✧BATHROOM CHATS & BITTER COMMENTS✧

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There was never a good time for Sirius to get a hold of his sister, in between prefect meetings, classes, studying? It was as if fate did not want the siblings to get the chance to meet, however it was a blessing for the full moon. As it became an obligation, and even if it wasn't what Sirius wanted in terms of talking with her, it was enough.

It appeased Remus/Moony's persona as it still showed she cared. Whether it be the little notes by his infirmary bedside table, paired with chocolate and a small little doodle of a smile...The little things were working for him, but nothing amounted to losing a sister.

Currently, Aurora had taken refuge away from it all to use the girl's prefect bathroom. It was always easier to just use her own in the Ravenclaw tower, but this had a mixture of hot waters and blessed soaps and oils that she couldn't refuse.

So after a rough practice she had her team endure, she resided with closed eyes as she allowed her mind to wander.

Course all good things must come to an end, and so when Ms.Lily Evans started to get ready for her own bath, Aurora let out a little chuckle.

Perfect timing.

"I recommend the lavender soap, it'll make your hair vibrant for Mr.Potter." The smirk rallied on her face was more so because of Lily only covered her nudness with a robe, but the blush appearing on her face was grand as well.

"R-rory...H-how are you? How was your summer?" Aurora allowed her chin to connect to the outer lining fence that kept the water from spilling out, she was currently leaning fully into it to have this conversation.

Causing her smile widen.

"Boring, congratulations on being HeadGirl." The comment was entirely sincere, but Lily did not take it that way. He heard Sirius' worries at the fact that she could've been punished for not being awarded the title, but Aurora shook her head...The thought had manifested its way into Lily's thoughts and outer emotions, making it so very easy for the Ravenclaw prefect to read of off.

"Nonsense, better you than me." It was a hint, because saying anything downright could bite her in the future. She needed to play her hand right, and she was no fool at cards.

Lily was nervous in getting in with another gal, it was odd, wasn't it? Ms.Black must've realized that and soon made the wall rise in the center, making it two separate tubs but in the same vicinity.

The water drained and started to refill for Lily. "Breasts are just breasts Lily...Although James would probably want to sneak a peek." She cheered even further, this had Aurora rise from the given protection of the water. Ms.Evan's faulted herself into looking, admiring the Black daughter even further.

Her long hair covered her perfectly plump breasts with ease, and the soft smile allowed her to feel at least sort of relaxed. "I have an extra facemask?" She motioned, returning back to the small toiletry bag she had brought, which gave Lily ample time to throw the robe down and enter in the rising water level.

Now wand-less magic wasn't unheard of, but the second Lily had seen Aurora do it with no difficultly at all...She gasped. "What?" The girl was on the alert in the instant, but with the blazing green eyes piercing into her soul...It made her confused.

"Y-you just—" 

"Hm, like I said. Boring summer." Lily didn't know what to expect from that statement, was Aurora so board that she took up the skill of wandless magic, or had she been forced to learn it and that was why the summer was unintentally boring.

"Rory that's high level magic that you—" The young Black heir prided herself into not allowing much of her emotions to showcase. But here, in this very moment was it clear that she must've had the summer that she was scared of since the very beginning.

"Rory you can tell me if—" 

"What's there to tell?" Lily blinked, swimming all the bit closer towards Aurora, pain written through it all.

"Your brother wants to talk with you, desperately." 

"I can't...I can't risk it Lils, I can't. I don't know who is watching, there's snitches." Lily nodded, but then smiled fondly at the sight around them.

"But not in here, here there never will be." 

"Are you suggesting that we make this a scheduled meeting Ms.Evans, mymy...The boys have taught you a little bit, haven't they?" The blush continued to press forward once more, but she swallowed...The first gal in the group had been Aurora, but now that place had been vacant for some time...

"Sirius doesn't need to worry, not yet." 

"Is there something he should be worried for in the future?" She nodded. 

"Aren't you worried for the future?" The question of the century finally wained in on the red head as she bit her lip.

Of course she had been, she was already thinking about moving out so her family would be safe, they knew nothing of the wizarding world, much less the war that's brewing outside this castle.

