Disclaimer / Author's Note I do not own the Harry Potter Universe or its characters. I merely own the original characters you don't recognise.Thank you for reading. I am very excited to be writing this. It's extremely fun to toy with my idea of another Potter.

Description Aurora J. Potter grew up privileged, with the price of having to follow all the rules that comes with being a respected pure-blood in wizarding society. She can't choose her own clothes, her own friends, or even her own likes and dislikes. Though she soon realises that her thoughts may not be her own either. There is a bounty out for her head, and there is a psychopath determined to collect it.

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Chapter Three

Family Tradition

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Two women sat stiffly across from one another. The one on the right shook her glass of ice water with a smile upon her face, the other staring down at the floor with her hands folded in her lap neatly with an emotionless expression. She listened to the clock tick and wondered when it would come. The blow. More shame than she already felt. It was three minutes until the woman on the left had lost what bit of composure she'd had left.

"Stop that," She snapped, eyes narrowing at the glass in the other's hand. "I can't think with all of that racket, Hatter."

The shaking stopped, but the woman addressed as Hatter could not help but look at the other in amusement. Her ruby red lips stretched into a cocky grin. She could not help it, finding it hard to resist the temptation to tease the least unfortunate of them all.

"Scared are we, Lady?" Hatter let out a girlish giggle, then at the snap of a finger adopted a sympathetic persona. "Don't worry. I'm sure you won't be punished too harshly."

The look she had gotten in return was enough to make her week. After all, she'd done her part. Executed perfectly what was asked of her from the very beginning. There was nothing for her to be afraid of. Lady, on the other hand, Hatter could see she was a goner. She had failed to do her part. If the dark lord were present, he'd be most displeased with her. Something that Hatter would have given anything to see. It was of no matter, though. He'd be back one day. Hopefully sooner than she predicted.

The door swung open, and a set of heavy quick footsteps quickly made their way to where they were. Lady's knuckles turned white. Her face as well. She stood up quickly as a tall man with long blonde hair entered the room with his wife in tow, cane gripped tightly in his hands.

"Lucius, forgive me -"

He acted as if the mere sight of her was more than he could bare. Hatter already could not get enough of it. "Sit."

She did so, taking her eyes off of him and onto his shoes. Though she could hear his wife soothing him, much to her luck. She tried not to breathe too loudly. The wife guided her husband to the couch, clinging to his arm the entire time. The silence was deafening in all throughout the manor. Lady could feel his furious gaze burning holes into her head. She wanted him to speak. To say something. Anything. The weight of the anxiety caused by a single stare felt as though it could break her.

She was swallowing back her words when he spoke.

"You failed," he began to tear into her like scrap parchment. "You had one job that was given to you from the dark lord himself. Do you remember what that was?"

"It was. . ." She swallowed. "It was to watch he-"

"To watch her!"

She flinched.

There was more to it than he knew. He had no idea what it was like to have such a high position in government. She was feared. Respected. Powerful. Atleast, she had been. With every passing year she felt any shred of the remaining self respect that she had for herself waste away with time. She kept such a happy disposition, but on the inside she was nothing more than a high ranking puppet.

A failed pawn.

"How hard is it to keep your eye on one measly little brat?" He questioned. He wanted to stand again, threaten her with his cane. But his wife kept him seated. Her hand rubbed at his chest. "You specifically were supposed to make sure she attended Hogwarts to get her closer."

What was she supposed to do?

What could she have done?

At the end of the day, the jury and the judge had the final say above her. She'd tried to interject, even tried to twist the law as vaguely as possible. It was fruitless from the beginning, she knew it. That damned Rosier woman had the legal rights to the girl.

"Mr. Malfoy, I couldn't," she pleaded. "Anne legally has all rights to her. She fought tooth and nail to overule that will!"

He reached out and slammed his cane onto the coffee table in front of them.

"Did you think that your task was through just because the dark lord is no longer with us?" He'd completely ignored her excuse. From the corner of her eye she could see Hatter holding in every bit of laughter that she could. It made her blood simmer. The urge to reach over and make her choke on her own top hat was overahelming. "I will rip that girl right from that whore's dead body if I have to -"

"Lucius," his wife interjected. She seemed strangely shaken by his threat. If Lady hadn't known any better, it sounded a bit personal. It struck her, really. She knew that Anne's background with Narcissa Malfoy wasn't the kindest. Atleast, as far as ahe knew. She wondered why she cared. "You. . . Promised you'd never hurt her."

Lucius did not look at her. He kept his intense eyes onto the shameful form of Lady as he seemed to reflect on his words. After contemplating, he exhaled through his nose and gently put his hand on top of his desperate wife's. "Forgive me, my dear," his voice sounded sincere. He didn't enjoy upsetting his wife. His words had slipped from his lips in the heat of the moment. "I didn't mean it. I promise to find another way."

