Trust is Hard to Come By
By: Ms. Perfect
"A Wiseman once said: The only good clown is a dead clown!" Benji from Good Charlotte
*****
Dumbledore and Riley walked across the school's property and into Hogsmeade.
"Professor –?" Riley questioned.
Dumbledore smiled at some people. "Well, we cannot Apparate on Hogwarts grounds, in Hogsmeade we can."
She still could not believe that he was taking her to see her parents. It had been eight years since they had seen each other last.
She felt Dumbledore take hold of her sleeve and heard him say "hold on" and saw the world's colors swirl together. Her mind was just all in a daze and didn't register it fast enough. Before she knew it, she was home again... if you could call it home.
"Professor Dumbledore – I don't think they would like to see me. And I know that I don't want to see them." Riley said. Her plea fell on deaf ears for Dumbledore just walked up to the front door and knocked. Riley sighed and stood behind him.
"Hel—what do you what?" the voice started out nice enough, but then his attitude turned a three-sixty.
Riley came out from behind Dumbledore. "Hello, Dad. Nice to see you again." She said curtly.
"What are you doing here? I told you never to come back!" her father yelled.
Riley rolled her eyes; she was used to this. She may not have shown it, but deep down she wanted to yell at him, she wanted to cry, she desperately wanted to know why they sent her off to America to live alone. But instead she just held out a slip of paper. "I just need you to sign this."
Her father snatched it out of her hand, "what's this? What the bloody hell is Quidditch."
Riley, being the quick thinker she was, said; "it's a sport. Lots of violence. Most people die. I'm going to be playing the most dangerous part." Then she paused, "I could die in our first game."
Her father seemed to look a lot happier at the information. "Alright, I'll sign the ruddy form."
When Riley and Dumbledore got back to Hogsmeade, she was smiling slightly. They didn't talk until they stepped back into the school.
After a moment of silence, Riley said: "thank you, Professor."
"Always my pleasure, Ms. Evans. Say hi to your Grandmother for me." He replied before turned down the corridor that led to his office.
Riley walked into the Gryffindor common room and looked for Angelina. When she spotted the tall seventh year, she walked over to her.
"Here. I have my permission – I'll play." She said.
Angelina's eyes widened, "thank you!" and then she did something she shouldn't have – hugged Riley.
"Urgh, don't hug me." Riley yelled. Angelina let go, looking sheepish.
"Sorry – I got a little carried away. Okay, well, we have practice every night ... I expect you to be at every single one of them."
Later that night, when Riley had checked to see if all her roommates were asleep, she crept downstairs with her journal in hand and Snickers behind her.
September 2nd
God only knows how I got onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I'm the new Chaser. I almost wasn't on the team, to be frank. I had to get permission from my parents. After eight years of not speaking, Dumbledore took me to see them. We didn't go inside – like they would let me in, but when I told my dad that I could possibly die in our first game he signed the form.
I hate my parents. I had to live alone all my life because of them. No wonder I don't trust anyone. Last time I did it got me a plane ticket to America and a room at that stupid Academy for Girls in Maryland. Then when I finally trusted someone again – he left my life too, and I was alone again.
Sometimes I just want to yell at them. Most of the time I want to cry. But I'm not going to – I can't. That would be completely pointless. Crying won't make my parents love me.
But even as she wrote it, tears began to fall.
"Stop it, Riley. You've been alone for a long time. You're used to it." She whispered to herself.
But she didn't even believe herself anymore. All she could do was close her journal and cry.
Why did they hate me? She wasn't any different from them ... besides her being a witch. But in her mind that didn't give them any reason to hate her. She always had wondered what it would feel like to have someone love you for who you were. She had never known what that felt like. Would she ever had that chance?
"Riley – Riley wake up."
Riley jerked awake and looked around, her hands up ready to punch someone.
"Riley, are you okay?"
She looked to her left side. "I'm fine."
"Good," he said with a smile. "We never got introduced or anything. I'm Harry Potter, and these are my friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
Hermione piped up; "we've already met."
Riley looked at her watch. "Why the hell did you wake me up?"
"Well, it's time for lunch. I figured you might be hungry..." Harry said
She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and got up, grabbing her journal on the way. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."
"Maybe we should just leave her alone from now on. She doesn't seem to want any friends..." Hermione said.
Ron looked at Riley's retreating form. "Wonder why."
"Let's go to lunch. Maybe she'll come around." Harry told the other two.
Why do these people insist on talking to me? She screamed inside her head.
Maybe because they want to be your friend. Her annoying subconscious answered.
On Monday morning at breakfast they received their schedules for the year. They had Charms first; Riley's favorite class.
"Okay, class," the tiny Professor Flitwick said. "I am going to pair you up with someone. Whomever you are paired with will be your partner for the duration of the year."
Half the class looked apprehensive.
"Our first pair are," he looked around the room. "Ms. Granger and Ms. Evans."
Hermione... this could be interesting, Riley thought.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley."
The two friends slapped palms, and shot Hermione a sympathetic look. A look that Riley didn't miss. So they pitied Hermione, did they?
Flitwick called out the rest of the pairs while everyone moved around to be seated next to their partner.
"Now, we are going to be working on the Appearance Charm today. Can anyone tell me what it is?" Flitwick said.
Riley and Hermione both raised their hand, almost hitting each other's head.
"Ms. Evans?"
