✧A RATHER SORE TOPIC✧

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"Oi Rory! How was potions?" The girl was a bit wary of who was about, so after a quick glance she smiled to the blood-traitor. "Alright, sort of slow though. The Hufflepuffs have a hard time with—" James was snoring off and Aurora brought the book that was pressed against her chest to hide her smile.

Remus always hated when she did that, hiding away, especially when it was her smile as he wanted to see the shiny pearls that made up her teeth. It made her look beautiful, so much so that even thinking about it made his heart clench.

So whilst the boys were distracting Aurora from her daily study session with her own peers. Remus thought of all the more reasons why Aurora Black was—

The boy shouldn't be thinking these itty bitty thoughts just yet, but James as well found himself full swoop in love with Ms. Lily Evans that it couldn't be wrong, could it? He just thought her beautiful.

However, in the midst of it all, Aurora was very observant. Something one needed to be when growing up with brothers, especially Sirius. The boy was hiding himself off behind her, making himself look smaller.

Out of sight and out of mind.

"Are you feeling alright Remus?" He looked up, as he was merely staring down at his own feet. The tall boy did look fairly pale, making her pout in response to his silence. 

"I have DADA, I can walk you to the infirmary if—" He shrugs it off and Aurora didn't know what she did to offend him in any sort of nature, so she excuses himself.

It was his silence around her that she didn't like, he was loud with the boys and quiet around her. Clem stated it's because he 'fancies' her. But that word meant nothing to the girl, love meant nothing to the girl.

Her parent's love was questionable.

His ignorance of her was already subjecting her to less time with him, and he couldn't understand why. He was merely quiet. However, to Aurora that was a sign of disrespect or hate as she was brutally taught as a young child. Perhaps Remus' parents taught him that if you have nothing nice to say, then don't speak at all.

And that is what Aurora was going off of.

However, with Remus suddenly falling Ill, it was worried her but didn't issue that much of a shock considering he was pale and wouldn't eat at lunch or dinner. Yet as the months grew closer, and the lies became tainted and overlapped one another, it started to piece together...although the girl wasn't prideful of the fact that she managed to put the pieces together to know that he was lying, there was a cool underlining that she should stay out of it.

Those were her brother's friends.

Unfortunately, for Sirius, Christmas came far too early. Of course he wanted to see his brother, but the second he came home it had been a nightmare. His brother and sister were easily distracted by an invitation set out for tea, while their mother claimed that Sirius had an invitation to the Lestrange manner.

Aurora pouted, she wouldn't have minded seeing Rabastan this day, but she would see him sometime during the holiday as there were a few parties to attend to.

However, neither Regulus or Cassiopeia knew of what really happened that day in their father's office. Their father cursed Sirius to the point of knocking him unconscious, whistle Kreach had return him to his bedroom.

The lies began to bottle up, all in tune whenever Cassi asked about Sirius. They claimed he was still at the Lestrange manner, yet the boy was just upstairs, healing after what his father had put him through.

It came to no shock to Sirius that his parents had lied to his siblings. And he was meant to as well, smiling and saying that Rory's Raba was doing just fine.

The smirk carried on Walburg's face at the nickname the young girl had given to Rabasatin, it allowed her and her nieces to find so humor in the fact that in the coming few years they'll be married.

The idea of Cassi's children were making it all the more lovingly, yet it brought out a side of their mother that Cassiopeia didn't want to see ether. To always be perfect, to have her hair done, to smell pretty and kept up with.

It was silent for the dinner party as everyone found themselves getting ready in their own accord, however it was Sirius that was leaning against his sisters wall just watching her as she brushed through her hair.

She looked...Saddened. The boy gritted his teeth and made a small calling for her to look back.

"Everything alright?" She whispered back, but that had invited him to pick up the small little nick knack on her shelf and begin to distract himself with it. However, the second his eyes land on hers she sighed. 

"Sorry, bloody dumb of me to ask." He huffs, his anger getting the best of him as he returns back her little ball to where he had found it.

Coming over to her did he once again aid her in attempt her rediciously long hair. "You get to sport your colors, it's alright...At least one of us showed our parents proud." Rory looked to her brother and bit her lip, a sign of disagreement.

It was clear their parents loved Regulus, but he wasn't going to say that either...On account for her feelings of course.

"They have Reg to be in Slytherin, sometimes we have to remember to be our own person. Even if we don't know what we want to become." The boy narrowed his eyes down in confusion, but then popped them back up to look at her through the mirror before starting to chuckle.

"Where did you hear that from?" She smiled a bit. "The book I'm currently reading, you know Madam Pince is actually very kind when you aren't being a downright git?" Her smile blossomed into the mirror and it was then that Sirius flashed her a genuine grin. Only to result in a supported theory that their parents had done or said something to him.

