Emelyn's last two weeks at Saint Nicholas's Children's Home moved a lot quicker than she had expected. She was almost positive that what had happened a few weeks prior had never actually occurred. She felt that day had been all a fabrication of her mind.

Each night as she pulled her Hogwarts letter out from underneath her pillow, it became all too clear that her life was indeed going to change. Emelyn would gently touch the raised edges of the wax seal and pull out the envelope's contents. She would begin to read them by the light of the waxing moon creeping into the room and then gently and carefully put it away.

You're a witch, Emelyn would think to herself, repeating it almost as if it were her mantra. You're a witch, and you are going to Hogwarts. You are going to a magic school, and you are finally leaving this place.

As excited as Emelyn was to finally be leaving Saint Nicholas's, she felt a dull ache as she thought about how much her life was going to change. The truth was that she genuinely didn't know a life outside of the children's home. She had spent many days and nights dreaming about what life on the outside would be like, but she was ultimately terrified of the reality.

What if her new family didn't like her? What if they wanted to give her back? Or worse – leave her abandoned in the middle of nowhere. Wild thoughts ran through the young girl's mind daily, only further exacerbated by the fact she wasn't sure when she would actually be leaving. She had most of her meager belongings gathered and ready to go in a backpack as per Mr. Ward's request, but she had no idea when the news would arrive.

On the evening of the twenty-eighth of July, Irma Bryce had made a sudden reappearance in Emelyn's life. It was no coincidence that Irma had shown up that night. After receiving her letter, Emelyn stopped into Mr. Ward's office to find out if there had been any updates. Irma Bryce's appearance in Ward's office told her today was that day.

"Hello, there, dear. It's nice to see you again," Mrs. Bryce pipped from her place next to Mr. Ward's desk, her curls a flurry as she waved at Emelyn as she entered the room. "I've just been by to tell Broderick – I mean, Mr. Ward, the good news!"

Emelyn looked inquisitively at Mr. Ward, who was as stony-faced as ever.

"Mrs. Bryce has just informed me that you will be moving into your new home in the next week," Ward said. "You'll be leaving tomorrow morning and will be staying in the inn over top of the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley for the time being."

"I'm leaving tomorrow?" Emelyn asked, looking between the two adults in front of her, not believing her ears. She was full of nervous excitement, and her stomach did a flip.

"Yes," Ward replied. "Things are still being settled, so I don't have much to tell you at this time. Professor McGonagall will be accompanying you to Diagon Alley. She will help you pick up your school things, how to use our money, and will make sure that you are set up and safe for the time being."

Emelyn took in a deep breath at his words. She couldn't believe it was finally happening and had no idea what to say.

"Your things are packed, dear?" Mrs. Bryce offered, breaking the silence and giving Emelyn a huge smile.

"Yes," Emelyn said, nodding. She found herself returning Irma's smile. "Mr. Ward requested that I pack, and I've been ready ever since."

"Excellent! Well, then I suggest you head off to bed as you'll be picked up nice and early. I believe Minerva said she would be arriving just before daybreak?" Irma turned to look at Mr. Ward for confirmation.

Mr. Ward nodded in response. "She did, indeed. It'll be a long trip to London as they'll be taking the train."

"Splendid! Now, off you get, Miss Nickels," Mrs. Bryce said, walking over to Emelyn and quickly guiding her out of the room. As she made sure Emelyn was out of the room and out of earshot, she turned to Broderick Ward, her face suddenly grave. "I hope that Dumbledore is making the right decision," she whispered to him before turning around and following Emelyn back to her room, forgetting to close the door in her haste.

Broderick Ward wasn't sure that Dumbledore was making the right decision, but Emelyn was no longer a charge of his facility as of the morning. He pulled his wand from out of his desk, and with a swish, the door closed by itself. "I certainly hope so," he said. "I certainly hope so."

