"Well aren't you three ready for a ball." Euphemia said dryly eyeing each of them.
"Yup." James chirped. "Emerald's already dead to the world so I doubt we'll get much out of her tonight. Sirius is already in a bad mood and when he has one of these moods the only thing that'll help him is a huge prank or recently a bear hug from Emerald who is currently unable to help him. But I'm ready to dance."
"Wonderful."
"Hey mate look what I got." Sirius whispered walking over. He pulled a ton of firecrackers out of his pockets. James face split into a grin.
"Hang on I'll give Emerald to mum." He ran over to Euphemia. "MUM can you mind Emerald for twenty minutes?"
"Of course." Euphemia replied a bit confused but took the sleeping girl nonetheless. She stirred slightly but then went back to sleep.
Sirius and James set up the prank. When the main dance of the evening came on which was about an hour and a half away the firecrackers and fireworks (which they had collected from James's room) would be set off.
They walked back to Euphemia quite pleased with themselves. Euphemia was holding a still sleeping Emerald and talking to Nora Longbottom.
"Ah here they are. I thought you'd abandoned her for the night." Euphemia smiled as Sirius made to take Emerald from her.
"Sirius shhhh." Emerald muttered in her sleep.
"I didn't say anything." He said confused.
"Your probably in her dream genius and she's telling dream you to shut up." James said before going to the food and drink table.
"Do you think she'll wake up for food?" Sirius asked.
"The two things she loves most in the world is food and sleep. I don't know if she'll give up one for the other."
"Emerald." James whispered shaking her shoulder gently. "Emerald it's time to wake up."
"No James sleepy time." She murmured burying her face in Sirius's shoulder.
"We've got chocolate."
"Chocolate?" She echoed.
"Yup but unless you wake up you can't have it." Sirius waited for her to take the bait. And she did.
"Can I please have the chocolate James." She asked sweetly, reaching her hand out towards James.
"Yes you may." James put a piece of chocolate in her hands and she gave him a big smile.
"How long do we have to stay here James?" She asked nibbling on the chocolate.
"Just a few hours." James replied ruffling her hair.
She wiggled out of Sirius arms and wandered off by herself.
"Should we follow her?" James asked.
"Where is she gonna go Prongs? It's not like she's gonna walk out the front door."
Emerald pulled open the front door and walked out.
She wandered in the gardens alone looking at all the flowers. She thought they were all so beautiful. There was one that seemed to glow. She stared at it for ages before moving on.
As she kept moving she heard muffled cries. She frowned. It was a party nobody should be crying. She thought parties were happy things unless it was hosted at your house then it was a nightmare.
She crept around the corner and saw a boy who looked a bit younger than James and Sirius. He had curly brown hair and pale skin. He was holding his forearm tight as if it hurt.
"Are you okay?" She whispered. The boys head snapped up and he looked around wiping his eyes roughly. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."
Once realising it was only a child he calmed slightly. "Yes I'm okay."
"But you were crying."
"Sometimes people just cry." She nodded as if she knew this already.
"Wait here." She said and dashed off. Regulus watched her go a bit confused before he sat back down on the bench clutching his arm.
Emerald returned a few minutes later and pushed a bar of chocolate into Regulus's hands. "Chocolate always makes me happy so maybe it will do the same for you." She beamed.
Regulus held the chocolate with trembling fingers and looked up at the girl a bit teared up. "What's your name?"
"I'm Emerald what's your name?"
"I'm Regulus." He gave her a weak smile and took a bite of the chocolate which made her smile widely.
"I like the name Regulus. What does it mean?"
"Little King I think."
"Are you a king?"
"No. Just a school boy."
"That's okay." She smiled. "I'm not a princess. Do you want tell me why you were sad?"
"I did a very bad thing and I can't make it up to anyone."
"Remus told me as long as I apologise and I'm actually sorry then most people will forgive me."
"But the thing I did was much worse than what you did."
"Well I forgive you." She smiled at him while swinging her legs since they couldn't reach the floor.
"You do? But you don't know what I did."
"But you're sorry so I forgive you. And even if other people don't I still do."
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"James said treat people as I want to be treated. And if I was sad I'd like someone to get me chocolate and talk to me."
"Thank you Emerald."
"For what?" She looked up at him innocently.
"For being so kind."
"You're welcome."
"If I can ask why are you in pyjamas at a ball?"
"Because I didn't want to put on a dress and Sirius said I could wear my pyjamas if I wanted to. And now I'm warm even though I'm outside and it's cold. Are you cold?"
"No I'm not. Are you going back to the dance?"
"Uh huh. James said we're staying till eleven. And it's only eight."
"But that's way past your bedtime."
"They made me take a nap earlier so I wouldn't be missing out on too much sleep. Do you want to go inside?"
"Maybe in a few minutes."
She nodded then looked up at the sky. "Look Regulus it's you." She pointed up at the star. Regulus looked up and nodded.
"Yes that's me."
"I think it'd be cool to be named after a star. I'm named after a rock."
Regulus chuckled at her defeated expression. "I think your name is very nice." Instantly her face lit up with a smile.