"Dementors went after you too?"
Harry whispers in shock beside Aurora. They're walking up the stairs with Fred and George in front of them. Ginny and Hermione are behind them whispering about the dinner they just had as Ron stands alone behind me, thinking about what the adults have revealed tonight. Harry glances at the twins before adding into Aurora's ear.
"Tell me everything. I've missed so much since I've been at the-"
"Aurora, may I have a word with you?"
That one sentence makes every student turn around in alarm. Moony's standing in front of this dining room doorway, watching her patiently. She's walking up the stairs along with all her friends when he singled her out.
Everyone has just finished eating dinner for the night with an intense conversation about Harry and Sirius. Things had got heated, and no one could get any words in after their conversation. The kids are all happy enough to leave the adults so they can talk about these things freely to themselves.
Moony seems to have other ideas and wishes to have one last discussion tonight. Aurora glances at him nervously before catching eyes with Molly, silently beckoning for help.
"Moony, really it's late." She speaks up suddenly regarding Aurora's expression. Her eyes alone show Molly all she needs to know about what Aurora wants to do. "There's been enough excitement for one night-"
"With all due respect, I must speak to her now. The sooner, the better." Moony interrupts Molly without glancing her way. He keeps his eyes on Aurora while explaining, "Harry has his hearing tomorrow, then all the children leave for Hogwarts in a few days. It has to be now before it's too late."
"I- Um..."
Molly looks between Aurora and the one-legged man in fear of what the topic he needs to discuss with her. She can see her twin sons are studying Moony tensely, along with Harry and Hermione.
Ginny and Ron look confused, which has her question if Aurora and the older siblings are up to something. Everyone in the room is quiet before Arthur pops out of the dining-room door to agree with Moony.
"It's alright, it shouldn't take long but we need to ask her a few things."
Aurora glances at Fred and George, not liking those words at all. The dining hall's conversation earlier had already put her on edge. Dinner tonight was the first time she heard the idea of Voldemort building an army.
She basically choked on her food when she heard it. Harry had spoken up about the Order recruiting their own army like he was reading off of Aurora's mind. Aurora and Harry haven't discussed a lot since he got here, however, they didn't need to.
They've been communicating and understanding one another from emotions and dreams. The moment their eyes met tonight, she felt as if she was looking into a mirror. He's understood everything she has been feeling this summer. They seemed to be on the same page without using words. Aurora has sensed it to be that way with both Harry and Hermione since they've bound their souls together.
"What do you need to ask?"
Aurora blurts out, and shifts to face the men while lingering in her spot on the stairs. Grasping one of the twin's hands from behind her back, she feels them squeeze gently to help calm her nerves. Smiling encouraging, Arthur suggests while walking back into the dining hall.
"You're not in trouble. We just need you to help... Explain... Something to us."
Aurora feels something drop in her stomach. Walking back down the stairs, she holds onto George's hand until she had to let go. Once she's on the first floor, Moony follows Arthur into the other room and she can't help but glance back up at all her friends.
They all stare at her with mixed emotions, which only has her feel the guilt of all her secrets weighing her down. Molly directs them both into the room when Arthur stops Molly from passing the doorway. Aurora's inside the dining room and turns around to watch in shock when Arthur recommends.
"Give us a moment alone with her, honey. Thank you."
Aurora's eyes go wide. That's never happened before. Molly's always been able to attend these conversations. She also seems a little startled, but only nods and walks away.
She offers Aurora a pity expression before pulling her attention to the rest of the students. Arthur then shuts the door to give them privacy, making Aurora flip around to find Sirius and Remus sitting at the table in the same stops they were at during dinner.
Aurora walks over to the table and sits down quietly, waiting for the men to explain what this is all about. Arthur walks over to sit next to Remus just as Moony starts talking as he paces behind Aurora.
"I will be quick about this, Aurora... Since there's no way to dance around it. I looked up your name in the Ministry House records today before picking up Harry."
Moony sets down a handful of crippled papers in front of Aurora. Looking down at the pages, she notices a long list of names in small writing. They were in alphabet order by last names. Aurora's face goes red from recognizing this is how it truly feels to be caught in the act, but she tries to stay calm and collected. Looking back and forth at the guys in the most curious way, Aurora knows where this is leading, but stays silent.
"I couldn't find a single Aurora Granger in the documents... I couldn't find Hermione Granger either." Moony then points to a name on the list, "Then I did as Hermione Potter."
"W... Why are you looking up my sister and mine name?" Aurora questions confidently while looking away from Moony. Only to notice Remus and Sirius exchanging expressions. Her eyes swipe to Sirius when Moony answering her in a low voice to not upset her, "We wanted to see... If that could have been a reason to how the dementors got to you so quickly."