When Emelyn entered her room that night, she realized with an errant pang of sadness that it would be for the last time. With Irma's help, she ensured that she had everything packed up and that her letter was placed carefully in one of the front pockets. Irma noted sadly that Emelyn didn't have much, but that was usually the case when she visited the children's home. After being confident that everything was taken care of, Irma made sure that Emelyn had gotten ready and into bed and bid her a good night.

Despite Emelyn's nerves, she was so excited that she could hardly sleep. It didn't matter that Jocelyn was even more annoying than usual.

She was leaving.

Emelyn felt that she had just closed her eyes when she was woken up by Mrs. Bryce.

"It's time," Mrs. Bryce whispered at the head of Emelyn's bed, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Hurry up and get dressed, and head to the front hall. I'll be waiting there for you with Professor McGonagall. Just make sure to pack your pajamas and leave your bag here. I'll make sure everything gets to Diagon Alley for you."

Mrs. Bryce turned on her heel and began to walk out of the room. She turned and flashed Emelyn, who was now sitting upright in her bed, a quick smile before disappearing around the corner.

Emelyn scrambled to the edge of the bed with a delighted smile and rushed down the ladder. She wouldn't have even cared if Jocelyn was awake and knocked her down as she was too excited. She grabbed her change of clothes off the top of the dresser, ran to the bathroom to change, and made herself presentable. Emelyn couldn't help but stare at herself for a moment, amazed at how happy she appeared.

"I'm leaving today," she whispered to herself. She gave a delighted squeal, ran back to her old room, and stuffed her pajamas in her backpack. Emelyn ran downstairs, not taking the time to tie her trainers. She skidded into the entrance hall and stopped dead in her tracks as she nearly ran into a very tall and imposing woman.

The woman looked at Emelyn, her eyebrows raised as Emelyn began to let out a small and nervous laugh.

"I'm sorry," Emelyn said, flushing as she looked at the woman. The woman wore her hair up high in a bun and wore a long green dress with long sleeves. The woman had a solemn look on her face, and her dark eyes were very sharp.

Irma Bryce walked into the entrance hall with a smile. "Oh, there you are, Emelyn. I see you've met Professor McGonagall," she said.

Emelyn nodded, looking sheepishly between Mrs. Bryce and Professor McGonagall. "Hello, Professor McGonagall. It's nice to meet you."

"Good morning, Miss Nickels," McGonagall said, inspecting Emelyn. "I trust you slept well?"

"Yes, Professor," Emelyn answered, suddenly aware that she should have taken more time with picking her clothes out. Emelyn felt terribly out of place in her jeans and a modest t-shirt.

"Very good. Irma, I believe that we should be on our way. I am meeting with another family at Diagon Alley today and need to make sure they find the correct building."

"Of course," Irma said with a smile. "Take care, Emelyn. Don't forget – your things will be in your room when you arrive. Enjoy! I'll send you an owl later, Minerva."

Professor McGonagall turned towards the door but paused, looking down at Emelyn. "I believe that your shoes are untied, Miss Nickels. I would suggest that you tie them before we head on our way."

"Of course. Thank you, Professor," Emelyn said, bending down quickly to tie her shoes. When Emelyn glanced back up quickly at McGonagall as she tied her shoes, she couldn't help but notice the hints of a smile. Emelyn felt a lot better than she did a few moments ago. She was finally leaving, and nothing was going to change that.

One of the things that Emelyn noticed was that Professor McGonagall was a very serious woman. She also spoke to her in short clips on their journey.

As they rode the train into London, McGonagall spoke to her quietly, occasionally divulging information that would quell Emelyn's curiosity. Each time Emelyn opened her mouth to ask McGonagall a question, she would be met with a very stern look, imploring Emelyn not to ask with her dark eyes. Around 20 minutes into their train ride, McGonagall had pulled out a book and began to read. Emelyn, realizing that she wasn't going to get any more information from McGonagall, began to watch the world pass outside the train windows, the smaller buildings, and homes growing into tall, old, bricked buildings as they entered London.

