✧A DINNER AT THE SEVEN GABLES✧

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"Halsey! Don't you dare!" Aurora yelled, and it caused the young girl to still.

"B-but—"

"No. I told you countless times that the brooms need myself or an adult to watch over. And Romulus does not count." She pouted, her hair turning a flushed blue, trying to win the battle.

But Aurora held a tight foot in this household.

    "Put it back. That's an hour timeout inside." It ruined the young witch's afternoon, to see her siblings running around the Halliwell yard. Their cheers and excitement were causing Halsey to lose herself from the book before her, she wasn't able to remain as she wanted to play.

    Aurora had about a thousand things running through her mind, especially since her labs have been stocked and able to work through her plans for the future.

But juggling motherhood, sisterhood and having a work ethic? It drew so many lines and caused a debate between which she could focus on more or what she lacked within a single day.

"Mummy owl!" It caused Rory to look to the window, and she smiled at her daughter as she took the parcel and offered it on up.

    "How about you draw me something darling, I have pictures from everyone except from you love." Halsey had looked so heartbroken in hearing this, and so she decided to abandon her book by the window seat and hurry to get the needed supplies.

    Rory watched her little crazy daughter rush up the steps to her bedroom, a tired sigh huffed out. Especially when she caught who it was from.

Aidan.

    It was difficult to judge all that was happening, and to add to a relationship to it. It wasn't that she was committing adultery, it was more of leading him on with the promise of nothing.

The first night she purged it all, purged what happened for every detail. Told him about Rabastan, as it was the truth to the life she lived across the pond.

And Aidan was nothing but supportive, damn him for seeing the good in her.

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Rory,

    I don't suppose you could make a late dinner tonight? There is something I wanted to go over with you, and it entails a celebration.

-Aidan
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    It was more than suspicious, especially when he would usually ask two days prior to plan a dinner like this, so she smiled slightly. Partly because it gave her such excitement, hardly ever a distinct trait the final months of being in Britain.

Even now she shivered at how cold it had been.

Now, her little dream manor was simple and her. The children adored it, little Cara had been so excited to explore the lofted cabin manor. The brilliant windows letting the natural light shine through.

It gave Regulus and Phoebe the apartment back to themselves, and it already built a smile on her face to know that they were growing beautifully.

    Perhaps it was odd, but seeing their love was binding Aurora's own broken heart. It was almost pushing her to actually take up Aidan on his offer to date, but he knew...he knew that after everything that happened this year didn't give her the opportunity to open her heart out too easily.

She was waiting for Regulus to tell her for advice on a ring, or advice on how to ask. But as the calendar continued to switch up and up, Rory realized that maybe he was taken to the American version on marriage more and more.

    Aurora was just about to ask her daughter what she wanted for dinner, but the sudden strike to her abdomen had ceased any and all.

"Fuck." She groaned, knowing that it wasn't the Dementor tug, as she and Regulus had started to call it. This was different. This was familiar.

    It was the presence of Halsey that withdrew this sudden urge to scream, so instead Rory hurried into her bedroom and silenced the room from admitting any sound from escaping.

"I have lost my utter patience, I swear, I bloody swear I am going to come to Azkaban and—and..." Tears weld in her eyes before she could even make it to her nightstand to get the photo album.

"You left your mark, is that it?! That I can never find peace?" Her questions fell to nobody, the mute room secured her so that Orion wouldn't hear the truth, but even the mother didn't know.

Was it stress?
Surely it's the stress.

However as she leaned her back against the bed and looked to the ceiling, the pain as immanent by far, but of course it meant that was her soul was reaching out to his.

It couldn't be.

    "Adie!" Halsey cheered, her busy task of making her mummy a picture completely discarded when seeing this wizard at their front door. And she let him in without a second thought.

"And who are you little one?" She pouted and stomped her foot on the ground, and he smiled in victory to gain his hair color to the young witch.

"The last time I saw you, you were this tall. Are you sure you're the same little witch?"

"Mummy said I grew!" Having kneed down before the child allowed him to lift her up all the easier.

    "And where is your mummy?"

"Her room. Adie, can I go outside?" Her asking was indeed a hint, and as he looked to the masterpiece off at the table gave him a full painted picture.

"Are you allowed to go outside?"
"Mummy said an hour, please can I go?" He gave it a second and decided that their conversation would probably be best if Halsey was outside.

