The Girl in Blue

Aurora went out on Christmas Eve, by herself, to go look for something that Tom would like. She had no idea how hard that would be. She expected to find something nice and elegant, something that he could keep in his room or his pocket - but he was a picky person.

She went around the little plazas by her house before embarking in a taxi cab (muggle transports were quite slow and she didn't like it) to London and down to the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley.

Aurora blew her dark brown hair out of her eyes and she stopped in front of the shops she goes to every year to buy her books. She looked around, unsure of where to start.

She passed by so many stores, thinking that Tom would like nothing - except, she didn't exactly know what Tom liked.

Aurora stopped multiple times to look at broomsticks or owls or something that she wouldn't mind buying herself. She ended up turning onto Knockturn Alley and stopped immediately. She'd never ventured down to that part of Diagon Alley before, so it frightened her a little.

She took a few steps before seeing a shop that had many gadgets in it. She looked up and read the large sign that said 'Borgin and Burkes.' Oh.

Aurora entered, cautiously.

"Hello."

Aurora looked up at the man behind the counter and nodded, "Hi."

"Lost?" He asked.

Aurora shook her head. "No. I'm just looking around."

"Last minute Christmas shopping?" The man smirked. Aurora ignored him and looked around. There were some rather creepy looking objects in the shop. The man came around the side of the counter and approached her.

"Can I help?"

"Uh." Aurora said, stepping away. "I'm - I'm just looking for a present for my friend."

"Ahh." The man said, as though a lightning bulb went off in his head. He reached and his hand clasped around a top looking thing and he said, "A Sneakoscope. Tells you when someone untrustworthy is nearby."

"And why does Borgin and Burkes have that?" Aurora asked, without thinking. She clasped a hand around her mouth, afraid she insulted the man, but he just laughed.

Aurora felt awkward and she wanted to leave immediately, except the employee took a look at her, properly and said, "You look very familiar. Do I know you?"

"I'm sorry," Aurora shook her head. "I don't know who are."

"Borgin. I own the shop." He said, holding a hand out, which Aurora did not take. "You really do look familiar."

"Well, I'll just take the Sneakoscope and leave you to your thoughts." She walked over to counter, ready to leave because she definitely did not like Borgin and Burkes. It gave her the chills to be around such a place. Borgin rang up the Sneakoscope and she paid the amount and tried to leave as fast as she could except Borgin called her back.

"You're a Rose, aren't you?"

Aurora stopped and turned around, she didn't say anything.

"Yes. You're Aurora - their daughter. You were kept hidden, I heard." Borgin nodded his head. "You look like him - Charles Rose, your father. Brilliant man he was. Bloody brilliant."

Aurora still didn't say anything. She had never heard anyone speak of her parents. She had only been two years old when they died and no one knew of them to tell her about them. Mrs. Cole, at the orphanage, told her that her parents had died in a house fire and she was very lucky to be alive.

"Charles was exceptional at Quidditch - did you know? He used to play all the time when he was at Hogwarts. He was a Keeper for the Slytherin team. Made him useful for defense, if you know what I mean." Borgin said, grinning. He had a look of admiration on his face.

"Your mother was a very bright witch." He continued. "She taught quite a lot of people a few things or two. It was obvious why she was in Slytherin, right? Her torture tactics - "

"I'm sorry - her what?!" Aurora exclaimed, interrupting. Torture tactics? What torture tactics?

Borgin looked up at her, confused and said, "Didn't you know? Your parents were Dark wizards. Notorious for what they did. They were killed by a man named Jarlath Jenkins - an Auror."

Aurora felt as though a dragon stomped all over her. Her biological parents were Dark wizards? How was that even possible? And her father, Jarlath Jenkins, killed them? After all those years - and he never said a word about it?

"Honestly, girl, you never knew this?"

However, Aurora turned around and immediately left Knockturn Alley. She didn't want to hear another word. She'd rather not knowing at all than be hit like that. It was like a bloody storm that came her way. How was it possible? Borgin must be lying...

Aurora took a taxi back to her home and when she entered her house, her mother came out of the kitchen and said, "Aurora, dear. Where were you?"

"Diagon Alley." She said, simply, before climbing up the stairs and slamming the door to her bedroom.

Not a single person had told her of her parents. The Jenkins told her that they never knew her parents - but that was a lie! Jarlath knew, he was their murderer.

She threw the Sneakoscope on her bed but did a double take at it. She completely forgot that it was Tom's present - she needed to wrap it and send a letter to him before Christmas Day, which was only several hours away.

Aurora took a piece of paper out from her desk and sat down, with a quill in her hand and started to write:

Tom,

I am sorry, in advance, if my letter turns out to be a little harsh and rather...short. Some things just keep people on edge, don't they?

Merry Christmas! My present to you is a Sneakoscope - it detects anyone untrustworthy in the room. I thought you might like it since you're quite an uptight person. Really uptight, actually. It's rather annoying.

Sorry. Angry me again.

I guess I will be seeing you once term starts again. Along with all those people who seem to hate me - again, sorry.

Anyways, I hope you have a lovely Christmas, Tom. I also hope that you find use to my Sneakoscope.



She stared at the Sneakoscope once she had finished the worst letter she has ever written to anybody. Yet, Aurora did not care. Tom wouldn't either, as a matter of fact. Staring at the Sneakoscope, and seeing that dinner was almost ready, Aurora took it in her hands and pocketed it and went down stairs just as her mother called her down for dinner.

The rest of her family was sitting down already, and Aurora took a seat across from her father, next to Sammy.

"Where did you go today, Rory?" Her uncle asked.

"Diagon Alley - I had to get something for a friend of mine." She replied, picking at her food. Her stomach was lurching and she felt like she would throw up anything in her stomach.

"Daddy?" Aurora looked up. Her father smiled at her and said, "Yes, darling?"

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

Everyone at the table, except Samuel, stopped.

"Aurora!" Her mother exclaimed, shocked, but she ignored her.

"Well, you are an Auror - you must have killed someone." She glared at her father, who's expression was unreadable. He looked shocked and angry at the same time.

Aurora continued. "You know how the number of Dark wizards are growing more and more each day - "

"Enough!" Jarlath's voice boomed. Aurora silenced herself and her father looked angry.

"I have not killed anyone." He said, in a calmer voice. "Where the bloody hell did you get that idea, huh? Someone you ran into at Diagon Alley?"

Aurora didn't answer his question. She only said, "Can I trust you?"

Jarlath stared at her only for a second before he slowly nodded his head, "Yes, Aurora, you can trust me."

A muffled whizzing could heard and Aurora closed her eyes. Aurora took the Sneakoscope out of her pocket and set it on the table, as her entire family: Esmerelda, Jarlath, Renee, Samuel, Aunt Elizabeth, and Uncle Milton watched as the Sneakoscope spun around on the table, making a louder whizzing noise.

"It seems, father," She looked up at their shocked faces. "I cannot."