Hey all! February is such a short month so I'm giving you lovely lot an update today so you get your two updates this month. I'm expecting my hours at work to start going up next month but I'm ahead on all my stories. Big thanks to everyone reading this. Big thanks to Reading in Monnlight for the review. You do learn throughout how their baby being snatched affected them throughout the story. Part 10 is a key chapter. Hope you had a great Valentine's Day. This chapter and the next few deal with physical and mental bullying just to warn you.
Lots of love,
LM xxxxxx
Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 2
11 years later
Date: 1st September 1995
Place: An orphanage for witches in London
"Aurora Edwards! What have you been doing in my room again? You've stolen that book haven't you?" Natalie shouted down the corridor. Aurora Edwards appeared from her room,
"Natalie I have been in my room making sure I have everything in my trunk. How can I possibly have been in your room when you've been in there constantly for the past Merlin knows how many hours?" Aurora argued back before Natalie's best friend Chloe pushed her into the wall and walked over to Natalie.
"She been in your room again Nat?" Chloe questioned.
"Well that book's gone missing and she was the one who was after it," Natalie said before she headed into Aurora's room and messed up Aurora's trunk and room before sighing as the book wasn't in the 11-year-old's room. Natalie just walked out and left Aurora to tidy everything away again.
By the time Aurora had managed to do that breakfast had already been put away. She managed to munch on a bit of toast but that's all she'd have until the feast at Hogwarts. She got her trunk down the stairs and waited her turn to be apparated to King's Cross's apparition point. She was the last to be apparated and as soon as she and her trunk and bag were there the older kids led the younger ones towards the barrier.
It happened before anyone, even Aurora realised. Some Muggle, not watching where they were going, crashed into Aurora and by the time she'd got up the rest of the kids from the orphanage were out of sight. She began to panic and waited to see if anyone came back for her. When they didn't she headed towards the brick wall between platforms 9 and 10 hoping that someone with magical powers would soon come by.
People kept asking her if she was OK and she just nodded. Aurora knew that nobody speaking to her would have a clue what she was on about so she just nodded and looked around. Eventually people left her alone as they gathered she was waiting for someone to meet her.
It was at that moment that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy walked into King's Cross station with their son Draco. He had just been made a Prefect at Hogwarts.
"He'll be Head Boy next Cissa," Lucius told his wife as they looked at Draco. He was basking in his father's praise. The scars from what had happened 11 years previously were slowly fading but the pain and wondering where their missing child was hadn't dulled at all.
They had kept it a well guarded secret about what had happened to their second baby but only a select few had known what had happened so it hadn't been that hard to keep everything a secret.
"Yes he will be Lucius. He's a miniature you in every way possible," Narcissa said before she looked over at the barrier and caught sight of Aurora stood there looking scared, "Lucius looked at that poor child. She looks like she's going to Hogwarts," she whispered before hurrying over to the child.
"Off mother goes again," Draco said.
"You know what your mother is like. Let's go and see what crazy idea she will have this time," Lucius said before walking as Draco pushed his trolley towards his mother and the girl.
Narcissa had knelt down in front of the girl and waited for the girl to speak but Aurora was so frightened she couldn't find her words.
"Are you looking for the barrier sweetheart?" she questioned softly and Aurora nodded, "it's OK," Narcissa added as she felt Lucius and Draco had joined them, "that's my husband Lucius and my son Draco. He's in his Fifth Year now. I'm Narcissa and we are Malfoys."
That clearly was the wrong thing to say as Aurora jumped and moved away before Narcissa grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back, ignoring the young witch jumping at the contact with her arm,
"We're not horrible and we won't hurt you. We want to help you. Where are your parents? Did you get lost?" Aurora shook her head,
"I got separated from the other children from the orphanage and nobody has come back to find me," Aurora whispered so only Narcissa could hear. As she said the word orphanage Narcissa's features saddened. How could such a beautiful blonde haired and blue eyed girl be an orphan?
"What is your name sweetheart?" Narcissa asked.
"Aurora Edwards Mrs. Malfoy," Aurora whispered before Narcissa rose from the kneeling position and turned to Lucius.
"Where are her parents?" Lucius asked.
"Aurora doesn't have any Lucius. She's an orphan and nobody has realised she's missing," Narcissa whispered looking at her husband, "we cannot just leave her. I think she's being bullied…Lucius please we have to help her. Just look at her, look at her and tell me you'd lose this chance to fill a hole and save a precious little thing as her." Lucius' eyes widened as he realised what his wife was hinting.
Meanwhile Draco had crouched down in front of Aurora and looked at her.
"I'm Draco. I won't hurt you," he said softly. He knew exactly what his mother's latest crazy scheme was and he had a feeling it was trying to take this girl in as theirs.
"Save me please…" Aurora whispered, "please…" Draco looked up at his mother before rising and closing the space between himself and his parents.
