Moestitia Liberi

Author's note: Thanks so much, everyone, for the wonderful reviews and for suggestions both on Aurora's pairing and familiars. Special thanks to a few people, actually. Firstly to harrydraco4life and HeartsGlow for reminding me about Crookshanks and Hedwig, respectively. Secondly to theburninghouse for your suggestion of two familiars, which is what I'll do. Finally to harrydraco4life (again) and Anna Marie PotterMalfoy for your familiar suggestions, they're the ones I'm using. And the reason Rory and Ian's familiars are so similar is because they are twins, so you know.

Last thing: Parseltongue
Familiar speak (in their heads)
WARNING: There's a bit of a graphic scene toward the end.

Aurora, Damian, and their dad stepped out into the sunshine on the front steps of the bank. "So," Their dad started. He was interrupted at that point by a single phoenix note. Instinctively, Damian looked up and saw Fawkes flying toward him.

Automatically, he held out his arm and Fawkes landed on it. Hello, young one. I am terribly sorry I missed it when you came into you Inheritance. I have been waiting with Dumbledore for you to come. And now, it is time that I can leave him and be with my true Familiar.

Your true familiar? I thought....

We call our humans our familiars as well. Every animal does. And you are very lucky to have Hedwig as well.

What do you mean?

Hedwig is what is known as a Child Familiar. She is a familiar you choose when you're a child but she will stay with you always.

So my sister's cat Crookshanks is her Child Familiar?

He is. Why she had to choose a cat, I'll never know. The phoenix shook his head. When you are ready to go, I can take you to any person you desire, Damian.

Do you know where Hedwig is?

I do not, but all you need to do is whistle for her and she will come to you wherever you are, just as I would.

Damian smiled and turned to his sister and dad. "Fawkes says that he was waiting for me with Dumbledore. He also said that Hedwig and Crookshanks are called Child Familiars. Meaning they're our familiars too, but they're ones we choose when we're kids. And he can take us to Granddad, which is exciting."

"It is, but I think I know where he is. Malfoy Manor," Aurora stated.

"Probably," Their dad agreed. "Well, seeing as Damian has his familiar now, perhaps we'll find one for you as well, Rory."

Aurora eyed the phoenix on her brother's shoulder warily. This bird had been around Dumbledore for an awfully long time. She shook herself. If Damian could understand Fawkes than they were truly each others familiars.

The three of them left Diagon Alley and went into Knockturn Alley. Here, they were given a wide berth as well though this was out of respect and not fear as it had been in Diagon Alley. They went to many different shops, getting new things that any of them wanted or needed.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, another phoenix made it's presence known. This one landed on Aurora's shoulder. Where as Fawkes was red and gold, this one was white and light blue. It's beak and talons were also light blue. It's tail feathers were icy to the touch while Fawkes' were hot. It looked at Aurora with black eyes.

Hello young one. A female voice spoke in her head.

Who are you?

I am called Eira* and I am your familiar if you'll have me.

You're a Snow Phoenix.

I'm well aware of what I am, child.

I'm not a child. And I'm just slightly in shock, that's all.

That is understandable, young one.

My name is Aurora, please. And I would love to have you as my familiar.

Then it's settled. Who are these people?

My twin brother Damian, my dad Sirius, and Damian's familiar Fawkes.

Wonderful.

"Guys, this is Eira. She's a Snow Phoenix and my familiar," Aurora turned to her brother and dad.

"You both have a Phoenix as a familiar? That's interesting," Sirius mused aloud.

"We have to go. Any Order members who spot us will recognize Fawkes," Damian stated, looking toward the entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Point," Aurora looked at Eira. Would you be able to take me to my granddad?

I would. Is Fawkes taking your brother?

He is. And one of us is taking my dad but I'm not sure which.

Very well. Just tell me as soon as you're ready to go.

"Eira can take me. Papa, are you going with me or Ian?"

"Ian, I think. Fawkes already knows me."

"Right. Let's see if they can get us to right outside whatever room he's in, okay?" Damian nodded. Aurora turned to Eira. Can you take me right outside the room my granddad is in?

Absolutely. I'll grip you with my talons, but I won't hurt you. The phoenix informed her and she nodded. Eira gripped Aurora's shoulder and the two of them vanished in a white mist. They landed in a hallway outside of a closed door. Seconds later, Fawkes, Damian, and Sirius appeared beside them in flames.

"Ready?" Damian asked.

"As I'll ever be," Together the two of them threw open the doors and found themselves in an office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Severus Apparated to Malfoy Manor and rushed into the office he knew Tom usually inhabited. Inside he found Bellatrix, Narcissa, Lucius, Rabastian, and Rodolphus already crowded around Tom. Nagini was at his feet.

"My Lord."

"Severus! What have we done?!" He cried, spying the man and running to him.