But the knowing smile creeped up on Aurora's face, that was what she wanted to get to. "It's our war soon..." 

"I don't want to fight a war Rory, much less against you." There had been a pained smirk on the pureblood's face now. Humming along and gliding her hands in the soap infested waters.

"What we want and what we need to do are two separate things darling, I don't want to fight either. But my brothers are on two opposite ends of the team." 

"Who's side are you leaning towards?"

Aurora was simply putting on her own face mask as she leaned back to her starting position. The room had gone quiet, the sounds of a few splashing and the water moving about had been all that filled Lily's dying question.

Until it had been a silent whisper of: my own

The two stayed silent, only until Rory had had enough of the company and decided it was time to head out. She rose from the water and allowed it to drain. Ms.Evan's peeked her eyes open, and she'd be damned if she couldn't help the boys just a bit with their issues.

Rory was simply drying herself off before putting a very...daring article of undergarments before attempting to dry her hair. The girl simply had no bit of self-conscious to—

"Is that a tattoo?!" Lily shrieked, causing Aurora to turn her gaze over her shoulder as she had been simply ringing out her hair. "Hm, got it when I was fifteen...Isn't it lovely?" She offered it out, but realitscally, Lily was eyeing how in shape the girl seemed to be.

This was the sort of lingering effect the Black family had on others, to make them think lowly of themselves while putting this family further on that pedistle.

"Stop Lils..." She whispered, turning her eyes back on over. She could feel those greens eyes much too easily, but at what cost did she have to secure this type of body? 

Was her soul still truly intact?

"I'm sorry...I just—" There was a very strict nod coming from Aurora, but seeing the girl go through a rather painful routine had Lily come towards her, back in her robe and smiled.

"What's this?" 

"The most expensive of any bloody lotion you'll find...Here." She offered, taking a rather generous scoop and rubbing it gently onto Lily's face.

Merlin it must've been made out of bloody uncircorn horns, it felt amazing.

"I think you'd throw up if I don't you how much that costs..." She whispered, but Lily simply shook her head in protest...And curiosity.

"About 60 Galleons." Aurora knew that Lily would react odd, she had barely stepped foot into the wizarding world at all...So hearing that this little cream is such an expensive luxury had he gulp.

"Um...Can I take it off?" She croaked, attempting to touch her skin again. But Aurora smiled and laughed. "Nah, it's alright...Rabastan's mum got it for me." Apparently Rory had gone through her next few steps and it confused Lily as she took a peek.

"You use...All of these?" She hums along. "My mother was grooming me at thirteen to attract men Lily...Don't tell Sirius that bit. We live in a very ugly world." Aurora didn't dare look into Lily's eyes, breaking the connection would bring defeat and Cassi needed to keep up appearances.

"At thirteen?" 

"Hmm, Rabastan is a safety net. I do love him, but if I wasn't dating him...People like Barty would get too comfortable." Lily was indeed in awe, the conversation flowed quick enough as she started to learn the ins and outs, the dos and don'ts.

So when Aurora stated boring she finally understood what a summer would look like.

Although Aurora left minutes ago, Lily stood in awe. Cassiopeia Aurora Black was indeed not who she thought she was, and in a daze did the redhead continue back towards her own common room.

James jumped up from his seat from the sofa, a bright smile on his face. Only it didn't matter as Lily was raw with emotion. Clutching the parchment in her fist did she look off to Sirius.

"Black..." She whispered, and he flicked his eyes up in confusion. The extension of a small note twitched his head as he leaned up to take it.

His eyes quickly scanning it through as a smile tugged on his face. "Thanks Evans!" She wasn't prepared for a kiss on the cheek, but she certainly got it as he rushed upstairs to secure a location to meet Aurora.

Apparently Rabastan had drawn the short end of the stick as he had to patrol, and not even the higher levels tonight. That was why she gave herself the opportunity to take a bath this night, but it did well knowing that there was a break to be found somewhere in her schedule.

Currently, she was smoking one of the gifts Clementine had brought her. A few boxes of smokes and some muggle lingerie, her mother truly didn't know the difference anyhow so what was the harm.

Besides, it was that as well as comfortable sweatpants and sweatshirts as they knew Aurora could always be found in a tight fitted gown or blouse.

