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CHAPTER SIXTEEN - 🍂 ୧ autumn . . .
august & aurelia ও🦌

AUTUMN DECIDED TO KEEP THE FIRST FEW WEEKS of her summer vacation relatively calm, opting to limit her involvement with magic during this time.

She dedicated the initial period of the summer break to spending time with her parents. The family engaged in exploratory outings and relished their moments together, without any mention of magic.

When it came to recounting the events at Hogwarts, Autumn remained somewhat reticent, finding it difficult to bring up the visits to the hospital wing.

Autumn acknowledged that these particular circumstances and events were serious and required her parents' attention. Though they might not have a full understanding of the wizarding world, it was still crucial to inform them.

When the subject of the ongoing war plaguing the magical realm came up, Autumn decided to keep the details from her parents, thinking it best to wait until the situation was less dangerous.

Autumn accepted the fact that she would need to discuss the current state of the world with her parents sooner or later, but it was not yet the right time to do so.

Aurelia chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement at the thought. "You managed to prank them to look like the mystery gang?"

Autumn then regaled her parents with tales of the pranks she had played on her rivals, together with Raven and Elliot.

August shifted in his seat to face the back seat, joining the conversation with his daughter.

He asked curiously, "So this magic of yours, it can truly alter appearances to your liking, then?"

Autumn began to explain the intricacies of the appearance alterations she had carried out, her hand making a half-affirmative, half-negative gesture. "Well, a complete physical transformation requires a potion, which itself can take a month to prepare."

August sighed and expressed his impatience with a tinge of frustration. "Can't you just do it all with a wave of that wand, rather than going through all that time and trouble?" Autumn couldn't help but chuckle at her father's complaints, and her mother shook her head in mild disappointment.

Her mother let out a weary sigh and said, "We tried to keep the conversation about magic at bay for a week, but it seems our efforts were unsuccessful."

Both August and Autumn responded together with a unison, "sorry."

Aurelia smiled slightly and replied, "There's no need to apologize." She smiled at the sight of the pair simultaneously expressing their contrition.

Aurelia dismissed their apologies, and father and daughter decided not to pursue the topic further.

They shifted the conversation to a new subject unrelated to magic, focusing on the recently made friends Autumn discussed. Autumn commenced by introducing Lily, and shared details about their interactions and her overall experience with the new friend.

Autumn continued to explain her friendship with Lily, saying, "She's quite similar to Raven and me, considering her parents are muggles."

Aurelia spoke happily, "I believe the addition of a new face among your friends will bring a welcome change."

Aurelia then inquired with a sly smirk, glancing through the rear-view mirror, "Do you have any other friends, or perhaps someone more than just a friend?"

August's response was immediate, as he exclaimed and swiveled his gaze between his wife and daughter. "Absolutely not! She's only 16!"

Aurelia cast a few seconds of reproachful look at him before responding, "Darling, we started dating when we were both fifteen years old."

"Really?" Autumn questioned.

"Really," Aurelia replied, addressing her daughter before returning her eyes to the road.

August muttered afterwards, "Autumn didn't need to know that."

Autumn quirked an eyebrow to show her surprise at the revelation. "Dad, relax, I don't have anyone like that," she reassured him.

Outside the car, the passing landscape caught her eye as her thoughts drifted in contemplation. The uncertainty swirling around James continued to perplex her.

Upon her return to her compartment, addressing her friends, Autumn confessed quietly, "I think I'm a bit confused about some things."

Autumn then introduced the subject of her rival-friend group for the first time, the boys with whom she had been involved in a prank war.

Aurelia and August initiated with questions, then shifted towards discussing the pranks, themselves, wondering if the rival boy group had also used magic to play tricks on them. As they delved deeper into the matter, the conversation naturally steered towards the topic of magic, which prompted them to further explore its facets.

...

Autumn, accompanied by her parents, had now returned home after engaging in activities such as sightseeing and shopping. The trio settled in to converse, initiating the discussion around the two occasions where Autumn had sought treatment in the school's hospital wing.

The conversation in the car had abruptly halted when Autumn broached the topic of her visit to the hospital wing. Once at home, her parents made a wise decision to save the discussion for later, allowing the mood to remain cheerful.

August spoke firmly, his expression serious even as his comforting presence tempered it. "Firstly, tell us what happened the first time."

Autumn proceeded to give a detailed account, recounting the events to the best of her abilities. "So the first time, I stumbled upon three boys notorious for harassing other students. I couldn't just stand by and let them continue, so I went to the rescue," she explained.

She continued further, "They used levitation on me and hurled derogatory terms, specifically directed towards muggleborns. Do you remember how I once explained the different blood statuses?"

Autumn's parents nodded, listening intently as she proceeded, "Individuals like us, Raven, and Lily are considered 'dirty bloods' by them. They believe that we muggleborns stole magic from them, which is a rather expansive explanation, but in a nutshell, this is what it comes down to."

August, with a slight hint of sardonic humor, put it bluntly, "So, it's just these purebloods, right? They're the ones who think, 'This is mine, you stole it,' or something like, 'you heathen!'"

Autumn chuckled, and Aurelia joined in, both amused by the oversimplification.

Autumn agreed with August's rough summation, adding, "In a way, yes, but it's actually a lot more complicated than that." This wrapped up the first part of the discussion.

