It was predictable that the final verdict was that Emma would be moved to the Moon household for the rest of the summer. With that decision made, the rest of the meeting seemed utterly useless. Emma wasn't going home, and even though she already knew she wouldn't, it still hurt. There were further discussions into general werewolf biology that Emma tuned out, knowing that it didn't really matter. The point that she was of age as a werewolf in a matter of weeks didn't matter as it was a completely different set of rules. Werewolf law wasn't seen as valid in the general wizarding population despite their magic.
At one point, a conversation over finances regarding Emma came up. She considered that outcome a victory, but at a cost.
Emma had no idea that Remus was given money from the Nickel's family vault to care for her. She thought that he was doing everything by himself because he had to, and it hit Emma hard just how much Remus did for her. Every bit of money that was meant to go towards her care was deposited back into the account for when she was of age. He wanted to do everything by himself.
Remus was meticulous with his bookkeeping and had receipts for everything. It almost made Emma wonder if he somehow knew something like this would happen. Emma knew Remus was stubborn, it was one of the traits that they shared that made them butt heads, but she didn't realize just how much. He had gone without for so long when he didn't need to. He wanted to do something for her to make her life more comfortable when she graduated, just so she wouldn't have to struggle like he did.
It was a point that neither solicitor could argue, and Amelia's decision nearly made Emma laugh. To Jude's aggravation, every piece of gold meant to be used for Emma's care was being placed into a separate vault for her use. The grand total of 6024 Galleons, 1 Sickle, and 18 Knuts that would have been used over the years was hers to do whatever she pleased when she was of age. She would receive a small stipend monthly, and it was recommended that she visit Gringotts to find investments while the gold sat. Even better, Jude was still responsible for paying for her care for as long as he insisted on trying to get custody of her. His name was on the paperwork, not Remus's, and he would be required to make the payments into Emma's vault himself. It was brilliant.
She didn't need the money, not at all, but the seething look on Jude's face was absolutely brilliant. Emma had no desire to use any of it, but she had silently started forming plans in her mind of what to do. If the Black family had such favorable investments, Emma wondered if it would be worth investing in the same ventures as well. She would have to think more about it during the school year and try and do some research.
The final score was Emma with 5 points, Jude with 2. The Gringotts vault had sealed the deal on her last point, but Jude's win over where Emma would be placed had given him his. She came out ahead in the end, and that was what mattered, but she had much more to worry about. There were still two and a half weeks left before the start of them and a full moon to compete with.
Luckily, Emma didn't have to actually leave with Jude. Tonks and the other Auror would be accompanying her to the Moon's household. Ellis was cutting his day short to make the drive as no one wanted to travel with all of her things through a magical method. Emma didn't mind that part in the least; at least she wouldn't be alone in the car with Ellis this time. What Emma did mind was having to leave Remus again. It felt worse than any other time they had to be apart.
"Hey," Remus said gently, rubbing Emma's arms roughly, "it's only eleven days. Eleven days and then we'll have a weekend together. We've done worse, yeah?"
"But the full," Emma said with a slight whine. "I don't want to go through another one without you…"
"I know," Remus said, "but we wouldn't be able to be together anyway, considering…"
Emma knew that, but it didn't make her feel any less hopeful. "Maybe they should let me stay with you," she said, managing a slightly watery smile when Remus chuckled.
"I much prefer you being in a completely separate room for the transformation itself, thank you," he said in amusement. "I think you'd prefer that as well."
"Well, obviously," Emma huffed out, poking Remus's side until he pulled her back in for another hug.
"Eleven days. We can do this," he said, though Emma wasn't sure whether he was reminding her or himself. "Keep yourself safe, no matter how you have to do it."
As if Emma wasn't planning on doing exactly that.
The car ride was long, even with the extra company. Emma wasn't expecting to be escorted with multiple Aurors and found it funny that they felt one wasn't enough. As Tonks and Auror Langley were on her case, they were coming along for the ride as well. Tonks could talk about anything. Emma listened quietly, holding Figaro's carrier on her lap with the carrier's door open so she could pet the kitten. She couldn't imagine how stressed Figaro was with how many new places she had been. Half-way through the drive, Ellis tossed up a silencing charm to separate Tonks and Emma from the front of the vehicle.
"Wanker," Tonks said, throwing up two fingers in Ellis's direction when she realized.
It took a considerable amount of effort for Emma to not burst into laughter. Emma wanted to get to know Tonks more, but she had no idea how to mention they were cousins. That wasn't exactly something that you could go around saying, was it?
"Oh! I'm sorry," Tonks said suddenly, her cheeks and her hair turning a vibrant shade of pink. "I just realized I've been talking all this time and haven't let you say a word."
"It's fine," Emma said quietly. "It's a welcome distraction, in all honesty. You can keep talking if you'd like."
"Are you sure? Because I really can go on for hours."
"It's fine," Emma shrugged. "I'm tired, quite honestly. I didn't realize…well, I suppose I just learn more and more every day." Emma gave Tonks a wry smile as she leaned against the door. "Would you mind explaining how you can change your hair like that? That's impressive magic."
"I can do more than just my hair," Tonks said, quickly changing the shape of her nose and her eye color to Emma's stunned surprise. "Bet you wish you could do the same…"
"You have no idea," Emma said breathlessly. "But how?"
