Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling therefore none of this belongs to me. Emma and Pippin and other OC's are mine as are any plot twists.

Author's Notes/Summary: Year 7 with Emma, Harry, and everyone. THIS IS THE DEATHLY HALLOWS VERSION. Because I wrote year 6 before the book was released, I had to rewrite the ending of year 6 to make it compliant, so this year will start with the end of year 6 picking up at the final battle on the Astronomy Tower (so it is very similar to that chapter in year 6 but with a different tone) and then jump right into the aftermath.

Chapter 2: Fight, not Flight

The other girls were sniffling and still in shock as they prepared for the funeral. "I don't know what to wear . . . I can't believe this," Hermione said sitting on her bed looking at her closet without really seeing anything. Emma could tell the other girls were also in a stupor.

"If you don't have a black dress you can wear your black school robes," Emma offered as she finished pulling her blonde hair up in a bun. She put on her mother's pearl necklace her father had passed on to her when she was younger and that she always wore with her black dress; she placed in the matching pearl hair pins in her bun. Classic, simple, sophisticated. Maybe a little elegant, she thought, but decided since it wasn't a state funeral for a dignitary she didn't know but one for a man she had trusted implicitly yet been deceived by, she didn't particularly care what she looked like. She would go and pay her respects, as best she could considering, but she had some words for Dumbledore as soon as his funeral was over.

"How do you have something in your wardrobe for everything?" Lavender asked pulling her out of her reverie.

Emma shrugged. She was the only one ready. "My grandmother always told my mother to have one black dress. You can wear it for any occasion, but then you are prepared for . . . something like this that takes you completely surprised. During times of War, it seems like it is a uniform," Emma said thinking how many times her mother had to go to a funeral, how many times she has gone to them the last few years. "I have been attending state funerals and such my whole life," she said as she grabbed a black shawl and walked out as the others finished getting ready, Pippin at her heels and seeming to understand this was a solemn occasion. She managed to get outside before the majority of guests and students flooded the field so she took the time to brace herself against the flood of emotions.

Something caught her eye at the corner of the forest and she walked to have a closer look. A few tears ran down her cheek as she saw the group of unicorns. One of them approached her. "It's almost like my mother is reaching out to me," she whispered to the unicorn. She stroked it on its nose. "Thank you," she whispered. She and the unicorn looked into each others eyes and the unicorn galloped off.

She found her father in the crowd and took shallow breaths as the students began to arrive. She took a seat between Riley and John, who had moved up from his lowly chauffer days to Riley's right hand man. Something about being between the two of them seemed to fortify her against everything. She wished desperately Draco was there—especially considering he was currently in Malfoy manor with his mother and psychotic aunt—to help her through this.

When it was finished she walked leisurly to the lake as she continued to think things over. She didn't go to her and Draco's oak tree, it didn't feel right with him hiding, but chose a beech tree instead. Pippin sat on her lap and she scratched his ears as she thought over what she needed to learn.

Harry saw Emma sitting by herself, and walked towards her. He wanted to check on her since she didn't sit with the other students. "Harry, my boy," Rufus Scrimgoer called out, walking up to him.

"Minister," he said. He pretended to listen to the minister as he asked Harry to promote the ministry in public. "You seem to have forgotten what I told you during Christmas, minister. I am Dumbledore's man through and through."

"Well, I thought that now, perhaps, since Dumbledore is gone. . ."

"Rufus," Riley said, walking up to them. He gave Harry a friendly nod and wink.

"Perhaps I should step in and make something clear, before you get too far over your head. If you wish to see Harry, then you will have to talk to me first. My wife was Harry's godmother and cousin, and now with Sirius gone as well, I am going to take up my duties as Harry's cousin. Emily would want me to watch over Harry now that he knows he has family."

"Of course, Riley, of course. I wasn't trying to overstep your boundaries. Wouldn't dream of it, the way you handled that Scandinavian dispute last month. Just remember what this could do for us, Riley. We need the support," Rufus said as he walked off.

"Bloody politicians," Riley said as he watched Scrimgoer walk off. "I meant what I said, Harry. I won't let anyone in the ministry pester you. We are family, even if you haven't known it."

Harry nodded. "I know that, sir. I appreciate it, too. Emma is like family to me."

Riley nodded. "Your parents did make Emily your godmother. She was delighted. Even after she died, they never got anyone else. If you ever need anything, Harry, you have family." Harry nodded. They shook hands, and Riley watched as Harry walked towards his daughter, soon to be joined by Ron and Hermione.

"I'm not coming back next year, even if it opens," Emma heard Harry say. "I am going to look for the horcruxes like Dumbledore wanted me too."

"We are coming with you," Ron said. Harry told them no.

"Harry, we have had plenty of time to turn around and abandon you. We aren't going to start now," Hermione said.

