Chapter 4: Christmas I

As they entered December, the weather turned drastically cold. The first snowflakes started to fall, covering the ground with a thin layer of snow. Riley was in the Great Hall having breakfast, she wandered her eyes over the Gryffindor table and stopped and she saw Fred Weasley. He was talking and laughing with that girl, Angelina Johnson. Riley instinctively clenched her fist around her fork. She couldn't find any valuable reason for disliking that girl, but she did. She got up before finishing her breakfast and headed to her first class that day, Charms.

She was walking in the corridor when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into a broom cupboard.

"Wha…?" She started to scream.

"Shhh…" Someone put a hand on her mouth. She turned her head and saw the huge figure of Marcus Flint. Riley's eyes widened. This couldn't be good. "I'm going to let go of you, but first I need to be sure you will be quiet, yeah?" Riley nodded and Flint slowly released her. She waited for him to say something.

"So I've heard you were threatening Sarah." Riley held her breath for a brief moment.

"I just asked her to leave Claire Ackers alone!" She replied, trying to sound confident and defiant at the same time.

"What? Why do you care?" Marcus frowned confused.

"Claire's a good person, and she has been good to me." Marcus still looked confused. He shook his head.

"Look, I don't care what your motivations are. But unfortunately to you, in this case, if you're threatening Sarah, you're threatening me. And believe me, you don't want to do that!" Riley diverted her eyes from his penetrating gaze. The way he looked at her was unsettling.

"Ok, to be honest, I never intended to say anything about you two! I couldn't care less. I just wanted her to believe I would." Flint put his hand on his forehead and rubbed it, murmuring something that sounded like "girls".

"All right listen, I don't want to do anything to you, so just stop it, ok?" He said opening the cupboard door.

"No." Riley stated, folding her arms against her chest. Marcus stopped and closed the door again, turning his gaze towards her.

"I'm not asking you." He said grabbing her wrist.

"I already said I wasn't going to say anything, why do you care?"

"Because if you don't stop threatening her, she will come to me, and I have no patience to deal with this shit. Besides, I know Sarah and she'll make you pay, if you say something." He gave her an impish grin. "You're a kitten trying to fight a tiger."

"Well that's my problem not yours."

"You can't rival her, so let it go, Potter!" He finally said before leaving the cupboard. Riley sighed deeply and followed him. She saw Adrian, not far away from where she was, looking at her puzzled.

"Why were you in a broom cupboard with Marcus Flint?" He asked her.

"Long story." She said, making him roll his eyes.

"Yes, that's what you always say. You know, I tell you everything, because you're my friend, but if you don't trust me…"

"Sorry Ade," she cut him off, "it's just that… ok, I'll tell you, but not here, after class, ok?"

"Yeah." He nodded slowly, not convinced.

During Charms class, they started to learn how to make objects fly. Professor Flitwick was standing over a pile of books so he could see everyone in the class. He put them into pairs. She was with Adrian.

"So remember, swish and flick your wand saying 'Wingardium Leviosa'" said Professor Flitwick.

It seemed incredibly easy when Professor Flitwick made a little mouse fly over their heads, but everyone was struggling to make a light feather fly. Riley made her feather fly for ten seconds before it fell back onto her desktop.

"Very well, Miss Potter! Keep on focusing!" Professor Flitwick said. Riley noticed Cora mimicking him, making her friends snicker.

"That's hard!" Adrian said, "How did you do it?" Riley just shrugged. She wasn't listening to Adrian, she had her eyes on Fred, who was pairing with Angelina. She saw Fred holding her hand, showing her the correct way to swish her wand. The twins were very talented with charms, she couldn't deny it. "Hey, careful with that!" Adrian said when Riley did a very abrupt movement with her wand.

"Sorry." She said.

That evening, Riley and Adrian went to the Slytherin common room to do their homework together and Riley told Adrian everything.

"Wow, that's pretty crazy! So Sarah Selwyn, who's dating Jason Fletcher, is also seeing Marcus Flint!"

"Keep your voice down!" Riley said looking around her.

"You know you can't tell this to anyone right?" Adrian said, grabbing Riley's arm. "I mean, Marcus Flint will be the next Quidditch captain!" Riley didn't think about it, she wanted so badly to join the team, it wasn't going very well.

"I'm not telling anyone, I'm not crazy."

"I don't know, with Avery…"

"Well, Selwyn's not Avery!" Then, she thought about Flint's metaphor, so she was neither a lion nor a snake, but a cat. No, not a cat, a baby cat. "Look, don't worry I won't tell anyone!" The sound of something falling onto the ground behind them made her and Adrian startle. She turned her head and saw Cora Avery grabbing her book from the floor, but she didn't look back at Riley.

