Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. I only own the plot for this story and some of the characters.

Just a heads up, this story is rated T for some foul language.

Chapter 3

I slowly open my eyes and look around. It takes me a moment to remember where I am, but when I do I sit up. I reach under my pillow and retrieve my wand and grab my schedule. I have Potions, then Transfigurations, then Charms, then DADA, then Ancient Runes, and finally a free period. I am extremely thankful for the free period at the end of the day; it will give me some time to do my homework before dinner and nighttime patrol. I crawl out of bed and stumble to the bathroom. I grab Bella's watch and look at the time: 7:05 am. I walk back out and turn on our bedroom light. "Come on girls. It's time to get up. Breakfast is in twenty five minutes…"

I see them all stirring in their beds, which I assume means they are waking up, so I walk back into the bathroom and brush my teeth. When I walk back out of the bathroom and dig through my trunk for my uniform. I finally find everything and change into it. The others are just starting to roll out of bed. "Don't you three have class at 8 am?"

Rachelle laughs and shakes her head, her long brown and blue hair swinging around as she does. "We all have a free period first thing…"

I sigh. "Oh. Well, sorry for waking you then." I exit the room and walk into the common room. There are only a few people in here. They're all probably at breakfast…

I exit the common room and walk to the great hall. The Gryffindor table is full of first years who are all eating and talking excitedly about what to expect today. I take a seat at the far end of the table and put a small amount of food on my plate. I am still really tired, and therefore not in the mood to eat. I take a couple of small bites of the eggs on my plate, then push it away. A set of large, warm hands are placed over my eyes. I reach up and feel the hands with my own.

James.

"Why, this can't be James. Maybe it's my other boyfriend?" I say with a smirk.

He removes his hands and laughs. "That's funny Ari, really funny." He sits in the chair next to me and piles food onto his plate. I lean over and give him a kiss just as a group of first year girls walk by. They giggle at the PDA, which makes me laugh. James turns and says "So what happened to 'see you tonight'?"

I gasp. "Oh! James I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!"

"I guess I can forgive you Ari." He glances at me and smirks.

I punch him in the arm playfully and laugh. "James Potter you're a right git, you know that? I will definitely get to see you tonight though. At quidditch tryouts."

He looks at me puzzled. I am about to clarify when a loud cheer comes from the hallway. I get up from the table and look out. There is a fight going on between two slytherine and Gryffindor second years. I turn to James. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I will see you tonight though!" I run out of the great hall, wand at the ready, and toward the fight.

James' POV

I wake up and slowly look around. It looks as though I am in the Gryffindor common room. I sit up and something falls off of me. I turn and look at it. Once I realize that it's my invisibility cloak I let out a chuckle. I pick it up off the floor and put it in my pocket. Last night I was waiting for Ariana to finish her patrol, but I must have fallen asleep. Yea, and covered myself with the cloak…

I get off the couch and stretch. I walk up to my room and change into my clothes for the day. I walk over to my trunk and grab my schedule. I have Herbology, then Divinations, then Charms, then DADA, then a free period. Quidditch tryouts are tonight too. I haven't told Ari that I'm the new quidditch captain yet either. This means I am in charge of holding the quidditch tryouts, along with running the practices.

I look at my watch and rush to the great hall. I see Ariana taking small bites from her plate of eggs. I walk over quietly and place my hands over her eyes. She reaches her hands up and feels mine. She smirks and says "Why, this can't be James. Maybe it's my other boyfriend?"

I remove my hands from her eyes and let out a laugh. "That's funny Ari, really funny." I sit down and begin putting food on my plate. She leans over kisses me on the cheek. A group of first year girls walk by and giggle.

I turn to Ari and say "So what happened to 'see you tonight'?"

She gasps loudly. "Oh! James I'm so sorry! I completely forgot!"

"I guess I can forgive you Ari." I say with a smirk.

She lightly punches me in the arm and laughs. "James Potter you're a right git, you know that? I will definitely get to see you tonight though. At quidditch tryouts."

I look at her, confusion apparent on my face. Is she really going to come watch me run tryouts? How do I tell her that they are closed tryouts?

She opens her mouth to respond, but is interrupted by a loud cheer that erupts from the corridor outside the great hall. She leans back then turns to me with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, I have to go. I will see you tonight though!" Then she gets up, pulling out her wand in the process, and runs toward the cheering. I turn back to my food and wolf it down as quickly as I can. After my food is gone, I get up from the table and head to class. I walk out of the great hall and stop abruptly. In front of me, Ari is standing unbelievable close to a Slytherine prefect boy with black hair and grey eyes. He towers over her as they glare at each other, her nose pointed up at him. She wears a scowl and she is standing tensely. The boy is looking down at her with a smug grin, his arms are crossed and he is standing casually. There is a circle of first and second years surrounding them, joy and eagerness covering their faces.

