Rowan returned home to the Rosier Mansion. The family home was warm on the inside, but still dark with emerald and gray throughout. Her father was standing at the bottom of the grand staircase, arms crossed and expression unreadable. Aurelia was near him, her head cast down and looking sheepish.
"So, you've been messing around with Potter," the patriarch spat, this was his Death Eater voice, she knew it all too well.
"We're just acquaintances, that's all," she ran her hand across the pendant, fumbling it between her fingers.
"Rufus followed you to Hogsmeade and immediately owled us. Your mother convinced me to not send a howler, lucky for you. I can't believe you've been whoring around with a half-breed!"
"The prodigal son, of course, misinterpreted it. We're just frie-"
"Crucio!" He screamed, directing the curse at the petite raven-haired girl, her screams igniting and echoing through the mansion.
"Felix, stop! You can't do this," Aurelia rushed to the side of her youngest, wiping the hair off the forehead of her convulsing daughter.
"Crucio!" Rowan saw black dots from the white hot pain, feeling herself slipping from consciousness.
"Aurelia, get out of my way!"
The matriarch unwound her arms from her daughter and stepped into the parlor, tears soaking her cheeks. She quickly floo called the Order, telling them Felix had officially gone dark and she was concerned about the safety of her family. They assured her that she needed to get her and her severely affected daughter to headquarters as soon as possible, calling Poppy to take care of the girl. Loud sobbing began to echo from the parlor, causing Aurelia to peek in. Her husband was kicking the bleeding girl.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
The elder fell to the floor, unconscious.
"It's okay, honey, you're going to be alright now," Aurelia consoled her broken, nearly unresponsive daughter who has now bleeding from her nose and lip and bruising dusted the snow white skin. Grabbing her broken arm, she apparated them to Grimmauld Park.
The Order rushed to Grimmauld Place, where the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and the remaining Marauders had been staying. Poppy Pomfrey followed suit and proceeded to the destination. Dumbledore quickly filled in the Weasley couple, Sirius, and Remus on the emergency floo he had received. Remus was shocked and his heart hurt to hear that a previous student of his had been in the situation. Sirius empathized due to his own upbringing, especially as he was related to the girl through his own pure-blood defector status. Hearing a knock on the door, they rushed to answer it. In Aurelia Rosier's frail arms was a teen girl who looked even more weak. The bruising had discolored a majority of her face and some fresh blood was spewing from her injuries. They rushed her to the table and Poppy began working.
"Aurelia, what events caused Felix to react so harshly?" Dumbledore was shocked at the extent of the girl's injuries.
"I'm not sure, he came back from You-Know-Who's enraged and didn't calm down for days. Rowan's been around Harry and he blew up when she came home, resulting in this." She gestured to the crumpled body Poppy was tending.
"Should I go get Harry?" Remus looked between the adults in the room.
Sirius glanced between his best friend and the body on the table, "Perhaps, we should let Poppy get things straight and cleaned up. I fear he'd blame himself for Rowan's injuries. If he comes down before that, we can inform him."
Poppy butted in, "What exactly happened to her beating wise?"
Aurelia shook her head, "I know he cast crucio twice on her and was kicking her when I attacked him, but I can't be positive."
The elder medic nodded, "Alright, everyone if you could leave that'd be fantastic. I want to see the extent of the physical injuries and would like to grant her some privacy."
The gaggle left the room, Molly wrapping Aurelia in a hug, "I can't imagine how I would feel if that were my Ginny on the table like that, we're all here if you need anything."
Sirius nodded, "I have plenty of room for you two to stay here as long as you'd like, family is family."
Tears quietly dropped down her sharp face and she nodded gratefully. Inside the kitchen, Poppy was shocked by the girl's state. Purple and black darted across the pale flesh and she looked exhausted. Onyx eyes darted open and she cried out in pain. Poppy lightly smoothed the curls on the teen's head and shushed her lightly. She knew she'd need Severus to brew up some potions for the pain. Slightly creaking open the door, she had requested for Albus to floo Snape. He nodded and she resumed her care.
A soft, ragged voice spoke while wincing, "Where am I?"
"You're at the headquarters for the Order. Do you remember what happened?"
