Author's Note: This story would not have bee possible if it were not for my roleplaying experience on xanga. I've been involved in many Marauder Era roleplays portraying Emmeline Vance; however, my most memorable experience was in early 2008, where I feel as though I finally connected with Emmeline. The plots are mostly attributed to my own imagination of what happened between Emmeline Vance and Amos Diggory; however, I had a load of help from my famous friend, who portrayed Amos in the roleplay.

I am aware that Amos and Emmeline never married, and that Emmeline is not Cedric's mother. My story will cover exactly how I envisioned their relationship to unfold. It is a tale of unrequited love, war, pain, and friendship.

Anyway, I always envisioned Emmeline as a Ravenclaw. Despite her description in the books, my Emmeline has darker, chestnut locks and dark brown eyes. To be honest, I always envisioned Natalie Portman as my Emmeline, in every aspect. (Also, I always envisioned Amos to look similar to Sean Faris.) I figured that she was a very intelligent and skilled witch, and I figured she would best be suited as a Ravenclaw, especially because she later joins the Order following her graduation from Hogwarts. Also, I made Emmeline five years older than the Marauders, because for the purposes of my plot, it would just make the most sense. The story takes place in Emmeline's sixth year in 1971 and will end at the time of her death in 1996. Just a heads up, this will gradually become a darker story with adult themes, which is why I am giving it an 'T' rating. It may get a higher rating depending on how it turns out.

Disclaimer:I own nothing. I am merely admiring the creative and genius mind of J.K. Rowling by using her characters and ideas to create my own story. I am not profiting in anyway from my story.


Prologue

Abigail Vance always wanted a daughter.

One August 5, 1955, she finally got her wish. At 8:41 am, a beautiful baby girl with chestnut curls and chocolate brown eyes was born at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to Abigail and Nathaniel Vance. In all of their twenty years of marriage, Abigail and Nathaniel tried valiantly to conceive a child, and finally, they were granted their wish. Emmeline Jane Vance was delivered, and was named 'Emmeline', which is an English name meaning 'hard work' for two reasons; one purposeful and one completely unexpected. Not only did it take an awful lot of hard work to conceive her, but it was also foretelling of the only Vance child's erudite, assiduous, and industrious nature.

As a young girl, as young as three years old, Emmeline expressed a curiosity for knowledge, whether she picked up one of the many books purchased by her parents, or if she would venture out across her parents' Irish estate in the hills of Donegal. Barefoot adventures would lead Emmeline across the valleys of lavish, green toward the grassy hills overlooking the foamy waves as of the sea-green Atlantic Ocean crashing against the rocks below. Free spirited and care free, Emmeline expressed an undeniable enthusiasm for life with a broad, toothy grin and humbling genuine kindness that reflected her positive disposition of life. With a gregarious nature, Emmeline possessed a charm that complimented her likable personality. Possessing a contagious laugh that brought a smile to nearly everyone in her company's face, the only Vance child seemed to have some kind of alluring effect on people. Whether she managed to strike up conversations with her grandmother's friends or bring a smile to a stranger's face while on venture into Diagon Alley with her mother, there was something evidently and undeniably special about Emmeline Vance that seemed to draw people to her.

What made her even more unique and special was the fact that she was a witch.

Born into a pureblood family, Emmeline was destined to manifest magical abilities; however, her greatness had yet to be determined. Like many young magical children, Emmeline displayed magical inclinations when she was as young as two years old. Sparks akin to that of fireworks would fly whenever Emmeline clapped her hands in excitement; however, whenever Emmeline was ill tempered, which was rare, the ground beneath her would rumble and shift, making the experience much like that of an earthquake. Luckily Abigail was able to easily fix her shattered china decor that were victimized by one of Emmeline's rare fits, while Nathaniel could easily rearrange the wood floorboard that unhinged.

As if right on cue, at exactly 8:41 am on August 5, 1966, a letter addressed to a Miss Emmeline J. Vance was delivered by owl and arrived through the Vance's kitchen window. Upon seeing the burgundy waxed, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seal on the back of the envelope, an enthralled, eleven year old Emmeline jumped enthusiastically up and down in a pale blue, cotton sundress, her long, chestnut curls bouncing over her shoulders. Tearing into the parchment, Emmeline greedily pinched the thin sheets of folded paper of her acceptance letter from the confines of the envelope and allowed her eyes to scan over the fine penmanship of a Professor McGonagall. Not even an hour after a celebratory breakfast, Emmeline and her mother traveled by floo network to Diagon Alley with her supplies list to purchase the specified necessities for the upcoming school year; Emmeline's first year at Hogwarts.

