"Emily."
Emily looked up. Her tears had dripped down her face and onto her knees. Emily wiped her eyes and looked up at Sirius. He had a frown on his face.
"Grandpa Sirius, I'm such a horrible person," Emily began.
"Emily, you have got to understand that your father loves you, but he's moved on, for the first time since your mother's death," Sirius said, kneeling down so he could look Emily in the eye.
"I can't hold in my anger. I was so mad at him for marrying Gina, but I didn't want to believe it, and now the twins are born and it's true. I didn't just dream it up," Emily replied.
"You are so much like your father," Sirius said, smiling.
"He hates me now doesn't he?" Emily asked.
"No, Emily, Harry would never hate you," Sirius reassured her.
"But, why did he stop talking about Mommy and ever since she died, Daddy never said anything about the baby boy. The only way I remembered was from a picture I found," Emily said.
"Emily, you don't know how hard it was for your father to lose his wife and son who wasn't born yet on the same day. He was left with a little girl to raise, a job to do, bills to pay, and a pain in his heart. Harry blamed himself for your mother's death. But that just made him more determined to protect you," Sirius said.
"Then why do I still feel so angry?" Emily asked.
"I don't know Emily. But forgive your father. He's always done what he's thought would be best for you. And he loves you. When he walked back in that room, you could see the pain in his eyes," Sirius explained.
"I've always caused him pain, I should never have been born," Emily said.
"Emily…"Sirius began.
"No! You know it! Last year I hurt Daddy worse then I've ever hurt him. It's because I'm selfish and full of anger! Why am I like this?" Emily asked.
"I don't know. Come on Emily, come see the twins," Sirius said.
"I've already seen the twins and they were sleeping," Emily replied.
"They are awake now," Sirius said, standing up and putting out his hand. Emily took it reluctantly and walked with Sirius to the hospital room.
Emily stood quietly by the bed while Gina bottle-fed Brent and Harry rocked Cora back to sleep. Emily looked at the sleepy baby girl in her father's arms. Her eyes matched Harry and Emily's eyes. Emily turned to stare at Brent. He had Gina's blue eyes.
"Would you like to hold your sister?" Harry asked.
Emily nodded and Harry put Cora in her arms. Cora snuggled up to Emily and closed her tired eyes as Emily rocked her back and forth.
"I think she likes you, Emily," Harry said.
Emily smiled at her little sister, but her thoughts turned back to her unborn brother. He would be about seven now. Emily wondered if she would enjoy his company as much as she was enjoying holding Cora Elizabeth Potter in her arms.
***
"Don't they ever stop crying?" Josh asked after the Potter twins had been home for a week.
"When they sleep," Emily shouted.
"Aaron, turn the TV down," Gina said, holding Cora in her arms and feeding her a bottle. Cora stopped crying and closed her eyes happily.
"But I can't hear anything," Aaron complained.
"Cora will be going to sleep after I feed her this bottle, and she most likely won't wake until we all get back from Diagon Alley," Gina replied.
"Do the twins have to come?" Josh asked.
"Yes, Harry are you feeding Brent?" Gina wondered.
"Yes," Harry said, coming into the living room, holding a black haired baby boy in his arms. Harry sat down next to Gina on the couch and turned to watch the show Aaron was watching on TV.
"Are you sure you don't want me to watch the twins today?" Mrs. Granger asked from the kitchen.
"They haven't been out of the house since we brought them home," Harry said.
Emily looked at her father. He was so happy holding Brent Harold. Emily wondered if that's how he looked when he held her when she was a baby. Or maybe that's how he would have looked if his son had been born. Just then the doorbell rang. Cora began crying again.
"Emily, will you get the door?" Harry asked.
"Oh, fine," Emily sighed rushing towards the front door.
"Hey, Emily," Andrew said as Emily threw open the front door.
"We finally got some peace and quiet and you woke up the twins, who are now crying," Emily replied.
