Order of the Phoenix pt1
Erin had sent over Ryleighs school things with the owl that Sirius sent as well as Beau in what Hermione explained to her was an undetectable expansion charm on a small bag. There was an attached letter.
‘Ryleigh Sloane Walsh if I ever find out you aren’t where you’re supposed to be again I will pull you out of that god forsaken school faster than you can say quidditch.
Have a good year I love you’
Harry’s hearing went well according to the report he gave when they returned to the house. They had tried hard to expel him but Dumbledore was there and had enough evidence to get him off.
They spent the next couple of weeks at the house with Sirius and she really enjoyed the time she was able to spend with him, really getting to know him like she’d been unable to before. She was in the dining room one afternoon with Mrs Weasley who was doing some cooking for dinner. Ginny was upstairs with the others having said she was being “so boring” with her potions kit.
Molly brought over a bowl of dough and set it on the table then draped a tea towel over it.
“Am I in your way? I can move my things—“ she offered and the woman tsked at her.
“You’re just fine where you are dear.” She said, “just leaving this to rise, but if you need more space just move it out of the way.”
She smiled at the woman and went back to her book. Taking a bit of the ingredients she’d gotten over the summer out of the case.
A hand rested on her shoulder and she jumped.
“No wonder you like Snivelus so much.” Sirius said as he took the empty seat beside her.
“Never much was one for potions.” He said. “Lily and Snape had that best potions student title on lock.”
“Lily as in Harry’s mum?” She asked and he nodded.
“She was brilliant.” Sirius noted, “so was Snape I suppose.”
“He’s brilliant now.” Ryleigh said, “he teaches me so much.”
“Harry would beg to differ.”
“Yeah well he doesn’t like Harry much.” She laughed.
“Honestly I’m surprised he likes you so much. What with you being my daughter.”
She looked at him and waited patiently for more information.
“No it’s just— James and I… we were not… not nearly as kind as you and Harry turned out to be.” He stated then changed the subject.
“What are you working on?” He asked.
“I’m trying to figure a way for locating someone. Year before last Professor Snape helped me make a new potion. He published it for me that summer.”
Sirius raised a brow, “I’m afraid I don’t keep up with potions weekly. Tell me about it.”
She laughed, “it’s called steel skin potion, when you drink it, it makes your skin impenetrable from like, weapons and penetrating spells.” She picked up the carefully placed vial she kept of it from the case to show him. It shimmered in the light as he examined it closely.
He looked genuinely impressed, “so young.”
She shrugged.
“Ryleigh dear, would you check that bread dough for me?” Molly asked.
Sirius stood, “I’ll leave you to it love.”
Xx
The day before the trip to Hogwarts they received their book lists and Ron and Hermione both received prefect badges to everyone surprise. They got their books and were ready to head off to the train the next morning.
She sat with Ginny as they were early to the train and they couldn’t find Luna they waited but when they stared off they assumed she had found somewhere else to sit.
The train ride was quiet and comfortable as Ryleigh rested against the window and allowed Ginny to pulled her into a French braid.
“Your hair is so long and nice to braid.” Ginny commented and Ryleigh laughed. “It’s a knotty mess all the time.” She came back with. Ginny didn’t say anything just hummed and continued to work through it.
“We should change before we get there.” Ginny said when she finished off the braid.
Xx
It was dark when they reached the school and climbed onto a carriage, they waited for a minute but still didn’t see Luna so they let the thestrals take them up with a few other kids.
As they rounded the bend up to the school Lunas signature blonde hair made it out of the train and sat on the final carriage. A few minutes later Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville joined her on the carriage.
“Everybody, this is Loony Love-“ Hermione started, “Luna Lovegood… she’s Ryleigh’s friend.”
They all nodded awkwardly at the blonde.
“It’s a lovely necklace.”
“It’s a charm actually… keeps away the Nargles” Luna responded.
Xx
As they were finding their seats in the great hall Ryleigh finally spotted Luna and jogged over to her.
“I missed you.” She said and grabbed her hand.
“I missed you to.” Luna said sweetly.
“We looked for you on the train but —“
“You were on the train?” Luna asked.
“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow, astronomy tower? After 1st block?” Ryleigh asked as she walked back to Gryffindor table.
Luna nodded and headed to Ravenclaws table.
Xx
“Good evening children.” Dumbledore called out and they all looked up at him.
“Now, we have two changes to staffing this year. We’re pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking care of magical creatures while Professor Hagrid is on leave. We also wish to welcome your new defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Delores Umbridge. And I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing her the best of luck.”
The woman in question was small and pinch faced wearing bright pink, you couldn’t possibly miss her.
He went on to talk about Filch and she tuned it right out. That is until the pink woman cleared her throat and interrupted him. She stood up and walked to the front of the crowd.
“Thank you Professor, for those kind words of welcome. And how lovely, to see all your bright and happy faces smiling up at me. Im sure we’re all going to be very good friends.”
She heard the twins say “that’s likely” and stifled a giggle.
“The ministry of magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this historic school… progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be prohibited.”
They all stared at her silently until Dumbledore clapped and they gave her a scattered applause.
Xx
She met Luna in the tower like they planned right after first block.
When she stepped up the last step Luna was already waiting. She met her halfway and gave her a peck on the lips.
“I’ve missed you.” Ryleigh said.
“I missed you too silly.” Luna said back. “Why were you on the train?” She asked.
“Oh right. Well I was at Ginny’s when Harry was attacked by dementors and then he had a trial for expulsion. I’m sure you heard about it the daily project is spreading all kinds of lies. But anyways we stayed at my dads for nearly a month and I just came to school with them from London.”
