Work Text
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. I own only the original characters and the plot. "Arianna Diana Willson! You have 5 minutes to get yourself down these stairs, so we can leave, or I'll come up after you!" I hear my mother yell from down the hall. I look up from my letter and roll my eyes at my closed door. "I'll be right there mother!" I reply.
I guess I'll have to cut this letter short. I'm sure he'll understand given the circumstances. Dipping my quill back into my ink I continue to write my long-time pen pal.“...near the London country side. So, I guess this means I'll be joining you at Hogwarts this fall. Mother has already made all the appropriate arrangements with the Headmaster and I'm told I'll be sorted into my house with all the new arrivals. Well I'm sorry but I must cut this short, Mother is yelling at me to hurry up or we will miss our portkey.
Until next time,
Ari W. "I quickly roll and seal my letter and give it to Minkx, my chocolate brown owl. "Here's his letter, make sure only he gets it" I tell her before rushing to gather my bags and heading downstairs."About time, dear," Mother greats me from behind her parchment. Her moving check list I'm sure. Mother is nothing if not always prepared."Sorry, Mother, I had to finish... something," I reply. I'm not sure why I've been reluctant to share my correspondents with my parents lately. It may be because of knowing look that flashes in my mother's eyes, or the teasing smirk that crosses my father's face."Ah, and how is he today?" my Father teases."Dad..." I groan. "I thought we were going to be late?" Changing the subject is always best."Yes, yes, fine. Let's go. Take your things to the court yard. The Magical Congress has set us up with a direct portkey to our new home in London."As I head outside with my bags I can't help feeling nervous. Sure, I was going to live in a different country, and I was going to attend school for the first time in my life, but what I was really concerned about was meeting my one and only friend face to face for the first time. Four years we've been writing back and forth almost daily. I feel like I know him, and he probably knows me better than anyone. But I've never seen his face, and I've never heard his voice. It started off as a project; my mother wanted me to have interactions with kids my own age. But out of all the foreign pen pals my mother set up for me, he was the only one who kept writing back. Now, I'm not only going to get to meet him, but also go to school with him, and meet his friends.We reach the coffee tin sitting in the middle of the court yard, and I swallow my nerves for the moment. I can't portkey nervous or I'll hurl."Arianna, is that really all you're bringing? A backpack and a duffel bag?" Mother nags me."Mom, our things will be delivered by the end of the week. Really, this is all I need." I reply."Okay, is everyone ready? We've got 30 seconds. Get into position. Arianna, put your hand here, and Marie, you here," My father instructs us.I count down the seconds until I feel the familiar sickening tug at my navel, and we are off. We are traveling hundreds of thousands of miles, but the journey only takes us a few seconds.We touch down, some of us more gracefully than others, in what appears to be the enormous back yard of the most beautiful home I've ever seen. It's massive, standing 2 stories high and seems to be covered in windows. What isn't made of glass is painted a pristine white with a beautiful soft blue trim. The strategically placed rose bushes colored in pink and yellow gave the whole look a perfect finish.
It made me want to puke. There is nothing I hate more than perfection, and pastels."Oh, for crying out loud! Mom, you said the house was quaint! A humble country home! This looks like something out of a fairy tale!" I complain loudly."It's perfect," Mom breaths. My father sends me a scolding look as I make gagging motions behind her back.We make our way to the back door to find a house elf waiting for us. She introduces herself as Pimzy and shows us inside. Inside is even worse than outside; floral wallpaper and pastel paint.Pimzy ushers us inside where we find a huge kitchen and breakfast area. "Follow me Sir and Ma'ams and I'll show you to your rooms."We exit the kitchen and pass what must be the formal dining room. Before we get to a seemingly large room, which I assume is the living room, we turn and go up the stairs. "The first two rooms in the hall are guest suits. Miss Arianna your suite is the next on the right. Sir and Ma'am, your suite is at the end of the hall on the left," Pimzy directs us.I stop at my door; it's large and made of dark wood and looks very heavy. The handle is silver and fancy looking. Taking a deep breath, I enter. The first thing I notice is the sheer vastness of the room. It's absolutely huge, with what looks like a king size four poster bed on the far wall at its center. The carpet is cream colored and very plush. I immediately take my shoes off, so I can feel it squish between my toes. The next thing I notice is the walls, and instantly decide that they have to go. Whoever decided that pastel floral wallpaper was a good idea was completely nuts. I make a mental note to find the nearest hardware store and purchase appropriate paint to rectify this. There are two doors on the left side of my room. I approach the one closest to me and open it to find a walk-in closet so big that I couldn't possibly fill it. The next door leads to my personal bathroom. Complete with a decent size shower and deep soaking tub. The walls in here are white, and I can live with that.I head back into my room and put my bags on my bed. Opening my duffel bag, I pull out my Walkman, headphones, and my favorite NoMaj band tape. I lie on my back on my bed and put my music on full blast. I must have fallen asleep because I wake to my mother shaking me."Pimzy has lunch ready downstairs if you're hungry. Also, I think you could find a much better use of your time than sleeping your day away. We're in London for crying out loud!""Alright Mom! Jeez. I'll be right down."Before heading downstairs, I decide to take a shower and put fresh clothes on, seeing as how my old ones are all wrinkled. Freshly showered, I open my duffel bag and pull out a fresh pair of jeans and a dark grey band t-shirt. I have quite a collection of NoMaj band t-shirts. I love my NoMaj rock bands, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Queen, and the list goes on! The one I just picked out is AC/DC. I slip on my black converse high tops and head back to the bathroom to tame my hair. I brush my long, wavy, dark brown hair and smile at the streaks of bright purple that I had put in a week ago. Mother was furious, but I didn't care. I love to stand out. I decide to apply some light makeup and go searching for that hardware store. I glance at my too round face and its sharp edges and frown. My mother always raves about my high cheekbones, but I don't see the big deal; they just make my face seem even more round and fat. The one thing I do love is my eyes. Almond shaped and bright, almost crystal blue, they are my best feature. I put on some blush and some mascara and call it a day.I head downstairs and grab a sandwich off the table. "Mom, I'm going to have to do something about the walls in my room. They are horrendous. I think I'm going to go down to the hardware store and scope out some paint, okay?""I knew that was coming. No matter what I do I can't seem to make you feminine can I?" Mother replies."Leave her be. Paint is fine pumpkin, but nothing too extreme, understood?" My father counters."Got it! Pimzy where is the closest hardware store?" I ask, eager to get on my way."It's about two miles east from here Miss. Would you like me to arrange a ride for you? Or perhaps Miss would like to take the bicycle in the garage?" she says."Oh, the bicycle sounds nice! Thank you Pimzy." At Pimzy's direction, I find the door to the garage and find a black 3 speed bike on the far wall. I take it outside and head on my way, making a mental note of how the front of my house looks... Much like the back, but with shutters and a rounded gravel driveway.I pedal down the road at a steady pace, observing the neighborhood as I go. The houses are spaced a decent way apart, nothing like the on-top-of-each-other townhouses where we lived in New York. The houses look much like my own. Though ranging in size and shape they all have light paints and pastel trimmings with lots of flowers. I nod a greeting to the few people I see outside, a couple walking down the sidewalk hand in hand, and a young girl playing in her front yard. Further down the street, about a half mile from my home, I see a yard with a girl about my age lounging out front. It seems a strange thing to do, just lie in your front yard doing nothing, until I see what she is watching. Directly next door is two of the most good-looking boys I have ever seen. They are chasing each other around the yard, and one seems to be holding some sort of ball. Though awfully tall, they too seem to be around my age. The one with the ball has dark brown hair that sticks up all over and wears glasses, but where they would make some people look nerdy, they only seem to add to his appeal. The other is more muscular than the first, with silky black hair that falls around his ears. I nearly stop to keep watching them myself, but I quickly realize that would be weird and continue.I find the hardware store easy enough, and order enough white paint to cover 3 of my walls. With the last wall I decide to do something dangerous, something I've always wanted. I order a can of black paint, with several smaller cans of bright pink, blue, purple and green. I've always wanted to splatter paint one of my walls. I hope Dad won't be too upset. I order all the supplies that I'll need as well, give the salesman my address and pay with my NoMaj money. Too soon I'm on my way back home.When I pass the house where I saw the boys, I see that they have gone inside. The girl next door seems to be getting ready to do the same thing, as she's folding up the blanket she was laying on."Hay! Hay you!" I hear her yell, and I turn around to face her."Are you talking to me?" I ask."Ah, American! Delightful! I knew I hadn't seen you around here before. Come over here and so we can properly introduce ourselves." She says.I park my bike on the sidewalk and make my way toward her. As I approach I notice her long blond hair is tied back in a ponytail. Her long legs stick out very distinctly from her short shorts, and her perfect figure can be seen with how tight her shirt is. She's gorgeous, and I immediately want to hate her. I try to hold back my judgement until I can see what kind of person she is. Walking up in front of her I stick out my right hand and say "Hello, my name is Arianna Willson, my family and I just moved in down the road.""Ah yes! You're the new neighbors! My name is Bree Martin. How great to meet you! Summer term can get so boring around here!" She's so enthusiastic that I almost jump back."OH! Great to meet you too, Bree. So, tell me, what do you do for fun around here?" I ask."Would you like to come inside for some lemon aid? My house elf just fixed up a fresh batch," Bree offers casually.Okay, so she's a witch too. Fantastic! I potentially have two friends going to Hogwarts."Sure, but how did you know I was...?" I stammer as we head to her front door."A witch? Father mentioned that we had Americans coming to the neighborhood and that the man was going to work at the Ministry of Magic in the Foreign Affairs department. How many Americans could we get in one day?" she laughs."Ah," is all I can say.Bree opens the door and we walk into a house that my mother would adore. "Oh great, more pastels and flowers" I breath.I hear Bree laugh "Yes I know. I keep telling my mother that floral is out, but she just won’t listen.""My mother is the same way. So, tell me, are there many wizard families in the neighborhood?""No. Just us, the Potters next door, and now you. I tell you, it's so boring living in a muggle area."With this she catches me off guard. "Muggle?" I ask."Yes... you know, non-magic folk. What do you call them in America?""NoMaj. Muggle, huh. Okay." Apparently, I have some lingo to learn. The next couple weeks passed by quickly. Bree and I were together constantly. She even helped me paint my room. My parents weren't too upset about the splatter paint wall. I think my mother was just happy that I didn't decide to paint the entire room this way. It was now half way through August. Bree and I were sitting in the kitchen waiting for the cookies Pimzy was making to be finished when I heard the familiar tap of a beak on the window. My heart leaped in my chest. He finally wrote back! In all the time we've been writing to each other, it has never taken him this long to reply. I jumped out of my chair and raced to the window to let the owl in. When I take the letter from the bird, I see that it is not the letter I was expecting, but instead a letter addressed to me from Hogwarts. The disappointment must have been visible on my face because Bree frowns and asks, "What's wrong?""It's nothing. I've just been expecting a letter from someone. But for some reason I've just received a letter from Hogwarts.""OH! That will be your yearly list of supplies and classes," Bree explains to me."I better show Mom, so we can arrange to go shopping," I reply."I bet mine arrived as well. We can go together! Oh, it will be so much fun!" Bree all but jumps up and down. I'm beginning to get used to her endless enthusiasm. I grab the plate of cookies from Pimzy and we head up the stairs. Bree is chatting on about the shops in Diagon Alley, but I can't stop wondering why I haven't gotten a reply to my letter."Ari, did you hear me?" Bree presses."Huh? Sorry, I was thinking about something," I say flashing her an apologetic smile."Jeez this whole letter thing has really got you worked up huh? Who's supposed to be writing you anyway?" She presses.I pause. I don't know what the harm is in me telling her. She may even be able to tell me a little bit more about him."Well," I begin. "I've had this pen pal for the last four years. We've become really close. He knows all my secrets, and we used to write each other every day. But the day I told him I was moving here, he quit writing back. I just can't figure out why.""OH, how romantic! Does he go to our school? Do I know him?""Oh yes, he goes to Hogwarts. He's in our year, so you may know him too-" I begin."What house is he in?" Bree interrupts me."Um... Griffin-something, I think," I say trying to remember."Gryffindor! Me too! Oh, I most definitely know him, I know all the boys in my house." She's practically on the edge of her seat."I was so looking forward to meeting him. But now I'm not so sure. He's the sweetest, most romantic boy I've ever known, and now he's shut me out for some reason. I just don't know what to think.""His NAME! What is his name?!" Bree jumps up, grabs my shoulders and starts shaking me."Okay, okay! Calm yourself woman!" I say pushing her back. "His name is Sirius Black."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Bree stairs at me in shock, "I'm sorry, what?""His name... It's Sirius Black. Do you know him?" I reply slowly."Do I... know him? Everyone knows him! He's the most popular guy in school, apart from James and Remus! Holly Hell! Are you telling me that you are secret pen pals with Sirius FUCKING Black and he's sent you all of his secret feelings and desires for the last four years?!""Um... Yes?" I stammer, not sure what the big deal is. So, he's popular, okay, I kind of expected that from what he said in his letters."Bloody hell! I can't believe this. And you're just telling me this now?! Shit Ari, you don't just sit on information like that!" Great she's scolding me now."I'm sorry, I didn't know it would be such a big deal. So, tell me, is he as sweet and romantic in real life? And handsome, I bet he's handsome, isn't he?""Well he's only the hottest guy in school! And doesn't he know it! But sweet and romantic? Are you sure we are talking about the same Sirius Black here?""Why? Is there more than one? It doesn't seem like that common of a name.""No, I suppose not. It's just, the Sirius I know isn't anything like you describe..." Bree starts, almost as if there is something she is dreading telling me."What do you mean?" I ask, worried now."It's just... he's kind of a player. You know, with the girls. Mostly the floozies, but he does get around. And he's cocky. He gets really high marks in classes, but he's almost always goofing off. He and his friends James, Remus, and Peter, or the Marauders as they are known as around school, they play a lot of pranks. Mostly on the Slytherins, and they are usually really funny, but it lands him in detention quite a bit.""I... I don't believe this. No, this must be a misunderstanding. He told me he and his friends sometimes pulled pranks as revenge, on bullies, for the people who wouldn't defend themselves... It seemed noble. And a player? No, he can't be. He's always talking about the girls who try to use him and break his heart. About how he longs to find someone who wants him just for him. Someone who will love him and not aim to break him, or use him for one means or another," I stammer out in defense of a boy I obviously don't know at all."Noble? Ha! The Marauders don't need a reason to pull a prank. But the Slytherins are nearly always asking for it. Rude little pricks, the lot of them. As for the girls, they line up for him, and he sure doesn't let them down! They all know what's coming, but they always seem surprised and heartbroken when it ends. The longest relationship I've seen him in only lasted 2 weeks I think, and that was with Savanna Taylor. Ravenclaw, our year, dyed blond and busty. She's a real piece of work. Meanest mean girl in school," Bree said. "But if you really want to know what he's like.... Well I guess I should tell you that he's staying at James' house this summer. You know, James Potter, my next-door neighbor.""What?! He's here? Right down the road? And you're just mentioning this now?!" I jump up, ready to run down the road to meet him. But suddenly I'm not so sure I want to. What if he's exactly like Bree said? No, he can't be. I muster up my courage, offer my hand to help Bree up and say, “Let’s go.""You're sure about this?""Absolutely," My confidence is rising by the second."Well then you might consider changing your clothes," she points down to the paint stained jeans I'm wearing and the ratty, baggy, band t shirt."Yeah, probably a good idea," I agree as I head over to my closet. I head for my section of the closet, as opposed to what I call my mother's section. She went shopping and bought me all sorts of frilly, trendy, girly clothes. I've vowed to never touch them. Just as I'm about to grab my favorite dark blue tight jeans and black Led Zeppelin t shirt, Bree shrieks at me."Eek! You're not really thinking about wearing that to go meet Sirius Black, are you?""Um, yes. Is there a problem with that? “I ask, slightly hurt."You can't go to meet the hottest guy in school, the guy you've waited for four years to meet, wearing jeans and a band t shirt." She crosses my closet into my mother's section."Oh no, don't even think about it. I'm not getting all frilly for a guy." I say quickly.Bree is all but drooling over the many different colors of pleated miniskirts, colorful sweaters, and crop tops my mother purchased. "OH, come on! At least try one of these crop tops! They are darling!""Oh, HELL no! Not in this lifetime," I counter."Okay, how about this one? It's plain purple, no flowers, but it's also tighter than your band shirts so it will show off your figure," Bree just isn't backing down."Okay fine. But try and get me into one of those skirts and I'll kick your ass," I say, finally giving in. I take the shirt from her and go to the bathroom to get changed. When I look in the mirror I cry out "Oh for Pete's sake!" which causes Bree to burst into the bathroom, one hand out turning me toward her, and the other hand