Sun filtered in from the white curtains, creating a soft glow around the room. A girl with golden hair lay sprawled out on grand looking four poster bed. Her limbs taking up as much room as humanly possible.
When Aveline did fall asleep, it had been 6 or 7 o'clock in the morning, her body finally allowing itself to rest as the light seeped in. She desperately needed the sleep, after exhausting herself yesterday on top of barely sleeping at all in the last week.
It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon, no one daring to wake her. As per James's mention the night before, Remus and Peter had arrived a couple hours ago. James and Sirius doing their best to fill them in on the situation before she woke up.
When Dumbledore had showed up to Potter mansion on the first day of summer vacation, James and Sirius being the troublesome duo they were, overhead him asking the Potter parents to be the safe house for Aveline. By sheer will the boys had convinced the adults to let them tag along in bringing her back to the mansion.
Though they didn't know everything. They knew more then Remus and Peter, from what they overhead. They knew the wedding was some sort of distraction for the auror's to attack, and they also knew for some reason it was essential Aveline escaped.
"Well they could've just meant cause she's young and nice," Peter tried to reason when James and Sirius brought up what they heard. "No one wants to see young and nice people getting hurt."
"I don't know Pete," James started shaking his head, "You didn't hear the way Dumbledore said it. Like it was bad if they did though he didn't explain why."
The four boys had been trying to figure out what was going on ever since the whole Aveline was almost a human sacrifice in the shrieking shack thing. Shortly after that Emerald had been fired and arrested under suspicious she was working with the Dark Lord. No matter how many they begged for information from anyone they could, no one told them anything.
And of course they hadn't really talked to Aveline since the night it all went down in the shrieking shack. The girl spending two weeks passed out before being ripped away by her parents.
Remus was on edge himself. It didn't help that the full moon was in a couple days, and hearing all this talk about Aveline made him feel sick. He had been so full of worry since the day in the hospital wing he barely had been sleeping. It didn't help that anytime the boys tried to go to any adult— Mcgonagall, Dumbledore, Sprout— all they got told was that Aveline would be fine.
All he wanted to do was see her. To lay his own eyes on her and know with his own heart she actually was fine. He would be able to tell the moment he looked at her if she was okay.
"Put the prophet away," Euphemia called from the kitchen, seeing it in Sirius's hands. "She doesn't need to see it when she wakes up."
Euphemia was right, the front page was a picture of Rosier Mansion full of smoke and dust.
BLOWOUT IN ROSIER MANSION— CALVUS ROSIER ARRESTED
Calvus along with six or seven other death eaters had been arrested that night. Though no word on Evan or Regulus, it was certain the ministry was starting to make cut downs.
_____
When Aveline finally woke, it was to the feeling of something licking her face. At first she jumped in horror, only to see Mr Honey, sitting on her chest with his adorable little face.
"Well hello Sir," she cooed, reaching out to scratch behind his ears. "How did you get here?"
By the look of the light streaming in from her curtains she had slept till mid day. She would've slept longer if it wasn't for the rumbling in her stomach.
The morning didn't seem to make her brain make anymore sense of the events. If anything she was more tense. Worrying about Evan and Regulus, even though she knew she shouldn't.
She ruffled through her trunk till she found one of her favorite summer dressed. Soft sage green with a floral pattern. Her hands shook as she took it out.
Every couple seconds the same though passed through her head no matter how she tried to push it out.
Her mother was dead, and as much as she wasn't the woman's biggest fan, Aveline wasn't sure how to take it. Part of her was beginning to grieve, her. She could feel the sinking feeling in her chest and the hoarse feeling of tears waiting for her to finally break.
Though the part she tried to push down the most, was the feeling of relief. Relief that she could no longer hurt anyone else. Relief that Aveline didn't have to be the one to kill her.
She slowly made her way downstairs, gripping onto the edge of the banister as she did. She didn't why, it was silly really, but she was nervous to face everyone. Worried they would ask her questions she didn't want to answer. Or be able to see the hurt on her face.
More then anything she just wanted to act like everything was normal.
She could hear the boys voices coming from the sitting room as she rounded the corner. Her mind had slipped with the fact Peter and Remus would be visiting.
That is until she picked up her eyes, and they locked with soft brown. She felt her heart lurch in her chest. Within seconds Remus was up, crossing the distance between the two of them in no time. She practically threw herself into his strong arms. The boy wrapping them around her so tight all she could feel was him.
Safety, comfortable, cozy, protected— all adjectives Aveline could use to describe how she felt within his arms. He was so warm, making the ice feeling in her bones began to chill away. She hugged him and continued to hug him, it feeling like a crime to pull away.
She felt him place a soft kiss on the top of her head. Both of his hands rubbing her back in a comforting manner. Her eyes were springing with light tears, all the emotions she was trying to bury pushing to the surface.
She titled her head up, her eyes looking up at him as he looked down. Both of them still holding eachother like their lives depended on it.
"Merlin get a room!" Sirius hollered, breaking the moment as he tossed a pillow at them.
They pulled away with giggles, Remus reaching out and swipping a tear from under her eye with his thumb. He didn't take his eyes off of her, desperate to make sure she actually was okay. His eyes were Soft and warm, like a mug of steaming coco swirling and spinning.
