Christmas was last week, and it was amazing. Emma got books from Hermione, sweets from Ron, Crabbe and Goyle, bracelet from Blaise, beautiful drawing of two wolves from Ethan, who was an amazing artist, a beautiful necklace from  Draco and few more things.

She also spent a few hours in a treehouse with Draco, talking, laughing, joking and playing 20 questions.

Right now Emma was heading towards Dumbledore's office to have another lesson.

When Emma knocked on the old door, she didn't hear a response.

She knocked again...  But nothing.

Emma slowly opened the door "Hello? " she called, but no one answered. She walked towards Fawkes and petted him. Right at that moment, Dumbledore came into the room.

"Ah, Emma. You are here. Come on... Let's go, we must not waste time. " he said, walking towards her and giving her his arm, she took it and they apparated at the same meadow, next to the same lake like every time.

"Today we are going to do something more complicated. " Said Dumbledore,  and Emma nodded.

"If I am correct, you are animagus, wolf to be precise. " Dumbledore said and yet again she nodded.

"Well, you see... You have powers to turn into any animal you want. " He told her and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"But to do so you won't need to hold mandrake leaf in your mouth or wait for the full moon,  just like you didn't have to the first time, but the first time you did it in a few minutes,  for this, it may take longer," Dumbledore said and Emma slowly nodded.

"You will need to relax, " said Dumbledore gently sitting on the little white bench. "And think of animal you want to become. "

Emma slowly closed her eyes. Her mind was blank, except for one little otter swimming inside her head. She tried to concatenate only on that, but she didn't succeed. She didn't want but she couldn't help but to slowly concatenate on birds too, who sang their beautiful songs.

"Concatenate on only one animal Emma. " Dumbledore told her.

Emma heard him and shut the sweet voice of birds. Emma started to sweat. Drops of her sweat getting down from her forehead. She started to feel pain.

Pain like never before. Like a thousand knives going in and out of her skin. Every time worse than previous, but little did she know that it was only beginning.

She opened her eyes quickly, breathing heavily, not even realizing that Dumbledore was talking and coming towards her. "I CAN'T DO IT! " she screamed. "I can't! "

After some time she could finally hear Dumbledore "Let's take a break, shall we?" he asked leading her towards the bench. He handed her a bottle of water and she drank all in few gulps.

"Emma you can do it." Dumbledore said calmly "You need concentration,  and ignore the pain,  it will happen every time that you try to transfigure in a new animal."

After a few deep breaths, she stood up trying again... But nothing. After a few more times, she was so exhausted, and Dumbledore decided to go back to Hogwarts.

***

When she was in Dumbledore's office, panting on a chair Dumbledore asked her "Did you told Harry that you are not related?" "No." Was her answer.

"You should tell him. The sooner, that better." Dumbledore told her, she nodded and left his office.

She knew she wouldn't sleep that night, even if she was extremely tired, so she decided to go to the Astronomy tower.

Once there she sat on the cold floor looking at beautiful shining stars. The sky was clear, without one little cloud so it was even better.

She loved coming to Astronomy tower because sitting there she didn't need to think about anything. She would let her mind go wild with creativity, or just let it be blank.

Soon enough she hears a voice. Voice a little above the whisper calling her name "Emma, Emma..."

That voice was familiar to her, but she couldn't place a finger where did she hear it.

But as the voice continued calling her name, it said something that she instantly knew from where it came from. She knew exactly to who it belongs by two simple words.

"My child"

Tears in her eyes glistened, now treating to spill. "My beautiful child." She couldn't hold it. Last time she heard it, she didn't know who it belongs, but now that she does, it tears her heart apart.

Voice came once again "I love you." before wind carried it away.

It was her mother's.

Emma laid on the blanket next to her, that somehow appeared, and closed her eyes. She didn't know if she was dreaming, but she knew that, if she was, it was the best dream she ever had.