Chapter 73: All's Well that Ends Well to End Up With You
Rory wasn't awake for very long. Her body still ached immensely. Madame Pomfrey made her eat (Harry too). Sirius and her dad stopped by, but she didn't remember much of the conversation. She'd fallen asleep before they left.
When she woke up, Harry was still sitting beside her. He was looking out the window, The Prophet still in his lap. She reached and touched his shoulder. He looked over to her.
"I was about to wake you," he said. "Dumbledore's on his way down. He wants to talk to you."
Rory rolled her eyes. "So he's speaking to us again." Harry helped her to sit up again. "What does he want to talk to me about anyway? I haven't had a nice thing to say to him since he let you get attacked by dementors on my birthday."
"He didn't let me get attacked," Harry said.
"I told him you were in danger and he still left you in Surrey because he said you'd be safer," Rory said. "I think we can easily place blame in this case."
"Maybe place it with Umbridge," Harry said. "She is the one who sent the dementors after me in the first place."
"I knew," she said. "But that doesn't change—."
"I know, I know, I know," he said. "But I actually think he's coming to apologize. Maybe explain all his reasons you hate for people to vaguely mention."
"That'd be a start," Rory said.
"He told me why he thought I was safer in Surrey and why he hasn't been talking to me all year," Harry said.
"Am I going to find it a suitable reason?" she asked.
"I kind of think you're impossible to please when It comes to this subject," Harry said, "but you might try to listen."
"I'm a much better listener than I used to be. Did you see how well I got on with Theo?" she asked.
"Try to extend that same courtesy to Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
Rory pouted. "I will. But only because you asked me. And if anyone has cause to be more upset with him than I am, it's you."
"I know," he said. He kissed her and Rory sighed.
"Kind of sucks that I've been sitting here stuck in this bed when we've only got a few days of school left. I'd planned on spending five days making up for all the snogging we missed out on when we were broken up. And I don't know when I'll get to see you this summer," she said.
"Dumbledore says I still have to go back to Surrey—."
Rory groaned.
"Just for a few weeks. And then I'll get to stay with Sirius," he said. He kissed her again. "And see you. I think everyone's afraid of how persistent and annoying you'll be if I don't."
"They should be afraid," she said. Harry brushed his fingers back through her hair and she smiled at him. "I love you."
"I love you and I'm afraid of you," he said. Rory laughed and it hurt her side. "Sorry."
"I'll manage," she said.
The door opened and Dumbledore strolled in.
"Harry, Aurora," he said. "I'm glad to see you're awake."
"Thank you," she said.
"I'm going to go and change," Harry said. "I'll be right back."
Rory nodded, reluctantly and watched him go from the hospital wing. She didn't expect he would be gone long.
"He's quite devoted to you," Dumbledore said as he watched the doors to the hospital doors close behind Harry. "Some would say problematically so."
"Would you say that?" Rory asked.
He thought for a moment. "I do my best to not find young love problematic."
"But are you successful?" she asked. "In not finding it problematic, I mean."
He turned back to her. "Your relationship with Harry played directly into Voldemort's hands. But, I must confess. I do shoulder most of the blame for what transpired at the ministry. There should not have been a need for you to be pawned into luring Harry to the Ministry in the first place."
"Because you should have told him before about the Department of Mysteries and the Prophecy and basically everything from the very beginning?" Rory asked.
"Yes," Dumbledore said.
"So why didn't you?" Rory asked. "Why not just tell him the truth? Why avoid him and go through all the trouble with the Occlumency lessons?"
Dumbledore held up a hand, gently urging her to pause. She did. She took a deep breath. She told Harry she'd listen. Even though her current impulse was to yell at him.
"The Occlumency lessons were necessary. If anything, he should have been at it from the beginning of the school year, when I first started to suspect that Voldemort had become aware of the connection he had with Harry and that he might try to use it," he explained.
"To get information?" Rory asked.
"Or to take control of him," Dumbledore said. "I'm sure you've felt him, haven't you? Lurking there in the back of Harry's mind."