"Sorry. Well anyways, Dad wanted to know if you needed anything at Diagon Alley, since the twins are keeping your parents tied up," Andrew replied.
"Well first off, they are keeping my Dad, Grandma, and Gina tied up, not my parents. But we're heading to Diagon Alley once the twins have been fed," Emily said.
"Oh, well I'll see you there then. Are you nicer this year yet?" Andrew asked as he turned to leave.
"Very funny Andrew," Emily replied.
"Hey, last year you were awful, and you totally made Parker have second feelings about liking you," Andrew replied.
"Why is it always about who likes who?" Emily wondered.
"How should I know? I'm just the one Parker seems to tell everything to," Andrew said, shrugging.
"See you in Diagon Alley," Emily said, starting to shut the door.
"Ok," Andrew said and headed down the sidewalk towards his home.
"Emily, who was that?" Harry asked, once Emily returned to the living room.
"Andrew wanted to know if they should pick anything up in Diagon Alley while they go today, since the twins are keeping you guys busy," Emily replied.
"Oh, well that was nice of him," Gina said putting Cora's bottle on the coffee table.
"You guys ready?" Harry asked, as Mrs. Granger pulled out a baby carriage from the closet. Aaron nodded, turning off the TV.
"All right, Aaron I want you to go through with the twins. Be careful with them," Gina said, putting the babies in the stroller and tucking blankets in around them.
"Ok," Aaron said, throwing floo powder on the fire.
"Bye Grandma," Emily said, as she stepped into the fire and disappeared.
"Ah, the whole Potter family, can I get you anything before you head into Diagon Alley?" Tom the bartender asked.
"No thanks," Emily said, following Aaron to the archway.
Gina began to push the carriage. Harry took Aaron and Josh to Gringott's. Emily waited on a bench near Gringott's with Gina. Gina was fussing over the babies. Emily slumped back, wishing her father would hurry up.
"Emily!" a female voice yelled from down the street. Emily looked up and saw Rosie Black running towards her, a tall man with black hair following her quickly. Emily jumped up off the bench and ran to meet her friend.
"Emily, what have you been doing this summer? Dad and I went to the States, and we went to Grandpa's house for supper last night. Remus Lupin is pretty strange, but I love them both!" Rosie said.
"Well, Gina had the twins," Emily said, pointing towards the carriage.
"Oh, let me look," Rosie said, walking towards the stroller. Emily followed. Rosie leaned over to look at the twins.
"They are so cute, what are their names?" Rosie asked.
"Oh, this is Brent Harold, and Cora Elizabeth," Gina said, looking up from the twins.
"Such cute names, oh Emily, Mrs. Potter, this is my Dad, Bob Black," Rosie said.
"So this is Emily. Rosie tells me all about you, and Sirius and Remus speak fondly of you," Bob said.
"Sirius and Remus have been friends of the family since my Dad's parents went to school," Emily replied.
"Yes, my Dad told me about that," Bob said.
"Emily, here's your Money, don't go wild with it," Harry said, coming down the stone steps of Gringott's bank.
"Thanks Daddy, this is Mr. Black, Rosie's Dad," Emily said, taking the money from Harry.
Harry shook Bob's hand and began to get into a long boring conversation with him.
"Come on let's go with Josh and Aaron," Emily said, running to catch up with her stepbrothers.
"So how is Aaron and Penny's relationship doing?" Rosie asked.
"They write all the time, and I have a feeling Penny will be here today. She's not grounded anymore, and can you believe it, her Dad is now the Minister of Magic!" Emily replied.
"Well, Penny didn't ruin her father's chances then," Rosie said as they caught up to Emily's stepbrothers.
"We're going into the Quidditch shop, then Weasley Wizard Wheezes," Aaron said.
"We'll come with you," Emily said, following them into the Quidditch shop.
"Emily, I hate Quidditch," Rosie said. "It's so brutal."
"You're a Black, I heard all Black's like Quidditch," Josh said.
