Ok, there is a huge apology in Malli's Phoenix Child, the same applies here. It was one thing after another and I thought that this fic was lost when someone threw the computer that has all of the files on it out in the rain and let it die completely with no hope of return. But I found my backup files on my email like I thought I never would, and now it's all hugs and puppies.

And Joe Hundredaire, like I said, you don't like it, don't read it. But don't go and threaten me, send me nasty emails, then get me suspended for a grammar problem that you imagined in a story that you have nothing to do with. It's discontinued. Or it was before someone took it off the maps. Real mature.

Disclaimer: I don't own what's not mine, namely, the characters.

Spoilers: we've been over this before, I really don't wanna say it again. Call me a sarcastic bitch, go ahead, but I'm tired and I don't wanna say it.

Okay, let's do thisཀ

"So, Chris, where is Cho anyway?" asked Rena as they got onto the Hogwarts grounds. "And how did you manage to aparate onto Hogwarts grounds? It's supposed to be impossible, not even Dumbledore can do it." Rena was full of questions and awe as she looked at her old school again.

"OK, in reverse order, it was not aparating, what I did was teleporting. It's quieter and it involves a different breakdown of matter than aparating, so it's not blocked in Hogwarts, since no one else has ever figured out how to do it. And Cho is up in Ravenclaw tower, probably cursing herself. She used to be her Quidditch team seeker, a very skilled girl, bright, popular, everyone wanted her. Now she's questioning her straightness, she's letting her emotions effect her playing and got put in reserve, and she's doing poorly in classes. Man, she's been having problems this year, but hopefully a familiar confidante will cheer her up, and maybe you can talk some sense into her, huh?"

"I can try. Uh, do you know how to get into the common room? I mean, the password's changed since we went there." Rena just realised, her hopes sinking.

"I have all of the passwords, ma cherie. Here, it's still a long walk from here. Wanna just teleport? It's less trouble from the poltergeist."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I want to get there now, after what you said about her," Rena said, anxious. "Let's just go. Like, now. Please?" Chris grinned and slung a reassuring arm around her girlfriend's shoulder, then teleported them to just outside the Ravenclaw common room.

"You want me to come in with you, sweetie, or do you want to handle this alone?" Chris asked, removing her arm. "I can stay within yelling distance if you want," she offered.

"Yeah, why don't you do that? I'll go in alone after you give me the password, and if I need you I'll yell?" Rena was uncertain, didn't know what to do. She wanted her girlfriend close by, just in case. Even if it was just so that she could prove something. Chris nodded, understanding, and gave her a light kiss on the cheek before whispering the password in the surfer's ear(knowledge is power).

Rena repeated the password to the statue of a badger. She grinned momentarily. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had opposite guardians. The sign of Hufflepuff house was a badger, and Ravenclaw was an eagle. Hufflepuff's guardian was an eagle carved into a panel of the wall, and obviously Ravenclaw's was a statue of a badger. It was a symbol of the friendship between the two founders, who were the best of friends when they met. Then her thinking time was cut short as the badger willingly moved aside for her. She stepped inside and got a blast from the past, seeing her old common room. She looked around and saw a familiar dark head sitting on one of the couches, crying. Rena took a deep breath and walked over to the couch, thinking about what she was going to say to Cho. 'Just keep it cool. She's gonna want a friend, so give her one,' Rena thought to herself as she slowly approached the couch.

Cho glanced up sharply as she heard a slightly familiar voice say, "Hey, Cho." She couldn't believe her ears, but her eyes were telling her the same thing: Rena was backཀ

"Rena? Oh my Godཀ It is youཀ How have you been? Where have you been? Did you have a good time? Why are you here?" Cho couldn't believe it. It had been years since the last time she'd seen Rena, it was the day after the girl had graduated, and the family hadn't heard from her since. "Do you have a boyfriend? Is he cute? Can I meet him?" Cho grilled, wanting someone she knew to have a normal love life she could live off of.

"Woah, woah, slow down there, babe," Rena laughed, her Australian accent slipping through. "Okay, yes it is me, I've been fine, living in Australia. I own a house fairly close to the beach. I have been having a blast, I'm a surfing instructor. Great way to get dates." She winked. Rena decided to skip over why she was there for the time being. "Um, no boyfriend to speak of, but I have a girlfriend, very hot and sweet, and you know her all ready. Chris Tonks? Or Potter? Not really sure which she uses now." The surfer girl watched in amusement as Cho's eyes widened as she realised that Rena just said she was a lesbian.

