Disclaimer: As if.
"Get up Higgins! NOW YOU LAZY BUGGER! NOW!"
Emily sat up. Towering over her was her master, Mister Frank. He was head servant of the household, and was in charge of every chore in the country mansion. Emily had been born in the servant quarters, and served the family the whole of her life. She knew nothing different. She did as well as she could, she was polite and honest. She was just a little clumsy, was all.
"Master Regulas will have his clothes by eight, make sure you're dressed or you'll be sorry!"
That was another thing. Emily worked in the mansion owned by the Blacks. They were a rich, pureblood family who took pride in being better and higher class than everyone else. Emily didn't agree with their ideas, but she had never truly intended leaving the Blacks. That was, until her letter arrived.
Mister Frank had woken her, and she had hurried to get into her uniform. She had to prepare her master's clothes. Her chores were mainly taking care of Regulas, a son of the Blacks. That morning, she did her usual routine of washing and drying Regulas' clothes and placing them in his room, and then bringing in his breakfast after he was changed.
After brining in her master's clothes and retreating, Emily was wheeling in Regulas' breakfast on a silver trolley entwined with silver serpents, when she tripped on the hem of her long dress. She hit the floor with a thud. Regulas didn't bat an eyelid, but smirked to himself when he heard Mister Frank's voice bellowing from the corridor.
"HIGGINS!"
Emily had picked herself up quickly and gave Regulas his food, before bowing low, and hurrying out of his large room. When she had closed the door, Mister Frank immediately began.
"HIGGINS! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU? YOU'RE A DISGRACE HIGGINS! YOU'RE NOT EVEN FIT TO BE A SERVANT! YOU KNOW I COULD THROW YOU OUT ON THE STREET HIGGINS! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! I - "
At that moment Regulas' head appeared from around the door. Both Mister Frank and Emily bowed, before Regulas said,
"Take it somewhere else, Frank. I can't stand all the shouting going on outside my room. I need this time for rest."
"Certainly Master Black. I apologise most sincerely."
Emily found it hard to believe that a man could change his temper so quickly, but bowed to Regulas before following Mister Frank down to the servants quarters. The shouting carried on for some time, and Emily just stood crying quietly, whilst she listened to Mister Frank shout. She had heard it all before. It wasn't the first time she'd done something wrong, but it was even worse to do something wrong in front of a master. She opened her mouth to apologise, but received a smack around the face before to could even utter a word. It was not her place to say anything. She was just a servant.
XxX
Later that day, Sirius went for a walk around the mansion grounds. He walked often, because he had no good company in the house, and wanted to get away from it all. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, even if meant enduring the Slytherins. He could cope with them, but his parents were driving him nearer and nearer to insanity. All they could talk of was the Dark Arts. Many a time Sirius had been to Knockturn alley with his father, to buy and sell all kinds of artefacts used by dark wizards. Sirius had been born into a dark family, and he often wished he hadn't. He hated his father and mother, and their pureblood ways. He had tried to care for his brother Regulas, but he was just as narrow-minded as his parents were. Sirius couldn't wait to get away.
As he was walking, Sirius looked across the lake, where he could see the mansion in all it's glory. He hated living there; the money, the servants, the lifestyle. It was horrid, watching people run around after you and knowing they do it because they're afraid of you. As a child he had enjoyed being waited on, but after he started his first year at Hogwarts his ideas had changed. Now the thought of it made him sick, and he refused anything a servant tried to give him. He couldn't wait to get away, and loved the time he spent at the Potter's house. He would see his friends again soon.
Regulas looked over all 86 windows on the front of the mansion. He could see his bedroom, the dining parlour, the servants quarters. They were on the first floor of five, and at the very corner of the house he could see a long line of sheets hanging down, as a young girl attempted to climb down. Regulas smirked as he walked back around the side of the lake. At the rate the girl was going he arrived below her way before she was near the bottom.
Regulas stood looking up, waiting for her as Higgins cautiously dropped her case to the floor below. Just as her feet were about to touch the ground she let out an involuntary sneeze, which caused her to fall painfully to the grass below. He laughed to himself at the sight of her on the floor.
