𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒-ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕪 ℙ𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣❥

𝐇𝐁𝐏 𝟐

Remus, Eric, Ethan and Emily approached the back door of The Burrow, which was surrounded by the familiar litter of old wellington boots and rusty cauldrons; Emily could hear the soft clucking of sleepy chickens coming from a distant shed.

Remus knocked three times and Emily saw sudden movement behind the kitchen window.

"Who's there?" said a nervous voice that she recognised as Mrs Weasley's. "Declare yourself!"

"It's Remus, Molly. I'm with Eric, Ethan and Emily!"

The door opened at once. There stood Mrs Weasley, short, plump and wearing an old green dressing- gown.

"Emily, Ethan, Eric my dears! Gracious, Remus, you gave me a fright, you said not to expect you before morning!"

"I wanted to get them out of the house earlier, I hope it isn't any trouble." said Remus, ushering his children over the threshold.

He stopped right behind his children, taking a deep breath in, "Well hello Tonks."

Emily looked around and saw that Mrs Weasley was not alone, despite the lateness of the hour. A young witch with a pale, heart-shaped face and mousy-brown hair was sitting at the table clutching a large mug between her hands.

'Hello, Remus." she said. 'Hello, guys."

"Hi, Tonks." Ethan and Eric said in sync.

"Hi." Emily mumbled, her hands clasped around her own body as if she were hugging herself.

Emily thought she looked drawn, even ill, and there was something forced in her smile.

Certainly her appearance was less colourful than usual without her customary shade of bubblegum-pink hair.

"I'd better be off," she said quickly, standing up and pulling her cloak around her shoulders. "Thanks for the tea and sympathy, Molly."

"Please don't leave on my account," Remus said, "It would be lovely to catch up with you, Tonks."

"No, no, I need to get going," said Tonks, not meeting Dumbledore's eyes. ''Night-"

"Dear, why not come to dinner at the weekend, Remus and Mad-Eye are coming-"

"No, really, Molly ... thanks anyway ... goodnight, everyone."

Tonks hurried past The Lupin-Black's into the yard; a few paces beyond the doorstep, she turned on the spot and vanished into thin air.

Emily noticed that Mrs Weasley looked troubled.

'Well, I will come back on the weekend, okay? Behave for Molly please Ethan, no silly tricks."

"No, don't go." Emily said, jumping up and grabbing her fathers arm, "Please don't leave me, Pops."

"You'll see me on the weekend, Emily." Remus whispered, "I promise you, alright?"

Emily dipped her head and Remus brought her closer, planting a kiss on her head and then doing the same with the boys.

He hugged Mrs Weasley and followed Tonks, vanishing at precisely the same spot.

Mrs Weasley closed the door on the empty yard and then steered all three of the children by the shoulders into the full glow of the lantern on the table to examine their appearances.

"Your look awful, all of you," she sighed, looking them up and down. "You all look as if you hadn't slept in weeks. Are any of you hungry?"

'Yeah, I am,' said the boys.

"And Emily?" Mrs Weasley said, turning to look at Emily but saw her staring into space once again.

"She'll have something too." Eric said, placing his hand around his sisters shoulder.

"Sit down, dears, I'll knock something up."

As they sat down a furry ginger cat with a squashed face jumped on to Emily's knees and settled there, purring.

"Hermione's here?" Emily asked sounding slightly happier as she tickled Crookshanks behind the ear.

"Oh yes, she arrived the day before yesterday,"said Mrs Weasley, rapping a large iron pot with her wand: it bounced on to the stove with a loud clang and began to bubble at once. "Harry's also just got here about five minutes before you three."

She tapped the pot again; it rose into the air, flew towards the siblings and tipped over; Mrs Weasley slid three bowls neatly beneath it just in time to catch the stream of thick, steaming onion soup, the pot tipping into each one perfectly.

"Bread?"

"Thanks, Molly." Ethan smiled.

She waved her wand over her shoulder; a loaf of bread and a knife soared gracefully on to the table. As the loaf sliced itself and the soup pot dropped back on to the stove, Mrs Weasley sat down opposite them.

"How have you three been?" She asked, "How's your father been?"