"Do you think she heard us?" Riley asked worried. He shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, she's not crazy to tell anyone either." Riley looked back at Cora who was leaving the common room. Adrian was right, she wouldn't do it.

Saturday, Riley woke up very happy. She was going home for Christmas. She could really use a break from all the drama in her life. Adrian was staying in Hogwarts since his parents were visiting his grandmother in Norway who was sick. She ate her breakfast very fast and went to take one of the school carriages. She picked one randomly and entered, not paying attention on who was in there. She sat down and saw two red-haired boys in front of her. She looked next to her and saw a black boy with dreadlocks who gave her a scowl. Fred didn't look at her, he diverted his gaze through the window. George seemed uncomfortable, not knowing what to do. Feeling the awkwardness in the air, Riley grabbed a Quidditch magazine from her bag and started to read it. Lee Jordan was the one who broke the silence.

"I told we should've asked Angelina to join us in here." He snapped. Riley raised her head to look at him and shook it in disbelief. Fred glowered at his friend, but Lee ignored it. "She really likes you Fred, I heard it from Alicia."

Riley stared at her magazine without reading it. All she wanted was to be alone with Fred and apologize to him. But he was never alone, she didn't mind George, but Lee was starting to piss her off. She knew that she didn't have a choice so she closed her magazine, sighing.

"I told Snape I was the one who did it." She said in a small voice. Fred looked at her but didn't say anything. "And I wanted to apologize to you Fred, and to you George." She said turning her head towards George. George nodded at her but Fred only lowered his eyes.

"It's a bit too late for this, isn't it?" Lee spat. Riley opened her mouth to retort but Fred was faster.

"That's all right, Lee. Riley, I accept your apologies but it doesn't change anything, I don't trust you." Riley lowered her head.

"Yeah, I messed up pretty bad, didn't I?" She said, smiling slightly.

"Yes, you did." He confirmed, trying to hold back his smile.

"So please stop talking to us now!" Lee scolded. Suddenly, Riley burst into laughter, she didn't know why, the situation was everything but funny. It was actually extremely awkward. Lee Jordan gave her an angry stare, but Fred and George were smirking.

When they finally arrived at the Hogsmead station, the three boys exited the carriage first and started to head to the train. Riley decided to take advantage of the situation to talk to Fred alone.

"Fred!" She called him, he stopped and turned his body towards her. "I know you don't trust me, and I would understand if you didn't want to talk to me anymore, but, I just want you to know that I'm really, really sorry, you have to believe me! And I feel awful, and… I'm still going to ask you to give me another chance. I've already served my sentence, so please let me be on parole." Fred looked to the ground and nodded slightly.

"On parole..." He repeated, smiling weakly, "I'll think about it."

"FRED!" Lee Jordan called his friend "Come on!"

"I have to go" he said to her before joining his friend and brother. Riley noticed that Angelina and Alicia were with them. All she had to do now was to find an empty compartment.

Riley was sitting alone in a compartment reading for the third time her Quidditch magazine, when someone opened the compartment door.

"Hey little girl, what are you doing here on your own?" Tonks, who had platinum hair this time, asked her. Riley just shrugged. "Can I sit here with you?" Riley nodded, smiling at her.

"Why aren't you with Charlie and Claire?" Riley asked, closing her magazine.

"I was, but they were snogging like little monkeys so I get the hell outta there." She grimaced. Riley giggled.

"What about you Tonks, do you have a boyfriend?" Riley teased her.

"Nah, I'm more into focusing on what's really important right now, 'know what I mean?"

"Classes?"

"Fun." She gave Riley a very large smirk making her laugh.

"What about you little girl? Do you fancy someone? That boy that's always with you?"

"Who? Adrian Pucey?" Tonks nodded. "No, he's just my mate, nothing more."

They talked all the way to King's Cross station. When the train arrived, Riley spotted Remus waiting for her.

"Hello Riley." He smiled at her.

"Hi." She said giving him a hug.

"Well, I'll be going now little girl." Tonks said, winking at her.

"Who's that? She looks old to be a friend of yours." Remus asked.

"That's Tonks, she's a sixth-year."

"Tonks?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, technically her birth name is Nymphadora, but she doesn't like it. She's pretty fun."

"Right." He said. "I hope you're hungry, my father is making your favourite meal." He added smiling at her.

"I'm starving." She smiled back at him.

