Child of Darkness, Child of Light
By: Fyre Fairie Rated R (For mature content and violence) Summary: Harry finds out he has been lied to all his life. After GOF he travels to lands forgotten until he is ready to face the friends he abandoned, the love he will encounter, and the evil he must conquer. Just now when he has finally found his family will they all survive the war?
Chapter 5: Worthy of Happiness?
"Hello Emerald it's certainly nice to see you." The shorter woman replied sharply and Emma just glanced her way not even bothering to get up showing the woman that she was a mere insignificant and she had no time for her, which only seemed to anger the shorter woman further.
"I wish I could say the same but alas I'd rather not deal with you and that over grown bully, Desdemona."
"Yes it's nice to know how welcomed I am but we have other matters to discuss like our deal." She snarled very much like a large cat would.
Pretending to be uninterested and clueless to what Desdemona was referring to she shrugged. "What deal may this be?"
"You are still bound to me by contract girl, we had a deal your time is not served yet!" the older woman shrieked and glared at her ignoring everyone else in the room.
"I might have said we had a deal but I wasn't informed that torture would be a part of it and even if I had we never shook on it so there never was a deal. If you think that you were using me so easily then you have another thing coming dear grandmother. You have no claim on me, I'm of age so you might as well leave."
Desdemona looked around the room for some easy target to taunt Emerald with and lay her gray/silver gaze on Sirius' chocolate brown eyes. Grinning like a cat that spotted its prey she sauntered over.
Sirius shivered for a moment seeing the malevolence in her eyes and squirmed in his seat but other than that remained perfectly still and managed to glare at her with all his might.
"So this is that convict of a godfather of yours?" she asked getting ready to make another taunt and raised her hand to run a finger down his tanned cheek. But before she was able to make contact Emerald's thin but efficiently strong hand shot out to grip her wrist painfully.
With her eye's smoldering fire, Emma concentrated on twisting her grandmother's arm slowly and adding pressure to it making the bones crunch and crack resulting in the other woman's wincing.
"My, my, protective of him aren't we?" she gasped out despite her nearly kneeling position by her granddaughter.
"Yes, well anything you touch with your filthy hands goes rotten and I don't want you dirtying him like you did so many others." Emerald exclaimed through clenched teeth and twisted a little harder causing Desdemona to get on her knees and look up to her in order to keep from breaking her arm.
"Like I dirtied you?" she asked and grinned derisively resulting in Sirius baring his teeth like a dog and nearly growling. "Or like I dirtied your father?" she spoke in a disgustingly sweet voice which was the last draw for Emma and with a swift flick of her arm she brought the other woman's forearm on her knee and snapped it in half.
Everyone jumped from their seats when hearing the sickening 'pop' of breaking bones and covered their ears from the smaller woman's painful howls but no one dared interfering, Emma's power was evident and it was clear that if you stepped in your entrails would most likely be splattered on the walls for weeks.
"I warned you to leave while you could and now see what you made me do." Emma made her statement sound amazingly like she was admonishing a three year old and for a moment there both Remus and Sirius were frightened of her. Not because they were afraid she might hurt them, they knew full on it was an absurd thought but instead because they didn't know her as well as they thought they did. Clearly their Harry had changed much when threatened.
"What afraid to face the truth? If you don't believe me why don't you ask him yourself?" she asked glancing at a spot behind Emma where obsidian eyes met her silver ones in shock. That earned her a backhanded punch to her cheek and almost fell over as her stumbled and spit blood out of her mouth.
"Last time I checked I don't possess the gift of necromancy." Emerald yanked her up by her long red hair back to a kneeling position but the older woman never relented but instead smiled again.
"You don't need to possess the gift if he's alive, why do you think your precious 'papa' never talks of your father? Did you know that Isis Le Fey, Morgana's great great granddaughter married Coudrick Gryffindor? Yes she did and you already knew that James belonged to Gryffindor royalty, for your mother to have a child with him would have been incest and neither wanted that. You're a bastard child and the whole kingdom whispers of the man whose family was exiled from our country then to later conceive with the Slytherin Princess. Do you know who he." but before she had gotten any farther Emerald frantically brought up her knee and slammed the older woman's head into it making Desdemona fall back to the floor moaning and groaning.
"Stop lying!" Emma screamed dazedly once again over come by the feeling of bewilderment and total confusion. "You can't brainwash me and tell me fibs expecting me to believe your sorry hide that easily!" She had her finger pointed at her and breathed raggedly striving to regain her composure.
"Perhaps not but didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to point at people."
SLAM! Emerald's foot collided hard with Desdemona's ribs and the other woman gasped and coughed violently while her granddaughter continued yelling at her and still nobody in the office moved to stop her.
"You bitch! You're talking about your own daughter don't you have any respect for the dead?! I'm warning you right now you so much as speak of my parents again and I will kill you on the spot!"
Leaning on her healthy arm Desa spit some more blood out and one of her teeth. Panting and trying to regain her breath her grandmother bowed her head getting up and leaned on her uninjured arm while still on her knees, her other arm dangling by mere skin and swinging back and forth in a disgraceful way.
After calming down under Remus' restraining arm Emerald couldn't help but finally taunt Desdemona herself a little. Maybe it would be good to give her a taste of her own medicine.
"So you finally decide to bow to me Desa? Good choice you wouldn't want me as an enemy." Out of the corner of her eye Emerald spotted Kamian walking over to her from his mistress where he healed several of her more serious injuries, slowly most likely trying to catch her by surprise. When he was a little more than an arm length's away from him she flicked out her arm toward his neck and formed it into a fist letting the blades pop right though the flesh between her knuckles.
"Oh no you don't Kamian. Unless you want another set of scars I'd be happy to oblige but neither of you are welcome on this land," a mischievous glint shone in her eyes as she slowly released her grandmothers arm. "Unless that is you have come to fight me." She offered and by the malevolent look Desa gave her from her position on the floor meant the woman had taken up the challenge.
"If it is a fight you want it is a fight you get. Lets make a deal then. No magic involved, we fight in liger form. If I win you come back with me and serve until I am ready to release you, if you win I shall leave and never bother you again. Do we have a deal?" she asked still kneeling before the taller woman.
Emerald considered her options and nodded. Liger form, which her grandmother wanted to fight in, was a transformation into a feline that was a mix between a lion and a tiger. It was the largest cat known to mankind and it was ferocious. In her old age Desdemona was forgetting things because when she said deal the woman forgot to shake until after her granddaughter allowed her to be healed by Kamian and Emma had forcefully taken her hand and urged her to agree. She had agreed albeit grudgingly. The woman was still worn from her earlier beating but her through her thick headedness she wouldn't give up for all the gold in the world.
"Outside." Was all Emerald said and all recipients in the office made their way out to the Quittich pitch. Many students in the halls had spied the odd group walking around and news spread of the visit. Rumors and gossip spread within minutes and by the time both women were on the field and were carefully watched by the previous visitors to Dumbledore's office hidden in a little alcove in the castle nearly half the school was either assembled by the windows to observe or had gone outside to get a better view. Some even flew on their brooms over head and stood on the old battlements.
Silently Emerald reassured both Remus and Sirius that she would be okay and even promised not to kill her grandmother, she believed Sirius' words were something along the line of, "Don't kill her Emm it's not like you and I know that neither James or Lily would want you to become a murderer on their behalf, Desdemona isn't worth it." before transforming which had amused her to no end in her present mood since several years back she had said nearly the same thing to both her godfather and his friend. Once she was in liger form she automatically pounced on the other smaller liger and started their match.