"Higgins. I should have known."
Emily sat on the floor, but looked up and stared daggers at him. Her eyes were swollen and red, she'd obviously been crying for a while. Black pretended not to see her glare.
"You don't have to do attempt to run away every time you get a beating. I'm sure it's not all that bad Higgins. You only tripped over this time. Wasn't as bad as the tea incident was it?"
Emily continued to sit.
"He hit twice as hard though."
Regulas flinched as he heard her speak back. He didn't ignore it. She had done this before, trying to escape. Regulas was always the one to catch her, but she never learnt her lesson.
Regulas held out his hand, and dragged Emily up. She wiped the fresh tears from her face, picked up her case and said,
"Thank you Mister Black. I'll be on my way now."
He chuckled to himself.
"You honestly think I'm going to let you go? I thought you were a bit smarter than that Higgins."
This time she really did stare daggers at him. If looks could kill he would be long gone. But she turned and began to walk away, her case banging clumsily against her legs. Regulas watched her for a moment, her long brown hair swishing behind her. Then with a flick of his wand, she was up in the air, hanging by her ankles. She didn't even have time to scream, as he had used a silencing charm too. Emily hated how he could do magic. She always seemed to forget until he got her.
So there she was, hanging by the ankle her arms folded. She had a look of annoyance on her face, as she dropped her case to the floor. Once again, Regulas Black was staring up at Emily, and he found it rather amusing. He even told her so.
"As amused as you are, Mister Black," she said, "I beg that you'll let me down so I can leave this ruddy place."
"Manners, Higgins, or I'll call Frank."
Emily now felt a flicker of fear, but hid it quickly.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Oh I would Higgins, and you know it. If I let you down you have to promise to go back to your room, otherwise we can stay here all night and wait till Frank comes and finds you in the morning. I've done it before, Higgins, and I'll be more than happy to do it again."
"Let her down Regulas."
It was Sirius. He ran up towards the house, laughing to himself at the scene as he did. He had seen this exact picture before, last time Emily had tried to escape.
Regulas glared at his brother. They never spoke to eachother, mainly because Sirius had shut himself away. Sirius had tried many times to talk Regulas into seeing reason, but Regulas seemed rooted in his ways now. Sirius had given up hope, and decided to leave him alone.
Regulas removed the spell on Emily. He didn't let he down gracefully, but with a thud that was sure to add to her other cuts and bruises. She was glad she had changed out of her uniform; that dress would have been extremely revealing when she was upside-down. Regulas seemed to know what she was thinking.
"Next time, wear the dress. I'll get more pleasure out of it. I'm sick of cleaning up runaway servants."
Emily felt herself getting even madder at these words. She tried to run at him as he walked away, but something knocked her down, causing her to roll painfully to the bottom of the bank. When she finally stopped, lying in a heap at the bottom, she managed to see what had knocked her down. A large, black dog lay just a metre away, and Emily screamed with frustration as she lay her head back down on the grass. Sirius was such an arse.
"I could have got him! You heard what he said to me! I can't believe you let him get away with that!"
"Emily, you know that you can't have attacked him. You'll be thanking me soon enough you know."
Emily didn't say anything. She just lay there and looked up at the starry sky as the boy next to her rose, and began to walk slowly towards the house.
XxX
Emily had stayed crumpled on the ground long after the Blacks had returned to the house. She had cried herself to sleep, and woken in the morning, only to climb back to her room, just minutes before Mister Frank arrived. He took no notice of her red and bloodshot eyes. He told her to get on with her job, and she did so. She took much less time in preparing her Master's clothes, but was careful not to trip when she took in his breakfast. As she placed it next to his bed, he grabbed her arm and stared straight into her eyes.
"If anyone," he said, "Anyone at all, hears about last night, I will personally make sure it is the last thing you ever do. Is that clear, Higgins?"
"Yes Master Black."
She bowed and quitted the room quickly after that, and returned to her quarters equally as fast. She sat in her room, waiting till she got orders. She didn't, and for some time she sat alone on her bed, just thinking.
