October ended with out a hitch. Ted's seventeenth birthday was just around the corner, on the tenth.
Erida hadn't offered another day for me to join her at lunch so I continued to eat at the other three with my friends and family. She rarely spoke in care for magical creatures and never did we speak about our families again.
Mum and Dad sent a letter, asking to meet up at the three broomsticks for Ted's birthday so the Hogsmeade weekend before his birthday the three of us were making our way through the windy Autumn air to the full to bursting restaurant.
Rosmerta smiled at us and jerked her head towards the back room where I knew our family awaited us, I took a hold of my brother's forearm and weaved through the crowd with him trailing behind me smiling and waving at the tables full of students we passed while Lydia followed behind quickly. Before I could touch the knob the door was thrown open and Nympha attached herself to my middle.
"Nymphadora Rem!" my mother pulled us in quickly snapping the door shut behind us, "You know we can't stand in the door way like that."
"I just miss them so much Mummy!" her raven pigtails bounced as she moved on to Ted who tossed her in the air, her dress billowing around her as she was sat gently on the ground.
Mum hugged us next, giving Ted and extra squeeze as well as a kiss on the cheek that he did not pull away from. Dad lifted me off my feet with his bear hug, while Evan stood to the side awkwardly.
"You think you are getting out of hugging me little brother?" I pulled him in, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek in the process. He wrinkled his nose and backed away making a show of wiping the kiss off.
After even Lydia had been greeted properly we all settled and tucked into the meal laid before us by Madame Rosemerta. Nympha prattled on about her ballet class, and Evan let out a few grunts when asked about how he was doing at home, Lydia even inserted a few updates on Elizabeth's life in school to be a healer. It was just as if we were back at home, if not for the sea of voices outside of the private room.
My parents are the most in love people I have ever seen in my life. My dad sat next to my mum, running his fingers through her hair as they watched Ted open his presents.
Ted was given the same watch Grandma and Grandpa Weasley gave my dad on his seventeenth birthday along with a card made by Nympha and his favorite cake baked by Mum.
My parents and siblings gave us all quick hugs before our return to the gates before Filch locked us out.
On Ted's actual birthday owls swooped down over the Hufflepuff table as we all ate breakfast dropping presents before him. Two of them made loud exploding noises as they landed, obviously from our uncles. He got a new scarf from Grandma Weasley to wear on the quidditch pitch this year, Grana Nessa sent an enchanted trunk, and Uncle Charlie sent some dragon hide boots.
The year marched on to December and the snow became thick on the grounds, we prepared to go home for Christmas break.
While running to class late for my transfiguration exam I tripped over a figure on the ground after a sharp turn.
I fell on my face, my bag burst open sprawling my things all around me. I turned to see what I tripped on, cursing under my breath to see the Ravenclaw from my magical creatures class, Anna, laid out on the floor. She was shaking, blank eyes staring at the ceiling, with blood leaking from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
The halls filled with a high pitched scream that hurt my ears, I didn't realize it was coming from me until I had to take a breath. I crawled across the floor to her, still screaming, I grabbed her face trying to get her to respond "Anna! Anna!"
I looked up to find professor Longbottom round the corner before me. He fell to his knees beside me and checked her pulse. He heaved her up into his arms while the Headmistress came running down the hall.
She came to me, "What happened ?"
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out, I just opened and closed my mouth like a fish.
"Okay, come now." She wrapped an arm around me and lead me to the hospital wing after professor Longbottom.
Madam Pomfrey tended to Anna in the bed next to me while McGonagal tried to make me lay down.
"Minerva, she is in shock. Give her time." The nurse called over her shoulder while assessing the Ravenclaw.
I watched with wide eyes as they called a mediwitch from st Mungos. There was a lot of movement, and soon a familiar smell filled my nostrils.
"Aurora. Oh sweetie, are you okay?" My mum held my face in her hands, then sat next to me and pulled me to her chest.
I felt someone else sit on the other side of me and place a hand on my back and rub slow soothing circles. Even with both my parents trying to pull me out of my daze, I could not tear my eyes away from Anna.
"Her hands are covered in blood. Has anyone looked at my daughter!" Dad asked the passersby.
"Yes ." Madame Pomfrey told him.
They took Anna to 's, and my brother sat in the chair next to my bed.
"Is she going to be okay?" I finally managed to get out, my voice cracking from the tears.