"There, now you look perfect to meet your future husband." Rory began to swat at him, but their mother looked in awe once more at the two. "Since when could you braid Sirius?" Their mother questioned, and Aurora eyed them both carefully with in the mirror. 

Although Aurora was in the house of wit, Sirius still held the upper hand with being that of a big mouth.

"When Rory's arms couldn't match the length of her hair." He smartly remarked, and although the family had a bit of sanctioned laughter. Sirius felt disgusted at the way their mother looked at him. As did Aurora, the pain developed even further, making it a mistake to even come home in the first place.

Their mother soon ordered them downstairs, and it was such a pure sight to see Regulus helping Kreacher fix the tree. The two seemingly had gotten closer as it was only Regulus and Kreacher within the house sometimes, making it lonely and depressing.

But the boy made the best of it, knowing his siblings would be home soon.

"Rory look!" He pointed up to the fixture on top and she smiled. "They would pick your star wouldn't they." Sirius rolled his eyes, last year was Regulus and then hers prior before that. His hadn't been showcased in far too long.

Another obvious suggestion that his parents hate him.

"Perhaps it's the two and a half dozen detentions you already received that has something to do with it?" She looked the slightest bit in his direction, having Kreacher go off to do something else as the children found themselves finishing up.

"It was only a dozen and a half." He growled back, tugging on her hair, which responded with a very sarcastic roll of her eyes followed by a hidden giggle. However, they were meant to put on their hosting faces as they were about to become the center stock of it all.

"Rory, incoming," Sirius whispered the warning, but against his delight did Aurora's smile towards the scariest women on the face of the ether stood. "Cassi darling!" Bella screeched, her allure of sexual prowls completely ringed as she made her way over towards the youngest of the Black family.

Sirius did not like, one bit, the santanic beast anywhere near Aurora. But it wasn't like he had any choice at all. "Bella! I thought you were on a mission!" She whispered, and the eldest Black women scoffed. Running a hand to her cheek. "Oh I was, and I'll tell you all about it in due time...I see you're wearing you colors." The moment was instantly ruined as Bella had mentioned the blue pattern of Aurora's dress. But the long nails of Bellatrix Black suddenly squeezed the young girl's cheeks.

"Nonsense, they bring out your eyes much better than Green would. And most certainly red." The eldest Black child looked over in pure disgust, but Aurora kept the peace and smiled off to Cissy who was hooked at her future fiancé's arm.

The girl was a seasoned host, very good at introducing everyone and conducting a proper greeting in hopes to make everyone feel welcomed. However, when their Uncle Alfred came, he couldn't detain how excited he was to see his niece and nephews.

"Come join the Ravenclaws's have you, I bet your mother was thrilled." He teased, and Aurora politely tried to share their mother's best version of her distaste only for Sirius to scoff.

The conversation was more than private as their uncle lead the two eldest towards the balcony and smiled down to the prodigies he wished he fathered instead of their parents.

"Better than joining the lions den like I did Rory, they rather have you a raven than a lion." After Sirius had spit that sort of blandish taunt to himself she held onto his hand. It seems this sorting had not deminished their sibling bond, making their uncle smile ever so brightly at that fact.

"I am glad to see nothing has come between you two...Now I want you two to promise me, if you ever need anything. Alright? Anything at all, you owl me in that very moment." Sirius was the first to go back to hugging their uncle, while Aurora waited a moment to embrace it. Not tackle into it.

The girl knew all too well that her brother just craved someones proudness, and that was never found at home no matter what he had ever done.

Yet it was Regulus' call for dinner that allowed them to settle through the rest of the night.

Cassiopeia, the middle child that she was, placed between the both of them while chatting to Cissy who was placed across the table, whilst Luicus was beside her.

The smallest of nudges of footsie under the table is what allowed Sirius to have some sort of entertainment but it grew infuriating, especially when one of their relatives took a lousy jab at the 'Gryffindor scum' that seemed to be killing off the Death Eaters. Yet they were not named as Voldemort's followers just yet.

However, her brother had taken a stand. Against her better judgement and her foot stomping on his for him to stop. Yet he was sent to his room for being a nuisance, leaving Cassi alone with an empty seat by her side.

The rest of the table began to badmouth the house, claiming that it was an honor to continue the tradition of being in Slytherin, however Cassi sat there staring down to her plate as she struggled to keep herself contained. For it was her own mother who was throwing snips of dishonor.

It took Narcissa's clearing of her throat and a tilt of her head in the young girl's direction for Walburg to silence herself.

"Oh darling I didn't mean—" The daughter simply wiped her mouth and excused herself from the table. There was nothing her mother or those surrounding her could say to get her to come back.

