✧THE NEGATIVES AND POSITIVES✧

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Harper had confused the dates on when Aurora was scheduled to leave, and it confused Rabastan to see her in the foyer with the folders and magazines.

"Ah Amelia, afraid Rory went to America already." Harper stared at her friend's husband and slapped her forehead. "Damnit, I thought it was this afternoon." 

"Yes, but she decided to go early." He had given it up, and an accusing eye as she shook her head.

"And? What happened?... Avery told me you saw her brother last night." So Avery couldn't hold a secret either, what a bloody hypocrite.

"Nosey as ever...Did you need something else Harper?" Was it that bad that he wasn't asking for advice, even if he knew Aurora the longest it didn't count against the fact that she was her best friend?

"Nosey as ever sure, but you're in denial. What is it then? Did you offend her?... Come now it couldn't be that bad if—" 

"I asked her to stay and not leave angry and look where she is..." He huffed throwing her a glare as she managed to gain information.

She didn't need to know a damn thing.

"You're dismissed—" 

"Dismissed?! Are you insane, I'm not a maid." She scoffed, no wonder Aurora left.
"Congratulates, she's managed to escape the country...Do you think she got far enough?" He knew if he tried anything against her Aurora would be even angrier, Avery as well.

"Apparently America needs a wand permit a month in advance before visiting." 

"Yes because following her would've made whatever else better?" He began to pitch the brink of his nose. "I simply reminded her of how wrong it was to be having an option conversation with Lupin's father. The Gryffindor her brother is best mates with?" 

"You mean her childhood idol?" Merlin had that slipped his mind, sure she mentioned his work in the sense of magical creatures but that rightly didn't work.

"And? Couldn't have stopped there." 

"I might've used the wrong phrasing in some parts of the argument." Her brow rose and he huffed.

"That as my wife she has an obligation to—" Harper was too quick to cut the bloke off, that arsehole really had to use that sort of trigger? Especially before such an important event in her life. 

"Oh for goodness fucking sakes, you are mad!" He began to grit his teeth further and continued to walk up the steps in returning to his study.

"I realize it Amelia, but Rory needs to understand the actions she put herself in as well. Conversing in public with someone like him is wrong." Harper shook her head, realizing the bigger far too easily.

"Merlin are you an idiot, do you know what else is her obligation?! It was her obligation not to eat anything in regards to you noticing her, to attract men! It was her obligation to be a Black child and you telling her in reminder sent her away!" He thrashed his arm out in anger, almost giving himself the pleasure of using a wand but lacked the phrase.

"And your obligation is the same! To be a wife, to give your husband heirs." He reminded calmly, and it was one mention to tell your wife...But it completely threw her off balance now.

"We get that enough from our mothers! Rory is tearing herself apart to make everyone happy and well off but you haven't given her a single ounce of credit! You've wanted to marry since when? And now you've managed it, yet got her to run off!" He scoffed, little did either bird know it seemed.

"I was always going to marry Aurora, we were engaged since we were babes." It caused Harper to still, her face turn immensely white and it sickened Rabastan to see that sort of reaction.

"And for your sake...I hope you keep that from her." 

"Why?" His mate's fiancee shook her head, knowing full well her friend was going to be in a realm of agony if that was the case.

"Because that's another obligation that should be her choice." It was true, entirely true and he let out a raging yell into the air.

"Of course she had a choice!" 

"Did she? She wanted to go to Ilvermorny but couldn't, she wanted to be in Slytherin to make everyone else happy! It took her months before she could enjoy being a Ravenclaw! And every single bloody one of us knows she's a true Ravenclaw. You might be her husband, but you don't a single ounce of her dreams. So pretend to dignify any of it with that bloody word." She screamed, slamming her foot down in agony and marched up and over to the front door.

Seemed like a strike two in Rabastan's book. So much so that he took refuge in Aurora's study...Had he truly not given her enough credit?

He looked over the given majority of her notes and sighed, he thought her note-taking was overstressed before...This surely had been upped a handful, there were books filled with what she learned in class to the outside of it.

