CHERRY // marlene mckinnon

-seventeen

Sirius Black was right across his twin in the astronomy tower. Non of them had expected to see the other, but there they were, forced to face each other.

"Uh, I can leave if you want." Sirius spoke up first.

"No, it's fine. You can stay." Aurora said, as she turned back around to face the sky.

And so they sat there in silence, side by side.

"I'm sorry." Sirius spoke up once again.

"For being one shit of a brother. I know you hate me and I don't expect you to forgive me that easily, but I just wanted to get that off my chest."

"It's okay. You're still my brother, and I could never hate you." Aurora said, slightly smiling.

"So, I heard about you getting disowned." Sirius spoke up again.

"Oh. Yeah." She said, as her gaze met the ground.

"So where are you going to go now?" He asked.

"Well I wrote to Andromeda. And she agreed to let me stay with her, at least until I figure things out for me."

"Wait, Andromeda Black? Our cousin?" Sirius asked, turning his head to her.

"Actually, it's Tonks now, remember that muggle-born boyfriend of hers? The Hufflepuff?" He nodded. "Well they got married, and she also had a daughter now. Her names Nymphadora."

"Wow, I haven't heard from, or heard of her, ever since she got disowned." Sirius said.

"Yeah, and she started a whole new life and she seems happy. Hopefully I can do the same." Aurora said, looking at the sky.
"But I'm worried about Regulus. I mean, I basically abandoned him."

They sat in silence again as Sirius didn't really know what to say.

"I know it may be a little late to ask this, but, has anything changed ever since I left? At home I mean." Sirius asked, breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Aurora replied.

"I mean, do they still use the
punishments." He said the last part quietly.

She knew what he was referring to by punishments.

Their so called parents, would use beatings, and sometimes even the Cruciatus curse on them. Sirius had it the worst since he was the most rebellious one out of the three siblings. Regulus never really got in trouble as much, maybe scoldings, but that's about it. And as for Aurora, they had used the Cruciatus curse on her once before. When she had defended Sirius. She could still remember that terrible night, even almost a year later.

It had been a few weeks since Sirius had left, and per usual, Aurora sent a letter to him. But this one never seemed to have made it to him. Instead, Walburga Black had found it.

"What is the meaning of this?!"
Walburga yelled, as she stormed into the living room and showed Aurora the letter.

"W-what?"

"Don't play dumb, you stupid girl. You've been writing to him haven't you? That filthy blood traitor."

At this point, Orion and Regulus made their way to the living room.

"What is going on here?" Orion asked as he walked into the room.

"Our daughter here, has been writing to that blood traitor of a son!"

Aurora just stayed quiet, with her head down low. She knew that if she were to say something, her punishment would be much worse.

"He had brought so much shame to this family and you have the audacity to write to him?!" Walburga said once again.

After a few more insults towards Sirius Aurora had enough.

"Stop it! If anything, you guys are the ones bringing shame into this family. At least he believes in what's right!" She finally said.

To say everyone in the room was shocked was an understatement.

Her parents were furious, but Regulus was worried for his sister. He knew what would come after she had said that.

"Regulus, out." Orion said sternly, sending him to his room.

And then, smack!

Her mother had slapped her.

"How dare you defend him!"

Aurora tried her best not to cry, as it would only give satisfaction to her parents.

"I know just the thing that'll set her straight, Walburga." Orion stated, and it seemed as if the couple knew exactly what the other was referring to.

So then it happened.

"CRUCIO!"
It felt as if millions of knives were piercing through her skin. As one knife came out, the other went in.

At this point Aurora was screaming in pain. Her eyes filled with tears.

It had only lasted a few minutes, but to Aurora, the minutes felt like hours.

At last the curse stopped, and she was on the ground trembling in pain.

"Now that you have hopefully learned your lesson, you now know not to defy us. And if this occurs in the future, let's just say, it'll be more than curses."

And with that her mother left, with her father following behind.

She snapped out of her trance and quickly answered him.

"No. They don't use the punishments." She simply stated.

She lied. But, the last thing she needed was to have her brother worrying about her.