"I'm a Metamorphmagus, you see –"
Emma's exhaustion hit her hard, and at some point during Tonks's explanation of what she was, she fell asleep. She was embarrassed when she woke up from the slamming of the front door and then confused. The house they were in front of was not the house she was familiar with, and her heart began to race. Ellis wouldn't take her somewhere completely different with two other Aurors, would he? Emma doubted that Tonks was in on whatever scheme there was, but she was still worried. She wasn't entirely sure who to trust anymore. Merlin, Fenrir's constant reminders to think twice about who she trusted was making her paranoid.
Ellis ripped her door open, and Emma slowly stepped out of the car when she closed Figaro's carrier. She looked at Ellis questioningly, but he didn't bother giving any explanation of where they were.
"Nice house," Tonks said with a whistle. "It's huge."
Huge was an understatement. The massive brick-faced home reminded Emma of a small estate versus a family home. There was nothing but wide-open space, and it took Emma a few moments to realize there was a view of the coast. It almost reminded Emma of Wales, but she wasn't entirely sure.
There was a sudden shout of "Dad!" that very quickly died out, and Emma turned back around to spot Caspian. That was mildly reassuring, at least.
Caspian stared at Emma in pure confusion, his gaze bouncing between everyone present. Elijah, Caspian's friend, walked up beside him, looking at him with concern.
"Cas, go get your mother, please," Ellis said, sounding exhausted. "We'll meet you inside." Ellis rubbed his forehead and gestured for Emma to head to the house. She wasn't entirely sure what to do but went anyway, clutching hard to Figaro's carrier.
The house was so much more ornate than Emma expected. It looked extravagant from the outside, but it looked more so on the inside. The entryway floor was smooth marble, and there was a massive staircase just in front of her. Everything about the entryway reflected the marble flooring – walls of light grey paint, large paintings whose occupants stared at her curiously, and brilliant statues. It was much different from Persephone's old home, and Emma wondered if it was really the Moon's.
"Emma!" Sage said, following quickly behind Caspian. "What are you doing here?"
"We picked up a stray," Ellis said, dragging Emma's trunk behind him. "Sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you. It's been a very long day." Ellis cast Emma a sidelong glance, and Emma curled in on herself.
Sage looked between Ellis and Emma, her face hardening. "All right," she said with a slight nod. She called for a house-elf and asked for them to take Emma's trunk and to get Persephone. When the elf disappeared with a crack, Sage gave Emma a tight smile. "Would you like anything, dear?"
Emma shook her head, pulling at her sleeve. "No, thank you," she said.
Sage gave another small nod, gave Ellis a pointed look to leave, and slowly walked up to Emma. She gently took one of Emma's hands to brush a hand through Emma's hair. "You look lovely with short hair," she said. "I remember how your hair was cut your first year at Christmas. Short hair has always suited you – especially now. You have the face for it."
"I'm fond of it," Emma said quietly. "I think it could stand to be just a touch longer, but I wanted to try it short. I just needed…I needed something different, but."
"It looks wonderful on you," Sage said. "You've never needed to hide behind your hair, and you certainly don't need to do so now."
"Mum? Mitzy said for me to come down. Why is Emma's trunk here?" Sage stepped aside as Persephone came down the stairs, and Persephone froze where she was. Persephone looked silly with one foot still on the stairs and the other ready to step down.
"Looks as though I've gotten that reaction from the entire family today," Emma said nervously. "Wasn't expecting to get a clean sweep."
"Mum, why is Emma here?" Persephone asked, her tone nervous. "She shouldn't be –"
"I know, Persephone, but I don't have answers," Sage said. "Take Emma up to her room and make sure she's comfortable." Sage gently pushed Emma towards the stairs, and Emma reluctantly followed Persephone.
Their walk was quiet, Emma trailing just behind Persephone as she tried to take in her surroundings. Everything seemed the same, almost like a generic version of what a rich person's home should be, but the magic. Of course, the paintings moved, and there was plenty to look at, but there was so much space. Persephone suddenly stopped in front of a half-open door and gestured for Emma to step inside. It became undeniable just how awkward the entire situation was as they stared at each other.
Emma sidestepped Persephone and walked into the room she would be staying in, taking a look around. It was just as finely furnished as the rest of the house, and Emma swore the bedroom was half the size of the cottage. There was a small sitting area with a massive bookshelf, a window seat, and a large four-post bed draped with a soft white canopy. The bed linens were pale blue, and Emma almost felt a little guilty she didn't plan to use them. It was too rich and expensive looking for her tastes. There was an en-suite bathroom to Emma's relief, just like her room at Hogwarts, which meant she wouldn't even have to go out into the main house. She had no plans of leaving her room unless needed.
"Who would have guessed that absolutely tragic pinky swear we did when we were twelve would wind up coming true. Guess we're sisters temporarily, after all," Emma said bitterly as she sat down on her mattress. She opened the door to Figaro's carrier and pulled the kitten out, placing her on the bed next to her. "You didn't tell me that you moved."
"It didn't seem important," Persephone said, biting her lip. She closed the door behind her and pulled out her wand to put up a quick silencing charm. "I don't…I don't even know what to say anymore."
"What's there to say?" Emma asked, gesturing vaguely around the room. "Whatever's actually going on is one step closer to happening, clearly. At this point, I'm really only seeing two options. Either Jude finally gets his wish and kills me, or I'm stuck becoming a werewolf and being with Fenrir for forever. I suppose there's option three, but I've already tried that one twice, and offing myself isn't as easy as it seems."
"Emma…"
"What?"