Her studying, her ideas.

His wife a mess of information struggling to get even a fraction of it out onto paper. He thought he was supportive, but he hadn't known the fact that she wanted to go to Ilvermonry, or how badly she wanted to please her parents into getting into their house.

Now looking at it he couldn't imagine Aurora in Slytherin, it felt far too odd. What irked him even further was the fact that the lack of eating was a drilled mindset established by her mother in terms of gaining his own affection.

She was starving herself for him, going hungry for him.

How could he mend that? That mentality is lodged deep into his wife that she is struggling to eat in general. His judgment had been clouded, was he being the husband that she deserved?
Did Aurora truly want to get married?
If the obligation wasn't in the way would she have chosen him in the first place, would he?

Merlin was he in a mess of emotions and he surely tried to find the answer in a bottle of the strongest firewhiskey in the house.

And one good whiff of the room that Avery stepped inside, did he get the gist of the situation. "Oi, now you're starting to worry me about this whole marriage thing. Honestly if you and Rory are already fallin—" 

"We have not fallen apart!" He argued, and a quick gesture sealed a realm of silence.

"Mate, she has to come back if that's what you're—" 

"Out of obligation, that's why she's coming back. That's why she's staying here isn't it?" Avery sighed and came closer to his mate, pouring himself his own glass of what was left in the jug of it. Taking a swig did it give a strong sense as to how alone he felt in the moment.

"Mate, you need to take yourself and your wife out of this house before you two drive yourselves mad...It's good the two of you are off doing your own thing but Merlin Bass we aren't our parents." All of this was true, and he hated it entirely.
"And taunting Sirius?" 

"That was just a matter of being an arse." The two shared a laugh, hopefully it brought up his mate's spirits before Aurora returns.

Speaking of Aurora, she felt as though there was no bloody reason to return. But of course she would, leaving meant more than just leaving the family.

It meant leaving the war, and as her title of being a substitute seer, leaving meant aggravation, so she promised herself from here on out that she would indeed come to live here for a few months out of the year.
After the war.

Whatever gold she had leftover, a heafty amount actually,  beecame apart of a new safe. She simply compiled the money from her previous one and placed it all in. The total was not at all what it should be for an escape, she'd have to add a given bit each year or every month to secure this growing anxiety.

It was a shame she couldn't tell her friends the extent of it.

But it wasn't until the third day that she started to feel strange, stranger than usual. Her breasts had been rather plump and perk for the past few days, usually it would happen when her period was coming...But it hadn't in the last—
Her head drew back as she leaned further into the couch, good gods could she be? Really?

Is that why she was—Throwing up and all this sickness.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." She swore, but instant regret came through as she sniffled and held her hand to her stomach. Though there was no visible difference she still caressed the likes of her tum.

"I'm sorry little one, it isn't your fault. Mummy and Papa are just fighting. It's alright I swear it. We'll be alright." We'll be alright...

It was partly true, the last of Aurora's teachings had gone excellent. The young children adored her and her accent, and it made it difficult to part with all these bright minds.

And she wasn't looking forward to the trip back as she failed to counter the nausea after the warp. The man behind the desk was in worry and ordered her to head to saint mungos.
It was pointless, the potions were all at home and she would simply do it there.

When coming into the manor she took a sharp inhale at the sickly pit of her stomach as she clutched it tightly. Leaning onto her trucks for support did she squeeze her eyes shut, merlin was pregnancy this—

"Rory?"

The voice had her look up to Rabastan, a small smile graced his lips. Truthfully he was prepared for her to stay longer after their argument. "How were your—" She put her finger in the air and ran to the closest bathroom and threw up whatever was left in her stomach.

Damn that portkey.

"Rory...kitten what is it?" She hummed, laughing at the fact that her means of transpiration was the cause of this. He saw it fit to have to tea off in the family living room.

So at least she could be comfortable and warm.

"Good to see you too." She chuckled, attempt to dismiss the situation. Gods did she look exhausted. 