But in her common room, nobody dared to tell her differently. She looked and felt...Almost normal.

But here, she was sporting jeans, a very oversized hoodie to the point it dressed her body warmly. Her hair was still a bit damp, but she'd have to restyle it in the morning anyhow. Yet the little muggle smoke between her fingers and filling her lungs became a soul essence of escaping her mind.

It was better than a dreamless sleep potion, or a shot of firewhiskey.

She heard the steps, smelled his cologne. And part of her was relieved, although the other half was damned that he actually came.

What was there to talk about? All her fears coming true? That she'd be forced into a life meant for people with these ideals and beliefs?

Another inhale sanctioned as she felt the being sit down beside her, and in one failed swoop did she yank off the invisibility cloak.

"Smoking? Really?" He whispered, and she nudged him gently before offering up the box. 

"Clem gave me them, said I look stressed." Sirius allowed the small cig to bounce in his mouth for a moment or two, eyeing his sister...Which caused him to take it out of his mouth.

"You can tell me anything Rory...Seriously." 

"Arsehole." She growled, flicking the ash down the ways from the tower. It was on that note that he knew she smoked more than once before, especially how she inhaled. And fluently let an exhale roll out.

"Siri, I have it under control." 

"And Reg? Little Snake of a prefect." She chuckled, nodding along as she lit her brother's cig for him. 

"Yes well, it allowed me to get off from bad mouthing the Potter's and Lils for a blood traitor and a muggle-born being head boy and girl..." He nodded, so their mother defiantly made it no easier in living in that wretched house.

"You didn't come to the Potters." She chuckled. "Mother didn't let me out of the house. Even if it was Rabastan...Or Cissy." He narrowed his eyes in confusion which caused her to huff.

"Seems as though the women doesn't trust me when it comes to Rabastan, even after my oath I took at bloody eleven or that book she bestowed on me...Whatever the case is, I was with Raba alone in his manner and apparently that was illegal." She shrugged, flicking the entire rest of her finished smoke off down the ways. But he hummed in response.

"Did you—" 

"I haven't done anything with him Sirius. Sort of hypocritical there Pads...Haven't you shagged four gals this past week?" He grumbled some inaudible excuse, more to himself than to protest his sister.

"How's Walburga and Orion?" She looked further away for a moment a smirked. "Mother threw a curse at me, and I blocked it...She's been on me all summer truthfully, told me to quick playing Quidditch." 

"But you made co-captain!" Rory hummed once again and shrugged. And yet it finally hit him that a curse had been thrown at her, he coughed out the extra smoke that seemed to get caught right beside his thoughts.

"It was the first time, and Father was very happy with my reaction...I felt bad for Raba truthfully, he tried to get back into mother's good graces because Reg ratted on me and what happened with mother...I told you, my summer was boring." He nodded, relieved but never the less at ease.

"What about you?" He smiled, sharing in terms of what he had done and voiced that he wanted her there more than anything...And yet? They were in two different worlds now, and Sirius no longer fit into the pureblooded society.

*

To make matters worse for their seventh year, of course Professor Dumbledore bestowed a Halloween Ball too with year and up to this damned event. Being a prefect was she forced to participate and go to it.

But it was all too easy to meet with Lily, and they were considered the best of relaxation. Either agreed never to bring ball related topics in their bath time though, it was much too stressful as is with seventh year.

But Rabastan nor anyone were going to risk the thought of Aurora's prefect status, so she was allowed to discuss it openly with the muggleborn witch.

Thus slowly inclining her return the Gryffindor common room, and most of the time were the girls just with the Mauarders. Aurora leaning on her brother more times than not, and the best of it...She slowly saw the beginning of what would soon be James and Lily's relationship.

Oh Aurora was pegging them since third year, but perhaps it was the build-up of that particular night terror that it made their closeness normal.

But she didn't dare say a thing against it...

With everything as hectic as ever, and both Lily and James doing their prefect duties...Sirius and Peter sporting detention back to back, it left Aurora to coax Remus to eat a bit through his final countdown days to his monthly encounter.

A usual member of the boy's dormitory, was she doing homework as Remus attempted to get some sleep. He personally didn't like this, at all, but he didn't want to voice his opinion and have her leave. 