behind her back."Oh my! Look you do have a figure! And such a cute one too!" She teases me."I do not. I look like a popsicle stick,' I groan. Just noticing that Bree has something on a hanger behind her back. "Oh no you don't! I'm not wearing a skirt!""Calm down, it isn't a skirt." She brings the garment forward to reveal a pair of high-waisted jean short shorts."No way! Those are way too short!" I say, eyeing the shorts with disgust."They are not! They will be perfect! Plus, it's rather hot outside," she says trying to play to my practical side. But I won't be convinced, and I stand my ground."Not going to happen. I'm perfectly fine in my pants.""Fine then. But at least tuck the shirt in, it looks silly that way."I comply and tuck my shirt in. I walk back to my room and grab my black converse from the floor at the bottom of my bed. Bree opens her mouth to protest but I cut her off saying "Don't you say a word about my converse."She closes her mouth and sticks out her bottom lip in a mock pout. I run my fingers through my hair one last time before looking at her and saying, "Let’s go."Before I know it, we are down the stairs, I've given my mother a lame excuse about going for a walk, and we are out the door. We get halfway to Bree's house when a thought occurs to me... The two extremely good-looking guys next to Bree's house that I saw on my first day here. That must be Sirius and James. I stop dead in my tracks."Bree... You said James Potter is your neighbor, right?" I ask nervously."Yes... Why?" she asks."Oh God, so the two guys I saw in the front yard the day I met you...""James and Sirius. James is the one with glasses," she explains, which confirms my fears. Sirius is definitely too good looking for me."Oh no.... I'm going to pass out! I figured he'd be handsome, you know in a 'I sit outside coffee shops and write poetry' kind of way! Not a 'I'm a gorgeous male model' kind of way!" Now I'm freaking out. I'm not sure I can go through with this after all."Calm down Ari! They are nothing more than silly boys. True they are smart, charming, and insanely good looking, but they are silly boys all the same," Bree says while she pats my shoulder trying to calm me down. "Now take a deep breath and let’s keep going. We have come too far to go back now.""Okay, okay," I breath. I can do this. I've known him for four years, it doesn't matter what he looks like. I stand up straight, put my shoulders back and walk on.I try to be brave, but as we grow closer to the Potter house, I can feel the knot in my stomach growing. Sooner than I would have liked, we are close enough for me to see the house. As we draw closer still I can see that there is a figure in the front yard. From what I can make out, it must be one of the boys. I see the sun glint off of his face, glasses I determine. It's James. As we approach the yard, I slow down slightly allowing Bree to walk ahead of me."Hello there, James!" Bree says in greeting."Well hay Bree. I didn't see you come up. What's going on? Who's your friend?" James says."That's kind of why we are here. Is Sirius around?""Yeah, he'll be right out. Is something wrong? OH no! Is she pregnant?" James exclaims."What?!" Bree and I say together. "NO! Of course not!" I finish."Okay, just making sure. Don't have a heart attack," James laughs as the front door opens.I look at the house to see who must be Sirius walking outside. My mere glance at him weeks before did not do him justice. He stands at what must be well over six foot tall. Six foot one, or six foot two even. His black jeans fit perfectly around his lean waist, and his light blue button up hangs open to reveal the tight white t shirt underneath. His choice of wardrobe leaves nothing to question; his body is fit and muscular without being bulgy. He jerks his head to the side in order to fling his bangs out of his eyes. And my, oh my, what eyes. Steel grey and deep as the ocean. They are the perfect finish to his perfect face."Hay Bree," his deep husky voice spills out smoothly from his luscious lips. His eyes pass over Bree and land on me. His eyes scale my body in a way that I can almost feel it. It leaves me feeling exposed and flustered. I take a couple deep breaths to steady my racing heart. "And who do we have here?" He asks while reaching for my hand."Hello, I'm Arianna. Willson. Arianna Willson," I stammer out. Sirius looks up at me from beneath long dark eyelashes and I see recognition flash in his eyes, mixed with something I’m sure I've mistaken; fear. As quickly as it came it was gone."Well nice to meet you. I'm Sirius Black, and this here wanker is James Potter. Tell me, are you attending Hogwarts with us?"For the life of me I can't understand why he's acting like he doesn't know who I am. He moves to turn away from me, but I also move to stay in front of him. "Did you hear me Sirius? It's me, Ari. I wrote you and told you I was coming. Didn't you get my letter from Minkx?""I'm sorry, but I don't know what you are talking about," he replies firmly."What do you mean you don't know what I'm talking about? We've been writing each other almost daily for the past four years! You're my closest friend!" My words sound hysterical even to my own ears.To my surprise, he laughs. "Jeez Bree, you got yourself a loon this time! I haven't written any letters to an American since first year, and even then, I only did it to stay out of detention. I quit as soon as I was able. Come on James, let's go inside. I feel the need to get out of sight. Looks like I have another stalker. Fancy that!" He walks away from me and this time I let him. As he passes James he grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him to the house. But that doesn't stop James from craning his neck to look back at me.I've never felt so let down and humiliated in my life. I stand there in shock as the heat builds up behind my eyes, threatening tears. But I'd rather die than let him see me cry, so I turn and walk away. I pass Bree and see the look of shock in her eyes begin to turn to fury. "Black you're a prick!" She yells before turning to catch up with me. "Come on Ari, let's go to my house and watch some muggle movies."I spend the night at Bree's house, so my parents can't see how upset I am. I awake in Bree's guest room with my hair stuck to my face. I fell asleep crying. I go to take a shower, but realize that since I didn't go home, I have no spare clothes. A look at the clock tells me it's well past 10 and Bree should be awake. I make my way toward the door to do probably the bravest thing I've ever done... Barrow clothes from Bree. Just as I approach her door and raise my hand to knock she opens it.With a lump of clothes in her hands and a serious look in her eye she says, "How much do you trust me?""Well seeing as how you are my only friend, I'd say quite a bit. Why?""Great! Go shower and put these on. No lip! Just do it!""Oh...Kay..." I say as she ushers me back to my room. The shower feels phenomenal; it's scorching hot despite the rising temperature outside. I feel like my bones are frozen and so I take my time and allow the water to warm me. I take special care to work out the knots in my hair, restoring it to its previous glory. Too soon, I'm finished. I get out and wrap a towel around me, slowly approaching the clothes Bree gave me. I immediately regret my decision not to go home and get clean up. Laying on the counter in front of me is a white and pink bikini, a floral white crop top, and light blue jean short shorts. This girl is trying to kill me."Bree! You can't possibly be serious!" I cry."No arguing! Just put it on!" I hear her shout back from my room."You'll be the death of me woman!" I snap back but put the clothes on anyway. To my surprise, they fit perfectly. I can't help but notice the slight curves to my body, dipping in at my waist and out again at my hips. I even notice that my breasts look bigger in this outfit, I might even be able to pass for a C cup. Taking a deep breath, I open the door, so Bree can see her handy work."Oh, my word!" She exclaims. "You look fabulous!""I'm not going outside like this Bree," I say with a sigh."Why the hell not? It's bloody hot outside and mother wants us out of the house for 'cleaning'. Besides, I saw Black and Potter leave an hour ago.""Fine, fine. But they so much as show their faces and I'm out of here."I slip on my converse and we make our way out the front door. Bree brought out two towels for us to lay on in the grass. Or at least that's what I thought until I turned around to see where she went, and she was spraying me in the face with the water hose."What the hell Bree?!" I scream as I spot another water hose across the yard. "Oh, you are so dead!" Rushing toward it, I turn it on as quickly as possible while trying to avoid getting sprayed with water in the face."Ha! Take that!" I cry as I point the nozzle at her and pull the handle turning it on full blast.Bree shrieked and ran for cover. We continued this way for several minutes. But our fun stops short when someone yells "What the bloody hell?!"I turn abruptly to find both Sirius and James standing in the front yard. I can yet again feel the tingling heat of his eyes on my body, so I drop the hose and try my best to cover my exposed middle by wrapping my arms around myself. Of two things I was immediately certain. One, that Bree had set me up. And two that it had worked. Sirius couldn't take his eyes off of me."What do you want Black? You and Potter were not invited," Bree snaps."We heard screaming..." James stammered."We thought you were bloody dying, but it turns out you just decided to run around the yard half naked for the whole bloody world to see! What the hell are you thinking?" Sirius growls. For some reason that I can't explain he seems to be furious with me. Taking in him and his scowl directed only toward me, I'm instantly pissed.Bree opens her mouth to reply, but I step forward getting right in Sirius' face and say "What does it matter to you? We don't even know each other, right?""Hay I don't have to know you to be a concerned member of this neighborhood. I'm sincerely worried about what will happen to property values if two floozies get abducted and murdered. I just can't stand to let it happen on my watch-" Sirius begins, but he is abruptly cut off with the sound of my hand slapping across his face. Shock crosses his face, like he can't believe what just happened."Go to hell Black," I say, calling him his surname just as Bree did. "What I do and don't do has apparently never been of concern to you before, so don't start now. I'll do what I please, and I'll wear what I please, and you'll keep your bloody mouth shut about it." I shout at him. Before he can collect himself, I turn and walk up the steps to Bree's house, grabbing a towel as I go. I sneak one last look at him before I go inside. He looks both shocked and livid, and I love it. The last couple weeks of summer go by in a flash. Bree and I, along with our mothers, do our shopping at Diagon Alley on a warm Saturday afternoon. I meet Bree's friend Lily Evens there. She's tall and gorgeous with fiery red hair. She came to stay with Bree for the remainder of the summer, and we became close friends very quickly. As much as I hated seeing Sirius, it was funny to watch James trail after Lily spewing both an endless stream of compliments and cheesy pickup lines. I swear Lily's catch phrase could be "Go away Potter!"Before I know it, we are piling into the Ministry vehicle that Mr. Martin set up to take us to Kings Cross Station. To my dismay we are also joined by James and Sirius. I do my best to ignore his prying eyes."Something you need Black?" I ask when I catch him staring at me yet again."Nothing in particular. I figured I should keep an eye on you considering you are my stalker." He responds nonchalantly.I glare at him and turn away, making a point not to let my gaze pass over him again. Boy this was going to be a long term.We arrive at Kings Cross Station, and to my absolute horror, I discover that in order to get onto Platform 9 3/4 we must walk through a wall! Suddenly a fear of smacking my face into a brick wall all but cripples me. But I ran at the wall with my cart non-the-less, and it disappears just as the girls said it would. I find myself facing a miraculous red train with the words Hogwarts Express displayed on the front. After hugging my crying mother good bye yet again, the girls and I find a compartment around the middle of the train and settle in. The ride was uneventful until I left our compartment to find the restroom. I walk out of our compartment and turn right just to nearly walk dead into Sirius. I begin to apologize until I realize that he is preoccupied with the blond in front of him. Their lip lock looks so intense that I doubt he even notices me. I sidestep to avoid them when suddenly he's facing me."Stalk much?" He asks."Hay you and your... friend here are outside MY compartment. So, who's stalking who exactly?" I snap back. "Now if you'll excuse me."He moves aside to let me pass, watching my every move as I do. His companion doesn't look very happy at the lack of attention she's currently receiving. I continue on without looking back, and when I return 5 minutes later they are gone.Time seems to pass more quickly after I returned to the girls. I told them what happened in the hall, and they share my disgust at Black and his pervy ways. It isn't too long before the train starts to slow, and we are told over the loud speaker to get ready for our arrival. I stand in the hallway with the girls and my nerves return. I'm here. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Finally. I can tell that my life is about to change dramatically. Boy I didn't know how right I was.With a deep breath, I step off of the train, and into the war-zone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I guess everyone stepped off of the train at the same time because the small platform is so crowded that I can hardly move. I begin to make my way up the road with everyone else when I suddenly hear a thundering voice yell “First years! First years this way! OH, andWillson! Willson follow me!”I turn toward the sound and set eyes on the largest man I have ever seen. He’s well over 8 feet tall and three times as wide as an average man. His head and face are covered in a tangle of dark brown hair. So much in fact that the only part of his face that I can easily make out are his eyes. I can see that his kind eyes crinkle with a smile and it eases my shock. I wave good bye to the girls and set out toward him.“Hello, I’m Arianna Willson,” I say to him in greeting.“Rubeus Hagrid, great to meet you,” He says taking my hand in his. His hand is so big that it covers my entire hand and half my forearm. “It’s tradition for all new students to ‘proach the school from the lake.”“I see,” is what I say, but my head is running wild with questions. The school has a lake? How are we getting across? Just as I was beginning to worry that we would be expected to swim across, we turn the corner to reveal dozens of small row boats.“Four to a boat if ya please,” Hagrid bellows.I look around, towering over all of the first years, and climb in the front of the nearest boat. As soon as everyone is seated Hagrid shouts “Forward!” and the boats lurch off the bank heading across the dark water. We ride in silence for several minutes before we round a corner and get our first look at the school. The silence is suddenly filled with the Ohs and Awes of the passengers around me. I’m struck with the sheer vastness and beauty of the place. Hogwarts school is nothing less than a majestic castle on a hill. It’s massive and I’m suddenly aware of how difficult it will be to navigate. I’m comforted by the fact that I will have Bree and Lily there to help me. The boats gently stop on the bank ahead and we all pile out. Following Hagrid away from the docks and toward an alcove in the brick wall where a heavy looking wooden door sits shut. Hagrid knocks on it twice and a very stern looking woman answers it.“Good evening Professor McGonagall, got all of the first years here, as well as Miss Willson.”“Thank you, Hagrid,” she responds, dipping her head in his direction. “Everyone follow me please.”We follow Professor McGonagall down the hall and into a huge entryway. I can see a huge dining hall through the two double doors at the far side. However, instead of ushering us toward there, we are directed to a small chamber off to the side.“Gather round children,” she directs us. “In just a few moments you will join your classmates in the Great Hall and be sorted into your houses. They are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. While you are here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will gain you points, and any rule breaking will lose you points. Wait here while we prepare for you.”I stand around silently taking everything in. The room is small and has very little decorations, but that doesn’t take away from its extravagance. I notice the first years passing sideways glances at me and whispering. I paid no attention. Soon enough Professor McGonagall returned and motioned for us to follow her back through the door and into the huge double doors to the Great Hall. The hall was compiled of four long tables which ran the length of the hall, each table full of students except for a section at each table in the front. At the of the hall ran another table, compiled of what seemed to be teacher and staff who were seated to face the students. Sitting on a short stool directly between the student’s tables and the staff table was the dirtiest, shabbiest pointy hat I’d ever seen. As we approached I could see that the hat had been patched several times, but still looked like it had a tear going across the brim in the front.The first years and I stopped in front of the stool and waited for further instruction. Everyone seemed to be staring at the hat as if expecting something. Just as I was about to inquire what was going on, the tear at the brim of the hat opened, and it started to sing:Hello again my dear friends,And welcome back to school.It’s time to sort the new, young, faces,And you all know the rule!Before you can continue on,You must come up and take a seat.Put me on that head of yours,Now don’t you get cold feet!For I’m your friendly Sorting Hat,And never have I been wrong.A simple look inside your head,And I’ll tell you where you belong!You could fit in with Hufflepuff,Where reside the just and true.Hard work and loyalty is their motto,And they’re such a happy crew!Or perhaps you are a Ravenclaw,Where the smart and wise reside.They know knowledge and creativity,Are never a thing to hide!Slytherin may be your best bet,If ambition and pride you hold dear.They’re a cunning and resourceful lot,That much has always been clear!You may belong to Gryffindor,If you’re courageous and brave at heart,Their chivalry and thirst for adventureAre what set that group apart!So, come forth dear children one by one,And do so with good grace.For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,And I’ll put you in your place!The hall erupted with applause. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, picked up a long parchment and announced loudly, “When I call your name, step forward, take a seat, I’ll place the Sorting Hat on our head and you will be sorted into your houses. We will begin with our new transfer student; Arianna Willson please step forward.”My stomach sank, I hate being the center of attention. I know it’s strange considering how I love to stand out. Taking a deep breath, I step forward and take a seat. Professor McGonagall places the hat on my head and I immediately hear a whisper in my ear that makes me jump.“Ah, the American! I’ve been expecting you. Years of homeschooling and traveling for your father’s job have made you restless. You thirst for the acceptance of your peers. You are smart, loyal, cunning and courageous. But where to put you?”In that moment, when I should have been thinking about my future at Hogwarts and how it would unfold, the only thing I could think about was Sirius. Why was he doing this to me? How would his actions affect me here at school? I knew he had enough ammunition with his lies that he could crush me socially. I could respond by proving the truth with his letters, but I’d never humiliate him that way, no matter what he did to me. I suddenly decided that no matter what I wouldn’t let anyone walk all over me.