Fate Set Right

Chapter 71

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March 11, 1998

She came to in her bed in her father's chambers, a place she hadn't spent the night in what seemed like forever. Aurora frowned, trying to recall what happened, but the last thing she remembered completely was the battle, while she barely remembered being in the Great Hall.

Her head pounded, but not as much as it had before, that much she knew. There was a bottle of headache cure on the bedside table, which she took as soon as she was able to sit upright. She felt the effects start to get to work, grateful she didn't have to deal with that.

She shifted out of bed gingerly, her body still aching a bit as well. Well, pain relief would get to that eventually, and it wasn't unlike the day after an intense Quidditch practice.

She padded to the door and opened it gently, unsure what she would find on the other side.

Her mother's voice sang softly, a lullaby that hadn't been heard in their home since Leo was a child, and it brought a smile to Aurora's lips. Her mother was already singing to her youngest sibling, and she came out to the sitting room, fully expecting to see her mother singing to her bump.

She was taken aback by the tiny baby where said bump should be.

"Exactly how long was I out for?" Aurora asked, startling her mother.

Song was replaced by a laugh, and her mother patted the spot on the sofa beside her. "Not as long as you think. Come meet your brother, Alastor. He was so eager to meet you, he arrived not long after you left us."

Aurora walked over, her grin growing as she looked at her brother. "He's quite ugly in a very cute way," she said.

"He's a newborn, he's still all squished," her mother defended. "Give him time, the smush will fade, and he'll be just as lovely as you and Leo were."

Aurora took in her mum, happy, smiling, in love with the newest member of their family. "He's going to have more freedom than any of us had, isn't he?"

"Yes," her mother said with absolute certainty. "But then, now we're all quite free." She glanced at the fire, and Aurora followed her gaze, seeing the half-melted gold chain on the logs. "My accident is known, as is your father's true allegiance and your and Leo's blood status."

"The Carrows?"

"Arrested."

"And... and Voldemort?"

"He's probably ash now. They were burning the corpse this morning."

"Who...?"

"Kingsley. Cho Chang. Colin Creevey. Justin Finch-Fletchley. Percy, but I suspect you knew about him."

"I did, and Kingsley and Cho."

"There was Daphne Greengrass, too. Crabbe and Goyle, but they were the only Slytherins, I think. Lavender Brown said Daphne saved her, she was quite distraught."

"Ginny, Luna?" Aurora asked. "Draco? Harry?"

"They're all okay," her mum said, momentarily distracted as Alastor squirmed. "You didn't ask about Fred or Neville."

Aurora stiffened. "Should I have? I thought I remembered them...."

"They were," her mum assured. "Fred was moved to the hospital wing. I'm fairly certain Poppy said he would lose his legs."

Aurora nodded, looking around the room before turning to her brother. Without asking, she scooped him up and cradled him. He was warm and comforting, his small breaths just further establishing that they made it out on the other side.