Here's the continuation of Thursday, this piece made me very nervous because there is a lot of info about Emery in it. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to all the new readers giving this story a chance. I won't say when I hope to have the next chapter out because my schedule at work is changing yet again so instead we'll go with...It'll be out as soon as possible!
Thursday Part 2
Harry stood, leaning against the wall, beside Filch's office. He knew he deserved it, he knew it was where he belonged, but just because he knew all that didn't mean he had to like it. As much as he hated to admit it, he hated Filch worse than Snape. Filch hated everything and that mindset had put children in danger when Dolores Umbridge had been in charge of the school. Even Snape hadn't been comfortable with her presence.
He pulled himself from the wall when someone's footsteps sounded their approach. Figuring it was Filch he was a little surprised to see the tall, curly haired Emery walking up to him. The teenager immediately scowled, his blue and brown eye filled with distrust and anger. He crossed his arms and that's when Harry realized that his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows for the first time.
His green eyed gaze fell from Emery's face to his left forearm where Hermoine had insisted he was hiding something. A surge of triumph ran through him as he realized the boy's arm was bandaged, as if to keep everyone from seeing what they all suspected was underneath. He knew for a fact that Emery's arms hadn't been injured when he threw the curse at him.
"What happened to your arm?" Harry demanded curtly.
Emery's upper lip curled as his right brow arched with obvious disdain. "None of your business, Potter." He emphasized the name with the same hatred Harry had always heard Snape, Draco or Lucious use.
"As if we don't already know what you're hiding." Harry returned with a glare.
The American stood toe to toe with Harry, his multicolored eyes glaring down at him threateningly, his fists balled and his jaw set. "If you think you'll ever get the drop on me again, you're sorely mistaken." He growled in a low voice.
"I'm not afraid of you or your father." Harry hissed back.
"You think you know how dangerous my family is, Potter?" Emery smirked and lifted his chin even as he looked down on the Gryffindor. "You haven't seen nothing yet."
"What's all this then?" Filch demanded as he opened his office door to find a startled Harry Potter and a grinning Emery Graves.
The taller boy simply looked to the old janitor and shrugged, his facial features softening into an apathetic expression. "Just here to serve detention Mr. Filch."
Harry shook his head. He wasn't going to do this; not when Emery had all but admitted that his father was in fact Lord Voldemort. He gave Emery a glare that promised retribution for every terrible thing he and his family had endured at the hands of his Father and the madmen who followed him. Before Filch could say anything in response to Emery's comment he was already turning around to find Professor McGonagall and the headmaster.
Severus stared at Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott with a somber expression. He was careful not to make them think he was angry, but he needed them to understand the gravity of what he was about to tell them. The children of the Death Eaters had all heard rumors about his place at Lord Voldemort's side but of course none knew the truth because so few of their parents even knew the truth. What he was about to do could endanger his life and possibly those of the other order members. Even with as sure as Severus felt he was that the two were sincere it felt completely at odds with his nature to tell them what he needed to. He was giving up secrets, he was giving up weaknesses and strengths to teenagers of all people!
Sure, Severus had hinted to them what was really going on. There was, however, an extraordinarily large difference between hinting at something and saying it plainly. If either of these boys weren't sincere or if they changed their minds in the future there was nothing he could do to take it all back. So much could go wrong, so much could change and not even a time-turner would be safe enough to take it all back.
"Take a seat." Severus told them. He needed the advantage of looking down at the two teenagers. It was why he had them meet in his classroom. Here he was the authority figure; this was his domain and it gave him security.
As they took a seat, Severus couldn't help but smirk at them. They still believed they were in trouble, more so they believed that he was going to make his move as an agent of the Dark Lord. He couldn't really blame them since that's exactly what he had implied during their class earlier. He needed the other Slytherin students to believe that he was at the very least doing something about Draco and Theodore's behavior.
"Failure is not just humiliating, it can be lethal." The former Potions Master began. "For half my life I have faced the consequences of every failure I experienced. Sometimes when we fail the repercussions are immediate and we move on quickly. Unfortunately some failures have a fallout that not only takes time to be felt, but lasts for the rest of our lives.
"If I fail in this task, if I have judged you two wrongly, it will haunt me for however long my life may be. If I have misread you, more lives than just my own and yours will be extinguished."