    "Yes, only if you don't give your mother a hard time. She's getting busy sweetheart." She nodded, hurrying along to get her supplies cleaned up and the drawing placed on her mother's desk before darting back outside to the group.

"Rory!" He called out, narrowing his brow as he caught his last letter by the sink. Odd.

    Having helped out a bit with her home, he knew where she could be, but the knock he had given was ignored.

Then the second. And the third.

    He didn't want to resort to open it without permission, but now he began to worry. A thought slashed through his head in fear of what could possibly happen, and another hacked at his most vulnerable organ when he watch her holding her knees to her chest.

"Rory!" He shouted, and it had made her flinch at her name being yelled at the top of his lungs.

"A-Aidan?" She croaked out, however he wasted no time at all to encase her into a smothering hug.

    "Sweetheart tell me what's wrong? Is it him?" She had to warm him before about the tortured and tethered souls that bother she and Regulus were still attached to Sirius and Rabastan—

Rabastan. He coldly thought, that sick and twisted husband of hers still controlling the reigns of it all. Even from across the pond.

    Four beautiful children. A gorgeous wife and intelligent to boot. How could she be betrayed?

"Could I?" She gasped as though she couldn't breathe, and he didn't wait much longer to numb her soul once again. "What happened in doing that at the first of the month?"

"Forgot. Tired." She mumbled, her body slipping into his hold further.

    "Not surprised, Reg gave me a long speech on how I shouldn't bother you."
"...Not a bother." She yawned, and however she managed, she fell asleep within a heartbeat after she spoke.

"Goddess what am I going to do with you sunshine." She hummed, knowing full well who was with her and he decided it would be best to stay with her.

    It wasn't the first time they fell asleep in each other's arms, but it hadn't happened often enough as he knew she felt guilty. More than guilty, but with the way she attached herself to him as he rose to his feet, and even now when he laid her down to her pillow.

She was still reaching out for him.

    However, he had little to no time to say a damn thing as he was gripped by the back of his jacket and yanked into the hallway. "What the bloody hell are you up to?" Regulus questioned, and perhaps it was a bit sudden, but this looked entirely suspicious and he didn't mind explaining himself.

The siblings went through enough distrust that it was easier to just be on the defensive.

    "Regulus, I simply placed her into bed after numbing the handfasting. She fell asleep in seconds, I did nothing wrong." He was at equal height with this Estranged Black heir, but neither were keeping their wits among them as Orion had chuckled.

    "Regulus, truthfully...He sent Halsey outside and went to check on Cassiopeia, no need to badger him about it. She has been overdue to numb the ties." Regulus listened to his father as he dominated this area of the home, but Orion had seen the daily struggle of his daughter and son.

Especially Cassi, when all she focused her mind on was on everyone else, beside herself.

    "I actually had a proposition for Aurora to check over—Entirely business." Aidan had to be extremely careful, he knew that. Not only did he have to win Regulus' approval, but he had to at least come close to appeasing Senior Black.

Then finally Aurora herself.

    It took dozens of attempts to finally get her out for an hour, and every time she seemed antsy on wanting to return home. He realized that night that she was worried for the children, so instead he tried to incorporate his presence in settings safe for the children audience.

But with her new home under construction, it meant that he was here much more than Regulus was comfortable with.

    "Not in her bedroom when she's barely awake."
"What do you take me as? Honestly Regulus, have I not proven what I—" He smirked, shaking his head so easily as Aidan was trying his damned hardest to get approved.

    "I don't need a bloke trying to get with my sister."

"I've known her since we were young, I don't want any harm for her or the children...When Liz told me she got married I...I..." Regulus could spot devastation miles away, especially as he was the cause of it more times than not.

But Aidan wasn't going to get into this family without jumping a few hurdles.

    "And this business?"
"Between the organization and Aurora. Confidential until she agrees." Withholding the cause for only his sister to hear was again, suspicious.

    "What will it take?" Regulus blinked a moment, and then took another to formulate it properly.

"I trusted her husband for as long I can remember. He loved and cared for her, if you can't get through me...You're never going to get her to crack mate." Aidan's mouth parted for a moment, but he soon scoffed as he knew that damned brother is right.

    "What could I do?" Regulus' brow rose. "Why might I help you? That's my sister's choice...And if you do somehow manage to get close to her, are you prepared to be a father?" Aidan had already thought of all the possibilities, and so the mind kindly smiled.

    "If I know Rory at all, if I have managed to get close to her. She's already accepted me to be good for them...I am an uncle myself mate."

