"Angel you call me."

Emmaline stood at the foot of the stairs, her trunk packed and ready beside her. The house seemed to lose its homey feeling as Perseus and herself were leaving. The month and a half of their stay had expired, and Malcom granted both his siblings request to spend the last week of summer with their friends.

Emmaline, while excited to spend time with Evelyn before the summer ends, was upset to leave the sanctuary that was her brother and Cassandra.

This was the first summer in years where Emmaline didn't have to worry about Arthur coming to visit, nor avoiding her parents in fear of doing anything wrong for them to punish her. Despite being the perfect daughter for them, staying in her room, avoiding her friends and placing a distance between them to make sure there was no room for error, they always found something to punish her for. Sometimes, Emmaline wished they would just come out and say they enjoyed hurting their only daughter.

It had been 3 weeks since Regulus left from his week trip at Malcom's home. Perseus was excited to meet back up with him as if they hadn't been sending each other owls almost every day.

"Emmaline, are you sure you have everything?" Cassandra asked her. Emmaline turned her attention to where the voice came from. Cassandra's kind eyes scanned Emmaline with the look of maternal concern. It was something she had to get used to when she first arrived at their home. She wasn't used to someone looking at her that way.

"I've checked, and double-checked Cass. I think I am all set." She replied, making her way over, smiling and pulling her into a hug. Cassandra returned it with the same sentiment, rubbing a hand on Emmaline's back. During her stay at her home, Cassandra was more than just a sister-in-law for Emmaline. She was a comfort that provided her with happiness Emmaline only often found in her friends in Hogwarts.

"Take care, Em." She whispered. "And remember, I am just an owl away." Emmaline nodded, feeling a small lump form in her throat. To say Emmaline would miss her sister-in-law was an understatement. As she pulled away from her, her hazel eyes met the brown stare of her brothers.

Malcom stood tall and stoic. The perfect combination of their parents as his demeanor was stern. Nothing had changed between the two siblings after their conversation. Malcom went on the next day without mentioning anything and so Emmaline followed his lead, eager to always please her family, always putting their comfortability over hers.

"Bye, Malcom." She murmured, her voice low and cordial.

Malcom stared at her, his expression unreadable. "Behave yourself, Emmaline." He said, his words curt and devoid of warmth. Emmaline managed a tight smile, turning to find her toddling nephew beginning to make his way over to her. His steps were unsteady as he approached her, his hair falling wildly on his head. Emmaline's heart melted at the sight of him.

"Em! Em!" The two-year old exclaimed, his hands reaching up towards her.

"Finney," she cooed, scooping him up in her arms. He giggled and squirmed in her grasp, his infectious energy the opposite of his father.

Malcom and Cassandra married when Emmaline was ten and they were nineteen. It took them three years of trying to finally produce an heir to the Selwyn name. Emmaline had overheard a conversation Cassandra had one day over the summer with Mrs. Yaxley, expressing the need to try again for another one since her fear was that she would be unable to provide Malcom the spare he would need.

She knew Cassandra didn't mean that comment to be a slight at her, but Emmaline couldn't help but feel it in that manner. After all, had Walburga and Orion only kept Sirius, the Black line would end as Cygnus only had girls.

Emmaline didn't bring that conversation up with Cassandra, fearful of her reaction to know she had overheard it.

Finnian babbled at her, his words barely beginning to form sentences.

"You be good for your mum and dad, okay?" she asked him, pressing small fluttering kisses on the side of his head. Reluctantly, she set him down, Finnian running away and back to his mother. Emmaline stepped into the fireplace as her brother came down the steps, their eyes meeting. He gave her a nod, bidding her a goodbye as she copied the movement before grabbing a handful of the floo powder, and with a clear voice, called out, "Rosier Estate."

In an instant, she was engulfed in a whirl of green flames, landing her in the foyer of Evelyn Rosier.

"Emma!" Evelyn's voice rang in her ears, her friend's arms bringing her in for a hug. Emmaline giggled, laughing along with her.

"Emmaline, its nice to see you." Mrs. Rosier said as her daughter let go of Emmaline. Both girls grinned at her words. Mrs. Rosier was a kind woman to Emmaline. She didn't know much of her, other than she was married before Mr. Rosier until she wasn't. That's what she had heard from her mother, so who is to say it was accurate.

Without another word to Mrs. Rosier, the girls climbed up the stairs, heading towards the guest room.

"So, how has your summer been?" Evelyn asked, sitting on the bed. Emmaline shook her head out of her thoughts, giving Evelyn a smile.

"It's good! Saw Regulus for a bit and went over to Grimmauld often. I'm excited to have unrestricted access to him in school though," she joked, Evelyn laughed, nodding her head in agreement.

