It was already June and school year was coming to an end. Aurora dreaded the day that she had to go back to that household. She couldn't even call that place home anymore. There was nothing loving nor homey about the place. The only people she had there was Sirius and Regulus. But Sirius no longer lived there, and Regulus continued to ignore her.
Aurora was awoken by the obnoxiously loud voices of her best friends.
"Shut it, will you?" She groaned.
"Well someone's grumpy." Veronica muttered. "Anyways, we were talking about the party that's coming up."
"What party?" Aurora asked, getting up from her bed.
"It's next Friday. The Hufflepuffs decided they wanted to do it in their common room, so it'll be there." Narcissa explained as she brushed her hair. "Oh and you, dear cousin, are definitely going. I don't care if I have to drag you there myself, you're going."
"Oh yeah? And why's that?" Aurora questioned with her eyebrows raised. "So I can watch you guys shove your tongues down someone's throat?"
Narcissa rolled her eyes at that. "You've been trapped in our dorms up until yesterday. You need to get out there and-"
"And enjoy my 'teenage years' blah blah blah." Her tone indicated nothing more than sarcasm.
"Look I'm not trying to ruin the mood, but you are going to have to marry Avery soon. And well, you might as well make you're last few years of being 'single' worth it." Narcissa said.
"Ugh don't remind me. Not to mention Walburga's going to be so pissed at me when I return." Aurora sighed. "I'm pretty sure every pureblood family hates me at this point. And it's only a matter of time before I get another letter from my mother telling me how much shame I brought to our family."
As much as Aurora dreaded going back to Grimmauld Place, she didn't really care. She felt empty inside at this point. Her parents always managed to snatch anything that brought happiness, away from her. All of her emotions were drained from her. Every day she woke up and was forced to relive the day before. Each day was the same thing. Over and over again. She was merely just existing in this vast universe.
Most nights, she found it hard to fall asleep. And no, she wasn't sad. More so.....numb. Empty and numb. Even when she was with a group of people, their voices faded and the only thing she could hear was the thumping of her heart against her chest and the short breaths she managed to take. She just stood there questioning everything. Starting from her existence. Aurora Black had lost herself. She was slowly fading away.
But nobody noticed.
She didn't want to put her burden on anyone's back. So she put on a mask. And that mask only showed what people wanted to see.
"You know you could always run away to my-"
"Ronnie, no. I don't run away from my problems." Aurora interrupted Veronica. "Well not all of them at least."
"Look I know it's probably going to be hard going back. I'm just saying that I got your back. Always." She smiled at her best friend.
"I know. Thanks. But I have to go back, I mean you did read the letter after all. And plus, I can't leave Regulus all alone there." Aurora said, as the thoughts of her soon going back there had creeped up into her mind. But she tried her best to shake them off.
*****
Across the Great Hall, in the Gryffindor table sat three girls. And they were all very quiet too.
"So you still didn't tell me-"
"James and I didn't have a snogging session. Honestly, why would you take Sirius's word on it." Lily cut Marlene off as she stabbed her fork into her pancake.
"How did it even happen?" Alice spoke up.
"Alice, don't think about the how, think about the where." Marlene smirked. "For all we know, they could've been in a broom closet-"
"Oh shut up!" Lily snapped. "Does your mind always have to wander to the wrong place?"
At that moment the doors of the Great Hall burst open. Only to reveal Sirius Black, running towards where James Potter was sitting.
"Oh Jamesie. Where were you last night?" He said in a high pitched voice. James only sat there, confused.
"What the-"
"I heard that you were talking about me in your sleep." He continued.
By now, all of the attention was on them. Even the Slytherins tried their best to bite back a laugh or a smile.
"Padfoot, are you sure you haven't hit your head?" James questioned. He then turned to Peter and Remus. "What's gotten into him?"
They both just shrugged.
As if things weren't embarrassing enough, Sirius decided that it would be a great idea to sit on James' lap and dive in for what seemed like a kiss. James tried to push him off, but it was no use since he wouldn't move.
"Are you sure you don't want another kiss? Like yesterday?" He said in the same high pitched voice.
"Okay, bugger off." James soon realized that he was impersonating Lily.
"Jamsie why would you say that to me? Your Lilyflower." Sirius gasped dramatically.
"What in Merlin's name is going on here?!" A stern voice questioned from behind Sirius. It was Professor Mcgonagall.
"Minnie, hey what's up!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Potter, Black, you two are disrupting everyone. So I suggest that you two cut it off unless you want another detention."
