Hey everyone!
No I hadn't forgotten about updating before you wonder. Work has suddenly increased and it's an adjusting phase again for me. England is in the middle of a heatwave and we've come out of lockdown... right as the school holidays start. I hate to ask but please bare with me again. Thank you to everyone for reading my stories. It means a lot.
Stay safe.
Lots of love,
LSH xxx
Finally Belonging Somewhere-Part 97:
Aurora knew that she should have been getting ready for the meal but she was just too excited and was sat in the window seat looking out over the land. She could see the stables and she wanted to go and see them but that wasn't on the cards for the day.
She sighed, longing to go and explore the land but that would happen in time because Astoria had promised her and maybe on horseback for good measure as well. She tore her eyes from the stables to look at the animals that lived and grazed close to the Big House and she loved the chickens. She wanted to ask if there were any rabbits on the land as she loved rabbits and wanted one of her own one day on top of her owl and kitten that she had but she'd have to ask her mother and father; something she didn't feel that they'd understand.
It was in that moment that something… or rather a group of people… caught her eye. She grabbed Princess Sparkles and hurried out of her room and then down the corridor, down the stairs and out the door towards the people.
"Hello! I'm Aurora Malfoy and it's lovely to meet new people!" she said before the children looked at her and the woman looked at her.
"So you're Aurora," she smiled as she looked at Aurora, "I'm Astoria's Aunt Janet but everyone calls me Jen. These are Greer, Finn and Aislynn, three of Astoria's cousins. I'm bringing them to the Big House early for the meal as the older ones have just arrived and will never be allowed to get ready in peace else," she said with a chuckle.
"Well it's lovely to meet you all," Aurora said as she looked at Jen; unsure what to make of the other children yet.
"What are you doing outside on your own?" Jen asked as she looked around for any sightings of her niece.
"I saw you all coming and wanted to come and see who you were," Aurora explained as she looked at Jen before smiling, "I'm just not too good with new people because of the orphanage," she said before explaining to Greer what an orphanage was.
"So this is the famous Aurora," a voice said as two new people joined the group.
"These are Astoria's other aunt… and her only uncle, Calum and Maggie. Yes this is the famous Aurora indeed. Are the older ones coming on their own?"
"Aye, yes they will be," Calum said, "they only just got back dear sister."
It was at that moment that someone came rushing down the front steps and stopped beside Aurora.
"There you are! Don't scare me like that Aurora. Do you hear me Aurora?" came Astoria's voice as she turned the girl's head to look at her.
"Sorry. I saw new people and wanted to see them," Aurora said as she looked at Astoria, "I didn't mean to leave my room. I just wanted to see who they were," she said as her bottom lip began to wobble.
"Oh my little love," Astoria sighed, "the land is so big and I was worried that something had happened. Just don't do it again," she said as she pushed some of Aurora's hair back from her face and watched as the girl nodded softly.
"You and the kids go on," Jen said to her brother and sister-in-law, "I'll go with these two," she said and Aurora's eyes lit up as she looked at Jen, clearly having taken a shine to the woman already. Jen had her reasons for going with the girl; but that was only for Cait and James to know.
Astoria checked Aurora over one last time before leading the way back inside and upstairs to Aurora's room. It was clear that Astoria had been midway looking at Aurora's clothes before discovering the girl was missing as there were clothes all piled on the bed.
Jen went and sat by the window and watched as Aurora picked out a dress and then watched as the girl began to get herself changed.
"Pink glitter shoes tonight," Aurora said as she watched Astoria looking at her shoes. She didn't know how she'd managed to pack most of Aurora's favourite things but she had.
"Now… why don't I plait your hair like we do up here?" Astoria asked and Aurora nodded softly so Astoria led her over to the vanity and sat her down. She began to work on the plaiting and Aurora began to swing her legs as she got irritable as Astoria worked on the plaiting.
Jen was watching and made mental notes on what Aurora was saying and doing; becoming more and more convinced that Aurora had autism by the second. She smiled as she came out of her thoughts and watched as Aurora rushed off to find Draco right as Daphne walked in.
Astoria looked at her aunt and she watched her,
"You're watching Rora rather closely… something you wish to share with the class?" she asked causing Jen to sigh as she knew she'd been caught out… finally.
"I'm going to be taking over from Narcissa as Aurora's main Healer and I am also assessing her," Jen said, "when Lucius and Narcissa were up here they told me of Aurora and, with me in both Magical and Muggle healing, it sounds like she has something the Muggles call autism," she explained, "so yes I am watching her closely because of everything that I've just told you."
Astoria and Daphne gasped as they sat on the edge of Aurora's bed.
"So that's the real reason why Draco and Rora here…" Daphne said as she looked at her aunt, "I wondered why this had happened so fast. We barely had time to prepare for this before we were heading here."
"You are correct and nobody knows except me and your grandparents," Jen said, "so I'd prefer you to keep this to yourselves for now. Aurora cannot be told about this at all," she said.
"What about Draco?" Astoria asked.
"I will talk to him once Aurora is either distracted or in bed," Jen said, "but I will tell him when the time is right," she said, "so do not say a thing or else there will be consequences. Clear?"
"Yes Aunt Jen," the two said before silence fell on the room as they waited for Aurora to come back.