❝ Sirius Black and Aspen Briar. ❝
❝ Aurora Black and Fleur Delacour. ❝
████████████████████████████
Early morning in the Grimmaulds place, Aurora spent the night in her room there and alone in bed. With Fleur telling her she should at least spend time with her father for one day, Aurora couldn't deny her and agrees with distain. They did share a wonderful goodbye and Fleur promising to tell her something when she visits the next day.
"I wouldn't want your name there." Aurora pried her eyes away from the Black family tree and to her father who was standing between the archway entrance. Sirius smiled warmly then enters, looking around the walls that corners are beginning to fade. "But I'm not surprised when Walburga and Aspen did. I heard of it but never had the power to stop it."
Between Sirius's burned name and then Aspen's — both seperate as a sign they are not together by love or marriage, just a quick connection that created Aurora — there was a vine of leaves trailing below and Aurora's name is displayed. It was neither smudged nor burnt, Aurora assumed her lovely grandmother didn't have a chance to when she died before she can.
"I can't imagine you living here with them. It sounds insufferable." Aurora admits, crossing her arms as she became uncomfortable by her own name plastered on the Black family tapestry. It was unnerving to see to be part of a family that marked her father's horrid past as he claimed.
"It was." Sirius laughs, a distinct memory of himself getting in trouble by buying muggle materials to accommodate of him being the rebel child. "It was better with Reg. That was before I left." He continues.
"Dad." Aurora calls and he hums, still staring at Regulus Black's name that was connected to his as an equal. "Did mo — Did Aspen get pregnant when you two were still in Hogwarts?" She asks out of the blue, stunning her father who wide eyed looks at her. "It's just — I've spent a long time thinking about it and that's all I can come up with."
"I'm just surprised you caught on." Sirius chuckles but bitterly. "And yeah, you're correct. I've always fancied your mother in all the wrong ways. She hated me and me being a stubborn prat, I foolishly pursued her but not out of love. Then one night before Spring break, things happened in the Slytherin common room."
Aurora cringes, "Dad, come on."
"What? You asked." Sirius laughs, finds Aurora's disgusted expression funny that is mixed with a morning face. "Anyway, she and I never spoke of it again and I eventually forgot about it over break. Then I remembered when she visited James's house just a day before term begins again."
"My mother. . . willingly and personally told you she's pregnant?" Aurora questions, baffled.
"Believe it or not, Aurora, but Aspen was a different person when she was young. So am I, so is everyone of my old age." Sirius blankly says, his mind recalling of the topic in hand. "She told me that she can't finish the rest of her studies anymore because of the pregnancy. Her parents were over the moon for an heir and was upset that she must've slept with someone who doesn't have pureblood. But when Aspen told them it was me. . . they became slightly cooperative."
"Cooperative?"
"They contacted Walburga and Orion." Sirius sighs, remembering the days as clear as day itself. "When they heard, they knew everything would change. Your grandparents, from both sides, forced Aspen to hand me a choice. Either I be part of your life and rejoin my parents and Reg, or I refuse and won't be part of your life."
Stunned moment of silence, Aurora looks at tapestry and sees Andromeda's name. "What did you choose?" She asks, almost afraid to know the answer.
"Neither." Sirius grimly states. "I've made them believe I'll join them and even begun ignoring James, Remus and that traitor Peter in Hogwarts. Aspen was sending them letters that I've done what they ask and is avoiding my friends. But only James knew the truth and he did his best to help me because he saw how determined I am to raise you someday, Aurora."
"Uncle James?"
"Yes, that insufferable know it all of a man." The father and daughter share a good laugh by his viewpoint. "But as you were born on Christmas day, I rushed to St. Mungo's right away." He smiles, recalling the feeling of holding Aurora in his arms. "You were so tiny. So light and I was afraid to break you."
Aurora smiles lightly, felt as if she earned something by learning this information. She asked her mother once of how she met Sirius but the woman grew stiff and ordered her to never bring that name up again. Aurora obeyed and never dared to ask again.
"I wanted to take you away." Sirius admits with no tone of remorse. "But Aspen seemed so smitten by you and I couldn't bring myself to seperate you from your mother."
"You should've." Aurora narrows her eyes down, painful as she remembers her mother's emotional and physical abuse. The Briar family hitting her, cursing her — Hexing her.
"You're right, I should've. It was a moment ot weakness. I should've known better." He sighs. "I don't know why until to this day but your mother let me choose your name. She let me see you when I wanted and let me choose who your godparents are."
