Harry Potter and the Forogtten Friends
Chapter Fourteen: After all this time…!
"Mom? Why was Harry acting all weird around us?" Riley asked, looking up at her mother when they got in the car.
Arabella and Sirius were quiet for a couple seconds, wondering how to explain all this to Riley. After hiding magic for nine years, Riley getting expelled from two different schools by freak accidents, hadn't come easily. Sirius didn't look back at Riley, but moved the gear shirt into Reverse and started to back out of the Dursley's driveway. Arabella glared over at Sirius, silently wishing to kill him, leaving her to explain all this to Riley… again! She turned around and looked at Riley, smiling weakly.
"Harry has… Harry has…" She trailed off, trying to think of some story to tell the nine year old.
Rileys' eyes went big when her mother said that Harry has… it must be something very serious then.
"Harry has what? If he's sick I have to go and see him!" Riley, said, trying to open the car door.
"Harry's not sick!" Her dad gruffly said, before turning his eyes back to the road.
Riley glared at him. "If he's not sick, then why did he freak out and run for it?!" Riley asked.
The car went silent as the parents tried to think of what to tell her.
"First off all, you have to be nice to Harry tomorrow and don't ask him any questions about tonight, OK?" Arabella said.
Riley shrugged her shoulders. She leaned back in the back seat, waiting for an explanation.
"We'll Riley, your dad and I are magical. He is a wizard, and I am a witch. You are one too, that we know of so far. At the age of eleven you'll probably get a letter via owl from Professor Dumbledore, and you can go to a big old castle in our 'real' world, and learn all sorts of spells and charms." Her mother explained.
Riley nodded. "But what Alexis and Harry? I'll never see them again. I'll be gone all the time, and I'll only see them through summer. That will suck." She crossed her arms, glaring around.
"Hang on there Riley. Alexis, will be going with you to the Hogwarts castle. Her parents are magical as well, and Alexis has known that since the beginning of time. She'll be going there, and so will Harry. Harry has a magical past too, and magic is the very reason why he doesn't have any parents. But, you cannot tell any of this to Harry. He will know when the time is right." Arabella finished.
Riley nodded.
"Fine then whatever you say," She replied, leaning back in the seat. "Can you tell me some stories about Hogywarties, or whatever you call it. I bet you have some awesome stories." She said, jumping up from the seat, eyes blazing.
Arabella laughed. "I couldn't tell you anything! I spent most of my time in my dorm or in the library doing research. But, your dad on the other hand, could go for days and days about what him and his friends did art at school. He loved to terriorize Viola, me and our other friend Lily." Arabella said with a laugh, looking over at Sirius.
"Awe come on, Siri. Stop acting so serious for a while, you can finally tell her why you're always gone and why we live here and there all the time, with your new big projects." Arabella said.
"Fine." He muttered back.
"What do you want to know, Riley?" He asked, looking at the brunette in the mirror.
"I want to know what you did for fun in Hogywarties and what you did." She basically yelled in happiness.
He laughed slightly.
"We might as well go for a tour, this will take awhile." He shook his head. "It all started back when I was eleven and started at Hogwarts…"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"ALEXIS! HI!" Riley yelled, half way across the playground.
Alexis turned around, and saw Riley running towards her. She chuckled slightly at Riley. Her hair was sticking out every which way, like it hadn't seen a brush in years. She wore a black shirt that had all the colours of the rainbow on it in polka dots. Her pants were neon orange that stuck out a lot in this rainy blow-y weather of October.
"You're very easy to spot." Alexis said, brushing the dirt off her green outfit.
"That's what I was going for. I encourage looking different, and then I will be an individual. Unlike you, 'Lex. That girl over there, and there, oh! And there too, all have the same outfit as you." Riley said, in a superior voice.
Alexis rolled her eyes, and looked around. "Have you seen Harry this morning?"
"Nope. Not since last night. But I suppose you already know about that?" Alexis nodded. "I know about your magical secret. My parents told me last night, and explained that I am a witch too. They had to tell me, so that they could explain Harry's reaction. I promised that I wasn't going to tell Harry or anyone. Your secret, and mine, and Harry's are safe." Riley said grinning from ear to ear.
