Riley stumbled into the Order of the Phoenix room making everyone jump.
"Surprise fuckers!" the blonde yelled as everyone excitedly got up from their seats and hugged her.
"Riley!" Amira jumped into Riley's arms wrapping her legs around her best friend's waist.
"I'm here too," Noah panted as he dragged his luggage into the house.
Everyone hugged him.
All of the adults looked at Riley in shock at her vulgar language. One man with long wavy shoulder-length black hair she'd never seen before stared at her in amusement.
"Well, you must be Riley Madden," Mrs. Weasley grabbed Riley into a hug.
Riley definitely liked this woman.
"And Noah! So good to see you, dear," she kissed Noah's cheek which caused him to blush.
"I've missed you, Mrs. Weasley," he smiled at the older woman who pat his cheek fondly.
"Where have you two been!" Hazel hugged them.
"Probably doing something boring," Fred said ruffling the blonde American's hair.
"I've been at home with my parents," she kissed Hazel's cheek.
"Oi, that's my girlfriend only I can kiss her!" George grinned.
"She was my girl before she was yours, back off bud," Riley shoved him which caused him to shove her back.
"Bros before hos," Riley cackled as George shoved her much harder with a grin plastered on his face.
"George Weasley you stop shoving that girl right now!" Mrs. Weasley warned as the redhead put his hands up and backed away from Riley.
"Ms. Madden, nice to see you again, you too Mr. Sanders," Mad-Eye Moody nodded at her and Noah.
"And you as well," Riley bowed.
Noah offered him a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you I used to teach defense against the dark arts at Hogwarts before Moody. I'm Remus Lupin, but you can call me Professor Lupin if you'd like," Lupin shook Riley's hand and then Noah's.
"And I'm Sirius Black, we met last year in the fire, Riley. And Noah, Harry was telling me about how you are an amazing friend," Sirius winked at Riley and then pat Noah's back.
"Thank you, sir," Noah replied formally.
"There's no need for that just call me Sirius," he waved off the handsome boy's formality.
"Where's Harry?" Riley stood on her tippy toes as she looked around for the messy-haired boy with glasses.
Noah's once large smile diminished and was replaced with a frown.
"Oh, he's at his court case you know about the Patronus thing," Amira told her.
"Ah, well hopefully he'll get to stay at Hogwarts," Riley nodded.
....
"Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August... into offenses committed by Harry James Potter... resident at Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey," the Minister of Magic began.
Harry sat in a chair at the center of the courtroom in front of what seemed like hundreds of wizards and witches.
His hands were clammy and sweaty.
"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Mag-" Fudge was interrupted by Dumbledore entering the room.
"Witness for the defense. Albus Percival Wulfric... Brian Dumbledore," Dumbledore walked around Harry's chair.
Harry had a wide grin on his face at the sight of his Headmaster.
"You got our message that the time and place of the hearing... had been changed, did you?" Fudge asked him nervously.
"I must have missed it. But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early," Dumbledore mused. The judges that stood behind Fudge murmured while Fudge had sweat trickling down his forehead.
"The charges?" Dumbledore asked Fudge, without looking at him.
"The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly... and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions... produce a Patronus Charm... in the presence of a Muggle," Fudge read aloud from a crisp paper in his hand.
"Do you deny producing said Patronus?" the Minister asked Harry.
"No, but-" Harry replied but was interrupted.
"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside school... while under the age of 17?" Fudge asked the boy.
"Yes, I was, but-"
"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot-" Fudge put his hands up, his eyes glittering.
"I was only doing it because of the Dementors!"Harry shouted which made the judges all gasp at his accusation.
"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" a woman asked, staring at a wizard beside her in astonishment.
"That's quite clever. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they, boy? Highly convenient," Fudge tutted.
"I'm not lying. There were two of them, and if I hadn't-" Harry was interrupted by the Minister raising his hand to stop him.
"Enough," the Minister took off his reading glasses, swinging it to the side with frustration.
Some of the judges looked at Harry with sympathy.
"I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story... but since you can produce no witnesses of the event-" Fudge said.
