𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐀 | 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬

✧ chapter 30 ✧

1976

After the crazy eight said their goodbyes they all separated on the platform and set off to meet their families.

Once off the platform, Aurora and Mary headed towards the nearest floo network to get home. At the start and end of each school year their parents insisted on accompanying them to the station, which often meant one or two long, early train rides as both their parents were muggles and they both lived in Glasgow and Manchester respectively. During Christmas breaks, however, both girls had decided it would be much easier for them to simply floo home from the station to save a lot of the hassle and expense.

The two girls said a final goodbye and stepped into their individual fire places, calling out their home addressed clearly and concisely, before disappearing in a burst of green flames.

Aurora shot out of the large fireplace in the kitchen of her family home a few seconds later, startling both her parents who had been sitting at the kitchen bench drinking coffee. Aurora greeted both her parents and they caught up over dinner. Aurora didn't often write to her parents while at school because they didn't understand the owl system. Whenever they saw an owl during the daytime they grew puzzled, and they were never prepared for when said owl flew into their home or swooped them while they were in the backyard. Aurora's owl in particular, was a gigantic barn owl named Maurice and her parents would never admit it, but they were a little frightened of the beast. Maurice had an unnaturally large wing span of a metre and a half and weighed just under two kilograms; 1.4 kilograms heavier than the average barn owl. He was so large in fact that Aurora couldn't find a cage large enough to fit him and had resorted to sending herself letters instead of transporting Maurice with her on the train. A day before boarding the train home for the holidays Aurora had written a short letter telling her parents she was well and would see them soon and sent Maurice on his way. When she was home Maurice lived in the large barn in their backyard, amusing himself chasing mice and rabbits.

After dinner Aurora excused herself, saying she was in need of a good night's sleep if she was to be successful in her shopping endeavours tomorrow.

✧ ✧ ✧

The next morning, Aurora was woken up much earlier than anticipated by what sounded like a chainsaw, tires on gravel and rocks hitting the side of a brick house.

She groggily rolled over and stuffed her head under her pillow, determined to stay asleep. When the noises only got louder, Aurora angrily threw herself out of bed and headed to her window to see what was causing the commotion.

To her surprise, it appeared the racket was coming from a motorcycle, which was currently doing wheelies up and down her driveway while mounted by a long-haired hooligan.

Aurora threw open her window, regretting it almost instantly as the cold morning air flooded her room.

"Sirius Black, you absolute tit stop that at once!" She yelled as loudly as she could.

The motorcycle came to a stop underneath her window and Sirius looked up and grinned.

"Cute jammies!" He called up, noting Aurora's pink flannelette pyjamas.

"Shut up you git." Aurora slammed her window shut, exiting her bedroom and heading downstairs to let Sirius in.

"Aurora, who is the boy in our front yard? I trust you know him?" Aurora's mother asked, raising an eyebrow at the shadow of Sirius she could see through the curtains in the kitchen.

"Unfortunately," Aurora replied, wrenching open the front door and glaring at the still grinning Sirius.

"It is seven o'clock in the morning." Aurora snapped, stepping aside as Sirius strode past her and into the entrance hall of her house.

"Good morning to you too." Sirius responded.

"I am still half asleep, so while I go get dressed you can entertain yourself by any means except that motorcycle. I shall be back to question you once my eyes are fully opened." Aurora instructed, turning away from Sirius and heading back up the stairs.

After a quick shower to wake up, Aurora strolled back into her room to get dressed. Muggle shopping centre required muggle dress once again, which was no problem for Aurora. She pulled on a long sleeved, thermal top striped with once vibrant, now faded primary colours, a pair of tan suede wide leg bell bottoms, the same shearling coat she wore on the train and her beat up converse shoes. The thermal was an old one which clung to her body and rode up just above her belly button, but Aurora didn't mind as it was comfortable and warm. She didn't bother brushing her hair, which was still in the two loose plaits she slept in. On her way downstairs, she grabbed her purple canvas bag and entered the kitchen to find Sirius laughing with both her parents.

"Whatever Sirius has told you about me is a lie." Aurora stated bluntly, grabbing her dragon hide gloves off the kitchen counter and pulling them on.

"Oh, so you're not the smartest, nicest, best daughter in the whole world?" Aurora's father teased, sipping his coffee.

"Very funny, dad." Aurora deadpanned, wrapping her Gryffindor scarf tightly around her neck. Sirius took in her appearance; messy hair, no makeup, brightly coloured clothing, and couldn't help but smile. On anyone else it might have looked bizarre, but Aurora managed to pull it off with a graceful ease he hadn't seen in anyone else before. Even though there was a kaleidoscope of colours they all seemed to coordinate and work together.

Sirius could not have looked more opposite to Aurora if he tried. He wore ripped black jeans, a black knitted jumper, a black dragon hide jacket with beat up black Doc Marten boots and dragon hide gloves. Aurora also knew without having to look that beneath his gloves his fingernails were painted black and his fingers were littered with rings. He always wore a signet ring on each pinkie finger, one stamped with the initials 'SB' in cursive and the other with a paw print for some reason known only to him. Amongst the other rings decorating his fingers was a thick band which doubled as a bottle opener on his left thumb, a poison box ring encrusted with a black tourmaline on his left middle finger, a ring bearing the Gryffindor crest on his right ring finger and another plain band engraved with various runes on his right index finger. Aurora had spent countless hours subtly studying the rings adorning Sirius' fingers out of pure curiosity. She herself also wore an abundance of mismatching rings stacked on her fingers and found his fascinating.

"Shall we?" Aurora asked impatiently, placing a hand on her hip. If Sirius was going to wake her up at practically the crack of dawn he was not going to keep her waiting.

"I thought you'd never ask." Sirius responded, still grinning.

"You're so annoying." Aurora rolled her eyes, heading towards the front door.

"Thank you for your hospitality Mr and Mrs Faulkner- sorry, David and Linda." Sirius corrected himself, emphasising Aurora's parents' names in an attempt to annoy her further. Aurora sneered.