She nodded.
"After he witnessed Arthur Weasley's attack, I knew he needed to urgently begin the lessons," Dumbledore said. "When Severus realized that Harry was seeing the Department of Mysteries, we knew that he might try to lure Harry there himself. Which made his training all the more important."
"Then you should've found a better teacher," Rory said. "And if you couldn't have found a better teacher then you should've told Snape to suck it up."
Again, Dumbledore nodded. "You're right. It was a mistake on my part to believe that the wounds Severus felt would have been healed. Alas, I had to do what I could. I'm sorry you believe it wasn't enough."
"I don't think it was. And I still don't understand why you don't just tell him the truth," Rory said.
"When did you know that Voldemort was looking for the Prophecy?" Dumbledore asked.
"Easter Break," Rory said. "I knew at Christmas that Harry was seeing the Department of Mysteries. When I used the talking board, I wanted to know what Voldemort was looking for. I felt like Harry deserved to know."
"And afterward, you agreed to help Harry with Occlumency lessons," Dumbledore said. "He said you wanted to practice Legillimency, but is that the only reason why."
"No. I thought it made sense that Harry would want to know what Voldemort was up to. But I knew it was dangerous to open a door without being able to close it," Rory said.
"Quite true," Dumbledore said. "Though Harry says he didn't make much of an effort."
"Well, when people withhold the truth from you so often, can you blame him for wanting to find it, whatever the cost?" Rory asked.
"Until the cost was you," Dumbledore said.
"You already said that this probably could've been avoided if you'd been more upfront with Harry," she said. "There's something else I want to know."
"Go on," Dumbledore said as if Rory had been asking for permission.
"Why do you keep sending Harry back to Surrey every summer?" she asked. "He said you're sending him back again. How is sending him there supposed to keep him safe?"
"He is safe while he's in his aunt's house," Dumbledore said. "It's ancient magic. Voldemort killed Lily Potter while she was protecting her son. And that same blood magic, that magical protection extends to his aunt."
"Bang up job it did keeping him safe this last summer," Rory said. "And I don't know how worth it that kind of protection is when they've made him live like a servant his entire life."
"Until Harry is 17, he will be safe with his aunt and uncle. Even Voldemort cannot touch him while in her care," he said. "I do not think the sacrifice Lily made for her son should be tossed aside so lightly."
Rory wanted to rage at him. Would Lily Potter want her sacrifice to justify the abuse and mistreatment of her only son? Would she want it to be used to justify her son sleeping under stairs or to be barred inside of his house? To grow up feeling unloved and unwanted?
Dumbledore could shove it.
"As to why Lily had to make that sacrifice in the first place," Dumbledore went on, "the prophecy."
"I put that together," Rory said. "But why would Voldemort want it if he already knew it?"
"He didn't know it," Dumbledore said. "The prophecy Harry retrieved was merely a record. I was there when it was spoken."
"By Professor Trelawney," Rory said. "'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not, and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.'"
Dumbledore looked stunned. "So you know it then?"
"I knew it as soon as Harry put it in my hand at the Ministry," she said. "How much of it did Voldemort hear?"
"That he would be born as the seventh month dies," Dumbledore said.
"And that was enough to narrow his list down to Harry?" Rory asked.
"Yes. Harry or Neville Longbottom," Dumbledore said.
Rory hadn't expected to hear that. Neville's birthday was the day before Harry's. Their parents were all in the Order.
"Why Harry then and not Neville?" Rory asked.
"You would have to ask Voldemort. I suspect it is because somehow, Voldemort felt a kinship with Harry because he was a half-blood like him," Dumbledore said.
"Trying to use Harry to kill a part of himself that he hates," Rory said.
Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Voldemort wanted to hear the rest of the prophecy because he failed to kill Harry the first time."
"And a second time," Rory said.
"Harry's devotion to you, to protecting everyone, his heart, I believe, is a power that I don't think Voldemort knows of or can even bring himself to comprehend," Dumbledore said. "So to answer your earlier question, no. I don't think Harry's love for you is a problem."
