She thought her life was over – but fate gave her another chance, in a world of magic. Now, running around Hogwarts with James Potter and his friends, she's about to make choices that will change the future in ways she never thought possible…

Marauder's Phase

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN

The Tricky Hogsmeade Weekend

The next Hogsmeade weekend turned out to be the day before the Second Task. Who designed that, I know not. It was quite annoying, really, but what could I do? I'd already told James I'd help him pick out a ring for Lily (there's a jewelers in Hogsmeade too, by the way) and, of course, I was going to help him.

It was tricky, though.

I hadn't spoken to Sirius much - while it had been so easy to make up with Regulus, making amends with Sirius was an entirely different matter.

It hurt, though - even though I was talking to him (sort of) he looked pained every time I acted distant - like he really was going insane. I had also stopped talking to Remus, for reasons I knew not, and this was taking a toll on him too - he was looking more tired and pale than ever before, even though the full moon was still weeks away. I was being selfish and hurting a lot of people, and the only people I really spoke to were Lily, James and Regulus. (Oh, and Peter, but anyway).

I had to start eating meals in the Great Hall again, but I sat away from my friends (at least, I hoped they were still my friends), and kept mainly to myself.

Was this what it was like to break-up with somebody? Two somebodies, really...oh God, it hurt. But...maybe a clean break was all we needed. I'd sort of always known I couldn't date the both of them at once. Maybe this was for the best...

So why did it hurt so much?

Meanwhile, I managed to keep my friendship with Regulus a secret - we'd study in the library together, take walks around the grounds, he watched me skate on the frozen lake until it thawed out (and saved me when I fell in again) and I stopped him from getting his face scratched off by Umbridge's cat, Mr. Cuddle-Pie.

I also spoke to Apolline and Brunilda as well - even though we were competing against each other, they were really nice people once you got to know them. We never spoke about the task, but I was sure that they'd figured it out already, as well.

I was trying to figure out how to get the Gillyweed, though - maybe I'd have to steal it.

Well, at least I wouldn't be stealing from Snape...speaking of Mr. Hook-Nose...he'd been looking at me weird lately - every time our eyes met, his would go dark (if that was possible) and he'd look like he was trying to read my mind, ah but why?

oOoOoOoOoOo

The night before the Hogsmeade trip, I ran into James on the stairs – actually, it seemed he'd been waiting for me, and was now barring my way, denying me continuation of my journey.

"Prongs?" I stood back and waited.

"Okay, White Fang, two things," James' hazel eyes – exactly the same shade as my own – bored holes into me from behind his glasses. "One, tomorrow's the Hogsemeade trip, so we're going jewellery shopping."

I nodded. "Okay…" I said slowly, because I wasn't about to admit that, if not for James and his endeavour, I hadn't been planning on setting foot in Hogsemeade tomorrow. I was still trying to avoid talking to Sirius and Remus, and I felt bad because I wasn't even angry at Remus. Heck, I wasn't mad at Sirius anymore, either, but…

"And secondly, can you please start talking to Sirius again! ?" James' somewhat angry exclamation snapped me out of my reverie.

"Huh?" I blinked, and took an automatic half-step back. "Wh-what? Where did that come from…?" The look on James' face made me pause – my almost-brother looked…well…upset. A cross between angry and sad. "That bad, huh?" I asked quietly.

"Em, come on, you've seen that he's gone all quiet, he's stopped eating properly, the light that was there suddenly isn't," James sounded as unhappy as he looked, and suddenly he wouldn't look at me. "And…then there's what you don't see…" He looked up at me, and I quickly rearranged my face into what I hoped was a neutral expression. "When you stopped talking to him…"

"I talk to him!" I protested.

"Emma," James sounded exasperated. "I'm trying to find a tactful way of saying that you're treating Padfoot like a complete and total stranger, and it's killing him, Emma. It's killing him." He repeated, and I felt a pang in my heart. "And Moony's worried too, since you've stopped talking to him and none of us can figure out why. Unless it's because of his problem…"

I couldn't help but cringe, and James noticed. His eyes widened. "Emma, it isn't…"

"NO!" I fairly screamed, my heart hammering in my chest. "For the love of Godric Gryffindor, James, it's not them it's ME! M-E! ! I'm such a selfish, stubborn person that I can't even figure out my own feelings," I had to do some quick thinking here when I almost let the love-triangle-cat out of the bag. "And my two best friends are suffering for it! Tell Sirius I'm not angry at him anymore, and tell Remus that I was never angry at him in the first place, and tell both of them that I'm really sorry, and that I'm trying to figure this all out but for now I just need to be alone! !" I was breathing heavily by the end of this, with tears threatening to escape my eyes, and I couldn't look at James. Instead, I looked at the floor.

