Sunday arrived quickly, and Emma was beyond nervous. Even though Remus had explained the entire process to her, she wasn't sure she was remotely prepared. The magic involved was built on ancient spellcasting and wasn't as commonly used. She was mildly alarmed to learn how much it would change about her, but she didn't mind. If it meant that she would be closer to Remus and Lyall, she was okay with it. At least, she hoped she was.
The Lupins and the Moons met up in London on Saturday afternoon to prepare. They spent a few hours finding new outfits for the girls to wear and had a lovely dinner together. The girls were delighted to spend the night in a Muggle hotel with adjoining hotel rooms and bounced between the two rooms. Emma wasn't sure that she had even slept at all, but she must have as Remus insisted on a Sleeping Draught. She felt that she had only just laid her head down on her pillow when she was woken up again.
Emma wasn't entirely sure what to expect when they entered the Ministry of Magic. She had been entirely fascinated that the guest entrance was through a phone booth. It was a clever bit of magic that Emma never would have thought of it herself. Emma was amazed when they made it into the lobby of the Ministry. It was like an entire world built underground, and it was amazing, and nothing like she imagined.
Tall brick buildings lined the furthest part of the dark bricked walkway. She stared in awe at the massive fountain that took up a vast expanse of space in the very center of everything. Witches and wizards entered the walkway through the dozens of fireplaces that lined the walkway. Everywhere Emma looked, there was action happening. It was almost as if the London streets had been brought underground and given a magical flair. Persephone, who had been at the Ministry with her father before, was nowhere near as amazed as Emma was.
As they walked, Emma felt incredibly self-conscious of the looks they were receiving. She didn't wear dresses too often and felt awkward being draped in emerald velvet fabric. Persephone was used to being dressed up and insisted that Emma pick the emerald to match her royal purple. Persephone spent a good portion of the morning to fix up Emma's hair, making sure it was brushed perfectly. As a last-minute touch, Persephone added a thick, black velvet headband to hold back Emma's fringe. Emma had to admit that it looked quite lovely as she stared at herself in the mirror.
While Emma felt that the clothes were beautiful, she thought that she didn't deserve them. The velvet dress, the black tights, and even her new flats made her feel silly. It was unlike anything she'd ever worn. Sage had insisted it made sense to start her new life on the right foot, but Emma felt it was too much. She was incredibly grateful when they made it into the elevator at the far end of the atrium. Emma tucked herself into Remus's side and held onto the back of his robe tightly. It felt odd underneath her fingers as Lyall insisted that Remus needed something new as well. It wasn't soft like the rest of Remus's clothes, and it wasn't as comforting as she thought it would be.
The small moment of relief Emma felt disappeared quickly as the elevator moved. She wasn't prepared for the elevator to move in a direction other than up or down. Emma shot Remus an annoyed look with a bit of a huff, and he pulled her close with an apologetic look.
The elevator seemed to zigzag in every direction to different floors letting its occupants out and sometimes letting others in. It felt like ages before their little group was the final occupants. Finally, they reached their first destination – the ninth floor. Emma wasn't given much time to look down the hallway of the Department of Mysteries as they made their way to the staircase.
From there, they had to take a set of stairs until the wound up on the tenth floor. Emma didn't quite understand why the tenth floor wasn't attached to the elevator. The tenth floor appeared to be a lot darker than the other levels. It almost made her feel as though she was in the dungeons at Hogwarts. Emma and Remus got separated by the stairs leaving the children to walk close behind the adults.
Persephone grabbed onto Emma's hand and held tight as they passed empty rooms – courtrooms, Emma realized. In a surprising and daring move, Caspian grabbed onto Emma's other hand, giving her a delighted smile when she took it.
"Caspian quit being weird," Persephone hissed with a slight snarl.
"It's fine, Persephone," Emma said quickly. She felt herself beginning to tremble the further they walked, unsure of where precisely they needed to go. "It's rather nice, really."
