1. Gluttony
He eats as though he's never had a bite of food in his life, and in this case, it's true.
He devours the photographs of his parents, dwells only briefly on the reflection in the mirror, and snatches up every last scrap, fooling himself into thinking he's full but somehow feeling even hungrier than before.
It isn't enough, but he'll pretend, for now, that it is.
2. Envy
He sees the world through green eyes – not for Slytherin and not as he usually does, but jealously.
At least you can run, he thinks, as they take a longer route to avoid him and his "fangs." At least you can make the choice.
Because it seems like all his choices are made for him, and even now he knows there is only one direction – forward.
3. Sloth
They're scared. He's not.
He doesn't much care at all, actually; this is what scares them the most, he knows. That he isn't disturbed by the thought of murder, especially his own.
But oh, well. Black's already killed two Potters. What's so different about a third?
4. Pride
He can't help it, really. He's only human.
He sits in the common room, lets people slap him on the back, and then laughs and laughs with Ron and Hermione until he can't breathe. Nothing has changed.
Except – well, not everyone can say they outflew a dragon.
5. Wrath
He feels so angry, all the time.
He isn't even sure what he's angry at – Voldemort, Dumbledore, himself, Snape, Umbridge, the Ministry – and this only serves to make him angrier.
It feels good, though. Like finding the key to the cupboard under the stairs and setting the boy in too-big clothes and cracked glasses free.
6. Lust
Dreams are filled with tangled red hair, explosions of fire, two bodies molded together, and he wakes up every night with his heart racing.
When he's not dreaming, he's watching her. Watching, observing, and hoping.
Until dreams become reality.
7. Greed
He begins to look at people longer than he should.
He doesn't want to forget Tonks's pig snout, or the expression on Remus's face as he watches her. He doesn't want to lose Mrs. Weasley's motherly gaze, Mr. Weasley's deer-in-headlights when his wife catches him toying with Muggle things; nor Bill and Fleur's constant happiness, Fred and George's identical grins, Hagrid's beetle eyes glinting above his beard.
He can't forget Ginny's smile, Ron's laugh, Hermione's stop talking before you embarrass yourself further face, can't release the ghost of Hedwig's wings brushing his cheek as she takes flight.
He lives off of the memories and tries to take every second for his own.
They will not break him.
a/n: interesting, no? tell me what you thought in a review.
my final shameless self-plug (for now): i put tons of new stuff up this weekend. an hp freeverse, a few percy jackson one-shots... get my message? go take a look.
~whispered touches
disclaimer: i do not own harry potter. it belongs to jkr.