"And your intentions?" He kindly smiled and titled his head. "I'm not fool enough to think that she would divorce him, but I'd be with her as far as she allows me to be." Regulus didn't have the technique to read people like his sister could.

But he was clouded by too much bias. Even if Liz says he was alright, it was obviously too early for Aurora to be dealing with a relationship.

    "I'll stay with her if you're busy Reg."

"Will you be taking her out tonight then?" He needed to get his studying in now, especially if he was watching the children.

"I swear, that'll be good for her. It won't be as big as whatever she's working on now. There will be a group of us." Regulus heard all this before, but then again Otto was a blessing to the family.

And if it aided Rory at all, it wasn't that much of a negative to help her.

Especially when they were tethered to his pain.

    Just like that Regulus tilted his head down and bid the man a good day. "That's it? Not a full interrogation this time?" Aidan bit back, he was entirely prepared for this to continue for an hour.

The tests Regulus put him threw were harder than the potions practicals to get his masters.

    "My father kindly reminded me that Rory is a grown witch, and if she makes a choice then I have to accept that...Like she has done for me." There wasn't much more to say, and so Reg continued on his way and made a comment to pass to his sister about being able to watch the children alter.

    Aidan had sighed to the ceiling before getting a glass of water when Rory does wake up...But he couldn't make it to her room without passing Orion.

"I apologies for my son. He believes he's failed after the outcome of Lestrange."

"Nothing he should blame himself over sir, I was the same with my sister and her husband. Even if we don't work out, I have known her for quite some time." Orion narrowed his brows down to the young lad.

Suppose Cassiopeia had to make this decision herself.

    "Very well, good luck." A victory smile rallied as he hurried into the room and he placed the glass at her nightstand and decided that he might as well go over the packet that Mr.Crawford had provided.

If he was going to tell her about the Salem's Academy adding young wizards to their elite program, she was going to ask all the questions in the world.

    It hadn't been all that long before Rory made a few incoherent mumbles, causing Aidan to chuckle at the armchair near the bed.

"Well good morning sunshine, should I read the Daily Oracle? Seems like there'll be clear skies 'till Tuesday and—"

"Aidan?" He stopped instantly and waited patiently as she started rubbing her eyes in pure annoyance, but when she failed to follow through with a question, he spoke up again.

    "Shh, too loud." Whispering an apology caused him to hurry in reaching for the glass of cool water and bring it in offering.

    She drank it greedily, but she felt immensely better after sitting up. Only until she groaned did she realize how late in the day it already was.

"What happened?"
"Numbed it, thought Reg said that it was a monthly thing?" Rory hid away in her pillow, full of embarrassment and curses as she recalled another factor within it all.

    "Yeah, but I'm not the best at following directions."
"That is far from the truth. Did you get a chance to read my letter?" A soft smile erupted as she nodded.

"Suppose I am in for some good news, must we go out though?" He wouldn't budge otherwise, earning a groan as she turned over to her side again, hugging the pillow.

    "Let me get ready then, is half an hour alright?"

"Take an hour, dinner's on me at the Seven Gables." Raising a brow did she smirk.
"Oh, fancy? It must be good news." His smile was both telling and completely silent.

    Grumpling once again did she rise from her bed and managed to take a step inside her closet. "Er...You said the Seven Gables, what—"

"Celebration attire darling." She took that into consideration and lifted the beautiful blue maxi dress from it's spot on her rack.

And Aidan's gaze twinkled in agreement.

    He made himself scarce when she claimed she wanted to take a quick shower, so he decided that at the very least he could make sure the children have something to eat.

Especially if Regulus was babysitting them this evening, it wasn't all that hard to find inspiration on what to make. Could he win their acceptance?
He was sure as hell going to try.
"Rory? How are you feeling? Reg said—" Phoebe's eyes grew wide to see Aidan so domestic within the kitchen, course she knew that he was skilled around a cauldron. But seeing him here was still something that she needed to get used to.

    "What are you up to?" She spoke, half a taunt coming through and he groaned.

"Dinner for you, Reg and the kids...I'm taking Rory out and I didn't want to leave without making something." Phoebe couldn't handle it, her laughter rang through the lofted kitchen. Although she attempted to hide it in her hand, it hadn't worked at all.

    "Something funny that I missed?"
"You know it's going to take a lot more than a dinner for her children?" Aidan sighed, going to wash his hands and drying before he turned back to the young witch.

