She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN

A Place For My Head

"I'd forgotten about it," I muttered, more to my pillow than to Lily, who was sitting on her own bed and listening. "I haven't even opened it yet, but..." I bit my lip.

"The Second Task is just under a fortnight away," Lily reminded me. I noticed she wasn't looking at me, which suited me just fine - I was feeling a might antisocial at the moment, and looking at someone who was talking to me was quite sociable. "You told me you'd been working on it," She added, somewhat accusingly, and I felt myself bristle in defense.

"Yeah, well, I haven't, alright?" I said waspishly, and buried my face in my pillow. "I've had a few other things on my plate at the moment..." I muttered.

I heard Lily get up, and her footsteps approach me. I felt her sit down on the bed beside me, and place a hand on my shoulder. "Emma," She said quietly. "What happened?"

Just the way she said it - it was so Lily - I suddenly found myself pouring out the whole story to my best friend, starting from receiving the owl and having to look for Regulus - I even told her about the conversation I'd overheard between Remus and Sirius - and ending with Sirius accidentally hurting me when I'd stopped him from hitting his brother.

When I'd finished, Lily was silent, and the only sounds were my almost silent sobs.

"I mean," I mumbled into my damp pillow. "Why is it me? Why can't I have a normal life?" Even as I said the words, I knew that I was being ungrateful. That wolf could've killed me three years ago - but, instead, I'd been transported here. I got to learn magic, had some really great friends (well, most of the time) and I didn't have to see my parents and sister anymore - so what if the price to pay was my guaranteed safety and ability to control my emotions? I sighed. Between my tricky relationships and dodging Death Eaters (one of whom happened to be more than a best friend), I think the wolf was easier to handle.

And that was when Lily said: "Em, you know how the Prefects use a different bathroom to everyone else?"

"Yes..." I said slowly, wondering where this was going.

"Well, the head boy and head girl get to as well," She said, somewhat importantly. "It's on the third floor, behind the painting of the Leaning Tower Of Pisa - the password's Fettucini Marinara. Anyway, it's not a bad place for a bath...to just mull things over in the hot water, so..." She trailed off.

I raised myself onto my elbows and looked at her in shock. "Lily Evans, are you actually suggesting that we break the rules?"

She looked surprised. "Oh, umm...yes, I guess we are..." Her green eyes bored into my hazel ones. "Perhaps you lot are all having an impact on me too..." She mused.

I shrugged. "I guess so...you became an unregistered Animagus and..."

"Ssh!" Lily suddenly hissed, and I clapped a hand over my mouth, just as we heard footsteps on the stairs and a second later, Serilda came in.

She glanced from Lily to me, and then behind her, before closing the door and coming over to us.

"Emma," She said, clasping her hands like she was about to relay a message, which she was. "Sirius would like me to tell you that Molly told him that Nymphadora was told by Brunilda that Bellatrix said that Regulus was looking for you."

Lily and I stared at her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying it again," She said, sounding like her old self. "Regulus Black is waiting for you in the library." She turned and walked out.

Lily and I exchanged a glance, and then I got up. "Well, I'd better go and see what he wants..." I'd made up my mind just then to not stay mad at either of the Black brothers, starting with Regulus for obvious reasons.

"Emma, wait..." Lily grabbed my arm. I turned to her. Her green eyes looked troubled. At least she said: "Just...be careful, okay?" She asked me.

I felt my heart falter. Did Lily suspect that Regulus was a Death Eater? Is that why she was so worried? Had she told anyone else about her suspicions? Is that why James had looked so worried when he saw someone had hit me? Why couldn't I get a grip on things?

At last I just smiled, tugged my arm away from Lily, and went over to my trunk, where Septimus was lying on top, sleeping. I woke him up with a few well-chosen words in Parseltongue, before looping him around my shoulders. "Don't worry, I have protection." I told her.

"I'm not your bodyguard, hissssss..." Septimus told me. I ignored him.

Lily sighed. "Sometimes..." She began, but just shook her head. "Oh, never mind. You'd better go. Regulus is waiting..."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Author's Note: The next chapter will have Emma's mysterious meeting with Regulus - what could it be about? - and surprise encounter in the head boy/head girl bathroom - who could it be?. Also, I'm reading a really great manga at the moment called Beast Master - you should read it, Leo is so cute! And, I'm listening to the songs Weir by Killing Heidi and Chemical Heart by Grinspoon - they're really great songs. XD Sorry for the short chappie!