Harry Potter and the Forgotten Friends

CHAPTER SEVEN: The Third Musketeer

"Hi! My name is Alexis Lupin!" The girl said, with a smile.

Harry looked up at the girl, confused. He then came back to his senses, and continued up the driveway until he was standing beside her. The girl looked at him, and he looked back at her.

"Well, I'm Harry Potter. And, this is my aunt's house," He started off pointing at the house. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Alexis looked at Harry in shock when he said who he was. 'Dad was telling me about Harry Potter. I didn't know he lived her, what do I do now…' Alexis thought to herself, she then smiled at Harry.

"Does Dudley Dursely live here? I'm supposed to be helping him in his study of Math." Alexis said, bringing a math book out of her handbag.

"Oh… he lives here. I can bring you inside, if you want." Harry said, as he made his way over to the front door of number four Privet Drive. He looked back at the brunette, as the door opened. Alexis nodded, and walked up stairs, and followed Harry into the house.

"Your home, boy. What were you and that crackpot friend of yours doing? Plotting revenge on this family," Uncle Vernon said, as he walked into the hallway. He looked down at Alexis at Harry's side. "Who are you, and why are you here?" He said in a low tone.

Alexis looked up at him. "I'm Alexis Lupin. The school sent me here to tutor a Dudley Dursley in the math section. If it's not a good day, I can come back again." Alexis quickly added in, getting a "vibe" from this man. Vernon looked over at Alexis, stopping his glare at Harry.

"Dudley's in his room, playing video games. Just go right on upstairs." Vernon said, trying to be nice. Alexis nodded. She turned and started walking up the stairs, looking at the man, as he turned on Harry. Alexis sighed, as she disappeared out of view from the hall.

Soon after Alexis was gone, Uncle Vernon glared down at Harry. In a flash, he had grabbed onto the back of Harry's shirt and in a low growl he said; "You're late, boy. What were you and that freak child doing, trying to get revenge on poor Dudley? I think not." Harry was then dragged off into the kitchen.

*~*

Alexis walked up the stairs, and looked around.

"Which door is this Dudley's room in? I can't search all these roo—" Alexis was cut off when a smash was heard from behind one of the doors.

Alexis turned her attention to the door, and slowly walked over to the door. She raised her hands slowly, until it was on top of the doorknob. She slowly pushed it open and poked her head inside. When she popped her head in the door, she came face to face with something she wished she hadn't seen. There was a Nintendo 64 system on the ground, with one of the controllers inside the TV. It looks like he had thrown the controller inside the TV. The boy then turned around to look at who had opened the door. His little eyes swivelled over at the brunette.

"Who are you, and why are you in my room." He sneered, looking at the girl.

Alexis sighed. 'How many times do I have to explain this?' She thought to herself.

She smiled at Dudley with the best smile she could muster up. She walked inside the room, and closed the door behind her. Then turned and looked over at Dudley.

"I'm Alexis Lupin. The school you go to, sent me here. I'm supposed to help you in your math area." Alexis said, as she dropped her bag onto her shoulder, looking for her math book.

Dudley glared at the girl, and sat down on the end of his bed. He looked over at the clock, which read four o'clock. "You have an hour. Then, get out of my house." Dudley sneered, crossing his arms.

Alexis sighed. She walked across the room and sat down on the bed, beside Dudley. She tried not to get too close to him, but she had to share her textbook. After an hour of torture for Alexis, and fun for Dudley, it was time to go home. Alexis was ever so happy to get out of Dudley's house and back to her own house. She waved bye to Harry as she saw him before she left.

The night dragged on for Harry. Soon after he had gotten home from school, he had gotten a big lecture from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. He had been punished for what his friend (Riley) did to 'poor' Dudley.  He had to clean and do extra chores, for his absence on the weekend. Bedtime in the cupboard couldn't have come soon enough. After Uncle Vernon had locked Harry in there for the night, as soon as Harry hit the pillow, he was asleep within moments.

