Growing Pains

January 1998

Aurora sighed as she stepped out of Ryan's room, having just put the baby down for a nap. With Ellie home, the manor had been infused with more energy and light than it had seen in a long time. And that often manifested in the tot not wanting to settle down for his naps or to go to sleep at night, too excited about the arrival of his older sister.

It had been a welcomed departure from the awkwardness that had settled in with things still unsure between herself and Remus. And Tonks. Not to mention a great distraction from the once again unfruitful search for Evan. But at the same time, everything was still there, lurking in the back of her mind. And she knew that she would have to deal with it if Ellie were to stay there. She was sure that her teen daughter had already picked up on some of it and she wasn't ready to have that conversation with her. Aurora knew her daughter rather well and there was no way that Ellie wouldn't bring it up. She would have to tell her, remembering their vow of honesty. She just wasn't sure how much she should. If she mentioned the search, she knew that Ellie would want to help and that was the last thing Aurora wanted. Perhaps she should consider letting her return to Hogwarts. At least she wouldn't be able to sneak out of the castle so easily and run off to track him down on her own.

But just as quickly as that thought entered her mind, she pushed it away. Hogwarts was no longer safe. Evan could get to her there. Not to mention, she didn't want to think about what the Carrows would do to Ellie. Looking towards the slightly open door of Ellie's room, Aurora steeled herself for the first conversation she needed to have with her.

This was not going to go over well if their previous discussions on the matter were anything to go by.

Aurora made her way down the hallway and knocked lightly on the door as she pushed it open. Ellie stopped what she was doing and looked over. Aurora's eyes went to the pack on her bed. Ellie had been carefully placing things in there and seemed to be nearly finished.

"What are you doing?" Aurora asked, though she already knew the answer.

"I'm to go back in a couple days. Thought I'd get a head start on packing," Ellie said lightly. Aurora frowned.

"Ellie… You're not going back to Hogwarts," she said firmly. The smile immediately faded from her daughter's face.

"Yes, I am," she countered, her tone matching that of her mother's.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ellie. It's not safe there," Aurora said, taking a few steps into the room. "You must stay here."

"For how long?" Ellie asked, seriously fighting to keep from shouting and letting her temper get the better of her.

"Until this is all over with," Aurora said, also keeping herself in check. She had nearly said until they killed Evan.

"And how long is that going to be?!" Ellie shouted. "A few months? Years?! I'm not about to stay in this, this prison!"

"It's not a prison, it's a safe house," Aurora said, though she flinched. She couldn't fault Ellie her word choice. Too often she had started thinking it as such lately.

"I don't want to stay cooped up here when there are things I could be doing out there!" Ellie shouted, motioning towards the windows.

"There is nothing you should be doing out there! You are a child!" Aurora said, her voice rising.

"How many times do I have to say it. I'm not a child anymore!" Ellie retorted.

"Yes, you are! You are MY child! And I will NOT let you go out there where HE can get you!" Aurora shouted, her eyes flashing in anger. Though just underneath that, there was a hint of desperation. "I cannot lose you, too, Ellie!"

"You won't lose me, Mum! I'm strong!" Ellie shouted back.

"Not strong enough!"

"Why don't you believe in me!"

"This is nothing to do with believing in you! We both know what Evan is capable of!"

"Yea, I'd like to see him try and come after me! I won't go easily!"

"You shouldn't have to be in that situation to begin with!"

"I'M NOT SCARED OF HIM!"

"YOU SHOULD BE!"

"YOU CAN'T KEEP ME HERE! I WON'T LET YOU! I'M GOING BACK TO HOGWARTS! IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO!"

"For gods' sake, Ellie! Why must you be-" Aurora stopped herself as she looked away, angry tears starting to fill her eyes. Ellie just stared at her a moment, her nostrils flaring.

"Be like what? Him? Dad?" she shouted. "Good! I hope that I am like him! That way I can do something more than cower here in fear! Like you!" Aurora whipped her head over to at her daughter, her words stinging. Ellie reached down and shoved the last of the items into her pack and grabbed it, pulling it over her shoulder.

"Just where do you think you're going?!" Aurora shouted, trying to bar the teen's way. Ellie just shoved passed her and continued out of the room. Aurora turned and followed her, intending to stop her before she did something foolish. There were very few ways in and out of the manor and she had only shared one of those ways with Ellie, not wanting her to get any bright ideas and attempt to run away when she discovered that she wouldn't be going back to school.

