✧THE FREAK AND THE MUDBLOOD✧

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Rabastan was pacing just outside the Ravenclaw common room, oh he was a bloody dumbarse. A very dumbass, he had owled his mother, drunk perhaps. But never the less asked to marry Aurora in hopes of saving her from an unwanted marriage.

He promised himself that he let her soar like the Ravenclaw she is and never hold her back. He wanted a wife to be proud of and so he had written his mother and sent it without a sober thought in sight.

Course it was the response of 'we'll figure it out this summer darling, focus on classes and your OWLs.' And it was his roommates that finally told him what had happened, that he drank and there was no stopping him writing what he needed.

He swore them out anyhow and they were left with sore marks from hexes and curses that he managed to hit properly. So he was in some of his dress robes awaiting for his date to emerge from her room. The Raven was eyeing him rather confused as he never asked for the password. And he continued to just pace and groan at his dumbarse. He'd apologise to his mother for it and confess that he was drunk, hopefully there wouldn't be too much pity on his account. But in reality, Clarissa had instantly gone to Walburga and Orion to tell them all about the letter, she had been giggling mess with Mrs.Black as they had their own celebration.

With Rabastan in his little pace and trapped in his thoughts Aurora had emerged to see him, there was a part of her that was struggling to see him like that and so she reached out for his hand to interlock it with hers. 

"Hey there handsome." She greeted, and his breathless smile came about as she was always a calming venture for him.

She's never seen him angry, pissed yeah, but never angry. His mates already knew that she was his weakness, and the letter home proved it instantly.

"Well don't you look lovely, ready to prove yourself to everyone downstairs?" She hummed, but laughter erupted her serious expression as he spun her around, seeing her dress swing around her body as it wasn't a tight dress. Only going down just below her knee and it brightened her attitude within seconds as well as his own...

That night either of them forgot about the marriage conversation as Aurora impressed more than enough as they instantly wrote her name down for participating internships as well as anything in the field. Course Slughorn was mindless of it and it was up to McGonagall to restore hope in Aurora to go further.

Personally, the women hoped she'd replaced the fossil of an old man to teach the rest of the school potions properly. But that would be thinking too lowly.

The given dozen of companies and schoolings that demanded Aurora was almost stressful for even McGonagall to go through, so it was Dumbledore and Alastor to back search each of them to find the perfect one not funded by Death Eaters or those alike.

That is what the girl needed, besides...There was a special question going to be asked at the end of her last year.

*

It was going to be the first day of testing tomorrow and so she was going to wish the boys luck, however upon walking into the boys room she was greeted with: "WHERE THE FUCK IS MY CHOCOLATE?!" And she flinched at hearing the calm and little pup of a boy Remus shout that loudly before, or swear.

"Merlin Circi Diana and the whole lot of them, Remus..." She breathed, shaking her head but laughing all the same. But he looked bloodthirsty to the rest of the boys. "Who took it?" So with two offered hands out did she tell him to take a breath.

"Remmy let's keep a leveled head and ask two questions: Where was the last place you put it?" He motioned to inside his trunk and she nodded, and so she walked over towards Sirius and dragged his ear down.

"Oi! I haven't touched chocolate since I ate some when I was a mutt!" He cheered, and so she turned to James. "Prongs what was the last thing you ate?" He had been quiet clueless as he simply said: "Chocolate." Thus allowed Aurora to wave her hand and tisk just a bit.

"Godric are you dumb, come on Rem I have some extra if you're out." The werewolf was struggling because that was more or less his coping method and so he nodded rather swiftly.

"Rory you said you were out of candy!" Sirius groaned and she smirked. 

"I'll send Remmy with some back, it's up to him if he wants to share." She giggled, giving Sirius a kiss on the cheek for a bit of good luck for tomorrow.

Remus was in an upbeat mood and so while she was about to go inside she asked if he wanted to come in and take a look. 

"Oh come on, I'm always in the Gryffindor common room, don't you want a peek?" So perhaps it was hormones, but he had taken that an entirely different way than what Aurora's innocent mind could've predicted. So off he went inside, his eyes in complete wonder at how anyone ever got any work done, but it seemingly was like another library in here.

