Bill and Fleur's wedding was beautiful, to say the least.
But the real fun began at the reception.
But Althena being Althena, she opted to sit alone on the porch while everyone cheered and clapped around Bill and Fleur dancing.
She took a long drag of her cigarette, flicking the ash onto the ground as Remus walked up to her, "Don't let Molly find you doing that."
Althena smiled faintly as he sat beside her, "I'll clean it up."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Only if I can ask you something in return."
"Very well. I don't want to make you uncomfortable but... you don't look happy, Althena."
"I'm perfectly happy, Remus." Althena cooly said, taking another drag of her cigarette.
"You take a drag every time you lie, you know."
Althena sighed lightly and stared down at the ground, "In Diana's letter, she told me not to wait for the train that isn't coming. I've been thinking about that a lot recently. She was talking about Sirius, how desperate I was to just... live in bliss. I haven't been completely happy since Diana died. I've just learned to live with the fact that this is just how I am now."
"I remember that night you called me, it still haunts me at night. That, that was the worst moment of my life. Maybe save getting attacked by Greyback or Sirius and Augustus's death. Blimey, Augustus, I'll never not feel guilty about that, you know? I sort of felt the need to watch over him, to protect him knowing everything he went through. And that night, knowing Aurora had to watch both him and her father die... feels like I failed again the same way I did back in '81."
"We both failed." Althena quietly said.
"What was it you wanted to ask me?"
She turned her gaze to Remus, "Were you in love with Sirius?"
His body tensed up, which Althena quickly picked up on, "I–"
"Your silence is plenty of an answer for me. Diana also knew, that you and him felt more for one another than best friends do. Hell, everyone knew. James, Lily, Marlene, Dorcas..."
"I love Dora very much, she's my partner. I'm lucky and happy to be married to her, please don't think–"
"I know you love her, Remus. But you can also be in love with more than one person, and it doesn't always have to have a label on it or be physical. Sirius, well, he was a lover. But he was only in love with you and Diana. That, I know for sure." Althena said, "Diana knew it, as I said. She knew by the time you all hit fifth year."
Remus sighed softly, "I fear that Diana didn't feel as loved as she was."
"We can't go back and change anything now, Remus. I've had issues coming to terms with that, but now..." She took a deep breath, "I suppose I'll listen to her and stop waiting for what's not coming."
Remus wiped a tear away, "Good Godric, it actually feels good to have spoken about that." He said. Althena smiled softly and passed her cigarette to him. He sighed and took it from her, taking a drag before coughing lightly. He passed it back to her, "Don't tell Dora or Molly I did that."
Althena rested her head on his shoulder and took his hand in hers, "You know I love you, Remus."
She felt him shift, wide eyes staring down at her.
"Fuck, Remus, I'm not coming onto you. I just mean– you're my best friend, I think you might know more about me than anyone else does. Not to mention I've never felt judged by you, despite all of the stupid mistakes I've made. I love you dearly, as a friend."
He chuckled softly, "I love you too."
At the reception, Harry found Aurora outside of the tent. He quickly walked up to her, "I've been wanting to catch you alone."
"For...?" Aurora slowly asked.
"A few things, actually. Starting with, what did the Minister give you that was so important it had to be done in private?"
"I can't say."
His shoulders slugged lightly, "Seriously? Come on, it's me."
"Just because your name is Harry Potter and you've got that mark on your forehead doesn't mean I'm going to tell you." She quipped back, "Take your ego down a few notches, Potter."
She heard him audibly sigh, but ignored his passive aggressive tone. Harry spoke up, "There are more Horcrux's, you should come with us to find them."
Aurora was quiet for a few passing moments.
Some journeys you must face alone.
She shifted on her feet, "No."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"What are you going to just do then? All this time you worked to help me end this and now you're just backing out?" Harry asked in a raised tone.
She turned her gaze to him, "I'm not backing out. I said no to going on your little field trip. Believe it or not, there are people that need to be protected. You can deal without me."
Harry huffed and began to walk away before turning back to her, "I really thought you'd help us and not coward out, you know." He snapped out.
He looked like he wanted to say more, but he hesitated. Aurora slowly walked up to him, "There's more you wanted to say. Go on, then. Say it." She lowly said, staring down at him. He gulped as he stared up at her wide-eyed.
"You envy me."