The girl grunted and nodded, the motion causing pain to shoot down her limbs, which felt heavy. She couldn't believe her father had done this to her. Her mother's haunted look as she left the room kept replaying behind her eyelids. She must've went to get help or she would still be lying on the floor of the manor. Poppy helped her sit up and get dressed which was one of the most difficult things she had done in a while. Her arm had been mended by the older woman and Snape waltzed in the room as Poppy wrapped a blanket around her. He carried various potions in his arm, a look of concern etched in his features.
"Miss Rosier, it is unfortunate to see your current state of being. These should aid in healing."
"Thank you, Professor," Rowan said, nodding at his generosity.
The potions master gave a slight nod and walked outside, his voice muddling with everyone else's.
"Madam Pomfrey, may I tell you something?"
The older woman nodded and was curious as to what the young girl would confide.
"They assaulted me. His Death Eater friends. I was too scared to tell my mother and I just didn't know what to do."
The healer felt anger rise in her curvy frame, "Did you ever think about telling your father or brother?"
She hung her head, "Father knew. He told me to not tell anyone. He let them. I don't know why."
The older woman quietly ran her hand over the girl's shoulder. She needed to speak to Mrs. Rosier immediately. Stalking out of the room, she grabbed the attention of everyone.
"She'll be fine, at least physically. Aurelia, I must speak with you at once in private."
The rest of the Order scrunched their eyebrows. The matriarch followed the smaller, plump woman into a private room at the end of the hall. Dread filled her veins like ice water, freezing and leaving her breathless.
"I'm afraid that Rowan has revealed that she was assaulted by various friends of your estranged husband. Apparently he was aware it was occurring. I don't know how you wish to proceed from here, but I am of course required to share that information with you. I'm so sorry."
Aurelia saw red, she was going to murder him. He had let those pigs touch their daughter. She almost tore the hinges off the door opening it with such force. Poppy tried to stop her but the witch slipped from her grasp. Dumbledore grabbed her, trying to calm the woman.
"Aurelia, whatever has you so angered?"
"I need to see Rowan. Now."
"May I tell them, Aurelia?"
Aurelia hesitated, "Yes, before I get myself put in Azkaban, they should know the circumstances."
Shutting the door, she waltzed into the dining room and wrapped her last surviving daughter in her arms. She threaded her fingers in the girl's black curls and they sobbed into each other's shoulders.
Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys heard the commotion down below and left their room to investigate. The Order had assembled and Madame Pomfrey was standing in the hall, their faces all looked down and sullen. Emerging from the dining room was none other than visibly shaken Aurelia Rosier, who he knew to be Rowan's mother.
"What's going on," Ron questioned as his father was consoling his mother and the elephant in the room was large.
"There was an incident tonight with Rowan Rosier and the Order had to get involved and heal her."
Harry's face fell, worry immediately etched into his features, "Is she going to be alright?"
Poppy nodded, "She should make a full recovery."
Remus and Sirius watched James' son's reaction with a hint of nostalgia, reminding them of the worry his father had for Lily. Sirius knew that the boy cared for her very much. Ron had alluded to the fact that Harry had a Slytherin girlfriend, and Remus had informed Sirius the Rosier girl was a pure-blooded Slytherin, but had always been kind and a good student. To know what the girl had been through hurt his heart for her and for Harry.
Harmione chimed in next, "What happened to Ro?"
The muggle-born had adopted the nickname Harry used and had become close with her. She was very concerned about how badly her friend had been harmed unlike her ginger friend who could care less.
"Her father switched sides and decided to punish her for being a blood traitor. He used the cruciatus curse and beat her. It was dreadful," the sheepish Mrs. Rosier answered, her white-blonde hair falling into her teary blue eyes.
Harry felt his heart drop into his stomach and nausea seep in. Imagining anyone hurting her boiled his blood and terrified him. She had become a source of comfort, his equal partner. He couldn't lose her like he'd lost so many others.
"Do you want see her, Harry?" Rowan's mother was beautiful, he could see where it had come from. There was a resilient spirit embedded under the Rosier women.
He nodded and she opened the door to the dining room. Rowan's eyes lit up and Harry made his way to the battered girl. Gritting her teeth, she stood up and wrapped her thin arms around him, holding him as close as her body would allow.
"I missed you."
"It's been two days, Rowan."
"That doesn't mean a thing," she murmured, burying her head in his chest.
"It's all going to be different now, Harry. I'm scared."
"There's no need to be scared, love. We are all here for you. We can get through this. Together."