After having Remus walk her to her quarters and make sure she wouldn't throw herself off the Astronomy Tower by secretly dosing her with Dreamless Sleep, Aurora slept. In the morning, however, she woke up to realize everything of the prior night wasn't part of a nightmare. She couldn't believe herself. Honestly, kissing Severus in front of everyone like that, she couldn't believe she had done that. While she knew in her heart that everything with Severus was perfect, she knew in her head that she was wrong to think that. She was a pureblood witch. She had certain family expectations, which she was fulfilling with her engagement.

When she and Scrimgeour first started dating, Aurora had to admit that it wasn't so bad. Not at all bad as it could be considering he was older than she was by quite a few years and was a bit like Mad-Eye Moody at times with always feeling paranoid. He was a gentleman to her, though. He opened doors and other such chivalrous things. He even took her on a date once where they could see the Aurora Borealis. Honestly, how could it be any more romantic than that? He was a pureblood, so that'd get her mother off her back. He wasn't a Slytherin by any means (another requirement of her mother), but he was a pureblood. In fact, she had already told her mother about their engagement, and her mother had expressed her approval. He seemed to be perfect.

However, after Scrimgeour asked Aurora to marry him, that's when the not so nice stuff started to happen. That's when his mask came off, and she saw the real Rufus Scrimgeour. A person that she knew most people never saw. He was definitely no Severus Snape by any regards. Perhaps he was closer to Severus's father, but not the man she truly loved.

Aurora had thought about going to Severus several times and telling him that she was breaking off her engagement to Scrimgeour. She knew he wouldn't mock her for something like this, not if he heard what Scrimgeour did. Severus knew the ugly side of people better than most and had witnessed it throughout his entire childhood. And she knew that if she told him, that he'd help her in any way he could. And if that meant killing Scrimgeour, well, then so be it.

Aurora Sinistra hated Rufus Scrimgeour. She hated him with a passion. However, she knew she had to keep up appearances with everyone. If Scrimgeour knew how much she disliked him, she knew precisely what he'd do to her. In fact, he had threatened her several times with the exact details of what he'd do. She hated keeping up the façade that she loved him. She hated lying to her best friend and telling Septima lie after lie about how she just loved her life now. She hated her life. She hated what she had become. She hated that she had lowered herself to a victim. She hated that she couldn't fight back against him. She had always been a fighter in her life. But she couldn't now. Not because she was worried about what Scrimgeour would do to her. No, she was worried because of what he said that he'd do to Severus.

There were numerous times when Aurora had thought about casting the ultimate Unforgiveable on Scrimgeour. She had come close once too . . . and paid dearly for it later. She had tried to steal from Severus's personal collection of poisons once, only to have him walk in and demand she tell him what she thought she was doing. She had come close to telling someone, anyone, about Scrimgeour, but the bastard had made a surprise appearance. She guessed it was because he knew what she was about to do. She had paid dearly for that too. She could still remember Pomfrey's looks of suspicion as she tended to Aurora's injuries. But Aurora lied like the Slytherin she was and said she tripped on the stairs, which in a way was the truth. She had tripped on the stairs, but she was trying to flee.

Aurora walked towards her balcony and stared out onto Black Lake. The water would be cold this morning. It always was, though. She could see the glistening fresh white powder that covered the grounds. It really was a beautiful sight.

Aurora then thought back on their kiss, Severus and hers. She brought her fingers to her lips and smiled softly. It was a gentle kiss, but one that had curled her toes. Her romantically filled mind raced at the feelings that one kiss gave her. However, soon she felt the tears stream down her cheeks. She tried to choke back her sobs, but she couldn't.

Aurora had always loved that socially awkward, lanky, hook-nosed Slytherin whose hair was always in thin greasy locks about his face. She softly laughed at her thoughts. One wouldn't know it by her description, but she truly did love Severus. He was her fearless dark clad protector. He was the one bad boy wizard she could never get over.

Reminiscing of their past together, Aurora remembered the day she first saw that ugly black mark on Severus's left forearm. She was a fifth-year and he was in his sixth year. She had followed Severus into his dormitory to finish their argument. He hadn't realized she was following and had thrown his robes against his bed, which allowed the black ugly Mark to show fiercely on his forearm. She had been so angry with him for taking the Dark Mark. She knew that he hated his Muggle father, but she never thought he'd join that evil. She had always thought he was wiser than that. In a fit of rage after seeing that mark on his soul, she sent a hex at him with such force behind it that his best shield couldn't block it. Secretly, she had always wondered if she had left a mark on his shoulder from where her hex hit him. She wasn't about to ask mind you. She just wondered.

Last night, the stars had aligned and allowed Aurora that one moment in her life that she'd cherish forever. She wanted desperately to go to Severus right then. She wanted to tell him everything. But she couldn't. She wouldn't let herself do what she knew was right. She knew she had to tell someone. Blackmail was a Slytherin tactic that she herself had used dozens of times in order to get her way. However, she couldn't find a way out. If she told anyone, Severus—

Aurora then angrily shook her head. She couldn't travel down that road. She couldn't tell anyone. Scrimgeour was the head of the Auror Office. If anyone could get away with murder, Scrimgeour could. If anyone could use a trumped charge and send someone to Azkaban, Scrimgeour could. And she knew he would if she told anyone.

So for now, Aurora would grin and bear her treatment. She was strong. She always had been. He was not going to break her. He was not going to win. She wouldn't let him. A fleeting thought then made her gasp. She had kissed Severus . . . at a dance . . . full of Ministry officials. She quickly whirled around, half expecting Scrimgeour to be standing in her bedroom with his wand pointed at her. He wasn't, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be hearing from her loving fiancé about her behavior.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora caught the glittering silver on her right ring finger. She glared at the engagement ring. Acting like a Hufflepuff, she angrily ripped the offensive thing off her finger and threw it as hard as she could off the Astronomy Tower. For the first time in a long time, she smiled widely to herself, feeling relieved. She would perhaps pay for that error too, but she would not wear anything binding her to that bastard anymore.

"Aurora," the Headmaster's quiet voice spoke from her fireplace. She turned around and walked over to it. "If you could step through," he asked. She sighed, but did as he asked. It was time to put her mask on again.