“I see, I see,” said the Sorting Hat. “Through all your qualities, your courage shines through. Yes, yes, it’s the perfect fit, wrongs must be righted, and you must teach him, or he’ll never survive… it’s going to be: GRIYFFINDOR!”Slightly confused, I stand and hand the hat back to Professor McGonagall. A table on the left erupts with applause. Bree and Lily stand and cheer loudest of all. I chance a quick glance at Sirius and see that he looks visibly irritated. I try not to let this bother me, but I feel a small pain in my chest anyway. I sit next to Bree and Lily and pay very little attention to the remainder of the ceremony. Soon enough the Hall falls silent as a rather old looking professor at the center of the head table stands to greet everyone. This must be Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster. He quickly welcomes everyone and with a wave of his hand, begins the feast.I can’t help but steal another look at Sirius. He’s sitting down the table to my right with James and two other boys. From what I have deducted from Bree, the one with sandy blond hair and warm smile must be Remus Lupin. Though he’s clearly muscular, he has a sickly look to him. Regardless, he’s still quite handsome. The other boy looks to be much shorter than the other boys, and on the chubby side. He had light blond hair, a round face, and a slightly crude smile. This must be Peter Pettigrew.Suddenly I feel my appetite diminish. In all the times I fantasized about coming to school here, I always imagined that I would be sitting next to Sirius and sharing everything with him. Just then, Sirius looks directly at me and sends me a nasty glare. Taken aback, I just stare at him. A devilish smirk spreads across his face and makes him look even more attractive. He chuckles under his breath, turns to the girl next to him and begins to flirt mercilessly. The girl next to him all but melts at the attention. Disgusted, I turn away.The rest of the feast flies by in a blur. Soon it’s time to head up to the dorms and go to bed. As we ascend the stairs, I suddenly realize how emotionally drained I am. Thankfully I am allowed to keep my dignity and am showed to our dorm by Bree and Lily, instead of having to follow the first years. The castle is massive, and just as you would imagine a castle to be. Some might say that the large, grey brick walls and floors could make the castle seem cold and unwelcoming, but the array of pictures, tapestries and statues give it a charming look. We are on our sixth staircase, when suddenly it begins to move and shift to the right. I shriek and hold tightly to the banister. “Ugh,” Bree groans. “Now we have to go around!” Apparently, this is a common occurrence. We are going down yet another hallway when we suddenly come to a stop in front of a large photo of a heavy set, fancy dressed woman. “Good evening,” she says in greeting.“Good evening Fat Lady,” Lily responds. If the woman found the name offensive, she didn’t let on.“Password if you please,” the Fat Lady asks.“Cor Fortium,” Lily says in a firm, strong voice. The Fat Lady’s portrait swings forward to reveal a hole in the wall. “Welcome to the common room Ari!” Lily says as we make our way through. We come out in a large circular room with many deep chairs placed strategically around. I notice there are also tables with wooden chairs on the far wall, and a sofa sitting on the left in front of the fireplace. On the far wall there are two spiral staircases, one leading to the left, and the other to the right. We make our way toward them and Bree explains, “The one on the right leads to the girl’s dorms, the one on the left to the boys.”Up the staircase there are several doors, each with a label indicating what year that room houses. We go to the sixth door marked Sixth Years, and we enter. The room is round and has five four poster beds placed around the walls. Each bed has a single nightstand on the right side and a trunk at the foot. I find my trunk at the foot of what must be my bed. Great, right in the middle. I turn around to see Bree and Lily claim the beds to my left. I vaguely wonder who occupies the other two beds, but I am too tired to wait and find out. I quickly change my clothes, climb in bed, shut my curtains, and go to sleep.I’m awoken the next morning by pounding on a door. I open my curtains to see Bree pounding on a door that I hadn’t noticed last night. “Come on Isabel! You’ve been in there for thirty minutes!” Bree shouts at the door. The bathroom I conclude. I look around to see a curly haired brunet sitting on the bed next to me. She was already dressed in her uniform and had an abundance of makeup set out on her bed in front of her. She looked up from her mirror and addressed me.“Oh, you must be the new girl,” she said, sounding bored.“Yes, I’m Arianna,” I reply.“Charmed. I’m Michelle Richardson.” And with that, she went back to her makeup, not to glance at me again.“Isabel get out of the bathroom!” Bree shouted again. A second later the door opened and out walked a dirty blond girl wrapped in a towel.“Calm yourself Martin, before you give yourself a heart attack. Perfection takes time you know. Well maybe you don’t,” she says appraising Bree in a manner that made her seem superior. I immediately didn’t like her. Michelle chuckled next to me. Yep, don’t like her either.“Whatever Foster,” Bree snaps back. “You could be in there for a year and still walk out looking like a hussy.”Isabel gasps and turns away angry. Lily rolls her eyes in the bed next to the door. She’s already dressed as well. Suddenly I feel like I’m running late. A look at the clock tells me that I have one and a half hours until my first class. Okay, I breath, I’ve got time. While Bree is in the shower, I gather my uniform and wait patiently for my turn in the bathroom.Isabel seems to have decided to acknowledge my presents. “So,” she says in a sugar sweet voice. “Is it true that your parents were chased out of America by the government and you’re hiding from them here?”“I’m sorry, what?” I reply. I suddenly recognize her as the girl Sirius was flirting with last night. I could tell we were not going to be friends.“Well that’s what I heard. So, is it true? Are your parents dirty criminals?” The sweetness was gone from her voice. Michelle was looking at me with a smirk on her face. They were trying to get under my skin, and I wasn’t going to let them.“My father is a government official, and my parents have always followed the letter of the law,” I reply dryly.“Sure, sure. That’s what I would say too,” Isabel chuckled.“Leave her alone Foster, or I’ll give you detention,” Lily says in a cool voice. Her Prefect status would allow this. Isabel just rolled her eyes and turned away. My first day here and I’ve already got rumors going around about why I left America. Great. Just then Bree left the bathroom and I hurried to take her place. The shower felt wonderful and I didn’t want to leave, but I made sure to cut it short, so I wouldn’t be late. Stepping out I wrapped a towel around me and stepped up to the mirror. I grabbed my wand and did a quick spell to dry my hair. Being here and being able to use magic whenever I wanted was going to be great. I brought my clothes with me, so I began to dress. Ugg a skirt. Why did it have to be a skirt? I put it on and immediately yelped in surprise. It was so short! I swear it was longer when we bought it.“Ari are you okay?” Lily asked through the door.My mother, I deducted. She had been complaining that they were much too long for a girl my age. She had them cut off without my knowledge. I finished dressing quickly and opened the door.“My mother. I’m going to kill her!” I exclaimed to Lily and Bree. “Look what she did to my skirt!”Lily gasped, and Bree laughed. “Wow you look fabulous! All the boys will be watching you today!” Bree teased. Great, just what I need, to be the center of attention.Isabel and Michelle apprised me and rolled their eyes with a huff before exiting the room.“You almost ready?” Lily asked me.“Yes, I just want to put on some mascara,” I said as I crossed the room to my trunk. I pulled out the small gold bag that contained my limited makeup. I quickly applied my mascara, and just a little lip gloss, before grabbing my bag and heading out the door with the girls.We entered the common room laughing and talking, excited about starting classes. I looked up to see Sirius staring at me from across the room. Isabel and Michelle were standing next to him, obviously trying to get him to pay attention to them. He eyes raked up and down me in a slow, lazy manor. The way that leaves me feeling hot, bothered, and exposed. He gives me a smirk and turns towards Isabel, giving her a smile that all but melted her. I rolled my eyes and exited the common room with Lily and Bree.We sat down in the Great Hall to eat before our first class, Transfiguration. I was really excited because this was one of my better subjects. Starving from hardly eating the night before, I began to pile all my favorite foods on my plate; scrambled eggs, toast, bacon and sausage. I looked around the table searching for my favorite morning beverage, but not seeing it. “Um Lily do you see the coffee?” I asked.Lily looked confused and Bree snorted. “Coffee? You want coffee now?”“Yes of course. I always drink at least one cup in the morning,” I explain.They look at me like I’m from outer space. “It’s quite common in America…” I explain.Suddenly I notice that the goblet in front of me filled with coffee. Huh, ask and you shall receive I guess. I am almost finished eating when I notice quite a bit of commotion coming from near the doorway. Many girls have gotten up and made their way over there.“I wonder what’s going on,” I say.“Oh, that would be Sirius, James, and Remus. I told you they have quite a following,” Bree explained.“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I laugh. Wow, there’s desperate, and then there is this.We have all finished eating, so the girls and I stand and attempt to make our way up the walk way toward the door. But the number of girls crowded around the Marauders make it difficult. We are nearly there when we spot the boys. Sirius has replaced Isabel with the girl he was kissing, sorry snogging, on the train. She looks smug with his arm around her shoulder. Isabel stands beside her looking frustrated.“Lilykins! Have you come to wish me good morning too?” James shouts when he sees us.“Oh, go away Potter!” Lily responds.I notice that even though Sirius’ arm is around another girl, his eyes don’t stray from me. Apparently, the girl noticed too, because she is sending me a look that could kill. I glare at Sirius and walk out of the Great Hall.Two floors up ad several halls over we find our way to Transfiguration. We are early, but we don’t mind. I’m standing outside the door chatting away with Lily and Bree when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn to see a handsome looking boy staring down at me. He’s taller than me by probably four or five inches, has sandy blond hair, and has the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. For a moment I’m struck with how cute he is.“Hello, I’m Nick Porter. Hufflepuff. You’re Arianna Willson, right? The American?” He said.“Yes I am. But my parents aren’t criminals,” I say stupidly. Bree snorts behind me. “I mean to say, I’ve hear that that’s going around, and it isn’t true.” Great I’m turning red, I can feel my face getting hot.Nick chuckles, “Well I haven’t heard that. I was wondering if perhaps, you would like to sit next to me?” I’m taken aback by his forwardness. “Sure,” I reply, smiling like an idiot. I notice the Marauders standing a few feet away. Sirius is looking at Nick like he wants to kill him.Just then the door to the class room opens and Professor McGonagall steps out. “Please come in and find a seat. Be aware that the set you choose will be yours for the remainder of the term.”I step inside and sit at the table in the second-row center behind Bree and Lily. Nick sits next to me and shoots me a kind smile. I notice that James and Sirius sit directly behind us. Class begins, and McGonagall begins lecturing on what we will be learning this term. I’m listening aptly and taking notes when suddenly writing appears on my paper that isn’t mine.“So, you and Porter huh? You’re getting around quickly” SBI realize that Sirius must have spelled my paper. I dip my quill in my ink and reply.“That’s none of your business. AW”“Maybe not. But it will hurt my reputation if my stalker is seen hanging around with another guy.” SB“OH, get over yourself already! I am not your stalker and you know it!” AW“You’re going to get yourself into trouble acting like you are.” SB“Excuse me?! Acting like what?” AW“You know, flirting with every guy and wearing clothes like that… people are going to think you’re easy.” SB“How dare you! I’ve done nothing of the sort! Just leave me alone you arrogant prick!” AW“Whatever you say. I was just warning you.” SBI crumble my parchment up, not caring that I’m ruining my notes. Nick sends me a questioning look, and I just smile assuring him that everything is okay. A look at the clock tells me that class is almost over. I try to concentrate on the lecture instead of brooding about what Sirius said. It doesn’t work, and I’m sure my face is red with anger when the bell rings.“What do you have next?” Nick asks me.“Potions, double period,” I reply.“Ah. I have Herbology. I guess I’ll see you later then,” He says flashing me an adorable smile.“Okay,” I say trying to give him a smile as well. I turn and face Bree and Lily to walk to our next class. Bree is smiling like an idiot, but Lily sees that something is wrong and looks concerned.We walk out of earshot before she questions me. “Ari is something wrong?”“Oh, it’s nothing. Sirius was writing me in class and said I’m making myself look easy,” I explain.“Are you serious?!” Lily exclaims.“What an ass!” Bree all but shouts.“Yes,” I continue. “Apparently, I’ve been flirting with every guy I come across, and my clothes are too slutty.”“That’s preposterous!” Lily says. As Bree mutters a few choice cuss words under her breath.“Oh, I don’t know. It sounds about right to me,” someone says from behind us. “Excuse me?!” I say turning to face the girl who spoke. The busty, blond from the train smiles back at me, flanked by Isabel and Michelle. Ah, Sirius’ flavor of the week.“Well you’ve hardly been here two days and already you have thrown yourself at Sirius on the train, and now Porter? You really get around,” She says.“I was not flirting with Black on the train!” I exclaim. At the same time as Bree says, “You’re one to talk Taylor!”Ah, this must be Savanna Taylor. Bree told me about her.“Say whatever you like, but I was there,” Savanna sneers. “And here’s a friendly little tip; if you’re going to wear your skirt short, at least have the legs to pull it off.” She laughs and is joined in by Isabel and Michelle. They simultaneously flip their hair and pass us.Oh, dear. This is going to be a long term.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
We make our way toward double Potions, a class which we share with Slytherin according to my schedule. Bree, Lily and I share rude remarks about Savanna and the Bobsy Twins. The sign on the classroom door instructs us to wait at the back of the classroom to be seated.The girls and I wait with all the other students, chatting amongst ourselves. James, Remus and Peter stand a few feet away talking quietly to themselves. I can’t help but notice that they all keep passing quick glances in our direction. Sirius sneaks in at the last moment before the bell sounds. His face is red, and he looks frustrated. I’m not the only one who notices because James questions him as soon as he walks up, but Sirius brushes him off. A door opens at the opposite end of the classroom and in walks a middle-aged balding man who’s stomach stuck out so far that I was sure he couldn’t see his feet.“Hello class! As most of you know, I’m Professor Slughorn,” He addresses the class with a warm smile. “Now if you’ll all listen up, I’ll assign you with your potions partner for the term and show you your seat.”He began naming off pairs of students and pointing to various tables. I notice he was making all boy/girl pairs. Great, there goes my hope of being with Lily or Bree.“Miss Evans, and Mr. Potter please sit here,” He said pointing to a table in the front-right of the classroom. “Mr. Lupin and Miss Martin, here,” He indicated to the table directly behind them. I look around to see that it’s just me, Sirius, Peter, and Isabel left. Great.“Mr. Pettigrew and Miss Foster here,” Slughorn directs. I notice Isabel’s obvious disappointment and it fills me with joy. Until I realize that I’m left being partnered with Sirius. “Mr. Black and Miss Willson here. Alright! Let’s get started!”I make my way to my seat and try to sit as far away from Sirius as possible. A quick glance at him shows me that he’s doing the same.“Okay, to get you acquainted with your partners, we are going to start the term off by making a simple Memory Potion. You’ll find the ingredients and directions on page 10 of your book. Get started, as this will take most of the class.”Closing my eyes, I sigh deeply. Okay, I can do this. I take my book from my bag and turn toward Sirius. “Okay, how do you want to do this?” I ask bluntly.He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. “What do you mean?” he says as innocently as possible.I roll my eyes at him and say “Look it’s obvious that we have issues. But we are stuck together for the remainder of the term, and I need to pass this class. So, can you just be professional and cooperate?”He responds by shrugging his shoulders. I sigh yet again. This class was going to be exhausting.“Fine, I’ll go get the ingredients. You get the cauldron ready,” I instruct as I stand to follow the line of students making their way to the supply closet. I pass Bree on my way who gives me a questioning glance while nodding her head towards Sirius. I roll my eyes and shrug my shoulders in response. I approach the supply closet and wait in line for my turn, paying more attention to my list than my surroundings. Big mistake.“So, you want to tell us how you did it?” I hear a voice say. Looking up I see that both Isabel and Michelle are facing me.“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I reply, crossing my arms in front of me.“How did you convince Slughorn to make you and Sirius partners?” Isabel says sweetly.“Yeah, I mean this is taking stalking to a whole new level!” Michelle pipes in.Oh, boy. This day just keeps getting better. “I didn’t ask to be Black’s partner. Slughorn did that all on his own. I would literally rather have anyone else. And for the last time, I am NOT stalking him!” I say rather loudly. I look around and see that I’ve got nearly everyone’s attention. Sirius just stairs down at the cauldron with his eyebrows pushed together.“Whatever you say,” Michelle says, as she smiles coyly. I’ve let them rile me up, and she’s obviously delighted about it.“It’s no matter anyway. Sirius and Savanna are practically back together. Nothing can get between them, they’re soul mates,” Isabel adds in dully.“Right,” I reply. “I’m sure they are made for each other.” Before they can reply, I step around them and into the supply closet. I gather what I need quickly and head back to the desk I share with Sirius. Surprisingly he has the cauldron ready. I set to work quickly, barking orders at Sirius which he obeys without objection. I’m about to add the Jobberknoll Feather when Sirius suddenly speaks.“We’re not, by the way.”Confused I ask, “I’m sorry, not what?”“Getting back together, Savanna and me. I have no interest in being with her,” he stammers out.