"Well my father played on his school team, and I don't know about my Grandpa, but he does like Quidditch, but not me, I'm the only girl in my family and I hate Quidditch," Rosie replied.
"Emily, are you going to try out for the school team this year, we need a seeker and a chaser?" Aaron asked.
"Aaron's the new appointed captain," Emily whispered.
"Oh, Penny will be proud," Rosie giggled. Aaron glared at her. Josh chuckled, but ducked before his brother could punch him.
"Emily, I didn't think you liked Quidditch enough to come into this store," Parker said from behind Emily.
"Hey Parker, haven't seen you all summer," Emily said, turning around.
"We'll you guys have been busy with the twins," Parker shrugged.
"Yeah, the twins," Josh said dully.
"Josh doesn't like the twins," Emily said.
"Don't let Mom or Harry hear you say that," Aaron said, looking at a new model of racing brooms.
"ThunderStar 36, looks really expensive, see, price on request," Emily said, reading the sign.
"This would be a great broom for being a Keeper," Aaron said, looking hungrily at the broom. Emily rolled her eyes.
"I need to get some robes," Emily said.
"And I need to go meet Penny," Aaron said looking at his wristwatch.
"Told you," Emily whispered to Rosie.
"How can you like my cousin?" Parker asked, getting a disgusted look on his face.
"That's exactly what I asked him," Josh said grinning.
Aaron glared at his brother and pushed him onto the ground as he walked out of the shop. Josh rubbed his sore elbow as he stood up.
"He's a sore sport," Josh said, and headed out of the shop as well.
"Are you going to try out for the Quidditch Team this year?" Parker asked as he, Rosie, and Emily headed over to Madam Malkins Robes for all Occasions.
"I don't know, Quidditch has never been my favorite, but who knows, maybe I'll be as good as my Dad," Emily said shrugging. Parker rolled his eyes.
"Emily! Rosie!" Kelly yelled, running out of the bookstore towards her friends.
"Kelly!" Rosie said, smiling at her friend.
"I was afraid I wouldn't see you until school started, I didn't know how to get in touch with any of you. I don't have an owl, and I can't use that fire place talking thing you guys use, so I had to be lonely all summer," Kelly said.
"Sorry I didn't write to you, I didn't keep in touch with anyone this summer," Emily replied.
"Me either," Rosie said.
"That's ok, you guys want some ice cream?" Kelly asked.
"Sure," Parker said, patting his growling stomach.
"I wasn't asking you," Kelly said.
"Well then I'll invite myself," Parker said.
Rosie giggled and began to gossip with Kelly like she always did.
"Why don't you gossip with them?" Parker asked.
"Because gossiping is stupid. And all they talk about together is guys, and that's dumb to talk about," Emily said.
"Oh," Parker said, looking slightly disappointed.
"There you guys are, I've been looking for you forever. You're Dad said you kind of just left," Andrew said, grabbing his side and trying to catch his breath.
"Oh, well Dad always talks about boring stuff," Emily said, sitting down at a table with Kelly and Rosie. Andrew and Parker joined them, looking at the ice cream menu.
Rosie and Kelly began whispering to each other, then every now and then they would let out a few giggles. Emily rolled her eyes and ate her ice cream sundae quietly. Parker was whispering sometime to Andrew.
"Oh my Gosh Parker, you act worse then they do," Andrew said, pointing to Kelly and Rosie.
"I was just wondering," Parker said blushing.
"Give it a rest, you have no chance with her," Andrew said.
Parker blushed even harder and muttered something about finding his sister's. He stood up quickly and left the table. Rosie and Kelly stopped whispering and looked after him.
"What was that all about?" Kelly asked.
"You guys should know," Andrew said, taking a bite of his ice cream sundae.
"Oh, is it about how he still likes Emily?" Rosie asked.
"What else would it be about?" Andrew questioned.
"You know guys, I'm still sitting right here," Emily said.
"Oh we know Emily, and you already know that Parker likes you, right?" Kelly asked. Emily nodded.
