"Are hungry, dear?" Molly's voice came loud and loving behind her. "I've made pot pie."
"I'd love that, thank you, Mrs. Weasley."
She offered her a small smile and Molly rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I know it's easy to be shaken up; my nerves are ruined hearing about all of this. But you lot coming home safe is enough to fix that. Try to remember that everything is alright now, okay, dear?"
Emeline nodded politely and took in a calming breath. She'd been on the verge of a complete panic attack since the Death Eaters and running back to the portkey and she was so out of her element on how to sooth that.
Remus always knew how.
She took another rattling breath as she lifted her tea to her lips and the others came bounding down the stairs to come to the table when they were freshened and dressed as well.
She noted that her father's tea was still best.
"Hanging in there, E?" George's voice came first, genuine concern filling the space between them. He sat next to her and watched her closely as Fred took her other side.
"Not going to let this get your Irish spirits down, are you?" Fred asked, chuckling.
"I'm fine, really. How's Ginny?"
"I'm alright!" Her voice chimed through the air as she walked up behind them.
"She's safe, that's what matters." Arthur smiled, pulling her in for a hug. "The whole lot of you."
Emeline felt a tug at her heart and her face fell slightly watching Arthur with Ginny. She tried to focus on Harry and Hermione, also alone in the waters per se, but they were actively in conversation.
She was about to get up from the table to excuse herself as the twins spoke to each other over her, when a knock came to the Burrow's front door.
"I've got it, Molly." Arthur said quickly as Molly set back to work getting everyone's plates ready.
Emeline peered around the corner from the small dining room and felt her panic melt away as Mr. Weasley opened the door to her father. She shot up from her chair and hurried to the front door as they greeted one another. Once he stepped inside, he grabbed her close quickly and smiled, relaxing for the first time since he'd heard the news.
"Sweet pup," he whispered and her soul heard it. "I needed to see you were alright."
"I understand, Remus." Arthur smiled. "An owl wouldn't be enough for me, either. Please, come in. We have dinner ready."
Remus motioned for Emeline to lead the way and removed his cloak as he followed her. He was greeted jovially once again by his old students and George stood to shake his hand quickly.
"Very sorry for the circumstances, Professor. A right disappointment to end last night that way."
"Not your fault, George. And please, call me Remus. I'm no one's professor now, as I said. I just appreciate you looking after my girl here." He smiled softly down on her and she smiled back at them both, a familiar pink creeping across her face.
•
The night passed by peacefully and enjoyably as they all relished time together after the gnawing of how things could've gone for any of them. Remus glanced over at Emeline more than a few times, taking in the fact that she truly was here and safe. She didn't notice his teary gazes as she engaged in chatter with the kids. Having him close gave her confidence in her moments of panic and the worries of last evening were long gone now.
She was finding it easy to calm down with him. She was sure he had that effect on many students past, but it certainly did feel like a specific bond between them.
When supper was through, she stood to help Molly clear the dishes with the other girls and Arthur turned to Remus.
"Emeline is lovely, Remus. She's incredibly polite and she helped George keep Ginny safe while we got to the portkey. You should be very proud."
"I am," he mused, watching her laughing with the girls as the boys started pestering. "Though I fear I can't take all of the credit. I've only had her a year now." His face fell sadly and Arthur shook his head.
"I don't accept that," he started. "You may not have had a hand her entire life but she has been a part of you and vice versa this whole time. I don't know exactly what Florence was like, but I do know you and Emeline is a carbon copy in many positive regards."
"That's very kind." Remus thanked him. "Dinner was delicious, Molly, thank you all again."
Molly smiled as she re-entered the kitchen with Emeline behind her.
"Oh, anytime, Remus. Thank you for trusting us with her for the weekend. I think she wants to head off with you tonight, but she's always a pleasure."
Emeline smiled softly and nodded.
"You can stay, Em." He offered and she gave him a glance that he couldn't place. "But I'd be more than happy to take you home and bring you to the station tomorrow if that's what you want." Her smile erupted and she nodded quickly.
Whatever her look was, he supposed he rectified it.
•
"Well well, look who came crawling back." Sirius yawned as Remus handed him a plate.
"Molly's pot pie. She thought you'd enjoy it. And Harry says hello, he sent you another owl."
"Excellent, I already got the owl. You lot are slow. Enjoyed yourself before the riots broke out?" Sirius continued, and Emeline nodded.
"It was a great match. And I had a nice time. I've just always been a bit of a homebody, so how things ended solidified that. The good news is, I reached out of my comfort zone and I didn't die. So there's that."
Sirius certainly brought out more of her jokingly oblivious side and Remus felt his face go slightly pale at the mention of death.
"Emeline, remember when we went over Boggarts in class last year?" He asked, quickly off topic.
"Yes," she began slowly. "I never got a turn, thoug-"
"-I know. But I think you should practice."
"Alright?" She spoke hesitantly. "When and why?"
"Now and in light of recent events." He responded, determined. "I need you to start learning practical defense at a level I'm comfortable with. You need to catchup so you can get ahead."