"I don't know." Mum whispered.
"I tripped over her. I didn't see her until after I had practically stepped on her." Tears began flowing again.
"It's okay. It's fine." Dad said from my left.
"Why would she bleeding like that?" I took the wet rag that mum offered me to wipe my hands off.
"We aren't sure yet ." said McGonagal from the end of the bed.
"I swear, professor McGonagal. I didn't." But she held up a hand to stop me.
"You have inherited the knack of stumbling into bad situations from your parents." She gave each of them pointed looks "We know you have no reason to hurt Miss. Sanford."
"I didn't really know her." I sniffed.
"Was anyone else around?" The headmistress asked.
I shook my head "I don't think so. I was in a hurry though, I wasn't paying attention until I, uh stepped on her."
She nodded, "You may go home. You will be excused from your Transfiguration exam." She to strides to the fire place as my parents turned to me.
"Can we go check on her?" I looked to Mum.
She brushed a hand through my hair and showed a sad smile, "Tomorrow. Lets give her family some time."
"Did she have any siblings?" I asked.
"A little brother. Ben." Ted said from his chair. "We were potions partners a few years ago. He is about the same age as Nympha."
"Lets get you home." Dad stood with Mum and motioned for us to follow.
We went home and the house was empty.
"Nypha is at the Lovegood's" Mum washed her hands in the sink "Evan is at Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's."
"I'm going to bed." I started up the stairs.
"You don't want to eat?" Mum wiped her hands on a dish towel.
"No thanks." I climbed the stairs.
I stripped to my knickers and pulled one of my big Weasley Wizard Wheezes shirts on and climbed beneath the sheets of my perfectly made bed, probably Mum's handiwork. She had cleaned the rest of my room sparkling clean, as she usually did on breaks.
I stared into my canopy above me, remembering my eighth birthday when I graduated for my little twin bed to my full size canopy. In the eight years since my parents had asked me many times if I wanted to up date, but despite my not quite so girly fashion sense I loved my sheer blue canopy and cherry furniture, vanity table included.
My door creaked open and my brother entered, tray of food in hand.
"Not hungry."
"You know how Mum is." He sat the tray at the end if my bed and sat on my stool. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Alright then" I looked over to find him pulling out a quidditch magazine and walking to my rocking chair.
"What are you doing?" I questioned him.
"Um, reading. Isn't it obvious?" He shrugged as he propped up his feet and opened his reading.
"Maybe I want to be alone." I stared up at the ceiling.
"Maybe I don't care." He flipped the page "you don't need to be alone."
"Fine." I turned on my side, facing away from him.
I woke few hours later to my mother's whispers. "Come on Teddy. Lets get you to your bed."
He mumbled something sleepily.
"It's okay. I have it. Go on. You will sleep better in your bed."
I heard him exit and my mother gather some things before following. The only light was coming from the hallway, so I could see a bit of my room in the darkness without adjusting my eyes to the light. Suddenly the strip of light cast on the wall disappeared and I was plunged into darkness. The bed dipped next to me and the blankets moved. My mother's scent filled my nose and I felt her run her hand through my hair. I turned to her and curled my self up next to her. I laid my head on her chest and listened to her steady heartbeat.
"You know I had to fight your Grana and Grandma off from storming in here and coddling you today." With my ear pressed to her body her whispers where loud and clear.
"Thank you."
"Neville floo called and says she is stable. We can go by in the morning if you would like." She continued to brush through my hair.
"Yes please."
"You know you can talk to me about anything right?"
"Mhm" I hummed enjoying the comfort that only my mother could provide.
We laid in silence for a while and I began to doze off, only hearing my mother's heartbeat and breathing. I wondered if this is what it was like when she was pregnant. My first nine months of life, completely surrounded by my mother.
"Do you want me to stay?"
"Please." And I finally let sleep sweep me away.
A/N- Guys, I am so sorry for the delay. I have had some serious life changes in the past few weeks, and while I was writing much more to vent, it was going to a place that it was not meant to go. I am very much an emotional writer, and when my five year relationship came to an end I became bitter and I took it out on these characters. There has been quite a bit of rewrites, because I have a very specific journey for Aurora to go on, and my emotional state was not helping. I can't promise I have an update next week, but I can try. Please bear with me guys, and if you have any spare thoughts or prayers for me, that would be greatly appreciated as I brave my way into learning how to live on my own for the first time. Love Always! Danie