"Are you absolutely certain I can't tag along? Just as a dog? I won't bother anyone, and I'm great protection as a dog you know. Blink once in agreement."
"You are wonderful for protection, Sirius, that's true."
Sirius looked at her, playfully hopeful, before his face fell as she continued.
"Which is precisely why it makes perfect sense for you to stay behind and protect dad while I'm gone since he'll be completely and utterly lost without me and I'm about to be surrounded by nearly ten other people. Thank you for volunteering your services."
Emeline flashed him a glowing smile while Remus rolled her eyes and handed her breakfast to go.
"Precisely? Now you talk like him, too?"
Sirius threw his hands in the air in disgust and Emeline laughed him off as she grabbed the bag with her biscuits.
"Bag?" Remus started, looking down on her expectantly, noting his daughter's typically disorganized chaos.
"Yes."
"Wand?"
"Yes."
"Enough clothes?"
"Yes."
"Chocolate?"
"Dad!"
"Fine, we're leaving. Sirius, try not to destroy the flat while I'm gone."
"I'll do my best." He sulked, arms crossed.
•
It was a long walk to the Portkey, but the morning air was calming and the scenery was lush.
Emeline offered her father to take a break numerous times, as being just two days away from the moon was still quite taxing, but cane in hand, he declined stoically and urged her forward.
"I won't make you late. I've been attempting to instill the art of promptness in you."
"It isn't an art so much as it is an essence. I'm a night person, that's just how it is." Emeline shrugged, forcing her second bag off his shoulder despite his protest.
"I find that hard to believe, Em. You jumped out of bed this morning." He grinned, taking a deep breath in.
"Yeah, well, everyone has their epiphanies."
"E!" The familiar voice ahead had her face shining in excitement and Remus acknowledged it with a forced smile.
"Professor Lupin!" Harry's voice was next and Remus smile quickly shifted to a softer genuineness.
"You no longer need to address me as Professor, Harry. It's Remus, please."
Hermione smiled behind him as she caught up.
"Remus," she nodded quickly. "About last term, I'm so sor-"
"-please don't apologize, Hermione. It was an understandably on-edge evening. I'm grateful for my time back at Hogwarts."
Emeline offered an encouraging smile to assure her and Hermione rushed to hug them both. Harry offered him a hug also before his fell slightly fell.
"No Padfoot?"
"I'm sorry, Harry." Remus rested a hand on his shoulder. "It's still a bit of an open wound right now. He's lying low as best he can."
As they chatted and Arthur joined in the conversation about the security, their sleeping arrangements and travel itinerary, Emeline finally turned to George who was accompanied closely by Fred for now.
"Figured I'd float around in case the need for a chaperone arose."
Emeline chuckled as George grabbed her for a quick hug.
"Hardly, Fred. Friends, right?" She flashed George a convincing smile, but he could hear that sarcasm in her undertone.
Had he said something?
They were quickly interrupted as Remus put his free arm around her shoulder and pulled her closely.
"Stay close to everyone, please, Em. No breaking off on your own. If anything seems amiss at all, you call." He dropped his voice low. The quiet whisper and call that was always between them. She nodded into the side of his chest and he kissed the top of her head quickly before letting go.
"Wouldn't want to embarrass you with your friends,"
Now George noted the tone from Remus, too. Certainly there was something at play he was completely daft too, which was unusual for him. He gave Emeline a questioning face and she turned to her dad in response.
"I hope you have a lovely time. Thank you again for extending the invitation, Arthur."
They shook hands and Mr. Weasley smiled wide.
"We're happy to have her, Remus. She's in good hands."
•
Motion sick and riding an adrenaline high, the teens all watched as the adults alongside their newly introduced friend came gracefully to a stop next to them. They let the Diggorys and Mr. Weasley take the lead as they followed them to the camp grounds, the girls naturally falling into a group together as did the boys. George stayed close to the back of the boy's group closet Emeline, but didn't utter a word in her direction as he animatedly discussed quidditch and all of the vendors with his twin.
"Keep up, girls! Come on!"
As they approached the tent, Harry, Hermione and Emeline shared a confused glance. This was quickly rectified when they stepped inside to a tent ten sizes larger internally. Emeline's jaw was practically on the floor as she took in the site, laughing at the twins already disregarding their father's feet-on-the-table rules and rushing to follow Hermione and Ginny to choose bunks.
When they found themselves alone, they drew a curtain to conceal a little more and Hermione turned to Emeline.
"Em, I'm truly sorry for sharing private information that night."
"Hermione, please. You did nothing wrong," Emeline chuckled, her humor in tense scenarios arising. "For Merlin's sake, the transformation was in front of the entire world. He would've been forced to step down with or without your word. But on his word, he could keep dignified about it all. He meant what he said: he was grateful for the year he had to teach. He's a wonderful teacher."
"The best we ever had."
Emeline smiled and nodded.
"How have things been? I heard you're able to transform to an animagus now." She offered excitedly. "I take it you're on the registry?" Her matriarch of the group personality creeped in.
"Yeah, dad took care of all of that. It's been a really lovely break. Just the three of us.. I don't even know what to call us. But it's something." She laughed.
"Well it's got to be comforting having your dad, after everything you've been through." Ginny added softly.
Emeline's smile came harder this time and she nodded slowly, desperately wracking her brain for a smooth change of subject. "Yes, I'm happy to have him.. but wait, how did you all know I was an animagus? I only told-"
"-George?" Ginny snickered. "He hasn't quit talking about it. Or you, I suppose."
Emeline's face flushed pink and she swallowed thickly.
"Really? I'm surprised."
"How so?" Ginny asked curiously, taking a seat near Hermione as Emeline stood awkwardly in front of them.
"It's just that, well, in his letter he mentioned being friends with one of the marauder's daughter. So I took it-"
"-literal? Oh no, Emeline. He's down bad. But he's a slow mover. Take my word for it: that was a test. Don't let him psych you out."
Emeline smiled wider at Ginny now and Hermione nodded quickly in agreement before they were called for to get going. The match was about to begin.
•
The match was the loudest and most exhilarating event Emeline had ever been to. Her voice was hoarse from screaming and all of their faces were taunt from their smiles and cheers. In the end, they all came to agree and celebrate Ireland, save for Ron who was secretly despondent over the Bulgarians (rather, Victor Krum's) loss.
Back at the tent, the girls laughed heartily at the twins expressively mocking Ron for his love of Krum as Mr. Weasley struck a match to start the fire before rushing off to peek outside after a particularly loud firework that Emeline found easy to ignore as she watched George's animated singing.
She was broken from her reverie when Mr. Weasley ran back in to their tent, his face pale and frantic as he addressed the twins and grabbed Ginny's wrist.
"We have to get out. Now."