Dear Dora,

I know I haven't written in years, but I have nowhere else to turn. Usually, I'd just go talk to Tori, but that's the problem.

It's her.

I don't know what it is, but there's something going on with her. She hasn't been herself lately. The last time we kept a secret from each other was when she and Gran were planning a surprise party for my ninth birthday, and even then, she still told me a week before the party. Yet, when I bumped into her earlier today in the hallway, she was being oddly evasive.

I was dashing through the halls while reading my textbook. I had less than five minutes to make it to my Transfiguration test and was doing some last minute reading on Animagi. I looked over my book to realize I had made a wrong turn. I was about to turn around when I heard a familiar voice around the corner.

"Just lay off, Dom." That sounded like Tori.

"C'mon Vicky, you gotta do it." And that sounded like her sister.

I decided to turn the corner to make my presence known. "What's she gotta do this time?"

They both jumped at the sound of my voice. "Oh, um…Vicky can tell you," Dominique said as she sped off in the direction that I had just come from.

"Tori, what's going on?"

"Well, you see…it's just, um…Dom thinks…well, the thing is…I…oh…" she quickly glanced at her watch. "…look at the time. I'm going to be late for Charms," she stammered before running off in the same direction as her sister.

"Tori! Tori!"

I tried to get her attention to tell her that the Charms classroom was in the other direction. I decided to go after her, but before I could take another step, the class bell rang. With a sigh, I headed off for my Transfiguration exam.

Normally, I wouldn't be so worried. If it were anyone else, I would have just passed it off as the stress from the OWLS. After all, I can still remember how my hair literally turned white two years ago from all that stress. But, Tori has never been one to worry about tests. Plus, this wasn't a one-time thing. Just last week, I invited her to lunch, but she turned me down.

I was leaving my dorm room to go to lunch when I saw Tori staring at the fireplace, something she'd enjoyed doing whenever she was deep in thought. I took the empty seat next to her.

"Hey, Tori."

She turned to me and smiled. "Hey, what's up?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much. I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch with me. It's been forever since we've hung out."

She sighed. "It has, hasn't it? I'm sorry. I guess I've just been so busy. You know, with all the added work for the OWLS and then there are my new prefect duties. I'm surprised I even have enough time to just sit for a bit."

"Poor you. How will you ever survive?" I chuckled.

"Oh, hush. Just because you somehow manage to balance NEWTs, Head Boy duties, and being on the Quidditch team doesn't mean us mere mortals can pull it off too," she remarked sarcastically.

"Why, thank you," I smirked.

"Remind me why I talk to you again?"

"Because you love me," I gave her the same answer I always did, ever since we were kids.

She started looking at the fireplace again. "So, how's Cindy?"

"I actually haven't had a chance to see her in the last couple of days. We'll see her at lunch, though."

She turned back to me. "You're having lunch with her?"

"Yeah, I should probably try to spend some time with my girlfriend. So, are you coming or not?"

"Oh, I can't."

"You can't, why not?"

She again glanced at the fireplace while answering, "I just remembered that I have to finish up an essay."

"Oh, alright. Rain check?"

"Sure."

I stood up and made my way towards the portrait before I remembered to ask one more question. "Tori?"

She looked over her shoulder, "Yeah?"

"I forgot to ask. Which class is the essay for?"

"Which class? Oh, that's a good question. It's for…Defense."

"Defense, you sure?"

"Yeah, why?"

I paused for a second. "Never mind, I'll see ya later," I said as I left for lunch.

It's not out of the ordinary for one of us to turn down an invite since we've got different schedules, but I knew Tori had already finished that DADA essay. She had asked me to revise it almost two weeks ago. I just thought she had mixed up which essay she was talking about. Looking back, though, I guess it's possible that she was avoiding me, but that doesn't make any sense. I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything this time, and it can't be Cindy. She and Tori have always gotten along well. In fact, Tori's the reason the two of us met.