There was a chuckle from Hatter. By now, she'd flipped herself upside down onto the couch and was swinging her legs in the air like a child. Her top hat was her favorite toy at the moment.

"How exactly is that, Mr. Malfoy?" she'd asked. "The child is a menace. Too aware, she is. Not only that but she's off to that Ilvermorny school, sadly."

Hatter paused for a moment. She looked as though she'd just came up with the best idea in the room. Her eyes gleamed in Lady's direction as a sort of teasing before she gave her little presentation. Flipping herself back over, she stood up and went to sit criss-crossed on the coffee table in front of the Malfoy's.

"Since ol' Lady couldn't do what was asked of her, and I did - " she'd teased. Lady only turned her eyes to the floor and glared shamefully. " - It would be most honored if I'd be trusted with the task of watching the brat."

Lady stood quickly, open mouthed and ready to protest against it.

"Malfoy, please," She'd pleaded. It was absolutely ubsurd to her. She didn't even see this plan even working out in the slightest. All she needed was more time to come up with a new strategy. Another chance. Surely, she could get the girl in their hands in no time like they wanted if they put their faith into her once again. "No witch or wizard that isn't welcomed can even go onto the school grounds!

Hatter let out a laugh.

"I'm no witch," The giggle echoed throughout the large room. "I'm something that most haven't even attempted to comprehend entirely. . ."

A chill had ran down Lady's spine. She grew stiff, her breathing now frosty within mere seconds. And it'd ended as quickly as it'd come. Her face was riddled with anxiety and frustration. Damn that bitch. Hatter seemed to think that it was a game she was a part of. And that she was in the lead, looking behind at everyone else who'd fallen short. She was lucky. Nobody had even tried to research into her kind.

And yet, Mr. Malfoy seemed to consider this. Lady knew that at this point there was no deterring his decision.

His mouth turned in slight satisfaction.

He'd warned her: "Do what you must."

And the deal was done.

"Fool, that was your worst choice."

Ever since my birthday, I'd been able to sleep better than I had been in what felt like a long time. The first night, I'd slept for hours and went from there. Maybe my mood shifted a bit. Or maybe, it'd left me with an undeniable paranoia that this break was only for the moment. That the eyes would be back sooner or later to watch me. It chilled me to think about it. The very possibility was something that I'd often thought about throughout the day. Sometimes, even going as far as to avoid closing my eyes.

But I'd kept it all to myself.

The way that I'd always been dismissed like a little girl only told me that nothing I have or could say would hold any weight to anyone. Anne wouldn't believe me. I feared she would only tell me to never speak of it again. May as well save her breath for the next time I was bad.

The thoughts only gave me a headache. I'd only wanted to enjoy this little time that I had to have my mind to myself. I willed myself to sink into my bed and think of my future. Ilvermorny. Magic. Exploration. Maybe I'd have a bit of fun in these classes despite my dislike for reading and homework. I pictured it to be different than my lessons I'd grown up having with my peers. Being put in a room with a large circular table, surrounded by people I hated with a clueless pureblood tutor took its toll on me. At least, I hoped it'd be a lot different. Anne told me it would be.

I heard someone knock on my opened bedroom door.

"Aurora?" Speak of the damn devil. She took a few steps into the room and looked around, as if expecting to find something she somehow wouldn't like. She looked to be in a bad mood. "You need to get dressed. Your Aunt Marlene is going to be here soon to take you school shopping."

My eyebrows rose, stunned.

"Aunt Marlene?" I'd questioned, almost not believing it. I sat up on my bed, even forgetting my excitement. "She's actually coming?"

Anne only gave me a disapproving look in return. She seemed to mistake my surprise for happiness. I didn't bother to correct her. I was too bewildered and questioned what powerful force on the face of the planet managed to summon Marlene Mckinnon out of the damned shadows. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd seen her. Years ago, maybe. On the bright side, every time she came around she gave me presents.

Anne blew a harsh breath.

"Get ready," was all she said. She then left me to my own thoughts as I went around my room trying to decide on what to wear. Though, my thoughts only then shifted to my estranged aunt.

It rose some old questions, really.

The Mckinnon family, from what Anne had told me, had been known for being blood traitors. Which had only made me ask more that she'd only refused to answer. I didn't see why. It wasn't as if she was my aunt by blood. Just supposedly a very good friend of my mother's that some how ended up here. All I really knew about her was that Anne and her never got along. Yet, I still thought she was the most coolest. I'd never tell Anne that, though.

And so I'd procrastinated getting ready.

