L/J S/A Sirius and Arabella were best friends, before they went to Hogwarts and Sirius found James. When Sirius think' he's become too cool for Bella, Will Lily be a good enough friend...
"Okay, Bella, whoever hits closest to the target center wins?" Sirius Black said in a very challenging way.
"Sirius, when will you ever learn? I beat you at this game every time…" Arabella Figg said airily.
"Ah, ah , ah, Bella, don't get too secure. I've been practicing…" Sirius said tauntingly.
"You're on, get ready to lose." said Bella, still overly confident, though she did have the right to be. Sirius and Arabella were both 10 years old and best of friends you could imagine. They were about to challenge each other in their favorite contest ever. Of course, when it came to hitting the target, or any type of Beater contest, to Sirius's great dismay, Bella always came out on top.
For as long as they both could remember, Bella would come to Sirius's house to practice quidditch. Bella would do it at her own house, but her family wasn't, what would you call it, oh yes, well off, and they lived in an apartment, near the southern end of Surrey. Sirius, her best friend, though, came from a very wealthy family line. His house was rather large and with a huge backyard like his, they could practice as often as they wanted without being seen. Both purebloods, they were introduced to Quidditch at a very early age, and have been competing to be the better play ever since. They both dreamt of playing on their house teams, when they got to Hogwarts, naturally.
"You're soooo funny Bella," Sirius remarked sarcastically.
"I try" she replied with just as much sarcasm.
"Okay, ready…1...2...3...wait, who goes first?"
"Well as returning champion of this game, it's only fair I let you go first, so then the pressure is more on me than you." replied Bella, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fine then, watch and learn,"
It was then that Sirius, rather large for age 10, threw his whole arm's strength into the blow and sent the bludger racing toward the bulls eye. It hit not the center, but the next color layer toward the outside.
"HAHA! Sirius, that was pitiful, now watch me show you how we do it in the pro's" laughed Bella right into his face.
Arabella Figg, rather petit at age 10, slammed the bludger with more power than you'd think possible coming from her puny looking arm. The bludger whizzed towards the target and blasted it apart, dead center.
"Told you Si, every time!" Arabella boasted.
"Yeah, well, we'll just see about that. I vow, right here, right now, that I will never, so long as I live, let you beat me at that game, ever again. Never again, not even in a million years, not ever…" Sirius rambled on.
"Right, whatever, it's getting chilly, maybe we should go inside?" suggested Bella.
"Sounds good. Wanna stay for dinner? Mom said you could, I asked earlier. She's making spaghetti. Yummy!" asked Sirius.
"Alright, let me floo home quickly and tell my mom I'll be staying here for dinner, and be home later then."
"Yeah yeah yeah, you know where the fireplace is." said Sirius.
"Okay I'll be back soon!"
Sirius walked into the kitchen, greeted his mother, and sat down at the Kitchen counter.
"Siri, dear, is Arabella staying for dinner, have you found out yet?" asked his mother.
"Yeah, she'll be back soon, she was just going to check in at home."
It was as soon as Bella floo'd back into Sirius's house than an own came tapping on the window.
"I wonder what that is, the post came this morning?" replied Mrs. Black, rather quizzically.
"Mom, mom, its our letters! Bella, we're going to Hogwarts!"
"Wow, Sirius we really are going! We're going to be the best beaters they've ever seen!"
*****
A few weeks later, it came time to board the Hogwarts Express. Once Sirius and Arabella found them selves outside, loaded their trunks, in which the help of Mr. Black was needed, as Arabella seemed to be an over packer, and settled themselves in a deserted compartment, near the back of the train, they found themselves making a pact.
"Best friends forever, Sirius?" Arabella said, rather affirming yet still a little questionably.
"Best friends forever. Unless, of course, they put you on the quidditch team and not me. Then I'll hate you forever. JUST kidding. Best friends forever."
There then was a knock on the door.