"Pardon me, minister, but as it happens, we can," Dumbledore whisked in a frazzled-looking Mrs. Figg who stared at the mass of wizards and witches in front of her with wonder.
Harry sat up and allowed her to sit in the chair.
"Please describe the attack. What did they look like?" a woman judge said softly.
"Well, one of them was very large and the other rather skinny," Mrs. Figg recalled.
"Not the boys. The Dementors," Fudge chuckled, rolling his eyes at the woman.
"Oh, right, right. Well, big. Cloaked. Then everything went cold... as though all the happiness had gone from the world," Mrs. Figg shuddered as she recalled the Dementors' presence.
"Now, look here. Dementors don't just wander into a Muggle suburb... and happen across a wizard. The odds are astronomical," the Minister laughed again.
"I don't think anyone would believe... the Dementors were there by coincidence, minister," Dumbledore said calmly.
"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic," an annoying woman in pink robes said.
"And it's so silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though... you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy," the woman continued with a shocked expression on her pasty face.
"That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary... which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry... into why the two Dementors were so very far from Azkaban... and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone... who might be behind the attack," Dumbledore said.
"Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is incontrovertible," the Hogwarts headmaster walked over to the Minister.
"He is not back," Fudge spat as his face turned red out of anger.
"In the matter of Harry Potter... the law clearly states... that magic may be used before Muggles in life-threatening situations," Dumbledore turned away from him.
"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore," Fudge stated, his eyes narrowing.
"Clearly. Has it become practice to hold a full criminal trial... to deal with a simple matter of underage magic?" the Hogwarts headmaster said.
The judges all stared at each other.
"Those in favor of conviction?" a judge asked.
A bunch of older judges including the woman in pink and Fudge raised their hands.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" the same judge asked raising her own hand. More people raised their hands.
Harry smiled.
"Cleared of all charges," Fudge said, a twinge of annoyance in his voice as he banged the gavel over the table.
"Professor!" Harry called to Dumbledore who ignored him and walked off.
Harry stared at the Headmaster who he'd grown to love with shock.
Why was he suddenly ignoring him? the boy who lived thought.
"C'mon, Harry let's go back," Mr. Weasley put his hand on Harry's shoulder.
Once they got back the two were greeted by loud music blaring.
"Is that ABBA?" Harry asked cocking his head to the side.
"I'm not sure I've never heard this muggle song before," Mr. Weasley entered the kitchen.
Then they heard girls screaming the song, the floorboards creaking above them.
"It seems like the girls are having fun," Mr. Weasley kissed his wife's cheek.
"Yes they are, they even invited me to sing with them once," Mrs. Weasley bragged, fluffing her red hair.
"DANCING QUEEN FEEL THE BEAT OF THE TAMBOURINE OH YEAHHH!" the girls sang.
"They didn't act like this before what changed?" Harry asked, covering his ears from the loud noise.
"Riley came. She's known to have a big impact," Noah said with a smirk.
"Noah!" Harry hugged him.
"Good to see you, Harry," the former Ilvermorny student smiled at him.
"You too," Harry smiled at his friend.
"They banned us from coming upstairs," Ron shook his head.
"Quite a shame really, I thought I was one of the girls," Fred crossed his arms and pouted.
"I was really the closest one to becoming one of the girls," George said.
"None of you will be accepted into our clan," Ginny Weasley came down the stairs with Riley beside her.
The two of them were panting.
"Are you okay, dear?" Mrs. Weasley cupped Riley's red face.
"Yeah I'm fine," she coughed, her eyes immediately trailed off to Harry.
He had cropped his hair like she had told him to and it looked amazing. His shoulders were broader and Riley could see his toned abs from his shirt which was lifted up slightly.
"Harry!" she ran up to him and hugged him.
Her heart fluttered when he hugged her back. Little did she know that his stomach was also doing backflips.
Once they pulled apart she smiled at him. His face was a deep shade of red.
"It's really good to see you," Riley smiled as Ginny pulled her arm.
"Come on Riles!" Ginny beckoned as she gripped her friend's arm.
"Duty calls," Riley giggled as she winked at Harry and then saluted to the rest of the boys.
Once the two were back in the room Hermione, Hazel, and Amira all smirked at Riley.