Behind Ari is a small second year with a bloody nose. She has one hand placed protectively in front of him; the other hand holds her wand tightly. Behind the boy is a complacent looking second year Slytherine. He has his arms crossed across his chest and is examining his nails. He looks unscathed. I assume there was a fight between the two boys, which would explain the cheering and the Gryffindor boy's bloody nose. What I don't understand is why Ari is glaring at this prefect.

I walk closer and hear her saying through gritted teeth. "If you're not going to discipline him then I will have to go talk to Professor McGonagall about it. I would have to tell her you aren't doing your prefect duties." I can see a dangerous fire dancing in her eyes. She is very close to hurting this guy. I need to intervene…

I walk over and crouch down to the boy with the bloody nose. I examine the wound then stand up. "What's going on here?"

The prefect smirks. "Nothing that concerns you. Just dealing with a little spat."

Ariana snorts. "Yes, little spat. That's why Rodney here has a bloody nose!"

"Exactly." He says, still smirking.

I grab her wrist and she exhales sharply. "You know what? I don't have time for this. I need to get him to Madam Pomfrey." She turns to Rodney and motions for him to follow her.

The prefect chuckles a deep, throaty chuckle. "You better watch yourself. Next time your boyfriend won't be here to save you."

She turns with a scream and charges the prefect, her blonde hair whirling about wildly. I reach out and grab her by the waist, catching her before she can get to him. He winks to her then turns and walks away with the second year Slytherine. She calls out to him "You better watch yourself! Next time my boyfriend won't be here to save you!" I chuckle softly and set her down.

She straightens out her shirt and turns to the students encircling us. "Please get to class now. There is nothing left to see here." She then turns to me and Rodney. "Let's go see Madam Pomfrey. How does it feel?"

He looks at her warily, as if she is going to attack him next. "It still hurts, but it's stopped bleeding."

"Okay. Let's go then." She walks with him down the corridors toward the hospital wing. "What were you two fighting about, anyways?"

He sighs. "He said he couldn't stand being in a school with a disgusting mudblood like me. Then he said my mother was probable a part of a brothel in the muggle world. So I pulled out my wand to jinx him, but he punched me in the nose before I could do anything."

Ariana chuckles. "He was just trying to get a rise out of you. You can't let what people say bother you."

"You mean like you just did with Landen?" he says with a laugh.

I chuckle at that. "He's got you there Ari."

We get to the hospital wing and drop Rodney off. Before we go he says "Thanks for defending me. When Landen got there, he actually told Malfoy to hit me again."

Ari pats him on the head and says with a smile "It's what I'm here for. If this Malfoy kid bothers you again, come let me know." He nods.

Madam Pomfrey gives us both notes to excuse our tardiness and sends us on our way. We walk back toward the great hall. "So what did you mean you will see me tonight at quidditch tryouts?"

She laughs. "I'm going to try out for chaser."

I nod. "Have you ever played it before?"

"No, but I've watched it and read about it. Plus, Quodpot is pretty similar to playing chaser." She says frankly.

We round the corner and she stops. "I have potions with Slughorn, so I better get going."

I nod again and pull her into a hug. I kiss the top of her head and say "I will see you at tryouts tonight. TRY to stay out of trouble until then."

She stands on her toes and kisses me. "I guess I can try. Only for you though. Now I REALLY have to go." She turns and walks down corridor, leaving me standing alone in the corridor by the stairs.

I think I will skip first class today… I turn and walk back up to Gryffindor tower to wait for second class.

Ari's POV

I walk away from James and round the corner into another corridor. I am almost to potions class when I hear Landen talking to the other Slytherine prefect, Arowena.

"Wena, I tried looking for it last night, but that nasty American saw me before I could find the rune sign! You should try to find it later today. I think the American might not like me."

I can hear him smirking at the last sentence which makes me want to emerge around the corner and kick his ass, but I know I can't. I stay hidden in the shadow of the wall and listen. I guess I'm not going to potions today…

Next a high pitched, almost squeaky voice speaks. "Landen, you really are a huge failure aren't you? How about you just get rid of the American rather than avoid her! Do I have to tell you how to do that too, or do you think you can come up with something on your own?"

He scoffs. "I can't! He wants her alive!"

I hear someone walking up behind me so I pretend to look for something on the floor. I wince as I hear "Miss Brighton?"

I turn around cautiously. "Hello Professor McGonagall…"

Alright so I was going to do this last time, but I completely forgot, so I figure I will just do it now. :) I want to send a shout out to debobbumman for the first review! I appreciate your support!

Okay so this chapter, again, was more of a filler. I wanted to put a bit of drama in there and also show the growing feud between Ariana and Landen. I hope you all enjoyed it!

As always, reviews and criticisms are appreciated! :)

Love yall!

-Tx