"Whoa...This is—" 

"I'll be right back!" She cheered, which allowed him to search through the given shelves, but it was Wesly who leaned against the bookcase with his arms over one another. "So...How'd you manage to get in Remmy?" He teased, and he groaned up into the air.

"Rory promised me some chocolate after James ate mine. N-nothing to worry about herself over." He stuttered, but the boy sighed and eyed him in defeat. Wes didn't have to say anything more than his smirk up to the tall Gryffindor Prefect.

So he shrugged and shook his head. "Course, not a thing to worry about here...But Lestrange's never managed to get in before." He winked and with Rory coming back around it singled off the bustling for a few Ravenclaws to ask her to join their study group.

Probably a given around here truth be told.

"It's alright Rory, stay here...You'll regret that last minute brush up." He spoke, kissing her cheek without daring to look back at Wes.

Course the fellow had jumped in joy at the sight and it had a few questions the given surrounding flock. But among them Aurora was the most known, considering her favoritism, her prefect status and because of who her family is.

Her brother more so than her parents.

Sirius was already popular, but same with Aurora while Regulus was living up to the status of the youngest of the trio...

*

Aurora was mentally exhausted and potentially angry, at how easy these exams were. So she was laying with Lily waiting for Severus as the potion exam was tomorrow, although Evans was pushing her to study more and more. It was her own nerves that needed to be brushed further than further to be content with tomorrow. There had been too many moments throughout the previous ones where she told herself off for not reading more on a single topic.

Aurora was more of an agent of comfort, and it was sort of an even bigger anxiety attack to see Rory not even care anymore. Had she had her breaking point?!

"Black...Care to join us peasants?" Lily had swatted to Severus but Aurora simply chuckled at the greeting. 

"Nice to see you too Snape, you ready to wow the members of Saint Mungos?" She cooed, the feud was only between Severus as well as the rest of the marauders. Truthfully it was just James and Sirius.

So it was odd for either Snape and Evans to see Aurora here right now, but the girl was a people person. Not really in matter that she was conversing with a mudblood or halfie.

With that being said the girl asked questions and answer, waving her wand up in the air to manipulate the swish of a leaf back and forth that it swirled around and around.

That was the biggest entertainment as the poor girl was gaining a migraine. Huffing in damnation did she lean up, after that with her present known her flock had called her over for a moment.

She left her satchel back with the two as she was answering the given questions that her friends had needed to be explained.

After all this she felt herself not needing to get creative and think of anything, but truthfully she could this in her sleep if she wanted to.

However it had been a rather distinct voice that brought her out of an explanation. "Who wants to see me take of Snivellus' pants?" James roared. There were cheers and woops from the many people who were watching.

Aurora saw James raise his wand and she responded in a flash. Rushing over on quick legs as she looked in awe at the scene before her. Lily had gone to check if Snape was alright while shouting "I rather pick the giant squid over you, you arrogant toerag!"

Rory felt sick to her stomach as she saw the worst possibly reaction to come from the Slytherin as he simply shouted his own form of anger: "Get off me! I don't need help from a filthy little mudblood like you!"

It was as if time had evidently stopped, the reason Aurora intervened was due to their animagius status and if Snape ratted them out they would be fucking screamed.

Lily had backed away and almost fell had it not been for Aurora's firm grip to pull her away. "How dare you! She was trying to help you ungrateful git!" She roared, and truth be told it felt immensely better to have Aurora by her side and fighting against the lot of boys and their feud.

But Severus was on a warpath as he sneered to look at Aurora with just as much distaste as the rest. "A freak and a mudblood...Is that why Raba doesn't want to marry you?" Severus growled, the ending taunt had been low enough for the two girls to hear, but the repeat of the 'm' word and 'freak' was loud enough for most of the crowded audience to hear.

Ms.Black suddenly felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, she...She wasn't a freak? Was she? She tried to stay strong but she flinched in rememberence, so she summoned her satchel with her wand sticking far out as an extensionon.

