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What happened before Saffron, Olly and Padma entered the spare classroom to attend the first and second-year Charms club the next evening wasn't relevant to what Saffron got out of the night. They simply greeted each other fondly and the two Ravenclaws explained to Saffron what the evening would entail. They told her about their teacher, Miss Endacott, and how she would be delighted for Saffron to join their company. The woman had only joined the school this year and apparently, she seemed disheartened by the lack of interest in the club.

But, when Saffron saw who the woman was --- Or, more specifically, when the woman saw who Saffron was, it seemed that Miss Endacott wanted nothing less than to have another student in their midst. A Mitchell, to be specific.

Amanda Endacott was her name. The woman had oval brown eyes and a few freckles under them. She had been one of Saffron's mother's best friends in school right through to her death. Amanda had become close to her father Oscar in their later school years too. She had been so close to her mother that she had been named Godmother to Rowan. But in spite of this closeness, Saffron nor any of the other Mitchells had heard anything from her since then.

Indirectly, Maya had been told by Professor Flitwick during her first year in the school that Amanda had been spending her time in Germany and America, but was due back in Britain within the year. That year had long since passed, and when Saffron didn't hear anything from her she presumed that Amanda either hadn't returned or had no interest in seeing them.

But here she was, looking like a more worn and mature version of the woman who was in her parent's wedding picture, that had been on their wall in Squires for over a decade. Saffron wouldn't ever have been able to forget hers or any of the other people's faces, for she walked past them every single day for the majority of her life. Hence, Saffron had always kept a sharp eye out in case she was to ever see one of them in the flesh.

And here Amanda was. In the flesh.

She looked at Olly, then at Padma, then finally at Saffron. Her eyes widened when they settled on the girl. Saffron didn't even have to ask her to know whether or not Amanda could remember who she was. From the woman's perspective, it was like the ghost of her old friend was staring right at her.

She cleared her throat, trying to pretend that she simply hadn't heard Saffron. It was clear to the three students though that she had. Olly and Padma looked from Saffron to Amanda confusedly, as though waiting for the two of them to reveal how they knew each other.

"Olly, Padma, would you two please do me a favour?" said Amanda briskly, turning on her heel and leaning down to open a cabinet beside a large bookshelf. "I left the cushions I wanted to use today in Professor Flitwick's classroom," She fumbled her left hand along a ring of keys until she finally found the one she desired. "There, that's the one, that'll get you in. Get about a dozen for me, if you can?"

"Of course," nodded Padma with a smile. She seemed happy to be trusted with some semblance of responsibility. Olly spared one last puzzled look at Saffron, before following his friend out of the classroom.

Once the door shut behind them, Amanda hurried over behind the desk at the top of the room and took out a dozen cousins, evidently the ones she had sent Olly and Padma over to get. With one circular motion of her wand, the cushions disappeared.

Saffron watched her with her mouth hung open. She didn't know what to say. What was she supposed to say to such a woman? A friend of her mothers who hadn't even tried to help them in any way, shape or form. She bit her lip. No, she had to give her the benefit of the doubt. There could be a logical understandable reason for her absence, she just had to find out what it was.

"I'm glad Olly always comes early," said Amanda with a small smile. "It means we have time to talk,

"What about?" questioned Saffron. Her throat was bone dry and she was in the process of trying to swallow the lump that had formed in it. She was overwhelmed. She had sort of just accepted that all of her parent's friends were in the past. That, in a sense, had died with her parents.

Amanda sighed and sat on top of the desk. She looked just as nervous as Saffron felt. Rightfully so, thought Saffron.

"Maybe we could start by introducing ourselves to each other," Amanda suggested cautiously. "I'm quite frankly surprised you remember me . . . it's been so long,"

"I don't remember you," Saffron informed her coolly. "I have a picture, a picture of you, and my parents, and Sage, and Claudia, and Remus, Lily, James, Sirius, Peter,"

Saffron noticed that Amanda flinched at the mention of some of the name. It proved that Amanda was just as close with them all as Saffron suspected. In a weird way, it almost proved that it was real. That it happened because as much as Saffron was aware that so much had occurred in her parent's lives, she had never seen any of it. All she had ever seen was the end product. That being herself, Maya, Rachel and Rowan. But finally, after years of waiting, she had stumbled upon evidence in the form of Amanda, in the most unexpected of ways.

"I have the same picture," said Amanda breathlessly. "I have a lot of pictures, though, some of them have been put in your possession, I believe,"

"It was you," The tone of Saffron's voice was one of utter disbelief, but she believed it. At Christmas, Hermione had gotten the most wonderful present for Saffron by managing to instigate contact with one of her parent's old friends. Naturally, it turned out to be Amanda. It made sense and made Saffron satisfied by finally knowing with certainty who it was, even though she had speculated that Amanda was the most probable.

Amanda nodded passively. "It was, and I in no way think it makes up for not being there for any of you after what . . . after what happened, but I have my reasonings as to why I wasn't there. Some of them regrettably were out of my control, but others were firmly within my control and I squandered the opportunity. For that, I am sorry, Saffron, I truly am,"

"It's okay," Saffron shrugged her shoulders. She was bitter. Very bitter. But she wasn't going to let her bitterness halt any cultivation of a relationship with Amanda. Even though she wanted to snap at her and chew her out for not getting in contact with them at all, she couldn't ruin it for Rachel, Maya or Rowan. Particularly Rowan, as Amanda was his godmother after all. "I'm used to people not being there. It's always just been the four of us, and as long as it's the four of us I'm not going to be upset about anyone else not being there," She paused. "But I'm glad you're here now, I've never known anyone who really knew mum and dad,"

With a sharp turn away from her, Amanda stared away from the girl determinedly. Saffron narrowed her eyes to see that her eyes were welling up with tears. They were tears of regret at not being there for the children, sorrow at the loss of her friends all those years ago, but in the same breath, the tears represented something more positive too. They represented hope. Hope that perhaps she could help the children, even if only in the smallest way possible. Hope that maybe, just maybe, she could make it up to Prina and Oscar by protecting the children now.

Amanda shook her head. "You deserve much better than me, much much better,"

"It doesn't matter what I deserve," Saffron cut her off hotly. "I don't think I deserve anything, not really. Even if I did, I don't think I'd get it anyway, life never seems to be very fair,"

"No, no it doesn't," Amanda agreed wearily. She sighed. "Listen, Saffron, I am truly appreciative at the chance you're giving me. But if you would just give me one more, I can explain everything . . . to an extent, at least what I know. If your siblings wish to go with you, that is up to them. This Sunday, eight am sharp, I'll be here, and I'll explain. But right now, I can't, the others will be here any minute now,"

Saffron nodded. "Okay, Sunday, here, eight am sharp. Perfect,"