The more I'd thought about it the more I was reluctant to trust that she'd show up. I wasn't even given a time. The clothes were just laying loosely on my bed. I even tossed aside my surprise that Anne had let me choose my own outfit today. If I could just sit in my room with no light but the sunlight pouring into it I'd be happy.

On second thought, I wanted to go very badly.

The ticking of the clock became unbearable for me, making me question if time was slowing down or if it'd been as long of a time as I'd thought it was. I'd found myself trying to push down some rising hope. It wouldn't have been the first time I'd been promised she'd come to get me for the day only to be left waiting for nothing.

Then, I heard of roar of something familiar. I was at my window quicker than I'd ever moved before. I looked down at the front courtyard, seeing a blonde woman in a black leather jacket kick off of what I'd once been told was a muggle motorcycle. I could already imagine Anne's face of discontent at such an object being brought to our doors.

My feet began to move as fast as they could down the hallway.

"Walk like a lady!" I'd heard Anne bark at me as she saw me running towards her. She paused with her hand on the front door and looked me up and down. "I thought I'd told you to get ready."

She mumbled something about me having an hour to do so, but I wasn't listening. I moved her out of the way and opened the door myself, seeing my Aunt Marlene's back turned to me as she untied a large garbage bag from the back of her do-hickey.

"Auntie!" The air was too warm for my liking, yet I was ecstatic to see this woman after so long. I would have ran out onto the pavement to get her, but I had no shoes on. "Are those presents?"

"Of course they are, squirt," she grinned, tossing the sack around her shoulder. "All for you."

Anne ushered me back inside and held the door open. They dryly exchanged greetings as they passed one another. I looked passed it, my eyes greedily trained on the bag instead as I followed both women to the dining room. I tried to see inside the bag somehow, but it was pitch black. Aunt Marlene was indeed one for the dramatics. She seemed to detect the whine about to come and chuckled at me.

"Hey there, be patient you lil' shit," she teased, ignoring the severe look Anne gave her. She began to untie the bag and fish for something specific. It waited most impatiently, then blinked in confusion when she pulled out a white and blue box only slightly bigger than her hand. Curiously, I took it and turned it over to read the strangest word I'd ever seen.

"Nokia 1011?" I questioned, looking to them for answers. Anne did not look happy, while Marlene on the other hand looked rather pleased with herself. She urged me to open the box, to which I did so as carefully as I could. I didn't know if this thing was fragile or not. I tore the plastic inside and my eyes met with a black and grey device with one of those 'screens' I'd once seen in the muggle public. But it was smaller and cool in my hands when I'd taken it from the safety of the box.

"One of the latest cell phones. Had to get you the best since I'd missed your birthday party," Marlene proudly, reaching into her pocket and holding an exact replica of it with a wide grin. "I have one just like it, see?"

"Mckinnon, what on earth is that thing? Anne asked before I'd had the chance to. She reached over and took it from me, looking it over as if it were some sort of poison I'd been given. Marlene couldn't help but look on in surprise. It made me feel like I should of already knew what it was.

Marlene muttered something about needing a smoke after this.

"It's a damn beauty is what it is," she explained. She knelt down to my level and showed me hers. The screen lit up to a bright green and there were letters on it with the names of people I'd never heard of before. "Look. Instead of writing a letter to someone and waiting fuckin' ages for a response, you can call them and hear their voice instead."

That seemed shady to me, somehow. It reminded me of a howler. Those had never been exactly pleasant. I'd once got one from Anne. I'd had to spend a few days at the Calderons for a sleepover and one of the other girls had made a comment that my bangs looked like a muggle girl she'd once seen. I got in trouble for asking her what she'd been doing talking to a muggle anyway. She cried and next thing I knew there had a red envelope at the ready for me.

I took it from her hands and started experimenting with it, thinking back to when I'd been told that magic usually manipulated muggle things. Though Aunt Marlene was sure to stop me from actually pressing the button on one of the names.

She even laughed a but at the curiosity and reminded me: "Keep it in your pockets at all times. That way when you need someone you can call them."

"Them?" Anne spoke up stiffly, setting the phone onto the table. I could guess in her mind that she wondered who I'd even need to call if every name I put in my phone had to be checked by her. That was until Auntie rummaged through the bag once again and pulled out another box, handing it to Anne and simply raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, me and you. Duh," answered Marlene. She then rolled her eyes and muttered something about Anne being 'one of those' parents. "Don't be lame, man."

I wasn't sure how Anne was taking this internally. Yet the grip she had on one of the dining chairs gave me a bit of an idea. It confused me. The assurance that she could talk to me and check in at any time was something that I'd thought she'd be able to get behind. I really just wondered if I could take it with me to school. I asked Marlene this and was a bit delighted when she'd told me that I most certainly could.