Autumn stood as her parents observed her intently when she mentioned the levitation incident.

"It's not really as serious as it sounds," she reassured them. "It's somewhat like falling and sustaining a scrape or cut, but with the magic and potions we have, I'm fine, I promise."

August chimed in, answering Aurelia's question, "It seems like a significant issue, but I can't comment on their handling of the matter. It appears there's a lack of proper administration to address this problem. It's as if they're turning a blind eye to the whole situation."

Autumn looked down for a moment before meeting her parents' Gazes again. "I think it's safe to say that the system within the wizarding community operates at a slower pace, " she said. "It's more of a 'slow and steady wins the race' approach, unlike the 'snap your fingers and fix everything' mentality of the muggle world."

This revelation seemed to spark a reaction in her parents' expressions as Autumn continued, "The second time they targeted me was near a large body of water. They tried to make me step into a lake nearby. But one of my friends bravely stepped in and saved me" The change in her parents' expressions showed that Autumn's next remarks had caught their attention.

Aurelia's distress was evident, her frown deepening and her face contorted with anger. She questioned, agitated, "So they were trying to kill you?"

The note of concern, laced with distress, in her voice was undeniable. Her words continued, her voice still ringing with worry for her daughter. "This is exactly why I expressed my disapproval about you attending that school!"

August sought to soothe his wife by attempting to reach out to her, aiming for a calmer state. Despite his intentions, he stayed silent, not contesting the points she raised, especially given how close their daughter had been to death.

As Autumn tried to speak, she exhaled a breath to ease her mother's anger before responding, "I know you're angry, but.."

Aurelia continued with her stern tone, her anger evident as she firmly spoke, "I AM MUCH ANGRIER THAN YOU REALIZE."

Autumn closed her eyes, resigned to continuing the conversation even though she would rather have avoided it. In hopes of a different response, she decided to speak her next words. "Mum, whether I attend Hogwarts or not, I will always be in danger."

August took charge, asking his daughter, "Why do you say that?" His eyebrows raised in curiosity.

Autumn continued, "It's important to remember that in the wizarding world, as in the muggle one, there are both good and bad people. You've got to stay vigilant, no matter what. If I end up going back next year and find myself in another dangerous situation, I promise to follow your guidance."

"If you do get hurt again, will you stop going to that school?" The directness of Aurelia's questions caused a stark shift in Autumn's expression, sending a shiver down her parents' spines and widening their eyes with worry and fear.

Autumn paused for a moment before shaking her head, her voice firm yet emotional. "This will always be my home, Mum and Dad," she began. "But Hogwarts is my other home. I've spent years there."

Autumn's determined tone continued, "No matter the dangers I may face, I want to graduate from there, with my friends who are like family to me."

Her statement of her intentions in regards to finishing her education, within the walls of Hogwarts, even despite the dangers, caused August to release a heavy sigh, while Aurelia remained silent; her facial expression, betraying a myriad of emotions. It was as if both their hearts seemed to sink, in that very moment.

As Autumn spoke her thoughts, their meaning echoed deeply, creating an almost unbearable impact. Her words carried the weight of her life, an intricate part of her that would define her path, near and far, into the future.

Aurelia, seated once more, released a long sigh, her voice resolute. "Fine," she said firmly. "We're no longer making that decision. As your parents, we've accepted that part of you."

Aurelia's tone softened, acknowledging the difficult reality, "The danger is hard for us to comprehend, but we understand that it's part of your world. We can't take you away from it. It would be like taking away that part of you and discarding it."

Aurelia's words now held a tinge of understanding and acceptance, a trait she hoped would pervade the rest of the conversation.

Autumn wrapped her arms around her parents, holding them tight, mumbling sincere words of thanks and apologies for the emotional struggle she had put them through.

She expressed her gratitude towards her parents, appreciating their acceptance and acknowledging how vital this part of herself was. She confessed that without it, she felt a sense of incompleteness, as a crucial piece of her identity would perpetually be missing.

The mood seemed to improve, as the conversation shifted to a lighter tone. The parents, who had previously been lost in thought, now chuckled and smiled, as they observed the affectionate moment.

It was the first instance, during the entire discussion, which had caused such a significant shift in mood, which had been, mostly heavy and fraught with emotion.

This marked a pivotal moment in the conversation, as the heavy atmosphere was transformed into one of lightness and joy. The exchange of such wholesome and adorable interaction between the parents and their daughter, was, without a doubt, a welcome change from the previous tension-filled mood.

August's words, coming as a breath of fresh air, cut through the silence. His lighthearted tone suggested a change in topic, as he proposed, "Let's get something to eat, shall we? "

Autumn proposed, her voice a touch lighter, "Since we ate out earlier, how about we work together to cook a meal?"

The suggestion of a shared cooking endeavor brought a smile to the faces of her parents, who seemed to take delight in the idea.

As the family made their way to the kitchen, the atmosphere felt light and warm, and a sense of contentment enveloped them. They began cooking together, laughing and sharing stories, creating memories to last for years to come. The aroma of the food filled the house, and the delicious meal they prepared, was made so much better by the togetherness of the family.

Once they were done, they sat down to enjoy their meal, savouring every bite, and feeling grateful for this moment of connection and love.