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Cassiopeia Aurora Black had been packed since the morning prior to their train ride, but with the award ceremony the previous night. Now she had seven plaques to pack as well.

She received one for her position as a Chaser, Alchemy, Care of Magical Creatures, Potions as well as Transfiguration. And for all the smirks in the world on Dumbledore's end, a reward for achieving the first rank all seven years of Hogwarts.

Something that she didn't even know she bloody accomplished.

She didn't want to count the Ravenclaw award as one ether, but it was indeed a plaques in her trunk resting with the others.

Her name was plastered on one of trophy halls, and every subject did she manage a picture with them. Side by side. Hilariously enough, Sirius had managed to get the male reward of Transfiguration.

What a shocker...Considering he had the most trouble taming Padfoot.

She had taken a moment to look at the dorm room, the exact copy she had been staying in for the last seven years. Her reach from high childhood, teenage years...All the way to young adult.

Strange wasn't even the right word, it was...Misleading.

Part of her was ready to continue forward, while the other part of her wanted to restart. The fear in seeing her mother again was one issue, as was the Order's coin at the bottom of her trunk.

She'd put it safely with Sirius' textbook in hopes she'll remember to look at either. But here she was, completely numb to this being her final train ride.

So why did she feel sick to her stomach? Why did she find it so hard to get up this morning?

"Rory, I promise we'll have fun this summer...Alright?"

"Having fun this summer is the least of my concerns Raba." She mumbled in reply, so there were other things at stake. He wanted her to talk through these problems.

Was it her home?

Was it Sirius?

The list was practically endless, and to be fair...Aurora wondered how much longer she and Rabastan had before someone else would make the claim.

She knew little to nothing about it, but it would have to happen sooner rather than later. But a distraction of that was Lestrange putting his arm over her shoulder and kissing her crown.

"Take a nap then love, we're almost at king's crossing." She hummed, settling further into his hold once again. He smiled down at her. His little Ravenclaw managed to get five awards last night, he was happy that he received the Artcimacy award at the very least. But seven!?

Suppose she couldn't receive them all.

She was quick to fall asleep, so he categorized her behavior as being exhausted.

Something he was going to tell her father about, it would be believable no doubt...Considering the NEWTS and how a Ravenclaw like herself lost sleep over it.

More than most.

He did wake her a bit before the train stopped, just so she could wake up a fraction more than having to get straight off the train and meet her family.

"Did you want to come to my manner for a bit instead?" The hint of excitement flash through her eyes, but she was so exhausted that being over someone's house just seemed rude.

"I'll probably end up falling asleep again Raba...That's unfair for you." He hummed, knowing she was definitely going to pass out.

She surprised him as she attempted to get up. "Oi, I have to get dressed...Can you watch Omen?" He narrowed his eyes down to the cat in question.

The two of them recently had a falling out as he hadn't noticed her presence and almost stepped on her.

"Fine...I'll take her with me. Five minutes." She whispered, kissing him quickly before hurrying off the loo to get dressed. It didn't really take five minutes to get ready, it just gave her plenty of time to splash some water into her face and attempt to not be as dreary as Rabastan worried on about her.

For the first time in months did she not have to worry about anything academically until later.

She was free...But still bound by family obligations, at least now she was becoming of herself properly.

Omen found herself planted on her human's shoulder and balanced herself accordingly. But it was threatened as Wes tackled her with a hug. "Merlin Wes! I need to breathe!" She giggled, looking up to her friend.

"This is it huh?... Funny, I remember our friendship starting like it was yesterday."

"It feels like that doesn't it?... Promise you'll write?" He smiled brightly, she offered up her address and he pocketed it quickly.

"Not the entire reason I'm here actually, someone wanted to give you this." She narrowed her eyes down to the small box, considering there was only a few people on the short list that would want to gift something to her...But couldn't present it themselves, Aurora pocketed it as well.

"Tell him I'll write to him when I can...Thank you Wesly, you've been a true friend these past few years at Hogwarts. I couldn't ask for anything more." He attempted to not be emotional but it was a troubling mention.

Wes had been a bit outcasted by his male roommates as he was different. Aurora was the least concerned about his sexuality, if someone was kind, she would return it.

"Stay safe this summer Wes." She whispered, kissing his cheek before returning back towards Rabastan. He carefully eyed the cat once more before beaming up to his little Ravenclaw.

"You know, you could try apologizing to Omen...I don't like seeing you two fighting." He chuckled, shaking his head as he cast it off without a second thought.

Mrrr!

"Omen!" She scolded, holding her beloved kitten closer to her chest to soothe her. Regulus was laughing at the entire scene as Rabastan looked downright shocked that a blood cat had the final say.

