Chapter 6: A new friendship, a new shock and a pendent.


Later that night, after dinner; some students filed in to watch the older students place their names in the cup and relax before bed time. Riley sat beside Hermione; she was getting a bit of help with her Herbology assignment. There weren't too many people in the room when Cedric walked in, he walked up to the girls and sat on the bench in front of them.

"Evening ladies," He said, flashing a gorgeous grin.

"Evening," Hermione and Riley said together, without looking up from the text book.

"I think you'll find that if you add Snap Dragon juice and Plucktail's tears, you'll find you have a strong concoction to feed a sick Mandrake." Cedric whispered as he eyed their homework. Both girls looked up slightly startled, red flooding their cheeks.

The girls scribbled it down quickly and smiled at him.

"Thanks." They said at the same time, looking at each other and laughing; Cedric joined them.

"I never got to catch up with either of you after the World Cup, are you two ok?" He looked concerned as he looked at the girls; they glanced at each other before answering separately.

"I was ok; I escaped pretty well unlike Riley." Hermione chuckled and nudged her in the side.

"What happened to you Riley?" Cedric sounded worried, like Adam would have if he were there. Older brother concern.

"Nothing too interesting, Harry and I tripped; people thought that in their panicking, it would be fun to kick someone in the head. I was kicked so hard at one point my head split open. No biggy." Riley shrugged casually, trying to get rid of the sudden sisterly feelings she had towards Cedric.

"Well if you girls ever need someone to talk to, ask for advice or anything of the sorts. Just look for me and I'll be there. I have the strange urge to protect the two of you." Cedric whispered, looking around as more people filed into the room.

"Thank you Cedric, it's greatly appreciated." Hermione whispered more for Riley than herself.

"Riley, I am riding in the race on behalf of you." Cedric said suddenly, her eyes met his quickly.

"What?" She said, shocked; she dropped her quill.

"I would like you to be my coach, trainer, whatever you call it." He said, looking down at his hands.

"I reckon I could do that, depending on Viper I may let you ride him if the school's choice of mounts don't like you." Riley said, thinking out loud. Since I apparently can't enter, She mentally grouched.

"You'd have to be ready for year's worth of training shoved into three months though and a special diet."

Cedric paused; he was weighing his options up.

"I'm ready to do it." He whispered, his eyes not leaving hers.

Hermione coughed loudly, breaking the trance.

"Sounds like a plan then but you have to be chosen, go put your name in the cup." Riley laughed, waving her hand towards the flaming goblet.

Cedric gave her a special crooked smile, whispered his thanks; nodded at Hermione and left.

The two girls watched after him.

"I don't know what just happened but I have a feeling he is going to be very useful with our Herbology assignments." Hermione continued, going back to her work.

"Mmm," Riley said watching as his friend's surrounded him, pushing him towards the goblet.

Cedric's eyes connected with her's as he placed his name in the cup.

For you, His lips moved, nodding slightly. Riley nodded back still shocked that a boy she barely knew entered the race just for her. She shook her head slightly and quickly finished her work.

"Eternal glory, be brilliant wouldn't it? In three years from now we'll be old enough to be chosen." Ron's voice filtered through Riley's thoughts a little while later, she was focusing too much on her Herbology.

"Yeah well, rather you than me." Harry replied, plonking himself down on the bench beside Riley; she was fully brought out of her homework stupor when she heard his thoughts.

If I put my name in the cup, would she notice me? Harry asked himself, Riley's eyebrow rose in curiosity but didn't ask him.

The twins decided to enter the room then, holding up tiny flasks. Hermione looked up from her text book, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Thank you! Thank you, well lads we've done it." George cried merrily, dancing around with his brother. This is why Riley liked the twins, or more so Fred. They didn't really care about the rules or its consequences; they lived their days like there was no tomorrow. Embracing the way life should be treated.

"Cooked it up just this morning," Fred cried merrily, placing a chaste kiss on Riley's lips. Everyone around them stood stunned at the gesture but quickly got over it.

