Chapter 4: Potential

This is sickening.

Emily watched as Narcissa fawned over Katrina. Although Emily was amused to see the hate and rage in Narcissa's eyes and in the glare Bellatrix was shooting at Katrina. The rest of the group, not fully understanding how Katrina suddenly went from a loser to cool, just copied what Narcissa was doing and complimented Katrina.

Emily sighed and returned to a rather interesting book, a smirk forming on her lips. Have they no shame?

Minutes passed and almost everyone sitting in the Slytherin common room went up to bed; all except Bellatrix, Narcissa, and, unknowingly to them, Emily.

"How could you be stupid enough to leave something like that lying around?" Bellatrix hissed once she thought they were alone.

Narcissa cringed. "I thought I sent them all."

Bellatrix shot her a look. "Well you thought wrong."

Narcissa hesitated for a moment. "…At least Lucius liked them."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, your dear Lucius liking your naughty photos completely makes up for us have to hang around the air headed fifth year. Were you at least smart enough to put a non-copying charm on it?"

"Of course!" Narcissa said, affronted.

"Don't use that tone." Bellatrix snapped. "You were dumb enough not to charm it so only Lucius could see them."

"…Maybe…I can summon it?" Narcissa suggested after a moment.

Bellatrix waved a hand. "Give it a try."

Narcissa took out her wand. "Accio Ph-"

"It's not going to work." Emily interrupted.

The Black sisters turned sharply, just noticing Emily sitting in the shadows. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "How dare you listen in on our conversation, you little-"

Narcissa shushed her and smiled sweetly at Emily. "What she means is, we thought you went to bed with your friend...Katrina." She said the name with n undertone of dislike.

Emily smiled and stood. "I wouldn't call us friends."

"Really?" Bellatrix asked with a raised eyebrow, feigning interest. "I guess I was thrown off by the bunches of time you two spend together."

Emily sat next to the older girls and drummed her fingers against the cover of her book, ignoring their looks. "That was not by choice. After being shunned for so long, I had to find someone to hang out with."

"Are you expecting sympathy?" Bellatrix asked bored.

Emily scoffed. "Of course not, I'm only talking to you two to discuss something of importance, concerning the deal you have made with Pearl."

Narcissa looked at her sister then at Emily. "Yes…Katrina…" She said the name with open distaste now. "Mentioned that we should take pity on you and let you sit with us at lunch."

PITY?! Damn that girl!

Rage burned through her and shown brightly in her eyes. "No, that won't be necessary. I don't want into your little group." Emily said slowly as she suppressed her anger.

"Really?" Narcissa asked doubtfully.

"Really." Emily said in a low voice. She faked a smile. "…No, I'd rather assist in Pearl's outing of your group."

"Why?" Bellatrix asked suspiciously. "If you think that helping would make us suddenly like you, then you are sourly mistaken."

"Are all Blacks' so vain that they think everyone wants to be their friend?" Emily asked coolly. She ignored the dark looks they were sending her and scratched her cheek. "I will get the picture back, for only I can get past the charms Pearl placed around her trunk, for I know which ones she used, but in return you will help me humiliate and destroy her."

"How?" Narcissa asked.

Emily held up the book in her hand. "With this. Pearl always was naïve enough to think that the locking charm she placed on her diary could keep me out. This little book contains everything about her, even detailed descriptions of her nightly advances with a few Ravenclaw…mudbloods."

"What?" Bellatrix hissed, suddenly interested and enraged. "Accusations like this could ruin the either the accuser or the one being accused. You must be sure that Pearl has committed such a disgraceful and revolting act."

"I am." Emily said. "The idiot mentioned them by name. There are also a few sections mentioning the Black family, even one comparing the handsome features of Sirius and Regulus Black."

"She has affections for that blood traitor?" Narcissa asked scandalized.

"It more like…wistful thinking and imagining. There are even a couple of stories she wrote about what would happen if they met in a dark corridor when no one was around. A truly disgusting read; I hear enough about Sirius Black from my…darling brother." Emily said sarcastically. She paused for a moment and looked at both girls. "So what do you two say? I get the photo and you reveal Pearl as the disgrace she really is?"

Narcissa opened her mouth, but Bellatrix interrupted her. "Why don't you just take the photo for your own blackmail and humiliate Pearl yourself?"

Emily shrugged, but a truly sinister smile spread across her lips. "There's nothing I want from you, and, unlike Pearl, I'd rather be left alone than get compliments that aren't true or really meant. Besides, I doubt someone as low on the social ladder as I can make a large impact with this information as you two can."

"True." Bellatrix agreed.

"When should we do it?" Narcissa asked, looking positively delighted at the turn of events.

Emily handed her the diary. "As soon as possible. The photo is already in my possession, under a very strong locking charm. I'll give it to you after Katrina Pearl learns what happens when she tries to pity those above her."

"Can't you give me the photo now?" Narcissa asked.

Emily stood. "Of course not. You won't get it until Pearl is destroyed. However, when you do get it back, there's something I want you to do."

Bellatrix sneered. "I knew there was going to be something else."

Emily nodded. "Yes, but I doubt it's what you think. All I want is for rumors to stop and to be left alone." She turned away. "Goodnight." She walked towards her dormitory, leaving the two girls alone in the common room.

"Strange." Narcissa said. "After everything, I'd think she'd want revenge."

"She's either very stupid or very smart." Bellatrix smirked. "However, I think I see some real potential in her."

Narcissa sighed. "Yes, she is different."

"I was thinking along the lines of unique." A third voice said.

Both girls turned. Bellatrix nodded in acknowledgment while Narcissa raised an eyebrow as a handsome black haired boy walked out of the shadows, a smirk gracing his features

"Have you taken an interest in her Regulus?" She asked.

Regulus stepped out of the shadows and grinned.