“Well you might want to explain that to her. Though, I can see where she would be confused, with you hanging all over her all the time. And, you know, snogging her in public places,” I say, slightly sharper than I mean to. No matter, by the shocked look on his face I can see that he understands the point I am trying to make.“Besides, what makes you think that I have any interest in who you’re interested in anyway? Because I don’t,” I add.“I heard what Foster and Richardson said. I was just setting the record straight. That’s all,” Sirius says, not looking at me.“Great! You’ve distracted me, and I put the feather in too late,” I huff frustrated. Our potion, which is supposed to be a beautiful gold, is now a dull corn yellow.“Stir it three times clockwise, wait 4 seconds, then stir it twice counterclockwise,” he tells me returning to his bored state.“But that’s not what the instructions say,” I say wondering what he’s up to.Sirius rolls his eyes at me, “Would you just do it?”I give him one last questioning look before I do as he instructed. To my surprise, it actually works. “How did you know to do that?” I exclaim.“I donno. Potions are just easy,” he mumbles to me.Our potion is perfect now, and I take a sample out and pour it into a cylinder to take up to Professor Slughorn’s desk. On my way to the front of the room, I pass Peter and Isabel’s desk. I notice that their potion is a murky yellow green, and it’s clumpy and bubbling like a swamp. I smile to myself.I return to my desk and face Sirius with full intentions on thanking him for saving our potion. However, I barley have time to open my mouth when the bell sounds, ending class. Before the ringing can die down, Sirius is off his chair and out the door. I gather my things and meet Bree and Lily at the door to head to lunch.The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, unless you count nearly dying of boredom in History of Magic. I was so happy when our last class of the day ended that I practically skipped to the Common Room. I lead the way as Bree, Lily and I head upstairs to change into our recreational clothes. I’ve never been happier to put on my jeans and white Queen t-shirt. Until today, I never realized that I absolutely hate uniforms. They are completely unoriginal and take away all uniqueness and personality.My thoughts drift back to Nick earlier today. I wonder if I will see him again soon. Just in case, I reapply my mascara and lip gloss and take my hair down, allowing my waves to fall gracefully around my shoulders. I take my fingers and fluff my hair in attempt to make the purple highlights more dominant. I smile at myself in the mirror, finally satisfied. I turn around to see if Lily and Bree are ready.While Lily has swapped her pleated skirt for jeans, her white button up uniform blouse with her shiny Prefect badge pinned to it remained. She’s sitting on her bed with her school books all around her. Bree on the other hand is dressed as she was all summer, in short shorts and a tight-fitting top. She is laying on her bed with the latest copy of Witch’s Weekly open in her lap.“Oh quick! What’s your astrological sign and your favorite color?” Bree exclaims suddenly.“Um, Ares, red, and purple, why?” I ask.“Your true love’s name starts with S with red, or N with purple! Nick!” She says excitedly.Lily and I roll our eyes at her. “You can’t be serious?” Lily askes. “You know you can’t take those articles as facts.”“Are you guys ready to go?” I ask. The girls were planning on showing me around the grounds.They both nod and climb off their beds. We are heading out the door at the exact moment that Michelle and Isabel are entering.“Where are you girls off to?” Michelle asks.“If you’re off to stalk Sirius some more, I wouldn’t. He’s with Savanna,” Isabel says. Before I can respond, Michelle adds, “You really should just give up already. It’s getting pathetic.”Fury washes over me. I’ve had just about enough of these girls. I move toward them intending to settle this muggle style, but I am pulled back by Bree and Lily.“Just leave them Ari,” Bree tells me.“Yeah, they aren’t worth it,” Lily says.I cast one last glare at the grinning girls and turn out of our room and head down the stairs. I am so heated that I’m not sure anything can cheer me up now. We enter the common room with Bree and Lily trying to assure me that no one actually thinks I am stalking Black. We are about to exit through the portrait hole when I notice James off to the left looking rather triumphantly at the wall. Curiosity gets the best of me and I turn and walk over to him.“What’s going on?” I ask him.“Oh, I’ve just posted the notice for Quidditch tryouts. We’re going to be the best team this year. I’m starting way earlier than any other team,” James says excitedly.“I take it you’re the Captain?”“I most certainly am! I play Seeker,” he pushes his chest out proudly.I look over his shoulder to see what positions are available. Beater and Keeper. Fantastic! I’m suddenly in a great mood. I love Quidditch almost as much as I love muggle rock bands. I bid farewell to James and head back to the girls with the biggest grin on my face.“What’s got you so uppity all of a sudden?” Bree asks.“I need to owl my mother right away! There’s something I need her to send me from home,” I reply gleefully.“What’s that?” Lily asks.“My broomstick. I’m trying out for the Quidditch team!” I exclaim happily.“You’re what?” Lily and Bree say together. They were looking at me as if I had grown a second head.“I’m trying out for the open Beater position on the team,” I tell them, slightly less excited now. Why are they acting like this? “I’m really rather good,” I add for good measure.We are in the hallway now heading down towards the main floor. Bree and Lily give each other a questioning look before Lily says sympathetically, “It’s just, Ari, girls hardly ever try out for the house teams, and when they do, they never make it.”“Really?” I say a little too loudly. “How sexist! Well I am going to try out, and when they see how talented I am, they will have to let me on the team. Come on, to the owlery.”The girls guid me outside, to the left and around the corner to the tower that was the owlery. I run up the steps two at a time and locate Minkx. “Here girl,” I say to her. She lands in front of me and I give her a bit of bread from my bag to snack on while I scribble a quick note to my mother.Dear Mom,Hogwarts is great! I’m having such a good time. I’ve been sorted into Gryffindor house with Lily and Bree! The classes aren’t quite as challenging as yours are though. But I do have some good news! I’m trying out for my house Quidditch team! I’ll need you to send me my broomstick immediately as try outs are Saturday afternoon. I’ll need my maintenance kit as well. Thank you, Mom. Love and miss you and Dad. Love,AriannaI finish and roll it up handing it to Minkx. “Take this to Mom as quick as you are able please,” I say to her. “And have a safe flight!”I turn to see Bree and Lily both huffing for breath at the door. “All done! Let’s go,” I tell them.“Seriously? We only just got up the bloody stairs!” Bree stammers between gasps of breath. “Truly, I don’t know how you managed to run up them so quickly!”“Easy, I’m simply in better shape than you,” I tease her. “Come on, you’ve still got lots to show me before dinner.”I move past them and began making my way back down the tower. I walk this time, staying with the girls. They show me everything on the grounds, beginning with the Forbidden Forest, which we don’t enter because it’s off limits. By the time we make our way around the lake and to the Quidditch field, the sun is setting and it’s time to go inside.I have decided, and Bree and Lily agree, not to tell anyone about my trying out for the team. No need to give anyone else a reason to try and humiliate me. I’ll just show up and show everyone what I can do on Saturday.The Gryffindor table was all abuzz with excited chatter that night. Everyone was talking about who they thought would make the team, and those who already announced they were trying out are comparing Broomstick models. I notice that my Comet 200 will be comparable to everyone else’s. At least I have a fighting chance. From what I have heard, I count at least 12 of us trying out for the same 2 positions. I am beginning to get nervous. This are more people than I expected. If I didn’t get the spot on the team, I would surely make a fool of myself.Over the next few days, my nerves only got worse. Of course, finding out that Sirius plays the other Beater on the team didn’t help. More reason for people to assume I’m stalking him. I did my best to avoid him whenever I could. Which isn’t an easy task considering we live in the same tower, eat at the same table, have all the same classes, and are potion partners. However, I am doing my best. I didn’t talk to him unless it was absolutely necessary, I’ve began addressing him strictly by his surname, and I acting as if I didn’t know him at all. After all, as it turnes out, I didn’t.Over the next couple of days, I focused on my classes and homework. I found that I liked Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts almost as well as I enjoyed Transfiguration. Thinking of Transfiguration makes me smile, because it makes me think of Nick Porter. He had been so nice to me on our first day. The girls are convinced that he “fancied” me, which they explained to me meant he wants to be more than friends. I realized that I didn’t need Black in any part of my life. I considered writing him one last letter letting him know that, but I decided that I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. I’m still not sure why he is acting the way he is. But, if he wants to be a jerk and act like we are strangers, then two can play that game.I set my alarm to go off forty-five minutes early this morning. I discover I have butterflies in my stomach. The first class of the day is Double Transfiguration, which means twice as much time with Nick. This will be the first time I’ve been able to talk to him since the first day. Gryffindor only has one other class with Hufflepuff, Herbology, and the houses are made to stand on separate sides of one long table in that class. I waved at him in class, but he must not have seen me, because he didn’t wave back.I get out of bed quietly, and to my delight I notice that all of the other girls are still asleep. I take a few minutes longer than usual in the shower, thoroughly enjoying the hot water. Too soon I get out and wand dry my hair. I take my hair and twist it up into a messy knot on the back of my head and hold it in place with a few hair pins. I can hear the girls beginning to stir and decide that my time in the bathroom is up.Wrapped in a towel I walk back over to my bed, trying to ignore the glares that I was getting from Michelle and Isabel.“Took you long enough,” Michelle says making her way to the bathroom.“Yeah, we’ve been waiting forever,” Isabel rang in.Bree yawns and stretches from her bed. While Lily eyes me surprisingly saying, “Wow, you’re up early.” “Yeah, I was excited to get the day started,” I say.“Oh, jeez, I wonder why,” Bree flashes me a mischievous grin. She makes a coughing sound which sounds strangely similar to “Porter”. I just roll my eyes at her and grin. I go over to my trunk and for the first time I’m not upset at my mother for secretly altering my skirts.After dressing behind my curtains, I get back into my trunk and pull out my make-up bag. I sit down on my bed with my mirror and do something I’ve never done outside of a holiday before; I apply a full face of makeup. I accent my eyes with gold and wing in black eyeliner, highlight my cheeks in light pink blush, mascara and curled my eyelashes, and finish off with a dusty rose lipstick. All in all, it isn’t half bad. I look up at Bree and Lily to see if they are ready to go, only to find them both staring at me with their mouths wide open.“What?” I ask. Do I have something on my face? I do a quick inspection in my mirror.“Putting in the extra effort, today are we?” Bree teases.“You look amazing!” Lily says.“Yeah, you’re going to knock Porter’s socks off!” Bree says with a wink.I blush and say, “Let’s go.”As we make our way down the stairs chatting like we always do, I find myself standing a little taller. Today is going to be a good day. On instinct, I find myself scanning the common room for Black. Before I could catch myself, I spot him. He is standing with the rest of the Marauders near the door, looking as stunning as ever with his black hair threatening to fall in his eyes. How he can look like a Greek God in a school uniform was beyond me. Try as I may, I can’t look away fast enough and my eyes are locked in the gaze of his steel grey stare. However, it is only for a fraction of a second because I force myself to look away. He doesn’t exist to me. As the girls and I walk past the boys on our way out of the common room, I try to ignore the feeling of his eyes on me. Like a flame threatening to burn my flesh. I take pride in the fact that I don’t spare him another glance. The additional three seconds that it takes us to get away from Black’s eyesight and into the hallway are the longest of my life.Once I am free of his gaze I let go the deep breath that I hadn’t realize I was holding in.“Well, that was intense,” Lily says looking sideways at me.“That’s one way to put it! I thought Black was going to pounce on you in the common room Ari!” Bree almost yells. I hadn’t seen her this excited since the day I met her.“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I decide to deny the entire ordeal.“Sure, you don’t,” Lily says trying not to smile.“You know exactly what we are talking about! He was practically drooling!” Bree addes.“Oh, he was not!” I say.“So, you did notice!” Lily and Bree chime at the same time.I sigh. “What does it matter?”“I’ve said it from the beginning, and this totally confirms it! He’s completely in love with you!” Bree says, stopping me in my tracks.“He is not. And keep your voice down. Everyone will think we are crazy,” I say scolding her.“Oh, come on Ari, you have to see it! It all fits!” she goes on.I give Bree a stern look and walk around her and into the Great Hall for breakfast. Walking between the tables I notice I am getting even more looks than normal. I sit down at our normal spot and grabbed some eggs and toast. Bree and Lily follow suit. I assume that Bree got the hint from my look, because she doesn’t bring Black up again.As we leave for Transfiguration I am so excited that I was practically skipping, but the closer we get to class the more nervous I get. If Nick truly fancies me, he would have sought me out right? I don’t have much time to dwell on it because we barely made it to class on time. I slip in my seat just before the bell chimes for class to start.I look over at Nick and give him my best smile. In return I am given a curt not before he turns his head toward the front of the room. He doesn’t so much as look my direction again.I am utterly confused and frustrated. It is all I can do to concentrate on the lecture. Not that I don’t already know how to turn a toothpick into a picture frame. I am taking notes just for something to do, when the familiar writing showes up on my parchment yet again.Trouble in paradise? SBThe nerve of him! I have just decided not to respond when he writes me again.And to think you took all that time painting gunk on your face and he hasn’t even given you a second glance. Guess he isn’t so great after all. SBI take a deep breath. I can feel the heat rising in my face and I know my skin must be the color of a ripe tomato. I collect myself and reply.You seem to be so interested in Nick, maybe I should tell him he should consider you instead. AWMen are not my type, as you well know. SBAHA! So, he admits I know him!On the contrary, I don’t believe I know you at all. AWI look up to see Professor McGonagall eyeing me subspecialty and decide to trade that parchment for another, ending our conversation. After class I took my time getting my things together, hoping to catch Nick and find out why he was being so cold. I wait for Black and Potter to leave so I can have some privacy.“Nick, have I done something wrong?” I decide to just jump right in.He slowly turns toward me. “Look, Arianna, I’m sure you’re really nice and all, but I think I may have given you the wrong impression.”“Oh,” is all I can manage.“I would switch seats if I could,” He goes on.Ouch. I just stare at him.“Look it’s nothing you did, I just can’t afford to get on Black’s bad side right now.”“Wait, what?” I ask. I am thoroughly confused now. What does this have to do with Black?“So, I’m sorry,” Nick says, and he moves to turn away. I grab his arm and turn him back toward me.“What do you mean you can’t afford to get on Black’s bad side? What does this have to do with Black?” I demand.“Oh, jeez, you don’t know,” Nick starts. He takes a deep breath and continues. “After last class Black cornered me and told me to leave you alone or else I’d have him to deal with. He’s told nearly every guy in our year the same thing.”“You have got to be kidding me!” I yell. I’m going to kill him. Without another word to Nick, I turn on my heals and storm out the door. I all but run down the hallway trying to find Black.Bree and Lily are chasing after me asking what is wrong. I spot Black with Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew on the main floor outside of the Great Hall.“BLACK!” I yell at the top of my lungs. Everyone stops to looks at me. I storm up getting within inches of him. “You have some nerve!”“Well of course I do. I’m not sure what you’re referring to this time though, would you care to elaborate?” he says coyly. His grey eyes stare down at me through his long eyelashes, and though he has a smile on his face, I think I see a bit of fear flash through them.“Did you or did you not tell every boy in our year to stay away from me?” I demand.Shock crosses his face briefly, but he recovers quickly. “Well someone had to do something. The way you were going about in those skimpy outfits, throwing yourself at everyone, you were going to get yourself in to trouble.” A murmur of agreement begins circulating around the spectators. I thought I was angry before, but it is nothing compared to what washes over me at this instant. Pure hot rage fills my body. Before I know what I am doing, I slap Black across the face with all of my might. Silence fills the hall. No one says a word as a red welt in the shape of my hand forms on the left side of Black’s face.“You are the scum of the earth Black,” I say barley louder than a whisper “and I hate you.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Sirius’s POVI stare down at Arianna in shock. Not because she slapped me, for she had done it before and she will surely do it again in the future. But because of the three little words she had just said to me. “I hate you.” Though her voice barley higher than a deadly whisper, it sounded as if she had screamed it to me. Pain erupts from my body, not from my freshly slapped cheek, but from my chest. It fell as if everything inside of me has been plummeted into ice and then shattered into a million pieces. It has been precisely ten seconds since she had said those three words, and I still haven’t mustered up a response. I can’t even bring myself to tear my eyes away from hers. I just stand there, shell-shocked and dumbfounded staring into her beautiful crystal blue eyes. In the few short months since I had first laid eyes on her that warm summer afternoon, I have seen many expressions cross over these intensely attractive eyes. Excitement, fear, frustration, confusion, surprise, annoyance, and sadness have all shown their faces. More than one of them on my account. But now, looking into the eyes that I have very nearly lost myself in on multiple occasions, the only thing I see is hate. I open my mouth at last to say something. What, I don’t know, and no one else will either, for at that exact moment Ari spins around and walks away. She leaves me standing there, mouth wide open staring after her. Bree and Lily stare at me for a second longer before following her back the way that they had come. Once they were out of sight I begin to realize just how many people are standing around staring at me while I stand here with my mouth open like an idiot. I quickly close my mouth, but I can still feel the heat quickly rising from under the collar of my shirt. So, I do the only thing that comes to mind, I laugh. Loudly. I turn to Remus and James and say, “Didn’t I tell you she was completely nuts?”