Emily Black and the Half-Blood Princess(Book 4 in Emily Black series) Complete

The White Tomb

(Emily's pov)

Dress robes are dangerous objects and should be approached with extreme caution. Want my advice? Don't try to put one on while wearing a sling.

Fleur had insisted on me borrowing one of her dress robes, accessorised with black lace gloves and a matching black sling of course. It would probably just make me look like an idiot but I couldn't say no to Fleur. The dress was puffy and I tried to wiggle it on but it was in a tangled mess just above my belly button. To say the least I was grateful that Bill was asleep and that his curtains were closed. That would have been awkward.

The door opened quietly and Remus came in. I stopped trying to wiggle to save myself further embarrassment. If it was anyone else I would probably have been embarrassed about the fact that he could see my superwizard underwear but Remus showered and bathed me until I was ten. I know that I was a bit old for Remus to be showering me but I was afraid of the suds. Yes, a girl who would probably win a duel with a fully grown wizard was scared of suds.

"Need help?" Remus asked and I could tell that he was trying not to laugh. My elbow was stuck in the air over my head with the sling and I nodded, trying to kept my face straight. He was wearing worn dress robes and the initials 'S.B' peeped out from the side. I adverted my eyes quickly, hoping he didn't see me looking at it. Remus pulled the dress down and fiddled with some of the puffs before it covered my legs, down to my knees. The amount of material used though could probably have covered the whole Hospital Wing. I wanted the sleeves to be long but Fleur had insisted on these robes.

"You look beautiful," Remus said and I gave him a small smile. I looked anything but beautiful. My hair was dead black (not the best choice of words) and it contrasted so much with my pale skin that I could be considered a vampire. Vampire. Merlin, Teddy and Violet were going to be angry at me for not visiting them. It was an odd time to think that. I had not slept the night before so pretty much I looked like the walking dead.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I replied; straightening his collar with my good arm, well the one that still had a shoulder.

"You should have breakfast with your friends. Don't want your belly rumbling during the service," Remus said, lightly tickling my belly and I laughed.

"Okay. Just wake up Bill before you leave. Fleur is going to pick him up soon and she wants him dressed," I said and with a quick kiss to his cheek I scrambled off. I guess I was going too fast to stop but when I slowed down I facepalmed a wall.Stylish. I cursed loudly and I heard someone chuckle behind me.

"Oh shut it Finnegan," I said without any conviction at all. He gave me a small smile but then it disappeared,as if he was remembering what today was. I had only ever been to Cedric's funeral. There was no body to be buried for Dad and I was too young for Mum. Maybe I did go to hers and I just don't remember. That thought saddened me.

"Do you need help getting to the hall?" Seamus asked and I shook my head but after several attempts of trying to walk again I grabbed his arm.

"I thought you didn't need help," he teased but his voice was dull, lifeless and I remembered what Cece said; he had to fight with his mum to be allowed stay for the funeral.

He led me down the many hallways and down the stupid, moving stairs and we finally reached the Great Hall.He had nail marks on his arm from where I dug my nails into him. They seemed a bit sharper than I remembered. Seamus stared at me when I clung to him again when he was about to let go of me.

"It's only my shoulder... neck...wherever the bloody bite is," I moaned. It shouldn't have hurt me that much just to walk but then I remembered all the healing books I read and I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to move for a few more days until the bite cleared up a tiny bit and then ta da I would still have an ugly bite on my shoulder and the end of my neck.