Walking straight up to the halfblooded wizard, did she grip his collar to pull him up. "Let's get one thing straight halfie, at least I don't have to try to get accepted." She renstated, and it was horribly true to Mr.Snape. But to end it all did Aurora lean back and punch the git straight cracked in the nose.

Course after that nobody could've managed to talk to her, even Lily who had felt the weight of Severus' words as well. But the entire situation was fresh and demanding to be gossiped throughout the school.

Aurora Black had defended a Mudblood. 

Severus Snape had called out a Mudblood.

Yet as Rory lost the crowd, she let all her tears come straight out for the paintings to hear. They knew her as this happy-go-lucky Ravenclaw who could make a conversation with anyone and now she was looking entirely pained by one word.

It had been just that single bloody word. Freak.

There was nothing else to it, deep down she was worried on how different she was to here family and now...To hear a peer and classmate say something to that degree? It hurt. 

It hurt more than anything else.

The comments mother makes was one thing, or the fights at home...But here? Hogwarts was meant to be peaceful from all that bloody torture. But here she was, looking at a painting of a kind looking women who looked worried more than happy as the background and colors would've provided.

"Mein Kind, was ist los?" [My child, what is wrong?]

Aurora pushed herself up, shaking her head at the idea of a soothing German actually being a helping hand in this ordeal and so she moved on forward. Attempting to go to the path towards the common room, however, luck was not on her side as Rabastan and his mates, as well as Nott and Syenclair were all in one group.

"Rory!" He shouted, pleased on how the progress of their relationship had turned. But as soon as he saw her, stopped in the middle of the hallway with tears prominently on her face did he hand off his bag to Avery before rushing over towards her.

"Hey...Heyheyhey, darling what's wrong?" He cooed, in such a whisper that nobody in the world would hear other than her. But she wiggled out of his hold, not wanting to talk at all had she seen turned around to see the dumbest group in existence.

They were torturing Snape just because, James asked Lily out thinking it'd finally work. And when Aurora came into the picture to counter the hex, Severus had turned out to be an arse.

The entire situation flashed back into her mind as she simply stepped aside from him while she attempt to get through the sea of Slytherin.

Course they would listen to Lestrange on whether to let her by or not. But the way Aurora Black rose her head and aimed it straight to the first Slytherin in her way showed the side of Bellatrix that nobody ever knew exsistened.

"Move." She ordered, but there was a line of loyalty to Snakes among them. Yet the fear McNair displayed was too easily to match, so when her eyes gestured to the rest they instantly moved away and allowed her to pass.

"Aurora!" Rabastan shouted after her but there was no fucking use as Sirius attempted to a different way. But Aurora knew more than a few hiding places...Yet it ended up with her going to the willow, staying there passed dinner as well. And without the full moon there was really no purpose of the building at all.

Yet here she was, sitting in the corner crying her heart out as she tried to place the notion of being scared of the labeling.

Freak.

What did it even mean?

Course she took herself off the map and gave the Mauarders a run for their money, but it was also the Slytherins that were looking for her as well. With everyone patrolling the castle it was the last place anyone would ever think to check, or in the Snakes instance...Not even an option.

It was cold and all the warming charms in the world wouldn't help her. Instead she sat down against the wall and hid herself into her risen knees and hooked arms to keep them in place.

They'd find her eventually, she knew it all too well.

She didn't want to feel weak, but in reality what was the point? She said something vial back and ultimentaly if she wanted to she could besmirch the name of Snape for all eternity, but that's low even for her standards.

Running away from Rabastan was one instance, but was it true? Did he even want to marry her? He didn't want to discuss it was her nor think about it for him and his own mates or her brothers, so perhaps he just hates the idea in general.

It made Aurora pity his wife, and it already shared a distaste for her own future spouse. He's expect the same from her than what their father does to their mother, all these thoughts and looming dreads had Ms.Black just sob louder.

With her distracted, it was all too easy to engulf her into a massive bear hug and sooth her weak posture. She's been missing for hours and only one thought of where she could be, and he smelled like chocolate and was oh so warm.

She clung to him as the evening tempterature was still not very summerlike, and she comformed into his hold as he squeezed her, knowing how she was feeling, knowing what Snape had said.

