"Who's that?" Sirius asked, pointing to the red-haired girl at the front counter of Honeydukes.
Remus looked over his shoulder and went back to studying the box of chocolates in his hand. "Emmaline Kelly."
"What house is she in?"
Remus sighed. "She's been in Gryffindor for the past four years."
"No, she hasn't."
Lily, who was standing with James and deciding between Fizzing Whisbees and Every Flavor Beans, chimed in. "Yes, she has."
"No way. I would have noticed." Sirius leaned against a shelf and folded his arms. "She's...wow."
Remus looked again. Emmaline did look different. Her hair had grown past her shoulders and was pinned halfway up. She wasn't covered in potting soil or swimming in her school uniform, but wore a fitted shirt and flowery skirt covered by an apron. Her cheeks had filled out, in a good way. She looked less like the scrawny eleven year-old he found crying in the hallway and more like a proper girl of fifteen.
"Don't even think about it," Lily told Sirius.
"It's being thought about."
Emmaline approached the group. Sirius watched her like a wolf stalking a rabbit. Remus elbowed him.
"Have a good summer, Lily?"
Lily gave her a hug and looked her over. "Yes, you? I didn't know you were staying!"
"Last minute decision," Emmaline answered. "The Flumes really needed the help. They almost didn't take me on account of my age but Professor Sprout gave a good reference. They even offered me a room of my own."
"That's great!"
"Sick of your parents, too?" Sirius quipped.
Lily stared daggers at him.
Emmaline looked confused, as if wondering whether he meant to speak to her. "Erm...how long have you been in Hogsmeade?" she asked Lily.
"We just arrived. We wanted to get here early and meet up with some people at the Three Broomsticks before the welcoming feast."
Sirius stepped forward. "Lily, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"
"No," she answered. "Like I was saying, if you wanted to-"
He stuck out his hand between the two girls. "Sirius Black."
Emmaline studied his hand and then the rest of the group. Peter snickered. Remus knew how shy she could be and gave her an apologetic smile.
"Emmaline Kelly," she replied, and timidly took his hand.
"Why don't you come with us?" Sirius asked.
"Thank you, but I have to work. I was just coming to say hello."
"I do hope you'll join us another time," Lily said.
"Another time," she repeated before looking again at Remus.
"Wotcher, Emmaline."
She shifted on her feet and smiled. "Hello."
"Now how do you two know each other?" Sirius asked.
"I showed her to class once. That's all."
"Pity I wasn't there to help out," Sirius replied.
"You were."
Sirius squinted his eyes and ran his hand through his hair.
Emmaline gave a little wave as she walked back to the counter. "See you tonight, Lily."
"See you tonight," Lily and Sirius both said together.
Lily slowly turned her face to him and glared. "I mean it. Leave her alone."
They browsed a while longer but the others decided against buying anything and waited outside while Remus brought his candy up to pay.
"Sorry about him," he said. "He can be very straight forward when he likes a girl."
Emmaline was reaching out to give him his change but dropped it. The coins rolled across the wooden counter top.
"When he likes a girl?" she asked.
"That's right."
She looked out the door and back at him. "Me?"
He had to chuckle. "You."
Her face turned redder than the gumballs in the glass dispensers. "How?" she shook her head. "Why?"
"Is it so difficult to believe?"
"I...I don't...do..."
"Give it a few weeks and he'll probably leave you alone. Unless you reciprocate, of course?"
"No!" she shrieked. Embarrassed, she looked behind herself and repeated more quietly, "No."
"Then you have nothing to worry about." Taking his change off the counter, he held up his box of candy. "Thanks. And good luck!"
She still looked flustered as he waved and walked out the door.
"Friends of yours, dear?" Mrs. Flume asked.
"Some of them," Emmaline nodded.
"That dark-haired boy sure is handsome. I've known him since he was a wee thing coming in here. A Black, isn't he?"
Emmaline sighed. "Yes, he is. A Black, I mean. Not that he's handsome."
"Why don't you go and catch up?"
"I just did."
"Hardly." Mrs. Flume put her hand on her hip. "All summer you've been here and not seen your friends. You must miss everyone. Now go out and spend some time together."
Her elderly roommates had no idea just how much of a creature of solitude Emmaline was, and she didn't want to disappoint them by admitting that conversation was among the longest she might have in the coming months.