"But?" Rory asked. Dumbledore looked at her curiously. "You think it's not a problem, but… What's the caveat?"
"But," Dumbledore conceded, "Voldemort knows that he can come after you any time he wants to lure Harry. Which could be true of any of his friends, yes. But you can know things about people and objects just by touching them. You can sense deceit and truth and emotions. Intent. You are in possession of a talking board that is designed specifically for you to be able to predict things with near-perfect accuracy. And, perhaps most dangerously of all, you are Harry's closest confidant."
Rory's jaw tightened. "It sounds a bit like you think I could be a liability, Professor."
"I think we've already proved that you are, Miss Lupin," he replied matter-of-factly. "So tread carefully."
Rory felt threatened somehow, but she didn't know why. What was she supposed to do? Make Harry not be in love with her? Stop being a seer? Force Harry to be less reckless?
"I'll do that," Rory said. She would tread carefully when it came to Voldemort and to Dumbledore.
"Before I go, I do have a hard question to ask you," Dumbledore said. Rory nodded. "Did you tell Voldemort anything?"
Her stomach soured and her palms became sweaty. She'd told her dad and Sirius what she'd said. She'd hoped that'd be the end of it.
"I said that the Order would be watching the other Minister," Rory said.
"Is that all?" Dumbledore asked.
Rory nodded. Her chest felt tight. "He wanted me to… He wanted to know the prophecy my great grandfathers found that made them form the cult, but I couldn't get it. So he asked me other things to test me, I think. To see if I could really do… Well, do what I do."
"So you only mentioned the other minister?" he asked.
"Yes. I tried—." Her voice caught. Tears flooded her eyes. She had tried so hard not to tell Voldemort anything and somehow she'd failed.
"Voldemort has done far less to much stronger wizards, Aurora Lupin," Dumbledore said. "And all of them are dead. You are not. Remember that."
The doors opened and a slightly winded Harry walked back into the room. He'd changed from his jeans and t-shirt into flannel pajama pants and t-shirt. He also had his school bag slung over his shoulder.
"Welcome back," Dumbledore said. "And just in time, I was just going to leave Miss Lupin. I'm sure you two have lots to catch up on."
Rory was definitely about to tell Harry that she still didn't care for Dumbledore, but that was about all they had to catch up on.
"I'll be in touch with both of you this summer. I don't expect I'll see you before you make your way to the train in a few days," Dumbledore said. "Try to rest, both of you. Goodnight."
Dumbledore walked out of the room and Harry sat his bag on the floor beside the chair. He kissed her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she said, wiping her face. "I guess there's something to be said for him admitting that he fucked up and that it almost got me killed. He still rubs me the wrong way."
"I think Neville is the only person who doesn't rub you the wrong way," Harry said sitting back in his chair. "Even I manage to rub you the wrong way."
"You do occasionally, but you also have the benefit of being the only one who knows how to rub me the right way," she teased.
"That's very inappropriate," he said, his cheeks reddening.
"And true," she said. She adjusted her pillows so she could lie down. "I took for granted all the times I didn't expend so much energy just sitting up."
Madame Pomfrey walked over and groaned when she saw Harry.
"And here I was hoping the headmaster would've convinced you to go to your own bed," she grumbled. She handed a vial to Rory. "Drink that. Should help with the pain and the bruising. I'm confident you'll be back on your feet tomorrow, but you'll need to take it easy for the next week or so. Try to refrain from any shenanigans."
"Will do, ma'am," Rory said. She guzzled the sour liquid down and handed the vial back to Madame Pomfrey.
"And if you're going to stay here, you need to sleep, Mister Potter. Don't force me to make you sleep," Madame Pomfrey said. And she walked away.
Harry shuddered.
"I know you haven't left, but tell me you've at least slept," she said. "You do look tired."
"I am tired. I have slept. Some," he said. "It's not for lack of trying if that makes you feel better."