But he sat in silence and rendered himself thankful to have found her, although every part of him wanted to leave the shreaking shack, he didn't want to disturb her at all. She was starting to calm down, but it was the looming idea of everything revolving growing up that made her want to stay planted...Right here.

As Remus' biggest task at the current moment was warming her up and just getting her to calm down, it was when she finally looked up and into his eyes that it was the knowing silence that he had heard Snape's taunt.

"I...He—" 

"We heard Rory, we heard...Your brother is this close in tearing down the Slytherin door." That sounded like him entirely, but she sighed even further. She shouldn't have gotten invovled, but in Remus' eyes she was simply defending Lily's honor and was that wrong?

"L-lils? Where is—" 

"She's locked herself in her dorm room, not that she would really like us going to see her. But maybe that'd help?" He offered, but her eyes soon darted around as she felt immensely guilty for hiding here.

"Rem you shouldn't be here." Confusion now washing over him did he simply follow her train of thought which caused him to chuckle. 

"You're telling me? Rory you're freezing...We need to get you warm." He let go of her for just a second to remove his cloak and wrap it up and over hers, she desperately needed to get warm and so he aided her to unsteady feet and went straight towards the building. The odd stares were one thing, but Rory knew that the backlash of what defending Lily would be.

She just hoped deep down she would drag Snape and the rest of them with her.

She hated the m word with ever fiber of her being, it even made her cringe more times than not hearing it come from her own lips that faithful return back home for Easter break.

But it was mores the shame in hearing two weaknesses, was it because of her refusing him that night in the clocktower? It would've ruined her otherwise, virtue was a very important thing to a women, it meant that they weren't deflowered...

Rabastan always claimed that her personality is what he adored, but was it blood? Was that what he truly found captivating? Course she adored him of all the other reasons, because he listened. He didn't judge, but even then she never expressed her interest in being a potions mistress to him because she assumed it'd lead to the same scrutiny as her mother.

And she was proved wrong in under a second, but that doesn't mean anything. Rabastan actually loved her, any other husband would just think it's faulty to allow her to work.

She'd be damned to be like her mother.

The idea of running away, moving to America...All of it manifested into her mind that she didn't even notice that she was being led to the Gryffindor common room. "No..." She cried, gripping onto Remus' shoulder.

"Rory, come on please...Sirius is—" 

"What they did was wrong!" She rallied, and he sighed. Already going for his famous itching of the back of his neck. "Then why don't you see Lils? I'm sure she'll love to hear from you." As much as it pained her, Aurora knew it was the right thing to do.

And so she nodded as he spoke the word 'Chivalry' before pulling her in, gently of course considering there was never a harsh bone in Remus' body.

The girl didn't take any stares her way as she rushed up the steps to the girl's dormitory, Remus didn't need to give her anymore coaxing than that. However when he did return to their shared dorm room Sirius was there...In tears.

"Tell me you found her Moony, please-" The boy nodded in the instant and it spark a bit of returning color to the mutt as he pushed the tears away.

"I'm gonna kill 'im!" He growls, his temptation getting the better of him that forced Remus to hold him by either side, and Merlin was it not an even match.

Sirius, with the chaser strength that he's gained compared to Moony? No. Perhaps closer to the full moon but not in this instance.

"She's with Lily! Breathe Pads! Just breathe..." Sirius never cried, the only time he believed he's witnessed was sometime durning first year due to the sorting fiasco as well as when he thought for sure his sister had gotten bit.

Sirius had fell onto his arse, almost in the same predicament as Remus had found Aurora in the Shreaking shack. The werewolf calmly restated everything that transpired, he was the firm arm on the shoulder that a father should take to their son every now and again but unfortunately it never truly happened.

Yet here he is, craving that touch, wanting his sister...To protect her from every feeling that low. "You know our mother's like that too...Always saying the most godawful shit about her, saying she's always in the air, floating around, not with us...." He strained his neck in repeating these words.

"A Freak...She's not a freak Moony, goddamnit." He croaks, a deep growl admitting straight from his throat as there was no other response.

