Drying my eyes I turned back from the house and with one last glance over my shoulder, at the faded turquoise paint peeling off the walls and the weathered terracotta roofing, I picked up Cass popped her in her holder and made my way over to Remus.
"What's that?" He said warily "I-I-Is that a cat?!"
"Of course it is silly, what did you think it was a hippogriff?" I said rolling my eyes, honestly and he's supposedly top our classes! Well second top if you include Lily...
Remus looked at me in exasperation. "But why? Why a cat, Ria?"
"Well, why not?! She was a birthday present from Matais, her name's Cassan and she's completely harmless!"
"Ria it's not that I don't like cats, it's the fact that we are best friends with a dog and a rat!"
"Oh…" Oops forgot that fact. "They'll just have to make do and I promise Cass won't eat Peter, well at least not all of him. Maybe a finger or a couple of toes."
Remus palmed faced his hand and shook his head with a smile tugging at his lips "What will we do with you?"
I skipped round to the boot of the car and slinging Cass in whilst singing airily, "That's what they all say"
After emptying the rest of my belongings into the boot of Mr Lupin's car, I quickly snatched my new Polaroid camera from underneath Cass' holder.
"Say cheese!"
"Wha-, ow!" John beamed down at me but Remus slammed his eyes shut, whipped out his wand and started swiping it in front of his face. I put down my camera and tried constraining his manic arm movements, which was quite difficult seeing as I am about 5'7, a perfectly average height thank you very much. But not when you're trying to reach the arms of a 6'11 adolescent male who seemed to have the strength of several Welsh Greens!
"Oi, Remus keep ya hair on! It was just the flash, I forgot to tu- AHAHAHA!"
Remus darted around, looking slightly crazed. "What? What is it?"
I clutched my sides, oh my lord I can't breathe! The photo I had just taken of Remus and his dad had fallen out of my Polaroid and the colour was starting to come though. John was looking perfectly normal, smiling away at the camera. But Remus, oh Remus, looked like he had just been electrified. His mouth was half way through speaking and his eyes were pooping out of their sockets. "Ahahahahahahaha- oh my god! Remus you have to see this"
Remus bent down to where I had been rolling around the floor and scooped up the picture, a grimace fell over his face. "Oh geez…"
I picked up my camera and swiped the photograph from out of Remus' grip. Giggling to myself "It's a classic, absolute classic. And it's going in my memory jar!"
...
It was an abundance of John's bad jokes, cringing looks from Remus and a slightly awkward manly goodbye between Remus and his dad later that we arrived at platform 9 ¾. The air was filled with the smells of engine fuel, broomstick oil and burning coal. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes. I could hear the shrieks of younger siblings, the tearful goodbyes of parents and the cheerful greetings of fri- Wait! What was that? Is someone calling my nam-
OOOOOFF! A tangled mess of limbs, fiery hair and the smell of wildflowers engulfed me. My throat was tightening and my ribs were being constricted it could only be…
"Lily? Lils I can't breathe, Lils!"
"I've missed you sooo much! How was your holiday? Did your brothers come back? All five of them? How's your Mum? Good, ok. Now tell me all about your birthday, I need to know everything! And your present is in my case, you can get it on the trai-"
Remus started to pry Lily's arms off of my waist. "Umm Lily, I don't think Ria can actually breathe.."
"Oh God Aria! I'm sorry, wait let me give you one more hug, there all done!" Gasping I turned to Remus giving him a grateful smile and turning back to a concerned Lily. Giving her a one armed hug, the other still grasping Cass' holder.
"Missed you too Lils"
"Oh I have so much to tell you! Isn't it annoying that we both don't have owls? 'Cause Mum and Dad are muggles it's difficult for them to understand. But you did get my postcards, didn't you?"
"Yeh I got them, it sounded fantastic! Greece and France, you have to let me in on all the details" I emphasized "all" with exaggerated eye movements, as I knew that Lily had got close to a French boy over the summer and was completely smitten. Eventhough I personally think she has a wee thang for somebody with the first letter J and second letter A and third letter M, well ya catch my drift *nudge nudge*. I looked over to Remus who just looked completely baffled at mine and Lily's secret eye movement language. Lily sensing his discomfort turned and gave him one of her famous beaming smiles.
"So Remus, how were your holidays?"
Remus had started to place our luggage in the seventh year outside storage compartments which were magically concealed when the train started to move, and designed specifically for seventh year students. "Oh umm well I spent most of my holidays with my Dad, and I saw James, Sirius and Peter for a few weeks"
Lily's smile vanished and her stance straightened at the mention of the infamous Mauraders. Quickly scanning the area around us, she spat in hushed tones. "I heard some ridiculous rumour that Potter might be Head Boy this year. Is it true? Well, of course it isn't. But do you know Remus?!"
Remus looked around awkwardly and started scratching the back of his neck. "Well I'-"
Butting in to save Remus, I patted Lily's back and reassured her. "Don't worry Lils, I'm sure you'll find out later..."
The truth was that James had already told Remus and I when we were round Potter Manor earlier in the holidays. I shot a strong look at Remus warning him not to say a word. We both knew of Lily's wrath when it came to a certain Mr. Potter... I tuned back into reality to find Lily reminding Remus and I on how she felt about James, I think she often forgets just how close Remus and I are to James.
"-dore, whatever would they think. I mean honestly he's so annoying, crude and just-ehh! It can't be true, maybe Potter and Black thought it was some great idea of a jok-"
"Oi Evans! What's cooking good looking? Hey! Remus, Aria is that you?!"
"Oh speak of the devil and the devil shall appear..." muttered Lily sarcastically, whilst rolling her eyes, flicking her hair and fixing a death glare on James all in one smooth movement. Something which I could never manage that effortlessly, damm her gracefulness.
...
AN:
Okay I know I changed the tense, shot me now... but it's easier to write like this
Next chapter should be up by next Tuesday, sorry but i am going on holiday until the Monday so...
And sorry for the pace, it will speed up by the next chapter when you will meet...the rest of the marauders and some more students and yes next chp we will arrive at HOGWARTS, which i know i said would happen this chapter but sorry i got distracted..
Also please review if you liked it or want to leave critisism and also if you want your say in who Ariañalla might have a thang for...
See ya later cariñas ;)