"It's open…" said Bella
An auburn haired, brilliantly green eyed girl slid the door to the side. "Hi, My name is Lily Evans, can I sit here? I just had a nasty run in with some boy named Severus. He creeped me out before he even started speaking. He called me a mudblood, and I'm not sure what it means, but he didn't seem very nice, so can I sit with you guys instead?"
"Sure you can, by the way, my name is Sirius Black, and don't mind that Severus kid, he doesn't understand what civil conversation is, but all the same, im ever so sorry ladies, but my stomach is growling, and you know how I get when im hungry, Bella. I think I'll go see if there's any food on this train." And with that, Sirius excused himself form the compartment, leaving Lily and Arabella behind to talk.
*****
As Sirius walked out of the compartment, he ran right into a tall, lanky boy with incredibly messy black hair.
"Sorry," Sirius said politely, "I guess I wasn't looking"
"No, no, my fault," the boy said.
"No, it was mine, you clearly had the right-of-way, I should have been looking." Sirius retorted, all the while thinking *I am one nice boy*
"No, really, I was mine. I was so intent on finding the lady with the food cart, I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."
"Ok, ok, it WAS your fault, but anyways, did you say food cart?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah, I am so hungry I could eat a dragon."
"Me too, by the way, I am Sirius Black, first year and future Gryffindor"
"A Black, eh? I think our dads work together at the Ministry, I'm James Potter, first year also, I hope to be in Gryffindor, too, my dad was."
"Is your father an auror?" Sirius asked, as they made their way down the train.
"Yeah, coolest job in the world, if you ask me, I want to be one when I grow up." James replied.
"Really? That's what I want to do. There it is." Sirius said, pointing down the corridor to an middle-aged witch pushing a cart full of candies.
When they reached the cart, a short, stubby boy with neat blond hair, and watery eyes, was already buying food. When he was finished, he walked and joined a tired-looking boy, in a nearby compartment. Sirius bought a good amount of food, and while waiting for James, decided that one new friend was just not enough for the day and made his way into the compartment that the watery-eyed and tired-looking boys were now sitting in.
"Hello, I am Sirius Black, I am a first year," Sirius stated. The tired-looking boy spoke first,
"Remus Lupin, same." He said implying that he, too, was a first year.
"Peter Pettigrew, me too."
"And the boy who is practically buying the cart, is James Potter." Sirius joked. The boys all laughed.
"So," Sirius said, as the conversation was running thin. "What house, do you want to be in?"
"I don't know," said Peter, "And I don't really care, as long as I get sorted, I will be content."
"I am basically in the same situation, I was amazed that Hogwarts even excepted me." Remus replied.
Sirius couldn't help but think that there was a little more to his answer than the obvious, as if there was a reason why Remus might not have been excepted, but he put aside the thought as James walked into the compartment, hands full of sweets, and sat down.
"A little on the hungry side, are we, James?" Sirius sarcastically asked. James just laughed and opened a Chocolate Frog.
"This is Remus," Sirius said, waving his hand towards Remus, "And this is Peter." Doing the same gesture towards Peter.
"Hello, I'm James Potter." He said, while he unwrapped another 'frog'. "Help yourself, I won't be able to eat all this, the cart lady just kept pushing it all on me, I felt bad not buying so much, especially after Sirius only purchased a bag of beans, how can you eat those things, anyway? I'm always afraid I will get vomit or something."
"And YOU SAY you want to be in Gryffindor," Sirius said as he put a particularly bright yellow one in his mouth, "you need to get some courage, James. Yes! Lemonade."
"How long have you two been friends, anyway?" Remus asked, unwrapping one of James's chocolate frogs, and putting it in his mouth.
"Um, how long would you say James? 10...maybe 15 minutes?"
"Sounds about right, I'd judge so Sirius."
"Really? I would've thought you were brothers, the way you were acting, if you didn't have different last names." Peter said.
*****
Back in the girl's compartment, things were going just about the same.
"Well, you've introduced yourself already, but my name is Arabella Figg, but you can call me Bella, only my friends call met hat, and I think we're gonna be great friends. Sirius and I are best friends, been that way since before I can remember, but sometimes he lets his stomach become a number one priority. So, your muggle born I guess, if Severus really called you that name?" said Arabella rather questioningly.