"I still have a good deal of packing to do, Mrs. Flume. But thank you." Emmaline kissed her cheek. "Besides, I'd much rather spend my final hours of holiday with you. I'll hardly see you once term starts."
Mrs. Flume's irritation melted and she pulled Emmaline tightly to her.
The previous spring, Mr. Flume flat out refused her inquiry about the position. "That's nice, dear, but come back when you're older."
His wife gently added, "Your parents will surely miss you if you don't return home?"
Desperate not to get on that train, Emmaline decided it would be worth employing some honesty. And pity. "I don't have parents."
Both of their faces fell.
"But Professor Sprout knows me. She could tell you I'm a good worker. I keep things clean and organized. Look at the greenhouses!"
Mr. Flume still appeared unconvinced but his wife tapped his shoulder. "Would you give us a minute?" She took a bar of chocolate off of the shelf and handed it to Emmaline. "Why don't you take this outside? On the house."
She returned to her suitcase and sat on it, munching the purple chocolate that tasted like lavender. After some bustling inside, the couple came out, locked the door, and said, "Why don't we go have a talk with Mrs. Sprout?"
When they arrived back at the castle she was asked to wait outside, again, and in a matter of minutes the Flumes returned and announced, "You're staying with us."
There had to be changes, however. Emmaline would have to keep a clean and tidy appearance for customers. Brushed hair, clothes without grass stains, and no dirt under her fingernails. They gave her a bonus up front for some new garments, justified by calling it a required uniform. Mrs. Flume insisted she eat more so that no one could accuse her of starving her hired help. In time, Emmaline learned that the couple never had children of their own, and suspected herself of being a long awaited outlet of parental affection. She didn't mind at all. Mrs. Flume liked to check on her even in the off hours to ask if she needed anything, and Mr. Flume didn't like when the teen boys got too chatty in her presence.
It was a good thing she bought her new wardrobe a size too large, because by September her body had changed. The extra urge to eat from Mrs. Flume brought new developments in her hips and chest and when she looked in the mirror she no longer saw a child's figure standing in her shoes. She just hoped her school uniform would still fit. She'd already spent the money she earned over summer on new books and gardening gloves, patented to prevent even the toughest bites from young mandrake roots.
Remus opened his box of candy as he walked down High Street towards The Three Broomsticks with Sirius and the rest.
"Did Emmaline say anything about me?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah."
"What?"
"That she's not interested."
The rest snickered.
"Maybe not now," he said confidently. "Just give me time."
"Sirius, pick someone else. Anyone else," Lily pleaded.
"Have you ever heard of reverse psychology, Lily?"
They walked into the pub. Three of their friends were waiting at a table in the back and waved to get their attention. They skirted around other patrons in their chairs to reach the spot.
"Finally," said a dark-haired girl sipping a butterbeer. "What took you?"
Her name was Eloise Harkrider and she had been a prefect with Remus since fifth year. They had a history that went beyond academic duties that he wished he could erase like a memory charm.
He'd done a lot of things he wasn't proud of, but being afflicted with lycanthropy since the age of five, he never thought he would go to school, have friends, or any sort of real life. Sometimes the high of happiness and ignorance was too much to deny himself. Every time he broke the rules or snuck out of the castle or brought a girl to his bed he felt like a normal seventeen year-old. And it felt good. Girls like Eloise were easy to part with before they figured out the truth of his condition, and that's just what he needed: no attachments, no chance of endangering a girl by falling in love. Love could lead to jealousy and possession for a werewolf, or so he read. He didn't want to know how the instincts that governed his other side would react to finding a true "mate."
"Sorry," James said as he sat down. "But Sirius couldn't be bothered to leave Honeydukes."
"Oh?"
"Beauty, thy name is Emmaline Kelly," Sirius sighed.
Eloise scrunched her nose. "Her?"
"Her."
"But she's so...odd."
"I can handle odd."
"I've never seen anything special about her."
"Don't be cruel, Eloise," Lily said.
"I'm not being cruel. I'm being honest. Ask anyone else at school and they'll say the same thing."
"I think red hair is pretty special," James said, looking right at Lily.
She blushed. They flirted so shamelessly it was only a matter of time before she gave up pretending she hated him and accepted his numerous requests for a date.
"Tell me more about her, Remus," Sirius said. "Because I know Lily won't."
He shrugged. "She keeps to herself and loves Herbology. That's all I know."
