Chapter 16

"Norah are you ready to go to this hellish ball?" Joseph asked as he walked into her room, Norah sat on her bed completely fazed out staring out of her window. He sat next to her the sudden shift on the bed causing her to jump a little then relax slightly. "Finally, back?" He teased

Norah sighed, "Sorry. Just something's been bothering me." She confessed,

"Did you want to talk about it?"

"Oh, no. It's fine it's just a essay that I'm pre-planning for my Ancient Runes class." She lied the thoughts about her brother Jacob lingered in her mind.

"Well if you're absolutely sure. I'll let you finish getting ready we need to leave in the 30 minutes." He added and kissed the top her head and left her alone. She knew he would not read her mind. It was already late July and the ball was today.

June

Norah saw walked into the empty alley where her supposed to be dead brother stood in front of her, "Are you really here?" She asked unsure whether to hug him, punch him, or cry. Maybe she was going to do all three of those options. He just smiled at her,

"How are you, Norah? You look good even a little bit taller since I last saw you." He said as he saw her going through her emotions, "You know I can read your mind and if punching me helps. Go for it."

Norah's eyes squinted, "Joseph doesn't read my mind, can you please not do that to me?" She asked. At the mention of Joseph's name his face turned solemn and sad,

"I don't have much time, but did you keep my camera safe?" He asked

"Why? It's in Hogwarts?" She said folding her arms

"Good, give it to Dumbledore when the semester starts. Don't tell anyone you saw me. Not even to Joseph." He demanded,

"Wait? Why? Are you in trouble?" Norah began to interrogate him as he put his hood back on,

"I love you, Norah. Be safe." He said and apparated away. Norah stood there for a moment longer before she went back inside A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Present

Norah quickly took a shower and began to prepare herself for the ball for pure-bloods. As she grabbed her wand, she began to do a few quick movements as her hair began to straighten itself out ironing the curls. Her black and gold-tinted dress was being steamed and her make-up was gently being applied to her face. Her mother walked in as she was applying the final pieces to her outfit. "Wear the family heirloom, Eleonora." She said presenting a beautiful set of mixed jewels on a necklace.

"Are you sure?" Norah asked as her mother placed them on her neck.

"You need to look your best for your future husband." She said as a pang of disgust landed in her stomach. "This social gathering is as important to you as it is to me." Finally, she clasped the necklace. "We're taking a carriage to the event. Your brother was telling me you cannot handle apparating."

"I swear I am going to kill him." She admitted. As they both left the mansion her brother was leaning against the stone gate minding his own business as Norah's heels clicked harder on the pavement. "Joe!" She yelled catching his attention. He looked at the annoyed face his younger sister was giving and had an amused grin on his face as she raised her hand to slap him and he reached to grab her hand and spun her around. "Let go off my hand!"

"Shh. Let's practice your waltz." He said as he begun to take her around the courtyard.

"Stop telling people that I get sick!" She growled,

"Put your foot there and step here. There you go." He cheered,

"I know how to dance." She said as her frown began to turn into a smile. "I'm definitely better than you." She scoffed at him Joseph pained a hurt look,

"That hurts.", Their mother looked at the both of them with a raised eyebrow and proceeded into the carriage. "Well shall we?" He asked holding the door open for both the ladies before he entered himself as the door closed the carriage began to pull itself at jostling pace and soon enough they were in the air.

Norah sat next to her mother and across from Joseph, "Penny is not coming?" Joseph gave his best smile as he could,

"She had a important meeting regarding her shop today." He said and knew what that truly meant, since Penny isn't full pure blood or from a strong family they don't want her here. Their parents have been try to get Joseph to divorce and marry someone from a strong family. "Fancy a game of chess?" He asked knowing he wanted to change the conversation.

"Shall we put some money on this?" She teased as he levitated a board in between them.

"I'm going to wipe your vault clean." He said

Two painful hours later

Joseph was in a foul mood when they landed, "So, Joe. 250 galleons, right?" Norah said with a smug look to her face.

"Dirty git." He muttered as his younger sister slapped him.

"Don't be rude. It's not my fault you can't win." Norah argued. Joseph rolled his eyes and stood outside of the carriage and held his hand to his mother helping her out. "Are you going to help me or are you still feeling rather petty?"

"Keep getting smart with me and we'll see who's petty when we apparate to different places in succession." He said seeing a face of disgust. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I genuinely hate you." She said as she took his hand.

"Children!" Their mother said rather annoyingly, "We are this ball. I expect both of you to act with the Lee manners that we taught you." She said Norah was about to say something smart before her brother pinched her. "Joseph, I expect you to be rather social. Eleonora be somewhere not causing trouble." She added causing Joseph's vein to show on his forehead as he was grinding his teeth. Norah held his hand and smiled, "Good? Good. Come now." She said leading the two of them into the grand building as they entered, they noticed most of the families already there. A flash of blonde hair appeared in Norah's vision before being pulled into an embrace.

"Oh my gosh! How is your break?!"

"Hello, Hannah." Norah groaned as the hug tightened on her.

"Hello, Cousin Joe." She hugged him.

