An Auror's Work is Never Done

Chapter 12 Graduation, Parties, and Portkeys

Draco and I graduated with honors at the top of our class on August 25, 2000. Even me missing three weeks, two of those spent recovering, hadn't been enough to lose us the coveted Justus Pilliwickle Award we had worked so hard for. Dad threw us a huge party.

"You are happy now?"

"Yes, Nicholae." 'Liar.'

"I have a gift for you. Will you come inside with me?"

"Sure." Nicholae and I had become confidants in the past weeks. It was a small comfort having someone I could tell everything to and not have to worry about their reaction. Nicholae had shown no judgment in my recent confession to him. If it had been anyone else they would have brought me back to St. Mungo's and locked me in a padded room.

"Close your eyes." He led me into the house and shoved me forward.

I opened my eyes to see Harry. 'Traitor!' I heard Nicholae's chuckle as he locked the guest door behind me and walked back outside.

"Aurora."

"Harry." I pointed my wand at the lock. "Alohomoria." No luck. I tried several other spells. "Damn."

"How does it feel being a licensed Auror?"

"Good. How's training?" I systematically checked the latches on all the windows.

"Urgh! I think Moody's trying to kill us between self-defense and all the hours in the gym."

"Third year's harder, mentally that is."

"That's what Draco said. How have you been?"

"Fine." I checked the seals on the door hinges.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not really."

"Can't you even try to carry on a simple conversation with me?"

"No, sorry. Busy." I ran my fingers over the window, considering breaking it. 'Is it stuffy in here or is it just me?'

"Damn it, Aurora. You're not making this easy. I just want to talk to you."

"Yes, well I'm getting rather tired of other people making decisions for me; who I should speak with, where I go, who I'm taking as a husband, how I should die."

"I understand."

"I suppose you do, to a point."

"Aurora, we used to be friends. Why won't you talk to me?"

"Because we aren't friends, Harry. We haven't been for a long time. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get out of here." I sent a blasting curse at the window. Not even a dent. "Damn, I really thought that would work," I said under my breath.

"Aurora! I want to know what happened while you were gone."

"Why? So you can feel sorry for me and then tell everybody so they can coddle me some more? No thank you."

"I want to help."

"No one can help me." Anger built inside me.

"At least talk to Draco."

"I can't. He feels guilty enough it was his father already."

"Talk to somebody, anyone other than that effing Vampire who's obsessed with you. It's not healthy to keep it bottled in."

"Don't ever talk about him like that again! Nicholae is the only reason I'm alive. Haven't you figured that out yet? He and I have a strange relationship, sure, but he's been by my side the entire time supporting me."

"I'm sorry. We're just worried about you. Draco and HE are the only two that know what really happened to you that day."

I lost my patience. 'Why wouldn't everyone just leave me the fuck alone!' "Fine! You want to hear the gory details, I'll tell you the gory details. But don't say I didn't warn you, Potter." I turned to face the window. "Lucius lured me from the hotel pretending he was Tonks. He told me Draco had disappeared. He took me to a deserted castle and for hours tortured me. First with hot pokers pressed to my face. Then he used a dagger to cut Dark Magic symbols all over my arms, chest, and stomach. Next was the poisoned cat o' nine tails used to strip my back raw. He then proceeded to pour salt on the wounds until I screamed, tearing my voice. He then beat me with a length of chain, breaking my ribs." I turned to look at him. "Is this what you wanted to hear? He swore to me I was only the beginning. He was going after the rest of you too. Draco, he said, he'd save for last. I was dying when Nicholae rescued me and killed that sadistic bastard."

Harry interrupted with a harsh string of curses. "I didn't know it was that bad!"

"Only Nicholae saw the extent of the damage. He told Draco in detail while I was unconscious in the hospital."

"We didn't find much evidence that you'd been hurt. And Draco wouldn't let us read the letter. He destroyed it before we could get it from him."

"I cleaned the room up before we left. I couldn't...I couldn't let Draco see all that blood and gore." I closed my eyes, seeing it. "The floor was seeped in my blood and there were bits of skin everywhere. It would've killed him."

