The school had never been so full of teenagers gossiping as it was after the Duelling Club's disaster. There were all sorts of things people wondered and conclusions about who the Heir of Slytherin could be. The ones from that certain House just couldn't believe the Heir could be a Gryffindor. The rest of the school debated in secret and out loud; who was the Heir? A girl or a boy? Harry or Emmeline? On one thing they were absolutely certain, though; It was going to be a long time until everyone stopped talking about it.

To her most utter luck, she was pulled into a meeting with the staff that made everyone question her every move. She had finally been 'released' by Lunch the next day and chose to skip Double Potions due to the fact that Professor Snape would, without a doubt, have a feast taking points off her house for being late. Instead, she had gone to Hagrid's. To her surprise, he had his door open and Fang was running around. She gaped at the dog in shock. ''Well, look at you, big boy. It's probably the first time you're this energetic!'' Emmeline exclaimed as she pet the boarhound.

''Look wha' the wind blew me way'' Hagrid said, coming outside his hut with his arms spread wide.

''Hello, Hagrid'' Emmeline smiled and ran over to him, hugging him tightly. ''I've missed you''

''Where have yeh bin, kid? Wasn' the same without yeh here,'' Hagrid said closing the door right after Fang ran inside. He motioned to a plate on the table and said, ''Stoat sandwiches? Yeh're lookin' thinner than yeh did before''

''No, I'm full. Just had some lunch,'' Emmeline sighed, patting Fangs head. She laughed slightly when Fang let a heavy drop of drool fall on her shoes. ''Hasn't changed''

''Don' think he ever will''

''Some things never really do change...'' She mused. Emmeline hesitated but took one of Hagrid's sandwiches. She smiled at him and said, ''Now tell me, Hagrid, what have I really missed?''

... ... ... ...

There had been another attack that same night, and the next few days couldn't have been better for Emmeline or Harry. Even though she was already back, she rarely ever had any time to spend with any of her friends. When she did have free time, without thinking it twice she spent it with Harry or Hagrid. Katie had 'kidnapped' her for a whole afternoon along with Angelina the night before the end of Term. Alicia had asked her to keep her some company at the library on Christmas' Eve, but that was just about it. The twins and Lee, on the other hand, only saw her walking down the corridors in a hurry. George would nudge Fred's ribs and shared a look with Lee when Fred stared after her, his lips parted and his breathing quickening.
The castle was almost completely deserted, but the ones that were left behind couldn't ask for something better. Especially Harry, who seemed to have lightened up finally after the hell he was put through with everyone talking behind his back.
Being a Parselmouth wasn't a common thing. And he learned it the hard way.

Christmas welcomed them with a cold and white morning. Emmeline had woken up to a find a mountain full of presents on the bed in front of her. Alicia, who was buried underneath all of them, was still fast asleep and still breathing as well as the mountain on her. Emmeline looked to the empty bed next to her, which belonged to Katie, and smiled brightly to find her presents there. Harry had given her the pair of socks he had been searching for the night she visited. Alicia and Hermione, as usual, gave her lots of books. Emmeline had had a little conversation with Katie about Christmas presents; Katie had always wanted a sterling silver bracelet and Emmeline didn't want Katie to spend too much on her present, but to give her something memorable. And so they did so. Emmeline had sent her the same bracelet Katie had asked and received a photo album with only the first two pages with pictures they had taken so far, which weren't much except for one she had with Harry and another that had been taken with all seven of them. It was only when Emmeline took a closer look to that one that she noticed, with a bark of laughter, how George and Katie had been staring at each other timidly and hadn't even noticed the picture was already taken. Mrs. Weasley had sent the annual grey jumper with a red 'E' right up front. She was surprised when she saw two certain initials on a red box and hesitated in opening it. A smile crept on her lips when she released the ribbon and the box exploded. A sweets' rain began and the mountain of boxes on Alicia's bed flew out the moment she jumped by the sudden burst of noise. There was a small box that had another photo album, but that one was more of a Dragon album with every type, colour, and size of Dragons there is. Charlie had been responsible for that one. Bill and Ron had, instead, been thoughtful enough to write her letters. It wasn't much, but she had a good laugh.

''What's that?'' Alicia had asked after coming out of the bathroom. Emmeline looked to where she pointed and frowned. A crimson box was hidden underneath her bed with a blue bow tied around neatly.

''I have no idea'' She mumbled, picking it up and looking at the card. Her frown disappeared and was replaced by big smile. Alicia raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer; Emmeline looked up and said, ''Oh, right... It's Min- um, Professor McGonagall's''

''She sends you Christmas presents?'' Alicia asked, surprised.

Instead of replying, she played deaf and walked off to take a long shower.