"I feel that, trust me. Henry and I have been hanging out a lot. Our one year of engagement happened a few days ago and it was great! He took me out to Diagon Alley, –" Evelyn began rambling. Emmaline listened half heartedly, knowing that the conversation of Henry felt to her the same way it felt for Evelyn when she spoke about Regulus.

"But I'll let you settle. Dress really nice, we will be having a guest at dinner tonight." Evelyn confirmed, getting up from the bed.

"Who?" Emmaline asked. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders, disappearing and shutting the door behind her. Emmaline rolled her eyes, her mouth blowing out a breath of air, small hairs flying up before settling back onto her face.

Dinner came around far too quickly for her taste. She sat at the dinner table, Evelyn across from her, and Mr. Rosier at the head of the table with Mrs. Rosier sitting on his left, next to their daughter.

As the doors to the dining hall swung open, Mr. and Mrs. Rosier fell in silence. A man entered the room; He was impeccably dressed, his dark robes flowing with an almost ethereal grace. His gaze swept the room and when it settled on Evelyn and Emmaline, he gave them a charming smile.

Both girls rose from their seats, offering polite greetings. Emmaline's heart fluttered, her emotions on alert. Was this the Tom Riddle everyone spoke of?

"Good evening. Ladies," he said, turning to both Evelyn and Emmaline. "What a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I have heard so much about the beauty and grace of you, Ms. Selwyn, Ms. Rosier."

"Thank you..." Emmaline said, trailing off as she did not want to call him Riddle, if that is not who he was.

"Lord Voldemort," the man confirmed.

"Thank you for your kind words, my lord. We are honored to be in your company." Evelyn responded with a confident smile.

Emmaline nodded her head in agreement. As they settled back into their seats, dinner commenced. The table was laden with a feast where it was a true spectacle for the evening of treating Lord Voldemort himself.

"I must say," Voldemort began, his eyes gleaming as he looked between Emmaline and Evelyn. Emmaline glanced over at Mr. Rosier and then at the other end of the table where Lord Voldemort sat. "It is truly inspiring to see young women such as yourselves following in the esteemed footsteps of your families. The Rosier's and Selwyn's have long been pillars to our society, upholding the values that make our world better. Stronger."

Emmaline remained quiet; her eyes downcast as she listened.

"I think it serves my family well that I was born a daughter and not a second son. My brother is my father's heir, and I am pleased to have a wonderful match with Henry Nott, my lord." Evelyn responded, pride evident in her voice.

Emmaline looked up and saw Voldemort nodding his head approvingly. "Indeed. The purity of your bloodlines is paramount. It is what sets us apart from half breeds and mudbloods. This blood of yours gives you what is rightfully yours in the world. And it is through young individuals like yourself that these values will continue to be passed through."

He turned to meet Emmaline's gaze, a knowing smile on his lips. "Emmaline, I had the pleasure of speaking with Regulus recently. He told me about your engagement night. Such a wise choice you made, selecting Regulus over Sirius. It speaks to your understanding and I'm glad you made that choice. I would have pitied what would have happened had you selected Sirius and he ran away afterwards."

Emmaline forced a smile, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. The night in discussion had started that way. And Voldemort confirming that things would have ended badly for her had Regulus not stepped in, began an overwhelming flood of emotions. Despite caring for Regulus now, after months of courting, her engagement with him started as a strategic alliance, not a romantic decision.

"Thank you, my lord," she replied. "I am fortunate to be with Regulus."

Voldemort's smile widened. "It would appear so indeed. Sirius would have never been good to you. I mean, look what happened. You made the right choice for your future, and for that, I commend you. I shall keep you in mind for any decisions I may need in the future." He joked.

The Rosier family laughed along with him, Emmaline breathing out a laugh and nodding along.

As dinner continued, Voldemort continued to speak with Mr. Rosier about the next meetings and when they would be held after his stay with another family. Evelyn tried to get Emmaline's attention, but her mother bumped her elbow at her, shaking her head subtly to let it go.

Voldemort's vision was grand, from what Emmaline could tell. His ideology was the same that everyone had preached as she grew up. So why was he the big catalyst? For people like the Rosier's, Emmaline had to assume.

While Mr. Rosier seemed unphased by the charming older man sitting on the other side of the table, Mrs. Rosier and Evelyn were engrossed and engaged with enthusiasm. They hung onto every word he spewed out, while some of it made no sense to her, Mrs. Rosier and Evelyn sat on the edge of their seat to hear Lord Voldemort.

