Vindicated

“Expelliarmus!” I shouted when I felt my wards change to let someone in. It didn’t feel like a threat but you never know. The other person’s wand hit the wall with a bang. I turned on the side table light. “Remus? Oh Remus I’m sorry, it was just a reflex.” I scrambled out of bed and ran to where his wand safely landed. “What are you doing here? It’s one in the morning.” I’ve never been a morning person. Ever.
“I know it’s late but something has happened with Harry.”
“Is he okay? What happened? Is he hurt?”
“Calm down Rory. Harry is fine. He just ran into a bit of trouble but it’s alright. He’s alright.” I nodded and swallowed the lump in my throat. “But I want you to get your things, you’ll be meeting him tonight.”
“Tonight?” he nodded. “Give me ten minuets.” I rushed around the room. My bag was already packed, I just had to get out of the pajamas and into something better. I was meeting my nephew for the first time in a very long time. I came out of the bathroom five minuets later, having cut my time with magic. “Does he know about me Remus?”
“I don’t know Rory. I just don’t know.” He handed me a piece of paper. Number 12 Grimmauld Place. “Burn that after you memorize it. I’ll meet you there.” He apperated away. With a shrug I did the same.
“This is the new headquarter for the Order.” Remus whispered. I looked at the slim dark building that looked similar to the homes it sat between. “Let’s go in.”
“Okay.” My hands were shaking. What if he wanted nothing to do with me? What if he didn’t believe that I was his family? What if it was too late. Just too late? My doubts were creeping in and talking hold of my nerve.
“Oh and try to be quiet. I really don’t want to wake up Mrs. Black.”
“Mrs. Black? As in Sirius’s mother?” I hissed as we walked through the front door. Remus just nodded at me and pointed to a painting of a stern looking woman that was thankfully sleeping. I couldn’t help but stare. As long as I’ve known Sirius I’ve never met his family. I don’t think any of us had.
We walked through dimly lit hallways that were covered in dust and spiderwebs. Clearly no one had been keeping up with the cleaning in this house. Walking towards what I assumed was the kitchen, voices were heard and a bright light cut from under the closed door. I grabbed Remus’s hand and squeezed. I was terrified.
“It’ll be alright Rory. He’s not going to hate you.” And there it was. I couldn’t help but thinking that Harry would hate me because I was alive and Lily and James weren’t. That I was alive but away from him all this time. “You don’t have to do this now. We can’t wait a few nights.”
“NO. No. I want to do this. Want to meet him. It’s been too long already. Let’s just get this over with.” The hardest part will be walking into that room.
“Okay. Just so you know Sirius is in there with him. Do you want me to clear him out for you?”
“No. I think that Sirius should be apart of this as well.” We walked in.
All talk stopped. It got so quiet in that cluttered kitchen that I could hear my heartbeat. I looked around the room for him. Everyone else blurred away and it felt that time stood still as I took him in. Merlin he looked like James. He did when he was a baby, but at sixteen he was a mirror image. The black hair that never seemed to be tamed, the glasses, the pale skin. Potter’s never did tan well and Lily was typical redhead that burned easily.
“Remus,” a voice called out. I blinked and looked towards the long haired thin man who was staring at me, his grey eyes wide.
“Um... Sirius, Harry” he looked at me. I gave him a smile. “This is Aurora. Aurora Potter.”
“She’s dead Remus.” he said. He looked different from the last time I saw him. More tattoo’s and much leaner. He’d always been slim but now. Now he looked more wiry.
“I was in a coma. Cursed.”
“How do we know you’re her? This could be a trick. She could just be under a spell. Remus she could be a spy for the Dark Lord!” Sirius shouted, his grey eyes never leaving mine.
“I’m not a fool Sirius. She’s who she says she is. I tested her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Plus my wolf recognized her scent. No one could fake that.” I looked at Remus. “It’s been a long time but I’ve finally managed to come to peace with my wolf. When I met you, he let me know that you were telling the truth and that you smelled like you did before. Instincts don’t lie.”
“Aurora. I thought, we all thought. Dumbledore insisted...”
“Not all the truth has been told Sirius.” I let go of Remus and walked towards Harry. He stood. “My stars Harry.” I almost reached him when Sirius stepped in my path.
“He’s only learned about you last year. He doesn’t know much...” I raised a hand and cupped his face.
“Let me meet him Sirius. Please.” He closed his eyes and nodded. I smiled and walked around him. “Hello Harry.”
“Are you real?” he whispered.
“Very much so.” I stepped so close to him that I could make out the flecks of gold in his green eyes. I couldn’t stop the tears that had been welling up in my eyes from falling. I bit my lip from letting out a sob as I saw my nephews eyes water up as well. Letting out a chocked sound he lunged at me and wrapped me in a fiercely tight hug. I did the same, whispering how things were going to change. How he’s got family now, and I’d never leave him again.
We sunk to our knees and on to the hard tiled floor softly crying. It didn’t matter that we were most likely making Remus and Sirius uncomfortable. We just didn’t want to let go of our one true link to James and Lily.
“We’ll let you two talk.” Remus announced and fled the room. I looked up to him tugging on Sirius’s sleeve like a boy who wanted attention from his mother.
“Thanks Remus,” my dry voice croaked out. “Sirius.” His grey eyes met mine as I held out my hand to him. Remus let go of his arm, letting him walk and kneel to us. HIs arms wrapped around Harry and I as he buried his face in my neck.
There was so much to talk about. To learn about each other but for this moment. The three of us, sitting on the floor of a brightly lit kitchen, we were family.