Draco's light blue eyes flickered to Theo and then back to their Head of House. "Extinguished?Professor, what's going on?"
"If you two betray me or the side you have told the Headmaster that you have chosen it will inevitably end in the deaths of many innocents. Should that happen I will ensure that you join your victims in their fate." Severus hissed softly, his black eyes narrowing threateningly on the pair. He was pleased to see a shiver run through them.
"Wait? You work for both but your loyalty is really to Dumbledore...?" Theo whispered in awe and then he shook his head as he let it all sink in. "All this time you've been protecting Harry and his friends, you've been spying on our parents!" While the boy couldn't hide the accusation in his words, it was even harder for Theo to mask his excitement and relief.
Severus made no move to confirm or deny as he watched Draco carefully. Theodore, he realized in that exact moment, he'd never doubted. The boy had always been different from his peers. He was kind and fair with a thirst for knowledge. Looking back he knew that Theo had never actually participated in anything particularly underhanded and so he trusted that he wanted out of this lifestyle.
The blonde haired youth looked to his Godfather clearly surprised by Theo's revelation and even more amazed to find he agreed with the assessment. His brows furrowed at first, his mouth tight in confusion but slowly his features softened and that fear and surprise in his baby blue eyes turned to hope and ease.
The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher felt comforted at the boy's acceptance of his role in this war. He leaned against the front of his desk, almost sitting on it as he crossed his arms and stared at the two Slytherins before him. "We have a lot to discuss, gentlemen. Your safety is my greatest priority, however, something has come up and we need to get ahead of it before I am unable to help you."
"You mean the attack that's planned for this weekend?" Draco asked with a befuddled frown. "That's easy to avoid. We just stay inside."
Snape refrained from rolling his eyes but he did let his arrogant sneer slip. "How do you expect us to keep you safe from your father during this winter recess?" Neither boy answered but it quickly became apparent what he was alluding to. "If all three of you stay inside your father will believe you turned on him and both of you will be forced to join the death eaters and not even Dumbledore will be able to keep you at this school. Your only options would be to go and face your families and whatever punishments await you or go into hiding."
"So then you want to allow the attack to happen? That doesn't make any sense!" The blonde frowned. "Theodore, Emery or I could be killed!"
Severus took a deep breath. "None of you will be killed, not if we are careful, not if we are smart. I need you both to trust me and that is why I have chosen to reveal myself to you. Very few know of my status as a member of either sides. You two must be taught how to protect your secrets and to know what should be seen and what shouldn't. There needs to be a question as to what the three of us are up to. Boys like Crabbe and Goyle need to believe that I am the one in control."
"Wait, does this mean we have to go back to acting like prats to everyone?" Theo questioned.
"No." Severus shook his head. "On the contrary; to have your personalities change so drastically back and forth would be a dead give away. We need the school as a whole to believe you have changed while at the same time convincing the Death Eaters and their children that you two are doing what Draco's father already alluded to; spying on Harry Potter and his friends."
Theodore nodded. "So then Crabbe and Goyle will report that we are seeing you nightly but that we are still continuing to be friends with people out of our circle."
"Precisely. At the next meeting with all your parents they will come to me and demand to know what is going on at this school and I will tell them everything they need to hear to believe that you are both working for me." Severus added. "This will protect you both from being forced to join your father's Order and being thrown into the fray before we can make a more permanent move to protect you both and of course Mr. Graves."
"So what do we have to do to make it look like the plan was both a success and a failure?" Draco asked in a concerned tone, a clue to both peer and mentor that his cowardly ways hadn't been completely conquered yet.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you are getting at, Harry." Albus Dumbledore said in a patient voice, his blue eyes resting on the teenager sitting in front of him. He'd been surprised to see Harry waiting for a meeting with him when he was supposed to be in detention. Over the past five years or so the boy had never shirked his punishments so he knew that in Harry's mind at least, this was very important.
The young man that he was grooming to take on the most powerful dark wizards the world had known, was flushed in the face from running up a few flights of stairs. Beads of sweat were forming along his brow, some of his thick black hair sticking to his head from where it had been pressed against the perspiration. His green eyes were wild and alight with passionate energy and it was obvious that Harry couldn't contain himself long enough to stay seated as he repeated himself.
