Girls and boys keep lining up to see if they can measure up,

They look good and they feel wild but it won't ever be enough.

You say you're really hurting, at least you're feeling something.

What Is Broken Can Be Fixed

The wind outside was howling through the common room and the rain was battering against the windows. Riley was curled up on one of the padded couches in the back of the Gryffindor common room, snuggled into a blanket, reading a book. It had been three days and Lily was still refusing to talk to her, James would only talk to her if necessary and Sirius would leave the room when she entered. Remus would talk to her only when they were alone together but other than that, the only constant in her life was Brandon and she had never been more thankful. If it was up to him, they would be spending the night together but she had insisted he spent time in his own common room with his friends. She knew he had been blowing them off for her, she could tell by the looks they gave her.

"Riley?"

Riley looked up from her book to see Mary.

"Hi, what's up?"

"Claudia is outside," Mary said. "She wants to speak to you."

"Oh, thanks for telling me," Riley said and closed her book over.

Mary gave her a small smile and went to the fire and sat with James, Remus and Peter. Riley got up and left her blanket on the chair and opened the portrait. She walked out and Claudia was standing leaning against the banister.

"I've got a letter for you," she said and walked over to her. "Well, us. But it came to me first."

Riley raised and eyebrow and took the letter.

"You could of just gave it to Mary to give to me."

"I know but I want to reply tonight and I need the letter just to read over it before I know what to write."

Riley nodded and sat on the first step.

Girls,

Just an update letter of where your Father and I are. We're currently in London actually but we plan on going to Italy next week for an International dinner. Also, I've got a job! I know, just a small one doing some paper work in the Auror Office in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry of Magic. I start in two weeks, exciting, isn't it?

Hope to hear how you are both doing!

Love Mum x

"A job? In the Auror offices?"

"Yeah, I suppose it'll pass time."

"Why the Auror office, though?"

"I don't know, Riley," Claudia said, irritated. "Why is the sky blue? She just wanted a job and maybe there was an opening. It's only sorting out files. She's not actually becoming an Auror!"

Riley stood up and handed the letter back to Claudia.

"Well then, goodnight."

"Still with Brandon?"

"Yes," Riley said. "Why?"

Claudia shrugged. "Just wondering."

"Okay, well, bye."

Riley walked into the common room, feeling strange. It was almost the first conversation she and Claudia had had without yelling. Also, something wasn't right about her Mum working in the Auror office. It just didn't seem to make sense. Her Mother never had worked since she married her Father and even before that, it was in a café. And her Father didn't like anyone working in the Auror office at all, so how could he approve? Disregarding all thoughts, Riley decided to go to bed early. She planned on re-building some broken bridges the next day.

x

She was running down a hall, that was all she knew. White walls surrounded her as she continued to run, quickening the pace. There was a door coming into sight. Desperate to see the other side, Riley pushed it open with all her might and then stopped when she entered the room. The door closed behind her and it was darkness all around her. Very dim fires were then lit at both sides of the room. She could her voices and laughter but there was no one there. She saw an isle, with rows of seats on each side, like a church. She walked cautiously down the isle, almost afraid to take another step incase she were to fall. As she got closer to the end, she could see figures but they weren't the voices she heard.

"Riley. You made it."

The voice was cold and high. It made her blood run cold. When she came to the end of the room, she almost screamed. To the left of her stood her Mother, Grandfather and Brandon with knifes pressed against their throats by faceless figures. To her right was Lily, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter in the exact same position.

"Now here's the best part," the voice said. "Choose a side and they get to live."

Riley shook her head and felt tears sting her eyes. Then suddenly, someone appeared in the middle lf the two sides. It was Voldemort.

In almost an instant, Riley made a grab for her wand. She heard Voldemort yell out some sort of order in a strange language and suddenly, everything was red.

x

"Riley, wake up. Riley!"

"Whathappened?"

Riley sat up in her bed sheets, the covers were tangled between her body. She was boiling.

