Invisible String

5.

Shortly after, Aurora reached the Headmaster's office, who was expecting her.

"About time!" said Dumbledore, waving his hand to offer her a seat in front of the desk he was sitting behind.

"Sorry... I was with Harry," Aurora sat down, blushing.

"I would take this moment to appreciate the passion that resides in young love, but this is you and that is Harry Potter. Can you assure me that your closeness to him is not going in any other direction? I do not wish to regret my decision..." said Dumbledore. If this were any other authoritarian figure, this would come off as intimidating. But this was Albus Dumbledore, so naturally, his lip curled as he spoke.

"It's not. I told him that it could not happen because, you know, Sirius and d-dad. It would be weird."

"Dad, is it now? Long overdue, that title is." said Dumbledore, recalling the past 2 years that Aurora had struggled to address Remus by anything indicating that he was more than just a caring adult.

"Tea?" Dumbledore offered, getting himself a cup.

"No, I just ate. Thank you..." said Aurora. She wanted to say more about the several things she felt over the past few weeks, and Dumbledore felt her hesitation to speak.

"What is it?" He said, taking a sip of his tea and bracing himself for the turmoil that would overtake the energy in the room, as it usually did when Aurora spoke her mind. The powerful Slytherin girl took a deep breath and began to speak:

"Harry doesn't deserve this. You know it, Sirius knows, the Order knows, everyone just knows, yet nobody does anything about it. There is so much that he does not know, and nobody bothers to tell him because ohhh, he's just a boy! Well, if he's just a boy then- then why is this all happening to him? Don't mind why this is happening; if it is happening to him, he deserves to be equipped with all the information he needs to take on Voldemort!"

As Aurora stopped to catch her breath, Dumbledore spoke.

"You knew what you were signing up for when- "

"Yes, okay, I took this on, and I know my responsibilities and I don't need you of all people telling me what I'm up for. You haven't told him what Voldemort is after! Why he's in his mind! You haven't even told him what's at the end of the corridor that he continues to be haunted by in his dreams. Someone is going to pay for this, Albus..." His eyebrows raised when she addressed him by his first name, "...and I can tell you right now it's going to be someone that Harry cares deeply about. So, at the end of the day, he's going to be hurt once more because of your actions, or in this case, lack thereof."

By this point, Aurora felt a tear running down her cheek.

"You keep telling me to do what I was told, which is protecting Harry and his loved ones; and I will keep doing that. But you need to do what you're here for too. You promised J- "

Aurora choked on her words. Dumbledore's tea had gone cold, because he set his cup down to give his full attention to the furious individual standing in front of him

"We promised James and Lily. To do our best. We failed immensely over the last 4 years, especially last year. Not only are you ignoring him, turning your back to him since the end of last year, you're keeping things from him. I know I'm not the person to tell him about the prophesy because I'm not the one that heard it but if you don't tell him, then I will."

Dumbledore stood up.

"Perhaps I should not have even told you about the prophesy, Aurora. Did you know that when Harry rushed into my office after having the vision of Arthur Weasley's attack, Voldemort had, for a moment, possessed him, while he was in my presence? Do you know what this means, dear?"