★ ★ ★
CHAPTER ONE:
DRUNKEN WORD, SOBER MIND
★ ★ ★
The summer had not been eventful for Harry.
Starting off he spent majority of it in the Dursley's meaning he quite literally didn't do anything, and his nights were spent with nightmares about the death of Cedric Diggory. Which his older cousin Dudley relentlessly teased him about also. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione, and he hadn't heard a word out of Aurora.
Except that was changing now, or at least he hoped so because he was going to twelve Grimmauld.
After reuniting with Sirius and Lupin, he strolls into the living room where he is greeted by Hermione and Ron. His eyes search the room and flatter in disappointment when he realises who wasn't here. Her presence would have made the silence house must more charismatic.
"She's not here." a voice says from the couch. Lupin looks at him.
"Is she coming here?" he asked, hopefully.
To this Sirius shakes his head angrily. "We can't find her."
When he says this Harry is left with a confused look. "Is she really still angry? What do you mean you can't find her?"
"She's not at her house anymore." Sirius explains swiftly. "She left over the Summer. She's missing."
"For a fourteen year old girl. She's very hard to track down." Tonks mentions hopelessly, "It's like she's completely gone off the grid."
Sirius was clearly anxious about it all, as he turns to Harry and says, "She's missing. She's not at her house, she isn't with any of her friends. We literally can't find her anywhere. It's dangerous for her to be out there all alone-"
"Have you heard from her?" Lupin interrupts eagerly.
"I actually haven't heard from her at all." Harry says after a moment, "I sent her a few letters but Hedwig only brought them right back. Maybe she is gone to France with her family again?"
"Or maybe she's just done with us." Ron mutters. "What? You two are thinking the same."
"She can't stay that mad at me-"
"Why would you say something like that?!"
"What! It's the truth. We all know how temperamental she gets, reckon she gets that off you." Ron nods in Sirius' direction who appeared slightly proud until he realised what that meant. "She is probably not going to talk to us again."
"Did you try Luke's house?" Harry asks ignoring his previous comment.
"Luke?" Sirius repeats, " Who the fuck is Luke?"
Suddenly Ron and Hermione both remember the boy and all three of them sigh.
"He is a Hufflepuff. We thought that maybe her and him were dating last year but then she got with this other guy over the Summer, and then there was Enzo."
"And the Quidditch World Cup guy-"
"Plus the other Durmstrang boy. What was his name? Jacob?"
"John." Fred corrects, "What? I listen."
"Anyways they're ...strangely close. No one knows why but they are together the whole time." Hermione explains, "I can't believe I forgot! She must be at his house. There's no where else she can be."
"Well lets go!" Sirius says.
"Oh no." says Lupin standing up, "You are not going because then there won't be a chance in hell she comes with us. You stay here and don't come out until tomorrow."
"Uh I'm not a dog."
"Uh yeah you kinda are?"
"Wait a second-" Tonks questions before leaving, "What does she look like, again?"
Harry's mouth opens. "Well she's small, she has black long hair and these big grey eyes-"
" She's good looking." Ron interrupts, to which Fred, George, and Harry all nod in agreement.
★ ★ ★
To say Aurora Black and Luke Murphy were drunk would be understatement.
In the middle of the Luke Murphy's grandmother's house an obnoxiously loud group of teenagers crowed around the living room. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes raiding around.
The atmosphere had been happy, many students from Hogwarts had been present around the room, including Dean and Seamus, who had been dancing on the tables a mere half an hour ago.
It seemed as though every person in Hogwarts was in the small confined area of living space. In the centre of the room a black haired girl allowed a grin take over her face as she downed the last shot on the table before moving onto the next one.
Blurry figures was all Aurora Black could see at the moment. She was having the time of her life. She felt as though she could take on the moon. She felt as though if Lord Voldemort came knocking on the door, she could take him in a second. She felt as though she didn't even miss her friends.
( Whose names she couldn't even remember )
She was feeling as though she could do anything.
Unaware to her the alcohol had gotten to her head.