"You're so gross," Persephone said, her eyebrows raising. "I can't believe you're holding hands with my brother." She took a look around the hallway, her forehead wrinkling. "How do we know where we're actually supposed to go?"
"You'll know when you see me," said a soft voice that sounded very familiar to Emma. She quickly let go of Persephone and Caspian's hands and slipped underneath Remus's arm so she could see who spoke. She gave a small start when she found herself looking at Irma Bryce once more.
"Hello, Emelyn," Irma said, her grey curls bouncing as she smiled at Emma. "Congratulations, my dear."
"Hullo, Mrs. Bryce," Emma said in shock. "It's very nice to see you again. Er, and I mostly go by Emma now."
"Well, Emma, it's absolutely lovely to see you again. It was with Professor Dumbledore's insistence that I lead the ceremony today. I hope that you don't mind." Irma took a moment to greet the others politely.
"Of course not," Emma said quietly, feeling slightly better than she had moments prior. At least this would be done with a familiar face.
"Wonderful, shall we?" Irma opened the large door behind her with a wave of her wand and motioned for everyone to enter.
Stepping into the room, Emma could already feel the buzz of magic. It was the first time she realized just how solemn the entire ceremony was, and she was grateful for Remus's steady presence. This was going to be more life-changing than everything else she'd gone through that year.
She looked around the candle-lit room. A single torch was lit at the back of the room, and multiple different sized white candles were set up around the room. If she ignored the fact that blood magic was about to be used, it was a beautiful setup.
Several chairs lined either side of the walls. To Emma's surprise, on the right side, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall occupied two of the chairs. She assumed that the other nameless faces were Ministry workers that had to be present as additional witnesses. Lyall stepped off to the right, shaking Dumbledore's hand and giving McGonagall a polite kiss on the cheek. Persephone and her family took the seats to the left side of the room, leaving Emma and Remus where they stood.
Emma took in the rough semi-circle of black and blue candles in front of them. Her brow furrowed slightly as she glanced over at Persephone and her family, remembering Persephone mentioning dark magic. This wasn't dark magic, though. It was blood magic, but there wasn't anything dark about what they were doing. Emma took a look at the candles again, trying to remember what the colors signified. They had gone over it during one of their Defense classes, but she couldn't remember. The only clear thing was that the magic they were using was ancient.
She allowed herself another moment to take a look around, and then her eyes settled on the table set up just behind the circle of candles. Emma let out a quiet gasp and held tightly to the back of Remus's robe as she took in the silver dagger. She knew that it was going to be there, but it was sharp, and it was terrifying.
Remus looked down at Emma at her quiet whimper and followed where she was looking. It was fair that the knife was what scared her. He couldn't deny that it made his stomach pitch nervously seeing it, but he pushed the feeling away. They had found an altered version of the ritual, so the blood sacrifice wasn't as much of an issue. Still, the entire thing made him equally as nervous. He pulled himself from Emma and turned to her, taking her hands in his and bending down to kiss the top of her head.
"It'll be fine," Remus whispered to her, squeezing her hands. "Remember – it's you and me, Little One."
Emma nodded, but she was still incredibly nervous.
"Whenever you're ready, if you could both step into the center of the circle, we'll be able to begin. Please kneel, facing each other, and if you could leave a space in the middle, that would be wonderful," Irma said softly, standing behind the table waiting patiently. She gave Emma a gentle smile. "I apologize that old magic doesn't allow for the use of cushions. The floor will be a little rough."
With a gentle tug, Remus led Emma into the circle of candles. He helped her kneel down on the floor without hurting herself on the rough stones. She leaned back on her heels, holding her hands on her lap, unsure of what else to do. After ensuring that Emma was as comfortable as she was going to be on the cold stones, Remus knelt down in front of her, mirroring her stance.
The magic in the room somehow seemed to bristle more with them surrounded by candles. It was almost like static, and Emma had never felt something quite like it. It made every part of her body feel tingly, and she was afraid her hair was sticking out. She ran a hand nervously to check and was pleased to find that it was still how Persephone styled it.
