Chapter 10: Welcome Home
Emily spotted her house in the distance and apparently Sirius did too as he sped up. She shrieked and held on tighter. "Stop doing that!"
"No way." He replied, laughing loudly.
Emily held on tighter, not caring that she was squeezing Sirius. Both were silent, but when they got even closer to the house Emily leaned closer to Sirius to speak into his ear.
"Sirius?"
Sirius shivered and Emily was sure it wasn't from the cold. "Yeah?"
Emily paused for a second. "Can you….Promise you won't tell my parents what happened?"
Sirius glanced back into her hopeful eyes and slowly nodded. "I promise."
She smiled in relief and laid her head on his shoulder.
Sirius tried to ignore Emily's comfortable presence and headed towards the first open window he saw.
Emily's eyes widened and she gasped. "No, that's-"
It was too late and they were already through the window and flying into a dark room.
Sirius stopped the broom abruptly and both fell off, Sirius landing heavily on top of Emily.
She gasped in pain. "Idiot!"
"Sorry." He murmured, shifting off her.
Suddenly a click was heard and light flooded the room. Sirius and Emily looked up in surprise at a very angry looking James.
James stared at his best mate and his sister as they both tried to disentangle themselves from each other.
"Padfoot…what is going on?" James growled.
Sirius stood up quickly and smiled nervously. He glanced at Emily, who raised an eyebrow, then looked at James again, spreading his arms out. "I have good news mate…I ran away, never going back to that hell hole!"
"That's…" James looked like he was struggling with something. "…Great." He looked at Emily, who was now in a sitting position, playing with the long sleeves of the shirt she was wearing. "But…What are you doing with her? And why is she wearing your clothes!" James snapped.
Sirius flinched and opened his mouth, but Emily interrupted.
"Mine got dirty on the way to Grimwauld place." She stood up and wiped her hands on her pants, giving Sirius a look that James didn't notice.
James's eyes widened, but then he glared and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly.
"What were you doing there?!"
Emily shrugged him off and walked past him toward the door. "Don't yell at me. I did you a favor for helping bring your friend here. If it weren't for me he wouldn't have run away." She glanced at Sirius as she opened the door. "Right Sirius?"
Sirius glanced between the siblings and slowly nodded. "….Yeah."
Emily smiled triumphantly and nodded to him. "I'll give you your clothes tomorrow." She left, closing the door behind her.
Sirius and James were both silent, staring after the younger girl. Sirius broke the silence by falling back onto James's bed with a sigh. "Glad that's over." After a moment he lifted his head and looked at James's back. "Prongs?"
"Why was she really at your house?" James asked slowly.
Sirius hesitated. I promised…I promised her I wouldn't… he paused and inwardly smirked. I promised I wouldn't tell her parents, I never promised I wouldn't tell James. Sirius sobered and looked at James. "She was invited to a Christmas party by….my brother."
James narrowed his eyes.
Sirius sat up, staring at the floor to avoid his friend's gaze. "James…something happened."
"Has she killed anyone or pledged her loyalties to the Dark Lord?" James asked sarcastically.
Sirius looked at him, shocked. "James, that's a little much. She…wouldn't do that."
"Yet." James sat down next to Sirius and sighed. "What happened to her?"
"At the party…or in general?" Sirius asked tried to joke.
"Both." James murmured seriously. "But, the party first."
Sirius looked away. "Well…"
Emily tossed and turned in her sleep. Her dreams were filled with Rabastan. His cruel smirk, mocking eyes, and merciless laugh. The way he made her feel so vulnerable and helpless.
Tears began to leak out of the corner of her eyes and she hugged her pillow closer.
No one's going to help you, just accept it.
Emily screamed and shot into an upright position. She was covered in cold sweat, her breath coming out in pants. She buried her head in her hands and groaned.
She felt more tears slip out and furiously wiped them away. "This is so annoying."
She sighed and tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't. She looked at her clock and noticed it was 7:00. She let out another groan and fell back onto her bed, covering her face with her pillow, knowing she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.
She threw the blankets off of herself, her moments sluggish, and opened her closet. She picked through it and took out a blue sundress. She quickly changed into it and left her room, making her way down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Morning mum." Emily greeted as she sat down at the table.
Joan Potter, an older looking woman with graying black hair and kind blue eyes, turned and looked surprised. "Emily…I thought you were going to stay at a friends."
Emily shrugged, suddenly remembered the excuse she had told her mother so she could go to Regulus's party. "I changed my mind, so I flooed home. It was late, and I didn't want to wake you."
Joan nodded. "Well, I'd still like some forewarning next time."
Emily smiled and nodded. "Of course."
Joan smiled back and continued to make breakfast.
Emily watched her mother lovingly. Joan had been the only one who didn't start to ignore Emily because she was a Slytherin. It was because of Emily's mother that Emily's father, Edward, hadn't disowned her. Emily sat up straight suddenly, realizing something. "…Where's Ed-Father?"
Joan let out a sad sigh. "He went in early for work."
Emily stared at the wall. I would have thought that Edward would want to have some good quality family time with James and Mum while I was gone.
