Invisible String

1.

Harry did not want to leave, anyway. He sat back down and took a deep breath.

"Harry. I know it's easier said than done, but you need to relax every once in a while. Especially right now," Aurora rubbed his thigh, and then returned her hand back to her own lap. "Breathe. Just breathe."

Harry followed her advice, syncing his breaths with hers, not realising how fast he was breathing in the first place.

"I'm a half blood. I was born to a magical father and a muggle-born mother. My father left when I was very young. I'm not sure where he is now and I'm not sure why he left in the first place. I guess that affected my mother more than it did me, because she started taking her anger out on me. I was bloody thankful when I got my letter from Hogwarts. But during the summer after my first year, I didn't want to go back, and she refused to take me back. She threatened to harm me if she ever saw me again. So obviously, I wasn't going to be sent back." Aurora looked down, not wanting to risk making eye contact. Harry was distraught.

"Realising my... potential and maturity, Dumbledore let me stay back. It was a challenge on where I was going to stay, considering a lot of the professors went home for the summer as well. For the first two summers, I stayed with Hagrid. They made this really cute hut that was conjoined with his, and I spent the summer maintaining and taking care of the grounds. Met some incredible creatures over that time too."

Harry smiled at this, "Hagrid is great. I'm glad they took you in like that."

Aurora smiled back. "Life was great with him. Would've stayed there forever, but then came 3rd year."

By this point, Harry was fully invested, having turned his body towards Aurora and sitting with his legs crossed.

"Professor Lupin came to Hogwarts. His class, and everything about him made me feel safe. I spent all of my free time in his class and he realised that I was this "damaged" child," Aurora laughed at the term she used, quoting what Lupin had referred to her as.

"He wanted to adopt me. Though he was scared because of his... condition. But after my constant reassurance, he agreed. But he was my professor, so the idea was held off for a bit. Conveniently, he quit after a year, because of people finding out who he was. That summer, he adopted me. The people that know about this other than me and him are Sirius Black, Dumbledore, Hagrid, McGonagall, and Sev- erm... Snape. And you now."

Harry was in shock. How did he not know Lupin had an adoptive daughter?

"Lupin never told me..." Harry trailed off.

Aurora pursed her lips and smiled, "See, I'm surprised we didn't start to know each other in 3rd year. We both found comfort and safety in Remus and he spoke nothing but praise of you. Though I never really had friends, other than Draco."

Harry was taken aback by the name she revealed.

"How could you even be friends with him? He's awful, such a foul git... spending all his time being a complete arse to everyone. You know his father is a death eater?" Harry scowled, but deep down he wanted to know the answer.

"Yeah, I do," Aurora looked displeased. "Harry, if there's anything you've learnt in your life so far, wouldn't it be that people are not who their parents are? We are our own people, and it is possible to disconnect ourselves from the heinous things our parents may or may not do."

Harry was far more interested now, "Is he, erm, nice? Or-"

"He's been my best friend since around the end of 1st year. I despised him too, initially, because of his ego over being a pure-blood and whatnot. I'm the one who told him to shut the fuck up. Obviously, he hasn't become a Saint since then," Aurora snickered. "But he's better. Continues to improve. And of course, I'm not an idiot either. He thinks I live and work at Hogsmeade over the summer. There's no way I'd tell him about Remus."

Harry was reminded of what they were talking about before and felt a bit hurt. Aurora felt his shift in mood.

"I know about the Order, by the way. I was supposed to be there this summer, but Remus wanted to get to know how things were himself before letting me in." Aurora placed her hand back on Harry's thigh.

"So basically, we were destined to meet this year no matter what?" asked Harry, resting his hand on top of hers.

Aurora looked away from him and faced the sky that she had not looked at in a while. "Yes. And I'm thankful. You deserve as many people in your corner as you can get from now on. No matter what, just know you've got me."

"Thank you," Harry shifted himself closer to Aurora and rested his head on her shoulder. "Lupin's daughter, huh?" Harry let out a genuine laugh, as did Aurora.

"Yes, yes. He's lovely, as we know. I couldn't be more thankful for him, and for Sirius! They're- oh, by the way, you own the Marauder's Map, don't you?" Aurora looked down at him.

"Yeah... that's- that's how I found you tonight," Harry chuckled. "Though, erm... I also saw..." Harry expected Aurora to know what, or rather who, he was talking about.

"So, you came to see him and not me? Thought you didn't like him!" Aurora exclaimed.

"I- I don't. but I saw you two up here, so I wanted to see what was up." Harry rolled his eyes and blushed.

Harry then shifted himself away from the wall and laid down with his head in Aurora's lap. She looked down at him with every bit of adoration she had.

She slowly rubbed his cheek with her thumb, and he closed his eyes.

"I haven't felt this relaxed in... I can't even remember how long. Everything's so bloody stressful." Harry sighed, leaning into her touch. His left hand rested on his stomach, and his sleeve pulled up to reveal the blemished skin that Umbridge left on him this week.

Aurora's eyes trailed towards his hand, and gasped.

Harry's eyes shot open and realised what she'd seen, and rushed to cover his hand up, but she held it in her hand and was looking at it with sorrow.

The silence between the two of them, along with the look Harry was giving her, was enough to make Aurora realise what had happened. She looked more hurt and less angry once coming to that understanding.

She lifted his hand to her mouth and placed a soft kiss onto it. Harry thought it was an act of kindness, and appreciated it, until he realised that the lingering pain had gone, and the scar disappeared.

"Wh- what did you do?" Harry was baffled, sitting up and double-checking his hand several times.

"I think you'll find that acts of love do wonders, Harry." Aurora's eyes twinkled. She gently put her hand on his chest to make him lay down once again. Her eyes wandered to his forehead, as she indicated her point.
Harry was shocked, knowing that these words referred to one other event in his life. Did she know? How did she know?

"So many external scars. It doesn't even compete with the number of internal scars you've got there." Her thumb neared his forehead.

"Does it hurt?"

Harry looked at her, with a mournful look, "No," He was not ready to tell her about his dreams and visions just yet.

Aurora crouched over and left another soft kiss on his temple.

Harry felt over the world. He felt so relaxed, at peace, and most of all, cared for. By someone he just met too. What was she doing to him?

The pair sat in silence as the breeze, the sounds of nature surrounding them, and the newfound comfort they had at the top of the tower had drifted them both to sleep.