Remus went to step away from her to give him space, though was surprised when she grabbed into his arm, not letting him. He could tell in her eyes something was wrong— obviously— though there was a vulnerability to them that he hadn't expected. She was usual so comfortable and confident around all of their friends, though it seemed as if she was hesitant to face all of it. So instead, he let her hang on to him positioning his body slightly infront of her so she wasn't directly in anyones eye sight.
James was already on his feet, busy doing something in the kitchen.
"Av's mum had to leave but she made breakfast. Told me to heat up your plate," James called to her. "It's on the table if your hungry."
Aveline picked at her breakfast with Remus by her side. She wouldn't let him leave, the girls anxiety perhaps at an all time her high. The marauders could tell she needed some space, not crowding around her and constantly chattering as they usually did.
Their mere presence was enough to calm her down though. Listening to James, Sirius and Peter chatting softly in the back ground warmed her heart.
"Did the prophet come James?" she asked as she dropped down on the couch next to Remus after her breakfast. She was still holding onto him, his arm draped around the back of the couch and around her.
"Um no!"
By the look on James face she could tell he was lying. He was awkwardly scratching his arm and his eyes were looking everywhere but her.
"James where's the prophet?" she repeated, raising and eyebrow at him.
It was Sirius who grabbed it out from where it was hidden beneath a book, tossing it to her with a stern expression. When James opened his mouth to complain Sirius shot him a glare.
"She has a right to know," Sirius sounded more serious then she had ever heard him.
She looked at him, there eyes meeting as he nodded his head.
Aveline wasn't at all surprised by the title. Alastor had told her he intended on putting her parents behind bars. Part of her felt a little relieved, she didn't have to worry about him. The other part guilty, she couldn't help it. No matter how horrible they were, they were still her parents.
By the looks of the article they hadn't released casualties yet. Merely the number of death eaters they arrested. The only one they mentioned by name was Calvus, and Aveline must hoped and prayed her brothers name wasn't on the list.
It occurred to her— then and there— she now didn't have parents. Calvus would no doubt get a life sentence, and her mother was well— dead.
"Well," Aveline sighed, tossing the paper on the coffee table once she was done with it, "looks like Mother and Father Rosier won't be a problem anymore."
"Your Mother was arrested too?" Sirius asked. He was the only one brave enough to speak.
Aveline paused, debating on the ways to answer it in her head.
"No," she decided on. "She's dead. Died during the fight," she said casually as if it was nothing. She didn't bother looking at the boys reactions, her eyes down, fiddling with her fingers.
"Your mothers gone?" Remus said gently, hand reaching out gently wrapping around hers.
Aveline shrugged as if was no big deal.
"She was a murderer. Everyone is better off this way."
The boys fell into silence after that, not sure what to say. Aveline was watching Sirius, the way he bit his nails and the way he kept running a hand through his hair. He was more worried then he would ever admit to them about Regulus. And he would be until he was certain Regulus was injured, dead or in azkaban.
Aveline couldn't help but feel guilty. In the midst of it all she hadn't stopped to think about the people like Regulus, who would be harmed in the cross fire. Truthfully though, she didn't know the auror's were going to come in guns blazing.
Alastor Moody kept her on a need to know basis. All she knew is that they promised to get her out and keep her safe.
"I'm going for a walk," Sirius sighed, standing up and rubbing his palms on his jeans.
Everyone knew that Sirius going for a walk, was code for going for a smoke. Normally no one joined him except occasionally Remus when he was in the mood. Both Aveline and James, openly against the habit. So that's why everyone was surprised when the blonde girl stood up, offering to go with him.
Sirius gave her an odd look but let her come along nonetheless. The two pureblood making their way across the Potter grounds in silence. Sirius smoking his cigarette as Aveline walked next to him, taking in the beautiful flowers and trees.
Eventually Sirius stopped on a bench near the tiny duck pond.
"You either want to ask me something or tell me something, so spit it out," Sirius said breaking the silence, taking a long drawl of his cigarette
She opened her mouth to speak then closed it, the anxiety riveting in her chest. "Can I have one of those?" she asked, pointing to the box of cigarettes in his pocket.
Sirius eyes nearly jumped out of his pocket, but nonetheless he tossed the box at her.
"Since when do you smoke?" he asked, watching as her fumbling fingers took one out of the box, lighting with magic.
As she took a draw of it and let out a harsh cough. It was obvious to Sirius that the answer was that she didn't. Though he wasn't one to shame someone's coping mechanism, so he let her be. The two smoking their cigarettes in silence. The smoke burning down Aveline's throat.
"I just wanted to tell you, I can write to Regulus if you want. To make sure he's okay," she whispered softly, her eyes staring at the ground. "Sirius I'm sorry. I didn't realize I'd be putting them all in danger— I didn't think—"
"Don't Aveline," Sirius cut her off shaking his head. "How could it be your fault even if something did happen to him? You were the one being forced to marry Nott. I'd rather you be safe. Bloody little shit had his choice, and yet he still chooses to be one of them."
Sirius was bitter, tossing his cigarette on the ground as he finished it. He always has struggled with accepting the fact Regulus had chosen the path he had and wouldn't accept the fact that maybe Regulus didn't have a choice.
"Write to him though okay?" Sirius added softly, his voice sounding vulnerable.
"I will. Of course I will," she whispered back.
"Did you see him at all? Did he look okay?" Sirius asked.
Aveline nodded, letting out a cloud of smoke from her lips.
"Definitely not okay, but surviving," she mumbled under her breath, flicking the cigarette to the ground.