Fate Set Right

Chapter 36

"Dinner with my father, discussing with the Snapes the plans that will be set in motion for our arranged courtship and marriage."

The room was silent, thick with awkwardness, until Ron said, "I thought Neville had a thing for She-Snape."

Neville turned a deep shade of Gryffindor red, finding the tassels on his scarf fascinating.

"Attraction doesn't factor very much into Malfoy arranged marriages. They only consider the possibility for reproduction, and that the future spouse is no less than a half-blood."

"And since you're both purebloods..." Harry started to say, but a glance at Draco made him trail off. His eyes went wide, and he looked at Aurora. "You're half-blood, too?"

"What?" Ron scoffed. "No," –he shook his head firmly- "Slytherins are never less than pure-blood."

"That's what you think, Weasel," Draco taunted, sitting next to Harry on the bench. "My uncle is a half-blood."

"Right," Ron said in disbelief. He looked at Aurora, who nodded. "What, seriously? Snape?"

"Not exactly a wizarding name, is it?" Draco asked.

"More than just the Sacred Twenty-Eight, though," George said.

"Yeah, but even my grandmother's family isn't part of the Twenty-Eight," Aurora pointed out. "The Princes aren't on the list. But Draco's right, Snape is a Muggle name."

"But that wouldn't make you half-blood." Neville frowned. "Your dad being one doesn't make you the same."

"You all assume my mother is a pureblood," Aurora hedged.

"All right, you lot." Aunt Minerva knocked on the door frame, scanning the room "The field is all clear, and most of you still smell. Hurry up, lads. Mister Malfoy, please return to your own changing room. While I appreciate the house unity, now is not the time. Ladies, Mister Longbottom, please leave."

"Walk with you in a bit?" Fred asked as she got up and agreed. She and the others left the change room.

—————A—————

She waited for him by the Black Lake under one of her favorite trees. When she saw Fred approaching, she pushed off the trunk, and his hand caught hers as they fell into step with one another.

"So why didn't you tell me your mother wasn't a pureblood?" he asked, swinging their joined hands and smiling.

Aurora shrugged. "It's not my story to tell." And here she hesitated, wanting him to know the truth, but unsure if she was allowed to reveal that much. "My mother had a bit of ... of an accident when she was fourteen. It left her with no family, and she knew the dangers of being Muggle-born."

Fred stopped so abruptly that she was pulled back to him when she didn't realize he'd stopped. He gaped at her in amazement, and Aurora's heart started to race.

"Muggle-born?" he said, and she nodded. "Your mum, Snape's wife, Muggle-born?" She nodded again. "And he knows?"

"You think because my dad's a Slytherin—"

"Not as stupid and short-sighted as Ronniekins, am I? No, it's just that your dad was on trial for being a Death Eater. Not exactly the sort I expect to shack up with a Muggle-born."

"Well, it's not like he believes the rhetoric," she said quietly, leaning toward him. "He loved her long before it was ever his mission to blend in."

Fred nodded. "What's her name again?"

"H.," Aurora replied.

"H. Right. That's not a proper name. What's H. stand for?" he asked as they continued.