Ruckus at Breakfast

Ten minutes later, Aurora sighed contently. Before rejoining Severus, she allowed herself to brush her hand against the soft material one last time. When she was positively convinced that everything was perfect, she opened the door and stepped out, only to find him not waiting there. Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, she glanced around the dark corridors.

Her hands went to her slender hips immediately. After a few moments, she decided that he must have headed up to the Great Hall without her, so she started to head towards the stairs that led to the entrance hall. However, the exact second she reached the top, a loud wolf whistle behind her made her whirl around to see who had the nerve.

"Peeves," Aurora growled. She could only guess how he'd ruin her morning.

"My, my, Miss Astronomy Professor looks nice this morning," replied Peeves with a wolfish grin. "Has Mr. Dark Wizard seen Miss this morning?"

Aurora couldn't keep the grin from reaching her face as she blushed. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. She rolled her eyes and stared at the poltergeist a few seconds later. Oh, whom was she kidding? This was Peeves. She drew in a deep breath before speaking.

"Peeves, that is no way to address Severus or me," she admonished.

"Perhaps not, but Miss does look rather ravishing. It makes Peeves wish he wasn't a poltergeist."

Again, she blushed horribly. She didn't think she looked ravishing, but the way Peeves was carrying on it had to be true. She then noticed him hold his arm out to her.

"Peeves would truly be honored to walk Miss Astronomy Professor to the Great Hall," the usually troublemaker poltergeist said softly. "That is if Miss Astronomy Professor says yes."

"Well, I'd be eternally grateful if you did, Peeves, but I doubt Severus would appreciate us walking in together."

"I understand, Miss Astronomy Professor," Peeves replied, lowering his head.

"Well, I wasn't saying that you couldn't come with me, Peeves." Aurora's eyes then narrowed on the Bloody Baron who slowly floated towards them. She was beginning to think she was going to meet all of the ghosts this morning. "I take it Severus sent you to check up on me?" The Bloody Baron shook his head, which rattled his chains. She felt a chill overtake her at the haunting sound.

"Ah, there you are, Miss Sinistra," a familiar voice spoke behind her. She turned around and sighed. Yet another of the ghosts had found her. "We were beginning to think you got lost."

"How could I ever be lost, Sir Nicholas, when I am in such good company?" Aurora replied. "Need I wait for the Grey Lady and the Fat Friar?"

"No, my dear," Sir Nicholas, Gryffindor's ghost, responded pleasantly. "She rarely ventures to this part of the castle, and the Friar's convinced you did not need rescuing."

"Ah, so I see. Well, I should be on my way then."

"It seems to us, Miss Sinistra, that you are in need of an escort," Sir Nicholas stated, making her turn back towards the ghosts.

"I'm only late by ten minutes, Sir Nicholas."

"Yes, but you are also dressed like that."

"Is there something wrong with the way I'm dressed?" she replied defensively.

"No. However, it seems a shame for you to walk in without a fanfare." Sir Nicholas then glanced towards Peeves. "Do you not agree, Peeves?"

"Guys, don't," Aurora said with a smile. "Severus will kill you."

"Forgive me, Miss Sinistra, but is that before or after he sees you in that dress?" Gryffindor's ghost and Peeves then bowed their heads slightly before floating towards the Great Hall.

Aurora then turned towards the Bloody Baron. She sighed heavily before rolling her eyes. When she was a child, he had always scared the living daylights out of her because of the blood on his clothes. However, she had to admit that something about him reminded her of Severus.

"Oh, all right, let's go, Baron," she drawled before walking towards the Great Hall. Their walk took exactly two minutes. She sighed when she stood right in front of the massive doors. A few seconds later, she glanced towards the Baron, only to find him not there. "Wise decision, Baron," she muttered. "Too bad I can't do that."

Drawing in a deep breath, Aurora turned around and headed towards the large gold statue that was next to the doors. She had seen Albus and Severus do the exact same thing she was about to do many times before. It couldn't be that hard. Walking in her black boots, she quickly headed towards the massive doors of the Great Hall, hoping that Hogwarts would allow her to join them in this feat. When she was precisely a foot from the door, she quickly closed her eyes.

The impending collision that she feared with the doors never happened. The doors swung open by her mere presence with a resounding sound. She opened her eyes at the rush of smells of the wondrous foods. She grinned widely when she felt the eyes on her. So far, everything was going according to her plan.

Walking with a commanding presence, she headed towards the High Table. Her boots loudly hit the stone floor as she walked in between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables. Halfway to the table, she glanced up to the raised platform where all of her coworkers sat. She nearly laughed when she noticed several of her male colleagues were standing and staring at her. Her eyes then found Severus. He looked to be speechless for the first time in his life.

Aurora quietly laughed when she rounded the table. It was the first time she had noticed the students. She noticed the intense whispering that took place at the Slytherin table. The dropped jaws at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables made her laugh even more. It was the Gryffindor table, though, that made her smile the most. Fred and George Weasley were both standing up, staring at her dumbfounded. She silently took her seat before glancing down. She could feel her face beating red from all the excitement.

"New dress?" quietly asked Septima Vector, a green-eyed witch with light-brown hair.

"Um, yeah, you could say that."

"Well, it's certainly jaw dropping. Hon, just so you know. You just ensured that every boy in this room is going to have really good dreams tonight." Septima then leaned closer towards her as Aurora quietly set the napkin on her lap. "Don't be surprised if the house elves request you change the bedding in the morning," she whispered.

