"Why didn't you tell them?" I groaned, Harry frozen with a pair of trainers in his hand. "They'll go mental?"

"Well I didn't think he'd show up here!" Harry hissed, throwing his trainers into his trunk. "Plus I was kinda preocupied with making sure you weren't dead in a ditch!"

We engaged in a stare-off until Dumbledore spoke from downstairs,"Good evening. You must be Mr. Dursley. I daresay Harry or Aurora have told you I would be coming for them?"

Harry and I exchanged a look, before we started trying to push each other out of Harry's room to get into the fray quicker. Harry shoved me hardly, and I tripped over his trunk and flew out onto the landing, hands grazing the top stairs.

Dumbledore and Uncle Vernon looked up at me, Dumbledore with a smile, Uncle Vernon with a scowl. Harry appeared, grabbing my arm and the two of us heading downstairs.

"Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, neither your niece or nephew did not warn you that I was coming," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times."

He stepped smartly over the threshold and closed the front door behind him.

"It is a long time since my last visit," said Dumbledore, peering down his crooked nose at Uncle Vernon. "I must say, your agapanthus are flourishing."

Uncle Vernon glared at Dumbledore, vein popping in his head. I didn't know too much about my Uncle (having relgiously avoided him the past two summers I'd stayed here) but I could tell he knew Dumbledore was a hard person to try and bully. 

"Ah, good evening, Harry and Aurora." Dumbledore said with a pleasent smile as he shut the door behind him. "Excellent, excellent."

Uncle Vernon looked at Dumbledore as if he was gum on his shoe. "I'm not trying to be rude--" He began in a rude voice.

"--yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often," Dumbledore finished the sentence gravely. "Best to say nothing at all, my dear man. Ah, and this must be Petunia."

My Aunt had emerged from the kitchen in yellow rubber gloves, in the middle of cleaning. Her mouth hung open in shock. 

"Albus Dumbledore," said Dumbledore, when Uncle Vernon failed to effect an introduction. "We have corresponded, of course. And this must be your son, Dudley?"

Dudley had that moment peered round the living room door, looking afraid. Dumbledore waited a moment or two, apparently to see whether any of the Dursleys were going to say anything, but as the silence stretched on he smiled.

"Shall we assume that you have invited me into your sitting room?" 

Harry and I exchanged a glance before following everybody into the living room. Dumbledore sat on an armchair, painfully reminding me of my thirteenth birthday when he first arrived.

Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley squashed onto the sofa, while Harry and I hovered awkwardly

"Aren't--aren't we leaving, sir?" Harry asked anxiously, eager to leave.

"Yes, indeed we are, but there are a few matters we need to discuss first," said Dumbledore. "And I would prefer not to do so in the open. We shall trespass upon your aunt and uncle's hospitality only a little longer."

"You will, will you?" Uncle Vernon sniffed.

"Yes," said Dumbledore simply, "I shall."

My eyes flickered around the room, and I saw that Dumbledore's hand was blackened and shriveled; it looked as though his flesh had been burned away.

"Professor, what happened?" I asked, startled. 

"Later, Aurora," said Dumbledore. "Please sit down."

Harry and I squished together on the last armchair, linking arms to not fall off.

"I would assume that you were going to offer me refreshment," Dumbledore said to Uncle Vernon, "but the evidence so far suggests that that would be optimistic to the point of foolishness."

A bottle appeared in midair with six glasses. The bottle tipped and golden liquid poured into each glass, before they floated over to each person. I stared at the glass in wonder.

"Somebody needs to teach me how to do that." I announced, knocking back half of the warm liquid, wincing at the strength of it. 

"Madam Rosmerta's finest oak-matured mead," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Well, Harry, Aurora," said Dumbledore, turning towards us, "a difficulty has arisen which I hope you will be able to solve for us. By us, I mean the Order of the Phoenix. But first of all I must tell you that Sirius's will was discovered a week ago and that he wished all his posessions to be equally spread between the both of you."

