Roses and Riots | f. weasley

Chapter 56: Blind Trust

A/N: This is a slightly longer chapter than normal since I won't be updating for the next two weeks...enjoy lovelies! <3

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Fred and Emilia walked down into the kitchen of the Burrow and Fred gave her a soft kiss on the lips before grabbing a Christmas cracker and whacking it over the back of George's head.

Emilia was intercepted by Harry as she walked into the living room.

"Oh, I was just looking for you," he said, glancing over her shoulder to see everyone else occupied. "I was going to ask Remus for advice about Malfoy."

"You still think he's a Death Eater?" she asked, leading him to the couch by the fire, signalling for Remus, Tonks and Arthur to come over too.

Harry nodded, "I don't think, I know."

Once the five of them had sat down, Harry told them about a conversation he'd overheard between Draco Malfoy and Snape just before Christmas.

"So, Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy for a mission?" Remus asked when Harry had finished telling them his account of things.

"I know it sounds mad," Harry said.

Emilia had to agree with him, but she stayed quiet as she sat next to him, stroking Hedwig who had decided to perch on the arm of the couch next to her.

Remus sighed, "has it occurred to you, Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so he could find out what he was up to?"

"That's not what it sounded like," Harry said.

Emilia had to disagree with her godfather, "but Snape was a Death Eater once before, who's to say he's not a double agent?"

"Perhaps they're right, Remus," Tonks tried to reason with him. "I mean, to make an Unbreakable Vow..."

Remus sat back in his chair, "we have to remain impartial, whatever your feelings are towards Professor Snape." Emilia resisted the urge to roll her eyes, though Tonks made a point of rolling hers.

Emilia glanced at Harry who was looking at his hands in his lap, and then turned back to Remus, "we know how he was treated in school by Dad and Sirius, Remus."

Remus raised his eyebrows as Harry nodded in confirmation, and Emilia continued.

"And while nothing can excuse that, he'd get a lot more sympathy from me if he didn't make bullying children one of his favourite past-times. So why should we give him the benefit of the doubt?"

"It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgement," Remus said. "Dumbledore trusts Snape, therefore I do."

Emilia sighed in frustration, "Dumbledore can make mistakes-"

"You are both blinded by your hatred for Snape!" Remus said reproachfully, shaking his head.

"No, we're not-"

Remus cut her off, "yes, you are!"

"Remus, would you please just listen to me!" Emilia said in exasperation, hating that she was arguing with her godfather, though of course it wasn't the first time over the years that they'd openly and loudly disagreed on something.

"I am listening-"

"No, you're not," she said pointedly, and he let out a long breath and sat back in his chair again, resigned to her words.

Emilia straightened up in her seat, "the point I'm trying to make is that I don't think we should blindly trust anyone. I've only recently come to question some of Dumbledore's judgement-"