"It doesn't," Rory said. How could knowing he couldn't sleep make her feel better? She felt sick as it was. He wasn't supposed to be miserable too.
"What if I said that I already told your dad why I wasn't sleeping and he didn't really push me about it?" he asked.
That made her feel better and worse. She was happy Harry was talking to someone, especially her dad. Didn't make the not sleeping better. And if things were bad enough that Harry wasn't sleeping and her dad wasn't pressing the issue with him about it, then it had to be really bad.
Rory reached out to him and he took her hand.
"Talk to me," she said. "Tell me."
He looked into her eyes. He let out a breath, shaking his head. "I can't get the sound of you screaming out of my head. And when I close my eyes I just see you lying on the floor there." He got to his feet and kissed her. "It's nice to see you… To hear you talk. Maybe it'll eventually get the other stuff out of my head."
"Sit," she said.
He dutifully took a seat in his chair as she'd requested. "You just going to keep talking at me until I fall asleep?"
"If it helps," Rory said, smiling at him. "And you can stare at me so this face is the last one you see before you fall asleep."
"I can get behind that part at least," he said.
Rory thought about listing the stats of all the players currently on the house Quidditch teams and boring Harry to sleep. But that wasn't what he really needed. She needed him there, holding her hand, the reminder that she wasn't alone, that he was beside her, that she was safe. What did Harry need?
"If you change your mind, I'm the first in line. Honey, I'm still free, take a chance on me," she sang.
Harry laughed and smiled as she sang. Eventually closed his eyes. She couldn't remember if she finished the song before she fell asleep. All she knew was that when she woke up the sun had set and risen again, and Harry was still asleep, holding her hand.
Rory was freed from the hospital wing the next morning. She was still sore and the bruise on the side of her body looked awful, but she was able to get up and move at least a little bit. In the Great Hall, Matilda and Neville practically made Harry nonexistent as they fawned and tended to her.
"Eat, you look half-dead, no offense," Matilda said, filling Rory's plate with food.
"Thank you," Rory said, half-heartedly getting a forkful of egg. "Are you two alright?"
"Of course we are," Matilda said. "I managed to get out without a scratch and Neville was such a badass—"
"I was not," Neville said, his face reddening.
"You absolutely were," Matilda said. "Standing up to deatheaters and all you had to show for it was broken nose. Give yourself some bloody credit for once."
"Definitely saved my ass repeatedly," Harry said.
Rory ate, slowly. She didn't have much of an appetite. Mostly she wanted to go back to sleep. She'd never been so tired in her entire life. She managed to get a decent amount of food down by the time the mail came.
She was surprised to see a letter drop down in front of her.
"Hope it's not some nutter," Ron said as she opened the letter. "Remember last year."
"How could I forget," she replied pulling the letter from the envelope.
Dear Aurora Lupin,
I'm pretty sure you don't know me. Well, you probably do now. At least by name. My mom gave me the whole run down about you when I was little and that you were adopted too and you probably didn't even know who your biological parents were. But a couple of months ago my mom started freaking out about you and our bio-mom and our uncle. And then she told me about a bunch of shit about You-Know-Who being back. I actually read a newspaper for maybe the third time in my life. Shit was crazy!
Sorry. I'm Atlas Cooper. I guess I'm technically your brother. Like biologically. Anyway, I guess my mom talked to your dad and she's down to visit London this summer if you want to meet. I thought it would be pretty cool. I guess she's talking to our bio-parents too. Hoping that's not gonna be weird. Probably will be though. You know them. Is it gonna be weird? Even if you don't want to meet, let me know what I'm in for.
Just have your people tell my people. Either way, be pretty dope to hear from you.
TTFN,
Atlas
Rory's jaw dropped.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Uh, it's from Atlas," she said.
"Atlas? As in your brother?" Matilda asked.
"Yeah," Rory replied. "He said his mum talked to my dad. He wants to visit this summer if I want."
"And do you want to?" Harry asked.
"I mean, of course," Rory said. "I guess he's in touch with Sirius and Theo as well."
"Sirius'll like that," Hermione said.