She stumbles over towards Luke as she wraps her arm around his shoulder. A taller and more handsome Luke grins back in response as he finished another pint with Dean Thomas.
"There you are! Aurora, oh Aurora my best friend!"
" I'm gonna fight the moon for you." Aurora slurred whilst pointing her left hand towards the window.
" You'd really do that for me?" Luke downed another shot, he looked on the verge of tears with her words.
She reached across the table picking up one of the blue small shot glasses as she drank it. She went to pick up another only to not see any more blue in her vision.
"I'm gonna get another." she vaguely mumbled and in response had nodded to herself.
A moment later she found herself stumbling over towards the drink section, as she reached out a purple colored liquid into a red soda cup. A couple of guys turned and gawked at her while doing so.
"That's a bit much, don't you think."
Aurora glanced up seeing a familiar face.
" Professor Lupin! Oh my god it's Lupin." she leans over and whispers, "The werewolf!"
Lupin eyes widen when he recognized a familiar scent of drunk. "Aurora, are you alright?"
She nods confused before handing him a red plastic cup. She eagerly nods. "Drink then we'll talk."
He hadn't seen her in over a year and that wasn't reaction he wasn't expecting to get.
Remus watched as she reached out grabbing a bunch of drinks pouring them into the one cup.
Remus feeling her gaze on him lifted the cup to his lips, swallowing the drink whole, his entire mouth stung as he spat into the cup.
"What was that?"
She sends him shrug as slurps on another drink, then turned on her heel and walked away.
"You know, Lupin, not gonna lie I didn't expect for you to come to this party. I know we said open house but," she turns and sends him a raised eyebrow, "The limit is strictly twenty four."
"There are twenty four year olds here?" Remus says wide eyed. "Aurora you're fourteen. Do you know the dangers of having older men around you especially when there's clearly no adults around-"
Remus continues rambling until he looks up and realizes she had taken it upon herself to strut away alongside a tall blonde haired boy. Remus rolls his eyes, exactly like Sirius, he thinks following them.
"Everyone has been looking for you all summer. Aurora you disappeared after everything that happened." he calls from behind her. "No owls to anyone, all your friends said they hadn't seen you. Where have you been? And don't say Aleksander's mansion, we know you haven't been there-"
The boy beside her whispers. "Is he like your dad or something?"
Aurora stopped walking. "My dad is a mass murder, apparently. John go away, I'm bored of you now." the blonde boy left. " Professor, I mean Lupin, it's all good. Chill out. I'm not gonna ask why your here but I can assure you I'm completely fine."
"You can't even stand right now."' Remus points out gesturing to the table. "Aurora, you need to come with me and talk."
"Are you always so vague?"
"Its for your protection. After everything that happened a couple months ago with Lord Voldemort there's a high chance he's after not only Harry but you now plus you blew up his parents graves, so there's that. There's a lot more stuff you need to know. Everyone's waiting outside-"
Remus was cut off as a dark haired boy came walking over as Aurora's attention went completely out the window, he glanced over at Remus with an odd look before leaning in towards Aurora, he whispered something in her ear but fortunately for him he said his heightened senses.
"Do you wanna get out of here?"
" She's fine." Remus snapped as his eyes subconsciously narrowed towards him, "Aurora come on. You need to come with me."
He went to reach out to grab her hand only for the tall boy to suddenly step in as he pushed him back attracting the attention of a few people around her.
"I think you need to leave."
Thank god, Remus offered to come instead Sirius or that boy would have been ten feet under the ground by now.
Aurora suddenly felt a bubbling sensation of sickness bubble in her stomach as she moved past the both of them. Remus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as she made her way past the crowd and yanked the door open before running outside.
Aurora had no time to react as she suddenly had thrown up into the ditch.
When she lifted her head up, she noticed she wasn't the only one outside.
" Is that her? Why am I asking that, of corse she is!"
" She does look very like him, doesn't she?"
" She's such a small little thing."
" Yep, that's Sirius daughter."
" She's a cutie, isn't she? Harry was right, she is a looker. Just like Sirius at the age."
Aurora ignores the words from the unknown group of older figures. She felt a hand pat her back and she turned around seeing Professor Lupin.
