Hey everyone!
Happy June! Can't believe we're almost halfway through the year already. This year has, so far, gone better than last year has. Work will start picking up for summer soon but I know what to expect... at least I hope I do. Here is the next update and I will say that I am hopefully fully back to doube updates a month from now on!
Lots of love,
LSH xxx
Finally Belonging Somewhere – Part 124:
The next morning arrived and the Greengrass Sisters had been given permission to Apparate into the Vineyards so they were soon walking into the cottage with Jen and Aurora was instantly rushing over to Astoria and hugged her before dragging her, almost instantly, off to her room to show her all her stuffies.
Draco had just chuckled and then that faded as he saw all the adults and Jen disappear to discuss the Abraxas situation and Aurora. Daphne had noticed but chose not to say anything.
It was soon after that Aurora and Astoria appeared.
"I see this one somehow managed to get her whole collection of stuffies here," Astoria said with a chuckle.
"It was one of the conditions for getting her here because she couldn't bare the thought of leaving them behind," Draco said as he looked at Astoria, "mother managed to find a way so here we are. We should have Charlotte and Ellie arriving soon as well and then we're going to spend some time at the pool," he said.
Narcissa was the first to arrive back and was soon serving up refreshments and snacks.
"I will be back. I need to go and get the final two guests," the mother said after a while and then, a few minutes later, Charlotte and Ellie had arrived. Aurora was happy to be reunited with her friends.
The group changed and headed to the pool. Aurora was instantly jumping in and swimming around as she was trying to improve her swimming as it was something that she needed to work on. Charlotte and Ellie had joined her in the pool and the three were sat on the steps in the shallow part and were chatting away as if they'd never been apart. Astoria and Daphne were sunbathing and Draco was reading whilst some of the adults had headed over to the vinery part as Jen had offered to stay with the children whilst she was there.
"It's so good to have you here for a couple of weeks before we head to Daphne and Astoria's," Aurora was saying. "I hope you'll be able to see my pony there one day but that will be up to the Laird and Lady," she said.
"The who?" Ellie asked.
"The King and Queen as I see them," Aurora said and that caused a giggle to come from Astoria and she walked over to them and sat down.
"I am half-Scottish and half-French," Astoria said to Charlotte and Ellie. "On the Scottish side of the family we have Clans so I am part of the Clan Greengrass. Each Clan has land, in this case the Greengrass Estate, and they are ruled by a Laird and Lady. They are also the Lord and Lady in simple terms. Miss Aurora here sometimes sees them as a King and Queen and I can see why and I'm happy with that. I shall have to get them a crown and tiara I think."
"I can't help it. That's what they are to me," Aurora said and Astoria chuckled as she stroked Aurora's cheek.
"You're fine little star," Astoria said as she looked at Aurora and smiled softly. "Although I may have to tell them about that as they have never been called that before," she said and Aurora smiled.
"Well there is always a first and it has happened," the girl said before she swam off to practice some more swimming.
"Draco... what's going on?" Astoria asked as Charlotte and Ellie headed off to join Aurora in the deep end.
"Grandfather Abraxas has Dragon Pox… He has about a year to live," Draco said. "No 'Rora doesn't know yet. That's why we needed Jen to bring you because mother and father needed advice on how to tell Aurora without scaring her or making her scared of losing more people because we know that she will get scared."
Daphne and Astoria were silent as they processed the news before they nodded.
"That's understandable but Draco, I am so sorry for all of you and I will not tell Aurora," Astoria said as she rested a hand on his shoulder, turning to watch Aurora as she swam around unaware of what was happening around her.
Jen had changed into some swimwear and had joined them, using her wand to bring up some fun slides so that everyone could slide down into the pool. It wasn't that long before Aurora had found a favourite slide. Astoria decided to teach Aurora how to dive into the water as she'd been diving and Aurora wanted to learn so Astoria took to teaching the girl how to dive.
It took a while but Aurora was soon doing basic dives into the water and that was all that could be achieved. It was all Draco would allow if he was being honest with himself as he knew that if anything happened to Aurora, Narcissa would come after him for his sister getting hurt.
"I think tomorrow we're going to town and the day after to our private beach," Aurora said as she sat with her friends on the steps again. "Yes we have our own private beach and I went there yesterday and it is wonderful. I am still a little afraid of the sea but I was out there yesterday and it wasn't too bad at least so that is something."
The rest of the adults arrived back and joined everyone at the pool. Luckily the weather stayed wonderful for the day so there were many hours at the pool to be had… until Aurora got tired, which was rare but Meredith carried her inside for a nap.
"When will Aurora be told?" Astoria asked and Narcissa looked at Draco and then Astoria.
"Soon. Your aunt has been through things with Lucius and I so we can tell her. We just need to find the right moment to tell her," Narcissa said. "We have to tell her in the correct way and we didn't know how to do that because she will worry and get scared that she will lose others and that is something that is not true at all."
Astoria nodded as she listened to Narcissa and knew that telling Aurora in the correct way was the main thing and she wanted to be there to support Aurora through being told about her Grandfather but she would ask Narcissa about that but, for now, she would enjoy the time with the family who'd welcomed her in with open arms… the family that she would marry into in the future as well.