Once the dinner table was cleared, Voldemort rose, offering his goodbyes, "Thank you for your hospitality. It has been a most enlightening evening.". Emmaline let her body do the work for her, instinctively getting out of the seat, the rest of the table following suit and proceeding to walk him out of the home.

The Rosier house was much different than the house she stayed in in the past few weeks. Malcom, while cold and calculating, had a warm home vibe. Emmaline never wanted to leave the sanctuary that it was. Evelyn's family home, however, was cold and devoid of any warmth despite how welcoming Mrs. Rosier fronted herself. Emmaline wondered if this is the way her own home would be like with Regulus, or if he would demand her to be different.

Emmaline shook her head out of her thoughts, her stare was blank at the wall before turning it to the Rosier's and Voldemort.

Voldemort turned to the younger girls, his eyes lingering on them. "Ladies, it has been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing great things come from both of you."

With that, he took their hands in turn, his lips brushing against their skin, a gesture of old-world chivalry. When his gaze met Emmaline's, she felt a shiver run down her spine. His eyes momentarily seemed to flash snake-like, before returning to their usual charismatic charm.

"Goodnight," he murmured. "Until we meet again."

Emmaline managed to compose a smile, though her pulse beat crazy in her chest. She needed air, space to breathe and process everything that was thrown at her today. She was unsure where this emotion came from. She grew up knowing what her life would be like. She would marry, produce more pureblood children and raise them with the same values she grew up in.

Lord Voldemort disappeared from their sight and the family dispersed. Evelyn tugged on Emmaline's hand, nodding her head back and together the two of them made it past Evelyn's parents, back into the safety of the guest room Emmaline was staying in.

Emmaline and Evelyn were up early two days after the dinner with Lord Voldemort. THe morning sun casted a warm glow through the windows of Emmaline's room. They were going into London as they have every year since starting at Hogwarts. It was a perk for the purebloods to have their children befriend one another prior to Hogwarts. It helped their children be social and more presentable to have the skills and cues to communicate with their peers and professors. Each summer, the Rosier matriarch took them to Diagon Alley to buy their school supplies, and today was no different.

Emmaline pulled out a light yellow summer dress with delicate floral pattern, white lace trimming the top of the dress. She held it up for Evelyn's opinion. "What do you think?"

Evelyn, already dressed in a chic ensemble of a navy skirt and white top, shook her head. "It's perfect. You'll look lovely, you always do."

Emmaline nodded, changing into the dress quickly. She stood in front of the mirror, her hazel gaze settling into her reflection, fixing a piece of hair before being content with her appearance. Once satisfied, they made their way downstairs where Mrs. Rosier was waiting for them.

"Ready girls?" She asked. Both girls nodded with a bright smile.

The three of them stepped out of the house, Mrs. Rosier apparating them out and landing in an alley close to Diagon Alley. Once they arrived, the bustling street was a thrilling sight for both girls.

"Now, we have a lot to get through toady," Mrs. Rosier reminded them. "We need to visit Madam Malkins for new robes, Flourish and Blotts for your textbooks and of course, Ollivanders for any wand maintenance. I'm sure you'll want to browse other shops as well."

The girls nodded eagerly and the three of them set off towards Madam Malkin's first. The shop was filled with other students getting fitted for new robes. However, the shop owner spotted them, leaving the client they were with to greet the three pureblood witches.

"Ah! Mrs. Rosier, how lovely to see you." He greeted, leaning in to give her a polite kiss on the cheek. Evelyn's mother grinned.

"I am always on schedule, Ser Daemon."

"Yes you are," He agreed before shifting his attention to Emmaline and Evelyn.

"Oh my Merlin! How you girls have grown!" He commented, brushing Evelyn's blonde hair down and giving Emmaline a tight squeeze on her shoulder. The girls giggled at his response, appreciating the kindness the shop owner was giving them.

"Very well, I assume the usual standard of robes for you girls?"

"Yes," Mrs. Rosier said. "In addition, add a few more styles of clothing for them, will you? Just add it to Edwards tab."

Daemon nodded in understanding, going off to find the best in style robes he had for the witches. It didn't take long for him to find it after using his magic.

After leaving Madam Malkin's shop, they wandered to a few other boutiques, picking out more clothes and accessories for the school year.

Next, they headed to Flourish and Blotts. The bookstore was one of Emmaline's favorite places in Diagon Alley. The smell of parchment and ink was intoxicating, and she loved the feeling of being surrounded by so much knowledge. It was the one thing she felt she always had going for her.

"I need to find a specific book for one of my classes," Emmaline told Evelyn as they stood by the entrance of the store. Evelyn rolled her eyes, supporting her weight on one foot while the other tapped anxiously. "I won't take long, swear! "I'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron in like.. Half an hour?" She suggested.