Harry patted me awkwardly on the back. "Why aren't there any scars?"

"Nicholae gave me a sip of his blood. It healed me."

"He did what?! You aren't---"

"Don't be stupid. Of course not. It was only enough to heal."

"How did you get involved with him anyway?"

"Nicholae is my ancestor. He's the original Storm Tamer. When he was 27 he was turned. He's had visions of my life ever since. He took it to mean I was his chosen mate."

"But he brought you back."

"Yep. Not even he wants me." I gave a sad laugh, sitting on the bed's edge.

"Don't say that."

"It's the truth. He had another vision. One day I will have a daughter. She is the one destined to be his love."

"He expects you to just give your daughter to him? To become a Vampire?"

"If he loves her and she loves him, I won't stop her. He's promised me he won't pressure her into the decision like he did me. He'd wait an eternity for her. He's a good man, Harry. The woman who shares his love will be adored by him forever."

"Who's the father?"

"I don't know." 'But I think that's why I'm locked in here with you.' "So are you done with the Q and A session over with yet?"

"Yeah." He sat beside me and took my hand. "It'll be okay."

I jumped up. "Don't you understand anything? It'll never be okay. It'll never be the same. I'll never be the same! Did you know the only reason I can relax in my own bedroom is because Bill put curses around the perimeter of it? Me, Dad, Shawna, and Draco are the only ones who can get past them. Polyjuice can't even fool them. I don't know why I thought they would help though. It's not like I can sleep. I wake up screaming every night, reliving my time spent with dear, ole Lucius. I have to cast silencing charms so I won't wake everyone. Someone is with me every second I'm out of my room. When I'm in it, they check on me once an hour. They think I'm going to kill myself if I'm left alone for too long I guess."

"I'm sure that isn't it. They're just worried about you."

"What the hell would you know? This is the first time I've seen you since I got out of the hospital."

"I wasn't sure how you'd react if I was around. Aurora, I understand that you're still upset with me."

My voice whisper-soft I said, "You have no idea what I feel, Potter."

"I want to help. Tell me what I can do."

"Leave. Just walk out and don't bother me again."

"I can't."

"Why the hell not? It's what you've been doing for the last year!"

"Because I still have feelings for you."

Laughter bubbled inside me, spilling forth in a mad chuckle. "That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages."

"It's true, damn it."

I stared into his emerald eyes. Eyes I had once thought I could lose myself in and saw he spoke the truth. I smirked. "Joke's on you, Fly Boy. You're too late. I gave up. I don't love you anymore."

"You do."

"No. I did, maybe even up until two weeks ago. But one glorious morning *Boom* it was gone. That piece I'd been holding onto for so long died, just like the rest of me. I'm dead inside, Potter. My body just hasn't caught up with it yet. I don't feel anything good any longer. Not the joy of laughter, the sweetness of the wind blowing on my face, nothing but the hate and violent thoughts that bombard me from the moment I wake to the second I fall into nightmare soaked sleep."

"Merlin, Aurora. You need to talk to someone, maybe a psychiatrist."

"There's no such thing in the Wizarding world and I can't exactly go to a Muggle one with this problem now can I?"

"Professor Dumbledore then."

"Damn you. Stop trying to save me. I'm not your concern!" I clutched the ID bracelet on my left wrist with the opposite hand. "Bye, Potter." I portkeyed away.

'Glad I thought of that.' I was in Diagon Alley. Discerning that it wouldn't take long for them to track me with an unauthorized portkey to a public area, I walked hurriedly to Gringotts where I withdrew a substantial amount of money. Some I transferred into Muggle pounds. I wanted them to think I was planning on hiding out in the nonmagic world.

My next stop was the Apothecary where I bought a small cauldron and some potion ingredients. I also went to a couple other shops to load up on clothes (Muggle and regular) and a few additional odds and ends. I placed it all in my new trunk and shrunk it. At the apparation point I performed the spell to cover my signature of magic and disapparated.

I apparated in the field at Casa da Vento. I quickly prepared the Power Concentrating potion and drank it. Feeling an immediate surge of power I focused on my next stop: Magic Cove and disappeared without a sound.