The boys' mouth now full of bread, only Emily left to answer, "Fine. Different obviously but we're getting there."

"I know what you mean," said Mrs Weasley, nodding wisely. "Loss is hard, but I've known you three since you were all baby's and I know that you can all get through it together."

"Thank you, Molly." Eric said, holding his hand out and taking Molly's "We appreciate everything you've done for our family."

"Of course." Molly said, she shook her shoulders and quickly wiped a tear away from her eyes, "I've got Fred and George's room all ready for you two but you'll have it to yourselves."

"Why, where are they?" Eric questioned.

"They'll be in Diagon Alley, sleeping in the little flat over their joke shop as they're so busy," said Ethan, "I was going to stay with them to help with the shop but I wanted to stay here."

"I must say, I didn't approve at first, but they do seem to have a bit of a flair for business!" Molly said, "Come on, dears, your trunk's already up there."

"Molly, where am I sleeping?" Emily asked quietly, "I'll sleep on the sofa if it's easier."

"Oh don't be silly, dear!" Molly shouted, chuckling lightly, "You'll be staying with Hermione and Ginny."

"Thank you."

''Night, Mrs Weasley," said Ethan, pushing back his chair.

"Thank you for the food." Ethan said.

"Yea, thank you." Emily said, Crookshanks leapt lightly from her lap and slunk out of the room.

'G'night, darlings." said Mrs Weasley.

Emily saw Mrs Weasley glance at the clock in the washing basket as they left the kitchen. All the
hands were, once again, at mortal peril.

Emily sped off in front of the other two roaming up the staircase on her own and pushing through a door, she knew it wasn't Ginny's room but she hoped a certain someone would be in here.

"Emily, you're here early!" said a loud and excited voice, and Emily got pulled into a large comforting hug.

When the person pulled away from Emily, she was able to see clearer. A long, looming shadow quivered in front of her for a moment; she blinked and Ron Weasley came into focus, grinning down at her, "All right?"

"Why are you so tall?" Emily asked.

"I don't know, do I?" said Ron, pulling over a cardboard box and sitting on it. "Did you just get here?"

"Yeah." Emily said, crossing her arms over her chest, awkwardly, "Yeah just now."

Ron noticed how awkward and drain she looked, Ron and Emily were never awkward, they always just got along without a doubt. "I haven't seen you in ages."

"I know." Emily nodded, "Sorry I didn't know this was your room, I thought Harry was in here."

"Oh. Right."

"Do you know where he is?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, in that room opposite." Ron said, his face changing from excitement to a sad look, "See ya."

Emily went to walk out the door but stopped herself and turned around to face Ron, "It's good to see you, Ronny. I missed you."

Ron smiled up at her, "Missed you too, Em."

Emily walked across the hall and pushed the door open slowly, peeking inside the room and seeing a plain room with no decorations and just a bed in the corner.

"Harry?" Emily whispered, taking a step inside and shutting the door behind her, "You there?"

"Emily?" Harry said, pulling the duvet off him and standing up, only in a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms, "Is that you?"

"Yeah." Emily said, "Sorry, I didn't know you'd be asleep."

"Really?" Harry questioned, "It's half one in the morning, what else would I be doing?"

Emily stared at him for a few seconds and shrugged, "Right, okay maybe I did think you'd be asleep."

"No, it's fine." Harry said, taking a few steps forward, "Are you alright? I haven't seen you in a few weeks."

"I'm good." Emily lied, "I know this might sound rude and intrusive but my brothers are already asleep and my pops gone so they all think I'm in bed with 'Mione and Ginny, but can I stay in bed with you?"

"W-with me?" Harry asked, "Or did you want me to go into another room?"

"With you silly." Emily laughed lightly, for the first time in weeks, "If it's alright with you."

"Of course."

The next morning when Emily woke up, she had one hand across Harry's bare chest, his hands wrapped around her waist.

"AH!" Ron screamed, slamming pillows down on both of their heads repeatedly, "GET UP YOU FREAKS!"

"Ron stop!" Harry groaned, putting his hand over Emily's head, "Get out, man!"

