Disclaimer: Own nada.
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Chapter Twenty-Four: Moving OnAurora's note had a devastating effect on the lives everyone that knew as someone more than an auror. For those who did see her as a defender of the good side, two different opinions of her prevailed. There were those who only knew of her disappearing act believed it to be kidnapping and there were those wo were determined to put her at trial for treason. Since the Ministry had kept low on the happening of the Famous Trio, it was a comfort for the friends and family of Aurora Classen to be with their own thoughts for a little while. The brief period of time was indeed short since the lives of the three aurors were under constant scrutiny. When one reporter realized there was something fishy about the absence of one-third and the lack of whatever defined the other two-thirds, news got around that a new story was out: What Happened to the Famous Trio's Female Member?
The person who seemed to be affected the most was obviously Draco Malfoy. It wasn't normal for someone who had lacked friends since he was born to end up losing his fiancée. Ginny noticed his withdrawal from the world and his family and friends since the day they read Aurora's note, which was a week ago. Perhaps Aurora's family coming to London to visit the city that was the last known home of their daughter would help Draco. Ginny had refused to believe Aurora was dead. After knowing the girl for so long, she knew Aurora just had to survive whatever happened to her. From what the note had said, it seemed as though the former Slytherin had experience more than what even her closest friends know. Perhaps the visit from the Classens could explain some unknowns.
While Draco, Harry, and Ginny were in their own mourning moments, the Ministry of Magic had already begun their investigation on Aurora's act of treason. The lives lost during the mission although it wasn't British agents, they did work for the allies of the British Ministry of Magic. For the Ginny and Aurora's past partners, it was appalling to have the ministry start the investigations. Policy-wise, it was logical to start the trial soon, but the moral voice in the heads of the three friends of Aurora shouted obscenities in their minds. It seemed impossible to have someone like Aurora to go against the institution, not after how adamant she was about defeating Voldemort.
"Ginny," Harry called out from his living room. Ginny opted to stay in Harry's house rather than staying at her own apartment. Suddenly the small home seemed to suffocate her with memories of girls' nights with Aurora.
"Coming, Harry," Ginny replied bouncing down the stairs. They hadn't spoke of getting married since reading the letter. It was one subject neither wanted to discuss until the chaos of the Famous Trio's last mission cooled down. Besides, Aurora's absence seemed like a death so getting married seemed like desecrating the mourning period or not respecting the so-called dead.
"We need to meet the Classens for tea in fifteen minutes. Apparating is fast, but to get through the massive media that is bound to be there would take time. Besides, we are to make sure Malfoy decided to end his self-imposed exile too." Ginny nodded her head while putting on finishing touches of her outfit. Harry petted the kneazels that chose to make their residence permanent and gave Hedwig and Mimi some owl snacks.
"Ready Harry!" Ginny declared when the necessarily precautions of leaving the house were completed. Putting on their coats and grabbing their wand, Ginny and Harry disapparated from the Harry's residence to meet the Classens in one of magical London's top notch tea houses, the cottage where Ginny first met Annabel Cardigan and had a friendly lunch date with Draco Malfoy.
The front of the restaurant already had some paparazzi lining up hoping to gain the view of the Classens. It seemed as though the family decided to have tea in the middle of the flower garden since photographers had elevated themselves and their equipment above the taller plants. The security charms placed on the area provided a good example as well as entertainment out of overly eager reporters.
"Ginny! Harry!" Mrs. Classen declared when Ginny entered the reserved area for their meeting. "I hope the press didn't give you such a hard time." Ginny mumbled a no as she gave Mrs. Classen a hug. For some strange reason, the Classens didn't seem like they were grieving for their daughter at all.
"Draco is busy ordering the food," Mr. Classen added when he came to welcome Ginny and Harry. "Please take a seat and we can begin discussing whatnots. We haven't discussed anything yet since Draco wanted all three of you here since Aurora was close to all of you, not just him."
Ginny and Harry made their way to the lone table amidst the greenery. The table was set and Draco sat alone looking more miserable than what Ginny had expected. Since it wasn't like Aurora died, there was still some possibility that he could meet Aurora again. Even if the girl wouldn't accept the identity of Aurora Classen, she probably still had the same personality as the old Aurora.
That scenario might be a stretch, but it was the one thing that was keeping Ginny from sinking into the pit of depression at the thought of losing a best friend. The lack of power and prestige in Draco's aura darkened the setting more. Instead of feeling confident, the slacking shoulder of a Malfoy made Ginny feel helpless in such a situation.
