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*Fred's POV *
The galleon that I'd been carrying around, burned in my pocket and I saw that it was a message calling all former DA members and even order members to apparate to the Hog's Head immediately. I showed it to dad and he nodded, "get George and get going. I'll get the order and we'll be there."
I ran to my room and found George and Riley and even Ginny having a discussion.
"Hey Georgie boy! Dad wants us for something," I lied as we locked eyes, I just hoped he understood what I actually meant.
Riley and Ginny looked at me curiously as George nodded and stood up leaving his wand behind, I bit my lip—if I said anything about his wand they'd know something was up but I had to take the chance. "George, don't forget your wand."
"Why would he need it?" Ginny asked, I kicked myself.
"Dad didn't specify what he needed our help with," I lied and laughed lightly. Riley saw right through my lie, she glared at me but didn't say a word.
George stepped next to me and smiled at the girls, "be back in just a bit!"
We walked down the hall and out the door, we were about to apparate when there was a cry behind us.
"You don't think you're leaving me do you?!" Ginny cried as she folded her arms.
"Gin, this could be dangerous," George stated.
"I'm coming with you. Both of you know I'm a fair fighter, I'll be fine."
George and I shared a look, "where's Riley?"
Ginny rubbed her neck, "eating a puking pastel."
"You're kidding!" George laughed slightly.
Ginny blushed and kicked the dirt under her feet, I shook my head and sighed, "come on then."
"I'll let Riley kill you herself for that trick. I'd hate to be you the second she finds that antidote."
We apparated to the little pub where the owner, Aberforth, showed us to a tunnel and informed us to follow the trail. We ran along the walls and finally came to the back of a painting, I pushed it forward and found a great big room with many students. I jumped down from the mantel and was greeted by former members of the DA, we walked over to the side as more people came through the hole in the wall.
"What's the plan then Harry?" George called.
Harry looked at us and frowned, "there isn't one."
"Ah! We're going to make it up as we go, my favorite," I smiled.
Harry groaned and Ron turned to him for a minute, the two had a short conversation before Harry turned back to the group.
"Can I have everyone's attention?" Harry called.
The room grew quiet quickly and Harry took a breath, "listen. We didn't come here to start a fight! We need to find something...something that's very important. We think it's something that belonged to Ravenclaw. Maybe someone has seen something with an eagle on it?"
"There's always the lost diadem," Luna chirped in with her dreamy voice.
"Yes but Luna, it hasn't been seen for years...hence its known as the lost diadem," Michael Corner stated.
"If you'd like to see what it looks like I could take you to see it in our common room," Cho Chang stated quietly.
Harry began to nod slowly, "Luna can take Harry there." Ginny stated forcefully.
Harry glanced at her with a small smile and nodded, "alright let's go Luna. We'll use my cloak. Everyone else should stay here."
The portrait hole moved yet again and now a strawberry blonde was climbing through and jumping to stand next to Ron and Hermione, she hugged them tightly before Hermione took her hand and shook her head at her.
"You shouldn't be here, Riley!" Hermione hissed at Riley while her hair changed back to normal.
Riley stepped away, "I want to fight."
"Do you want to get hurt? Do you want to die? You're on their list, you're wanted more out of anyone aside from Harry," Hermione huffed while Riley stood there defiantly.
"I'm fighting and that's the end of it. I'm not a little child. I need to prove myself, I need to clear my family name. For myself and my mum. I need to do this."
Hermione shook her head and stepped away sighing, I walked up to her and pulled her into a hug which she broke.
"Are you going to tell me to go home too, going to give me another product to incapacitate me?" Riley spoke harshly.
"No, but that doesn't mean I want you here," I stated as I grasped her hands.
"Then what do you want me to do?"
"Riley, do you realize what will happen here? There's going to be a huge fight and you're well...."
"I'm the daughter of a death eater, that's why I'm here—to prove that I'm not my father's daughter. It's not a big deal."
"It is a big deal," I hissed as I grabbed her arm rather harshly, fear flicked across her face as my face flushed with anger. The last thing I wanted was Riley here, and if I had to be harsh so be it. "Aside from Harry, I'm pretty sure you're going to be the second person wanted dead. So go home now, I don't want to see you get hurt. I couldn't live with myself if I found you injured or worse."