Joan looked over her shoulder at her emotionless daughter and tried to change the subject. "Why don't you help me make breakfast? Your brother should be up soon."
"Then shouldn't I just eat and leave before he sees me?" She asked sourly.
Joan sighed again, but this time a little more dramatic than necessary. "Oh I wish you two could get along. You used to do everything together, what changed?"
"According to James….me." Emily said quietly
"Well that's not true…you'll always be the same sweet little girl to me." Joan said.
Emily smiled sadly. Too bad I'm not. "Thanks mum." Emily stood up and began to stir a bowl of egg yolks.
Joan began to hum pleasantly, Emily occasionally joining in. Emily handed her mother the bowl and Joan proceeded to dip bread into the egg and placing them onto the frying pan sitting on the heated stove. Emily wiped her hands and proceeded to seat the table for four. Once finished she sat back down and continue to watch her mother.
"Why do you insist on doing this the muggle way? Using magic would make this task much simpler." Emily pointed out quietly.
"It gives me something to do." Joan said while setting food on the table. "After I retired I needed to find a hobby that would take up my time, and cooking is that hobby. Besides, I like cooking for all of you, and I find that the food tastes better when cooked with love than magic."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "But what if you really love magic?"
Joan handed Emily a glass of milk and sat across her, a stern expression on her face.
"Magic can't always solve your problems Emily, and those who depend too much on magic are foolish."
"How so?" Emily asked, taking a sip of her drink.
Joan paused and took her wand out of her apron pocket and showed it to Emily. "A wand is used to focus the raw magic within us all and turn it into a spell. It's the caster who decides what the magic turns into, but it's the wand that centers and morphs it. By training the mind, you can cast any kind of spell and become stronger." Joan pointed her wand and a light shot out, hitting a fly that was buzzing above them. Emily watched as its wings slowed as it flapped them.
"You can even cast spells without speaking." Joan continued. "However, your range of spell use is nothing if you're not strong in body."
"I don't…..understand." Emily said slowly. "If you become so powerful with magic…shouldn't that matter more than how physically strong you are?"
Joan shook her head and put her wand back into her pocket. "Being able to cast strong spells is wonderful, but what would you do if you lost your wand?"
"I wouldn't." Emily said immediately.
Joan lifted a hand. "Hypothetically. If you were attacked by someone and didn't have your wand, what would you do?"
"Steal his wand."
"You can't."
"What do you mean I can't?" Emily asked. "I'll just take it and hex him."
Joan rolled her eyes. "You can't use it, then what?"
"Fight back."
"He's bigger and stronger."
"Escape and run away."
"He's faster and traps you."
"I'd scream for help."
"No one hears you."
Emily bit her lip, not giving up. "I'd apparate."
Joan smiled, amused. "You can't."
"Then I'm in trouble." Emily said through clenched teeth.
Joan chuckled. "Don't be discouraged. From now on just remember that having the ability to use magic means nothing if you're unable to use it when you're in trouble. You'll always be defenseless if your fighting skills aren't as wide ranged as your spell knowledge. Do you understand?"
Emily bowed and remembered her encounter with Rabastan. "Yes." She said quietly.
Joan's eyes held concern. "What's wrong Emmy?"
Emily stood up and faked a smile. "Nothing, I just realized that I have to do more exercise than just a morning run every morning." She headed towards the kitchen doorway, but stopped at her mother's voice.
"Aren't you going to eat?"
Emily nodded. "Yeah, I just have to go to the bathroom." She then proceeded out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom
Emily splashed water on her face and looked at her reflection. It was no wonder her mother looked worried. Emily's face was very pale and her eyes had dark circles under them, mostly a result of the nightmare she had.
Emily sighed and exited the bathroom, heading back towards the kitchen. Is my self-conscience trying to tell me something? She wondered as she entered the kitchen, but stopped short when she saw the three sitting at the table, and the looks two were giving her.
She froze and stared into her brother's eyes. She saw the anger and rage clearly in his eyes, and she knew that he knew about the party. Her gaze turned to Sirius and she glared at both of them. James glared back and Sirius avoided her accusing gaze.
"Emmy, sweetie, look who's here." Joan said, oblivious to the tension in the room.
Emily regained her composure and smiled sweetly at Sirius. "Oh, Sirius, what a wonderful surprise." She sat down next to her mother and continued to smile at Sirius.
Sirius glanced at her warily, and then at the still angry James, who was still glaring at his sister.
I can't help but think I made things worse.
"Oh, Emmy." Joan said after a moment. "Sirius has had a little trouble with his family and will be staying with us for a while."
"Well, only until I can get my own place." Sirius protested, smiling charmingly at Joan.
"I don't want to impose."
Joan's cheeks tinted pink and she waved a hand. "Don't worry dear, you're always welcome here. You're like family."
"Yes Sirius," Emily said sweetly, eyes flashing dangerously. "Our home is your home.
So I think I speak for us all when I say, welcome home."
Sirius stared at her, guilt seeping in.
A lot worse