“Yeah,” is all Remus says in response. He has a look on his face that I know all too well; the “worried mother” look. I am going to have to avoid him or I’ll be stuck listening to another lecture about feelings and such. James just chuckles under his breath, puts his arm around my shoulder, and says, “Bitches man.”Peter is laughing but looks confused, as always. “We better get to class, or old Slughorn will put us all in detention,” Remus says trying to bring us back to reality.“Oh, let him,” James says with a wave of his hand. “Detention never hurt anyone.”“Maybe so, but Slughorn fancies Saturday detentions, and as I remember it, you’ve scheduled tryouts this Saturday James.” Leave it to Remus to be the voice of reason.Realization crosses James face and he all but pushes us down the stairs to the dungeons. We make it just in time for class to start. I sit at my desk and try not to make it obvious that I am keeping an eye on the door, waiting for Arianna, Bree and Lily to come in. Class has been going for ten minutes when the door opens and in walks Bree and Lily, interrupting Slughorn’s lecture about the importance of a proper Pepper-up Potion. My heart sinks into my stomach when I see that Ari isn’t with them.“I say girls, running late are we?” Professor Slughorn addresses them.“We’re so sorry Professor,” Lily says sweetly. Slughorn has a soft spot for Lily. “Arianna became horribly ill after Transfiguration. We only just finished getting her to bed.” Holy hell Evens is a good liar. Who knew? “I see,” says Slughorn. “It couldn’t have been avoided then. Well take your seats ladies and let’s continue.” I glance over to James, who is staring at Lily as if he has just fallen even more in love with her. I swear, he’s hopeless. I try as hard as I can to listen to Slughorn drone on and on about today’s potion. But my mind keeps drifting off to Ari. Where is she? What is she doing? Surely, she isn’t so upset that she skipped class just because of me. If I was being honest with myself, I know I am being a right prat.I look up when a piece of crumbled up parchment hits me in the head. I look around me to see where it could have come from while I pick it up and unravel it. I am suddenly aware that everyone is working on their potion while I am sitting around looking like a git. The parchment confirms this for me. Padfoot, get your head out of your arse and get to work. If you get detention for tryouts, I’ll throw you off the team! -Prongs I charm the paper so I can write him back.You wouldn’t dare throw me off the team. I’m the best player you have! And I can make this potion in my sleep, so don’t get your nickers in a twist. – PadfootHay! I take offense to that! I’m a much better flyer than you are. Now get to work or I’ll make Moony give you detention anyway. – ProngsI charm the parchment again, so I can include Remus. Moony, tell Prongs to quit being a git. -PadfootOh no you don’t! I’m not getting in the middle of your lover’s quarrel. – MoonyWell what’s the point of you being Prefect if you can’t boss people around for me? – PadfootI get up to collect the ingredients I need for the potion. I have to do it alone since Arianna is gone. On my way back, I pass Isabel’s table and she smiles at me and batts her eyelashes. I’m sure she thinks she looks very attractive, but in reality, the effect makes her look like she has a twitch in her eye. “Oh, Sirius! You have no partner! That isn’t fair! I’ll ask if I can help you. You really shouldn’t be on your own after that dreadful attack in the hall,” she says in a sickening sweet voice.“Thanks, but I’m alright. I’ll be fine doing it on my own,” I reply. I flash her my best smile hoping she will drop the subject. I really have no desire to spend the rest of the period trying to make a potion while a dimwitted slag tries to hang all over me. I walk away before she can protest further.I return to my desk to find Remus has written me again. Not the point. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you’re alright. Arianna got you pretty good. Your face is still red. – MoonyOh great, here we go. I can hardly feel it. I’m fine. – PadfootGood to hear. – ProngsWhat about what she said? You okay? – MoonyFor the last time, I’m fine! It isn’t the first time a silly girl has told me she hates me. I could really care less. -PadfootSure. – ProngsYeah you look like you could care less. – MoodyI put my quill down to add the ingredients into my now hot cauldron. Chopping, mincing, adding and stirring out of memory rather than actually paying attention. In all actuality, it bothers me quite a lot what Ari said to me. I have never been closer to a girl than I had been with Arianna. She knew all of my secrets. She knew me better than anyone, apart from James, Remus and Peter. And this absolutely terrifies me. But I’m not about to admit that to anyone. It has had absolutely no effect on me. – PadfootWe can see that. – ProngsIs that why you’re burning your potion? – MoodyDamn it! I hate it when he’s right. I stop writing and focus on salvaging my potion. I never mess up potions. What is she doing to me? I have to figure out a way to stop this now. I just need to focus on something or someone else. The rest of my classes passed much the same. As hard as I tried, I just couldn’t stay focused. Remus tried talking to me about my feelings three more times before I had to flat out tell him to fuck off. Arianna didn’t show up at lunch, and I found that it bothered me more than it should. For the life of me I can’t figure out why this is affecting me so much. She is just a silly girl. I’ve had more than my share of public fights with silly girls, but none of them left me feeling like this. In fact, Ari has left me feeling a vast array of emotions that I’m not used to. Anger, frustration, fear, and a new one that I’d never experienced before. It happened on the first day of class when I walked up to Transfiguration and saw Porter talking with Ari. The way his eyes scaled her body and lingered at the hem of her too short skirt, the smirk that played at his lips, and the seductive tone he was taking with her infuriated me instantly. I was ready to step in as soon as she told him to back off; but she didn’t. She batted her beautiful eyes and looked up at him through her long, dark eyelashes. She smiled at him sweetly and giggled! Then she agreed to sit with him, for the whole term! It was then that I noticed the red-hot anger threatening to burst from me was coupled with the odd feeling that I was losing something. Suddenly I wasn’t only mad but scared as well. It made no sense. What could I possible have to be afraid of? Remus, later, informed me that I had been jealous. Ha! Sirius Black does not get jealous. However, as time passed I noticed more and more guys in our year giving Ari the same looks that Porter had. So, I simply took matters into my own hands. It wasn’t hard to convince all of them to leave her alone. All I had to do was suggest that they would be on my bad side if they didn’t. I’m not sure why I did it, but as soon as I did I felt better. This scares me even more. So, to take my mind off of it, I found Savanna an had a good snog. If there’s one thing Savanna is good for it’s a distraction. SNAP! I was brought back to the present and I look up to find Remus’ hand in my face getting ready to click his fingers together again. “Hello, earth to Padfoot!”“What? Sorry I didn’t catch that,” I say lamely.“We were just talking about dinner, and you know, who we thought might be there,” Prongs says slowly. “That’s dumb, everyone will be there, it’s dinner,” I reply slightly confused. “Uh-huh. So, what were you thinking about just then?” Remus asks me.“Savanna Taylor,” I reply as we walk into the Great Hall.“Aha! Our boy is back!” Wormtail exclaims joyfully. He’s a bit odd sometimes. I cast him a questioning look and raise one eyebrow, “Who says I left?”“I, well, earlier, never mind,” Wormtail replies dumbly. We sit down at our normal spot in the middle of the Gryffindor table and I find myself watching the door yet again. I don’t have to wait long because just moments after we sat down in she walks flanked by Bree and Lily. She looks fantastic in her casual clothes. Her dark blue jeans are snug on her hips and fall just right to accent her curves. She is wearing one of those ridiculous muggle band shirts again, but it looks as if it has shrunk in the wash because it is tight fitting and so short that it shows off about an inch of her midriff. Her face looked flawless, if she had been crying you definitely couldn’t tell. She has a smile on her perfectly glossed lips and her dark hair flows beautifully around her shoulders. As she walks on she runs her fingers through her hair which only accents the brilliantly bright purple highlights she has. As she walks up toward the front of the hall, I can feel my heart beat speed up. I clench the bench with both hands for fear that I might fall off. I try my best to keep my expression cool and unchanging, but I’m not sure how I am doing. As she draws closer to me, her brilliant bright eyes connect with mine for the shortest of seconds before landing on the Hufflepuff table. I follow her gaze to see Porter looking at her with hunger in his eyes. I look back up at Ari’s face just as she flashes him a radiant smile and a flirtatious wave.Suddenly my appetite is gone. I turn back around to see three pairs of eyes looking at me intently. “What?” I bark.“Nothing,” Prongs and Wormtail say together. Remus just looks at me with his all-knowing eyes. Tosser.I look down and start piling food on my plate. I am determined not to look in her direction again. It lasts a whole two seconds. I am in the process of piling chicken legs on my plate when I hear Frank Longbottom’s voice say, “So Arianna, it looks like you’re feeling better.”My head shoots up and I look around. Ari, Lily and Bree are sitting only a few seats away from us. I put my head back down, pretending not to listen.“Oh, yes,” Ari says in a silky voice that doesn’t sound anything like hers. “The funniest thing happened after Transfiguration. An absolutely disgusting display, made me positively sick. I seriously couldn’t make it to my classes. But I am definitely feeling much better now.”It is obvious she’s bating me. I am glaring at my plate so hard I could burn a hole right through it. I look up to see James, Peter and Remus all staring at me in concern. I glare at them and return my gaze back to my untouched plate. “You know,” Arianna begins again, this time talking to Bree and Lily. “While I was up in our dorm absolutely burning up I had an epiphany.”“Oh,” Lily says.“Yes. Besides you two, no one here knows me. I can be who ever I want, do whatever I want, and no one else has a say!” Arianna says matter of factly. “You are absolutely right,” Lily says, her voice far too cheerful.“Haven’t I been saying that all along?” Bree says excitedly. “Am I sensing a makeover coming on?”“Hmm, I’m not sure yet. But I’m definitely not ruling anything out,” Arianna says. I swear I could feel her eyes on me as she adds, “You know, I might try something edgy, you know something that will really draw the eye.”I can’t stand it anymore. I slam my fork down so hard that it splits my plate in two. I know my face is red, I can feel the heat radiating off of me. But it isn’t from embarrassment, it’s from anger. “Sirius mate, are you okay?” James looks at me worriedly. “Fine,” I grumble as I stand up. “Lost my appetite. “Wh-what?” Remus asks looking at me if I have two heads. Peter nearly falls off the bench with shock.“For crying out loud, I’m not hungry!” I yell a little too loudly. Suddenly half of the hall is staring at me. A short glance at Arianna shows me the satisfied smirk on her face. Bloody hell. Taking a deep breath, I stand up and stalk out. I didn’t bother to look back. What the hell did she think she was going on about? Making herself over? New her? Edgy look? What’s wrong with how she is now? Absolutely nothing that’s what. She’s only doing this to get under my skin. Well it isn’t going to work. I won’t let her get to me. I can’t let it show that she’s gotten under my skin. Not even to the other Marauders. If anyone knew that I was lying about knowing her it would end me. She already has all the ammunition she needs to absolutely ruin me. My mind trails back to all the times I wrote her about my thoughts, desires, and feelings. How I longed to feel like my family wanted and loved me. How I wished they weren’t so evil. How I wished I could convince Reg to run away with me. How afraid I was that he was going to become a Death Eater. Then there were the other big subject that consumed my letters to her; girls. I went on and on about all the slags here at school and how I wish I could find “the one”. How I longed for one girl to love who would love me for me and not want anything else from me. Of course, I left out a big portion of that, being that I snogged most of the girls in my year, the year below me and the year above me. However, contrary to popular belief, I’ve never shagged any of them. They do like to tell everyone that I have though. The closest I ever came was with Savanna Taylor, but it just wasn’t right. I had this feeling that she wasn’t the right one. I’ve never told anyone that, the guys would take the piss out of me if they knew. I look up to find that while I had been lost in my thoughts I had taken several wrong turns and am currently on the complete wrong side of the castle as the Gryffindor tower. Great. I hear someone approaching around the corner and before I can find somewhere to duck for cover I see none other than Savanna standing right in front of me. “Sirius! You gave me a fight,” she says batting her eyes at me and putting her hand on her overly large chest. I give it exactly one second of thought before I decide that what I need is a through distraction, and as I said before, there’s no one better for that than Savanna.I flash her my best smile, stare down into her eyes, slowly advance up to her until I am within an inch of her and say in my sexiest voice, “Well why don’t you let me make it up to you?”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Arianna’s POVAs I watch Sirius stalk out of the Great Hall, a triumphant smile spreads across my face. His usual swag is gone as he all but stomps out the doors. The Hall is silent as everyone watches him depart. The double doors slam shut with a BANG and the Hall erupts with chatter. I made Sirius black loose his cool with only a few short comments. I look at Bree and Lily and my grin spreads wider. Our plan to bring Sirius crashing down off of his high horse is off to an excellent start.After dinner I go for my nightly walk through the castle, just exploring the corridors. I take turns and climb staircases at random, keeping a mental note of my rout so I can find my way back. I make a right turn and find myself in a corridor with a dead end. Doubling back, I decide its time to return to my unfinished homework. I turn down a particularly long stretch of corridor, admiring the exquisite paintings on my right. Just as I was returning a “Good evening,” to a portrait of a middle-aged witch with a hooked nose, a loud crash sounds behind me. Before I can turn around to investigate, I’m knocked into the wall, bouncing off it and landing on my backside at the feet of an entangled Sirius Black and Savanna Taylor. With Savanna’s fingers still knotted in his hair, Sirius looks lazily down to see which insignificant person he’s knocked over. Obviously not expecting to see me lying there, his eyes widen with shock, and unless I’m mistaken, a hint of embarrassment. I return his deer in the headlights look with my most promising glare.“Arianna- I-“ He stammers as he attempts to detach himself from Savanna’s clutches. He extends a hand to help me up, but I slap it away. I don’t need his help. I pull myself to my feet, feeling a bit wobbly.“Ari, you’re bleeding!” Sirius exclaims. The warm trickle I feel rolling down my face confirms this. “We need to get you to the hospital wing!” He continues with a concern painted all over his face. He takes a step toward me only to be pulled back by Savanna who is staring at me with a mixture of triumph and disgust on her face. I step backwards away from him.“I don’t need your help,” I lie. I can already feel my head going fuzzy and my vision is narrowing.“Just leave her Siri, we have better things to do,” Savanna says suggestively.Again, Sirius attempts to shake her off. Disgusted, and feeling weaker by the second, I turn away from the and start taking shaky steps down the corridor. I’m three steps from the stairs when my vision diminishes. I attempt one more step and my world goes black and I’m falling. Sirius’ POV She’s too close to the stairs! My thoughts scream inside my head. I push Savanna away from me, not caring about the profanities she is screaming at me. I am running full speed after Arianna. I push myself even harder as I see her wobble one last time and begin to fall forward. I pull my wand out and yell “Glisseo!” turning the stairs into a ramp. I hit my knees and slide in front of Ari before she hits the ground. We slide down the ramp to the next landing, me on my knees and her in my arms. I look down to see that Ari is still unconscious with blood oozing from the gash on her forehead.Without looking back at Savanna, I stand and carry Ari down three flights of stairs and across the castle towards the Hospital Wing. Looking down at her helpless form, I take in just how beautiful she is. Her skin I soft and smooth and the perfect olive color. Her almond shaped eyes match perfectly with her found face and contracting high cheek bones. On anyone else, it might look awkward, but on Ari, it looks sophisticated and gives her an air of intelligence.I arrive at the Hospital Wing to find the doors closed, so I kick them open. The doors slam against the walls with a satisfying BOOM! My dramatic entrance attracts the attention I desire. Madame Pomfrey, the school’s new, young, nurse rushes out of the office to see what all of the commotion is about.“Mr. Black, what is the meaning of this?” she scolds me.“Poppy dear, we have a situation,” I reply smoothly, knowing she hates my referring to her by her first name. I lower Ari onto the nearest bed and I hear the faintest gasp escape Madam Pomfrey’s lips as she catches sight of her. By the time I look up at her she’s already composed herself. “She fell and hit her head and passed out,” I explain dumbly.“Move aside. How long ago?” she asks as her hands go to work cleaning and applying potions.“About ten minutes now,” I reply.“If you’re going to stay, sit over there out of my way. She’s lost quite a bit of blood and has a concussion”“She’ll be alight won’t she?” worry and guilt crash over me.“Oh, she’ll be fine, so long as you stay out of my way. She will be awake in about fifteen minutes,” Pomfrey says not looking up from Arianna’s freshly healed forehead.“I’ll just be going then,” I said slowly, surprising even myself.“You don’t want to be here when she wakes up?” Pomfrey asks me.“No, she won’t want to see me,” I say flatly, realizing it’s true as I say it.“Who, then, shall I say brought her in?” she prompts“No one she knows,” I whisper as I walk out. Arianna’s POV Something is wrong, off, not right. I could feel it even before I fully regained consciences. Once I was fully alert, I kept my eyes closed just listening. I heard the familiar voices of Bree and Lily somewhere nearby whispering frantically, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Their voices fill me with comfort. If they are here, I’m safe. I try to remember what happened. I remember dinner, and Black walking out. Black. Taylor. Wall. Blood. FUCK. I’m going to murder him. I bolt straight up in bed, gaining the attention of Bree, Lily, and a very young-looking nurse.