"They better be." Alexis muttered, fussing over a grass stain on her outfit.
"Stop, Stop, Stop! Too get rid of grass stains, you go like this…" Riley said, her eyes glinting as she stopped mid sentence.
"Oh no! Stay away from me, Black." Alexis yelled, backing up.
Riley smirked. "Charge!" She said, running at Alexis, and tackling her.
Alexis screamed, and trying to quickly turn and run the other way, but Riley got to her first. The two sat up, not noticing that they were sitting in the middle of the football field, oblivious of the 'game' going on. Alexis huffed, and gasped as she looked down at her outfit. There was more grass stains on it now. She looked up at Riley, who was trying to look serious, but was shaking with laughter.
"What the heck, Black?" Alexis yelled, trying to get off the smears, but she just smeared it more.
That just sent Riley into another fit of giggles, until she couldn't breathe. Alexis glared at her, and stood up, a football just missing her head. Riley bounded up too, as if she was on a springboard.
"That was fun. Who's up for round two!" She yelled, pumping her fist in the air.
"Not. Me." Alexis said, slowly. "Why did you tackle me?" Her eyes flashed.
"You see, now you don't have too worry over your grass stains. You have many know, so chill out. Look at me, my neon pants and polka dot shirt makes me stand out more." She stated, parading her outfit around.
Alexis laughed, and walked over. They walked over to the small cubbyhole in the very small opening to the underside of the portable. The portables were held up by large pillars and had wood all around the side so that nothing could get under there. They were just about to climb under it, when the bell rang. Riley ignored the bell and looked inside. No sign of Harry.
"Harry's not in there. He must be the school already." Riley said to Alexis, shrugging.
Alexis nodded, and walked in the school, Riley following her. The two walked to their lockers, grabbed their books and walked into Miss. Snape's class. No sign of Harry. The two exchanged looks and shook it off, sitting down here. Harry would be here, he would do anything to get away from the Dursley's.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry sighed, as he rested his head on his knees. He was stuck in his cupboard, for not finishing his chores last night, with no meals. But he did have the wonders of cooking the Dursley's food. How nice! After last night and he saw his parents death… Riley's dad… and waking up to see the Black's staring down at them. They couldn't be trusted. It was all starting to make sense now. The moment that Riley had come to the school, he had become friends with her, after she punched Dudley. No questions asked. The only reason why she wanted to be his friend was so that her dad could get to him, and finish the job that he should have finished eight years ago. As for Alexis… she was very secretive about her past, and kept everyone in the dark. She tells you want you need to know, and then she drops it. End of story.
'How stupid could you be, Potter? Letting your guard down like that, so a mass murderers' kid could become friends with you, only so you die in the end.' Harry mentally, lectured himself.
He sighed, this was no good Riley had just screwed his life up a little bit more, with her crazy antics and personality. He needed to get out of here, before anything happened to him, mentally or physically. He looked around his room. Not much he wanted here, and what he did want was small enough to fit in his pocket. He stood up crouching and made his way over to the bookcase. He looked at it, and grabbed what he needed.
A baseball card, a pack of Dudley's gum he stole, a pen, a picture he found in a dusty old photo book of his parents that was labeled 1977. They looked happy. He took another couple photos. One was of Alexis when she was eight at her last school's 'picture day' and the other was Riley at age eight at a 'picture day' also. He smiled. He took one last look around. That was all he needed.
"Now, how do I get out of here?" He asked himself.
He thought for a second, and came up with a plan. His green eyes glinted, behind his glasses as he smirked. He banged on the cupboard door rather loudly. That would get Aunt Petunia's attention. Sure enough it did. His skinny aunt came into the hallway, looking miffed.
"What is it, boy?" She sneered.
"I need to use the bathroom. It's an emergency." Harry said, trying to sound stressed.
He heard Aunt Petunia sigh and the latch on the door opening. He walked out of the small cupboard and started walking for the stairs, Petunia watching him like a hawk.
"Two minutes, boy." She sneered.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia." Harry replied, smirking at her, his back to her.