Arriving at Platform 9 3/4 had Emmeline's stomach in knots. Torn between being euphorically ecstatic and nauseatingly nervous, Emmeline stood timidly between her mother and father, staring at the column that she was encouraged to charge at in order to gain access to the designated platform. Biting on her lower lip, Emmeline side glanced her mother before slowly finding her father's gaze.

Nathaniel smiled warmly, clasping Emmeline's shoulder with his large hand and gave it a loving squeeze. "It's now or never, Emme. Come on, you've been looking forward to this," the gentle, warm voice of her dear father coaxed.

"Your father's right, Emme," Abigail's sweet, nurturing tone filtered in her ears and seemed to somehow ease her nervous jitters. She tucked a long, loosely curled lock behind Emmeline's ear and smiled lovingly. As if looking into her own reflection, Emmeline's gaze met her mother's exact same chocolate brown orbs before nodding her head in submission.

A ashy charcoal colored cat tapped the metal throngs of her enclosure as if to input his own support for the timid eleven year old. Abigail chuckled softly as Nathaniel continued to beam at his only daughter. With a nervous smile, Emmeline turned toward her beloved British short tail and stroked his chin through the thin bars of the cage.

"Thanks, Jinx," she said appreciatively, tapping the cat's nose gently with her forefinger.

With a deep breath, Emmeline nodded affirmatively as if she were a soldier going off to war. It wasn't necessary the best simile, but it made a point. She was embarking on a new stage in a her life, one that would completely transform her reality into something she never could have possibly imagined for her life. For the first time, she was leaving her parents, which meant that she would only see them during winter breaks and summer holidays. The thought tugged at her heart, because she loved her parents dearly; however, she knew that her education was an important and necessary investment for a prosperous and meaningful life. Besides, her parents promised to write every day, so that eased her growing anxiety of homesickness.

Gripping her cart, Emmeline turned to look at both of her parents before a determined expression fixed itself upon her face, and she charged into the beam between platforms nine and ten. A jelly feeling tingled her gut as she zipped through the portal. The sight that beheld her eyes caused her to freeze in her spot. Her doe like eyes widened with fascination and awe upon the gigantic, candy apple red train of the Hogwarts Express. Children of ages varying from eleven to seventeen swarmed the platform, bidding farewell to parents, greeting old friends, and bustling into the train to grab a decent seat in a compartment.

Emmeline was so captivated by the enormity and beauty of the train and the atmosphere of the station that she didn't even hear her parents approach. It wasn't until she felt her father's hand find a place on her shoulder that pulled her from the trance that consumed her. Startled slightly by the sudden touch, Emmeline jumped before a happy smile tugged at her lips, revealing her teeth.

"Well, what do you think?," Nathaniel asked, his cerulean eyes twinkling with pride upon his daughter.

"Wow," she smiled in amazement. "Just wow."

Emmeline couldn't quite articulate her opinion any better than that. There truly were no words for the beauty surrounding her. To be honest, she was too overwhelmed by the ambiance and reality of the situation to eloquently express what exactly she thought about it.

Abigail chuckled slightly before moving in front of her daughter. Touching the side of Emmeline's face in a distinctively maternal fashion. "Emme, love," her mother addressed her warmly, "No matter where you are placed in Hogwarts, I know that you are capable of achieving great things. Just do your best. And have fun. We are so proud of you, honey," Abigail spoke softly and lovingly. "We're going to write you every day, whether you like it or not. And trust me, the Christmas holiday will be here before you know it." Emmeline bit her lip as a smile began to stretch across her face. Wrapping her arms around her mother neck, she felt her mother's soft lips press into the skin of her temple. "I love you, Emme. I love you so much," Abigail whispered, pulling her only child close.

Emmeline breathed in the soft, lilac and honey scent of her mother before giving her a squeeze in return. "I love you too, Mum," she whispered, feeling the emotion well in her throat. After several moments, Emmeline pulled back as her mother held her daughter's hands in her own. "Remember what I said," she reminded with a knowing look, "Expect a letter every day. Work hard and have fun." Emmeline grinned and nodded her head, her loose, chestnut curls brushing over her shoulders.

Nathaniel then moved into Abigail's spot and kneeled down so that he could look into his daughter eyes. "We're just an owl away. If you ever need us, don't hesitate to visit the owlery and send us a post. You know you'll hear from us daily," he smiled, the hint of faint crow's feet crinkling in the corners of his eyes.

