The few days until the attack flew by and while Emmy had to fake ignorance, it didn't stop her from checking for exits in every room she went to and working out the quickest way to move patient's beds to safety if the worst should happen.
She worked three twelve hour shifts from Monday to Wednesday and hadn't done more than eat her dinner and go to sleep as soon as she got back to the flat, Mac curled up next to her. The kitten had spent most of the past few weeks snoozing on her bed and exploring the flat. It was nice to have a constant presence in her life after everything that had changed in the past couple of months.
Her shift on Thursday was the last of the week so it was a relief in one sense and in the other, terror at what the day would bring. She was on edge every second she spent walking to work, checking every street corner as she made her way to the hospital.
In the distance, she spotted Fleamont buying a newspaper at a stand down the road and he gave a slight nod to say hello without giving his cover away. It was reassuring and Emmy immediately felt better, setting her shoulders back as she entered the building.
Brianna was standing in the main foyer and noticed her straight away, greeting her with a tight smile.
As a member of the Order, she had been briefed on what was going to happen and accepted her job with steady resolute. They hadn't discussed it in the hours they spent together at work since the meeting on Sunday night but Emmy knew she was prepared by the tense look on her face that morning.
"Ah there you are, I was just speaking to Healer Pritchard and I've arranged for us to do some training in the hospital today instead of field work if that's alright with you?"
"Yeah, of course," Emmy replied, twisting her fingers in her bag strap to keep them from shaking.
"Come on, we'll be on the first floor."
They passed two other Order members on their way upstairs and were met by scared glances and grimaces from both. It felt good to know there were other people close by if the worst were to happen, after all the attack might not even take place. They'd received no word from Dumbledore so as far as they knew, Molly hadn't overheard any changes to the plans.
The morning was spent in tense silence, watching the hours tick by on the clock. They both stayed silent, listening out for any unusual noises until at ten past three in the afternoon, Andromeda's patronus shot into the room.
"Second floor, right now."
They were already on their feet and running for the door before it had finished speaking. As they approached they heard screaming ringing through the corridor ahead and Brianna sent her patronus to her non-Order colleagues for back-up. They couldn't know she had previous knowledge of the attack but they could at least help when called for.
Sirius and James shot out of the floo network up ahead and joined Emmy and Brianna as they sprinted towards the attack.
They flung the doors open to the ward and were almost blasted back the way they came. Healers sheltered their patients as death-eaters shattered nearby windows and smashed through walls, expanding the fight into neighbouring wards. There were dozens of people duelling now and they could hear alarms sounding in the corridor behind them.
Emmy fired a non-verbal expulso at a death-eater cornering several cowering elderly patients and he smashed through the window behind him. She flinched violently as a spell was hurled her way, catching sight of it out the corner of her eye and bracing for impact before Sirius threw himself in the line of fire, shield spell holding strong.
"You alright?" he yelled.
"Yeah, thanks," she replied, breathing heavily.
In a matter of seconds, they were battling again, fighting back-to-back as unrelenting curses flew in every direction. Emmy's attention was caught as a cry went up from Arthur Weasley nearby, clutching his arm as blood gushed from a deep gash that sliced from his shoulder to elbow. His wand lay a meter away and he crawled helplessly towards it, unable to stop the advance of the death-eater behind him.
"Sirius!" she called. "Cover me!"
He threw a shield up around her and fended off attacks from the death-eaters close by to allowing her to run to Arthur.
"Bombarda Maxima!" she cried, wand surging with power that propelled the death-eater away from Arthur. She knelt down next to him, putting pressure on his wounds as she yelled for help. One of the healers sprinted over and started binding the wound tightly. Emmy caught Arthur's frantic eyes, spinning up to the ceiling as he dipped in and out of consciousness.
"Thank you..." he murmured breathily but all Emmy could do was squeeze his hand before running to Sirius, cursing a death-eater that was sneaking up behind him.
"I've got you!" she called.
"I know you do," he grinned as they spun hex after hex around the room. They were a blur of flashing light and colour, so in tune with each other they barely had to lift their wands to know what the other was about to do.
They moved towards the others, creating a defensive line against the advancing death-eaters. With a quick glance around Emmy ascertained that no one seemed to be too badly hurt thankfully.