Almost the whole of Hogwarts exited the castle just to watch the two cats claw and growl at each other. Sharp nails and teeth sank into skin but what was most amazing was that the steel claws that Emma had as a human remained in cat form and sprang out to scratch and stab at the smaller cat. This fight was primal, nothing mattered but instinct and it was hard to tell one cat from the other. Winning was the only thing on either of the cats minds and the match went on for quite a while.
Stab, scratch and pummel. Both felines had to dodge and attack over and over again. Their roars and cries were heard long and far then repeated like echoes almost. There were no rules in this match. Absolutely no stopping or resigning until one of the parties was injured had and given up.
Every time Desa injured her Emma would heal shortly but the other woman was not as fortunate. Finally tired of these games and looking to avoid killing her own grandmother Emerald scratched Desdemona across the face with her metal claws causing the other cat to roar and stumble some giving her enough leverage to flip her over onto her back and pin her shoulders to the ground.
Pinning her shoulders with the three blades at each one the smaller and older ligeress howled in pain. The blades probably hurt more than she expected them to but the sound was refreshing to her ears, which scared her a lot. She felt like she was repaying the woman for all those years of pain and cruelty but she knew that in the morning she'd feel horrible for what happened between them. As a sign of defeat Desdemona changed back to her human form still punctured by the metal claws and pinned to the ground. About a minute later Emerald changed back with a pop and flexed some of her aching muscles before pulling the knives out of her grandmother's shoulders and standing up seemingly unscathed. All the wounds the older woman had caused had healed in a short amount of time but Desa was badly battered.
"Kneel." She simply told her and waited for the other woman to slowly and painfully get on her knees, blood dripping from all over her. The neck of her white halter was stained from the blood that dripped from the diagonal marks on her face and many stab marks exposed inner flesh and. Some parts of her body were pealed like a potato ready to be boiled absolutely no skin remained on her knees, elbows and half of her back. It was horrifying to look at but Emerald herself used to be much worse off either when the Council or Kamian were through with her.
Placing one of her hands on her granddaughter's knee and the other on the ground she bent her head and spoke softly. "I wish to be addressed as an inferior, I plead for mercy." In saying that Desdemona was giving up all rights, as Emerald's elder and pleaded to be judged as a mere child. This was the way of the cats.
Sighing Emma transfigured a near by pebble into a blanket and knelt down to wrap the other woman in it. She held her like a child and rocked her aching body back and forth for a few minutes as Desa cried softly in submission. The woman had foolishly jumped into a fight she couldn't win and deserved to be treated as a child now. Adults knew and expected what they are supposed to get into and then later accept the consequences; Desdemona by going into a fight she couldn't win and underestimating her was seen as a child even if her age topped sixty years. Holding her in her arms she slowly rose to a standing position and walked to the castle. She'd have to take her to the infirmary to keep her alive now.
As she walked by everyone stared and backed away from her. Astonishment were the only expressions on Sirius and Remus' faces.
Slowly the darker haired man turned to the other and spoke in a hushed tone.
"What just happened there? I mean the cat laws seem so much like the wolf's. One minute they were fighting and if I'm not mistaken her grandmother was begging to be judged and cared for like a child."
He spoke from experience after all he was a dog and dogs had laws just like cats. If you break any one of them consequences would be served. Remus was a big believer in that when in wolf form, the werewolf tended to be primal and such rules it would remember as much the offenses then it would serve justice. Sirius been on the receiving line of on of those punishments but his dog half accepted it willingly and he himself pleaded as a cub.
"Yes" Remus nodded. "Those were the primal laws. They can't be avoided and now instead of being the child Emma is the elder she will have to nurse Desdemona back to health."
Beside them Snape and Dumbledore were listening both fascinated and horrified. "That's simply preposterous." Snape murmured lightly not even bothering to put in the icy edge in his voice and fully relieved that Emma hadn't been the one that was damaged. Silently Remus observed the other man for a moment, while everyone else missed where Desdemona's eyes had landed while talking of Emma's father Remus hadn't. He followed it right to Snape's guilty eyes and sniffed the air around him. At that time the Potions master definitely felt more than nervous about something.
//What does he have to hide?\\ he pondered to himself and letting the subject go for a moment but promising himself he'd look into it later.
"No Severus it's the way animals behave, it's the way we all used to behave before we evolved into smarter beings." The aged professor replied to him quietly and then turned to all the people that have rushed out of classes and the castle just to watch the match. He magically amplified his voice and addressed them all.
"Now that the show is over I would request that all students and faculty members head back to classes and former duties. Thank you." After taking the enhancement on his voice off he too went back to the castle followed by Sirius, Severus, Remus, and a bewildered Kamian who just trudged along like a lost puppy without his mistress there to give him orders.
When she made it to the infirmary Poppy Pomfrey was already there and started buzzing around her trying to get her to relieve the patient to her care, but Emerald refused telling her the woman needed complex healing spells to save her life and she was one of the only people who knew them. They had argued for quite a while and in the end Emma had to threaten plump medi-witch to just sit and watch her.
After such a colorful threat Poppy sat down on a nearby bed rather miffed as younger woman started undressing the injured one to get to the more serious wounds. Madame Pomphrey shook her head sadly at the injured woman's scratched face. She must have been beautiful before the injury but now those cut would be impossible to mend without having them scar over.
As the healing process progressed the medi-witch watched amazed as the younger woman healed all the stabs and scratches and punctured organs back to a perfect condition along with creating new patches of skin where her flesh was bare and not even a mark to their existence remained. The last thing she did was start working on the woman's face. Poppy couldn't tell if she was already unconscious because her eyes were closed and she breathed rhythmically and a bit shallow due to the loss of blood. What amazed her the most was that tall redhead wasn't using a wand instead her hand hovered over the body glowing a golden color and mending flesh in its wake.
Slowly but surely the cuts on her face were receding and becoming smaller until they disappeared and the beautiful face hidden under so much blood was revealed and looked almost exactly like the one hovering over it. Once she was done Emma asked for a basin of water and a clean cloth, which she used to wipe the blood away.
By the time she was done Desdemona was pale as a sheet and unconscious but at least she would live and leave when regaining her strength.
"How is she doing?" came a voice from behind her.
Emerald turned around to face Sirius who stood over looking them both. She sighed already feeling miserable it seemed that she didn't have to wait till morning to feel the after effects.
"I healed her but she lost blood. I feel terrible now, you know? I know I'm not supposed to because she should have realized the full implications of out fight and what could have happened when we made that deal and it was clear to the both of us that either she or I would turn out this way."
Placing a hand on either of her shoulders he started to run them gently causing some of the tension and cramps in her muscles to soften some. "You shouldn't feel bad, it was the law of the primal that's just the way things are. Your cat form thought it punctual to punish her and so it did and now she's serving justice."
"How do you know all this Padfoot? Did Moony ever believe it was necessary to put you in your place?"
"Once," he answered. "When I almost got Snape killed by luring him to the Womping Willow. After Moony transformed back into his human state he understood the full implication of things and the next full moon I had my sorry hide scratched to the bone." He chuckled and kept massaging her shoulders working his way over to her back and rubbing in circles.
"Oh I remember that, but don't get me wrong you fully deserved it." Lupin's voice came as he entered the room and inspected them both along with the injured party. "I take it she'll be fine?" he asked and his question was confirmed by Emma.
