Love The Heartless

Chapter Sixteen

December 14th, 1970

"Good job today, everyone! Now, I will not be assigning homework during the holiday. But there will be a quiz when you come back. So I highly suggest that you study. I will see you all when we return from holiday. Happy Christmas everyone!" Aurora turned and began packing up the papers on her desk.

"Professor Nott. I need to speak to you immediately." Minerva quickly walked into the room, making her way to Aurora's office.
"Minerva, what's wrong?" Aurora followed, shutting the door behind her.

"We have received word that Ted Tonks' parents were murdered last night."
"Oh my God." Aurora gasped.
"The dark mark was above their house. The killing curse."
"Oh, the poor boy. Has he been told?"

"No, we thought that you and Miss Black should be there to support him." Minerva shook her head with tears in her eyes.

Aurora waved her wand, wordlessly casting her patronus.
"Find Andromeda. Tell her to find Ted, and bring him to my office."
The German Shepherd bounded off through the door.

"He will stay with Andromeda and me. To my knowledge, he only had his parents. Everyone else in the family passed at an early age."
"Of course. I had assumed so. What about gaining custody of him?"

"If he so wishes. I don't know how that would work since he and Andromeda are engaged. If he would prefer, he can just live with us. We'll discuss the finer details at a later time."

"Aurora?" Andromeda's voice carried through the door. 
"Come in, dear." 

"What's going on? Did we do something wrong?" Andromeda walked through the door, hand in hand with Ted. 
"Sit down, dears," Minerva said gently.
"Professor?" Ted looked between the two women as he sat down.

"Ted," Aurora sighed and rubbed her face, looking to Minerva, who gave her a nod. "My dear boy. Your parents were killed last night. I'm so, so sorry."
"What?" Andromeda whispered with wide eyes.

"The dark mark was found above your house." Aurora sat in the chair next to Ted, taking his hand. "I'm so sorry, Ted."
"What- What will I do?" His voice shook. "They were all the family I had left. Where will I go?"
"You will stay with us, Ted. With Andromeda and me. We'll make sure you're well taken care of." 

Ted broke down, burying his head in his hands.

"Oh Ted, my love. I'm so sorry." Andromeda wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her chest.

"We'll be just outside," Aurora whispered to Andromeda, squeezing her shoulder as the two older women walked out of the office.

"Poor boy. Poor, poor boy." Minerva whispered, shaking her head. 
"Things will only get worse, won't it Minerva? There really will be a war."
"I'm afraid so, Aurora."
"Then we'll fight." Aurora looked towards the office, where Ted's sobs could be heard from behind the door. "I'll fight for their future."

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December 21st, 1970

"Rory? Can I come in?" Andromeda's voice carried through the bedroom door softly.
"'Course love." Aurora set aside the homework that she had been grading as the young witch walked into the room, gently closing the door behind her.

"I was wondering if I could go to town tomorrow and get Ted a Christmas present." 
"I think that would be a wonderful idea. I have a few things coming by owl for him already. What time should we go?"
"Oh, I was hoping that I could go alone..." Andromeda trailed off.

"'Dromeda," Aurora sighed, pinching her nose. This was going to cause a fight between the two of them. "It's not safe for you to go out alone."

"I'm sixteen. And you've been training me. And Kinglsey said that I'm really good at defense for my age!"
"Yes, you are. But there are dark witches and wizards out there who know a lot more than you do. Many of them know more than I do."
"What if I get someone to take me? What about Molly?"