Disclaimer: So not mine.
A/N: the beginning of this chapter is still during Christmas Break.
Recap: Emma and Draco spend time together during break and Christmas Day.
Chapter 11:Passing of the Torch
Emma was bored; happy the castle wasn't swarming with emotions, but bored. She headed down towards the Great Hall looking for something to do. Wandering around the castle would at least fill the time until dinner. All the Weasley's except Percy were busy celebrating Christmas and playing games in the common room. The trio were MIA as well. She decided they were up to something but she wasn't curious enough to see what they were up to.
She walked past the Great Hall and saw Crabbe and Goyle walking past it too.
"Crabbe . . .Goyle?" she said as she past. Something was not right with them. They didn't seem right. She was going to follow them, but they sped up really quickly and left. Odd. Maybe they are stupider than I thought if they can't find their own common room.
"Man, I knew Emma knew everyone, but does she have to say hi to everybody?" Ron/Crabbe asked as they walked away. "Everyone must like her if the Slytherins do."
"Odd, though, I always hear her call people by their first names . . .Oh well, we have to find the common room" Harry/Goyle muttered
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Emma was looking for Percy. She was afraid of where his ambition might lead him. She eventually found him when he was returning from the dungeons.
"Out to catch a petrifier, aye?" She asked.
He blushed. "Well, . . ."
"Don't worry. Oliver made a bet you would have started looking in the dungeons two weeks ago. Nice to know he owes me." Emma said.
"Imagine how it would look if I could find out whoever was doing this or where the chamber was." he said.
"Percy taking risks?" She teased.
"Now you sound like the rest of my family"
"Don't get your knickers in a twist." She scolded. "You need to see it like this. You go around risking an awful lot trying to get your prestige elevated. Your ambition will lead to dangerous grounds if you go around like this. Your only a sixth year, Percy. Not a fully trained Auror. At least have the common sense of searching with someone" She said.
"So you fault me for taking risks"
"Not for wanting to find out who is behind this but for wanting to find out because you think it will help you with a career in the ministry. Heroic deeds do not usually come from selfish ambition." Hmm, have to remember to tell that to Draco.
"Alright mother. I understand."
"Come on, walk me to dinner. Its late." And they both went to dinner.
They walked up to the table and Percy sat with the twins. He turned to Emma and asked, "Do you think tough love is necessary for Ginny?" Emma shrugged.
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When the other students arrived back, Emma made up her mind and waited till breakfast the day classes started back up again and cornered Seamus before breakfast.
"Dia Dhuit, Seamus" Emma said. (A/N: A Gaelic greeting for Hello)
"Dia is Muir dhuit" He said and couldn't hide his grin. (A/N: The traditional Gaelic repsonse)
Emma grinned back. "I was wondering if you would like to join. I know you know that that is what this is about."
"Yeah, from me brother Padraig. I really want to. To join, I mean."
"Great! I'll pick you up on Thursday." Emma said.
That Thursday Emma went up to the boys dorm and found Seamus searching through his trunk. Dean thought he was nuts and Neville was curious what he was doing.
"Ok, I'm ready. Are we late?" Seamus asked worriedly.
"No" Emma said with a laugh. He followed her out without saying a thing to the others. They still didn't know what he was looking for.
"Couldn't find me shoes. Padraig gave them to me for Christmas in hopes that I would one day join."
"From what I am told he is an excellent dancer. I would love to find out for sure." Emma said.
"He is. He and Ally-you know Ally, right? (Emma nodded) They are both excellent dancers. He taught me to dance when I was younger. Are you a dancer or a bard?" Seamus asked.
"I am a dancer. Nice to know I picked another dancer." Emma said.
"Who chose you?"
"Cedric, who was chosen by Ally" Emma said.
"Wow. Ally said you were a good dancer. She talks about Cedric too."