"Yeah, what does it mean, you know, mudblood."
"Well, see, uhh, well I guess there's no really nice way to say this, but it means dirty blood. Severus comes from the Snape family. They've been wizards since forever. They are what you call, pureblooded, and find themselves superior to and don't really like those people that are born from non-magic families. Im pureblood too, but I think a witch or wizard is as good as their skills and integrity, not their blood. Its really not something to worry about though, no one really cares what type of blood you have. Don't even let it get to you, some of the best wizards of the time were muggle born. So, do you know what house you want to be in?" asked Bella.
"Well, I didn't know very much about Hogwarts to begin with, but I picked up some extra books at Flourish and Blotts, and I've practically memorized Hogwarts, a History, to make sure I wasn't any behind anyone else. Judging by what the books have said, I'd reckon I would like to be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I really just want to learn magic, so I guess I could study in any house, really. How about you?" questioned Lily.
"Well, I know Sirius will be in Gryffindor, no doubt, both his parents were, its in his blood, so I guess I'd like to stay with him, and be in Gryffindor too. You like to study? That's great! So do I! Sirius always wanted to prank people, and he never got tired of it, but I got tired alright. Im really much more of a study person, like you. I'm getting the feeling we're going to get along just great, and I've never really had a female best friend before, this is going to be so much fun!" and this was how it all started.
*****
*Fifth Year*
"I HATE stupid little immature boys!" said an infuriated Bella Figg.
"Let me guess," Lily drawled on, "Sirius and James played a trick on you during breakfast and you're mad?"
"Yes! And they think they are just soooo cool and everyone loves them. Why can't anyone see them as the stupidest, scrawniest, littlest, most immature pigs to ever be accepted to Hogwarts!" ranted Bella.
"Bella, must I remind you again, that they are NOT little and scrawny anymore, but rather good looking, at least James is in my opinion, and yes, they may be immature but they play these pranks ALL the time, you know its coming. You've got to stop letting it get to you."
"I know, I know, but I just can't figure out when I became 'not cool enough' for my best friend. Who made him too cool to have a friend whose a girl? He and I were best friends, Lily! Best friends!" Bella replied despairingly.
"Its not your fault, he just didn't realize what a great friendship you guys had." Lily said soothingly for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I'm not sure why he'd totally abandon you like that, but you can't change the past, so you just gotta forget him and live here, in the present. How about we go watch the Quidditch game this afternoon? You love quidditch!"
"As much fun as watching you drool over a certain messy haired Gryffindor seeker would be, you know I don't do anything related to quidditch. It isn't part of my life anymore."
"But I still don't get it. You were amazing first year in flying lessons. And I know you'd really love to be a beater on the Gryffindor house team, I accidentally read your diary a few years ago, why didn't you ever try out?"
"Well to start im officially offended that you read my diary, but since you asked…duh…Sirius is a beater, remember, and he obviously doesn't want to be my friend anymore. I'd be digging up memories that I've worked really hard to forget. Besides, you have to train hard during the off season, and I don't have a big field in my back yard or anything to practice in, and Sirius and I aren't friends anymore so can't practice at his house…"
"Wait! You could…no…well…it would be sneaky…"
"What are you on about…?"
"No, see, im thinking that you're kind of on good terms with his parents if you were his best friend and at his house all the time?"
"Yeah…your point being…?"
"Well, you could just owl his mom maybe and ask if you could practice sometimes at his house over the summer. I mean I heard Sirius and James talking, and I heard that Sirius is going to stay at James's for a whole 2 weeks over the summer anyways, so that's 2 weeks of practice…Sirius free!"
"I will never understand why you are so much smarter than me. It's almost unfair!"
"Well, you know, not to brag, but the answer was kind of obvious…"
"Shut it! Well I guess I don't have any other choice. Ugh I hate it when you're right."
"I know, Bell, I know. But Quidditch is your dream, and I'm not going to stand here while you let some stupid, ignorant, marauding boy stop you." Lily told her best friend.
