The next day, River was talking to Ben and Talbott in the Three Broomsticks, telling them what has happened the previous night. "And then… well, we snogged." Ben and Talbott sniggered. "Nice. Well now you don't have to worry about Penny." River sighed. "That's the difficult part. She came to me later, when Chiara has left, and she told me she fancied me." Talbott nodded. "Good. I was wondering when she was going to tell you." River and Ben turned to him. "You knew she liked me?" Talbott nodded "She told me in our third year, and she constantly confided in me about how she felt about. This was the one thing she said she couldn't talk to you about." River felt a mixture of sadness and anger well in him. "Why didn't you tell me, then? I would have approached her much sooner." Talbott too a sip from his butterbeer. "It wasn't my place to tell a secret that wasn't mine. Besides, you needed to come together on your own accord." River sighed. "I need something stronger then this." He went over to the counter and he ordered a bottle of Firewhiskey. As he was drinking, he saw a black Quill on the counter. River choked on his drink and picked it up. He quickly cast the reverse spell on it and it turned into a letter. It read,

Hey Pip, I know this isn't the best way to do things, but I had a feeling that you need to talk to someone. Meet me at the 'Hog's Head.' See you soon!

-Jacob

River sighed and burned the letter. "Nearly gave me a heart attack. Yeah, not really the best way." He tossed a Galleon on the counter and took the bottle with him. He went back to Ben and Talbott and said, "I'll see you at Dinner." He left and made his way to the Hog's head, where he found Jacob sitting at one of the corner table. "Hey, Pip! You got my letter?" River rolled his eyes. "No, Jacob. That's why I came over here to talk to you." Jacob frowned. "Is everything okay?" River sighed. "Sorry, I just have a lot on my plate. And I'm still haven't quite finished processing Rakepick or 'R'." Jacob shook his head. "Don't focus on Rakepick. She's in the past. What's been going on?" River tapped his bottle and sighed. "Does Mum know you're drinking that?" River cocked his eyebrows, "Does mum know anything about us?" Jacob shrugged and River said, "I guess my problem is that I'm trying have a normal year, but I don't know if I can handle it." He then explained, once again, his love triangle predicament. "Merlin's beard, Pip. How much of a normal year are you trying to have?" River chuckled and said, "I can't help it if girls like me. I just don't know what to do." Jacob sighed. "Well Pip, you're young right now, but I want you to think long term. Try and imagine yourself in a future with each of them. Where do you see yourself with Penny? Where do you see yourself with Chiara?" River sighed and closed his eyes. "I can't. I can't really see myself in the future. It's not like I can see into the-" He stopped for a moment. "Professor Trelawney! She can help me with this!" Jacob shrugged. "Sure. Not what I meant, but sure. If it will help you. But don't choose only based on what seems to be. There is always more then one factor." River nodded and made his way back to the castle.

He found Trelawney in her classroom, looking into a crystal ball. She looked up at River and said, "Ah, I knew you would be coming. Tell me, what troubles you?" River sat down at the table and said, "I need your help. With a personal problem." Trelawney nodded. "You are wise to come to me. The inner eye can help solve most problems, if you are willing to look and understand." River shifted in his seat. "Right. Well, my problem is that I like two girls, and my brother told me to try and imagine myself with each one in the future. So I thought to come to you." Trelawney waved her hand. "But of course my dear, I knew that one day this would happen. First, I need you to drink the tea." She handed him a cup of hot tea, ready for him. 'She really does know when things are going to happen,' River thought to himself. It was an unpopular opinion, but River had full faith in Trelawney and her prophecies. River took the tea and drank it. He handed the cup back to her and she read the tea leaves. "Hmmm. Interesting. Look into the ball." River stared into the crystal ball in front of him. "What do you see?" River squinted and said, "I see… a full moon, and two dogs. One of them appears to have rabies. And then there's… a puppy. The rabid dog… Merlin's beard it killed the puppy!" River looked away, but Trelawney beckoned him back. "Look again, there is more." River turned back to the ball. "Now there's… three people around a cauldron. They seem to be brewing a potion. Wait, something is wrong." The ball flashed red as the potion exploded. "The smallest person is dead, and one of them is scarred. He refuses to talk to the third person, who seems in despair." He turned from the ball, and Trelawney sighed. "It is as I feared. You're path seems to be linked to tragedy, as always."

"No." Trelawney turned to him, "I beg you're pardon?" River stood up and said, "No. You're always predicting tragedy for everyone, and more often then not, you're right. I've always believed you, but this doesn't seem right." Trelawney sighed and pushed him back in the chair. "You were always one of my most gifted students, Mr. Knotts. I hope that you aren't rationalizing for your own sake. I will allow you to look again, but use your inner eye. Tell me, what do you think you saw before?" River thought for a moment. "I think what I was seeing was my fears for both futures." Trelawney nodded. "Yes, that very well may be it." River glanced at the ball again. "I don't want to know." He stood up. "This will tell me my future. I don't want to know. I want to decide on my own, with my heart. If I choose who I love, it's not going to be because of what gain I get. I choose who I love, because I love them." He walked out of the room and climbed the ladder down.