Fate Set Right

Chapter 62

—————A—————

November 3, 1997 (continued)

"Breathe, Rory, breathe," Draco tried to sooth her, rubbing her back, trying to coax her up at the same time. But she just couldn't stop, not now that the floodgates were open. Apparating made her lose her concentration on her Occlumency. She was a mess.

"It's all right, you're safe," Harry said from somewhere nearby, his hand on her back, too.

"She's gonna pass out if we don't do something," Ron said, genuine worry in his voice.

"What do you think we're trying to do, here, Weasel?" Draco snapped back.

"Nothing that's doing any good," Ron retorted.

"Guys, please, not now," Harry sighed, exasperated.

"He started it," Draco and Ron said in unison, and suddenly, the sobs changed to laughter. Then laughter became hysterics.

Wasn't this exactly how everyone said it would go? Harry as the peacekeeper between his best friend and his boyfriend, who were from rival families?

"Oh, Merlin, she's lost it," Ron said. "Splinched her brain."

"Can't Splinch your brain," Draco replied. "And if you could, your whole head would be gone, so it wouldn't matter."

Aurora continued to laugh, and through the blur of her tears, she saw Harry smirk.

"Has it been that bad?" he asked.

"You have no bloody idea," Aurora replied, rubbing her eyes roughly.

"How's Gin?" Ron asked with a nervous lilt, and Aurora turned to him.

"Surviving," she said, knowing as an older sibling herself that sugar coating or lying would do him no good. "She's getting ready to take over."

"Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Hell," she said, gesturing to her cheek. "It's a war, even there. The Carrows, the Death Eater professors, are utterly horrid. They get their jollies from torturing students who oppose them. And the more who rebel, the more who put their foot down and say no, the worse it is. Dad's trying, sending people to Hagrid or Mum or Aunt Min, but they're sneaky. If they think they can get away with it, they'll punish the students however they see fit. I had to leave. I was going to blow Dad's cover if I didn't," she sniffed, then cleared her throat. "The twins took off."

"I know," Ron said with a proud grin. "They've been hosting Potterwatch with Lee."

"Potterwatch?" Aurora said, frowning.

"Yeah, a wireless show to keep the faith, now that the Ministry's always reporting all the wrong stuff. Took it up when they went on the run, I wager. No way they'd do it if the shop was still going." Ron frowned. "How'd ya know if you didn't know about Potterwatch?"

"Fred wrote me," she replied as Draco got up, heading to the fire. "George wrote Gin."

"Sirius?" Harry asked as Draco returned to them with a cup of tea.

He handed it to her, and she sipped the hot liquid before replying. "He was the guardian of the Room of Requirement when I left. He was hanging around the grounds, but I think he got fed up with Hagrid trying to adopt him."

"The guardian of what?" Draco asked.

The three boys frowned at one another as Aurora took another sip. "The Room of Requirement. Neville's got it all set up so no one who supports the Carrows can enter, or anyone who supports the Dark Lord. It's a safe haven for all the houses, away from those who support the new order. You need to sign a waiver to stay, of course. A jinx like Gin had for the DA, but... it was Theo Nott's idea."