"You weren't…you were supposed to go home," Persephone said, bouncing on her toes nervously. "Fenrir told me that you would figure out how to go back home. You're not supposed to be here."
"Did he now? Well, was Fenrir aware that Jude's solicitor is an absolute cunt, and I had to deal with Umbridge who signed the anti-werewolf legislation?"
"Jude has a solicitor?"
"Of course, he has a solicitor. He's obviously not an idiot, and he's planning to take things as far as he possibly can. He's determined to get me one way or another."
"And Umbridge was there?"
"Yes, she was there," Emma said sharply. "Not to mention there was someone I've never heard of from the DMLE, I'm assuming the Werewolf Capture Unit and someone else from the Department of Magical Creatures. The odds were already stacked against me the moment I stepped into that room. I hope Fenrir realizes that it's his fault that it was a problem, and now I'm here."
"That's not…" Persephone frowned, doing some quick thinking. "That wasn't supposed to be the case."
"Listen, Eff, you can sit and tell me that's not how things were supposed to be, but that is the current reality of what I'm dealing with," Emma bit out. "I had to listen to people who don't know my father insist that he would do unspeakable things to me just because he's a werewolf. Anyone who knows Dad knows he would never do anything like that and has done what he could to keep me safe. I had to listen to every single disgusting assumption people have of werewolves because Fenrir was the one who made people think those things."
"But he said –"
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Fenrir had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Now I'm here because it was the only 'safe' option. Believe me, I suggested other places I would rather be."
"W-well maybe you could just stay here at night and go home during the day," Persephone suggested.
"Can't. The DMLE insisted on adding daily checks at home to make sure I don't do exactly that. It appears they didn't really believe that I wasn't sneaking home while at good ol' Saint Nicholas's."
"And were you?"
"Yes, of course, I was bloody going home," Emma said, picking up Figaro to hold her close. "I barely ever even slept at the children's home because Fenrir kept me out all damn night. If I was home, I wound up sleeping the entire time. Sometimes I would meet Dad while he was working and stay there, sometimes I would stay with Elle. When Dad would get off work, we would go somewhere. Half the time, he just took me home because he wanted to make sure I could actually eat and function like a normal person."
"I didn't realize it was that bad…"
"It was miserable, and I'm almost positive my bloody therapist is sick of me talking about it because I don't have anyone else to talk to," Emma said. "I don't know what the fuck we are; I lost nearly every single one of my friends because of Snape…I'm sure I don't need to talk about how fucked things have been with Fenrir and how confusing that is…Being home was the best fucking feeling in the world, especially after having to deal with Fenrir. My favorite days were when I got to be with Boris –"
"Boris?"
"Yes, the one who decided to kiss you and probably turned you off men for forever – that Boris."
"I didn't even know he was still alive…"
"He's very much alive and very much taller than when we were kids. Bit handsome, really, which I feel is disturbing to say. Forgot how much he was like a brother."
Persephone's frown deepened, and she crossed her arms. "So you know…you know everything? Fenrir actually did it?"
"Yes, everything. He actually did it," Emma said. "Got everything put right back where it belongs."
"I wasn't sure if he really would do it or not," Persephone admitted. "I mean…I knew I helped him try to find where everything was stored, which wasn't easy since we moved, but…"
Emma shrugged in response, petting Figaro and cuddling the kitten. She really had no idea what to think or say anymore and barely looked up as Persephone sat down next to her.
"You have a cat now?" Persephone asked, giving Emma a sheepish look at the very unamused look she received.
"Dad decided to get her for me that day in Diagon Alley," Emma said, handing Figaro to Persephone. "Her name's Figaro – Fig for short."
"I assume he bought her for you because she's all right with werewolves?" Persephone asked, putting Figaro down on her lap and petting the kitten's head with a finger. "She's so soft."
"She's very soft," Emma replied. "At night, she'll sleep right on my pillow next to me. I think I'm going to suffocate half the time because she'll plop herself right on my face."
Persephone snorted at that, her lips twitching into a smile. "Sounds like someone I know," she said, giving Emma a pointed look.
"Oh, bloody hell, Dad said the same thing," Emma huffed, absentmindedly rolling up her sleeves and crossing her arms. "I do not lay on everyone like that."
"It was mostly your hair, really," Persephone said, her eyes moving directly to the bite mark on Emma's arm. Her forehead wrinkled as her brows knit together, and she shook her head. "I can't believe he bit you twice…"
Emma looked down at her arm and traced the scar with a finger. It had only just started to lighten up in color, and she had worried that all of her scars would look stark against her face. The balm Elara had given her to care for the scar caused by Remus helped, but the redness took time to disappear.
"I think he enjoyed it too much," Emma said, reaching up to rub the bite on her shoulder. "Although the one on my shoulder is apparently meant to make other werewolves reconsider going after me. As if it's not obvious I was already attacked by one."
"Do they hurt?"
"Well, when someone shoves their fingers into a wound…"
"Who did that?" Persephone asked, her eyes widening.
"Good ol' Jude," Emma said dryly. "Dad's solicitor insisted I try to play nice, and Jude decided to go for the low blows. He's a piece of work, did you know that?"
"He's a bit of a cunt, really," Persephone grimaced. "I like Fenrir better than Jude."
"Oh, good, that makes me feel better because it's not just me that feels that way," Emma said with a laugh. "Was starting to worry I was losing it by saying that."
"No, he's…he's miserable, really. If he's around, I try to avoid him," Persephone said. "I don't know how my dad's friends with him. He said Jude used to be different, but then I dunno."
