Acceptance:
"Are you in?" Fred asked as he walked past Ariadne.
"Of course, I am," Ariadne said smiling.
Harry looked up from his book and asked quickly,
"Of course you are what?"
"Up for a little prank," Ariadne said smiling brightly.
"Ariadne, Remus wasn't kidding the other night," Harry warned.
"Trust me I know Uncle Remus wasn't kidding and my bum knows Uncle Remus wasn't kidding," Ariadne said smiling and rubbing her bum for effect. Remus had promised if she was involved in another prank this year, he would spank her every night for a week and she would be grounded for the entire summer holiday.
The previous Saturday wasn't pleasant for Ariadne; she had faced the consequences for her transgressions against both Harry and Slytherin House, and putting herself in danger by climbing down the castle to sneak out. Remus wanted to ensure that his niece wouldn't make the same mistake twice and that spanking was one that would stay in Ariadne's mind for a while.
"What are the chances of you getting caught?" Harry asked, looking pointedly at the twins.
"Slim to none," Fred assured Harry.
"We're still recovering from last time," George teased.
"We don't want to face Mum and her spoon again anytime too soon," Fred said smiling.
"Plus summer is just around the corner and I for one hate being grounded in the summer," George said.
"You took the words right out of my mouth, brother," Fred said.
Fred and George walked away and Ariadne whispered,
"Plus, it's the full moon and Uncle Remus really won't be available."
"It's your hide, don't come crying to me when you can't sit and are grounded for the entire summer," Harry said getting back to his homework.
Two nights later, Ariadne met Fred and George in the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Where's Peeves?" Ariadne asked as they stepped out of the common room.
Fred and George had elicited the poltergeist as their lookout for this adventure.
"Dunno," George said honestly.
"I had him leave, as your plans have been canceled for the evening," a voice said from behind them.
The three children jumped and turned towards the somewhat angry voice of Sirius Black.
"Mind telling me where you're heading?" Sirius asked firmly.
"Back to bed," George suggested.
"That does sound brilliant brother," Fred said.
Ariadne just looked at her father and turned back towards the portrait.
"I think the four of us need to have a discussion first. Follow me," Sirius said.
The twins looked at Ariadne, who shrugged and followed her father down the hall towards Remus's quarters. They arrived there too swiftly for Ariadne's taste, until she remembered that she hadn't actually done anything wrong and Uncle Remus was currently a werewolf, so she didn't have anything to worry about.
"Sit," Sirius said pointing to the couch. The three teenagers sat trying not to look guilty. "So, what was the plan tonight?"
"Just a little fun," Fred tried.
"Nothing too dangerous or destructive," George added.
"We promise," Fred and George said together.
"Care to elaborate?" Sirius asked.
"Not really," Ariadne mumbled.
"Boys, how about you?"
"Not," George started.
"Really," Fred finished.
"Fine, I'll leave it to Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster than," Sirius said getting up and walked towards the fireplace.
The twin glanced at Ariadne begging her to do or say something.
"Sirius," Ariadne started.
"Yes," Sirius stopped his walk over to the fire place and turned around.
"We were just going to get things ready," Ariadne tried.
"What were you going to set up?" Sirius asked.
"Do you promise not to tell?" Ariadne asked, cursing internally that she sounded about five years old saying those words.
"It all depends on what sort of prank you were planning on," Sirius said seriously.
"Just a water one," Fred said quickly.
"We were going to alter the drinking fountains," George said hoping it didn't sound too bad.
"Please don't tell me you were changing it to fire whisky," Sirius said wondering if he told Harry or Ariadne that story, if so, Remus would kill him.
"No sir," Fred and George said together smiling wickedly. That thought had never occurred to them
"Boys, wipe those smiles off your faces. If that ever happens, I know who to send Professor Dumbledore too and I'm sure Arthur and Molly wouldn't be pleased either," Sirius said sternly. "What were you planning to do to the water fountains?"