Remus Lupin.
Marlene Mckinnon.
Aurora felt her skin grew cold, hot sweat began forming from her nape. "Why?" She chokes on her own word, tears forming on her eyes that resembles Sirus's grey line of sight. "You portray her to be some sort of doting mother but I grew up with the most horrible person in the world."
"Aurora —"
"— She casted me out and left me most of the times to deal with the damage she'd done!" Aurora raises her voice, enough to alarm the picture of Walburga Black to erupt in screamings again. "She resented me — She didn't care about me but why am I doubting it?" Aurora whispers, felt the world crumble beneath her feet when Sirius hugs her delicate figure in his assuring arms.
Perhaps it was something Aurora liked to imagine.
That her mother truly cares for her than what she claimed for the past eighteen years. Aurora imagined a world where Aspen would be loving and nice to her like how a mother will. Like how her friend in Ravenclaw told her stories about how his mum makes him stew when he gets feverish. It made Aurora yearn that feeling.
Was she dumb for wanting it still?
"We will never know the reason of Aspen's actions to you, Aurora." Sirius caringly rubs her back, letting her cry as she broke down in silent sobs in his arms. "But what she did is unjust. I wish I was there for you, little one."
Because that was what Aurora is. Little in a world that will make her bigger.
"M — Me too." Aurora manages to say, her heart burning in a sense that will go up in flames.
"All those times in Azkaban. . . The times I've missed as a father. . . I reckon to change that for the better, yeah?" Sirius sniffles as if he had been the one weeping his heart out. Though he is and secretly wipes away a tear that escaped his grey eyes. "I promise, Aurora. We'll be a family. You and me with Harry. All of us. I promise."
████████████████████████████
Suprising visit at lunch, Fleur had just woken up after sleeping in since it was her day off from her work. Upon being awakened from rigid doorbells, she opened it and sees a bouquet of flowers that seemed recently bloomed. Aurora peeks her head to the side and smiles through heavy eyes.
"Mornin', love." Aurora teases heartfully, seeing Fleur with a tired expression and eyes that was blinking away her exhaustion.
"What's with the flowers?" Fleur suspiciously asks, letting her lover in the apartment but kept a content look. It became brighter when Aurora offers it to her which Fleur took graciously with a dopey smile.
"I've realized that I've never given you flowers. Or to anyone in particular." Aurora settles her hands behind her back, watching in now silence when Fleur studies each shade of roses and lilies, admiring eyes and blushing state. "And I apologize as well." She adds.
"Oh, my love, for what?" Fleur walks past her but only for a short moment to put the flowers away and to face Aurora who seemed to be crying. Despite countless of showers and two hours being in it, Aurora couldn't hide it from Fleur who noticed right away. "Did something happen? You've been crying." It wasn't a question but merely a fact.
"Something like that." Aurora smiles and holds Fleur's upcoming hand and intercepted it from holding her cheek like it usually did. "I talked with my father and I only realized something." She whispers, close to sincerity and Fleur tells her to go on, her other free hand resting on top of Aurora's shoulder. "He and my mother didn't have the best stories like how lovers do. In fact, I don't think they ever were a couple.
"It just made me realize on how incredibly lucky I am to have you." Aurora continues, meeting Fleur's hot gaze on her. Then Fleur smiles but only shortly to remove a strand of hair blocking Aurora's eyes that may irritate her.
"I'm lucky to have you too, Aurora."
Aurora would disagree but did not want to ruin the moment.
"And this may be too late or too early but I love you." Aurora spoke sensually and slow, each word of a different language that will make Fleur understand it much better for no repetition. "I've felt it too early but understood too late." She whispers, shameful.
Fleur held soft eyes, tender touch when she moved her hand being held to Aurora's cheek to make her know that. "I'll love you more than anyone ever has."
At this moment, Aurora truly felt what it was like to be cared and admired. To feel loved in a way no one other than the woman before her would make her feel. How Fleur had linked their lips together, thus proving that true love exists in the comfort of their warm hearts.
Love played with Aurora's heart and she let it have fun.
For Fleur is capable of taking care of her heart, guarding it with everything she has.
"Memorable." Fleur whispers on the tiny gap between their bruised lips, her arms curled around Aurora's neck that inevitably pulled her closer as their bodies are pressed together.
"Poetic." Aurora grins and got later on smacked on the head by ruining their beloved moment.