Aurora's eyes scrunch slightly. Knowing that's not the whole truth, but not wanting to expose herself, she stays silent. When Moony senses she won't reply to his answer, he speaks up again.
"This made me look into other family names... All House names that could be relevant for you and your sister; Diggory, Weasley, Black, Lestrange, Malfoy, and Longbottom..." Moony points at the parchments, making Aurora glance over it quietly waiting for him to ask her why she's a Weasley, but it never comes. Instead, Moony sets his finger on one name in the Weasley family and informs the group in the room, "I had looked at every House you could be a part of but no one in the records is name Aurora. However, I found in the House of Weasley... an Amelia Weasley."
"Aurora, I've never known an Amelia in our family..." Arthur speaks up gently and peers to Aurora with nothing less than love for her, "Would that be you?"
Aurora's curiosity toward the men disappears when she reads the name on the paper beside Moony's finger. Alarm fills her whole body and rapidly her thoughts go to the dreams she's had with Voldemort. There's a long list of names under the House of Weasleys, but hers isn't on the list.
Feeling her heart sink in her chest, Aurora views up to find all the men watching her carefully for any sign of reaction to this information. She can barely breathe as she recalls Snape calling her the name Amelia by accident last year. Not knowing what this means, Aurora stares directly at Arthur. She stares at him for a long moment until he reveals her.
"It would be an honor if you are a part of my family... But we need to know if that's you."
After a long pause, she glances back down at the papers in front of her. She flips through the pages he gave her. Every House name she's ever heard of in the wizarding world is on these papers, but her first name isn't anywhere to be seen.
Feeling tears form in the corner of her eyes, Aurora glances at Sirius from not knowing what to say. He's observing her in concern before his expression turns into distress at recognizing what they've just done. They have just given proof her name doesn't exist.
When Moony informed the men about this information, they just assumed she has a different name and "Aurora" has been her nickname. Judging by her face, Aurora has always been an Aurora. Peering down at the paper, Aurora feels like she got hit by all the doubt in the world.
If she's not Aurora but Amelia, then she wasn't born as a Granger. If she is Aurora, then she's not a Weasley. Who she is as a wizard is hanging on by a thin string. It's been a lengthy minute since anyone has said anything. She doesn't know what to say; she doesn't know who she is anymore.
Moony had just given her all the confirmation she needs to believe that she's not who she thought she was. Glancing up at Arthur and using all the strength she has to stay levelheaded, Aurora whispers.
"I don't know... Can I please leave?"
"Well, if you don't-"
"Yes, Aurora. Of course." Sirius interrupts Moony immediately with the uttermost hurt tone, "I- I'm so sorry."
"Thank you."
Aurora practically bolts out of her seat and rushes to the door. Opening it and closing it behind her quickly, she finally allows her tears to fall. She leans against the door, putting her hands in front of her eyes as silent droplets come out. How could I not be Aurora? Aurora's mind screams at her. She feels as if her heart's breaking. Lifting her head, she hears Moony shout angrily on the other side of the door.
"Why did you let her leave! We still don't know who she really is-"
"It's apparent that she doesn't either! Honestly, did you see her reaction?"
"That doesn't resolve the fact that we still don't know who her actual parents are!"
"Bly me, Alaster. She thought she was Aurora Granger until now when you explained she doesn't bloody exist!"
"All I hear is that no one knows who she is or who the Amelia Weasley is-"
"I don't care anymore. We just crushed that girl's heart all because we believe she might be my cousin's daughter-"
Not being able to listen to another word, Aurora runs up the stairs with her face getting redder by the second. Bursting open her bedroom door, she finds George holding his head in his hands on the bed and Fred pacing.
For the past half hour, the twins have felt nothing but the conflict and hurt Aurora feels because of their linked souls. They peer up from the sound of the door opening and rush to her as if she's in harm's way. George grabs her shoulders in trouble and demands.
"What happened? What did they say to you, Aurora?"
The sound of her name on his tongue makes her eyes rain down more tears. He pulls her into his chest when she doesn't answer him back. George rubs her head as another goes around her waist to cling onto her.
Turning to meet Fred's gaze, George peers at him, bewildered at what they could have possibly said to make her cry. Nothing has ever made her this upset. Fred rubs his hands through his hair, feeling the weight of her pain on his shoulders.
After a moment, Fred can't take the feeling of their bond so unbalanced by her emotions that he pulls her away from George. Leaning down to be the same height as Aurora, Fred wipes her tears off her face. Holding her face directly in front of him, he murmurs in misery.