Rory nodded in agreement. "Wonder what Theo will want to do." She hadn't heard from Theo since she'd seen her at the Ministry. She hadn't written and, as far Rory knew, hadn't stopped by to check in on her. She felt a little disappointed, even though Theo had made it perfectly clear she hadn't intended to be a part of Rory's life. Why would she be interested now?
"You okay?" Neville asked.
Rory folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope.
"I'm fine. Just been a hell of a week," Rory said. She pushed her plate away and rested her head on Harry's shoulder.
"You should get some sun," Matilda said putting a hand on Rory's cheek. "Sit by the lake." She motioned to Harry. "You too."
Ron scoffed. "Like he's going to ever let her out of his sight until we get off the train tomorrow."
Rory chuckled. "You coming then?" she asked.
Matilda shook her head. "Neville is going to help Madame Pomfrey close down the greenhouse for the summer and I am dumb so I'm going to help him."
"You volunteered," Neville pointed out.
"That's why I'm stupid," Matilda said. "Going spend the morning getting dirt under my fingernails and dodging poisonous plants."
"It's the venomous plants you need to watch out for, actually," Neville said. "Unless you're planning on eating any of them."
Matilda rolled her eyes and then looked back to Rory. "No. I'm going to go hang out with this genius instead."
To her credit, it took Rory about half an hour to fall asleep once they got out to the lake.
"Can't believe someone can sleep for three days and still be that tired," Ron said looking over to Rory, asleep in the grass beside Harry.
"She's been through a lot," Hermione said. "It's not just her injuries that made her sleep for three days, though that didn't help."
Harry's stomach knotted.
"Right," Ron said with a somber nod. "Nearly forgot… Still hard to think it'd make you tired."
"It's her brain that's tired, not the rest of her," Harry said. "Neville's parents got tortured until they went insane. Probably takes effort to keep your mind intact. Of course, she's tired."
"But she seems alright, at least," Ron said. "Or like she will be."
"She will be," Harry said. He looked over to her. The sun was shining down directly on her face. She seemed so relaxed and untroubled. The bruise on her face was nearly gone, though he couldn't speak for the one on her side.
"There they are!"
The cheerful voice of Luna broke his thoughts and Harry turned his head to see her and Ginny heading toward them.
"Did you see Flitwick finally cleared the swamp?" Ginny asked. "Left a bit roped off though."
"Really was very impressive," Luna said.
"Mum sent this," Ginny said handing Ron a letter. "You're not going to believe it."
Ron read the letter over it. "Bill and Fleur are getting married?"
"Yep," she said. "You can tell she's 'thrilled' from the tone of the letter."
"They've been together all of five minutes," Ron said.
"When you know you know," Luna said with a shrug.
Harry couldn't help but glance at Rory again. He knew down to his bones that Rory was it for him. One year. One month. How ever they were counting their time together, he knew the moment she came to his room and kissed him, when he'd felt that spark again. Harry knew there was no going back. How could there be anyone else for him but Rory?
Ron was still going on about Fleur and Bill when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Ginny stood above him.
"Would you like to hear something perfectly hilarious?" she asked.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Cho is dating someone new," Ginny said.
"Oh, I didn't know," Harry said.
"Obviously," Ginny laughed. "Want to know who? You'll never guess."
"Tell me," Harry said. He wasn't jealous, just infinitely curious.
"Michael," Ginny said.
"Michael? Your ex, Michael?" Harry asked.
"The same," Ginny said.
Harry laughed and so did Ginny.
"I definitely wouldn't have guessed it," he said.
"Who would," Ginny said. "I hope they're happy together. We're certainly better off." Harry nodded in agreement. "How's Rory?"
"So far so good," Harry said. "But then again, is anyone alright after having Voldemort in their head?"
Ginny shrugged. "Takes a while. But you get there."
Harry had almost forgotten that Ginny would be the only other person here who could possibly know anything about what Rory had endured. Or what he'd endured. She'd been fully possessed by Voldemort her first year.