Instintivley my hand reached for the fabric in my pocket, thinking of when I destroyed Sirius' room with Malfoy soaking in memories of a dead man.

"This is, in the main, fairly straightforward," Dumbledore went on. "You both add a reasonable amount of gold to your accounts at Gringotts, and you inherit all of Sirius's personal possessions. The slightly problematic part of the legacy--"

"Their godfather's dead?" said Uncle Vernon loudly from the sofa. "Their godfather's dead"

"Yes, we watched him die, not that it's any of your business." I said bluntly.

"Our problem," Dumbledoras if there had been no interruption, "is that Sirius also left you number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

"They've been left a house?" said Uncle Vernon greedily, his small eyes narrowing.

"Don't pretend to care, it isn't worth anything." I said bluntly. "It's only value is the few good memories inside it."

"Exactly." Harry said. "You can keep using it as headquarters, neither of us want it."

I couldn't imagine going back inside Grimmauld Place again, because I knew I'd just see the ghost of Sirius' final hug and Malfoy's final act of pretending to love me.


"That is generous," said Dumbledore. "We have, however, vacated the building temporarily."

"Why?"

"Well, Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of 'Black.' Sirius was the very last of the line--and childless. While his will makes it perfectly plain that he wants you both to have the house, there might be a spell preventing this."

"Probably." Harry said.

"And if such an enchantment exists, then the ownership of the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius's living relatives, which would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

Without realising, I dug my fingers into the arm of the chair until my fingers began to ache. "No. No. Anybody but her. If anybody should have that house, it's Remus. They were like brothers--he never even liked Bellatrix."

"It might be that Bellatrix will arrive on the doorstep at any moment. Naturally we had to move out until such time as we have clarified the position," Dumbledore.

"What could you do to work that out?" Harry said, taking my hand before I could claw the am off the chair.

"Fortunately," said Dumbledore, "there is a simple test. You see, if you have indeed inherited the house, you have also inherited--"

A loud crack echoed through the room, and a house-elf appeared on the carpet. Aunt Petunia shrieked, Dudley almost flew behind the sofa and Uncle Vernon bellowed, "What the hell is that?"

"Kreacher," finished Dumbledore.

"Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't!" croaked the house-elf, "Kreacher belongs to Miss Bellatrix, oh yes, Kreacher belongs to the Blacks, Kreacher wants his new mistress, Kreacher won't go to the Potter brats, Kreacher won't, won't, won't --"

"As you can see, Kreacher is showing a certain reluctance to pass into your ownership."

I thought of how Kreacher told the both of us Sirius and everybody else had left the order--which in turn had lead to us going to the Ministry, and caused Sirius and Jia's deaths.

Giving the house elf a look of deep loathing, I said, "No. I don't give a crap. We're not having him. 

"You would prefer him to pass into the ownership of Bellatrix Lestrange? Bearing in mind that he has lived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix for the past year?"

"Won't, won't, won't, won't--" The elf continued.

I felt uncomfortable. I knew Kreacher couldn't go to Bellatrix, but I didn't want responsibility of him either. 

"One of you give him an order," said Dumbledore. "If he has passed into your ownership, he will have to obey. If not, then we shall have to think of some other means of keeping him from his rightful mistress."

"Won't, won't, won't, WON'T!"

Kreacher's voice had risen to a scream. I elbowed Harry in the gut, and he shouted, "Kreacher, shut up!"

Kreacher put his hands around his throat and rolled around on the carpet in a silent but strange tantrum. 

"Well, that simplifies matters," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "It means that Sirius knew what he was doing. You are both the rightful owner of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher."

"Do I--do we have to keep him with us?" Harry asked, aghast, as Kreacher thrashed around at his feet.

"Not if you don't want to," said Dumbledore. "If I might make a suggestion, you could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchen there. In that way, the other house-elves could keep an eye on him."