"Merlin, I'm sorry I almost stepped on you Omen. But you were just lying under some books. Truth?" The black feline blinked a few times as she looked up Rabastan, the twitch of her nose paired with a long closing of her eyes had Aurora smile.

"Well would you look at that, she's forgiven you."

"Some cat whisperer you are." Regulus chuckled, Lestrange had no idea how much his sister was indeed a cat whisperer. And just like the petty kitten she is, she nuzzled closer towards her human and cuddled.

The knowing glance still held resentment but it was enough to get through the next few meetings.

As Aurora peeked out of the window she huffed. "I could do with some Felix Felicis right now..." She mumbled, and Reg shook his head.

"Father is picking us up, I think mother is off with Cissy or something. Stop worrying Rory, this summer will fly by quickly. Just you wait." Regulus had awaited for a settling smirk on his soon to be brother in law, but instead a wink was the settling difference.

"How about this, you're almost eighteen. You'll be allowed more range at your internship now with Otto." That gained a smile, but it was the seconds that followed that had the train slow down in speed before finally...Stopping all together.

The eager faces of family members sprouted left and right, but Aurora stayed planted...If only for a moment, the gift that Sirius had managed to get to her beforehand was burning...Itching to be addressed.

Instead she looked off to Rabastan and took his awaiting hand, how he could be so patient with her was beyond her at this point. But now they left arm in arm, waiting to get their trunks and managing to get to where Mr.Black was awaiting alongside Narcissa.

"See, look at them. All bright and ready to relax this summer Orion." Cissy chuckled, in taking her young cousin fitfully in her arms.

Kissing her temple while pinching Regulus' cheek.

"And? How'd it go?"

"You mean the eight awards that Rory snagged at the ceremony? Think the last one they made especially for her." Aurora glared at her boyfriend, but he just managed to kiss her cheek. A rather unapologetic action, though it did extend the laughter in this group of five.

Orion soon engulfed his daughter into his own hug, his hand firmly against her head as he remembered kindly doing that was she was a babe.

"Eight?!" Her father gasped.

"Hm, and the last was for being ranked first all my years of Hogwarts." She earned around kiss on her forehead before bringing her back to his chest.

"Did you have a good final year?" He whispered, and she nodded once again. But opening her eyes did they instantly connect to Sirius.

He was staring at her, longing to have the final embrace that they had missed that very day. Orion had caught onto her daughter's unnatural silence.

So his own eyes caught onto where she was looking off to, his protective grasp tightened as he blocked her from his view.

He didn't want to, but it was the only way to leave without a scene being made. Sirius fought back his own tears as he watched from across the given ways, Remus locking a hand onto his mate's shoulder, an understanding to this agony as Lupin was more than an empath when it came to the two siblings.

"Is he still looking..." She whispered, and her father hummed in agreement as he turned their bodies to the deeply embedded conversation just to their side.

"Did you see Otto?"

"Yes, and I met more of his colleagues...I actually wanted to talk to you about their offers at—" Rabastan had instantly interjected. "Sure that could wait a day love, she's in need of a long sleep Sir. Caught her sleeping in the library loads of times."

"Rabastan!" She had wanted to curse but it wasn't the time or the place.

"No, he's right Cassi. You need to rest...We'll see you both for dinner soon?" Both Mrs.Malfoy and Rabastan had said their goodbyes for the current moment while Orion took his children and back to the manner.

Regulus knew how sentimental Rory was with having her final time as a student, and she looked almost lost at being a graduate.

"Where's m—"

"Your mother is off with her gal friends, relax a bit Cassi...Let me see those awards, want to prop one up in my study." He spoke, cupping one of her cheeks in admiration.

She hovered both her trunk and Regulus' up the steps, but stopped at the body to address Kreacher.

"Young mistress graduate, young mistress want tea? Kreacher make tea?"

"Yes Kreacher that would be lovely, I missed your brew quite a bit." The elf instantly went to serve the whims of her kind mistress and hurried along to complete the task.

As the children were unpacking for a small bit, Regulus found that he was all too easily finished with the task and made his way to check on Aurora.

Rabastan voiced just that morning that Rory was worried on what their mother was excited for this summer. It was the wedding, it must be.

So since Lestrange couldn't be here more than socially acceptable without a proper proposal in place. Rory was just organizing some books on her shelf.

"Have I caught you already?"

"Oh sod off Reg, I'm just organizing." Her fiery temper returned, which had him beam at the sight.

"It's alright, I believe you when you said you wanted to take a break from—Where did you get all these?" A smirk rallied on her face as she motioned for him to join her at the floor.