"Why do I need to be ahead of everyone else?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.
Remus and Sirius looked knowingly between eachother. They didn't want to frighten her on the brink of such a taxing event and a new year, but they could feel it in the air.
Just like before.
Remus settled his breath and chose to respond with ease.
"Because you're the daughter of a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, that's why."
Emeline rolled her eyes and looked jokingly to Sirius. "You hear this, Padfoot? He's a professor again."
•
When Emeline found herself in the basement, facing a familiar locked chest, she swallowed thickly.
"Are you sure?" She asked, cautiously.
"Yes, you're a year behind on this, Em. You remember the incantation?"
"Yes, but I -"
"-Emeline, this is entry level practice. You have this. Trust yourself."
She nodded and pointed her wand at the chest as Remus unlocked it with a wave of his hand. A Boggart is shapeless to begin, so Emeline wasn't quite sure what floated up from the chest, all she knew was what was lying in front of her.
"No." And only Remus heard it.
Her heart was ready to burst from her chest. With her wand hand shaking, she attempted the counter-spell with trembling breath.
"Ri-" tears stung at her eyes. "Rid-" she could barely see through her tears now, the boggart still lying in front of her.
Anger bubbled inside of her alongside crippling grief and panic. She knew better than this!
She tried once more before finally collapsing under the weight of her fear, falling beside her father's dead body just as quickly as the boggart floated up into a full moon and then disappeared back into the chest.
"No!" She screamed, her body shaking with tears. "Please, Dad!"
She couldn't feel his hands on her shoulders through her panic. All she could see was him lying in front of her, blood everywhere, gone.
"Pup." His voiceless interaction grabbed her soul and she sunk back into him.
"I'm n-never doing that again." She sobbed, throwing her wand toward the chest. "Don't ever make me do this again!" She yelled angrily.
"Okay." He spoke softly, staring at the chest wearily. "It's gone."
•
In the morning, Emeline slept in as long as she could and Remus didn't bother to wake her until she'd need to roll out of bed for the train. Everything was already packed and ready and he just couldn't bring himself to spend a silent breakfast and morning with her sulking in shame.
"Don't worry about it, Moony. That's flattering, really." Sirius quipped over his morning coffee. Remus was leaned back in the chair across from him and looking completely distraught.
"Sirius, please. If she can't repel a Boggart, what would have happened if she needed to engage at the World Cup? Thankfully it was a scare tactic. Dueling? She would've never made it home!"
Sirius nodded somberly. "I get it, Remus. I do. But Emeline is bright. Fending off Death Eater's in protection is a lot different than seeing your only family member dead in front of you. A family member you've only had for a year, mind you. Cut the kid a break."
"Sirius, I can't. You know that; not this time. Things are changing, just like before. I won't lose my daughter if this is what we fear it is."
"You won't lose her, Remus. She will catch on and quickly. Let her breathe a bit for now. She's got a fresh term ahead."
"The ministry will never allow advanced practice due to one Dark Mark, Sirius. She'll learn out of a textbook once again with no practice approach."
"You don't know that, Moony. Just give her a break until next holiday. I wouldn't even mention the boggart again."
"You don't have to tip toe around it." Emeline replied as she entered the dining room, dressed and ready. "It was stupid. I'm stupid."
"Emeline!"
"What? I'm sure you are so proud to have a total flake of a daughter who can't even repeat an incantation that you taught!"
She grabbed a mug from the cabinet aggressively and paused, staring down at it curiously.
Remus knew right away.
"They were a matching pair."
"Hers broke." Emeline ran her fingers over the mug's surface. It had tiny stars all over it.
Her mother's was a moon.
"She was in a foul mood all day that day. Could never figure out why." She set it back in the cabinet gingerly and Remus stood to come beside her.
"Emeline, I am incredibly proud of you, don't ever let me hear you call yourself that again. And I will never stop teaching you. I shouldn't have put that on you after such an eventful weekend. But please trust us: something is off. I need you to be prepared. I need you to be a fighter. I know you've got it in you."
She looked to her shoes and Remus rested his fingers under her chin to pull her head back up to face him. "Whether what you saw was real or not, pup, you fight. You do anything to protect yourself whether I am beside you or not, am I clear?"
"Yes." She replied quietly, sniffing back her tears. "Crystal."
•
It didn't feel like an entire days trip had passed when Emeline finally found herself in her familiar Hufflepuff robes and sitting at the shiny wood table of the Great Hall, yet here she was, listening intently to Dumbledore's announcements.
The Triwizard Tournament sounded like an exciting break from such a heavy year, before Dumbledore continued on to portray it in an oh-so comforting 'you could potentially die', light.
Just as Emeline attempted to get the attention of the trio or twins, the doors opened to reveal the Beauxbatons girls and her breath caught in her throat.
Calliope
If Emeline had expected to see anyone this year, it was hardly her prior bestfriend. She found herself smiling excitedly as she passed, but when her old friend caught her eye, she glanced away quickly. Sadly.
Emeline made it a point to try and approach her later and finished the feast listening intently.