"I came into the picture," Emma said with a shrug. "That's what made him change."
"But you're –"
"Not his? I know, that's the rub of it all," Emma sighed. She cast Persephone a look and gave her a once-over. "Should I even be telling you any of this?"
"There's not much you haven't said that I don't know already, really," Persephone admitted, setting Figaro back down on the mattress. "So…you're here for the rest of the summer?"
"So it would seem, provided I even survive it," Emma said, not bothering to hide the bitter edge to her voice. "Right now, my goal is to get to next Friday because I'm allowed to go home for the weekend. I just have to spend this weekend with Jude – can't wait."
"Did you…did you want some help putting your things away, then? I can't imagine you'll want to live out of your trunk, even for only a few weeks."
"Yeah, sure," Emma said.
It was annoyingly faster to unpack her things than it was to pack them. Her blanket clashed horribly with the pale blue duvet, but Emma didn't care. It was a little piece of home, and she refused to sleep with anything else. They found a nice spot near the window for Figaro's bed so that she could lay out in the sun, and they set out a few of her toys to play with. Emma very carefully put Patches and Bee near her pillows and tucked them under the blanket like she would at home. It seemed stupid, but any sense of normalcy she could find she took.
"Where did you get this?" Persephone asked, pulling out the blanket made by Mrs. Weasley, and Emma cringed.
"Well…I'd say my boyfriend's mother," Emma said, wrinkling her nose, "but unfortunately, Papa's family tree is a lot more messed up than I thought. Not sure I should really pursue that one." Emma continued to put her clothes away in the closet and suddenly whirled around to stare hard at Persephone. "Did you know that I'm related to the Weasleys?"
"I only found out about a month ago," Persephone said, "back when Fenrir was…putting things together. Are you telling me that you and George finally became a thing?"
"If you can believe it, he asked me out in St. Mungo's," Emma sighed. "Although I'm trying to figure things out because it's not very clear…"
"What are you trying to figure out?"
"Am I really related to the Weasleys? Are you and I sixth or seventh cousins or whatever?"
Persephone frowned slightly before giving a small nod. She glanced over at the door and set the blanket down on the bed. "Fenrir thought you would've figured that out sooner, which is why you're not supposed to be here," she said, crossing her arms. She studied Emma's face for a moment. "But then again, it's not as though it's really obvious, is it? You haven't changed."
"No, it's really not obvious," Emma huffed, rubbing her hands down her face. "I wondered about that third potion Fenrir gave me, but it didn't make sense to me. Sirius never said that he went through the whole strange blood-adoption potion-making thing, just mentioned the paperwork."
"That's because he didn't," Persephone said slowly. "Not…exactly. A lot of it is ceremonial, so provided blood was taken in good faith…"
Emma stared blankly at Persephone, not understanding in the least. "What are you bloody talking about?"
"I don't know the specifics behind it; Fenrir does. But…if a test were to be run, there would theoretically be no trace of Jude in your genetics. Fenrir was using that as a fall back because he knew it was going to be difficult for you to go home otherwise."
"So you're telling me I'm officially a Black?"
"You're Remus and Sirius's daughter no matter what anyone tries to say. Well, as of a month ago, you are at least," Persephone said with a sheepish grin. "Which means, even though Sirius is considered a convicted felon, you have an entirely human parent…which means you should be home."
Emma opened and closed her mouth several times like a fish, trying to spit out the words she wanted to say. It was such a brilliant and idiotic plan, but it only would have worked if she had known. What was she meant to do with that information now? Jude had a solicitor, which meant it was going to be a complicated process regardless. How was she going to be able to turn things around again? Emma nearly let out a groan – she was going to need Fenrir's help whether she wanted it or not. She had to try and think of something else.
"I don't want to think about it right now," Emma muttered, turning back to putting her clothes away. "I think I should probably just get through the next few weeks then. In the meantime, might as well tell me about how your summer's been because mine's been shit."
There was a strong sense of familiarity even with the awkwardness between Emma and Persephone. It was that particular feeling that Emma chose to latch onto because she felt that she needed it. They had been friends for nearly their entire lives, and that wasn't something that could just go away. After being around two men for almost three weeks, it was nice to have a female presence again. Elara had opted to give their tiny family some uninterrupted time together, and Emma missed having a girl to talk to. Remus and Sirius were not the same.
Emma had been correct in her assumption that they were in Wales, but they were in the northern part. Sage wanted to live somewhere near the water, and they had apparently been looking for a while. They could walk down to the beach and go swimming if they wanted. Emma wasn't sure that she wanted to go swimming, but it was nice that the option was there. It was essential to Sage to find a large plot of land so that the kids could fly whenever they felt. Persephone's summer was a lot calmer than Emma's was, even with Elijah staying with them for the summer.
"I like it out here," Persephone finally said. "I liked the old house, but there's more to do here. There's no one around, so we're really free to do anything. Since you like flying now, maybe we should all go out one night. It's fun flying out over the water."
Sage was accommodating and brought up a potion for Emma's hair. The two girls experimented with the brew with near-disastrous outcomes. They laughed as they tried to find the correct dosage as it wasn't apparent, giggling endlessly over how long they kept making Emma's hair. Persephone would grab a pair of scissors and try to cut it to Emma's specifications only to realize that they were laughing too much. They would start the process all over again and try to fix the original mistakes. It tickled terribly each time they had to grow Emma's hair back out, but it was fun, and Emma needed to laugh after her day.