"Okay, Bella, whoever hits closest to the target center wins?" Sirius Black said in a very challenging way.
"Sirius, when will you ever learn? I beat you at this game every time…" Arabella Figg said airily.
"Ah, ah , ah, Bella, don't get too secure. I've been practicing…" Sirius said tauntingly.
"You're on, get ready to lose." said Bella, still overly confident, though she did have the right to be. Sirius and Arabella were both 10 years old and best of friends you could imagine. They were about to challenge each other in their favorite contest ever. Of course, when it came to hitting the target, or any type of Beater contest, to Sirius's great dismay, Bella always came out on top.
For as long as they both could remember, Bella would come to Sirius's house to practice quidditch. Bella would do it at her own house, but her family wasn't, what would you call it, oh yes, well off, and they lived in an apartment, near the southern end of Surrey. Sirius, her best friend, though, came from a very wealthy family line. His house was rather large and with a huge backyard like his, they could practice as often as they wanted without being seen. Both purebloods, they were introduced to Quidditch at a very early age, and have been competing to be the better play ever since. They both dreamt of playing on their house teams, when they got to Hogwarts, naturally.
"You're soooo funny Bella," Sirius remarked sarcastically.
"I try" she replied with just as much sarcasm.
"Okay, ready…1...2...3...wait, who goes first?"
"Well as returning champion of this game, it's only fair I let you go first, so then the pressure is more on me than you." replied Bella, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fine then, watch and learn,"
It was then that Sirius, rather large for age 10, threw his whole arm's strength into the blow and sent the bludger racing toward the bulls eye. It hit not the center, but the next color layer toward the outside.
"HAHA! Sirius, that was pitiful, now watch me show you how we do it in the pro's" laughed Bella right into his face.
Arabella Figg, rather petit at age 10, slammed the bludger with more power than you'd think possible coming from her puny looking arm. The bludger whizzed towards the target and blasted it apart, dead center.
"Told you Si, every time!" Arabella boasted.
"Yeah, well, we'll just see about that. I vow, right here, right now, that I will never, so long as I live, let you beat me at that game, ever again. Never again, not even in a million years, not ever…" Sirius rambled on.
"Right, whatever, it's getting chilly, maybe we should go inside?" suggested Bella.
"Sounds good. Wanna stay for dinner? Mom said you could, I asked earlier. She's making spaghetti. Yummy!" asked Sirius.
"Alright, let me floo home quickly and tell my mom I'll be staying here for dinner, and be home later then."
"Yeah yeah yeah, you know where the fireplace is." said Sirius.
"Okay I'll be back soon!"
Sirius walked into the kitchen, greeted his mother, and sat down at the Kitchen counter.
"Siri, dear, is Arabella staying for dinner, have you found out yet?" asked his mother.
"Yeah, she'll be back soon, she was just going to check in at home."
It was as soon as Bella floo'd back into Sirius's house than an own came tapping on the window.
"I wonder what that is, the post came this morning?" replied Mrs. Black, rather quizzically.
"Mom, mom, its our letters! Bella, we're going to Hogwarts!"
"Wow, Sirius we really are going! We're going to be the best beaters they've ever seen!"
*****
A few weeks later, it came time to board the Hogwarts Express. Once Sirius and Arabella found them selves outside, loaded their trunks, in which the help of Mr. Black was needed, as Arabella seemed to be an over packer, and settled themselves in a deserted compartment, near the back of the train, they found themselves making a pact.
"Best friends forever, Sirius?" Arabella said, rather affirming yet still a little questionably.
"Best friends forever. Unless, of course, they put you on the quidditch team and not me. Then I'll hate you forever. JUST kidding. Best friends forever."
There then was a knock on the door.
"It's open…" said Bella
An auburn haired, brilliantly green eyed girl slid the door to the side. "Hi, My name is Lily Evans, can I sit here? I just had a nasty run in with some boy named Severus. He creeped me out before he even started speaking. He called me a mudblood, and I'm not sure what it means, but he didn't seem very nice, so can I sit with you guys instead?"