Standing from his seat he began to pace in front of the old man, his accent growing thicker as it always had when he was upset. "He admitted it, Professor Dumbledore! He said he was Lord Voldemort's son. Emery Graves! I knew it and he just confirmed it!"
"Please, Harry, take a seat. It's hard to follow anyone when they are running to and fro in my office." he chuckled.
"How can you laugh?" Harry demanded as he ignored the request.
"You just remind me of your Father and it was a pleasant enough memory that the expression of such a joyful thought just bubbled out of me. I am not laughing at you or what you are reporting to me." Albus assured him. "Please, Harry, take a seat."
Catching the hint of his firm tone, Harry took the offered seat once again. He ran his hands through his thick, messy black hair and sighed in frustration. He finally had him, he was finally going to get rid of the danger to him and his friends. Even Snape wouldn't be able to find a way around this one.
"Let's pretend for a moment that you and I both know for a fact that Emery Graves is indeed Tom Riddle's son; what would you have me do about it, Harry?" Albus finally asked when the young man's breathing had returned to normal.
"I don't...I don't understand." Harry frowned. "What do you mean what would I have you do? I'd have you remove him from Hogwarts!"
"Why?"
Harry sputtered in disbelief. "Because he's the son of a murderer for one! Because his father is a monster and because he's trying to kill me and has already killed one couple in Hogsmeade and nearly killed another!"
"Harry, I need you to listen to me very carefully because I don't care to repeat myself on this matter again." Albus leaned back in his seat, appearing as tired as he was old. His half-moon spectacles settled just beneath his deep blue eyes that focused affectionately on his student. "I will not expel a student with out just cause. There are several children of Death Eaters here but they are not their parents, Harry, and I cannot deny them a proper education because of who their parents are.
"As for Mr. Graves admitting to being the son of Lord Voldemort I find that rather odd considering the boy hasn't once confirmed or denied any rumor that has been spread about him at this school. What exactly did he say?"
Clenching his fists the teenager took three calming breaths. He didn't seem in the mood to repeat himself either, but he did. "Emery said that Voldermort...
"I don't want to hear what he may have implied, I want to hear what his exact words were." Albus interrupted with a raised hand. "Please continue."
Again it was hard for the young man to overcome his frustration but he eventually shook it off enough to speak through gritted teeth. "I told him I wasn't afraid of him or his father and he replied that I had no idea how dangerous his family was and that I hadn't seen anything yet!"
Neither spoke for a moment as Harry's mouth tightened at the realization of what he'd just said. Of what Emery had said. Even if he knew Emery meant Voldemort, Harry was certain that Albus was not going to give him this one. The old man would insist that he was being paranoid and that Emery hadn't made any mention of Voldemort and it was not a valid confession. He admitted to himself that he would say the same thing to himself if he were Professor Dumbledore.
"Harry, I think you should start serving your detention with me from this night forward." The Headmaster stated in an odd, quiet tone.
"I know how I sound, but I'm telling you Professor Dumbledore; he's bad news. I have never been wrong about my gut instincts." Harry insisted.
"Never would I tell a student to doubt themselves, Harry." Albus leaned forward and clasped his hands together, part of his beard getting caught in his interlocked fingers. "Your instincts have been impressive and they have served you better than most students because you listen to them.
'However, you must know Harry that there have been a few times when you're prejudices ruled your instincts rather than your guts." The old man shrugged gently. "For instance, you have not once trusted Professor Snape even when it was proven that he was looking out for and in fact saving you and your friends on multiple occasions. There have been many more times that he's assisted you without your knowing and still you won't allow yourself to trust him."
"And I never will." Harry insisted.
Knowing that it would be futile to argue with him, Albus simply looked toward the clock. He needed to make sure that Snape knew he would be taking over Harry's punishment. He opened his desk and pocketed a few lemon drops and cinnamon discs; he'd need the sugar to keep him in a docile mood as his colleague unleashed his explosive temper. Severus would insist that he was just letting the Gryffindor student get away with murder due to favoritism and to an extent even Albus knew that he'd be right in his accusations.
He rose from his seat and lead Harry out of his office. Since so few subjects were safe for the two to discuss openly, they settled on silence as he escorted him back to his tower. The young man left his side and seemed grateful for the night's reprieve from detention. He then headed down to speak to Severus about what he and Harry had discussed. Hopefully the Professor had better luck with his charges than he'd had.