" Professor Lupin?" she says confused with wide eyes. " What are you doing here?"
If she was being completely honest ; she thought she was hallucinating, she never felt this disgusted in her stomach but she felt great about it,. She felt a buzz, like in this moment, she didn't give a damn what anyone else said.
Lupin pulls a face. " Merlin, How drunk are you?"
Aurora made a gesture with her hands.
" I'm not going anywhere near you. I know where your trying to take me. I got Dumblewhore's letters." she slurred when Remus attempted to pull her away. She sent him a withering glare. " I don't wanna see him."
It didn't take a genius to know who him was.
"You won't even have to talk to him." Remus intercepted trying to keep the frown off his face.
"Sirius will stay away from you. Aurora there's so many things you need to know. Your in a lot of danger, you being here isn't safe."
"I'm Tonks by the way," waves a women. "Also, yeah you need to come with up, sweetie."
"I'm gonna get sick." she mumbles but none the less shakes her head at the thought of seeing him. She turns back around seeing Luke standing at the door as he came falling down the steps.
"Aurora," Luke held his head. "I thought the age limit was twenty five?"
Aurora screamed over at him. " That's what I said! What's that saying. .our great mind are alike."
" Great minds think alike!" Like corrected.
The two burst out into hysterical laughter.
" Aurora come on with us. Love, it's for your own safety." Tonks steps closer. " Your friend can come to. Also, no one is gonna make you talk to certain people."
Aurora turned and Tonks and Remus both thought she was about to say yes as she gave them both an innocent look her father used to test when he was younger.
It changed to a glare. " No."
Remus sighs out not wanting to have to do this. He, Tonks and Moody all exchange glances. He nods before turning back to Aurora who was once again getting sick.
Her father's stubbornness had clearly been reflecting in her actions, he thinks.
" I told you this wasn't going to be easy."
And next thing Aurora Black could remember was being tossed over someone's shoulder and dragged away from any signs of alcohol.
★ ★ ★
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
Aurora sits in an uncomfortable couch that felt as though it had been straightening her posture.
She hadn't remembered a single thing, she didn't know where she was. She didn't know who was standing in front of her, she knew she had been kidnapped. She was most defiantly not at the party anymore, she seemed to be in a dark looking room with paintings on the walls and a long narrowed table in the front.
( Unknown to her she was at Twelve, Grimmauld )
A group of eyes were all set on her.
Her head spun around and around. Aurora widened her eyes four times before she lifted her eyebrows. She didn't know she could do that. . .
" There very hammered." says a voice amused.
Luke had been sitting down beside he. He mumbled something under his breath and then snorted. His hair was covered in sweat, his cheeks were flaming red and he looked like he was holding something in his throat.
She didn't remember how he ended up in the same place as her.
" I told you a million times. . ." Aurora slurred. " I don't know who stole your potion Snape."
" Just let us go!" Luke cried out frantically. " I'm to young to be kidnapped, let alone die!"
They received odd looks.
" Aurora! Hey Black. Hey answer me." Aurora saw fingers snapping in her face, it took her a moment to realize that a purple haired women was talking to her all though she had a small smirk on her face.
Aurora reaches out a stroked her purple hair. " Wow it's like all magical. .can you do mine like that?!"
" Sure," Tonks replies, a smirk on her lips. " If you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"
She glances at the women who was holding up seven fingers.
" I'm not dense. Seven."
She heard multiple sighs. " Aurora, I'm holding up none."
" So that was a trick question. . . .?"
"Where have hell have you been!?" comes a new voice.
Aurora glances over towards the source of the worried voice and towards Sirius. Sirius Black. As in her father. . the supposed mass murder, who apparently wasn't a murder anymore.
She doesn't answer only lowly scoffs.
"This should be good."
"Tonks!"
Aurora intertwines hands with Luke and goes to stand up only to suddenly feel a banging pain fly up to her hair as she stumbled back down almost knocking over Luke in the process as she sat back down and buried her head in Luke's shoulder.