"Okay," The tall head boy said after about ten seconds, in a voice that was barely audible. "I'll let them know…see you tomorrow, Emma." I heard him turn, and his footsteps retreating up the staircase.

And, only when I was sure he was gone, did I sink to the steps similar to how Hermione does after the Yule Ball in the fourth film. Tears swam in my eyes, as I reached into my robe pocket, and pulled out the two enchanted charms from my former boyfriends. The wolf from Remus and the black dog from Sirius were both currently sleeping, and looking at them reminded me of the things I'd been through with my friends.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, leaning my head against the staircase railing. Tears dripped down my face. "I don't get it either…why can't we just go back to the way we were?" That was an excellent question. If things could go back to how they were before that first Christmas, when Sirius and I kissed and became a couple, and before the time I started two-timing Sirius with Remus…I couldn't believe I'd done that. "I wish I could be younger…but know the things I know now…then I wouldn't have been so stupid…"

"Emma?" A voice suddenly said – a familiar and very welcomed voice. "Are you okay?"

I looked up to see Regulus standing where James had been a few moments ago. He was wearing his school uniform, but his tie was undone, making him look slightly…rebellious.

Hastily swiping my hand across my eyes, I stood up and said: "Y-yes, Reg, I'm fine…" I quickly returned the wolf and dog charms to my pockets.

Regulus' grey eyes darted from said charms and then to my eyes. "Where did you get those enchanted charms from?" He asked, with interest.

I was surprised he'd known what they were. Had he looked in my bag that time I'd left it with him, or not? I also didn't want to tell him where they'd come from, but I found myself saying anyway: "Sirius and Remus…" And watched as those grey eyes darkened over, so I hastily added: "Because friends give each other things like that, don't they?" Like James giving me that broomstick, the necklace from Lily, and… I couldn't even think about the pocket watch, and Lilyanna…I hadn't spared much thought for my best friend from the other world, and that made me feel bad. After all, it was partially thanks to her I was here now. "It's what friends do." I nodded firmly.

Regulus looked thoughtful. "I see…so that's how it is…" He murmured.

"And what does that mean?" I asked in annoyance, not liking his mumbling.

"Never mind," He said, smoothly. "Anyway, I came to ask you something," He seemed a bit nervous.

I cocked my head to one side. "Fire away then."

"Would you like to come to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" He asked me quietly.

I blinked. "Would I like to what now, sorry?"

"Come to Hogsmeade with me," Regulus repeated, a little more loudly. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes!" I said, a little too quickly, thrilled at the idea and not just because it would give me an excuse not to go with the others.

Regulus' eyes lit up. "Great!" He sounded somewhat elated.

Then I remembered something. "Oh, hang on…there may be an issue here…"

"What?" Regulus sounded apprehensive. I didn't blame him.

"I have meet someone else there," I explained carefully. "So…can I meet up with you at, say, The Three Broomsticks, after I'm finished with him?" Oops, I definitely should not have said that last part, because I watched Regulus' eyes glaze over.

"Who's 'him'?" The younger Black brother asked flatly.

"James Potter." I knew he'd been expecting me to say Sirius or something but, still, Regulus' next question surprised me.

"Why are you going to Hogsmeade with Potter?" Regulus' voice was still flat – I didn't like it. "Doesn't he have a girlfriend already?"

"Yes," I replied, somewhat testily. "However, Lily also happens to be my good friend, and since James is going to ask her to marry him, he needs my help selecting a ring."

Regulus' eyes widened. Whatever he'd been expecting to hear, it obviously hadn't been what I'd just said, and now his voice was normal again as he asked: "Potter's…proposing? To Lily Evans?"

I nodded. "Yes, and if you tell her, I'll set a werewolf on you," I added threateningly, only half kidding. If not Remus, then Greyback. "So, you'd better not tell anyone – not even Bella." Wait, did I just call her Bella?

Regulus nodded, not taking his eyes off me. "So then…" He grinned, somewhat shyly. "Tomorrow, then?"

I smiled. "It's a date." I turned to head toward the Gryffindor Tower.

"I'll be waiting." Regulus assured me.

I half-turned, still smiling. "You'd better be."

The next day was warmer than it had been in months, so I dressed in jeans and a light blouse, forest green in colour. I added to this a pair of brown boots, and tied my hair up in a loose ponytail. The mother-of-pearl necklace was around my neck, and I wished I had a matching pair of earrings.