"I see you met your man," Hazel poked her reddening cheeks.
"Oh shut it he's interested in Cho Chang, not me," Riley looked down.
"Riley stop, did you not see the way that he looked at you right now?" Ginny asked her friend in disbelief.
"I think that Harry is just confused about his feelings for you and Cho Chang," Hermione slapped her book shut.
"He'd be stupid to not like you," Amira put her head on Riley's shoulder.
Riley shrugged her shoulders and then rummaged through her backpack. She pulled out a large guitar.
"I actually wrote a song. Do you guys want to listen to it?" Riley told her friends who all nodded.
"It would sound better on a piano but it's fine I'll go acoustic," she strummed her guitar.
"If I could fly I'd be comin' right back home to you. I think I might give up everything, just ask me to," she sang sweetly. Amira put her head on Hermione's shoulder.
"Pay attention, I hope that you listen 'cause I let my guard down.. right now I'm completely defenseless," Riley sang with emotion.
Amira's eyes welled up with tears.
"For your eyes only I'll show you my heart. For when you're lonely and forget who you are I'm missing half of me..." Riley's voice rang through the building as the people downstairs also heard her powerful voice. They had quieted down to hear her voice.
"When we're apart now you know me. For your eyes only. For your eyes only," she sang softly closing her eyes.
"I've got scars. Even though they can't always be seen and pain gets hard. But now you're here and I don't feel a thing," Riley smiled recalling Harry.
"Pay attention, I hope that you listen 'cause I let my guard down, right now I'm completely defenseless," Riley strummed her guitar.
"For your eyes only I'll show you my heart. For when you're lonely, and forget who you are... I'm missing half of me when we're apart now you know me, for your eyes only, for your eyes only,"
"I can feel your heart inside of mine. I feel it, I feel it. I've been goin' out of my mind. I feel it, I feel it. Know that I'm just wastin' time. And I hope that you don't run from me," Riley saw tears leak from Amira's eyes.
"For your eyes only I'll show you my heart. For when you're lonely and forget who you are. I'm missing half of me when we're apart. Now you know me for your eyes only," Riley smiled and wiped Amira's tears with the back of her hand.
"For your eyes only I'll show you my heart for when you're lonely and forget who you are. I'm missing half of me when we're apart. Now you know me. For your eyes only.For your eyes only. For your eyes only," Riley finished the song by strumming her guitar one last time.
The girls all clapped politely while Ginny whistled.
"Wow, Riles your voice is so powerful!" Hazel complimented.
"The lyrics of that song were so well written and they are so beautiful," Hermione smiled at her friend.
"YEAH GO RILEY WOOOO!" Ginny cheered.
"Amira, are you okay?" Riley waved their compliments aside diverting her attention towards her friend.
"I have something to tell you guys I just found out a few days ago before I came here," Amira's lip trembled. Her whole body shook violently. Her breathing was ragged.
"Hey, breathe, Amira, breathe," Hazel looked into Amira's eyes.
Once Amira's breathing was back to normal she gulped.
"I have cancer, and I'm terminal," she said which made everyone start crying immediately.
Riley's pink lips parted in shock.
"You sweet girl, no," Riley kissed Amira's cheeks.
"Is that why you didn't come down for dinner yesterday?" Hermione had tears falling down her cheeks as she put her hand over her mouth.
"Yeah, but I tried to pull on a strong face especially since Riley just got here. And when we were dancing to ABBA I forgot that I don't have much time left," Amira choked on a sob.
"You are so brave," Ginny murmured into Amira's headscarf.
"How long do you have?" Hazel swiped away at her tears.
"The doctors said I have until February," Amira cried.
"But that's in a few months you can't go please don't go, Mimi!" Riley wept and started banging her head on the wall.
Amira grabbed Riley gently and pulled her into a hug. The rest of the girls joined them with tears caking their faces.
....
Hey everyone! That was Chapter 12. What do you guys think of Amira? What do y'all think of Harry and Riley's "relationship"? Anyways, next chapter they are all gonna go to Hogwarts. I hope you all have an amazing day. Make sure to try and get some sleep and eat something today!
xx Asiya