Emelyn could only remember visiting London one time. She had gone on a field trip with her primary school to the aquarium. It was one of the few moments that she had felt truly free, and Emelyn found herself daydreaming of the memory.

"We're almost there, Miss Nickels," McGonagall whispered as they pulled into King's Cross Station. "Follow me as we'll be traveling the rest of the way on foot."

As the train pulled into Kings Cross, McGonagall stood, ushering Emelyn to follow, and the professor placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her off the train and into the warm overcast London air. As they passed the giant clock in the station, Emelyn noticed that it was around 10 in the morning, and the trip from York to London had taken about three hours. They walked past buildings covered in brick, newer buildings with tall windows, but mostly they stuck to side streets to avoid most people on the busy London streets.

Professor McGonagall stopped in front of the doors to a run-down-looking building and gave Emelyn a small smile. "After you, Miss Nickels."

Emelyn looked inquisitively at McGonagall but opened the door. Outside, the building seemed terribly nondescript, but the inside was incredible. It looked as though they had entered a pub, but instead of regular clothing, the occupants wore robes in many different colors. She looked around in awe and let out a small gasp when she realized the pictures on the walls were moving.

Professor McGonagall gave Emelyn a chance to take in her surrounding before gently guiding her to a table. "If you would stay put for a moment, Miss Nickels, there is another young witch that will be joining us today."

"Sure," Emelyn said breathlessly, sitting down. She watched as McGonagall walked out of the building and then found herself quickly looking at her surroundings. Emelyn didn't know where to look. She watched as a woman appeared to be stirring her teacup with her wand hovering just above. A wizard was sorting through his purchases close by. Were those fish eyes he had? Emelyn watched a young child chasing around what looked like a floating napkin. She found herself beginning to smile as she watched the people coming through. Completely enraptured, Emelyn allowed herself to start listening to the conversations happening around her.

"I told Madoff that mixing armadillo bile and doxy eggs would cause his potion to explode. He said that he felt normal in the morning, but by night he was covered in giant blue bubbles – like a massive blueberry!" said a man from a table nearby.

From another table, "If you promise to be good, then I will buy you an ice cream from Fortescue's! But you have to promise not to tell your father that you nearly blew up the toilet!"

"Have you seen the Daily Prophet today? They're predicting that Ireland's Quidditch team has a chance of making it to the World Cup! I'll believe it when I see it!"

Emelyn was amazed and confused by the conversations she was hearing around her. She began half listening to what was being said before looking around again. Her eyes rested on wizarding families passing through with children who seemed to be around her age and older gentlemen who traveled in groups. Even stranger, she was surprised to see a few people she wasn't entirely sure were human. An ashen man passed by her – a vampire! Emelyn thought to herself before giggling. Were vampires real?

As she surveyed her surroundings, she nearly jumped as she met the eyes of a man from across the room. She hadn't noticed him before, but he seemed to be watching her, his expression almost sad. She took in his appearance briefly, tilting her head ever so slightly as she noticed the scars on his face. She gave him a small smile, and he blinked twice, almost in disbelief that she'd seen him before giving her a smile in return. He seemed like a kind man, but she was very aware that she didn't have any idea of knowing.

Her eyes quickly grew wide as she realized it was rather rude to be staring at his scars so much and looked away. Emelyn promptly started to look around again and frowned, wanting to look at him again. He had been staring at her first, after all. Perhaps she wasn't rude at all.

Before Emelyn knew it, Professor McGonagall had walked back into the building with three people in tow; a very bushy-haired girl and what Emelyn assumed were her parents. Both the man and woman were reasonably tall, if not average, and very clean. Professor McGonagall spoke to the family of three and motioned towards where Emelyn was sitting.

Emelyn decided to look to see if the man who had been staring at her was still watching. She was almost disappointed to see that he was gone. Turning back to look at the people McGonagall was with, Emelyn was startled to see a hand shoved practically in her face.

