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AURORA HAD NEVER been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks and Llewelyn led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron went next, looking like contestants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Aurora, Atlas, Harry, and Hermione brought up the rear.
Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Aurora could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks and Llewelyn were still in the lead. Aurora went right after Sirius, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Aurora had the impression Sirius was making no effort to prevent this.
"You know what this means?" Sirius said abruptly to Aurora and Atlas, as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"
"You're free," Atlas replied back for Aurora.
"Yes ..." Sirius said. "But also – I don't know — we can be a family again. Like we use to be..."
Aurora felt her mind freeze. A family again... she hadn't realised what this meant. Now that her father was free...she had no idea what they would do from here. She still didn't trust him enough, and her adoptive parents... she couldn't just leave them.
"I think you blew your chance at being our family when you made Peter secret keeper." Atlas said coldly.
Aurora saw her father go rigid at Atlas's words. He wasn't wrong though....
"I'm truly sorry about that." Sirius said, his voice filled with sorrow.
Aurora felt a punch to her gut. His words had hit more then she expected. If one thing had been different, then would everything be different today...? Was what Aurora immediately thought. If her father hadn't of change secret keepers and got locked up in Azkaban, things would be different... her mother... she didn't know if she would still be alive if her father hadn't of change secret keepers.
Finally gaining the ability to talk again, Aurora said, "It doesn't matter. No matter if we could be a family again, things are different now. My parents - adoptive parents can't wait to see me again and for Atlas..."
Her father stayed quiet for a moment. It was like he was processing what Aurora had said. Then finally he spoke. "I don't expect you guys to forgive me at all. After everything you guys have been through... I don't expect your forgiveness. And lastly, I don't expect for guys to want to live with me. Not for a while..."
