#ems-vance

@ems-vance said:I know there’s no replacing what we’ve lost. [Post Jily death ;) ]

Flash-Forward, November 1981

Severus was startled to see Emmeline about Hogsmede this soon after the Dark Lord’s demise.  The two of them hadn’t talked for years, not since Emmeline had chosen her side of the war.  When she turned her back on her family, renouncing her heritage and standing in the pureblood community, she became a pariah to the Death Eaters.  The Dark Lord decided she would be made example of, proof of the cost of turning your back on the cause.  

So for the past few months, Severus hadn’t given so much as a nod in her direction.  Seeing her here, face and body uncertain was like seeing a ghost.  Emmeline looked older, much older than she actually was.  The war had taken it’s toll on everyone, but it was made obvious by the frame of the witch in front of him.  She was weary, a sorrow and a tiredness coming from deep inside, the sort that can’t be fixed with sleep or a good laugh.  Severus imagined he mirrored a similar sort of demeanor.  

“Vance.  What are you doing in Hogsmede?”  

“Could ask you the same thing Snape.  I would have expected you to be in Azkaban with the rest of our friends.”  Severus tried not to balk away from the harshness in her voice.  She crossed her arms over her chest but her face softened around the edges.  “Since when have we been on a last name basis, Severus?”  Sev let out a small sigh, his own hands nervously toying with the edges of his robe.  

“As a Professor at Hogwarts, Dumbledore himself vouched for my loyalty.”  He shrugged his shoulders lamely.  He didn’t have much else to say in his defense.  He deserved to be in Azkaban.  It was his fault that they were...  Severus shook his head, gritting his teeth.  Now was not the time to go down that path again.

“I’d heard you were working at the school.  Potions Master and Head of House before 25?  That’s quite the accomplishment.”  Severus nodded, his own arms crossed protectively against his chest.  He was proud of his position, but suspected now that Dumbledore had given it to him to keep an eye on him, see if he really were a member of the Dark Lord’s army.  He would much rather have been the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, but he had been denied yet again.  His appointment as Head of House had served to dull the blow, being one of the youngest Heads of House in the school’s history.  

“So it’s finally over, yeah?”  Emmeline’s voice was quiet.  Severus glanced about him as the students wandered to and fro around the village of Hogsmede.  There was a life and a vibrant atmosphere around him that seemed to reflect that it was finally over.  There were skirmishes still here and there.  Those who remained loyal to the Dark Lord continued to attempt to cause chaos in his name, to search for a way to find him.  

“I think so.  Not without considerable loss, though.”  Severus refrained from delving any deeper.  He knew that Emmeline could read between the lines.  She would know what he meant.  

A few students ran past them, causing Severus to roll his eyes. Before he wouldn’t have cared, but now he was a Professor and responsible for the children’s well being and happiness.  It was his joy to admonish the children before they hurt themselves.  Sighing, he moved to follow them to see hat sort of nonsense they would get themselves into but was stopped by a hand on his arm.  

“Severus... Sev.”  Severus looked into Emmeline’s eyes.  They were wide, almost pleading with him to stay, to give her a few more moments of time.  “I just... I know there’s no replacing what we’ve lost.  But now that it’s over, that we’re on the other side of it all... maybe we can get a small piece of it back.”  

Severus whirled around, his eyes burning with the effort of holding back the emptiness that threatened to eat him from the inside out.  He couldn’t let it, not here.  He refused to break down in the middle of Hogsmeade.  He took in a sharp breath, an all too familiar pain shooting through his gut.  

Emmeline didn’t understand it.  She had been on the right side of things.  She had been there for her.  She hadn’t heard the prophesy.  She hadn’t told the Dark Lord about everything.  It had been him.  He had set everything into motion that lead to that night, that lead to the end of this war but at the expense of her life.  

Because of him Lily was gone.  

He couldn’t dwell on it, not here.  He couldn’t open up to Vance, not like he used to.  If she found out, if she knew what he had done... It was better to keep her at a distance.  He couldn’t bare the look he knew she would give him if she knew the sins he had committed.  He had to distance himself so she would never find out.  As much as it pained him, she couldn’t know.  

They may be on the other side of the war, but there was still a chasm of guilt between them.  They chose their sides and now they had to deal with the reality of their consequences.  For Severus, that meant keeping everyone at a distance from now to his death.  

Keeping his back turned toward Emmeline, he shook his head and gently shrugged away her hand from his arm.  Clearing his throat, he arranged his face into a neutral position and followed the path of the students.

