About a week or so later, River and Penny were sitting in the Three Broomstick with Ben, trying to come up with a plan to get Talbott to go on a date with Chiara. They were running out of ideas. River has his head on the table, Penny was piling up mugs of butterbeer and Ben was tapping his wand on the table rapidly. "What if we brew a love potion?" Both River and Penny looked up at Ben and said in unison, "No." Ben smirked, "No, think about it. We just need to put a drop in their drinks, and that could form a crush, and they-" River and Penny shot him down again, more forcefully. "No." Ben shrugged. "Why not?" River sat up and said, "Because the crush might not last, and using a love potion is wrong. It's one of the few Potions I wished had never been brewed." Penny nodded. "I agree. Besides, we want this to be real. If they really don't want to be together, then it's their choice." Ben cocked an eyebrow, "And us doing this is their choice?" River smirked. "More like we're pushing gently. I need to get some coffee." He stood up and walked over to the bar, and slid two sickles onto the counter. "Could I get a cup of brown coffee, milk and no sugar please?" Madam Rosemerta took the coins and said, "I'll have it for you soon." River nodded and said, "Thank you." He sat down at one of the stools and waited.

"Fancy seeing you here." River whirled around and saw Talbott standing behind him. "Hey mate. What are you doing here?" Talbott sat down next to him and said, "I came to apologize. For following you and Penny." River smiled at him and said, "Its alright, it's in the past." Talbott shook his head. "Its not alright, because I was invading on your privacy with Penny. I know how hard it is for you two to get some alone time. I just… now that you two are dating, me and Ben don't talk as often. You were the glue that held our little trio together. But you aren't spending as much time together, and, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss having company." River smiled and said, "I think I figured that all out. Relax mate, it'll be okay." Talbott scoffed and River asked, "How would you like to have a blind date?" Talbott started to argue, but River simply gave him a look and Talbott blushed. "I… oh fine. I guess I wouldn't hate it." River grinned broadly and said, "Great. I'll let you know when it's going to happen." Talbott nodded and Madam Rosemerta came around with River's coffee. River thanked her and went back to Penny and Ben.

"Well, I figured out how to get Talbott in a date." Penny and Ben looked up at him and he told them the story. They both looked at with awe and respect, "You, River Knotts, managed to convince Talbott, a boy half the school doesn't even know exists, to go on a blind date with a stranger he doesn't even know?" River nodded and Ben whistled. "You're a freaking legend." River and Penny stared at him and Ben shrugged. "It's a muggle thing." River and Penny laughed and River said, "No, the only way that is happening is if I convince Chiara to go on a blind date. I don't think she's over me yet, so I try to set her up on a blind date, how well do you think that's going to go? I'm one of… emwas /emone of her closet friends so I don't think there are a whole lot of other people that could convince her." Ben thought for a moment and said, "What if we didn't ask her?" River frowned and Penny asked, "What do you mean?" Ben sat up and said, "What if we just left her a note that told her when and where?" River scoffed. "That's… actually… not a terrible idea." Penny sat up as well and said, "It could work. But she doesn't really give her trust very easily. And like River said, she won't accept it from me or him, because of what happened recently." River thought as he slipped his coffee. "Unless she did." Ben and Penny turned to him. "What if she did trust me? She probably wouldn't accept from Penny, or if she knew what it was. She isn't one who looks for sympathy, so if she knew what it was she wouldn't take it, because she would think we're just giving her pity points." Penny set her mug down and said, "River, what are you getting at?" River smirked. "If I gave her a note, tell her I don't know what it says or who it's from. If I did that in a serious manner, she would go. She still trusts me." Ben grinned, but Penny said, "Riv, no offense, but you're a terrible liar." River chuckled. "True, but it's not really a bad thing. When was the last time you caught me in a lie?" Penny started to laugh for some reason and Ben frowned. "Wait, River has a tell when he lies?" Penny nodded, barley able to breathe, let alone say anything. "When he… when… when he lies… he… his voice… it goes… he talks high!" She started laughing hysterically and River rolled his eyes. "As you can see," He said over Penny's laughter, "She finds it extremely hilarious." Ben smirked and said, "Tell me a lie." River sighed and said with a grin, "I'm very attracted to you, Ben Copper, and I wish I were dating you instead of Penny." When he said this, his voice seemed to go up an entire octave. Ben howled with laughter and joined Penny on the floor. River rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, alright. I get it, I have a funny voice. Can you stop now?" But the two continued to laugh like maniacs, until River pulled his wand out and hit them both with a knock back jinx, imitating a punch to the gut. They both groaned and River pulled them back into their seats. "Can we focus now? Look, I may have a tell but I have an idea how to get around it. I can deliver the letter, and say I don't know what it says or who it's from, if I don't actually know." The two stared at him blankly. "We can write the letter, and then use the memory charm on me so I can tell her without lying!" Penny frowned. "That seems risky. We don't know the memory charm, and I don't want to risk getting rid of your entire memory." Ben nodded in agreement. "Why don't we just send her an owl?" River blinked several times, then blushed. Penny and Ben laughed. "Maybe this Curse-Breaking has gotten to your head. Not everything needs an elaborate plan." River sighed and put his head on the table. "Yeah, let's send her an owl." River and Penny quickly wrote the letter on some pink parchment and sealed in an envelope, and gave it to one of the school owls. River had pulled Talbott aside and told him where and when to meet his blind date, "Meet them at the tea shop in Hogsmead, Friday at 6:30. I'll let you know if she accepts or not."