"Sure you can, by the way, my name is Sirius Black, and don't mind that Severus kid, he doesn't understand what civil conversation is, but all the same, im ever so sorry ladies, but my stomach is growling, and you know how I get when im hungry, Bella. I think I'll go see if there's any food on this train." And with that, Sirius excused himself form the compartment, leaving Lily and Arabella behind to talk.
*****
As Sirius walked out of the compartment, he ran right into a tall, lanky boy with incredibly messy black hair.
"Sorry," Sirius said politely, "I guess I wasn't looking"
"No, no, my fault," the boy said.
"No, it was mine, you clearly had the right-of-way, I should have been looking." Sirius retorted, all the while thinking *I am one nice boy*
"No, really, I was mine. I was so intent on finding the lady with the food cart, I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."
"Ok, ok, it WAS your fault, but anyways, did you say food cart?" Sirius asked.
"Yeah, I am so hungry I could eat a dragon."
"Me too, by the way, I am Sirius Black, first year and future Gryffindor"
"A Black, eh? I think our dads work together at the Ministry, I'm James Potter, first year also, I hope to be in Gryffindor, too, my dad was."
"Is your father an auror?" Sirius asked, as they made their way down the train.
"Yeah, coolest job in the world, if you ask me, I want to be one when I grow up." James replied.
"Really? That's what I want to do. There it is." Sirius said, pointing down the corridor to an middle-aged witch pushing a cart full of candies.
When they reached the cart, a short, stubby boy with neat blond hair, and watery eyes, was already buying food. When he was finished, he walked and joined a tired-looking boy, in a nearby compartment. Sirius bought a good amount of food, and while waiting for James, decided that one new friend was just not enough for the day and made his way into the compartment that the watery-eyed and tired-looking boys were now sitting in.
"Hello, I am Sirius Black, I am a first year," Sirius stated. The tired-looking boy spoke first,
"Remus Lupin, same." He said implying that he, too, was a first year.
"Peter Pettigrew, me too."
"And the boy who is practically buying the cart, is James Potter." Sirius joked. The boys all laughed.
"So," Sirius said, as the conversation was running thin. "What house, do you want to be in?"
"I don't know," said Peter, "And I don't really care, as long as I get sorted, I will be content."
"I am basically in the same situation, I was amazed that Hogwarts even excepted me." Remus replied.
Sirius couldn't help but think that there was a little more to his answer than the obvious, as if there was a reason why Remus might not have been excepted, but he put aside the thought as James walked into the compartment, hands full of sweets, and sat down.
"A little on the hungry side, are we, James?" Sirius sarcastically asked. James just laughed and opened a Chocolate Frog.
"This is Remus," Sirius said, waving his hand towards Remus, "And this is Peter." Doing the same gesture towards Peter.
"Hello, I'm James Potter." He said, while he unwrapped another 'frog'. "Help yourself, I won't be able to eat all this, the cart lady just kept pushing it all on me, I felt bad not buying so much, especially after Sirius only purchased a bag of beans, how can you eat those things, anyway? I'm always afraid I will get vomit or something."
"And YOU SAY you want to be in Gryffindor," Sirius said as he put a particularly bright yellow one in his mouth, "you need to get some courage, James. Yes! Lemonade."
"How long have you two been friends, anyway?" Remus asked, unwrapping one of James's chocolate frogs, and putting it in his mouth.
"Um, how long would you say James? 10...maybe 15 minutes?"
"Sounds about right, I'd judge so Sirius."
"Really? I would've thought you were brothers, the way you were acting, if you didn't have different last names." Peter said.
*****
Back in the girl's compartment, things were going just about the same.
"Well, you've introduced yourself already, but my name is Arabella Figg, but you can call me Bella, only my friends call met hat, and I think we're gonna be great friends. Sirius and I are best friends, been that way since before I can remember, but sometimes he lets his stomach become a number one priority. So, your muggle born I guess, if Severus really called you that name?" said Arabella rather questioningly.
