Flashback
A ten year old Emma ran through the manor looking for her friends. She didn't want to play hide and seek but Sirius was very persistent to have his way. As she turned a corner, she saw a foot poking out behind a large vase.
"Come out Regulus, you've been found!"
Regulus leaped out and started laughing.
"I wasn't even trying, you know?"
"Come on, we have to find Sirius!"
Regulus rolled his eyes, but none the less went along. He felt Emma was focusing too much on Sirius, but he didn't care. Sirius was going to Hogwarts, leaving a whole year for him and Emma to play together whenever and have all of her attention.
"I'm getting tired! You know he doesn't like losing."
"SIRIUS WE GIVE UP! COME OUT!"
Emma and Regulus went downstairs and sat at the bottom of the stairs. Out of nowhere, Sirius came running, barking or should we say laughing his head off.
"I'm just too good, aren't I?" Sirius proclaimed.
"Oi come off it! Em and I were getting bored," Regulus irritatingly said.
Emma trying to diffuse the brotherly fighting piped up.
"So Siri, are you excited? You know, going off to Hogwarts and leaving us behind?"
"I don't know," Sirius said uncomfortably.
"I wonder what the Slytherin common room looks like. Mum and dad say it's under the lake, reckon it must be cold," Regulus enthusiastically mentioned.
"I can't wait to go to Hogwarts! We'll all be in Slytherin and we can play together, and do whatever we want, and bug those bloody Gryffindor!" Emma added.
End of Flashback
So much had changed, she contemplated.
"Emmaaaaaaaa!"
A hand waved in front of her face. Her green eyes were glassy as they darted around the common room. She found kind eyes looking at her, perplexed.
"What?"
"I was asking you if had read this book," Remus raised a random magical creature book.
"I don't believe I have. Is it any good?"
She picked up her quill and continued writing her almost finished essay while playing with a strand of her dark hair, a tick she had when she was distracted.
"It's actually very interesting. Did you know…"
"Ok I'm done! What time is it?" interrupted Emma as she began to pack up her school materials.
Remus sighed, "It's six."
"Oh, we should head to the great hall, I'm starved," she patted her stomach jokingly.
He laughed, "Alright lets go, let me put these books away."
Five minutes later, the two were making their way to dinner. The halls were filled with lost first years, some loud idiots discussing or shall we say fighting over quidditch, and a couple arguing over who was cheating on whom.
The great hall was already set with dinner. Emma and Remus made their way to the Gryffindor table, where Sirius, James, and Peter had already taken their place. Everyone started piling up food, especially James with his obsession of roasted potatoes. As they started talking about quidditch, like always, Emma glanced over to the Slytherin table only to see cold gray eyes staring right at her. It was only the third day since they were back from summer break, but already these eyes were glaring at her, anger brewing behind them. She looked away nonchalantly and joined in the mindless chat at the table, her head exploding with random thoughts.
She hadn't talked to Regulus in five years. Five years! The reason being, she was sorted into Gryffindor. She became a disgrace to her family, to her pureblood friends, to Regulus. Her once best friend ignored her in the hallways in their first year whenever she attempted to talk to him. After that, she didn't even bother anymore; she found solace in the Marauders. It was if she and Regulus never knew each other, hadn't spent their childhood playing the stupidest games, as if they never cared about each other.
"Oi Em, pass me some roasted potatoes," James choked with a mouthful of bread, interrupting Emma's train of thought.
"More? Merlin's beard, leave some for the rest of us Prongs."
She passed three potatoes, the only three left. Apparently James hadn't eaten in days.
Emma glanced at the Slytherin table. There was Regulus laughing his head off at something that Snape had said. Alongside them were Evan Rosier, Barty Crouch Jr. and Avery. They were all malicious and she had no idea why Regulus would bother hanging out with them. Of course all their families were associated with the dark arts, including her own family. They regarded purebloods as the superior class amongst the wizarding world. Everyone else was below them including children who had tarnished their name.
"Come on Em, dinner's over," Sirius said as he got up from the table.
As they walked out of the Sirius swung his arm over Emma's shoulder and pulled her close. James raised his eyebrow with a smirk. Sirius had always been affectionate towards Emma, hoping she would reciprocate the same feelings, but to no avail.
"Quidditch try outs are tomorrow," exclaimed James excitedly.
"Oh right, how could I forget, we have a new captain!" she winked and added, "Do you think that will impress Lily? I mean how can she deny those muscles!"
James looked at his thin arms and sheepishly smiled.
Once they reached the common room, the boys claimed their favorite couch, the one nearest to the fireplace. Emma went straight to the dormitory stairs.
"Where are you going!?" The boys yelled simultaneously as they were fighting over a chocolate frog.
"I'm tired guys. I'll see you all tomorrow, goodnight," Emma blew them a kiss and up she went.
As she laid in bed, she couldn't get those angry gray eyes out of her head. Why was he so angry at her? They were best friends, why couldn't they find common ground? All these questions raced through her mind as she drifted off to sleep.