Chapter2: Revelation

Emily cried. She cried and cried and cried. It was like a nightmare she wasn't able to wake up from and the tears would not stop coming.

James…how could he? She hiccupped. Why was he like that? How could he blame me?!

Emily was sitting under the tree next to the lake, eyes bloodshot, arms wrapped around her knees, shaking furiously as she sobbed. She caught sight of the green and silver patch on her robes and cried harder.

A few weeks had passed since she had been sorted into Slytherin and this was the first chance she got time alone to cry without the judging eyes of her Housemates. She had learned quickly that expecting sympathy from said Housemates was stupid. Sirius had been right when he called her naïve.

No one liked her and her dream of becoming best of friends with her dorm mates was crushed after they taunted her and made fun of her plain looks, ratty hair, and tall and awkward figure.

As a result from the taunting she avoided everyone and tried to look like the insults didn't hurt as much as they really did. Around her classmates and teachers she tried to look calm and collected, a nervous first year ready to learn, but on the inside she was always crying.

It was expected ofthe Slytherins to look at her as if she was below them and to mutter about her 'blood traitor' parents and brother. Thinking that the little black sheep of the Potter family didn't deserve to get into Slytherin.She had knownthat the Slytherins were like that, especially after James had sent her many letters during his first year describing them so and calling the Slytherins evil and creepy. However, what she didn't expect was for James, her loving older brother, to hurt her like he did.

She had sought him out after the welcoming feast, hoping to get comforted, but all she got out of their encounter was harsh words and hurt feelings. Even remembering the encounter broke her heart.


When Dumbledore had dismissed the students to go to their common rooms Emily felt relief and immediately jumped up. She ran around the exiting students, not caring that her new Housemates were sending her dirty looks for acting so immature, and tried to find her brother.

She spotted him in the entrance hall walking toward thestaircase with his friends. She hurried over and grabbed his arm to stop him. "James." She breathed.

The four boys stopped and looked at her. James and Sirius glared, and Peter tried to copy them, while Remus shot her a pitying look and Peter stared at her.

"James-" She started.

He pulled his arm out of her grasp and looked at her as if she were something disgusting. "How could you?How could you be sorted into Slytherin?!"

"You're blaming me?" She felt tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. "I didn't choose to go there, the hat did!"

"Well the hat chooses the House you belong in." He countered. "So it must be your fault."

"I don't want to be a stupid slimy Slytherin!" She yelled, causing many head to turn toward the siblings and all nearby Slytherins to glare at her. "I wanted to be a Gryffindor, like you and dad!"

He gave a humorless laugh. "Well you've got a funny way of showing it. I bet to be a Slytherin all along." He said cruelly. "I should have suspected something when you took such a liking to snakes and defending Slytherins."

Tears rolled down her cheek. "I wasn't defending them, I was only-"

He cut her off. "I don't care, from now on you are no longer my sister, and you can expect to get a letter from mum and dad, telling you how much of a traitor you are."

Her heart clenched and she glared. "I'm not a traitor, you are!"

He scowled. "Oh, so you're already shooting off the pureblood stuff. Gonna start calling me a blood traitor and make fun of muggleborns?"

"No!" She protested, her grip tightening on his arm. "How can you do this? I'm your sister."

He pushed her away. "Not anymore."

Someone caught her, but Emily didn't look to see who it was as she watched her brother walk away. Emily sobbed and tried to call out to him, but he ignored her.

"Potter!" The girl holding her yelled and both Emily and James looked at her. Emily noticed the long straight red hair, pretty face, and Gryffindor robes and felt jealousy burn into her heart.

James glanced at the girl also and looked disgusted. "Evans, how can you touch that thing?"

"Well she's already used to the stench of Slytherin." Sirius said amusedly, smirking. "Always hanging around that one pathetic one, Snivilus or whatever.

James didn't find it as amusing and stared at Evans, along with Emily, who concluded that she was Lily Evans, muggleborn witch that had been mentioned in one of James's letters after he was sorted into Gryffindor. James had written about her like he admired her and like her, and knowing that that girl was this girl, the pretty Gryffindor girl who had James's admiration cause the green beast in Emily's stomach to awaken.

Lily glared. "How can you treat your sister like this?! Why does it matter if she's a Slytherin?"

"It means everything, it means she's evil." James said simply, turning to continue up the stairs with his friends.

Lily glared after him, but gave up after a moment and looked down at Emily and into her sad blue eyes. Lily smiled comfortingly and her eyes took on a sad tint. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

Emily stared at her.

She's… pitying me? Why is someone so perfect feeling sorry for me? Unless… is she mocking me?

Emily's heart clenched.

She'sa Gryffindor; she's only going to call me evil behind my back, or to my face like…Emily held back a sob. Like James.

The sadness suddenly vanished and was replaced by anger and she moved away from Lily.

"Emily, are you okay?" Lily asked concerned.

Emily glared at James's back. Fine. If he wants to hate me, I'll give him a reason to.

Lily put a hand on her shoulder. "Emily?"

"Don't touch me mudblood!" Emily hit her hand away. Lily gasped and held her hand to her chest as if it was burned, but Emily ignored her and stared at James's back as it stiffened and he turned slowly; his shocked hazel eyes meeting Emily's angry blue ones.

I hope you're happy!

She glared up at him. "I hate you!"

She turned and ran into the dungeons.


Emily let out another sob and it brought her back to the present and her cold reality.

How could I say that? How could I use that awful word to someone who was only trying to help me?! The only person who wasn't judging me? James must hate me even more now!

She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and sniffed, finally finished crying for the moment. She let out a shaky sigh and stared at the lake, glad none of her Housemates saw her acting so weak.

It would just give them even more of a reason to hate me. Not only did I badmouth Slytherin in front of the entire House, but I'm a crybaby too. I can't take this anymore; I have to deal with this, but how?

Emily took another deep breath. "I'll have to fit in somewhere; I can't and will not live my school life feeling sorry for myself."

Maybe if I act like I'm one of them they'll accept me. I don't have to believe in their views, but if James considers himself on the Good side, the side that will turn their backs on family, then I don't want to be on their side.

Emily slowly stood up. "I'm going to be the perfect Slytherin. I'll become stronger than everyone and they'll never dare mock me again."

Emily's sudden revelation something to change within her. The naïve happiness in her eyes dimmed and a small part of her heart and soul darkened. She knew that she could never trust anyone again. They'd only hurt her.