✧TELLING THOSE CLOSEST✧

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***

Aria had owled Regulus to arrive sometime in the afternoon, knowing full well that she hadn't been getting up that early since she found out she was in fact carrying a babe.

Though at the stroke of twelve, there'd been a knock at her door and an instant tackle from the lad before her. "Ari! Merlin this was such a good idea! I've missed you." He said, hugging her further and enjoying her warmth, she laughed as she hardly managed to close the door with the way his excitement surprised her.

"I've missed you too Reg, we should do this more often. Summer will be easier, promise." She claimed, though her future looked much more open-ended than it did last month.

She soon led him to the room's couch and stirred up the fire with her wand, he started talking about how he's doing class and just in general. It was much more lively than a fruitless parcel between them ever so often, and she just sat and smiled.

This is what she needed, though at least with Regulus he couldn't really tell her what for what. Not like her older brother could do. Not being the youngest with Regulus was beautiful.

But what she needed right now was a look into the pureblood world, and his loyalty would always be on her or with her. That's what she needed, so she sipped kindly to her butterbeer. Realizing that this had been a craving she never knew needed to be filled, and decided to purchase a few kegs to be sent home with her.

"You sounded rather urgent in your owls, has the bastard done anything lately?" Her eyes flew up and she gulped. "W-what do you mean?"
"Father's been saying 'Bas has been on his best behavior, I think he even gave him a compliment. Imagine that!"
"He has been helping me with my legal struggles, both him and his father. I appreciate that they've been putting my work and getting the actual potion approved..." She explained, and of course Regulus' gushing words of excitement for her had rang further.

Until it turned silent.

Very silent.

And Aria had burst into tears in the fear of being an issue or causing a problem. But Regulus had jumped at the motion of comforting her. "I'm sorry your potion is being difficult, but it'll be worth it in the end. Come now Ari, there's no need to cry."
"It's not the potion Reg, it's...Well it was, but I came here to tell you something, and I don't want you to angry with me."
"That'll be pretty hard, I don't think we've ever gotten into a fight, have we?...Is it Rabastan? I can beat him up the next chance I get, no worries. He doesn't scare me." Her face betrayed her as she cried further at the mention of him once again.

"What did he do to you, Aria?" The voice had resembled their father and brother outright and caused her to pout. But he held his own well against a sobbing witch and so pulled away.

"I don't know how to say it without just blurting it out." She honestly admits and this caused Regulus to frown further.

"Ari, if it's bad we can go to father, that'll set him straight. Nothing is scarier than an angry Orion Black. I can promise you that." She cracked a smile through her puffy eyes, and thus she chuckled while wiping her eyes clear of tears.

"Yeah...I don't think I got a smile the first time I met him."
"He's like that with most people, now tell me. Before I decide to join you on the train back home." She went forward to take his hand to grasp his own, causing him to shiver at how cold the damn things were—Thus he overlapped them and started to make a bit of friction to warm her up.

Though when the words had fallen out of her mouth, he stopped outright.

Aria could almost hear his heart beating against his coat and she sighed down with her eyes squeezed shut. "I didn't mean for this to happen, you have to believe me." Regulus groaned into his hands.

"Merlin Ari, do you know what they do to witches who are pregnant out of wedlock?!" A loud sniffle had caused her to turn away, she knew her brother didn't mean to be...Mean.

She knew that she wouldn't receive a slap on the back, but damnit it's not like she didn't think about being assassinated already.

"Fuck...Fuck! What the fuck Aria, what the hell am I suppose to do with that information?!"
"I had to tell someone Reg, I can't keep it in anymore!" The lad had thrown his palm to his forhead, starting a repetitive pattern in an attempt to brainstorm an idea.

"I don't know what to do..."
"I don't blame you, how long have you known?"
"N-not that long...I'm only a month or so in."
"A-and how long until a babe is born?" Aria let her head fall back to look up at the ceiling.

So perhaps telling her youngest brother wasn't the best option of the bunch.

"Excuse me...But you're the first pregnant witch I've seen in a while, not counting Mrs.Selwyn."
"You mean Rabastan's half-sister—Story for another time. What do you think will happen if—"
"If what? You can't keep this a secret much longer, can you?" She shook her head, taking hold of his hand and gesturing it to touch her stomach.