"My name is Hermione Granger. What's yours?" The hand in front of her was attached to the bushy-haired girl looking at her expectantly.

Emelyn regarded the girl before her for a moment and then took her hand and shook it. "Uhm…Emelyn Nickels, but a lot of people call me Emma."

"Well, this is my first year at Hogwarts. Mum and dad were so incredibly pleased when I received my letter. What about your parents?"

"Hermione, I don't think -," her mother started as they approached, a flush creeping into her cheeks suddenly.

"Miss Granger, Miss Nickels is here by herself," Professor McGonagall explained, looking to Emelyn for direction.

Emelyn gave Hermione a small smile. "I'm an orphan," she said with a slight shrug.

Hermione balked at Emelyn's statement, furtively looking at her parents to help her figure out what to say. She tensed up and began to sputter words that weren't making any sense.

"It's okay, really," Emelyn said, hoping she was giving Hermione a reassuring smile. "I-it's all I've ever known. I'm used to it. Really."

Hermione relaxed a little bit. "Are you sure? Well, I suspect they would be excited if they were around," she said matter of factly. "Erm, these are my parents! I hope that's okay…."

"Well, now that introductions are made, why don't we head on our way?" Professor McGonagall said suddenly in an attempt to clear the air. "Come now, Miss Nickels. Let's head on our way."

Emelyn stood from her seat with a slightly nervous laugh and followed Professor McGonagall and the Grangers, wondering where they could possibly be going now. The look of confusion on the faces of the Grangers and Emelyn grew as they found themselves in a fairly small alleyway surrounded by brick walls.

"Now, when you've received your wand, this is how you will enter Diagon Alley. Hermione, you will have to make sure that you're with your parents for this," McGonagall explained, removing her wand from her purse. "Diagon Alley is where you will need to come and purchase your things for school."

The group watched as Professor McGonagall counted out loud for them, motioning to specific bricks, and then tapped what appeared to be a random brick in the wall three times with her wand. To their amazement, they watched as the wall started to split open, and an archway appeared. Beyond the wall was a great alleyway of bright and gilded shops, all containing wonders that they had never seen before.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley."

The Grangers led the way into Diagon Alley, followed by Emelyn and then Professor McGonagall.

"Down the way is Gringotts Bank. You can exchange your Muggle money there to purchase your items," McGonagall explained to the Grangers.

Emelyn was suddenly crestfallen as she listened to McGonagall speak. "Professor, I haven't any money," Emelyn said. How was she supposed to buy her things?

"Of course, you do," Professor McGonagall said, reaching back into her purse. "I took the liberty of pulling money from your vault for you. Your parents didn't leave you with nothing."

"This is mine?" Emelyn asked, taking the leather pouch that McGonagall held out to her. She was surprised at how heavy the small bag was. She tried to weigh it in her hand, trying to figure out just how much was in there.

"It is," Professor McGonagall stated. "You don't have access to your vault just yet, but I imagine Professor Dumbledore will have that all sorted out for you when he visits later this week."

"Professor Dumbledore? The Headmaster?" Emelyn looked at McGonagall, a look that was a mixture of surprise and terror plastered on her face.

"The very same. There should be more than enough to purchase your school things and a few treats. You'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the time being. Tom, the innkeeper, will be able to get you settled. In the meantime, I will let you all go on your way. Why don't you join the Grangers to pick up your things, Miss Nickels?"

Hermione's parents gave Emelyn a wide smile. "Please, come join us. I think we all could use the help. After all, four brains are better than one!" Hermione's mother said, gently holding her hand out for Emelyn to take.

Emelyn smiled back at the Grangers and nodded, taking Hermione's mother's hand. For the first time, in a long time, she was happy.

Emelyn had never been on her own before, and the idea of spending time in the magical world by herself was terrifying. However, she felt safe and secure by the next day, though she was incredibly overwhelmed.

