warning: this chapter contains direct dialogue from the HP books and/or movies (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
Second Book
Mid October, 1992
Forth Year
Ara was starting to think Quidditch caused more problems than it was worth.
She had been unable to sleep one early Saturday morning, which already made her irritable.
When Ara heard the Slytherin Quidditch team, including their new seeker, her baby brother, snickering as the moved through the dungeons, she tried to ignore them, to go back to sleep. But, something about it had rubbed her the wrong way.
Draco hadn't said a thing about there being practice, and that didn't seem like something he'd miss out on bragging about. To top it off, Adrian hadn't said anything either. None of the Quidditch players, most of which she was quite friendly with, had. Which was unusual, to say the least.
Having nothing better to do, Ara quietly got ready and tried her hardest not to wake Nereza up, because it was the polite thing to do, but it wasn't like she'd actually be able to wake her even if she wanted.
When Nereza was out, she was out cold.
Ara sighed as she pulled on her Slytherin robes while walking out of the dorm.
She would just check on the team, take a quick peak, make sure everything was alright, and then leave, no one would even notice her.
Yes, that's what Ara told herself as she marched towards the Quidditch pitch groggily.
But you see, that plan had quickly been thrown out the window.
"-No one asked your opinion, you filthy little mudblood!"
Ara stopped dead in her tracks.
"You'll pay for that Malfoy!"
Ara let out a sinister laugh, which halted the uproar that her brothers stupid choice of words had caused.
"Yes, Malfoy, you will pay for that,"
In the blink of an eye, Ara was standing in front of her brother, and in-between a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors, both dressed in their respective Quidditch robes.
Everyone on the pitch looked extremely uncomfortable, Fred and George both made an awkward face and gave each other a look that said 'he's done for', because if they knew Ara, they knew she wouldn't stand for this.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, what have I told you about children using that word?" Ara smiled in a way that forced the hair at the back of her brother's neck to stand on edge.
He said nothing back, afraid his voice would fail him.
"Ara, he-"
"Marcus," Ara swiftly looked over to the taller, older, Slytherin, he nearly flinched, "-Since when do you hold Quidditch practises so early?"
Marcus Flint gulped, looking like he'd just been caught in a lie, which he had, and Oliver Wood knew it.
"He's got a letter from Professor Snape, Ara," Oliver mused nonchalantly, Marcus shot him a glare.
"Does he now?"
"Ara-"
"Let's see it then,"
Marcus avoided the blonde girls gaze while she was being handed the letter from Snape, which stated that the Slytherin Quidditch team was allowed to use the sports pitch today, even though the Gryffindors had already booked it.
Once finished reading the letter, Ara gave Flint a nearly amused look.
"I can't imagine what Professor Snape will do if he finds out you faked his signature, Marcus," Ara mused, that was definitely not her Uncle Severus' handwriting, or signature, "-And here I thought you were smarter than that?"
Marcus gave Ara a defeated look, he knew better than to try anything funny with her.
"We-"
Before he could explain himself, Ron Weasley vomited.
He vomited slugs.
Everyone gasped, and Ara, still angry due to a variety of things, gave him one, disgusted look, before glancing over to Hermione, who was standing next to him.
"What're you waiting for? Take him to the nurse!" Hermione quickly nodded and guided the redhead away, Harry helped her.
"Now you, do not think you're off the hook, little boy," Ara hissed under her breath, turning back to her brother, "-Off to the dungeons immediately, and wait for me there, mother will be livid to hear that you've been using such foul language,"
Draco gave Ara a frightened look, and then looked back at Marcus helplessly, Flint did not meet his gaze. He refused to mix himself up in the Malfoy's business.
Draco scurried off, and then Ara glanced over to Flint.
"Marcus, I will not tell the Professor about the note," Ara sighed, thrusting the parchment into the taller boys hands, the angry tone she'd been using with Draco turned tired, "-But please, do better than to live up to our houses stereotype? You're much better than that, go back to the dungeons,"
Marcus, although older than Ara, thoroughly respected her, the Slytherin Matron, and in all honesty, he was a bit frightened to cross her.
The last thing I need is the Malfoy's on my arse. Or Snape.
The boy nodded, and without another word, motioned for the team to follow him back to the dungeons. As they left, they all mumbled a 'bye Ara' or a 'it was all in good fun, Ara'.
She waited until they were all gone to face the Gryffindors, and it was awkward, to say the least.
"They're not as bad you all may think, nonetheless, my apologies," Ara mumbled, "-Have a good practice,"
Oliver Wood gave her a warm smile, one that might've made her blush had she not been so preoccupied thinking about how she'd have to scold her brother.
It was becoming a tiresome, near constant, task.
"Thank you,"
Ara nodded and then walked off wordlessly. She didn't notice the way Fred watched her, practically dazed, or the way Oliver Wood was heavily intrigued by her, or how Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet seemed to be fuming.
"Is that thing supposed to be chasing after that Potter kid?" Nereza asked timidly. She wasn't frightened of Ara, per say, but she couldn't help but think she should be, especially right now.
The blonde was not in a good mood.
The two sat at the front of the Quidditch stands, they had been excited to watch the game between Slytherin and Gryffindor, but Ara's happy demeanour quickly changed. She watched the field in a concentrated manner, her expression screamed anger.
"No."