“Lie back down this instant!” the young nurse prompts me.“Ari!” Bree and Lily shout as they both throw themselves at me.“Get off,” I laugh.“What happened?”“We’ve been worried sick!” Lily informs me sternly.I fill them in on the details I remember.“Blimy, Black is disgusting!” Bree says pretending to gag.“So, you have no idea who brought you in?” Lily asks me. “No idea. I’m just going to ask the nurse when she comes back. I’d like to thank whoever it was.”“No use, we already asked Madam Pomfrey. She said she came out and found you here,” Lily explained.“Oh!” Bree exclaimed with a jump. She was about to get excited about something again, I could tell. “Maybe it was Sirius!”I cast her a doubtful look.“No listen! I bet he felt really awful and brought you in, only he didn’t want you to know it was him, so he left before you woke up! He’s you knight in shining armor!” her eyes began to gloss over dreamily so Lily did me a favor and clicked her fingers in her face.“Hah! Did you forget the part where he knocked me over? Besides, he was way too preoccupied to worry about me at the time,” I say sourly. The memory of seeing Black and Taylor together was causing a peculiar sinking feeling in my chest, as if my heart had somehow fell into my stomach. “Plus, have you ever known Black to not take credit for something?” Lily chimes in.“Okay, you’re right,”We fall silent, because at that moment Madam Pomfrey returns from her office with my chart.“How are you Miss Willson?” she asks.“Fine. Fit as a fiddle. Can I go?” I ask eager to get cleaned up.“Not so fast,” the young nurse says as she examines me one last time, checking for any lasting injuries. She finds nothing and reluctantly releases me. I’m halfway out the door before I run back in, leaving a confused Lily and Bree standing in the doorway. I return and show them the spare piece of parchment in my hand.Bree smiles at me approvingly.“Oh, that’s perfect,” Lily commends me as we make our way back to Gryffindor tower.We are nearly at the Fat Lady’s portrait and with every step, my nerves are rising. I wish I could skip through the Common Room and get up to my dorm without being seen by anyone. I’m a blood mess… literally. I run my hand through my hair nervously, only to get it stuck in the hardening blood and gunk. I sigh loudly.“What is it, Ari?” Bree asks me.“Well, here I am, yet again, walking into a room, making a spectacle of myself, because of Sirius Black,” I could feel the hot prickle of tears threatening behind my eyes. Lily laughed, and I turned to her shocked. Lily isn’t usually one to be cruel, except maybe to James.“Is that what you’re worried about? Looking bad in front of the Common Room?” She asks me.“Yes! Look at me!” I almost yelled at her. “What else would I be worried about?”Lily casts Bree a knowing look, which sparks a twinge of annoyance in my core. I hadn’t realized, but we’d stopped moving. We were now standing directly outside the Common Room entrance. Fear washed over me like waves in the ocean. Taking a deep breath, I gather myself as best I can, preparing for the scene I am about to make. I open my mouth to say the password when I feel a hand on my shoulder and I am suddenly being spun around.“Okay, okay we get it! You’re brave and courageous and all things Gryffindor,” Bree says with a coy smile. “But if our plan is going to work, no one can see you like this!”“What…” I stammer.“Hold still,” Lily instructs me as she pulls out her wand and begins to do a quite complicated looking charm. A moment later there is a pop! And the scent of vanilla hangs in the air.I look down at my clothes which moments ago were covered in dry blood and dirt, they are now clean and fresh. I reach my hands up to my face and hair to feel that they too are soft and clean. Without thinking, I lunge on Lily, embracing her tightly.“Oh, thank you Lily!” I say gleefully.She muffles something into my shoulder, which I don’t understand since I’ve got her face trapped. I step back and ask her to repeat herself as Bree says the password.“I said, ‘Now we just have to talk about your feelings for Black.’” Again, I find myself staring at Lily in shock. The only feelings I have for Sirius Black are hatred. He’s completely humiliated me on numerous occasions. He broke my heart by pretending to be my friend, then denying me publicly. She knows this. I’ve told her this several times. I shoot Lily a questioning glance, but she only shakes her head at me and whispers “Later.”We enter the Common Room to a peculiar scene. Most of the house is gathered on the right side watching as James chases behind a pacing Black while Peter and Remus sit on the couch on the left, and watch.“Leave me be James, I’m fine,” Black barks behind him. I got the feeling that it wasn’t the first time he had said this.“Don’t give me that ‘I’m fine’ crap Sirius! I know something’s wrong! Tell me what’s wrong! This relationship will never work if you won’t talk to me!” James yells back frantically.Bree, Lily, and I stand there in shock trying to hold in our laughter. I can’t help it, a giggle slips passed my lips at the ridiculous scene before me. As soon as it passes my lips, I regret it. Black stops in his tracks and slowly turns to see who dared laugh at him. I clear my throat, put on my most stern face, put one hand on my hip and stand in what I hope is a commanding and sexy stance.Unfortunately, as soon as his eyes hit me I can feel my knees weakening, and the heat rising up in my belly once again. I only hope I was holding my composure. His eyes bare into mine and a devilish smirk spread across his face. I have the sudden urge to slap it off his face. I could feel the heat threatening to make its way up my neck and to my face. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.So, I do the first thing that comes to mind. Channeling Bree as best as I could, I bit my bottom lip, and raked my eyes slowly up and down his body in an obvious fashion. When my eyes reached his face again they were welcomed by a look of complete shock coupled with something I couldn’t quite place. I eye Lily and Bree and we strut our way across the Common Room to the stair case that leads to our room.We make it to our dorm and shut the door firmly behind us before collapsing on Lily’s bed in a fit of giggles.“Holy hell! Where did that blood come from?” Bree sputters out between giggles. “I- I don’t know! I just wanted to wipe that stupid, sexy, smirk off of his face!” I giggle back, but quickly slap my hand over my mouth when I realize what I’d said. Bree and Lily sit up and look at me and my eyes grow wide with shock.“Did you just- “Lily starts.“No!” I scream.“You did! You called Sirius Black sexy!” “No, it was an accident! A slip of the tongue! I didn’t mean it!” I sputter out, knowing full well that my face is turning the color of a tomato. They are never going to believe me now. “Oh, my heavens! I was right! You do fancy him!” Lily gasps.“No, no, no… I am totally over Sirius Black,” I say unconvincingly. Bree and Lily look at each other and look back at me, both mirroring the other’s sly smile.“What are you thinking?” I ask.“Girls night!” They scream together. Lily gets busy making plans and sending Bree to the kitchens. We are apparently meeting in some secret room on the seventh floor, so we can have ‘girl talk’ in private.“Okay, Bree, I’m going to take Ari to the Room of Requirement. See you in 30 minutes time,” Lily says looking at her check list, (when did she have time to make a check list?). “Ari, grab your jammies so we can head out.” Man, she’s bossy.For the first time since that morning, I head over to my bed. Pulling back my curtains I see a very large parcel sitting on my unmade bed.“Girls! When did this get here?” I ask turning around to look at Bree and Lily.“Oh, I completely forgot! What with you bleeding to death and all. The package from your mother arrived today!” Bree says excitedly.“I read the note, apparently she sent you some extra things. You better bring it with us, in case we get some nosey looky-loos while we are gone.”“Good idea. Don’t want anyone ruining the surprise before morning,” Lily agrees.I look at the package questioningly. It is very large. There is no way I can get it out of the Common Room unnoticed.“Hmm…” I contemplate, trying to remember the exact charm to shrink an object. “Oh, yeah!” I say more loudly than necessary. I pull out my wand and point it at my parcel. “Reducio.” The package shrinks small enough to fit into my pocket.“Good thinking,” Lily commends me. “Now let’s go!”Ten minutes later we are snuck out of the Common Room in a seventh-floor corridor. Suddenly Lily starts pacing back and forth. I’m about to ask her what’s wrong. Perhaps she forgot the way to the secret room, when suddenly, a door appeared on the wall out of nowhere. I look over at Lily in awe.She grins at me and opens the door, “Welcome, Arianna Willson, to the Room of Requirement!”The room is huge with a roaring fire in the fireplace on the right-hand side. There are three large comfortable looking beds sitting inthe middle of the room, and three large squishy looking chairs sitting in front of the fireplace. “This is amazing!” I breathe.“The room changes depending on the users needs of it,” Lily explains. We hear the door open and a turn just in time to see Bree walking in with just about every snack you can think of.“Let’s get this party started!” She exclaims.I giggle. Soon we are settled on the floor in front of the fire stuffing our faces with food."So back to this you fancying Black business,” Lily says.“I do not fancy Black. I loath him. My only wish is to bring him down off of his high horse,” I say as calmly as possible. I only hope they can’t hear my heart beating out of my chest.“But you did call him sexy, so you are at least attracted to him,” Bree counters.“I- well, uh- Arg!” I can’t think of a way to counter that, so my stammering confirms it for Bree.“Hah! Arianna! You think Black is sexy!” She teases me.“Shut up! I can’t help it,” I finally confess. “It’s that stupid smirk of his, and those eyes! When he looks at me, it just makes me feel all-“I look up at Bree and Lily and they are both staring at me wide eyed.“What…?” I ask for the millionth time today.They look at each other and look back at me.“You’re not just attracted to him…” Bree begins.“Or even just fancy him…” Lily continues.“You’re in love with him!” Bree finishes.“I- I am not! We’ve been over this! I loath him! I want to bring him down! I will bring him down!”I argue.“So,” Lily begins slowly. “You’re telling me that you don’t get butterflies when you see him. Your heart doesn’t race when you talk to him, and you don’t feel like your insides are on fire when he looks at you?” Good God, how did she know? I sat there looking at her dumbstruck.“You’re totally in love with him!” Bree accuses me. “How long?”“I’m not sure. Since the first day I saw him I guess,” I admit. If these feelings mean I’m in love with Black, then things just got a lot more complicated. I began biting my thumb nail, something I do when I’m nervous. “But this changes nothing,” I decide. “No matter how I feel about him, he has to be brought down. Which brings us to faze two.” I stand up and pull the parcel out of my pocket placing it on the floor. “Engorgio,” I say flicking my wand at it and watching it grow back to its original size.I open the package and Bree and Lily gather around. We find first and foremost, by beautiful broom. Second, I find my repair kit. Then at the bottom there is a third separately wrapped package with a note attached. I lift it up and hand the note to Bree who reads “Arianna dear, so glad you are doing well and making friends. Thought these could help you look stylish while you train for Quidditch. Love- Mom“Oh, no” I sigh pulling the tiny shorts, brightly colored sports bras and tiny workout tops out of the package.“At least she sent sensible shoes,” Lily added pulling the athletic shoes out of the box.“Why on earth does she keep buying these things for me?” I ask looking at the clothes desperately wishing there was more to them.“Maybe they aren’t as bad as they look,” Lily says trying again to be helpful. “Try them on.”“Yes, let’s see what we have to work with here,” Bree adds in.I look around to see where I can change, and suddenly there is a curtain blocking off a section of the room. That will do. I pick up an outfit at random and go change into it. I immediately regret it.“Oh, no. This is not going to work. I’m not going into public like this,” I yell to the girls.“Just come show us,” Lily yells back.I take a deep breath and step out from behind the curtain.“Oh my! It’s perfect!” Bree exclaims.“Perfect? It’s horrid!” I say looking down at myself. The shorts are so short that I worry they will disappear straight up my bum. The bra is comfortable and sensible, but I won’t stand for the shirt. It comes down just above my navel, showing much more skin than I am comfortable with.“I know it isn’t you, but it’s perfect for what we need, which is to distract Black tomorrow at try outs,” Bree points out. I hate to admit it, but she’s right. I sigh in defeat.Well at least he will get one hell of a shock tomorrow. Sirius POV I lie in my bed rolling over for the hundredth time. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t get my mind off of Ari. Seeing her covered in blood was one of the worst moments of my life. I worried about her all evening. James wouldn’t leave me alone. I finally had to tell him about my adventure with Savanna and what happened to Ari. Of course, that wasn’t what occupied my mind at this moment. Seeing her in the Common Room looking so empowered and confident and sexy. Then the way she looked at me. The way her teeth scraped her bottom lip as her eyes burned through every inch of my body. I shuttered at the memory. What is she doing to me? She is going to drive me insane. Not being able to handle the thoughts in my own head anymore, I decided to get out of bed and find a way to distract myself. My thoughts trailed to Savanna, but I quickly shook the idea out of my head. No more Savanna Taylor. I would have to find a way to make her leave me alone for good.A look at the clock told me it was 6 am. Since Quidditch tryouts are today, I might as well get warmed up. I get dressed in my sweats and decide a good run is what I need to clear my head. I quietly make my way out of my dorm and through the castle to the grounds and begin to run around the black lake.Two hours later I find my way back into the school sweaty and hungry. Making my way up to my dorm, I decide a shower before breakfast is the best way to go.I open my dorm room to find absolute chaos. James is pacing the floor acting like a worried mother. Hearing me enter he spins around and automatically yells “Where the bloody hell have you been? I’ve been worried sick!”I cast him an exasperated glace and say, “I couldn’t sleep so I went for a run to warm up.”“Warm up? Good. Good thinking. Why the hell didn’t you two warm up?” he flips around to glare at Remus and Frank Longbottom.“I- uh,” is all Frank can stammer out.“Because I bloody like my sleep,” Remus spits back. Man, he’s feisty when he get’s woken up too soon.Peter shrinks back hoping that James won’t turn on him next.“Well I’m going to go take a shower,” I announce heading into the only bathroom. I emerge several minutes later clean and smelling like my wonderful self.“Okay, who’s hungry?” I ask to everyone. We head down to breakfast and I take notice as soon as I enter the Great Hall that Arianna isn’t there. My spirits lower slightly.I eat as fast as I can, eager to be on the Quidditch pitch. James is doing the same I notice. I’m almost finished when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look up only to be smothered by Savanna Taylor’s wet kiss.“Siri, baby, I couldn’t find you last night! Where did you run off to? No matter. I’m coming to watch you at Quidditch tryouts! Isn’t that great?” she blabbers. I look to James for help.“Actually, Savanna, it’s a closed tryout. And as you aren’t a Gryffindor and can’t try out…” James explains saving my ass. I sigh heavily in relief.“Well okay then. I’ll see you after sugar,” she says kissing me again. I pull away and try to smile at her. She walks away shaking her hips in what I’m sure she thinks is a sexy manor.I look up at the boys, “Ready to go?”We get up and head down to the Quidditch pitch to fetch our brooms and get our gear on. We head onto the pitch to see nearly a dozen people waiting to try out. James begins explaining the rules to them when I notice three people making their way up the pitch. Taking a closer look, I recognize Arianna immediately. I nudge James interrupting him, and nod in their direction.“Sorry girls, this is a closed try out,” he calls out reluctantly when he see Lily.“Actually,” Bree begins.“I’m here to try out,” Ari brings her broom into view. The crowd erupts with laughter.“But you’re a girl,” someone shouts.“Well spotted, prick,” Bree spits back.“There is nothing in the rules saying a girl can’t try out for the house team,” Ari says defiantly.“You had a head injury yesterday,” I counter. Quidditch was mine and I wasn’t about to let her take this away from me too.“Madam Pomfrey cleared me for try outs. Here, see for yourself,” she hands James a note.“Looks like everything is in order,” James sighs. “What position are you trying out for then?”“Beater,” Ari says. Great she want’s to be my partner. Not going to happen.“Okay we will do tryouts for the Keeper position first. Everyone here for that position please step forward,” James commands.Everyone except Arianna and two others step forward. Shit. Keeper position tryouts are pretty simple. Each person takes a turn guarding the goals while the team tries to score. Whoever blocks the most, gets the spot. In the end, the position goes to a fifth year with the surname Thomas.“Okay the position for Beater won’t be so easy,” James begins. “You will each take turns flying around with Sirius trying to hit each other with the bludger. The person to stay up the longest without getting hit, or nearly getting hit, gets the position.”The first tryout was a second year who was about ninety pounds soaking wet. He could hardly stay on his broom for three minutes.“Out!” James yelled at him. The second candidate was another fifth year who looked like he had promise. He ducked, swerved and hit bludgers at me for fifteen minutes before James called us back down looking pretty happy with himself.“Okay and last but not least, Arianna. It’s still not to late to back out,” I say to her with a coy smile.“Not on your life Black,” she retorts. She looks over to Bree and Lily who nod to her approvingly, and she begins to unbutton her cloak. Taking it off completely, she throws it to the ground dramatically and reveals the tiniest outfit known to man.Suddenly I can’t think straight, with so much of her out there in the open. She makes a show of flinging her hair back and forth and tying it back out of her face. I feel as if everything is going in slow motion. The urge to have my hands all over her exposed skin floods through me. It fills me from bottom to top until I almost can’t stand it anymore. I shake my head to try and clear my thoughts before my pants start to betray my feelings.Someone cat calls at Ari and anger ripples in my chest. I turn to see who the culprit is, only to be faced with James and his ever so high eyebrows. “Everything alright Padfoot?” he whispers to me.“Fine,” I growl hopping on my broom. “We going to get started or what?”Arianna’s POV The pure shock on Black’s face is completely worth the skimpy outfit. And just like Bree said, I make a show of tying my hair back. I swear I see desire burning in his eyes, but before I can confirm, he shakes his head and turns toward James. They whisper something to each other that I can’t hear, then Black claps his hands and announces that we need to get started.I pick up my broom and the spare club and shot upward. Looking down I give James the signal that I’m ready. Out shoots the bludger and I race toward it, reaching it before Black. I spin around in a whirl and use my right arm to fling the bludger straight toward a shocked looking Black. Unfortunately, he recovers quickly, hitting it back in my direction. I flew upward as the bludger chased me and swerve into a downward corkscrew quickly hitting it back at him at his new position near the goal posts. Again, he dodges. We went like this for I’m not sure how long. Him, trying his damnedest to hit me, and me evading with my best moves and trying like hell to hit him. It was the worlds most complex air dance. Suddenly I see the bludger diving toward the ground and I race toward it with Black hot on my trail. The ground is a meager 10 feet away when I see Black pull up and yell at me to do the same. I lean forward getting in front of the bludger and pull my broom up just two feet above the ground, spinning around with all of my might I hit the bludger upward in the direction of as shocked Black. It misses him by an inch.“Sirius….” James stammers. “You’re out mate. Arianna, welcome to the team.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