"It's not going to work." Hermione sung, smiling cheekily. She knew better than what they did...sometimes.

"Oh yeah? And why's that Granger." Fred asked, wrapping his arm around Riley briefly. She laughed and pushed him away, they shared a small moment with their eyes.

"You see this?" Hermione asked, pointing to the white and faint red circle surrounding the goblet.

"This is an age line and the faint red one was designed for people like Riley. Dumbledore drew it himself." Hermione glanced at Riley; she was biting her bottom lip with annoyance.

"I think he knew Riley would get around the age line easy, so he drew another line knowing there wouldn't be any loop holes she could fine." Hermione smirked at Riley who had a calculating look on her face.

"Eh, he knows me well." Riley shrugged, rolling her eyes as she pretended to read her text book.

"So?" Fred asked, keeping an eye on the streaks in Riley's hair.

"So, a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something pathetically dim-witted such as an age potion." Hermione stated the obvious.

"Especially an aging potion done by the Weasley twins..." She paused, thinking.

"Or Riley." She smirked, underneath her fringe; Hermione saw Riley roll her eyes again.

"That's why it's so brilliant because it's extremely dim-witted." George started.

"Ready Fred?"

"Ready George?"

"Bottoms up!" They said together.

The twins connected their arms and downed the potions, waiting a few seconds.

They jumped inside the age line, and cheered. Their potion worked! They put their names in the flames and high-fived each other proudly.

"Hells yes!" Fred and George screamed together, doing their own twinly happy dance inside the circle.

"Woohoo...we rock...we kick ass...we kick old dumbledore's butt..." The boys kept laughing and dancing. Ron and Harry were laughing.

The blue flame seemed to dance angrily; it sent tendrils of blue flame towards the twins and flung them to the other side of the room. The pair landed with a thud, grey hair and beards suddenly appeared on their faces.

Riley was watching on, tears streaming down her face with laughter.

"Oh gosh, I am not kissing that anytime soon." Riley laughed; Hermione snorted and clung to her friend to stop herself from falling to the floor.

"Riley, Riley please, please make it stop." Hermione begged as the tears were streaming down her face too.

Ron and Harry were laughing more at the girls than at the twins, they had never seen Riley and Hermione so happy.

"I am not getting involved with the twins when they are like this." Riley paused, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"You said..." George started angrily, advancing on his brother.

"You said..." Fred met him half way.

They glanced at Riley and Hermione who had fully shown the true meaning of ROFL.

They were clutching their sides, laughing, tears streaming down their faces...

As they were rolling around on the floor laughing.

The Twins looked back at each other and started to roll around fighting, the crowd surrounding them cheered them on. The room suddenly became silent as Viktor Krum walked into the room and placed his name in the flame. He looked at Hermione and Riley on the floor; they were biting their hands to stop themselves from laughing.

Hermione's teary filled eyes looked up, her and Viktor's eyes met as they too; shared a moment.

Riley lay down on her bed in her dorm; it had been a long and very tiring day. She was almost ready to cry. However she was a strong girl and refused to let even one tear out. Still, this didn't stop her emotions from raging inside.

She stared out the window at the stars in the clear night sky, deep in thought. The soft snores of the other girls in her room were blocked out as she contemplated life. She felt helpless, with all the difficulties she was facing and it just seemed like they'd never end. Problem after problem. Riley wished she had a family to comfort her, like everyone else. She wanted to be normal for once. She never got any letters from family, although she had her grandfather, she wanted her own family back. She was thankful that he had taken her in, she loved him dearly.

Oh yeah, that's right… my family… they're gone… She thought to herself as she remembered in great sadness. She curled up in the blanket her mother made for her, facing away from the window.

"Mother, Father, Adam… I'm sorry…" she whispered. She felt like she was being overcome with loneliness, and there was nothing she could do. She missed her mother's hugs, she missed her brother's laugh but most of all, she missed her father's strength. He was her rock.