And it was as if all the bad thoughts had lifted from his mind and body, a curling smile had erupted as he turned his hand to get a better feel.

"I dunno Ari, I don't think there is a right answer to this one...Course the obvious being marriage."
"Knowing his family they'll question if it's even his, course it is...Don't give me that look, do you think I'd be having this internal crisis if it was Scamander's?" He bobbed his head to the side and realized that it would've been a slight blessing if it had been anyone else's other than Lestrange.

"I don't think they'll cart you if I'm honest. Hear me out, Rodolphous and Bella have been married nearly a decade, same with Narcissa. They haven't been close since Cissy's miscarriage or false positive or whatever the hell it had been. If you told them right this moment, I think you'd be alright."
"Isn't it frowned upon?"
"Course, but it'd be worse if you had a child out of wedlock. Mother wouldn't accept you back into the family then." The mere mention of having to claim back her name floated back into her mind.

Another drawback.

"Everything I didn't want seems to come rushing towards me."
"You...You don't want to be a mother?"
"No, no trust me. That's the blessing, but I'm not at my healthiest Reg. I wanted to be healthy and not at risk for myself or them. I meant getting married, re-becoming Aurora. All with a potions release and the stress of carrying a child." The silence had won over, and it allowed her to think.

She didn't want to think.

"Not to mention Rabastan's going to hate me for all eternity—"
"Now why would you say that? Think the bloke would be ecstatic if I'm being frank. He's loved you for a while now, besides the bump in the road. I'm not that much of a lad to pretend that you two don't...Shag. But if you allowed him back in, that must mean something, right?" She nodded once more, her mind automatically going to soothe the fetus.

"And better yet, I'm going to be an uncle. So you best listen here lil one, you take good care of your mummy—And make sure to snitch on your father all the damn time. Oh, wouldn't that be a lovely sight?"
"I suppose. But I think you're forgetting how difficult it is to raise a child." Regulus frowned once more, claiming that he never knew.

And then it hit her—Walburga must've left them in the care of elves their entire lives.

"Right...Well I don't think I'm going to go to Lestrange's doorstep to beg."
"They know that by now, but you're limited, Ari. If you want to keep seeing Rabastan or let him have a relationship with whoever is in here, you'll need to get married. Otherwise he can never marry you."

And it felt like the Hogwarts Express had struck her outright.

"What would father do?"
"Our father? Oh god Ari, I don't want to scare you but he'd probably murder Rabastan." Well that was defiantly an option she was open to. As it takes two to create this lil fellow.

"Merlin, you should be excited about this. Not crying in an inn... Let's go out and do something!" The childish expression on his face could only boost her attuned and thus he waited for her to get dressed.

"Perhaps we'll see Wyatt, I need to tell him too."
"He'll be just as happy if not happier. I would've loved a sibling younger than me." He furthered explained, and Aria had come forth to pitch his cheek.
"And that's why you're my favorite." His eyes grew wide and his smile didn't fault the rest of the day.

Even if Aria's attention had shifted to her little Hufflepuff, the two had been excused as Aria already owled ahead of time. So they didn't need to return with everyone else, better yet, they could enjoy dinner without interruption or a rush.

The only issue is that she hadn't told Regulus about what happened at the Orphanage, which might be problematic as it was an excuse to keep Wyatt here...Though he probably found out by now.

In short, Wyatt had been more than ecstatic—He was in a rush to meet the baby that hardly had a chance to even grow into a sizable swell. Though that was probably the Hufflepuff in him, to be loyal and happy with this bit of news.

He was warned by both Reg and Aria that he couldn't tell Rabastan yet, and that only gave him a boost of confidence having been told second out of everyone.

The only issue now was that Wyatt was not the best liar, so Aria knew that the time crunch was even smaller than it was before. Thankfully it was easier to hide away in parcels, now she had the undying support of both her brother and son in the form of parcels.

Yet the issue is that her stomach was growing a bit everyday. Some more than others it felt like, but Regulus had finally blessed her with the best advice one could give their estranged pregnant sister.

