Fate Set Right

Chapter 64

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November 26, 1997

Aurora and the boys took the remainder of the previous day to rest. Honestly, it was worth it, what with the elves that really only had Nan to look after. They were more than eager to cater to the quartet's every whim and wish. Aurora doubly so, as her mother wasn't around to purse her lips and frown, denying any and all want or need of help. But now that she had had a full night's sleep in a bed that she didn't have to share, in a space without a male, she had to get to work.

She wouldn't begrudge Draco's reluctance to come to the library as early as her. Aurora had no doubt that he was tucked in bed with Harry, relishing their time alone without Ron's hovering. And she supposed even Ron was enjoying the solitude.

But she hadn't been on the run as long as they had, so she didn't feel right waking them or disturbing them. They'd figured out where the locket was, maybe she could figure out a way to destroy it.

The library in Prince Manor was vast, much more so than Aurora remembered. It was little wonder that her father hadn't found whatever book Leo had stumbled upon. How long would it take her to comb through all of them? How long before the boys annoyed her grandmother so much that they would no longer be welcome?

She entered the room slowly, moving to the desk at the far end of the room, the one with the deep purple chair that her father favored whenever he came to do research. There was nothing there, the elves having long tidied up any parchments or books. She turned, facing the rows of floor-to-ceiling shelves, six in all, all quite wide, rolling ladders resting on either side of the double-sided cases.

Thousands of books. There were spells that could help her find some pertinent books, of course, but there was nothing that could filter out exactly what she wanted.

It would take her the better part of a month to go through all of it, and that was if the three boys helped her. Ronald wouldn't do it. Harry would, but not well. Draco would, but even so, a month wouldn't be enough.

There was the Felix Felicis. Two hours of luck to help them get through the war. Well, this was for the war, wasn't it? What was a drop or two to get that book faster?

With her heart pounding, Aurora pulled the vial out of her denims, uncorked it and stuck out her tongue. She carefully dripped two drops onto her tongue, quickly closed her mouth and swallowed as she replaced the cap.

Within seconds, she felt light, a bit fuzzy headed, and like she could do anything. Anything at all. And what she really wanted right now was to find the book her brother discovered.

Where did Leo like to hide? That dark little alcove tucked into the back corner, farthest from the door. She never understood it, Aurora had always preferred the lush reading chairs near the enchanted wall, but her brother was quirky.

She smiled, moving to Leo's not-so-secret spot where only a few floating candles offered light. She plopped down, feeling a silly pleasure from entering her brother's sacred sitting area as she looked around the room from his perspective. She even ducked down a bit for the full effect, trying to get herself down to his height.

It had the perfect view of their mother's favorite spot in the vast library: an old uncomfortable-looking set of armchairs on either side of a round table. She hated those chairs, the look of them, the way they had no give whatsoever. Yet she felt compelled to see if her memory of them was accurate.

She got close, seeing that the house-elves, per her mother's wishes, had left things the way they were. And there it was, on her mother's borrowed reading table: Magiks Moste Heinous .