"Yeah, what does it mean, you know, mudblood."
"Well, see, uhh, well I guess there's no really nice way to say this, but it means dirty blood. Severus comes from the Snape family. They've been wizards since forever. They are what you call, pureblooded, and find themselves superior to and don't really like those people that are born from non-magic families. Im pureblood too, but I think a witch or wizard is as good as their skills and integrity, not their blood. Its really not something to worry about though, no one really cares what type of blood you have. Don't even let it get to you, some of the best wizards of the time were muggle born. So, do you know what house you want to be in?" asked Bella.
"Well, I didn't know very much about Hogwarts to begin with, but I picked up some extra books at Flourish and Blotts, and I've practically memorized Hogwarts, a History, to make sure I wasn't any behind anyone else. Judging by what the books have said, I'd reckon I would like to be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. I really just want to learn magic, so I guess I could study in any house, really. How about you?" questioned Lily.
"Well, I know Sirius will be in Gryffindor, no doubt, both his parents were, its in his blood, so I guess I'd like to stay with him, and be in Gryffindor too. You like to study? That's great! So do I! Sirius always wanted to prank people, and he never got tired of it, but I got tired alright. Im really much more of a study person, like you. I'm getting the feeling we're going to get along just great, and I've never really had a female best friend before, this is going to be so much fun!" and this was how it all started.
*****
*Fifth Year*
"I HATE stupid little immature boys!" said an infuriated Bella Figg.
"Let me guess," Lily drawled on, "Sirius and James played a trick on you during breakfast and you're mad?"
"Yes! And they think they are just soooo cool and everyone loves them. Why can't anyone see them as the stupidest, scrawniest, littlest, most immature pigs to ever be accepted to Hogwarts!" ranted Bella.
"Bella, must I remind you again, that they are NOT little and scrawny anymore, but rather good looking, at least James is in my opinion, and yes, they may be immature but they play these pranks ALL the time, you know its coming. You've got to stop letting it get to you."
"I know, I know, but I just can't figure out when I became 'not cool enough' for my best friend. Who made him too cool to have a friend whose a girl? He and I were best friends, Lily! Best friends!" Bella replied despairingly.
"Its not your fault, he just didn't realize what a great friendship you guys had." Lily said soothingly for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I'm not sure why he'd totally abandon you like that, but you can't change the past, so you just gotta forget him and live here, in the present. How about we go watch the Quidditch game this afternoon? You love quidditch!"
"As much fun as watching you drool over a certain messy haired Gryffindor seeker would be, you know I don't do anything related to quidditch. It isn't part of my life anymore."
"But I still don't get it. You were amazing first year in flying lessons. And I know you'd really love to be a beater on the Gryffindor house team, I accidentally read your diary a few years ago, why didn't you ever try out?"
"Well to start im officially offended that you read my diary, but since you asked…duh…Sirius is a beater, remember, and he obviously doesn't want to be my friend anymore. I'd be digging up memories that I've worked really hard to forget. Besides, you have to train hard during the off season, and I don't have a big field in my back yard or anything to practice in, and Sirius and I aren't friends anymore so can't practice at his house…"
"Wait! You could…no…well…it would be sneaky…"
"What are you on about…?"
"No, see, im thinking that you're kind of on good terms with his parents if you were his best friend and at his house all the time?"
"Yeah…your point being…?"
"Well, you could just owl his mom maybe and ask if you could practice sometimes at his house over the summer. I mean I heard Sirius and James talking, and I heard that Sirius is going to stay at James's for a whole 2 weeks over the summer anyways, so that's 2 weeks of practice…Sirius free!"
"I will never understand why you are so much smarter than me. It's almost unfair!"
"Well, you know, not to brag, but the answer was kind of obvious…"
"Shut it! Well I guess I don't have any other choice. Ugh I hate it when you're right."
"I know, Bell, I know. But Quidditch is your dream, and I'm not going to stand here while you let some stupid, ignorant, marauding boy stop you." Lily told her best friend.