Harry walked up the stairs and out of sight. Harry opened the bathroom door and closed it behind him. He held a snicker in when the door was closed. He looked around the small room, in habit, and ran over to the window. He took a handful of both sides of the curtain and threw them over to the sides. He opened the window and stuck his head out looking down. He smiled, all that green grass was waiting for him. He stepped up on the toilet seat and got up onto the window ledge.
'Here goes nothing.' Harry thought to himself, as he felt his legs push off from the small white ledge.
He closed his eyes in fear, but quickly opened them again when he knew what he was doing. He landed haphazard on the grass and smirked. He was free from the Dursley's clutch. He could do what he wanted, whenever he wanted, he could say what he wanted, when he wanted, and most of all, he wouldn't ever be in that spider infected cupboard again with the threat of no food. He smiled, and unlocked the gates door and out into the front yard. He walked down the path from the backyard, down the driveway and onto the sidewalk. He took one last look at the Dursley's house, and stuck his tongue out at it, before running down the street out of sight.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Riley? Where's Harry?" Alexis whispered, looking at the desk on her left.
"I have no idea. But, I'm leaving at recess." She replied back, a set look on her face.
"I'm coming too." Alexis said, getting an anxious look on her face.
"No. Stay here. I don't need your help, 'Lex. Snape'll know something's up, if she realizes that we're both gone." Riley replied, brushing Alexis off, by looking down at her math textbook.
"But, you're wrong, Riley. I can do whatever you can do, if not bett—"
"Alexis, be quiet. You're attracting attention to us." Riley said, loud enough so Alexis could only hear her.
Alexis sighed in defeat and nodded. She learned a long time ago that when something got into a Black's mind, you couldn't sway them -- even if you were their best friend. Math class went by slowly, Miss. Snape's voice drowning on and on about the multiplication tables. After an agonizing half hour the recess bell rang, putting an end to Miss. Snape's constant yapping. The kids in the room all ran out as fast as their feet could carry them, Alexis and Riley among them.
"Alexis, you haven't seen me at all this recess. You lost me somewhere on the playground. You don't know that I'm skiping school and looking all around the town for the famous, but in-famous Harry Potter. Got it?" Riley called, as she ran across the playground.
"Got it. Haven't seen you, lost you on the playground, not know anything." Alexis replied, repeating what Riley said.
Riley stopped, as they ran behind the clump of tree's behind the baseball diamond. Riley looked around the small part of the playground she could see. No teachers around. She looked over at Alexis, who was almost having a nervous break down.
"You worry to much, Alexis. I'll be fine, and I'll see you in a bit. Tell me if any teachers are coming." Riley called over her shoulder, as she started to climb the chain-link fence.
Alexis nodded, and looked around. No teachers were around. Mr. Chambers was over on the other side of the playground. Mrs. Olsen was hanging around the portables and Mrs. MacNeil was heading this way. She turned around to tell Riley, but she saw Riley was looking at her through the fence.
"I'll see you in a bit. You have no idea where I am, Cya later, doll!" Riley snickered, before running across the road, down the street and out of sight.
Alexis sighed. Where would Harry be? The Dursley's would be a good start, but good old Riley Black wouldn't think of that in a million years. Alexis looked to the left, no one there; she looked to the right and came face to face with black high heel shoes and white stockings. Alexis looked up to come face to face with Mrs. MacNeil, the principle.
"Hi, Mrs. MacNeil. Nice breeze out here, huh?" Alexis said, and as if on cue, wind started up.
"Hi, Miss. Lupin. Was that Miss. Black I saw climbing over this fence and running down the street?" She asked, pointing out the directions.
"Riley? Nah, I haven't seen her since the bell rang!" Alexis said, plastering a smile on her face.
"Uh-huh," The principle said. "Well, if you see Miss. Black tell her that I wish to see her in my office, ASAP." She replied, walking off.
Alexis sighed. Riley owned her big for this one, she thought, as she lied down on the grass staring at the sky. Alexis then got an idea.
'Why didn't I think of this before? How stupid could I be?' She thought, as she sprung up from the ground.
