Severus had his arms crossed and Emily recognized the glower she saw on his face. He shook his head and Emily saw Sirius speaking more emphatically. Finally, Sirius held out his hand and Severus shook it as if it were the most disgusting of potions ingredients. Severus stood and swept out of the Great Hall, while Sirius sauntered toward the Ravenclaw table.

It seemed that the spectacle was not over. Sirius sank to his knees at Emily's feet and kissed the hem of her robe before she could snatch it out of his hands. “I was a stupid prat, fair lady. I have apologized to Snape and now I kneel at your feet, a cowering, whipped dog. Please give me your hand and show me you forgive me.” He looked anything except penitent, cowering, or whipped. He looked, in fact, as though he were enjoying a role he was playing in a drama.

“I don't know, Sirius. It was pretty awful...”

“What can I do then, Emily? How can I atone for what I did?”

“Not to do any of those awful pranks again.”

“For that to happen, you have to spend more time with me, keep an eye on me.”

Emily rolled her eyes. “You're running a scam even now.”

“Come on, Emily. Think of the story this will be to tell our children.”

“I'll think about it. Just go away for now.”

“Oh, no, you have to give me your hand now.”

Emily tried to stand, but found herself surrounded by Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew. She sighed and held out her hand. Sirius made a big show of kissing it before standing back up as the room broke into applause.

“Will I see you tonight?”

“As long as you leave now and I don't have to see you until then.”

---

Emily wasn't sure how her study partner would be that evening and wasn't sure even when he arrived in the library. They quietly and quickly worked through their Herbology assignment and were working on Astronomy when Emily quietly asked, “Did he really apologize to you?”

“Black said it was something you really wanted.”

“Well, he was right about that, but was it a genuine apology?”

“As genuine as anything I have ever heard come from his mouth.”

“I'm sorry he made such a display out of the whole thing.”

“I hear that it did not end when I left.”

“No, they even woo girls four on one. He wouldn't let me leave until I held out my hand and then he made a big show of kissing it. I almost crawled under the table, except Pettigrew was on the other side.”

“Still, you gave him your hand.”

“I'm starting to think you're right about the destiny thing. I don't even care anymore; he just seems to be an inevitable part of my life.”

“Be careful, Emily.”

“Thanks, mother hen.”

The remainder of the school year went by with Emily feeling as though the two sides of her life were sliding further and further apart. Severus became more surly and determined to pursue the dark arts, while her moments with Sirius became more physical and yet more flat. All in all, it was a relief when the school year ended and everyone went to their own homes.