Stardust and Emperor

Stardust and Emperor had always been friends. They were both from well-to-do pureblood families. Their mothers had gone to Hogwarts together, married together, and provided heirs together. There was very little the women did not do together. It was unsurprising that the two boys were so close.

They were five years old when they acquired their names. The tutor had told them that Sirius was also the name of the brightest star in the sky. Of course they wanted to know if Remus was a star, too.

"Non," the tutor said, "Remus was a wizard. 'e founded the city of Rome."

The boys knew about Rome. It was a great city run by emperors. That made Remus an emperor. Sirius liked that, so he re-named his friend "Emperor." Remus tried calling Sirius "Star," but it didn't quite fit.

"I'm the emperor and you're not. Commoners are dust under my feet. You're Stardust."

The names stuck. The boys no longer called each other anything else. No one else was allowed to use the names, though. They were private, like the boy's secret language. The Tutor was the only other person they knew who spoke French, and he didn't count. The Tutor knew everything; it was his job. Plus, he was only around during lesson times. The boys didn't need secrets during lessons. The Parents didn't speak French at all, though the Mothers thought it terribly important that the boys did. So much so that they'd hired the Tutor when the boys were four. And Regulus barely spoke at all.

Regulus was born shortly before the boys got their names. He was one of the few things the Mothers didn't do together.

"The way that man acts," Emperor's mother told Stardust's mother, "I'm just not sure the house of Lupin needs a spare. An heir is enough." The boys didn't really know what she meant, but they understood that Emperor wouldn't have a little brother. Which was fine with them. Regulus was boring.

So it continued for seven years. Stardust and Emperor saw each other nearly every day. They had lessons together. They played together. When the Quidditch World Cup came to France--the closest it would come to England for another 28 years--Emperor's father bought three tickets so the boys could see it together. They had their secrets and their little boy rituals. They lived secure in the knowledge that they would always do things together. Until the day everything changed.

It happened almost instantly, and it would be years before Stardust really understood any of it. It began the day Emperor didn't show up for lessons.

"Mrs. Lupin called on the floo," Stardust's mother explained. "Remus is sick."

"May I visit him?"

"No, he might be contagious. You'll see him soon."

But he didn't. Days passed, and still he couldn't visit Emperor. His mother began to be annoyed when he asked. So he stopped asking, and instead planned a secret trip. He could use the floo alone. He just had to find a chance. He started watching the parlor, waiting for the right moment. That was how he overheard another conversation between the Mothers.

"The divorce isn't final yet, but they're moving out by the end of the week," it was Emperor's mother, her head floating in the fire. "Jonathan says he plans to sell."

Stardust's mother shook her head. "Sell the family home? I don't blame you for leaving."

Stardust was seven. He knew what divorce was, and he now knew Emperors parents were getting one. It was too bad. He wouldn't see Emperor's father again, and Mr. Lupin was his favorite of all the adults.

"He's horrid. No respect for the family name. Openly consorts with Mudbloods."

"I don't understand why you don't try for custody of Remus. Raise him right. His blood's still pure, as long as he doesn't have his father's sympathies."

"I no longer have a son." What did she mean? Emperor had been sick; surely he hadn't died. Not before Stardust could see him! The boy had to stifle his horrified gasp.

"Has Lupin already corrupted the boy, then? If so, he is no fit companion for my Sirius." He wasn't dead, then.

"You would do best to keep your boy as far away as possible."

At that, Stardust ran up to his bedroom to plan. He hadn't considered, when he first heard "divorce," that this might happen. This was much worse than loosing Mr. Lupin. Emperor was alive, but the adults wanted to separate him from Stardust. It was suddenly much more important that he sneak over to Emperor's house, and soon. They were moving out at the end of the week! He needed Emperor's new address. He wouldn't let the grown-ups do this.

Stardust's chance came after luncheon the next day. His father was at work, there were no lessons that day, and his mother was busy at the front door. He snuck into the parlor, climbed a chair so he could reach the tin of Floo Powder, and was gone. There was no one in the parlor at Emperor's house. Stardust ran up the stairs to his friend's bedroom. The door was open. A trunk lay in the middle of the room, and Emperor was busy packing it. It took a moment for him to glance up and see his friend. He paled.

"Stardust?" The boy nodded, grinning. "You have to get out of here."

Stardust simply stood in the doorway. "They want to separate us."

"I know. They won't like it if they find you here."

"I need your new address."

"What?"

"Your new address. So I can sneak over sometime."

Emperor looked down. "I don't know it."

Stardust walked fully into the room and said confidently, "I'll find another way, then."

"You wouldn't if you knew."

"I heard our mums talking. I know."

Emperor paled even more. "You do?"

"Yeah. Your dad hangs out around Muggleborns." Stardust rolled his eyes. "I sort of knew already. That woman we met at the World Cup was one, wasn't she? I liked her."

"It's not just that. There's more."

"What?"

"I can't tell you."

Footsteps on the stairs. There was no time for Stardust to hide. "Doesn't matter. They can't separate us. I'll find a way to see you again. We'll always be friends. Double pinky promise." He held up both hands, pinkies out. A double pinky promise could not be broken. You couldn't cross your fingers when you made it.

"Stardust, you don't--" but Emperor couldn't argue with the look on his friend's face. He didn't want to. He hooked his pinky fingers with Stardust's. "Double pinky promise."

Emperor's father came into view at that moment. "We'll see each other again."

"How?"

"Hogwarts." With that, Stardust walked out of the room to face the adult. Mr. Lupin looked at him sadly. He didn't lecture, just apologized and said Stardust had to go home. He escorted the boy to the fireplace.

"I'll see him again," Stardust told the adult before stepping into the fire. No one on the other end had even noticed the boy was missing.

Stardust never gave up. He never found Emperor's address, but there was always Hogwarts. Four years was a long time to wait, but he did it. His Hogwarts letter came, and he went shopping for supplies in Diagon Alley. Still no Emperor. He ran through the barrier at the train station, and sat between his cousins on the train. Still no Emperor. He barely had enough attention to be awed at the sight of the castle rising up as the first years' boats crossed the lake. Finally, it was time for the Sorting--the crucial moment. Emperor wasn't ambitious; he wouldn't be a Slytherin. So neither would Stardust. He was first to put on the Sorting Hat. He didn't know what to expect.

A voice sounded in his head. "Well, well. Very determined, aren't we? The perfect GRYFFINDOR!"

Was that it? It must be; everyone was clapping. Stardust removed the hat and ran to the Gryffindor table. From there he frantically searched the line of first years for a familiar face. He barely noticed students putting on the Hat and heading for their new house tables, until Professor McGonagall called out, "Lupin, Remus!" Yes, it was him! Stardust held his breath. When the Hat finally screamed "GRYFFINDOR!" he was among the loudest people cheering

He was so busy cheering, in fact, that he wasn't the first to greet Emperor. A redheaded girl--whose name he'd been too busy to note, earlier--began chattering at Emperor before Stardust could catch his breath.

"Lily Evans," she said. "No one in my family can work magic. Carrington's dad isn't a wizard, but his mum is. I don't know anything about Black over there. He hasn't said a word all night."

"Ah Red, it's nothing against you. I was looking for an old friend." He looked straight at Emperor and grinned.

"I hope you found him," Emperor replied with his own grin, before they were interrupted by the necessity to cheer for another new Gryffindor.