"Why me? It was him who started it!" James defended himself and pointed and Sirius.
"You've really hurt my feelings, Jamesie. Are you sure that you don't want a kiss?" Sirius smirked.
"Honestly, Minnie, I didn't even know he was into these kinds of stuff." James smirked.
"Well whatever kinds of stuff you two are into needs to stay out of the Great Hall. Now stop this nonsense!" She gave them both a glare before heading back to the table where the professors sat.
"So, are you done?" James asked.
"Done what? Acting like your girlfriend?" Sirius said.
"She's not my-"
"Then what is she? Your next door neighbor?"
"Well, she's not my girlfriend yet. But luckily I know exactly how to make it official."
"Well remember, Lily doesn't really like all of that over the top and dramatic stuff." A voice said from behind James, causing him to jump.
"A little warning would've been appreciated." James said.
"Oh shut up, you're not dying." Marlene rolled her eyes. "Anyways, back to Lily. All I have to say is just don't do anything to annoy her. Oh and I would recommend talking to her somewhere private."
But seeing James and Sirius give each other a look and smirk made her rethink the last part.
"Gross! I didn't mean it like that. Just somewhere quiet."
"I don't really think it's going to be quiet anymore after they go in." Sirius spoke up, only earning him a smack in the arm from Marlene. "Speaking of dating, what's up with you are Aurora?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well for starters, you guys haven't had any interaction in like, forever." He exaggerated
"Well, people get together, and then people break up. It's life." She simply explained.
"Wait so you two broke up?" James asked.
"Yes, James, when people stop seeing each other, it's usually called a break up. In case you didn't know." Marlene said, in an obvious tone.
"I know what a break up is, I'm not dumb."
"Could've fooled me." She muttered under her breath.
"But you two seemed like you were doing good only a few days before." Sirius wondered.
"You know what, Sirius? If you're so curious about it, maybe you should ask her yourself. And she might even talk to you and not ignore you." She finally said.
"She's ignoring you?"
"Yes, she broke up with me, I honestly don't know why. And now she refuses to even look at me." She sighed.
"Strange."
*****
"Is water wet?"
"What?" Aurora and Narcissa both said at the same time, staring at Veronica.
"Can fish see water?" Veronica questioned again.
"Where's all this coming from?" Aurora asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"Oh, I dunno, I was just thinking about it." She replied.
"You always think of the weirdest things." Narcissa chuckled.
That was when the door of the Great Hall burst open, revealing a running Sirius Black. He ran towards James Potter as the rest of the students turned their attention to the two boys.
"Oh Jamesie. Where were you last night?" He said in a high pitched voice.
"Sweet merlin, is that Sirius?" Narcissa questioned, with a shocked look on her face. "It is."
Sirius continued to 'flirt' with James, causing the students to laugh, until Professor Mcgonagall came up to them. She threatened them with detentions, and that seemed to shut them up.
Aurora got her schedule and saw that she had Defense Against the Dark Arts as her first class of the day. But luckily she had it with Veronica. And so they headed to class together. This years Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Clarke, was surprisingly not as strict as the others. He seemed like he was in his mid forties or early fifties. He was a short, stout, man and always wore the same pair of black glasses.
The two girls made it to class just in time, and Aurora saw that they had it with the Gryffindors. She could see Sirius and James, fooling around as usual. She also saw Remus, Alice, Lily and Marlene.
Great. How lovely. Ugh, does I always have to cross paths with her?! She thought to herself.
"Hello everyone! I hope all of you are having a magnificent morning!" He started, sounding cheerful. "So, today we are going to learn how to cast a Patronus charm. A Patronus is kind of like a positive force. You need to think of your happiest memory. And once you do, all you have to say is 'Expecto Patronum'."
A silver light burst out from the top of his wand and took the shape of an owl.
"Now, can anyone tell me the two forms of Patronuses?"
A few students raised their hands but the Professor picked Lily Evans to answer.
"There's a corporeal and non-corporeal. A non-corporeal is more of like a silver mist. Whereas a corporeal Patronus takes the shape of an animal."
"Very well, Miss Evans. Ten points to Gryffindor." The professor said.
"Now we will be practicing how to cast a Patronus. Try to think of a time in your life, where you were the most happiest. But remember, it's not easy and it's okay if you don't get it right the first few times." He explained.
So the students all tried, but so far none of them had successfully produced a Patronus yet.