To call in reinforcements of their own uncle Alphard.

*

Telling Uncle Alphard had been nothing short of a blessing, come to find out. He had more of a spike than Aria herself. First, he had been pleased to hear that he'd be old enough to be a 'great uncle', and that had her laugh, though she cried right alongside him as he mentioned the stress and that she didn't deserve to suffer through it.

Now came the difficult part, reigning in her own father—Which of course should've come as Eli, but in the world that they lived in...Perhaps it would be better to get the hardships out of the way first.

"Now remember, he won't lay a finger on you. Not while your pregnant and not while I'm here."
"My father wouldn't hit me...H-has he done that before?"
"Perhaps it was best that you forgot a few things, that isn't something to worry about right now. Keep your head up high and relax, we'll sort this out soon enough."

Alphard and Aria had decided that the perfect time to meet up with Orion would be without Walburga in the house for starters, and then get a drink or two in him to mellow it out.

It wasn't odd this meeting, as Aria would be talking about her facility's finances and act as though she was having trouble understanding it and wanted a second pair of eyes. Course there'd be nothing wrong with it, but men liked to be needed.

Alphard's words, not her own. Though she did agree with them outright.

"Aria, my little light, how are you?" She smiled up to her father and kissed him on the cheek.
"Good, stressed, but a good stressed."
"It's what I like to hear from my Ravenclaw."
"Oi, he acts like you're the only one of your kind. I don't recall you ever looking over my business ventures without rolling your eyes." Orion had fought the urge to do it now in front of both his daughter and brother, but Aria snickered in her wrist to see he had done it once his back had turned away.

The two praised her for what she's done so far, and once they finished they had decided to take a bit of a break. Though the issue with that being there couldn't be smoke—Course Orion thought it was because of her health, and that was true.

But even wizards knew not to smoke in front of pregnant women.

"Aria did have something else to discuss with you, but under no reason are you to react out of line, Orion."
"When did you become such a father?" The man teased, causing Alphard to pout.
"Now that you mention it I was looking into a bit of an adoption, I can't help myself when it comes to spoiling that Hufflepuff of hers." Aria laughed and claimed that Wyatt loved to be doted on and thus, she said that perhaps Alfie could take him on an adventure this summer.

He had her blessing, but as of yet, she needed her father's blessing.

"What is it that you needed to speak to me about...? If it's a loan Aria, I really don't mind. It's just sitting there."
"No, I've managed to sort through it, no worries on that end."
"But there is something for me to worry about?" She nodded, her eyes darting left and right before landing on Alphard.

His face screamed of support and endless love, but it was still hard for her to manage.

"What I'm about to tell you—you aren't going to like, at all..."
"What is going on?" He deemed, his smile having instantly been extinguished by the sound of worry offering in her voice.

"My little light, there is nothing to be scared about. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can fix it. Yes?" It was rather a parallel to see how either Regulus or their father had reacted in her moment of weakness.

But that still didn't aid her stomach from doing backflips.

"It can't get better if you don't get past the worst of it, remember that darling." Orion frowned at Alphard, clearly offended that he knows first and foremost. But the father had wrapped around his desk and leaned up against the front, his hands coming to cup her cheeks.

"Do not cry, I've seen enough tears on you for a lifetime these last few years."
"But you'll hate me."
"Oh my sweet daughter, no, if you can forgive me for the pain I caused you in giving you up and letting you live your life thinking you were alone, then I can promise whatever it is, it's solvable." That was the issue, it wasn't.

"Well let's not phrase it like that..." Alphard hinted, and Aria tried to shy away from her father's gaze. But he kept tight on her cheek and didn't allow for her to back out now.

"Tell me, the count of three and we'll go from there. Alright?" She nodded, but she could feel the vial betrayal of her stomach start calling out for help.

"One." Orion started, and Aria had managed her to time with a solid inhale and exhale to follow short of the numbers. "Two." Again it allowed a base for what was to be expected.

"Three—"

"I'm pregnant and it's Rabastan's." She said in one failed swoop, recoiling further into her chair as she fought out of her father's hold. Yet he remained froze, as if someone had sent the killing curse and froze him all had once.