"Just add some soap and watch them bubble a bit when people went to get something to drink," Ariadne said hoping this would stop Sirius's questions and that he would allow them to return to Gryffindor Tower.
"I'm sure it was more than that Ariadne," Sirius said looking at his daughter pointedly.
"Ok, so it might have flooded the hallway a bit with bubbles, but it would help Filch clean them," Ariadne said hopefully, but one look at Sirius and she knew he wasn't buying the story, "Ok, so people who drank from the fountain might have floated away, but they would have landed in about twenty seconds."
"Fred, George, go back to bed. If I see you out of Gryffindor Tower after hours again this school year, I will not hesitate to turn you in. Got it?" Sirius said.
"Yes sir," the twins said.
Ariadne got up to follow the twins out of the room, when Sirius grabbed her arm.
"I have a few more things to say to you, young lady."
The twins gave Ariadne a sympathetic look and walked out of the quarters.
"Yes, Sirius," Ariadne said a bit annoyed.
"Lose the attitude," Sirius warned. "Did I or did I not hear Remus, just four nights ago, threaten you with a week's worth of spanking and grounding you for the entire summer holiday if you pulled another prank?"
"Yes, you did. We didn't pull one, so I guess there really isn't anything to worry about," Ariadne said.
"You didn't pull it because, I knew you were up to something and stopped you," Sirius said sharply.
"Sirius, if you're going to tattle on me do it, but for now I'm going to bed."
"I am not going to tell Remus anything except that I caught you out after hours and you are moving in here for the rest of the school year," Sirius said simply and waited for the explosion that was sure to ensue from his daughter.
"THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, SIRIUS!"
"I assure you, it will. I already told the house elves to bring your stuff to your old room and that's where it will remain until terms end," Sirius said firmly.
"SI-RI-US, I don't want to live here," Ariadne whined. "Nothing happened, just let me go back."
"Sorry, I'm not changing my mind about this," Sirius said.
Ariadne didn't say another word; she just walked to her room and slammed the door. She would plead her case to Uncle Remus in the morning. Usually, he wasn't together after the night of the full moon. Maybe she could talk her way out of Sirius's punishment.
The next morning Ariadne walked out hoping to find Remus at the table, but only Sirius was there.
"Morning," he said cheerfully.
"Where's Uncle Remus?"
"Not recovered enough for your attack, so I told him to go to bed," Sirius said smiling.
"I'm still not staying, so you can just quit your smiling," Ariadne angrily walking back into her room.
Sirius followed her into the room catching the door as she tried to slam it.
"I know Remus doesn't allow you to slam doors. Now quit trying to be difficult," Sirius said gently.
"I need to get dressed, please leave," Ariadne said knowing Uncle Remus was down the hall and really didn't want to bother him if he wasn't feeling well.
"Fine, I will see you at the table in fifteen minutes," Sirius said shutting the door behind him before Ariadne could argue over breakfast.
Ariadne walked out thirty minutes later, just to prove that she wasn't going to listen to Sirius and to ensure she wouldn't have time to eat breakfast with Sirius.
"No time, thanks for the offer of breakfast," Ariadne said as she started towards the door, but Sirius grabbed her arm and led her back to the table.
"I talked to Hagrid and asked if we could have some time together this morning and he thought it was a great idea. He knew I could tutor you on the subject," Sirius said sitting down and indicating that Ariadne should do the same.
"Well, I don't want to miss class," Ariadne said not sitting quite yet.
"Honestly, you don't have a choice. Sit down please. We really don't want to disturb Remus, he looked awful this morning," Sirius said firmly.
He felt horrible about the lie, but things had to change between Ariadne and himself. Remus agreed and decided to 'play' sick that day, to help out. It had taken everything in Sirius's power to stop Remus from spanking the girl tha morning for daring to set up another prank. He ranted that he had knew he let off too easy the last ttime. Sirius just rolled his eyes at the comment. Remus knew it was in Ariadne's nature to fool around and no matter how many times he punished her, she would keep it up.
