Moon and Stars

fourty two

"I'm living proof, Tuckett." She replied, and he smiled a bit, shaking his head slightly.

"Well you're far too old to go here, so what's your deal?" He asks blatantly, and Aurora scoffs a bit at his age remark, placing a hand over her chest.

"Well you're far too young to be speaking to old women instead of your friends, so what's your deal?" She chuckled in response, and his happy features faltered a bit, his gaze drifting to his feet, where he kicked around a few dead leaves.

"I don't have any friends..." He trailed off, crossing his arms over his chest, and Aurora's smile dropped into a frown, her heart breaking for the little boy.

She let out a sad sigh and slid over, patting the empty space on the bench next to her. He hesitated a moment before taking a seat next to her, kicking his legs back and forth.

"I'm here to shadow the Astronomy professor, Professor Sinistra. I'll be taking her spot next year, and needed to get the hang of it before jumping in," She explained, and he looked up at her with an intrigued expression, "All my life, I've been interested in what's above, and I've dealt with a fair share of other kids picking on me for being so into a nerdy subject, but I never let it get to me. The most important thing is doing what makes you happy, and astronomy makes me happy. You're still young, so you have plenty of time to make the proper friends who accept you for who you are, and those friends will have your back no matter what. Give it some time, James, and I believe it will work itself out." She finished, looking over at him with a reassuring smile.

"You old women always have the best advice." He says quietly, and Aurora chuckles a bit, shaking her head.

"Yes, I suppose we do." She laughed in response, and the two of them fell into a comfortable silence, watching the other students.

She had no idea who this boy was until only moments ago, but he reminded her a bit of herself in some ways, and it felt nostalgic to speak to him. Her heart always went out to those who felt they were alone in the world, and she would give everything to take that feeling away.

Time passed, and eventually James had to leave to go to his final class, and she waved him off with a smile. The courtyard was barren, since nearly every student always has a final class for the day, so she sat on the bench, looking up at the sky as the sun began it's descent towards the horizon.

Though she was alone, she didn't feel it. Her mind was plenty company in a time of her life when she has the most going on.

She pondered of what Fred would normally be doing at a time like this, and pictured him working at the joke shop, serving customers with a smile. He was always so great at his job, and she missed watching him in his element.

Aurora couldn't help but think of George and Angelina, Angelina in particular, and what they did after she left. They were awake, and Aurora can't get that grin from Angelina's face out of her mind. She was downright making fun of Aurora in such an inappropriate time, and it made her stomach turn.

She assumed that the two would speak to Fred to see what happened, if he would let them. She was glad that Fred wouldn't be alone, but she wasn't keen on him being in Angelina's company.

Though she didn't remember the event that Hermione told her about, she has plenty unnerving feelings about her on her own. The sly remarks she always makes, the strange behavior around Fred, all of it. It got to the point where Fred himself didn't trust her either, so at least Aurora knew she wasn't mad.

She shook her head to clear her negative thoughts before standing up, brushing off her pants and heading back inside. It was nearly mealtime once again, and she thought it would be best if she grabbed a quick bite to go, since she was technically in Ginny's territory and didn't want to intrude, not yet.

Aurora strolled into the Great Hall to see a good number of students already seated, with a few teachers at the front of the room. She crossed her arm and leaned against the wall next to the entrance to the Great Hall, watching students as they entered.

When her eyes caught a glimpse of fiery red hair, Ginny turned her head just as Aurora looked, and the two of them made eye contact for a moment. Ginny's eyes were no longer full of annoyance, but were now dull, as if she was sad about the earlier conversation. Aurora had to admit that she was also a bit down since the two of them were not on good terms, but she knew it would be alright eventually.

Ginny turned away and continued to walk with her friends to the Gryffindor table, and Dumbledore stood up to announce the feast. The tables sprung to life with a hot meal, and Aurora took the chance to grab an unused plate and dish herself a few things, before leaving the Great Hall.

She would start watching over Professor Sinistra's class tomorrow, so heading in for the night at an early time didn't sound like such a bad idea. She walked through the corridors to the East Wing where her chamber was, shutting the door behind her as she entered.

Her room was small and cozy, and she took a seat on the bed as she ate, looking out the window as the sky danced with shades of pink, orange, and red. Her favorite was the night sky, but she always had a sweet spot for the array of colors brought from the rising and setting of the sun.

As pink faded to indigo, the stars danced onto the sky, along with the bright moon. She had a perfect view from where her chamber was located, and stared out the window as she settled into her.

She was alone once again, as she had been for the past week, but in a moment like this, she didn't mind. Sometimes being alone is what a person needs to repair themselves, and that's what Aurora would take the opportunity to do.

She missed Fred, and she worried what would happen while she was away, but there was nothing she could do besides better herself and return with a purpose of rekindling the flame, and correcting her wrongs.

Whether the advice she received today came from her close friends, a teacher, or even herself, it resonated deep within her, and she would be sure to do better for not just Fred, but herself, as well.