"Hello Draco." The greeting was a silent inquiry as well. But like a person with typical Malfoy upbringing, the comment was also a reminder for him to sit up straight and accept what had happened and move on.
"Hello Ginny," he replied with a trademarked dispassionate smirk. "So what about that wedding?"
That was the ultimate question. Whether she would get married to Harry Potter in a few months. Her mother was ecstatic about the prospect of Ginny getting married. The thought of eternal happiness flew out of everyone else's minds while the big warning signed blared in her own mind. Sure she had a long-term crush on the famous Harry Potter, but could that guarantee a happy married life?
"I don't know," Ginny answered looking at Harry. He had been silent since they exited the house. In fact, he was more quiet than usual after Aurora's letter. At first, Ginny had the irrational fear that the idea of marriage brought up the so-called male stereotype of fearing commitment. After a few days, especially after Harry asked for her to live in his home, Ginny noticed the Boy Who Lived was in the same boat as her. The idea of marriage was shocking to bother her and Harry, the normal male whose job forces him to travel and cut down contact with family and friends.
"Thank goodness the darned media is controlled," the exasperated voice of Mrs. Classen stopped the reenactment of reading Aurora's letter. "I suppose we should get started." Everyone took a seat with Ginny by Mrs. Classen and Draco by Mr. Classen.
"Perhaps I should explain more about our family," Mr. Classen began. "Like many large wizarding families, our family has extended history."
For the next hour, the Classens explained the family background. Apparently, the family was a neutral family in any wizarding conflict. Since the chaos caused by Merlin centuries ago, the Classen's lineage have oscillated alliance on every issue until Grindelwald. In the war against Grindelwald, the Classens took a definite stand against the dark wizard since their own family was targeted. Due to the definite stand the family took during the Grindelwald issue, the family made enemies from the so-called evil, dark side as well as enemies from the good side from previous decisions.
The first uprising of Voldemort was ignored while the family wanted to remain neutal to prevent members of the family from persecution from both sides. During that period of time, the family had moved its base in Australia to get away from the conflicts in England. When the second uprising of Voldemort became more violent, the young Aurora Classen couldn't stand the immoral actions of the heir of Slytherin and persuaded the Classen family to make it their mission to end the heinous rein of the half blood.
"But why was Aurora targeted now?" Ginny asked. She was still in shock about extended history of the Classens, but it did explain why Lucius Malfoy did accept his son's acquaintance with Slytherin traitor. "In all her other missions, she didn't have problems or difficulties like this."
"Although we have pretty much refrained from making more enemies, those families who went our opposite side and suffered still seek revenge. Most of our family members are not in professions where their safety is put at risk, but you know Aurora . . ." Ginny nodded her in agreement with Mrs. Classen. Aurora was the type of girl to risk everything – even the happiness of her love, Malfoy – to make the world a better place, as the cliché would say.
"Aren't you worried about Aurora's safety?" Harry asked with a frown. The older couple shrugged.
"Would it make sense for them to hurt Aurora?" Mr. Classen asked with a Slytherin-like smile. "Would it be smart for the rebels to hurt Aurora if that would unleash the entire Classen clan – along with my wife's family and possibly even the Malfoys and I would suppose the Weasleys too – wrath on those rebels?" Ginny then wondered how they would know Aurora had been hurt. After all, she did cut off all communication. As though Mrs. Classen understood Ginny's confused smile, the elderly woman then explained the tracking system.
"Each of the Classens have a tracking spell placed on them since their birth. We would know if Aurora got hurt." It was like the Weasley clock. The hands pointed at whether each family member was at home, safe, at work, or in danger.
"You are not worried?" Draco asked with uncharacteristic uncertainty. His pretense of carelessness dropped when he asked the question. The cold and distant Malfoy seemed very much like an average worried and lovesick man. "Does that mean Aurora could contact us once this boils over?"
"That would depend on Miss Weasley," Mrs. Classen replied with a dark look at her dessert. "The threat was placed on the safety of Ginny, right?" Ginny nodded. "Did anything unusual happen to you? If something did happen, it would most likely make Aurora really stay out of sight." The news made everyone pale. The fact that Ginny did lose a chunk of her memory whether it still bothered her or not had an effect on their Aurora.
"She believes you to be her little sister," Mr. Classen added with a smile. "She did say that if she were to have a sibling, it would this Gryffindor with red hair while she was at Hogwarts." There was a blissful smile of remembrance. "She wouldn't stop talking about what happened between Ginny and her. 'Oh, I dragged Ginny to do this with me . . . Ginny asked me that . . . I think Ginny got mad at me.' That girl would not stop."
