Chapter 12
Chp 12
Honeydukes was no match for an upset Rory, especially with the Marauders in tow. The boys let Rory stay under the invisibility cloak and she whisper which treats she required. They all pitch in; James pitches in a little more than everyone else and no one ever mentions it.
“Why doesn’t Rory just marry Prongs?” Sirius asks, earning a kick in the shin from under the cloak. “Ow! I’m serious! Well, I’m Siriu- OW! Just think about all the sweets we could afford if you had access to your own damn money! Excuse me for wanting you to get what you’re owed, I want to live vicariously through you.”
“Mm yes we all know how you’ve always dreamed of being an heiress.” Remus mutters dryly.
He had a point, and James had already offered to take her in.
“Would you James? Marry me? If Regulus wasn’t.” If he doesn’t.
“Of course I would” James replies with zero hesitancy “it’s the right thing to do.”
The sentiment moves her, but she loves making fun of James “it’s the right thing to do” she parrots mockingly “such a gryffindor, self-righteous pri-“
James cuts her off, holding a hand up to his ear dramatically “What? What was that? Does anyone else hear a disembodied voice?”
She kicks him too.
“Maybe you shouldn’t marry someone who kicks us so much, Jamie.” Peter voices thoughtfully, a small devilish smile on his face.
“Traitor” Aurora hisses from under the cloak.
They take the scenic route back to the castle, enjoying the warm night. The weather reminds Rory that the ball is mere days away.
“Are you all going to the Solstice?” She asks the group.
Peter shakes his head.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Says Remus.
“Oh cmon it’ll be heaps fun with all of us!” Sirius urges, batting his lashes unfairly at Remus.
“So you’re going then?” Rory asks Sirius.
“Without question. Wouldn’t miss a party, you know that. Besides, now I know you’ll be there.”
“I’m actually going with Regulus.” Rory admits shyly, thinking of the night she asked him.
“What?! The prick that made you cry? Merlin, he ruins everything!”
“Don’t say that” Rory snaps, surprising herself and the group. “Sorry… he just says that to himself a lot, you know. Every little mistake he makes, he says it’s because he always ruins everything.”
James lets out a knowing hum.
“I’m sorry Rory, I just have a lifetime of seeing him be a horrible shit. He hurts people.”
“If you’ve had a lifetime then you also know how good he can be.”
“Honestly I don’t know, you would know him better than I do now. I don’t even know what his favorite color is.”
“It’s black.” She replies automatically.
“Of course it is.” Sirius rolls his eyes.
“No, not for that reason.” She had known for some time now that Regs favorite color was black, he certainly wore it enough to simply guess. He had only recently told her why, during one of their many nights spent late in the common room. He said if there is nothing, like a black hole, or a void, nothing can go wrong. There is no wrong, it’s just nothing.
He had followed up slyly adding “and it’s all I can see when we are nose to nose.”, demonstrating his point by touching the tip of his nose to hers and sneaking a kiss. She smiles at the memory. “We both have a fascination with the void.”
Remus wheezes with laughter “that is the most pretentious shit I’ve ever heard.”
“Moony!” Rory chides.
“No he’s right that was really pretentious. You read too much, methinks” Sirius provides helpfully.
“Well buckle up because I love him. I think he’s like a bright star in my void. I’ve always felt like a black hole. Like a person missing a fundamental piece, leaving only absence in its place. Regulus lights me up. And you are going to have to deal with it Padfoot.”
“I think it’s sweet” Peter chimes in. Bless Peter.
“Kiss-ass” James taunts, tousling Peters hair.
“Maybe I won’t have to deal with it though. Maybe you’ll break up.” Sirius probes, testing dark waters.
“He’s going to propose.”
“WHAT Aurora you’re 15! Don’t be ridiculous, don’t do this just for the inheritance.”
“That’s not why I’m doing it, I love him! And you were just telling me to marry James specifically for my inheritance! So you could buy candy, you goon!”
“She’s got you there mate.” Remus admits.
“So yes I think you’re just going to have to get over it.” Rory continues “and soon, because we are going to the ball and I want us all to be together and I don’t want you two destroying the place by going at it. Have you a date?”