"Please. Aurora. What's wrong?" Aurora tries to pull away from him, but Fred grabs her chin and waist to hold her still as he continues to pester in distress. "Tell me. Now."
"I want to go see my parents. Now."
"Okay, princess. Let's go."
~The Granger's House~
"Mom! Mom!"
Aurora shouts as she walks into her childhood home. Fred and George are following behind her. It's around three in the morning when they finally arrived in Aurora's hometown. They didn't tell anyone they left, they just walked out the front door and left.
It took a while for them to get here and Aurora still hadn't explained why she wanted to see them, but the boys hadn't asked for more details. Every time they did and said her name to calm her down, she just got worse. All they could do was follow her lead and make sure they're safe from being seen by anyone.
Aurora's disregarding the need to be quiet and to lie low from Death eaters and Dementors. Her only thought process is to talk to her parents as soon as she can. She's searching around the living room yelling their names until they sprint down the stairs in worry haze.
"Aurora, dear, why are you here at this time of night?" Her father asks with a bat in his hand. He rubs his face tiredly while suggesting, "Aren't you supposed to arrive at school tomorrow?"
"Dad, where is my birth certificate?" Aurora ignores his questions and begins heading into his studies. "You have mine with Hermione's, don't you?"
Her parents watch her in exhausted disbelief as they follow her into his studies. Her father puts down the bat on the couch on the way to his office. George and Fred glance at one another, embarrassed by what's going on. They didn't know that's what she wanted to do. In all honesty, they didn't know in the slightest on why she wanted to come.
Fred and George follow them until the whole family is inside the office. At that point, they stay by the doorway, listening to Aurora. She's opening up drawers and folders, only to put them back and go to the next. Aurora heads to a file drawer while blurting out to her parents.
"Is my real name Amelia? Or is it my middle name-"
"Of course not, Aurora." Her mother answers in frustration with what's going on, "You've always been Aurora Granger. What is this all about-"
"Where's my birth certificate?!"
"I'm sorry about this, ma'am, it's urgent." George tries to be polite to Aurora's parents since she's wandering around hysterically, seeking for her hospital papers. Fred's eyes his brother, silently suggesting this was a bad idea at this time of night. Aurora's not in a state of mind to talk to her parents and no one besides her knows why, making the situation worse. Fred adds, hoping it will help justify them being here.
"We wouldn't have come this early if we didn't have to leave tomorrow morning for Hogwarts..."
"It's alright, I..." Her mother, now completely awake, sighs while watching all the children. "I just don't understand-"
"Where is it!" Aurora slams drawers flustered impatiently, "Damn it, where is it, dad!"
"Honey, we don't have yours." Father breathes out in embarrassment and finally answers her question in shame, "We missed placed it a long time ago... I'm sorry, I didn't think it would matter-"
"You what?" Aurora takes a step back from the file drawer to stare at her parents. "Do you still have Hermione's?"
"Yes, but that shouldn't matter." Her mother assures her while rubbing her scalp, "Why do you need your birth certificate, anyway?"
Aurora's mouth hangs open as she stares at the two adults in front of her. Her mother and father are watching her with tiredness and confusion. Fred and George are at the doorway with matching faces of uncertainty for her. The room becomes silent but filled with tension Aurora created.
It's in the silence, though, that makes Aurora's doubt turn into confirmation. Staring at her parents as if she doesn't know them anymore, Aurora's mind puts all the pieces together. The sibling bond didn't work between her and Hermione. She had done the other binding spell on them. Her parents don't have newborn baby photos of her. She doesn't look like her parent as she had as a kid.
Aurora turns around to have them facing her back, something inside her flips like a switch. Something feels twisted within her now as if a blade has always been in her back, but now it was turning and causing her permanent damage. Choking out as if nothing will ever be the same again, Aurora whispers.
"Am I adopted?"
"What? Of course not! Aurora-"
"Bullshit! Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit!"
Aurora shouts while turning and slamming her hands against the desk in front of her. The desk break in half and everything on it slides down the desk to where it collapsed. Her parents stumble back in utter shock at Aurora's strength, but the twins know it wasn't her strength that caused it to break. Tears roll down her cheeks as she frantically starts picking up the mess she made with shaky hands.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." Her hands are trembling so much now she decides to just drop the pens and papers she's picking up. Peering up at her parents, appearing defeated, Aurora states like they've been played for fools her entire life, "Look at me. I don't look like you. I've never acted like you. The only reason I got into Gryffindor was because of them." Aurora waves a hand at the twins who are watching her in grief, "I've never belonged in this family... Is that why you barely reach out to me anymore? Because unconsciously you know I'm not yours?"
