Chapter 20:Inquisition
"Miss Potter, I hope you understand the importance behind your silence for this matter, don't you?"
Emily nodded with a fake smile in place. "Of course Headmaster, I won't tell a soul."
Because I don't want to be expelled.
"I trust you Miss Potter." He peered over the brim of his glasses, his blue eyes watching her intently. "Do not misplace that trust."
Emily looked up at him just as seriously, her eyes focused on his forehead instead meeting his eyes. "Headmaster, I did not want to know his secret, and when I followed Pettigrew it was to find out why he was out after curfew. If I knew that Lupin was in that shack, turning into a furry beast, then I wouldn't have gone in, but I did, doing the job that you assigned to me. It was me who ended up getting hurt, not Lupin, and I have the permanent scars to show for it!"
Angry tears pricked in the corner of her eyes and her clenched hands shook with rage. "Do not talk about trust headmaster, I trusted you with my safety to only end up getting lectured on protecting a secret that should never be! I won't promise to misplace your trust because you have already misplaced mine. I don't want you to trust me Headmaster, because I can see what you do with the trust of others. I won't tell anyone about Lupin's secret because I'm indebted to his friends. But I won't do it because you can threaten me with expulsion."
She scowled at him before turning swiftly and opening the door to the Hospital Wing, breaking the silencing charm.
"But if you did expel me for doing my job as a prefect while letting the wrongdoers go unpunished, then I would go to the school board and tell that what you are harboring in that shack."
She turned her head to look at him, her anger gone and a smile on her face. "Now if you'll excuse me Headmaster, I'm late for lunch."
She slammed the Infirmary door closed and made her way to the Great Hall at a leisurely pace, her face blank. When she reached the entrance hall, she saw four boys she wanted to see least of all at that moment standing at the base of the staircase, a sober silence around them.
She made sure her eyes caught those of the brown haired amber-eyed boy as she walked down the stairs, her disgust for him clearly showing. He stared back at her with a shame and fear in his eyes. Shame for what he did to her, and shame for his own existence.
Remus stepped in front of her before she could pass them. "Emily I-"
"Don't speak to me Lupin, you've done enough." She said coldly.
He flinched, but didn't move. "Emily, I'm sorry-"
"I don't care." She snapped. "No matter how many times you say it I will never accept your apology."
Sirius stepped forward. "Emily, no matter how you feel you can't tell anyone about Remus. He didn't mean to attack you."
Emily's icy gaze moved to rest on Sirius. "I won't tell anyone your friend's little secret, Dumbledore made sure I wouldn't," she spat bitterly as she looked at Remus again.
"But I want you to live with the shame of knowing what you are and how others will think of you. I want you to realize what you could've and have done to me; you've scarred me forever. I want you to live with the guilt and know that not everyone is going to accept you and Dumbledore can't hide what you are after you've graduated."
James glared and grabbed her arm. "Emily, stop blaming him, it's not his fault you were stupid enough to follow Peter into the Whomping Willow."
She looked up at her brother blankly, raising an eyebrow. "So you're taking his side?"
"I'm not taking anyone's side, you're just being stubborn and you can't realize that anything Remus does in that state is not his fault!"
Emily pulled away. "I don't care if it's not his fault, he should have thought of the consequences of someone like him coming to a school filled with innocent students, or the rest of you should have been better at being able to keep your friend's secret safe and making sure that patrolling Prefects didn't follow you." She looked directly at Peter, whose watery eyes were darting around, refusing to look at her.
"Don't blame Peter either!" James said defensively.
"Who can I blame then James?!" She yelled, surprising them.
"If I can't blame Lupin for hurting me, and I can't blame Pettigrew for being stupid enough not to realize that he was being followed and leading me to being hurt, then who can I blame James? Myself for following? You for making my time here so bad that I would actually seek out to follow your friend so that I could see what trouble I could get you all in? Or maybe I should go as far back as to blame our dear father for practically disowning me and causing me to develop this type of attitude?"
There was a long silence as Emily and James faced off. She scowled and broke their gazes.
"I don't have time for this. I won't tell anyone what Lupin is, and in return you'll all leave me alone."
She moved to walk past them all, but suddenly took them by surprise when she lifted a hand and slapped Remus across the face, her long nails leaving four long scratches running down his cheek.
Remus hissed and cupped his cheek while Sirius grabbed Emily and pulled her away from him.