Harry stared at his two friends. "I don't suppose you want to come too, do you Emma?" Harry asked.

"If you want me to," Emma said shrugging.

Harry put his arm around her shoulders pulling her close as she rested her head on his shoulders. "I do. I think Dumbledore would want us to. I am going to the Dursley's first. Dumbledore wished for me to return one more time, then I . . .I think I am going to go to Godric's hollow. That is where it all started, and I need to go there."

Emma nodded. What Dumbledore wanted . . . "You would have liked the place if you had seen it, before, I mean."

"Before that we need to go to my house. Bill and Fleur's wedding," Ron reminded them.

Riley watched the four of them sitting there. "I know you would have loved to see them grow up together, Emily," he whispered into the breeze. "This is as close as it gets. I just hope I don't lose her too."

"I wouldn't underestimate your daughter, Riley," Lupin said. He and Tonks had walked up to him. Lupin looked down at the four of them too. "She is much more powerful than you give her credit for."

"I have no doubt of her ability, Remus, just afraid of her mortality. Potters don't seem to live long in wars," Riley said.

"Emma will probably outlive all of us," Remus reassured him. "She is a very special witch."

Riley nodded. "I know. I know," he said knowingly, "it's just, as a parent, I want nothing more than to keep her in my sight. Maybe lock her in a tower somewhere."

"Believe it or not, Riley, I do understand. I love Emma as a daughter, too. But she is determined to help Harry in any way she can. I don't think anyone can stop her once she puts her mind to something. Just like both of her parents," he mused. "She is slightly more diplomatic than any other Potter I've ever met, so she must get that from you."

Riley grinned. "It's nice to know something of me rubbed off on her," he nodded.

"A lot has, don't doubt that," Remus said kindly. They watched as the group separated and Emma joined them. Tonks gave Emma a huge hug, the love radiating off of it making Emma smile. It was exactly what she needed.

"Take your time with your goodbyes and packing," Riley said. "I will wait for you."

"Thanks, Da," she said. She hugged him and Remus before turning to leave. She only got three steps when she was joined by Seamus and Sinead, and her guard who all said hello to Riley and Remus. "Are you all coming back next year?" Emma asked them.

They nodded. As they walked back to the castle, she looped her arm through Finn, her Slytherin guard, before he had to go to his common room. She then slipped her arm through Brian's, her Gryffindor guard, as they headed to their common room. "Bri," she said before he went upstairs, "I appreciate you guys, the fact I can trust you guys, more than I have ever told you," she told him. He gave her a grin and a salute as he walked up, his goofy grin making even her smile.

She was going to miss them.

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She found her father waiting with Remus, John, and a few other ministry officials from his department. She got into a carriage with her father, John, and Remus after they put her luggage on top. "We need to slowly start phasing out," Riley said. "We are the only department I know I can trust, but it is only a matter of time before Voldemort starts infiltrating all of the departments.

"Thicknese is the one I am most worried about," John said. He was use to speaking around Emma regarding business. "He is so flighty in the mind, it wouldn't be hard to charm him."

"What if they go for underlings first?" Remus asked. Emma simply listened to their conversation but didn't really pay attention. They arrived at the station and Riley charmed her luggage to arrive home before they apparated to their manor. "So Harry really is going to leave school then?" Riley asked when it was just the two of them.

She nodded. "Dumbledore asked him to do something, only Ron, Hermione, and myself know about it and we want to help him as best we can."

Riley took a seat in his armchair and sighed. "I don't like this, Em."

"I know."

"In a way, it is nice that you won't be at Hogwarts, I am afraid of what will happen there with Dumbledore gone. Things are going to be bad, Em. I'm not going to lie."

"I know, but we are both fighting," she said. She was so proud her dad wasn't going to just pack them up and move to Fiji . . . Again. "I have to help Harry. I don't know what I can do, but I have to."

"You always know what to do, Em. I don't worry about that," he said with a wry smile. "Just make sure, while you look after Harry, you look after yourself."

She hugged him and then sat on the arm of the chair. "I wish I could do something for you, to ease your mind and protect you. Hermione confided in me ways she is going to protect her parents, and I am sure the Weasleys are going to look out for each other, but what about you, da?" she asked, and for a millisecond, worry seeped out into her tone.

He cupped her chin. "Don't worry about me. I've been through one of these wars, I'll get through this one. Now, first thing we have to do is make sure that if and when the ministry falls, we are prepared. I have already started placing protections around this house. Only the two of us plus Remus and Tonks can pass through the barrier. If you bring others here, there are procedures to get them through," he said going over the various spells and enchantments he put into place. They continued to spend the rest of the day making preparations for safety.

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Special thanks to all the people who found this! Special thanks to iceball, Shadowmoondancer, year1989, and Tayloralexandra (yay, someone from my covenant fanfic! That one will be updated soon, just waiting on my beta).