"Yes she's lost blood but other than that she's fine, of course she'll be sore upon waking up. I think I'll leave her with Kamian. I'm hungry and tired. All I want to do is eat something and fall asleep, care to join me gentlemen?" she offered grinning wearily and the both helped her up and about back to the Shrieking Shack were the rest of the food from breakfast was devoured and Emma lay down to have a short nap and regain her strength.
Both men watched her from their positions across the room sitting on two over stuffed armchairs. Quietly Sirius whispered almost to himself but addressing his best friend in a manner. "She's beautiful isn't she?"
"Yes," the other replied. "But she's so different from Harry. To tell you the truth I was scared when I saw her fighting her grandmother I was afraid she turned evil but I knew better than that. She'd too pure, too good, and after creating a justice she still feels remorse for hurting someone like that."
"Moony?"
"What is it Padfoot?"
"Is it wrong to love her the way I do?"
"Depends on how exactly you love her. As a father would a daughter or as a man would a woman?"
Padfoot leaned his head into his hands and sighed, "The latter." he answered.
"No," Remus answered after a few long seconds that seemed much like hours to Sirius. Feeling slightly guilty himself for sharing Sirius' views on the subject. "No it's not wrong, in fact I think I love her as well. We've only known her for a day but there's something that draw's me to her. Something deep inside all three of us that just drags at our minds. Can you feel it?"
"Yes, I've felt it since the morning before her arrival like I knew something important would happen. That's why I brought up the subject of it being possible that a person could have two soul mates instead of one but that's a lost dream, a lost hope."
"Maybe it's not." Came a soft voice from the bed making both of them jump in their seats.
No matter how quiet Sirius intended to be Emma's sleeping patterns were sensitive for a reason. If someone tried to attack her when she slept she'd be awake in less than an instant and she plainly overheard their whole conversation while trying to give the appearance that she was in deep slumber and keep a blush off her face Emma felt touched by their words.
Yawning softly and stretching her long limbs she got up on all fours and crawled to the other side of the bed facing them before lying back down on her stomach and staring at their nervous faces. She smiled sweetly and continued watching them with her sleep clouded bright green gaze waiting for either to say a word.
"What did you say?" Sirius asked.
"I said maybe it's not a lost dream or a lost cause. I don't believe in fate that's why I don't wait for things to happen but instead I make them I control my own life just like you two control yours. Never say anything is hopeless, because there's always a way.
"You heard us then." Remus stated more than asked her while wringing the edges of his robes in his pale hands.
"Eyi, I tend to wake at the slightest noise, it's an unnerving habit but useful." She said propping herself on herself on her elbows and still watching them waiting for one single move.
"Why?" Remus asked her. It was a single word yet she knew what he was referring to. He wanted to know why she was giving them a chance instead of someone younger or someone who was on the good side of the law. But she simply smiled.
"It's simple, it's because of you that I'm still alive here. Through the years in Ambrosia the thought of seeing you again kept me alive. And then when I came back you accepted me no questions asked. You made me cry. I had almost forgotten how to because I haven't cried in more than a decade and I felt that I didn't know how anymore but when I did it was refreshing like taking your first breath. You two were always there maybe not physically but in my heart you were that pull that you described I can feel it tugging at me." She paused for a minute recalling a memory that she had back a while ago sometime in Ambrosia.
"Do you remember my Patronus?" she asked both of them and they nodded though not seeing what it had to do with anything. "Well I perfected it over the years it seems that wizards set boundaries and barriers in their power but I never do I don't set goals that's why I achieve more. You can have more than one Patronus and about 8 years ago I found that out. The true Marauders are in my Patronus. Moony, Padfoot and Prongs, my protectors." She whispered staring off into space for a moment before snapping back in and facing both awed men.
"You consider us your protector's as in James, Remmy, and me?" Sirius asked her trying to grasp the foreign fact.
She laughed at his surprised expression and it was the first time either of them noticed how unique her particular laugh was. It wasn't a childish giggle but instead a good hearty laugh that sounded like bells or music. It was a lovely they both decided.
"Who else would protect me as well as you two?"
"You could hardly say that with us being there for you only a fraction of your life." Her godfather answered dryly.
Rolling her eyes Emma sat down Indian style on the mattress and wrapped the fluffy blanket around her body to keep the chilly air from seeping through to nib at her exposed arms. She hadn't even bothered to take her uniform off just the top half was slipped off and dangled at her waist.
The next few minutes were spent in a comfortable silence for Emerald and an awkward one for the other two men. It seemed that neither of them knew what to do. It had been so long for the both of them since they had any such encounters. Emerald of course had not stayed a hermit her ten years in Ambrosia and was actually courted by her cousin Augustus' best friend. He was a handsome fellow actually a bit shorter than her but polite and funny at the same time his name was Lawrence Coddington.
He reminded her somewhat of both Remus and Sirius. He had dark hair and light blue eyes, a clear mischief-maker and clever person. They had ended up breaking up after two years deeming the relationship not serious enough to go public. Nobody but Prince Augustus of the Gryffindor kingdom knew about his or her situation. One of the reasons was that the courts and King Solomon who would have wanted her to marry into a stronger family would have forbid it. She had no doubt what so ever her great-great-grandfather would have strongly disapproved of their physical affairs as well and may have even had Lawrence quartered.
"The real question is, are you willing to take charge of your life?" she asked. Her voice was soft and sweet just like honey. It flowed like syrup would, softly and lightly. It wasn't the first time they noticed her accent had changed. It sounded more Latin. After all Latin was the primary language in Ambrosia and it gave her voice a sugary coating as she beckoned them forward.
As they each got up and strode to her slowly they let their eyes wander over her leather and weapon clad body. Rising to her knees she reached out to both of them.
"BOOM!!!" a sudden bang and shake of the Earth had the whole Shrieking Shack trembling for a moment in which all three of them toppled over onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. Something outside in the village was causing this and Emma got up quickly and ran to the closest window, which overlooked Hogsmeade.
There she was surprised to see a whole mob of people standing outside the shack wands at ready. The thing that surprised her the most was that they were not Death Eaters, they were the local villagers from Hogsmeade swarming about and firing spells off at the rickety house while shouting obscenities and some throwing rocks the size of their heads.
"Fuck!" she yelled out and started creating barriers to ward off their attacks. Their magic would not breach the barriers but physical attacks would.
"If you have anything you really need here then gather it because we're leaving pronto." She exclaimed and grabbed up her leather pouch that still had all her things hazardously packed in it. It only took a minute or so for them to get a few robes, photographs and other tidbits around. It was nearly eight o'clock in the evening and Emerald deemed it safe to go to Hogwarts so with a swish of her hand she created a portal and tugged both Remus and Sirius through by the hand.
As soon as the three of them stepped into the golden hallway filled with many doors they gaped at her. "What is this place?"
"This my dear Siri, is the kind of portal I use for travel. Remember when I came out of the mirror in Dumbledore's office well we're going to do the same thing right now." She answered and stepped up to the door with the plaque saying, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster's office." Still holding onto both of their hands she asked her godfather to open it so she wouldn't have to let go of either of them, effectively not losing them in time and space. Like before Emma stepped through the full- length mirror followed closely by her two companions.
Once she looked around Emerald breathed a sigh of relief and strode over to the only window available. She didn't want to go to Dumbledore every time a problem arose and she sure as hell didn't want to get caught up in his office at the moment. The window was a good ten stories off the ground because the office was located in a tower and it would be the perfect height for summoning a cloud to ride on.
Clouds although not her favorite form of transportation would do thanks to the fact that it was dark outside and spotting them on one would be impossible.
"Come on." She waved to both of them frantically causing them to look at her as if she was madder than Dumbledore ever could be.
