scared.

"And I see you've brought the family slut home with you!"

Behind Sirius, Luna felt like she was dying on the inside. Lunas mind had blocked out most of that night, but Bellatrix's cackles as Luna fought against the men pinning her down would haunt her for the rest of her life.

As Bellatrix was about the turn to Regulus a voice behind her caught her attention "Bella, their just children, leave them alone"

It was Narcissa Malfoy.

"They can handle it Cissy, and if they can't, well then they don't deserve to be a part of this family"

"Just get back in here Bella, they can't continue until you do, and you know how much he hates to be kept waiting"

Turing away from the 3 terrified children, Bellatrix gave them one last smirk and walked back into the dining room.

"You 3 should probably make yourself scarce for a few hours, don't want to run into any more of our horrible relatives"

Not needing to be told twice, the Black children ran straight up to Sirius' room and locked themselves in.

"Luna?"

Luna, who had been kind of in a trance since Bellatrix, looked up at the sound of her name "hmm?"

"Are you ok?"

At concerned faces of both her brothers, Luna let the tears fall down her face that she had been fighting so hard to keep back. Seeing her tears, the Black brothers shared a look before wrapping their arms around Luna, as if forming a barrier to protect her from the world.

And that's how they all stayed for the rest of the night, holding one and other, being each other's safety blanket from their relatives that they hate so much.

~

5 days they had been home. For 5 days they all lived in fear. It seemed as if their parents had turned all their rage to Sirius.

Luna hated it.

She couldn't do anything to protect him.

But then she had an idea.

~

It had been a particularly bad day in the Black house when Luna found Sirius in his room with Regulus changing the bandages on his back. Luna didn't get a good look, but what she did manage to see, it was worse than what she imagined. Deep vertical cuts ran up and down Sirius' back, the type that Luna only imagined you could get from a whip. That was when Luna knew she had to get Sirius out of there, that he would die if he stayed any longer.

"You need to leave."

Both her brothers turned to her with a confused expression

"If you stay, you'll die. You need to leave and never come back"

"I'm not leaving you here...with them"

"Sirius, you've protected us for years, been selfless in the best possible ways and I will always be thankful for it, but right now you need to be selfish, you need to go and never look back."

"Don't be ridiculous Luna, come on back me up here Reg"

Looking at Regulus, his face was impossible to read. His head was telling him that Luna was right, if Sirius stayed, he would die. But his heart was begging him to not let Sirius go, ever.

In the end, his head won

"I agree with Luna. You need to save yourself"

Sirius thought for sure that Regulus would agree with him, and now he didn't know what to do.

Seeing how conflicted her brother was, Luna sat down next to him and took his hand "Listen to me Siri. You have been the best big brother that Reg and I could have ever asked for. You will always be my hero, but right now you need to not be a hero, you need to put yourself first and forget about us."

Sitting down on Sirius' other side Regulus continued "We will always know you love us, but we can't be the reason you stay. Go to James', we'll be ok here."

Sirius was ashamed to say that he was actually considering leaving and never looking back, he knew everything they were telling him was true, if he stayed, he would die; he couldn't ever do that to his siblings, not when they gave him an out.

Putting his arms around both their shoulders, Sirius started crying "I will never forget about you"

At that both Luna and Regulus started crying, knowing it was for the best that he was leaving, but not being able to stop it feeling like their hearts were being ripped out.

~

That night, the 3 black siblings shared a teary goodbye, knowing that they would still see each other at Hogwarts, but it wouldn't be the same.

~

James Potter was awake when there was a knock at his front door, having received a letter from someone who called themselves "L.W.B" to be expecting their brother, and to protect him in all the ways they couldn't.

Opening it, he saw everything he had feared since Sirius had confessed what his parents did to him and his siblings. Sirius Black was standing on his doorstep, bruised, bleeding and crying.

"I left them there..."

A/N-

Did I cry writing this? Yes, the answer is yes.

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