As River sat at the Hufflepuff table at breakfast the next week, he and Penny waited to see if Chiara would get the letter, and if she would accept. "Where's the owl? It should have been here by now." Penny placed a hand on his arm, "Relax. I'm sure it'll come." River started to tap his foot. "What if it doesn't? What if it does and she doesn't accept? What if it doesn't show up and we have to use my plan, but I forget the letter entirely? What if-" Penny cut him off and said, "Riv, it'll be fine." River sighed "You feel responsible for her, don't you?" Penny asked. "Yeah, I do. I broke her heart. Twice. Name one idiot who's done that." Penny sighed and held his hand. "Riv, you aren't responsible for that. For anyone. For the past seven years, you've has this mantle of responsibility that you haven't put down once. Not just with the cursed vaults, with everything that we all do." River didn't say anything, and Penny just squeezed his hand. "I just… If I can't help my friends, be the one they can fall back on, the one they can count on to help solve their problems, then what kind of friend am I?" Penny sighed and said, "Riv, you're the sweetest and most caring person I know, but you can't help everyone with everything. Some things, they just can't be helped. People need to figure things out for themselves." River still didn't say anything, but he did point to the owl they had sent. Penny looked up and they both watched as it flew down and landed in front of Chiara, who sat alone. She opened the letter and read it. She didn't move for a while, until she smiled and folded the note in her pocket. River reached into her mind with his Legilimens ability just to make sure she would accept, and sure enough, her thoughts said Yeah, I'll go. I need to get over River. He's a good friend, but I don't think he would have been the best at dating, now that I look back at it.

River pulled away from her mind and whispered to himself, "Well that's just hurtful." River stood up and made his way to the owlery, where Talbott usually hung out. Talbott was sitting in the window sill, looking into the sky. River kicked on one of the stone pillars and Talbott turned around. "They'll be there." Talbott nodded and said, "Alright. I'll be there as well then." River started to walk away, but Talbott called him back. "Hey River?" River turned and Talbott sighed. "You're… a good friend. A really good friend. I appreciate this." River smirked and said, "Hey, what are friends for?" River made his way back to the Hufflepuff table in the great hall, where breakfast was just ending. "Well," River said as he waited for Penny to finish packing her bag. "He hasn't backed out." Penny smiled as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "That's good. Things are going to turn out well, so you don't need to worry." River rolled his eyes and grinned. "Yeah, yeah, you were right Penny. Forgive me." Penny giggled at his sarcastic tone, and took his hand. "Come on, we have Potions next, and you know how Snape gets when we're late." River shrugged and let Penny lead them to the next class.