I stare at James in disbelief. Had he really just said… I made the team! Good Lord, I did it! Relief floods through me vanquishing a panic that I hadn’t realized was there. I land my broom just in time to be knocked over by squealing Lily and Bree. My happiness is short lived however, because just as I had, Sirius lands and dismounts his broom, only instead of being happy, he’s cursing quite loudly. “James, you can’t possibly be serious!” he says as he marches up to James. “Pick someone else, anyone else! But not her!” “Sirius mate, she won. The rules were clear, the best tryout gets the spot, and well, she lasted the longest and nearly hit you. Not to mention she’s a bloody brilliant flier. I’m sorry, but she gets the spot,” James said firmly. Black stared down James for exactly 10 more seconds before huffing and turning around to face me. “You! What are you bloody playing at?” Getting to my feet and placing my hands on my hips, I stare him down. I’m not about to give him an inch of my victory. “I’ve no idea what you’re going on about.”“You did this on purpose! You think you can just waltz in here and turn my life upside down? Well you can’t! I happen to know that you-““You know what Black?” I cut him off. “You don’t even know me right? How could you possibly know anything about me seeing as we only met over the summer, and you’ve been insisting that I’m a complete nutter. Hmm, have anything you would like to share with the group here?”He stares back at me blankly. I’ve caught him. “I was right, you are a complete nutter,” he begins. “I was about to say, that I happen to know that girls can’t play Quidditch because they fold under pressure!”I stare up at him in disgust. I hadn’t realized, but as we were arguing we had grown closer and closer together, and now we were mere inches apart. “You pig,” I breath.His eyes are boring angerly into mine, and we are so close that I can feel his hot breath on my skin. He huffs loudly, making a loose strand of hair move across my cheek. A shiver runs down my spine.“Okay break it up,” James says pushing himself between us. James decides that its best to keep my position on the team a secret until the first match. He calls me the secret weapon, but I’m more inclined to believe that he doesn’t want Gryffindor made a laughing stock for having a girl on the team before I can prove myself. He swears everyone to secrecy and sends us on our way.The rest of the day passes by in a blur. Mostly it’s Lily helping me catch up on my homework with little coy comments about victory thrown in that only the three of us can understand. By dinner time my brain hurts from all the homework I’ve been doing. But hard work pays off and I’m all caught up. Lily, Bree and I head down to dinner in high spirits.“I still can’t believe you did it!” Bree whispers to me.“I know!” I say.“Black was furious!” Lily adds.“Good. He deserves to be. He’s nothing but a self-righteous prick,” I tell them.“Here here!” Bree chimes in.We walk into the Great Hall and suddenly I can feel the weight of someone’s eyes on me. I look around and immediately regret doing so when my eyes lock with Black. The heat rising in my belly turns to ice when I see that he’s glaring at me. He’s obviously still upset about the outcome of the tryouts, but I’m not about to let him steal my glory. I send him my best glare, break eye contact with him and refuse to look at him for the rest of the evening. At least that was my plan. It isn’t my fault that half way through dinner Savanna Taylor started yelling at him and slapped him round the face. To be honest, it was quite satisfying to watch. By the time we left dinner the rumors are flying, but I don’t really care enough to pay attention. That is until we are passing group of second years and I hear my name whispered between them. I stop in my tracks. One look at Lily and Bree tells me they heard it too. I whirl around to face the group of three second years. “Care to repeat that?” I ask sternly.“Wha- what do you mean?” the middle of the three girls says. “I heard you say my name, now tell me what you were saying,” I repeat folding my arms in front of me to seem more authoritative. I look at them all in turn, each one looking more fearful than the last. Finally the one on the left pops up with “It was me.” “Okay… continue,” I urge her. “I was siting next to the Maurders at dinner,” she squeaks. “I saw Taylor come up and throw herself at Sirius. He pushed her off of him and told her to ‘get fucking lost, they are done’. She asked him if he was joking. He said ‘I’m not joking, I’m bloody sick of you.’ She lost it. She started screaming at him that he’s making a huge mistake. Then she said that it’s all your fault. That since you’ve been here that he’s been distracted. She said she was going to ‘take care’ of you and he would see what a mistake he made. Sirius told her to ‘shut her slut mouth and fuck off.’ At which point she slapped him round the face.”“Great,” was all I can think to say in reply. I continue to stare at her blankly when I feel hands on my shoulders turning me down the hall and Lily giving the girls a polite “Thank you.”“Ari, snap out of it!” Bree tells me.I shake my head and sigh. “Great now the whole school is going to think I’m one of Black’s bloody slags.”“That’s the least of your worries!” Lily practically screams at me.Startled I turn to her, “What are you talking about?”“Taylor has it in for you!” she reminds me as if I’d forgotten.“Yeah so, that little bimbo can bring it,” I say, sounding stronger than I feel. “No… you don’t understand. Taylor is brutal. She’s made kids drop out of school before,” Bree tells me. I turn to her and see that she’s worried for me. “I can handle Taylor,” I say slightly less confident.“We’ve got your back,” Lily says looking at Bree who nods her head in agreement. We finish our walk back to the Common Room in silence. Lily and Bree flanked me on either side, and I grow more conflicted. On the once hand, Taylor vowed to get revenge on me. I do not deserve this revenge, nor do I welcome it. But everyone seems to be afraid of her, so I’m thinking that I should definitely be on guard. On the other hand, Taylor is nothing more that a bimbo spouting hatred out her ass. She couldn’t hurt me if she tried. In the end I decide not to worry about it too much, but not to let my guard down around her either. We get back to the dorm and I decide to go to bed early. All this drama has tired me out. When I awake, it’s still dark out. A look at my clock tells me its three in the morning. I roll over and try to go back to sleep, but its quickly apparent that I’m not going to be able to. Thinking of my options, I decide a trip to the kitchens for a snack is exactly what I need. I get up and slip on my slippers quietly. I don’t bother covering up my pajamas because I’m not planning on running into anyone. Who’s going to be up at this hour anyway?I make it to the kitchens without problems. It’s quiet in the hall as I approach the picture and tickle the pear. I open the door to find the kitchens are quiet as well. Only one house elf is awake. Suddenly I feel selfish for coming down here. Of course the house elves would be asleep right now! I turn to walk out when the house elf spots me.“What can I get for you miss?” he squeaks.“Oh, I was just leaving. I didn’t realize that everyone would be asleep,” I tell him.“It’s no problem! It’s my night for watch. Please, let me get you whatever you wish!” he replied.“Okay, can I have some crackers and vanilla frosting?” I ask. “Coming right up Miss!” he says as he goes rushing off. There’s a small square table at one side of the room. I make my way over and sit down. It isn’t long before the little house elf comes running up with my request.“Thank you, uh…” I say trying to remember if he’s told me his name.“It’s Nix Miss, and you’re very welcome,” Nix said and turned away, leaving me to eat my strange snack in peace.I sit for a few minutes eating my snack and thinking about my predicament. Savanna Taylor blames me for her breakup and has sworn revenge. Because of her outburst, the entire school thinks something is going on between me and Black. Ugg. Now I’m frustrated. I stand to leave, and turn to ask Nix if I can take the frosting with me. He says yes. I’m walking down the hallway with my frosting and my spoon, lost in my thoughts. I’m not paying close attention to my surroundings, just making my way back by memory. Suddenly a voice snaps me out of my trance.“Oh bloody hell. What are you doing here?” the voice says. I look up to see the cold gray eyes of Sirius Black. “What do you mean what am I doing here? What are you doing here?” I counter.“Couldn’t sleep,” he startles me by giving an honest reply.“Same,” I say slowly. Silence grows between us, quickly getting awkward. With nothing else to do, I take a step forward, making a move to go around him. He quickly side steps to block me. To hide my shock and annoyance, I take my spoon and scoop my frosting onto it. Trying not to look at him, I bring the spoon to my mouth and suck the frosting off. Again I try and fail to move around him. Finally frustrated to the breaking point, I look up at him, staring straight into his eyes. “What’s your problem?” I almost yell. He face grows dark, darker than I’ve ever seen it. It’s shocking and I take a step back away from him, somehow landing me with my back against the wall. He moves forward, blocking me in. “My problem? You’re my problem! You’ve shown up here and messed everything up! You’re everywhere and I can’t escape you! And now you’re in Quidditch too! Why can’t you just leave me alone?” he says, his voice is low and menacing. Not knowing what to say, and not wanting to show how intimidated I am by him right now, I did the only think I could do. I distracted myself with my frosting again. While I’m slowly removing my spoon from my mouth, allowing my teeth to scrape the frosting off of the spoon, I hear a low, throaty growl that makes me look up.Staring into Black’s eyes, which were cold and hateful just a minute before, I can see now that they have changed into something I’m not familiar with. They are still dark, but the hatred is gone from them. The cold is replaced with fire. I notice also that they are not staring back into my eyes, but they are locked onto my mouth. I have an idea of what’s going on, but to be sure I bring my frosting spoon to my lips one more time. I move slowly and deliberately watching him for his reaction. His eyes widen as again I slowly pull the spoon from my mouth. I remove my eyes from his to see that his chest is heaving up and down quickly. I move to scoop more frosting on my spoon, intrigued by his reaction to such a simple action. Suddenly I find that my spoon is gone from my hands.“Would you stop that?” he says to me, almost pleading. “What are you talking about?” I decide to play dumb. I take one more look at his face, the spoon in his hand, and my frosting container in my hands. I don’t know what made me do it, but suddenly my finger was in the frosting, and I am raising it to my mouth. Looking him straight in the eye, I place my finger in my mouth and suck the frosting off, removing it slowly just as I did the spoon. The result is instantaneous. Suddenly I am surrounded by him. My back is pressed against the wall, his hands are on the wall on either side of my head, and he is leaning so close to me that I can feel his breath on my face. It suddenly clicked, the word I was looking for to describe the look in his eyes. Desire. Red hot desire. “Are you trying to drive me crazy?” he whispers in his growl that I suddenly find very sexy. A quiver shoots through my body that I can’t hide. He moves closer still, his body is pressed against mine, and his face is so close we’re practically touching. The fire in my belly is hotter than it’s ever been. My heart is racing so fast that I’m sure he can hear it, and I notice that my chest is heaving with short, hard breaths too. “I still don’t know what you mean,” I lie again.“You know exactly what you’re doing to me right now. The question is why.” He replies. “Why what?” I ask.“Why you have this affect on me,” he breaths lowering his lips to mine. I close my eyes and lift my chin up to receive his kiss. But instead of welcoming his lips to mine, a sudden and unexpected “NO!” screams through the corridor. Black jumps away from me quickly, and I’m left standing there looking like an idiot. I look down the hall to see that the scream had come from none other that Savanna Taylor herself. Great. That’s just what I need. “I knew it! I knew you were after him! All of this is your fault!” she screams.“Savanna, this isn’t what it looks like,” Black puts his hands up and tries to reason with her.“No! I’m not stupid. I can see what’s happening. No matter, I can fix this! All of this! Especially her!” she has her wand out now, waving it around like a crazy person. “Savanna, don’t do anything you’re going to regret now,” Black says slowly.“Oh I’m not going to regret this! I made this curse just for you Siri. So you can know once and for all who you belong with!” she looked back and forth between us, her eyes wide and wild like a crazy person. “Savanna, NO-” but he never finished his sentence, because Savanna began to wave her wand in a swirling and harsh manor. She muttered a curse that I couldn’t make out, and the entire corridor erupted in a bright light, followed by a wind that knocked me backwards into the wall. For the second time that week, I’m knocked unconscious by Black and Taylor. When I awake again, I’m lying on the couch in the Common Room. Sirius is asleep in the chair next to me. I shift to sit up and he wakes. “Thank God! I thought I was going to have to take you back to the Hospital Wing,” he says breathing a sigh of relief. “I’m fine, my head just hurts,” I reply. “How did we get back here? The last thing I remember was being outside the kitchens and Taylor shooting a curse at us.”“I, uh, carried you. You hit your head and passed out again,” he explained without looking me in the eye. “What the hell was that curse she tried to hit us with?” I ask him.“Savanna is very good at charms, and even better at curses. Her hobby is making new ones. Apparently she made one just for us,” he replied.“Well thank the heavens she missed!” I say. “She didn’t miss…” Sirius says slowly.“What do you mean, I feel fine,” I say. Besides my head hurting and this slight dizzy feeling, I do. “Are you sure? You don’t feel like somethings missing?” he presses.As soon as he says it, I feel it. Somethings wrong, missing, in my body. Like a part of me is gone. I stare at him wide eyed. “What did she do to us?” “Try to use your magic. Anything. Any spell you can think of,” he sighs.I look at the table, to the scattered parchment there. Pulling out my wand I do the simplest spell I can think of. “Wingardium Levios,” I say. But nothing happens. I panic and say it again. Nothing. “She took our magic. Cursed us,” Sirius says.“How do we break it?” I demand.He sighs deeply.“What is it?” I’m going into full panic mode now.“It’s so stupid. So cliche and so completely Savanna,” he stalls.“What?” I demand. “What will break it?”“True love’s kiss,” he sighs and rolls his eyes.“What? You’re serious?” I say, realizing the pun too late.He smirks “Yes I am. Both literally and figuratively.”I roll my eyes. “So we have to what, kiss someone we love?”“Its not that simple,” he begins slowly. “You have to kiss the person who’s as in love with you as you are with them.”Panic rises in me. No one is in love with me. I begin to hyperventilate. “I’m done. I’m screwed. I don’t have anyone!” Tears begin to roll down my face. Suddenly his hands are cradling my face and I’m looking directly into his eyes. “Calm down. It’s all going to be okay,” he tells me. He begins to breath in and out in a slow and precise manor. I find myself breathing with him. Slow and steady. As my panic subsides, I’m instantly aware of his hands on my skin. I’m on fire, everywhere. Looking into his deep, steel gray eyes my breath suddenly goes erratic again. He searches my face and begins to move his closer to mine. For the second time tonight he moves to kiss me. Again, I allow myself to lean into him, to breath his intoxicating scent. I’m about to give into my desire and close the gap between us when a small voice rings clear in my head ‘No!’I push him away, shocked at myself. “No, this is all your fault! If you hadn’t acted like an idiot, I wouldn’t be in this mess!” I push myself off the couch and run up the stairs, leaving a shocked Sirius Black sitting on the Common Room floor. I open my dorm door quietly, while I need to wake up Bree and Lily, I don’t want to chance waking up Savanna’s hench-women. I quietly shut the door behind me and move to wake Lily up. She wakes up in a jolt, shocked to see me on her bed. I place my finger to my lips and shhh her, waving her over to Bree’s bed where I do the same thing. We are all sitting on Bree’s bed, most of us awake. I am closing the curtains and I ask, as nonchalantly as possible “Can one of you cast a silencing charm?”They eye me suspiciously but Lily cast the charm.“What’s going on?” Bree yawns.“Taylor got me. She cursed me,” I whine. Suddenly completely awake, they both scream “What?!” at me. Reluctantly I repeat the story, every aspect of it. Right down to my leaving Black in the Common Room. “Oh my!” Lily says. “What the bloody hell?” Bree is staring at me like I’m mad woman. “I know, she’s completely insane. What am I going to do?” I plead with them to help me find the answer. “We’ll go to McGonagall in the morning. I’m sure she can figure out the counter curse,” Lily says confidently.“Or, you can do the obvious thing,” Bree says staring at me like I’m stupid.“What? I don’t know what you mean,” I reply.“Go downstairs and kiss Sirius!” she says with a duh! Implied.“What? No, that won’t work!” I say. “The curse is designed so that he has to love me as much as I love him. And Sirius Black only loves himself.”“Are you crazy? We already know that you’re in love with him. And after his actions tonight, I think it’s pretty clear that he loves you too,” Bree urges me. “No…” is all I can say. This is crazy, Sirius Black is not in love with me.“Ari, I think she might be right,” Lily says softly.