Chapter Eleven
"Wait a minute," Sirius looked down at the girl confused. "I thought you said your mom died while giving birth to you and that you came looking for your dad!"
"I lied. My mom's alive and my dad… to tell you the truth, I don't know if he's alive or dead. But my brother is really dead, that I know for sure."
Mariana cried herself to sleep on Sirius' bed, which he let her stayed the night. Lily didn't want to leave Mariana alone with four boys so she spent the night too, taking James' bed. Both Sirius and James conjured up more blankets and made makeshift beds on the floor in front of the windows. Mariana slept peacefully, as though all the bad dreams in the past were lifted off from her head.
Around three in the morning, Sirius and James still weren't asleep, both worrying about the two sisters that have arrived to Hogwarts. James turned his head to Sirius with a frown.
"Do you think this was why Mariana has never had any friends and was so mysterious?"
"Don't know Prongs, but that could be one of the reasons. I mean, do you see how fast Mariana paled at dinner?" Sirius looked over to one of his best friends with concern.
"She did pale pretty quickly, but do you think she'll tell us the rest of the reasons?"
Sirius thought for a minute and grinned. "I don't think she's going to tell us, specifically, but I do know who."
James frowned at his best friend. "Who?"
Sirius grinned wider if that was even possible. "Snuffles."
"What?" James asked with pure confusion.
But before James could ask any more questions, Sirius transformed and jumped on to his bed. Mariana woke up, James quickly pretending to be asleep. Mariana sat up on the bed and leaned back on the headboard, Sirius lying next to her, resting his head on her lap. The girl stroked Sirius' head, sighing sadly.
"She found me, Snuffles." Sirius titled his head upwards, Mariana sniffing to keep from crying. "She brought my sisters here to kill me or bring me back to her." She wiped a tear from her cheek. "But if I go back to her, I'll never be seen again. I will be dead."
Sirius quickly jumped to his feet, Mariana shifting so that she could hug Sirius around his neck. She buried her face in his far, wanting nothing but comfort at the moment. Sirius whimpered, nudging Mariana with his foot.
"She wants it." Mariana whispered fearfully. "She wants what my father left me. To be as powerful as ever and to get the one thing that she can't get with my brother's powers alone."
'What the hell does this girl have to go into hiding?' Sirius thought.
"I'm going have to leave Hogwarts." Mariana said suddenly.
'What?' Sirius backed up from Mariana and looked at her in the eyes, his own wide with surprise.
"I'm going have to disappear again." Mariana cried softly, lying back down on the bed.
Sirius laid next to the girl and licked her face. Mariana hugged Sirius, shaking her head as she stared into the dog's eyes.
"Your eyes so much reminds me of Sirius, you know that Snuffles?" Mariana continued to cry, smiling a watery smile. "And to think that I've actually became great friends with him, and the other popular guys. Even Lily I came to admire." Mariana reached her hand to scratch Sirius' between the ears, giggling quietly. "Not in a million years would I have thought to be friends with them, little them wanting to be friends with me. I was actually starting to like them, especially Sirius and Remus. And who could forget Severus, who's been a great friend to me as will?" She quickly lost her smile, crying harder. "Now I have to leave them behind."
Mariana cried herself to sleep, letting Sirius the chance to transform. He pushed back a few strands of hair that fell over Mariana's face and cupped her cheek. Sirius stroke his thumb across the girl's cheek, making her sigh with content. He quickly detached himself from Mariana carefully and got out of the bed. Sirius begun to pace up and down between the beds, James actually following asleep during Mariana's confession.
'She can't leave Hogwarts! It's the safest place! And what did she mean 'disappear again?'' Sirius stopped and groaned in frustration quietly, rubbing his face.
"What the hell is going on?" Sirius asked softly, looking up at the ceiling as though all the answers could be hidden there. "Why did this girl have to be so mysterious?"