But Anne told me to hide it from the others as best as I could.

Marlene ignored her suggestion and continued to show me the presents in the bag that she supposed made up for years of missed birthdays. A pretty white and baby pink skirt outfit with a matching handkerchief to tie around my head as a bow. A rose gold leather jacket with my last name bolded in black on the back that I didn't hesitate to put on. A book to write down phone numbers in. It went on, and I was pleased with the gifts. I thought of how I could rub my new jacket in Dora Calderon's face.

Eventually, it seemed that the two women couldn't stand to be in the presence of one another any longer. Anne had asked aloud if we were going to be on our way soon. Marlene wasn't stupid, so she took the hint and had ushered me out of the front door.

"How will we get there?" I saw no portkey. And we couldn't get into the Gormeth from apparation, since it was against the city policy. Marlene laughed at me as if I'd asmed something funny.

She took a spare helmet out of the trunk of her motorcycle.

"We could go back inside and use the floo network," she suggested playfully. "Or, you could get on the motorcycle before Rosier decides to look out of the window."

I stared at what now looked like a death trap to me and thought there was no way in hell I was getting on that thing. Unfortunately, Auntie was stronger than me. Despite me attempting to protest she picked me up and put me on the back of the damned thing

with a helmet on. I thought I saw my horrid life flash before my eyes and clutched onto her back for dear survival. If I was going, she was going with me and I'd make sure of it. I tried to open my eyes, but with every turn that she'd made I thought the thing would tip over. My eyes were tightly closed and I vowed not to open them until it was over.

Graphic images of a painful death caused by this thing plagued my mind the entire way.

The ride seemed to take longer than I'd like, and I began to wish that we had in fact went back in the manor to use the floo powder instead. I should have already been getting measured for my school uniform.

"How much longer?" I'd shouted to her. "My arms are getting tired!"

She only laughed and blocked out my complaining until we'd actually gotten there. The wind against my ears may have stopped and I couldn't feel my stomach taking strange dips but I was still afraid to look. It took me actually hearing her black heal boots hitting the concrete to fully convince me that we'd stopped. It was strange, opening my eyes. It felt as though everything I saw had a blue tint that faded shortly after when my eyes adjusted.

I looked down and frowned.

"I need help," I wiggled my feet to remind her of how much taller the bike was than me. I couldn't get down on my own. As much as I hated the feeling of someone picking me up. Marlene clicked her tongue in disaproval.

"At this rate you'll never be able to play Quidditch," Marlene commented.

I furrowed my brow as I tried to remember what on earth that sport was. I recalled hearing of it once or twice before, but all I knew was that it was a game they played in the United Kingdom using brooms. I wasn't a fan of heights or athletics, so I'd never shown interest in a broom anyway.

"I don't know about that," I'd told her. "But Anne took me to a couple of Quodpot games."

"What in the hell is that?"

All I was able to tell her was that it involved a ball that exploded and a lot of players. It'd been invented so long ago and there had been talk about a mere game evolving into a huge sport that played by different rules now. It was something else I looked forward to seeing at Ilvermorny, since I knew they had teams there for every house. Though, Aunt Marlene seemed to be uninterested in it and mumbled something about Quidditch being far better and ushered me along the stoned path.

I could see the city in the distance. Gormeth had always been beautiful to me. All the buildings had been made so long ago and the place tried so hard to put muggle inventions everywhere in shops. I always silently wondered how they managed with this. It gave it a classic and new feel that I'd had trouble putting my finger on.

"Wanna get some grub first?" Auntie suggested, putting a hand on her stomach with a longing look at Brimmer's Brew.

I gave her an exasperated look. We'd only just arrived and she's gawking desperately at that mud-blood ran eatery.

"Aunt Marlene!" I'd loudly whined and stomped my foot, getting the attention of those who passed by. I could see her getting ready for a public tantrum. "I want to get my school stuff!"

"Kid, I hadn't even had breakfast," she'd suddenly looked as though she were remembering a bad morning. I didn't budge. Sniffing dramatically, I stomped my foot again and hoped that it made some sort of difference. She then sighed, reaching into her pants pocket and pulling out my Ilvermorny letter. "Listen, I'll make a deal with you. But you have to say yes first."

She put the letter in my hands. I stared at her suspiciously and crossed my arms defiantly.

"What kind of deal?"

"The kind that gets us both what we want," she stated. She wasn't even looking at me, just looking at the pastries displayed in the window. "Just say yes."

"No," I refused. "I don't know what the hell you're gonna make me do.

"Don't you trust your auntie?"

"Anne tells me not to."

