Emeline found it easier than she expected to get through Professor Snape's class a day later. With her father's mini- lecture on promptness, she found it in poor taste to bite back at the teacher he'd personally come to warn her about. Though she came close when the subject material came to a head on identifying werewolves, she kept her composure as Snape's eyes bore into hers. She was silent the entire lesson, which was unusual and she feared would betray her and her father's cover. However, her classmates remained unfazed and she exited class without a single run-in with her least liked professor.
The rest of her day was uneventful as she ate dinner with her peers in the Great Hall. She had seen her father's seat empty many times before and truthfully hadn't really paid it mind. But seeing his seat empty as her dad in place of Professor, knowing what he had endured a night before, sent chills down her spine. His open spot was eerie.
She had originally been chatty and hungry, but that dissolved immediately with this one thought.
"Emeline?" Hermione's voice came calm and steady, but her name was a question.
"I'm fine. Brilliant, really. I'm just so tired, I think I may retire early." Before Hermione could respond, she stood abruptly and tripped backwards out of her seat. She felt for sure it would be the most embarrassing moment of her life but two separate sets of hands caught her on either side and hoisted her up and onto her feet.
"Whoa, Lupin, slow down there."
"Huh?" She looked between Fred and George, visibly shaken and confused as they grinned. Ron snorted and Harry smiled amused as Hermione's voice came gently again.
"You are a Lupin, technically, right Em?"
"Oh," she laughed. "Well, I hadn't thought about it. I'm so used to Whitticker, but sure.. I suppose. Anyway, I should be going."
"Eh eh, not so fast." Fred encouraged. "What about that paper?"
"Bloody hell, I completely forgot, I'm so sorry." Emeline's face was quickly turning red and George shook his head as the twins let go.
"E, he's joking. He's already written the paper, turned it in, and failed it. We'd never expect that right now."
"Hey now!" Fred quipped.
"When did you get so nice?" Ron scoffed, chomping into his third Turkey leg.
"I've always been nice," he grinned. "Haven't I, E? It's Fred that's a right git."
"You'll be sorry, Georgie." He rolled his eyes and walked away before George offered Emeline a large smile and sprinted after his twin.
"I'm sorry to disturb supper. I'm going to head out."
With no other word, Emeline left the Great Hall and resolved to visit the Hospital Wing. Her stomach was in even worse knots now.
She knocked at the entry and Madame Pomfrey opened the door quickly. Her face fell sadly at Emeline.
"Miss Lupin, are you well?"
Emeline took a moment then chuckled lightly, messing with the torn sleeve of her robe again. "I really have to get used to that, but yes. I'm quite well. I'd just like to pay a visit to Professor Lupin."
Poppy breathed deeply, an amused look dancing across her face.
"Emeline, your father really isn't up for visitors at present-"
"- but I'm his… his student." She begged lamely and Madame Pomfrey let out a good laugh this time.
"I will see if he has a moment alert enough for his daughter, Miss Lupin. One second."
The large door shut in front of her and she stood in the hall questioning if she should have even come.
Behind closed doors, Madame Pomfrey tried with much effort to convince her old student to allow his daughter a brief visitation. The truth of the matter was, he simply wasn't ready for his daughter to see him in such a state. He was afraid to scare her; Afraid to lose her. Poppy returned to the door to turn away a very distraught Emeline on the grounds that her father was sound asleep.
But she swore she could hear his voice. In fact, she knew she had. And she felt the part of an outsider, with no family, once more. Hot tears stung at her eyes as the weight of everything crashed down on her shoulders. She had been trying so hard to view this as a positive thing; that she had someone in the world who was on her side, who was a light at the end of a very dark tunnel for her. Not to mention, it was someone she'd longed for her entire thirteen years. It felt like such a gift in a dark time and she'd been quickly warming to her father. She thought he felt the same.
She didn't realize how far she was, almost running through the corridors when a familiar voice broke her free of her heavy sobs.
"E, wait. Please. What's going on?"
She stopped and turned to face George, tears streaming down her face still as she desperately tried to calm her breathing.
"Emeline, what's happened?"
How could she possibly explain this to one of her dearest friends? Their relationship had always been slightly unusual with their age difference, but it was beginning to appear less odd as they grew older. Emeline could always count on George and he was just as humorous as she was, which was fun amongst the sometimes (oftentimes), seriousness of the golden trio. He'd always looked out for her, but not in an obligatory 'older brother' sense. In a genuine care sense.
"George, I'm really not up to talk about it right now."
"You?" He cocked one eyebrow. "Not up for a chat?"
This roused a small smile from Emeline and George glanced around before offering her an encouraging glance.
"If you'll take notice, E, there's no one here but you and I which is an unusual treat as a twin. It's the perfect time to tell me your darkest secrets."
"I wish you were joking."
His face formed into something more serious and he immediately pulled the invisibility cloak over them both. Casting a silencing charm, there in the old dark corridor, handled under the safety of the cloak Harry had just lent him and her bestfriend's gaze, Emeline told George everything.
She was not certain if her admission was prompted by trust in George or anger with her father. Regardless of either, their secret circle had just grown larger.
With a pale face, George swore her secret was safe.