"Yeah, alright." I said. "Kreacher go to Hogwarts and work in the kitchens."

Kreacher and I shot each other one last look of loathing before he disapeared.

"There is also the matter of the hippogriff, Buckbeak. Hagrid has been looking after him since Sirius died, but Buckbeak is yours now, so if you would prefer to make different arrangements--"

"No," said Harry at once, "he can stay with Hagrid. I think Buckbeak would prefer that."

"He was thrilled to see Buckbeak again. We decided to rechristen him 'Witherwings' for the time being, though I doubt that the Ministry would ever guess he is the hippogriff they once sentenced to death. Now, are your trunks packed?"

"Erm..."

"Well the thing is..."

"Doubtful that I would turn up?" Dumbledore suggested.

"We'll just..." I said awkwardly, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him out of the room.

During my latest mental breakdown, I'd hardly moved things out of my trunk. I only had to put in trivial items like my medication, CD's and the album of memories from Malfoy (which I stupidly couldn't let go off).

After finding Minnie lurking in the bath, I headed downstairs with Harry, the cat lounged across my shoulders. To my disapointment, Dumbledore was still comfortably sat down--not looking ready to leave at all.

"We're ready, Professor." I spoke, hoping to prompt him to leave.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Just one last thing, then." And he turned to speak to the Dursleys once more.

"As you will no doubt be aware, Harry and Aurora come of age in a year's time --"

"No," said Aunt Petunia, speaking for the first time since Dumbledore's arrival.

"I'm sorry?" said Dumbledore politely.

"No, they don't. They're a month younger than Dudley, and Dudders doesn't turn eighteen until the year after next."

"Ah," said Dumbledore pleasantly, "but in the Wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen."

Uncle Vernon muttered, "Preposterous," but Dumbledore ignored him.

"Now, as you already know, the wizard called Lord Voldemort has returned to this country. Harry and Aurora have almost been killed by him numerous times--and are in more danger than the day I brought Harry to you fifteen years ago. Of course, you've since then taken on his sister on my request--and I reminded you to treat the children as if they were your own."

"You did not do as I asked. You have never treated Harry as a son--and have ignored Aurora since she stepped through this door. Harry has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands. The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you."

"Us--mistreat Dudders? What d'you--?" began Uncle Vernon furiously, but Dumbledore have him a look to silence him.

"I made it so that Harry has protection while he calls this place home. I did the same for Aurora's adoptive family--but of course, the wards are down after the house's demise." I felt home sick just thinking of where I grew up. "However miserable Harry was here, you allowed him a room. The magic will stop working when Harry and Aurora turn seventeen--and leave them vulnerable. All I ask is that you allow them back one last time so that their protection can continue."

An awkward silence went through the room. 

"Well, I suppose it's time to go." Dumbledore said, breaking the silence and standing up. "Until we meet again." He said to my relatives, before sweeping out of the room. 

"I'd say goodbye, but I think we've only spoken about five sentences to each other in two years..." I said awkwardly, before shuffling out of the room.

Dumbledore and Harry were out in the hallway with our trunks. "We won't be burdened by these, I'll send them to the Burrow. But bring the invisbility cloak and your wands, in case."

With the wave of his wand, the trunks and our pets disapeared in a flash. Then Dumbledore opened the door, and we followed him into the darkness. With a smile he said, "Let's persue some adventure, shall we?"

- - - - 

A/N Sup. So this is kinda a filler but we need it. 

Yeah, so I can already see a ship war brewing (*War flashbacks of Romione vs Dramione*) so I'm going to try and settle it, or at least see where everybody's opinions lie.

If you ship and want Draco and Rory to be (back)together, comment here why. (or below if you aren't on mobile)

If you ship and want Arthur and Rory to be together, comment here with a reason why. 

On the fence? Don't really care? Give me your opinions, even though I know where everything is going, they're valid to me. Thank you.

Hopefully we'll get a couple more updates before 2015, but we'll see.