"Tom, there is something we must take into account. Dumbledore did this. He used me to perform a dark ritual which bound everyon'e memories of the twins. There was nothing we could have done as none of us were expecting it to happen. Not like that," Severus held his friend at arms length and looked him in the eye as he spoke.

"They'll never return to us. After all the things we've done to them. I've lost two of my godchildren," Bellatrix sank into a chair.

"Perhaps they will allow us a chance to explain," Rabastian stated.

"Pettigrew!" Lucius shouted suddenly.

"What about him?" Narcissa asked.

"Everyone's said that he betrayed Lily and James to Tom, but that couldn't've happened. He let Dumbledore get to them."

"Find him and bring him here. Alive. We'll let the twins and Sirius decide what to do with him," Tom stated, eyes alight with anger. Instantly, Severus, Lucius, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastian were gone. Narcissa, as usual, stayed behind. She prefered not to be a part of the capturing of people and Tom had always respected that wish and so she never went. "Do you think they will give us the chance to explain?" Tom asked the blonde woman softly.

"I believe so. The reason Harry Potter has always fought you is because he believed you were responsible for his lack of family. Family is important to him. Hermione has been his best friend for years and so he is important to her. I think they will give us a chance," She answered after a minute of silence.

Half an hour later, Rabastian and Rodolphus were dragging a kicking Peter Pettigrew into the room, Lucius, Bellatrix, and Severus following behind them. The LeStrange brothers threw him against the wall and Narcissa bound him there. "Do you know why I sent them to find you, Wormtail?"

"N..no, m...my Lord."

"I see. So you do not recall betraying Lily and James?"

"I...I do, my Lord."

"Crucio!" Tom fired the curse at him. Peter's screams filled the room. For the next few hours everyone in the room practiced non-lethal hexes on the poor excuse for a wizard. They would keep him alive for Aurora, Damian, and Sirius.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Together the two of them threw open the doors and found themselves in an office. A quick glance around informed them that Wormtail was bound to a wall, bleeding but still alive. Their family was sitting in the middle of the room, not saying a word. Each had a look of torture on their face though their granddad's and Severus' were the worst. They looked as if they were dead inside. It pained both Aurora and Damian that both men had lost so much hope. The twins looked at each other and, after a moment of silent communication, moved to the circle.

Aurora deposited herself in Severus' lap as Damian sat on their granddad's lap. "Relax, Sev. I have no cake to shove in your ear," Aurora rolled her eyes as she felt him stiffen slightly.

Sirius let out a bark of laughter as he stood behind his cousins. "That was a wonderful day," He grinned.

"You....You're here?"

"'Course we are Granddad. Where were you expecting us to go? Back to the man who killed our parents? I don't think so," Damian insisted.

"Speaking of that, why's Wormtail attached to the wall exactly?" Sirius asked.

"We were waiting for you, Cousin. He is yours and your children's to kill. We just tortured him a bit," Bellatrix answered.

"It looks like you tortured him more than 'a bit'," Aurora responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Hush, Rory. They were angry. We're lucky he's still alive," Sirius waved his hand at her.

"He's got a point. Oh! Rory, come here," The two of them stood up and Damian whispered something in her ear. The smirks that grew on their faces frightened everyone but when the twins turned to look at Pettigrew with such malicious joy in their eyes, the man started pulling on his bonds and whimpering.

"Papa, do you mind if Ian and I take care of Peter?" Rory turned to their dad, a saccharine smile on her face though her eyes still glittered maliciously.

Wanting to know what his children had planned for the one who had betrayed their family, Sirius threw a Crucio at the man before agreeing. "Be my guests."

The two stood in front of Peter who was once again sagging against his bonds from Sirius' Cruciatus curse. "Distraho Viscus**!" They intoned, pointing their wands at him. Wormtail let loose a blood-curdling scream as the skin and muscles slowly melted away. His eyes and organs dissolved until all that was left was bone.

Aurora and Damian stepped back and turned to their family. "How did you do that?" Bella asked.

"Easily enough, actually. I had already started plans for that curse and knew how I wanted it to work, I just had to explain it to Rory. Then when Papa spoke in Latin, we knew Latin. So, we used the words that describe what we wanted to happen to him, focused our magic and volia! No more Pettigrew," Damian answered.

"Wait, when did I speak Latin?"

"Crucio means to torture in Latin," Aurora answered.

"Hold on. How did you two suddenly learn Latin?" Tom asked.

"We're Moestitia Liberi. I am the Scientia Parvulus and Damian is the Poena Parvulus."

Author's note: Yes, I'm leaving it there. I swear there will be another chapter out within the week. Crookshanks and Hedwig will return in the next chapter and the awaited Draco/Harry meeting will take place. -Bella

*Means 'snow' in Welsh **Means 'dissolve flesh' in Latin