I had just ended the prefects' meeting aboard the Hogwarts Express. I always hated when the previous Head Boy and Girl dragged out the meetings, so I made sure not to make the same mistake. I saw that Tori, one of Gryffindor's new prefects, was still sitting and talking to a Ravenclaw prefect I didn't recognize. Since Tori and I were going back to the same compartment, I decided to wait for her, but after a few minutes, I got a bit impatient.

"Tori! If we take any longer, Dom's probably gonna start a search party."

She turned to me. "Oh sorry, Teddy. I guess I lost track of the time," she turned to the Ravenclaw. "We'll talk later?"

"Of course, Victoire," the Ravenclaw replied as she rose to leave the compartment. Right before she left the compartment, she turned to face me. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. Cindy."

I smiled. "Teddy."

Though, in the month since then, those two do seem a bit more distant, but I don't know what's changed. I mean, if Tori has a problem with Cindy, I can't see any reason why she wouldn't tell me. As for Cindy, we've been dating for nearly three weeks, so, hopefully, she'd tell me if she somehow had a problem with Tori. I'm probably reading way too much into all of this. People drift apart all the time. I just never thought that Tori and I could be those people. As long as I can remember, she has always been there for me.

She was there for me when I tried out for the Quidditch team.

I slowly made my way to the Quidditch pitch. In my hand was the broom that Harry had bought me for my last birthday. I didn't know why I was going. The last third year to play as Keeper in Hogwarts history was Harry's former captain, Oliver Wood, but he went on to play for England. I had no chance. My own best friend wasn't even going to be there. She was stuck in the Hospital Wing with a cold. Part of me wanted to visit her as an excuse to miss tryouts, but somehow, I made it to the pitch.

The Chaser tryouts were first, followed by the Beaters, and then finally the Keeper. The captain already filled out the Seeker position. Right now, all I could do was sit and wait, but before I knew it, the Chasers were decided. What felt like seconds later, the two Beaters were chosen. It was the Keeper tryouts, and I was up first. I stood up, trembling even more than at my Sorting two years earlier. I was about to go in the air when I heard a yell.

"GO TEDDY! YOU CAN DO IT!"

I turned to see where it was coming from. That's when I saw her. Tori was running towards the pitch. Her hair was messier than I had ever seen it and she was even paler than usual, but it was her. Right behind Tori, I could see Madam Pomfrey chasing after her.

At that moment, I knew that, regardless of the outcome, I had already won.

She was there for me when I thought I had lost you.

I pulled out all of my drawers. I emptied my entire closet. I flipped over my mattress. I couldn't find it anywhere. It had to be somewhere. I heard my door creaking open, but I didn't care. I needed to find it.

"Um, Teddy? I don't think you're cleaning the right way," she chuckled.

I turned to glare at her. "Not now, Tori," I demanded as I turned again to continue my search.

"Looking for something?"

I turned to her again but, this time, I noticed that she was grinning and her hands were behind her back. "Why do you ask?"

I think this is yours," Tori said as she revealed a leather-bound book with a picture of Mum and Dad taped on the outside.

I quickly hugged her as I shouted, "You found it! Thanks, Tori!"

"So, when were you going to tell me that you had a diary?"

My smile immediately turned into a scowl. "It's not a diary."

"Really? Then, what is it?"

I thought for a moment before answering. "Well, Gran said that I should try writing out my thoughts and problems so that I could sort through them."

"Teddy, that's a diary," she laughed.

I could feel my hair turning red from embarrassment. "Fine, but at least I don't call it a diary."

"Then what do you call it?"

I hesitated at first, but decided to answer. "Dora."

"Why would you call it Dora?"

"Gran says that's what my Dad sometimes called my Mum. It kinda makes me feel like I'm writing to her rather than just in a book."

"Oh."

With that, there was an awkward silence between us. Eventually, Tori decided to break it.

"So, why were you looking for Dora?"

"It helps me to write through my problems."

"You could try talking through them. Mum says talking fixes everything."