"What are you doing your not going to jump out the window?!" Remus half screamed and grabbed onto her waist pulling her back from the ledge where she was standing but with a flick of her wrist and a large mist a large gray cloud big enough to situate the three of them and their belongings hovered beside the ledge waiting for them to get on.
"I wasn't going to jump I was going to ride a cloud now get on, don't worry its perfectly thick." She assured them. It took a lot of convincing and throwing nearly half of their belongings on the cloud before they would let her climb on not to mention get on themselves. It was a shaky experience for both the new passengers and each sat down, as not to be intimidated by the heights and latched onto Emma who promised to go slowly so they wouldn't have a heart attack.
"Emm where are we going?" Remus asked leaning against her shoulder as she kept an eye out on their surroundings guiding the cloud with her magic while stroking Sirius' hair from his position with his head in her lap.
"I don't know that many places and I don't really want to go to the Leaky Cauldron because god knows how big a mob could gather there so I figured I'd take us to a hotel in Little Whinging. Unless you know a place we could stay at?"
"Not really, the hotel sounds fine." He answered and smiled as when Sirius yawned loudly trying to keep his eyes open with all his might but barely succeeding. "Go do sleep Padfoot," he said and ruffled the man's hair in between one of Emma's strokes.
"No I don't want to fall off the cloud." Came a sleepy reply rewarded by a chuckle from the redheaded woman.
"We're not going to let you fall Siri. Just sleep I'll wake you up when we get there." Lightly kissing him on the forehead Emerald placed an arm around his waste to make sure he didn't mover in his sleep and accidentally role off and plummet hundreds of feet from the sky down to the earth.
"Emm?" Remus addressed her.
"Hmm?"
"Tell me a little about Ambrosia I mean what did you mostly do those ten years besides train?"
"Basically," she began to answer. "I trained, attended balls at the courts and the palace, I had friends, mostly my cousin and at one point I had a boyfriend. I remember all that perfectly except for one part that I have trouble with myself it's as if something's blocking my mind from viewing a bit of my life and I don't know what it is. The whole thing seemed like ten years but to tell you the truth Remmy there's something missing. Or maybe I'm just going insane, it's quite possible either way." She whispered a little unsure of herself. Although she knew that she spent ten years in the mysterious isle though there was a dark corner in her mind right after she turned twenty, like a chunk had been removed and replaced with something else.
"You're not insane Emm, I know you're not if anything I wouldn't be surprised if there's a strong memory charm placed on you, it certainly sounds like it. Do you know the amount of time that you can't place in your memory?" This time Remus was going into full diagnostic mode evaluating her answers and putting together his suspicions into hypothesis.
"I." she faltered trying to get a grip on that dark spot in the recess of her memory. It seemed every time she tried to look there it became harder and harder, confusing her altogether and jumbling her thoughts. Concentrating hard and pushing on the barriers with a minimal amount of magic as to not disturb the solidity of the cloud they were on she could tell whatever was there had great magic. There was something strong, so strong she couldn't get through it and it scared and both frustrated her to no end.
"It feels like almost one whole year but not quite maybe nine to ten months before everything seemed a bit more real. I don't know Remmy I think I'm just imagining things I mean even if there is a black spot it's filled in with memories that I know I had.that I think I had." She trailed off quietly still keeping her eyes on the streets below as they approached Surrey and then Little Whinging, the place she spent ten miserable years at. On the quieter side of the city maybe twenty blocks away from Private Drive was a little out of the way place with a church, a super market, a ball field and a park, a fairly new orphanage and right next to it stood a moderately sized hotel with a nice yard and pond in the front giving the place a cheerful air.
The place was a relatively nice place and when she had been little she always went there after school to the parks and once or twice to the orphanage to play with some of the children. It seemed they were the only ones that would play with her since Dudley's bullying never affected them. Dudley's threats mostly focused on hurting them, taking their things away or telling their parents he had nothing to go on. The orphans had no parents, they had few belongings that were truly cherished by them and getting hurt was not a problem, the children at orphanages beat themselves up on a weekly bases anyways.
She even remembered one of the instructors at the place inviting her in to play with the younger children and would feed her milk and cookies. Unlike what most people would say orphanages in her opinion weren't that bad. At least she considered them better than the staying with the Dursley's. At least there she wouldn't have been starved, beaten, practically enslaved, harassed, and stuffed in a cupboard.
Remembering a little bit about the children there brought a slight smile to her face as she floated the cloud down to the ground behind the hotel and shook Sirius awake before grabbing some of their things and leading them to the front door.
After getting a room for night Emerald groaned from the interrogation the woman at the front desk gave all three of them sternly. It seems that they're outfits were a bit too suspicious and after being asked if they were from a neighboring country plagued in war due to her weapons Emma had finally said they were performers at the London theatre who came to visit family and needed a room. It smoothed over well and after producing a large wad of cash she transfigured in her pocket all three of them were admitted to a large suite with a sitting and living room. The only one of it's kind in the entire hotel it seemed.
"What are you smiling about? By the way that thing about being actors was brilliant, I'm surprised you weren't sorted into Slytherin actually." Sirius said yawning again and smiling sheepishly.
Chuckling at him she realized that no matter what her godfather would always be a jokester and a child. In a way she liked it, he seemed younger but still mature. "I was remembering things around this part of town. And you know the Sorting Hat wanted to place me in Slytherin? Yeah it's true."
"Remembering Little Whinging and smiling about it?" he asked her totally flabbergasted. "It thought you hated the Dursley's?"
"Of course I hated them but I remember how I used to go to the park after school and sometimes to the orphanage to play with the younger kids. It was nice actually. Don't get me wrong I hated those fat muggles that supposedly raised me for ten years then had me for the summers for another three."
"I never knew you spent your time at an orphanage." He murmured quietly trying to look away politely as she started to change into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top.
"Not many people do, the Dursley's didn't even know, they thought I was out committing some kind of heinous crimes." She laughed a little at the absurdity of such a thing and climbed into the middle of the king sized bed fully intending to get a full nights rest and maybe even sleep in some.
"You know," she said to both of them once they were lying in bed. "I think I'll visit the place tomorrow, it's been a while since I've been there and as I remember it's always low on funds." Yes she decided, she'd go to the orphanage maybe tell a few stories to the younger children. Make a nice donation, enough to buy the kids some clothes and toys, food and school supplies and what not.
"Can we come?" the darker haired man asked. "I mean as Snuffles otherwise they'd call the police."
"Sure I think that the children would enjoy that what do you think Remmy?"
"Count me in Emm." She yawned and wrapped her arm around her extending it so that it would overlap with Sirius' and rubbed it slightly almost possessively.
Leaning forward she placed a short kiss on his lips and then a quicker one on his forehead whispering "Goodnight" and doing the same for Sirius.
Flipping over on her stomach she buried her hands under her pillow and sighed smiling as the two other men reached over to kiss each other lightly wishing each other sweet dreams before murmuring the same softly to her.
//This is a new beginning and I tend to fully take advantage of it. It seems the Eternals have deemed me worthy of some happiness.\\ she thought and drifted off into the land of dreams and nightmares.
********************************AUTHOR"S NOTE*************************************
I know aren't I evil for stopping a kinky sex scene with an explosion and a bunch of villagers attacking their house. Sorry for stopping there as well but I thought it would be a good cliff hanger, sort of. I hope you like the chapter particularly the part where Desdemona got her butt whooped. I know many of you were waiting for that. Isn't Dumbledore evil though?
PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW I WOULD TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATE IT!!
