𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦 ; 𝑜.𝑜.𝓅

thirty-six

"My, that was quite the Christmas we had." Margot exclaimed as she walked in front of Romare and Maxwell into the Black ancestral home.

Tonks welcomed Margot with a hug, "I take it, it went well, though?"

"One could say that." Romare replied, "My parents certainly are not supporters of the Dark Lord, but they don't exactly have kind thoughts about muggles or half-bloods. Had to listen to them go on about that, poor Margot had to deal with their wrath."

The three introduced themselves to Zoya, the Weasley children, Harry, and Hermione. Margot spoke for Maxwell while Romare spoke confidently (and slightly boastfully) for himself.

They gifted everyone with expensive gifts that most likely cost more than what Arthur Weasley made in a year. For starters, Zoya received a tanzanite (her birth stone) embedded quill and Aurora received a few articles of designer clothing after they learned she was basically wearing the same two outfits all the time.

They even had a years-worth supply of Wolfsbane Potion made for Remus and Augustus. Due to the scarcity of the products, making the potion often came at a great cost. Everyone was sure Remus was going to cry then and there.

"Between the three of us, we have more money than we can deal with. Best thing to do with it is give it away or buy gifts for people." Romare said as Fred and George gasped at the check he gave them, "For the shop. It'll be enough to buy that building Molly and Arthur told us you two were eyeing."

"Bloody hell, you guys really are rich!" Ron exclaimed.

Romare chuckled, "It's the least we can do, really."

"It was Maxwell's idea to buy the shop for you two." Margot spoke up softly.

The twins thanked the ex-Auror profusely, and he only gave them a stiff smile.

Everyone left one by one after multiple glasses of wine and long discussions about the Order and their personal lives.

Aurora crept downstairs later that night for tea, finding Althena smoking a cigarette and reading a book in the kitchen. She didn't acknowledge her niece as she walked in, so Aurora said nothing in return.

Aurora took a sip of her freshly-made tea and looked out of the window at the almost-full Moon. Her mind traced back to Cedric, as it typically did on lonely nights.

"Still thinking about Cedric Diggory?" Althena spoke up, not taking her eyes off her book.

"I always think about him." Aurora replied.

"The Moon won't talk back, you know. I've already tried that." Althena said as she blew out smoke, "You'll have better luck with your feelings by talking to an actual human, or a semi-dead one."

Aurora sighed and sat down at the table across from the Vampire, "If you're going to give me therapy, you're too late. Remus has already taken up that position."

"Oh, believe me, I'm not going to try and cheer you up with my words of encouragement." Althena said, tapping the ash at the end of her cigarette into her new golden ashtray with royal blue embellishments that Romare got for her.

"What was life like for you? After losing your sister?"

"I didn't just lose her. I lost James, Lily, Peter, and your father." She said, "For a long time, I hated myself."

"Do you blame yourself for her death?"

She shook her head, "I hated myself for reasons you don't need to know right now. What matters is that the only way I got better was by facing my pain. I didn't try to push it away, I just learned to live with it. I don't think it's made me a better person, partly because I wasn't that great of a person to begin with."

"You're not a bad person."

"Not in the way you think, Aurora. There is still a lot you don't know. I'm not someone you should look up to."

Aurora raised her brows lightly, "I suppose it's a good thing that I never did to begin with."

This made Althena chuckle lightly. She took a drag of her cigarette, "It sounds cliché, but I did lose a part of myself after all of their deaths, plus Sirius going to Azkaban."

"Did you believe that Sirius gave James and Lily away?"

She shook her head, "I was the only one who didn't. Some speculated that I helped him kill them because I didn't believe that did it. It's very important, Aurora, that you don't lose yourself in your grief."

"I haven't yet."

"Maybe, but this war... I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's going to take more and more lives. I'm only being realistic. We are going to lose more people, and when that happens, you must not let your anger and grief drive you."

"I thought you said you weren't going to give me advice." Aurora commented.

"I'm only repeating what Remus told me after everything happened all those years ago. He's been to hell and back, it's a wonder how he's kept his head level. Half of my wisdom comes from him." Althena said fondly, "But he didn't say the whole people are going to die part, that was me."