✧COMMON INSIGHT✧

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The following day, by some unknown means, the Lestrange children had been given the permission to have lunch with their parents in Hogsmead. For Lori, it was a beautiful first-time experience to enjoy with all her siblings and parents.

Though for Romulus, he knew he was going to get lectured come time to depart. Imara felt guilty in that regard, that being the eldest really dawned on him that much that he couldn't enjoy his time here and now.

Even now, while she watched through the small slit in the window by her seat. The frown was rather evident on her brother's face was the product of stress, even if their father held a proud expression.
It was a wonder the lad's hair hadn't managed to turn grey yet.

There was truly nothing Romulus' could've done differently, with the Quidditch game, Black breaking into Hogwarts, or even the train ride to school.

She pondered if it was even worth staying here if it was just safer in America, even if she didn't want to. She also didn't want to see Romulus pulling out the last of his hair from being instructed like this.

"Professor Flitwick said I'm excused from practice this week..." Cara whispered, pouting, even though her sling was no longer featured on her arm.

The four children had locked eyes with their mother, who held her mug as though her life depended on it. She had been watching her husband and Romulus out the same crack Imara had, though it was in a different intent.

Rabastan would never say it out loud, but sometimes his wife's firm words were a bit too strict for the children. Here at least, he could defuse the situation just a wee bit. Giving his son a grip on the shoulder and not stopping his tactics until Rom gave him some sort of smile.

Aurora never meant it in any way, but this was nearly on the verge of life or death, and that strung at her heart more than in a few ways.

Especially when she had so many munchkins to protect.

"Bet mum owled Flitiwck, no worries Cara. You'll be back on the pitch before you know it." Imara had filled in the blank space where their mother was supposed to answer, but clearly she had misread the conversation.

"I'm sorry love, but don't you recall what happened to your cousin Saros? When he played with a hurt arm?"
"Yeah, but this was nothing like his. He didn't even tell Uncle." Cara offered, and Aurora simply shook her head.

It was clear she hadn't got much sleep last night.

"Really mum, we're alright. This was just a fluke, and honestly, I think it was a brilliant game. Wait until Uncle sees those specks." Ronan offered, and the smile had slowly pulled up on her face. Easing the tension bit by bit.

"Of course you are, you're Lestranges for goddess sake." She said with a faint pain glistening in her eyes, because deep down Aurora knew that this was the smallest of any issue.

That the following years the true damnation would really begin.

But the true comfort had come forth when Rabastan and Romulus had returned, and the eldest son had given his mother an annoyed look as she cupped his cheek. "Oh please, let me in enjoy it for a few more years."
"Years? You'll still be saying that by the time they're married, love." Rom smirked at his father's comment. So he took his mother's hand and squeezed.

"It's alright, ease up mother. Or else we'll really be thinking about going to Ilvermorny." That caused her to suck in a breath. "Yes well, it's still a strong possibility. But we'll discuss this more during Christmas break, promise." She said with a hopeful nod, and Romulus simply kissed his mother's cheek before returning back to his seat beside Ronan.

After a walk around the town—At Lori's request, either Aurora and Rabastan had catered to their children all before coming to drop them off near the entrance of the castle. "You'd think they would've managed to chop that damnable tree down." Cara heard her father speak and shook her head.

"I think it's a wonderful touch, a sentient tree. Right mum?"

Aurora had nudged her husband from laughing out loud, but it was quite sweet. "Dumbledore is always the sort to have things for reasons for his actions, and putting that tree there wasn't on a whim." She recited, a smile gracing her face down to her daughter. Pulling her close to enact one of the final hugs until Christmas time.

Though it was rather heartfelt to have Lori cheering after her father, and the bloke—Who carelessly forgets his own age and stance in the wizarding world—had gone running around the young Slytherin in a sort of chase.

 Off in the distance, Remus had picked up his head to see what the sudden shriek had been. But his heart had failed him to see that it was indeed the odd Lestrange couple, and this was the closest he's been to her in years.

"...Professor? Why do the Dementors affect me so, I mean, more than everyone else...?" The question pulled him away from his troubling thoughts, and thus Lupin had picked up his cane once more and continued off down the trail.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They feed on every good feeling, every happy memory, until a person is left with nothing but his worst experiences. You're not weak, Harry. The Dementors affect you most, because there are true horrors in your past. Horrors you classmates can scarcely imagine. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Harry had felt the honest conviction in his Professor's voice, but it felt misplaced.

And in Remus' mind, it felt wrong to hear the term professor—Not only did he not feel educated enough to be in this teaching position, as it was more or less a hand out, but he knew well enough that James Potter would've introduced his friends to Harry as nothing less than an Uncle.

"I'm scared, Professor." Indeed.

"I'd consider you a fool if you weren't." He simply replied, gazing into those purely Evan eyes as it was undoubtedly Lily's bit of common sense that lingered in the Potter boy.

"I need to learn how to fight them. Like Cara had during class, you could teach me, Professor. You made that Dementor on the train go away..." Remus chuckled, yes, Cara had done a beautiful job in producing a semi-form patronus, but even she could use a bit of guidance as well.

"There was only one that night..." Remus beckoned, quite embarrassed that the young Miss Lestrange had managed to fend them off so many times this past year alone.

"But you made it go away." Harry persisted.

"I don't pretend to be an expert, Harry. But yes, I can teach you. Perhaps after the holiday. For now, though, I need rest. I'm feeling...Tired." He honestly admitted, and Harry had taken in his professor's haggard face. Yet Remus had only responded with a weary smile.

"Papa! No!" The cheers had caused the pair to look off towards the oncoming family, and the sight of Mrs.Lestrange had stricken another core in Lupin's already dwindling sanity.

It was not a good image to be so close to Hogwarts, not her or her husband.

"I think it'll be beneficial if we invited Cara, wouldn't you agree?" Remus questioned, and Harry took it into consideration and nodded.

Though Remus was all too familiar with that sort of blush.

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Date Posted: 05-29-2021

Time: 9:50

Words: 1902