“No. That’s not going to happen. Wipe that off the board, it’s not an option,” I say sternly. They both look at me concerned, but nod in agreement. “McGonagall, first thing in the morning.” They agree and we all go back to bed. I didn’t sleep. Not a wink. How could I? With everything that’s going on. At 8 o’clock I decide it’s time to get up and go see Professor McGonagall. I wake Bree and Lily as quietly as possible and we all dress in silence, not wanting to wake up Michelle and Isabel. The Common Room is empty except for two younger class men sitting at a table in the corner scribbling furiously on their parchments. We somehow manage to avoid everyone in the halls, and arrive at Professor McGonagall’s office in less than ten minutes. I take a deep breath, look over to Bree and Lily who nod encouragingly at me, and knock on her door. We hear a stern voice say “Enter,” from the other side. I open the door to find that her office is not quite as empty as I’d expected it to be. In fact it was fairly crowded. There are two chairs in front of McGonagall’s desk, in one sits Black, with the entire Marauder clan flanked behind him. In the other sits Taylor who is looking at me with a mixture of snark and hatred on her face. “Ah, Miss Willson, so good you could join us,” Professor McGonagall says. She conjures up a chair on the other side of Taylor and says, “Please have a seat.” I sit and mimicking the Marauders, Bree and Lily stand behind me showing their support. “Mr. Black, please continue to tell me what’s going on,” McGonagall motions to Black to continue with whatever he was saying before we entered the office. “Well, as I said before, Savanna and I broke up last night. I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk to the kitchens, where I ran into Arianna. We were in the middle of a discussion, when Savanna turned up out of nowhere and cursed us,” he says, looking down to avoid everyone’s gaze. “Discussion! Hah! You were snogging!” Taylor chimes in furiously. “We were not snogging!” Black and I say together. I glance at him and meet his eyes for a split second before quickly looking away. One look at the Marauders tells me that he left out the biggest detail in our “discussion”.“Well you would have been if I hadn’t interrupted!” Taylor says obviously proud of herself. “Be that as it may, it gives you no right to curse another student Miss Taylor,” Professor McGonagall says, giving her a look that could turn anyone to stone. “Now tell me, what curse did you bestow upon your classmates so that I can perform the counter curse and set things right.”“Hah! Good luck,” Taylor pops off.“I beg your pardon,” McGonagall is obviously not used to being disrespected. “What she means, Professor, is that you probably won’t find a counter curse. She made this one herself,” Lily says shyly. “You illegally manufactured a curse?” Now McGonagall was really mad. “Yes, and it’s one of my best if I do say so myself. I’m thinking of calling it The Love Lock curse,” Taylor says, even more smug than before. “You see, I took their magic away until they find True Love’s Kiss. That is they have to kiss someone who’s as in love with them as much as they are in love with that person. Simple enough fix for Siri, but I’m afraid Arianna is going to have some trouble, as no one loves her. “ She shoots me a nasty glare. “My Heavens!” McGonagall screeches. I’ve never seen her look so shocked. “To the Headmaster’s office with you straight away! I’m afraid this is going to cost you quite severely Miss Taylor.”“No matter, it’s nothing my Daddy can’t fix with a sizable donation to the school. But before I go, let me break Sirius’s curse for him,” She says while standing and turning to Black. “What-?” Is all Black can get out before she throws herself on him and kisses him sloppily on the mouth. She stands up and smiles down at him.“There! That should do it!” Taylor says with a grin.“Savanna, it didn’t work,” Sirius says slowly.“What are you talking about? Of course it did! I’m your true love!” Taylor says stupidly.Black pulls out his wand and attempts a spell, which doesn’t work. “I’m sorry Savanna, but I don’t love you. I never have.”“What? No that was supposed to work! It was supposed to bring you back to me!” Taylor says tears beginning to run down her face. She looks at me and says with malice “This is all your fault!”“You will control yourself Miss Taylor,” Professor McGonagall interrupts. “Now if you’re finished, head to the Headmaster’s office, where I, and your Head of House, will meet you shortly.”With her head down Taylor left the room.“Can you fix us Professor?” I ask.“I’m afraid not, at least not right now. I’ll have to study the curse and the both of you to try to develop a counter curse. But it will take time. In the mean time, you will attend classes and do the best you can without your magic. I will speak to your professors and you will be placed together for the time being,” she answers me solemnly. “Now if you don’t mind, I must head to the Headmaster’s office to deal with Miss Taylor.” We stand to leave when she stops us again. “Before I forget, Miss Willson and Mr. Black, you will meet me Friday evening for detention.”“What?!” I nearly yell.“You were both out of bed after hours, cursed or not, you will receive detention,” she informs us. Great, my magic is gone, I’ve been thrust into spending every class with Black, and now I have detention. Well this week couldn’t possibly get any worse.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For the remainder of Sunday, time seemed to pass at a sluggish pace. It seemed by lunch, everyone in school knew about Sirius’s and my predicament. I tried to resign myself to my room for the remainder of the day, but Bree and Lily wouldn’t have it. So now, we are lounging out by the Black Lake under the cover of a massive tree. “Okay, I admit, this is better than moping around the dorm while Isabel and Michelle make snide comments about my current… condition,” I say to them.“See, we told you! Nothing a little sunshine and a good view won’t fix,” Bree says lightly.“Except sunshine won’t actually fix my situation,” I remind her.“I know. But it helps,” she points out.“So what are we going to do about you current… condition?” Lily asks.“I don’t know. I guess I’ll just have to wait until Professor McGonagall comes up with the counter curse,” I say sadly. “Or… I know you said it wouldn’t work, but I still think you should kiss Sirius,” Bree says eying me to measure my response. “You’re right, I did say it won’t work. And for a good reason. Because kissing Sirius Black will not break my curse,” I say stubbornly.“What if you just tried it? You know, to rule it out?” Lily suggested.“Should I also kiss every other guy in school, just to rule it out?” I countered. “That’s not what we meant…” Lily started. “Yeah, Sirius is different. You love him. You admitted it yourself,” Bree finished for her.“About that. I think I was just confusing love with lust. Am I physically attracted to Black? Yes. Only a fool wouldn’t be. But I have no emotional connection with him whatsoever,” I say without looking at either one of them. One look into my eyes and they surely would see the lies behind them. Suddenly our conversation is interrupted by masculine voices from the other side of the large tree that we were sitting under. “Sirius mate, you at least have to consider that she might be the answer,” the voice of James Potter trails over to us.“Yeah, Savanna Taylor might have been mad as a hatter, but she was right when she said you’ve been distracted since Willson showed up,” Remus Lupin’s voice follows.At the mention of my name, I can feel every ounce of blood draining from my face.“We’ve all noticed mate,” Peter Pettigrew chimes in.“You’re wrong. She can’t stand me. And I’m not too fond of her either,” Black growls. It is clear they have been having this conversation for a while now.I look over to judge their reaction. They both seem stunned. I motion to them that we should leave. Lily moves to go with me, but Bree stays, wanting to hear more. “Bree!” I whisper yell. “Lets go. We shouldn’t be listening to this!”“But they agree with me! You and Sirius can break this curse right now!” Bree says louder than necessary. I cast her a threatening look, but it’s too late. The damage has been done. Remus and James poke their heads around the trunk of the tree and spot us.“What are you guys doing here?” Remus says with a curious look. “We’ve been here all afternoon,” I counter. “What are you lot doing here?” Lily asks, trying not to look at James.“We drug Sirius down here to get some fresh air,” Remus begins to explain.“Yeah we couldn’t stand the sight of him moping around the dorm any longer,” James adds, casting a smirk in Lily’s direction while running his fingers through his hair.“Us too! But with Ari of course,” Bree tells them with far too much cheer for my liking. At this point all of the Marauders have come to our side of the tree, and Black is making it quite obvious that he doesn’t want to look at me. “Ari?” James asks curiously. “Our nickname for Arianna,” Lily says exasperatedly rolling her eyes at James, but I could also see a slight smile in the corner of her mouth. I am going to have to ask her about that later. Seeing where this was going, I quickly butt in “It’s strictly for close friends, it’s still Willson to you.”James considers my response for exactly half a second before deciding for himself. “Nope, it’s too late. Ari it is. Hello Ari, I’m James the best looking guy in school.” Lily rolls her eyes, Remus snorts, and Black finally perks up and says “Is that so?” James turns and retorts, at which time I stop paying attention to their little squabble. I turn to Remus, the only intelligent one in the group it seems, and ask “Any word from McGonagall?”“If there was we wouldn’t be out here discussing options,” He points out.“Options, right. Because he has such a lack of volunteers,” I retort.“The willingness of the girls isn’t the problem, it’s the fact that he isn’t in love with any of them,” He points out.With nothing to say to that, I just roll my eyes and look away. By now James and Black had managed to throw themselves into the Black Lake and are now soaking wet. I try and fail not to stare at Black as his wet shirt clings to his skin. It reminds me of the first time I saw him, running about the Potter’s front yard looking like a Greek God. Black and James exit the lake laughing. Black peels off his t-shirt and beings to wring it out, exposing his bare chest. Suddenly I can’t breathe. My eyes are glued to him, taking in every inch of his perfectly chiseled abdomen. His eyes catch mine and that stupid sexy smirk slowly makes its appearance across his face. “See something you like,” he says, his tone far too seductive. Snapping myself back to reality, I cross my arms in front of my chest and sneer “You wish.”He’s within feet of me now. Slowly approaching me he continues with his banter, “Don’t lie. You’ve wanted me since the first time you saw me this summer.” That did it. The final straw. He didn’t realize it yet, but he just made a huge mistake. “Me lie? You’ve got a lot of nerve calling me a liar!” I can feel the eyes of everyone around us on me, but I don’t care. Two steps and I am to him, my finger pokes his bare chest with every word I speak. “I’m not the liar here! You’ve been lying from the beginning. Pretending to be my friend! Lying about me when we met! You knew exactly who I was, but you LIED to protect your precious secrets. You lie to everyone around you! To your friends who trust you, to the girls who think they love you. Everything you do is a big LIE, Black! But I know the truth. I know what you really are. Do you want to know what you are? I’ll tell you. You’re a coward.” I am out of breath and fuming. Ever one is staring at us, inches apart, me huffing staring up at him, him staring down at me with fire behind his eyes.“You know what-?” he begins.“What Black? What are you going to do? We have no magic, and your lies will fall on deaf ears to me. What’s your brilliant move now?” He stares at me with his deep gray eyes for what seems like an eternity before he says “I think you need to cool off.” Before I can register what he said, he’s got me lifted into the air and slung over his shoulder. He turns around and heads back the way he came, to the Black Lake. I’m kicking and screaming, calling him every profanity I can think of while insisting that he put me down. He doesn’t. He strolls into the lake water like it’s nothing, and when he’s waist deep, he tosses me off his shoulder and into the water. My descent to the water takes a thousand years and half a second at the same time. The moment I hit my breath is gone as the icy water steals every ounce of oxygen from my lungs. Sinking to the murky sandy floor, I move my arms around frantically while trying to get my legs under me. Finding my ground, I push myself to the surface. My thoughts of stalking off and getting out of this freezing water are washed away when I see the satisfied grin on Black’s face. For the second time today, I break. I slosh my way over to him and push him with all my strength. He hardly moves. I scream in frustration and try again, and again. I hit his chest with my fists once, twice, three times before he catches my wrists and holds me still. If I was angry before, it was nothing compared to the fury that I feel when I look up and see the amused expression on his face. “Black,” I growl at him. “You will remove your hands from my arms right now or my knee will finds its way to a place that, I’m guessing, you hold very dear.”It takes half a second for my threat to register with him before he releases me and puts his arms up in surrender. Without hesitation, I begin to slosh my way back to the shore. “Hey Willson,” I hear Black yell from behind me. Reluctantly I turn to see what he wants. “What?” I ask.“You look good wet,” he says with his award winning smirk and a wink. “You! UGH-” is all I’m able to articulate before Black gives me an ostentatious bow and dives under the water. I let out a furious scream and continue my stalk towards the shore. Soaking wet and completely humiliated, I can only imagine what my face looks like. Whatever it looks like, it must be scary, because when I march past the remaining three Marauders, they all make a point to look anywhere but at me. I ignore them and continue stomping my way up to the castle, not even pausing to acknowledge my friends. With each step I take, I plot all the different ways that I would love to kill Sirius Black. It’s been several hours since the debacle down by the lake. After taking a desperately needed blazing hot shower, I was beginning to feel much better. Or at least my bones had returned to the right temperature. Try as they may, Bree and Lily could not convince me to leave the dorm room again. So here I am, laying on my back on my bed in my eerily quit room, tossing my stuffed bludger up in the air and catching it again to pass the time. Growing bored of the act, and increasingly frustrated with my predicament and lack of solution, I catch the ball and roll over onto my stomach, using my plush ball as a pillow. There has to be a way to break this curse that doesn’t involve me kissing someone. I close my eyes and try to concentrate.When I open my eyes again my entire dorm is dark. The curtains are drawn on all the other beds; funny that I didn’t hear anyone come in. One look at the blackness outside the window tells me that I must have been asleep for several hours. My stomach growls loudly, informing me that skipping dinner wasn’t my best idea. I tiptoe to the door, trying not to wake anyone. A trip to the kitchens is exactly what I need. I make my way into the Common Room not really paying attention to my surroundings. I’m half way to the portrait hole when I notice movement on my right side. Quickly turning and taking out my wand (not so that I can actually use it, but because its a habit) I see that the movement is coming from another student rising from the chair next to the dying fire. We stand there staring at each other for a moment before the student tells me “Would you lower your wand? We both know damn good and well that you can’t use it.”I lower my wand as Sirius Black steps out of the shadows and into the light. Once again I’m struck with the sight of his bare chest. With great effort I peel my eyes away from his exposed skin and ask, “Don’t you own clothes?” with as much attitude as I can muster up. “You’re one to talk,” he retorts, gesturing to my attire. I look down and realize that I’m wearing the smallest pajamas I own. My spaghetti strap top hugs me tightly but only covers half of my stomach. My loose fitting cotton shorts hang low on my waist, much lower than they should, and they are entirely too short. Funny, I don’t remember putting this on. I take my arms and wrap them around myself in attempt to cover my exposed skin. I can feel my face heating up as I blush deeply. “Oh! Ah, I, uh…” is all I can manage to utter.“Love the pink elephants, by the way,” his chuckle turns into a loud bark like laugh as my face dawns an even deeper shade of red. “Let me guess, you skipped dinner and now you’re starving,” Sirius asks, with surprisingly little attitude. “Yeah,” I reply carefully. “You too?”“Oh, I’m always hungry,” he says, flashing a cocky smile. I roll my eyes at him, trying to ignore the heat in my chest and the flutter in my stomach. “Kitchens?” he asks while moving toward the door.“Uh, yeah. But let me go put something… more… on,” I say lamely.“Whats the point? I’ve already seen you,” he replies nonchalantly. I consider this, and decide he’s right. Plus I’m much to hungry to delay any more than I have to.We make our way out of the common room, and head as silently as possible down the corridor. I try, and fail, to ignore his perfect body next to me. My eyes continually betray me by glancing sideways at him. I don’t think he notices. “See something you like?” he mutters quietly. Even through the dark his sexy, arrogant grin can be seen. “Uh, pft, well,” I mutter back, completely humiliated by being caught. His grin widens, and I snap out of my stupor. “So you were looking at me too then.” If he saw me looking, he had to have been watching me too. “I make a point to always observe half naked women,” he replies, wagging his eyebrows at me. Annoyance sparks in me and I pivot on my foot and head back the way we came. “This was a mistake,” I say as I walk away from him. I’m five steps into my journey when I feel his hand on my arm, tugging me gently but firmly around. “Don’t go. I’m sorry. I’ll behave,” he promises me. I close my eyes for a moment, and take a deep breath. Big mistake. My senses are immediately overwhelmed with a smell I can’t quite recognize. It’s woodsy, but crisp. As if I was standing in a heavy forest on the edge of the ocean. I slowly open my eyes to see a far too close Sirius Black. The heat returns to me and I feel as if every nerve in my body is on full attention, vibrating with awareness at his closeness. I force myself to look up into his face, but his arrogant smile is gone. His perfect lips are now slacked and open only enough for me to feel his warm breath brush my face. I search his usually dark, stormy eyes to see they are bright with desire, much like I imagine my own are right now. My arm tingles where his hand still sits. Without taking my eyes off his, I place my free hand on his naked chest. I can feel his heart speed up to match mine. He lets go of my arm, and both of his hands find their way to my bare waist, while my newly freed hand traces its way up his arm to rest on his muscular shoulder. For a moment, I simply stare at him, drinking in every inch of his perfectness. When he begins to slowly lower his face to mine, I don’t hesitate to lift myself up to meet him. Our lips meet like a clash of lightning. Electricity pulses through me, pouring into my soul from each place that our skin touches. He pulls me closer and my body reacts immediately, arching to fill every gap. I part my lips slightly and instantly feel his tongue enter and begin dancing with mine. A slight moan escapes me, sending Sirius into overdrive. His grip tightens around my waist as he lets out a low, deep growl. My eyes fly open I sit straight up, utterly confused as to where I am. The door on the other side of the room opens and in walks Bree and Lily. I’m in my dorm. It was a dream.“What the actual fuck!” I say as I lift my hands up to rub the sleep from my eyes. My hands only get halfway up before I realize Bree and Lily have stopped midway in and are staring at me.“What?” I ask them.The only response I get is Bree pointing at me. I look down, and see what all the fuss is about. My hands, they are sparking. *At the same time, down in the Common Room, Sirius Black woke with a start and fell of the couch he had napping on. His hands were alight as electricity danced between his fingers.“What the bloody hell?”End of chapter