Selenophile // Marauders

|86| Summer 1977 - Part I

29th of June, 1977

Ash curled up on Riley's lap in the loud train compartment. It was the last day of their sixth year of Hogwarts. They were returning home for the summer.

Riley was sitting to the left of the door as usual. She leaned on the hard wall instead of the soft cushions. Ash seemed happy and sleepy, his grey fur was making him look like a large pillow.

"Okay, we'll meet up at my place, and then apparate to the actual place we'll hike. I heard it's near a lake, so we can also swim!" explained James. "And it'll have to be the muggle way."

"When will this happen exactly?" asked Peter in confusion.

"July 31st."

"That's like a whole month away..." said Sirius. "Too long."

"But we'll stay there for a couple of days," said James.

"We can bring tents, and some food, y'know," said Riley. "And also we'll probably need a map."

"We won't need a map!" said Sirius. "We invented a map when we were in third year, we are basically cartographers now."

"That was a map of the school, Padfoot," said Remus. "We literally used magic. We are bloody wizards."

"I can't really apparate," said Peter. They had taken the apparition tests. Riley had taken it two times to be able to pass it properly. She had hurt herself once. Remus passed it in his second try. James in his first, and Sirius also in his second. Peter had passed it eventually, but he wasn't very sure of himself.

"You can use the Knight Bus?" suggested James.

The train stopped in platform 9 3/4. Everyone quickly exited the train in a rush. The bustling platform was filled with people laughing and yelling. Riley swiveled around all the people, trying to find her mother.

"Riley!" a familiar voice yelled. She looked around, trying to locate the sound. Ralph was waving at her. She quickly went next to him.

"Hi!" she said as she hugged him. "Are you looking for your dad?"

"Yeah, I think that's him," he said. A man with a big belly was there. He was wearing a black suit, he didn't look like he fit in the environment. He had glasses, they were square shaped, very thin and didn't even seem to have proper frames. His hair was still a good shade of dark brown, just like his son.

"Hi dad," Ralph said. "This is Riley."

Riley hadn't expected Ralph to introduce her so quickly. She baffled, didn't know what to say.

"Er — hi," she said politely. The man nodded in silence.

"I think we better go," said Ralph to his father. Mr Sherman turned around quickly without looking back. Ralph saw his father slowly go away. He then gave Riley a quick kiss.

Riley giggled and then watched the boy slowly go. She then continued to look around for her mother.

***

There was a knock on the door just a few minutes after they reached Pine Road.

"Who is it?" shouted Riley behind the door.

"You know who it is!" said Penny's voice cheerfully. Riley opened the door and Penny hugged her tightly.

"I missed you!" she said. Riley said it back.

"There's someone else here too," said Penny. She stepped aside, revealing the brunette boy standing there with a shy smile. Ethan gave a small wave.

"So — I'm assuming you guys are good now?"

"A lot has changed in the past six months," said Ethan. "I've apologized to her, mum and dad, plus Vicky approximately a thousand times—"

"If you didn't mean it it's no good!" said Penny sharply.

"I do mean it!"

"Good!"

"I'm happy for you two," said Riley. "Come in, people will think we are weird."

The twins came in, getting greeted by Madelyn Spade. They walked upstairs, to Riley's room. Riley hadn't entered her room since Christmas. She slowly opened the door and almost jumped out of shock.

"Your room is clean and neat now?" asked Ethan as his eyes widened.

"Since when did you commit this crime, Riley?" asked Penny sarcastically.

"MUM!" yelled Riley as walked towards the stairs.

"Don't shout and come downstairs, Riley!" yelled Ms Spade in reply.

"You cleaned my room?!" yelled Riley from the same spot.

"It needed to be done, Riley! I couldn't let you live in that junkyard after seventeen years!"

Penny and Ethan laughed. Riley huffed and entered her room, tossing her trunk to the side along with her jumper. She opened the window, letting the fresh air into the room.

"How are things at the boarding school you go to?" asked Penny.

"Good, better than ever actually," replied Riley as she sat down. "I've met some new people."

"I'm assuming that's the person you are dating?" said Penny. Riley rolled her eyes, Ethan ignored the question.

"What — how did you —" stuttered Riley.

"You mentioned someone in your letters," said Penny. "Is his name Ralph?" she asked. Riley opened her mouth to say something but didn't.

"You sent each other letters, too?" said Ethan with a sad face. "C'mon I missed out on everything this year!"

"You don't get to whine, little brother!" said Penny mockingly.

"Only eight minutes!" said Ethan angrily.

"Best eight minutes of my life."