Irma gave Emma and Remus a few more moments to get situated before speaking. She glanced down at the book in front of her and turned to the rest of the room with a smile.
"Welcome, everyone, to this magical moment. To our guests, my name is Irma Bryce, and I will be leading today's ceremony. On this day, the twelfth of April 1992, we will be forging an extraordinary family bond. By performing this ritual, the relationship between father and daughter will be formed in both magic and blood.
"It's always wonderful when a guardian decides that they're willing to take the next step and bond completely with a child that they see as their own. Though Remus completed the ceremony in becoming Emelyn's godfather, he has made the decision to become her full legal guardian. By doing so, he has made the decision to become her father and accept the new responsibilities that come with his new role. Emelyn has made her own decisions as well. By consenting to this ritual, she has agreed to become Remus's daughter. It's a decision that neither has taken lightly, and I believe I can speak for everyone present that this is a joyous occasion.
"While Emelyn and Remus share a familial tie, the intention and bond between a parent and child provide magic unlike any other. It is of utmost importance that I remind everyone in this room that this bond can never be broken. Once they are tied by magic, nothing can break that bond apart. Once they are bound by blood, not even death will tear apart their bond. Emelyn and Remus will forever share in some of the most essential pieces of magic – family and love.
"Now, the beautiful part of this ceremony is we treat each prospective bond as already made. From this point on, Emelyn, you will shed your former name and henceforth be known as Emelyn Theodosia Lupin."
A small smile crossed Emma's face as she looked over at Remus. There was a slight smile on his face when he turned to look back at her. Despite a room full of people, it felt as if they were the only three people in the room. It was nothing like a Muggle adoption at all and was a lot more terrifying, but it was far better. This meant so much more. They both turned back to Irma, and Emma felt more confident in the process. Everything would be fine.
Irma finally turned her attention to Emma and Remus. "Emelyn, Remus, before we begin, I am required to ask you both a series of questions. You both must answer honestly and truthfully. Do you understand?"
"Yes," they both answered at the same time. Emma and Remus turned to each other in amusement, and Emma began to giggle, lightening the mood. This led to everyone else laughing, and the strange coldness seeped from the room, warming it up. Remus reached out to brush the backs of his fingers against Emma's cheek fondly.
"Perfect," Irma said once the room settled down. "Let us continue. Are you both here of your own free will?"
"Yes."
"Do you both consent to the bonding ritual that will be taking place today?"
"Yes."
"You have been made fully aware that this ritual is binding for life and irrevocable?"
"Yes."
"You have been made fully aware that upon completion of this ritual, that not even death will revoke the familial bond that will be made today?"
"Yes."
"And you are aware that there is a possibility that this bond might not take for reasons out of our control?"
There was slight hesitation from both Emma and Remus at that question. They had discussed the possibility that they could go through the entire ceremony and not have it work. It made Emma nervous, but Remus promised that it wouldn't change the fact that they tried. Emma looked at Remus, worried, but he smiled at her before turning back to Irma.
"Yes," he answered.
Irma turned to Emma expectantly, and Emma nodded. "Yes," she answered quietly.
"Perfect. Emelyn, this question is for you – you are aware that after today your magic will change, for better or for worse, and that you are giving up your previous family name?"
"Yes," Emma answered quietly, her heart beginning to beat hard in her chest.
"And Remus, you are aware that your magic will change, for better or for worse, and that you will now be giving this child your family name?"
"Yes," Remus said solemnly, glancing at Emma with a resolute nod.
"Very well. Then let us begin."
Irma began to speak in a language that Emma couldn't understand. She watched in awe for a moment before turning to look at Remus curiously.
"Latin," he whispered to her, loud enough so only she could hear. He kept his eyes on Irma, trying to make sure he didn't miss what she was saying. "Would you like me to translate?"
"Of course, you would know Latin," Emma responded just as quietly. She turned to look at Irma, who was still reading from the book for a moment before giving Remus a sheepish grin. "Could you please?"
"It was your grandfather's idea. You'll start to learn Latin while at school, don't worry," Remus said. He was quiet for a moment as he listened to what Irma was saying and began to translate for Emma.