“I think I can manage, thanks.” Sirius says dryly.
“James I think you should go with Pandora.” Rory suggests.
“Wow you’ve really thought about this.” James remarks.
“But what about me? He can’t take Pandora, I’ll be bored!” Sirius all but stomps his foot like a child having a tantrum.
“You could always take Remus” She baits, watching Remus eyes widen and a blush rush to his cheeks.
I knew it.
“Not me, I can’t. Full moon.” Remus informs them mournfully.
Aurora had always adored the moon, she had thought of it almost like a mother. A comforting constant in the sky. Since becoming Remus friend, she found herself cursing the moon as it began to fill, even as she still admired its beauty.
“Well then I won’t go at all.” Sirius shrugs easily.
“You just said you would never miss it.” Remus retorts.
“Anything for you, Moony” he croons, and Remus all but trips over himself, his entire face going beet red now.
I fucking knew it.
“So Jamie, what do you think? Shall I ask Pandora?”
“Who says she even wants to go with me?” James asks.
“Well why wouldn’t she? You’re great.”
“Aw thanks Bats” James says, genuinely touched. It’s so endearing that Rory feels the unstoppable urge to shove him. She pushes into him with her shoulder. He shoves her back. They lean into each other until they almost fall, giggling like children.
When they get close to the castle, they check the map to make sure they won’t run into anyone, hiding Rory under the cloak for good measure. They dart from shadow to shadow in the halls, experts after years of sneaking around. Peter whispers the password and they scurry into the common room, and up the stairs to the dorms.
Aurora insists on Remus of all people loaning her a shirt. It’s well worth it when she puts it on and it reaches all the way to her calves.
“That is absolutely ridiculous” Remus declares.
“Merlin, sometimes I forget how damn tall you are moony.” Peter says in awe.
“It’s unsettling. Get smaller.” Aurora commands, settling into the covers.
“I’ll get right on that.” Remus assures her dryly.
James climbs into bed next to her, putting his glasses on the nightstand. She doesn’t think she will ever get used to seeing James without his glasses. In the day, with his messy hair and cocky smile, he is honestly a bit of a jock. But without his glasses, when he’s all sleepy and cuddly, he was beautiful. In a different way than how Regulus was beautiful. Regulus was sharp starlight, and James was soft sunshine.
“Does my little brother know his love sleeps in the bed of another?” Sirius crows, the last one to climb into his bed.
“Why are you talking like a character in Romeo and Juliet?” Peter asks.
“Please, that’s hardly Shakespearean.” Remus quips, ever the academic.
“Everyone shut up and go to bed” Aurora casts the lights out “nox”.
Silence.
“Really, does he know?” Sirius asks the dark.
Rory sighs. “No, but it wouldn’t matter. He told me I could sleep with James for all he cared so I think this is fine.”
“HE WHAT- LUMOS” the lights are back on as Sirius leaps onto the bed, crushing both James and Aurora.
“Ow Padfoot!! Ow my hair!” Aurora struggles to free herself. James and Sirius are wrestling now, jerking Rory about in the process as the bed wiggles.
“What. The fuck. Happened” Sirius grits out while struggling against James.
“It’s none. Of. Your. Business!” James struggles right back.
Sirius scoffs “Like hell it isn’t! It’s my baby brother who I practically raised, and two of my closest friends! It’s plenty my business!”
“He’s got you there mate.” Remus echoes and Rory groans.
“He’s right.” She groans again. “Regulus just got a little jealous earlier and accused me of sleeping with Prongs, but then he ended up apologizing and saying I could sleep with whoever I wanted. The end. Nox”
A slightly longer silence.
“Well are you going to shag each other?” Sirius asks, sounding genuinely curious.
“Merlin, Sirius!” James chastises.
“I didn’t mean right now.”
And she can’t help it. She bursts out into laughter. Shouts and barks of it, make only more tear-inducing when the others inevitably join in. They are rolling around clutching their stomachs and cackling into the dark. When they can’t bear to laugh any more, graining and wiping their eyes, they say their final good nights and drift off to the sounds of each others breathing.