"We can knit a jumper with my hair," Emma said with a groan as she picked up a pile of her hair. "This is absolutely maddening."
"Can you imagine a jumper knit from hair, though? That sounds terrifying," Persephone said as she cut Emma's hair for the fourth time. "I think that we've finally got a good length this time."
Emma grinned at herself as she looked in the mirror. It was just a little shorter than Remus's hair, the longest part of her hair hitting just below her cheekbone. Just like when Sirius had cut it, the top was left long, and the sides were cut short, and Emma felt so much better with it. Sirius had done a great job with her hair, and she loved it, but Emma realized that they went a little too short. She parted her hair to the side, ruffling it to fluff it up, and felt extremely pleased with how it looked.
"You always did give me the best haircuts," Emma said with a yawn. "Thanks, Eff."
"You should probably have a kip until dinner," Persephone said. "One of the elves will come and wake you up when it's time. Just make sure you get changed as mum's decide dinner should be semi-formal since living here – bit annoying."
"Eff, I don't own any dresses anymore," Emma said with a frown. "Don't really have anything semi-formal or formal, for that matter."
"You never got dress robes in Diagon Alley?"
"No, didn't want to even try with my bites," Emma said.
Persephone pursed her lips and thought about it for a moment. "I'll see what I can find. I'm sure I have something that you can borrow. I'll let you rest and get settled in."
Emma managed to fall asleep in the middle of writing in her notebook to Remus. The bed was soft, and she felt as though she was sleeping on a cloud. When one of the house-elves came to wake her up, she didn't want to move. If it weren't for the elf's fingers prodding her to get up, Emma would have fallen back asleep.
"Miss Persephone said she hopes the dress will be to your satisfaction," the elf said, her wide dark brown eyes turning to the dress draped over one of the chairs. The moment Emma saw there were sleeves on it, she was relieved. Even better, Persephone had thought of everything, and a pair of shoes and tights were sitting out for her.
"Yes, it's perfect," Emma said.
"Miss Persephone also said you should have a wand holster to wear underneath the dress. Would Miss Emma like assistance in putting it on?"
Emma looked at the elf curiously. She knew how to put a wand holster on, though she never used one. It was easier for her to tuck her wand in cardigans or in her pocket. "I should be all right," Emma said with a frown.
"Miss Persephone said you would also say that and told me to inform Miss Emma that the wand holster goes on your thigh."
"Oh," Emma said in realization. That was a new one for her. "I, er…I should be all right, I think. What's your name again? I'm afraid you're a new elf that I've never met."
"My name is Mitzy," said the elf, bending her head low as she dipped into a curtsy. She bent so low her nose was nearly touching the ground.
"Right, Mitzy, if I need assistance, I'll call for you. Is that all right?"
"Mitzy is at Miss Emma's service," the elf said before vanishing with a crack.
"House-elves are strange," Emma muttered to herself as she pulled her notebook over to scratch out a quick apology to Remus. She had a feeling that he was worried, and she reached for her bracelet to touch the pawprint charm to get his attention. Emma had no doubt that he was watching the notebook, but she wanted to reassure him she was okay. It felt so wrong to have to go back to their old routine, but it would be fine. They had done worse, just like he said earlier that day.
"Just gotta fake being confident," Emma muttered to herself repeatedly as she got ready. The dress Persephone had given her was very pretty, even if it wasn't entirely what Emma had hoped for. Neither bite was entirely covered like she hoped, but the lace fabric concealed most of the scarring.
Emma didn't think that she would like to be in a dress again, but it looked nice on her; Persephone always seemed to find flattering outfits. The dark sapphire fabric worked well with her pale skin, and she was sure it would be even better with makeup.
Fully dressed and with her hair and makeup done, Emma inspected herself closely in the mirror. She loved not having to do much to make her hair look nice, but she wished that she had a ribbon to tie like a hairband. When she looked past the scars, she supposed she didn't look terrible at all.
Sirius had managed to teach her how to do her eyeliner so much crisper than Persephone did, and she was impressed. Emma still couldn't get over the fact that Sirius wore any sort of makeup while in school and did it very well. Remus had been overjoyed that someone could finally take over painting her nails. He would always help her paint her nails, which Emma appreciated, but she knew it gave him headaches afterward. Sirius was more than happy to take on the job.
She couldn't remember the last time that she felt even remotely girly. Emma wasn't sure that it would be possible with how she looked. For a moment, Emma considered grabbing her camera to take a photo of herself just to try and remind herself that she could feel pretty, but she didn't. Instead, she attempted to try and figure out how to attach the wand holster to her thigh.
When Emma was ready, she realized that she had a huge problem. She had no idea where they were having dinner.
"Mitzy?" Emma called out uncertainly as she stepped into the kitten heels that had been left for her. She nearly stumbled in alarm at the crack of the elf's arrival.
"Yes, Miss Emma?" Mitzy asked, looking at Emma with her large, round eyes.
"I don't know where we'll be eating," Emma said, straightening up. "Really, I don't know where anything is. Would you mind walking me to…wherever it is we need to go?"
"Mitzy will bring Miss Emma to where everyone is dining, yes!"