"Come on love, let's get you into something warm and then off to bed." She squeezed his forearm but that did not stop his quest in heading off towards their bedroom.

"Suppose you can tell me later on how it went?" 

"It was wonderful, and that whiskey you favor is in my trunk." So even in an argument she still came out on top and proved to be the better person.

When he settled her into bed she was entirely grateful for him not starting an argument, but her body was far too exhausted to say anything more.

Aurora woke about two hours later, her eyes puffy and the world spinning around and around. She rose up the world and settled the whirlwind as her cool hand cupped her own forehead and it surely worked.

"Daisy...Glass of cold water and perhaps some tea when I go to the family room?" The little elf nodded fitfully and it earned a smile from her mistress, though it did take convincing to manage on her two feet she looked to the mirror and smiled as to what Rabastan had dressed her in.

Suppose it was common now that he would fish out her Ravenclaw pants or shorts, but these were perfect for right now. However, what she truly craved was a shower.

But first things first.

Taking that blasted box her mother gave her out from it's hiding place, did she locate just the bottle she needed. The cork itself came with a small needle and she pressed it lightly to break her skin and gave the awaiting potion the recommended three to four drops of blood before securing the cork back on.

Her anxiety, however, would not allow her to sit and watch, so she allowed her bottoms and one of Raba's nightshirts to leave her body's form.

The steaming water was awaiting her already and she moaned in delight, after everything this was indeed what she wanted--needed. Soothing the body wash around over her neck and breasts she indeed felt the difference now.

Either her menstrual cycle was damning her with these symptoms and— What if this was just a sick joke?

She was split down the center, not in hate to her child. Never, never would it be their fault. Wrapping her body in a fluffy robe did she look down to the potion and studying the colors on what it meant.

Pregnant. Male.

She bent down to the cold tiled floor and bowed her head before the potion. It explained so much in such a short timespan, why she was so irritable, so angry...Stress couldn't even match to how bad it could be for the baby...Her son.

The gender bit was probably inaccurate, but this potion does not lie on the diagnosis. So she swallowed again and nodded.

"It okay darling, papa is just a little angry with me right now. Nothing to do with you, I promise." It was true, as she sat there it was indeed a moment of silence. Something sparked in her soul as she began to caress her stomach with a trembling hand.

Does she tell her husband now?
Does she wait until she can go to a professional?

Grabbing the bottle did she check the probability, the 99.9% accuracy was strictly making it even worse if it was a lie.

If she got so built up with excitement for it to only be proven false.

Plucking up whatever ounce of courage that Sirius had gifted her throughout the years, she left the safety of the bathroom to get dressed. Luckily the elves had alerted her husband in being awake but she knew well enough it would happen soon, and all she could focus on right now is sitting down with a chamomile brew and settle in between a few pillows.

Her furry friends joined her soon enough, Omen relaxing out by a window and wasting no time at all to join her mother for something they would do often.
While Loki stood guard at the edge of her tucked in feet.

Earning himself a few scratches when he gave her a long enough puppy dog stare, granted he had gotten big far too quickly. But that was entirely alright as he still acted like a pup.
About two and a half chapters in she heard his approaching footsteps and a small smile graced her lips.
This wasn't rightly how she wanted to go about it, but he deserved to know.
He needed to know.

"Not even an invitation to join in on the bath?"
"I took a shower." She said, rolling her eyes. But as she marked her page her arms went out and he chuckled. Perhaps this apology will be easier than he first planned out to be.

"Are you still feeling ill Rory? You remember what Otto said, even the smallest things should—"

"I'm better, honest." Her interruption was needed as he would've continued off in a circle of concern, having silenced it, it ceased his negative thought process to continue. 

She leaned forward and pulled him into a kiss, and he couldn't deny this affection. Five, almost six days without his wife...It was a soft and longing, only until she moved from his lips to his cheek and then his nose before pushing her forehead forward.

"I love you...Raba I love you so much it hurts...But hearing you say that..." 