"Do you think Aurora will contact us again though?" Draco asked. Resigned to the fact that perhaps Aurora would never willingly come back.
The answer was a simple shaking of their heads with a pained smile. No one really knew, but Ginny did feel better though. At least it wasn't likely for Aurora to be hurt. But if people dared to hurt her, Ginny was sure those who caused Aurora's disappearance would at least feel her Weasley temper and some mean jinxes as well as possible Unforgivable curses depending on what happened. Knowing Aurora was the strong person who would never easily give in, Ginny was hoping and desperately wishing for her best friend's speedy return.
When the questions were over, the elderly Classens excused themselves since they had some other arrangement and left Draco, Ginny, and Harry to themselves.
"So . . ." all three began when the older couple was out of sight.
"Potter, you still haven't gotten your act together?" Draco asked in his usual Malfoy drawl. He seemed almost back to normal with the mischievous gleam in his eyes except the slightly slouching shoulders.
"What act?" Ginny asked looking between the two men. She suddenly felt out of place. When Aurora was there, she teased Ginny endlessly in front of both men. Now it seemed as though she was completely out of the loop of the aurors. Hearing her question, Draco Malfoy shook his head and mumbled his farewell before apparating out. Ginny then turned to look at Harry.
"What act?" Harry repeated nervously wetting his lips. Ginny nodded. After the reassurance of Aurora's safety, Ginny felt at ease enough to placed both her hands on her hips and tap her feet waiting for Harry to "get his act togther."
"Yes. What act, as in what are you planning." Harry seemed to look more nervous. "You know, the last time you were so dodgy was when you got me to plan a wedding without knowing who is getting married."
"Ginny . . ." Harry trailed off with a huff. He looked abashedly at his feet before looking up at Ginny's face while bring her hands to hit lips. "How much faith do you have in us?" Before Ginny could answer, he looked away again to curse at Draco, Aurora, the plants, the table, and the waiter on the side waiting to clear the table. "Let's take a walk."
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Harry led Ginny to the gardens of the little pastry house. Since it had become common for a place to get sugary sweets, young couples tended to wander to the restaurant and share a pudding or tiramisu. When more min-dates happened in the restaurant, the owner decided to grow a small garden for the couple to walk around in rather than being confined to a table. Besides, the walk around the garden tended to make weight-conscious females feel better about eating so much sugary snacks.
"So," Harry began seeming nervous once again. "Do you think Aurora will be back?" Ginny gave Harry an "Are you kidding me" look. "Well, okay then . . ."
"Harry, just tell me whatever you are going to tell me," Ginny said with a sigh. "I don't think you wanted to talk about Aurora." From how Harry seemed to be so nervous, it probably would be something about their relationship. Like how he had so much trouble attempting to ask Cho Chang to the Yule Ball, Harry was fiddling with his fingers and his entire body radiated tension. Ginny looked at the quivering mass of nerves turned back into the determined and assured Harry after the defeat of Voldemort. Please let it be good news . . . Ginny thought with her own heart pounding, I know the commitment thing could scare off a guy, but please don't let Harry be like the typical men.
"Ginny, did you know how I felt when I came back and you weren't at my house?" Ginny noticed suddenly noticed how green his eyes were and wondered if the pupils were actually magnets instead of living tissue. "I was so worried since Aurora did mention threats the enemies had made about you and quite frankly, the last mission was pretty much a mental battle – and when I realized you weren't home – I don't know. Then I found out you had a memory gap, which made me what, happened in between and why you had a memory charm on you anyhow. So I thought it might relate to why Aurora was – "
"You are babbling, Harry." Harry didn't seem to notice that fact. His babbling became mumbles and suddenly, with straight shoulders and another attempt at maintaining eye contact, Harry paused
"—anyhow, would you marry me?"
~*~ TBC ~*~
Erm, I absolutely despise transitions. I hate it, I hate it, I hate writing it so very much. I have never been good with transitions. Oh well, comments and criticism welcome. Maybe the version I put up on the web would have better transitions and such.
*big breath* It feels strange to have a story approaching an end. Well, at least I will have a finished story soon. Maybe two, three chapters more . . . it all depends on how much info I have on movies.
To get purely progress on my stories, I have created a bloggy thing for that:
You can also get e-mail notifications whenever I have an update instead of getting author alert and such . . . I just figured my gibberish one was really all gibberish.
Thanks for reading. Now, The Scarlet Letter and all its symbolisms and such . . .