"Do you know how the Irish Society is set up?" Emma asked as they walked to the classroom. Seamus nodded and admitted to only knowing a little bit. "Well, the society obviously consists of Irish students here at Hogwarts. There is a council of nine students who are like the student body and help run things. Within it, there is the triad. The triad is a group of three girls representing the maiden, the mother, and the crone. They are the ultimate authority in the society. This year it is Morrigan, Brigit and Maddy."
"Padraig was on the council," Seamus said.
Emma nodded. "There are three boys on the council at all times. Padraig from what I've heard was on the council. Right now Cedric, Cillian, and Sean are on the council."
Just then they arrived at the classroom for the meeting.
"Emma!" Brigit said.
"Hullo Emma!" Sean said and gave her a peck on the cheek. "You'll dance the slip reel with me, right?" He asked.
"Sure! Everyone, this is Seamus, my invite." Emma said.
"Padraig's brother?" Morrigan asked.
"Yeah" Seamus said.
"Welcome! When is he ever going to ask Ally the big question?" Maddy asked.
Seamus grinned. "Ally asked me the same question over the holidays. I swear, my brother is slower than molasses-except on his feet, at least."
"Aye, he was an excellent dancer." Sean said and started talking with Seamus about the Society and what they had planned for the term.
"You're a council member?" Seamus asked Emma surprised.
"Don't be to surprised. She is the best dancer here" Cedric said.
"Don't say that. Then I have a reputation to live up to" Emma said.
"Alright, then, lets just say she earned her spot." Sean said. By the end of the night, Seamus was impressed-he didn't think his brother was as talented.
"I can't wait to tell Padraig I found someone who can dance better than he." Seamus said as they walked back.
"That will make him spin" Cedric said. "I"ll walk back with you so that you have a prefect"
"Do meeting usually run this late?" Seamus asked.
"Usually. We loose track of time." Cedric said.
"I can see why." Seamus said. They arrived at the Gryffindor tower and Cedric gave Emma a peck on the cheek and left.
"Is there something going on between you two?" He asked.
"No" Emma said with a chuckle. "He is just like a brother."
"Now that I think about it, all the guys seem to do that." Seamus teased.
"Ar! Get on to bed with you!" Emma said.
"Thanks for inviting me Emma!" Seamus said and gave her a peck on the cheek and went up to the boys dorm.
The next morning at breakfast, Seamus came up to Emma before he went to eat with Dean.
"Emma, why did you pick me?" He asked.
"You are just now asking me this?" She asked.
"I was to excited all week. I wondered, but didn't ask before the meeting incase you changed your mind"
Emma laughed. Cedric happened to walk by then and joined them. "He is doubting being my invite, Cedric." She informed him. Cedric sat down.
"Don't be ridiculus. You have potential. I remember Padraig, I think you could be like him-tell him I said you could be even better" Cedric said with a grin.
"So, I am Emma's protégée, who is your protégée, and you are Ally's protégée . . ." Seamus said.
"Yeah, so if you need anything, just ask any of us. You know Ally, we are all like a clan now" Cedric said.
"So do I invite someone?" Seamus asked confused.
"Sometime before you leave Hogwarts. You have plenty of time" Emma said.
"I waited 4 years" Cedric said.
"Good, then I can think on it." Seamus said. Cedric got up and gave a peck on the cheek to Emma and went to go get breakfast at his table. Seamus gave Emma a peck and went to join Dean and Neville. Emma sensed someone looking at her. She looked up and caught Draco's eyes. She smiled at him and then he was distracted by Pansy.
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January went wizzing by. Classes were fairly dull without Hermione trying to answer every question. Dark arts was as annoying as usual and Emma couldn't help but hope that Lockhart wouldn't be around for next year. Hopefully the job really is jinxed. I'll cry if we're stuck with him.
Towards the end of January Emma and Draco both met up again during a midnight fly.
"I thought you were ignoring me after that Harry Potter conversation." He said.
"No. Just busy. All the drama-everyone worried about the attacks, thinking its Harry. I'm just glad that now everyone is use to it, I guess." She said.
"Speaking of which . . ."
"Lets talk about you for once."
"We did that once, and you didn't talk to me for a month, remember.
"Ha-ha," Emma said.