"Aurora, how could you possibly think such a thing?" Her mother rushes to her and takes her unsteady hands in hers, pleading, "We love you, you are our daughter-"
"No, I'm not! Don't you bloody see that! Look at me!"
Aurora screams, everyone staring at her with unnerving expressions, but none of them seem to understand what she's talking about. Shoving her mother away, Aurora storming out of the office in a frenzy.
Fred and George step further into the room as George waves his wand to fix the desk and everything that had fallen. Fred puts a memory loss on her parents of tonight's events. As Aurora storms out of the house, the twins describe to her parents what "really" happened tonight.
Walking out of the house and slamming the door behind her, Aurora strides down the crosswalk away from the house. It's still dark and the morning cold surrounds her. Soon people will wake up to go on with their day. The streets are empty and quiet, besides the birds chirping and bugs are humming.
Peeking around the neighborhood, Aurora can't help but let out a sob. Facts stack in her mind of the truth. Her parents aren't her parents and Hermione's isn't her actual sister. She doesn't understand how it's possible, but she can no longer ignore the proof.
She hears a door open and people jogging toward her from behind. They're calling her name and she slows down her steps to let them catch up to her. She feels hands stop her from wandering off. Fred and George then come around Aurora, so they're facing her.
"Aurora, you now have to tell us what the hell is going on!" Fred announces, in frustration at the situation she's put them all in this morning. He is pushing back his ginger hair, stressed, while kneeling to get a better look at her. "What did Moody say to you tonight?"
"There is no record in the Ministry of an Aurora Granger or an Aurora Weasley. Moody went seeking for my record and found nothing."
Aurora explains before biting her lip to stop a cry from coming out. Fred wipes her tear-stained cheeks as she looks at him in the most vulnerable state he's ever seen her.
"There is an Amelia Weasley though... And- And if I'm Amelia, then- then I don't who my proper family is." Her tears come out uncontrollably now that's she hears the truth from herself out loud, "That means I've never been a Granger. I was born under a different name and someone put me on Hermione parent's doorsteps, used magic to make them believe I was theirs... And, now, I will never know my real last name, my genuine family-"
"Aurora..." Fred stands up and holds her face while whispering, "All this because they just misplace your birth certificate-"
"Fred. How could they have Hermione but not mine? They don't have picture of me when I was born but they do for her." Aurora stares at him in disappointment while leaning into his touch, "The spell bond that supposed to work on real siblings didn't work for me and Hermione. The other one did... Don't you understand? I am not related to any of them." Fred lets out a low breath before drawing her into a tight hug. She clings onto him, weeping into his chest, "I- I had thought I just messed up the spell, so I had tried the other one... I didn't know... Fred, how could I have not realized then?"
"It's okay. Aurora."
Fred feels a tear coming out of his own eyes when remembering how everyone around them has been so blind to the truth. Aurora and Hermione are nothing alike. They used to look similar, but not anymore.
Aurora should have been in Slytherin when Hermione was born to be in Gryffindor. They've made so many jokes but never actually thought of her being someone other than a true born Granger. Holding her closely, Fred rests his head on top of hers, muttering.
"No one could have possibly known."
"I did though, I just kept ignoring it." Aurora chokes out in agony as she pulls away from him to stare at the pavement, "I don't who I am. I don't have an actual family now."
"Hey, Aurora, now look at me." George sets a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, "You are still exactly the same girl when we saw you for the first time." Moving the hand on her shoulder to the side of her face to hold, "Even if you're Aurora Granger, Aurora Weasley, or Amelia Weasley. You are still the girl we fell in love with. You still have family no matter what you're called or related to." Pulling up her sleeve then they all face down at the three golden markings on her arm as George proves to her, "You still have a sister, you have a brother and you have two husbands... Your family might not be blood, but I can pinky promise you, it's real. It's probably more real than any other family."
Staring at the marking on her forearm to her wrist and settling her eyes on her ring finger, Aurora understands he's right. She has three markings of bonds that only the purest of hearts can do with their loved ones.
Even though there's proof that she doesn't know who her actual parents are, there's also proof that she has another family that's stronger. To accept that her old family has never been her genuine family is hard, though.
Especially, knowing that she'll probably never know who her proper parents. However, the hurt doesn't sting as much when seeing that her family over the years has unintentionally become the people who wear the same golden markings.
Letting out a trembling breath, Aurora nods and blinks up at Fred and George. They're observing her with affection in their eyes for her.