Alexis looked around and saw that Mrs. MacNeil was busy yelling at some first years that were playing with cardboard power ranger swords. Alexis smiled, and ran over to the fence. She took one fleeting look back and made an attempt to climb over the fence in her green skirt. She managed to climb over it quickly enough, and ran across the street, after Riley.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Alexis ran the couple blocks until she reached the small street 'Privet Drive.' She looked down the street, all the houses looked the same.
'Oh, what house are the Dursley's? Number… number… number… five! That's it.' She thought, and took off running down the street.
Alexis ran down the street, looking at each house. Soon enough she found the house she was looking for. She looked up at the house and sighed. Harry's house was dumpier then she thought. She slowly walked up the driveway, across the small path and up to the front door. She knocked on the door, and waited. She waited there for awhile, rocking back and forth on her feet. The door opened and an old woman around seventy was standing there.
"Hello, deary. How can I help you?" She asked.
Alexis was taken back. This was Harry's Aunt Petunia?
"Er, yes. I was wondering if Harry Potter was here?" She asked, peering through the screen door and into the house.
"Harry Potter? No one by that name lives here. But, try number four, across the street." She replied.
Alexis nodded, and thanking her ran down the porch and down the driveway. She raced across the street, up the driveway, across the path, up the porch and to the door. She stood there for a second, steadying her breathing before she knocked on the door. She waited for a second before the peach door swung open. A woman stood there. She had brown hair up in a bun, and wore a pink shirt and a brown skirt. Alexis tried to hold back a laugh. Harry was right, his aunt did look like a giraffe and man, was she ugly.
"Hi. Is Harry Potter here?" She asked.
Aunt Petunia looked closely at her. "You're that Lupin girl," She sneered. "This was all your fault that my servant boy ran away. Stay right there, I need to make a phone call." Petunia said.
The door opened and Petunia grabbed Alexis dragging her in. Alexis watched as Petunia walked into the living room and picked up the phone. Her back was turned to her, so Alexis made her way down the hallway and over to the small cupboard. She opened the latch and looked inside the small cubbyhole. No Harry. She was just about to close the door up, when she noticed something. Harry's most prized things were gone; his baseball cards, a picture of his parents, and the one of her and Riley from a couple years back. Harry was gone, and he wasn't coming back. Alexis closed the door and walked back down the hall and to the front door. She looked back at Petunia, who was just hanging up the phone. Alexis shrugged, and opened the door.
"Hey, you. Come back here. The police are on their way. You should know better then to have kidnapped my nephew." Petunia yelled, in fake concern.
Alexis took off in a run, ignoring the yells from the giraffe aunt. She had to find Riley. Where would Riley be? Alexis was about to go back to school, when she thought of the park. Riley and Harry always had some attraction to the park and the forest in the back. They might be there. Alexis skidded to a stop and turned back around running down Privet Drive, which just happened to be the fastest way to the local park.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Harry? Harry? Are you here?" Riley yelled, looking around the park.
No Harry here. All that was there were some adults and some little kids that were too young for school. Riley shrugged, and walked over to sit up in a tree. It was always easy to think in peace. She climbed up the tree, with the help of a picnic bench and sat up on a branch near the top.
'Harry? Where would you be? It's impossible to vanish.' Riley thought, the wind blowing her black hair everywhere.
Riley scanned the ground and her gaze stopped on the line of evergreen trees. The forest! Riley jumped down from the tree, scaring a couple of old people before running for the small forest. She reached the forest in a couple minutes and walked through. Everyone thought that this forest was haunted, that it was a myth. It wasn't real. She looked around. All that was there was more trees and dirt. If Harry was here, it would he hard to find.
"I'll find him. I'll get him out of here, if it kills me." Riley muttered, darkly stalking off into some trees.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Alexis huffed as she got into the park area. She looked around the play area. All that was there was a bunch of little kids under three and adults and old people milling around. She walked past the play area and into the sports area, which was deserted. She looked around something then caught her attention. A person with a bright polka-dot shirt was walking into the forest –it must have been Riley. No one had her sense of fashion. Alexis chuckled slightly, before running off for the forest opening. She had an idea where Harry would be. In the very back of the forest there was a small river running through there, with big rocks to sit on.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm free from the Durlsey's, but I have no where to go. I don't want to go to school and face Snape and Riley. Alexis doesn't know anything about this, and it should stay that way. She might be one of them, she;s too close to Riley." Harry muttered, looking into the clear river water.
