Severus and Lily didn't look up from their whispered conversation when Emma entered the library. As she sat down, Lily threw her head back and laughed at something Severus had said, earning herself a glare from the librarian. Severus grinned up at her, a look of pure adoration in his eyes.

When Emma placed her books on the table, Lily finally looked up.

"Hey, Em! Where have you been? You're never late."

"Oh, I was just chatting." She couldn't stop an awkward grin from spreading across her face.

Lily noticed it too. "Oh, yeah? With who?"

"You know Reid, the Hufflepuff from our year? The one with the glasses? He asked me out to Hogsmeade. On a date," she clarified, mostly because she could still hardly believe it herself. In more than five years' time, no one had ever shown that kind of interest in her. Not that she'd ever sought it out.

Lily squealed, but it didn't escape Emma's notice that Severus stiffened in his seat.

"You're kidding!" Lily whisper-yelled – because the librarian had shot her another glare – as she stared at Emma with twinkling eyes. "What did you say?"

A blush crept up her cheeks as she grinned. "I told him I'd think about it. But I think I'll say yes. He's kind of cute, right?"

"Absolutely." Lily nodded vehemently. "Totally. Go for it, it'll be fun."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at her friend's enthusiasm. "I think so, too."

"Great," Severus snapped, a huge scowl on his face. "Now that that's all decided, can we get back to Defence Against the Dark Arts, please?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. Spoilsport."

The world rippled and crackled, fading in and out of view. It didn't matter. The only thing Emma could focus on was the person standing in front of her.

Aunt April.

"Hello, Emma! Have you been careful, like I told you to?"

"Aunt April!" Emma gasped. "Are you okay? I thought... I thought..."

Aunt April let out a high-pitched laugh. The large purple hat on her head wriggled as if it was laughing along. "Don't be silly, darling, I'm fine."

Emma threw her arms around her aunt in a hug. She couldn't remember what she was going to say before. Why did she feel so empty? So lonely? Why did her aunt smell so funny? Like onions. No, garlic.

"Are you making dinner?" Emma asked as she let go.

A shriek escaped her. Aunt April's eyes were empty. Completely black, as if they'd been scooped out and all that was left were two deep holes.

"It's time to fly, Emma," she said, her voice sounding low and far away. "Let's fly. Join me."

"Yeah," said Emma. "Of course I'll join you. I'll always join you."

Aunt April took her hand and tilted her head up. The floor disappeared beneath them, and they were soaring through the air, up, up, past the clouds, past the stars, until nothing but darkness surrounded them.

"Are we there yet?" Emma asked.

Her aunt wobbled, stretching her free arm to steady herself. "I'm not sure we'll make it. Don't let go, Emma. Don't let go of me."

"Aunt April!"

Her aunt stopped and turned around, both hands falling to her sides. She looked different now, in the dark nothingness. The elaborate hat didn't shine as bright. The shadows made her black holes for eyes look even larger, as if they'd taken over her face. Her body was covered in long, jagged cuts, which bled pure, blinding white light.

"Who was it, Emma?" Her voice had changed. It sounded faraway and crackled, as if she was speaking through an old phone.

"What? What do you mean?"

"Tell me who did this to me." It wasn't her aunt's voice anymore.

"I... I don't know."

Aunt April stuck her hand out, palm down, as if reaching for her. "I need to know, Emma." A spark ignited at the back of her hand. Fire erupted. The skin blackened in seconds, as the fire ate away at it, climbing higher and higher up her arm.

"No!" Emma leapt forward, but she couldn't reach her. She leapt again, and again, but with every jump, she seemed to only get farther away. "Aunt April!"

"Tell me, Emma!" She screamed, as the fire engulfed her body. The stench of burning flesh filled the air. "Tell me the truth, or I can never come back!"

"I don't know!" Emma shrieked, fighting against an invisible wall to reach her aunt. "I don't know! Come here, let me help you!"

Her aunt screamed and wailed as the fire consumed her, the skin blackening and crumbling, until all that was left was a pile of ash.

"AUNT APRIL!"

A shriek left her lips as Emma shot up in bed. She felt around in the darkness until her hand grasped her wand.

"Lumos!"

The room filled with light. Panting and gasping, Emma glanced around. Everything looked normal. No fire. No pile of ash.

No Aunt April.

Groaning, she lowered her head into her hands. "Freaking nightmare."

She lowered herself back onto the pillow, butthe image of her aunt in flames, her skin blackening and falling away, wasburned into her retina. She closed her eyes as they filled with tears. 

"Is this how you're going to spend your two weeks off? With your head in a book?"