"Oh well." I said to my reflection, before turning and leaving the dorm. Descending the stairs, I wondered how much earrings cost in the wizarding world. "That's weird…" I said, stopping and examining a tapestry lying crumpled at the foot of a staircase. "I could swear that was hanging up last time I saw it," With a flick of my wand I returned it to its place. "Wonder what happened…"

Downstairs in the common room, I found a group of girls including Lily huddled around a couch chair, and hurried over to see what was wrong, because something certainly was.

"I'm so sorry, Serilda," Lily was saying, sounding apologetic as only Lily can. "I swear, that cat is always under-foot."

"It's okay, Lily," Serilda was sitting with her foot propped up on a stool and three pillows – and the foot was swelling at an alarming rate. Turns out she'd tripped over Valencia, and fallen down a flight of stairs. Well, at least that explained the fallen tapestry…

"No, it's not," Alice pointed out. "It's broken."

"You'd better get to the hospital wing." Molly added.

"I'll take her," Lily offered, helping Serilda up. "It's the least I can do." She added.

"I'll come with you," I spoke up, and so with Lily's help Serilda got to the hospital wing. Along the way, I attempted to cheer both of them up, including adding to Lily how Valencia was nowhere near as bad as Umbridge's cat was.

Lily said she'd stay at the hospital wing with Serilda after that, so I headed down to the Great Hall alone, joining the sea of people who were also going to the village.

James was, thankfully, not with the other Marauders, which struck me as a bit odd, but I shrugged it off and we set off for the village together, talking about our classes, but not about the upcoming Second Task. In all honesty, it was the last thing on my mind.

The jewellery store in Hogsmeade is called Charms, and was unlike any muggle jewellery store I'd seen. I had to stop and take it all in.

There were rows and rows of the most gorgeous jewellery I had ever seen, all on beds of coloured velvet. Goblin silver, gold in all three tones, and precious stones in every colour of the rainbow – and some in that eight colour, too. Rings, watches, bracelets, earrings, and all with some sort of magical quality about them too, such as having stars and planets on the watch face instead of numbers, or the stones being able to sparkle more than any muggle jewellery had ever been able to.

James seemed to know his way around the store (what the hell?) and led me straight to the display of rings.

"This is possibly the only thing in the world I'm not good at," James admitted, as we gazed over the rows of gold bands.

"What about seeing without your glasses on?" I suggested.

He laughed. "Good point. So, anyway, White Fang…which one do you think Lily would like?"

I looked at the rings again, imagining how each of them might look on Lily's hand, taking them out to examine them from every angle – the store was fitted with a magical security device that would go off if anyone tried to steal a piece of jewellery. Not that such a thing was necessary – the owner of the store, who was a sharp-eyed woman of about three hundred and sixty two years old, was standing at a high vantage point on the second floor landing. Her eagle eyes bore holes into James and me as we tried to find a ring. I doubt we could've so much as blinked without her noticing.

"This is pretty hard," James said finally.

"Yeah, I'll say," I agreed, replacing a princess-cut ruby and diamond ring back on its bed. "They have gold, silver, platinum, and about a hundred different stones…some of these are really nice, though…for example…" I pointed out a lighter green emerald that was the exact same shade as Lily's eyes. "Can you imagine that stone on that ring," I pointed to another ring with an intricate design on the band. "But the stones are in that design?" I pointed to a ring with darker emeralds in the shape of a flower. Then, I happened to glance at the ring next to it. It was pink sapphires and diamonds. Pretty. "Ooh, that one's nice, too…but, anyway, so those other three…?"

James glanced at the rings, and then at me. "Uh…are you sure you haven't done this before, Em?"

I laughed, a little self-consciously. "Uh, no…Jamesy, I'm a girl, it's what we do."

James rolled his eyes. "I see…anyway, putting that stone on that ring with that design…can you even do that?" He jumped suddenly, as the old eagle-eyed shop-owner appeared at his side.

"We haven't got a specific ring of that make," She said seriously, in a scratchy old voice. "However, we can have it custom made for you. Is it an engagement ring?" She asked him, eyeing me critically.

"For Lily, yes," I hurried to tell her. "I was wondering how that stone would look in that design on that ring…"

"Hmm…" The shop-keeper selected the three rings with a flick of her wand – they floated at eye-level with us, as she regarded them. "Yes, it would…you have a good eye…I can have the ring custom-made in a week."