“Oh really? That sounds lovely.” Ashling gave her a soft smile as she played with the coffee cup between her palms, “Do you garden yourself or is it more of a place you like to visit?” She was unsure the size of the garden Emmeline had mentioned, but both sounded quite wonderful. She wasn’t sure why, but in picturing the garden she imagined that all of the fear that hung in the air like morning dew somehow left this particular place untouched. Here she could not taste the possibilities on her tongue with each breath, only peace. Whether the garden was expansive or quite small, this feeling lingered. Ash took a sip of her drink before setting it carefully on the table to avoid making a sound. “Either way, Emmeline, it sounds like a wonderful place.”

@ems-vance

Lily glanced up at Emmeline from her position where she had fallen back onto the benches in the Great Hall. Lunch was over and students were milling around them to try and get to class; especially the firsties who did not want to be late for McGonagall’s class. Lily on the other hand wasn’t moving, nor it seemed, was Emmeline. She still could not believe what had happened and Lily wasn’t sure she would ever fully realize the poignancy of this moment. Emmeline had stood up in front of not only her brothers, but the entire school and stood up for the redhead. 

A young girl who had been brought up as a Pureblood had publicly just defended a muggleborn. “Why did you do that?” Lily muttered, knowing what it was like to go against a sibling and the inevitable cracks in the relationship that would start to occur because of it.

“There will never be anyone else like you…if I’m very lucky.” 

There were no words that Lily could say to voice her appreciation for Emmeline nor talk of the bravery it had taken for her to do that. All Lily could do was stand and wrap her arms around Emmeline. The other may not be so fond of these acts of affection, but Lily didn’t know what else to do in this moment. 

“You are one of a kind, Ember. I promise I will never make you regret this.” 

Lucinda looked down at the young woman sitting on her doorstep, not sure what she should be feeling. Relief? Sadness? Anger? Though initially the two had been friends, friends had changed into something more. And that’s when the trouble started. When the back and forth commenced, and Emmeline kept sending all the mixed signals Lucinda’s way. 

It had been too much. Too much for a girl who lost her parents, who felt there was a constant target on her back. She had needed someone to be there for her, not offer her comfort and then take it away. She understood Emmeline’s predicament, she did, but in the aftermath of her parents’ death and the inability of anyone to do a damn thing about it, she hadn’t cared. 

So they had fought. A lot. 

Now, now all the emotions came rushing back to Lucinda. Lucinda who was still working at Persephone’s Garden, though her aspirations had changed to aiming for being a Cursebreaker. She was smart enough, talented enough. She was a good traveller and knew lots of languages. And she wanted to get out of London, go on adventures, capture the spark within herself again. The spark she had slowly and steadily been feeding over the years, trying to bring it back to life. 

And then here was Emmeline. A full blooded Auror now. And looking so tired, so lost, so sad. She didn’t want help, and yet here she was, on Lucinda’s doorstep. She hadn’t even had the courage to knock. Lucinda had just opened the door to go to the shops and there she was. But Emmeline had never been good at saying what she truly wanted, at least not to Lucinda. She couldn’t admit that what she wanted might not be in keeping with what everyone else thought she should want. Lucinda wondered if that had changed, wondered what it meant for Emmeline to be here now. 

With a sigh, Lucinda went back into the house, though she left the door open to show she was not completely rejecting Emmeline. 

When she came back, it was with a bottle of vodka in her hand. She handed it over to Emmeline. 

How they’d seduce/flirt with your character.

Evan and Emmeline flirt constantly. If he did anything romantic or cute, no one, and I mean no one, would realize he was trying to seduce her. It would simply just look like Evan and Emmeline being Evan and Emmeline. 

No, if he truly wanted to seduce her, he would just kiss her, plain and simple. Well, maybe not so simple. He would bring her somewhere private, somewhere away from prying eyes. 

What kinks they’d try with your character. 

Nothing too crazy. Evan would be as tame as he could with Emmeline. That being said, ‘vanilla’ isn’t in his vocabulary. He’d kiss her against a wall, or pick her up and carry her somewhere, flip them while in bed, etc. He’s also probably pin her hands above her head using his own hand. He wouldn’t want to scare her off, or “contaminate” his relationshio with her. He likes to keep the different parts of his life seperate. 

Whether they’d dominate or submit for your character

Dominate, although Emmeline initiating would always be welcome. Evan doesn’t like passivity in his everyday life, so he wouldn’t like it in the bedroom, either. 

Whether they’d have rough or gentle sex with them.

Gentle rough sex.

How they’d comfort them afterwards.

It would depend on what they did, but, more likely than not, he would kiss her on the forehead. 

What they’d make your character for breakfast the morning after.

The elves would bring them breakfast in bed. 

If they’d brag about if or keep quiet.

Despite the fact that they lied to her parents about dating, Evan would want to keep it quiet. His family is a lot to handle. 

If they’d do it again.

"Vance. What is it this time?”