Just like Tonks, Mitzy could talk a lot. Mitzy made sure to tell Emma what everything was as they passed it, and Emma made sure to commit it to memory. Persephone's room was apparently just down the hall, and Caspian's was even further. Sage and Ellis's room was in a completely different part of the house, so the kids were entirely on their own. There were several studies and a massive library Emma hoped to go into. Even better – there was a potion's lab, and that brought Emma even greater joy. Perhaps she would wander outside her room to investigate during her time at the Moon's.
Emma was too busy watching the elf to pay much attention when they finally made it to the dining room.
"If Miss Emma needs anything else, please let Mitzy know," Mitzy said with her overdramatic curtsy.
"Odd little thing," Emma muttered under her breath as the elf disappeared, and she shook her head. The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end, and her eyes shot up towards the table to see who was there. Her stomach dropped as she locked eyes with Fenrir, who arched an unamused eyebrow at her in response. Emma dragged her eyes away from Fenrir, frowning as she took a look at the other occupants of the circular table. It seemed fine until she spotted Jude sitting next to Ellis. Even worse, the only seat open was conveniently between Fenrir and Jude.
"My God, I have dressed for my bloody funeral," Emma muttered, fully aware that Fenrir heard her loud and clear based off of the annoyed look he shot her. Fenrir turned his attention to Jude, but Jude refused to look in his direction and kept his attention focused on his glass of wine.
Persephone whipped around in her chair to look at Emma with wide eyes and turned back to look at Sage in alarm. Sage looked utterly mortified. Ellis didn't seem to care either way. Caspian looked nervous, and Elijah was just as lost as earlier in the day. No one was saying a word, and it was easily the most uncomfortable situation Emma had walked into. Still, Emma felt that she could handle the situation – she was a Lupin and a Black.
Emma straightened up, squaring her shoulders and plastering on a tight smile. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon, Fenrir," Emma said, making a slow walk towards the table.
"I could say the same," he growled out. Before Emma made it over to the table to take her seat, Fenrir was on his feet. He stood behind his chair and gestured for Emma to sit, and she cast him a funny look. His eyebrow quirked slightly, and Emma was less than amused to receive that look from Fenrir again. They were clearly equally as unamused to see the other and for different reasons.
Rather than argue, Emma took Fenrir's chair, trying to ignore how her face heated up in embarrassment as he pushed it in for her. Emma refused to turn her head in Fenrir's direction, very aware of when he sat back down. She glanced up to her left to look at Sage to give her a small smile but didn't dare look elsewhere.
"You know, I'm disappointed in you, Jude," Fenrir said, breaking up the silence as he got himself situated. "When a woman enters the room, you should stand and assist them in sitting down. I would think with your upbringing, you should remember that it's a sign of respect."
"Oh, I thought it was your thieving pet dog," Jude said, drawing a deep, guttural growl from Fenrir.
Tears filled Emma's eyes, and she bit her lip hard to keep herself from crying. She had cried enough earlier that day, and Jude wasn't worth it.
"Jude, don't you dare do this tonight," Sage said sharply, reaching out to grab Emma's hand to give it a sympathetic squeeze. "You have done enough."
"I clearly haven't done enough because she's still here, isn't she?"
"You do not want to be playing this game with me here, Judas," Fenrir snarled, leaning in Jude's direction.
"Fenrir, please," Sage said, sounding exhausted. "Do what you will with Jude later, but please – it's Emma's first night here. Don't do this in front of the children. Jude, you said you would come into this with an open mind, and Fenrir, you know better. Now is not the time." Sage cleared her throat and looked at Caspian, Elijah, and Persephone, who looked terrified. "Persephone, please switch seats with your brother so you can sit across from Emma."
Fenrir straightened up in his chair, turning himself slightly towards Sage. "My apologies," Fenrir growled, reaching into the breast pocket of his jacket to pull out a handkerchief which he held out for Emma to take. "Ellis, I think you need to teach your boyfriend some manners. He's severely lacking since his overextended holiday in Saint Mungo's."
"Fenrir!" Sage said again.
"I'll stop…for now," Fenrir said, lifting his hands in surrender. He dropped his arm around Emma's shoulders to pull her a little closer. "We're talking after dinner," he whispered to her before dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "You look very lovely tonight, by the way." He straightened up and gestured in Sage's direction to move along.
Emma looked across the table at Persephone, lifting her brows slightly. Persephone returned Emma's look with an eyebrow raise of her own. Even though they hadn't had a silent conversation with each other in months, they still knew what the other was trying to say. Emma's lips twitched slightly as Persephone poked Emma's leg with her foot from across the table as a silent apology.
If dinner wasn't awkward before, it slowly became stranger and stranger. After spending nearly two weeks with Fenrir, she wound up forgetting that he wasn't just a werewolf. She felt a slight pang of guilt as the very thought crossed her mind, but Fenrir made it easy to forget. Fenrir frequently let his wolfish side sit close to the surface. Half the time, Emma could only see the wolf. The fact she was sitting next to him, and he acted every part the perfect gentleman was disturbing. It felt wrong to even witness, and it made her question Fenrir's blood status more and more. Was the way he acted a correlation to his upbringing, or was he just that good at pretending?
She thought that she would fall through the floor the moment food appeared on the table and it was a steak dinner. Emma felt like she was in a nightmare because she didn't want to admit that she needed it like Fenrir's. She looked up at Persephone to silently ask what she was supposed to do, but Fenrir was quick. Fenrir brought it up to Sage with an incredible amount of poise, his voice practically dripping with charm. Emma was already beyond humiliated. When Fenrir said he would take Emma's plate and just to remember for next time, Emma wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Just when Emma thought it couldn't get worse, Fenrir very carefully cut his steak into bite sizes pieces and then passed his plate to Emma.
