Thank you so much for reading, and for the very kind reviews. I really appreciate you taking the time.
Warning: in this chapter, some extremely offensive things are being said, and there is swearing. Fic rating is moving up to M because of it, just to be safe.
She's not sure why, but Emma doesn't divulge her suspicions regarding Nott's sexual orientation. Perhaps because if said suspicions were founded, it would not be up to her to tell people about it. She's no doubt that a lot of people would love to know that kind of thing about the son of a Death Eater, but really, Emma is loyal, and if Nott is trusting her with that kind of information then she will not share it. Not that he's actually said anything, it was more of a...a feeling she got from the conversation.
To her great bewilderment, and mild horror, Nott has started approaching her in public. He has claimed the seat next to her in Transfiguration, Potions, Muggle Studies and Herbology, and after the initial shock she finds herself almost wishing he'd sit next to her in Charms, too. He's a very good student. He doesn't chat during lessons, past the initial greetings, and takes very neat, concise notes. He masters most spells quickly, his strongest subjects being Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Dark Arts. These so happen to be Emma's weakest subjects, and she quickly comes to realise that he had not been wrong when he'd suggested it may be good for them to work together towards their N.E.W.T.s. Her own stronger subjects are Herbology, Muggle Studies (not that this means anything anymore), and Care of Magical Creatures. Potions, now taken over by Horace Slughorn, has started to come a bit more naturally to her, though she regrets taking it up to N.E.W.T.s level.
Nott also takes Alchemy at the same time as she takes Ghoul Studies. All in all, they have Transfiguration, Charms, Muggle Studies, Potions, Dark Arts, and Herbology together.
"Thank you," she whispers begrudgingly as he helps her master yet another spell during Transfiguration class, about a fortnight after they have officially started 'dating'.
"You're welcome."
He smells nice, she realises, now that she's having to sit close to him so often. Some sort of clean, crisp aftershave or soap. With a start, she realises that it had been one of the smells she'd caught a whiff of when leaning over that cauldron of Amortentia back in sixth year. Not that that means anything, other than that she's attracted to clean, sharp smells, which she knew already.
He catches her trying to read off of his parchment and moves it slightly so she can catch up on McGonagall's instructions.
"Thank you," she grumbles again, offended by his thoughtfulness.
"You're welcome."
The lesson finishes, and Emma gathers her things slowly, annoyed to see that he's waiting patiently for her. Zabini and Parkinson throw them suspicious and irritated looks. Her own friends hang awkwardly around, unsure whether to walk with her or not.
"Herbology, next?" He says.
"Yeah."
Herbology had always been one of her favourite subjects, but now even this she has to share with the stern Slytherin. At least he doesn't take Care of Magical Creatures...
They head towards the greenhouses, and get their stations ready. Neville Longbottom takes that class too, and he's watching the two of them carefully. Emma sighs in despair. What's the DA going to think of her now? She wishes she could explain herself. Nott, unsurprisingly, manages to get the space to her right. This is the only subject where she is clearly more skilled than he is, and for once, the roles are reversed: she supports him and guides him through the lessons.
"Common room, next," she says emphatically, at the end of the lesson, her voice loud to cover the rain battering the greenhouse.
"I'll walk you back," he says.
Emma almost groans. Can't he take a hint?
"Miss Kettleburn, can I have a word?"
Emma has never loved professor Sprout, head of Hufflepuff house, as much as she does in this very instant.
Nott leaves, and Emma is left alone with the Herbology professor.
"Professor?"
"Miss Kettleburn...Emma." The small, round lady sits herself on a stool, and gestures for Emma to copy her. She sets a pair of keen eyes on her student. "It has come to my attention," she begins carefully, "that you may have started a close friendship with Theodore Nott. Is this true?"
Emma nods, heart in her throat.
"And... Are you aware of Mr Nott's circumstances?"
"His circumstances?"
"His parentage."
Is she aware that his dad is a Death Eater. Emma nods. Professor Sprout stares at her like she's trying to crack open her head by the power of her thoughts.
"And this does not...bother you?"
"Um..."
"Given your own parentage? Most of your immediate family are non magical, are they not?"
"Theo's not his dad," Emma whispers pitifully.
Professor Sprout nods slowly.
"No, indeed. Forgive me for asking, Emma, but in six years teaching you and Mr Nott I have never once before seen you so much as look in his direction. I do not mean to intrude, and I do not mean to pretend I can dictate who you choose to befriend, but I simply wish to... To make sure that you are aware of your actions, and that you..." Professor Sprout takes a sharp breath, and goes for the kill: "I want to make sure that you have not been somehow forced into this relationship."
Emma blushes violently.
"I'm fine, professor."
"You are?"
"I'm fine."
Emma adverts her gaze.
"Well... If ever you wish for help, let me know."
