We make our way toward double Potions, a class which we share with Slytherin according to my schedule. Bree, Lily and I share rude remarks about Savanna and the Bobsy Twins. The sign on the classroom door instructs us to wait at the back of the classroom to be seated.
The girls and I wait with all the other students, chatting amongst ourselves. James, Remus and Peter stand a few feet away talking quietly to themselves. I can't help but notice that they all keep passing quick glances in our direction. Sirius sneaks in at the last moment before the bell sounds. His face is red, and he looks frustrated. I'm not the only one who notices because James questions him as soon as he walks up, but Sirius brushes him off. A door opens at the opposite end of the classroom and in walks a middle-aged balding man who's stomach stuck out so far that I was sure he couldn't see his feet.
"Hello class! As most of you know, I'm Professor Slughorn," He addresses the class with a warm smile. "Now if you'll all listen up, I'll assign you with your potions partner for the term and show you your seat."
He began naming off pairs of students and pointing to various tables. I notice he was making all boy/girl pairs. Great, there goes my hope of being with Lily or Bree.
"Miss Evans, and Mr. Potter please sit here," He said pointing to a table in the front-right of the classroom. "Mr. Lupin and Miss Martin, here," He indicated to the table directly behind them. I look around to see that it's just me, Sirius, Peter, and Isabel left. Great.
"Mr. Pettigrew and Miss Foster here," Slughorn directs. I notice Isabel's obvious disappointment and it fills me with joy. Until I realize that I'm left being partnered with Sirius. "Mr. Black and Miss Willson here. Alright! Let's get started!"
I make my way to my seat and try to sit as far away from Sirius as possible. A quick glance at him shows me that he's doing the same.
"Okay, to get you acquainted with your partners, we are going to start the term off by making a simple Memory Potion. You'll find the ingredients and directions on page 10 of your book. Get started, as this will take most of the class."
Closing my eyes, I sigh deeply. Okay, I can do this. I take my book from my bag and turn toward Sirius. "Okay, how do you want to do this?" I ask bluntly.
He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" he says as innocently as possible.
I roll my eyes at him and say "Look it's obvious that we have issues. But we are stuck together for the remainder of the term, and I need to pass this class. So, can you just be professional and cooperate?"
He responds by shrugging his shoulders. I sigh yet again. This class was going to be exhausting.
"Fine, I'll go get the ingredients. You get the cauldron ready," I instruct as I stand to follow the line of students making their way to the supply closet. I pass Bree on my way who gives me a questioning glance while nodding her head towards Sirius. I roll my eyes and shrug my shoulders in response. I approach the supply closet and wait in line for my turn, paying more attention to my list than my surroundings. Big mistake.
"So, you want to tell us how you did it?" I hear a voice say. Looking up I see that both Isabel and Michelle are facing me.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I reply, crossing my arms in front of me.
"How did you convince Slughorn to make you and Sirius partners?" Isabel says sweetly.
"Yeah, I mean this is taking stalking to a whole new level!" Michelle pipes in.
Oh, boy. This day just keeps getting better. "I didn't ask to be Black's partner. Slughorn did that all on his own. I would literally rather have anyone else. And for the last time, I am NOT stalking him!" I say rather loudly. I look around and see that I've got nearly everyone's attention. Sirius just stairs down at the cauldron with his eyebrows pushed together.
"Whatever you say," Michelle says, as she smiles coyly. I've let them rile me up, and she's obviously delighted about it.
"It's no matter anyway. Sirius and Savanna are practically back together. Nothing can get between them, they're soul mates," Isabel adds in dully.
"Right," I reply. "I'm sure they are made for each other." Before they can reply, I step around them and into the supply closet. I gather what I need quickly and head back to the desk I share with Sirius. Surprisingly he has the cauldron ready. I set to work quickly, barking orders at Sirius which he obeys without objection. I'm about to add the Jobberknoll Feather when Sirius suddenly speaks.
"We're not, by the way."
Confused I ask, "I'm sorry, not what?"