The Lupins lived in a modest cottage located on a hill and completely isolated. It was rusty and old, the typical witch house you could find in muggle fairy tales. Yet, it looked very cosy and welcoming. The stone path leading to the house was covered with snow and there was smoke rising from the chimney.

She entered the house along with Remus and gave Lyall Lupin a long hug. Even if he wasn't her real grandfather, he was the closest she had to one.

"I hope you're hungry, pumpkin."

"I'm starving." She giggled, sitting down at the table.

"First, go wash your hands." Lyall said. Riley growled, pushing herself back in her chair.

"So how's she?" Lyall asked his son.

"She seems fine." Remus answered.

Riley got back and sat down. She put some lasagna on her plate and started eating it.

"So how's school?" Lyall asked her.

"Fine." She said shrugging.

"What's like to be in Slytherin?"

"It's fine I guess." Riley answered faintly. "Are you disappointed with me?"

"Of course not." Remus answered. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. Dad would probably be very disappointed." Remus sighed, remembering how much James hated Slytherin.

"He was your father, he loved you more than the whole world. Even if he was still alive, the fact that you're a Slytherin wouldn't change it." He said making Riley smile. "Although, I hope you're staying out of trouble, or are you really your father's daughter?" He asked her.

"Yes, I'm trying."

"Let's just stop talking about school, shall we?" Lyall said before Remus could ask anything else. He gave his son a warning look as if to say 'not now'. Remus agreed in silence.

Riley was in a dark cold place, but she couldn't say where, she looked around and saw graves everywhere, she couldn't see the end of it.

She started running to get away from this place, but it was endless.

She stopped when she heard a baby crying behind her, she turned around to see the baby, but jumped when she saw that it wasn't a baby but a little creature there, it stopped crying and started laughing at her. A cold and evil laugh. The creature started to grow, and she saw a pair of red eyes stare at her.

She tried to get away, but she was trapped. She couldn't move. The creature released her. She tried to get her wand but he was faster, "Avada Kedavra."

Riley woke up screaming. She grabbed her blanket and went to the living room. She sat down on the couch holding her legs. She didn't have any Sleeping potion with her.

"Another nightmare?" Remus asked sitting in front of her.

"Yes."

"Have you talked to Dumbledore?"

"Yes, he asked me to keep a diary. But he didn't tell me why he thinks I have those nightmares."

"Yes, that's odd. I hate no being able to help you."

"That's fine. Professor Snape has been giving me sleeping potions, so I don't have nightmares that often, anymore." Remus nodded, so Snape was helping her, that was new. After all the things James and Sirius did to him, it was surprising that Snape was helping James' daughter. But again, he remembered that Snape used to be friends with Lily, and Riley looked a lot like Lily.

Riley fell asleep on the couch, and Remus stayed there next to her. He was lost in his thoughts when his father sat down next to him.

"Nightmares again?" He asked. Remus nodded. "Poor girl."

"I hate being helpless like this. I don't know what else to do, even Dumbledore doesn't know why she has those dreams. I don't know if it's some kind of PTSD or something more." He said staring at the fireplace. "All the healers we went to said that it was nothing, that it was going to pass, but it hasn't."

"I don't know son… But you know what, now that I think about it, your mother once mentioned some kind of muggle doctor who talks with people to help them, I can't remember the name, it's a… shrimp or something like that."

"A shrimp?" Remus chuckled, "I don't think that's the term, dad."

"Well, how should I know? They have weird professions those muggles."

Remus glanced at the little girl in front of him. He was worried about her. It was really hard taking care of another human being. Dumbledore sent him a letter saying that Riley made one of her housemates' head shrink. Remus didn't exactly approve it but it didn't bother him that much either. He thought that it was something James would have done. However, what he found difficult to handle was all the lying.

He never wanted to be a father, it never really crossed his mind with all the werewolf thing. He didn't know what he would do if his father wasn't there with him, helping him. She deserved so much more than what he could provide her. He closed his eyes and remembered the night that changed his life forever.

"My dear, I need you to tell us exactly what you saw, do you think you can do that?" A gentle dark-haired witch with blue eyes asked.

The girl remained silent.

"I know it's difficult, but you want to help us get the people who hurt your mom and dad, right?"

Still nothing.

"This is pointless. We should force ourselves inside her head!" A man behind them shouted.

"She's just a kid Crouch, do you want to traumatise her even more?" Remus scolded.

"I think Remus is right, Barty, we can't do this to her, we have to give her time, her parents were just murdered, and there is a big chance that she witnessed everything that happened." Said the dark-haired witch.

"WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED TO GET THOSE INFORMATIONS" Barty Crouch Sr. yelled.

"Stop yelling, you're scaring her!" They all turned their heads to look at the 3 years old child, but she had the same unreadable expression she had when she got there.

"Where's the boy anyway?" Crouch asked dryly, changing the subject.

"With Dumbledore." Remus answered in the same tone.

Ten minutes later Dumbledore apparated there, Crouch didn't even wait for him to say anything.

"The girl isn't cooperating!"

"Not really surprising, is it?" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Well, it isn't really useful either, is it?" Crouch snapped. Dumbledore ignored him, and turned to Remus.

"May I speak with you?" and without waiting for an answer he left the room, Remus followed him. "Harry is safe, he's living with Lily's sister, since she is the only family he has left." Remus just nodded, "Although, I'm afraid they won't agree to take care of Riley as well." Remus looked at Dumbledore with a frightened face, guessing where Dumbledore was going with this.

"I can't do this Dumbledore, I can't raise her!"

"Why not?" Dumbledore asked kindly. Remus couldn't believe what he was being asked to do. He knew Dumbledore was a bit eccentric, and well, loony, if you may ask. But this was just insane.

"I'm a werewolf, Dumbledore!" He exclaimed.

"I'm aware of that."

"So, how do you expect this to work?"

"I'm sure Lyall will be just glad to help you." Remus kept staring at the old man, with an incredulous face. Would his father help him? Could he do this? "This girl has nowhere else to go, why would you accept to be her godfather if you are not willing to do this?" Dumbledore added more seriously.

This was a good question; Why would he do this? Why did he do this? He always wondered why Lily didn't ask Sirius to be Riley's godfather instead of him. She said that he was more conscientious. Sirius wasn't very happy about it, but James tried to reassure him by saying that he would be the next one's godfather.

"Of course, I cannot make this choice for you. I have to go now, if you decide to refuse, please inform Emmeline. She will try to find a nice orphanage for Riley." Dumbledore finally said before apparating.

Riley woke up on Christmas' morning, very excited. She hurried to the Christmas tree and saw four presents for her under the tree. The first she opened was from Lyall, he gave her a crystal ball that could show her any place in space with some chocolate frogs. Remus gave her a Quidditch Starter Kit which she liked very much along with an old Chudley Cannons T-shirt that belonged to her father. The last one was from Adrian. Riley was surprised that he bought her a present. Thus, she made a mental note to buy something for him. He gave her a pair of Quidditch gloves.

"Already here?" Lyall asked giving her a mug of hot chocolate.

"Yes I really loved my presents, thanks a lot!" She smiled at him.

"Glad you liked, pumpkin."

Riley spent the whole Christmas day flying with her broom above a frozen lake near her house. There were not many muggles in that area. So, it was safe. When it was starting to get dark, she went back home.

"Riley, can I talk to you?" Remus asked.

"Yes." She sat down on the couch, brushing the snow of her new gloves.

"Well, we didn't get the chance to talk properly since you arrived here. How's school?"

"Good."

"Be honest."

Riley sighed. "It's been difficult, Slytherins are not very nice which isn't really surprising but I made a friend, he's cool!"

"Is that all?" Remus asked.

"Yes." Riley answered faintly. Remus stared at her for a moment before nodding.

"I know what you did Riley."

"What do you mean?"

"Dumbledore wrote me." Riley lowered her head. "Why didn't you tell me Riley?"

"I didn't mean… It wasn't my intention to hurt her. But that girl… she was awful to me, to everyone really. I guess I didn't tell you, because, well, because I felt ashamed. I didn't want you to think less of me."

"Riley, I would never think less of you. If you are having problems, I want you to talk to me. I know I'm not the best parenting figure but… I'm really trying my best."

"I think you're doing just fine." Riley smiled at him. "So you're not disappointed with me?!"

"For lying, yes, I am. But, for what you did, well, let's just say that you have Potter's blood in you, so I'm not really surprised." Riley giggled.

"Sometimes I'm surprised that dad wasn't in Slytherin."

"Me too, dear, me too."

That night Riley dreamt about her parents. It didn't happen often, but each time it was like she could be with them again, talk to them one more time. She relished those moments, those dreams.

A/N: So, this chapter is mostly centred on Riley's life outside Hogwarts. Not my favourite chapter, but it's important too. I'll try to post the next one very soon, with all the Drama with Fred and Marcus. Anyway, thanks for reviewing and let me know if you enjoyed it :)