Chapter 13
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"I'd bet a million bucks things are going to be different when we get there."

"Don't be an idiot, Olji. We've only been gone three months," Riley said as the pair walked into the school through the front gates. Riley had communicated with Dumbledore a few days before their departure, so all things were set for them.

Olji rolled her eyes, "Three months is a long time. I'll have you know. I raised my grade from an F to an A in less than three months." It was not one of her proudest moments. Olji was never anything less than a straight A student, so when she received the F, she worked her butt off to get it back up. She did it successfully, and passed the class with 103%.

His eyes narrowed, "Either you're trying to display your genius or you're trying to make a point. Considering your personality, I'm not sure which."

She laughed and threw in his direction a smirking "Both," before swinging the door open and entering the grounds for the second time in the course of six months. The two loved the familiarity of their surroundings: the same grass, the same castle, the same cobble stones, Hagrid's same hut. It was all the same and yet…different.

A worried look suddenly crossed Riley's face, "What about all the classes we missed?" He sounded extremely nervous, but of course, Olji was there with her ridiculous over confidence.

"Psh. We know how to do most of that stuff without even trying! Seriously, I'd much rather do something without a long, stupid incantation, than waste the time trying to say it all, not to mention memorizing it," she said, an odd mixture of a guffaw and a smirk on her face. It gave her a rather mischievous look that Riley was extremely familiar with.

"Which is why, my dear, you pair are much more successful than we wizards," an old voice said sarcastically from behind. The two turned around to see the infamous Albus Dumbledore. He was standing as he normally would, though he was much more hunched over and weak than they remembered. His eyes held less of a twinkle, and more of a grim determination. His hand, blackened and charred, reached out to hug each of the children.

"So, how have you two been these past months away?" Dumbledore asked nonchalantly. He seemed almost uninterested.

"Fine," Riley answered quickly, "We've been staying out of trouble and we weren't found towards the end, and that was only by Malfoy."

Dumbledore's eyebrows furrowed as he said, "Draco found you?"

Olji filled him in, "Only towards the end. He and I are…going steady? Is that how you say it? Anyway, he found us somehow and eventually convinced us to go home." She finished with a wide smile on her face, clearly happy with the way things turned out.

"Very interesting," Dumbledore murmured, looking in another direction, his thoughts running around in circles. The two could barely read them they were going so fast.

"What is, Professor?" Riley asked, already back in the academic mood and ready to ask questions.

"Nothing," he said, rapidly turning his attention back to the two before pulling them in for another hug, this time harsher, almost painful.

"It is very good to see you safe," he said in an accusatory tone. He pulled them each away to look straight at them with his eyes, which both noticed hadn't lost their piercing effect. They looked away, ashamed.

"Sorry, Professor. It just…wasn't safe for us. There was so much information on us, and after Harry and the guys-" Olji's apologetic ramble was cut off sharply.

"Those three are quite possibly the best secret keepers in this entire school. They would never have revealed your secret, and I could have assured your protection. You were much safer in here than you were out there," Dumbledore said, his eyes still piercing and his tone still hurt.

"It wasn't that we doubted your abilities," Riley said after a moment of awkward silence, "It was that we didn't trust our own. You see, we've always relied on one another, on ourselves, and once we got here, we got…less reliable. More relaxed. And both of us know that when you get relaxed, bad things happen. Which is why, when Hermione, Harry, and Ron found out, we were ultra sensitive. It caused a rash decision and we're sorry. But we had to do it."

There was another quiet moment in which Dumbledore stared incredulously at the pair before him, his sharp blue eyes darting back and forth between them, as if he were deciding the truth to their story.

"I believe you," he said simply, and the statement was followed by vehement sighs of relief, "However," that statement was followed by groans, to which the corners of his mouth twitched, "You two broke school rules, a million of them, and there will be punishments. Truancy, for one, normally requires multiple detentions. You have missed many classes, resulting in academic probation with one of your many teachers, and rash behavior on both of your parts will mean it will be an extremely painful, cruel, and unusual punishment." He had a hit of the old Dumbledore, the young roguish one they had left at Hogwarts three months ago.

He looked to Olji, "You, Miss Kyle will be spending Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with Professor Snape doing his bidding for four hours a night," he turned to Riley, "You Mr. Orves, shall patrol with Mr. Filch on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for four hours and do his bidding. Both of you shall have academic probation on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Professor McGonagall. Any questions?" He asked, though he was clearly not expecting any.

"Just one," Olji replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Do we have to?"