"Getting back together, Savanna and me. I have no interest in being with her," he stammers out.
"Well you might want to explain that to her. Though, I can see where she would be confused, with you hanging all over her all the time. And, you know, snogging her in public places," I say, slightly sharper than I mean to. No matter, by the shocked look on his face I can see that he understands the point I am trying to make.
"Besides, what makes you think that I have any interest in who you're interested in anyway? Because I don't," I add.
"I heard what Foster and Richardson said. I was just setting the record straight. That's all," Sirius says, not looking at me.
"Great! You've distracted me, and I put the feather in too late," I huff frustrated. Our potion, which is supposed to be a beautiful gold, is now a dull corn yellow.
"Stir it three times clockwise, wait 4 seconds, then stir it twice counterclockwise," he tells me returning to his bored state.
"But that's not what the instructions say," I say wondering what he's up to.
Sirius rolls his eyes at me, "Would you just do it?"
I give him one last questioning look before I do as he instructed. To my surprise, it actually works. "How did you know to do that?" I exclaim.
"I donno. Potions are just easy," he mumbles to me.
Our potion is perfect now, and I take a sample out and pour it into a cylinder to take up to Professor Slughorn's desk. On my way to the front of the room, I pass Peter and Isabel's desk. I notice that their potion is a murky yellow green, and it's clumpy and bubbling like a swamp. I smile to myself.
I return to my desk and face Sirius with full intentions on thanking him for saving our potion. However, I barley have time to open my mouth when the bell sounds, ending class. Before the ringing can die down, Sirius is off his chair and out the door. I gather my things and meet Bree and Lily at the door to head to lunch.
The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, unless you count nearly dying of boredom in History of Magic. I was so happy when our last class of the day ended that I practically skipped to the Common Room. I lead the way as Bree, Lily and I head upstairs to change into our recreational clothes. I've never been happier to put on my jeans and white Queen t-shirt. Until today, I never realized that I absolutely hate uniforms. They are completely unoriginal and take away all uniqueness and personality.
My thoughts drift back to Nick earlier today. I wonder if I will see him again soon. Just in case, I reapply my mascara and lip gloss and take my hair down, allowing my waves to fall gracefully around my shoulders. I take my fingers and fluff my hair in attempt to make the purple highlights more dominant. I smile at myself in the mirror, finally satisfied. I turn around to see if Lily and Bree are ready.
While Lily has swapped her pleated skirt for jeans, her white button up uniform blouse with her shiny Prefect badge pinned to it remained. She's sitting on her bed with her school books all around her. Bree on the other hand is dressed as she was all summer, in short shorts and a tight-fitting top. She is laying on her bed with the latest copy of Witch's Weekly open in her lap.
"Oh quick! What's your astrological sign and your favorite color?" Bree exclaims suddenly.
"Um, Ares, red, and purple, why?" I ask.
"Your true love's name starts with S with red, or N with purple! Nick!" She says excitedly.
Lily and I roll our eyes at her. "You can't be serious?" Lily askes. "You know you can't take those articles as facts."
"Are you guys ready to go?" I ask. The girls were planning on showing me around the grounds.
They both nod and climb off their beds. We are heading out the door at the exact moment that Michelle and Isabel are entering.
"Where are you girls off to?" Michelle asks.
"If you're off to stalk Sirius some more, I wouldn't. He's with Savanna," Isabel says. Before I can respond, Michelle adds, "You really should just give up already. It's getting pathetic."
Fury washes over me. I've had just about enough of these girls. I move toward them intending to settle this muggle style, but I am pulled back by Bree and Lily.
"Just leave them Ari," Bree tells me.
"Yeah, they aren't worth it," Lily says.
I cast one last glare at the grinning girls and turn out of our room and head down the stairs. I am so heated that I'm not sure anything can cheer me up now. We enter the common room with Bree and Lily trying to assure me that no one actually thinks I am stalking Black. We are about to exit through the portrait hole when I notice James off to the left looking rather triumphantly at the wall. Curiosity gets the best of me and I turn and walk over to him.