"She just begged me to save her," Draco said, "mother I know what you're thinking. This won't make everything better for us. My missing sibling is out there somewhere…"
"This girl wouldn't be replacing your sibling Draco but what orphanage doesn't bother to check they have all the children. The other kids have hurt her. How bad I don't know," Narcissa said, "we have the room and maybe this is a sign. We lost one child and I can't ignore this sign." Lucius sighed before looking at his son,
"I hate to say it but your mother is right. I know you're not happy about it but look at her Draco…" Draco looked as he heard a scream as someone walked into Aurora and he watched his mother hurry over to Aurora and pull her close.
"Fine we'll do it. As long as it's to help her and not replace my missing sibling then fine," Draco said before nodding at his mother and watched as her eyes suddenly twinkled.
Narcissa crouched down and held Aurora's hands. They were so small and pale skinned.
"How would you like it if we were to foster you and you'd never have to go back to that orphanage again?" she asked, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind the young witch's ear.
"I'd never have to go back…?" Aurora asked.
"No never sweetheart," Narcissa said, "what have they done to you?" Aurora felt the tears come and then, before she could stop them, they fell and Narcissa just pulled the witch close and soothed her.
"Pushed me, called me names, said nobody wanted me because I was a baby…" Aurora whispered, "ruin my things, say I took things when I didn't…"
"You're never going back there. We're going to foster you and you'll come to Malfoy Manor," Narcissa said before drying Aurora's tears and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Cissa the train…" Lucius said. They still had a fair few minutes to go but they could talk more freely on the other side of the barrier, "Draco can you push Aurora's trunk through on your trolley?"
"Yes father," Draco said, "what are we going to say?"
"She's a relative; one who's just moved in with us. She fits in with us. We all have blonde hair and so does she," Lucius said, "Draco can go first and Cissa you take Aurora through and I'll follow," he said quickly before watching Draco get Aurora's trunk on top of his before he made sure that Aurora was watching before he casually walked towards the wall between platforms 9 and 10 and disappeared.
Lucius looked at his wife before kissing her softly,
"Hold her tight and close," he said softly, "we aren't losing this chance." Narcissa nodded before making sure Aurora's bag was secure on the witch's back before wrapping an arm around Aurora and the other one held her hand.
"Keep close and just walk with me," Narcissa said before walking with Aurora. The young witch saw the wall coming and braced herself for the impact but instead of an impact a train whistle and noise hitting her ears. Noises that made Aurora's hands fly to her ears and Narcissa felt Lucius right behind her.
She soon spotted Draco and walked up to him with Aurora.
"Mother, father. I'd like you to meet my friend Astoria Greengrass and her sister Daphne. I usually travel with them and I will be travelling with them when I have done my share of Prefect duties. I trust them with Aurora," Draco said before the Greengrass sisters both spoke to Aurora before one of them laughed as they heard Aurora's stomach rumble.
"We'll meet you on the train Draco," Astoria said before heading off with Daphne. Narcissa smiled at the sisters before turning to Aurora,
"Did you have breakfast?"
"Natalie messed my room up so I missed breakfast," Aurora said before Narcissa got her wand out and held it against the young witch's hand and made a warm pumpkin pasty appear. Aurora just ate it before thanking the witch.
"Do you have any money?" Lucius asked before seeing Aurora tear up again.
"Lucius please. Remember she's been mistreated probably her whole life," Narcissa said before reaching inside her robes and pressing a pouch into Aurora's hand,
"There's a trolley that will be making journeys through the train. Use some of this to get yourself something," she said, "and then the rest is yours for the term beautiful girl."
"I'm not," Aurora whispered.
"You are and one day you will be able to see that yourself," Narcissa said, "you're more beautiful then you know Aurora. Lucius will send an owl to make sure you aren't in the same dorm as any of those kids from that orphanage."
"What if I'm not in Slytherin?" Aurora asked.
"It won't change anything Aurora," Narcissa said before glancing at her husband who nodded. Once Narcissa Malfoy had her heart set on something she wouldn't stop until she had it.
"We'd better get her on the train. Where's Draco?" Lucius questioned.
"Took the trunks and found where Tori and Daphne were," Draco said before leading the way onto the train. It was usual for parents to remain on the platform but it was the Malfoys and normal rules didn't apply with them.
They had a trouble free walk to the compartment and found Blaise sat there as well. Draco instantly noticed Aurora staying close to his mother.
"Blaise is another friend," he told Aurora before looking at his parents, "she can sit by the window."
Narcissa got Aurora settled by the window.
"Make sure she gets something off the trolley and eats it and watch out for you know what," she instructed her son before kissing Aurora's head softly, "we'll see you soon once everything is sorted sweetheart and we'll figure out a way of communicating. These four will watch you. Everything will be ok. I promise," she said before kissing Aurora's head and then heading off the train to quickly find Draco and Aurora from outside the carriage.
It wasn't a hard job to do and Narcissa watched Aurora, Astoria sat by the young witch. She had promised Aurora that everything would be ok and she was going to make sure it was. Lucius watched with his arms around his wife's waist before the whistle sounded and the doors closed. Narcissa was thankful as Astoria wrapped an arm around Aurora as the last thing Narcissa saw was Draco reaching over to hold Aurora's hand and fear in the eyes of the witch who's life she and Lucius were about to change.