"Ronald!" Hermione shouted, running in and grabbing Ron's hand and grabbing the pillow out of his hands, "Stop it!"

"They're in bed and he's got no top on!"

"Oh grow up, Ronald." Hermione sighed, "It's good to see you Emily. . .and you Harry. When did you guys get here?"

"I got here about one o'clock this morning." Harry answered.

"Were the Muggles all right? Did they treat you OK?" Hermione asked.

"Same as usual," said Harry, as Hermione perched herself on the edge of his bed. "They didn't talk to me much, but I like it better that way. How're you, Hermione?"

"Oh, I'm fine," said Hermione, who was scrutinising Emily as though she was sickening for something.

She thought she knew what was behind this and, as she had no wish to discuss Sirius's death again or any other miserable subject at the moment, she said, "What's the time? Have we missed breakfast?"

"Don't worry about that, Mum's bringing you up both a tray; she reckons you look underfed," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "And she wasn't happy when she saw you both in bed together. But anyway, what's been going on?"

"Nothing much, I've just been stuck at my aunt and uncle's, haven't I?" Harry said.

"Come off it!" said Ron. "You've been off with Dumbledore!"

"You have?" Emily asked, looking up at him.

"It wasn't that exciting. He just wanted me to help him persuade this old teacher to come out of retirement. His name's Horace Slughorn."

"Oh," said Ron, looking disappointed. "We thought-"

Hermione flashed a warning look at Ron and Ron changed tack at top speed.

"-we thought it'd be something like that."

"You did?" said Harry, amused.

"Yeah ... yeah, now Umbridge has left, obviously we need a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, don't we? So, er, what's he like?"

"He looks a bit like a walrus and he used to be Head of Slytherin," said Harry. "Something wrong, Hermione?"

She was watching them both now, as though expecting strange symptoms to manifest themselves at any moment. She rearranged her features hastily in an unconvincing smile.
"No, of course not! So, um, did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?"

"Dunno," said Harry. "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"

"I know someone who's worse than Umbridge," said a voice from the doorway. Ron's younger sister slouched into the room, looking irritable. "Hi, Harry. Hi, Emily."

"What's up with you?" Ron asked.

"It's her," said Ginny, plonking herself down on Harry's bed. "She's driving me mad."

"What's she done now?"asked Hermione sympathetically.

"It's the way she talks to me - you'd think I was about three!"

"I know," said Hermione, dropping her voice. "She's so full of herself."

Emily was astonished to hear Hermione talking about Mrs Weasley like this and could not blame Ron for saying angrily, "Can't you two lay off her for five seconds?"

"Oh, that's right, defend her," snapped Ginny. "We all know you can't get enough of her."

This seemed an odd comment to make about Ron's mother; starting to feel that she was missing something, Emily said, "Who are you-"

But her question was answered before she could finish it. The bedroom door flew open again and Harry instinctively yanked the bedcovers up to his chin so hard that Hermione and Ginny slid off the bed on to the floor and Emily got lost under the covers, having to fish her way back to the top.

A young woman was standing in the doorway, a woman of such breathtaking beauty that the room seemed to have become strangely airless.

She was tall and willowy with long blonde hair and appeared to emanate a faint, silvery glow. To complete this vision of perfection, she was carrying a heavily laden breakfast tray.

"Arry,"she said in a throaty voice. "Emily! Eet 'as been too long!"

As she swept over the threshold towards Harry and Emily, Mrs Weasley was revealed, bobbing along in her wake, looking rather cross.

"There was no need to bring up the trays, I was just about to do it myself!"

"Eet was no trouble," said Fleur Delacour, setting the tray across Harry's and Emily's knees and then swooping to kiss Harry on each cheek: Harry felt the places where her mouth had touched him burn. "I 'ave been longing to see them. You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about 'Emily Lupin-Black. She will be delighted to see you again."

'Oh ... is she here too?' Emily croaked.

"No, no, silly girl,"said Fleur with a tinkling laugh, "I mean next summer, when we - but do you not know?'

Her great blue eyes widened and she looked reproachfully at Mrs Weasley, who said, "We hadn't got around to telling them yet."

