november 3, 1975
sirius perked up at the sight of his birthday, hoping that this may be a little bit happier than the last few scenes.
the days between all hallow's eve and the twins' birthday had always seemed like the longest. they passed just as long as the summers they spent locked in their horrible home. but the day of the twins' sixteenth birthday had arrived. thus so, aquila woke to aurelie tearing the blankets from her body, and throwing something heavy on her.
"happy birthday, quils!!!" aurelie screamed excitedly, hurrying aquila to open the present that aurelie placed beside her. "open my gift, please please please!"
upon grabbing the gift, aquila tore through the glittery silver wraping paper, which had small holes dispersed throughout it that went unnoticed by aquila. the flaps popped open to show two small, excited puppies.
"awwww! babies!" young hailey gasped, hitting her emmett on the shoulder multiple times to accentuate her excitement.
"awwww! baby ares and nova!" adult hailey cooed, looking towards her best friend, who smiled at the screen.
"aura! they're beautiful!" aquila gasped, charlotte came over to see what the excitement was about and gasped when she saw the puppies.
"aurelie, are those wolves!" charlotte questioned, eyes widening.
"no, they're called northern inuit dogs, they're breeded to look like wolves though! they're perfect for our aqua!" aurelie giggled as aquila picked the two from the box and placed them on her bed, where they ran up to her and started licking all over her face, causing laughs to burst from the group's mouths, causing attention from regulus, who was standing outside of their door.
regulus knocked, "are you ladies decent?"
"yes reggie, come in!" aquila laughed, picking up the black, male one in her right arm, and the white, female one in her left arm.
"aquila, put down the wolves..." regulus said, carefully, holding his arms between the dogs and himself.
sirius burst out laughing, along with a majority of the hall at regulus' reaction.
"oh, reg, they're not wolves, they're dogs!" aquila responded as she kissed her puppies' heads.
"that's what they want you to think!" regulus yelled before hiding behind charlotte who hugged him to her body.
this caused even more laughter to sound from the hall, as regulus blushed and went to aquila to burrow into her.
"don't worry, reggie, i'll save you," charlotte mocked, holding him close and kissing his forehead, causing his cheeks to become pomegranates, before he laughed.
regulus blushed even more, hiding his face even more in aquila's side, as he caught charlotte smirking.
"see, at least someone understands!" regulus sniffed playfully, rubbing his face into charlotte's neck.
"come on, reg!" aquila laughed.
"okay, okay, happy birthday, sissy!" regulus said, going to give his sister a hug before once again backing away from the puppies, looking at them with distain. aquila saw him stop, and laughed even harder, handing the dogs to her best friends before advancing on her brother and letting him sweep her into a hug. she soaked in the warmth and comfort he gave and silently wished they could stay like this forever. regulus held her tightly and whispered, "i love you, keils."
these four words caused aquila to become stiff, alarming regulus and making him rub her back and shoulders until she melted back into him.
"why did you react like that, he just said 'i love you'?" some rando asked.
"leave her alone, she just doesn't like it!" regulus snapped, holding onto his older sister as he glared at the person who asked the question.
james, however, had his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the love of his life and analyzed her reaction.
"and i will always protect you, reg." aquila responded, not daring to mutter those same words back, not that he was expecting them to come from the girl. he knew that she wasn't comfortable with the concept, and he respected that.
aquila's white puppy jumped on her leg, as her brother cirled the two humans, both begging for attention, which they got.
"AHH!" regulus screamed, jumping into aquila's arms and wrapping his arms around her neck. aquila caught him immediately and held his weight with ease as this was a normal occurance.
older hailey wheezed as she watched her baby brother react the way he did to the dogs, along with older aquila.
"please, why did she act so normal!" marlene cackled.
sadly, regulus forgot there were two other girls in the room, one of which he had a crush on. said girls were leaning on each other for support as they wheezed at the sight before them.
"oh, reg, baby brother, it's okay!" aquila cooed, as regulus glared at the dogs, a cute flush in his cheeks and a pout on his lips.
"you're so adorable." charlotte shot a smirk at the boy, who blushed and refused to make eye contact.
regulus went to get down, but jumped back up when the female dog came forward to greet him.
"okay, lovey, stay back for now," aquila soothed at her dog, setting regulus back on the floor and going to her gifted puppies, picking them up and putting them back on her bed, "we need names for you two!"
"yes, yes, yes!" aurelie squealed, as she and charlotte came forward and sat on the side of aquila's bed.
aquila studied the two dogs who cuddled into her lap, and decided.