Emery was grateful that Snape had chosen to skip lessons this evening since both were busy with detentions of their own; Snape running one and Emery attending one. He knew he'd have to work doubly hard tomorrow night but that was ok because it helped to distract him from the intensifying rumors about him.
Hogwarts was a mystery to Emery. Half the girls stared and giggled when he passed by but the moment he was out of sight they were whispering about his past or family. People would be kind to him one minute and the next they were sneering or trying to get away from him. Some of the students seemed genuinely interested in being his friend while most just wanted him to move back to the States. This confusion had started to effect him a little, but he supposed it was better than being outright hated like he'd been back in Salem.
Hermoine was still on his mind despite his words to Theo. He wanted to hate her because it bothered him so much that she didn't trust him. Still, wanting to and being able to were two completely different matters with different outcomes. He couldn't hate her because he knew, like most, that he was just as much to blame for the suspicions and rumors as those who spread them to begin with. He could ease her fears, but the truth was, he was afraid they were true himself.
Well more that he was afraid of how awful whoever his father was; he didn't actually believe Lord fucking Voldemort was his father. From everything he'd read of the madman, he was too self involved to have an erection for another human being long enough to conceive. He smirked at his vulgar thought and wished that Severus were around to read his mind. The man would completely disapprove but the look on his face at the thought would be well worth the lecture and headache that would surely follow.
"Wow, I really am immature." He mumbled to himself as he finally walked down into the dungeons.
His strange eyes narrowed as he saw Astoria, Draco and Theo kneeling around a coffee table with a history book open to a picture of three wizards, two of which he recognized instantly. No one else was around and Emery knew instinctively that muffliato had been cast as well as a few other wards. They were anxious, nervous and yet determined. What had they found out? Or were they just finally ready to tell him off? No, there was too much camaraderie in their emotions, they wanted to be gentle with whatever was about to be said.
"Emery, there are a few things we wanted to ask you about, but we know how private you are." Draco began, taking the lead while standing up and stepping toward him. "We aren't trying to attack or accuse, nor do we wish to ambush you but if we are truly your friends, we'd like to help."
Emery felt defensive as he crossed his arms and glared at all three.
"Come on, Graves, we're your friends and you know it." Astoria frowned at his reaction as she and Theo stood from their place on the shaggy black rug. "You can't do this alone. If there's anything we've learned from the Golden Trio since the beginning of this year, it's that divided we fall."
"Fine." Emery sighed as he let his arms fall to his sides. He walked to a comfortable, but ugly chair and plopped down irritably. "Ask away."
"So why are you really here and not in America?" Theodore started as he took a seat across from him in a chair while Draco and Astoria took a seat on the small love seat to the side of Emery's chair.
"I got expelled from Salem High's Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardy."
"What did you do?" Astoria asked.
"The short answer is that a guy used a strong love potion and accidentally dosed me and I kissed him. We got into a fight and because I was the last man standing I was expelled for excessive force and the use of dark magic." Emery rolled his eyes.
"Ok, who is your father?" Draco asked next. "Is it that Emeric guy? We're assuming you were named after him."
"Don't deny knowing him either, you were pretty upset when Professor Binns told us that he died of pneumonia." Theo added.
Shifting uncomfortably, Emery debated how best to answer their question. He'd been told to be cautious and to avoid talking about his past, but he was getting lonely and the need for a real friend was growing stronger every day. He wanted a support system, to trust people to have his back when things finally went South. For when or if Dumbledore was able to come to him and tell him what he was now suspecting would be bad news about his mother.
He reached for the back of his neck nervously. "No. Emeric isn't, wasn't my father, but I was named for him because he was my Great-Grandfather." He paused to let that sink in a bit.
"So what really happened to Emeric?" Theo asked as gently as he could.
Emery felt his grief threaten to overtake him but he was able to face it without crying and that at least made him feel a little more up to telling them the truth. It was a truth he hadn't been able to tell anyone outside of his mother, not even Maggie. His mother had disappeared shortly after Emeric died and he'd lost the only person he could talk with about it.
With a soft shake of his head he began, "What you have to know is that Emeric had made a lot of enemies, but none more fierce than his son-in-law." He pointed to the still open book on the coffee table. "David Hart is my grandfather and he's the cruelest man I've ever known and he hated me and his father-in-law the way Harry hates Snape and Malfoy.
