GOSSIP FOR THE SOUL(JP FIC)

CHAPTER TWENTY

It was Friday, and Riley Stowe spent it alone in the cafe while Andromeda was home with her family. Riley Stowe offered to run the cafe alone.

It was a slow day as returning Hogwarts students came back for the summer, but Tobias still came for his dailey slice of cherry pie and green tea.

She was behind the counter doing a crossed word when she heard her name.

"Riley?"

Riley dropped the pen to look up. It was Lucas McLaggen.

"Lucas?"

They approached the counter with a smile. "I was worried about. You left so suddenly, are you okay?"

Riley nodded. "I'm quite okay, I decided to leave Hogwarts."

Lucas mouth made an O before frowning. "That's sucks, I would've loved to take you out again," he suggested.

Riley bit her lip before giving a sticky note and writing her new address. " How about tomorrow, McLaggen?" She handed the sticky note.

McLaggen gave a toothy grin before grabbing the paper. "Okay, I will pick you up at 6, if that's okay with you?"

Riley stood up on her tiptoes and smiled. "Perfect, Lucas."

Lucas was entranced with Riley pretty smile before Riley waved her hand in his face.

"Are you going to order anything?"

Lucas coughed. "Y-yes, can I get two muffins and small latte, please?"

Riley twirled around to get his order. "Coming up!"

Lucas McLaggen watched as Riley made the coffee with a content smile. He smiled as she hummed to herself.

Riley returned with a brown bag and warm coffee. "Here, Lucas."

Lucas McLaggen smiled. "Thank you, darling." He put money into the tip jar before walking away.

Riley Stowe smiled dreamily as he left. Tobias Walker cleared his throat.

"Quite the catch, sweetie."

Riley Stowe quickly shook off the butterflies. "He is, isn't he? " She quirked an eyebrow at Tobias.

Tobias chuckled. " Young love," he dawned on as he remembered the past with a smile.

"Too soon, Tobias," Riley shook the idea of love out. "Not there yet."

-

Riley Stowe woke up quite happy on that  sunny Saturday. She didn't mind that Miffy was whiny for food.

"Oh, Miffy," she picked up the cat as she twirled around her room. "I have a date!"

The cat jumped on the bed and jumped down near her bowels. She rolled her eyes before picking up the bowel and slipping her pink slippers.

She was quite in her own world that she didn't notice voices in the living room. She hummed happily as she came down the stairs. She skipped happily past the entrance of the living where the voices stopped talking.

She was quite occupied in the kitchen as she chatted with Miffy mindlessly. "What should I wear, Miffy?" She filled the bowel. "I think cute shorts and the new shirt I got!"

She spinned around to put the bowel before and filling the food bowel up. "I'm quite excited, miffy!"

She petted Miffy up and down before skipping back up her stairs. She was about up one step up before she finally noticed the crowd. She turned around before screaming.

-

The Marauders screamed back. They let themselves into Andromeda house, Sirius's cousin. They were waiting for the house to wake up, so they sat chilling on the couch. They were speaking freely between themselves when they saw a white cat coming down the stairs.

"Isn't that Miffy?" Peter pointed out as the cat walked past the living entrance.

Then they heard the humming. They saw the person they had been looking for. She had free energy as she walked down the stairs. She was in her own world as she hummed past them.

The four boys eyed each.

"You guys saw that, right?" Sirius stated.

"Yep,"

"Yep,"

"Yep,

Remus Lupin looked at Peter. "Did you know!?"

Peter put his hand up. "I thought I was joking," then he looked at his hands. "Am I a seer?"

James smacked him. "No, idiot, just a good guess, apparently!"

-

That's how the five were yelling at each other before Andromeda and Ted Tonk rushed down the stairs. Little Nymphadora rubbed her eye as she followed behind her parents.

"What happened!" Ted stared at the group who were pointing at Riley.

Andromeda shook her head. "You idiots, don't you know how to knock?" She came rushing down to stand between Riley and the Marauders. "Or come at a reasonable hour?"

"What is she doing here?" Sirus pointed at Riley.

Andromeda placed her hands on her hips. "She's my guess, cousin."

Riley shifted uncomfortably. She felt their tense stares.

"Is there a problem?" Andromeda firmly stated. She hoped the Marauders would argue, but they couldn't with her intense stare.

They all mumbled, "No."

"Good," she nodded before smiling. "Me and my husband need our beauty sleep," Andromeda took Ted's hand. "Adios!"

The Tonks family all went up the stairs while Nymphadora mumbled curses at the group for waking her up.

"Umm.." Riley shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't know she was your cousin, I wouldn't have come here," she expressed.

Sirius shook his head. "It's fine, it seems like she met the nice version of you." He bitterly replied.

Remus nudged him."Settle down." He looked back at Riley. "Padfoot doesn't want to admit, but he was worried about you. All of us, actually."

Sirius rolled his eyes." Fine, just a little."

Riley mouth gap before a small smile grew on her mouth. "I'm quite fine. Don't worry."

James cleared his throat. "So, are you coming back to Hogwarts?"

They all waited for her answer as she bit her lip. She scatched the back of her head.

"I'm not going back, I already declined Dumbledore's offered," Riley replied.

"What?!" Peter shouted. "You can't just quit, Riley!"

Riley sighed. "I think I did, Peter."

Remus shook his head. "If it's about the gossip -"

Riley shook her head. "It's not that. I already planned to leave the wizdary world behind, and I might move out soon."

James furrowed his eyebrows. "What the hell? This is not you!" He approached her with intense stare.

"James, this is my decision, not yours," Riley retorted. "Have a good day."

Riley swerved around and ran up the stairs.

James stared dumbfounded at the spot Riley was standing. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"James," Remus said. "There is no point in arguing."

Sirius snorted. The Marauders looked at him."Guys, you need to see the bigger picture here!" He waved his hands." We have all summer to convince her to go back to Hogwarts!" He smiled confidently.

The Marauders all had mischief on their faces with ideas popping in their heads.