"'The usage of candles is vital to creating a strong bond of both magic and blood. The familial tie is the most ancient form of magic, while the power of blood creates a bond that is unable to be broken. To help aid in this bond, candles are lit and infused with the magic of others to help guide the bond that will take place.'
"'The white candle stands for purity, as the prior bond will be replaced with new; the blue candles stand for protection and wisdom for both magic and blood; the black candles serve as a place for the surrounding magic to complete the bond.'"
"If I could please have our witnesses come forth to the table," Irma said, switching back to English.
Dumbledore, Lyall, Sage, and Ellis all stood from their chairs. Persephone, Caspian, and McGonagall all sat quietly, watching.
"Before we proceed, I kindly ask that our witnesses could please state their names for the records and repeat the phrase, 'I am here of my own free will. I consent to serve as a witness to this ceremony,'" Irma said, watching as the four adults in front of her nodded.
To Emma's awe, Dumbledore spoke first.
"My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. I am here of my own free will. I consent to serve as a witness to this ceremony."
Sage, Ellis, and Lyall repeated the phrases as well, and Irma smiled at all of them. She picked her wand up off the table, pointing it at the silver bowl.
"If you could all please take out your wands and point them towards the basin, we may proceed," Irma said, glancing down at the book in front of her. She waited as the four removed their wands and pointed them at the bowl.
"Please repeat after me – Hic ego de meipso, et potestatem. Quod testis illud facio: consentio serve in hac caermimonia."
"They're repeating the same phrase in Latin," Remus whispered to Emma, watching as the four spoke the words in unison.
Emma let out a noise of surprise as the bowl began to smoke as if a fire was lit underneath it.
"Thank you," Irma said, giving each of the witnesses a kind smile. "You may now return to your seats."
Dumbledore, Lyall, Sage, and Ellis returned to their seats. At the same time, Irma remained at the table, her wand still pointing at the bowl as she began to speak in Latin again.
"I'm not sure about the exact translation for what she's saying now," Remus whispered. "Roughly, I know that she's calling on the spirits of ancient magic to bless the bond and to allow the bond to take place."
Irma repeated the phrase that she spoke three times, and the bowl began to glow with a silvery hue. She lowered her wand for a moment and looked at Remus and Emma, a slightly apologetic look on her face. Very slowly, Irma lifted the bowl from the table, walked around the circle of candles three times. She entered the circle, knelt down, and placed the glowing bowl between Remus and Emma. As Irma stood up, she placed a gentle hand on Emma's shoulder. She exited the circle and returned to the table.
"Oh, oh no," Emma whispered, her eyes widening as she realized what the next step was.
Remus picked up on Emma's panic immediately. He stood up on his knees and leaned carefully over the bowl between them and gently cupped Emma's face in his hands. Remus pressed a tender kiss to her forehead and pulled back to look her square in the eyes. "We don't have to move forward if you don't want to," he whispered to her.
"I-I want to," Emma said shakily. She glanced down at the glowing bowl in front of her, watching as the candlelight cast odd shadows through the smoke. "I know you told me what would happen, but now that we're here…"
"I know, it's scary," Remus said, frowning slightly as he looked over at Irma, who was waiting patiently. He turned back to Emma with a soft smile. "You have been so incredibly brave to get to this point, sweetheart. No one will be mad if you don't want to continue."
"I'll be mad," Emma said earnestly, meeting Remus's gaze. "We have to keep going. We're already this far."
"You're sure?"
"As sure as I'll ever be."
Remus sighed softly, placing his hands on his knees as he leaned back on his heels, thinking quickly. He looked over at Irma, who gave him a questioning look.
"Mrs. Bryce, would it be possible to make a small request?"
"Possibly," she said, slightly stunned. It was evident that requests weren't made during this ceremony. "What would that request be?"
"I understand that the witch or wizard leading the ceremony is typically in control of the blood sacrifice. However, I was wondering if we could possibly take that particular job from you?" Remus glanced over at Emma, paling slightly as he saw the look of sheer panic on her face. "At the very least, I feel as though she would be more comfortable if I were to do it for her."
