Wands and Warframes

Family

Family

Minerva looks up from her paperwork when the lander returns from the Orokin system. She returns to her paperwork with a slight smile. Once they've returned Aurora to Earth, she waits another hour before walking to her quarters.

Knocking briefly, she opens the door and enters without waiting for a response. Inside she finds Aurora sitting at her table with her head in her hands.

"How did it go?" she asks softly.

Aurora looks up at her, "I made horrible mistakes."

"You didn't get what you wanted?"

"Oh, I did. It just cost me a price I didn't need to pay."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I went in with an offer."

"I see, you treated it as one noble house treating with another."

"Exactly, you get it."

"Aurora, you're supposed to undervalue the product. It's supposed to be an offer to show you can afford to play the game, but you want to know what they're looking for. Merlin, your parents should have been able to teach you this stuff."

"But they did."

Minerva lays a gentle hand on Aurora's shoulder, "They taught you enough to know the steps of the dance, and you've picked up bits here and there. But you have been protected by working here pretty much out of your NEWTs. What did you end up paying?"

"I vassalled my house to hers."

Minerva nods, "I think it's probably going to work out as a good deal in the end. She has been dealing with the worst of her solar system for centuries and now she's your Liege lady. You have centuries of life ahead of you, so being able to do what you love while someone else can do the heavy lifting must be a good thing, right?"

Aurora sighs, "I know, it just feels like I was the only one that would have made that mistake."

"That's probably true, however they would have made their own mistakes. Did you talk to Hermione about how she got wrapped up in all this?"

"No, they weren't really around that much. Her mother said that they're trying to put a railjack together for her."

Minerva nods, "Makes sense, it will be easier than trying to find another orbiter."

"It doesn't make sense. The whole world's stopped making sense. How do you do it?"

Minerva extends the chair and pulls Aurora into a hug to cry out her frustrations.

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A few weeks later, for the first time since her parents died, Aurora walks into her family's home during the school year. Normally, she only comes here during the summer in order to deal with the necessary duties as head of house.

With a pop, a house elf appears, "What can Lousy do for Starry? Starry is different."

"I am. I have been given a, gift, yes a gift. I was taught a lesson at the same time. Our house is now a vassal to Clan Potter."

Lousy looks at her with suddenly old eyes, "This hurt you."

"It did, the way a child is hurt when they learn the world isn't the way they imagined it."

"No, you are different."

"I am changing, when the change finishes, I won't be a witch anymore. I'll still have my magic, but I'll be something different."