Happy New Year everyone!

2023 was one of the hardest years of my life but I made it. I heard views were slowly coming back so thought I'd update. With all the issues with fanfiction and emails I missed a tonne of reviews last year. Please DM me if you have an account and you wish to ask/tell me something about my stories. I feel awful about missing all the reviews, so please reach out to me if you can.

Hope 2024 is amazing for you.

Lots of love,
LSH xxx

Finally Belonging Somewhere – Part 117:

As soon as she was sure her niece and nephew were safely out of earshot, Meredith turned towards her sister-in-law with a face like thunder. Priscilla smirked. It may have been a while since she'd seen that face but she also knew that face meant trouble.

"Never EVER say that Aurora is being difficult within her earshot ever again," she said as she looked at Narcissa, "that is part of autism… part of who your daughter is," she added, "some days will be easy and others will be harder but you should never say it in front of the person."

"Are you telling me how to raise my daughter?" Narcissa asked.

"No, of course not but you need to remember that she is not like other children and that one day may differ from the next," Meredith spoke, "a lot can depend on how Aurora feels when she wakes up."

Narcissa sighed as she looked at Meredith, unable to understand a lot of things surrounding Aurora and her diagnosis. She wasn't a woman to back down, however, so decided to switch modes.

"Well how should I have said it?" she asked.

"You could have just asked if anyone had an idea on how to help 'Rora. And, as for the itchy clothes the solution was simple. Get her a new dress straightaway. It is the best thing that could stop her from acting out in public like she was threatening to," Meredith replied, "the best thing to do is to try and defuse the situation quickly or find ways that can help her until the situation can be diffused properly."

Narcissa sighed again as she looked at her sister-in-law and nodded softly.

"I need to try and remember that Aurora isn't like Draco was… she is but in her own special way," she said. "That is something that I really need to start trying to remember. Adapting has always been my strongest card and, yet, I seem to be a cat stuck in water and drowning on this one," she said and Lucius laughed softly as he heard his wife's words causing Narcissa to frown at him.

"I'm sorry my love but that is the most perfect yet funny way to describe the situation," he said before moving to rest a hand on her shoulder. "It appears that my sister has done some research… although I suspect Jen had something to do with it," he said and Meredith just played the innocent look card.

"I am saying nothing Lucius but know this… I will be saying something when I don't agree with something that you two have said… or done… around Aurora," Meredith spoke as she looked at her brother and sister-in-law, "luckily Mother had some sense to defuse the situation before it could escalate and draw the attention of everyone," she said before moving to sit by her mother. Priscilla just looked at her oldest with a smug look that was instantly rivalled by her daughter's.

"You two have always been as thick as thieves," Lucius said, "Father and I have never liked it," he finished before silence was allowed to fall in the room.

The silence allowed everyone to sit with their thoughts before cough came from Abraxas that startled the group.

"Chocolate frog in the throat," he said, "well shall we get some food brought up to us?" he asked and the others soon agreed.

Meanwhile down in the Common Room and Aurora had caught up with Charlotte and Ellie, filling them in on everything that had happened since the trio had been split. Of course Draco wasn't too far away as he was also filling Astoria and Daphne in as well. Astoria was frowning as she learnt how Narcissa had said Aurora was being difficult in front of her.

"Aunt Jen is not going to be happy when she hears about that," Astoria said with a sigh, "Meredith is correct and that is one thing you do not say when the autistic person is nearby… let alone within earshot of the person. She doesn't seem too affected by anything but who knows how much she has been able to process of what was said."

"Part of me wonders if Aunt Mer hasn't been back to the Estate and sat down with Jen to discuss everything," Draco said, "she seemed to be far more informed about it then when Aurora was diagnosed," he pointed out.

"I wonder the same thing," Astoria said, "it is possible," she added, "I mean her niece is back but she has a muggle diagnosis and she wants to be able to help Aurora in whatever way she can and that means learning everything she can to help her. It's really the most sensible thing she could do.

Draco's eyes were on his sister and he noticed that she did seem to be a little quieter than usual but it had also been a long and tiring day for her at the same time. He made a mental note to talk to his sister about what she might have heard at the lunch. It might have been his birthday but that didn't mean that he didn't care about his sister and what she might have heard. It may well be upsetting her but she may not have wanted to talk about it.

The day ended and Draco sat in a chair with Aurora in his arms and he wanted to ask her how much she'd heard at the dinner.

"Did you hear what Mother said at the dinner?" he asked as he looked at his sister.

"You mean did I hear her say that I was being difficult?" Aurora spoke as she looked at Draco.

"Yes that," Draco said, "but I can see that you have already answered that question so I am going to say you did hear. Mother didn't mean to say what she did and I know that she is sorry for what she said."

"I was not being difficult. My dress really was itchy and I hated it rather a lot," Aurora said as she looked at Draco, "that put me into a mood for a while and I just couldn't get out of. How is that my fault?" she asked as she tried to understand what had happened.

Draco nodded as he kissed his sister's head.

"I will have a talk with Mother and explain your side of things," he said as he reassured her, "you've done nothing wrong Aurora and that is something I want you to be clear on," she said.

Aurora nodded before yawning and Draco held her until she began to fall asleep in his arms.