A/N: Revised as of 12/22/2013. Please review and let me know what you think!

Third Year: Remus to the Rescue

The girls all sat around the Gryffindor breakfast table talking about the upcoming Hogsmeade trip; it would be their first.

"We have to go to the Shrieking Shack!" Cara cheered.

"Yes!" Marlene agreed.

"Noooo," Mary whined, "I don't like scary things."

"Oh don't be a baby!" Marlene laughed at her, her blonde curls bouncing with her laugh.

"But- but I don't want to!" Mary complained, "Why can't we just go to Honeydukes?! Or Zonko's!"

"Oh, we'll be going to Zonko's!" Cara laughed.

"We're just going to go to the Shrieking Shack too!" Marlene smiled.

"And I need to stop in Tomes and Scrolls," Lily added.

"Really, Lily?" Cara looked at her with annoyance, "Can you really not have fun for one day? Do you have to go buy some more books?"

"I intend to have fun, Connors," Lily glared at her, "but before we leave I would like to check out that book store."

Cara rolled her eyes, "Fine."

"And we'll go to the Three Broomsticks?" Dorcas asked.

Cara gave her a look, "Obviously, Dori."

Dorcas gave the look back to her, "Your sass is getting annoying."

Cara smiled, "I am only kidding, my dear friend."

"Unfortunately no one finds your jokes funny," Emmeline piped up between bites of her breakfast.

"Oh snap!" Dorcas yelled.

"Buuuuurn," Marlene smiled into Cara's face.

Cara pushed Marlene away and looked at Emmeline, "Y'know, Vance, I liked it better when you were that shy first year."

"And I liked it better when you actually had a filter," Emmeline said not looking up from her food.

The group of girls burst into laughter and Emmeline smiled at her little jab.

"You're such a prat," Cara laughed.

And Emmeline just shook her head.

"Owls," Lily said still smiling and pointed to where they came swooping in.

Lily, Dorcas, and Emmeline all had received letters.

"How pathetic are we?" Cara said to Mary and Marlene, "these three get letters every day and we're lucky if we get a galleon on Christmas."

The girls laughed.

"Will you read your letters to me so I can live vicariously through you and pretend I have parents who actually care about me?" Cara said dramatically speaking with her hands.

"Of couse," Dorcas started and opened her envelope, "Dear Dori-kins, How are you darling? Has the school year started off nicely? I have attached your Hogsmeade permission slip to the back of this letter. Can't wait for Christmas Break! I love you. Loooooove, Mummy!"

"Oh, I love my mummy," Cara giggled, "her sweet notes really make my day."

"Shut it," Dorcas laughed as she slid the letter back into her envelope.

"Miss Evans," Cara smiled, "if you would."

Lily sighed, "I hate sharing personal letters, you arse."

"Well isn't that selfish?" Cara said sarcastically, "You have parents who actually like you and you aren't willing to share them with anyone. I see why your sister doesn't like you."

The table was quiet, and Emmeline whispered, "That's why you need a filter."

"What? Oh no, Lily, I didn't mean it like that," Cara apologized quickly, "Merlin, that was stupid! I swear I didn't mean it."

"Forget it," Lily tossed her letter aside and ate her breakfast quietly.

"Are you willing to share your letter, Emmy?" Mary quietly asked.

"Erm- sure," Emmeline smiled and opened her envelope that she had planned reading in the dormitory later.

"My Dear Emmeline," she read aloud adding a dramatic tone hoping it would cheer them all up, "I hope the year has been off to a good start. I have written Professor Dumbledore who will give you further instructions. Darling, your father and I had to go to Belfast. I am going to comfort your Aunt Joanne. I wish I could tell you this in person..."

Emmeline trailed off as she frowned at the letter reading it to herself.

I wish I could tell you this in person. I do not know if you have kept up with your muggle news specifically what is going on in Ireland. They are calling it "The Troubles" over there. I assume you haven't read any of the papers because you didn't write to me about it and I didn't have the heart to tell you. Three weeks ago, they found your cousins Neil, Siobhan, and Deirdre in possession of a gun. Their hearings were two days ago. Siobhan and Deirdre were sentenced to seven years. And Neil is being sentenced to death on charges of murder. We are going to your Aunt and I hope that your father will be able to appeal to the court with a lighter charge. Please keep your cousins in your prayers, especially Neil. I love you, Mum.

Emmeline frowned in confusion. She read it three times until the words finally stuck in.

"What is it?" Lily asked from across the table.

Emmeline stood clutching the letter.

"Em?" Cara asked watching her friend act so peculiarly.

Emmeline was shaking her head and she felt the tears swell in her eyes, but she swallowed them down.

"What is it?" Mary said standing, "What happened?"

Emmeline backed up almost tripping over her bench. She slid out and began running.

"Emmeline!" Mary yelled after her but it was too late, she was out of the Great Hall and could no longer hear her.

She ran up five flights of stairs until the staircase she was on began moving. As she waited for it to stop, Emmeline thought of places to run.

Dumbledore... I have to speak with Dumbledore! she thought to herself.

The staircase connected to a corridor and Emmeline through it. She didn't know exactly what corridor she was in so she just took every staircase until she found herself on the seventh floor of Hogwarts. She ran back down a staircase and across the corridor. Another few corridors and she would be entering the Headmaster's Tower.