"I bet you didn't care about that bit of knowledge, did you, Jude? That there's a specific way that a werewolf needs their food?" Fenrir asked as he put his plate down in front of a very red-faced Emma. Emma could only manage a very weak and mumbled thanks to Fenrir. "You must be the stupidest man alive to think you would even know what you're doing. Remember, what you do to her will be done to you…" It was a threat that hung heavily in the air, and luckily it shut Jude up.
When everyone could finally start eating, Emma finally started to relax. It was much easier for her to listen to everyone talking, but Emma was very focused on Fenrir's apparent manners. She kept casting curious looks over at Persephone, who seemed to respond as though Fenrir's behavior was semi-normal.
"You know, it's very rude to be having silent conversations with other guests present at the table," Fenrir said, calling Persephone and Emma out. "Emma, I would think your father would teach you that."
The emphasis on father was unexpected, and it took Emma a moment to realize that he was referring to Sirius. She had been so used to Fenrir referring to Sirius as "the dog" that it often felt like Fenrir forgot who Sirius was.
"He, uhm…he did," Emma said slowly. It wasn't entirely a lie, but Sirius also didn't care too much. When they had all finally settled into their routine, and Sirius grasped the concept of utensils again, his upbringing had been very evident. It was precisely why Emma had been casting so many curious glances in Fenrir's direction.
"Do you care to share with the rest of the table?"
"Not really," Emma muttered, grateful that there was always some form of alcohol when she had dinner with the Moon's. She tried to ignore the way Fenrir's eyes followed her hand and then looked at her, with an air of annoyance that felt entirely too Remus-like. Emma decided that "the look" Remus gave her was a werewolf trait because Fenrir was definitely giving it to her. The unamused hum he gave made it worse. Emma knew that Fenrir could easily find out what she was thinking, so she didn't understand why he was so insistent. "All right, fine, I was wondering what your blood status is – happy?"
"Ah," he said, finally pulling his gaze from her. "Well, you should know that already, yes?"
"You know what I mean, Fenrir," Emma huffed out, very slowly putting her glass back down. "It didn't occur to me to ever ask."
"What do you think?"
Emma huffed again in annoyance. As she went to shoot him an aggravated look, Emma realized he was watching her from the corner of his eye. Oh.
"Well, you're certainly not Muggle-born," Emma finally said when she understood. She could handle playing a little game with Fenrir at Jude's expense. "I confess that I've found it fascinating as I don't recall ever having a shared meal around you before. Your manners are impeccable. Not sure I can say the same about others, though."
Jude made a choking noise from the other side of Fenrir, and Fenrir didn't bother hiding his smile of amusement. Emma looked over in their direction, plastering on a look of concern.
"Are you all right, Jude?" Emma asked, putting on the sweetest voice she could manage. "If you're choking, perhaps Fenrir could assist you with that…or not. Although I'd really prefer that he didn't."
Jude leaned forward to look past Fenrir, and Emma gave Jude an innocent smile. Fenrir seemed happier than Emma had ever seen him before in her life. Her stomach simultaneously sank and did a flip when he looked at her proudly. That certainly didn't help make it easy for her to try and separate her feelings. At least she would have time to figure that out while at Hogwarts.
"No, I'm not a Muggle-born," Fenrir said when everyone finally returned to their meals. "Pure-blood. But, if memory serves me correct, you should have known that already."
Fenrir wasn't entirely wrong. He had said it before in her presence, granted she was only around two years old at the time. How the memory came to be was no longer part of the equation, she knew Fenrir didn't say what he didn't mean, even if he did twist it.
"Yes, you're correct, my mistake. I apologize," Emma said, making sure to remember that piece of information.
"Apology accepted," Fenrir said. "I'm sure that you've had…a lot on your mind."
That was the biggest understatement of the year.
Emma didn't mind listening to the conversation as long as she didn't have to participate in it. She wasn't in the mood for talking, so the moment the conversation turned to Hogwarts, Emma knew she was in trouble.
"And what about you, Emma?" Sage asked politely. "Are you excited to be heading back to school?"
"Bit bittersweet, isn't it?" Emma finally managed. "I think I can safely say it's not going to be Hogwarts without Dad. I tried to convince him to let me stay home, but…"
"And how exactly did it come out that he was a werewolf?" Fenrir asked to Emma's surprise. "I think we all know he did everything he could to hide it."
Emma had absolutely no hesitation. "Severus Snape, the Potion's professor, was apparently very aggravated about Papa escaping the Dementors with some…very needed assistance. There was an incident that needed to be taken care of, and Dad thought I was in danger, so he didn't take the Wolfsbane Potion that night. I blamed myself for that for a while, but Snape made the potion and didn't bring it with him."
"And what exactly was the incident?"
Emma had to force herself to look at Fenrir to figure out where he was going with the conversation. He gave her the same look as before, which was curious until Emma remembered one crucial fact. She had forgotten that Peter was a Death Eater…did that mean he could potentially be lurking around the premises as well?
"Well, namely the actual murder of Peter Pettigrew, but that clearly wasn't successful – the rat," Emma said, drawing simultaneous reactions from Ellis and Jude. Emma felt a little guilty at the look of horror on Sage's face, but she wasn't going to stop. "Would've been fitting for Papa to finally act on the murder he was framed for, but the rat got away." There was silence, and Emma suddenly couldn't deal with it. "Either way, I'm not too happy about going back without Dad. It's not going to be the same, and after our previous professors, I'm afraid we'll have a terrible one again."