Alicia had been off to the library with some Ravenclaw friend of hers, or so had she told Emmeline. Downstairs at the Common Room, the ones left behind, which were only the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione, were playing Exploding Snap loudly without any complaints. Everyone had their Weasley jumper on. Emmeline almost jumped half the stairs when she went down and plopped on the sofa next to George. Ginny and Fred sat on the floor on George's side, Harry on a chair next to Emmeline and Hermione while Ron sat next to him on the floor sitting cross-legged. Hermione wasn't really playing. Her eyes were pretty occupied with a book.

''What's that you got there?'' Emmeline asked her, leaning forward, trying to see the page she was in. Hermione slammed the book shut with her thumb marking right where she had left it without looking up.

''It's... Alicia's present to me'' Hermione forced a smile. Although Emmeline didn't believe a word, she nodded and shrugged it off. The rest of the day went by smoothly. That night Ron, Harry, and Hermione were nowhere to be seen, so Emmeline was 'stuck' with the twins. Fred and George played around in the Common Room, shouting ideas for their 'future joke shop'.

''You both know your mother would never let you do such thing,'' She'd shout as they talked loudly about Love Potions for Valentine's Days. ''A Joke Shop? She would rather drop dead''

''George? You know what we should have for Halloween?'' Fred said not even glancing at Emmeline.

''What?''

''Warmsley's face on our products''

Emmeline glared at him and said, ''That's not funny, Weasley''

''No, Warmsley, it's scary, and that's the point''

Fred laughed and she would only glare more at him, making him fall backwards. He sat up and glared at her after glancing down at the chair he had been sitting on. ''Are you really that immature?'' He said.

''Just as much as you are'' she teased him slightly. All she hadn't noticed was how he stared adoringly at her back as she made her way back up to the Girl's Dorm. Either way, everyone else did.

The next day, after dinner, they all sat together just like the morning before. It still hadn't been close to end, the rivalry between them. Emmeline watched the entertaining Exploding Snap game. All sarcastic, of course. Most of the time off anyone ever had around there would be spent playing any wizard game there was. Emmeline, on the other hand, did not enjoy them as much. She sighed blowing up a strand of her hair and watching it fall back against her face. She heard Harry chuckled and flashed a smile right at him. She glanced over to the twins and saw how into the game they were and bit her lip. Emmeline casted a wandless and silent Aguamenti without moving a finger. She couldn't stop laughing while watching Fred and George let out a loud yell while cold water fell right on them. Hermione gasped and Ron and Harry joined Emmeline.

''WARMSLEY!''

''Oh, calm down, Weasley. It's not my fault you still wet your trousers''

Emmeline stood up and started walking backwards as Fred walked forward with angry eyes. ''I'll murder you'' He said.

''I'd love to see you try,'' She responded with a soft smirk and off they were. Emmeline almost fell as she ran out of the Common Room. She started laughing once they started running down the stairs. Fred had his hands turned into fists and took his wand out of his robes and started firing hexes right at her back. It was out of pure luck that Emmeline dodged them. She took her wand out unnecessarily and started firing back at him. As they practically flew through corridors, portraits started gasping and complaining, shouting at their backs as they disappeared into what the castle's corridors had in for them. Fred accidently made two portraits fall almost right on top of Emmeline but instead fell right to the ground. The ones in the portrait screamed and ran to their neighbours. They were almost reaching the dungeons. Peeves popped up out of the blue and started chasing them. He started laughing and chanting:

Weasley, Weasley, go ahead and do it
Hex Warmsley's arse, don't you ruin this

Emmeline turned once and fired up a spell right at him, but Peeves was quick enough to dodge it. ''HOW DARE YOU!'' He screamed at her. She contained her laughter, turning on another corridor and leaving Peeves and Fred behind. Fred told Peeves to leave and so he did. He ran just where she had gone to but stopped dead on his tracks when, at the end of the corridor where the other started, against the stone wall he could clearly see a rising shadow and a person's silhouette. Fred walked forward and saw Emmeline standing right before what seemed to be a gigantic basilisk that was coming right their way.

''Warms-''

''Run and don't look back,'' She whispered, slamming her hand over Fred's eyes, moving themselves to the other corridor and against a wall, where they could clearly watch the basilisk moving forward, each time closer to where they stood.

''But-''

''Fred, go!'' She shouted this time and Fred didn't hesitate. He darted forward and started running for his life, not having a clue what was really going on. It was when he was mid-corridor and he heard the same scary hiss he had heard from Emmeline at the Dueling Club that he turned and was just in time to see her look at the creature directly into its eyes. The hiss died away and a little thud was heard throughout the corridor, making Fred's heart sink deep into his chest.

He ran away as fast as his legs allowed him to, not allowing himself to look back.

Poor update :(

Sorry it's taken me so long. I've got caught up with so many things, you'd be bored in a blink if I started to tell you. Anyway, I've been struck with inspiration and wrote about two chapters that will not be published for a reaaaally long time from now. Let's just say it's around OoTP time. Yeah, you can take the hint.

Anywhale, I'm off to writing some more, expect more updates. This story has just begun. And don't forget about feedback, it's nice knowing your thoughts about the story :) xx