She breathed heavily as she came across a gargoyle. Emmeline had never really been to the Headmaster's office, but it would obviously be in this Tower.

Emmeline was looking for a portrait to ask when the gargoyle came to life.

"Password?" it asked her.

Emmeline jumped in fright and then leaned it towards it terrified, "Ex-excuse me?"

"Are you looking for the Headmaster?" he grunted at her annoyed.

Emmeline nodded, "Yes, I really need to speak with him."

"Do you have the password?" it asked again.

"N-n-no," Emmeline shook her head, "I don't know any passwords."

"No password, no entrance."

"But- but I really need to see him."

"Personal problem."

"Please!" she cried to him, "I need to speak with him."

"Well then I recommend you speak with your Head of House and leave me alone," he snapped at her.

"But I-I need to see him now!"

"Oh don't start crying on me!" the gargoyle said as tears slid down Em's face, "if I fell for that old ruse evertime then I woul-"

The gargoyle went rigid for a moment and then slowly stepped aside revealing a circular staircase.

"He wants to see you," the gargoyle mumbled.

"Thank you," Emmeline said as she stepped past him. He grunted at her.

She took to the staircase sprinting up them wiping at her eyes. She came to a door and rose her hand to knock. But at her slightest touch, the door opened wide. Emmeline peered into the office taking in the trinkets and devices and the many portraits. On top of a very large desk sat a phoenix. And behind the desk was Professor Dumbledore.

"Miss Vance," Dumbledore smiled, "I was just going to ask for you."

He stood and took the bright red bird and place it in a golden cage.

"Please sit Miss Vance," Dumbledore directed her to a chair in front of his desk.

She nodded and took a seat.

"I have received your mother's letter," Dumbledore nodded, "and I am very sorry for your loss."

"What do you mean?" Emmeline looked at him sharply, "He's not dead yet."

Dumbledore looked at her confused, "Miss Vance did you not read- were you not told?"

"I was told that two of my cousins will be spending their time in jail and the other is wrongly being sentenced to death! He didn't do anything! I swear it, Professor! I know my cousin!" she had started to yell without meaning to.

Dumbledore looked away for a moment and then brought his gaze back to her, "I received your mother's letter this morning that told me as much. Unfortunately, another letter had arrived a few minutes ago. I had assumed that was what you came here for. Your cousin, Neil, has been murdered."

"What?" Emmeline looked at the headmaster as if he was crazy.

Her letter from her mother had come in the morning mail, but it could've been sent much earlier than that.

"That's not true," Emmeline was shaking her head.

Dumbledore took a deep breath, "In two days time, I personally will be escorting you to Belfast. I'm so sorry."

Emmeline was rubbing her forehead, "But that's - it doesn't make sense."

"Would you like a moment to yourself?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

But Emmeline stood shaking her head. She quickly spun on her heals and out the door.

She was running aimlessly for several minutes. A staircase that led up to the Astronomy Tower was on this floor so she took it. Emmeline sprinted up them holding her breath, and as she broke out at the top she was met by a strong breeze. She walked along the wall unsteadily until her legs gave out. Emmeline curled up into a ball and cried. She cried for twenty minutes straight until she passed out.

Emmeline had nightmares of Neil. She imagined him being stabbed and then tortured and finally choked to death. She pictured Siobhan and Deirdre sitting in a dark and cold cell. She imagined them finding out about their brother in there. She thought of Joanna, a single mother of what had been three now only two.

They weren't that much older than her. Deirdre was only four years, Siobhan five. Neil had been seven but he was still just a boy. Why would anyone want to hurt him?

She had spent a month in the Summer there. She remembered when he took her and Deirdre down to Dublin. They had gone horse back riding. He had taught her.

He wouldn't hurt anyone! He wouldn't do that! That simply isn't Neil!

"Emmeline," someone called out to her.

She stirred.

"Emmeline!" they screamed louder and shook her roughly.

Emmeline opened her eyes and they focus on the deep brown eyes of Remus Lupin.

"You're alright," he sighed relieved and helped her up, "you look sick."

And with that Emmeline proceeded to vomit on his shoes.

"Shit," Remus said and cleaned his shoes off with his wand, "you need the Hospital Wing."

"No," Emmeline muttered pulling away.

He held on to her, "C'mon Em."

"No!" She shouted as her legs gave way but Remus managed to hold her up.

"Emmeline," he said firmly, "you are sick. You need to go to the Hospital Wing."

She struggled to stand and used all her strength to shove Remus, "Leave. Me. Alone!"

Remus staggered but reached out for her again.

She slapped his hand away and screamed, "Go!"

Without another word Remus left. Emmeline fell to the ground crying again. In less than two minutes she was once again unconscious.

When she next came around, Emmeline saw the night sky; she was still on the Astronomy Tower. However, this time she wasn't on the hard stone. Instead she laid in someone's arms. She tilted her head to see Remus Lupin was looking down at her.

He said softly but firmly, "I'm not leaving."

"Thank you," Emmeline smiled.

She snuggled into his chest.

"You're okay," he promised.

And Emmeline knew some day soon, she'd be okay.