By: Fyre Fairie Rated R (For mature content and violence) Summary: Harry finds out he has been lied to all his life. After GOF he travels to lands forgotten until he is ready to face the friends he abandoned, the love he will encounter, and the evil he must conquer. Just now when he has finally found his family will they all survive the war?
Chapter 5: Worthy of Happiness?
"Hello Emerald it's certainly nice to see you." The shorter woman replied sharply and Emma just glanced her way not even bothering to get up showing the woman that she was a mere insignificant and she had no time for her, which only seemed to anger the shorter woman further.
"I wish I could say the same but alas I'd rather not deal with you and that over grown bully, Desdemona."
"Yes it's nice to know how welcomed I am but we have other matters to discuss like our deal." She snarled very much like a large cat would.
Pretending to be uninterested and clueless to what Desdemona was referring to she shrugged. "What deal may this be?"
"You are still bound to me by contract girl, we had a deal your time is not served yet!" the older woman shrieked and glared at her ignoring everyone else in the room.
"I might have said we had a deal but I wasn't informed that torture would be a part of it and even if I had we never shook on it so there never was a deal. If you think that you were using me so easily then you have another thing coming dear grandmother. You have no claim on me, I'm of age so you might as well leave."
Desdemona looked around the room for some easy target to taunt Emerald with and lay her gray/silver gaze on Sirius' chocolate brown eyes. Grinning like a cat that spotted its prey she sauntered over.
Sirius shivered for a moment seeing the malevolence in her eyes and squirmed in his seat but other than that remained perfectly still and managed to glare at her with all his might.
"So this is that convict of a godfather of yours?" she asked getting ready to make another taunt and raised her hand to run a finger down his tanned cheek. But before she was able to make contact Emerald's thin but efficiently strong hand shot out to grip her wrist painfully.
With her eye's smoldering fire, Emma concentrated on twisting her grandmother's arm slowly and adding pressure to it making the bones crunch and crack resulting in the other woman's wincing.
"My, my, protective of him aren't we?" she gasped out despite her nearly kneeling position by her granddaughter.
"Yes, well anything you touch with your filthy hands goes rotten and I don't want you dirtying him like you did so many others." Emerald exclaimed through clenched teeth and twisted a little harder causing Desdemona to get on her knees and look up to her in order to keep from breaking her arm.
"Like I dirtied you?" she asked and grinned derisively resulting in Sirius baring his teeth like a dog and nearly growling. "Or like I dirtied your father?" she spoke in a disgustingly sweet voice which was the last draw for Emma and with a swift flick of her arm she brought the other woman's forearm on her knee and snapped it in half.
Everyone jumped from their seats when hearing the sickening 'pop' of breaking bones and covered their ears from the smaller woman's painful howls but no one dared interfering, Emma's power was evident and it was clear that if you stepped in your entrails would most likely be splattered on the walls for weeks.
"I warned you to leave while you could and now see what you made me do." Emma made her statement sound amazingly like she was admonishing a three year old and for a moment there both Remus and Sirius were frightened of her. Not because they were afraid she might hurt them, they knew full on it was an absurd thought but instead because they didn't know her as well as they thought they did. Clearly their Harry had changed much when threatened.
"What afraid to face the truth? If you don't believe me why don't you ask him yourself?" she asked glancing at a spot behind Emma where obsidian eyes met her silver ones in shock. That earned her a backhanded punch to her cheek and almost fell over as her stumbled and spit blood out of her mouth.
"Last time I checked I don't possess the gift of necromancy." Emerald yanked her up by her long red hair back to a kneeling position but the older woman never relented but instead smiled again.
"You don't need to possess the gift if he's alive, why do you think your precious 'papa' never talks of your father? Did you know that Isis Le Fey, Morgana's great great granddaughter married Coudrick Gryffindor? Yes she did and you already knew that James belonged to Gryffindor royalty, for your mother to have a child with him would have been incest and neither wanted that. You're a bastard child and the whole kingdom whispers of the man whose family was exiled from our country then to later conceive with the Slytherin Princess. Do you know who he." but before she had gotten any farther Emerald frantically brought up her knee and slammed the older woman's head into it making Desdemona fall back to the floor moaning and groaning.
"Stop lying!" Emma screamed dazedly once again over come by the feeling of bewilderment and total confusion. "You can't brainwash me and tell me fibs expecting me to believe your sorry hide that easily!" She had her finger pointed at her and breathed raggedly striving to regain her composure.
"Perhaps not but didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to point at people."
SLAM! Emerald's foot collided hard with Desdemona's ribs and the other woman gasped and coughed violently while her granddaughter continued yelling at her and still nobody in the office moved to stop her.
"You bitch! You're talking about your own daughter don't you have any respect for the dead?! I'm warning you right now you so much as speak of my parents again and I will kill you on the spot!"
Leaning on her healthy arm Desa spit some more blood out and one of her teeth. Panting and trying to regain her breath her grandmother bowed her head getting up and leaned on her uninjured arm while still on her knees, her other arm dangling by mere skin and swinging back and forth in a disgraceful way.
After calming down under Remus' restraining arm Emerald couldn't help but finally taunt Desdemona herself a little. Maybe it would be good to give her a taste of her own medicine.
"So you finally decide to bow to me Desa? Good choice you wouldn't want me as an enemy." Out of the corner of her eye Emerald spotted Kamian walking over to her from his mistress where he healed several of her more serious injuries, slowly most likely trying to catch her by surprise. When he was a little more than an arm length's away from him she flicked out her arm toward his neck and formed it into a fist letting the blades pop right though the flesh between her knuckles.
"Oh no you don't Kamian. Unless you want another set of scars I'd be happy to oblige but neither of you are welcome on this land," a mischievous glint shone in her eyes as she slowly released her grandmothers arm. "Unless that is you have come to fight me." She offered and by the malevolent look Desa gave her from her position on the floor meant the woman had taken up the challenge.
"If it is a fight you want it is a fight you get. Lets make a deal then. No magic involved, we fight in liger form. If I win you come back with me and serve until I am ready to release you, if you win I shall leave and never bother you again. Do we have a deal?" she asked still kneeling before the taller woman.
Emerald considered her options and nodded. Liger form, which her grandmother wanted to fight in, was a transformation into a feline that was a mix between a lion and a tiger. It was the largest cat known to mankind and it was ferocious. In her old age Desdemona was forgetting things because when she said deal the woman forgot to shake until after her granddaughter allowed her to be healed by Kamian and Emma had forcefully taken her hand and urged her to agree. She had agreed albeit grudgingly. The woman was still worn from her earlier beating but her through her thick headedness she wouldn't give up for all the gold in the world.
"Outside." Was all Emerald said and all recipients in the office made their way out to the Quittich pitch. Many students in the halls had spied the odd group walking around and news spread of the visit. Rumors and gossip spread within minutes and by the time both women were on the field and were carefully watched by the previous visitors to Dumbledore's office hidden in a little alcove in the castle nearly half the school was either assembled by the windows to observe or had gone outside to get a better view. Some even flew on their brooms over head and stood on the old battlements.
Silently Emerald reassured both Remus and Sirius that she would be okay and even promised not to kill her grandmother, she believed Sirius' words were something along the line of, "Don't kill her Emm it's not like you and I know that neither James or Lily would want you to become a murderer on their behalf, Desdemona isn't worth it." before transforming which had amused her to no end in her present mood since several years back she had said nearly the same thing to both her godfather and his friend. Once she was in liger form she automatically pounced on the other smaller liger and started their match.
