Selenophile // Marauders

|65| Safe, Fifth Year

All students of Hogwarts went on the Hogwarts Express, ready to return back home after a particularly rough year.

Riley, James, Peter, and Sirius sat in the same compartment. Remus passed by the compartment and paused but moved forward and sat with somebody else.

"He'll never forgive me," Sirius said sadly.

"Might be a fact..." Riley muttered under her breath.

"You can come to my house this summer?" James said trying to cheer everyone up.

"Maybe, if my mum lets me."

"I don't really want to..." Riley said softly.

"Why?"

"I guess I don't wanna leave mum all alone in that house, not the best feeling..."

"Well, Wormtail will be there," James said.

"Every day!" Peter said excitedly.

Riley opened the door and walked out of the compartment and walked over to Lily, Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas' compartment. Remus was also there.

He had talked with Lily about the werewolf matter. She promised not to tell anyone and was very understanding as expected.

"Hi," she said as she sat in the cramped compartment.

"Hiya," Marlene said.

"Please don't tell me that Potter is also coming here along with Black," Lily said.

"Uh— no. They don't even know that I'm here," Riley answered. "I wanted to sit somewhere else this time, change is good?"

Remus gave a small smile as Riley sat.

"Any plans for the summer?" Mary asked.

"That Dursley pig is coming over..." Lily mumbled.

"The Dursley pig? Who's that?" Remus asked.

"My sister's disgusting boyfriend..."

"Is his name 'The Dursley pig'?" Marlene asked.

"Vernon Dursley. He's an actual pig!"

"Any plans other than hating on your sister's boyfriend?" Mary asked and everyone laughed except for Riley.

"Nothing really," said Remus. "Just gonna stay home."

"Don't you five always spend holidays together?" Marlene asked. "Don't you go to Potter's house or somethin'?"

"We used to, but I'm not going there with— certain people— there," Remus said with a wry smile.

"Uhm—" Riley said to distract everyone. "Well, you can come over to mine."

"Sure, I'll think about it," said Remus. "Thanks."

"Have you got any plans?" Mary asked Riley.

"No, not really," she said. "I've got two friends back in town, I usually spend the holidays with them."

"Are they muggles?"

"Yeah, I've known them since we were three. They're twins."

The train stopped and everyone stood up, exiting the train. The platform was packed with people, most of them running to their families and looking all happy.

Riley knew her mum was waiting for her outside of the platform. She just looked around for a bit.

"Oi!" James called. "Are you coming this summer?" he asked cheerfully.

"Uh— don't know yet," Riley said.

"Then you'll have to owl me, every single one of you because I get bored with only Pete coming over!" said James. Riley laughed.

"Alright! But I think I have to find my mum before she gets worried sick," Riley said.

"Oh, OK, bye!"

Then Remus came over.

"Have you seen my mum?" he asked.

"No, you can't find her?"

"I'll find her soon. Oh, thanks again by the way, for the offer," Remus said.

"What offer?"

"You inviting me over."

"Always!"

Riley walked out of the platform, seeing her mother waiting right outside. She put Ash down on the ground and hugged her tight. She had never missed her so much and she really needed her now. 

"Riley— you alright sweetie?" Madelyn Spade asked as she let go of Riley. She was crying. "Is something wrong?" she asked softly. 

"Er— no!" Riley said and smiled. "Nothing— it's just that this year's been a bit... rough, I guess."

"What happened the second term?"

"Long story... really," Riley said. 

"You can tell me while we're in the car, come on."

They walked to the parking lot right outside the train station. Riley was stroking Ash as her mu started driving. 

"So, what did you mean when you said 'rough'?" her mum asked kindly. 

"So— y'know how I told you there was a war and... you know what they do, mum," Riley said. Ms. Spade nodded. "And now there were some people at school which— well— they aren't death eaters but— they will be, eventually..."

"How old are they? They must be very old to become that evil... Aren't the dead eaters the evil people?"

"Not really actually, they're the same age as me."

Madelyn suddenly stopped the car out of shock. She was startled, she looked at Riley who was now holding on to the scared cat. 

"Mum— the car—"

"Oh— right, sorry," she said and started to move the car again. "So— I hope they don't kill people in school!"

"They don't, at least not yet I think..." Riley said the last bit very quietly. "They instead use Dark Magic on people! So that's not better either..."

"Dark Magic?"

"Illegal magic, most dark spells are illegal. Three of them can get you locked in Azkaban— the prison with all the soul-sucking creatures— and three people decided to use one of them on people... Not great news..."

"Who exactly?"

Riley gulped and took a deep breath. 

"Muggle-borns—"

"Doesn't that mean when people are born to non-magical parents, isn't that what a muggle is?"

"Yes..."

"That makes you a muggle-born then— oh—" her mum said and went silent.  She tried to stay focused on the road. "So— why are they prejudiced towards muggle-borns?"

"Because they don't think it is pure magical blood, bullshit—" she said but got a stern look from her mum "I mean— rubbish— and they decided that it is a very clever idea to curse people."

"And they also used dark magic on you, didn't they?" her mum asked softly. Riley didn't answer it but Madelyn Spade knew what it meant.

"But it didn't leave permanent damage on me— so no worries..." Riley said quietly. 

"Honey, this isn't how a school should be. When that woman, that professor called McGonagall came over to our house and explained that I— Ivy—" she stuttered. She had a hard time saying her name. "That Ivy was a witch, she told us it would be safe—"

"But it isn't, there is a war growing."

"Riley, I won't let you get killed by those monsters... I've already lost Eric and Ivy and I can't lose you too..." her mum said in full seriousness. 

"And I can't lose you! You're in danger, mum..." Riley said.