Chapter Five, Healing

Aurora had just gotten out of the bath where she had an hour long bubble bath, the bathroom spelling of all the different candles that had once been lit throughout the room the scents intermingling creating a pleasant aroma that calmed her frazzled mind and churning stomach. Just as she wrapped a white Egyptian cotton towel around her body and one around her hair when a knock sounded on the door. "Rory?" Her dad's voice sounded concerned through the cherry wood door. "Are you alright in there? You've been in there for quite awhile."

"I'm fine dad sorry for worrying you." Aurora called through the door her guilt creeping higher at his sigh of relief. "It's fine baby. When your ready come downstairs George and Charlie are here they want to see you." And that was the reason for her frazzled mind and hour long bath, she was so afraid that they'd hate her for Fred's death and blame her like the rest of their family and herself.

As if knowing her inner turmoil Sirius's voice carried through the wood once more. "They don't hate or blame you Rory. And I hope you know I won't let anyone into this house if I think they're going to hurt or upset you in some way." He reassured his voice calm and soothing like it always is and Aurora couldn't help the tension seeping out of her back and shoulders a little, she knew how overprotective her father was and that was without adding Uncle Remus and Aunt Dora to the mix. Smiling softly Aurora unlocked the door stepping out of the bathroom holding the towel close to her body. "I know you wouldn't dad but, I can't help think they'll blame me like." She trailed off at the end her eyes drifting to the floor suddenly finding the lamented flooring interesting.

"Hey," Sirius said firmly as he grasped her chin gently bringing her face up to look him in the eyes. "Don't worry about Molly and Ginny if they want to be stupid and miss out on the amazing person you are and her grandchild and niece or nephew than that's their fault not yours. Arthur and the others don't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself Pup you have nothing to blame yourself over, everyone knew what could happen if they joined in the war, even if they didn't and if anyone wants to blame you for things not your fault than they are not worth your time or thinking about.

Now go and get dressed and I'll be waiting in the kitchen with the others with your lunch, don't worry it's something light and then you can take your potions." Sirius kissed her forehead as he pushed her gently towards her room to get dressed smiling reassuringly at her as she turned back to look at him. He sighed and slumped against the wall once her bedroom door shut behind her, he knew she was struggling after everything that's happened suffering with a severe case of survivors guilt on top of everything else and people like Molly and Ginny Weasley were not helping any.

If he heard anyone blaming his daughter one more time for things not in her control or fur things that weren't even her fault to begin with he'd make his mother and father look like bloody saints. Sighing once more he made his way back down to the kitchen where Remus was asking George how his shop was coming along who'd finally gotten around to opening it again with the help of Lee and Ron, he knew it's what Fred would have wanted; while Dora and Charlie were catching up as they used to be best friends while at Hogwarts, Teddy was on his play mat in the corner happily batting at the dangling toys above him happily laughing and changing his looks every time he caught a look of himself in the mirror. "How is she?" Remus asked once Sirius sat down with a heavy sigh pouring himself a mug of coffee.

"Not so good." Sirius said after taking a large gulp the warm liquid warming him from the inside relaxing his tense muscles as he slumped back in the chair at the head of the table. "She blaming herself for everything but mostly Fred's death and Molly and Ginny are not helping any." Sirius growled. "I'm sorry boys but your mother and sister are not welcome here until they prove to me they can change however the rest of your family are welcome here whenever."
"We understand Sirius." George assured.
"To be honest everyone's had enough of them especially dad. Bill and Fleur won't even go round to see him anymore and George, Ron and I barely go there only when it's just dad at home. He's at his wits end he can't take much more of them." Charlie contributed with a sigh shaking his head as he thought about his mother's and sister's behaviour.

Any further conversation was cut short as Aurora hesitantly made her way into the kitchen her eyes to the floor though she kept looking at George and Charlie cautiously, her body tense and her face guarded as she slowly made her way to her seat next to her dad, (which just so happened to be across from George), as if she was waiting for them to attack her.

The tension in the room was so thick that it couldn't even be cut with a Severing charm. Sirius wanted to say something as he could see that his daughter was getting rather upset but Remus and Tonks shook their heads, they needed to sort this out on their own. George and Charlie felt horrible for causing Aurora such discomfort and distress, but they didn't know how to reassure her it what to say to get her to believe them, especially Charlie who always had feelings for Rory.

After another five minutes of uncomfortable silence George had finally had enough especially as he saw how close his sister was to tears. He got up and rounded the table to Rory and pulled her into his arms resting his chin on her head. Aurora tensed as she was pulled into George's muscular and familiar chest; he and Fred always used to comfort her when she was younger they were always there for when she needed them. With that thought in mind finally caused her to relax in George's arms as she wrapped her own around his burying her face in his chest as she let go, finally, sobbing into his chest.

"Shhh. Shhhh Rory, it's okay. Everything will be alright I miss him too, but you know what he'd say right?" George asked soothingly.
"Not to cry over his death but to celebrate him and remember him the way he was, always making everyone laugh and pulling pranks." Rory said tearfully.
"Exactly." George said his own tears running down his face. "He loved you more than anything Rory you oboe that, more than pranks which I don't get." George said eliciting a wet giggle from his sister in all but blood.

"Seriously though, he loved you more than anything and made me swear on my magic and our shop that if anything happened to him I'd always be there for you, to look out for you. And I plan to stick to that promise, I would have done so anyway even without him threatening me that he'd haunt me and prank me for life. I love you like a sister Rory and I could never do anything to hurt you, your carrying my little niece or nephew and I know Fred would've loved them too, he'd probably not stop gloating." George said with a sad laugh.

Pulling back so he could look her in the eyes. "I don't hate or blame you Rory no one does, well no one that's important and mum and Ginny aren't. So I want you to stop blaming yourself alright? Otherwise as soon as this little ones born I'll prank you." George said seriously he watched as Rory laughed and nodded her head, he knew she'd still blame herself and take ages to get over everything that happened but it was a start. "Good, nor eat your breakfast I want to show you the new inventions Fred and I made awhile ago upstairs."

At her confused look Charlie continued interrupting George. "Sirius said George and I could stay here for as long as we want." Charlie answered as George returned to his seat beside him a fake scowl on his face. "It's too hard for George at the moment to go back to his flat and I'm stating here on leave for awhile and I don't want to stay at the burrow, so Sirius gave us rooms here. Now eat up I want to see what these inventions are." Charlie ordered smiling happily when Rory giggled. The three of them quickly ate their breakfast and after Rory had taken all of her potions for that morning; George and Aurora raved upstairs to George's room happily chatting away the way they did before the war.

The three adults left in the kitchen smiled happily glad to see Rory was becoming more like her old self, maybe having George and Charlie around would be good for her. Though Remus and Sirius narrowed their eyes at Charlie's retreating back as he followed the other two at a leisurely pace out of the kitchen they saw hie he was looking at their Rory like she was his entire world and swore they'd keep an eye on him. Tonks rolled her eyes at their overprotective ways and went back to feeding Teddy.

If her friend wanted to pursue Rory then she'd back him all the way, though after Rory was ready of course. Her niece came first after all.

What should Aurora's baby be?
Please review