CHAPTER 9

"Ah Dad, there seems to be a dog sitting on our front step" Riley said as she and Remus arrived home after the school year had ended.

"There does indeed, better call pest control" Remus replied and the dog barked. "Or maybe we could let him inside for a little bit" he added and opened the door

"Well you guys took long enough to get home" Sirius said once he transformed into his human form.

"Do you forget how long the train trip takes do you?" Remus asked as he walked over and hugged Sirius.

"What did you guys tell everyone?" Sirius asked them.

"Just that they were coming back from Hagrid's when the Dementors attacked" Remus replied. Riley hadn't said a word since they opened the door; she wasn't quite sure how she was meant to react to everything that has happened to her. "Riley how about you take your things upstairs" he added. Riley nodded, then without using her wand, levitated her trunk up the stairs, to her room leaving Sirius and Remus alone to talk.

"She doesn't want me here does she?" Sirius asked as they watched Riley walk up the stairs.

"I don't think that's the case, she needs a bit of time to digest everything. You'd be surprised how much she can handle" Remus replied.

"Hang on, she just performed magic" Sirius said, his eyes wide open with shock.

"There is a lot to learn about Riley, but right now you are going to go have a shower" Remus told him and they headed to the bathroom connected to Remus' room. "Here is a towel and some clean clothes, come down whenever you're ready" he added, and then left the room. He stopped out front of Riley's door and hesitated before knocking.

"Can I come in?" Remus asked.

"Yeah sure Dad" Riley replied.

"So, happy to be home?" Remus asked as he danced around the real question.

"Yeah I am" She replied "Look, I'll be fine with everything. We all just need to adjust to it all" she added.

"So you don't mind Sirius hiding out here?" Remus said.

"No of course not, I mean its weird having him around and the fact he's innocent, but I'm happy I've got him" Riley told him.

"You young lady, are way to grown up for your own good" Remus replied "I'm going to start cooking dinner so come on down when your ready" he added and then went down stairs. Around 20 minutes later Sirius emerged from Remus' room and at the same time, Riley came out of hers.

"Hi" they both said and then they burst out laughing.

"We really shouldn't be awkward around each other" Riley said when her laughing had subsided.

"Yeah your right" Sirius agreed "We just got to get to know each other that's all" he added.

"Exactly" Riley replied.

"So you can do magic without a wand aye?" Sirius asked as they both leant up against a wall.

"Yeah I can, I was 5 when I figured that out" Riley replied "I was sitting at the table and then the plate grew legs, it was pretty cool" she added.

"Dinner will be ready soon guys" Remus called.
"Sometime it doesn't always go the way it should, Dumbledore said that he'd help me with that as well" Riley was saying as they walked down the stairs to the kitchen. "Sometimes things go abit hay wire and smash. Like Christmas dinner last year" She added laughing.

"Do I even want to know?" Sirius asked.

"She thought it would be fun to move all the plates and cutlery to the table without a wand" Remus was saying "I think a fork tried to stab Harry, while another plate chased Ginny" he added.

"I was only trying to help" Riley said, pouting while Sirius cracked up laughing.

"I could just see that happening" Sirius said.

"Come on" Remus said as they all carried out a few different things from the kitchen.

"Hey you're a metamorphmagus" Sirius said as they sat down and Riley changed her eyes to bright green and her hair to short and blue.

"Did I do it again?" Riley asked as she picked up a spoon to check her reflection. "I don't mean to do it, it just happens" she added seeing the look on Sirius' face.

"Yeah that happened to my cousin but she learnt to control it" Sirius told her.

"Yeah good ole Nymphadora" Remus was saying "Didn't she have a crush on me?" he added.

"Yeah she was a bit disappointed though when…" Sirius began saying but was silenced by a look Remus gave him.

"When what?" Riley asked curiously. "Oh come on you have to tell me now" she added.

"Well" Remus started to say "it's very complicated, so just keep that in mind" he added.

"Dad just tell me" Riley said frustrated.

"Before Sirius and Julie got together" Remus said slowly "Sirius and I were together" he added, even slower. Riley's mouth fell open and her fork fell to the plate with a clatter.

"Wow" Riley finally said, after opening her mouth then closing it, several times. "Are you going to be together now?" she asked gaining her composure.

"Well, that's one of the many things that need working out" Sirius told her.

"Well then" Riley said and looked at her plate.

"Are you alright?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine" Riley replied "How was I born then if you and Remus were, you know" she asked.

"We stopped seeing each other around the middle of our 6th year. And then in the middle of out 7th year, I started dating Julie" Sirius told her.

"Why?" Riley asked "I mean in the long run it was a good thing or I wouldn't be here, but why?" she added.

"Yeah, why?" Sirius asked, turning to face Remus.

"It wasn't the most practical thing in the world and being a werewolf just made things even worse" Remus said.

"So you've been pulling the whole I'm a werewolf card for a while then aye?" Riley asked.

"You are very much like Sirius" Remus replied. "And besides, I knew Sirius wanted kids and it wouldn't have worked with us that aspect" he added.

"Well now you have both have me as your kid so you can get back together" Riley said with a smile on her face "If you want to that is" she added.

"Well thank you Riley" Remus said, smiling at her then at Sirius.

"Oh by the way, I told Harry he can probably come and stay here again for the holidays, is that alright?" Riley asked, changing the subject. Sirius was amazed at just how easy she was with things and how she could change the subject so well.

"Yeah that's fine. But you and Harry both know that he has to stay there for at least a week" Remus told her.
"Yeah we know. I'll owl him after dinner" Riley said and then went back to eating her dinner.

"Spoke to Dumbledore and the next full moon he would like you to go his place, so he can give you the lessons and Harry can go to Ron's" Remus replied "I'll speak with Molly tomorrow" he added.

"That's fine by me" Riley said "What's Sirius going to do?" she asked.

"Being an animagus he can turn into a dog" Remus said.

"Really? Wow I never would have guessed that" Riley told him sarcastically making Sirius snort into his drink.

"Being an animal, he can keep me company so he'll just stay here" Remus replied ignoring Riley's comment.

"Ok then" Riley said "I don't suppose I'm going to be allowed to go to Diagon Alley on my own at all this summer?" she asked.

"What for?" Sirius asked.

"Well, to meet friends there I guess" Riley replied. Remus knew exactly who she meant but wasn't sure Sirius should know right now.

"I don't think so, but I'll take you if you want to go" Remus told her.

"Want a hand with the dishes?" Riley asked.

"Nah your alright, go and owl Harry and let him know I'll pick him up in a week" Remus said and Riley excused herself and then went upstairs.

"She is way too grown up for a 13 year old Remus" Sirius said as he helped clear the table.

"Tell me about it, you should've seen her when she was 5, it was amazing" Remus replied. "So this gives you a week to get to know her on your own and then when Harry comes over, you can get to know him as well" Remus added.

"This will be interesting" Sirius replied and together, they cleaned the kitchen up.