"What's going on?" I ask him.
"Oh, I've just posted the notice for Quidditch tryouts. We're going to be the best team this year. I'm starting way earlier than any other team," James says excitedly.
"I take it you're the Captain?"
"I most certainly am! I play Seeker," he pushes his chest out proudly.
I look over his shoulder to see what positions are available. Beater and Keeper. Fantastic! I'm suddenly in a great mood. I love Quidditch almost as much as I love muggle rock bands. I bid farewell to James and head back to the girls with the biggest grin on my face.
"What's got you so uppity all of a sudden?" Bree asks.
"I need to owl my mother right away! There's something I need her to send me from home," I reply gleefully.
"What's that?" Lily asks.
"My broomstick. I'm trying out for the Quidditch team!" I exclaim happily.
"You're what?" Lily and Bree say together. They were looking at me as if I had grown a second head.
"I'm trying out for the open Beater position on the team," I tell them, slightly less excited now. Why are they acting like this? "I'm really rather good," I add for good measure.
We are in the hallway now heading down towards the main floor. Bree and Lily give each other a questioning look before Lily says sympathetically, "It's just, Ari, girls hardly ever try out for the house teams, and when they do, they never make it."
"Really?" I say a little too loudly. "How sexist! Well I am going to try out, and when they see how talented I am, they will have to let me on the team. Come on, to the owlery."
The girls guid me outside, to the left and around the corner to the tower that was the owlery. I run up the steps two at a time and locate Minkx. "Here girl," I say to her. She lands in front of me and I give her a bit of bread from my bag to snack on while I scribble a quick note to my mother.
Dear Mom,
Hogwarts is great! I'm having such a good time. I've been sorted into Gryffindor house with Lily and Bree! The classes aren't quite as challenging as yours are though. But I do have some good news! I'm trying out for my house Quidditch team! I'll need you to send me my broomstick immediately as try outs are Saturday afternoon. I'll need my maintenance kit as well. Thank you, Mom. Love and miss you and Dad.
Love,
Arianna
I finish and roll it up handing it to Minkx. "Take this to Mom as quick as you are able please," I say to her. "And have a safe flight!"
I turn to see Bree and Lily both huffing for breath at the door. "All done! Let's go," I tell them.
"Seriously? We only just got up the bloody stairs!" Bree stammers between gasps of breath. "Truly, I don't know how you managed to run up them so quickly!"
"Easy, I'm simply in better shape than you," I tease her. "Come on, you've still got lots to show me before dinner."
I move past them and began making my way back down the tower. I walk this time, staying with the girls. They show me everything on the grounds, beginning with the Forbidden Forest, which we don't enter because it's off limits. By the time we make our way around the lake and to the Quidditch field, the sun is setting and it's time to go inside.
I have decided, and Bree and Lily agree, not to tell anyone about my trying out for the team. No need to give anyone else a reason to try and humiliate me. I'll just show up and show everyone what I can do on Saturday.
The Gryffindor table was all abuzz with excited chatter that night. Everyone was talking about who they thought would make the team, and those who already announced they were trying out are comparing Broomstick models. I notice that my Comet 200 will be comparable to everyone else's. At least I have a fighting chance.
From what I have heard, I count at least 12 of us trying out for the same 2 positions. I am beginning to get nervous. This are more people than I expected. If I didn't get the spot on the team, I would surely make a fool of myself.
Over the next few days, my nerves only got worse. Of course, finding out that Sirius plays the other Beater on the team didn't help. More reason for people to assume I'm stalking him. I did my best to avoid him whenever I could. Which isn't an easy task considering we live in the same tower, eat at the same table, have all the same classes, and are potion partners. However, I am doing my best. I didn't talk to him unless it was absolutely necessary, I've began addressing him strictly by his surname, and I acting as if I didn't know him at all. After all, as it turnes out, I didn't.