He sat there in silence, just staring into the water and thinking when a rattling bush got his attention. He looked over at the bush, wondering what was going to pounce out at him. He looked around and grabbed a fallen branch for protection.
"Come out. Show yourself." He said, his voice shaking.
The bush shook more, making Harry hold the branch up higher. The bush shook once more, and someone climbed out of it.
"Ah!" Harry yelled, and whacked the person.
The person –they sounded like a girl – yelped and fell back into the bushes. Harry was going to laugh, but being in the secluded area that he was in, he didn't. The person stood back up, and turned around. Brown eyes met Harry, and they weren't happy eyes, they were angry.
"What was that for Harry?" The girl asked.
"Alexis? How did you find me, get out of here." He replied monotone.
"I came to see if you were OK, you weren't in school today. How did I know you were here? Awe, come on Harry, you talk about this all the time, and I alongside Riley, but I lost her, snuck out of school to look for you."
Harry's head snapped up. "Riley's here?"
Alexis nodded, climbing up on the rock beside him. She knew there would be a confrontation between Harry and Riley, but she couldn't solve that. They sat there in silence for a while, until Alexis piped up.
"You have a good swing Harry, you should sign up for baseball, you'd be good at it." She smiled.
Harry laughed, "I'll consider it." He replied, monotone.
The bushes started to shake again. The two looked over at it, Harry ready to grab the branch and Alexis rolling her eyes. She could see polka dots coming this way. She looked over at Harry, and motioned for him to lower the branch, he could really swing that branch. The shaking got closer until a person popped their head out. This person had black hair and eyes and what looked to be a polka dot shirt and neon orange pants. Harry gritted his teeth at the person, while the person just smiled at him, climbing out of the bushes.
"Harry, hi! Alexis, hi— Alexis? What are you doing here?" Riley asked, crossing her arms.
"Talking to Harry." Alexis replied, knowing that Riley was mad.
"OK, well whatever. Harry, I'm sorry for whatever it was that freaked you out. I'm sorry, and I'll never do it again." Riley replied, hoping Harry would forgive her.
"I'm not mad at you. It's your dad, he wants to kill me!" Harry yelled, jumping down from the rock, surprising Alexis and Riley. "Your dad killed my parents, and he wants to finish me off for his master. Just leave me alone." Harry yelled, and took off at a run in the forest.
"HARRY!" Riley and Alexis yelled.
"Just leave me alone." Harry yelled, and vanished in the sea of trees.
"His master? Who's that?" Riley asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Voldemort. He probably saw what happened all those years ago and he probably didn't see the part where your dad got off. You guys all woke him up too soon," Alexis snapped, jumping off the rock. "Just give Harry his space, he'll be fine. I'll talk to him." Alexis finished, starting to run.
Riley nodded, and watched as Alexis disappeared out of sight in the sea of trees. She sighed and sat back down on the rock where Harry and Alexis were sitting. She drew her knees up and rested her head on her knees. She had really done it this time, Harry wouldn't even talk to her, and know Alexis was stuck in the middle.
'Oh great…' She thought, as she put her hand down in the water.
To be continued…
Q&A:
Want more story: Here it is. I've been through hell lately with school, friends, writers block, and wanting to skip town.
Slytherin Witch: Speechless? Lol
Chochang913: Ugh, I hate it when reviews don't go through. Actually, I do run it though spell check on Microsoft Word. It picks up a lot of stuff, but yeah, anyways, I try. That's all that counts. Lol. Thanks for the story list you have me to read, I'll read them all eventually, but I've been busy since Halloween. Long time.
Coconut-ice agent h/h: Here's what happens. When will their Dursley's get their come upons? I'd answer that, but I have no idea what you mean.
WeasleyTwinsLover1112: Hope this one was great too, but I don't think this was out soon enough. Lol.
AllAboutMe: I got the version, you sent back! I'd send this one too you, but I lost my e-mail addy. Grr… .
*~* Fire Spirit *~*
03/15/03