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--Next day—
Mariana woke up the next day, tired and confused. She sat up groggily and looked around the room, wondering where she was. A few snores came from the floor to her right, startling the girl. Mariana went on to her knees and crawled forward to see what was down there. A wide smile spread across her lips, trying hard not to laugh out loud at the sight before her.
Sirius and James had one leg on top of each other, while James had his left arm over Sirius' face, while Sirius had his right arm punching James slightly on the side of his head, which made it tilt to the side, James slightly drooling. Suddenly, Sirius left leg begun to twitch somewhat similar to that of a dog, whimpering as will. Marian buried her face on the sheets, crying from holding her laughter inside. Calming down, Marian looked down over to the two guys, wiping her tears.
She looked over to the small dresser next to the bed to see her wand. Mariana reached over and took hold of it. She conjured up a camera nonverbally and smiled mischievously, which would have surprise many people. Mariana quietly got off the bed and stood in front of the two boys, placing a silencing charm on the camera just in case. Positioning the camera, Mariana took a quickly picture before either boys moved.
James mumbled inaudibly and moved to his left side, his right arm going over Sirius' chest and his right leg over Sirius' right one, making him almost on top of him. Trying so hard not to laugh, Mariana bit her bottom lip and took another picture of the two boys. Looking around, Mariana quietly walked over to the bed in front of the bed that she slept in and pulled back the curtain. Mariana took a picture of Peter, who had half his sheet over his right leg, snoring a bit loudly.
The girl then walked to the next one and took a picture of a curled up Lily. Mariana then walked to the bed in front of Lily's and next to the one she slept in. She pulled back the curtain and looked at the teen before her with a sad smile. Remus had a hand on top of an open book that was pressed down on his chest, which rose with Remus' breathing pattern. Smiling softly, Mariana took a picture and closed the curtain.
Putting on her shoes, the girl walked out of the boy's room and walked quietly down the stairs, placing the camera in her pocket. She walked across the common room towards the girl's staircase but a voice stopped Mariana in the middle of the room.
"It took us forever to find you again, you know." It was a statement, not a question.
"You're not supposed to be here because you're in Hufflepuff." Mariana said in a low voice but did not turn around.
"Resa…"
Mariana closed her eyes tightly at the old nickname. "That's not my name anymore, Christina."
The young girl shimmered behind Mariana with a wisp of smoke, looking slightly hurt.
"Then what are you calling yourself these days? Judy? Alex? Robin? Sarah? What?"
Mariana sharply turned around to face the girl. "Leave me be, Christina! Why don't you and Isabel go back home and stay there?" Mariana cried desperately.
Christina shook her head. "You know we can't do that. But even if I did tell Isabel, she won't listen to me." Christina took a step closer, touching Mariana's arm. "Resa-"
"Don't," Mariana jerked away from the girl. "Touch me. Ever!"
Christina took a step forward, her eyes turned red. She held up her hand towards her sister and curled her fingers as if she were holding something. Mariana immediately went to grab her neck, trying to breathe and prey off the invisible hands surround her neck.
"You know very will that Isabel and I have to do anything to get you back to mom, Theresa." Christina told Mariana darkly.
Mariana fell to her knees, wheezing to try and breathe. Tears came to her eyes, wondering if this was truly it and that she was to be forced to be taken back to wherever that evil witch was.
"What's going on here?" A voice said from the boy's staircase.
Mariana looked past her sister, who looked back at the voice, to see Sirius staring at them confused, angrily, and surprise. Mariana flickered her eyes to her younger sister and threw her right hand at her. Christina uncurled her fingers as she was flung back into the wall near the staircase. Mariana leaned forward, coughing violently as she tried to breathe normally once again. Sirius ran towards the fallen girl, kneeling beside her.
"You okay?" Sirius whispered.
Mariana nodded as she looked up to her sister. Christina narrowed her eyes at her older sister as she stood up straight.
"You know you can't get away from her, Resa! Just accept her and giver her the power!" Christina took a step forward but Sirius stood up before Mariana.
"Don't dare to come near her! Trust me, you'll be sorry." Sirius said dangerously.