"Rory and I will have to chat about it when she feels up to it. There's almost enough of us that we can form our own support group," Ginny joked.
Harry got to his feet and pulled Ginny a few steps away.
"Ginny, I just wanted to say—."
She shook her head. "Don't."
"Don't what?" Harry asked.
"Apologize to me for being in love with Rory," she said with a laugh. "I knew. And everyone was telling me that I had absolutely no chance."
"Everyone?" Harry asked.
"Well, Hermione," Ginny said. "But Ron thought the whole idea was so ridiculous that he never even entertained the thought."
"All the same," Harry said. "I should've been clear with you about things. I knew how you were reading into it and I was just afraid of, I guess, hurting your feelings. Which I ended up doing anyway."
"Yeah. You're kind of an idiot," Ginny said. "But I'll be fine. Not as if I can avoid you, can I?"
He let out a deep breath. He was relieved. He really did like Ginny, as a friend, as a sister even. The thought that they might not get past this had been eating at him.
"I was surprised that you came with us to help Rory," he said.
"Do you think that I'm so petty that I'd let something bad happen to her just because she ended up with you and not me? I'm insulted," Ginny said crossing her arms. "I like Rory. I mean, okay, honestly, at the moment, I'm not crazy about her, but I like her, generally, as a human being who exists. And even if I didn't like her, I like you. And she's important to you, so why wouldn't I go out of my way to help?"
Harry shook his head. "Of course. Of course, you would."
She winked at him. "And don't you forget it."
Rory thought she'd been glad to be heading home at the end of fourth year, but then again she hadn't encountered fifth year yet. She'd slept most of the way home. She woke up to eat lunch and use the toilet, but mostly, she slept, her head in Harry's lap, her legs on Matilda's. Rory hadn't wanted to sprawl out the way she had, but Matilda was offended that Rory thought to do otherwise.
Once again, she was sad to leave Harry behind. Harry carried her trunk off the train while she leaned on Neville. Her body was still sore and Madame Pomfrey said that the less physical activity for the next week, the better. She couldn't wait to go home and plant herself on the couch with Mama Mia and Bake-Off. At least if she was mostly sedentary her dad would have an excuse to fuss after her the way he was definitely going to.
"I don't see my aunt or uncle," Harry said, sounding surprisingly optimistic. "Maybe they've finally given up on me."
Rory was just about to say that she also didn't see her dad, but she withdrew her statement quickly.
"I think… My dad is yelling at your uncle," Rory said pointing. Just across the way, there was her dad, Moody, and Tonks, all of them taking turns scolding Harry's uncle who looked too flabbergasted to do anything but stand there and be shouted out.
Harry was grinning.
"Wow," he said. "Dream come true."
"I'm going to write to you every single day," Matilda said. "Literally."
"Me too," Neville said. "You'll tell us how you are."
"We mean it," Matilda said.
"I will write, if not every day, every other day," Rory said.
"That is satisfactory," Matilda said. She kissed Rory's cheek. "Talk your dad into letting you come over for my party."
"What party?" Rory asked. Matilda's birthday was in October so she had no idea what kind of party she might be throwing in the summer.
"A party. Tell him to let you come. Tell Tonks she can chaperone if that helps," Matilda said.
Rory couldn't get another word in before Matilda was gone, dragging Neville away as she went.
"Is there something going on with them?" Harry asked.
Rory scoffed. "Is there something going on with Ron and Hermione?"
Harry instantly looked sick and dropped the matter.
"Aurora, Harry. Hi."
Theo had appeared just beside them.
Rory tried not to seem excited, but she was definitely surprised.
"Theo, I wasn't expecting you," Rory said.
"I know," she said. "I've been getting Levi's affairs in order and ironing out our estate. It's been a bloody nightmare. Sirius was going to come, but Remus thought he might draw too much attention, so for once he listened to reason and stayed put. At your flat of course. But still a big step for him."
"He's not sitting locked up in that old house so I bet he's in a better mood," Harry said.