"you," she pointed at her male companion, "will be ares, and you," she pointed at the white fluff ball, "will be nova!" she smiled.
both dogs responded immediately with their tails going crazy and ears perking up.
"they're actually so cute, babies!"
"they seem to like it!" charlotte said, smiling at the two new additions to their little family, "oh! i forgot, i got the accessories for our little ones!"
she rushed over to her bed and grabbed a box from under her bed, which she gave to aquila, who opened it and saw two dog beds, leashed, collars, and toys.
"how is it that these creatures are more spoiled than me?" regulus pouted, not that the girls heard. "i'm hungry! can we go get breakfast?"
marlene cackled as she heard the boy's first question, along with many others, "c-creatures!"
"of course, reggie!" aquila smiled at him, kissing her babies and heading for her closet with aurelie and charlotte, regulus retreating the room for the time being, allowing them privacy to change.
aquila, charlotte, and aurelie emerged from their room, allowing regulus to lead them to the great hall for their breakfast.
lily had been watching felicity fidget in her seat for fifteen minutes, staring at the small girl with messy, wild curls that made her heart flutter. only breaking from her trance when the marauders burst through the threshhold of the great hall, laughing and surrounding sirius.
"FELILY!!" older aquila yelled, looking at the screen, excitedly.
lacy watched her mums with a soft, sad smile, knowing that she never really got to experience what they were like together.
lily saw felicity's head shoot to the door so fast that she was concerned the girl had broken her neck, only to sigh disappointedly and go back to talking with amos.
potter noticed the red head looking at the hufflepuff table and followed her line of vision to the two badgers. "diggory, eh?" he asked, also staring at the energetic girl who had spoken to him only a few nights ago.
harry, cassie, and thea giggled as their dad obliviously questioned the red-head, while aquila shook her head in disappointment as she regarded the man with amusement.
"no, potter, don't worry about it," lily responded, turning her head away from the yellow table and towards sirius, "happy birthday, black."
"oh, why thank you, evans!" sirius thanked, joyfully, taking pieces of bacon and shoving them into his mouth.
"have you seen my beautiful aquila yet this morning?" james asked lily, craning his neck to scan the hall for the raven-haired beauty.
just as the words left his mouth, the doors to the great hall opened once more, and a group of four entered the hall, causing james to perk up.
"cuties! i literally can't get enough of this!" someone groaned, watching james lovingly pine after aquila.
"i swear, keila, those things are evil!" regulus complained from beside his sister.
the group heard a loud, familiar squeal and turned to find felicity with amos' wrist in her grip.
releasing amos' wrist, felicity flung herself at aquila, who caught her as she was light as a feather compared to regulus, and hugged her as tight as she could.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" felicity yelled in absolute happiness that caused the corners of aquila's lips to lift.
"awww! they're the cutest, i'm still rooting for felila to happen." marlene commented, shrugging away from the multiple glares she received from the jamila and felily supporters.
"thank you, sunshine, but i can't breathe," aquila rasped from felicity's tight hold on her.
"oh! sorry, quils..." felicity quietly giggled, before taking her arm and dragging her to their normal spot at the slytherin table.
"happy birthday, aquila." amos greeted, placing a soft kiss to her right cheek before taking his seat next to aurelie, who conjoined their hands on the table.
"am i sensing... a new ship?" hailey commented, acting as if she was smelling the air.
"darling, let's not do that, you look like a dog..." emmett said, holding her face in his hands.
the girl blushed, but sarcastically retorted, "are you calling me a bitch?"
emmett's eyes widened as he tried to fix his wording, before hailey giggled at his stuttering.
"kidding, lovely!"
"thanks, amos." aquila chuckled slightly.
"i have your gift!" felicity shouted, before covering her mouth with her small hand, cheeks puffed out, causing aurelie to coo.
"we'll get it later, love, then i can show you what char and aura got me." aquila smiled at the young girl who sat beside her, cuddled into her side.
"okay, wait, what did they get you?!" felicity gasped, bouncing up and down in excitement.
"i guess you just have to wait and see..." aquila shrugged, and winked.
"but i can't wait that long!" felicity squirmed, before pouting and took the muffin aquila handed her.
"i'll give you your gift later, too, keila." regulus leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"reg, you didn't need to get me anything." aquila gave him a scolding look, one that would seem like a mother scolding her child.