Over the next couple of days, I focused on my classes and homework. I found that I liked Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts almost as well as I enjoyed Transfiguration. Thinking of Transfiguration makes me smile, because it makes me think of Nick Porter. He had been so nice to me on our first day. The girls are convinced that he "fancied" me, which they explained to me meant he wants to be more than friends. I realized that I didn't need Black in any part of my life. I considered writing him one last letter letting him know that, but I decided that I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. I'm still not sure why he is acting the way he is. But, if he wants to be a jerk and act like we are strangers, then two can play that game.
I set my alarm to go off forty-five minutes early this morning. I discover I have butterflies in my stomach. The first class of the day is Double Transfiguration, which means twice as much time with Nick. This will be the first time I've been able to talk to him since the first day. Gryffindor only has one other class with Hufflepuff, Herbology, and the houses are made to stand on separate sides of one long table in that class. I waved at him in class, but he must not have seen me, because he didn't wave back.
I get out of bed quietly, and to my delight I notice that all of the other girls are still asleep. I take a few minutes longer than usual in the shower, thoroughly enjoying the hot water. Too soon I get out and wand dry my hair. I take my hair and twist it up into a messy knot on the back of my head and hold it in place with a few hair pins. I can hear the girls beginning to stir and decide that my time in the bathroom is up.
Wrapped in a towel I walk back over to my bed, trying to ignore the glares that I was getting from Michelle and Isabel.
"Took you long enough," Michelle says making her way to the bathroom.
"Yeah, we've been waiting forever," Isabel rang in.
Bree yawns and stretches from her bed. While Lily eyes me surprisingly saying, "Wow, you're up early."
"Yeah, I was excited to get the day started," I say.
"Oh, jeez, I wonder why," Bree flashes me a mischievous grin. She makes a coughing sound which sounds strangely similar to "Porter". I just roll my eyes at her and grin. I go over to my trunk and for the first time I'm not upset at my mother for secretly altering my skirts.
After dressing behind my curtains, I get back into my trunk and pull out my make-up bag. I sit down on my bed with my mirror and do something I've never done outside of a holiday before; I apply a full face of makeup. I accent my eyes with gold and wing in black eyeliner, highlight my cheeks in light pink blush, mascara and curled my eyelashes, and finish off with a dusty rose lipstick. All in all, it isn't half bad. I look up at Bree and Lily to see if they are ready to go, only to find them both staring at me with their mouths wide open.
"What?" I ask. Do I have something on my face? I do a quick inspection in my mirror.
"Putting in the extra effort, today are we?" Bree teases.
"You look amazing!" Lily says.
"Yeah, you're going to knock Porter's socks off!" Bree says with a wink.
I blush and say, "Let's go."
As we make our way down the stairs chatting like we always do, I find myself standing a little taller. Today is going to be a good day. On instinct, I find myself scanning the common room for Black. Before I could catch myself, I spot him. He is standing with the rest of the Marauders near the door, looking as stunning as ever with his black hair threatening to fall in his eyes. How he can look like a Greek God in a school uniform was beyond me. Try as I may, I can't look away fast enough and my eyes are locked in the gaze of his steel grey stare. However, it is only for a fraction of a second because I force myself to look away. He doesn't exist to me. As the girls and I walk past the boys on our way out of the common room, I try to ignore the feeling of his eyes on me. Like a flame threatening to burn my flesh. I take pride in the fact that I don't spare him another glance. The additional three seconds that it takes us to get away from Black's eyesight and into the hallway are the longest of my life.
Once I am free of his gaze I let go the deep breath that I hadn't realize I was holding in.
"Well, that was intense," Lily says looking sideways at me.
"That's one way to put it! I thought Black was going to pounce on you in the common room Ari!" Bree almost yells. I hadn't seen her this excited since the day I met her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," I decide to deny the entire ordeal.
"Sure, you don't," Lily says trying not to smile.
"You know exactly what we are talking about! He was practically drooling!" Bree addes.
"Oh, he was not!" I say.
"So, you did notice!" Lily and Bree chime at the same time.
I sigh. "What does it matter?"
"I've said it from the beginning, and this totally confirms it! He's completely in love with you!" Bree says, stopping me in my tracks.
