A/N: Hello my lovely readers! So here is the chapter I think I am most proud of! I really hope you enjoy it!
Saturday, Arianna awoke with a terrible headache. She hadn't slept very well, and this fight between Scor and Rose was really wearing her down. Looking at her clock, she realized she had overslept and was to meet Al in half an hour. She got up, ignoring her headache, showered, and got dressed. She was just leaving the room when she ran into Rose.
"Oh, I'm sorry Rose," she said politely and quietly, afraid of her wrath.
"No, I'm sorry. RiRi, I shouldn't have jumped down your throat like I did, and I'm so sorry. I know you are just trying to help, and you're also stuck in the middle of this, so I am sorry."
Arianna smiled at her. "I hate that two of my best friends are fighting, and the last thing I ever wanted was for you and me to fight too. You're my best friend."
Rose gave her a quick hug. "You're my best friend too. Come on, let's go get some lunch."
"Uh, actually, I can't. I need to be somewhere…" she mumbled.
"Oh? Are you meeting someone?" When she saw Arianna's face turn red, she smiled and continued. "Al perhaps?" She turned even redder and looked away. "Aha! I knew it! Okay, I won't keep you, but you must tell me everything later!" Rose exclaimed. Arianna simply nodded and headed to the doorway. "I'll see you later!" she called as Arianna ran out of the common room.
I know Al just wants to talk about this deal with Scor and Rose. I know for a fact he doesn't like me like that.
How do you know? Maybe he does and that's why he sent you a note to meet him in private, instead of telling you to meet him himself.
Shaking off her thoughts, she ran to the Forbidden Forrest to meet Al.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Rose went to lunch with a slightly better attitude. Her and RiRi had made up, and RiRi was meeting with Al. Things were looking up for those two, and Rose couldn't be happier for them. Even though her love life wasn't turning out the way she had wanted, she could learn to live with it. As long as her best friend and favorite cousin were happy, she would be content.
She wondered how long they had been meeting each other secretly. It couldn't have been that long, Rose would have noticed something.
You have been a bit preoccupied lately.
Okay, so the whole deal with Scor has kept her distant and preoccupied. She had even fallen behind on her schoolwork, which was not like her at all. Even some of the teachers were beginning to notice.
I just need to stop thinking about Scor and focus on my schoolwork.
The first person she saw in the Great Hall was Al, who was eating alone. He's probably waiting for Scor.
Wait, I thought he was meeting Arianna?
She walked over to the Slytherin table. "Al, what are you doing?"
"That's a pretty dumb question to be asking me Rose. I'm obviously eating. What else would I be doing in the Great Hall during lunch?"
"I thought you were meeting Arianna?"
"Why would I meet with RiRi? I thought she'd be with you as always," he said with a confused look on his face. Looking around, he said, "Where is RiRi?"
"As I said, she was going to go meet up with you! I have no idea where-"
"Al! You need to see this!" Scor shouted, running up to them, causing nearly every head to look their direction, even though he ignored it, or was not aware of it. Rose suddenly got self-conscious with all the stares. Scor threw an envelope at Al.
"Scor, this is RiRI's. It has her name on it," Al said, picking the envelope up.
"I know, but you need to read it, now!" He looked nervous to Rose, and also-scared?
"Scor, what is going on? Why is Al reading RiRi's mail?" Rose demanded. Under normal circumstances, she'd completely ignore him, but she was beyond confused at this point.
"That," he said pointing at the letter Al was now reading, "is supposedly from Al to RiRI, but it's not. It's not-"
"This isn't my handwriting!" Al shouted. He also looked scared. Who the bloody hell is pretending to be me and is meeting Arianna? We need to go! Now!" He said instantly and started running out of the Great Hall, with Scor and Rose following him. They both looked scared, and that scared Rose. Arianna, I hope you're alright.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Arianna walked into the Forbidden Forrest. She didn't know how far to walk in, and she had no idea how Al would find her. She walked until she couldn't see Hagrids hut and waited, figuring if she stayed in one spot, it'd be easier for Al to find her.
She heard a twig snap and she became alert. She held her wand tightly in her hand. She told herself it was just an animal or Al, but something felt off. Something wasn't right.
"A-Al? Is that you?" she said quietly.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" came a deep voice to her right, that gave Arianna shivers. That definitely wasn't Al, but the voice sounded so familiar. She couldn't see anyone though.
"Why, it's the Mudblood, Bell. Where are your pathetic friends? Did they finally realize you're nothing? A waste of space and air?" came a female voice to the left of her. It sounded familiar also, but she couldn't place it, and she still couldn't see them.
"What about your boyfriend, Potter? Oh that's right! He's not your boyfriend. He just feels sorry for you, because you're too weak to defend yourself. You're too simple, too pathetic," came another voice from directly in front of her.
She didn't say anything, because she knew her fear would be known just by speaking, and she didn't want to show whoever it was that she was afraid. I'm not weak! Don't listen to them!
"You know, I even heard Potter telling Malfoy that he couldn't even stand the sight of you; that you're like a leech to him! You just won't leave him alone," said the female voice.
"No! You're lying!" Arianna shouted. She was close to tears now, but she refused to cry in front of them. "Sh-show your faces cowards!"
"Cowards?" the one in front of her sneered.
"I see you need to be taught a lesson Mudblood." Before Arianna could react, she was hit with a stunning jinx. Hitting the ground hard, unable to move, she saw three hooded figures come towards her.
"Please, let me go," she pleaded. Her tears were now flowing freely. She was scared, and she knew they would hurt her.
"No, I don't think so. You see Mudblood, you need to know your place in this world. Crucio!"
The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, that she no longer knew where she was... white-hot knives were piercing every inch of her skin, her head was surely going to burst with pain; she was screaming more loudly than she'd ever screamed in her life. They ended the curse, but she was in so much agony, she could barely even breathe. She was then kicked and hit with some curses that cut into her skin. Compared to being tortured, this pain was nothing. She was too numb from the cruciatus curse.
"Have an idea of where you stand now Mudblood? Crucio!"
Again, she screamed because the pain was even more intense. She cried and screamed for anyone to hear to, to save her. They ended the curse again, but she was unable to move. She opened her eyes and saw them arguing, just before she blacked out.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Al, where are we going?" Rose yelled, gasping for air. She ran behind them out of the castle, onto the grounds.
"To the Forbidden Forrest, where-"
AHHHHHHHHH!
Scor was cut off by a scream. They all stopped dead in their tracks and looked at each other.
"W-was that-"Rose stuttered.
"Arianna!" Al yelled. He ran to the forrest as fast as he could. He didn't even look to see if Scor and Rose were following him. He had to get to Arianna fast. Her scream had ended, but he could still hear it in his head. Merlin please let her be alright!
He stopped just inside the forrest. He had no idea where to go now; he had no idea where she would be. Maybe if he just-
AHHHHHHHHHH!
Immediately he followed her scream. It ripped through him like a thousand knives hearing her scream, and it scared him. She has to be okay! I couldn't bear it if she-
His thoughts were cut off when he came to clearing. What he saw made his heart drop. Lying on the ground, covered in dirt, cuts, bruises, and blood, was an unconscious Arianna.