She had almost attacked Regulas! She hadn't even wanted to do it, but sometimes he made her so angry. He was so patronising and slimy. He got away with everything. Though sometimes, when he went to his father's study (which could be for hours at a time) she could hear screaming, though she never knew why. He would leave the room looking just the same as he left it, maybe with less of a strut. Regulas always strutted; it was in his proud nature. His father did it too, but Regulas probably didn't even realise. Even Sirius had picked up the 'family strut'. Emily thought Regulas looked like a git every time he did it, which was all the time. That's all Regulas was: a slimy, rich, pureblood git. Sirius wasn't nearly as bad but he had the looks and money and maybe some charm. He was very accomplished though; he knew magic like the back of his hand. He used it all the time at home, even though Emily was his target most of the time. She hated that.
Emily's thoughts were interrupted, when a brown barn owl tapped hard on her window. She opened it, and took the letter of the owl's leg, and it flew away. She looked down at the envelope. It was made of fresh parchment, with the address written in bottle green ink. The address amused her, it read,
To Miss Emily Higgins
2nd room in the servants quarters
First floor
Black Mansion
&tc
Emily wondered how they knew where she slept. She thought it might have been from Sirius, since he was the only one who knew exactly where she slept, who would ever bother to send her a letter. She opened the envelope as she wondered, and took the parchment form inside.
Miss Higgins,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…
She couldn't contain a scream of surprise and joy as she read that first line, and had to hide the letter quickly as Mister Frank smacked her round the head and left again. Her eyes watered as she read the rest.
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Emily looked through the list that the letter had mentioned, and inside the envelope, was another note, that read,
I understand that you turned 14 during the course of May, and so will be starting Hogwarts with the 5th year students. Due to this fact, you will be taking extra lessons with some of the professors, and myself, throughout the first term. I also know that you work for the Black household, but will be replaced by a house-elf, who will carry on your duties until you return to the mansion during any holidays, when you are under the responsibility of the Blacks again.
Yours Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore.
As she read this last line, Emily heard loud footsteps, and then frantic knocking on her door. She opened it cautiously, and Sirius hurried in and closed the door behind him. He was out of breath.
"What did the letter say?"
How did he know?
"What?"
"What did the damn letter say?" Sirius' voice was rising.
"It's from Hogwarts. But how did you - "
"No time. You've got to get out of here. They're furious – he'll be down here any minute."
"I don't understand! How do your parents know?"
Sirius didn't say anything. He was already picking up the rope of sheets Emily had used the night before. He was lowering them out of the window when he said,
"Get your case!"
Emily did as she was told, and began shuffling her way down from the window. To her surprise, Sirius followed her, and jumped to the floor as they heard the bedroom door burst open. Sirius grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her around the corner. They heard things being thrown and torn; the Blacks were going mad. When he thought it might be safe, Sirius ran across the grounds, pulling Emily along with him. She still had the letter in her hand, and as they reach the tall black gates of the mansion, they swung open. The two of them could hardly breathe, but Emily managed to swing her arms around Sirius, and thank him between each heavy breath. He looked slightly alarmed by such a display, but patted her on the head all the same.
"Sirius," Emily began, "You know – your parents – are going to kill you – when they find out!"
"I know."
"I can't – let that – happen."
"Yes. You can."
Tears were filling Emily's eyes. She knew he would suffer because of this, probably more than she could imagine. Sirius knew it too, but had to do it all the same.
"You need to get to the leaky cauldron. Take your letter, and ask them to let stay, under the name of Black. Tell him to pay it from vault 113." He took a moneybag from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Use this to get your school supplies. Then stay at the leaky cauldron. I'll come for you when it's time to get to school. Ok?"
Emily hugged him one last time, then walked down the gravel path. Sirius stared after her. She was leaving at last.
XxX
Authors note:
FINALLY! i have been pondering (i like that word :) on whether to put this up yet. those of you who have read my profile know that this is two of my stories meshed into one big delictable goo! it's just frustrating trying to link them together and for it to still sound good... if that makes sense... whatever - just go with me people!
p.s if any of it doesn't really make sense (it USED to be about the malfoys blah blah blah) then just shove it in a review or something and i'll see what i can do! i promise to update often!