"she's so his mother!" someone called out, watching the girl's mannerisms.
harry sniffed dramatically, cuddling more into his mother as he playfully glared at his younger uncle, who looked at him with a weirded out expression.
"yeah, but i already bought it, and the store had a no-return policy, so i win." regulus smirked, triumphantly, puffing his chest out slightly, showing his pride in having won against his sister in a debate.
"fine, but next time, you don't get to spend money." aquila tried to look serious, but a smile broke through.
"deal."
as lunch was approaching, it was aquila and felicity on their way to felicity's dorm to get her gift, when they heard heavy footsteps approach from behind them. aquila became stiff and turned around immediately, shielding felicity from the approacher, which turned out to be one james potter.
"my lovely aquila, happy birthday!" james smiled, and handed her a boquet of roses, along with a teddy bear. "we're having a party tonight in the gryffindor common room for your's and sirius' birthday, you should come."
"he's so babygirl!" marlene commented.
"wait, if i'm babygirl, than what's aquila?" james asked, confused.
"oh, i'm mother." aquila smirked as the audience cheered.
"whatever, potter, maybe." aquila responded, taking the gifts from his arms and handing the roses to felicity to hold, before keeping eye contact with a love-filled james, and turning away from his gaze to continue on their way.
the group was gathered by the black lake, all bundled up in winter clothing, as it was cold outside, and sat under a willow tree, surrounded by a warming charm cast by regulus.
"james said there was a party tonight for quils." felicity shared.
"can we go?" aurelie asked, looking towards her friend, eyes pleading.
"i'm not sure about this..." aquila said, eyebrows furrowed while smelling the bear that james had given her.
"it might be fun, keila, plus, it's your birthday, do whatever you want, i just want you to be happy." regulus whispered in her ear, his arm around her shoulders.
"ugh, i love regulus so much, he's so understanding!" daphne said, as charlotte glared at her.
"agreed."
"please, please, please?" aurelie and felicity begged, getting closer to her with their irresistable puppy dog eyes.
"fine, we can go, just please stop looking at me like that!" aquila groaned, while the other two celebrated.
"y'know, sunshine, that won't always work." charlotte chuckled, watching felicity dance around their small warm circle.
"but it will until she says no." regulus responded, cheekily, winking at the red-haired girl beside him, both knowing that even though aquila was strong, she was never strong enough to say no to her sunflower.
"anyways, quils, i got you your gift!" felicity jumped to a sitting position on her other side and handing her a bright purple bag, with a perfectly tied bow.
slowly untying the knot, aquila placed her hand into the bag and felt smooth, cold, glass, which she took out with steady, careful hands, as to not drop it.
in her hands, there was a glass shield covering a rose entertwined with a sunflower, both flowers looking freshly picked. they were beautiful.
"i placed a charm on it that connects them with us, and i duplicated it so one is with me, and one is with me. as long as the flowers are alive and beautiful, so are we!" felicity explained, looking towards aquila with a bashful smile. aquila looked at her in awe, along with everyone else.
lacy and the potter children looked down, sadly, only ever having seen the dome with a rose in it, a withered flower wrapped around it.
older aquila also looked at the screen, tears blurring her eyes as she looked towards the small, bouncy girl.
"fel, this is beautiful, thank you so so much." aquila whispered, touched by the small gesture.
"that's not all, look in the bottom of the bag." felicity giggled, gesturing towards the bag once more.
aquila once again reached her hand into the bag and felt a velvet box, which she held with the utmost care, opening it to reveal a beautiful silver locket that opened to show a photo of the girls on their first day at hogwarts.
"fel, i love this so much! thank you." aquila said, sincerely, bringing the girl into a hug.
"you're welcome!" felicity responded brightly as she burrowed into the hug.
regulus and aquila were alone in his dorm when he left his seated position on his bed to go to his wardrobe, coming back with a small box.
"here's your birthday present, keils." he said, giving her the box, which she opened to find a muggle music box, which opened to show a diamond necklace, bracelet, and earring set, and projected the night sky onto the ceiling which aquila looked at with wide eyes. the music box was charmed to play 'safe and sound' which was the song aquila would use to sing regulus to sleep.
aquila looked over to her little brother with tear filled eyes and opened her arms for a hug, which he immediately went for and jumped into her arms.
"thank you reg, you have no idea how much this means to me." aquila whispered, trying to get rid of the tears in her eyes before he could see them.
"anything for you, sissy."