The room had instantly gone a degree colder, making her shiver as her father's eyes bounced between either of her's yet again. And in one motion the man had risen up to stand and instantly gone forward to the room's fireplace, it was on for the sole purpose of anesthetic, but the heat wasn't allowed to escape entirely the created barrier.

However, Aria had jumped at the first side of a priceless egg had been pushed off the mantel and onto the floor. Her gasp had instantly caused Alphard to rise forward. "That's enough!"

"Enough! I should burn down the Lestrange estates, they knew what they were doing—They knew. They must've!" Orion had seen his daughter as this prized gem, a beautiful constellation in the stars that couldn't be dismantled, and yet...She had been.

All because of the Lestranges.

"Father wait! No, it's my fault as well. My birth control didn't—"

"And what business do you have fucking that boy?!"

"He isn't a boy, father, he's the same age as I am. And from what I recall, you wanted us to marry at the age of eighteen!"

"That was before I knew you had a brilliant mind and a career that you've worked so hard to achieve! A child will—will set you back years!" Aria didn't want to admit to her father's words, but he was partially right. She would give her care and affection to this child instead of her work.

It was why she had always looked to children as a later topic.

"There's little we can do in this situation Aria, you know where this puts me."
"You?! What about me? Do you think I want a child out of wedlock or for Rabastan to hate me? I will never put blame on this child but I'm worried I'm not ready for—"
"To be a mother, oh no—That isn't what I meant. I was brainstorming ways to kill the lad, you have nothing to worry about. Imagine how happy Eli will be once you tell him." Her lips parted, she for sure knew that Eli and Christine would be ecstatic to hear this news. Considering they've been waiting for grandchildren for a while now.

"How far along are you?"
"The healers say a month or so but it must be farther than that. They're starting to show already." With a slight curse just at the edge of his lips he huffed.

But Aria had decided to calm this situation with his hand grazing the likes of her swelling tum, his huff now turning into a sort of coo. "Nothing short of a blessing, believe me. But they've come at the worse possible time. And they're growing—"
"Quickly, which is why I need to make a decision and I haven't the foggiest clue of what my options are." Orion licked his lips, the first had been on the tip of his tongue, yet his brother stopped him outright.

The silent look between the two had caused the witch to stop her heel to the ground. "I am not terminating this pregnancy, if that's all you're offering then—"
"No. And I wouldn't put you through that either darling. Rather you live as a single mother than that. But this gives power to the Lestranges, they could do all they want with—"
"No they can't, because if they so much as suggest something I don't like, fine! I'll take care of this babe myself. They'll be a Crawford." Orion hummed and Alphard came closer to the two.

"They might be a Crawford, but you have the upper hand with being pregnant with a family who's desperate for an heir." Aria blinked at her Uncle for a moment and then nodded.
"I think that's what Reg said the last time I—"

"You've spoken to Regulus before coming to consult me?"

"I realized my mistake when he asked how long it takes a babe to grow, I just wanted an insider's look. It was either that or Sirius and I am still not a fan of even mentioning the thought of it to him." It had Orion do a double-take towards his daughter, she needed to trust someone and he was glad at least one of her brothers was at least consulting enough to get her to this point.

Or at least steer her in the right direction.

"And how long has your Uncle known?"
"About two days, Ravenclaws listen to each other, brother. I didn't mean to make you angry." It wasn't just a sigh of relief, but one of understanding.

The Slytherin in the room had looked deep into his roaring fireplace, as if it had an answer—Aria was looking to him for an answer.

He promised that he would fix it, hell he needed to fix it.
This was his daughter's life at stake.

"Reg...Reg said usually when a witch winds up pregnant out of wedlock, that the family would—"
"I'd like to see any of the Lestrange's harm a hair on your head, I guess the question is...What do you want to do, Aria?" It was a pretty loaded one for sure, which caused her to snort.

"I'd love to have this babe without any problems, but of course that's not going to end up the way I like." She deemed but Alphard shrugged his shoulder.
"Threaten them to care for the babe on your own, that's a strategy if I've ever heard one. They'd know you could do it too. Let's remember they're still desperate, yeah?" There was a round of nods after what her uncle had added to the conversation, yet her head had been spinning too much that she was forced to sit down.