"Well, I don't have anyone to talk to. Gran and Harry are always busy."

She looked at her feet. "You could talk to me."

"It's okay, Tori. I can manage by myself."

She looked at me again. "But I want to help you."

"I don't know…"

"C'mon Teddy, I'm a great listener. I won't talk or anything if you don't want me to."

I thought about it for a second before smiling. "Okay," I said as I put my book away.

She was there for me when I realized I would never have parents.

I hid in George's old room. No one ever went in there, and everyone would think I was hiding in either the attic or one of the other rooms. I just wanted to be alone. None of them understood, except Harry, but he wasn't at the Burrow. I heard the door open, but I didn't move, hoping they would just move on. The door closed again, but I could hear footsteps coming my way. The person sat right next to me, but I didn't even turn to find out who it was. We sat in silence for a while before the person decided to speak.

"Everyone's looking for you, Teddy."

I didn't answer.

"I figured out where you were by myself. I knew the adults never come in here, so this would be the best hiding place," she said proudly.

I still ignored her.

"Please talk to me, Teddy. I'm sorry if I did anything. Just talk to me."

I finally turned to look at her when I noticed tears in her eyes. I sighed. "It's not your fault, Victoire. Please don't cry."

"I'm not crying," she said adamantly as she rubbed her eyes on her sleeves. "Why are you hiding, then?"

"I just wanted to be alone."

She looked confused. "Why?"

"You have parents. James has parents. Fred has parents. Everyone has parents, except me."

"Well, you could share my parents. I already share them with Dom and Louis."

"Thanks, but it not the same. They love you. I don't have anyone"

"But, that's not true. You have your Grandma," she held up one finger.

"I know."

She lifted another finger. "Uncle Harry."

"Okay."

She lifted yet another finger. "Aunt Ginny."

"That's true."

For every name, she lifted another finger. "Uncle Ron, Aunt Hermione, my Grandma, my Grandpa, Uncle George, Aunt Angelina…"

"Alright, alright. I get it. There's a lot of people who care about me."

"Yeah, that's…" she took a moment to count up her fingers. "Nine people. And I didn't even count the most important person ever."

I raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

She pointed to herself. "Me!"

I don't know why, but I just started laughing. Soon, she joined me and the two of us laughed for, what felt like, hours. Eventually, we calmed down.

"So…" Victoire started slowly. "Are you feeling better?"

I smiled for the first time all day. "Yes I am."

"You want to head downstairs? I told Mum to save you a slice of cake."

"Alright, let's go. And, Happy Birthday, Tori."

She tilted her head. "Tori?"

"Well, Victoire is a bit of a mouthful and Dominique's been calling you Vicky since she could talk. So, I thought I'd pick something different. Is it okay?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I like it."

That was the moment the two of us became best friends. Eventually, I didn't have to write to you anymore because I could just talk to Tori. We were inseparable, until recently. I wish that things could be the way they used to be, where she and I could just sit and talk for hours on end without a care in the world. I guess that's partially why I decided to write to you again, so that I could reminisce about those simpler times.

It was the day before I left for the first time to go to Hogwarts. Tori and I had decided to spend it by lying in the backyard, watching the clouds pass by.

"Hey, Teddy?"

I turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

"We'll still be best friends, right?" she tried to sound normal, but I could hear the fear in her voice.

I smiled. "Always."

But I can't dwell on the past forever. I'm going to have to face reality sooner or later. There's something going on with Tori, and the only way to find out is by talking to her. I'm nervous, though, and I have absolutely no idea why. I've never had a problem talking with Tori before, but, at the same time, I've never been this worried about losing her before. Maybe she's not the only one who's changed? Oh well, that's a conversation for another time since I should go and find Tori. Hopefully, everything will work out and I won't have to write to you anymore, but if it doesn't, until next time.

TRL

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Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Challenges: The Flashback Competition and The "Dear Diary" Competition

Word Count: 2,498

Beta Reader: MrsBates93