For the first two days by herself, Emelyn started her day in the pub, eating a quick breakfast. Her wand – cedar, nine and three-quarter inches, with phoenix feather and pleasantly supple – sat in the back pocket of her jeans, and she would wander in and out of the multitude of stores. She would listen in on the conversations of the other pub occupants and then embark on an adventure into Diagon Alley. Even though she didn't really need it (and certainly didn't know how to use it), she carried her new wand everywhere.

Some days she would find a book in Flourish and Blotts and just sit on the floor and read, or she would visit Florean Fortescue's and try a new type of ice cream that the old wizard insisted that she had to try. Even though it seemed like many of the adult witches and wizards were keeping an eye on her, Emelyn felt completely free. She never felt like she couldn't wander and take in all there was to see. The only place she avoided was Knockturn Alley. One afternoon, she had taken a wrong turn into the darkened alley and immediately turned back the other way.

Emelyn carried the small pouch that housed her money in her front pocket. She was incredibly unsure of whether or not she wanted to spend it, having never had more than a few pounds in her possession at a time. She wasn't sure how much money she had, but she knew it had to be far more than her allowance from the children's home. By the end of the second day in Diagon Alley, Emelyn decided to stop by one of the stalls dotting the long alley and pick up some candy. She grabbed a few licorice wands, some pumpkin pasties, some jelly slugs, and a few regular toffees to round out the bunch.

On her third day, Emelyn was greeted with a note that had been shoved under her door.

Professor Dumbledore will be coming to call at around 7 o'clock. Please make your way back to your room at that time. Enjoy your day in Diagon Alley.

Emelyn had known the entire time that Dumbledore was going to arrive, but she had no idea of when that would actually be. She looked anxiously around her room, looking at everything she had lying around. She had chosen to not have anyone come around to clean the past few days. Emelyn was now feeling regret over that decision. Waffling over what to do, Emelyn quickly dressed and began throwing her things haphazardly into piles. Even though she had a trunk, she had yet to put anything away. She groaned, looking at the piles she made, but the nagging feeling of her rumbling stomach told her that she needed to go downstairs to eat.

Time seemed to move strangely in Diagon Alley, and Emelyn wasn't sure of what day it even was. She took a quick look at the calendar near the bar. The thirty-first of July. It had only been a few days since she had left the children's home, but it had already felt like an eternity.

While Emelyn sat in the pub and ate her breakfast, she listened to the conversations that were being had. Suddenly the entire pub grew quiet and lit up as if a firework had been set off. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she heard the phrases "The Chosen One," "The Boy Who Lived," and "the potters" being thrown around. She couldn't help but wonder what a gardener had to do with the extremely tall and large jovial man and the small dark-haired boy that followed him.

After eating, Emelyn pondered whether she should go back upstairs to clean some more. Being a child and unsure when she would return, she decided that cleaning could wait. She wanted to go enjoy her time in Diagon Alley once more, as well. Having one last adventure would be more enjoyable.

Emelyn spent a few hours ducking in and out of shops but ultimately found herself in Flourish and Blotts again. She found a lengthy book about magical creatures with great glee. She settled herself into her favorite spot on the second floor at the very back end of an aisle, up against a wall. Emelyn was so engrossed by her book that she lost track of time. The shopkeeper, a woman who was no older than 25, made her way upstairs and informed Emelyn that the store would be closing in a few minutes.

"I'm sorry, what time is it?" Emelyn had asked the young witch, closing the book quickly and becoming nervous.

"It's nearly 7 pm," she answered. "Do you need me to put that away for you? Or will you be making a purchase?

"Oh, no," Emelyn moaned, scrambling to her feet. She looked at the book in her hand and then shoved it roughly towards the witch, who took it in surprise. "I'm sorry, I'm meant to be meeting someone. Bye!" Emelyn bolted down the aisle, down the stairs, and back through the, luckily, open brick wall that divided Diagon Alley from the Leaky Cauldron.

As she entered the building, she was stopped by the barkeep Tom. "Professor Dumbledore is upstairs waiting," he said, taking a look at the clock. "You're late."