Emily ignored Sirius and kept her eyes on Remus. "A scar for a scar, I only wish that one could be as permanent as the one you gave me."
She glared at up at Sirius and pushed him away. "Don't touch me Black."
She walked past the rest of them, her hand twitching as she passed Peter, making him flinch and causing a smirk to form on her lips. Her eyes met James's one last time before she was out of sight and in the Great Hall.
"Remus, are you alright?" James asked immediately after she was gone.
Remus nodded and moved his hand, showing the four red scratches across his cheek.
"This is nothing compared to what I really deserve."
"No Moony, you will not blame yourself. You didn't do that on purpose, and she shouldn't have followed Peter in the first place. It's her own fault for being hurt. If her heart is too black for her to be able to forgive you for something that wasn't your mistake then I really do want nothing to do with her." James said angrily.
Remus shook his head sadly. "No James, it's no ones fault. It was just a bad situation, but she isn't evil, she's reacting as anyone would. Emily may be a Slytherin, but she's still your sister, and it's for you that she won't tell anyone about me. Not because of Dumbledore, not for herself, but for you."
"But why?"
"She doesn't want you to hate her." Sirius said quietly, staring after the path she had taken.
Emily ignored the whispers directed at her as she walked past the other House tables as she headed for her own. Some, her classmates, were wondering why the normally composed Slytherin girl looked so disheveled, and also wondered why she missed the last three days of classes, while the rest noticed the angry air that surrounded her and the large scar marring the right side of her forehead.
Emily sat down at the end of the Slytherin table, not looking at anyone, and filled her plate with food. It was nearly a second after she began eating that someone sat down beside her.
"Emily, where have you been?! What happened to-"
"Not now Regulus." She snapped, refusing to look at him. "Just leave me alone."
"But-" He was silenced with a look and he slowly got up, returning to where he sat with his friends.
Emily sighed and returned her gaze to her plate, the guilt in her stomach making her feel anything but hungry. She suddenly felt unfriendly eyes on her and looked up cautiously, her eyes meeting the narrow black eyes of Severus Snape. Snape's eyebrow rose in question, his gaze flickering to the scar, and Emily glared.
He smirked at her and it caused Emily to grow angry.
If he thinks that he can control me then he is sadly mistaken. I won't do what he wants. He's just a pathetic boy who craves attention.
She sneered at him and looked away.
"Potter."
"Snape." Emily said with distain, not looking up from her book. She was in the library, trying to study. She had done all she could to try and avoid everyone. After recent events she needed her space, however, her big nosed housemate didn't seem to realize this as he kept trying to corner her.
"Can I speak to you?" He asked through clenched teeth.
Emily smirked, enjoying his anger. "I don't know Snape, can you?"
Snape closed her book with a flick of his hand and Emily looked up in annoyance. "Yes, Snape, what do you want?"
"Privately?"
"Anything you can say to me you can say in front of my books Snape, they won't tell anyone what you say." She said mockingly.
Snape glared and leaned over her, placing one hand on the table. "You've been avoiding me."
She leaned back in her seat. "Who wouldn't?"
He sneered and grabbed her wrist, pulling her from her seat and dragging her behind the shelves. He pushed her so her back hit the wall between the bookshelves and blocked her only exit.
"You found out where he's been going." It wasn't a question.
"Yes."
Snape smiled, and Emily thought that it didn't quite fit his face. It made him look even creepier. She scrunched her nose and stared at him. It was an awkward silence. Emily raised an eyebrow, while Snape's smile dropped and he gained a look of impatience.
"Well…" Snape finally ground out. "Where?"
Emily lifted her chin. "I'm not going to tell you."
"What?" He hissed. "Do you realize the power I hold over you? I can ruin you. Just tell me where he goes!"
She laughed. "Power? You think that flimsy piece of blackmail will cause me to do what you want? I admit I was anxious enough before to find out for you, but now it no longer matters, because there are things far more important than fulfilling your desire of knowing more about the Marauders and of Lupin's whereabouts once a month."
She pushed past him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to study for my O.W.L.s."
Snape growled and grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her back to face him. "Tell me where he goes Potter, or I will tell your boyfriend who you are siding with, and why."
Emily glared. "You think you're so smart Snape, but you're just a coward who uses blackmail to make others do your dirty work." Her mocking smile returned. "Why it seems you're practicing for some higher fate. One filled with loyal servants and power beyond anyone's comprehension."