"I'm going back to school!" Ellie shouted, now pounding down the stairs. Aurora waved her wand, cutting off the floo in the den.

"No, you're not!" Aurora shouted as she tried to catch up to her. Ellie continued through the house, but changed direction, not going to the den as Aurora had thought she would. Her eyes widened as she began running. There was no way Ellie should have known about the floo in the library.

But she wasn't quick enough. By the time she reached the open library doors, Ellie had already thrown the powder into the flames. She glanced at her mother one last time before she disappeared. Aurora shouted, dropping to her knees as the others came rushing in.

"What's going on?" Shacklebolt asked.

"She used the emergency floo," Aurora said, her eyes fixed on the now dying flames. "I didn't hear where she went…"

Shacklebolt looked to Tonks and nodded. He then met Remus' eyes. The former professor nodded his understanding.

"Don't worry. We'll find her. There's not too many places she would go," Shacklebolt said, turning to look at Aurora again. "She'll be fine." Aurora nodded numbly, still staring at the fireplace. The two aurors rushed out as Remus stepped over and helped her up to her feet.

"Come. I'll get some tea from Mrs. Clark and we'll wait for them in the den," he said softly.

"I shouldn't have yelled at her," Aurora murmured. "This is my fault… she's going to get hurt and it's my fault…"

Remus didn't say anything in response, just continued to lead her out.

Ellie tumbled out of the fireplace and landed with a thud in the middle of the Weasleys' living room, still angry. She pushed herself up to her feet as Mrs. Weasley rushed into the room, a look of shock on her face.

"I didn't know we were expecting you today, Ellie," she said, glancing towards the fireplace.

"Sorry to drop in unannounced," Ellie said, smiling at her.

"What are you doing here, dear?"

"Well… Mum and I got into a bit of an argument and I wanted to get away from the manor," Ellie said. "Mind if I stay here until it's time to go back to school?"

Mrs. Weasley frowned at her, correctly deducing what had happened. She planted her hands on her hips.

"Ellie Grace Black, you go right back home to your mother this instant," she said sternly. "I'm fairly sure I know what this argument was about-"

"Mrs. Weasley, please… let me stay," Ellie said, cutting her off. "Please. I need to go back to school and she's being unreasonable."

"She is your mother-"

"Yea, and she's gone half mad being cooped up there," Ellie said. "I can't stay there." Mrs. Weasley's expression softened a bit. She knew of course that Aurora was becoming slightly unhinged with worry over Ellie. And her search for Evan. But she wasn't sure just how much of that she had shared with her daughter.

Finally, she sighed and patted Ellie's cheek.

"You can stay for the night. But tomorrow, we're discussing this," Mrs. Weasley said. Ellie smiled and hugged the woman. "Ginny's up in her room."

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley," she said, rushing up the rickety stairs to Ginny's room. Sure, she had just said it was for the night, but Ellie was certain she could convince them to let her stay and go back to Hogwarts with Ginny.

This had to work. It was the only plan she had.

Ellie frowned as she stood at Ginny's slightly open door, hearing the argument downstairs. The Weasleys were attempting to keep quiet, but it seemed Mrs. Weasley firmly believed that she should go back home tomorrow and stay there.

"They aren't going to take my side," Ellie moaned as she looked over at her best friend.

"At least Dad seems to think there's no harm in it," Ginny offered. "From the sounds of it, Tonks and Shacklebolt are in your corner as well. They'll talk Mum into it." Ellie sighed and walked back over, flopping down on Ginny's bed.

"I half expect Mum to show up and drag me back herself," she replied.

"She won't. Lupin'll make sure she stays at the manor," Ginny said.

"This has to work, Gin. I have to go back. I can't stay there," Ellie said solemnly as she looked over at her. "I mean, Mum tried and all, but I can tell she's losing it. I don't want to lose it too."

"You won't. And I'm sure she'll be fine. Just… the times and all," Ginny said, trying to comfort her.

"I just hope she doesn't go completely mad before this is all over," Ellie grumbled. Ginny just hugged her.

"It'll work out. I promise."

"I'm going after her," Aurora said, starting out of the den. Remus reached out and took her arm gently, stopping her.

"Rora, you're angry. Just stop," he said soothingly. She turned to look at him, the rage blazing in her eyes.

"Damn right, I am! She just ran off! You know how dangerous it is!" Aurora shouted.