She scoffed bitterly at that but decided to let the comment slide. She must have realised that I wouldn't give in because she blew a defeated breath, knelt down to my level, and turned my head to a tall shop lined with heaven colored fairy lights. She'd asled me first if I saw the place clearly, since it was down the street in between two different others. I told her I did. There was a nice looking black dog that seemed to be guarding the outside of it and barking at those who came too close to the outdoor displays.

"Here's the deal," Aunt Marlene began. "I get us both some food and I send you down there with your little list to get your books and meet you there. Got it?"

I didn't. Yet, the idea of going off on my own to shop like a grown up was one that interested me. I'd been about to accept, but I hesitated and gave her small growl of frustraition. There were so many things to think about now. Plus, that dog may not even let me in. Animals hated me.

"But I don't have any money on me," I reminded her. She paused, looked me over as if just registering my existance for the first time, then muttered a curse word under her breath that I pinned in the back of my head to use later. She pulled out her purse and pulled what looked to be a thick leather letter. I looked up at her questionably and she called it a 'wallet'. Strange that she didn't keep it in a carrying pouch like everyone else.

"You know your currency don't you?" she asked me seriously. "Pecunias, dragots, naves, and sprinks?

I was at a loss because I knew of pecunias since they were paper money. The others were coins and I wasn't a fan of addition and subtraction. I'd never bothered to pay attention when we'd went over this at the lessons. Auntie saw this, and grew a bit impatient with me. More so, she decided to blame Anne again and continued to quickly explain how much of what added up to another. I absorbed almost none of the information.

When she finished, she reached onto the wallet and pulled out some money for herself. "Don't over spend my money either, kid," she gestured with her fingers that she was watching me. Then added: "And do not leave this street, Aurora. I mean it!"

I looked at the street sign and curled my nose in disgust at the name. I instead focused on my newfound independence and confidently strode down the street towards the book shop. And as I expected, the dog began to block the door and bark at me whenever I tried to get past it. Some passers laughed at me as if it were amusing. All I wanted was to get my hands on a damn spell book and read some out loud.

The damn thing scared me a little. It was particularly violent to me and I thought it'd try and bite. I tried to push oast that fear and stand my ground without getting too close. I couldn't stand dogs.

"Move!" I snapped at it. The dog only growled. It made a stance like it was about to pounce on me. Then, the bell on the top of the doors chimed and the door flew open. An old woman stood at the stares with a box of what looked to be dog treats. She looked all too ready for this.

"Crixen!" she'd scolded harshly, holding the treat up to his face. "You know better."

She then tossed it onto the concrete in hopes that he'd go after it and let me through. Crixen did not move though, which seemed to surprise her. He stood his ground and I could've sworn that in that moment there had been more emotion on that dog than I'd ever seen in most humans. And seeing as the treat didn't work, the woman reached over to grab it's collar to pull him inside.

I wondered if this dog was like that to every customer. The woman looked to me with an apologetic look, ushering for me to follow her inside. I'd only looked at her distastefully as if she were a mere muggle and told her that the mutt was stupid.

She couldn't register my words.

"Inorma Ink," she'd introduced, seemingly wanting to tell me off. The restraint she had was powerful. Her lips were tightly pressed together and she examined me. Eventually, her eyes landed on my letter. She'd whispered my last name under her breath and asked: "Sweetheart, do you have an adult with you?"

'Why?' was the first thing that came out of my mouth. As in, I couldn't get myself to understand why it was any of her business. She didn't respond to me after that. Just welcomed me to 'Ink and Hobbes' and hobbled over to where her husband was behind the counter. I could see her whisper something in his ear and he turned to me with a peculiar look. They both had their focus on me. I turned my back to them both and noted to myself to refuse any sort of help from them. Finding these books would be easy to do all by myself.

At least, I thought It would be.

The shelves were enormous. Lined together with spines that had long words written on them that I wouldn't even attempt to try and sound out or understand. It gave me a headache trying to read all the titles quickly as I passed by. I asked myself where to even start.

It didn't help that the damn dog was following me, too.

He seemed to be tracking something. Like he was seeing something that I couldn't. I tried multiple times to shoo him away, but he only sat when I'd stop to look at a specific book and got right back up when I'd moved to another aisle. Eventually, I forced myself to just pretend he wasn't there. I wouldn't let anyone or anything ruin this for me. I tried to pull out a book that looked to be 'Dark Arts Defense' - one that I'd seen on my list, but it was so packed on the shelf with other books that a couple of others feel out onto the floor in front of me.

Damn me.

I would've began to fume over how much I hated reading in the first place, had it not been for the book itself that happened to catch my eye. It was there in fancy white lettering. A book about wandless magic by a wizard who's name was too long for me to pronounce. That was when I began to wonder if such a thing were really possible. I'd never heard of anyone using doing spells without their wands before. Never been taught. Never mentioned, either. The concept gripped me.