"Thank you, professor."
Emma rushes out of the greenhouse and bumps into someone. For a painful, panicked second, she thinks it is Nott, but then she recognises Hannah Abbott, her blond hair stuck to her face by the rain. She holding a gold coin in her hand.
"The DA wants to meet," she says, "tonight, in the Room of Requirement."
Just short of midnight, Ernie, Zacharias, Hannah, Susan and Emma leave the comfort of their common room and make their way slowly and carefully through Hogwarts, in search of the Room of Requirement.
Upon entering, they find most of the people who had joined in fifth year, minus one or two.
"I think that's all of us," says Ginny Weasley, throwing back her long red hair. "Thanks all for coming. Neville, Luna and I have decided to carry on the DA. If you're here, that means you are going to help us, whatever the cost, otherwise you need to leave now."
No one moves, and Ginny continues:
"Good. So, today, we're going to discuss and agree on what our goals are going to be for this year." She looks at Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom, who nod at her. "So basically, this year, as you all know, we have been cursed with the worst teachers in the wizarding world. The despicable Carrows. Our main goal, as DA, will be to make their life hell. Agreed?"
There are many enthusiastic nods around the room.
"Our second main goal, as DA," says Ginny, "will be to continue learning about Defense Against the Dark Arts, the actual subject we're supposed to be studying. Neville has managed to salvage some of the DADA books from the library, before the Carrows took everything away. We'll be using those." She gestures towards a pile of old books. "We will aim to meet at least once a week, and those sessions will be divided between planning our offensive against the Carrows, Snape and their clique, and practising defensive spells. The time of the meetings will change every time and will be communicated to you on the day. Agreed? Good. Now, before we get started, there is one more thing we need to discuss."
"Her," says Seamus Finnigan.
Startled, Emma looks around, only to realise that she is the one everyone is now staring at.
"W-what?"
"You're Nott's girlfriend," says Lavender Brown.
"I'm not... Well, I am, but it's not like that."
"You're his girlfriend but it's not like you're his girlfriend?"
"He's sick."
"What's wrong with you?"
Faced with the sudden onslaught, Emma loses her words.
"It's not like that," bravely says Hannah. "Emma's the one who went and got all our confiscated things back, your Pygmy Puff included, Ginny."
"Yeah it's cool and all, but it doesn't explain her dating a Death Eater!" Says Parvati Patil.
"Nott saw her," says Susan. "He saw her and didn't stop her, he helped her. When she got caught by the Carrows, they both lied and said they were together because they're boyfriend and girlfriend so no one would find out they were actually stealing all that stuff."
"Why would he do that?" Asks Ginny.
"To protect himself, probably," replies Hannah angrily.
"Or he might actually fancy her. Who cares anyway? She's not into him, she's only doing this so she doesn't get caught." Adds Susan.
"She's taking one for the team, really," argues Ernie.
"Why would he have helped her in the first place, if she wasn't actually his girlfriend?" Lavender again.
"Who cares-!"
Emma doesn't want to tell them about Nott's dad harassing him about a girlfriend - she feels like that's a secret Nott has entrusted in her.
"Maybe," Ginny says in a strong voice, "maybe he does fancy her. Or maybe they have been secretly together for the past year. Or maybe, he planed this, all this, so he could get close to her, and by extension, close to us. Maybe he's using her to find out about us."
"I won't tell him anything," whispers Emma, already knowing where this is heading.
"No you won't. Sorry, Ems, but I think we're going to have to ask you to hand your coin in. At least until we know we can trust you."
"But you can trust me! And I want to learn real magic, you can't just kick me out!"
"Just hand it in." Ginny opens her hand, waiting. "I'm not saying we won't have you at all, and I'm not saying you would willingly betray us. But you being close to him is dangerous for the DA, and he probably knows this."
"Any of you could reveal things," argues Emma desperately. "Any of you could get tortured. Just because we're faking a relationship..."
"When we fake something long enough, it often becomes the truth," says Luna Lovegood in her dreamy voice. "Just look at all these poor Chameleon Ghouls, who can't change back to their original form."
"I could try and get information for you," cries Emma. "I could use him to find stuff out!"
"Do, if you can," replies Ginny, calmly. "But hand in the coin."
Humiliated, Emma places her DA coin in Ginny Weasley's open palm.
"Can I at least have a book to learn with?"
"One book," concedes Ginny. "And like I said, this isn't necessarily permanent. Just... We need to think about this."
Another two weeks pass, and Emma's mood goes from bad to worse. Hannah and Susan disappear late at night to meetings she isn't allowed to attend. Theo Nott persists on sitting next to her in most subjects, and members of the DA throw her either suspicious or openly disapproving looks wherever she goes. To make matters worse, some Slytherins have actually started being civil to her, which does not help restore her image to the other three houses.