Luna nodded, “I believe you you know, and Harry, about you-know-who being back.”
She smiled at the girl, “thank you.”
“Would you like to have dinner up here tonight?” Luna asked.
“I’d love to.”
“5 o’clock?”
“Perfect.”
Xx
She was sitting in the common room with Ginny when Seamus started in on Harry. She wanted to say something but Ginny held her hand keeping her on the couch. Ron stepped in pretty quickly though and they took off up the stairs together. She looked to Ginny, “I’ve got to go.”
“Where?”
“Having dinner with Luna in the tower.” She said with a blush.
“OooooOo” she cooed with smirk.
“Oh shove off.” She said and stood.
“I’ll see you later.”
Xx
When she got to the tower that night Luna was waiting for her again. This time there were candles and a blanket set up, plates for each of them and food to choose from.
“Wow, Luna look at all this. It’s incredible!”
“The house elves did most of the work.” Luna said and led her over to sit down.
They chatted and ate a bit, mostly just talking about their summers. Luna told her about how her and father had started a garden and she was worried about the plants being eaten by wobbleworms.
Ryleigh told her about the time we was able to spend with Sirius.
“He has this cousin.” Ryleigh explained. “She’s mad apparently. I looked into her, she’s locked away in Azkaban for torturing a pair of aurors to insanity. And her sister, is Narcissa Malfoy. That’s Draco’s mum.”
“So you and Draco are like cousins?” Luna asked.
“Somewhere along the line.” She said with a shrug. “Weird right?”
“I don’t know, maybe it’ll mean you could be friends someday.” Luna said.
“Luna! Just today I caught him stealing your sneakers!” She said and then reached for her bag where she pulled out said sneakers.
“Here you go by the way.”
Luna smiled, “thank you. It doesn’t bother me though. People do it all the time.”
“Well it bothers me and I won’t stand for it.” Ryleigh said protectively.
Luna smiled at her, “I appreciate it Ry. Really I do.”
Xx
Defense was the most miserable yet of all the professors she’d had for the class. Umbridge had decided that they would use theory to learn DADA instead of practical spells and demonstrations. She’d heard from Ginny that Harry’d gotten detention already and she was beginning to understand why. The woman was miserable and if Ryleigh had become known for anything it was her inability to keep things to herself regarding Professors.
“Don’t you think Professor, that it would be more beneficial to be over prepared than underprepared?” She asked and the woman froze.
“What was your name dear?” She asked as she stepped closer to her.
“Ryleigh Walsh Ma’am.”
“Well Ms. Walsh. What I think, is that your now the second student in this school to outwardly disrespect me in my classroom by questioning my teaching methods. You will join me in detention tonight.”
She couldn’t help the eye roll that slipped out of her.
“Diffindo” the woman said quietly and Ryleigh hissed pulling her arm back and holding it close to her chest.
“Hey! You can’t do that!” Luna said from her seat next to Ryleigh.
“Would you like to join her detention Ms Lovegood?”
“Just don’t—“ Ryleigh whispered to Luna and pulled her back down.
The pinched face woman hummed, satisfied, and refocused on her instructions.
After class she let Luna roll up the sleeve of her Gryffindor sweater and look at the cut.
It was deep but small.
“You should get it looked at.” Luna said.
“It’s fine, I’m going to be late for Snape. I’ll see you later okay?” She said and gave the girl a kiss on the cheek before running off. Luna watched her go with worried eyes.
Xx
Snape was waiting when she got there looking in a rather foul mood.
“Professor.” She greeted and dropped her bag on the ground next to the station.
“I trust you didn’t waste your whole summer prancing about London then?” He asked.
“Only august sir.” She said her tone just teasing.
“Now then, how is the new potion coming along?” He asked and she sighed.
“It’s not, I’m stuck.”
“Let’s see if we can’t fix that.” He snatched the paper from her and look it over.
They spend the next hour brainstorming ideas so further the potion along. Before their time was up she she took her leave.
Xx
For weeks she had been going to detention same as Harry and coming out with scarred hands and burning flesh. She’d thus far been able to keep anyone from seeing with long sleeved sweaters that hung past her wrists, well everyone except Luna who worried over it constantly.
She was in such a rush to her workshop she’s forgotten her over sweater in the common room. When she rushed into the potions room and took her seat he rolled his eyes.
“You’re late Ms Walsh”
“I know, I’m sorry sir I just had a test in defense and had to study… I lost track of time.”
He nodded and walked over to take his usual seat next to her.
“What in Merlin’s name is wrong with your hand?” He asked as he grabbed her wrist to examine the bruised and scaring injury.
She tugged it away but he held tightly to her.
“I—“ she said.
“Explain. Now.” He said.
“It’s from detention sir. With Professor Umbridge.” She said.
“What is doing it? Is she hitting you with something?” He asked.
“No it’s a quill.” She said and he looked closer at it, when he did he saw that scarred into her skin was the word “respect”.
“This is unacceptable.” He said and let go of her wrist only to match out of the room at top speed.
He returned only a minute later with McGonagall who walked over to her and asked to see her hand. Reluctantly she held it up for the Professor to examine.
“I will handle this.” McGonagall said firmly and then she left.
“I’m really fine Professor.” She said.
“I’m sure you are.” He said back and took her arm leading her to his store room.
“Take this.” He said handing her a small blue jar.
“What is it?” She asked.
“You tell me.” He said.
She looked at it closely, holding up the jar and examining it.
“Murtlap Essence”
“Correct.” He said, “put it on your hand once in the morning and once before bed.”
She nodded in understanding, “thanks professor.”
He just sort of raised his mouth and looked away.
“Back to it then.”