"David long suspected that Emeric used black magic or whatever to subdue the most dangerous and evasive of dark wizards and witches but he was never able to prove it in America. One of his last jobs with him was when they came to Europe to assist Alistor Moody in taking down Telly Murdoch."
"Just like Binns said." Theo nodded. "So all of that was true."
Emery inclined his head and stared down at the picture, doing his best to block out David. The three men stood side by side by side in the photograph. The cranky, broken Alistor Moody stood in the middle of the refined, blonde and lean David Hart and the tall, thick and imposing Emeric Sebastian Graves. Looking at the man he'd always looked up to strengthened his psyche. Emeric, who was looking toward the camera and winking, had always been able to calm or distract him from his fears. There was little Emery wouldn't do to prove to his Great-Grandfather that was as tough as him. Nothing scared Emeric and Emery had spent much of his life trying to be that strong and that brave.
"What did David do when he returned to the U.S. after Emeric?" Astoria asked.
"David went to his wife and daughter and told them what had happened. Of course the Board of Magical Law Enforcement didn't believe him but my grandmother did. For a long time he was prevented from being anywhere near my mother. They said he was a bad influence on her, especially when David convinced Cassandra that her mother wasn't Serse Broadbent, but Circe Anthes."
"Wait, David believed that his mother-in-law was the dark witch Circe Anthes? The one that Emeric is credited with taking out during her capture?" Draco smirked. "Seems a bit paranoid. Was it true?"
"Honestly?" Emery grinned. "Unsolved mystery. The only two people who knew for sure are dead. Serse had died only six months prior to Telly Murdoch's defeat. Mom thinks that's the real reason he used dark magic; he was still unstable from losing his wife.
"Anyhow, when my mother was old enough, she was sent to Hogwarts and that's when she got back in contact with Emeric. They wrote letters constantly and she was able to get close to the man again. He was accepting and loving even when she returned home from England about a year or so after she graduated. He even accepted that she was pregnant.
"Unfortunately for my mother, her parents minded very much and they turned her out. They had heard rumors of her being friends with the Blacks and several other high profile wizarding families that were suspected of working with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. So when I was born they were furious and disowned her on the assumption that my father was a Death Eater.
"Emeric returned to Europe where his help was not denied in helping to find Death Eaters and David joined as well. They had a couple of run-ins but for the most part were focused on a common enemy. Emeric stayed in Europe a bit longer to compile a list of all Death Eaters, their associates and anyone suspected of being a Death Eater.
"When I was three I met him for the first time and that pissed David and Cassandra off to high heaven. They'd never been so angry and insisted that it was further proof that Emeric was a criminal. David was forever trying to find the proof he needed to get Emeric locked up, especially since it was him that put us up and kept us safe from any of the Death Eaters that were searching for my mother."
"Wait, wait." Theodore interrupted. "Why would the Death Eaters look for your mother? A lot of people would have interacted with future Death Eaters at school. Why would they care about her?"
Again Emery felt himself panic. This was sensitive information that if ever in the wrong hands could prove fatal to his mother. If she wasn't dead already. No. He needed to trust, he couldn't keep this quiet anymore and he trusted them. He trusted them with his life. He didn't have anything to fear. He could tell them all of it. He could tell them what he knew.
"My mother was a healer and a spell-breaker. She personally aided several high ranked Death Eaters and possibly You-Know-Who, himself."
Astoria and the boys gasped in surprise at the answer. While the girl didn't fully understand what that meant, Draco and Theo understood perfectly. Whoever Emery's mother was, she was considered a traitor for leaving the cause and unless pardoned by the Dark Lord himself, her fate was sealed.
"David didn't want anything bad to happen to his daughter but he had no tolerance for me. He and Cassandra were convinced that I'd be the death of her. He grew frustrated that Emeric was always around but he found the right time to try to push me out of the picture when I was thirteen. David came to Emeric's house, requesting an opportunity to meet with and talk to my mother and I.
"He was on edge and I didn't trust him, but my mother wanted so badly to believe that he really wanted to make amends. When he asked me to walk with him I agreed for her sake. After we were far enough away that my mother couldn't hear or see us walking the grounds he marked me so that everyone would know forever what I am."