Almost the whole of Hogwarts exited the castle just to watch the two cats claw and growl at each other. Sharp nails and teeth sank into skin but what was most amazing was that the steel claws that Emma had as a human remained in cat form and sprang out to scratch and stab at the smaller cat. This fight was primal, nothing mattered but instinct and it was hard to tell one cat from the other. Winning was the only thing on either of the cats minds and the match went on for quite a while.
Stab, scratch and pummel. Both felines had to dodge and attack over and over again. Their roars and cries were heard long and far then repeated like echoes almost. There were no rules in this match. Absolutely no stopping or resigning until one of the parties was injured had and given up.
Every time Desa injured her Emma would heal shortly but the other woman was not as fortunate. Finally tired of these games and looking to avoid killing her own grandmother Emerald scratched Desdemona across the face with her metal claws causing the other cat to roar and stumble some giving her enough leverage to flip her over onto her back and pin her shoulders to the ground.
Pinning her shoulders with the three blades at each one the smaller and older ligeress howled in pain. The blades probably hurt more than she expected them to but the sound was refreshing to her ears, which scared her a lot. She felt like she was repaying the woman for all those years of pain and cruelty but she knew that in the morning she'd feel horrible for what happened between them. As a sign of defeat Desdemona changed back to her human form still punctured by the metal claws and pinned to the ground. About a minute later Emerald changed back with a pop and flexed some of her aching muscles before pulling the knives out of her grandmother's shoulders and standing up seemingly unscathed. All the wounds the older woman had caused had healed in a short amount of time but Desa was badly battered.
"Kneel." She simply told her and waited for the other woman to slowly and painfully get on her knees, blood dripping from all over her. The neck of her white halter was stained from the blood that dripped from the diagonal marks on her face and many stab marks exposed inner flesh and. Some parts of her body were pealed like a potato ready to be boiled absolutely no skin remained on her knees, elbows and half of her back. It was horrifying to look at but Emerald herself used to be much worse off either when the Council or Kamian were through with her.
Placing one of her hands on her granddaughter's knee and the other on the ground she bent her head and spoke softly. "I wish to be addressed as an inferior, I plead for mercy." In saying that Desdemona was giving up all rights, as Emerald's elder and pleaded to be judged as a mere child. This was the way of the cats.
Sighing Emma transfigured a near by pebble into a blanket and knelt down to wrap the other woman in it. She held her like a child and rocked her aching body back and forth for a few minutes as Desa cried softly in submission. The woman had foolishly jumped into a fight she couldn't win and deserved to be treated as a child now. Adults knew and expected what they are supposed to get into and then later accept the consequences; Desdemona by going into a fight she couldn't win and underestimating her was seen as a child even if her age topped sixty years. Holding her in her arms she slowly rose to a standing position and walked to the castle. She'd have to take her to the infirmary to keep her alive now.
As she walked by everyone stared and backed away from her. Astonishment were the only expressions on Sirius and Remus' faces.
Slowly the darker haired man turned to the other and spoke in a hushed tone.
"What just happened there? I mean the cat laws seem so much like the wolf's. One minute they were fighting and if I'm not mistaken her grandmother was begging to be judged and cared for like a child."
He spoke from experience after all he was a dog and dogs had laws just like cats. If you break any one of them consequences would be served. Remus was a big believer in that when in wolf form, the werewolf tended to be primal and such rules it would remember as much the offenses then it would serve justice. Sirius been on the receiving line of on of those punishments but his dog half accepted it willingly and he himself pleaded as a cub.
"Yes" Remus nodded. "Those were the primal laws. They can't be avoided and now instead of being the child Emma is the elder she will have to nurse Desdemona back to health."
Beside them Snape and Dumbledore were listening both fascinated and horrified. "That's simply preposterous." Snape murmured lightly not even bothering to put in the icy edge in his voice and fully relieved that Emma hadn't been the one that was damaged. Silently Remus observed the other man for a moment, while everyone else missed where Desdemona's eyes had landed while talking of Emma's father Remus hadn't. He followed it right to Snape's guilty eyes and sniffed the air around him. At that time the Potions master definitely felt more than nervous about something.
//What does he have to hide?\\ he pondered to himself and letting the subject go for a moment but promising himself he'd look into it later.
"No Severus it's the way animals behave, it's the way we all used to behave before we evolved into smarter beings." The aged professor replied to him quietly and then turned to all the people that have rushed out of classes and the castle just to watch the match. He magically amplified his voice and addressed them all.
"Now that the show is over I would request that all students and faculty members head back to classes and former duties. Thank you." After taking the enhancement on his voice off he too went back to the castle followed by Sirius, Severus, Remus, and a bewildered Kamian who just trudged along like a lost puppy without his mistress there to give him orders.
When she made it to the infirmary Poppy Pomfrey was already there and started buzzing around her trying to get her to relieve the patient to her care, but Emerald refused telling her the woman needed complex healing spells to save her life and she was one of the only people who knew them. They had argued for quite a while and in the end Emma had to threaten plump medi-witch to just sit and watch her.
After such a colorful threat Poppy sat down on a nearby bed rather miffed as younger woman started undressing the injured one to get to the more serious wounds. Madame Pomphrey shook her head sadly at the injured woman's scratched face. She must have been beautiful before the injury but now those cut would be impossible to mend without having them scar over.
As the healing process progressed the medi-witch watched amazed as the younger woman healed all the stabs and scratches and punctured organs back to a perfect condition along with creating new patches of skin where her flesh was bare and not even a mark to their existence remained. The last thing she did was start working on the woman's face. Poppy couldn't tell if she was already unconscious because her eyes were closed and she breathed rhythmically and a bit shallow due to the loss of blood. What amazed her the most was that tall redhead wasn't using a wand instead her hand hovered over the body glowing a golden color and mending flesh in its wake.
Slowly but surely the cuts on her face were receding and becoming smaller until they disappeared and the beautiful face hidden under so much blood was revealed and looked almost exactly like the one hovering over it. Once she was done Emma asked for a basin of water and a clean cloth, which she used to wipe the blood away.
By the time she was done Desdemona was pale as a sheet and unconscious but at least she would live and leave when regaining her strength.
"How is she doing?" came a voice from behind her.
Emerald turned around to face Sirius who stood over looking them both. She sighed already feeling miserable it seemed that she didn't have to wait till morning to feel the after effects.
"I healed her but she lost blood. I feel terrible now, you know? I know I'm not supposed to because she should have realized the full implications of out fight and what could have happened when we made that deal and it was clear to the both of us that either she or I would turn out this way."
Placing a hand on either of her shoulders he started to run them gently causing some of the tension and cramps in her muscles to soften some. "You shouldn't feel bad, it was the law of the primal that's just the way things are. Your cat form thought it punctual to punish her and so it did and now she's serving justice."
"How do you know all this Padfoot? Did Moony ever believe it was necessary to put you in your place?"
"Once," he answered. "When I almost got Snape killed by luring him to the Womping Willow. After Moony transformed back into his human state he understood the full implication of things and the next full moon I had my sorry hide scratched to the bone." He chuckled and kept massaging her shoulders working his way over to her back and rubbing in circles.
"Oh I remember that, but don't get me wrong you fully deserved it." Lupin's voice came as he entered the room and inspected them both along with the injured party. "I take it she'll be fine?" he asked and his question was confirmed by Emma.
