𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘸 ; 𝒽.𝒷.𝓅

seven

It was barely over a week after the Hogwarts school year began when Aurora left her bedroom. After months of isolation and waking up with nightmares alone, she finally felt ready to speak to other people.

She knew where she was and her way around the house, as she learnt the way of the house during the dark hours of the night. Aurora's eyes were sensitive to the sunlight when she opened her blinds.

She stared out at the garden, and in the clouds, the sun was barely managing to shine through. She turned to the mirror and took a good look at herself, and it wasn't pretty.

All she had done was take showers, brush her teeth, and use the restroom. Other than that, she spent her time in bed or at the graves of her father and her best friend. She never brushed her hair, hardly ate, and despite all the sleeping she did, Aurora had dark bags under her eyes.

When she opened her bedroom door, she could hear voices from down below. She recognized those voices to be Molly, Remus, Romare, and Margot. Since she heard the voices of Margot and Romare, she figured Maxwell was there as well.

Aurora brushed the knots out of her long hair and got dressed into plain jeans and a black t-shirt. Everyone went silent when there was a creak in the stairs that she was walking down.

As she walked into the kitchen, everybody stared at her in shock.

"Well, she's alive." Romare said, earning a quiet scold from his wife.

Maxwell even seemed to be happy to see her, as he had a small smile on his face. Molly and Remus smiled at her proudly, "Oh, dear. How are you feeling? Can I get you anything?" Molly asked, approaching her for a hug.

Aurora leant into her touch before pulling away, "No no, I-" She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I've been..."

"Do not apologize! We are all just proud that you're up. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know."

Remus expression of proudness quickly turned into sadness, "Do you want to talk?"

She shook her head, "No I uhh... I don't really know what it is that I need. W-Where's my aunt?" Aurora asked quietly.

"She's on a mission with Mad-Eye. She should be back within the next two days." Remus replied.

Aurora spent that day at the Burrow catching up with everyone. When Arthur arrived home, he looked surprised, but welcomed her nonetheless. She listened to everyone speak, only saying a word or two here and there.

Later that night, Remus and Aurora sat at the gravesites of her parents.

"I thought losing Cedric was it. I didn't want anyone around me... but now that I've isolated myself for so long, I just want someone to hold me." She quietly said, picking at the grass by her feet, "Or maybe it's only the grief talking."

"Maybe a bit of both. Having a partner can help one get through difficult losses."

"Tonks." Aurora said, "She's been there for you?"

Remus smiled softly, "Yes, she has."

"I've listened to everything you've said to me when you've come to see me at the Burrow." Aurora said, "Thank you for always being there for me."

"Well, I am your godfather after all. Despite Althena not being around much, she has been worried about you. I know I've said something along the lines of that before, but..."

"She's not the emotional type. At least, not around me."

Remus nodded, and said nothing more.

Aurora took a deep breath, listening to the soft sounds of crickets chirping. She glanced up at the sky, just now noticing the brightness of the constellations.

"I've done so much crying the past few months that now, all I want to do is just get on with my life. I want this war to be over. I want some peace and quiet and no more loss." Aurora said, "But right now it feels like time is moving all around me and I'm frozen, only able to watch life go by."

Remus stood up from his spot and held out his hand. Aurora took it and he helped her up, and the two walked to the home her parents shared.

Remus walked in the home with pure familiarity, it was quite obvious that he had been in the home before. He sat down on the old couch, "This home is yours now."

"I'm not sure that I want to be alone anymore."

He nodded softly, "I understand. But regardless... this place is yours. Along with 12 Grimmauld Place. Sirius changed the will before he died, and left it in yours and Harry's name."

Aurora wondered into her parents room. She had already been inside of it before, but this time, it felt different. On either side of their dresser, there were two closet doors.

Her mother, Diana, had her closet full of sundresses. She went to her father's closet, and hanging on the inside of the door was a black leather jacket.

She carefully picked up the leather jacket before taking out her wand and muttering a cleaning spell to dust it off. She walked out and shrugged the jacket on, standing in front of a mirror.

Despite the jacket being a bit big, it suited Aurora. Sirius was always on the thin side, making it easier for Aurora to fit into the jacket. She walked out of the bedroom and held her arms out lightly for Remus to see.

She could tell that hundreds of memories passed through his mind at the sigh of the jacket, "Your father did always love that jacket." He said fondly, "It suits you."

"I think I'll keep it."

Before the two went back to the Burrow, Aurora also stole a few of her mother's clothes that she knew she'd fit into. Going back to her technical first home surprisingly made the Black heiress feel better.

Molly made her homemade hot coco later that night. She went on about Fred and George's Joke shop, "Oh, it's brilliant, Aurora. Whenever you're ready, I just know they'd love to have you visit. I think a bit of fun would do you wonders."