"To Be a Wandless Witch. . ." I whispered the title aloud, running my fingers across the cover, imagining what it's be like. My decision final, I tucked it under my arm and picked up the other books to put them back.

The dog must have thought that I was stealing, though. He pounced, but headed directly behind me onto the shelf with a loud bark. Two rows of books were knocked onto the floor and Mrs. Ink and her husband were there before I'd even had time to blink. I stood rooted to my place as they began to pick up the mess and assure the customers in the shop that all was okay. The husband turned to me and offered a sympathetic smile.

"Checking out?" He asked me. I knew he only wanted to get me to leave. Like it was my damn fault and not his dumb dog's. I tried to snap from my momentary shock and convince myself that it was sure as hell better than an entire shelf knocking over.

"No - I - I need- " All I could do was hold up my letter. He took it and looked it over, then told me that he could get the listed items in no time if I stayed where I was. Then, he was off.

I knew I wouldn't be coming back for awhile.

"What's that sound? It's hollow."

We walked along the streets as we ate our food. I complained, knowing that the memory of Aunt Marlene having to talk to the book keepers and pay for a couple of book damages would be one I wouldn't be living down for a long damn time. I tried to insist that It wasn't my fault when the old bat started demanding payment. I couldn't stand that horrible dog. Auntie had only raised an eyebrow at me and laughed. She seemed to find some sort of amusement from all of this.

"Relax, kid," she reassured me. Her comforting hand went on the shoulder of my jacket and she gave it a good squeeze and added: "It was only a few books."

"You shouldn't of had to pay for a damn thing," I mumbled bitterly, poking at my gelato. My appetite had been lost and replaced with a horrible feeling that wouldn't leave me. It was a feeling of being unsettled that was at the pit of my gut. I then said in a more quiet tone: "Animals hate me."

Marlene bit a chunk off of her cone.

"Does that mean you don't want a school pet?" She'd asked me. I glared at her, yet took a few moments to actually think on it. I certainly didn't like dogs. I'd never really encountered a cat. Our fat black owl named Hendrix was appalling. And honestly, I'd never thought to consider any other beast.

"No," I felt like I could go my school years without a messy pet to ruin my homework. Marlene groaned, telling me not to be lame and said to me that they could be the best part of my expirience. So, I'd asked her what ever happened to her school pet. She frowned.

"Wasn't allowed to have one. Dad said they were messy and all," she'd said in a sulking tone. "My family just shared an owl."

She then went on about how her father had told her that getting her a pet wouldn't be fair to her other siblings, seeing as they hsd a large family. It just would have been a mess, she'd told me he said. I felt sorry for her. I was told never to ask of her family, or her past back in London. Anne thought I'd be oblivious as to why - but I wasn't stupid. There'd been a war there and suddenly family was a sore subject. I knew they were all dead. My mind scared me, sometimes. How it went off in a completely different directiom than I would have expected it to go.

She went on for a bit and I'd long tuned her out and delved deeper into my own thoughts. Then, I felt two hands on my shoulders and I was suddenly pulled back to reality as I felt myself being directed.

"Where are we going?" I demanded. "I didn't finish my gelato!"

A strange smell then hit my nose as we got closer to where Auntie wanted to go and I crinkled it in revulsion. Wet dog, reptile crap, and something I couldn't list. My eyes adjusted eventually to the source and I stopped walking. There was no way I was going into that pet shop. Aunt Marlene gave me a pointed look and put her hands onto her hips.

"Potter, you are going to get something," She insisted.

"I don't want one," I pinched my nose and waved my hand in front of my face. "They stink and all they do is poop."

"Aurora James," she nudged me towards the door. "Come on, they do more than shit and piss."

"How would you know?"

She hadn't even had a pet before. Unfortunately, she ignored my comment and pointed towards the door. I wanted to argue, but I didn't feel like trying her. My plan was to just look around and say I didn't like any of them. With my nose pinched the entire time to be dramatic and make my point further. She'd only rolled her eyes.

And the smell intensified when we'd walked in. There were animals everywhere. Owls. Pigeons and parrots that flew around freely. Cats. Dogs. Anything that one could think of. I more so focused on the fact that the store was massive on the inside but small on the outside. Nobody would even know where to begin looking. My first instinct was to look for someone that knew their way around this joint. Or, someone to tell me that there were no school pets being sold at this time because they'd all already been sold. Unfortunately for me, a guy who'd been helping another pair find their way happened to notice us standing helplessly by the door.

"Mm," he adjusted his collar and slapped the biggest grin on his face as he swiftly advanced towards us. "You seem lost."

