Hey guys, First off I am really sorry for the late update, I plan on trying to crank out updates while I am home on vacation but I am not sure if I will be able to or not. I have had declining health in the past month and it has been hard for me to get up and go to school, let alone find time to write chapters for my stories. So I hope you enjoy this chapter and Happy Holidays. Oh and I have nine days to get the stories back on track so cross your fingers and if I get to a point where I am not posting like I usually do, feel free to comment and yell at me. Enjoy.

After dinner was over, the group made their way back upstairs. "You'll be staying in the room right across from mine so go get changed and then we can hang out in my room for a while before we have to hit the hay." Aria stated going into her room as the guys went into their own. Aria quickly changed before sitting down on her bed and pulling out her song folder from underneath her pillow. She traced the binding slowly before quickly putting it back underneath her pillow when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in guys." She called smoothing down her zebra rainbow pajama pants and shirt. "Nice pjs." Sirius said looking at her. Aria rolled her eyes as they all came in and plopped down. Remus sat on the edge of the bed by her while the other two plopped down on the floor and looked at them. "Can you play that guitar or is it just in here for the heck of it?" James asked looking at the standard acoustic guitar. "Yes I can play, it wouldn't be in my room if I couldn't." Aria stated as if they were stupid. "Could you play something for us?" Sirius asked. "I don't know, It has been a while since I last played or performed." Aria stated biting her lip. "Please." Sirius and James pleaded.

"Ok but I am only playing one song and when it sounds terrible it isn't my fault." She said as she picked up her guitar and grabbed a black pick off her nightstand. She then pulled out her song folder and pulled out one song she was always good at. "Ok, this is a muggle song that I heard and I have a deep connection to this song. Now it is fast paced so I don't know if I will get it or not." Aria stated as she put her hands in position on the guitar and started strumming the tune of the song.

"Days like this I want to drive away
Pack my bags and watch your shadow fade
You chewed me up and spit me out
Like I was poison in your mouth
You took my light, you drained me down
But that was then and this is now
Now look at me"

Aria started her singing quietly and then grew louder as she gained more confidence. Her hands ran over her guitar as she played as if the instrument was an extension of her body. Her voice flowed over the words and keys smoothly as a river over its worn river rocks. Her eyes held a gleam in them that the others had never seen before. Remus couldn't pull his eyes away from her as she sang proudly, never letting her smile drop or her words falter.

"This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
Throw your sticks and your stones, throw your bombs and your blows
But you're not gonna break my soul
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no"

Sirius and James listened in awe as she came to the last verse of the song. Her hands started to slow down on the guitar as it came to the end.

"Now look at me I'm sparkling
A firework, a dancing flame
You won't ever put me out again
I'm glowin', oh whoa
So you can keep the diamond ring
It don't mean nothing anyway
In fact you can keep everything yeah, yeah
Except for me"

Aria slowed down and her voice held the last note before she ended both her strumming and her singing. "So how was it?" Aria asked returning her stuff to its original place. "You were absolutely amazing." Sirius stated. "You should bring your guitar with you to Hogwarts and we could all do a song together." James stated. "You were perfect." Remus stated looking at the red head. Aria blushed and sat back down on her bed. After that they just started talking until it got late. "Well we better got to bed. Mom will want us up tomorrow so that we can help finish everything before she drags us all away to get us ready for the ball tomorrow night." Aria grumbled as they left her room. "Goodnight guys." She called after them as she shut her room door and went to bed.

The guys all got into their beds and were just about to put out the light when Aria's dad came into the room. "I believe I owe you boys and thank you." He stated. "Why?" Remus questioned. "She hasn't sung since her uncle died, they used to get together the day after a full moon and write songs while he recovered. Unfortunately, I have to admit that he was always more of a father to her then I was but I'm trying to correct that." Aria's father stated as he looked at the boys. "We knew they were close but she never tells us about him." James stated. "She trusts you so one day she will, but for now just keep being a friend to her, she needs it. Goodnight boys." He said leaving the room as he shut off the light, leaving three boys to ponder what they had just been told.