"She went to the Weasleys-"

"Yes, but we both know she can't go back to Hogwarts!" Aurora said, yanking her arm from his hand. "She can't, Remus!" He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"She's set on going. And Tonks and Shacklebolt will make sure that nothing happens to her," he said. Aurora just stared at him, tears starting to fill her eyes.

"But they can't always keep watch of her. They can't even get into the castle with things the way they are! What if he does get to her there?" she asked, her voice hitching. Remus walked over and firmly grasped her arms.

"There are many people making sure that doesn't happen," he replied. "And well… Ellie is growing up. She's not a little girl anymore. You have to let her do this."

"Let her go off and possibly get killed?" she spat.

"No. Let her grow up and try making her own decisions," he said. "She'll be safe there. Even with Snape in charge, it's not as though they can just let Death Eaters come barging in the front door."

"But they could," Aurora countered. "They got in before and that was with Dumbledore there. They've got more help now." Remus studied her a moment, thinking over his next words. He knew that Aurora was making sense. It was true that Evan would have an easier time getting help should he choose to break into the castle and steal Ellie away. But at the same time, he also knew that the professors had put up their own charms and protections. Whoever attempted to get into Hogwarts wouldn't find it all that easy.

"She'll be safe," he said finally. Aurora seemed to deflate as she walked away from him and fell onto the sofa.

"She really is much like him," she murmured. "His spark. His recklessness."

"His strength," Remus said, walking over to her. "And yours. She's just as stubborn as you as well." Aurora looked up at him.

"Suppose," she said. "I just wish that she would stop and think about this. Surely then she'd see that it's much safer to stay at the manor."

"Suspect she has thought about it. And that in her reasoning, it's better to go back to Hogwarts," he said with a sigh. Aurora frowned at him. "Don't give me that look. It's what any of us would have done. Yourself included. You know that we would have all insisted on going back. To not… cower in fear, as she thinks. To make a stand. To protect others."

Aurora looked to the fire, thinking it over.

"It is," she finally admitted.

"Then let her go. We've got Order members in Hogsmeade. In Hogwarts. Not to mention Dumbledore's Army," he continued. "And we'll find Evan before he tries to go for her." He sat next to her, though didn't reach out to touch her.

"I don't like it, but… I suppose I have to let her go," Aurora finally said. "It is what I would have done… And goodness knows, I would have run away from Mother if she tried to keep me here as well… Suppose when you think about it, Sirius and I weren't that much older than her when we ran away…"

"She's strong, Rora," Remus said. Aurora nodded and sighed.

"Then I'll just… I have to let her go back," she said. "And double down on the search for Evan. I'll be damned if he gets to her."

"We all will…"

"I don't understand why you had to step in!" Alecto shouted at Snape, glaring at him. "It would have been per-"

"Silence, Alecto," Nott said sternly. "It was reckless." She looked at him with wide eyes and then over at Evan, who was calmly watching the exchange.

"I did it for you!" she shouted.

"Which I do appreciate, dear Alecto, but Nott is right. You should have consulted me first. I would have come up with a much better plan that wouldn't have failed," he said. He glanced at Nott. "In fact, I believe there is already a better one… How are things with your son and my daughter?"

"Well, he assures me," Nott replied. Evan then looked to Alecto.

"See? All in order," he replied.

"You don't honestly think that he could convince her to join us?" Alecto hissed. "She has too much Black in her."

"Oh, I've no doubt of that. But I also know the younger Nott is rather smitten with her," Evan said, glancing at Nott again. "We can use that should the need arise."

"Not to mention, you take a student from Hogwarts and the whole lot of them will be kept home," Snape droned. "Not that I wouldn't mind all of Gryffindor disappearing. But it does create a rather large mess that the Ministry would have to clean up." Alecto just huffed.

"But I-"

"Enough, Alecto. We must stay focused on the larger picture," Nott snapped, his eyes narrowing. "Not personal vendettas." He then cast a warning glare towards Evan. "The Dark Lord is pleased with our work so far, but there is more to be done. There will come a time when we will move on Hogwarts, but not yet." Alecto only nodded before sitting in her chair.

"So… what are we to do next?"

Nott continued on with the meeting as Evan half listened. Though he was eager to please the Dark Lord, he still wanted his revenge on Aurora. But that would take careful planning if he were to inflict the most damage. He wanted to take everything from her. So far, her love had been taken. Now he needed to take everyone else she held dear.

But there was time enough. Even if he had to wait until they won this war, he would have his revenge. And he was content for the moment on waiting until the perfect moment.