"Yes she's lost blood but other than that she's fine, of course she'll be sore upon waking up. I think I'll leave her with Kamian. I'm hungry and tired. All I want to do is eat something and fall asleep, care to join me gentlemen?" she offered grinning wearily and the both helped her up and about back to the Shrieking Shack were the rest of the food from breakfast was devoured and Emma lay down to have a short nap and regain her strength.
Both men watched her from their positions across the room sitting on two over stuffed armchairs. Quietly Sirius whispered almost to himself but addressing his best friend in a manner. "She's beautiful isn't she?"
"Yes," the other replied. "But she's so different from Harry. To tell you the truth I was scared when I saw her fighting her grandmother I was afraid she turned evil but I knew better than that. She'd too pure, too good, and after creating a justice she still feels remorse for hurting someone like that."
"Moony?"
"What is it Padfoot?"
"Is it wrong to love her the way I do?"
"Depends on how exactly you love her. As a father would a daughter or as a man would a woman?"
Padfoot leaned his head into his hands and sighed, "The latter." he answered.
"No," Remus answered after a few long seconds that seemed much like hours to Sirius. Feeling slightly guilty himself for sharing Sirius' views on the subject. "No it's not wrong, in fact I think I love her as well. We've only known her for a day but there's something that draw's me to her. Something deep inside all three of us that just drags at our minds. Can you feel it?"
"Yes, I've felt it since the morning before her arrival like I knew something important would happen. That's why I brought up the subject of it being possible that a person could have two soul mates instead of one but that's a lost dream, a lost hope."
"Maybe it's not." Came a soft voice from the bed making both of them jump in their seats.
No matter how quiet Sirius intended to be Emma's sleeping patterns were sensitive for a reason. If someone tried to attack her when she slept she'd be awake in less than an instant and she plainly overheard their whole conversation while trying to give the appearance that she was in deep slumber and keep a blush off her face Emma felt touched by their words.
Yawning softly and stretching her long limbs she got up on all fours and crawled to the other side of the bed facing them before lying back down on her stomach and staring at their nervous faces. She smiled sweetly and continued watching them with her sleep clouded bright green gaze waiting for either to say a word.
"What did you say?" Sirius asked.
"I said maybe it's not a lost dream or a lost cause. I don't believe in fate that's why I don't wait for things to happen but instead I make them I control my own life just like you two control yours. Never say anything is hopeless, because there's always a way.
"You heard us then." Remus stated more than asked her while wringing the edges of his robes in his pale hands.
"Eyi, I tend to wake at the slightest noise, it's an unnerving habit but useful." She said propping herself on herself on her elbows and still watching them waiting for one single move.
"Why?" Remus asked her. It was a single word yet she knew what he was referring to. He wanted to know why she was giving them a chance instead of someone younger or someone who was on the good side of the law. But she simply smiled.
"It's simple, it's because of you that I'm still alive here. Through the years in Ambrosia the thought of seeing you again kept me alive. And then when I came back you accepted me no questions asked. You made me cry. I had almost forgotten how to because I haven't cried in more than a decade and I felt that I didn't know how anymore but when I did it was refreshing like taking your first breath. You two were always there maybe not physically but in my heart you were that pull that you described I can feel it tugging at me." She paused for a minute recalling a memory that she had back a while ago sometime in Ambrosia.
"Do you remember my Patronus?" she asked both of them and they nodded though not seeing what it had to do with anything. "Well I perfected it over the years it seems that wizards set boundaries and barriers in their power but I never do I don't set goals that's why I achieve more. You can have more than one Patronus and about 8 years ago I found that out. The true Marauders are in my Patronus. Moony, Padfoot and Prongs, my protectors." She whispered staring off into space for a moment before snapping back in and facing both awed men.
"You consider us your protector's as in James, Remmy, and me?" Sirius asked her trying to grasp the foreign fact.
She laughed at his surprised expression and it was the first time either of them noticed how unique her particular laugh was. It wasn't a childish giggle but instead a good hearty laugh that sounded like bells or music. It was a lovely they both decided.
"Who else would protect me as well as you two?"
"You could hardly say that with us being there for you only a fraction of your life." Her godfather answered dryly.
Rolling her eyes Emma sat down Indian style on the mattress and wrapped the fluffy blanket around her body to keep the chilly air from seeping through to nib at her exposed arms. She hadn't even bothered to take her uniform off just the top half was slipped off and dangled at her waist.
The next few minutes were spent in a comfortable silence for Emerald and an awkward one for the other two men. It seemed that neither of them knew what to do. It had been so long for the both of them since they had any such encounters. Emerald of course had not stayed a hermit her ten years in Ambrosia and was actually courted by her cousin Augustus' best friend. He was a handsome fellow actually a bit shorter than her but polite and funny at the same time his name was Lawrence Coddington.
He reminded her somewhat of both Remus and Sirius. He had dark hair and light blue eyes, a clear mischief-maker and clever person. They had ended up breaking up after two years deeming the relationship not serious enough to go public. Nobody but Prince Augustus of the Gryffindor kingdom knew about his or her situation. One of the reasons was that the courts and King Solomon who would have wanted her to marry into a stronger family would have forbid it. She had no doubt what so ever her great-great-grandfather would have strongly disapproved of their physical affairs as well and may have even had Lawrence quartered.
"The real question is, are you willing to take charge of your life?" she asked. Her voice was soft and sweet just like honey. It flowed like syrup would, softly and lightly. It wasn't the first time they noticed her accent had changed. It sounded more Latin. After all Latin was the primary language in Ambrosia and it gave her voice a sugary coating as she beckoned them forward.
As they each got up and strode to her slowly they let their eyes wander over her leather and weapon clad body. Rising to her knees she reached out to both of them.
"BOOM!!!" a sudden bang and shake of the Earth had the whole Shrieking Shack trembling for a moment in which all three of them toppled over onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. Something outside in the village was causing this and Emma got up quickly and ran to the closest window, which overlooked Hogsmeade.
There she was surprised to see a whole mob of people standing outside the shack wands at ready. The thing that surprised her the most was that they were not Death Eaters, they were the local villagers from Hogsmeade swarming about and firing spells off at the rickety house while shouting obscenities and some throwing rocks the size of their heads.
"Fuck!" she yelled out and started creating barriers to ward off their attacks. Their magic would not breach the barriers but physical attacks would.
"If you have anything you really need here then gather it because we're leaving pronto." She exclaimed and grabbed up her leather pouch that still had all her things hazardously packed in it. It only took a minute or so for them to get a few robes, photographs and other tidbits around. It was nearly eight o'clock in the evening and Emerald deemed it safe to go to Hogwarts so with a swish of her hand she created a portal and tugged both Remus and Sirius through by the hand.
As soon as the three of them stepped into the golden hallway filled with many doors they gaped at her. "What is this place?"
"This my dear Siri, is the kind of portal I use for travel. Remember when I came out of the mirror in Dumbledore's office well we're going to do the same thing right now." She answered and stepped up to the door with the plaque saying, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster's office." Still holding onto both of their hands she asked her godfather to open it so she wouldn't have to let go of either of them, effectively not losing them in time and space. Like before Emma stepped through the full- length mirror followed closely by her two companions.
Once she looked around Emerald breathed a sigh of relief and strode over to the only window available. She didn't want to go to Dumbledore every time a problem arose and she sure as hell didn't want to get caught up in his office at the moment. The window was a good ten stories off the ground because the office was located in a tower and it would be the perfect height for summoning a cloud to ride on.
Clouds although not her favorite form of transportation would do thanks to the fact that it was dark outside and spotting them on one would be impossible.
"Come on." She waved to both of them frantically causing them to look at her as if she was madder than Dumbledore ever could be.