Fleur turned back to Harry and Emily, swinging her silvery sheet of hair so that it whipped Mrs Weasley across the face.

"Bill and I are going to be married!"

"Oh," said Harry blankly. He could not help noticing how Mrs Weasley, Hermione and Ginny were all determinedly avoiding each other's gaze. "Wow. Er - congratulations!"

"Really?" Emily said, "Thants wonderful, I'm so happy for you both."

She swooped down upon them and this time kissed both of them.

"Bill is very busy at ze moment, working very 'ard, and I only work part-time at Gringotts for my Eenglish, so he brought me 'ere for a few days to get to know 'is family properly. I was so pleased to 'ear you would be coming - zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens! Well -enjoy your breakfast!"

With these words she turned gracefully and seemed to float out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Mrs Weasley made a noise that sounded like "tchah!"

"Mum hates her," said Ginny quietly.

"I do not hate her!" said Mrs Weasley in a cross whisper. "I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!"

"They've known each other a year," said Ron, who looked oddly groggy and was staring at the closed door.

"Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You- Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left right and centre-"

"Including you and Dad," said Ginny slyly.

"Yes, well, your father and I were made for each other, what was the point in waiting?' said Mrs Weasley. 'Whereas Bill and Fleur ... well ... what have they really got in common? He's a hard-working, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she's-"

'A cow,' said Ginny, nodding. "But Bill's not that down-to-earth. He's a curse-breaker, isn't he, he likes a bit of adventure, a bit of glamour ... I expect that's why he's gone for Phlegm."

"Stop calling her that, Ginny," said Mrs Weasley sharply, as Harry and Hermione laughed. "Well, I'd better get on ... eat your eggs while they're warm, Harry. Of course Emily, I didn't do you any, I know you don't like them."

Looking careworn, she left the room. Ron still seemed slightly punch-drunk; he was shaking his head experimentally like a dog trying to rid its ears of water.

"Don't you get used to her if she's staying in the same house?" Harry asked.

"Well, you do," said Ron, "but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then ..."

"It's pathetic," said Hermione furiously, striding away from Ron as far as she could go and turning to face him with her arms folded once she had reached the wall.

Emily let out a little chuckle but Hermione shot her a look that said "shut up".

"You don't really want her around for ever?" Ginny asked Ron incredulously. When he merely shrugged, she said, "Well, Mum's going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything."

"How's she going to manage that?" asked Harry.

"She keeps trying to get Tonks round for dinner. I think she's hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. I hope he does, I'd much rather have her in the family. Then me and you will be related, Emily!"

"Yeah, that'll work," said Ron sarcastically. "Listen, no bloke in his right mind's going to fancy Tonks when Fleur's around. I mean, Tonks is OK-looking when she isn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose, but-"

"She's a damn sight nicer than Phlegm," said Ginny.

"And she's more intelligent, she's an Auror!" said Hermione from the corner.

"Fleur's not stupid, she was good enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry.

"Not you as well!" said Hermione bitterly.

"I suppose you like the way Phlegm says "'Arry", do you?" asked Ginny scornfully.

"No," said Harry, wishing he hadn't spoken, "I was just saying, Phlegm-I mean, Fleur-"

"I'd much rather have Tonks in the family," said Ginny. "At least she's a laugh."

"She hasn't been much of a laugh lately," said Ron. "Every time I've seen her she's looked more like Moaning Myrtle."

"That's not fair," snapped Hermione. "She still hasn't got over what happened ... you know ... I mean, he was her cousin!"

Emily's heart sank. They had arrived at Sirius. She went to get up out of the bed and walked off but Harry grabbed her hand and wrapped his arms around her, tightly.

"Tonks and Sirius barely knew each other!" said Ron. "Sirius was in Azkaban half her life and before that their families never met-"

"That's not the point,' said Hermione. "She thinks it was her fault he died!"

"How does she work that one out?" asked Harry, in spite of himself.

"Well, she was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, wasn't she? I think she feels that if only she had finished her off, Bellatrix couldn't have got to Emily."

"Well it wasn't her was it?" Emily shouted, getting out of Harry's grip, "It was me."