Aurora took a few steps back and chuckled darkly, "Oh, Harry, you never fail to amaze me. Tell me, what do I have to envy?" She asked, stepping to him again. She looked down at him, "I think the only thing you have that I don't is a good reputation."
"My rep–"
"Sure, maybe you had one bad year after Cedric in the press, but you weren't being hunted for his murder now were you? No. You got to sleep safe and sound at Hogwarts with Dumbledore at your bloody knees and your own gang of fighters acting all high and mighty."
"You're being cruel, Aurora."
"Yeah, that bit about me is hereditary on my father's side, I hear. But you should know better than to try and start a fight with me. You're no better than I am."
"I know that! I don't understand why you won't just bloody help me! After everything we've gone through!"
She scoffed, "We haven't gone through anything together. I grieved Cedric alone. I grieved my father and Augustus alone for the most part, and George was there, not you. We are not the same."
"Is there a problem?" Remus asked as he and Althena approached the two from across the lawn.
Harry turned his head to them, "No." Aurora said, "We're finished here."
She brushed past Harry, walking into the tent.
It pained her to say no to Harry about the Horcrux's, but she had a feeling whatever was in that notebook was going to set her on a very different path.
She shrugged off her frustration and picked up a glass of champagne from a floating tray, watching everyone dance. Fred and George were talking to Tonks from across the room, the look their faces told her that she told them she and Remus were expecting.
Hermione was talking to Viktor Krum, Zoya with her dad, Romare and Margot sitting down with Circe, and Maxwell surprisingly mingling with Fleur's family. Luca was dancing with Luna, Darren chatting up a man on Fleur's side, and Gwenna pretended to be interested in a conversation with who she concluded to be a Hogwarts classmate.
"Hello." A cool and low voice said from behind her.
She turned around, facing a buff six foot man with curly, shaggy red hair that seemed to fit oddly well. He had a soft smile on his face, presenting a welcoming feeling. He wore a deep blue trousers with a blue and crimson pattered vest over a white button up shirt that had a few buttons left undone at the top.
Oh, she knew exactly who this was.
But by the look on his face, he didn't know who she was.
"Charlie Weasley. I'm–"
"Second oldest Weasley kid, right?" Aurora asked, making him chuckle softly.
"Yes, yes I am."
"I hear you study Dragons in Romania."
He nodded, "I do. Quite a fun job that is, working with Dragons."
"I imagine it is."
"You look quite lovely, by the way. Your tattoos are wicked. Bloody hell, I haven't even asked your name. Not very kind of me–"
Poor guy, Aurora thought to herself. She knew she should have told him who she was from the get-go, but she wanted to have her fun. Maybe she was cruel.
Just then, George wrapped an arm around her waist with a bright smile, "So you've met my girlfriend then, Charlie?"
Charlie choked on his champagne, eyes going so wide she was sure they were going to escape his skull.
"Girlfriend?" He asked through his coughing fit.
George chuckled, "Yeah, mate. You know, the one I'm always talking about in my letters."
"Yeah yeah, I know. I just didn't know what she looked like."
"Charlie here hardly reads unless the book has dragons and more pictures than words." George teased, "So as you might be able to work out, he doesn't typically keep up with what goes on."
"Like you read." Aurora retorted, making George laugh again.
Aurora rubbed George's back softly as she looked at Charlie sympathetically.
Okay, maybe she should have said something. Now, she just felt bad.
He pointed behind him absentmindedly, "I'm gonna go now."
"Aurora has a single aunt, you know." George said with a suggestive voice.
Aurora's hand that was rubbing his back traveled up to grip his shoulder, "Charlie, don't listen to him. Do not flirt with my aunt unless you want your self esteem to be shot out."
"Too late for that." He muttered, slowly walking away.
"He's acting a bit strange." George commented.
"He tried to flirt with me. Didn't know who I was."
He turned to her, putting one hand on her waist while holding her other. She placed her hand on his shoulder and they began to sway softly, "Let me guess, you let him walk himself into that trap?"
"I honestly just wanted to see the look on his face when I would tell him who I was."
He chuckled softly and brought her closer, kissing her forehead, "I'm afraid my teasing is starting to rub off on you, love."
"I knew how to tease before you, George."
"Not that kind of tease, darling." He whispered in her ear.
She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore the heat creeping up on her cheeks.
"You are a tease, George."
He kissed her lips, "I certainly am."
a/n:
i couldn't resist doing some visuals for the ladies' dresses :)