"What are you doing your not going to jump out the window?!" Remus half screamed and grabbed onto her waist pulling her back from the ledge where she was standing but with a flick of her wrist and a large mist a large gray cloud big enough to situate the three of them and their belongings hovered beside the ledge waiting for them to get on.
"I wasn't going to jump I was going to ride a cloud now get on, don't worry its perfectly thick." She assured them. It took a lot of convincing and throwing nearly half of their belongings on the cloud before they would let her climb on not to mention get on themselves. It was a shaky experience for both the new passengers and each sat down, as not to be intimidated by the heights and latched onto Emma who promised to go slowly so they wouldn't have a heart attack.
"Emm where are we going?" Remus asked leaning against her shoulder as she kept an eye out on their surroundings guiding the cloud with her magic while stroking Sirius' hair from his position with his head in her lap.
"I don't know that many places and I don't really want to go to the Leaky Cauldron because god knows how big a mob could gather there so I figured I'd take us to a hotel in Little Whinging. Unless you know a place we could stay at?"
"Not really, the hotel sounds fine." He answered and smiled as when Sirius yawned loudly trying to keep his eyes open with all his might but barely succeeding. "Go do sleep Padfoot," he said and ruffled the man's hair in between one of Emma's strokes.
"No I don't want to fall off the cloud." Came a sleepy reply rewarded by a chuckle from the redheaded woman.
"We're not going to let you fall Siri. Just sleep I'll wake you up when we get there." Lightly kissing him on the forehead Emerald placed an arm around his waste to make sure he didn't mover in his sleep and accidentally role off and plummet hundreds of feet from the sky down to the earth.
"Emm?" Remus addressed her.
"Hmm?"
"Tell me a little about Ambrosia I mean what did you mostly do those ten years besides train?"
"Basically," she began to answer. "I trained, attended balls at the courts and the palace, I had friends, mostly my cousin and at one point I had a boyfriend. I remember all that perfectly except for one part that I have trouble with myself it's as if something's blocking my mind from viewing a bit of my life and I don't know what it is. The whole thing seemed like ten years but to tell you the truth Remmy there's something missing. Or maybe I'm just going insane, it's quite possible either way." She whispered a little unsure of herself. Although she knew that she spent ten years in the mysterious isle though there was a dark corner in her mind right after she turned twenty, like a chunk had been removed and replaced with something else.
"You're not insane Emm, I know you're not if anything I wouldn't be surprised if there's a strong memory charm placed on you, it certainly sounds like it. Do you know the amount of time that you can't place in your memory?" This time Remus was going into full diagnostic mode evaluating her answers and putting together his suspicions into hypothesis.
"I." she faltered trying to get a grip on that dark spot in the recess of her memory. It seemed every time she tried to look there it became harder and harder, confusing her altogether and jumbling her thoughts. Concentrating hard and pushing on the barriers with a minimal amount of magic as to not disturb the solidity of the cloud they were on she could tell whatever was there had great magic. There was something strong, so strong she couldn't get through it and it scared and both frustrated her to no end.
"It feels like almost one whole year but not quite maybe nine to ten months before everything seemed a bit more real. I don't know Remmy I think I'm just imagining things I mean even if there is a black spot it's filled in with memories that I know I had.that I think I had." She trailed off quietly still keeping her eyes on the streets below as they approached Surrey and then Little Whinging, the place she spent ten miserable years at. On the quieter side of the city maybe twenty blocks away from Private Drive was a little out of the way place with a church, a super market, a ball field and a park, a fairly new orphanage and right next to it stood a moderately sized hotel with a nice yard and pond in the front giving the place a cheerful air.
The place was a relatively nice place and when she had been little she always went there after school to the parks and once or twice to the orphanage to play with some of the children. It seemed they were the only ones that would play with her since Dudley's bullying never affected them. Dudley's threats mostly focused on hurting them, taking their things away or telling their parents he had nothing to go on. The orphans had no parents, they had few belongings that were truly cherished by them and getting hurt was not a problem, the children at orphanages beat themselves up on a weekly bases anyways.
She even remembered one of the instructors at the place inviting her in to play with the younger children and would feed her milk and cookies. Unlike what most people would say orphanages in her opinion weren't that bad. At least she considered them better than the staying with the Dursley's. At least there she wouldn't have been starved, beaten, practically enslaved, harassed, and stuffed in a cupboard.
Remembering a little bit about the children there brought a slight smile to her face as she floated the cloud down to the ground behind the hotel and shook Sirius awake before grabbing some of their things and leading them to the front door.
After getting a room for night Emerald groaned from the interrogation the woman at the front desk gave all three of them sternly. It seems that they're outfits were a bit too suspicious and after being asked if they were from a neighboring country plagued in war due to her weapons Emma had finally said they were performers at the London theatre who came to visit family and needed a room. It smoothed over well and after producing a large wad of cash she transfigured in her pocket all three of them were admitted to a large suite with a sitting and living room. The only one of it's kind in the entire hotel it seemed.
"What are you smiling about? By the way that thing about being actors was brilliant, I'm surprised you weren't sorted into Slytherin actually." Sirius said yawning again and smiling sheepishly.
Chuckling at him she realized that no matter what her godfather would always be a jokester and a child. In a way she liked it, he seemed younger but still mature. "I was remembering things around this part of town. And you know the Sorting Hat wanted to place me in Slytherin? Yeah it's true."
"Remembering Little Whinging and smiling about it?" he asked her totally flabbergasted. "It thought you hated the Dursley's?"
"Of course I hated them but I remember how I used to go to the park after school and sometimes to the orphanage to play with the younger kids. It was nice actually. Don't get me wrong I hated those fat muggles that supposedly raised me for ten years then had me for the summers for another three."
"I never knew you spent your time at an orphanage." He murmured quietly trying to look away politely as she started to change into a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top.
"Not many people do, the Dursley's didn't even know, they thought I was out committing some kind of heinous crimes." She laughed a little at the absurdity of such a thing and climbed into the middle of the king sized bed fully intending to get a full nights rest and maybe even sleep in some.
"You know," she said to both of them once they were lying in bed. "I think I'll visit the place tomorrow, it's been a while since I've been there and as I remember it's always low on funds." Yes she decided, she'd go to the orphanage maybe tell a few stories to the younger children. Make a nice donation, enough to buy the kids some clothes and toys, food and school supplies and what not.
"Can we come?" the darker haired man asked. "I mean as Snuffles otherwise they'd call the police."
"Sure I think that the children would enjoy that what do you think Remmy?"
"Count me in Emm." She yawned and wrapped her arm around her extending it so that it would overlap with Sirius' and rubbed it slightly almost possessively.
Leaning forward she placed a short kiss on his lips and then a quicker one on his forehead whispering "Goodnight" and doing the same for Sirius.
Flipping over on her stomach she buried her hands under her pillow and sighed smiling as the two other men reached over to kiss each other lightly wishing each other sweet dreams before murmuring the same softly to her.
//This is a new beginning and I tend to fully take advantage of it. It seems the Eternals have deemed me worthy of some happiness.\\ she thought and drifted off into the land of dreams and nightmares.
********************************AUTHOR"S NOTE*************************************
I know aren't I evil for stopping a kinky sex scene with an explosion and a bunch of villagers attacking their house. Sorry for stopping there as well but I thought it would be a good cliff hanger, sort of. I hope you like the chapter particularly the part where Desdemona got her butt whooped. I know many of you were waiting for that. Isn't Dumbledore evil though?
PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW I WOULD TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATE IT!!