*Riley's POV*
If everyone knew then I wasn't safe to stay at Hogwarts-not even welcomed in the least. I couldn't believe this, it wasn't fair that Rita Skeeter had taken my life and made it fully public. Not even getting facts or information remotely correct.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror that was placed in this room, my hair was black and my eyes were hazel. I looked so much like my mother, my eyes filled with tears and I threw the book I had been reading at the mirror.
I wrapped my arms around my torso and sobbed, I sobbed until I thought I couldn't anymore. Laying curled on my side, I felt safer than before, it wasn't until I felt myself drift off to sleep did I feel someone's arms around me. I shifted and looked up to see Fred sitting beside me, stroking my hair.
"Fred..." I sobbed as I clung onto his shirt.
"shh...it's alright Riley, I'm here...calm down," Fred whispered as he held me as tight as possible.
I shook my head, "Fred. Please leave me alone!"
Fred chuckled, "I'm not going to leave you alone Riley." Fred rubbed my back and shook his head, "what did you do to yourself Riley?"
I gave a small smile, since we were attacked the scar on my back was much more tender and opened easily, "it reopened when I curled up."
Fred kissed my forehead as he pulled out his wand, "let me fix that for you love."
I wiped my tears and shifted so that I was facing the wall, we sat in silence for a few minutes until Fred's arms went around my waist and pulled me close to him so that I was sitting between his legs. "Thank you."
Fred nodded as he leaned his head on my shoulder, "what is the scar from anyway?"
I took a deep breath, "It's not a very long story, but there was a day he found us-he never saw our home but he did find us when I was around eight. We were walking in Diagon Alley, when no one was looking he grabbed me from behind and took me far away. I didn't know what was going on until we were in a dark alley hidden from everyone, he didn't try to do anything, he just studied my face-like he was mesmerizing what I looked like, trying to preserve the moment. I tried running away and when I managed to get away my mother found me, I'm pretty sure the spell was meant to kill her but I got in the way and was hit. I spent two months in St. Mungo's, she never let me be alone after that."
"They couldn't just heal it completely?"
I shook my head as Fred kissed my shoulder, "he had used dark magic. People worked to fix it, but I'll always have it."
Fred's arms pulled me closer to him and I sighed, "I won't let anyone hurt you like that again."
I nodded as Fred began to kiss my neck, I started laughing as he smirked and continued to kiss me.
"A letter came you, from Wood."
I grinned, "I suppose you opened it for me?"
"I'm offended that you wouldn't think George and I opened it together," Fred pretended to have a heart attack.
"What'd it say?" I laughed, hugging my knees into my chest, Fred interlacing our fingers together and holding me tighter.
"The loon saw the papers, thinks he's going to be able to keep from more information coming out."
I gave a small smile, "Wood is definitely mad sometimes."
"But he wants you to be safe, as well do." Fred stated seriously.
"You'll just have to protect me then," I winked, not wanting the light mood to disappear.
Fred chuckled slightly, "who came up with the ideas for hiding everything?" I frowned, the light mood was shifting away, but this was good. Fred needed answers and while I was nervous to explain everything. It was time.
"Mostly my mother," I started to mess with his fingers as we sat there. "I don't think you remember the sorting ceremony much that year, but I wasn't there. I was waiting in a room alone, so my name wasn't called out loud. My mother was worried, we knew the name on the magical registry was Samantha Daxton. We didn't want to be found out that we were still alive, being that we went missing some thought we were dead. And my mother wanted it to stay that way for my safety." Fred began running circles on my forearms as he listened, "and I did grow up with Oliver until I was almost nine, it was great to be together again. He was the one who always thought of me as his sister, so the motif stuck. It just....worked. Especially when I did tell a few people and they started to bully me, it was the right thing to do."
Fred was quiet for awhile, I had to look up at him to see what he was thinking. "Your mother sounds like she was a good person."
I nodded solemnly, curling into Fred's arms as we fell into a comfortable silence.
"So the group of girls then?"
"Your fan club...people I trusted my first year, I wasn't good making friends on my own."
"Fan club....does that mean...you were a part of it at some point?" Fred's face broke into a Cheshire grin, I laughed shaking my head slightly.
"It wasn't around my first year," at this Fred deflated slightly, laughing as he push my hair behind my ears.
"Uh huh." Fred's smile was infectious, he gave me a wink before pressing his lips against mine gently. "Rye?"
"Mmmm."
"Thank you," I raised an eyebrow, Fred's hands rubbed my cheeks as his grin turned into a genuine smile. "I love that you trusted me enough to share all this with me. It wasn't that scary, was it?"
I smiled, feeling completely free and open as I looked into Fred's brown eyes as they sparkled with an undying love. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"You're worth every second," Fred winked before his expression turned regretful. "I'm forever in your debt if you forgive me for my outburst at school. I should've understood....I was a stubborn idiot."
"We don't have to talk about that anymore," I gently rubbed Fred's cheeks, he took one of my hands and began to press it firmly against his cheek-closing his eyes. "I love you," I whispered.
Fred's eyes were swimming with adoration when he opened them, he kissed my palm before pulling me closer. "I adore you, Riley."
~*~*~*~
I stroked Buckbeak's feathers as I leaned against him, he clicked his beak just as the door opened. I was sitting behind Buckbeak so that if someone entered the room they wouldn't know I was there, whoever walked in sat on the other side of Buckbeak and I heard them sigh.
"I'm so sorry Riley," Harry whispered.
I shifted, "how'd you know I was here?"
I heard Harry laugh, "there's nowhere else you can hide."
I nodded and let out a small sob, "I just wanted to be alone for awhile."
"Me too, we can just sit in silence I suppose."
I nodded and reclined into Buckbeak's side, it was silent for thirty minutes before I broke it.
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"I miss my mum."
There was silence and then movement and Harry was sitting next to me, "why? Why did she have to get killed?"
Harry put his arm around me and pulled me into a hug, "she wasn't a bad person Harry. When I was younger she use to promise me that everything was going to work out and that we'll begin a life where we don't have to hide from anyone ever again." I rubbed my eyes before continuing, "She promised to always take care of me, that I was the most important person in the world to her, when my father found us...she swore to protect me, but even she couldn't stop him from harming me sometimes. When I got my letter to school? She wrote and requested a private sorting for me, she knew I didn't stand a chance at making friends with my name. Oliver and I agreed that if anyone asked my last name it was safe to go with his, we grew up together and he does truly think of me as his sister. So....it worked."
Harry nodded as he hugged me, "I don't have the answers Riley. But I'm here for you."
I nodded, "it feels weird-not being scared of someone realizing who I am anymore."
"I wish I could feel that," Harry laughed.
I smiled and started twirling one of Buckbeak's feathers between my fingers, "you still have Oliver you know?" Harry whispered.
I shook my head, "he's busy getting his life in order, he doesn't need me to worry about."
"So what will you be doing then?"
I frowned, "I don't know actually."
Harry's grip on my shoulders tightened, "we'll protect you Riley." I nodded, leaning my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes, "I promise."