"Wait, you're gay? I didn't know thatཀ" Cho said, thinking about it. "For how long, now?"

"I was gay in Hogwarts, and I never hid it, Cho. I dated a fair few in school, I just didn't like to because for the most part I was used," she frowned.

"Okay, so you're a lesbian. Cool. That still doesn't tell me why you came. Why did you come?" Cho asked again, suspicious, her Ravenclaw intelligence showing.

Rena sighed. 'This isn't going to be easy,' she realized with a grimace. She ran a hand through her hair and started. "Cho, I came because everyone's worried about you. Chris told me what's going on. How your grades are slipping, you position on the team is almost gone, and how you just don't seem to care. What's going on, babe? I can help, I know I can." She just wanted Cho to talk to her.

"Rena...everything's wrong. My boyfriend died two years ago, and I don't feel about it. I mean, I was sad that he died, but not like I was in love with him, just like a friend. And I've been getting feelings about a Quidditch player, a Gryffindor. And it's not okay because it's one of the Weasleys." She started to cry again.

"One of the Weasleys...let me think. Ron isn't back this year, so it can't be him, and the other guys have graduated... wait, you have a crush on Ginny Weasley?" Rena was shocked. Then something clicked in her head. "Wait, is that why you're upset? You think it's wrong?" She watched Cho nod miserably. She grinned. "Aw, kid, it's no big deal, really."

Cho sniffled. "Then why does everyone treat it like a big deal? I mean, the media is anything but gay-friendly, and everyone's always slinging sayings about how it's horrible to be gay, how it's such a bad thing." The tears started flowing down her face.

Rena saw Cho's eyes overflow and reached out. "Oh, sweetie, it's not bad, really. Look at me," she instructed. Cho looked up. "Am I a bad person?" Cho shook her head. "Is Chris a bad person?" another shake, a confused shake. "Is your brother a bad person?" Cho looked at her old friend for a minute, then shook her head, wondering what her brother had to do with it. "We're all gay, Cho. Chris and I are together, and your brother's fancied guys ever since he first laid eyes on Bill Weasley."

Cho's eyes widened in disbelief. Her brother was gay? No wonder he was out on his own as soon as he could leave. He was afraid of their parents and wanted freedom. Rena saw a few emotions flicker across the younger girl's face, and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling Cho down to snuggle comfortingly. "It's all right, sweetie. Just don't tell your mum that I am as well. She'll blame it all on me, I'm sure. We got on well enough, but when we did fight it was over you," Rena smiled at the memories. "It was fun, seeing her get mad as I tried to get her to let me take you to a muggle concert." Cho started sobbing harder, knowing that she was the cause of distress between someone. "Cho, really, it's all right. Your mum is just old fashioned. I mean, she has no clue about your brother."

Cho looked up, astonished. Her mother didn't know about her brother's sexual preferences? That explained a lot about the way he acted whenever questioned about whether or not he had a girlfriend. "So Jan is really gay?" She asked incredulously. She shook her head, not believing it.

"Why do you think we never dated when it was obvious we were that close?" Rena asked, her arm still around Cho's shoulders. She figured that if Cho didn't like it, she'd pull away.

"I never really thought on it," Cho admitted, thinking more about the arm around her shoulders and the warm body she was pressed into. "I guess I thought that maybe you just didn't want to ruin your relationship, the friendship you had. I mean, dating and then breaking up, that will put a strain on even the best of friends. Right?" Cho tried to make sense.

"Yeah, I guess that's what you parents thought as well. Or told themselves, anyway," the Australian smirked. "So, what else is wrong, Cho?"

"Nothing, really. This one thing has just been bugging me for so long, and it's just got me completely messed up. I mean, I feel guilty that I never really loved Cedric like a boyfriend, and now that he's gone it's like I'm shaming him by wanting a girl. I know it's not right, but it's just got me so flustered that I can't do anything. I mean, last year, during Quidditch, I was so focused on Ginny when we played against each other that I couldn't focus on the game. Then in classes all I can focus on are my thoughts, and everything is just going horribly, Renaཀ" Cho started crying again.

"Shh, shh, it's all right, sweetie," Rena comforted, knowing this feeling well. "Listen, you know that you can always go to me or your brother now, right? I mean, we've been there. We know what's going through your head. Man, I remember when my first boyfriend in Australia died, it was horrible," Rena shuddered.

"But I thought you were gay? How do you get a boyfriend out of that?"