For a moment Sirius was confused by her behavior before one possibly suggestion came into his head. His eyes widened, his expression clearly showed what he thought as he looked towards Remus who nodded.
"Are you drunk?!"
" Merlin, dude If you could stop with all the yelling, I'd seriously appreciate it. . ohhh pun."
"Do you know the risks of getting drunk at such a young age?! Someone could have taken you or something. You could have tripped and banged your head. What happens if a guy whose drunk tries to hurt you-"
Sirius couldn't stop talking. The thought of her out by herself making his stomach churn. The thought of her drinking making him sick. To him, she was still a one year old child, but now here she was a teenager, who did that type of stuff. The thought of her at a party bringing back memories of what he himself used to do at parties and that was something he didn't want to think about.
"Then I'll fight them off with my charming looks and amazing personality."
Sirius leaned down and reached across brushing a stand of hair out of her face.
They kept eye contact for a few seconds before she swatted his hands away.
But before she could throw an angered word towards him another voice screamed through the air.
" Aurora Lyra Black!"
Everyone in the room flinched especially Sirius and Aurora who both flinched at the sound of her full name. Molly Weasley sure did have a terrifying voice. The Weasley mother came pushing through the entire crowd as she softly cupped the teens face.
Aurora stuck her tongue out.
" Where have you been? We have been worried sick, Aurora Lyra Black! No note, no nothing, just gone! Do you know how worried your father was? Have you got any of our owls?!"
Oddly enough Aurora didn't feel one ounce of guilt. Maybe it was because she was drunk, perhaps it was because she didn't believe the words she was saying.
" I don't have a father." she grumbles making Sirius look at her.
" Listen here," Luke suddenly stands up then confidently strolled towards Sirius. He tapped his chest. " I don't know who you think you are but-"
" That you don't," Sirius cuts off with narrowed eyes. " Remus who is this?"
" Your worst nightmare." Luke says with a strange expression.
" Luke Murphy, he's fifteen. He lives with his grandmother," Remus answered. " Him and Aurora seem to be together-"
Sirius blinked then eyed Luke up and down. " He's weekend hello kitty pajamas?"
Luke gestures down. " And I rock them bitch."
" Me and Luke aren't together," Aurora slurs from the couch, after taking a long gulp of the water Molly and Tonks had handed her. " We're friends."
" Best friends. I love you."
" I love you too - wait maybe we are meant to be together?" she gaps.
Luke presses his hands to his mouth. " I. .I think so too. Will you marry me?!"
" Not until I see a black diamond ring."
And then Luke couldn't hold it in any longer.
He moved away from his spot as everyone turned towards him, he went to find the nearest bathroom only for him to suddenly feel like he was going to choke on his own puke as he got sick.
All of Remus' shoes.
Remus facial expression couldn't have been more horrified. For a second he pursed his lips in acceptance and then a moment later he looked like he was going to vomit himself.
" I'm going to puke." Remus muttered.
" Remus don't worry I'll fight the moon for you...you as well." Aurora slurred.
"-I hate moon. . .gives me a monthly problem." Luke grinned sideways with a sigh, " What a bitch."
Aurora and Luke both snickered loudly finding this hilarious.
Remus and Sirius exchanged a look.
" You two bed. Now." Molly orders. " I'm presuming Aurora can stay in your room Sirius-"
"Ohhhhhhhh," Luke mocked, "I'm soooo scared."
Aurora burst out laughing. "Ohhhh."
"How drunk are you?" Sirius asks, his hand reaches out to turn her head towards him and she doesn't swat his hand away.
"Professor McGonagall it's fine, me and Luke can walk back to, wherever we came from. I'm completely and utterly sober now."
"Tonk's it's not funny."
"Don't act all innocent yourself, Remus. Maybe you forgot what all of you were like in school."
"Yeah but we learned from our mistakes,"
"That's debatable-"
"Should we take them to a hospital or something what do we do?"
"Sirius. They're drunk not dying."
Everyone in the room turned back around to the teenagers, who had been fast asleep with their shoulders rested against one another's.
★ ★ ★
" I'm gonna fight the moon for you."
Aurora Black. 2018.