*~*

In a castle not to far away…

"What are we going to do? This isn't working out the way you wanted. Black's there, but you sent him there. The thing is, Lupin somehow got there as well." An elderly woman in a black robe said, looking over at an elderly man.

The man looked up from his paperwork; "Black and Lupin are both there?" The man said in shock, looking up at the woman, who nodded.

"Professor, please bring both Black and Lupin here. Tell them too come here in the afternoon. I have to attend to things with the Ministry." He said, grabbing a feather and a piece of paper. The woman nodded, and left the office.

*~*

The next morning came to soon for Harry's liking. After being rudely awaken from his aunt and uncle, and made their breakfast; he walked into the hall and opened his cupboard door.

"Now, where did I put that bag, the Black's gave me?" He muttered to himself. After he had gotten home to the Dursley's, he had to hide it away before the Dursley's would take it away and give it to Dudley. Harry had just grabbed his backpack and threw everything quickly inside it, as the doorbell rang.

"Get the door, boy!" Uncle Vernon shouted from inside the kitchen.

Harry sighed, and closed his cupboard door up. He walked over to the door, only to come face to face with Riley and her dad.

"Hiya Harry. You said you might not be at school today, so we drove over to get you." Riley said, with a smile.

Harry looked at her in shock, and came back to his senses. "Alright. Just hang on a second. You can come in, by the way." Harry said, as he disappeared over to the cupboard door and opened it. He grabbed his bag and walked back over to the door, only to come face to face with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's back.

"It's you… I never thought I would see you again." Aunt Petunia muttered, glaring at Sirius, who was glaring at them. When he saw Harry appear again, he broke his glare from Vernon to Petunia down to Harry.

"Ready to go there, Harry?" He asked, looking down at him.

Harry nodded, and walked out the door behind Riley and Sirius. The door slammed soon after they were out near the car. The car ride to school was silent, except for the songs that were playing on the radio.  Everyone seemed to be thinking of different things. Riley was happier then she usually was, for some reason. Harry was busy thinking about that girl that was at his house yesterday, and if any progress was made with Dudley and his math skills.

"Kids, we're here." Riley's dad said, breaking the twos' concentration.

The two looked up at him in confusion. He pointed to the building behind them. The two turned, only to realize that they were at Surrey Elementary. Riley grumbled and took off her seatbelt. Her and Harry jumped out of the car, and started walking towards the school. Riley's dad waved to them and drove off.

Riley sighed, and looked over at Harry. "I wonder what we'll be doing today. Oh, maybe we'll get that test back today?" She asked. Harry shrugged, as he opened the door to the school.

The two walked down to their lockers, and quickly put their things in their lockers and walked down the hall. Riley was talking about something she read on the Internet last night, when she stopped mid-sentence.

"ALEXIS!" Riley yelled, as she raced over to the girl, who had just opened one of the doors into the school.

Harry looked up at the girl, who Riley was now hugging. Harry slowly went over to the two. By the time he had gotten over there, Riley had finally let go of her. Riley looked over at Harry, when he appeared beside her. Riley pointed over at Harry, and Alexis followed her gaze.

"Oh, by the way, this is my other best friend…"

"Hi Harry!" Alexis said, hugging Harry as well.

Riley looked at her two bet friends who seemed to know each other. "Um… do you two know each other?" She asked, looking at the two, who broke apart and looked at Riley. The two of them nodded, and Alexis explained the story and the three started walking down the hall. When Alexis had finished the story, they were at Harry and Riley's classroom.

"So you tutor, Dudley? Ha! That's a laugh, that big oaf is too stupid to do anything. So, what class re you in, 'Lex?" Riley asked, as an after thought.

"Hmmm," Alexis said, looking down at her paper. "Miss. Snape's room." Alexis continued on, with a tone of disgust in her voice. She then shook it off, and smiled at the other two.

"Same with me, and Riley. We're in that class." Harry said, with a smile, pointing at him and Riley. Alexis smiled; "Well, let's go in." She said, opening the door, and dragging Harry and Riley in. Harry and Riley tried to hold back, but Alexis just tugged on their hands more. They walked into the class, not knowing what time it was. As soon as they opened the door, Miss. Snape quickly turned around to see who entered her class. She glared at the three, and stalked over to them, glaring down at them.