Everyone in the room decided to ignore Emily's comment and go back to Tonks, "It's survivor's guilt," said Hermione. "I know Lupin's tried to talk her round, but she's still really down. She's actually having trouble with her Metamorphosing!"

"With her-?"

"She can't change her appearance like she used to," explained Hermione. "I think her powers must have been affected by shock, or something."

"I didn't know that could happen," said Harry.

"Nor did I," said Hermione, "but I suppose if you're really depressed ..."

The door opened again and Mrs Weasley popped her head in.

"Ginny," she whispered, "come downstairs and help me with the lunch."

"I'm talking to this lot!" said Ginny, outraged.

"Now!" said Mrs Weasley, and withdrew.

0She only wants me there so she doesn't have to be alone with Phlegm!" said Ginny crossly. She swung her long red hair around in a very good imitation of Fleur and pranced across the room with her arms held aloft like a ballerina.

"You lot had better come down quickly too," she said as she left.

"I'll be back." Emily got up and walked out the room and into the room where her brothers were staying, only to see their beds empty which meant they were probably downstairs helping Mrs Weasley.

There was a loud clutter behind her and panting, Harry, Hermione and Ron had crashed into the room behind her.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked, seeing them holding the two trays.

"You walked off!" Ron shouted, grabbing a sock of the floor and throwing it off Emily's head, "Don't do that!"

Emily sighed and got into one of the beds, Harry getting in next to her and Ron sitting on a box beside them.

Emily took advantage of the temporary silence to eat more breakfast. Hermione was peering into Fred and George's boxes, though every now and then she cast sideways looks at Emily. Ron, who was now helping himself to Harry's and Emily's toast, was still gazing dreamily at the door.

"What's this?" Hermione asked eventually, holding up what looked like a small telescope.

"Dunno," said Ron, "but if Fred and George've left it here, it's probably not ready for the joke shop yet, so be careful."

"Your mum said the shop's going well," said Harry. "Said Fred and George have got a real flair for business."

"That's an understatement," said Ron. "They're raking in the Galleons! I can't wait to see the place. We haven't been to Diagon Alley yet, because Mum says Dad's got to be there for extra security and he's been really busy at work, but it sounds excellent. Oh yeah, they said to tell Ethan that he betrayed them by not coming."

Emily let out a light chuckle.

"And what about Percy?" asked Harry; the third-eldest Weasley brother had fallen out with the rest of the family. "Is he talking to your mum and dad again?"

"Nope," said Ron.

"But he knows your dad was right all along now about Voldemort being back-"

"Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right,"said Hermione. "I heard him telling your mum, Ron."

"Sounds like the sort of mental thing Dumbledore would say," said Ron.

"He's going to be giving me private lessons this year," said Harry conversationally.

Ron choked on his bit of toast and Hermione gasped, Emily sitting up in the bed and staring  at him.

"You kept that quiet!" said Ron.

"I only just remembered," said Harry honestly. "He told me last night in your broom shed."

0Blimey ... private lessons with Dumbledore!" said Ron, looking impressed. "I wonder why he's ...?"

His voice tailed away. Harry saw him and Hermione exchange looks. Harry laid down his knife and fork, his heart beating rather fast considering that all he was doing was sitting in bed. Dumbledore had said to do it ... why not now? He fixed his eyes on his fork, which was gleaming in the sunlight streaming on to his lap, and said, "I don't know exactly why he's going to be giving me lessons, but I think it must be because of the prophecy."

No one spoke. Harry had the impression that they had all frozen. He continued, still speaking to his fork, "You know, the one they were trying to steal at the Ministry."

"Nobody knows what it said, though," said Hermione quickly. "It got smashed."

"Although the Prophet says-" began Ron, but Hermione said, "Shh!"

"The Prophet's got it right," said Harry, looking up at them both with a great effort: Hermione seemed frightened, Ron amazed and Emily confused, "That glass ball that smashed wasn't the only record of the prophecy. I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore's office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said," Harry took a deep breath, "it looks like I'm the one who's got to finish off Voldemort ... at least, it said neither of us could live while the other survives."

The four of them gazed at each other in silence for a moment. Then there was a loud bang and Hermione vanished behind a puff of black smoke.