Suddenly she heard a strong wind blow outside, she turned over to see the window open on its own and a fierce breeze rushed through the window. She quickly sat up and began to get out of bed to close the window but the noise stopped as quickly as it came. There was a soft, comfortable silence. Riley glanced around the dark room in confusion, the papers that were on the desk near the window were blown into the air; they were just staying there as if they were frozen in mid air. She tried to move the blanket off her but she couldn't move it, no matter how hard she tried.

Time was frozen? She thought, thinking of the possibilities but before she could question it further, a mist slowly moved through the open window and into the room.

"What the...?" she rubbed her eyes in confusion as the mist slowly took the figure of a man. He had short, messy hair, robes of the ancient wizards, a familiar smile and glittering eyes on his smooth facial features. In life, he would've had to beat away all the woman with baseball bats.

Riley gasped; it was the ghost of her great great great great great great etc grandfather, Aarionarious Damian O'Rylis.

"Ahhh young Riley," He said to her, studying her shocked yet confused expression.

"Did someone slip a wacky dream potion into my drink this evening?" Riley asked as she pinched herself. She winced slightly and looked back up at the ghostly figure.

The ghost of her grandfather raised the familiar curious eyebrow, so that's where she got it from.

"My granddaughter, you do remember me don't you?" He asked gently, floating towards her bed.

"Yes I do, I've seen paintings of you; you're my grandfather!" She paused, glancing down at her hands.

"...From my father's side of the family." said Riley in surprise.

"But, why are you visiting me…?" Her eyes were wide open with shock, everything including the legend sunk in.

Oh no no no no no no no this is not suppose to happen, she wasn't the right person for the job! SHE WAS TOO HORMONAL!

"You were feeling lonely, helpless. Because you miss your family. Am I right?" The ghost said with a sympathetic look in his eyes. Riley looked away, trying not to show the sadness in her eyes.

"Yes. I miss them dearly." The ghost reached down and tilted up her chin. How could he do that when he should pass straight through her? Being dead and all you'd assume that would happen.

"You're not alone my dear child. You have friends and great ones at that. You have a caring boyfriend who only wants the best for you. You're a strong girl, and your family is very proud of you."

Riley's facial expression changed and her eyes opened wide and for the first time in years, a tear fell from her eye. It wasn't a tear of happiness; it was a tear that signified the pain she'd carried in her heart all these years. She blamed herself for her mother's death, maybe if she'd been there; she would've been able to stop Voldemort from murdering her. Maybe if she was with her dad and brother, she would've been able to help fight the death eaters off. The loneliness, the battles she faced and still faced on her own; no one would've been able to understand. If it weren't for her, her family would be together.

The ghost watched as an array of emotions passed through his granddaughter's eyes and face, he felt her inner turmoil; he felt her pain because it was one of his powers. He wiped away the stray tear with his finger; it turned to ice and vanished.

The ghost took his hand away and looked out the window.

"But the real reason I came is because there's something you must know." Aarionarious said in a low voice, trying not to wake the others. Riley tilted her head in a questioning look, still speechless.

"There is a wordless spell that you are capable of but you are not yet strong enough to perform it. It will require you to not only use your magic but to be able to touch your soul."

"Me..? I don't quite understand; what kind of spell is that powerful?" Riley asked, wracking her brains to think of one she might have read about.

"It's a dangerous spell, Riley. The ability to breathe life into that which has lost it. The ability to bring the dead back to life." The ghost answered.

Riley gasped, multiple ideas running through her head.

"So, wait…" She paused as she gathered her jumbled thoughts.

"Does that mean I could bring my mother back to life?" She said in excitement, leaning closer towards the ghost.

"Well…not in so many words." Said the ghost, thinking.

"I picked you to gain my powers because you had a pure heart, you haven't been spoiled by the acts of selfishness and you always think of others first." Riley looked confused again at the ghost, first he says she had the power to bring people back to life and then says she can't? He better get his story straight!