"Fred, you're hurting my arm," Riley whispered.
I hiked up her arm, holding it high above her head this time, "go home Riley."
"No."
"Don't make me force you," I said sternly.
"Oh, I'd love to see you try," Riley whispered darkly as she stepped closer to me.
"I'm not going home!" Ginny shouted, I looked up and noticed that my family was having the same conversation with Ginny.
"We will not allow you to be here!" mum shouted back.
The portrait hole opened yet again and a redhead I never expected stepped forward, my family fell silent as Percy stood there. I let go of Riley's arm as I watched the scene unfold before me, Riley stomped on my foot harshly and I jumped at the pain, she glared at me and stormed off. I groaned, I was a bit harsh but Riley wouldn't listen any other way—and she didn't listen—I ruffled my hair and glanced around and saw Bill looking at me and I felt dread take over me.
*Riley's POV*
I glanced around the room and found a familiar brown head of hair and my heart dropped, I felt dread as I approached Oliver Wood; I wrapped my arms around him before he could recognize me.
"Well if it isn't my favorite girl," Oliver chuckled as he hugged me back.
"Why are you here?" I asked as I stepped away from him.
"Why are you here?" Oliver scowled back as he finally realized the weight of our looming threat.
I noticed Oliver had a broom leaning against the wall beside him and I scowled, "Oliver...you can't...you wouldn't...."
Oliver followed my gaze and shifted so that he was blocking his broom, "it's nothing to worry about, Rye."
I grabbed the broom from behind him and held it behind me while keeping him at arm's length, "I will not let you do this!" I cried.
"Give me back my broom Riley Wood! Do you understand me?" Oliver threatened.
"I'm so scared," I scoffed, "What're you going to do to me?"
Oliver stopped trying to reach it and I felt hands grab each of my arms, I looked up and saw the twins gripping my arms and not meeting my gaze—which was smart because I'm pretty sure my look could kill them if they did. "Just hand it back Rye," Oliver said rather calmly.
I shook my head, he was going to be flying in the middle of this, was he insane? Did he not realize how dangerous that was? If he thinks that he can get away with this then Oliver has taken too many quaffles to the head. I looked at the broom and an idea formed in my head, "it's either both of us or neither of us fly tonight," I stated confidently.
All three boys had the same expression—disbelief mixed with fear, I smirked. That got their attention.
"Riley, you can't be serious!" Fred commented, he looked at me with complete horror and disbelief written across his face.
"We won't let you do that Riley," Oliver stated plainly.
"You aren't the boss of me, Oliver!" I stated as I lifted my chin in the air.
"I'm your legal guardian, that makes me the boss of you."
"I'm legally an adult, which means that I don't have to listen to you anymore," I shot back. I felt guilty for my comment but it was true, I was an adult and he had no right to treat me like a child—no one did. But why did I feel like someone tore out a part of me as I looked at him?
Oliver's eyes narrowed as he fell silent, his jaw set as he stared at me, "well. If that's how you feel then...so be it."
"I want to help, I'm not going to let my friends sacrifice their lives while I sit on the sidelines. You're not the boss of me anymore, I can do whatever I please," I explained, Oliver's jaw set and he looked at me for a few minutes.
"Why don't you go before I say something I'll regret?" Oliver threatened, I noticed Fred and George move slightly away from him—I didn't blame them. When Oliver got deadly quiet and his eyes were filled with rage, it was best to stay clear of him.
I looked at the floor and composed myself, I needed to fix this, "Oliver I—"
"Shove it," Oliver growled as he passed me to go talk to someone else.
I looked at his retreating back and couldn't help but let a tear fall as I watched Oliver start a conversation with Lee Jordan. Granted, it was my fault that he was mad at me, I just really wished that everyone would stop telling me to not be here because I'm the daughter of a Death Eater.
I walked up to him and pulled on Oliver's shirt but he didn't acknowledge me in the least, I felt like I had when my father showed up and I tried to get his attention about something. I felt like a little child trying to get attention from a loved one but they were pretending that I didn't exist. Desperately trying to get Oliver's attention, I practically ended up pounding on his back, but he still didn't turn to look at me.
