⁂𝓈𝒶𝓁𝓋𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃⁂

⁂chapter three⁂

May 1991

The day her acceptance letter came, Aura was perched on the velvet chaise lounge in the  living room of the manor reading a very melodramatic romance novel. Since Aries and Atlas had gone to school three years ago the rooms slowly evolved into something more elaborate in comparison to the neutral tones that had used to decorate them. The many rooms in the estate had been re decorated to suit the taste of a very bored Anthony and an ecstatic Cordelia.

Though the boys had eventually stopped their regular visits many months ago, she would never admit it to them that she sometimes enjoyed their idiocy, and when they were gone she craved their laughs that could be heard even from her bedroom. Especially when Theo and Blaise would tackle each other to the floor, it would leave the girls in fits of uncontrollable laughter, when she remembered those moments she missed them the most. But despite their absense, Daphne and Pansy would almost always come to the Rosier estate. They would read, hold dainty tea parties and speak French, laughing whenever somebody said oui like the young girls that they were. Aurora would perform complicated concertos on the piano as Daphne and Pansy swung each other around and giggled at the stupidity of their actions. Aura had almost forgotten that come September, this would no longer be the norm. They would go to school and their antics would cease to a holt. Her tummy performed a rather impressive somersault at the thought of going away for so long. And then she remembered her brothers, who would be home in two months time bringing with them more  destruction and tales of Slytherin championship, and she smiled absently at the thought of being with them all year-round once again. At least, she hoped.

Just as it had about three years ago, a tawny owl tapped its beak upon the window of the living room. It appeared to be the same one that had delivered her brothers acceptance letters and Aura smiled to herself in pure joy. She placed her book face down upon the lounge and practically skipped to the window. She pulled it open with a jolt and the letter was deposited on the floor as it had been years ago. Aura bent to retrieve the letter and turned it over. She stroked her fingers lightly over the wax seal, indented with the glorious crest of Hogwarts and yelled for her mother.

Cordelia Rosier ran to her daughter and upon finding her, stood staring at the small letter, she practically yelped with glee. "I told you baby!! Youre going to Hogwarts" she smiled down at Aura as she flung herself at her mother unable to contain the joy that she felt. Only four months and she would be fulfilling her lifelong dream. She would work so incredibly hard. She would be with her friends. And she would make her parents proud.

***

Over the coming months Aurora spent more time with her mother than she had since she was a little girl. They paraded through Diagon Alley one warm day in late June and Aura was in awe at the sheer enchantment of the atmosphere that the wizarding world could provide. Despite growing up as a pure-blooded witch, she was confined to the acres of the Rosier estate and even then, their family rarely left the manor. Cordelia dragged Aura through cloak shops and wand parlours but what had fascinated her the most was the emporium of animals perched toward the end of the bustling alley, hidden away from viewing. Aurora dragged her mother towards the periwinkle painted store and upon entering, a bell ringed and the sound resonated towards the back. Aura was immediately hit with a very strange combination of noises; cats meowing, dogs barking, toads croaking, owls hooting. Though the Rosiers had never had a pet, Aura adored animals completely and she ran towards the huddle of cages against the left-hand wall. Her mother walked to the counter and reluctantly, she followed her with a quick glance back at the wall of cages.

A plump woman was now sat behind the till and she smiled down at Aurora warmly. "Hiya sweetheart, how can I help you?" she asked, Aura could not help but notice that she had a faint northern accent, which made Aura smile inwardly.