enchanted | james potter

brutally

" Seems to me, it's over. I'll get used to it eventually. Over and over again, brutally. It's just they way it's meant to be. "

The school year was soon coming to an end, there were only three months of school left and two until the NEWT exams started. Despite feeling scared about leaving Hogwarts and going into the world and getting a job, Keira was excited for her future.

Though, there were other things going on in the world that were more important. The amount of deaths were rising every day, every student ready the Daily Prophet hoping that they wouldn't see any names of someone they knew.

"Merlin, there were 20 deaths yesterday." Lily said as she read the paper at breakfast.

"Anyone we know?" Marlene asked.

"No, thankfully." Lily replied, rubbing her head as she passed the paper to Keira to read over.

"I don't understand why more isn't being done." Keira shook her head, "The ministry is barely saying a word about all of this, just a little 'sorry for your losses' once a while!"

"That's because Evermonde is useless." Sirius said as him and his three friends sat down, joining the girls for breakfast.

Keira tried with all her might to not look at James and how he kissed Lily's cheek, instead getting involved in the political discussion happening beside her.

"Ah good, you're all together," McGonagall approached the group, interrupting their conversations, "Dumbledore requests to see all of you in his office today after dinner. He asks that you don't tell anyone else about this meeting."

The group nodded confused.

"We didn't do anything, I swear, Minnie." Sirius started saying quickly.

McGonagall waved her hand, "You're not in trouble, Mr Black. I'll see you all this evening. By the way, the password is lemon." She nodded at the group before walking out of the Great Hall.

"The hell does he want to see us for?" Josie asked.

"Are you sure you guys didn't do something?" Lily asked.

"Not that I remember." Peter muttered, "What? We do a lot of stuff it's hard to keep track!"

. . .

The group made sure to eat their dinner quickly so they could get to Dumbledore's office sooner and find out what he wanted to talk to them about. They rushed up the stairs to his office after saying the password McGonagall gave them.

Once inside, Keira looked around, She saw Oliver, Luca, and Paige in one corner, speaking to a slightly scary looking man, once she walked in they noticed her.

"Keira!" Paige called, Keira rushed to the three, greeting them all in hugs.

"What are you all doing here?" Keira asked.

"You'll find out soon, don't worry." Luca patted her shoulder, smiling, happy to see his sister.

Keira looked around the room, seeing McGonagall, Tom, Arabella, and a couple other adults she didn't recognise.

"I have invited you all today as I fell you students are the best hope we have from this school," Dumbledore started, Keira looked at her friends with a confused expression, "As you know, the war is getting bigger and Voldemort's army is increasing each day. The ministry forbids that we do anything, but I feel we need to in order for us to win this war. When the war first started I created this group, called the Order of The Phoenix, we're a secret group working to fight against Voldemort. The other people in this room are just some of the members. I want to invite you to join the group, I believe every one of you are capable of this task."

Keira looked back at her brothers and Paige, all of them giving her an encouraging smile.

"I'll do it." Keira was the first to reply. Dumbledore nodded at her.

"Thank you, Miss O'Connor." He replied.

After a couple seconds many others agreed; they were Josie, Sirius, James, Arabella, and Marlene.

"Is there something particular holding you back?" Dumbledore addressed the remaining people.

"I'm just wondering about safety; are we putting ourselves in danger of the Ministry and what about Voldemort's army?" Lily spoke for the small group.

"There's a risk, but our security is very strong, I do not anticipate that we will be found out by anyone."

After a moment, the rest agreed.

"Thank you all for your acceptance and I look forward to seeing you all at our next meeting. Which won't be until you have all completed your exams and have left Hogwarts. You are all free to go." Dumbledore said.

Once the meeting ended, some people left, but Keira went back to her siblings.

"How come you didn't tell me about this? How long have you been members?" She asked quickly.

"Me and Paige have been members since it was created, but Oliver joined after he graduated. Mum and Dad would've been here, but they couldn't make it." Luca replied.

"Mum and Dad are members?!" Keira asked shocked.

"Of course they are, Kir!" Oliver laughed.

"I can't believe I was the only one who didn't know about this whole thing." Keira crossed her arms.

"You do now, anyway, it's almost curfew you should be going." Luca said, taking on his authoritative role as the oldest brother.

"Yeah, see you in the summer." Keira hugged them all before going back to her dorm with Josie who waited for her.

. . .

Keira walked into the Gryffindor Common Room with Mary and Peter, just coming back from getting snacks from the kitchens. When they left, Sirius, Remus, and Marlene were waiting for them, but once they got back James and Lily had joined them.

Keira saw how they sat close to each other on the couch, his arm slung around her shoulders, just like what he used to do with her. But, she put on a smile as they arrived at the couches, putting her handful of snacks on the coffee table.

Lily sent her a smile which Keira reciprocated as she set on the floor next to Marlene who had already grabbed a pumpkin pastie.

The group started their usual conversation, Keira sometimes joined in, she could feel James watching her everytime she spoke. But, she didn't look at him, it would hurt too much to see his arm around Lily, how they occasionally shared kisses, and whispered to each other. Everything they did, he used to do with Keira.

The group stayed up until the late hours of the night, Keira, Marlene, and Sirius all fell asleep in the Common Room, the rest going up to their dorms.

The next morning, James woke up early to do some Quidditch practise, just him on the field. He saw Marlene sprawled out on the loveseat and Sirius and Keira asleep on the sofa. He saw how they were both curled up under a blanket, Keira's head resting on Sirius' shoulder as his feet rested on the coffee table.

It reminded him of when him and Keira first became friends and fell asleep on the same couch after a party. James missed Keira, that wasn't a secret, he desperately wanted to be friends with her again, but he respected her decision. If she didn't want to be friends then okay, they don't have to be.

He thought things would've changed after they spoke at his house after New Years, but he knew he was stupid to think she would actually forgive him after what he did.

He knew there was a part of Keira that felt weird about him and Lily dating, he could see it, she barely looked at them when they were together, never spoke to Lily while she was with him, it wasn't hard ot spot. That's why he asked Josie ot not tell Keira it was him who found her that night. He knew it would made her more confused on how to feel about him and he didn't want to put her through that pain, not after what happened to her. Because, deep down, he still cared for her, a lot.

But, he still missed her.