Sit down and shoved a bit of calming tea by bothering her father and uncle. There were too many logistics to think about, and now hearing about their concerns she was thankful that second-guessing the entire thing.

If she showed that she wanted to get married then the Lestranges have the upper hand, meaning that they could take everything that she owns. Transfer funds, hell, she'd be forced to stop working and they'd control every outlet.

Neither she nor the rest of the Blacks were about to let that happen.

She was asked if there was any evidence that she could use to ensure that it was indeed a Lestrange heir, which had her whisper that the date of conception was around Rabastan's birthday—And that Radolphous had met her for breakfast.

Well that was certainly a bit of leverage, the potion?

Aria excused herself for a moment, finding her own sanctuary in her old room that was exactly the same to when she visited it the last time. Holding onto one of the many plushies she cried softly to herself, sniffling and trying to calm the nerves that bound her to make a decision.

"Aria?" The voice had called out, and she had to pry her eyes open—Having fallen asleep above the bed's covers only to see her father in the doorway.
"Sorry darling, I didn't mean to wake you. Would you like to stay tonight?" She nodded again, knowing that she didn't want to be alone right now—Or at all.

"We'll sort this through."
"It's not going to end well, and what am I supposed to tell this child? That their mother and father rushed to get married because they appeared?" Today's struggles seemed to have thinned out Orion's hair outright, and he came forward to sit beside her on the bed.

"We have options, Aria, not to worry. Between a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw, we can make do."
"It's quite the pair." She said, rubbing her eyes once more.
"You have to understand that if you don't marry him now...You never will, not just him but I don't anyone in our world would want to—"
"I know. It's an awful look, even if it's starting to grow modern." She said with a pout. "I want to marry him, and I've known for a while that he'll probably end up being my husband. But I wanted it on my terms and when I'm ready."

"And you weren't prepared to reclaim your name so quickly, I understand. But just think how much better it'll be, once we figure out a way to best the Lestranges—They'll be too over the moon to truly see what we're doing."

"And now I feel awfully guilty using this babe as a pawn to get what I want."

"This is what they want as well, and I cannot express how many times Radolphous had come in and told me that he wished Aurora hadn't been labeled a squib. Long before you even knew the truth, after almost accepting Denault, they'll take you with open arms."

"I don't trust them anymore, not as I once did at least." That was surely an understatement, how could she have forgotten what Clarissa did?

It all made sense.

Clarissa's potion must've overlapped her birth control or done something of the sort. It was the only explanation—On top of Rabastan's failure to produce the spell to protect her. Not that was entirely his fault, the fluke of her birth control was one thing.

But at least now there was someone to truly blame, and it was her future fiancé's mother.

Her future mother in law, and Aria could certainly give her the karma that she deserves. Starting with protecting this child with her life.

"I can't say I'm not happy to finally be a grandfather..."
"I will love being a mother, but it's a lot of hurdles to get through first." Orion nodded, wrapping his arm over her shoulder and bringing her close.

"I guess running to America and hiding out there until the child is born isn't an option, is it?"
"Not a reasonable one, you have too many eyes and too many commitments to take care of." She nodded and planted her chin on the top of her head.

"Do you think Rabastan will be angry with me?" She questioned and Orion sighed.
"I can't answer that, my light. He could react a hundred different ways. Though the one coming to my mind first is shocked. Then absolute fear for what I'll do next."
"You can't kill him before the wedding, after I give you full permission."
"Careful darling, the temptation is growing by the second." He claims, and the two found themselves silent once more. But this was a growing quiet that Aria could find herself enjoying.

She rarely got to see Orion, and while she felt awful for putting him in this situation as well, there was no getting out of it. Not yet at least.

"Do you trust me, Aria?" He said, his eyes looking between either of hers to diminish any detected doubt in her eyes. But she returned his question with a nod.

"I trust you, father."

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Date Posted: 07-05-2021

Time: 4:56

Words: 4608

So sorry that this is late, this weekend's been hectic. So here's a longer chapter to enjoy! It's starting to build up.

What do you think Orion has in mind?
But the better question might be, what will Rabastan think when he hears about all this?