"It's not saying much if he was a good professor," Jude said with a snort.
"I'm sorry, do you honestly think you could do better?" Emma snapped. "You would be the same quality as Lockhart – a complete sham."
"Is that so?"
"Oh, please. Your act at Saint Mungo's wasn't even that good with how many times you slipped up whenever I was around," Emma scoffed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, of course, you don't," Emma drawled. "How bloody convenient."
"There was nothing convenient about it. No sane person would want to spend all of their time in the hospital."
"That's the thing, though, you're not very sane, are you?" Emma spat. "It's very suspect that you've had a complete miracle and were perfectly all right after twelve years only when I wasn't with Dad. Excellent timing there, don't you think?"
"It's just how it worked out," Jude shrugged.
Emma was about to say something else, but Fenrir put a hand on her shoulder, and she calmed slightly. She didn't realize that she was shaking, and when Fenrir pushed her back in her chair, she went. Jude infuriated her, and she despised the way he talked to her as if she was stupid.
"Sorry," Emma said to Sage. "I don't like when people talk badly about Dad when he doesn't deserve it, and especially when he's not around to defend himself."
"That's perfectly understandable, love," Sage said. "Well, before we got sidetracked…I admit I've forgotten what electives you're taking."
"Oh, er, Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes," Emma said.
"You're not taking Divination this year?" Persephone asked, looking crestfallen.
"Uhm, no," Emma said, reaching for her wine again. Did the glass refill itself? She certainly hoped so, but she wasn't sure if her buzz was from the alcohol or adrenaline. "Dad signed the paperwork for me so that I wouldn't have to take it this year."
"I'm surprised that you would drop a class, especially Divination," Fenrir mused.
"Oh, please, don't you start to tell me that I should have kept with it," Emma said, looking at Fenrir over her glass. "Besides, you seem like someone who would be more interested in Arithmancy."
"Divination has its purposes," Fenrir shrugged. "Both subjects are useful. For Divination, you can focus on selenomancy and lunomancy. They're both important."
"Ah," Emma said slowly. "So you're not only a zealot, but you're also superstitious."
One side of Fenrir's lips quirked into a smile. "It's not superstition when it's accurate."
"Divination is one of the most inaccurate forms of magic," Emma argued. "There is nothing logical about it, and it's open to too much interpretation. Have you considered the fact that it's only accurate because you want it to be?"
"Merlin, you are your father. You're aware of how much magic is ruled by the moon, yes?" Fenrir said, pulling the glass of wine out of Emma's hand and putting it where she couldn't reach it. "You've had enough to drink tonight – don't even dare think of taking mine," he added sharply when Emma eyed Fenrir's glass of wine since it was in reach. "The point is, every branch of magic has its purpose, whether or not you feel it is useful or not."
"But it's inaccurate!"
"Only if you don't know how to apply the concepts correctly," Fenrir said pointedly. "I suggest having it added back to your schedule when you return. Unless, of course, you're lazy and feel like you need to have a break."
"I'm not lazy," Emma said.
"Then prove it."
"I think Fenrir's got you there, mate," Persephone said, hiding her smirk behind her glass of wine. "Guess you're taking Divination after all."
The rest of the dinner went as peacefully as it possibly could. Jude didn't make any more comments, Emma could mostly sit back and listen, and Fenrir was still oddly polite. Emma was filled with glee when it was time for pudding, and they were presented with a dark chocolate torte. Her excitement only grew when Fenrir gave her his slice, and she didn't bother hiding her smile, though she hated his smile in return.
Emma had to resist the urge to lean on Fenrir as dinner started to come to an end. She was tired, and her energy was quickly crashing. Her nap had been helpful, but she didn't expect how tense dinner would wind up being. She nearly cheered when Caspian finally yawned, with Elijah very quickly following suit. Sage sighed and suggested a nightcap to end the night.
"Not tonight, Sage," Fenrir said. "Emma and I have to have a little talk, so if you don't mind…"
Sage looked between Emma and Fenrir, looking slightly nervous.
Emma gave a small shrug. "It's fine," she said. "Uhm, dinner was wonderful, thank you."
"Of-of course," Sage said, still looking unsure.
Fenrir stood and held his hand out for Emma to take. For a moment, she felt as though she was walking into certain doom, but as she looked up and saw Jude's sneering face, there was only one safe option. Unfortunately, that safe option was Fenrir.
Emma stared at Fenrir's hand for a moment longer before reluctantly placing her hand in his. It was possibly one of the best moves she ever could have done.
a/n: Excuse me as I incite chaos.
Also, money converting is stupid in the wizarding world and I still can't get a good grasp on it. I use the same conversion sites, but it just seems WRONG. Excuse me as I make the money situation up as I go along, but I think for three and a half years of Emma's care that's a fair amount. I THINK.
As usual - to all of my lovely late night readers, PLEASE go to bed! I love you and goodnight!
Lucasjan - Jude's definitely at the top of my list, I think. Umbridge might be tied. Fenrir's somewhere in the middle...for now.
ShardAura - Jude is the literal definition of trash, I'm not going to lie. I'm so sorry that Jude is a reminder of a less than savory individual. I realized earlier that I projected certain people into Jude (and even with Fenrir), so it's not fun. UMBRIDGE THOUGH...ugh. She wrote herself!