"Yes, Professor. We talked about our parents one afternoon by the lake, in our third year. She had just had a massive fight with Teddy about the holidays. Riley mentioned her father being sick, she never talked about family except her grandmother so I had always assumed her parents were also dead. Part of me was curious to know, the other part just wanted to make sure she was okay. Those two are thick as thieves, to see them have such a huge argument threw everyone a bit."
"I remember that day well, I had never seen Mr Lupin ever get that angry. I thought maybe she might have told him the truth then. I was wrong." Sighed McGonagall.
"Riley has always been motivated by one thing; fear. Her fear to end up like her mother, her fear to lose her best friend and with it a potential family. She holds both of us at arms length out of fear of losing us. Every action she ever makes is out of fear, she choses every day to lie to Teddy. The crazy thing is, is that it's not even the easy option. The easy option would be to tell the truth but she won't, out of fear." Elanora shrugged.
"Is she really that worried he would turn his back on her?" McGonagall asked quietly.
"Riley befriended Teddy under the pretense that if she was friends with him he would keep her on the path of good. She was 11, she had no idea that they would become best friends, that their world's would revolve around each other's so closely. He went from being a means to being one of the most important people in her life. If you were in the same position Professor, if there was the tiniest bit of doubt in your mind about what would happen, would you risk it?" Elanora asked.
"She could have such a wonderful family with the Tonks'" Minerva said earnestly.
"I have a wonderful family, here, with you." Riley piped up.
Minerva stared at the girl, words not forming in her brain.
"I know we don't label it or talk about it, but you are my family." Riley stated.
"Besides, Andromeda would take one look at me and know who I was. The daughter of the bitch that killed her daughter." Riley spat.
"Wh..what?"
Riley shot up bolt right.
"Ted-"
"What do you mean, daughter of the woman who killed my mum?" Teddy Lupin looked heartbroken.
"That's not.." Riley started but couldn't find the words. Minerva Mcgonagall cut in.
"You were not suppose to hear it like that Teddy.
"No? You don't say! How could you? How could you keep this from me? I trusted you."
Riley was frozen in fear. Everything she never wanted to happen was about too. She couldn't even find words to ease the betrayal.
"SAY SOMETHING!" Teddy drew his wand and started straight for Riley.
Elanora blocked his path.
"I don't want to hurt you L'Oréal but if you take another step further I will stop you." Elanora hated using her nickname for him in a situation like this but she wanted to try and get through to him somehow without violence.
Teddy stopped. Lowered his wand and once again called for his friend. "Riley.."
"I'm sorry" Riley managed to choke out.
She took a staggered breath and continued.
"I told you from the start I was using you-" she half sobbed half laughed. "- I thought it was to stick to the good path, to stop me from becoming my mother. After that day I didn't think twice about the good or bad path. I never had any doubts about wether I would follow in my mother's footsteps or not because of you, not for what you brought out in me but for who you were. Who your grandmother is. Good. You're the goodness that shone through the darkness. My mother was pure evil, but I do not have to be. You showed me that Teddy. I couldn't tell you because I was scared to lose you, I know it's selfish and I'm sorry. We're family, Teddy." Riley finished. Hoping the words from the bottom of her heart would help mend even the slightest bit of betrayal.
Teddy snorted. "We, are not family." Teddy Lupin looked her straight in the eyes, set his jaw straight and walked out.