"this is so cute and pure, i'm going to cry!" hailey sighed, turning into emmett's shoulder.
aquila's children looked to her in recognition, thoroughly recognizing the song she would sing to them growing up. it brought them comfort, and whenever they heard it at school, all they would want was to be back in her arms.
the night came quickly, and soon the constellations were pasted to the sky, quickly joined by brightly colored lights originating from the gryffindor common room.
aquila was dorned in a tule wine-colored dress with matching heels, and was making her way to said common room, with the girls by her side, and regulus' arm intertwined with hers. arriving at the common room, she saw a familiar bespectacled face greet her with a lovesick grin as he stared her up and down.
"gryffindor colors?!" fred and george commented, looking to their mother figure, smiling in approval.
"oh my merlin she looks fucking hot!"
"she's so hot villain core!"
"love, you came!" james smiled hugely as he greeted the group and allowed them to enter the hot, smoky area, following quickly after them. "can i get you a drink?"
"don't push your luck, potter." aquila said, looking him in the eye, giving him access to his newfound obsession that was her eyes.
"just checking. i got you something!" he quickly made his way through the crowd and ran up to the stairs which made aquila let out a breath, thinking he was leaving her alone. she turned to realize that she had been left alone.
she heard someone breath close to her and it caused her to become a statue, relaxing only slightly when her twin whispered in her ear "can i talk to you, please?"
"only this once, because it's our birthday." aquila answered, firmly.
he guided her to a private hallway where he took a step away from her and stared at the floor by his feet. "i don't know how to say how sorry i am, but i truly am sorry and i will do anything to make it up to you, i'll show you how sorry i am, and i know you won't believe me, but i'll show you and i won't stop until i can see you smile." sirius stated determinedly, looking from the floor to look her in the eyes, making sure she knew in every way possible that he was telling the truth.
"whatever, sirius." aquila said, wanting to go back to the party.
"i'll show you, etoile, i'll show you. i love you!" sirius exclaimed, taking the few steps it took and brought her into his embrace, resting his chin on her head and kissing her forehead as she cursed herself for automatically melting into his arms. she quickly gathered herself and retreated from his arms, leaving the hallway and sirius staring after her.
"okay, but i love you guys and your relationship so much!" older hailey said, looking at her adopted siblings with pride, older sirius smiling back at her.
"yep! and now you're a part of that relationship as our honorary triplet!" sirius responded, winking at her, to which she laughed.
james looked out into the crowd looking for his beautiful star, locking his eyes on her body, and rushing over to her once more, this time with a velvet box.
"star, there you are!" james called, softly taking her wrist and leading her away from everyone, up the stairs and to the marauders dorm. "i have this for you."
"potter, please, just leave me alone for tonight!" aquila asked exasperatedly, staring at his face.
"after this, i promise, just open it!" james insisted, handing over the box, which she opened to find a gold and ruby necklace, earring, and ring set, which she stared at with wide eyes.
"oh my, james, that's from the family vault!" euphemia gasped, a contagious smile growing on her face, knowing that her son truly found the girl that he loved.
"why would you..." aquila trailed off.
"because it's your birthday, and the most beautiful girl in the universe deserves only the best, especially on her birthday. you can't possibly think that i would only buy you roses and a bear!" james explained, as if he was appaled she would think otherwise.
"potter..."
"james."
"potter... thank you." aquila thanked, sincerely, looking at him before placing a kiss on his left cheek, which was closest to her, and squeezing his warm hand, before taking her leave and going back to the party, james froze for a moment, holding his cheek with starstruck eyes before trailing her footsteps like a lost puppy.
"he's simping so hard for her..."
"honestly, i would too if she kissed my cheek while wearing that!"
the rest of the night aquila and her group danced and laughed and had a good time, and when aquila returned to their dorm, ares and nova jumped from where they had been laying on her bed, and made their way over to her, circling her legs and jumping on her. she let them follow her to her closet where she changed into something more appropriate for sleeping, and glanced over her gift that james had gotten her, before placing it in her music box and climbing into bed, ares cuddling into her right side, and nova cuddling into her left side, falling asleep almost immediately. and aquila could only be grateful for her little family and the amazing day they had given her. and with that, she fell asleep with her babies cuddled into her protectively.
a/n: here's this, i feel like this chapter is pretty insignificant to the plot with the general exception of sirius and aquila's conversation and a little bit of foreshadowing, but i hope you liked it anyways! the coming chapters are going to be pretty depressing, so brace yourselves for that! i don't really know if anyone actually reads these author notes, but just a forewarning! <3 hailey
published: 24 janvier 2024
word count: 3,651 words