Emery's right hand trembled as he placed it over his left forearm, his teeth biting into his lip as he stopped talking. He took a deep steadying breath and lifted his sleeve to reveal to his three friends what he'd been hiding from everyone.
The black hilted dagger lay on his arm with the point of the blade at his wrist. Wrapped about the blade was a two headed amphisbaena, their heads meeting just above the hilt an inch beneath his elbow. The whole thing was in black and it looked sinister, even if one didn't know the meaning of those marked with it.
"What is it?" Astoria asked.
"It's the mark of a criminal and a traitor." Emery snarled angrily. "Only the worst dark wizards and witches are branded with this mark in America. It means they are two faced, murderous, lying, back stabbing wizards who are never to be trusted outside of a cell. It's done in case one of them ever escapes. Only aurors can place the mark and only the auror who placed it can remove it."
Draco paled, his mind racing with horror and fear of such a mark, a fear that was made all the more closer to home since he knew people with the dark mark faced similar treatment. It was too close to home because he knew that his aunt was actively trying to get him inducted in the Death Eaters. He could be marked like that if he hadn't switched sides. He couldn't imagine having to live with such a mark for the rest of his life.
Astoria was silent with a sympathetic frown on her face. Her brown eyes were burning with rage on her friend's behalf; maybe if she glared hard enough the two headed snake would slither away from the dagger. It didn't seem fair that a thirteen year old could be forever marked as criminal when his only 'crime' was that he'd possibly been born the son of a criminal. She couldn't understand how a relative could be so cold, but especially to a child.
Theodore didn't look at the mark for longer than a moment before he looked away. He'd recognized the mark immediately. His father's younger brother had the mark branded on him when he'd killed several muggles. They marked him so that when he was being transported to Azakaban they'd know how very dangerous he was and would be careful not to let him escape.
"Emeric showed up and blasted David with the nastiest curse I'd ever witnessed. I'd never seen him so angry in his life. He took me immediately before the Board and explained what had happened. They ordered David to remove it, but he refused." Emery shrugged. "So it stayed and there's simply a note that if I am ever turned in by some observant witch or wizard, I'm to be released."
"So why didn't they just use the Imperius Curse to have it removed?" Astoria asked.
This time it was Theodore that answered her question. "Because marks like that are designed to be used with willful magic only. It makes it so that a criminal can't force an auror to remove it. This way, no one even tries. Once it's on, it's on."
Emery nodded. "David was stripped of his rank as an auror over it and he said that he'd rather not be part of such a corrupt division. He promised retribution though, for ruining his lively hood. Just after I turned fourteen my grandfather was killed by a Rousalka; a Rousalka that had been wearing my great-grandmother's wedding dress. She lured him to a nearby river and drowned him."
Again silence filled the common room. Draco and Theo didn't move from their seats and Astoria shook her head once or twice. There had been danger lurking around every corner at Hogwarts for the past five years and once again there was something sinister going on, but it had never hit so close to home. Harry and the Gryffindor's were usually the main targets and it was therefore hard to empathize.
While all three considered hugging or supporting Emery with some physical sign, in the end none had the courage to do so. The taller teenager looked too raw and too likely to lash out unexpectedly. So they waited for him to continue his tale that they knew must be coming rapidly to a close.
"How did you find out?" Theo asked.
"Mom pulled the memory from his mind and used a pensieve." He answered. "She suspected her father had something to do with it and we believe the wedding dress proves it because it had been passed down from Serse to Cassandra. Mom was so scared of what David might do to me with Emeric gone that she managed to convince them that she'd sent me away to Durmstrang.
"Then Cedric Diggory died and my mother fucking left. She saw Death Eaters and left me with a muggle friend of hers that David and Cassandra didn't know and I haven't seen her since. She convinced Dumbledore to take me in with a contingency letter that would be sent out if or when I got expelled from Salem. She never wanted me to come here because of the fear that I might bump into my father, but in the end she figured hiding in plain sight was the best option.
"I honestly don't know who my father is, but there are plenty that I suspect from all four houses."
"Like who?" Astoria asked what the other two boys were thinking.
Emery shrugged and then stood up. "I'll be right back." They didn't stop him, feeling that he needed a break as much as they did. He disappeared from the common room and down the boy's corridor. It took only a minute or so for him to return with a Hogwarts yearbook. He handed it to Draco and Astoria on the couch. Theo got up and joined them on the small sofa so that he knew what they were seeing. "Look through the seventh year students, I've highlighted the ones I suspect."