Instead, she had left her cloak at the table and embrace the cold air of the night entirely as she rather suffer the chill than hear another damn word from her mother. Her eyes attempt to focus on one of the many stars surrounding her, however counting allowed her to breath easier.

Rather back in the house Regulus was left with ether side empty of siblings and Narcissa smiled off to her youngest cousin in hopes it'd give some relevance. But the argument between Orion and Alfred became loud, especially when Walbrug went into the fret.

Yet in the end, it turned to Orion wanting to make right the wrongs his wife had done. Personally the dread had him scuff his shoes a bit on the wooden floor, after striking her that unfaithful day in the summer it had been the end of how his daughter looks at him like the brightest thing in her life.

Seeing her holding herself against the balcony, shivering off a bit. He summoned her cloak from the table and came all the more closer, mumbling a warming charm as he covered it over her shoulder.

"You know I named you two after two of the brightest strain the constellation...?" Cassiopeia smiled down for a moment, it wasn't a new relevance but it allowed her to look to her father without such hatred for a moment. 

And that's all he wanted.

The affection that he was attempting to give was all that she ever wanted, but she had just turned cautious and careful of a dramatic change in his mindset. "The second ether of you opened your eyes...I knew." He proposed, adding a new detail of how he had seen them as small babes. So she swallowed thickly and continued to stay and wait in silence for the point of father coming out to talk when guests were inside.

"You know your mother doesn't mean it." Cassi held her eye roll, knowing that Sirius and his friends were gaining their influence on her. "But she'd be happier if I was in Slytehrin, and a boy..." Now it was Orion's turn to grab his daught so delicately by the cheeks.

"Do you truly believe that my little Cassi? Had Regulus come first we would've tried for a girl. Merlin did your mother want a girl." She found that hard to believe, but held in the disagreement as it wouldn't aid to cause an argument. 

Especially with her father.

Something she learned at a young age, to not voice opinions as it didn't matter. It only mattered what her elders would say.

"She's just held responsibly for how everyone in the family sees Sirius, as am I...The pressure is gaining and I fear it will only get worse." With her father's revelation, and a rather accurate prediction. It had her frown, straight up to her father.

"I'm going to check on Siri, will you tell mother—" 

"That you stormed up to your room and demanded to be alone? Of course." He kissed her forehead and she leaned into the man once more before rushing off to her room.

She had managed to figure out a very good personal gift to give to her brother, it wasn't easy, and it took a few hours and a lot of questions to her head of house. But she held it in her hands now with another small gift in pursuit before knocking at his door.

Yet the boy still held the yelling and screaming fresh in his mind, and it didn't aid how much pain he was giving himself by ripping at his hair. Tugging at it whilst his sister knocked and entered the room.

"Sod off will you. Bloody bad enough there's murderers in our living room." Aurora closed the door in the instant, but it urged Sirius to turn even further away with his back completely turned in her direction.

Yet she plopped down right beside him.

"It's nine o'clock, I think that's early enough don't you?" She whispered, handing the presents off to Sirius, and he looked wideful eyed and teary to her. Wiping his eyes did he take it with his free one and crack an attempted grin. Even if it was forced and miserable.

"H-how do you know...To make everything better?" She leaned into him for a moment and held onto his arm. 

"And how do you manage to fall apart here but not at school?" Her question to his own was the definition of their relationship. He too now leaned into her as he started to carefully tear at the gift. And it's a little lion stuffed animal, just like the one Aurora got from the family but her own house mascot.

"I know it's hard to believe, but I am proud of you Siri. You're brave, that's why you were chosen for the house." He adored the gift, putting through the mangled hair of the lion as though it needed soothing, but in reality he could really go for one of his sisters good hair scratches.

But his mind looked off to the next one only to see that it's a book. Although heavily and detailed with metal outline, it was still something he wasn't really hoping for. "Oh lovely, a book." She narrowed her eyes and gave a nick forward to continue to look at it.

"Well open the bloody thing, I didn't spend all my efforts on it for nothing!" She argued and so he opened it up to the first page, only to see James' writing over and over again. Aurora had made sure to give James a copy of the book as well, seeing as how Sirius wouldn't be able to give his bud much of a gift. 

So it worked out for both.

"You...How did you do this?" She held her grin and allowed her chin to rest onto his shoulder. Tapping the book and giving an explanation that ether could be transformed into a textbook if need be. Yet her closeness wasn't enough as he wrapped an arm around her, kissing the very top of her head. "I love you Rory, I promise...When we graduate we're going straight to the freelands." As perfect as the image sounded in her head, the girl knew all too well that it wasn't going to end like that at all.

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Date Posted: 01-16-19

Time: 3:27 AM

Words: 3164