'Hermione!' shouted Emily, Harry and Ron; the breakfast trays slid to the floor with a crash.

Emily shot out of bed and ran to the puff of smoke.

Hermione emerged, coughing, out of the smoke, clutching the telescope and sporting a brilliantly purple black eye.

"I squeezed it and it-it punched me!" she gasped.
And sure enough, they now saw a tiny fist on a long spring protruding from the end of the telescope.

"Don't worry," said Ron, who was plainly trying not to laugh, "Mum'll fix that, she's good at healing minor injuries."

"Oh, well, never mind that now!" said Hermione hastily. "Harry, oh, Harry ..."

She sat down on the edge of his bed again.

"We wondered, after we got back from the Ministry ... obviously, we didn't want to say anything to you, but from what Lucius Malfoy said about the prophecy, how it was about you and Voldemort, well, we thought it might be something like this ... oh, Harry ..." She stared at him, then whispered, "Are you scared?"

"Not as much as I was," said Harry. "When I first heard it, I was ... but now, it seems as though I always knew I'd have to face him in the end ..."

"When we heard Dumbledore was collecting you in person, we thought he might be telling you something, or showing you something, to do with the prophecy," said Ron eagerly. "And we were kind of right, weren't we? He wouldn't be giving you lessons if he thought you were a goner, wouldn't waste his time, he must think you've got a chance!"

"That's true," said Hermione. "I wonder what he'll teach you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably ... powerful counter-curses ... anti-jinxes and evasive enchantments generally," concluded Hermione. "Well, at least you know one lesson you'll be having this year, that's one more than Ron and me. I wonder when our O.W.L. results will come?"

"Can't be long now, it's been a month," said Ron.

"Hang on," said Harry, as another part of the previous night's conversation came back to him. "I think Dumbledore said our O.W.L. results would be arriving today!"

"Today?"shrieked Hermione and Emily,

"Today?" Emily shouted again, "But why didn't you - oh my God- you should have said."

Hermione leapt to her feet.

"Come on!" Emily shouted, already half way down the stairs.

But when Harry arrived downstairs ten minutes later, fully dressed and carrying his and Emily's empty breakfast trays, it was to find Hermione and Emily sitting at the kitchen table in great agitation, while Mrs Weasley tried to lessen Hermione's resemblance to half a panda.

"It just won't budge," Mrs Weasley was saying anxiously, standing over Hermione with her wand in her hand and a copy of The Healer's Helpmate open at 'Bruises, Cuts and Abrasions'. "This has always worked before, I just can't understand it."

"It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can't come off," said Ginny.

"But it's got to come off!" squeaked Hermione. "I can't go around looking like this for ever!"

"You won't." Ethan said, walking into the kitchen with Eric next to him, "I don't know what this one is but the boys will have an antidote."

"Bill told me 'ow Fred and George are very amusing!" said Fleur, smiling serenely.

"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," snapped Hermione.

Emily jumped up and started walking round and round the kitchen, twisting her fingers together.
"Mrs Weasley, you're quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"

"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed," said Mrs Weasley patiently. "But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time ..."

"I know I messed up Ancient Runes," muttered Hermione feverishly, "I definitely made at least one serious mistranslation. And the Defence Against the Dark Arts practical was no good at all. I thought Transfiguration went all right at the time, but looking back-"

"Hermione, will you shut up, you're not the only one who's nervous!"barked Ron. 'And when you've got your ten "Outstanding" O.W.L.s ..."

"Don't, don't, don't!" said Hermione, flapping her hands hysterically. "I know I've failed everything!"

"Shit, your OWLS come today?" Ethan said, looking down at his sister.

Emily nodded.

"What happens if we fail?" Harry asked the room at large, but it was again Hermione who answered.

"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term."

Emily's stomach squirmed. She wished he had eaten less breakfast.

Ethan grabbed Ron by the arm and whispered to him, "Did she eat?"

"Yeah." Ron said back, pointing at an empty breakfast tray, "She was too busy listening to Harry to even realise she was eating."