"This matters, Aurora." Fred takes her hand with the three golden markings, "Since you've gotten these, nothing else has and will ever matter. Not your real name, not your actual family tree, and even not who you used to be without them... Because you did the impossible and there's no going back for that." Smiling faintly, hoping to lift her spirits, Fred when expressing with nothing but love, "What matters is who's your family now... You have the boy who lived as a brother, you have the smartest muggle-born as a sister, and you're married to two incredibly handsome men." Aurora rolls her eyes and sniffles but she calms down as he finishes, "Fuck whatever accusations Moody makes, or what your parents believe, this is your family and this family won't change on you."
"Y- You're right... You are my family. That's what matters."
Aurora speaks up, her tears gone and her conflicted mind has steadied. She's watching at them as if everything resolved, yet something is tugging in her heart. Something that's missing. Aurora has always felt something missing within her, but now she knows what.
She doesn't know her actual parents, her real last name, her real heritage. For now, she'll settle with agreeing her genuine family is with the students who have the same markings on her arm. Something though inside her though has changed, she can sense it. The feeling of a hole inside her.
Nonetheless, she can feel everything has changed in her life like a switch. Leaning forward, Aurora pecks George's lips before pulling back and suggesting.
"Let's go back to headquarters."
~Back At Headquarters~
"Where the bloody hell have you been!" Molly comes storming down the stairs when seeing Aurora, Fred, and George entering the house. She's so loud that other doors are being opened to see what the commotion is as she yells, "We've been worried sick about you!"
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Arthur follows behind her in a robe as students' heads pop out from the staircase to peer down at the three. "Something could have happened to you three!"
"We're alright, mum."
Fred speaks up in regret for not being quieter when they entered. The three of them were too tired to notice until now. They had left with no one noticing earlier, but their parents must have found out they left between that.
The sun is rising for the day, and everyone should have been up soon, anyway. Aurora leaning into George from how exhausted she is. After the night she's had, she needs to get some rest.
However, from the way the Weasley's parents storm toward them and Sirius comes out of his office, it's clear she won't be able to just yet. George pulls Aurora closer when all three adults swoop around them in concern of their whereabouts and he explains.
"We went to see Aurora's parents..."
"Aurora, again... I'm so sorry."
Sirius then grabs her shoulders and spins her to see him. He stares as if he's been up all night worrying about her. He's still in his clothes from last night and his hair is messier than usual. Kneeling down at her height, he glances at Arthur before declaring.
"We should have never told you that. It wasn't our place to tell you-"
"It's okay." Aurora rubs her eyes tiredly and without hesitation, "I figured out your question from earlier of who I am." Sirius watches her, worried by how calm she is as she reveals, "I am Amelia Weasley. I've never been a Granger, I just didn't know until now because of Moony... And the reason I'm a Weasley is..." Lifting her sleeve just as George did earlier Aurora shows him the three permanent markings on her arm, "Because I'm married to Fred and George... but Hermione's a potter from me being her and Harry's sister."
"Aurora! What are you doing!" Hermione speaks up from the staircase in outrage from her revealing everything they've spent months hiding, "Dumbledore told us not to!"
"How- How is... It can't be..."
Sirius lets go of Aurora's shoulders as if she's burning him and, without blinking, studies each individual gold line on her arm. Fred pulls down her sleeve quickly and turns to glance at his parents. They are watching them like what's happening is impossible. After a moment, Sirius meets Aurora's gaze again and whispers as if it's a secret.
"Three. You've done three of the impossible four..."
"Yes. When Harry fought Voldemort, he heard him call out my name." Aurora then informs like it's old news, "That's how he found me at with the Weasleys. It took him longer because I'm really Amelia... But I don't know what house I belong to by blood. Nor do I want to know." Taking Fred and George's hand, Aurora finishes her statement. "I know who my family is and I don't need the Ministry records to tell me."
All the adults stay silent at this new information and all the students watch around in waiting for the arguing to start. Harry stares at Hermione and Ron before running down the steps to reach Molly and Arthur. When he's in their presence, he glances at Sirius, Molly, and Arthur to defend like a brother would.
"I ask her to do to the spell. Don't be upset with her, she only did it to protect me."
"She did the same with me." Hermione then announces and sprints down the stairs to stand beside Harry while explaining, "Dumbledore told us not to say a word to anyone about the bonds. He didn't want the knowledge to get anyone in danger."
"I didn't mean to do the spell with Fred and George though," Aurora speaks up and peers at Molly and Arthur, flustered. They've been shockingly quiet, making everyone in the room nervous. Fred turns and faces up at his parents on the stairs to clarify, "All she did was say the spell's name and it... kinda... just happened."
"Extraordinary."
"Oh, lord- I think I'm going to faint-"
"Molly!"