She circled him. "However, it's always one's lineage that gives you power, and…well, I can't seem to recall the Ancient House of Snape. I do, however, recall the scandal around one Eileen Prince-" Snape started at the name. "-Who was disowned for marrying a muggle."
Snape sucked in a breath through his nose and looked at Emily with rage burning in his gaze. "That is none of your business Potter."
"It is my business Snape when a mere half-blood is trying to get a pureblood to do his bidding."
"I am more Prince than I am Snape."
She laughed. "No, you are a half-blood Prince, but you are also a Snape, and you are below me in status, as you will always be. What I found out about Lupin stays with me, because whatever you found out about me, however true or untrue it may have been, will not matter in the end."
She nodded to him scornfully and made her way past him. "Good day, Half-blood Prince."
Snape let out a roar and grabbed her, pushing her against the wall and raising a hand to strike her. He would have too if his arm was not caught and he was not pulled away.
Emily's eyes were wide as she watched Sirius step in front of her and glare at Snape.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's not polite to hit a woman, Snivellus?"
Snape sneered. "You enjoy playing the hero, don't you Black? Too bad you're just hurting her by being around her."
Sirius drew his wand and took a step closer to Snape. Emily grabbed his arm to stop him.
Emily glared at Snape. "Run along now Snivellus, you're not needed here."
"You'll regret this Potter." Snape scowled at both of them before leaving with a billow of his robes.
Emily sighed and looked up at Sirius, who was still looking after Snape with an angry look.
"So you really did follow Peter to find out about Remus."
Emily eyes widened and she stepped away from him when he glared at her.
Emily shook her head. "Sirius, you don't understand, I-"
"Oh, I understand. You're a liar and you're making Remus blame himself for hurting you when it really was your own fault!"
Emily flinched, but glared back. "It wasn't my fault!"
"Oh, I suppose your curiosity just got the best of you, huh?" He asked sarcastically.
"Don't think I don't remember you asking me about where Remus goes once a month. I chose to ignore it before because you made it seem like you were just going after Peter because your Prefect duty entitled you to do so, but now," he laughed humorlessly and pointed his wand at her.
"Now I see your true nature. I was so wrong when I thought you were different. You were working with Snape and were probably going to use what you found out about Remus to get his revenge against us. I guess you Slytherins really do stick together."
Emily felt a pang in her chest and her hands shook. She didn't like the accusing look in his eyes, it was different than the look she was used to him having while he looked at her, or the fact he was pointing his wand at her while she was unarmed.
"I didn't have a choice Sirius, Snape…he…he saw us…he saw you kiss me and he was going to tell Regulus! I couldn't let him, so I did what he wanted and found out Lupin's secret." She admitted finally, but it did no good.
Sirius, if it was possible, looked even angrier. "So you put yourself in danger and would risk Remus's reputation just so you could stay with Regulus?"
Emily looked down and nodded.
"Well I guess you got what you wanted. You get to keep your precious Regulus now that Snape knows-"
"He doesn't know."
"What?"
Emily looked him in the eyes. "I didn't tell him."
"Why?"
"I don't know Sirius, maybe it's because I don't like Snape, or because I didn't want to be expelled, or maybe I just…didn't want to because I told you…you all that I wouldn't."
She looked away. "It doesn't matter though, Snape's probably on his way to tell Regulus and it won't matter that I know. The only reason I had to find out about Lupin was so that Snape wouldn't tell Regulus, but I don't care anymore."
"Emily…" Sirius breathed, lowering his wand.
She looked up at him and her eyes were soft. "Please, please stay mad at me, please hate me. Continue to think that I was helping Snape. I don't want you to like me or care for me Sirius. Nothing good would come out of you having feelings for me. You're right, I'm not different from the rest of the Slytherins and you can't trust me."
Sirius shook his head. "No, Emily-"
"Don't! Sirius, just…don't. Do not take back what you said, because what you said is true and I want you to keep that in mind every time you think of me."
Sirius protested again. "No, Emily you…"
Emily placed a hand over his mouth and looked him straight in the eyes. "Hate me Sirius, for your sake…hate me."
She stared into his eyes a second longer before leaving Sirius alone, grabbing her books, and rushing out of the library. Once she was out she sighed and let her face become blank. A determined look came into her blue eyes as she walked down the hallway, her destination: the Slytherin Common room.
There was something she had to do, before Snape got there first.
