Lily smiled as her eyes fell onto the gleaming red of the Hogwarts Express. After what felt like one of the longest summers so far, she was ready to get back to her magical home, to the familiar warmth, the smell of old books, and to her friends.

“Can I give you some advice?” 

He looked at her, and nodded. 

“If you give her a chance to see the real you, you know the one that I’m sat next to right now, she might actually begin to like you. But you’ve got to give her some time to get over the annoying pig-headed version of you first,” Ruby finished with a laugh, making James chuckle. “You know, they make a cute couple?” 

“I love Minnie but man was that lesson boring,” Sirius said as they made their way to their common room. 

“I’m not sure McGonagall would approve of you calling her that,” Remus laughed.

“She loves it!” Sirius waved him off.

The problem was; Lily felt so ashamed. She was downright cruel to her friends, and did the one thing she promised herself she would never do; put a boy above others. She’d completely lost herself, became someone she didn’t recognise. They understood that’s why she had been hiding herself away; she didn’t know who she was anymore. Her grades had slipped, she’d ignored letters from home, and she’d pushed away the few people who looked out for her more than anyone.

James looked again, and felt his blood begin to simmer as he locked eyes on Lily, talking to Severus Snape. Snivellus.

James was waiting in a carriage on the Hogwarts Express, having said goodbye to his parents. He kept peering through the window, trying to find the rest of his friends on the platform.

“Sirius, are you asking me out?” Ariana asked. 

“What do you say?” He asked apprehensively.

“I say I thought you’d be better at this,” she laughed quietly, “I’m right in thinking you’ve done this before?”

A week had gone by since Ariana was attacked, and although the newspapers and the rest of the student body focused solely on the West family secret, for Sirius, and the rest of the Gryffindor sixth years, their thoughts were consumed with worry for their friend. She still hadn’t awoken, and Sirius was getting rather tired of hearing Lily’s statements of ‘no news was good news’.

“Ariana, AJ!” He shouted, shaking her. “Wake up!”

In a instant, her eyes flashed open and she sat bolt upright in bed. Sirius let go of her, not wanting to panic her anymore. She was panting, wiping her hair off her face as it glistened in sweat. 

“It’s ok,” he said softly, “you’re ok, you’re safe.”

“Sorry,” Ariana mumbled, running her hand nervously over her hair. 

“It’s ok,” Lily said quickly, sending a nervous look to their friends who were joining them down the stairs. “Are you ok? I’m sure Slughorn would understand-“

“I’m ok,” Ariana said shakily. “Let’s just go. We don’t want to be late.”

“Why?” Ruby asked horrified, looking back to see Sirius looking uncomfortable as he tried to free himself from her.

“Because it’s the truth,” Ariana said firmly.

James caught her, as the death eaters unceremoniously threw Ruby back into their cell. She gripped him tight, the tears springing to her eyes again as he took in her tear stained face. They’d had to listen to her relentless screams, for how long, James didn’t know. He glared at them, as they slammed the cell door in their faces.

James sighed as he stared out of the hospital wing windows, watching the rain fall heavily on the school grounds. It had been two days since they’d returned to Hogwarts, and still, there was no sign of Ariana or Remus. Dumbledore had stopped by with Alastor Moody late last night, for another account on the events of what happened when they escaped. James dutifully relived it, but he couldn’t see how it would help; they were pretty much lost.