Granny Walburga didn't like Aurora to call her Granny Walburga. She told her that she was Grandmother and nothing more, and then she told her that Aurora wouldn't be staying long anyway so she oughtn't start getting comfortable. She didn't say anything more about Aurora's papa, and eventually Aurora learned to stop asking, because Grandmother looked at her with scary, tense eyes. Aurora didn't know what she'd do if she got too upset, but she was scary.

It felt like a long time passed before Aurora met anybody else from outside the creepy house with Grandmother and Kreacher. They had a quiet Christmas in which Grandmother gave Aurora a terrible book that she couldn't read and which had no pictures. She also gave her a frilly pink dress, which was nice, but got quite itchy, and Aurora didn't get why she had to wear it to Christmas dinner when the only people who would see her were Grandmother and Kreacher who saw her in normal robes all the time. "You'll wear it," Grandmother snapped when Aurora questioned this, and then she didn't question it again.

But some time after new year, when the world outside the house started to get a little bit warmer, they had a visitor. A tall, thin, tense looking man in plain grey robes declared himself as being from the Ministry of Magic. He was there to see Aurora, but Aurora didn't want to see him. "He looks strict," she whispered to Kreacher, who she'd made help her hide in one of the small cupboards. "Scary." But so did Grandmother. The only difference was Aurora knew Grandmother now. "Does he know Papa?"

Kreacher gave her a suddenly nasty look and opened the cupboard door, revealing Aurora suddenly to Grandmother and to the Ministry of Magic man. "Kreacher!" She gaped in silent protest, wilted under Grandmother's disapproving glare, and crossed her arms as she looked at the Ministry of Magic man.

"You must be Aurora," he said, and he had a very crisp sort of voice. She nodded. "Orcus Selwyn. I'm here to sort out the issue of custody, after your father's... unfortunate disappearance."

Aurora stared at him, waiting for Orcus Selwyn to say something more. When he didn't, she looked at Grandmother in confusion. "Someone else has to take you in," Grandmother said, wrinkling her nose. "Your father wanted Andromeda, but I won't hand you off to another blood traitor."

"Quite right," said Orcus Selwyn, with an approving nod. "I understand, Ms Black, which is why I offered to be the one to sort the matter. She is of Black blood, after all."

"Yes," Grandmother said stiffly, with a hard look at Orcus Selwyn. "Pure blood."

He looked slightly surprised, but nodded hastily. Grandmother was very scary when she wanted to be, and she wanted to be quite a lot, so she had good practice. "Might we progress somewhere more comfortable?"

Grandmother sniffed. "Indeed. Kreacher, fix tea for our guest."

"Yes Mistress," Kreacher said quickly, scraping into a bow. "Of course Mistress." He scampered off down the hall towards the kitchen and Aurora looked at Orcus Selwyn. He smiled somewhat stiffly at her; she was beginning to think all adults were stiff now. Papa hadn't been stiff. He'd run around outside with her on his shoulders and she'd screamed and laughed for ages. Grandmother didn't do that and Kreacher was too small so Aurora didn't want to ask. The grown ups went into the living room, which was the brightest room in the house — except for Aurora's bedroom, which she had finally convinced Grandmother to put pink paint on the walls. This room had a very big window that Aurora liked playing pretend fairies next to, usually with a very grudging Kreacher.

"If you wish for Aurora to remain with a blood relative," said Orcus Selwyn as he sat down, pulling out sheafs of parchment, "we have options. I have been in contact with your late husband's father Arcturus Black, his sister Lucretia Prewett, your brother Cygnus Black, and your niece, Narcissa Malfoy. The Malfoys have a son of similar age to Aurora—"

"Draco," Grandmother broke in, "I know, I have met him."

"Of course," said Orcus, looking suddenly rather flustered. "Of course, Ms Black. If you have any preference, the child is still magically in your care and you can make the decision yourself, and I will inform whoever you appoint. As I'm sure you know, your son's will appointed James and Lily Potter as his daughter's guardians, but er, given the circumstance..." He seemed to falter, seeing the anger in Grandmother's eyes.

"Potter," Aurora said quietly, frowning. She knew them. "Where are they?"

Her grandmother and Orcus both turned to stare at her, the former very tight lipped, and the latter looking very awkward indeed. "I trust you have not told her?"

"She is two years old," Grandmother said. "I do not believe she would understand the situation."

Orcus' cheeks went a bit red. "Understandable. Understandable, of course... Mr Black also mentioned Andromeda Tonks in his will—"

"She is not a Black," Grandmother said tightly. "Nor is he — not truly."

"Quite," Orcus said. "In that case, who will it be?" Aurora was very confused. Her grandmother was looking after her — well, in a manner of speaking. She wasn't as nice as papa but Aurora did like her, because she was familiar and having been stuck inside for so long, she didn't want anybody new. She didn't want to be with someone else.

"Gra-mother," she said slowly, enunciating every syllable. Orcus looked at her, as did her Grandmother, both of them seeming faintly surprised. "I want gra-mother."

"Ah." Orcus and Grandmother exchanged awkward glances. "That's lovely, Miss."

She frowned as they turned back to one another, talking hushedly so that she couldn't hear what they were saying. He had said that the other ones had a son her age. She wanted to meet him. Papa's friends had had a son, Harry, and he was small and very loud, but he was her friend. If she stayed with those other people would their son be her friend too? He might be more fun than Kreacher, but Kreacher also didn't complain when she told him to make books fly and probably the other boy couldn't even make books fly. At least, Aurora hoped he didn't, because she couldn't make anything fly yet.

"She could meet them," Orcus was saying to her grandmother. "Before we make any decisions."

Grandmother glanced at Aurora, who frowned. "Who?"

"We're considering sending you to stay with my sister in law, Lucretia," Grandmother said. "She has no children of her own."

"Lu-cri—"Aurora couldn't say that name. She pouted. "Where?"

Grandmother ignored her, speaking to Orcus in a low voice. Aurora picked up the name Arcturus somewhere again. Kreacher appeared with a tray of steaming tea along with a cup of juice for Aurora, and she beamed at him as she took it, sipping away happily. He stayed beside her when Grandmother did not dismiss him, and Aurora whispered, "What happen?"

"Kreacher cannot say," he said. "Kreacher cannot tell Mistress Aurora yet."

She didn't like that answer, and turned away from Kreacher with a very loud huff. Grandmother and Orcus were talking again, and then Grandmother sighed, eyes turning on Aurora, who blinked. "You said you wished to remain with me," she said. "Here?"

Aurora nodded quickly. "You and Kreacher."

Grandmother sighed, pinching her forehead. "You remember what I told you?" Aurora blinked at her in confusion. "You do not cry. You do not whine. You do as you're told." Aurora nodded.

"Very well." She pursed her lips and turned to Orcus Selwyn. "Lucretia is married to a Prewett, a family very openly against the master of my late son. Arcturus is old and losing sight of the pure way, Cygnus is, frankly, unstable, and I will not have her with the Malfoys, schemers that they are." She wrinkled her nose. "She will remain with me until further notice."

Aurora grinned. Orcus Selwyn looked rather put out, but he nodded anyway and they left quickly and smoothly. Aurora beamed as she turned to Kreacher. "I get to stay!" she cheered, and Kreacher smiled at her. "I get to stay with you and Grandmother!"