"Alright. Well, I guess things have just been weird lately. Crabbe and Goyle were acting odd on Christmas, my father's house elf likes to disappear at random and has been burning the food lately so all of father's ramblings have been about 'the incompetence of Dumbledore' 'the wretchedness of Mudbl-Muggleborns' and now 'the stupidity of house-elves, it is a wonder we even let them clean our dirty underwear'" Draco vented.
"Is there anyone or anything your father doesn't hate?" Emma asked.
"My mother, usually. They just didn't agree on me, I guess." He said.
"And you?"
"I don't know anymore. Growing up, all I wanted was to be like him. Now, I believe in him, but he sees me more as a protégée than a son. The Malfoy Heir is all I am. As long as I uphold the family honor and purebloodness, than he is okay with me."
"What if I wasn't a pureblood?" She asked suddenly.
"But you are."
"I'm curious. If you found out my mother was a muggle, would you still have talked to me all this time?" She asked.
Draco looked like he was having an internal battle. "I don't know" he said finally without looking at her.
Emma just looked at him calmly with a blank face. "Its okay. You'll know soon enough" She said.
"How is it you can stay emotionless when I tell you that. Doesn't it affect you? It doesn't matter to you if I said no, I wouldn't have talked with you any more?" He asked angrily.
"Of course your answer mattered to me! If it didn't I wouldn't have asked. It wasn't just one of those thought-processing questions to help you figure out your own mind! Sheesh!" Emma said.
"Then show it! You are around people pouring out their hearts and souls all the time-you're an empath for crying out loud"
"Believe me, you don't want me to express my emotions." Emma said.
"Why?"
"Remember? I told you I can't have emotions"
"Why? I've seen you happy before."
"Happy is a positive emotion. It doesn't matter if I make people happier." Emma said with a shrug.
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Make people happier?"
"Why do all these conversations always end up in an argument and then I spill more of my secrets?" She said.
"Because, you say you don't express emotions, but I think you do."
"I don't, except lately around you when you agrivate me so!" She said.
"Still, why?" Draco asked.
Emma rolled her eyes."Fine. I can't express emotions because of the type of empath that I am"
"There are others? Other types?"
"Of course there are others. One empath in millions of billions of people? There are others, but they are very rare. And there are different types. I mean, there are people who use them for good or evil purposes, much like everything else, but there is also different . . . degrees of empathy. I have to suppress my emotions because I can project them" Emma said.
"Have you met other empaths?"
"Only one. No one else who could project, though. She couldn't"
"You can tell all that about other empaths."
"Yes. Empaths can detect each other, and how they use their talents-good or evil-and how strong an empath is,"
"So . . .you don't express your emotions because you could project them on others," Draco said thoughtfully. Emma nodded. "Doesn't it get . . .hard?"
There was a thoughtful pause as Emma thought over his question. "It is aggrevating, sometimes, but I have felt every emotion possible through other people so I don't always feel like I am missing out. I guess I am just use to not feeling it myself." While thinking over what she said Draco led her out over the lake and they wentflying and talked about more mundane things.
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The beginning of February brought the return of Hermione. Ginny, Emma noticed, was becoming more withdrawn, and Emma couldn't figure out why. She decided to take drastic measures.
That night she waited until the others had fallen asleep. She went to the first year girls dormitory and stood outside. She could sense the others were asleep, and Ginny wasn't sleeping well.
Emma let the troubling thoughts on the surface of her mind become more dominant. She let Ginny see whatever it was that was troubling her. A flash of images flashed through her head, but she didn't try to figure them out. She didn't like using her talents on others, but she thought if she couldn't convince Ginny to take action or talk to anyone, she could at least do something. Percy did say do something drastic, she justified. So that night, she created a nightmare.
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Hope you enjoyed! I'll post again soon. My beta is yelling at me to hurry up and keep the story going. Sorry for any mistakes. I just got back really late last night from a week of sleep deprevation (A.K.A Family vacation) and i wanted to get this up quickly.
Lady Aphadriel