"I chose you because you put other people's happiness before your own; there are some kids out there that don't have a sibling and a father. You do, look let me put it this way. I understand you want your family to be complete but how about you think of others first THEN do what you want with the powers?" The ghost said bluntly, he rolled his eyes when she still didn't get it.

"I have foreseen death to those who are closest to you and you are going to need your power to revive them." The ghost crossed his arms in an irritated, two year old like manner.

Riley thought of the way her brother did that, she couldn't help it; she laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter girly." The ghost grumbled, still looking like a little kid.

"Just laughing at the family resemblances, that's all." Riley smirked.

"I can clearly see that you have your great grandmother's smirk too." The ghost chuckled, uncrossing his arms.

"Look, I don't want to alarm you but there is death in the future and you will need the powers. I will build you stronger but it will take time. I know you will use these powers wisely for once again, I have foreseen it." The ghost said kindly, he frowned quickly.

The ghost sighed and looked downward.

"Here's the downside to the life giving spell."

He fidgeted where he stood.

"There's a price."

Riley hesitated and looked away.

"What's the price…?" She asked wearily, not sure if she wanted to hear his response.

"For each person that you revive, you will fall into a deep sleep. It may last months or it may last year's depending on how strong you are physically and mentally. After reviving that said person, you can push yourself to stay awake but that will cost you an extra few months in sleep mode. It's slightly hard to explain until you experience it yourself. Don't worry, I'll come and visit from time to time to check up on you and teach you some new things." The ghost replied, trying to brighten the downside.

Riley looked down at her blanket, sadly. With the way she was feeling, she wouldn't be able to handle anything. She wasn't as strong as he made her out to be.

"I'm sorry…" said the ghost.

"But I'm not telling you so you can revive your family; I'm telling you in case you need it one day. You never know, abilities like that could save your life or the life of somebody you care about."

The ghost turned around and took a step towards the window.

"Now that you know, use it wisely Riley, don't throw your life away trying to fix the past. Best of luck." Riley quickly looked up again and begged him physically and mentally to stop, for a few extra seconds.

"Wait!"

The ghost looked over his shoulder at her, a confident smile on his face.

"You are stronger than you think Riley, yesterday is a closed door; tomorrow opens another. Keep up with the good work. You are gaining one step closer in finding your lost family."

Riley was about to reply, to tell him he was wrong but it was too late; he was gone. Suddenly the window slammed shut loudly.

"Gahh!" Riley gasped as she woke up in shock, Hermione was closing the window. It was morning. Was it all just a crazy dream…? She thought to herself, Hermione looked at her sympathetically as she climbed back into bed. She felt something in the palm of her hand; she opened her fist to find an old torn note with writing on it and a pendant of some sort.

One side of the note had the words... Yesterday has passed, an old door is closed. Look to tomorrow when a new door opens. Save those around you before you save yourself, it will be easier in the long run; trust me. Hold this pendent close to your heart, you will realize that those you care about are not that far away. A.D.O.

And, on the other side it said... Your grandmother wanted you to have the pendent. Riley was shocked. It wasn't just a crazy dream. When was the pendent mentioned? Hermione was already asleep; she probably closed the window because it got too cold. After glancing at her watch, 5:30am. She quickly got up and dressed as fast as she could and ran down to the library. She looked everywhere for a book that might have information on reviving the dead, or her bloodline.

Nothing.

The only thing she had to go off was her own knowledge and her grandpa.

Dumbledore sighed as he walked along the corridors at 5:30 in the morning, a ghost appearing in front of him. He hadn't expected a visit from him so soon.

"She has the pendent and is ready to walk forward, she has the strength she just needs the right challenge and someone to trust her."

The ghost of Aarionarious dissolved into the cool morning air, Albus sighed as he glanced towards the room where the Goblet stood; pondering whether he should do it or not.

No. He wasn't going to risk losing his granddaughter as well.

Igor Karkaroff waited until he heard the footsteps fade until he slipped into the goblet room, two pieces of parchment in his hand.

Riley Oloughlin

Harry Potter