Aurelia winced slightly as her mother ran the brush through her dark brown hair, Walburga tutting in response.

"Beauty is pain, darling."

Aurelia groaned quietly, Walburga taking this as disrespect, smacked her on the head with the hairbrush, "Watch your attitude, Aurelia."

"Why do I have to look pretty anyway, mother? It's just dinner with my cousins." Aurelia huffed.

"You must learn to look pretty all of the time, Aurelia. It's important for when we find you a man to marry." Walburga hummed.

"I'm 10 years old." Aurelia furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's never too early." Walburga smiled grimmly. "What's his name... Oh yes- Evan, the Rosier boy! He's quite lovely, yes?"

"Ew- Rosier is gross!" Aurelia answered, before feeling her mother tug on her hair harshly, tears pricking from of her eyes.

"You are such a brat, sometimes!" she moved Aurelia's head back to its normal position. "Aurelia, you will never find someone who enjoys your company with the way you behave!" Walburga snarled.

After Walburga finished brushing her hair out, she placed a black dress on her bed. "Put this on, and come downstairs. Our guests will be here soon."

When her mother left, Aurelia looked down at the black dress and put it on, struggling with the buttons in the back, but eventually getting it. As she did so, she could hear bickering from downstairs. It sounded like her mother and father. Aurelia slipped on her flats, and made her way down the dim stairs of Grimmauld Place, her parents' voice sounding more clear as she went.

"Aury- wait." Regulus stopped her as she was almost down the stairs. "I wouldn't go down there yet."

Aurelia tilted her head. "Why? They're just arguing, nothing new."

"They're arguing about you." Regulus put his hands on his twins shoulders.

The two went silent, as their mother's voice got louder. "Her attitude is going to get her nowhere! No man would ever enjoy the presence of that wretched girl!"

Walburga walked to the front door, stopping at the staircase for a second, looking at the twins. "Regulus."

"Yes, mother?"

"Go find your brother. Get him down here. Aurelia, come greet our guests."

Aurelia nodded silently, following after her mother, Regulus giving her a small reassuring smile as he scurried up the stairs to find Sirius.

---

"Aurelia, come sit next to Narcissa and Bellatrix." her Aunt Druella spoke to her.

Aurelia huffed discreetly, going to sit in between her cousins. Bellatrix was probably her least favorite cousin. She was always quite rude, and unlike Aurelia, she didn't have any redeeming qualities like intelligence to make up for it. Of course, she was beautiful, all of her cousins were, but if her mother says no one would enjoy Aurelia's company, Bellatrix was doomed.

Narcissa was defintely nicer than Bellatrix, Aurelia would much rather sit between her and Andromeda. Narcissa was 16, she was going into her 6th year at Hogwarts this year, Andromeda had just graduated, while Bellatrix was in her final year. Narcissa and Andromeda would tell Regulus, Aurelia, and Sirius how much fun they would have when they go to Hogwarts.

"Elia!" Narcissa cheerfully nodded at her.

"Aurelia." Bellatrix doing the same, just with an awfully bore demeanor.

"Hi Cissa! Bella." Aurelia giving them the same energy.

As the house elfs were shooed away by Walburga after bringing the meals in, Cygnus cleared his throat. "So, Sirius."

Sirius was caught off guard, shoving the food into his mouth before looking wide eyed at his uncle. Walburga scoffed.

"You're starting Hogwarts next month. Excited?"

Sirius looked around quickly, before gulping down the food in his mouth. "Yeah- Yes. Yes I am!" he answered.

Druella put her glass down before speaking, "Wonderful! I'm sure the boy will be a proud Slytherin, just like the rest of his family."

"No doubt!" Cygnus added on.

Aurelia looked at her brother, he looked somewhat embarrassed.

"I guess." Sirius answered blandly.

Walburga gave him a look of subtle anger, before clearing her throat. "Narcissa! I heard you're dating the Malfoy boy! How's that going?"

Narcissa took a sip of water before answering, "Oh, it's going quite wonderful, Auntie! He's a good guy, treats me well! Sometimes..." she mumbled that last part to herself.

"Wonderful- Oh and what about you, Bellatrix?"

The family went on and on about marriages and such. Aurelia looked across the table at Sirius, who looked back at her, moving his hand and mouthing "blah, blah, blah" making Aurelia snicker. Bellatrix kicked her slightly under the table, making her stop. Aurelia groaned quietly, rolling her eyes at her cousin.

"Now, the twins start next year, right?" Andromeda asked.

"Indeed." Orion nodded.

"Ah! How lovely!" Druella added.

The dinner went on, Sirius was his usual self, Aurelia was bored, and Regulus barely spoke, yet somehow, their mother still looked furious at them. The three kids stood in a line, as their father shut the door behind their cousins. Their parents turned around to look at all 3 of them, Walburga was practically fuming.

"How many times have we had to tell you how to behave when people are here?" her voice boomed.

Regulus and Aurelia stood in silence, looking towards the floor. Sirius being Sirius, decided to talk back.

"We barely even did anything! Neither of them spoke at all!"

Aurelia winced, knowing what was going to happen now that he decided to talk, she looked over at Regulus, who had the same look of slight fear on his face.

"Watch your tone with me, young man!" Walburga yelled.

"You were all not even listening to anything that was said! Instead, you showed utter disrespect to us, your aunt and uncle, as well as your cousins!" Orion added.

Aurelia flinched at her parents' tone, stepping a little closer to Regulus, squeezing the hand they held behind their backs.

Sirius, again, argued back. "They didn't do anything! They just sat there! They shouldn't be in trouble, mother."

Aurelia noticed he stopped using the term "we." He was just defending them now. This never really ended well, and she was scared for her brother.

Walburga laughed slightly, "Is that what you want then? So be it." she turned directly to the twins. "Aurelia. Regulus. Out of the room." Regulus opened his mouth to speak but was immediately cut off. "Out. Now."

~

A/N guys i'm genuinely so excited to write this story. i love aurelia so much already! so obviously this is the prologue so the first chapter is going to start in aurelia and regulus' 5th year, lots of drama already. obviously.

love you guys so much! take care of yourselves <3