"Well, he knew, but he wanted to turn me to men, and I thought it would be funny, so I agreed to let him try. He picked up surfing for me so that we could do something together. Turns out he had webbed feet and I didn't know it. A Tiger Shark thought he looked tasty and bit him, then went into a feeding frenzy at the smell of his blood and...well, no one survives once one of those sharks gets their teeth into you," Rena looked sad, and Cho put a hand on the shoulder she wasn't leaning on, snuggling closer in a sign of comfort.

"God, Ren, I'm sorry. So you do know how it feels. Wow. How did you know it happened? Did someone tell you?" Cho asked.

"I was on the board next to him, trying to hit the shark hard enough to leave him alone. Funny, I forget what the man's name was, but I'll never forget his face. Or the look of horror when he realised he was going to die," Rena said, closing her eyes and shaking her head to get the memory out. "But the point here is that I want you to know you can come to me. My fireplace is connected to the Floo network, so just shout out 'Rena's place, Australia', and we can talk, okay?" Cho nodded. "Great. Now, about your little red-head problem...I bet I can help you there. Want me to find out more about her? Maybe how she feels about brunette seekers?"

"I know how she feels about brunette seekers, anyone with eyes can see that she's after Harry Potter. But maybe find out her view on brunette Ravenclaw seekers? Who may be female?" they both laughed.

"I'll see what I can do. And here's a good Australian saying that could come in handy for you, so take it to heart... no worries," Rena said, getting up to go find Chris.

"No worries? I like it." Cho said, grinning. She watched her old friend walk out of the room, and thought, 'well, I certainly learned a lot about people today.'

"Hey, Chris?" Rena called out once she was outside the portrait.

"What's up? Have a nice chat with the resident sulking Ravenclaw?" Chris asked, teasing.

"Um, I need to get into the Gryff common room, talk to Ginny Weasley, for the sanity of Cho," Rena said, looping her arm through her girlfriend's. "She's part of the reason Cho's getting all upset and weird. Cho has a crush on the little red head, and she's afraid to say anything, lest the Weasley doesn't share the feelings. So can you let me in?" Rena asked, resting her head on Chris' shoulder as they walked.

"You know I can't say no to you, sweetie," Chris responded, leaning her head on Rena's head. "Yeah, let's go. But for this one, I have to go with you, Ginny knows me, and she doesn't know you," Chris added on.

"Deal. Let's get up there, then," Rena grinned as they teleported up into the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey, Ginny," Chris said, seeing the youngest Weasley sitting in front of the fire, reading

"Hmm? Oh, hey, Chris. What's up?" Ginny responded, marking her place in the book and getting up to greet her friend.

"Mm, not much. Hey, this is Rena, my girl from Australia. Turns out she's a Hogwarts graduate, too. From my year, go figure." Chris grinned. "She has something to ask you, and talk to you about. 'Kay?"

"Er...all right. I guess," Ginny answered, looking confused. 'Why does a strange woman want to talk to me?'

"Hi. Um, listen, do you know Cho Chang? She's a Ravenclaw, about ye tall," she indicated a height with her hand. "A seeker for their quidditch team? Sound familiar?" Ginny nodded, ignoring the feeling of longing that she felt, hearing the Seeker's name. She wanted the dark haired girl, but knew that she was straight. Why else would she still be mourning for Cedric? Or use Michael as a rebound relationship?

"Um, Ginny?" Rena asked, seeing the conflict in the younger girl's eyes. Ginny snapped out of it. "Listen, I know that you like brunette seekers, from what I've heard of you, but how do you feel about one specific one? In Ravenclaw? That may not be male?" Rena was struggling to ask how the red head felt without giving anything away.

"What? You mean Cho? She's nice, sweet. She was a very good seeker, before the Triwizard Tournament, but even now her playing isn't bad," Ginny shrugged, inside screaming. 'Oh, come on, just say it. Say that you're head over heels in love with the Ravenclaw.'

Chris could hear the inner struggle, and grinned, leaning over and whispering to her girl, "She's totally smitten with the young Chang. She just doesn't want to say it." Rena grinned and nodded slightly, knowing Chris would see or feel it.

"You know, she really likes you, Ginny," Rena said casually, liking it when the young girl stiffened. A flash of happiness flashed across her face, followed by suspicion.

"And you would tell me this...why?" Ginny asked, feigning indifference. She was jumping for joy inside, but outside she was still skeptical. Why would this person she met less than five minutes ago tell her this?

"Because I'm one of Cho's old friends. I lived with her family while I was in Hogwarts after my parents gave me the boot from my house. But she's been miserable lately, if you've noticed," Rena looked at Ginny, who nodded. "Part of the reason is that she loves you, and is scared you don't feel the same way."