"Obviously."

It'd slipped out. Marlene roughly nudged me in the side with her elbow as a warning. Luckily, the man seemed to take it as a joke for some odd reason and began to laugh. I grunted when he ruffled my hair. I'd had to restrain myself from biting him then and just chose to push his hand off of me. Auntie put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it again. Another warning. I growled and bit my tongue.

"What she meant to say was we were looking for something small," she said to the man, putting on a grin of her own. "Her first year here, you know."

The man was slow to understand at first. He'd whispered 'first year' under his breath and trailed off. Then, it seemed to click in his head and he beamed brightly at this, his wondrous eyes turning to me.

"First year at Ilvermorny, eh?" He seemed more excited than I was now. That certainly said something. "I remember my first year as well with my loyal pet ferret. Passed on 'bout ten years ago now."

He then made a gesture for us to follow him and began walking away like he naturally expected us to. I'd thought about asking Auntie to ditch 'em. But she was already taking my hand and forcing me along.

Many of the pets that I'd passed I'd thought were troublesome, ugly, or were the main source of the foul odor in this place. I hated rats, the things that I could have sworn were fed to owls. Weasels and Ferrets stunk badly from what I'd seen. And I didn't even give the puppies a second glance. It wasn't as if I could take one to school anyways. Auntie was talking away and pointing out every and any potential pet that she could. All I could do was think of how I should be able to at least wander around the store myself If I was staying here against my will. I crossed my arms and tried to count how many steps I took to pass the time.

Maybe, I'd began to think, this had been a bit of a mistake.

Spending a day with Aunt Marlene, I'd thought that it'd be a better day than this. That I would be having more fun than I'd been allowed to have in a long time. That's what Auntie was known to do whenever she came around before. Take me on adventures and tell me never to speak a word of it to Anne.

What had changed?

I began to think that something was different, this time around. Something was off, I could tell. Aunt Marlene was acting strange. I asked myself if it had been something that I'd done. Something I'd said, maybe. I say a lot of things. It was hard to keep track of it all.

A woman had rudely pushed past me in a rush, carrying something in her arms with her toddler trotting behind her with his thumb in his mouth.

"Excuse me?" She called to the man auntie was speaking to. He'd must've not heard her at first. She said a little louder: "Excuse me!"

The man stopped and turned to her, clasping his hands together.

"My deepest apologies, madam. I was quite occupied, " he said sincerely. He flashed his name tag at her. "T. L. Bocker. Is there something wrong with your. . .?"

Bocker trailed off as his eyes went to the white mass of hair in her arms with a questionable expression.

"Cat," she confirmed. She didn't seem happy at all. Like she was scared. "One that's most definitely not house trained nor as friendly as the other man that sold it to my wife had said it was."

If I didn't know better, I'd say she was getting rid of the thing.

She'd had her back to me, so I stepped forward to take a peek at it. Wrapped in a blue towel was a white kitten. He had peach colored ears with a tail and spots around his body that matched. I saw nothing but grey when it'd looked at me. It didn't do anything at first, then it looked behind me and hissed. The woman dropped it out of fear, causing the remainder of us to flinch. Luckily, it'd landed on it's feet. Like all cats.

She looked up at the man then, composing herself quickly and began to apologise profusely, torn between checking on the cat and staying away from it. "Is there any possible way you could take it back?" she questioned hopefully. Her tone sure switched quickly to a kinder one then. I was stunned that Bocker's smile never faltered.

"Of course, ma'am," he'd said cheerfully. Then turned to Marlene, who'd already been petting the poor thing behind the ears, with a look of regret. He felt bad about having to pick it up away from her. "I'm sorry, this will only be a moment and I'll be back with you two in a bit."

Auntie looked between the cat and Bocker and paused in thought as they began to walk away. She looked to me with a suggestive expression. "Aurora," she'd gestured towards the way they'd went. I looked at her, wondering if she'd lost her damned mind.

"Did you not just see that devilish cat hiss at me?" I questioned her, my face exasperated. The woman obviously wanted to get rid of it for a reason. Marlene only scoffed at me.

"Come on, kid," she urged, then rubbed my shoulders for encouragement. "You really want to stay here longer?"

It was a compelling argument, I had to admit. It also proved my point that auntie also wanted to get out of here to and head back home. At least that's how I took it. I gave a loud groan and auntie took that as an invitation to take my hand and lead me to where they'd gone.

"Could you be any more mean?"

"A cat. . ."

Anne cocked her head to the side when me and auntie had presented my new pet to her. She reached her hand out to pet it, but it recoiled upon her attempted touch. So far, I'd discovered that he didn't like to be held. Or touched all that aside from behind the ears. In the short amount of time that I'd had him, It hadn't been all that bad as I imagined it would be. I wouldn't give Aunt Marlene the satisfaction of having me say that out loud, unfortunately for her.