"Don't I know it," Theo said. "He's over the moon about spending the summer with you. It's practically vomit-worthy. He's got all kinds of plans."
"I can't wait," Harry said.
He was glowing. Rory thought of the way that Sirius might be happily glowing at the thought of spending summer with Harry too, and everything about it made her feel so happy inside that she might implode.
"I think Remus has given your uncle enough of a ribbing at last," Theo said glancing over her shoulder. Rory saw that Harry's uncle was indeed scanning the crowd for him now. "Sirius said to make sure you have your mirror handy tonight."
Harry nodded, though Rory had no idea what Theo might be talking about. He pulled Rory into a hug and then he kissed her before she could ask. She remembered last year, she'd kissed him on the train because she'd been afraid for her dad to see, but now he didn't care. She didn't care. And the kiss was over too soon.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you," she said back.
He kissed her again, and just as Harry's Uncle started to call for him, he was gone and being led away from her. Rory's heart sank. She'd have a letter from him by tomorrow night, if not the next day. But it didn't compare to having him.
Yet, she did have Theo. And that was nice because she expected Theo to have run off.
"Thanks for coming," Rory said.
Theo gave a reluctant smile. "Had to. I didn't visit you after you got hurt. And part of it was because I was busy, but mostly it was because…" She trailed off. Harry had given her Rory's trunk, and she sat it on the ground beside her. "Can I be honest with you, as the woman who gave birth to you but who is by no stretch of the imagination your mother?"
"Sure," Rory said. She sat on her trunks and Theo squatted a bit so they were eye to eye.
"Since Levi died I don't… I don't see anymore. It's silent in my head again, for the first time in 16 years," Theo said. Rory thought she saw tears in her eyes. "I don't know what gave Levi the power to make people see things, but now that he's gone it's utterly silent and glorious."
"That's wonderful," Rory said. Levi's death had not done the same for her. Her talents as a seer were genuine and not some fancy piece of spellwork that Levi had no doubt concocted.
"I'm not maternal. But I can be a friend. And I'm an open book. Whatever you want to know. Whatever you need, I can do it for you. To make up for all the time I wasn't there," Theo said. "I might not have been cut out to be a good mother, but I can say that what Levi put in my head didn't help. Maybe things would be different if I didn't think you were a harbinger of death. And maybe you are but it's clear that anyone you care for is safe from such a dark ending. And I'm sorry I turned your life upside for it. Your life and your brother's."
Rory nodded. "I forgive you." And Rory meant it. She did forgive Theo.
"Anyway. I can't be your mother, but however you want our relationship to be. I can make it that for you. Friends. Sisters, aunt and niece. I'm just… Whatever you need."
"Thank you, Theo," Rory said. "Would it… Would it be alright if I hugged you?"
Theo nodded. "Absolutely."
Rory hugged her and it struck her that she was nearly 16 years old and she'd never hugged her own mother before. That was strange. But Theo also didn't feel like Rory's mother. Sometimes, Sirius felt very much like a parent. Rory couldn't imagine Theo being more than just Theo.
Still, the hug was nice.
Theo helped her roll her trunk through the station until she got to her dad. Rory wrapped her arm around him and squeezed as tightly as she could.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Sore," she said.
"It's not a long walk home," he said.
"You will have to physically put me into my bed," she said. "I might be asleep before we get to the door."
"I will carry you if need be," Remus said. "Did I miss Harry?"
"Yes, but he did see you yelling at his uncle," Rory said. "Which he appreciates."
"I was just letting them know that Harry has had a tough year and that it's in their best interest to make sure that he has an easy summer this year, after all of the uneasy summers he's had," he said.
Rory smiled. "You threatened him?"
"Threat is a strong word," Remus said.
"But did you threaten him?" Rory asked.
"I, personally did not threaten him," Remus said.
"But you cosigned a threat," Rory said.
"It's not important," Remus said putting an arm around her. "Let's go home. We've got a lot to catch you up on."