"Aurora, kitten I...I'm sorry. I'll say it every day until you forgive me. It wasn't my place and I shouldn't have taken any anger out on you. None at all." She pulled away, and he sighed in defeat.

"Children shouldn't defy their parents...And their parents shouldn't define their children." She was right and he knew it. "Rory I understand where you're coming from, I do—" 

"No. You don't, you're only apologizing because I'm upset." Having it be partly true he avoided his eyes contact and blinked away his emotions.

"My brother is a clear example, but you downgraded me to nothing...A wife? Is that all I—" 

"No. No. No. Listen to me love, you are the mistress of this house. You're my wife, my equal. I promised I would treat you like a princess and I've failed." A tear slipped down her cheek one by one as the silence inclosed on the room.

"An equal who can't talk to others...There was a girl from London at Salem, the Fawnly's. Was I suppose to ignore a child because their parents affiliate different than us? Because Zane and his family aren't wealthy or well off?" His thumb captured and pushed away the tears.

Goddess did he hate it seeing her crying, and his own tears just made her look away.

"Raba we've been married for a few months, these problems were going to arise eventually—" 

"Then let's go to France, just for a few days...Let's get out of here." She shook her head instantly, part of her could not deal with a portkey at the moment, but the other felt isolated ever further in France than here.

"It's late Raba, the weekend...We'll go during the weekend." A flash of realization of how sensitive she is about travel took over his expression, and so he pulled her further into his hold and leaned into the couch.

"If you'd rather stay here Rory we can, I just want you happy." Her head popped up and she looked at him intently. 

"What makes you think I'm not happy?" Fuck. He'd done it now.

"N-nothing...Just—Did you want to go to Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts?" She nodded, causing him to sigh. "Why did you never tell me?" 

"The same reason I never told anyone I wanted to be a potions mistress, those choices aren't mine to make." He gritted his teeth, so it was ingrained that she still needed to answer to someone.

Was she not used to living here yet?

"A-and being a Ravenclaw?" She instantly pulled away from his hold, this was getting far too suspicious. "You talked to someone...Who was it? Harper?" What was she hiding that made her so jumpy all of a sudden?

"Yes. She came with folders and bundles of papers wanting a moment...Suppose she knows something I don't?" Rory bit down on her lip to stop her from saying anything more, and so he sighed.

"I didn't realize that your mother's eating habits she placed on you were because it was to attract me. Or how you had a hard time with finding your place in Ravenclaw...Rory, I'm your husband. You should feel comfortable with sharing these things with me." She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut.

"You're not wrong." He chuckled. "I sometimes say the right thing Rory." It had her crack a smile and settle back into his hold.

"I'm sorry for leaving...I should've stayed and talked through it." 

"You were worried about your teaching, how did it go?" Her smile hadn't been as bright as it was when talking about it, the students adored her and he knew Rory loved seeing her first professors.

But it was the time for the moment of truth.
So she fished down into her pocket for the potion bottle as she held it up. 

"This wouldn't be a world alternating cure that you've managed to crack already have you?" She shook her head, her eyes still staring in awe at the bottle. The small flakes sharing the knowledge of what sex the child is going to be amazed her.

"How about you read the label Rabastan." He perked his lips and did just as his little wife offered, but the words wouldn't sync in his mind no matter how many times he read it.
Over and over again.

Aurora closed her eyes, not being able to take the thought of him not being happy about it. 

"...Why I've been sick for these past few weeks I suppose, I haven't gone to a matron witch...And I wouldn't trust the gender prediction all that much as..." Rabastan had been hypnotized by the bottle as if it was a pot of gold.

"R-ro..." He tried to get the words across but his mouth couldn't form anything comprehendible to talk out loud.
"Raba I'm with child." She clarified, and it took all of two seconds before his entire demeanor had changed into childish excitement. 

"With child? Y-you...You're pregnant?!" She nodded, knowing that his reaction is what would help these coming days.