"He is not. And keep your voice down. Everyone will think we are crazy," I say scolding her.
"Oh, come on Ari, you have to see it! It all fits!" she goes on.
I give Bree a stern look and walk around her and into the Great Hall for breakfast. Walking between the tables I notice I am getting even more looks than normal. I sit down at our normal spot and grabbed some eggs and toast. Bree and Lily follow suit. I assume that Bree got the hint from my look, because she doesn't bring Black up again.
As we leave for Transfiguration I am so excited that I was practically skipping, but the closer we get to class the more nervous I get. If Nick truly fancies me, he would have sought me out right? I don't have much time to dwell on it because we barely made it to class on time. I slip in my seat just before the bell chimes for class to start.
I look over at Nick and give him my best smile. In return I am given a curt not before he turns his head toward the front of the room. He doesn't so much as look my direction again.
I am utterly confused and frustrated. It is all I can do to concentrate on the lecture. Not that I don't already know how to turn a toothpick into a picture frame. I am taking notes just for something to do, when the familiar writing showes up on my parchment yet again.
Trouble in paradise? SB
The nerve of him! I have just decided not to respond when he writes me again.
And to think you took all that time painting gunk on your face and he hasn't even given you a second glance. Guess he isn't so great after all. SB
I take a deep breath. I can feel the heat rising in my face and I know my skin must be the color of a ripe tomato. I collect myself and reply.
You seem to be so interested in Nick, maybe I should tell him he should consider you instead. AW
Men are not my type, as you well know. SB
AHA! So, he admits I know him!
On the contrary, I don't believe I know you at all. AW
I look up to see Professor McGonagall eyeing me subspecialty and decide to trade that parchment for another, ending our conversation. After class I took my time getting my things together, hoping to catch Nick and find out why he was being so cold. I wait for Black and Potter to leave so I can have some privacy.
"Nick, have I done something wrong?" I decide to just jump right in.
He slowly turns toward me. "Look, Arianna, I'm sure you're really nice and all, but I think I may have given you the wrong impression."
"Oh," is all I can manage.
"I would switch seats if I could," He goes on.
Ouch. I just stare at him.
"Look it's nothing you did, I just can't afford to get on Black's bad side right now."
"Wait, what?" I ask. I am thoroughly confused now. What does this have to do with Black?
"So, I'm sorry," Nick says, and he moves to turn away. I grab his arm and turn him back toward me.
"What do you mean you can't afford to get on Black's bad side? What does this have to do with Black?" I demand.
"Oh, jeez, you don't know," Nick starts. He takes a deep breath and continues. "After last class Black cornered me and told me to leave you alone or else I'd have him to deal with. He's told nearly every guy in our year the same thing."
"You have got to be kidding me!" I yell. I'm going to kill him. Without another word to Nick, I turn on my heals and storm out the door. I all but run down the hallway trying to find Black.
Bree and Lily are chasing after me asking what is wrong. I spot Black with Potter, Lupin and Pettigrew on the main floor outside of the Great Hall.
"BLACK!" I yell at the top of my lungs. Everyone stops to looks at me. I storm up getting within inches of him. "You have some nerve!"
"Well of course I do. I'm not sure what you're referring to this time though, would you care to elaborate?" he says coyly. His grey eyes stare down at me through his long eyelashes, and though he has a smile on his face, I think I see a bit of fear flash through them.
"Did you or did you not tell every boy in our year to stay away from me?" I demand.
Shock crosses his face briefly, but he recovers quickly. "Well someone had to do something. The way you were going about in those skimpy outfits, throwing yourself at everyone, you were going to get yourself in to trouble." A murmur of agreement begins circulating around the spectators.
I thought I was angry before, but it is nothing compared to what washes over me at this instant. Pure hot rage fills my body. Before I know what I am doing, I slap Black across the face with all of my might. Silence fills the hall. No one says a word as a red welt in the shape of my hand forms on the left side of Black's face.
"You are the scum of the earth Black," I say barley louder than a whisper "and I hate you."