Emma looked up as Severus entered her office through the open door. She lifted her feet from the desk to sit up properly.

"No," she said, feigning indignation. She gestured towards the empty chair opposite her. "With my head in a book, a hot mug of cranberry tea in my hand, and my best friend by my side."

Severus chuckled and sat down. "What are you reading?"

"The latest on the treatment of lycanthropy. Research is speeding ahead in that area."

"Werewolves?" He frowned. "Why are you interested in treating werewolves?"

"Because it's new." Emma laughed. "You know the Wolfsbane potion, that helps against the symptoms of lycanthropy? They're making serious progress in making it into a spell. That way werewolves, who are usually shunned and poor, don't have to spend what little money they have on potions. My department's been waiting for this book to be released for months." She caught herself, muttering, "Well, my old department."

His lips curled upwards. "That does sound interesting."

"It is! They're not quite there yet, though. But it's still a good book." She shut the book and pushed it to a corner of the desk. "Sorry. You didn't come here for that. Chess?"

"Sure." He chuckled. "Does your Christmas always consist of books and chess?"

"The good ones do," Emma said as she hovered the chessboard down from the cabinet to the desk. She thought for a moment before making her opening move. "Pawn to E4." The piece jumped to life and waddled over to the correct square.

"Pawn to E5."

Emma fiddled with the tip of her braid, as her eyes shot across the chessboard. "Knight to F3."

"Pawn to D6."

"I've been thinking," said Emma as she made her next move.

"In my experience it's most often bad news when a woman says that," Severus responded flatly.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I believe this is good news."

"They always do," Severus shot back, the corners of his lips twitching.

"You're so rude," said Emma, shaking her head. "If you're trying to distract me, it's not working. Pawn to E5." Her pawn captured one of his, slicing its little sword to cut the poor stone pawn in half. Bits of stone scattered across the board.

"I see. Go on then, what's the good news?"

"I want you to teach me to duel."

His face fell as his bishop was captured. "You're still on that," he grumbled, shoulders tense. "I told you, you're not joining the Order."

"And I told you that's not your decision. But," she added, before he could protest, "that's not why I'm suggesting this."

"Why then?"

"Queen to F3. Because you seem to be hunted by Death Eaters, and they saw us together on the beach. How big are the chances they'll come after me to get to you?"

He pressed his lips into a thin line, staring at the chessboard. "Perhaps it's not the worst idea. Fine, I'll teach you. After Christmas. Pawn to E5."

"Thank you. Bishop to C4. On a whole other note, I do still want to join the Order. I'm planning to talk to Dumbledore this week."

"For Merlin's sake, Emma."

She smiled. "You're the one who told me I'm ambitious."

Severus glared at her. "Not funny."

"Sorry. I've been asked to join the Order before, you know. Lily invited me. I refused, because I didn't want to fight against you. But if you're on the same side... I want to help."

He stared down at the board, his chess pieces looking up expectantly, waiting for an order. "I didn't know that."

"It wasn't important before," Emma shrugged.

He sighed deeply. "Have you considered that the Dark Lord is gone? There is nothing to fight for. The Order is inactive."

They played in silence for a little while. "That's true," Emma begrudgingly admitted eventually. "Fine. I'll drop it."

"Thank you."

"Oh, one more thing."

"What now?"

"Rook to D8. Checkmate." Emma looked up with a smile, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Gotcha."

Severus scowled. "You were distracting me on purpose."

"No, I wasn't!"

"I want a rematch."

Laughing, Emma put the pieces back in their original places. "Fine. I'll just have to beat you again."

A tap on the window made Emma jump. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she spotted the large eagle owl in the windowsill. She rushed over to open the window and untied the letter from its leg.

"Can you give it something?" she muttered as she turned over the envelope.

"Sure. Who is it from?"

"It's the Ministry." She was already tearing through the envelope as a heavy stone settled in her stomach. Was the investigation over? Did they know who did it?

"Good news?" Severus asked as Emma sunk back into her chair.

"Yeah. I mean, I guess. The investigation is still ongoing, but they're releasing her body to me. I can prepare the funeral."

"Good," said Severus, releasing the owl back out of the window. "That's good. You'll finally get to say goodbye."

"Yeah," Emma muttered. "Yeah, it is good."

"I reckon you'll want to go home then, while you're off?" He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I can come with you, if you like."

"No, Severus." She let the letter slip onto the desk and rubbed her hands over her face, exhaustion overwhelming her. "The investigation isn't over. They're not releasing the house. Only Aunt April. I'll have to arrange everything from here."