"I will never give her what she needs! She might've took out brother's powers, but not mine!" Mariana coughed once more before standing up, with the help Sirius. "Now get out of here before I let Sirius drag you out!"
Christina shook her head, raising her left arm. "You're making a huge mistake, Resa."
Christina snapped her fingers and disappeared with a wisp of smoke. Sirius turned to Mariana, many questions running through his mind that he wasn't able to think properly to speak. Mariana felt her knees go weak and fell just slightly if it weren't for Sirius to quickly take hold of her. Her stomach then started to churn, making the girl lean her head against Sirius chest to keep her self steady.
"Thank you, Si." Mariana whispered, using the nickname she just thought up. "If you didn't come when you did, who knows what she might've done to me." she told him truthfully with fear evident in her voice.
Sirius pulled Mariana back slightly, a frown upon his face. Mariana knew that she might had to answer him about the whole magic thing without wands. But what Sirius said next took Mariana off guard.
"You nicknamed me Si?" Sirius lingered on the nickname, testing it to see how it went.
Marina couldn't believe that Sirius was only worried about the nickname and laughed, placing a hand to her face to cover her embarrassment. Sirius smiled and hugged the girl once more, kissing her brow before placing his cheek on it.
"You can't leave, Mariana." Sirius told her in a low voice. "You need me. You need us, Lily, Remus, James, Peter, and even Snape."
Mariana pulled back, a confused frown on her face. "How'd you know I wanted to leave?"
"I have my sources, but the point is that you can't! You have to trust in us, in yourself!" Sirius cupped her face, wiping the tears with his thumb. "Please say you'll stay?" Sirius gave his best puppy face. "At least for me?"
Mariana couldn't help but get lost into his grey eyes that seemed to get only darker. She debated within her head, seconds becoming longer into minutes. Sighing once more, Mariana nodded, speaking softly.
"Okay, I'll stay… for you."
Sirius smiled and leaned forward to kiss her forehead once more. "Thank you."
'What have I gotten myself into… again?'
'You're the idiot that fell into his oh-so-wonderful eyes!'
'You didn't have to rub it in. (sigh) I don't know what the hell's has overcame me.'
'I do! You're falling for him!'
'Am not!'
'Are too!'
'Not!'
'To!'
'AM NOT!'
'ARE TOO!'
'(sighs) I think I am… damn it!'
Mariana sighed and moved away from Sirius, who frowned.
"You okay?" Sirius questioned, taking hold of the girl once more.
Mariana looked up at Sirius, getting lost once more in his eyes. They stood there, neither saying a word, just staring at one another. Soon, Mariana started to lean upwards and did the most unexpected thing that surprised both teens. Mariana went on her tip toes and kissed Sirius for a quick few seconds before pulling back slowly, blushing a deep red. Sirius was too surprise to what happened but did not know what overcame him the next second.
Sirius quickly leaned down and kissed Mariana, wrapping his arms around her waist to bring her closer. Mariana fluttered her eyes shut, wrapping her arms around his neck. Of course this was her first kiss, but it felt as though she done it a million times as she somehow knew what she was doing.
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Lady Anck-su-namun: Yes, siblings are sometimes evil, depending on what they do. Did I really surprise you? I didn't I could do that to someone, lol. Thanks for reviewing!
CrazyPirateGirl: They could be her sisters. They could be lying. Who knows? I sure don't know. No, I'm kidding. Remember back in chapter five when Mariana and Lilly were talking about Mariana never having a birthday party before? (nod) They're her sisters, and were you surprise about Mariana's true name? Yeah, she has been through a lot, but like you said, at least she has her friends. And go ahead and ramble, I like to read your opinions! Thanks for reviewing!
Emma-J-Riddle: I'm glad that I caught your interest with this story. You'll find out soon enough what kind of magic her sister was working on her to make Mariana's back hurt. Thanks for reviewing!
A/N: Surprised you all in the end, didn't I? If you want to know what happens next, you'll have to review! Thanks.