The boy who loved

Chapter 6.22 (The charm of Slytherins)

Just a little warning, this chapter will be from Orion's point of view instead of Harry's or Aurora's.

Orion didn't sleep well on Monday night. He knew that Dumbledore had shown Harry another memory during their meeting.

He wondered whether Harry had finally connected the dots. Had he finally realised that the Caspian he knew, was in fact the Orion Beaufort whose memories he had witnessed?

Even if he did, Orion doubted that Harry would tell him. Maybe he'd mention it to Aurora, and she'd mention it to him. But Harry's trust in Aurora, however strong, had taken a blow this year. Aurora had always held secrets from him but never ones that he was so desperate to know the truth of.

Aurora was with Orion now, so even if Harry had figured it out, he wouldn't know until the morning.

Aurora had fallen asleep hours ago. She was lying on her side, face pressed into him, hand loosely placed on his bare chest. Red marks had appeared from where she had kissed him just a bit too fiercely.

Not that he didn't enjoy it immensely, it was difficult to remember to hide them. Especially from Draco who would have his head for this.

So after every Quidditch practice, Orion took a ridiculously long time putting his broom and the balls away so the others were done showering before he had even undressed.

Orion groaned, throwing his head back against his headrest.

Why was he thinking about showers when Dumbledore was showing mere acquaintances his deepest and darkest secrets?

This had been a particular one he'd been quite embarrassed about. And if Harry was going to tell Aurora about it in the morning, she would immediately know it was him...and then what would she think of him?

Orion had let her think that he spent the years after she disappeared until the day she was born searching for her. Training and studying and thinking of nothing other than finding her.

Well, even though that was partly so, it wasn't the whole truth.

Orion had fallen into a dark hole after Aurora's disappearance. He had been furious with the world, so angry. He had cared about her so much and all of a sudden she was gone.

And back then, Purebloods got married really young to establish ties with other families. With Aurora gone, and Orion back to being the most eligible bachelor in Britain, he was constantly nagged by young witches, trying to seduce him.

By the time he had turned twenty-one, he had come to terms with Aurora's probable reappearance years from then. So he decided that maybe he should live his life to the fullest so he could commit to her once more when she returned.

He slept around...a lot. Never got married though. He just liked the feel of it, losing himself and for once not thinking about the pain that her absence had brought.

Just after Aurora left, Orion was offered a job at Hogwarts, teaching new students the art of magic he had perfected. However, he had not at all been inclined to return. For Tom it might have been the happiest place he knew, for Orion it only brought back memories.

So, Tom, in need of money and...other things...had begun working at Borgin and Burkes. The Knockturn alley shop that specialises in unusual and powerful properties.

Orion, lost in boredom and loneliness, decided to work for Borgin and Burkes too. It had been one of the last happy memories he shared with Tom.

He had almost forgotten what it was like with Tom. The thrill, the mystery, the affection his nephew had always held for him and him alone.