"That's great," James sounded relieved. "I'd like to propose to Lily soon…"

I understood why, and the shopkeeper did too, because we both nodded silently. There had been another attack, this time in broad daylight, in front of at leats fifty muggles, not many of whom had survived to have their memories erased. The Death Eaters were getting more gutsy, and their attacks more violent. Everyone was getting married quickly now, just in case…

Then, the shopkeeper said: "What size ring does your Lily wear?" She was looking at James, who stared blankly back at her.

"I beg your pardon?" The boy said.

I rolled my eyes. "Rings have sizes, James, just like gloves and bracelets." He held out my hand. "Lily and I take the same ring size," I told the shop keeper. It was true – we'd discovered this a while ago.

The shop keeper nodded briskly, and placed a special fitting ring on my finger, which she tightened with magic. "Are you friends with the young lady in question?"

I replied: "Yes…best friends, actually…" I chanced a glance at James, but he appeared to be preoccupied with something else, outside the shop. I sighed loudly.

James looked back quickly. "Huh? What'd I miss?"

"Never mind." I told him. I tugged at the necklace around my neck to free it from my hair.

The shop keeper noticed the necklace. "Oh, I remember that one…a red-haired girl was in here buying that a few years back, around Christmas time."

"That's Lily." James and I said in unison.

"Oh, I see now," The shop keeper smiled. "Lucky you." She told James.

"I know." James grinned.

While James and the shop keeper discussed details and haggled with the price ("I doubt it's worth five hundred Sickles…what, you mean it's five hundred Galleons!"), I looked at the display of earrings. I saw a pair of mother-of-pearl earrings, which matched my necklace and were absolutely gorgeous. But, I also noticed the price-tag, which was waaay too expensive for me to afford right now.

"Maybe if I win the tournament…" I said sadly, before following James out of the shop.

James was practically skipping, and I could swear I heard him humming the wedding march under his breath, as we walked through Hogsmeade together.

"Wanna go to Honeydukes now?" James asked me, stopping in the middle of the not-so crowded street.

"Will the others be there?" I asked him warily.

"Maybe." He replied, just as warily.

"Thanks, but no thanks," I said, shaking my head.

"Aww, Ems, come on…" James fixed me with a pleading stare.

"Besides, I have to meet somebody, and I'm probably late," I checked my pocket watch. "Yeah, so I'd better go…I'll see you later, Prongs!" And, I hurried off before he could ask me who I was meeting.

As I hurried through the streets towards The Three Broomsticks, I passed a group of people who seemed to stare at me as I walked by them, but I tried not to notice it, as I entered the pub and spotted Regulus immediately.

He looked so happy to see me, that for a second I didn't even realise that he was with someone.

Then, I recognised Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange.

I stopped dead in my tracks, a few feet from the table.

"Em," Regulus stood up quickly, walking toward me and taking my arm, he hurried me away from the other two Death Eaters, who were both staring at me as those people had out on the streets. "You look great." He said, once we were outside.

"Why were you with Antonin and Bella…trix?" I wanted to know, though I felt my heart flutter at his compliment.

Regulus sighed. "Well…to tell the truth…they didn't approve of me going out with a Gryffindor girl, until…until they found out who it was."

"What?" I blinked, unable to believe what I'd just heard. "Umm, Reg, news flash – your cousin hates me. And Antonin…well, he's one of you guys too now, isn't he?" I asked him in a low whisper, leaning forward so that he could hear me. "Don't you people want me…umm…dead?" It was amazing how easy it was to talk to Regulus about such things as my life in peril.

Regulus shook his head, in a way that made his black hair look incredibly cool. "If you had any idea…" He changed his mind about saying whatever it was he'd been about to say, however, and instead asked me: "So…where do you want to go?" He smiled slightly.

I smiled too. "Well…" I began but, just then, I heard the familiar strains of piano music coming from a nearby shop, and I turned my head to see Dominic Maestro's, the music shop. Without even being aware of it, I began walking toward the sound, and Regulus followed me almost obediently.

We walked into the shop, which housed countless amounts of musical instruments, including saxophones, violins, harps, ocarinas and guitars with big crosses on them.

The piano music was coming from a dusty old grand, which was behaving in a similar way to the one at the Potters' house, as this extremely young but extremely talented Japanese girl tested the piano. She was about three feet and seven inches tall, and probably weighed less than Valencia – but I'd never heard music more beautiful.

"There," She chirped. "All tuned." She got up and turned around, and spotted Regulus and me. "Ah, customers!" She exclaimed. "I'll get Mamma!"