Aurora tried to think of the happiest memory she had. But that was the problem. She didn't really have any happy memories. The atmosphere at Grimmauld place was very dark and gloomy. The Blacks weren't like other families. They never did anything as a family. And the only times they got together was probably breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even then, they all ate in silence.
She reminisced about her summers with her brothers. Before Hogwarts. And before Sirius left. They were merely just children and the three would go outside and play. And during those times, nothing else mattered. They were having a good time together, and that's what mattered.
"Expecto Patronum!" She heard Veronica shout. "Ugh! It's no use. I'll never cast a Patronus."
"Give it some time. You heard Professor Clarke, it's not easy." She reassured her friend.
"E-Expecto Patronum!" She managed to shout. But nothing happened.
She looked across the room until her gaze landed on Marlene. She too, hadn't produce one yet.
Then Aurora thought of her memories with Marlene. The days they would spend just doing something as simple as talking. Or sometimes even snogging. She also remembered how they kissed for the first time at that party. How she got disowned by her parents. How Marlene told her to not let what others say get to her. She then remembered their date. No, not the one that got ruined by Sirius. But the one at the Black Lake. Although they almost got attacked by a werewolf, it was one of the only time where Aurora might've actually felt truly happy, even if it didn't last long.
"Expecto Patronum!" She said again, flicking her wand. Although it still didn't work, she saw a small wisp of a silver line before it disappeared into nothingness. She felt someone's eyes on her, so she turned around to see who it was. It was Marlene, but she quickly stared elsewhere when she noticed Aurora.
"Merlin! Did you see that? How did you do it?" Veronica questioned in amazement, causing Aurora to turn back to her friend.
"Calm down, it was only a mist." She replied, chuckling.
"But it was close to being an actual Patronus. How did you do it?"
"Well, you really just have to think of the happiest memory you have. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon."
The class soon ended and Aurora made her way to the potions classroom. She didn't really have this class with any of her friends. But she did have it with the Gryffindors. Again.
She entered the room and saw three cauldrons filled with three different potions on display, and one in a smaller bottle.
"Come in, come in. You guys will probably enjoy today's class since we have a very popular potion among young folks such as yourself." Professor Slughorn greeted.
Aurora then realized that she sat next to Marlene. Nonetheless, she sat in her spot. And then Marlene walked in and took a seat next to her. This class was certainly going to be interesting.
"So, can anyone take a guess as to what this potion right here is." He said, gesturing to a yellowish-gold potion.
Aurora and a few others raised their hands, but Slughorn picked Lily.
"It's Polyjuice potion, sir. It allows the drinker to temporarily take the form of someone else." She explained.
"Thank you, Miss Evans. That was perfectly explained. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Slughorn said.
"Now, who can tell me what this one is?" He asked the class, pointing to a clear potion.
"It's Veritaserum. When you drink it, you're basically supposed to tell the truth. Like a truth serum." A boy from Slytherin said.
"Very well, It certainly is a truth serum. Ten points to Slytherin." He said.
"How about this last one? Anyone?" Professor Slughorn asked, pointing to the pearlescent pink potion. A lot of students raised their hands.
"Miss McKinnon?"
"It's Amortentia, sir. The most powerful love potion in the world." Marlene explained, glancing at Aurora.
"Great job, Miss McKinnon. While Amortentia won't create actual love, it might create an infatuation or even an obsession. You're supposed to smell the thing that you're attracted to." He further explained. "Now, who would like to go first?"
Conversations broke out within the students as they all got in line, impatiently waiting for their turn.
"Well, what do you smell, Lils?" Aurora heard Marlene ask Lily.
"A Quidditch broomstick, amberwood, and Ja- I mean some sort of cologne." Lily looked quite flustered and a blush rose to her cheeks. She turned around and saw Marlene giving her a knowing look with a smirk. "Go on, Marls, let's see what you smell."
"I smell lavender, books, and...vanilla." Marlene said. She froze in her spot for a while, knowing that she smelled her.
"Hello? Earth to Marlene!" Lily said, waving her hands in front of Marlene's face.
"Oh yeah, sorry."
A few more people went up, and then came Aurora's turn. She felt nervous going up. Although she had nothing to be nervous about. So what was it?
"Miss Black, would you mind telling the class what you smell in the potion?" Professor Slughorn asked.
"Well, I smell jasmine, butterbeer, and...cherries." She finally said.
Cherries
Marlene.
*****
Hi guys! Sorry for the late update again, and this isn't really my best chapter but I hope you guys liked it.
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