"Course, and I'm not expecting anything. I just want her to know that I'm here to help too. I could've helped her escape—"
"She didn't accept anything more, and Reg wouldn't allow me to go visit her." Proctor did not like the sound of that, but once she explained how they targeted new and intelligence pureblood upon entering Britain...He could see why Reg was hesitant in allowing her to leave.

    "She's here and she's safe."
"But she's tied down still, Phoebe she's twenty-three, she should be enjoying her career, herself and—" The girl erupted in a smile as she took a seat and looked up to Aidan.

He was just repeating all that they've agreed to, but perhaps Aidan was exactly what Aurora needs.

The idea of a fresh start.

    "Is there anything I can do or say to Regulus that could let him know I mean no harm?" Phoebe let out an apologetic smile, he would not let up for the life of him.

"Not that I know of, and it won't appear for a few years. Didn't you get Liz's blessings?" He nodded, but he remained silent about hearing Orion's as well.

    "Then ease into it, she was dating her husband since their fourth year at Hogwarts. It's going to take more than the normal jabs of flirting...And please, don't be an ass." He gawked off to Phoebe, but she kindly thanked him for the dinner and decided to head off in return to the children.

    Aurora, on the other hand, had been oblivious to the conversation. And as she entered the kitchen whilst putting in her earrings, she was brought to a complete halt in seeing Aidan in the kitchen.

"Staying in then?" He smirked off towards her.
"As much as you would like that sweetheart, this news is for a much grander meal than what I can cook. This is for the children, Phoebe and Regulus." Aurora's mouth parted in surprise, but then a soft grin escaped her notice.

    "You didn't have to."
"Oh but I wanted to sweetheart, now then...Let me take you out." He was adamant about holding hands, better yet, interlocking one another together.
"Aidan..." She warned, but he smirked in victory.

"Celebration sweetheart, smile. It's for the both of us." That peeked her interest, but soon the two apprented and arrived at the establishment.

    "Someone's eager."
"I have a beautiful witch with me, of course I'd be eager to wine and dine with her." Rory had heard all of this before, but she remained silent and allowed the smile to continue.

If she could indulge once, then perhaps there was a chance?

    He had outdone himself yes, a reservation in a private backroom. It wasn't too the extreme which she was thankful for, but he looked rather cocky that she didn't know how to feel.

    Her suspicions from earlier today had settled her choice on wine and salmon for dinner, and he was indeed prepared for that decision. Though she took the alcohol content from her glass when he wasn't looking.

No matter how much Aurora wanted to deny it, Aidan knew her. A part of her that she assumed she lost when returning back to Britain—to the war—to Rabastan.

"Tell me...How old are the twins again?" Rory took a small sip of wine before she wiped her lips on the napkin, giving herself a pause before speaking. "Four this summer."

"Seems like Salem is just around the corner then?" He questioned, and she nodded lightly.

But then her thoughts went to Romulus.

And how devastated he'd be that his sister gets the opportunity instead of him, she knew how her brother's felt on it...But what was there to do? It was only for witches.

    "What is your plans for your sons?"
"Homeschooling, I'm sure there is an alternative elsewhere." Aidan's smirk returned as he reached into his jacket's pocket, retrieving the folder addressed to the witch before him.

"I believe this is for you."

    "Aidan I said I wasn't going to work for a while longer, it's not fair to the children when—" "Humor me?" Her shoulders slumped, and so she ripped the large parcel opened and began to read the introduction.

Salem was opening up to Wizards.

    "You bloody bastard."
"Cheers?" Rory had caught that his name was on the list of participants as well, and she begrudgingly pushed up her glass.

But an honest laugh had finally escaped her throat, and Aidan felt like he won on two regards.

But that surely wasn't the case...

*

    It wasn't often when there were days when Romulus couldn't get his mummy out of bed, and in those instances, he would sit in her room and read passages out of a book.

To her own humor, it was the same Norse Mythology novel that she had read to him when he was away in the womb.

"Mummy, why did you name Loki after the trickster?" She was simply curled up in the fetal position, her pillow soaked with silent tears...But she answered each and every one of his questions because she knew if she ceased, he would go and alert someone.

And she needed to hold on to the truth for a bit longer.

    "Because we got him when he was a pup, my love...He was a silly tease...And he absolutely adored you when I first brought you home." Her hand reached up from its spot underneath her pillow, coming to cup her son's face.