However, the knock at the door was ultimently what made Remus jump to his feet. He assumed it'd be Prongs returning back, they had to send Sirius back to the room as it wasn't safe otherwise for him to scower the castle looking for her.

But instead, it was Aurora, her entire face rocking a pink tint as she tried to smile up at Remus who kindly excused himself in search of the other two marauders, his work here done.

As Sirius attempted to get to his own feet, Aurora fell down into his hold almost instantly, just how she sat in Remus' lap she felt even more at ease being in her brother's hold. However unlike the werewolf, Sirius was whispering bits of pleasant memories, but for Aurora some held aggravated plays.

"You're not a freak...You aren't Rory, you're my bright little bird. Snape just wishes he was as smart." Their foreheads touched, their appearance almost like a mirror and yet it seemed intimate to anyone who didn't know who they were to each other.

To Sirius she was his everything, the only gal he'll ever truly love. To Aurora that was his big brother, he has been there her entire life and it was his helping hand that aided her in taking her first steps. She remembered that so kindly in that very moment as she attempted to agree with his words and yet failed to stop the tears from flowing.

But in that very moment, both Aurora and Sirius had started to say "So within?" But the smile erupted on either side as they nodded to one another and simultaneously responded with the next line.

Aurora was still cold in comparison to everything, even wearing Remus' robe. "Lily didn't want to talk to me." She started up the conversation, it had been a few moments as Sirius started up the rooms furnace. Even if it was fairly warm in here already, he just wanted his sister to be somewhat comfortable.

Yet she still shivered, probably on how stress-ridden her body is. The potion practical is tomorrow and he knows how damned important it is that she proves herself to her parents.

"Why not? She think it's your fault that Snivilius said—" 

"Snape could've outted me, outted Remus...I had it under control but you—You lot had to risk it, didn't you." His eyes widened, sweet Merlin he hadn't thought of any of that!

"Rory I...I never even—" 

"Course not, I'm always eight steps ahead remember. That's my job." At first she disregarded his touch, but sank in all the more as he snuck his way up and around. "And what's my job?" 

"Big brother Siri, to be the eldest and carry on the Black legacy...Also I called Snape a Halfie after...After what he said." He chuckled, still seeing her refuse to interject the blood rasism.

Granted Snape started it and he's the one with a Muggle father so there is a bit of a nameless back and forth there.

"How's your hand?" He offered, Aurora was never one to get that physical but he was proud that she threw a punch. That it was person to person contact, that she didn't need a wand to handle a situation.

"It's fine, better than his nose." She cocked a smile as she rubbed the soreness out of her bruising hand. 

"Sure Moony has something to heal it up...Can't have anything in your way tomorrow." He tried to lighten the situation, he truly did. But the fear of rejection still plagued her mind.

Had he told Snape the truth? Was that what this is?

"Someone really smart told me that talking is better than letting the mind wander." He spoke, digging through the medical bag that was under Moony's bed. But it was enough to get her attention away from the fire for a second or two. "And who said that?" 

"Probably you or Remus, what else did Snivilius say?" She knew it was coming, even if the rest of the audience couldn't have possibly heard it, so she huffed as he started to put the sap onto her offered hand. His firms on massaging it in, he didn't have to take that extra step but he knew she needed help in talking about it.

"That Raba doesn't want to marry me..." She croaks out, and he stopped any and all contact with her just in the moment. "You—You want to marry the bastard?!"

Was it that big of an offense to think that far ahead? Two years, that's all they had left of school and then what?

"Is that so wrong?... At least I know him rather some older bloke or—" Sirius was at a loss, he'd been so caught up in his mates and other shit that he had completely forgotten about that arrangement, not that he knew who he was going to marry or when. None of the children of this generation knew, but his parents did indeed have someone for their eldest...And it was a sore spot in managing to get through to them in barigen.

"Snivlius said this or Lestrange?" 

"Snape." She offered, hiding herself further into her shell as he was mistakenly blown out of his mind.

Marriage...Marriage?

Then there would be no way to help her, she would be tied down even further in this lifestyle and then what? Children?