Sirius grimaced. "My worst subject."
"A poor match then," Lily replied.
"No, it's the perfect excuse to ask her to tutor me!"
"She's from Ireland," added Eloise with a hint of repulsion on her tongue.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Remus asked.
"Nothing."
"Ah, so she's a rebel too," Sirius said dreamily.
"You're starting to sound an awful lot like a Slytherin," Remus said to Eloise.
"I said nothing," she spat.
"Then why bring it up?"
"Look at the time," James said. "We'd better get going so we aren't late to the feast."
"Yeah, you two wouldn't want to be remiss in your responsibilities as Head Girl and Head Boy. Together," Peter joked.
In the Great Hall, Sirius kept checking the door. The sorting ceremony had come and gone. When Emmaline finally appeared, he scooted away from Remus to make room for her between them.
"Emmaline! Join us," he called.
Her eyes bulged and scanned for any other place to sit but found none. Slowly she approached the table. As her leg came forward over the bench, Remus noticed her skirt fell shorter than it used to. Emmaline noticed too and tugged it down before taking her seat. Once situated she wrapped her robe tightly around herself. Remus could smell the sugary sweet candy store in her hair.
Sirius and Peter looked at each other and nodded. Peter said loudly, "Looking forward to Herbology, Sirius?"
Emmaline's chin perked up. Remus put his face in his palm.
"Oh, so much, as always," Sirius replied.
"Me, too," Peter agreed.
"If only I were better at it."
He looked at Emmaline. She sat stoically.
"If only I could find...someone willing to help me improve."
Lily shook her head in disbelief. Eloise rolled her eyes.
"Professor Sprout is always willing to offer extra tutoring," Emmaline suggested.
"Not to me."
"Why not?"
"He burned down half of the greenhouse in his third year," Lily said.
Emmaline gasped. "That was you?"
"I fixed it though!" Sirius added hastily. "Good as new."
"You destroyed several whomping willow saplings in that fire," Emmaline replied.
"What can I say? I get very excited about...plants."
"And fire," said Lily.
Emmaline seemed determined not to take the bait.
"I hear you're gifted in Herbology."
She grabbed an apple and took a bite.
"Especially gifted."
"Whoever told you that was mistaken."
"Remus is never mistaken."
She looked at Remus. He grimaced and mouthed, "Forgive me." Emmaline closed her eyes and released a long exhale. "I could lend you some books if you like."
"Books!" Sirius tried his best to sound excited. "Book. Books are good. Books are great."
Emmaline unpacked her suitcase, keeping her robe buttoned all the way down. Of course her uniform wouldn't fit. Why would it when everything else didn't? She'd missed the sorting ceremony in a panic over the state of her clothes.
It would take time to send her purchases back and buy a proper fitting uniform. Returning her gardening gloves to their box was a particularly tragic task. In the meantime she would keep that robe on for dear life, another unpleasantry during September when the season still held on to summer's heat. Only in the cool of the evening and the peace of the empty greenhouse would she take it off, along with her sweater vest, stockings and shoes, to sink her hands in the rich black soil or feel the mist from the water sprinkling over the herbs and flowers.
"You're sure she'll be here?" Sirius asked.
"No. I never said she'd be here. I just said she loves Herbology," Remus replied, jogging to catch up with his friend's determined strides. Lily had urged him to come along and make sure Sirius behaved himself. They were almost at the greenhouses when they were stopped by Professor MaGonagall.
"Mr. Black. A word about the quidditch tryouts, if you please."
Remus continued on, figuring he could give Emmaline a five minute warning. He approached the glass door, reached for the handle, and stopped. He saw her inside, unaware of him. Half of her uniform was off, but what remained fitted tightly to her body. It wasn't just her face that had changed over summer. She had hips and...more, in every place it was wonderful for a woman to have it. She moved from flower to flower, pruning their leaves. Gone was the awkward ambling of a self conscious kid. Alone and at ease in her element, he had to admit he finally understood what Sirius was talking about. She was beautiful. Not in a way that made him want to pursue her. He didn't think any amount of growing up would alter his feelings in that regard. But he could see why his friend would. He could see why many men would.
He had promised to keep Sirius's behavior in check. If he saw her in that state the task would turn much more difficult. Remus doubled back and caught him just in time to say, "She's not there. But I've often found her at the library."