If she knew anything about pregnancy is that this was just the beginning of feeling run over by a herd of hippogriffs.

He held her closer than before, his eyes still focused on the small bottle as he rocked her gently back and forth. What amazed her was the fact that her dear husband had been brought to tears for such a proclamation.

It made sense, everything made sense now. Why his wife was acting out of character, though he wouldn't vocally mention the change, instead he leaned down to her lips, but the real catch of this was his focus on her stomach.

Odd. But for the sake of this moment she kept quiet. He kissed through her dress, staring down at it with the same adoring gaze as he had with the bottle. "Merlin I love you, I love you...And this little fellow in here." He offered, and she smiled up to him, gaining his attention as she locked her arms around his neck.

"Nine months, which leaves us in about...September? Can you wait that long?" He nodded, Circe did it strain him even thinking of waiting that long. But something about realizing that his wife is pregnant was making her all the more...Appetizing.

"How many did you say? Four?" She giggled at the reminder, leaning him down further as she soaked up his happiness as an extension of her own.

"Let's see how we handle the first two...I've finished my classes and I guess...I guess it worked out well didn't it?" He nodded eagerly, but seeing Aurora's eyes close he suddenly felt his world shatter.
Was something wrong? What was it?

"Love what is it? What hurts?" 

"What comes with pregnancy I suppose, the nausea and everything, it was all the babe trying to tell me they're here." She patted her stomach gently and he could barely contain his excitement.

But his worries were starting to cloud it all.

"I'm just tired, the headaches come and go...Though I think it was these gals that really threw me off course." He had noticed her breasts were rounder than before, but now taking a look at her beneath him he cracked a grin. 

Her waist is perfect, she is perfect.

He nodded at what she had said about saying she was drinking specific tea to remedy her dizziness, but it came to the point where Rabastan had thought his wife shouldn't go up and down the stairs on her own. And that had simply been about twenty minutes after her telling him she was pregnant.

"Raba I am not incapable of anything, my stomach isn't even showing yet." His eyes widened once again as he had no bloody clue what would happen to his wife, and that had been rather obvious as wizards knew barely anything about this topic.

So, with that being revealed she told him to finish up his work upstairs and he could meet her in a bit as she was simply reading one of the hundreds her mother supplied her with.

Walburga had another motive with this, buying them in public would result in speculation. Here they were always at her disposal, even if they hadn't seen the light of day since Aurora received them.

"Nonono, you stay right here. Daisy, bring all the books Aurora has on pregnancy here." 

"Raba, you have work to get done...I can fill you in where—" He countered, not even giving her any say as he said he was going to bring it downstairs to join her.

Causing her to pout and rise up to her feet. Instantly making him dart his attention back, his eyes scanned over all the objects his wife could trip or fall over and even that was giving him anxiety.

"You act as if I'm ill and can't walk two steps on my own, you sir better stop that right this instant." He took that opportunity to look at her again, offering out his hands as he wanted to interlock his with hers.

"Rory darling, the second our mothers find out you are going to have our child...You'll be stormed with the same cations, that is if you want to tell your mother?" Rabastan had frowned when he indeed couldn't manage to get through the question without being angry.

"Not yet, nobody just yet. We tell family members in a few weeks." Sudden disappointment crossed over his face, it wasn't often that he could one-up his brother and this was surely it.

"When?" 

"I don't know, I have to go to a proper healer and get tested, hopefully everything is alright with the baby after all the traveling I've done...Merlin what if he's—" Although she used the male title and it caused him to smile, her own words were damning her to overreact.

"We'll go tomorrow, and for now I want you to relax in my company, you cannot stress over the simplest things Rory...What is best for you is best for the lil one in there with you." She giggled at his title for their child and it was far too contagious.

"Okay, but no stairs?" 

"I'll admit that was a bit drastic. But when you can't see your own feet no stairs." She agreed, and before long either were indeed wrapped in each other's hold.
Either reading about what to expect...

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Date Posted: 08-30-19

Time: 4:28

Words: 4415