Ariadne glared at her father and sat down at the table.
"So, what do you know about unicorns?" Sirius asked casually.
"They're white and have a huge horn on their head," Ariadne snapped.
"Wow, I thought Hagrid would be a better…."
"Don't you dare say anything bad about Hagrid or his teaching methods. I don't want to be here and I don't want to talk to you, so I'm not going to answer your dumb questions about unicorns," Ariadne said folding her arms.
"Look Ariadne, I'm trying here, but I need a little help from you, ok?" Sirius said.
"Let me move back into Gryffindor and I'll try harder," Ariadne tried.
"Not happening. You and I have to come to some understanding."
"You said, I only had to be polite and I have been."
"True, but I thought you would at least try and get to know me. Right now you leave the minute the table is cleared, you barely say a word, and when you do it is to answer a question."
"Sirius, I don't want things to change," Ariadne sighed.
"They're not going to change that much. All I want is a chance to be your father. I'm not trying to take you away from Remus, because I love Remus as much as you do. I swear you would rather spend time with Snape than you would with me," Sirius said running his fingers through his hair in exasperation.
Ariadne sat there and thought about what Sirius was saying and it was true, she wasn't trying very hard, but she was still scared, the stupid what if scenarios wouldn't leave her brain.
"At least he's easier to annoy," Ariadne couldn't help but joke a little bit, even with Sirius.
"That's for sure. But, seriously Ariadne…"
"Ok, Sirius, I'll try harder."
Sirius smiled at his daughter and they started to discuss the different powers and wonders of unicorns. The conversation was easy and relaxed, more than once both laughed at what the other had to say. All in all Ariadne enjoyed her morning alone with her father. Maybe Fred was right and he wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Remus walked into the kitchen the minute he heard Ariadne leave for her next class.
"So?"
"It's a start. She isn't going to make this easy," Sirius said.
"Never does."
"Why couldn't she be more like Mary?"
"Right, like Mary was much better. She fought our parents and me on almost everything, stubborn, stubborn girl. So your poor daughter comes by it naturally from both sides," Remus said smiling.
"Ok, so why isn't she more like her favorite Uncle?" Sirius said smiling.
"Because, my life would be way too boring if that was the case," Remus said smiling back.
Ariadne met up with Harry as they were walking into History of Magic.
"So what happened last night?" Harry asked.
"Sirius caught us before anything really happened. He made me move back into the quarters and he made me eat breakfast with him," Ariadne practically whined the last part.
"Oh the torture," Harry teased.
"I don't want to live in the quarters," Ariadne whined.
"You shouldn't have snuck out last night and got involved with Fred and George again," Harry lectured.
"I know, I know."
"So, how was your morning with Sirius?" Harry asked.
"Actually, it wasn't too bad. You know he thinks I would rather spend time with Snape that with him."
"You act like it," Harry said.
"I guess I've been a bit of a prat about the entire thing," Ariadne admitted.
"Glad you can admit it," Harry teased.
The last three weeks of school Ariadne and Sirius's relationship grew stronger. She really liked the man more than she would ever care to admit. When term finally ended, both Harry and Ariadne were happy to find out that they were all going to move into Sirius's home.
Harry decided the choice he made of not only leaving home after blowing up Aunt Marge, but accepting Remus as his guardian were the best he ever made in his life. He couldn't wait for the next chapter of his life to begin with his new family.
A/N: Sorry again for how long it took me to post. My computer crashed and I lost the main outline for this story, so I am ending it here. I didn't lose the outline for the second part of the Harry and Ariadne's story, so I will get started on it soon along with two other stories that are on my mind (not Harry Potter). Don't worry, I bought a new computer and my life really has slowed down, so hopefully I can get back on track and post every few day instead of every few weeks. We will just have to see. Thanks to everyone who stuck with the story, I really appreciate it and I hope you like it. Let me know one way or another. Shell