Ginny stared, shocked. "I've flirted so many times it's not funny, and she's not noticed that at all?" She asked, incredulous.

"I guess not. She's been pretty torn up inside. Guilty about not feeling as bad about Cedric as she should, not really loving him, dealing with the fact that she is in love with a person who she thinks is straight, dealing with the fact that she may be bisexual...that kind of stuff. And," she added in a conspirational tone, "She never really was the sharpest tool in the box. She never really notices much, too tied up in her own world. It took me some prodding to get her secret out of her. But if you don't feel the same way, no worries. I just won't mention anything to her." With that, Rena turned as if to walk away.

"Waitཀ" Ginny called out. "You're not playing around with me, are you? Because that would be really harsh."

"I don't play with matters of the heart," Rena replied. "Especially when one of the hearts involved belongs to someone I care about."

"OK. What if I were to say that I like Cho as well?" Ginny asked.

"I would ask how much? As a friend, or more?" Rena responded, liking this way of getting to the point.

"More than a friend."

"I'd ask what you want me to do about it."

"I'd respond that I maybe want you to set us up?'

"I'd tell you to do it yourself. I'm no messenger girl, and not very subtle, in case you didn't notice." Rena said bluntly.

"Oh, come onཀ I can't do it myself, it's easier if we're set up. Please? I want to, but she's usually surrounded by a bunch of giggling friends who would laugh me out of the school if I asked her outཀ" Ginny took a breath, and Rena thought about it.

"I guess we're not playing the hypothetical game anymore. Oh, well. I would, but I have no clue where you two could meet up." She scratched her head.

"Oo, oo, I know, I knowཀ Pick meཀ" Chris said, grinning.

"You have an idea, sweetie?" Rena asked.

"Yeahཀ Gin, you know how to get into the secret passage, the one to

Hogsmeade, right? The one that goes into Honeydukes?" Ginny nodded. "The one-eyed crone. Just tap the hump on her back and say, "Dissendium', right?" Ginny nodded again. "Well, you two could meet at the Three Broomsticks this weekend. You could sneak off, and I could tell her how to get there, and you could, you know, do the date thing," Chris finished, looking proud of herself for thinking up the idea.

"I like it, Chris," Ginny said, grinning.

"Greatཀ Now we just have to tell Cho. How does 3 in the afternoon sound?" Chris asked. Ginny nodded her approval. "Awesome. Don't worry, Gin, we'll get your honey there for you," Chris added. Ginny batted her lightly on the arm in response, but couldn't help smiling in anticipation.

"Rena?" Chris asked once they were out of Gryffindor tower.

"Yeah?"

"Was it always that easy to please someone? Just setting them up with a crush?"

"If it was, it would have saved me a lot of trouble," Rena joked, looping her arm through Chris'.

"Um, maybe you should tell Cho where to go, and I should just tell her how. I mean, she knows you better," Chris said.

"Okay, I can do that," Rena replied. She leaned on her girl's shoulder, and got a

laugh. She was surprised when she was pushed away. "Heyཀ I was comfy thereཀ" she protested, leaning again.

"Oh, yeah? Well maybe I don't want to lug you all the way down to the fourth floor from all the way up here on the seventh floor," Chris countered, laughing and pushing Rena away again. They got into a giggling fit, and Chris teleported them to her room, in all of its musical glory. Once they calmed down, Rena requested that they go to wherever Cho was and give her the news. "You got it, ma cherie," Chris replied.

"Thanks," Rena said, holding on as they teleported to the common room. Cho heard a noise and jumped. She grinned when Rena told her about the date, and nodded when Chris told her how to get to Hogsmeade. She had to remember that word, and the time. It took a few minutes to get there, so she had to leave early. One thing for sure, that Saturday would be a day to remember.

This Chapter is pretty much done, and to make up for the 2 chapters with my OC's, 2 Harry chapters. Of course, starting this year's problems. I hope. And just so no one accuses me of non-translation, 'ma cherie' is basically 'my girl', affectionate in french. If the word 'cher' pops up in any of my writing, and it's not referring to the singer, it's southern familiar for 'girl', deep in the heart of Louisiana. Like, in old Louisiana, around the bayous and swamps. Like, if someone were to go up to you and say, 'hey, cher', it would be like, 'hey, girl'. Which, depending on gender, could be either affectionate or an insult. Well, I'm out for now.

Peace, love, and all that jazz(make that rock, jazz is harder to play and follow)

Chris(And that's my real name. Well, nickname. My parents didn't name me Chrios, like a certain person seems to think)