"I know I am," Emelyn yelled as she ran past towards the staircase. Emelyn took the stairs two at a time to her floor and paused on the landing. She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath, and winced at the stitch in her side. As she stood on the landing, clutching her side, she grew more and more nervous. She didn't want to make a bad impression. She was afraid that Professor Dumbledore would be mad at her for being late. She looked up as she heard the clicking of a door opening and realized that the door to her room was now ajar, though she was not near it.

Working through her pain, Emelyn made her way slowly down the hallway, still holding her side as she struggled to get her breathing back to normal. She let out a quiet sigh and gently pushed the door the rest of the way open. When she peered in, she was glad to see that the room was a lot cleaner than when she had left it. Two large purple wingback chairs sat angled in front of the crackling fire, replacing the stiff brown chairs on either side of a small table. The small round table sat between them with a silver platter that held a teapot, three teacups, a stack of biscuits, and some sugars. Emelyn, momentarily fixated by the fire as she closed the door, was very surprised to see the face of an older man very close to her own.

"Ah, Miss Nickels, how nice of you to join me."

Emelyn let out a small yelp and took a step back, slamming into the now-closed door. She threw her hands up to her mouth in shock, her eyes wide.

The man returned an equally as surprised look behind his half-moon glasses and then began to laugh, the bell wrapped around the middle of his long beard jingling as he did so. "I apologize. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Professor Dumbledore?" Emelyn asked breathlessly, dropping her hands slightly.

"I suppose that might be me, yes," the man replied, his blue eyes twinkling.

Emelyn took a few moments to allow her breathing to finally get back to normal and took in the sight of the old man. He wore long robes that were the same color as the purple chairs and had long grey hair. The Professor Dumbledore that stood in front of her was nothing like the image that she had painted in her mind. She had imagined a relatively short, handlebar mustached man, much like Mr. Ward. The man that stood in front of her was far better than what she had imagined.

"I apologize for being late," Emelyn spluttered. "I was reading in Flourish and Blotts and completely lost track of time. I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." She clamped a hand over her mouth again to keep herself from babbling.

"Late?" Dumbledore responded, pulling a pocket watch from one of the deep pockets of his robe and looking at it. When Emelyn peered at it curiously, it looked as though it had no hands but swirling planets. "Why I do believe that you came just precisely on time." He looked back at Emelyn with his eyes twinkling as he placed the pocket watch back in his pocket. He motioned over to the small table near the fire. "Tea?"

"That – that would be wonderful, yes," Emelyn said, taken aback.

"Wonderful, let us sit," Dumbledore said, inclining his head towards the chairs, motioning for Emelyn to take a seat. Emelyn smiled at Dumbledore as she walked past him and sat down in the seat closest to the door.

"Would you like sugar in your tea?" Dumbledore asked her as he began pouring tea into the cups.

"Yes, please. Two cubes," Emelyn replied, watching curiously as Dumbledore filled the third cup as well as their own. He dropped two blocks of the sugar into her tea, took a spoon, and stirred the sugar in for her. With a smile, he passed the cup and saucer to her.

Emelyn took a slow sip from her cup as she watched Dumbledore walk around the side of the empty chair and sit down in it, crossing his legs. He took a few sips from his cup, staring into the fire for a few moments before speaking.

"I trust you have enjoyed your time in Diagon Alley thus far?" Dumbledore asked, watching the fire.

"I have," Emelyn answered earnestly. "It's been wonderful. It's more than I ever expected."

"I take it that you've been spending a lot of time at Flourish and Blotts?" Dumbledore asked, peering at her over his glasses as he took another sip of tea.

Emelyn flushed under his gaze. "I have," she said, looking over at the fire so that she didn't have to look at Dumbledore. "There's so much that I don't know about. I want to know as much as I can."

"That's wise," Dumbledore said, nodding. "It is always a wise move to educate oneself as much as they can so that they can prepare for what's unknown."

The two watched the crackling fire in silence, drinking their tea.