"The Appearance Charm enables you to change the way you look – much like the Polyjuice potion. However, this charm only lasts for fifteen minutes." Riley answered.
"Very good! Five points for Gryffindor."
Hermione turned around to look at Harry and Ron. Both of them were looking as shocked as Hermione felt.
"Oh – Professor Flitwick?" Rile said.
"Yes, Ms. Evans?"
"I forgot something. If you change the pronunciation you can make the change last from the time you wake to the time you sleep for a whole day."
Flitwick smiled, "why, I haven't heard that bit of information from a student since, well, since Mr. Potters' mother sat in my classroom. Five more points."
All eyes turned to Harry.
"Well, now, lets get to work!" Flitwick exclaimed.
He had everyone stand and face their partners; reminding them to say the incantation correctly.
"What do you want to look like?" Hermione asked.
Riley shrugged. "Don't care."
Hermione said the incantation and watched Riley grow to be five foot nine with bright pink hair.
Riley looked slightly pleased, "Hm... I could live with this." She said as Hermione giggled. "Your turn." Riley muttered the incantation and said it in the all-day form.
Hermione could feel many changes going on, but didn't know what.
"Whoa, check out Hermione." Dean yelled.
Seamus Finnigan whistled and catcalled.
Hermione blanched, "what did you do to me?"
Riley pointed to the mirror. "Go and look for yourself."
Hermione walked over to the mirror and gasped at the reflection. Her hair was straightened and curled naturally just slightly at the ends, there was just a dash of make-up here and there, and her robes that normally hid her seventeen-year-old figure now accentuated it. "Wow..."
Fifteen minutes later everyone was back to normal. Riley was a bit disappointed ... she liked being able to see over the heads of the people in class.
"Why haven't I changed back, Riley?" Hermione whispered.
Riley smiled, almost sincerely, "I heard you say last night to Lavender and Parvati; that you wished you could look different even if it was just for one day. Call me an angel if you want, but I gave you your wish. I know the incantation to make it last all day."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared. Riley Evans had done something nice – for another person? Was she ill?
"Well, if it isn't the mudblood." A familiar drawling voice said from behind the foursome as they walked down to the Great Hall for lunch after Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws.
Hermione, thinking he was talking to her, turned around to retort.
"Shut it, Draco, or I'll blab everything." Riley said just as Hermione was opening her mouth.
"Blab what – you haven't got anything on me." Draco replied.
Riley smirked. "Oh, yes, I do. Remember this photo?" she reached into her robes pocket and took out a photo of a girl with rusty red-brown and a blonde boy; both looked about seven or eight.
"Crabbe, Goyle – beat it. The mudblood and I need to talk alone." Malfoy ordered.
Harry stepped towards Riley. "Riley, don't trust him."
Riley turned to Harry; "I'll be fine. Go to lunch." She then turned and followed Draco down a deserted corridor. Before he spoke, he checked to see if anyone – alive or dead – was around.
"It's been a long time." Draco said, his voice softer.
"Eight years. You left me to be completely alone again." Riley replied.
"So that's what you meant on the train..." Draco paused. "You knew I was adopted."
"Yeah. After you left – I ran away. Lived on the streets for awhile. But then, out of the blue, I found my "long-lost" Grandmother and Grandfather."
"What happened to your parents?"
Riley snorted, "why d'you think I was there in the first place? After Voldemort killed Lily and James, my magic flared up. First chance they got they sent me to live there; hoping I would get adopted."
"Sounds familiar..." Draco replied. "Y'know, I don't even think my adoptive parents know my past."
"Well, I won't tell a soul if you stop calling Hermione and me "mudblood," you mudblood." Riley said with a wink.
"I haven't seen Hermione all day." Draco replied.
Riley smacked his forehead with the heel of her hand hard enough to make it hurt a little. "Are you blind? She was standing right next to me a minute ago."
Draco's jaw dropped, "that was Hermione?"
Riley rolled her eyes, "no, it was a hologram – life-like wasn't it?"
"Shut up." Draco said playfully. "Let's just get to lunch; I'm hungry."
While they were walking towards the Great Hall, Riley said: "remember the time we made Sister Marie fly – she was so scared I thought she would die." As she busted out laughing.
Laughing himself, Draco nodded.
A hush fell over the Great Hall as they walked in laughing and talking.
"See you in Care of Magical Creatures, mudblood." Riley said, though it was so quiet no one else heard it.
When Riley sat down at the Gryffindor table, Hermione reached over and felt her forehead.
"Hey, what the hell?" Riley said as she jerked away.
Hermione looked sheepish. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Fantastic."
"Why were you and Malfoy laughing? Or even talking for that matter?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded in agreement, "yeah, it was weird seeing Malfoy with anything but a smirk on his face."
"So what? It's not like he's going to spring a surprise attack on me." Riley then added to Hermione, "he won't be calling you "mudblood" anymore unless he wants to deal with me."
Hermione's fork clattered loudly as she dropped it.
"What?"
Riley leaned over and whispered into Hermione's ear. Harry and Ron could only watch their friends' eyes widen.
"You're kidding me?" Hermione said.
"I don't kid." Riley replied before she turned back to her food to eat in silence the rest of the lunch hour.
~~
Author's note: Not much to say except, well, heh, did you like the surprise? I'm sure you did. I know it's out of character for Draco to laugh – but it just worked itself into the story. Sometimes I don't even know why I typed something. It's like my fingers have a mind of their own. ... That could be dangerous...