The days merged together in the rundown inn, and Aurora was struggling to differentiate between them. She would wake up, stay in bed until housekeeping came, and only then would she go downstairs to grab a drink or two, before coming back up to bed.
Hogwarts wasn't even a thought in her mind, but she knew she would have to go. That could be just the thing needed to get her out of her thoughts.
Every day, she thinks about Fred, and how he's doing. It hurts her to not know what's going on with him, after all she's known for her entire life. He was her best friend, and she messed up.
Three knocks pounded on her door, signaling the housekeeper was here, so she dragged herself from her bed and slid on her pair of slippers, opening the door and leaving as the housekeeper went in. They never share any words, but Aurora always makes sure to leave a tip behind, and it's always gone when she returns, so at least they have that.
The stairs creaked beneath her as she walked down to the bar in a hazy state, not fully awake, but the bartender was used to this by now. Aurora had been down every morning to get the same drinks over and over again, so when she got there this morning, it was already on the counter.
She mumbled her thanks and sat down in a stool, taking the glass in her hand and taking a large gulp, the familiar burning sensation warming her insides. Aurora knew that she was probably growing a dependence on that warming sensation, but it masked the pain she dealt with in her dreams, and she was okay with a little liquid courage.
The truth was she was an absolute mess. She looked as if she hadn't seen sunlight in years, and she had thinned over the past month more than she had in her entire life. Her eyes didn't hold that familiar glow that they once had, and she couldn't even remember the last time she smiled.
Her eyes drifted across the various papers hung on the walls of the bar, and her eyes landed on a newspaper sitting on the bar counter, stating that the holidays were approaching rapidly, and the Hogwarts students would be returning home soon. She didn't bother to pick up the page to read it any further, but she continued to look at it from a distance as she finished her glass.
She had to go, and as much as she didn't want to right now, it was the only time left. She no longer had work holding her back according to Fred, so there was nothing stopping her anymore.
Aurora pulled some money from her pocket and placed it on the counter before scooting out of the chair, slumping back up the stairs to her room. The housekeeper had made her bed and straightened her things for her, so she didn't have to worry about an accumulating mess around her, which was a positive amongst all the other negatives in her life.
The little positives are all she had to hold on to in the mean time.
She was numbed after her drinks, and she walked to the bathroom slowly, taking a hard look at herself in the mirror. The way her hair lost it's shine, the way her dark circles only darkened over the days, and the way her lips were not as soft as they used to be—she was disgusted with herself.
Aurora wasn't weak; she had been strong all her life, and it was embarrassing to see herself like she was. She was in a mental battle to fix herself, because she hated being so let go, but in the same breath, she had barely any strength to brush her own teeth, and she often forgot such a common thing. It was a shame.
She was becoming depressed, and that was one issue she didn't want to return to. She had her struggles through schooling, and it only makes things harder.
The difference between years ago and now is that she had a reason so many years ago, and now it was purely her fault. She missed Fred dearly, and it tore her heartstrings to know that she hurt him. She probably felt like he did when he found out.
"This is ridiculous." She mumbled to herself before turning on the water, splashing cold water onto her face.
Deep inside, she knew it wasn't completely ridiculous. She was hurting bad, and even though it was her fault, she still hurt. She still missed Fred, even if she didn't love him. She still craved his hugs, his touch, his sweet words, all of it. She let her mind think of their happy memories as often as possible in attempts to block out the bad ones. Even though she didn't love him, she was crazy about him, and this hurt.
Drying her face with the stale bath towel she had been using, she walked back to her bed with a purpose. Grabbing her bag from the nightstand, she sifted through it for a different outfit, something other than the one she had been wearing for days now.
She needed to go to Hogwarts, and she needed to get her emotions off the floor, and they could possibly work hand in hand. Getting her mind focused on her future is something that could make her happy again, since she has always adored the great above.
Her only issue now was the way to get there.
The original plan was that Aurora would borrow the flying car to get there, since it just seemed easy and available, but that didn't seem too available at the moment. After the war, a travel block was placed over the castle, preventing any apparations or floo powder travel, so she couldn't do that, either.
Her only options were taking the Knight Bus, which seemed to be a last resort, given the quality, or transporting to Hogsmeade and taking the long route on foot. Neither of the two seemed very attractive, but it was all she had.
After freshening up, she looked far less grimy than before, and felt better already. Physically better, that was.
She had a gnawing feeling in her stomach from the heartbreak she felt over Fred, but she shoved it aside as she left her room, earning a strange look from the bartender on the way out. After all, they had only seen her as a drunken witch who smells of stinksap.
She sent them a curt nod before letting out a huff and stepping out into the streets. She looked both ways before squinting up at the sky, the overcast blinding her.
Before she even took another step, a blur came from down the street and stopped directly in front of her. Aurora took a step back at the sudden motion and realized the Knight Bus had heard her silent cry for help and showed up on it's own.
A man stepped out from the bus and cleared his throat, looking at Aurora and giving her a toothy smile, his brownish teeth staring at her. She gave him a small smile and stayed in her spot, waiting for him to go on his spiel like he does before any witch or wizard takes foot on the bus.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening." He says sharply, bowing before her.
"Great, thanks." She said, before taking a step forward to get on the bus, but he stuck his arm out to stop her.