He swallowed a growl from Padfoot's distaste as he didn't want anyone near her like that. Especially that way. It made the bial rise up further and further as he forced himself to look away.

"I've accepted—" 

"Bullshit. Rory that's bullshit and you know it." She closed her eyes and nodded again, her brother despised the family and deep down she knew he was holding out for her and Reg. So what was going to be in his way after this, when he knows she agrees with it.

"You think mother and father had a choice? Me? You? Reg? We don't Siri, and weren't born in the Potter's or Lupins. And I won't always be a Black. I just can't figure out if Rabastan fancies me for me. And not what his parents are offering him in praise or—or that my blood is attraictive...It's sick, and I just watched Lily get tormented by her best friend since before Hogwarts all because he wants in what we want out of!" Her rant opened his eyes, they burned a bit with the fill up of tears. But there was no chance in Circi's name that he would look away from her again.

"It's sick the way he looks at you, however it is...But it's more than just the blood Rory. Maybe part of it sure, but even as children he'd watch you..." 

"So? I was the first girl that wasn't related to him, but I guess all things considering that wouldn't stop it either." The knowing look the two siblings gave to one another as being the product of inbred made Sirius shiver and Aurora sick to her stomach.

"That doesn't make you a freak you know...Snvilius he's, he's into the dark arts to fit in with his snake friends but they don't even want him." 

"Sure they want him now, after disclaiming Lily as a friend...And I vocally stood up for her and against him, merlin I'm screwed when we get home!" She cried, course it was then that there was a small knock on the door.

She shrugged at it as Sirius told them it was alright to come in. Remus was the first, smiling ever so widely to see her at least looking better and warmer.

But partenly because she was still wearing his robe.

"Turned Gryffindor have you?" He cooed, taking a seat beside her. The smile was contagious as she shrugged. "For the moment...Lily didn't want to talk." Lupin frowned at that insight and Sirius rolled his eyes.

Evan's would always call his mate an arrogant toe rag but god forbid that the girl who stood up for her wouldn't get the time a day to see if everything's alright.

"What...What do you mean?" 

"She asked if I was going to call her a 'm' word too, but that's probably because I called Snape a halfie." Remus flinched at how normally she spoke it, and she looked to her werewolf friend in great distatain as it hurt her for repeating it.

Everything was caught in the moment due to James' sadistic vibe of the hour and for what? Aurora didn't blame Prongs at all, he didn't force Snape to say the 'm' word or to attack herself mentally.

"What did Lestrange say to you?" She simply eyed Remus and shook her head, her boyfriend didn't do rightly anything wrong in that moment he just wanted to know what was wrong.

And here she was, in the mist of being who she is or who her parents want her to be. Sirius was overall silent beside his sister as there wasn't much else the two needed to discuss.

Aurora was just submitting to the life, but he wouldn't bow down. Not at all, and it hurt him to the ends of the earth that one day he would leave...Just didn't know when.

*

It came time for the five of them to get some sleep, and when Sirius offered Aurora denied the first few times. It was only until she realized that she'd need to walk to her dorm room and she pouted back to her brother to ask to stay.

Course he was all too ready to hand over some pajamas, the boys accommodated her perfectly. Shifting the bed a bit bigger so the two could be comfortable, and although Remus was feeling awfully nervous about the OWLs exam that next morning, it was a sort of good luck charm now that Aurora wore his robe as well as being the given few feet away.

The two siblings didn't go to bed straight away though, Sirius shifted into Padfoot and she smiled. Petting the mutt as none of the others could hear them with the charm on.

"Hey Snuffles, at least you're never a git." The whine slowly turned into a pitiful growl but she bopped his nose in clarification. "Oi you in there can be a git sometimes, but not now...I love you Siri." She whispered, finding her comfort in his actual human hold as he switched back so soon after.

"Love you too lil sis." He kisses her one last time, and unfortunately for Remus who was listening in as he sighed into the pillow. That his best mate was allowed to hold Aurora in such an intimate way that he only wished that the pillow he was clutching was indeed her...

Had he heard the conversation prior to their arrival, perhaps his dream would've been completely different.

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Date Posted: 03-22-19

Time: 3:17

Words: 5486