Chapter 29:
Emily was sitting in the empty great hall one hot, late afternoon. She was munching on some brownies as she was reviewing her 'Advanced Potion Making' textbook Snape had given her. Albus had told her that he preferred if she stayed in the castle this summer, to keep safe. She didn't mind him asking this of her, she was still terrified thinking about how Voldemort could soon know her secret. It's been about a month since she'd been officially adopted by Albus. It gave her a strange feeling in her stomach. She looked up to see Snape approach her as she was reading. She took her feet off the table and brushed the brownie crumbs from her hands.
"Afternoon Severus, how can I help you?" She asked.
"Dumbledore has summoned you." He stated, looking at her book.
"Summoned?" She snickered. "Alright." She got up and walked with Snape to Dumbledore's office and walked right in. His door was left open, which meant he was expecting visitors. "You wanted to see me?"
"Ah yes. Emily dear, come here." He said.
Emily walked up to him but gagged. "Oh god, what is that smell?" She asked, with a disgusted look on her face, covering her nose.
"Rotting orc skin." He sneezed. He was leaning over a cauldron with a book in front of him. Working on some sort of potion.
"Oh, lovely." She coughed. "And why may I ask do you have rotting orc skin?"
"A simple potion I'm brewing is all, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." He left the cauldron and went to his desk. "I have work I need to have done at the ministry this summer, and I'm afraid you may have to tag along."
"Why do I have to tag along?" She asked.
"Because after I do some work at the Ministry, I'm going to leave you at Headquarters. There is no safer place right now then with the Order."
"And this is because I need protection?" She asked.
"Precisely." He nodded. "In good, safe hands."
"..Ever think I can just take care of myself? I have been taking advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."
"I'm well aware of your secret meetings with Severus." He peered over his glasses.
"I really can't keep secrets from you." She chuckled.
"I was the one who suggested the potions text." He smirked.
Emily laughed, of course he knew.
"So why do I need to be protected then?" She asked.
"Dear you still have many lessons you need to be taught. I actually took the liberty of having Severus meet you at 12 Grimmauld Place so you could continue you lessons for the summer. I hope you don't mind, but he insisted on taking it a step up a notch because stakes are so high at the moment." He explained.
"Wait so you're okay with me learning this stuff?" She asked.
Albus chuckled. "Well of course I'm okay with it. If my daughter is going to be fighting in a war I want her to be well equipped with any skills she might need to win."
My Daughter.
"And as I would wish you not to fight in the war, I know you wouldn't have it any other way." He concluded.
"Damn straight." She nodded. "I promised Harry I would have his back. Always. I don't tend to break that promise."
"We will leave first thing tomorrow morning."
"Are you sure I'm allowed at the ministry Albus?" Emily asked as Dumbledore passed her the Floo powder.
"Yes I'm one hundred percent sure, now don't forget to speak very clearly." He said. Emily took a handful of powder.
"Ministry of Magic." She said and dropped the powder. She emerged out of a fireplace, she stood there for a moment, it only took seconds until Dumbledore showed up himself.
"This way dear." He said, as he ushered her through the atrium. Ever since the adoption went through, there's been gossip. Not just between students, but all throughout the Wizarding community. 'Dumbledore has a daughter' and 'Did you hear? He adopted the orphan he took in all those years back.' She didn't really know how to handle it. All eyes were on her and she tired to look the other way. No doubt her friends will be asking her all about it when they get back and start the new year. She's already got letters from Katie and Angelina asking her for details. Then she thought back to her friends... She'd been getting letters from all of them. All of them except Fred. She even got them from George who would mention Fred a little bit but other than that he hasn't made any effort to talk to her.
I'm not giving up on you, Ryan.
Sure he wasn't. Seemed like he already had.
She shouldn't be worried about it though. Half of her is relieved that he is able to move on and forget about her. It was for the best. They wouldn't work because she isn't even from this world. But then the other half of her was laughing at how ridiculous all of that sounded. She was mad that he hadn't tried to talk to her. Was she upset that he wasn't reaching out? She shouldn't be... but she was. She was aggravated because of how confused she felt. She thought Fred loved her? Well then why hasn't he fought for her?
Emily was ripped from her thoughts as an elevator dinged and they stepped into it and held onto the bars at the top so they didn't fall down.
"Albus what are we doing here anyways?" She asked.
"I need a quick word with Fudge and some documents need signing." He said. They soon stepped out of the elevator an into a small dark brown, narrow hallway. The sounds of typewriters could be heard around them. "Wait out here dear." He said as they neared an office door.
"Alright." She mumbled as she took a seat in the waiting room as she heard the door to the office open, then close. She looked over to her left as she heard the sound of the typewriting stop. She saw the receptionist staring over at her from behind her desk. As soon as the woman made eye contact with Emily, she went back to writing. Emily rolled her eyes. Could people just mind their own business and shut it! She thought.
She heard bits of chatter from inside the room, but no loud arguing thank goodness. Dumbledore emerged out of the room with Fudge.
"Well it was nice to see you headmaster." Fudge commented, shaking his hand. Emily rose as they came out.
"Likewise Minister." He lightly pulled Emily to his side. "I almost forgot, this is Emily Ryan." He introduced.
"This is the girl?" Fudge asked.
"Indeed."
"Well it's nice to finally meet you, I've heard wondrous stories about you my dear." Fudge said as he shook her hand. "It's about time you adopted her Albus."
"It's nice to meet you too." She said lightly.
"Going into to your final year, I presume?" He asked, looking at Dumbledore.
"That she is, only one year left with me I'm afraid. But alas, better late than never." Dumbledore laughed. "Well we best be on our way, so many errands to run Minister, goodbye." Dumbledore said, letting Emily pass him by before he entered the elevator once more.
"Albus?" Emily asked, as they were in the elevator.
"Hm?" He hummed.
"what will happen once I leave Hogwarts? Where will I go?" She asked.
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that question. At least not now." He mumbled the last part. "We will have to apparate outside of headquarters, as we aren't able to do so inside the house." He said.
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