"Septima!" exclaimed Aurora before she playfully hit her best friend in the arm. She then glanced down the table towards Severus. He was glaring at several of the male students who were still gawking at her. The only man in the room she cared about having good dreams tonight was Severus.

"I could be wrong, but I think Severus might have smiled when you walked in the room."

"Good," Aurora replied with a soft laugh as she grabbed her goblet. She silently took a sip and tried to hide her grin. She had to admit. The nectar was rather good.

"You know, I can understand the whole making an entrance bit you did, but did you have to change the banners while you were making your way up here, Aurora?"

"I-I don't understand, Septima." A few seconds later, Aurora watched her best friend point upwards to the banners hanging overhead. Her eyes instantly narrowed on the green and silver Slytherin House banners. "Oh," she quietly said. "Um, probably should fix that, shouldn't I?"

"Only if you don't want to start another feud between the Houses, but it is totally up to you. Looking at you, Hon, I'll totally support Slytherin this time," Septima quietly replied.

"Yeah, let's change those back." Aurora then clapped her hand before throwing her hands out to the banners. She sighed contently when all four Houses banners appeared. She then glanced towards Albus and smiled apologetically towards him. He only raised an eyebrow before turning back to his conversation with Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor and Angel's godmother. "I'm dead," she whispered.

"I doubt that. Hell, didn't you and Severus try to destroy the Great Hall in the summer? Nah, Hon, you're good. You know, I bet Albus would even let you take a few of the naughty boys on staff to Dungeon Five." Septima then laughed loudly, which Aurora joined in a moment later. "Oh, those poor miserable bastards . . . They wouldn't know what to do with themselves."

Aurora was nearly on the floor, laughing so hard. She quickly sobered up when she felt a swift kick in the shin from Rolanda Hooch, the flying instructor, who sat on the other side of her. She knew she was acting rather hysterical, but she was having a rather good day now. She slowly nodded before trying to eat her now cold breakfast. A thought slowly dawned on her, which made her glance towards Albus again. She softly sighed when she caught her daughter sneaking a glance at her. Angel looked rather happy sitting next to Albus, but it didn't make Aurora feel any better.

"I'm a horrible mother," Aurora quietly said so that only Septima could hear.

"No you're not. Your daughter just likes spending time with Grandpa more than Mummy."

"But I'm over here laughing like a crazed lunatic while Albus is taking my time with my daughter. I should march right over there and-and-get her back."

"So do it then," Septima drawled before taking another sip of her drink.

Aurora glanced at her best friend for a few seconds before nodding. Septima was right. Anyone could say anything she wanted, but it actually takes guts to do something about it. Aurora sighed before throwing her napkin on her plate. She then stood up and walked over towards the middle of the table where Albus and Angel were sitting. She was just about to open her mouth when a familiar owl hopped down onto the table just in front of Albus. She instantly stopped and stared at the envelope.

"Hmm," Albus said while plucking the envelope from the owl's talons. He then glanced towards Aurora and held the envelope out. "I believe this is for you, my dear, and might I say that you look positively radiating today."

"Um, okay, thanks," Aurora numbly replied while she grabbed the envelope. It couldn't be from . . . Her eyes narrowed on the address. "Oh, please, Circe, don't be what I think this is," she muttered before opening it.

December 22, 1995

My dearest daughter who never writes or fire-calls:

While you have no doubt decided yet again to spend your Holidays at Hogwarts devoting all your time in avoiding me, I am pleased to inform you that your father and I will be arriving shortly. No doubt, my dearest, this brings you such great pleasure that you are positively aglow with life. However, unlike past Holidays where you have avoided your father and I like the plague, we have both decided that this year you are just going to have to grin and bear it. After all, you are not my only daughter who is at Hogwarts this year, are you? Now, I shall leave you to screaming your pretty head off, but I'll leave you with this heartwarming fact. I could have sent a Howler, but I did not. There is that, my dearest Aurora.

SS

Aurora felt her heart instantly stop after reading the letter. No. She had to have read it wrong. However, after reading it the twentieth time, the words didn't change. The letter dropped to the floor before she released a shuddering breath. She instantly felt herself start to breathe heavily as the on setting panic attack occurred.

"My dear, perhaps you should sit," a voice she couldn't recognize said as someone gently led her to a chair. The walls felt like they were closing in, but they always did when she knew her mother was coming. She had thought she would have time to ease everyone into this whole situation, but it seemed her mother had different plans like always.

"Aurora, what's wrong?" That voice she recognized. It was her rock. The man she desperately needed to make all the bad things go away, namely her mother. Her arms quickly wrapped around his neck, which she heard him take a sudden intake of breath at the force of her embrace. However, she needed to feel safe. She needed Severus to make that horrible letter go away.

"My mother," she cried into his shoulder.

"I-I am sorry for your loss, Aurora." His arms tightened around her as he held her, soaking in all of her pain. Or so he thought at least.

"Oh how I wish that were true," Aurora snarled back.

"I—what?" responded Severus, rather confused.

"Oh—oh, Aurora, you—you didn't tell her?" Septima's voice cut in the darkness.

"What was I supposed to say, Septima?" Aurora replied, taking a step back from Severus's safe arms. "Gee, Mum, hey, um, you know how you've been pushing guys on me since I was like, say, thirteen? Yeah, well, you don't need to worry anymore. You're a grandma! Yeah, I'd be at the bottom of Black Lake before you could say 'star."

"Oh, this is bad," whispered Septima, which Aurora only nodded. This was very bad.