Chapter Fifty: The Kidnapping
"Sirius.. Sirius.."
Sirius looked up. Aria was sitting across from him in their booth in the Three Broomsticks. She was smiling, he guessed in an attempt to get him to do the same, but he just stared back down into the drink.
"Act any more happy and I'll explode," Aria muttered, leaning back into her seat.
She then looked outside the window, watching the uncontrollable snow fade away. Her eyes narrowed.
"Is it just me," she said in a low voice, "or did things just get really quiet?"
Sirius shrugged.
"Maybe it's just-"
The inn's door flew open suddenly, banging loudly against the walls, knocking some of the nails off their hinges. Three wizards stood there, all cloaked in black with wands held up by hands well hidden by sleeves. Even though they didn't say anything, just their presence and erie gazes sent chills up the costumers' spines.
"Aria," Sirius whispered, "get under the table."
But Aria was stiff, staring at the three men with both fear and hatred. Lost in her own trepidation, she was unable to do anything, letting her eyes turn cold in horror.
"Aria!" Sirius hissed.
Aria snapped out of it, and as soon as the wizard's heads turned the opposite, way, hurrying to get under the table. She wasn't quick enough. The man closets to them on the right, saw the movement, and and his arm thrusted towards her, sending a dark purple red light in her direction. Under first instincts, forgetting about his own safety, Sirius jumped out in front of Aria, knocking her to the ground while covering her head, and took the hit for himself. The spell ripped through his shoulder, cutting it, sending a cool sensation of what he knew was blood down is arm.
"Sirius, you're-"
Sirius cut her off, shoving the palm of her hand over her mouth. Despite his precaution, the masked wizard spotted the two, and walked towards them. The other two men had already ventured off into other parts of Hogsmede, and screams were heard as other costumers took the opportunity to escape. The wizard was pulling out his wand again, but Sirius was already a step ahead of him, prepared this time.
"Explleramous," he muttered, sending the spell in the wizard's direction.
The cloaked man flew back, hitting the wall with a force that sent blood oozing out of the back of his head. He was knocked out. For a moment, Sirius just marveled at what he just did.
"Sirius, we've got to get out of here!"
Sirius shook his head at Aria's voice and began to stand up, but stopped at the feel of Aria's hand.
"You're shoulder," she reminded him.
"Oh yeah."
Sirius was surprised to find that he had completely forgotten about his shoulder, which was now bleeding reverently and turning numb. Raising his wand to the wound, Sirius muttered a spell, and the blood cleared and he felt circulation slowly beginning.
"Let's go," he said, helping Aria out from under the table.
They stood, and Aria brushed the dust off her robes as she glanced through the window. Outside was total havoc. There must've been more than three of the men, because at least a half a dozen bodies were sprawn about, and dozens of third years were running wild, dashing for safety.
"On second thought, maybe we should just hide out in here," Aria said, nervous at the site.
"And what happens when he wakes up?" Sirius asked, nodding towards the knocked out wizard.
Aria bit her lip, and then nodding.
"All right," she said, less confidently then Sirius would've liked, "let's go."
Together, Sirius and Aria stepped out into the closest thing they had ever seen to hell.
Aria had insisted staying low, scouting the shops for any victims, though Sirius was determined to get out and help fight. As they were heading out of a secondhand bookshop, they ran into Austin Paye, a seventh year they had met during his tryout for the Gryffindor house team.
"Hey," Austin greeting, nearly bumping into them, "when did you guys shows up?"
"We've been here the entire time," Sirius said, "what do you mean when did we show up?"
"Well I heard James and the others stayed back this trip, that's all," Austin shrugged, a little taken aback by Sirius' tone.
"They did?" Sirius said, confused. "I thought they were right behind me."
"I dunno," Austin said, "but I'm going back out there. You two be careful."
"Same to you," Aria said as he was leaving.
Aria stared after his shadow for a minute, turning to Sirius.
"Maybe we should leave," Aria said, concerned at Sirius' still confused face, "there must be some way to get us back to Hogwarts."
"No," Sirius said darkly, "I'm staying. Go if you want."
Sirius' behavior changed as suddenly as his tone, and he started off toward the alley's exit with a look of loathe that scared Aria with worry.
"Wait!" She called after him. "Sirius, what's going on?"
But as she saw him leave, she realized that that was the same mood he had been in the entire day, some sense of uncertainty and distance.
"Sirius!"
She began to run after him, but arm grabbed her around the waist, bringing her back into the wall. A hand closed over her mouth, muffling her screams.
"Looks like I hit jackpot," a voice muttered.
A sly grin that Aria couldn't see appeared under the man's mask, and before she could brace herself, the world went dark
Chapter Fifty-One: Comfort
"I'm sure everything's fine."
James jumped from where he sat on the couch. It was nearly eight-thirty and only a few had returned from Hogsmeade. That group included him, Peter, and Remus(who had snuck out before the attack, giving Sirius his room) along with Lily and her gang. All except for Sirius and Aria.
"What do you want, Evans?" James snapped, fighting the urge to turn and look at her.
Every since he had kissed her, even if it was to save her from getting into trouble, James felt himself even more drawn to her than before. The way she looked, the way she moved, even the way she tucked her fallen red hair behind her ears as she sat in front of him in class stood out to him now more than ever. He wanted to admit that to her, but his pride restrain him.
"Aria hasn't returned, and I'm worried about her," Lily admitted, "same with Sirius?"
When James didn't answer her, she sat down in a chair to the right of him, watching him as he stared at the ground.
"Aria lives with her uncle," Lily said a little distantly, "she can't stand him, and he can't stand her."
Looking up, she couldn't tell if James was listing to her or not, and she knew he wouldn't admit it if she was, but as she saw his eye grow more intense, she knew that he was listening.
"He can't stand Remus either."
This, of anything, caught James' attention. He looked up at her, shocked.
"How do you-"
Lily laughed.
"You four aren't as sneaky as you think," she said, eyes twinkling.
"Why?" James asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Have you been following us?"
"Maybe," Lily said with a satisfied smile.
James sighed and leaned back into the couch.
"So why are you out here, really?" James asked, staring out the window as tiny green blurs flew by on broomsticks.
"Same reason you are," Lily said, sitting down beside James. "Waiting for a friend to return."
"You sure that's all?" James said with added charm.
The corners of Lily's mouth twitched upward, and before she could help herself, she felt herself falling forward, falling, falling through the thick air until James caught her with his lips, easing himself into a comfortable position, and let his mouth brush against her as he moaned.
"Sh-" Lily told him, and was about to let her arms trail up to his shoulders when the common room door swung open and swung short.
"Has anyone seen Aria?" Sirius demanded as he entered the room.
Lily and James broke apart quicker than lightening.
"Oh, sorry," Sirius said, sarcastically, "was I interrupting something?"
"No-" James said, pulling at some lose hairs standing on the back of his head, "where have you been?"
"There was an attack in Hogsmeade," Sirius explained, throwing himself down into a chair in exhaustion.
"Oh my God!" Lily exclaimed. "Is Aria all right? Where is she? Is she hurt?"
"I don't know," Sirius admitted, shaking his head, "we were attacked in the Three Broomsticks, and were split up after that."
Lily bit her lip, sinking back down into the couch.
"Oh God," she muttered, and soon felt James hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him as she blinked out tears, fearing the worst for her friend, and found James looking down on her.
"She'll be all right," James assured her, and glanced towards Sirius who got the message.
"See you later," Sirius muttered as he left.
James nodded, and Lily's head was soon laying against his chest, and all he could do was comfort her, praying he was doing the right thing.
