magnolia ~ h. potter

forty-two

CHAPTER 42 

[ FIGHT OR FLIGHT ]

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"YOU'RE RELATED TO BELLATRIX?!"

Kate looked like she was actually going to hurl, and Emily nodded, mirroring her expression. 

Upon her return home, Emily had spared no time in telling her friends what her father had told her during her visit.

"Not by blood, thank god," Emily sighed, letting herself drop down into one of the armchairs in their living room.

"Hmm, I wonder when your murderous instincts will start to kick in," Violetta butted in, and Emily glared at her.

"You'll be the very first to know," she muttered, and Violetta smiled.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Em. All pure-blood families are related somehow, it was only a matter of time before your ancestry came up," she said with a shrug, "I mean, technically that makes us related,"

Emily gave a little shiver. "This is all so creepy,"

"You're telling me," Kate said, "I've never been happier in my life to be muggle-born. How come some of these kids are not born with serious defects because their parents are cousins or something?"

Violetta shook her head. "Some children are, and most get rejected by their families,"

"Rejected?!" Kate said disbelievingly, and Violetta nodded grimly.

"You can't just reject your child!" Emily said indignantly, "Especially not if the reason you're rejecting it is as a result of the fact you like doing your cousin or something,"

Kate let out a peal of laughter. "I'd like permission to quote you,"

"I know Em, but it still happens, although a lot less than before, if it's any comfort," Violetta said, and Emily scoffed.

"That's so wrong," she huffed, shaking her head.

"What else did he tell you?" Kate asked, and Emily recounted her mother's story to her best friends.

"Your Mum was engaged to Sirius?" Kate interjected, "That's.  .  . interesting,"

Violetta nodded in agreement. "Interesting but again, not uncommon .  .  . I've heard the Malfoys and the Greengrasses have been orchestrating a match between Draco and Astoria for a while now,"

At the sound of his name, Emily frowned. "Let's not talk about Draco Malfoy, please,"

"Apparently, he's become a death eater," Kate muttered, but Emily's mouth stayed clamped shut. 

This was not news to her.

"I'm not surprised," Violetta said grimly, "I remember how adamant they were with my family, even when we made it clear we weren't getting involved. Imagine how easy it is if they already believe in all that blood-purity nonsense,"

"Can we please not talk about him?" Emily repeated, her voice somewhat aggravated, and there was a silence.

"You're right," Violetta said, standing up, "Lord knows we have better things to do than sit here and talk about Voldemort–"

"VIOLETTA, NO!" Kate shouted, shooting out of her seat, but it was too late. Emily's stomach sank with dread and Violetta went as white as a sheet. She had said his name.