A/N: Huge thanks to those of you who reviewed, favorited and followed! So, I got this question from one of my amazing reviewers, about whether James would end up with Lily or Aurelia. And I feel like I really don't want to give that away at this point, and I want to keep it open, but I completely understand your concern! What I will say is that there is a lot of drama coming up in this story, and given that there is a war going on, this is not going to be a purely light and fluffy story. And while there'll be a lot of darkness, I promise to remember to turn on the light as well ;) No but in all honesty, if you guys really want to know more about where I'm taking it, send me a review or a PM and I'll consider letting you guys in on more (even though you will find out in time). After all, I'm writing this for you guys, but keep guessing and let me know what you think! Also, another lovely reviewer asked for longer chapters so I'm doing my best you guys!
It was beginning to become quite the routine, waiting for James just outside the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room. She didn't mind, though, because waiting for him meant she would get to see him, and there weren't many things she wouldn't do to be back in his arms again. He was the kind of security she had never had before, the safe place she had never felt that she had at home, nor at Hogwarts for that matter. He was her much needed escape from a troublesome reality which she had lived her whole life. Growing up, she had been sent back and forth between Hogwarts, Wiltshire, and home. During her first years at Hogwarts, Augustus had still been there, keeping an eye out for her. Remembering it, she couldn't quite determine whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. While he did keep the bullies away, he seemed to keep everyone else away too. If any muggleborn Hufflepuffs had attempted to befriend her, he was sure to intimidate them well enough to keep them away from her for the rest of their school years. In all fairness, she hadn't been quite as lonely back then as she was after her brother's graduation. His friends, and some other older Slytherin boys had made sure to 'keep her safe' and thus, in consequence, did spend some time with her. Back then she hadn't understood their motives, but in her third year she begun to realize that they were only spending time with her to suck up to her brother, or worse, to court her for the influence of her family. After that, she wanted nothing but to stay away from them, and by then, it seemed like all her chances of any real friendship at Hogwarts were ruined. Safe to say, she did not feel at home at Hogwarts.
It was completely different at home in Fawley Manor, which was much too large for their family of four. And while Aurelia normally appreciated her alone-time, it was a very silent and lonely childhood. Her parents were both very occupied with work. Her father was working with the International Confederations of Wizards, and while his main office was at the Ministry, he was often travelling and Aurelia barely saw him, even on school holidays. Her mother on the other hand, was quite inseparable from her twin brother, Abraxas. The two of them were holding up the appearances of the Malfoy family name and running their business, which Aurelia assumed had much more to do with scheming plots than it did investments and exchange. Needless to say, there had been times when Aurelia had no choice but to spend her fair amount of time at Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, which was her least favourite out of the three huge buildings which her residence shifted between. The manor was larger than her parents' house, but it was also darker and colder, as were the people in it. While there was no doubt in the world that the Malfoys were very loyal to their own, and that any of them would stick their neck out for her at any time, they were not exactly a warm family. Her uncle was obsessed with making good impressions to the right people, and to maintain the relationships that provided him with the powerful influence he had grown accustomed to. Thus, he was very insistent on Lucius, Augustus and herself spending time with the right people, and particularly on having Aurelia betrothed to a pureblood bloke who lived up to his standards. Spending time at his house meant constant vigilance, exhibiting perfect pureblood manners, and ever recurring discussions on marrying her off to some perfect little pureblood bloke. It was insufferable to say the least.
So out of the various places and people who had been somewhat remote to a home to her throughout the years, none of it had been home, not in the way that he was. In the weeks that they had been seeing each other, his arms had become her safe place, his shoulder had become her comforter, and his smile had become her joy. Perhaps it was ridiculous, feeling something so strongly, this soon. In fact, she knew it was. It was stupid, really. But it was all she had been waiting her entire life for. She was no longer alone and unloved. Hell, she wasn't even invisible anymore. He saw her now. He saw her for who she truly was. He saw past the proper pureblood mask, and he saw past the invisible girl with her head turned down.
"Hey."
She smiled at the sound of his voice, turning around to just see him appear out of nowhere, as he took of the cloak.
"Hey," she replied, unable to rid herself of that soppy smile that had glued itself to her lips.
"You're okay," she stated, a sense of relief washing over her at the realization that he was well enough to be out of the hospital wing.
"How's the arm?"
"What, this old thing? It's been through worse."
"So, are you going to tell me all about Prongs now?"
"Oh, here I was thinking you already knew all there was to know about him."
There it was again, that smile she couldn't seem to stop from spreading, as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a soft kiss on his lips before she buried her face in his shoulder.
"The boys want to talk to you," he continued, with a slightly more serious tone, as he wrapped his unscathed arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head, once again making her feel safer than she ever had before.
"You're getting the full story, since you've already figured out half of it on your own."
"Thank you."
"For telling you the truth?"
"For everything. No one's ever been this kind to me before."
"Well then it's about time," he said, as a smile with a hint of sadness in it graced his face.
It wasn't long before he had put his unharmed arm over her shoulders, and wrapped the invisibility cloak around them to lead her up several flights of stairs to the west towers.
"Temet nosce," James voiced, as they reached a portrait of a sleeping, large lady, who woke up in the middle of a snark.