"You were screaming in your sleep."

Mary sat on her bed while Lily stood back, leaning against the stand of her bed.

"I just had a bad dream, I guess."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Mary. Thank you."

Mary smiled somewhat sadly and then went back to her own bed. Riley sat up and looked at her watch for the time, still aware that Lily was standing there. When Riley saw that the time was six o'clock, she decided to just get ready. She pulled her sheets off herself and stood up. Lily was still there.

"Is there something you want or?"

Lily pushed herself up to stand straight and shook her head.

"Uh, no. Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I am," Riley said. "Like I said, it was just a bad dream."

Lily nodded and then slid back into her own bed and grabbed a book.

When Riley walked out of the bathroom after having a shower and gotten dressed, Lily had just finished making her bed and was too dressed. Riley decided that now was the time.

"Lily?"

Lily looked up but didn't say anything. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Can we talk about the other day? Please, let me explain myself. Please."

"Let's go get some breakfast."

The two girls left in silence. The walk down, Riley thought, seemed to take longer than usual. When they entered, they were the only two people in the hall. Riley chose a random seat in the middle and Lily sat across from her. Lily started to load food onto her plate, but Riley began to talk.

"First off, promise not to interrupt me?" she asked Lily, a hint of a smile on her face.

"I promise."

"Okay," Riley said. "Basically, I didn't mean it. I know you don't believe me but it's the truth. I was frustrated. Two of my closest friends had basically abandoned me and I'd never felt what it's like to lose a friend before. And then I lost you and the last few days have been the complete worst." Riley held her breath, waiting on a response. Lily was still eating.

"Did you suffer?"

"Terribly."

"You're my best friend."

"I missed you, Lily!" She said and reached over the table and hugged her.

One friend back, two to go.

x

"This will sound strange but I want to help you get James and Sirius back."

Lily and Riley were walking to the library after they had had breakfast and spoke to a few people who had later joined them. Mary decided she was going to go to the Quidditch pitch early.

"Oh really?" Riley asked. "Why?"

"You're just not the same without their nature about you."

"Nature?" she laughed.

"Yes!" Lily said. "You're usually more upbeat and joking."

Riley smiled as they entered the library.

"Do you have a plan?" Riley asked Lily.

"Yes," Lily said. "But it's risky."

"Meaning?"

"I could get detention."

They both laughed but Riley knew the severity of Lily getting a detention.

"It'll happen during potions," Lily said. "We go in and purposely blow up their cauldrons with our wands, noticeably. And they'll retaliate."

"I could do that alone. It'd be less obvious if it was the both of us."

Riley started to think about how the plan could work and then realized they wouldn't talk to her any other way and if they were stuck in a room with her they would have to! Lily truly was a genius.

"I wouldn't mind," Lily said and pulled a book off a shelf. "It's for a good cause. Here, take this book. It's quite interesting."

Riley took the book off her and read the cover: Men Who Love Dragons Too Much.

"Why would you want to read this?"

"The title was funny so I decided to have a go," Lily laughed.

Riley walked to Madam Pince and got the book checked out. The Librarian gave her a looks as if she was asking exactly what Riley had just asked Lily. Riley just smiled politely and put the book into her bag and the two girls left for the Quidditch pitch.

x

Sirius and James watched every single player on the two teams intently. It was Slytherin vs. Hufflepuff and the game would work out where Gryffindor sat on the table.

"I don't need to worry about the Slytherin beaters," Sirius said. "I know their strategy, it never changes."

"If you're sure," the Gryffindor captain, Iain Baird said. "What about the Ravenclaw beaters though? They've got two completely new ones."

"I'll work that out when the time comes."

"Isn't your friend Riley going out with one of them? Parker?"

James noticed Sirius' face harden at the question.

"Sore subject, Iain," James said quietly.

Just then, James saw Lily and Riley take a seat a few rows in front of them. Sirius started to fidget and started muttering about the snitch.