"Oh, no, we're not customers," I said hurriedly. "We're just looking…" I walked over to the piano. I tested out a key. It had been so long since I'd played – why didn't I study music at school?

"Do you play?" The young girl asked me.

I nodded. "A bit…" I replied and, before I knew it, she'd made me sit down and play something.

I sighed, and began to play, my fingers flying across the keys and my voice subconsciously singing my favourite song. I felt so talented today.

I am a dreamer, hisomu pawaa

watashi no sekai
yume to koi to fuan de dekiteru
demo souzou mo shinai mono, kakureteru hazu

sora ni mukau kiki no youni anata o
massugu mitsumeteru

mitsuketai naa, kanaetai naa
shinjiru sore dakede
koerarenai mono wa nai
utau youni kiseki no youni
[omoi] ga subete o kaete yuku yo
kitto, kitto, otoroku kurai

I am a dreamer, hisomu pawaa

mada minu sekai
soko de nani ga matte itemo
moshi mo risou to chigatte mo, osore wa shinai

tori-tachi wa kaze ni nori tabi o shite yuku
kyou kara ashita eto

tsutaetai naa, sakebitai naa
kono yo ni hitotsu dake
no sonzai de aru watashi
inoru youni hoshi no youni
chiisana hikari dakedo itsuka wa
motto, motto, tsuyokunaritai

genkai no nai kanousei ga koko ni aru, kono te ni
it's gonna be your world

mitsuketai naa, kanaetai naa
shinjiru sore dakede
koerarenai mono wa nai
utau youni kiseki no youni
[omoi] ga subete o kaete yuku yo
kitto, kitto, otoroku kurai

When I'd finished playing, I suddenly realised I had an audience, and all of them applauded.

I blushed furiously, grabbed Regulus and hurried out of the shop.

Once outside, Regulus turned to me and said: "Em…you're…amazing…truly, you're the most amazing girl I've ever met."

I gulped. "Oh, n-no, I'm nothing s-special…" I stammered.

He sighed, and dug his hand into his pocket. "Yes, you are. Now…here, I bought something for you." And he handed me a white jewellery box with a pink ribbon on it.

I blushed. "Oh, you didn't have to…" My hands shook as I held the box in them.

"I know." He replied. "But that's what friends do, right?"

I started. "Huh? Oh, yes, well, I suppose they do…thank you…can…can I open it now?"

"Mmhmm." He nodded.

Regulus' P.O.V:

I watched as Emma unwrapped the box, slowly because her hands were shaking, but so were mine, actually. I'd never heard anything more beautiful than Emma's song just now (oh, okay, except maybe the Japanese girl's playing), and here she was telling me she wasn't special! I had no way of telling her just how special she really was – she served someone better than my selfish, domineering brother.

Someone patient. Someone cool. Someone who'd treat her like a princess and protect her or die trying.

Someone like me.

I watched Emma's face carefully as she lifted the lid of the box, watched colour creep across her face, and a smile tug at her pretty lips, as she exclaimed: "These are the earrings I wanted to buy!"

"Do you like them?" I asked her, watching in amusement as she spun around, and began fiddling with the earrings she had on. It took her at leats thirty seconds but, when she turned around, she had the mother-of-pearl earrings in her ears, and a huge smile on her face that made her beautiful hazel eyes sparkle.

"Oh Reg, of course I do, I love them!" She threw her arms around me and hugged me tight. "Thank you!" She exclaimed.

No One's P.O.V:

Regulus put his own arms around the shorter girl and held her close, savouring the warmth of her hug, and the way her hair smelled like peppermint and roses – exactly the same as his Amortentia. He smiled, and he never wanted to let her go. This moment just couldn't get any better.

And then, it did, and Regulus Black smirked, because he'd just caught sight of a person watching him from up the street. Someone who was staring in utter horror at the scene taking place outside the music shop.

Emma was facing the other way, so she didn't see Sirius Black's expression, but Regulus did and it just made the younger Black's day.

However, neither of them saw the other jealous person watching but, if Regulus had seen her, then it would have perhaps ruined his day completely, as much as he'd just ruined his brother's. A seventh year Slytherin who had yet to make the scene was watching from down the street, and her expression could have burned a hole through sheet metal.

Author's Notes: Wow, what a long chapter! I wanna update some more, but…it's 4:22AM, so…

On a side note, I managed to injure myself today – I tore a hole in my palm and knee, falling over rollerblading. The EXACT same thing happened last September. *Dies* At least I can still write.

TO SEE PICTURES OF WHAT THE RINGS LOOKED LIKE, GO TO MY USER PAGE!