"I know, Papa," Emmeline said before throwing her arms around his neck. His dark, charcoal hair was speckled with traces of gray, she noticed before she buried her face into his shoulder. "I love you," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Nathaniel placed a tender kiss upon his daughter's forehead before he released her. "I love you too, love," he said endearingly before standing up. He took a hold of her cart before announcing that he'd make sure her luggage was safety placed onto the luggage compartment. With a final wave, Nathaniel bid his daughter and wife farewell. Abigail gave her daughter yet another kiss before sending Emmeline on her way to board the train.

A screeching whistle sounded through the train station alerting that the students had to board within five minutes before the train would promptly depart at eleven o'clock on the dot. Emmeline timidly moved toward the massive locomotive with trepidation. The moment she stepped on that train would make her dream a reality. She would finally be on her way to Hogwarts. She would finally be a student at one of the most prestigious wizarding schools in the world.

Stepping onto the first step, Emmeline released the breath she had been holding since she made the short distanced departure from her mother. Peering up at the conductor, who returned her warm and welcoming smile, Emmeline continued her ascent up the rest of the four stairs. Keeping a keen eye open, Emmeline searched for a vacant compartment, but was quickly realizing that she missed her chance for obtaining one. Traveling further through the body of the train, the young, brunette maneuvered her way past other occupants toward the middle of the locomotive. Most of the compartments that she passed seemed to be filled to its capacity. It wasn't until she stumbled upon a seemingly vacant compartment. However, gaining a closer look, Emmeline's dark brown eyes peered through the window and spotted a girl with porcelain skin, ocean blue eyes, and shoulder length, mousy brown hair. From what Emmeline could gather, the girl looked around her age, and she was immersed in a book. Politely Emmeline rapped on the door, hoping not to startle the girl.

Placing her finger to reserve her spot, the girl peered up from her text and offered Emmeline a soft smile. Taking the response as an invitation, Emmeline turned the knob of the door and opened it enough to stick her head in.

"Hi, er, would you mind terribly if I joined you? It seems all of the other compartments are overcrowded," the brown eyed girl spoke kindly.

"Not at all. Please do," the pale skinned girl beckoned, holding her book in her lap. "I was beginning to think I smelled something wretched." Her deep blue eyes flickered with humor as Emmeline entered the room.

With a smile, Emmeline inhaled deeply and paused in the doorway. "Hmm, not from what I can tell," she returned the joke before closing the door behind her. She took a seat across from the girl and smiled gratefully.

"Hi, I'm Emmeline Vance," she greeted, extending her hand.

"Amelia. Amelia Bones," replied the mousy brown haired girl sitting across from her. She took Emmeline's hand and gave it a gentle shake.

"First year?," Amelia asked.

Emmeline nodded. "Me too. Nervous?"

"Definitely," Amelia smiled with a nod. "Luckily, my brother is a year ahead, so he prepped me."

"Lucky!," Emmeline exclaimed. "I wish I had an older sibling to do the same for me. How old is he?," she asked.

"Edgar is twelve, just a year older. I have a younger brother, Elliot. He'll be here next year," Amelia explained. "Edgar is in Ravenclaw. Just like my parents."

Really?," Emmeline's eyes lit up. "My parents were too! I hope I get into Ravenclaw. I mean, my parents say it doesn't matter, but from what I've read in Hogwarts: A History, I feel like I would be most comfortable and best suited for Ravenclaw."

Excitement glowed in Amelia's expression as she nodded her head enthusiastically. "Me too! That's what I was reading about. Hopefully we'll both get in!," Amelia added with fervor.

The two immediately engaged in a fluid conversation, discussing their hopes for the year, where they were from, what they liked to do in their free time, their favorite Bertie Bott's bean, and everything under the sun. It seemed that the more that they talked, the more they seemed to find in common. The train ride seemed to last only a half an hour, since they two conversed non-stop. Their conversation only paused twice. Once when the trolley lady stopped by, and the two ordered several licorice wands, a box of chocolate frogs, a packet of droobles, a carton of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, and a canister of pumpkin juice, and again when Amelia's brother peered into their compartment.

"Oi, Lia," Edgar greeted breathlessly, sticking his head into the door. "We're almost there. You should get into your robes," he suggested. Behind him stood two boys; a dark skinned boy with beautiful, milk chocolate skin and a taller, tanned skin boy with short, brown hair.