"Who's there?" she asked in chock, frantically looking to both sides of her portrait, clearly not seeing past the invisibility cloak.
"Temet nosce," he repeated, and the lady shook her head in disbelief right as the portrait swung open to reveal a cosy room of scarlet and gold, which Aurelia could only assume to be the Gryffindor common room. There was no one else there, and the room was quiet apart from the fire cracking underneath a painting of a lion, which definitely confirmed her theory that this was indeed the Gryffindor common room. He had not only trusted her with the fact that him and his friends were animagi, but also with the location and password to the Gryffindor common room.
She didn't get to stay long, though, as he quickly pulled her along through the circular room, and up a spiral staircase at the end of it. The stairs seemed to go on forever, and as they finally got off the stairs he opened a door that led into a dormitory, which clearly belonged to the marauders. The four-poster beds were each sitting along different walls of the rounded room, scarlet curtains hanging down along the sides. Remus was sitting up on his bed with his face buried in a book, and his space was very neat and tidy. Sirius, on the other hand, was sprawled across another bed (along with various pieces of muggle clothing) frustratingly poking at a small rectangular device the size of his palm, which was connected to his ears through two black strings. It was definitely some kind of muggle device, and it was beyond her how the Black family heir had drifted so far away from what his parents had wanted him to become. Peter's bed was also a mess, books and parchment spread out across the sheets as he frantically scribbled on a piece of parchment. It was quite obvious which space belonged to James. The broomstick which was leant against the wall, and the quidditch uniform thrown on top of the trunk, were a dead giveaway, but frankly, it was much tidier than she would've expected.
James pulled off the cloak and threw it across his bed, and looked at her with a proud grin across his face.
"Welcome to Gryffindor tower!"
"Merlin, Prongs, you brought a Hufflepuff into our dorm? What am I supposed to do about this?" Remus complained, rubbing his eyes with his hand.
"Worse, he brought a girl into our dorm! Well, congratulations, you're the first girl ever to set foot in the marauders' legendary dorm," Peter grinned, at which Sirius let out a bark and nearly choked on his chocolate frog, clearly indicating the falseness of Peter's statement, and pulled the strange strings out of his ears.
"Not the first, and definitely not the last. Nevertheless, it's good to have you, Fawley."
"Disgusting, Padfoot," Remus muttered, as he put down his book on the nightstand, suddenly glancing up at her with a serious look on his face.
"Look, Aurelia. James told me you… figured some things out, and I understand if you're completely appalled and… Just don't tell anyone, please?"
"What? Gods, no. Remus, I'm not. I just… I'm so sorry you have to go through this, and if there's anything I can do to help you, don't hesitate to ask."
"See, I told you. True Hufflepuff, this one. Good at keeping secrets too," James grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to his side.
"I won't tell a soul," she agreed, seriousness written all over her face as she met the green eyes of Remus, who looked slightly relieved at her statement.
"Brilliant, now that that's over with, who's up for introductions?" Sirius exclaimed, rolling out of his bed only to reduce into a shaggy black dog, with large grey eyes looking pleadingly up at her. Aurelia was completely gobsmacked. While she had seen Professor McGonagall transform before, this was disturbingly realistic. The large dog strode over to her, wiggling its tail, rubbing its forehead against her palm before licking her fingers.
"Oi, Snuffles! Lay off my girl, will you?"
With a small wince, the dog turned around, walked over to the bed and jumped up on it, transforming back into the cocky teenager with the characteristic leather jacket and perfect hair. Aurelia was positive her chin had literally dropped off her face.
"Wow. That was…"
"Completely inappropriate?" suggested James, shooting a deadly glare at his best friend.
"The most amazing thing you've ever witnessed?" Sirius shot back at James with a smirk on his face.
"I was going to say insane, but I think you just about covered it."
Naturally, the evening spiralled off from there. They all shared a bottle of muggle whiskey that Sirius had snatched up in London, as the boys took turns telling her about how they all became friends, how they learned about Remus' condition, and how they came to the mad conclusion that they should all become animagi to be there for him (of course it had been James' idea). They talked and laughed for hours, before one by one dozed off, and left her with nothing but the sound of the breezing wind against the windows, and Peter's content snoring. She was lying on her side, once again finding herself drowning in the depth of hazel eyes, wishing that she'd never have to leave this place.
"Lia?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad you figured it all out."
"Me too."
They fell asleep like that, and it was the first time they had shared a bed, the first time they had fallen asleep next to one another. And while they did nothing but sleep peacefully, closely together that night, Aurelia had never felt closer to anyone before. Granted, she probably never had been closer to anyone before; not when her grandmother was still around to read her bedtime stories, not that summer when August had shared his deepest secrets with her, and definitely not when she had slept with Rabastan Lestrange in his parents' cottage nearly two years ago.
A/N: This chapter was longer! How did you like it? haha honestly I can't wait for this story to take off, and for all the darkness and drama that's coming (don't worry there's going to be good stuff, too). To follow up on my notes in the beginning, what do you think will happen in this story? Do you think that James will end up with Aurelia or Lily, and who do you want him to end up with? Please let me know if you like this story by favoriting, following and sending me a review, every single review motivates me to keep writing and I can't describe how thankful I am for your feedback!