amissafide:
𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 out of fear to miss even just one. The whole tale was something she hadn’t expected to hear; to see that Xenophilius had taken a similar path to her own. Somehow they each had reason to divert from the path they had once been on. Did her ever look back the way the young witch herself had for nearly seven years now? Choices had been made, the price had been paid and yet she couldn’t help but wonder if there was a way back. On the darkest of days nothing else seemed to matter.
“I suppose we’ve got that in common.” Emmeline let out a sigh, facing the path ahead. “I was in Slytherin; don’t think I ever stopped being one.” And Merlin, she missed the people she once called friends more than words could ever describe. “I just never knew that Xen was friends with Bellatrix Lestrange. I knew none of that, not any of it. I wonder if he ever wanted to go back.” It sounded more as though she was questioning her own rather than his choice. With how much love there seemed to be between him and Dora somehow Emmeline had no grounds to question his choice on. That love seemed stronger than anything. “Well, who can tell the powers of said cupid’s bow, hm? I certainly can’t speak of the powers it holds over people. Perhaps it was worth it. He sure seems happy.” The witch cared too much for those two people to ever dare think they could see unhappiness in those choices.
"Sometimes you don’t have another choice than to bite the hand that fed you. Sometimes it seems like the most obvious option, hm. Then again, every now and then a different choice might be the better path.” Emmeline turned toward him again, a knowing smile on her lips. “I may know a thing or two about tough choices. That’s all.” A breath, drawn in. It was time to let herself feel the enjoyment again. “That, I can promise you, won’t be an issue.”
Emmeline felt the laughter before it ever echoed through the air, unable to hold back at the sight of the man falling into fountain. “Poor, bothersome creature. Never know what they wanted now but I guess that proves just how much you meant your previous statement.” The typical Slytherin smirk took over. “I’ll make sure not to land in your precious fountain then.” The young woman stopped, distracted by his other comment. “Of course, a lot of people did. I suppose you never know with any of them.” Certainly not her. This all felt far too familiar.
~
“Now, I would love to know who the bloke was that said all Slytherins are awful.” He snorted, “You act as though your House defines you in some way. If anything, it’s just a way for the professors to sort us around. Half of the time I swore Xenophilius belonged more to Ravenclaw than to Slytherin. His preference for being left alone might have swayed that rotten hat, though.” He shrugged, not quite sure if your House was a factor in who you were at heart. There were Hufflepuffs in the Death Eaters, after all.
Amycus didn’t see any problem with people talking to one another. You could hate each other’s view and still try to be civil. At least, you could agree not to kill one another. “What stops you from seeing them? Surely you aren’t letting that old fool dictate who you can and cannot talk to. If that’s the case, I’d think you would have to stay far away from me.”
When it came to loyalties, Amycus seemed to consider himself rather lucky. His loyalty was reserved to the Dark Lord, of course, but he didn’t have to be loyal to every Death Eater. Some of them he could do without, and most of them were tolerating one another just to save face. It was quite remarkable what came of Pureblood families when they need to keep their heads above water. They’d smile to your face only to curse you behind your back. He preferred to be frank about things. He could help you, yes, but that wouldn’t mean he would go and shield you with his own body if you were to be harmed.
“Consider things here to be on varying spectrums. Some days, we have only the blackest shades; and others--it’s quite gray. Hard to tell when the lights are dim, though, isn’t it?”