"How are you, Hannah?" He asked politely, Hannah took a deep breath. "On second thought. I believe I see literally anything over there." Making a quick exit he left his younger sister and blonde alone knowing full well that she was going to explain everything in detail. A young busboy cane by with a tray of drinks and Norah expertly grabbed one and drank it one go.

"Easy there, Zowu." Hannah said as she also grabbed a drink but was more reserved about drinking. "Don't want you vomiting everywhere."

"The alcohol is what gets me through these. Especially if Yaxley starts talking." Norah complained

"Well… Promise you won't be mad, but I am going to sneak off with Blaise once the talking starts."

Norah raised her eyebrow, "He's a half-blood. How are you going to sneak off?"

"Apparently the Zabini family has gotten in good graces with the Malfoy's." Hannah said as she smiled at Blaise in the ballroom. "Merlin's beard that man is so…" She let out a small groan as she bit her lower lip.

"You're disgusting." Norah said walking to an empty hallway. "Glad you're happy though. Now if you do not mind, I will go to an empty hallway and get drunk."

"Norah…" She took a step as Norah grabbed a few more flutes of the bubbly alcohol and walked off.

Norah found her favorite spot from the previous times she has been here and took sat down on cold marbled floor placing the flutes next to her, "Honestly a waste of time being here." She said softly. As she heard the hallways clear she grabbed another flute and downed it in a swig.

"Norah? What are you doing out here?" A rather low and rough voice asked, Norah looked over and gave a curt nod feeling the alcohol began to affect her.

"Gregory?" Norah squinted before resting her head on the wall. "I am just… minding my own business, I suppose." Gregory kept shifting his body,

"I need to go to the lou. I'll be right back!"

Norah sighed, "Guess I'll end my fun for the day." Norah reached inside her bag and pulled out a small vial with a sickly green liquid. "Bottoms up." She groaned as the cork popped off easily and chugged it in one gulp. The taste was putrid and caused Norah to gag a little.

Gregory came back with a little strut, "Alright, I'm back." He said smiling , Norah took a moment to take in his outfit. He was wearing a simple suit with a green and grey striped tie. But, what Norah really noticed was how physically his body built where his biceps were straining against the fabric of the shirt. Norah blushed at the thoughts she was having and mentally swore to herself.

"How are you, Greg?" We haven't really had a chat in a long while." Norah said giving him a soft smile he turned his head to look away rubbing the short fuzz on his head.

"Y-you look beautiful today, Eleonora." He said shyly,

Norah smiled at him, "Thanks, Greg. You're looking dapper yourself."

Gregory cocked an eyebrow, "You've been hanging out with muggles?"

Norah blushed, "Just one."

"Interesting bunch they are." He admitted looking down the hallway in case anyone heard him.

"Don't worry. They're all in there being snobbish." Norah jested causing Gregory to smile at it.

"Sure… Which muggle are you hanging out with? I know your family is open to all sorts of allies except for you know marital." He said,

Norah bit her bottom lip, "Yeah they don't."

"I'm honored to be your betrothed." Gregory adamantly stated causing Norah to look back at him and was met with something rather rough against her lips. It took Norah a moment to realize Gregory kissed, but she jerked her head back.

"What the fuck?" Gregory raised his eyebrow in confusion and received a hard slap to his cheek. "You don't just get to kiss someone because you feel like." She confessed her voice getting dangerously loud.

"I-I apologize." He said looking down and walked off. As he turned into the main hall. Norah looked at the wall and stared at the clock its only been a couple of hours since it has started, and everyone would be in the main hall for a few hours more. Norah was feeling peckish and was tempted to get food but knew her mother would scold her.

"Perhaps the kitchen would have some." Norah said out loud and began wandering the marble halls in search of something. She took a few random turns and then it hit her nose a wonderful smell of some sort of meat and spices and began marching to the new destination in sight. As she was almost at the kitchen door she noticed a door slightly ajar and she knew better than to eavesdrop. Her hazel eyes peeked through and saw platinum hair whisk by her and she froze hoping that they didn't see her. As the obnoxious looking hair stood still she saw them flick their wand and saw their outfit change into dark green robes with pointy hats normally she would think its normal; however, she saw them put on a familiar mask on their face.

"Shit." Norah whispered and quickly turned around and began to sprint down to the main hall. There were a few guests that looked at with a look of disgust. Norah saw her brother talking to Narcissa Malfoy about something. She held a small flute of alcohol in her right hand as her left hand was resting on Joseph's arm. He saw Norah and gave a look of help. While Norah pointed her head to an empty room.

"Excuse me, Narcissa. My sister is not feeling well." He ducked his head and entered the room as Norah looked backed at Narcissa she had a smug grin causing her to shiver. "Thank God. I thought she was pull me back and continue flirting with me."

"Joe!" She yelled causing him to pause and look at her

"Are you ok? You're fidgety." He said

"There are Death Eaters here. By the kitchen."

"Are you sure?" He asked, Norah nodded her head, "How many of them were in there?" She shrugged, she was amazed by how quick Joseph went to his Auror mode, "Any of them with distinct features?"

"One of them had platinum hair."

Joseph sighed, "Did you see his face?"

"…No."

"Stay in the hall."

"I'm not letting you go alone." Norah planted her foot in front of her brother,

He sighed, "Fine, you stay close to me and you do what I say. Understood?"