"Miss Nickels, are you aware of why I'm here tonight?" Dumbledore asked her quietly. He placed his empty cup back on the table and peered at Emelyn over steepled fingers.

Emelyn shook her head, still watching the fire and holding her empty teacup and saucer on her lap. "No, Professor. All I know is that you would be coming to speak to me. I just haven't a clue why."

Dumbledore was quiet for a moment as he watched Emelyn. "I imagine you wouldn't. Professor McGonagall is rather tight-lipped with most things," he replied honestly. He leaned forward and gently took the empty cup and saucer from Emelyn and placed it on the table next to his cup. "Did she mention anything else of note?"

Emelyn looked at Dumbledore and shook her head again. "Not really. She did mention that you would be assisting in sorting out my account at Gringotts," Emelyn said. "Other than that? Nothing I can recall."

"Ah, yes. I will have to visit Gringotts tomorrow to get that taken care of," Dumbledore said, standing up from his seat. He began to walk past her and head towards the door. Dumbledore took a moment to stop next to Emelyn and placed a hand on her shoulder. "As for tonight's meeting, as it turns out, there is someone else that you need to meet tonight." Emelyn looked up at Dumbledore, his twinkling blue eyes meeting hers.

"We have had a family member of yours step forward in regards to your care. Ordinarily, you would be placed with another wizarding family, but due to a turn of events, circumstances have changed."

Emelyn suddenly felt as though a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over the top of her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. That was possibly one of the last things she ever expected to hear.

"I will be right back," he said, placing a hand gently on top of her head before proceeding to walk out the door. Emelyn twisted around in her chair to watch as the door closed behind the old man. With a shuddering breath, she turned back around to stare deeply into the fire. She was now incredibly nervous.

While she had been in Ollivander's, the wild wandmaker had presented her wands that he insisted were similar to her parents. She had been confused when he had attempted a third wand of another family member, "even though he was still present." She had laughed at the grey-haired old man and told him that he must have been mistaken. He had only met her confused look with an expressionless one of his own but didn't reply. Could he have genuinely meant that someone in her family was still alive?

Unsure of what to do with herself, Emelyn found herself fidgeting with her clothes. She tried to flatten out the creases of her jeans and tried to pull the hem of her shirt down. She played with her fingers, tapping them together carefully in a rhythm. Finding the action didn't quell her nerves; she settled for just fisting her hands on her lap until her knuckles turned white. Once again, she felt she should have picked a different outfit, but she didn't have much to choose from.

As she heard the room door click open, Emelyn closed her eyes tightly, trying to still her uneven and nervous breathing. She kept her hands fisted and opened her eyes to stare into the fire, not willing herself to look up to see who was in the room.

"Emelyn, I have brought who you need to meet," Dumbledore said softly from off to her left side, the side closest to the door.

Emelyn felt a lump in her throat form, which she tried to swallow back as she stood up. She tried to keep her eyes fixed low as she turned to face the direction Dumbledore stood, but her curiosity got the best of her. She let out a small gasp as her eyes met the eyes of the tall man that stood next to him.

It was the man she saw when she first arrived in Diagon Alley.

Emelyn looked at Dumbledore inquisitively and looked back at the man, her brows knitting close together. With the man now close to her, she could see that his eyes were the same shade of green as hers. He looked paler than he had the other day, almost as if he had been ill, the scars on his face harsh against his skin, and he seemed nervous.

"Emelyn, meet your uncle Remus."

a/n: I realized last week that literally no one would have any idea that I even started reposting hahahaha. That was an oops on my part, but oh well.

Also I quite literally do not remember this story getting to this point as quickly as it did. I mean, it's better to have it happen early on, but I just genuinely didn't remember. So see? I'm rereading along with all of you as well.

Enjoy~

For all of my late night readers - good night.
For all of my readers just starting their day - good morning.
For those who needed a little afternoon break - I hope that you've had a good day and continue to do so.

xoxo,
Moony