"That is not a typical request. Most shy away from doing it themselves," Irma said, a pleased smile on her face. She turned to look at one of the Ministry officials who nodded in response. "However, the council has granted permission." She turned to look at Emma, who was staring back with wide eyes. "Emma, would you like to be in charge of Remus's blood sacrifice?"
Emma shook her head, vigorously. "Oh, no, I couldn't," Emma said with a nervous giggle.
"Very well. Do you consent to Remus being in charge of yours?"
Emma was quiet as she took a look around the room, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. For a very brief moment, she had forgotten that the others were there. She looked over her shoulder at Persephone, seeking guidance from her friend. Persephone gave a small non-committal shrug in answer. Turning forward, Emma looked past Remus to look at Lyall, who gave her a reassuring smile with a gentle nod. With a frown, she looked at Remus. He remained expressionless, not wanting to sway her answer. Though he wasn't giving her any indication of what direction she should go, Emma knew her answer.
"Yes," she said quietly. She trusted Remus enough for such a delicate task.
Irma smiled, pleased with Emma's response. "Then we shall continue," she said, picking up the dagger from the table and entering the circle once more. She held the dagger flat in front of her with both hands. Irma stood next to Remus and took a quick look around the room before returning her gaze back to Remus. With slow movements, Irma held the dagger in her right hand, holding out her left. "Remus, if you could please present me with your left hand, palm up."
A smile pulled at the corner of Remus's lips as he looked over at Emma. He turned slightly to place his hand in Irma's. He gave her a polite nod as he turned his gaze back to Emma.
"Thank you, Remus," Irma said. "If you could please repeat after me – I, Remus John Lupin, consent to bonding my magic to Emelyn's –"
"I, Remus John Lupin, consent to bonding my magic to Emelyn's."
"I vow that I will take care of Emelyn to the best of my ability as if she were always my own - "
"I vow that I will take care of Emelyn to the best of my ability as if she were always my own," Remus repeated, giving Emma a small smile.
"I vow that I will provide Emelyn a loving and safe home, guide her in life, and ensure that her magic always remains strong."
"I vow that I will provide Emelyn a loving and safe home, guide her in life, and ensure that her magic always remains strong."
Irma paused for a moment, glancing at Emma and carefully placing the blade of the dagger against Remus's palm. "If you accept Emelyn as your own, I ask that you declare that now, by magic and blood. Your declaration means that you will take care of and protect her, serving as her father, even at the cost of your own life. It is a declaration that is not taken lightly."
Emma took in a sharp breath as she shifted her focus momentarily to the blade of the dagger that sat on Remus's palm before meeting his eyes again. She held her breath, not sure whether she was anticipating his words or the cut that was sure to line his hand.
"I, Remus John Lupin, willingly accept Emelyn Theodosia Lupin as my daughter, by magic and blood."
As Remus spoke the final word, the blade sliced into Remus's hand. Without any indication that the blade caused him any pain, he removed his hand from Irma's. He held his fisted hand over the silver bowl. Remus watched as several generous drops of his blood fell from his hand and let out a breath as he saw the liquid begin to change to a dark purple, a sign that his blood sacrifice was accepted. He pulled his wand out of his robe's inner pocket and waved it over his hand, sealing the place where the cut was made.
Irma pulled a cloth from her robe's pocket. She carefully wiped Remus's blood away from the dagger before presenting the handle to Remus so that he could take it.
Emma gulped as Remus held his free hand out to Emma, holding it out over the bowl so that the process would be much smoother. There was an odd shiver of something that entered the room the moment the liquid in the bowl changed. It felt just as potent as the magic itself, and it settled itself into Emma's entire being.
"Your right hand, love," he whispered to her, waiting patiently for her to place her hand in his.