He rather her be here on her own, and not with Lestrange.

"Do you need more water?" She asked, but unfortunately for her...It had been the worst time to ask. 

"No. I don't bloody need more water." She flinched a bit at the tone of his voice, and she sighed.

"Don't look at me like that Aurora." She blinked a bit, confused...And before she could even get a word out, his facial expressions changed.

"I don't need to feel pity from you, least of all you...Not like you care anyway. You only come around to make it look like you put in the effort." The frown cascade on her face as she sighed again. Gritting her teeth did she go back to her book, which caused him to laugh.

"Very Ravenclaw of you, hiding away in a book." 

"Fueling the anger isn't wise, and I'm out of wit." She hissed back, her eyes flaring a bit. Which of course sparked Moony to peek further into the conversation, craving his feline friend.

"Seems the summer left you out of practice, Pads says you were trapped at home." She hummed, her eyes continuing to scan through the book. Merlin was she going to slip a sleeping potion into his cup for his next drink if he was keeping this bloody attitude. Her migraine couldn't take much more of it anyhow.

"Pretty pretty princess locked in a tower, too bad you couldn't escape for the night." She rolled her eyes and nodded along. "Right on the nose." There wasn't much effort in the conversation as he was muttering random nonsense that she couldn't make out.

But the insults were always laced in somewhere.

She laughed at a few, they were pretty damn rude to begin with. But it allowed Aurora to see how Remus truly feels about her, especially when she was 'betraying her brother' which wasn't even a subject that Sirius said out loud.

"Glad we can sort this out." 

"Bet you had a boring summer with your little boyfriend aye, did he pop the question yet? Or is not going to marry you because you're a—" The stare she had let out was not one Aurora made offten.

She looked like her mother at the current moment, that was the only way to properly describe such an emotion.

"I am not a freak, and I chose not to tell my brother what happened this summer. He doesn't deserve that sort of torment." 

"All you'd do is complain anyhow, some of us have real problems Aurora." She laughed, she allowed her head to lean backwards as she cackled towards the ceiling.

"You have yours more or less under control." 

"Under control?! You call this control?!" She shrugged, grabbing her book and satchel from the small space she had made herself comfortable in.

"...At least your parents make you feel like you're not a monster Remmy...Mine want me to the be the monster." He scoffed, and with no doubt in his mind in belief did she come closer and nip his shirt's collar up for him to pay proper attention.

"I had a proper audience with the Dark Lord, I stood by Rabastan as a wife to be...And I cursed people who he told me to curse. So if you think for one bloody second that I am not in a pile load of shit Remus John Lupin, then you have another thing coming." She growled, leaving his eyes to widen and dart every which way. The fear growing in his gaze was too much for her to bear that she finally broke down into tear as she started to go to the door.

"Wait! Rory!" He shouted after her, ignoring the obnoxious amount of pain coursing through his body as he tried to chase her.

Just as she was going through the portrait had she met the startled faces of either pair of Sirius and Peter, to James and Lily.

But before any one of them could get a word, Rory stated a sentence. 

"Your friend is a downright bloody git!" She screamed, wiping her eyes as she passed through the group of them.

They were completely and utterly dumbfounded as they stood wide-eyed, especially when it came to Remus rushing down the steps and almost tripping at the last step.

"Rory! Wait I didn't mean—" 

"Oh bull Lupin, the past bloody hour was nothing but shitty comments. Spare me!" She screamed down the hallway, not caring if there were any spectators.

James was the first one to dart after Aurora, Sirius on the other hand looked livid.

He grabbed his best mate with the same collar grip and dragged his sorry are up the stairs and threw him in the center of the bedroom.

"What the hell was that?!" Remus was clutching his heart as It was throughly beating with such intensity that he wanted—no. Needed to go after her.

"I...—" 

"Rory does not lash out like that, never! What was it?! What you say?!" The amount of dread the filled the room only had Remus sit down onto his bed as silent as ever.

"I swear if you hurt her—" 

"It was Moony, he—He did something, he took over. He knew it was Salem, Pads I swear it, I'd never want to hurt her!" He cried, and the angry tears started to flow down his face.