Theo and Draco immediately noticed a pattern to the men that Emery had selected as possibilities. While they all had dark hair and dark eyes, the most obvious point to them was that everyone of them were known Death Eaters. Well, at least to them. Astoria's family was not involved with the Dark Lord's circle and so they each doubted that she had caught on to the fact, especially since a couple dozen were not Slytherin house.
"Emery," Astoria frowned sympathetically to her friend. "You've only picked suspected Death Eaters."
Draco and Theo exchanged surprised glances. "That's because its the only thing I know about my father." Emery said softly, his eyes resting on the floor. "Mom told me just before she left, I think she was hoping I'd be to afraid to keep looking into who he is."
"Eew!"Astoria suddenly squealed. "You don't think Mr. Crabbe's really your father, do you? That would make you and Vincent half brothers!"
All three boys shared disgusted looks even as Emery nodded with a sneer on his handsome face. "Unfortunately he's a possibility as is Mr. Goyle. They both have dark hair and dark eyes and while it's possible someone with lighter coloring could be my father, it's unlikely considering that I have black hair and my 'normal' eye is brown."
Astoria continued to flip through the pages, every now and then giggling or smirking at the ones he'd marked. Draco and Theo were a little surprised at how accurately Emery had picked out possible Death Eaters. Emery could feel their curiosity beating at him but he refused to answer any questions that they didn't actually voice aloud. He needed the silence to focus on pushing away his sad thoughts of grief and loss.
"Are they all only seventh years?" Theo asked.
"No, I marked a couple sixth years as well, but they are least likely, I think." Emery answered.
Astoria immediately flipped back to the sixth years and grinned at the first person who was highlighted. The man had chin length curly black hair and dark eyes. He was pale but handsome in a shy way. "He's attractive and he kind of looks like you."
"Who?" Draco leaned over to see who and then laughed. "Let's hope it's not Regulus Black."
"Why?" Emery and Astoria asked at the same time. Draco shrugged and clamped his mouth shut as if to prevent himself from saying something mean.
"Because Regulus was considered soft and well..cowardly. There were rumors that he was trying to escape the Death Eaters, that he'd regretted his decision and Voldemort put a curse on his family line before killing him." Theo answered in far more tactful manner than Draco would have. "But why don't you think it was him?"
Emery shrugged his shoulders. "I got the impression mostly that he was older than her or right around the same age. I only circled him because of the resemblance."
"You know who you actually look like?" Draco's eyes widened. He stole the book from Astoria and flipped through the pages until he rested on the Gryffindor students. "Look, Emery, look at the resemblance."
"Blimey, look at that!" Theo gasped. "Are you sure your father was a Death Eater?"
Astoria took in the picture and smirked. "I have to admit, it's a bit uncanny. The hair, the eyes."
Emery's eyes settled on the image of an attractive young man with thick curly black hair and dark eyes. He was dressed in Gryffindor robes and had a very crooked, but charming smile. He looked at the camera confidently and pursed his lips in a mimed kiss before returning to his smile. The man was brimming with self-confidence and had an easy way about him that told Emery a lot about the individual before the name did.
"Sirius was my biggest lead until he was exonerated by the Ministry of Magic this year." Emery acknowledged.
"Maybe your Mom was fooled, too." Draco offered.
"No," Emery shook his head. "Mom said he had the tattoo on his arm, that's how she knew he was a Death Eater."
"That's too bad," Theo sighed. "You could have been Harry Potter's God-Brother."
Despite the serious and monotone way in which the boy delivered his statement his friends laughed at the imaginary predicament. Emery couldn't help but feel at ease while they laughed about the idea of he and Harry being related by blood or spiritual bond. He found he wasn't near as nervous as he had been when they all started talking about his history. It felt good to trust others and it felt better to laugh with friends.
"He would have gone homicidal had it been a possibility." Astoria giggled.
Tilting his blonde haired head, Draco's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "You know, just because we know the truth doesn't mean the rest of the school does." The laughter stopped abruptly as the three other teenagers focused on Malfoy. "Come on, if a Gryffindor loudmouth like Harry Potter can spread rumors that aren't even believable and make them stick, imagine the rumors we could counteract them with."
"Brilliant!" Astoria praised.