Rory leaned into her dad and let him guide her back to their flat. Sirius was waiting there and though she hadn't needed to be carried to bed, she was beat when she sank onto her couch.
"Glad to see you're more conscious now," Sirius said.
"For the moment," Rory replied. "How are you enjoying life on the outside?"
Sirius let out a deep sigh, smiling. It made Rory so happy to see him finally relaxed, probably for the first time since she'd met him.
"Loving it," Sirius said. "I had dinner last night at a restaurant. Perfectly normal thing to do and I realized I hadn't done it in nearly 15 years. It was incredible."
"The fact the restaurant owner gave you a bottle of wine because, and I quote 'Cornelius Fudge is an idiot' certainly helped his temperament," Remus said. "He was animated after that. He drank the whole thing."
"I let you have a glass," Sirius insisted.
"I think it's the three glasses you had before that that might've factored into your behavior also," Theo said.
"I wasn't up to my usual brand of antics at least," Sirius said. "That I can recall anyway."
"No platonic snogging, then?" Rory asked, looking at her dad.
Remus turned red as a beet and then glared at Sirius who looked just as shocked. Theo was quietly laughing.
"You told her?" Remus asked.
"I did," Theo admitted. "But in my defense, you two still behave a lot like you always did so I assumed that the platonic snogging might still be a thing, and maybe even be not platonic."
"Aurora," Remus started to explain, but Rory shook her head.
"Dad, it's fine. I've easily come to terms with the fact that you used to make out with the school slut and that you were in a gang," Rory said.
"I was not in a gang," Remus said.
Theo shrugged, "I dunno. It was kind of a gang."
"I don't see you debating the validity of the statement that I was the school slut," Sirius said.
"You were," Theo and Remus said in unison.
Sirius sighed. "I was."
Rory yawned. "I hate to be a party pooper, but I would really love to get some sleep."
"Can I feed you first?" Remus asked.
"I'm assuming that was a rhetorical question," Rory replied.
"Yes."
"Fine," she relented.
"Before you head to bed," Sirius said reaching into his cloak. He pulled out a small parcel and handed it to her.
"What's this for?" she asked.
"It was mine when I was in school. I wanted you to have it. I thought you might get better use of it this summer than I would… Guess I don't really need it now," he said. "Enchanted them myself when I was in school."
"What is it?" she asked.
"A mirror," he replied. "There was a pair of them. You've got half the pair."
"An enchanted mirror? Like for talking?" she asked. He nodded. "Well, who has the other one?"
"Teachers used to get in the habit of separating us when we'd get into trouble. Get quite bored sitting there doing lines by yourself. So James had the other one so we could keep in touch," Sirius said. Then he winked. And Rory remembered what Theo had said to Harry before they left the train station. She'd told Harry to be sure he had his mirror tonight.
"Does my dad know you're giving me this?" she asked.
"He will before the night is over," Sirius said. "I'd just say, try not to abuse the privilege."
Rory nodded, knowing full well that she was going to take full advantage of being able to be in constant communication with Harry.
She ate her dinner quickly, showered, and fell into bed. She wanted to go to sleep, but the mirror called to her. She switched on the lamp on her bedside table and unwrapped the mirror. It looked like a regular handheld mirror. She looked at her reflection in it. Her gray eyes were tired. Her curls were a wet, tangled mess. The bruise on her face wasn't quite as horrific looking as it had been, but she'd definitely seen better days.
She stared at her face for a moment and wondered if there was a spell or incantation she was supposed to say to get it to work, but then her face changed. She was no longer looking at herself but at a dark-haired, green-eyed boy with a lightning bolt scar on his head.
Happiness squeezed at her insides as he smiled at her.
"Hello, Lovey."
[A/N: Thanks for reading! I'll have the next series posted in the next couple of weeks. Just want to work out some kinks with the plot and get a few more chapters in the backlog before I start posting. I'm also considering writing a short 3rd year series, maybe 10 to 15 chapters, just of important events. Would anyone be interested? Let me know! See you in a few weeks! And just a reminder, that I'm on AO3 as well!]