To top it all up, professor Slughorn accosts her one day at the end of Potions, a letter in his hand.
"Ah! Emma!" He waves his finger at her in playful disapproval. "You never said you were related to Silvanus Kettleburn, ex teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, and Bathsheba Kettleburn, the famous, internationally renowned Curse-Breaker? Yes, yes, I know Bathsheba... Well, I know of her, more exactly, but who doesn't? What an extraordinary witch! Gringotts are lucky to have her... She really understands goblins, does Bathsheba! Now, Bathsheba has been so kind as to write me a letter, otherwise I would never have known her granddaughter was one of my students! You must come to one of my little parties, Emma, you must. I am counting on you!"
Great, thinks Emma. Now even the head of Slytherin likes her. Trust her horrendous grandmother to put in a word for her and get her invited to sodding brunch.
Now positively furious, Emma stamps her way to the Muggle Studies classroom. She is two minutes late, but Alecto Carrow does not comment on it. Any other Hufflepuff student would have been skinned alive. She ignores the empty chair next to Nott and throws herself onto the seat next to Susan.
"What's this?" She barks at the piece of newspaper in front of her.
"Millicent Bulstrode is doing a presentation about crime in the muggle world," whispers Susan, eyeing her carefully. "You ok?"
"Fine."
Her bit of newspaper reads: "REVEALED: SERIAL PEDOPHILE RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN 50 CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES"
"Bones," calls Millicent, making Susan jump. "What does your article say?"
"It says: 'Body of missing 14 years old Olivia found decapitated in river Thames'."
"Mine says: 'two pizzas for the price of one'," whispers Neville Longbottom, making the back of the class chuckle. "Oh wait no, that's just an add."
"Pansy," continues Millicent, unaware. "What does yours say?"
"It says 'father charged with murder of son, 5, and daughter, 7'," reads Pansy.
"Good, good," smiles professor Carrow, completely inappropriately.
"When it comes to crime, the muggle male is known for his sexual depravity and bestial behaviour, yet another reason why we must strive to maintain purity of blood." Says Millicent, reading off of her parchment. "Muggles cannot resist their deviant sexual instincts, and it is extremely common that a father will wish to either mount or murder his own offspring. This is true for any kind of muggle settlement, but particularly for those places called 'estates'..." At this, Millicent holds up a picture of the very estate Emma has grown up in.
These declarations are met with shocked and indignant silence, though no one interrupts. Emma gapes at Millicent.
The lie is so flagrant, so outrageous, so downright offensive, so goddamn personal, that, for the first time ever, she cracks and breaks.
"That's just completely untrue."
Millicent Bulstrode blinks at her.
"What did you say?"
"I said, that's just completely untrue."
Alecto Carrow narrows her porcine eyes.
"Miss Kettleburn is offended," comments the professor with faked amiability. "Your father, miss Kettleburn, despite being a Squib, was raised by Wizards, and therefore he may have been taught some decency. Such is not the case for the overwhelming majority of muggle men..."
"That is a gross generalisation-"
"You cannot deny, though," says Millicent, "that all of these article are extracts from muggle newspapers. Two of the incidents we are reading about have in fact occurred in your own 'estate'..."
"Just because things like this are documented more in the muggle world doesn't mean that they're not happening in the wizarding world," replies Emma, barely registering Susan's elbow as it collides with her ribs. "There are what, two different newspapers around? And next to zero regulation as to what they can publish?"
"Shut up," whispers Susan.
"Blood purity," continues Millicent forcefully, deciding to ignore the interruption, "is the key to eradicating such nasty behaviours. Muggles have no self control and their legacy must be drowned out-"
"Bullshit."
"Detention, Kettleburn," sneers Alecto.
"Detention for what? Offering a different point of view? Millicent, what you call blood purity is actually really called inbreeding, and it is forbidden in muggle society, because everyone knows that all that does is encourage bad genes to come up again and again, worse and worse each time-"
"Shut up!" Cries Millicent.
"No, you SHUT UP!" Roars Emma, past the point of no return. "You stand there, ignorant as fuck, talking bullshit-"
Alecto's angry sputters do little to hide the gasps echoing around her.
"OUT!" She screams, pointing her wand at Emma.
Emma stands, hearing her chair fall behind her. Turning around, she sees that Vincent Crabbe has made his way towards her, as if to escort her out of the room, followed by Nott, who's got one hand on Crabbe's arm and his wand at the ready. The sight makes Emma forget to preserve the last remnants of invisibility and anonymity she had carefully been cultivating over the years.
"What do you think you're doing, dickhead?" She barks, shoving Crabbe with all her might.
Startled, he stumbles back a few steps and into a table, searching for his wand, and Emma all but runs out of the room.