"Thanks, Ed," Amelia smiled fondly at her brother, who seemed to have the same eye color as his sister, Emmeline noticed. "Oh, this is my new friend, Emmeline," Amelia introduced.

Edgar offered a friendly grin. "Hi, I'm Edgar. You can call me Ed. This," he said, referring to the two boy behind him, "is Kingsley Shacklebolt. He's a Gryffindor. And That's Amos Diggory. Hufflepuff," Edgar explained gesturing toward the milk chocolate skinned boy then the bronzed, golden brown haired boy beside him. Kingsley offered both Emmeline and Amelia a kind smile, while Amos briefly made eye contact and nodded.

"Nice to meet you all," Emmeline said with a genuine smile.

"Pleasure is all ours," Edgar grinned, tipping an imaginary hat. "Alright, well, we'll see you at the castle!," he said before he disappeared. The two boys followed Edgar, who seemed to be the leader of the pack. Emmeline turned to Amelia, and they two, as if on cue, both shrugged their shrugged and snickered.

Once the girls changed into their school uniforms, both of which lacked their house emblem, they waited until the train came to a sound halt. Filing out of the locomotive, Emmeline and Amelia made their way toward the bellowing half-giant Game Keeper named Hagrid, who beckoned for all the first years to follow him. Their descent across the Black Lake in the boat was straight out of a dream to Emmeline. The starry night sky and moon illuminated the dark lake and added an ethereal enchantment to the castle in the background. She gasped, taking in the castle's beauty. The pages of Hogwarts: A History didn't do the structure any justice. It was simply breath taking.

It wasn't long until the first years were ushered into the Great Hall. Instantly, eyes were upon them, and the rapt attention make Emmeline slightly uneasy. She could only wait until her turn to adorn the hat and receive her fate. Having been arranged alphabetically, Emmeline sadly had to bid farewell to Amelia, who ventured toward the front of the line.

"Amelia Bones!," called Professor McGonagall, a stately looking, older witch with half-rimmed glassed and pursed lips. She practically screamed no-sense in her appearance alone.

The hat sat upon Amelia's head for less than three seconds before it belted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Emmeline's cheers were drowned by the eruption from the House of Rowena table, which was led by the proud brother of the new inductee. The next few dozens of names seemed to take forever, and Emmeline was growing impatient. Sifting in her spot, Emmeline grew restless until finally she heard her name, which just so happened to be the last one called.

"Emmeline Vance!," the graying haired witch called, the ghost of a smile on her face.

With slightly nervous nervous, Emmeline gracefully approached the stool with the hat. As she moved between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables, Emmeline caught sight of the familiar faces of Kingsley Shacklebolt and Amos Diggory. Kingsley gave her a 'thumbs up', and Amos offered a fraction of a smile before looking away. Emmeline returned a nervous grin before she made her way toward the front of the Great Hall.

Taking a seat upon the stool, Emmeline waited until she felt the weight of the hat upon her head. A voice echoed in her head, discussing his thoughts about her placement.

Ahh, you seem to possess quite a elegant confidence. You'd make a strong Gryffindor.

A pause.

But alas, you have quite a bit of a loyal streak. Great qualities of a good friend, and a Hufflepuff.

Emmeline shifted during another pause.

There's a cleverness about you that would make even Salazaar himself proud to have you as a member of the Slytherin house.

A gulp bobbed in her throat as a apprehensive look passed over her features.

None of those will do. There's no doubt about this one.

Emmeline's brown orbs rolled upwards, as if to take a look at the hat upon her head. "RAVENCLAW!," the hat bellowed.

An eruption of applause and cheering filled the Great Hall as Emmeline happily hopped off of the stool and practically ran over toward the table, taking a seat beside Amelia. She received several high-fives, friendly hand shakes, and a warm welcome from the table.

Looking around the Great Hall, a feeling of serenity and complacent joy filled her being. The warmth of the room, the smiling faces of the students, and atmosphere of the castle reassured Emmeline that she found her second home.

Her time at Hogwarts would definitely be a collection of experiences that would alter her life in so many ways. It wouldn't be until her sixth year that Emmeline Vance ceased living in the shadows of her well earned titled of Ravenclaw sweetheart and resident bookworm. With a war of racial supremacy raging on outside of the walls of Hogwarts, an inner struggle of self discovery is brewing within a one Emmeline Vance. Although she'd been warned that growing up would never be easy, nothing would have ever prepared her for what lay in store for her future.

As the Muggle artist Bob Dylan once said, "These Times they are a-changing."