"What do you want… the bell hasn't rung yet. Go outside and play you miserable children." She said, glaring at them. She then turned her attention to Alexis. "So…there's another one of you with these two troublemakers? Good thing you're not in this class. Potter and Black are bad enough." She sneered.

Harry and Riley tried not to laugh at Miss. Snape. Miss. Snape glared over at them.

"What's so funny, you miserable children." She said, stalking over until she was face to face with the other two.

Alexis grinned at what was coming Miss. Snape's way. "Um… Miss. Snape? I'm a new student here, and the paper the office gave me, said that I'm in your class." Alexis said, smiling in a nice girl way.

Miss. Snape looked over at Alexis. "What's your name, girl?" She sneered, looking at Alexis' clothes.

Alexis gulped, and smiled. "I'm Alexis Lupin."

"Great. Potter, Black and Lupin." She muttered to herself, glaring at the three students. She then grabbed Harry, Riley and Alexis' jackets and threw them out into the hallway, slamming the door behind them.

"Does she always act like this?" Alexis asked, pointing to the door.

Harry and Riley nodded. The three walked down the hall and outside, explaining everything Miss. Snape does in that class. Soon enough the bell rang, signalling the beginning of the school day. The day went by real slowly for everyone. After Alexis was introduced to the class, the day began to slowly grow boring. They started off with math, and a long lecture about the math test. Mostly everyone in the class, except a very few people, failed the test. The people who failed the test were sent up to the front of the room to be laughed at by the passers. Afterwards they did Music, and French in different room and teachers followed by English and Independent Studies. After all this, it was time to go home.

*~*

Ring, Ring.

"Hey. There's the bell, home time!" One of the girls in the front of the class called. Everyone in the class cheered, and raced out of the class. Miss. Snape glared at all the students as they raced outside of the room.

"Do you guys want to come over to my house?" Riley asked, as the three walked across the schools' grounds. Harry and Alexis shook their heads.

"I can't. I'm in trouble with the Dursley's. I've been grounded from having fun for all the time that you, Riley, live here and are my friend." Harry said. He shifted his backpack, staring at the ground, trying not to look up at Riley's gaze.

"I'm afraid that I can't either. I have to go to the Dursley's house. I signed up to help others learn math. And… I got stuck with Dudley. How about this weekend, Riley? And, I'll bring Harry as well. I'll just make up some excuse to why he has to come with me." Alexis said.

Riley nodded, and smiled at Harry. "You better come, Potter. Our I'll come and get you." Riley said, with a laugh. Harry and Alexis joined in on the laugh. They talked animatedly the rest of the way, until they reached "the street pole", which Riley had christened it.

"Well… I'm off this way." Riley said, pointing behind her.

"And, we're off this way." Alexis said, pointing the other way.

The three laughed, and went their separate ways.

*~*

Riley walked down the streets, smelling the scents of flowers and the breeze as she walked down the street. She reached her house, and starting walking up the driveway. She was thinking about what she was doing tonight, and how Alexis would make out trying to teach that Dudley math. Her attention was taken to something else when the door to her house slammed closed. She looked up to see she dad running across the walkway to his car.

"Dad! Where are you going?" Riley called, as she ran up the driveway. Her dad stopped and looked at her. He smiled, as Riley came to a stop in front of him, puffing. "Where are you going? You just got home about four days ago. You can't leave!" Riley said, grabbing onto her dad's shirtsleeves.

He looked down at Riley, and laughed. He got his shirt out of her grasp, and looked at her. "Riley. I'll be back either by late tonight. My boss wants to talk with me and my old friend." Her dad replied.

Riley nodded and her dad smiled and ruffled her hair. "Don't get in two many fights with your mother. See you soon." And with that, he got into his car, waved and drove down the driveway and out of sight.

Riley sighed, as her dad's car disappeared from view. Riley then turned and walked up the path and into the house.

To be continued…