The Savior

19. Victoria and the Daily Prophet

As Victoria sat at the table eating her breakfast, she looked over the daily prophet with a smile that quickly disappeared as she continued to read the front page. It was a few days after Christmas and the Daily prophet was running the article about the Potters Annual Christmas Eve Ball. 

     The Hearts family heiress has been making waves in the magical music industry as she performed at the Potter's annual Christmas Eve Ball. The performance was beautiful from start to finish as she immersed us in holiday warmth with a voice like an angel. It's truly a shame such a beautiful voice doesn't have a matching figure. 

     Despite her less than enchanting appearance though it seems she has taken the handsome singer Maxwell Andrews attention. The young performer from Ministry Productions seems to be quite taken by the heiress as they were seen laughing and dancing throughout the night. Is it possible these musical rivals are becoming lovers? What about their soulmates? Or do either of them even have a soulmate? If not, it only seems ideal for the two to become an item. Fret not for this author will be keeping a close eye on these two. 

A picture of her and the brunette boy dancing was also paired with another photo of the boy gazing at her as she spoke to someone that had approached them. Victoria had to admit Maxwell was an attractive young man and they had been friends for years since John mentored both of them, but she wasn't interested in him. She wasn't really interested in anyone at the moment. Life felt too complicated and overwhelming to add someone to it. What upset her wasn't them speculating a romantic relationship between them, it was the comment on her body. The two minor comments were eating at her, and she no longer felt very hungry for her breakfast. 

In an attempt to salvage her mood, she disappeared into the study John had modified to make into a music room for her stay. The article paired with Sirius' continuous comments on her body only made her feel worse as she sat in front of the piano. She knew a letter from her mother would be on its way soon if it wasn't already. 

She spent the entire day in the study running cords over and over again until she finally finished a song, she was sure would never see the light of day. As she ran through the song one last time, she didn't know about the small crowd gathered by the cracked door listening closely. 

John and James sat quietly as she poured out her emotions on the piano. In that moment James knew he had never heard anything more heartbreaking than hearing her sing about hating herself. 

"Tell the mirror, what you know she's heard before" she sang in a soft voice as her fingers slowed on the piano keys. "I don't wanna be you anymore." She finished with a sigh before closing the piano. 

"Hey, we haven't seen you all day!" John said walking into the room. James leaned against the doorframe watching her intently. Victoria looked up at the two noticing the slight pity looks they had on their faces. 

"Just haven't felt very social today, John." She replied with a tense smile. 

"Well, your mom sent a letter!" John said happily trying to cheer the girl up. Victoria knew it was coming but one look at the black envelope covered in fancy white calligraphy made her stomach turn. John may not have known but Victoria knew what the letter was going to say. 

"Thanks." The girl smiled taking the letter from the man before excusing herself from the study to her bedroom. 

She sat on her bed looking at the envelope anxiously. Might as well get it over with she thought to herself before opening the letter. Her eyes falling down the page as she read it. Her eyes welled with tears forcing her to put it down. 

She quickly changed trying to cover every inch of skin that was exposed due to her frustration with her body and everyone's never ending comments. Her mother thought she was fat and needed to stop eating so much. The daily prophet and probably the entirety of the wizarding world surely thought the same. Lily left her for someone skinnier. James is embarrassed of her and that's no doubt because of how she looks. He called her Ms. Piggy for merlin's sake. Sirius felt the same. He thought she was repulsive. Her own soulmates were disgusted by her.

The thoughts circled her mind as she looked at herself in the mirror. Tears fell down her face for what felt like hours and quiet sobs escaped her throat as she stared at her figure in the mirror. She finally felt okay and even happy with herself and her body and now she felt like she was at square one all over again. 

A quiet knock at her door made her fall silent as she quickly dried her face and cleared her throat before opening it. 

"Dinner is ready." Sirius said in a monotone voice as he looked down the hall refusing to look at the girl. 

"My apologies. I'm not feeling very hungry thank you though." Victoria replied with a strained voice causing Sirius to look down at her in concern. His brows furrowed.

"What happened?" He asked seeing her disheveled appearance. 

"Nothing just not feeling well" she said trying to give him a warm smile that came across more like a grimace. "Goodnight Black." She closed the door quickly moving to lay in her bed in the dark room. Of course, Sirius didn't like her answer and knocked again. 

"I already told you I'm not hungry Sirius." Victoria yelled from her bed. The boy unable to respect the answer she gave him opened the door and flicked on the lights. He found the blonde laying on the bed looking exhausted and sad. Letters, the prophet, and what looked to be music sheets covered the floor around her mirror.

Sirius being as nosey as always picked up the letters and prophet. He read as much as he could before Victoria snatched them away from him. The boy didn't fight back and simply grabbed the girl throwing her over his shoulder. 

"Sirius put me down please." The girl pleaded panicking slightly. He probably thinks I'm too heavy she thought to herself. The girl thought she had cried all the tears she had but clearly, she hadn't as she felt her eyes well up again. Pleading over and over again for the boy to put her down. The boy seemingly unfazed by her protests and wiggling carried her down the stairs to dinner. 

The dinner table fell silent at the sight of Sirius carrying the crying girl. Sirius didn't look at anyone and put the girl down forcing her into the seat next to him. He filled her plate and sat down filling his own. Victoria sat there silently staring at her plate. 

"Eat." Sirius said in a commanding but quiet voice. 

"I'm not hungry." Victoria replied defiantly. 

"Yes, you are. I know you are." He said looking at her with a stern gaze.

"Why because I'm fat so I must be hungry right?" Victoria scoffed. 

"No because you haven't eaten all day. You didn't even eat half your breakfast and you're the only one here who eats those fruit yogurt things." Sirius replied irritated. 

"It's a parfait." Victoria mumbled as she picked up the fork pushing the food around on her plate. 

"Okay Parfait whatever. Still, you haven't properly eaten today so stop fighting me and eat the damn food." Sirius argued with a sigh. 

"Language Sirius." Mia said giving the boy a look. Sirius mumbled an apology before the table returned to silence. 

After a while of uncomfortable silence Victoria excused herself hearing the room light up in conversation again as she left. It only made her feel worse realizing she had made the dinner so uncomfortable for everyone. All these problems from a stupid sentence on a piece of paper.