"At Beauxbatons," said Fleur complacently, "we 'ad a different way of doing things. I think eet was better. We sat our examinations after six years of study, not five, and then-"

Fleur's words were drowned in a scream.

Hermione and Emily were pointing through the kitchen window. Four black specks were clearly visible in the sky, growing larger all the time.

"They're definitely owls," said Ron hoarsely, jumping up to join Hermione and Emily at the window.

"And there are four of them,"said Harry, hastening to Emily's side.

"One for each of us," said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Oh no ... oh no ... oh no ..." She gripped both Emily and Ron tightly around the elbows.

The owls were flying directly at The Burrow, four handsome tawnies, each of which, it became clear as they flew lower over the path leading up to the house, was carrying a large square envelope.

"Oh no!" squealed Hermione.

Mrs Weasley squeezed past them and opened the kitchen window. One, two, three, four, the owls soared through it and landed on the table in a neat line.

All four of them lifted their right legs.

Emily moved forwards. The letter addressed to her was tied to the leg of the owl in the middle. She untied it with fumbling fingers. To her left, Ron was trying to detach his own results; to his right, Hermione's hands were shaking so much she was making her whole owl tremble and next to Ron, Harry was breathing loudly as he tried to scratch it open.

Nobody in the kitchen spoke. At last, Emily managed to detach the envelope. She slit it open quickly and unfolded the parchment inside.

Pass Grades:                    Outstanding (O)
                                           Exceeds Expectations (E)              
                                           Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades:                     Poor (P)
                                           Dreadful (D)
                                           Troll (T)

EMILY OPHELIA JUNE LUPIN-BLACK HAS ACHIEVED:
Astronomy                                             O
Care of Magical Creatures                  O
Charms                                                   O
Defence Against the Dark Arts          O
Divination                                              O
Herbology                                              O
History of Magic                                   O
Potions                                                    O
Transfiguration                                     O
ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

Emily read the parchment through several times, each time her jaw dropped lower.

She looked round. Hermione had her back to her and her head bent, but Ron was looking delighted and so was Harry.

"What did you get?" Eric said calmly.

"TELL US!" Ethan shouted, his breathing uneasy and his heart pounding.

"I got outstanding. . .in everything." Emily whispered, still in shock of her own achievements.

The room was silent for a few seconds until it was broken by two loud roars and both Eric and Ethan picked her up and cheered, "That's my girl!" Ethan shouted.

"That's amazing, Emily!" Eric shouted.

"That's amazing." Harry said after her brothers had placed her back on the floor, he went to lean in for a kiss but Ethan dragged him back by his hair.

"What did you get?" Emily asked Harry, grabbing his paper.

HARRY JAMES POTTER HAS ACHIEVED:
Astronomy                                                        A
Care of Magical Creatures                             E
Charms                                                              E
Defence Against the Dark Arts                     O
Divination                                                         P
Herbology                                                         E
History of Magic                                              D
Potions                                                               E
Transfiguration                                                E

"That's amazing, Harry!" Emily shouted, "Ron?

"Only failed Divination and History of Magic, and who cares about them?" he said happily to Hermione.

"Well done!" said Mrs Weasley proudly, ruffling Ron's hair. "Seven O.W.L.s, that's more than Fred and George got together!"

"Hermione?" said Emily tentatively, for Hermione still hadn't turned round. "How did you do?"

"I-not bad," said Hermione in a small voice.

"Oh, come off it,"said Ron, striding over to her and whipping her results out of her hand. "Yep-nine 'Outstandings' and one 'Exceeds Expectations' in Defence Against the Dark Arts." He looked down at her, half-amused, half-exasperated. "You're actually disappointed, aren't you?"

Hermione shook her head, but Harry laughed.

"Well, we're N.E.W.T. students now!" grinned Ron. "Mum, are there any more sausages?"

Emily looked back down at her results. She was happy for her friends but even though she did amazing in them, there was a bitterness to it. . .her dad wasn't here to enjoy the celebration. Emily knew Sirius would've made it such a big deal. . .he probably wouldn't thrown a party for her, he would've made sure the whole wizarding world knew that his daughter had got 10 outstandings.

Emily just hoped that he was proud. . .if he could see her. . .she hoped he was happy.