"There you are," Harry said behind Emily.
"Hi Dad," Emily said turning around to find her father standing with Ron and Bob.
"I see you still need to do your shopping, so does Josh, so come on," Harry said. Josh was waiting on the bottom of the store's steps, looking angry.
"Ok, what's wrong with him?" Emily asked.
"Oh, he's just angry because Gina found him about to kiss some girl," Harry replied.
"What is it with people these days?" Emily said rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
Harry chuckled. Ron smiled, thinking of his son and how he always talked about Emily.
"Emily, let's go," Harry said.
"Bye guys," Emily said, standing up and pushing her chair in.
"Bye Emily! See you on the train!" Kelly said waving. Emily smiled and waved back.
Harry and Emily set off with Ron, while Bob headed back to the Leaky Cauldron with Rosie. Josh was walking behind, stamping his feet angrily. They found Parker in Flourish and Blotts, trying to drag his sister's away from some children's books.
"Daddy!" Allison yelled, running into her father's arms.
"Daddy, Parker won't let me get this book," Hailey said glumly holding up a book about Magic Maladies.
"I don't think you'll enjoy it sweetie," Ron said, holding Allison in one arm and putting the book back on the shelf.
"But I want to read it!" Hailey persisted.
"Mommy has plenty of books like this at home you can read," Ron said, handing Parker some money so he could buy his books.
"Is this how the twins will act?" Josh asked.
"Probably sometimes," Harry replied.
"Great," Josh said, walking over to a bookshelf.
Emily wandered through the store, pulling out her books for school and stopping every now and then to grab a book to read for fun. She brought the books to her father, dropping about twenty books on the floor as she went to tap her father on the back.
"Emily, you can't get all these books," Harry said, looking down at the pile of books on the floor.
"How come Emily can get all these books and I can't get one?" Hailey demanded.
"Because Emily is special and you aren't," Allison said.
"Daddy!" Hailey yelled.
"Where is your mother?" Ron asked, setting Allison down on the ground but then scooping her back up in his arms as Hailey attempted to pull her hair.
"She's trying to kill me!" Allison yelled.
Emily began to laugh. Hailey turned and glared at her. Emily fell to the floor laughing. Josh and Parker came running up to them, looking around at the pile of books on the floor, the angry Hailey, the crying Allison, and Emily laughing on the floor.
"What's going on, Harry?" Josh asked.
"Must be a girl thing," Harry said, an amused look in his eyes.
"And you get to deal with another girl. Just wait till the twins are Allison's age!" Parker said to Josh.
"Oh joy," Josh said sarcastically.
"Emily, put these books away, we better finish shopping before your Grandma has dinner ready for us," Harry said.
Emily stood up, gathered up her books, put some back on the shelves and paid for them. She followed Harry and Josh out of the bookstore and finished her shopping. They passed Aaron walking hand in hand with Penny, who was smiling brightly.
"How come he can have a girl friend, and I get in trouble for kissing a girl?" Josh demanded.
"Because Aaron is older and more responsible," Gina said, coming up behind Josh, pushing the baby carriage.
Josh turned around and glared at his Mom. Emily laughed and turned to look at the twins. Cora was yawning and just waking up. She let out a sigh and began to wail.
"Harry, are you guys done shopping, the twins need to eat again, and it's almost supper time," Gina said.
"Come on, let's go, Aaron!" Harry yelled. Aaron kissed Penny on the cheek and followed his family into the Leaky Cauldron.
Emily was the last one to go through the fireplace. She was about to step in when a cloaked figure caught her eye. Emily stared, but then it disappeared. She shook her head confusedly and stepped into the fireplace.
A/N: Well here's the next chapter. What do you think of it? I thought this chapter was kind of slow and probably a bit boring, but I promise you the story will get much better as it moves along. Please leave a review to tell me what you think! Sorry it took me so long to update. I moved to a new house and my Dad took a whole month to set up the computer!!! But I'm back ,and I'll try to update all my stuff soon!!!!