Chapter III. Old Faces, New Friends

The holiday season was almost at its end, the raging storms and dreary weather had subsided, whereas the absence of the students of Hogwarts had seemed to make their absence known. Most of the students were arriving early to get a fresh start to the new year coming ahead of them. Students from each house were now starting to file through the corridors and moving staircases to get to their dormitories to unpack and get settled for the starting semester. Where once the Slytherin common room was peaceful and quiet, was now crowded and full of wracking noises of trunks and carts making their way up the stairs to their rooms. Hearing all the commotion, Ariana's eyes fluttered open and her body turned to her side where she picked up her watched to find that it was only eight in the morning. It had been a tiring night for her and sleep didn't come easy after the conversation she heard the night before coming from Draco's room. Easier said than done. Ariana turned onto her back once again and stared up at the bare ceiling Her mind was filled with questions and wonder and all she wanted was to confront him, but that would be above her. She liked the fact that everyone was returning that day, but also, she got used to the solitude she had within the grounds of the school when all the students had gone. Either or, the only person she was waiting to come back was of course, her best friend Astoria. She hadn't really heard from her since she left, but figured she might be staying later away than coming home early. Either way, Ariana was content on having some company around. As she laid on her back, she took in a deep breath and stretched out her lame body, for sleep had made it weak with debilitation. Doing so, she noticed a pecking sound coming from her dorm window. Hesperia was sitting on the outside ledge with a parcel in her beak. Ariana smiled and got up, put on her white, fleeced robe, and made her way to the window to let Hesperia in. "Hessie! I was getting worried when you didn't come back last night." She replied as the bird flew in. Feeling the coldness of the outside, Ariana quickly closed and latched the window before turning towards her owl. "What's this?" She asked, taking the partial damp envelope from the owl's beak. Hesperia only hooted as Ariana tore open the parcel.Dear Ari,

I received your letter and I am thrilled to hear from you. I do hope your Christmas holidays were grand. I wrote back as fast as I could to let you know that I will be coming home in a few hours. The family here was getting rather rambunctious, asking all sorts of ridiculous questions about school and grades. It was torture. I am hoping to catch morning breakfast in the Great Hall with you and we can discuss Draco. I know he's been tearing at you lately from your letter. Just disregard anything he says until I get there. Can't wait to see you!Love,Astoria

After reading the letter, Ariana had a smiled plastered on her face. So Astoria was coming home early after all. She couldn't wait to discuss Draco with her because in all honesty, there was nobody to talk about him with. It was such a let down for her and she had to keep anger and feelings built up inside. If it was anyone who understood how Ariana was feeling, it was Astoria. Setting the parcel down, Ariana let Hesperia onto her arm so she could put her back in her cage. "You did wonderfully, Hessie. You know, you are a very dear friend to me. If there wasn't for Astoria, you'd be my only friend." She smiled as she fed the owl a treat. "There, for your long flight, you deserve the best treat any owl could die for." Laughing at herself, she closed the cage door and made her way back towards her bed to make it up and get ready for the day.

The morning was passing by slowly, but at a reasonable pace for Ariana. To waste time before breakfast, she decided to tidy up her room and rearrange some things to make room for anything she might collect later in the year as souvenirs or for her scrapbook she kept hidden underneath her bed. Anything she could find interesting, would be put in that book or up on her walls to make her feel more at home. The feeling of home always kept her spirits high and the more comfortable she felt, the better the stay at Hogwarts was for her. When her project was finished, Ariana grabbed her satchel with her Potions textbook, quills and a few trinkets for later use, inside and headed out of her room with a hand clasped on the doorknob to quiet the door as it shut. She trotted down the hallway with the satchel resting on her shoulder and climbed down the spiral staircase towards the common room. She heard silence throughout the room, but when she reached the bottom stair, she noticed that platinum blonde hair once again standing alone near the fireplace. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared, her legs continuing to move passed him. He looked suspicious was it? Or rather distracted within his own thoughts. Whichever it was, it was awfully peculiar. She couldn't understand why he was acting in such strange ways, but the talk he had with the Dark Lord must have had something to do with it. She made her way towards him, but only to pass, her eyes still on him as he looked up to see her pass by. His heart jumped in his throat for a moment, seeing her there, she looked different to him. He couldn't let her see him gazing at her like he was. Every time he saw her, he felt a lump in his throat and it would bring him back to what his order was. His face, which was pale and seemed lifeless, changed to a furrowing look, his lips purged together. "What are you looking at?" He sneered at her, trying to cover up his shaken voice and nervous stance. He seemed to me fiddling with his fingers a little. Ariana noticed his nervousness at once, but chose not to speak. She stepped by him with only a shake of her head and sympathy in her brown eyes. She turned her head away and made her way towards the house entrance.