"Whoa now, little lady, running from the air around us, are you? You need a ticket, of course." He says with furrowed brows, reaching behind his back and pulling out a bus ticket.
She rolled her eyes before gently taking the ticket with a forced smile, and he grinned at her before moving out of the way of the doors, allowing her to get on. A crystal chandelier was strung from the ceiling, and beds were located on all three levels, with a few drunken men sleeping in them.
She took a seat on the first empty bed, and Stan stood in front of her with his hands stuffed in his pockets, sucking his cheeks in. He looked over her from head to toe, furrowing his brows as if he was reading her like a book.
"Where to, young lady?" He asked, crossing one foot over the other.
"Hogwarts, if you would." She replied politely, and he smiled.
"Ah, I see," He said, turning to look at the driver, "Hogwarts, Ernie!" He yelled, and she heard a cackling noise before the gears shifted and they began flying through the streets. She grabbed the railing as they seemingly flew at the speed of light, but Stan just stood in front of her as if they were sitting still.
"You're too old for Hogwarts, you know." He said with a chuckle, picking something from his teeth.
She laughed quietly in response, letting her gaze drop to her bag in her lap. She never had trouble speaking to strangers, but she didn't like the vibe of the Knight Bus, and she didn't want to have a conversation with Mr. Shunpike.
"You're awfully quiet," He says, and she jolts to the side along with her bed as they take a sharp turn, "You must be having thoughts of some sort in that head of yours, huh?" He questions, and she narrows her eyes at him, shaking her head before looking out the window, which was nothing more than motion lines.
"The thoughts in my head are none of your concern." She said back, and he clicked his tongue in response.
"You ain't no fun, girl." He says, crossing his arms over his chest. She lets out a sigh before turning her gaze back to him, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"I'm just not in high spirits, sir, I'm sorry." She says, shrugging. She hears a man cough behind her, and tensed slightly, not enjoying the presence of drunk wizards sleeping behind her.
"I can tell." He replies slowly, before dropping the conversation altogether.
One of the good things about the Knight Bus is that it was insanely quick, and before she knew it, they were stopped. She looked out the window at the long stretch of cobblestone that led up to the big front doors, the nostalgic feeling of the best but hardest seven years of her life flooding her memories.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Hoggy Hogwarts!" Shouted the Shrunken Head with a cackle, and she jumped slightly before standing up and shuffling to the front of the bus, carefully maneuvering around the other beds.
"Hopes your thoughts stop running marathons, little lady!" Shouts the conductor as she steps off, and she turns around to see him wave off at her. She gives him a curt smile before waving back, turning back around as the bus shoots out of sight.
It was still early in the day, and she could see flying brooms far in the distance. Memories from her quidditch days filled her head as she approached the large doors, and she smiled to herself.
She had been a chaser for the team, alongside Angelina and Alicia, and it was the most fun of her life. The pure adrenaline rushing through her system as she flew alongside her teammates, scored points for Gryffindor, and tried not to die. When she became a professor, she would make sure to advise the young students to always try new things, quidditch being one of them.
Dumbledore, being the ever so omniscient man that he always has been, had opened the doors as she approached, and was waiting for her with a happy smile on his face. Aurora forced a tight smile as she approached him, and gave him a firm handshake as a greeting, since she was never quite fond of him.
"Aurora McGonagall, the pleasure is mine." He said happily, leading the two of them through the halls.
"It's good to see you, Headmaster." She replies, looking over the walls. After the war, the castle was in shambles, so it was quite different than it was before since they had to rebuild, but it held it's previous charm.
The two of them walked in silence as they went to his office, and the familiar phoenix was still perched above his desk. She had seen that phoenix many times, since she was often in Dumbledore's office due to trouble with the twins. With Fred.
"I'm sure you have the proper qualifications necessary in becoming a professor at Hogwarts, but I'd like you to shadow Professor Sinistra for some time. I think you'd best settle in that way, don't you think?" He says, and Aurora nods at him with a smile. He knew she understood the material well, and she always scored highly in that class, but he also knew she was nervous, and wanted to help her get comfortable as best as he could.
"That sounds great, Headmaster. I can stay here for awhile, but I do have to return home for some time, but I'll make sure to set aside a larger portion of time to come and observe Professor Sinistra before the end of the year, if that's alright with you." She says, and he nods slowly, intertwining his fingers.
"Yes, I perhaps you can only stay for so long before you run out of items in that bag of yours." He says, and she chuckles slightly before standing up, extending a hand for him to shake.
"Adjustments have been made, and an empty chamber awaits you in the East Wing. Make yourself at home, Aurora McGonagall," He says, and she smiles at him as she walks to the door, "And welcome to Hogwarts." He finishes, and she mumbles her thanks before stepping out.
"The Great Hall will be serving lunch soon, I suggest you grab a nice meal to settle in." He says with a wink, and the staircase begins to descend before she could respond.
Damn, his omniscience.
As much as she wanted to visit her old professor's, and explore the castle a bit, she had other things in mind. On one hand, a hot meal did sound lovely, and the food at Hogwarts was always divine, and on the other hand, reconnecting with her friends from younger years sounded joyful, but she had to speak to Hermione in particular.
She had a lot to catch her up on.