Author's Note: … Hey all! I'm back! Sorry I've been away. Family drama started and I was in the process of moving. x.x But I am back for you all and I am in the process of re-reading all the Harry Potter books again, so I apologize for not being up to speed with some things. Thank you all for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this next installment of Rise Up from the Ashes.

Much love!

Silent Rumor

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my love for my boyfriend and my plot line!

Now, without further ado, I present:

Rise Up from the Ashes

Chapter 5: Rules and Headings

"Emma, sweetie, wake up."

Emma roused awake, yawning quietly and sitting up. She heard chuckling and felt someone run their fingers through her hair. She rubbed her eyes and opened them slowly. Severus was looking up and down her body, as though she were a treasure. "Sev, do I remind you of my mom?"

The question was asked so unexpectedly that Severus was taken aback. His smile faltered, but his eyes looked into hers, determined, "Emma, you are nothing like your mother. Lily is nothing compared to you."

Emma was shocked that he didn't question her as to why she had just bluntly asked him the question. She slowly raised her hand and placed it on his cheek, her eyes pleading with his. He smiled caringly at her, his eyes echoed with his love for her. "Sev, I love you. I don't know how I managed to stay sane as long as I did. Just the thought of knowing that you would always be there if I needed you kept me going."

Emma ran her long, slender fingers through his black hair. Severus pushed her gently back onto the bed. He lightly straddled her waist and brought his lips close to hers. "Emma, you are everything to me." Her breath hitched at his words. He brought his lips down onto hers, cupping his hand to her cheek. They both closed their eyes simultaneously. Severus felt up and down her body, trying to memorize each and every curve her body had, the feel of her hair against his skin and the feel of her lips against his. She arched her back as he slid his hand up the small of her back, pressing her body against his. He smiled against the kiss and rubbed his body against hers and she moaned quietly as she felt his hardness pressing against her inner thigh. She gripped his shoulders tightly as he slid a hand up her nightshirt to touch one of her bare breasts.

A bell rang loudly in the distance and Severus shot up. Emma's eyes were wide in shock. "What's wrong, Sev?" she asked imploringly.

Severus groaned and stood up quickly, holding his hand out for her to take. She took it and he answered, "I promised Madam Maxime that I'd have you back in time for breakfast."

Emma looked puzzled and suddenly took in her surroundings. She was in a dimly lit room with a huge four poster bed with black and green sheets. She was dressed in a black shirt that was much too big for her. "Where are we, Sev?"

Severus chuckled and rubbed his thumb against the top of her hand, leading her quickly to another room. "Isn't it obvious? We're in my room." He lightly kissed the top of her head and turned on the shower. "And this is my shower."

She blushed darkly and slapped him lightly on the arm, "I can see that this is a shower!" He smiled and started taking his pajama bottoms off, revealing a pair of gray boxer briefs. Emma blushed even darker. He grinned at her. "I'm assuming this shirt is yours and that you were the one that changed my clothes for me?"

Severus nodded, testing the temperature of the water. "So, are you going to join me? We have about 5 minutes before class starts and lucky for you, your first class is with me."

Emma's eyes opened wide and she charmed the wall to show the current time. Severus was right. She pulled his shirt off and dropped her underwear. Severus laughed and slid his underwear off. Emma blushed and got into the shower.

They both showered quickly, Severus enjoying every second of her embarrassment. Emma took in the smell of his shampoo and conditioner. She couldn't get enough of it. She allowed him to scrub her body with soap, blushing every millisecond through it. When they finished, Emma performed refreshing charms on all her clothes and folded Severus' shirt. She handed it gingerly to him.

"No, keep it, it's yours now," Severus said, performing a drying charm on Emma's hair. She smiled broadly and held the shirt closely to her chest.

A sudden look of realization hit Emma, "Oh no! My books and equipment!"

Severus pulled out her book bag and handed it to her. "Madam Maxime delivered them to me last night through the fire."

Emma sighed deeply and took them from him. Severus summoned her some toast with marmalade and handed it to her. She smiled brightly, "My favorite!"

"I know," he said, smiling. Emma turned to leave when she felt something drape elegantly around her neck. Severus was clipping a white gold emerald pendant in the shape of a princess cut around her neck. She gasped and turned around quickly. "I hope you like it. It took me forever to find the right one."

Emma jumped up on her tip toes and looped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. He smiled as he felt a few tears soak into his robes against his shoulder. "I love it."

"Good," he said. "Shall I lead you to the potions classroom since I'm sure you have no idea where it is?"

Emma blushed and nodded, "But wait, won't it look odd if we both enter together?"

Severus grinned, "I have it all planned out, don't worry."

Emma and Severus set off through the dungeons, taking so many turns that Emma was sure she was lost. They finally came to a halt in front of a door, Emma's piece of toast hanging out the corner of her mouth. Emma checked her antique pocket watch; they were ten minutes late for class. She groaned and Severus opened the door, allowing her to enter first. Emma stepped into the room, taking the only seat available, next to a pimply looking boy from Gryffindor. She grimaced as she was sure he'd go off about how he got to sit next to her in potions. She looked over at Fleur pleadingly and Fleur just looked at her with a look of apology.

Severus came into the room and placed Emma's wand in front of her, "You dropped this." Emma looked into Severus' eyes and down at her wand. She slid her hand over her wand, her fingertips lightly brushing against Severus'. He let his hand linger for a bit before he slid his hand away. "Now that Miss Fields has decided to join us ten minutes late," Severus drawled, "we can finally start class. Please pull out your cauldrons and books. You will be making—"

Whisperings broke out behind Emma and the sound of newspapers rustling could be heard. "Is she really Henrietta Potter?"

"She can't be."

"But she looks so much like Lily."