Although James wouldn't admit it to Sirius, he did miss Riley's company. But whenever she entered a room, Sirius would leave and James, being the good friend that he was, would follow. There wasn't a single class that the two were in where he could talk to her alone because both he and Sirius had picked just about the same subjects. James knew there had to be a way to get Sirius to talk to Riley. He didn't even understand why they weren't talking. All he knew was things were said over Christmas and Riley said she didn't mean it and that was it. End of. Then she starts to go out with Brandon Parker and Sirius had flipped his lid.

"AND LUCIUS MALFOY HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH!"

The full Gryffindor started shouting abuse at the Hufflepuff seeker and started to leave the stands as quickly as they could. Iain made sure the team stayed until the stands were clear.

"Well we know what that means. Slytherin are first on the table which means when we beat Ravenclaw in two weeks and Hufflepuff the next match, we face Slytherin in the final."

"Unless there is a chance where Ravenclaw beat Slytherin," James said. "It's the Ravenclaw in the final."

"We can only judge that when we play them though," Iain stated. "Practice starts Monday night and I want you down here every night! We're going to win this cup!"

The reply from the rest of the team wasn't very enthusiastic. They left the stands and followed the rest of the school to the castle.

x

Everyone found refuge in the Great Hall after the game. There were jugs of hot chocolate and soup flying between the four tables.

Riley and Lily were sitting alone at the edge of the table.

"I have something to tell you by the way," Riley said and sat her mug down.

"What's up?"

"I don't like Sirius in that way anymore," Riley said. "I mean, I like Brandon now. I really like him."

"I'm happy for you then!"

"You're just happy you wouldn't have to be nice to Sirius."

"And that too."

The two girls both laughed and decided it was best to leave before the Slytherin team arrived. When they were walking out, Riley caught sight of Brandon who started to make his way towards her. Riley looked at Lily.

"It's fine," Lily said. "I've had you for most of the day anyway! I'll go find Mary, see you later!"

Riley waved goodbye as she felt arms being wrapped around her waist.

"Well hello there!"

"Hello, enjoy the match?"

Riley turned around to face Brandon. "What do you think?"

"No," he said and kissed her. "Don't worry, neither did the rest of us."

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Riley smiled.

x

"Lily, can we talk?"

Lily was making her way out of the common room, about to go to the library with Mary.

"No, Potter."

"It's not about us."

"Number 1, Potter," Lily turned to face him. "There is and never will be an 'us'. Number 2, what could it possibly be about?"

"I can't really say right now…"

"Meaning me," Mary said. "I'll just go on ahead."

"No, wait." Lily said. "Who and what is it about?"

"Riley."

"Mary is Riley's friend too, therefore, she gets to hear."

"But it's also about someone else," James said. "Lily, please. I swear…if you listen to what I have to say I promise I will never ask you out again."

James knew with that sentence, he had sold it. He just didn't think of the consequences.

"Alright," Lily said brightly.

Mary had left the two alone.

"Has Riley ever said anything to you about Sirius?"

"Well no. She doesn't talk about him anymore. As far as I'm concerned, they aren't friends anymore."

"Exactly. And even you have to admit, she's not acting the same."

"True," Lily said. "But I do know she is happy. Plus, you aren't talking to her either if I'm correct."

"It's not that. I will admit, we had an argument because I stuck up for Sirius when I thought he was in the wrong but he is my best friend and he's hurt."

"Hurt? Why would he be hurt?"

"No reason."

"Potter do you mean to tell me Black fancies Riley?"

"No! No, of course not!"

"Okay,," Lily smiled mischievously. "So was that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No, I actually want your help." James said. "Can you help me get Sirius to talk to her again?"

"Potter, for once, you and I actually agree on something."

Now isn't this a big and nice lovely chapter for you all? I know a lot may be crammed in it but hey it's needed. You may think the letter is a piece of nonsense, but further in the story it becomes important!

Review and tell me what you think please!

Abbey!