Chapter Thirteen: Home Again (Ryan's POV)

"Harry!" Ryan promptly threw her arms around him, squeezing him as tight as she could. "You're alright! Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me in to see you, but Ron and Hermione told me everything that happened and-"

He gently pulled away. "Ow. Still sore, Ryan."

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Dumbledore told me to come up here to walk with you to the feast."

"Oh good." He smiled at her, carrying a leather-bound book under his arm. "Mind if we stop by the tower first? I want to put this in my trunk."

"What is it?"

"A photo album. Hagrid managed to find photos of my parents for me." He handed it to her. "You want to look?"

"Yes!" She flipped through the pages, seeing a younger, happier James smiling and waving at her from every page, his arm around a beautiful young woman with fiery red hair. "Your mum was beautiful."

"Yeah, she was."

And several of the photos included her father and someone else who looked vaugely familiar, a wizard who was hand in hand with Sirius in some of them. She handed it back to Harry, climbing through the portrait hole after him. After she waited for him to put it in his dorm, they headed down to the feast. "You know, you're pretty cool, Potter." She remarked, grinning at him.

"So are you, Black." He put his arm around her shoulder. "I'm glad we met."

"Me too."

The Great Hall was decked out in banners of green and silver; the chatter stopped as the doors opened and Ryan and Harry walked in, and then, everyone got louder than usual. Harry took a deep breath and headed to his table; Ryan headed to hers. Just a few seconds after she took her seat in between Daphne and Theodore Nott, Dumbledore walked up to the podium and everyone got silent again.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore smiled happily.. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts. Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

Ryan and the other Slytherins let out a loud chorus of cheers and whoops, with Malfoy and a few others banging their goblets on the table.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," the headmaster continued. "However, recent events must be taken into account." Ryan saw her peers' smiles fade and she glanced around. Harry and his friends looked confused. "And for those events, I have a few last minute points to award. First, to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Ryan cheered for Ron over the groans of her house; Gryffindors also cheered, some clapping Ron on the back, and Ron's older brother was bragging to the other prefects above the noise. Dumbledore raised a hand and everyone settled down. Ryan sat up straighter. "Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Ryan cheered louder, proud of her friend for being able to solve Professor Snape's puzzle. "Third - to Mr. Harry Potter for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

"They're tied with us!" Ryan shouted, getting louder groans from her house.

The entire Gryffindor table was waiting, breath held, for Dumbledore to keep going. "And, lastly, to Mr. Neville Longbottom. There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but a great deal more stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Gryffindor."

All at once, an explosion of noise erupted from Harry's table. Dumbledore waved his hand and the banners changed to scarlet and gold. Even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were cheering, celebrating Slytherin's defeat.

The next morning, exam results came. Ryan had the highest marks in her house and only Hermione had beat her in their year, getting an O in Herbology whereas Ryan had gotten an E. To her surprise, though, Ryan had the best Potions grade, the only student to receive a perfect score. As she was finishing breakfast, a letter fluttered down, barely missing her pumpkin juice. The handwriting was an elegant script she didn't recognize and she carefully opened it, a key falling out.

Ryan,

I didn't realize so much time has past since the last time I saw you. I'm giving you the key to our vault in Gringotts. Use it for whatever you need. I wish things had turned out differently, and believe me, I tried to change them, but it didn't work the way I wanted it to. I hope to see you again someday, but until then, just know that I think about you every day. I love you and miss you. So so much. You were the best thing to happen to me and one of the only things keeping me sane.

Love, your father,

Sirius

She folded the letter with the one from Elora, tucking them into the pocket on the inside of her trunk as she packed, her dorm room silent, until Daphne spoke. "Don't forget to write me this summer."

"Oh, I won't."

On the train home, she left her compartment with Daphne, Draco, Theo, and Blaise to find Harry. She slid the door open, sitting down by Hermione. "Hey, guys."

"Want one?" Ron asked thickly, offering her a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.

"No thanks." She turned to Harry. "Write me this summer. And if your aunt and uncle get too mean, let me know."

"I will."

"You two." She said, turning to Hermione and Ron. "I've got to find Eli and Oscar. Have a good summer."

Elijah and Oscar were in the next compartment over, and for once, he smiled when he saw her. "Hey, Ry." Oscar greeted her. "Ready for the summer?"

"Absolutely!" She grinned. "We should try to hang out sometime."

"Sure! Ma would love to have you two at the house." Oscar offered. "I'll let you know."

"Great! See you."

"See you!" Elijah waved as she shut the door behind her.

When she finally got through the barrier, she looked for her godfather. And, in his usual disguise, she found him. "Ready, Ryan?" He asked, smiling when he saw her.

"Ready!"