"Oliver!" I cried at his back, he didn't turn around. Not even when Lee Jordan walked away, he was determined not to look at me, I started crying even more—I must look pathetic right now. I stopped prodding him in the back and sighed deeply, "I'm sorry Oliver...I didn't mean to be so harsh, I just want to fight. I need to prove to every single person out there that I am not like my father. I'm tired of being treated like a child and how everyone looks at me, you know I can fight, I learned my best tricks from you after all," I felt Oliver shift and I looked up to see that he was looking at me over his shoulder, "you're my family and I love you, Oliver. Please, just please be safe, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I knew you'd gotten hurt."
I waited for a response but none came, I took that as my sign to walk away defeated. I looked around the room and thought about how I wished I had a broom. In seconds there was a cabinet on my right and when I opened it I found a Cleansweep in pretty good condition standing there, I grabbed it and sighed. I looked around the room and saw Fred and George leaning against a nearby wall looking defeated, and I saw Oliver watching me silently, I tried to nod and smile but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I blew him a kiss like I use to do when we were younger and he'd have to go home, I prayed that when this was over I'd see him again, and maybe he'd want to see me. I cried as I walked away from them all, I rubbed my thumb over the small ring on my finger and felt no comfort from it; Fred promised to protect me and make sure I wasn't hurt and all I could think of was that he was failing—I was in horrible pain.
I took a calm and controlling breath, I gripped the broom tighter as I steadied my nerves. Tonight I would fly above all the chaos, I was more exposed and there was a greater chance of dying but, that was a risk I was willing to take.
After tonight I wouldn't be known as the most hated death eater's daughter, but as Riley Wood, one of the many brave people who stood for their beliefs and fought for what was right.
*Fred's POV*
My heart was breaking, I was failing what I set out to do, how could I just let Riley walk off like that? No one knows what will happen during this, I'm almost positive there will be a major fight in which people may not come back from. I watched Riley leave, her hair turned black before she pulled up the hood of her jacket; I sighed deeply and turned to George who was watching Riley as well.
"She can handle herself," George tried to reassure me.
"mhm," I mumbled as I dug my hands into my pockets. George smacked the back of my head and glared at me.
"What're you waiting for? Fix this before she gets killed you ruddy idiot!"
I nodded and started off after Riley, I stepped out of the room and found myself near the great hall, I ran past the hall and through the oak doors. I looked around and saw Riley walking away to my left, I sprinted after her, I was about a few feet away when she began to mount her broom.
"Riley!" I shouted at her, Riley turned her head and looked to me in the light that flooded from the windows of the castle.
"Fred, what're you doing?" Riley questioned as she stepped away from her broom.
I caught my breath and grabbed her arms, I crashed my lips onto hers and poured every emotion I felt into that single moment. I needed Riley to know just how I felt and words couldn't express it.
"I love you, Rye. But if I can't stop you from doing something that will probably kill you then I can at least show you how much I love you," I whispered as I stroked her cheeks and pushed her hair out of her face when we broke apart.
"I love you, Fred," Riley whispered as she reached up to kiss me.
"I'm not going to be able to change your mind on this, am I?" I felt my throat constrict as I saw the tears form in her eyes, she shook her head slightly and I sighed, "please promise you'll come back to me in one piece. I can't live without you."
Riley wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly, "I'll meet you in two hours before the great hall. I promise to be there," she whispered quietly as I hugged her as if this were our last hug.
"I love you sweetheart," I whispered and I kissed her one last time.
"I love you Freddie boy," Riley smiled before stepping away and picking up her discarded broom. "Great hall in two hours, I'll be waiting."
"I'll be there," I smiled as she mounted her broom, my hand went into my pocket and I found the small box. I stroked the box and let out a shaky sigh, I just prayed this ended well or else this box meant nothing to me; I took it out and flipped open the lid to see the diamond ring sparkle in the castle light that flooded the grounds. Tears fell from my face as I looked at the engagement ring before putting it back in my pocket and walking off.
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