Sirius knew that Remus was one of the first to side with Rory, claiming that everything is alright...But here he is, suddenly having to defend himself after she left the room crying.

"I...I might've said...Said that she-she doesn't care t-that—" It was enough to make Sirius furious. He too dragged his hands down his face as he shook his head.

"Not care?! Are you insane?! She spent her free time looking up things that would help you! Years before us I might add! Without her we wouldn't have been able to help! With her I'd—" There was no doubt in any of the Mauarders minds that he would've left that bloody house hold sooner had it not been for his sister.

On the other hand Remus sat there reliving all that she had said, that her parents wanted her to become a monster. And it seems like she's partway there, seeing the Dark Lord. Calling him that name, standing with her boyfriend at meetings.

All things that she wanted to keep hidden were out for Remus to tell Sirius, but he didn't...He kept his mouth shut, because for the moment being, Remus gained control and sighed as no good would come from it.

Rory would be in more trouble, Sirius would blame himself.

It was a mess, the biggest mess known to the lot of them. But Remus kept silent. Utterly silent as he said another apology to his best mate.

James, who had been chasing Aurora down the hallway had to be careful. There were snakes lurking everywhere, but at one point he intersected her. Tackling her with a hug as he issued enough support for her to finally give in.

"Come on..." he whispered, motioning to an empty classroom. Sniffling off behind him did he set her down into a seat while offering her his handkerchief.

"Rory...Whatever he said he probably didn't mean—" 

"That I'm a bad sister, and putting Sirius through hell for not answering this summer?" It was a statement that James could both disagree and agree with. Had she responded a bit more it would've kept him relaxed.

"The more I tell him the more he stresses, what's the point James?" She cried, closing her eyes as it allowed even more tears to flow down. 

"Rory...Hey, what happened to the soaring little bird?" Beginning to shake her head further as she mumbled: I saw what my future is going to look like.

That mere concept had even Potter suck in an unsteady breath, never the less, he held together her hands and smiled. "But your brother wants to know Rory." 

"And what is he going to do? He can't do anything, I'm bounded by a contract." James instantly felt his stomach churr, he remembered it. Even after eighteen would she not be properly free, her ownership would simply pass due to the old wizarding rules.

"It's easier to stay away, that Sirius can—" 

"Easier for who? Pads is stressed out of his mind love. What happened this summer, please, just tell me." He went down to the floor in front of her, pleading with her to give some indication, a hint...But she choked on her thoughts as she sighed.

"All that I told Lily...That day at the Lake last semester, it came true. I-I—I told Remus...He s-said I have no real problems and—and that I shouldn't be complaining...B-but nobody knows." Her body started to shake and convulse as he just hugged her tighter, telling her to breath, telling her everything is going to be alright.

But holding her head up high was going to take more out of her than she was properly prepared for.

They stayed like that for a bit, James reliving all that was done over the course of the few years. But Aurora didn't smile after that, whatever Remus said did a toll on her, leaving her alone with a grumping Lupin turning Moony was the mistake of the century.

And it wasn't weak little comments that turned her over to a fight, it was worse.

He had almost called her a freak as well.

James walked her as far as she allowed to her common room, and before she knew it she was upstairs and in the bathtub finishing her given cry as she thought it would make her feel even the slightest bit better.

It didn't, it sure as hell made her numb. But other than that she was purely enraged.

Potter returned back to the common room, telling Lily that he'd explain tomorrow all that was said before rushing up the steps and planning a very long talk with the werewolf in their bedroom.

But Sirius had already done most of the talking, so it was up to Prongs to rework the conversation to the rest of the group.

"She's not coming." He finished, thus having Remus plop back down onto his bed with a thud in damnation. He had to ruin it, he just had to.

"Good going Remus, now Moony is going to be a bloody joyride." Sirius spit, going up with that spare book and heading into the bathroom for some peace and quiet.

He spilled everything into a single page of that fake textbook, but even as Rory saw the glowing underneath her pillow. She simply let her head rest on top of it, allowing the warmth of everything seep into a proper sleep through all the exhaustion she felt.

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Date Posted: 04-05-19

Time: 1:00

Words: 4477