Draco continued to stand there, watching her go. He was starting to hate mistreating her. There truly wasn't a reason for it, other than trying to calm himself of the events that must take place. There had to have been an easier way to proceed in this. He acted like he hated her, but in fact he really didn't have a problem with her at all. If anything, she was kind, sweet, honest and well, beautiful. No other girl could compare to her. She was intelligent, she had spunk, she didn't care what others think and sometimes Draco wondered why he couldn't be more like her. Of course, if he was, Blaise and the guys would not let it go and would pester and comment on his change of actions and emotions. "Damn them.." He said quietly, thinking his thoughts out loud. Draco himself, couldn't believe how he was starting to change and how this order he was given by the Dark Lord was affecting him. Slowly, it was driving him insane because for one, he had no idea how he was going to pull it off. Each and every second of every day, his brain wracked of what he must do and ideas that could possibly work, but each time he thought of a way, he felt disgusted. Draco shook his head and moved away from the fireplace. He had to take his mind off things and with that in mind, Draco made his way through the house entrance and toward the Great the time Ariana reached the Great Hall, breakfast had already began and the Hall was packed with students at each table. On her face played a smile of satisfactory as she scoped out the familiar faces of the school. She wasn't like most of the students there who just stuck to their own houses for friends and acquaintances, she made friends with anyone that was friendly to her. It was just in her nature. Sometimes, she wondered how she managed to get into Slytherin, other than her entire family being sorted into that house. With a slight shrug, she walked towards the nearest table and noticed Harry Potter and Ron Weasley conversing with each other. She knew of the great Harry Potter from stories and of the Tri-Wizard Cup a few years back. They had shared classes , but were never really introduced to one another in a setting. It wouldn't hurt now to make herself known to them. The other Slytherins would despise her actions, but what did she really have to lose? Dignity and respect from her fellow house mates? It was nothing. Putting on a smile, she neared them and cleared her throat. "Pardon me, do you mind if I sit here?" She asked kindly, eyeing Harry and Ron's fixed expressions. They acted like a Sytherin never asked to sit with them before. Maybe, in fact one hadn't. They looked at each other and Harry was the first to speak. "Um…yeah sure. Others are always welcome." He paused, then put on a smile. "Thank you, Harry. You'd probably be the only person from another house that would allow me to sit with you." Ariana replied as she sat down besides him. Ron's fixed look never left his face as he leaned towards Harry. "She's a Slytherin, why would she want to sit with us?" He whispered in Harry's ear. "Shh.." Harry nudged Ron hard in the shoulder. "Well, um, I'm sure you know who I am by the way you said my name. This here is Ron. Ron Weasley." He introduced with a smile. "Nice to meet you Ron, Harry. I'm Ariana. Ariana Rookwood." She held out her hand and took Harry's then Ron's hesitated hand in hers. "Rookwood…wait a minute…are you related to Augustus Rookwood?" Ron spewed out moments later when silence took over them. Ariana's eyes alerted toward Ron's then at Harry's. Her heart started beating as the name rang through her ears and through her thoughts. She shuttered and looked down as she nodded slowly. "Yes…he's.. he's my father." Her replied was low and discreet. Harry noticed the change in her facial expressions and nudged Ron again. "Ow, Mate. What was that for?" He said aloud, rubbing his side. "Sorry about him…He's not used to new faces.." Harry covered for Ron. "Um..we're sorry we brought it up…we've heard stories..about your father you see." He added cautiously. "Yeah…they aren't very delightful ones either.." Ariana sighed and rested her head on her palm. If only they knew what it was like to grow up with Augustus Rookwood, the Death Eater.

As breakfast continued on, Ron, Harry and Ariana continued to talk and get to know each other. It was in good favor to befriend people she could trust and she definitely could trust them both. After a moment of laughs from Ron's jokes he was spilling out, Ariana happened to look up toward the entrance of the Great Hall and noticed someone standing there that looked awfully familiar. Ariana continued to look and saw that her best friend Astoria had finally arrived to greet her a welcomed hello.