𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

one

12 Grimmauld Place

"This will be our last meeting here before we move Headquarters to the Burrow."

"I don't understand why you won't move Headquarters to my home. It's far more protected."

"We've been over this, Romare. It's too easy, they won't suspect the Burrow after what they did a few months back."

"Where are the kids? Safe?"

"We will see them soon, just allowing them time to visit with their families before everything. Aurora, have you been working on those protection spells?"

"Aurora?"

Althena nudged her niece, and she snapped herself out of thought, "What?"

"The protection spells I taught you. Have you been keeping up with them for your home?"

She nodded with a light sigh, "Yeah yeah, I have."

Everyone went back to discussing various things and ways to keep them and everyone else safe. Aurora drifted off into thought again before she stood up, shifting the attention back to her.

"You alright?" Tonks asked.

"Fine. Just need a second." She replied, giving everyone a close-lipped smile.

She walked out of the room and into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She turned on the faucet, splashing her face with cold water. She gripped the sink tightly as she took deep breaths, water dripping from her face and trickling down her neck.

Aurora dried off her face, walking out of the bathroom and upstairs. She walked down the hallway, peering into her bedroom that was emptied out, leaving only the furniture.

She skipped over her father's bedroom and found herself walking to Regulus Black's bedroom. She opened it up, instantly being hit with the smell of dust.

She slowly walked in, taking in the neat room. It felt ghostly, more ghostly than her father's room. She looked at the bed, her eyes narrowing on a small chain peaking out from under the pillow.

Aurora walked to it, lifting up the pillow. She picked up a golden pocket watch, looking at it closely. On the back of it, she read light engraving.

"Time brings all things to pass."
- Aeschylus

She opened it up, and saw that the hands were frozen on 3:33.

"Keep it."

She turned around to see Kreacher standing in the room, looking sadder than usual, "Did he leave it there?"

"Master Regulus gave Kreacher the pocket watch in hopes someone would find it."

"Why? What's so special about this?"

It gave no response, only walking out of the room. Aurora left the bedroom and made her way down the hall, stopping by the last door on the left. She walked in, and was met with a destroyed room.

The wallpaper was torn, the bedsheets a mess, various objects flung around the room, it looked as if a tornado went through the bedroom. She walked to a fallen bookshelf, looking down at the books on the ground. They were all lullabies.

Aurora left the bedroom quick, not enjoying the feeling of suffocation she felt in that room. She walked downstairs and found Althena standing in the room with the greenest wallpaper of all, the family tree room.

"They've all gone." Althena replied, "Feels like I can't bring myself to go as well." She quietly said.

"We can come back here. When it's all over."

"Are you sure it's wise for you to not be living with the rest of us? I worry they'll attack." She said worriedly.

"Remus and Tonks are living at the St. Clarie Manor, Moody isn't, Kingsley, the Weasleys, why does it matter if I don't?"

"You're right. Just... keep up with the charms." She said with a shaken voice as a tear streamed down her face. She quickly wiped them away as Aurora looked at her sadly, "Sorry, it's just strange and terrifying. You're growing up so fast and I wish nothing more than for your parents to be here to see it."

"They're watching me. I feel closer to them when I'm there, you know. And we have a spare, if you wanted to–"

Althena quickly shook her head, "No no, I'd rather stay at the Manor." She said as Aurora nodded. She eyed Aurora, taking note of the bags under her eyes and slightly pale skin, "You haven't been getting much sleep, have you?"

"It's a bit hard to these days."

Althena took her hands, "Before anyone, you need to keep yourself alive, Aurora."

"You know I won't do that." She firmly, "I'm not losing what I have. Not again. If it takes me–"

"Don't finish that sentence." Althena quickly cut her off, pulling her into a hug, "Stay safe as best you can."

"I will."

With that, Aurora apparated to her new home, the one she spent the first two years of her life. She opened a window and looked out at the field, feeling a small wave of contentment pass over at her as she looked at the tree on the hill, she could vaguely see her parent's graves.

She began to unpack her things that she brought from the Burrow, St. Claire Manor, and 12 Grimmauld Place. It wasn't much, but it still needed a place to go.

Nyx was underfoot most of the time, brushing up against her legs in attempts to get pets.

The home at her parents shared looked slightly different now. Different furniture (for the most part), new wallpaper, the cracks in the walls were fixed, and the plants were brought back to life.

The photos of her parents with their friends stayed on an accent wall in the living room, something about seeing the photos brought Aurora comfort knowing that there was a time in their lives where the two of them were happy.

Over an hour passed until George Weasley apparated into their shared home, "Well, that's done, then." He said sadly.

He and Fred had decided to close down the Joke Shop after an attack happened just a few shops down. They didn't want to close down, thinking it made them look cowardly, but after convincing from everyone around them, they listened.

"It's for the best. It won't be forever." Aurora said as she sipped tea from a window nook that overlooked the fields.

He took off his coat and walked to her, placing a kiss on her forehead, "All right?"

"Fine. I just have a lot on my mind." She said as he sat down across from her, resting a comforting hand on her calf.

"You know, we don't have to go tonight. You look tired. We can stay in and just have a quiet night." He softly said. She looked to him blankly and he let out a small ah sound, "You forgot."

"I'm sorry..."

"Bill and Fleur are coming tonight. Romare and Margot are hosting dinner."

She nodded, "Oh, right. No, we should go. He's your brother and she's your future sister in law. Might as well take advantage of any possible fun."

"I can have just as much fun staying in. They'll understand if we don't go."

She sat up and put her tea down, crossing her legs as she sat at the edge of the nook to face him, "We are going. I'll be fine."

He cupped her cheek softly and she leant into him, capturing his lips softly. She rested her forehead against his, "I love you, so much." He whispered.

"I love you." She said back, kissing his forehead.