Anne realised it would be better to keep her distance. Instead, she looked at me with a smile. I figured she was just glad to see that I'd cooperated for once.

"What did you name him?" She asked. Then looked back to the cat, who's ran off somewhere in the house to possibly explore where he'd be living from now on. "It is a male, right?"

"Right," Marlene cut in, setting the rest of the bags onto the coffee table. She began to pull things out to show Anne what we'd bought. "And no name just yet. She can't come up with one."

"Don't make me sound stupid," I accused. She wasn't wrong, though. Maybe I would have been able to think of one, had I not been trying to hold onto dear life on that dumb bike. Not only that but I'd been worried about the way the cage and the rest of the shopping had been strapped to the back of it. I'd been conviced that they'd fall off onto the roads. Surprised that they hadn't. I was just happy I made it back home in one piece.

Marlene chuckled and began to stack my books on top of one another next to the pet supplies. I saw my wandless magic book and had been about to take it, but Anne had gotten to it first and turned it over curiously.

"Wandless magic?" She'd questioned. And then she chuckled and looked at me. I didn't see what was so funny about it.

"I thought I could learn," I'd told her honestly, reaching across the table and taking my book back. I looked to Marlene, but her focus wasn't to me.

Anne seemed glad enough at my enthusiasm.

"Well, if you practice now you'll sure to get a few things mastered by the time you're nineteen," she half-joked. Me and Auntie didn't laugh. Anne cleared her throat awkwardly and told me to put my things up to my room until she had the time to look at what I'd gotten later. She didn't have to tell me twice. I missed my bedroom and knew I'd been gone far too long. So much that I'd somehow managed to fit almost everything in my arms so I didn't have to make as many trips. I'd also wanted to get away from them.

I knew it would happen sooner or later. I could sense the instant snap of tension between them. This time, I had no idea what'd caused it. Maybe it was me, again. Perhaps Anne had hoped that I would get something other than a mere cat. I tried to tell myself that it was none of my business, helplessly taking myself up the stairs before my arms gave out from the excessive weight of my new belongings. I'd wanted to make it before I heard them. But I could hear them as soon as my foot hit the second floor.

And there the cat was, sitting patiently as if he'd already made himself at home. I paused, setting by stuff down as best as I could so I could sit beside him.

"That was uncool, Rosier," I'd heard Auntie say. She sounded ready to try to elevate it. "Even for you."

I heard a scoff.

"Are you really fretting about something this small?" Anne had asked her. In my head, I pictured her raising her eyebrow in a way that demeaned auntie. Maybe she did it on purpose. Maybe not. "I only said the truth. Adult witches and wizards who've practiced for years still have trouble with such a thing."

A pause of silence.

"That's not what I meant," I could tell Marlene was trying to bite her tongue. Anne could kick her out if she went too far. "She'd taking an interest in something for the first time. Can't you ever just nod your damn head and be proud of her?"

A clink. Maybe one of them had set something down. It'd sounded like glass.

"Are you saying I'm not proud of her, Mckinnon?" Asked Anne. "She'd growing to be a fine pureblood witch - "

"That shit again," Auntie had cut her off in the most bitter tone I'd ever heard her use. I'd almost considered going in my room. "What In the name of Godric have you been teaching her?"

I hated the silence.

"What I teach my god-daughter is none of your concern," was all Anne replied with. I heard footsteps. Heels against the light colored hardwood floors. Another pair followed quickly, and a rebuttal came quickly after.

"I have every damn right, she should've been mine, too," Marlene's words had bothered me then. It made me shrink a bit in my place. The cat had come tip-toed it's way to me, sniffed me to make sure I was trustworthy, and sat beside me. I imagined it was consoling me. "I took care of Dormada, Sirius and I -"

I could picture Anne's face then. Just because I couldn't see it, didn't mean that their tones couldn't help me decide their expressions. A voice was all I needed. Anne must have been appalled. Stunned at the nerve that Auntie had dared bring into her home. Aunt Marlene must have looked as though she wanted her words to snap some sort of sense into someone. At the same time, I imagined I was wrong about it all. I was never told anything.

"Yours," Anne's voice had been unusually calm in that moment. She seemed to consider her next words carefully. "No. . . You only want her to be yours because you can't have your godson."

"That is not true, I love Aurora," hissed Auntie. "And you know that."

"Do I?"

The smell of coffee became strong. Auntie had said something then that I could not hear. Footsteps followed. Then the slam of the front foot that rattled the paintings that hung on the wall.

"'l'll get him back. You'll see. . ."