(Shine's p.o.v)

With a resounding crack that woke up the entire population of the sleepy manor we apparated into the middle of the bar. The bar that once housed the best of elf made wine and goblin brewed beer and veela made absinthe was now mostly empty.
Vega landed flat on her butt and looked around the strange house catching her own reflection in the shiny mirror like counter wall. She scurried to get up and Shine chuckled amused at her obvious fear and mistrust.
"What is this place?", she asked warily. "Is this Malfoy Manor?"
"You really think I would take you to Malfoy Manor? Is that what you think of me?", Shine countered with a fake hurt expression on her face, dramatically clutching her own heart. Vega looked even more confused making her giggle.
The sound of sea waves crashing against the cliff made her jump and Shine laughed.
"Shine? Is that you?", Lily's voice floated down the stairs. Shine sighed. She had hoped to hide Vega from the others.
"Yes. No one else can apparate or disapparate into the Manor without my knowing, Lily.", she replied. "So when you hear no alarms but only the sound of apparition, always assume it's me. I just need to talk to Mom. Can you please send her down here?"
"Yes. Definitely. Let me get her." her footsteps scuffled away and Vega whirled her to face her. Shine smiled sheepishly.
"Lily? And when did you start calling Iris Mom?" she asked. Shine just rolled her eyes and looked away.
"Lily is a young girl a few years older than us. Her and her husband were being hunted because she is a mudb-- muggleborn. I just gave her asylum a few months back." she replied.
"You did not answer my question." Vega repeated, pointedly, "When did you start calling her mom?"
The door at the top of the basement opened and footsteps could be heard shuffling down hurriedly.
"Merlin knows if he has hurt you again I will hunt down Alectus Carriow and his sister and skin them both alive-" Iris stopped in her tracks. Holding the first aid kit in her hands she stared at both her grown daughters with her mouth opening and closing like a fish. She dropped the box and squealed in joy.
"You brought her home. You brought my daughter home!!" she laughed, hugging both of them. Vega got visibly uncomfortable at the sudden display of affection but Shine's heart swelled in happiness looking at Iris' childlike joy. She grinned.
"The prodigal daughter has returned.", she said laughing. Iris patted her cheek and kissed her forehead.
"Thank you, Shine. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I needed this. Vega, why don't you stay the night?"
"No!", Shine replied before Vega had a chance to answer. "We cannot risk it Mom. You wanted to see her, I brought her here but I cannot let her stay here not with Lily and Ja-", Shine hit her tongue, hoping Vega wouldn't notice. "--Jack Sparrow here. You know how Jack is."
Iris looked genuinely heartbroken. She sighed and her face fell.
"Yes. I know.", she replied looking at Vega apologetically. "Please do visit more often. I would love to get to know you better. After the war we all should live here."
"Um.. I think she would prefer living with Remus, Mom--"
"I am just saying. If you ever feel you want a place to live or someone to talk to, I am always here." she continued not paying much heed to Shine. Vega still looked confused but nodded. Shine laughed.
"She will come around after you show her the gardens and the beach next time--"
Suddenly a searing pain shot through Shine's arm. As if red hot irons were branding themselves into the deatheater mark. She gripped the mark so tight but the pain kept spreading. She moaned in pain and both of them looked at her. The pain shot up her arm into her shoulder and straight into her head. Her left side burned and her eye felt like it would pop out.
He was angry, very angry. Someone had just called the dark lord and interrupted his French countryside tour.
Someone was gonna be very sorry.
"Wait! Where are you going?" she heard Vega's voice as if from a badly tuned radio but she gripped her wandand turned on the spot before she could grab her or her robes.

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