"Look at The Daily Prophet."

Emma clenched her fists tightly, her fingernails puncturing her palms. She was shaking her magic pushing strongly against the students. The air around her grew heavy. The cabinets were shaking and the desks rattled against the floor.

Severus slammed his fists against his desk and everything went silent. "Are we done gossiping, or do I need to start taking points? Johnson, twenty points from Gryffindor." Angelina fell silent and dropped her head, releasing her copy of The Daily Prophet.

Emma heard a copy of The Daily Prophet fall behind her. She breathed in deeply, looking at Fleur who had a look worry on her face. Emma shook her head and picked up the newspaper. She skimmed the heading:

Henrietta Potter Alive!

News from the Tri-Wizard Tournament announced from many witnesses that Henrietta Potter is alive and well. The Goblet of Fire selected her name from a list of other Beauxbatons students. Henrietta Potter, who was adopted by the prestigious Pure Blood family the Fields, has been living her quiet lie as Emma Silence Fields. Henrietta, fourteen, was allowed entry based upon her performance at Beauxbatons and has provided documented performance reviews guaranteeing her entrance into the Seventh year. We stopped by the Fields' place of residence for a comment, but none was given. When we questioned the Potter's, however, Lily Potter, mother to The-Boy-Who-Lived broke down into tears and James Potter, father, commented, "We just want our family back."

Emma scoffed at this and whispered, "Incendio." The paper caught fire and turned to ashes.

Class continued in silence, Severus every now and then looking at Emma with a blank face but his eyes were worried. She finished her potion first, bottling a sample and placing it gently on his desk. Severus looked into her eyes and she smiled meekly. He slid his hand around hers and gripped it tightly. Once he released her hand, she felt a piece of parchment against her palm. She looked down at it and back to Severus, he stood up and walked around the room, observing potions. Emma went back to her desk and cleaned out her cauldron and put her stuff away. Fleur had finished as well and had just placed her potion on the desk and was waiting for Emma at the door. They left together and headed down the hall to their next class.

"Where were you this morning?" Fleur asked, fingering a loose thread on her bag.

"I overslept and Professor Snape was making sure I was still okay," Emma lied, looking to her left.

"Well, the champions are supposed to meet tonight with the judges to hear about the rules for the Tournament since last night, well, you know what happened."

Emma nodded her head. Classes went by extremely slow in her mind. Lunch was even worse. People crowded around her and boys were staring at her. She couldn't even eat. She just stood up and left without so much as a bite to eat.

Emma suddenly remembered the note in her book bag. She reached in and pulled it out. She opened it and read Severus' neat scrawl: 'Madam Maxime gave me permission to allow you to sleep in my quarters whenever you want. Meet me in the Entrance Hall after the meeting of the Champions for the rules.' Emma's face brightened and she ran down the hall excitedly, to her next class. She collided with a tall, dark figure, falling backwards. Arms quickly grabbed her and held her up before she could hit the floor.

With her eyes shut tightly, she apologized, "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

The figure chuckled with a strong accent and she opened her eyes. She quickly stood up, but found that she could not leave his arms. He was holding her shoulders tightly. "I noticed you leave the Great Hall without eating, so I decided to bring you some food."

Emma had a panicked look in her eyes as she tried to pull away. He let her go and handed her a meat pie. She took it with caution, "Thank you Professor Karkaroff."

He bowed politely and took his leave. Emma shuddered and transfigured the meat pie into a dove and sent it away. 'Karkaroff…'

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It seemed the people that were there when they heard the discussion Emma being engaged to Severus were sworn to secrecy. No gossiping was happening about it. Dinner was just as bad as lunch had been, if not worse. She was being smothered by the looks of all the boys in the Hall. Emma more or less just sat there being ogled at. She sighed deeply when Professor Dumbledore started to make an announcement.

"If we can have the four Champions proceed through the door to the room beyond the Head Table."

Emma stood up, followed by Krum, and Diggory. She looked at her porker of a brother who was trembling in fright. He stood slowly and when he saw Emma looking at him, he puffed his chest out and raised his chin. He pompously walked to the Head Table and through the door. Emma snorted at his attempt at masculinity and followed Krum and Diggory through the door. The five judges entered the room, followed by a few of the staff members including Severus and the Potters.

It seemed as though they had sorted out the happenstance of Shane's entry because it was not the main topic of the rules. Emma stood in a corner of the room, her arms crossed in front of her chest. She noticed Karkaroff staring at her and she tensed up a bit. Emma then felt another pair of eyes looking at her. The eyes belonged to that of her mother. Lily attempted a smile at her and Emma just rolled her eyes and looked away, bored. Severus chuckled, Lily looking crestfallen.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and began talking, "The rules are simple: Use any means to achieve the best score. You may not however kill another competitor or use any of the Unforgiveable curses." At this, Shane looked confused. Emma chuckled and fidgeted with her fingers. Dumbledore continued, "We will be making sure that no cheating happens and that you receive no outside help from anyone. If it is determined that you have cheated on any of the tasks, you will be disqualified from the competition."

Emma nodded her head in silent agreement and notice the color drain completely from Shane's face. "This should be a lot of fun," Emma said.

Everyone turned to her, some with looks of horror, others with looks of astonish. "Anyway," Dumbledore continued, "You will receive instructions about the first task within the week. Good luck to you all."

Emma smiled and pushed off the wall, being the first to leave, her hair fluttering behind her, the looks of two men staring longingly in her wake, both with the same thought in their mind, 'You will be mine.'

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Author's Note: Again, I apologize for the delay, but I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter will be out soon. Thanks for those still reading and those that just started and, as always:

Please Review!

Next chapter: Chapter 6: Defense and Deliverance