Aurelia had not been back to the ministry of magic since the attack on the Potters. It had been nearly two months since her last time there when she flooed in that Christmas morning to a ministry that seemed changed. Everything looked the same, but the atmosphere was different. It felt colder, greyer – less vivid. Although, since she hadn't really been out in the world since the Potters died and Sirius was sent to Azkaban – she couldn't really tell if it was the ministry that had changed, or if this was just the way the world was to her now; a cold, dark place.

The court room was filled with people, some she knew – and even more she didn't know. Actively avoiding the glaring gazes of her family, the unaccompanied witch made her way determinedly through the room, finding herself a reserved seat – far too close to the wreck of a man locked in a cage at the very front. Seeing Lucius, worn and pale, in that small cage placed in the middle of the courtroom, skin practically hanging off his bones, and silver hair hanging dirty and heavy over his face, was terrifying. She hadn't wanted to imagine it before, but there he was, right in front of her, and he hadn't even made it to Azkaban yet. She pushed the thought of Sirius to the back of her mind, because if this was what it looked like before, how the hell would Sirius look after nearly two months in that hell hole?

Steadying her breath, Aurelia got to her feet as she was called to the stand. She hadn't thought it would be this hard – this draining. She could feel her parents' eyes burning in her neck, as she walked down to the stand, and ignoring them with determination as she turned around to face the room.

"I would like to state for the record, that while some of you may have noticed the family resemblance – it is not out of familiar duty that I am giving testimony for my cousin today. As you can imagine, I don't have much of that left after learning that my own brother was involved in the murder of one of my best friends; Marlene McKinnon. I have no obligation, duty or loyalty to the Malfoy family. Not anymore." In a moment of weakness, Aurelia faced the steely grey eyes of her mother – whose lips were pursed and teeth gritted. Were they in the privacy of the Fawley home, Aurelia wouldn't have been able to finish that sentence before being hexed. But they were on her ground now, in her place of work, and for once – Aurelia was the one with the upper hand.

"I am here to leave testimony, because I know for certain that it was familiar duty and nothing else that made Lucius Malfoy commit the terrible mistake that was taking the dark mark."

"I'd also like to state, for the record, and for anyone who needs to hear it-" Aurelia swallowed down hard, as her eyes met her father's kind, blue eyes across the room, face crumbled, as though he knew what was coming. "-that I have no sympathy for murderers, and that I believe my brother got what he deserved. If he were still alive, I would gladly send him to Azkaban myself," she managed. "I mourn the boy he once was, but the man he grew up to be was impulsive and merciless."

"Lucius Malfoy is not. His weakness is the love he has for his family. He has told me firsthand that he only joined this cult to protect Augustus, who he loved like a brother. I am confident he was telling the truth. While I have no personal gain or interest in what happens to him, it is my honest opinion that Mr. Malfoy is not a dangerous wizard. I have no reason to believe that he has taken part in any unforgivable activities, nor that he will in the future."

"Aria!"

The hoarse voice rung behind her as she quickly made her way through the ministry corridor as soon as the trial was over, heels clicking stubbornly on the tile floor.

"Aria, wait!"

A cold hand on her shoulder forced her to quickly turn around and face her pale, sunken cousin. At least he wasn't in a cage anymore, but the dark circles around his eyes were heavy, his lips chapped and his skin near transparent.

"Lucius," Aurelia greeted stiffly, straightening out her back.

"I just wanted to thank you," the young man offered with a weak smile, a thankful one, as he pushed a strand of stripy hair out of his face. It's normally silver tone was all but gone, as it was filled with dirt that made it look plain and gray. That, the dark circles and the tired demeanor – he looked old. Much older than the short 27 years he had lived through.

"If it weren't for you, I'd have never…" he began, but swallowed hard – likely speechless at the thought of a lifelong visit to Azkaban.

"I didn't do it for you," she stated simply, "I did it for Draco."

"Nevertheless, I owe you," Lucius breathed.

"You do," she agreed. "Actually, there is one thing you can do, if you insist. I'm working on getting a court date for Sirius. I need you to testify, nothing but the truth. He was never involved and we both know it. He doesn't even have the mark and yet he still-" Standing there, face to face with a broken man who hadn't been through half of what Sirius had made it hard to even say his name, to remind herself of where he was this very minute. Where he had been for the past two months. Where he had spent his birthday, and where he would be spending Christmas. But it was a thought that could help him. Although she hadn't testified for Lucius' sake, it was a favor he could pay her back – and she couldn't afford not to ask. "I'm sure you've heard of his… situation," she added, voice more controlled now, as she used her mother's darned techniques for staying on top of her emotions and acting like the proper pureblood she was raised to be. And she hated herself for it, but she couldn't very well let him see-

"You love him."

The three serious words instantly brought her back to a cold day in Hogsmeade, standing opposed to her cousin just as she did now, but in a much different situation. So much had changed, everything, she would argue, and yet it was as though she was right back to that day. It was, she realized, the day she had understood that Lucius loved her, in his own way, and that he saw right through her. On that day, it had been James he was referring to, the proud seventeen-year-old who was prepared to throw fists at the Malfoy heir for simply looking their way. But he was gone now, and there was no bringing him back. And while it was a very slim glimpse of hope indeed, there was still hope for Sirius. If she could get her shit together and stop wasting time on her bloody family.

"I'll contact you when I have a court date," she managed, turning on her heel and rushing out of the ministry building, which seemed to be squeezing and suffocating her and she just had to get out of there. After flooing out onto the street, she disapparated on the spot, collapsing on the sofa in Sirius' apartment only moments later.

"How did it go?" Remus inquired, hastily getting up from his chair and making his way over to the sofa as the pop of apparition sounded from the living room.

"Are you alright?" Regulus' concerned tone followed, as he got down on his knees next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"He's free," Aurelia breathed, pushing herself up in a seated position, Remus immediately sitting down next to her with a sigh.

"On probation," she corrected herself, biting down on her bottom lip as she stared into the wall in front of her. "He'll testify for Sirius, once I get a court date, which is good. That's… good."

"Fawley," Regulus ordered, snapping his fingers in front of her face to get her attention. "Are you good? What happened in there?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just broke my dad's heart, defied mother dearest and ruined any chance I had of ever keeping my family," she mumbled, absentmindedly, replaying the whole trial over and over in her head. The way her father's eyes teared up as his daughter called his son a murdered, the viciousness of her mother's sneer as she completely renounced the Malfoy name. She was lucky she hadn't caught glimpse of her uncle in there. That might've been worse, she imagined. At least they owed her now, seeing as she had freed their bloody heir. She supposed that had to be good for something, but you never knew with those people.

"You have us," Remus said under his breath, taking her hand in his.

"Yeah, we're your family whether you like it or not," agreed Regulus, a slight smile on his lips as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I couldn't have asked for a better family, then," Aurelia mumbled, with her first smile of the day – as she hugged her best friend.