Knowing that they had gotten this far meant a lot. Listening to Remus's words gave her a small burst of confidence to finish the ceremony. He wouldn't have said them if he didn't mean them. She placed her right hand shakily in his, letting out a small whimper as he gently placed the cold blade of the dagger on her palm. It seemed silly to give Remus her right hand when he used his left, but suddenly she understood. The use of the opposite hand was meant to create a mirror image if they were to press their hands together. She was sure it was mostly ceremonial, but it was a sweet gesture of a shared experience.
"Your part is much easier, Emelyn," Irma said, giving Emma a proud smile. "I ask that you answer the following questions honestly."
With a quick glance at Irma, Emma nodded and found herself looking at the blade resting on her palm. She wanted to look away, but she found herself transfixed on the knife.
"Don't watch the blade," Remus said quietly. "Keep your eyes on me." A quiet whimper escaped Emma's lips, but she met his gaze. "Perfect. Pretend it's not there – I'll make sure that it's quick."
Feeling as though Emma was ready to move forward, Irma spoke again. "Emma, do you accept Remus's vows?"
"Yes," Emma answered breathlessly. She wondered how many questions she would be asked before the blade would slice into her hand. Emma tried to push the thought out of her mind as she stared into Remus's eyes. She trusted Remus, and he had done the same thing for her. It was the least she could do.
"Do you trust that Remus will be able to fulfill his duties and his vows to you?"
"Yes."
"Do you accept that you will now become Remus's daughter?"
"Yes."
Once again, Irma grew quiet, but a smile once more crossed her face. Irma looked at Remus, who looked at her and gave her an understanding nod.
"Emma, if you accept Remus as your father, I ask that you declare that now, by magic and blood. Your declaration means that from this day forward, you are entrusting your care and wellbeing to Remus. Any former trace and familial tie that you have had will be relinquished and replaced with a new bond. It is not a declaration that is taken lightly."
Love. That was what Emma felt. That strange feeling that was in the room and spread from the tips of her toes all the way to her head was pure love. It was the magic that was being put forth into the room, and it was warm, and it was safe. This moment was entirely for them, and suddenly it wasn't so scary anymore.
The room began to slowly disappear from Emma's vision as she glanced at the blade pressed to her hand. Remus gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and she once again met his steady gaze. She took in a deep breath, trying to still her rapidly beating heart and shaky breathing.
"I, Emelyn Theodosia Lupin –" Emma smiled slightly, saying it aloud for the first time knowing it was going to be real "– willingly accept Remus John Lupin as my father, by magic and blood."
The gasp that escaped Emma's lips was more from the action of the blade of the dagger slicing into her palm than the pain. She was momentarily stunned by the cut that lined her palm, but it didn't hurt. She watched as her blood quickly bubbled up to the surface, suddenly feeling as though she might faint at the sight. She looked away quickly, turning her attention to the bowl in front of her instead.
Remus quickly placed the dagger down on the floor next to him and gently curled Emma's hand into a fist so that her blood could be added to the bowl. He glanced up at Irma, who gave him a quick nod to confirm that enough of Emma's blood had been added. He took his wand back out of his pocket, uncurled Emma's fingers, and sealed the cut just as he had done his own. Remus brought the back of her hand to his lips and squeezed it tightly. They had gotten through the worst of the process.
Several minutes passed where no one did anything except stare at the bowl and the liquid inside, waiting to see if it would change colors. The liquid had remained the same dark purple color that it turned with Remus's blood. Had they done the entire ceremony for no reason at all?
Slowly, the dark purple began to fade to a lavender hue, causing nearly everyone to let out the breath they had been holding. Emma was pretty sure that Dumbledore clapped in delight.
"Remus, Emma, if you could please join right hands for me, there is one final step to seal the bond," Irma spoke quietly. She pulled out her wand from the inside pocket of her robe and held the tip over Remus and Emma's joined hands. She whispered something quietly under her breath and smiled as silver rope-like tendrils snaked itself from the liquid and began to wrap around their hands.
"I, Irma Genevieve Bryce, declare that Remus John and Emelyn Theodosia are now bonded as father and daughter for life. By magic and blood."