One by one, the took out the death-eaters until finally the last one was tackled by the aurors that had finally arrived.
Everyone with the Order began disapparating immediately as law enforcement arrived, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire of questioning.
Emmy surged forward, through the mess of rubble, injured patients and aurors. She wasn't going without Arthur, they couldn't leave him on his own in such a vulnerable state. Sirius was at her heels, clearing the way so they could get passed.
Arthur was slumped against a wall but thankfully surrounded by medical staff and now fully conscious.
"Ems, we need to leave!" Sirius called anxiously.
"One second... Arthur! Arthur, are you alright?" she called his name as she knelt down next to him.
"I'm okay," he replied, grasping her hand. "You saved my life... thank you."
"Of course, couldn't look Molly in the eyes again if I hadn't!"
He smiled. "Molly..." he murmured.
"That's right, you need to get home to her. You hear me?"
"Yes... home to Molly."
He was unconscious again and more people surged past them in the chaos.
"Emmy, you need to leave right now!" Brianna yelled behind her. "Get Sirius out of here! I'll stay with Arthur."
"Okay, alright let's go," she replied vaguely, still looking at Arthur.
She was aware of Sirius' arms around her, pulling her away.
"Ems, I'm sorry, we need to go right now." Emmy caught Brianna's eye who fervently nodded. Sirius grabbed her hand and they twisted into the air.
They landed in an unfamiliar room, thudding onto the dark floorboards with a groan.
Sirius' hand slipped through her own as they sat up, tangled in each other's limbs.
Emmy's head was throbbing and every muscle in her body ached. She was vaguely aware of several scrapes and already blooming bruises that marked her body but she checked Sirius over first.
He had similar injuries to her own with the addition of a long burn running down his back from his neck to ribs. It had torn through his shirt and several layers of skirt but thankfully looked easy enough for her to heal.
She moved closer, arms around his middle as she buried her head in his neck, just needing to let the tears out as the adrenaline wore off. She could feel the sobs wrack his own body as he held her tightly.
"Are you okay?" she mumbled after a while.
"I'm just glad you're alright," his voice broke as he spoke.
"Come on, I'll clean up your wounds," she whispered, the silence too precious to disturb. It almost felt like if they didn't speak this time they had together would last longer.
Emmy ran a basin of warm water and gathered some healing ointment and old cloths from the bathroom cabinet. Sirius pulled his top off and winced as he rolled his shoulders.
She knelt behind him carefully, gingerly touching the puckered skin around the burn. He shivered involuntarily and she had a feeling it wasn't just from the pain. His head was tilted slightly towards her and she watched the expression on his face as she carefully dabbed at the wound.
As she cleaned, she discovered the plethora of still-healing cuts and scrapes from the duel with Regulus last week. She rubbed some of the ointment on those wounds too and bandaged the smaller grazes on his shoulders.
When she finished, she pressed a kiss to his neck and slid her arms around his waist.
"This isn't how this was supposed to go," he sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"This flat is mine now..."
Emmy looked around properly for the first time, wide eyed.
There was three rooms: a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen with a small table by the window. They were all empty and the walls bare, a threadbare rug all that covered the rough floorboards in the bedroom. Tiny windows displayed the outside world but it felt protected, like a cocoon. It was perfect.
"My boss is letting me live here for the next few months while he's away. He's left me in charge of the pub downstairs but if it all goes well he won't be coming back and I can stay here."
"Sirius, this is amazing!" she exclaimed, standing up and walking to the window. She turned back to look at him and he was grinned from his sprawled position on the floor.
He clambered to his feet and walked over. He rested his hands the windowsill either side of where she was standing, lips millimetres from her own. She couldn't keep the grin off her face despite what they'd just been through.
"I have a question for you."
"Mmhmm," she teased, drawing it out.
"Do you, Emeline Lupin, by any chance..." he drawled. She inhaled, breath baited as he paused. With a jolt her picked her up and spun her around, laughing at the squeal that emitted from her. "Want to move in with me?"
"Absolutely," she grinned, leaning down to kiss him.
———————
did this chapter take me ages to publish because i spent hours on an unnecessary but exceedingly pleasing mood board of Emmy and Sirius' new flat? yes. yes it did.
p.s. this is what it looks like when they move in together and decorate it fully (see next few chapters!)