He was the perfect son, so caring and sweet. How did she get so lucky with her children?

    "Come mummy, have some tea. Uncle Reggy says it's going to rain this weekend." He was tempting her with the warm weather, but there was no part of her that wanted to get up.

Not this day or the next.

    The only time Romulus came and saw her spot had shifted was when she was in the bath, her knees high to her chest and her hair sticking to her body like glue.

    "You have to eat something mummy." He ordered, and she dully looked towards him, her expression growing mute and worse from the days that passed.

"Please mummy, you didn't eat yesterday." The second her eyes returned back to the wall before her, the boy had darted out of the room in search of his uncle.

And the man was surely distressed after hearing such a feat, Liz assumed it would happen in bits and pieces. So what triggered this?

    Rory stumbled from the bathroom in a mere robe, her body weak and slow as though she had fallen off her broom. "Gods you bastard, out of all the bloody things to leave me with..." She croaked, making her way back down towards the bed.

It was refreshed while she was in the tub soaking and sulking, but now it was clean to resume another rest.

    Or it was until there was a knock at the door. "Rory? Can I come in?" She huffed.

"Better if you'd leave." There was a few murmurs before he peeked his head in, curiously enough Romulus was by his side.

"Rommy simply wants me to check on you, no need to hiss and scratch." The son had giggled, but his task was done as he announced that he wanted to check on Cara. Aurora heart clenched as her little Romulus was indeed a blessing.

    "Are you unwell?" He asked, his hand coming down to meet her forehead and his frown deepened. Reg reached into his jacket to retrieve his wand, but she gripped his wrist and denied him the opportunity.

"I'm fine. It's just the cold, best to stay away from the kiddos."
"Aurora, you don't just get sick...What'd he do?" She shifted underneath the comforter and stared long and hard.

"What?"

"Aidan, you went out with him and you've been hidden in here since. What did he do?" A sad sigh escaped her without meaning to, which earned him to curl his fists.

"Nothing happened Reg. Down boy, he extended an offer from Mr.Crawford." Her brother was confused about who it was, but he sat down at the edge of the bed and questioned further.

    "They're letting lads into Salem Reg, they want me to be on the board." It was surprising to Rory how quick his grin rose up, or how he plopped his back down onto her bed to join her.

"Think that's what you need Rory, doing some goodwill clear the karma. I remember how happy you were about figuring out the Dragon Pox, it gave you something positive."
"The children do that too Reg."

His head turned off towards his sister, and a sad smile negated what she said about the kids.

    "But they remind you of him...I urge you to think about an annulment sister, think. It doesn't have to be now, but how much longer could you take it until he finally meets his end?" These were the questions she didn't want to ask herself, and with the downward spiral, she was feeling after coming to a realization.

"Reg?"

"Hmm?"

She allowed a few breaths to settle out into the air before turning back into her pillow.

"Leave." Reg couldn't feel offended anymore, not after the first dozen times she had thrown him out of her room, he was numb to it now.

"Just across the lawn if need me." She nodded, but she wasn't up for any more words. Instead she shifted once again, almost uncomfortable in her own skin.

    However Rory watched him leave the room, it hadn't been a second later when she continued her pity party into her pillow.

Even muffled and through the wall had Reg heard her.

Heard his sister hurting.

    "Don't tell me that Bloke did something."

"No father, he shared that Salem is bringing lads to their numbers...Don't think it was Aidan, it's something else..." It was on the tip of Regulus' tongue, but he couldn't place it.

Not when this was her normal rut she'd fall into.

But who could blame her, the child actively growing inside her womb would never meet their father.

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Date Posted: 12-30-19

Time: 5:16

Words: 4776

This is the last post of the year, wow what a journey it's been.

I started this storyline on a whim because I wanted to write about Rabastan as both he and Rodolphous were just characters being overshadowed by Bellatrix. Immer Rein had almost skipped the whole Hogwarts section of Aurora and Rabastan's life as I started writing the scene just after he proposed and went on from there.

But then I realized I needed to build their relationship rather than just start off with them together and almost married.

I read a majority of fanfics featuring the Mauaraders Era, wanting to see if the plotline was too cliche for a sibling to Sirius and Regulus, hopefully I haven't been too similar to other ones out there.

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What is something that I've done differently from other stories out there?

What is something that I've done similar to other stories?

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Usually I post extra on Holidays, so maybe you'll see me Wednesday, if not, then definitely Friday:)

Happy early New Year!