"Sure thing," Evelyn replied, her eyes scanning the bookstore. "Don't get lost!"

Emmaline laughed, waving her off as she headed inside the store.

"Good day miss. If you need any assistance, don't hesitate to call out." The shop owner called out kindly.

"Thank you," Emmaline replied with a smile, making her way towards the back of the store. She went through each aisle carefully to find the book she needed for Arithmancy. Out of all her friends, she was the one who took her studies more seriously. She knew that at the end of the day it didn't matter. She would get a part of her Selwyn inheritance and rely on Regulus to provide with his own inheritance. It would be larger now seeing that Sirius was disowned.

Emmaline continued to think and search the shelves for the book she needed, occasionally pulling one out to read the blurb on the back. She wouldn't dare admit it, but a few of the muggle books caught her interest. She was so absorbed with one of them, she didn't notice the person trying to get past her. Taking a step back, she bumped into them, causing them to drop all their belongings.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" Emmaline gasped, quickly kneeling down to help pick up the scattered items. "I wasn't paying attention."

"No harm done." came a quiet, familiar voice. Emmaline shut her eyes as if she was caught, before opening them and looking up. Remus's soft brown eyes were kind but guarded as he took in her own appearance.

"Remus," she breathed, still stunned. She handed him a few of his fallen books.

"I didn't see you there. I was distracted. I'm really sorry." She rambled.

Remus smiled faintly, his eyes kind but guarded. "It's alright, Emmaline. Accidents happen." He said, looking at her as if unsure whether to say more. "Hello."

"Hi," Emmaline breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. The awkward silence between them stretched as they stood, holding onto the books they had picked up.

The memory of their last encounter resurfaced in her mind, and Emmaline struggled to find the right words. "How.. how have you been?" she finally asked.

Remus raised an eyebrow, cautiously answering," I've been alright. You?"

"I'm good," she replied quickly. She glanced around the shop, suddenly feeling very exposed despite being in between an aisle in the back of the store. "Just getting ready for the new school year."

"You and everyone else it appears," Remus joked, as he held up one of his books. Emmaline laughed, nodding her head in agreement.

A part of her wanted to apologize for her words that she said on the train at the end of the school year, but her pride got the best of her, refusing to admit such a thing to him. Instead, she focused on the task at hand.

"Actually, can you help me? I need help in finding a book for my Advanced Arithmancy class" she said, gesturing to the shelves. "You wouldn't happen to have seen it when you were searching for your books, have you? If not, no worries. I'll ask the shop owner." She said, beginning to go around him to search for the older gentleman.

Remus stopped her, his hand gripping her arm in similar fashion from the train. "No need, I saw it a few aisle over. Let me grab it for you."

"That would be great, that you." Emmaline replied. She followed him over to the aisle he said, the silence between them comfortable.

Remus pointed out two different books, "Which?"

"That one, level 2 please." She confirmed. He pulled it out, handing it over to her. As she flipped through the pages, she could feel his gaze on her, as if he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Emmaline," He began, hesitating. "About the train..I –"

"Don't. There isn't anything for either of us to say."

He nodded slowly, pressing his lips closed tightly. Emmaline could see his eyes searching for something, perhaps he would say something further, but it never came.

"Why are you taking Arithmancy?" He asked suddenly, changing the subject. "I didn't expect you to be interested in such a complex subject."

Emmaline blinked a few times in disbelief at his words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Remus's face turned bright red at the realization of his words, "I didn't mean anything bad by it, it's just I didn't think it was a subject Slytherins like you would be interested in. Not like you're gonna need a job after Hogwarts."

Emmaline scoffed, tugging her book closer to her chest, tilting her head at him. "I can't expand my knowledge? Why? Because all I have to do is look pretty for whatever Pureblood I'll marry?" she snapped.

Remus flinched back at her tone, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's not what I meant –"

"You don't know anything about me." She said, cutting him off and holding onto her book tightly, her knuckles white. "Maybe instead of stereotyping all purebloods, you should start seeing us for who we are. But I guess Sirius's bad habits rubbed off on you."

Remus opened his mouth to speak, maybe to apologize but Emmaline didn't give him the chance. She didn't want to hear the excuses he would say to defend himself or even Sirius as all Gryffindors often did. Emmaline made her way to the counter, paying for her books and leaving the store abruptly.

She found Evelyn waiting for her at the Leaky Cauldron, a look of concern on her face when she saw her.

"Are you alright, Em?" Evelyn asked.

Emmaline forced a smile, nodding her head. "I'm fine. I'm just ready to go back home."