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!" He rasped, and she rolled her eyes at how instantly childish the two of them become. So she gobbled him up with a tackling hug, wrapping her arms around him and planting her head from behind.

"I found the room of requirements. Reg it was beautiful! There were so many lost books, I wish I could've taken more." It was on two accounts that Regulus was confused, especially when all she returned with was books.

"It's real?!"

"Of course, I'll tell you where it is before you start in September." The young master was already excited for his sixth year, Merlin how odd would it feel without his sibling and elder friends.

But he was starting to come into his own person, rather quickly now that he was being conducted into a few outer circles of the Dark Lord's whims.

"I have something else to share, but you can't say a bloody thing." He nodded once again, eagerly. So when she snapped off the necklace around her neck she gestured for Regulus to hold it while she summoned a book.

"Er, it's pretty? Lestrange does have an acquired taste."

"He didn't give it to me...She did." She motioned to the picture of her house's founder and he clutches the necklace further in fear of dropping the damn necklace.

The necklace in his hand is priceless, and the saucers in his eyes staring at her with the same childlike happiness.

Regulus decided to aid his sister just a bit, she wanted to read these in a particular order. But another knock at the door sounded as Orion was delighted to see both his children occupied.

"Are you two hungry, I've attempted to tell Kreacher to hold off on an early dinner but he's on his own track mind." He chuckled, but seeing his daughter finally settled in relaxed him as well.

"I could eat."

"Didn't you have a pastry on the train Reggie?" He nudged her rather playfully, but then Orion had spited the golden awards off on her bed.

"Merlin's beard Cassi, potions and Alchemy..."

"Otto defiantly had a hand in that, he hinted it after my practical exam." She smiled up. Orion had duplicated the 7-year streak of her first ranking as he held it tightly.

"Rory was a life saver for those notes before my exams...We should have brownies to celebrate."

"Oh there will be celebration soon enough, where do you think your mother is currently?" He chuckled, and his little Cassi rolled her eyes.

"Probably planning a party. Again."

"We can't have our eldest go without a graduation party, especially after these achievements." He spoke, pride dripping off of every word he spoke.

It caused a genuine smile to appear on his daughters face, her aura showcasing throughout the entire manner. So much so that Walburga had felt it the second she came through the floo.

"Ah, that'll be your mother...Perhaps we'll have dates to when the actual party is." The two children nodded but continued off with the task of Aurora's bookshelf.

Orion came down the steps to see his wife fixing her appearance in the mirror, he already knew Walburga is vain and sadistic, but they have already been married close to two decades.

Their lives have been intertwined for that long and thus they've learned to coexists.

Much like Bella and her husband.

"How was tea darling?" He cooed, which caused Walburga to glance over. Unwillingly of course, but she needed to make the example for her daughter to be of the same standard to following her husband.

"Grand as always, are the children all settled?"

"Regulus is helping Cassiopeia with her books at the moment." He caught her eyeing what was in his grasp, so being the cutting Black that he is...He came right up behind her, watching her reaction in the mirror as she stared down to the Plaque.

The startled gasp echoed in the foyer and it secured Orion's smirk.

"Will you continue to battle through her education?... Not only will she bring the Black name further, but the Lestranges will also be gifted a very talented potions mistress."

Walburga Black could no longer ignore the bright witch they have under their belt, her ambition could be multiple tasked alongside children.

Truth be told he wanted grandchildren, but he was willing to wait.

It would be apart of the agreement that he managed to set up in discussion with the betrothed. He knew Cassi would have a magnitude of questions, so Rabastan had to be prepared to answer them on the spot.

Walburga continued throughout the manner and smiled down to her two children as they looked happy to be back. Something motherly sparked into her as she looked into her daughter's trunk and finished the rest of the unpacking.

Luckily Aurora already put the coin and book under her pillow. But right there had Mrs.Black take a good look at the rest of the awards her daughter received.

"Congratulations Cassiopeia...We'll celebrate with your favorite bottle of wine!" The mother squealed rushing to add a request to the feast Kreacher was set on preparing for the young children of the home.

Aurora turned to her brother in a complete and utter question of what happened.

"Do you think Kreacher spiked their food? They're too...Cheery." She spoke, her attention once again going to the door but then it was a distracting notion of reading the cover a book.

"How long do you think you can go without reading Rory?"

"Well, I've sort of scheduled my time since I'm not engaging any leisure reading." He rolled his eyes, but it was so like his sister to plan other activities such as this.

She was going to make the most of this summer...Even if her mother's knowing glances were causing an upbeat of stress with every passing minute.

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Date Posted: 04-17-19

Time: 8:30

Words: 3007