That thing, as Nereza referred to it as, was a Bludger, and it seemed to be out for Harry's blood.
Fred and George Weasley were on either side of the Second Year, protecting him from the heavy Bludger the best they could. The heavy ball had clearly been bewitched. Quidditch equipment was not supposed to act like this. It was not supposed to target one player.
Ara found herself looking away every time the rogue Bludger would come close to hitting anyone while on the trajectory for Harry.
Mostly when it got near Fred.
It was going to be a long night when everyone got back to the dorms.
Nereza left half way through the game due to bad weather, she'd tried to convince Ara to come too, but the blonde refused. Not wanting to push her buttons, Nereza left without her.
Slytherin ended up losing.
Ara stayed till the very end of the game, right up until when that stupid Professor Lockhart attempted to heal the broken arm Harry had gotten after being hit with the rogue Bludger.
The Professor had, unsurprisingly, done so unsuccessfully.
Ara'd had enough after that, wordlessly walking through the rain, the blonde made her way back to the Slytherin common room, and waited patiently.
Nereza had found her waiting, and put a drying spell on her damp hair and clothing.
"It's cold down here-"
"I'll be fine Nereza, thank you,"
Her roommate, sensing that the girl was not in the mood to talk, sighed and left her alone. The few people who were actually in the common room slowly dispersed, being put off by the near scary look on Ara's face.
Soon, she was the only one there.
After what seemed like hours, the Slytherin Quidditch team walked into the nearly deserted common room. They looked disappointed.
I'd be disappointed too, if I cheated and still lost.
They stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing Ara leaning forward in one of the green chairs patiently.
She glanced up at them. She didn't look angry, no, not at all, she looked practically emotionless.
"Did you do it?"
"Ara-"
"Draco, if you don't know, don't say anything, I'll ask again, did you bewitch the Bludger?"
"We-"
"Yes? Or, no? Please, just answer,"
"No," Marcus Flint said, nearly shamefully.
Ara finally looked up and met eyes with the boy. She stared at him for a few moments and then nodded.
"Okay, I believe you," She shrugged and fell back into her chair.
The Quidditch team stared at her curiously, they'd expected a little more of a reaction, a bit of yelling, or some scolding. But no, all they got was a wordless Ara, staring past them, focused on the entrance of the common room, as if waiting for something.
Or someone.
"Go wash off. You're dripping mud onto the carpet,"
The team left to go change, all except Draco.
Ara glanced at him and shook her head before looking back at the entrance.
"Ara?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry,"
"For what?"
"Not winning,"
Ara gave her brother a nearly irritated look.
"Are you alive, Drake?"
Her brother gave her a confused look, before nodding.
"Are you a good person, Drake?"
Draco said nothing back, he looked down, avoiding his sisters gaze. She shook her head.
"Those are the only two things I want for my little brother, I don't care about you winning or losing a stupid Quidditch match," Ara explained, he nodded.
"Go shower and dry off, you'll get sick standing around like that,"
After the Quidditch team had finished getting ready, they all met back in the common room, where Ara still sat.
"We're going to discuss our strategy for the next game here," Marcus Flint said from behind her, Ara looked back at him and nodded.
"Don't mind me,"
Half way through their planning, it seemed like what Ara had been waiting for had finally come.
*BANG, BANG, BANG*
"Open up!"
*BANG, BANG*
The Quidditch team all straighten up, and glanced at one another, wordlessly trying to decide who'd open the door to these angry visitors.
Luckily for them, Ara had already decided it'd be her.
"I will deal with it, leave me be," The blonde said, leaving no room for argument.
"Ara-" Adrian Pucey started, but he was shut up by the sound of the common room door opening and closing.
"Who cheated, Ara! Who did it? Who bewitched the Bludgers?!" A voice, that they now recognized as Fred Weasley's, bellowed so loudly it could be heard through the dungeon walls.
The Slytherins all gave each other worried looks, and silently debated what to do.
"They didn't cheat, Fred," Ara said calmly from the other side of the wall, in front of her stood a fuming Fred, George, and Ron Weasley.
Fred stood directly in front of her, George was slightly to her right and Ron behind them. Hermione was there too, but looked more awkward than anything.
"You're lying!" Ron yelled, Fred and George shot him an irritated look.
"Ara, Harry is in the infirmary right now with a broken arm! Just tell us who did it, he deserves justice!" George was yelling too.
"I can't, because whatever you're planning would not be justice-"
Then, to her surprise, Fred began laughing, he laughed a loud, sarcastic, mean, laugh, that made Ara uncomfortable.
"Cowards! The whole team! They sent you out to do their dirty work, to lie for them!" Fred spewed angrily, looking away from Ara.
"Ara, just let us into the common room, please," George pleaded, Ara gave him a sad look and shook her head 'no'.
"They've told me that they didn't bewitch the Bludgers, and-" Ara spoke softly, trying to sound confident in what she was saying. Fred's head snapped over to her, cutting the girl off.
"And you believe them? Ara, you're not stupid! You can't be that gullible!" Fred yelled, sounding more desperate than anything.
"I do, and I will not let you into the common room," Ara did not dare to meet Fred's eyes, but she could see him shaking his head.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on either of her cheeks, gently forcing her look up.
"Ar', you are welcome at Gryffindor Tower, where no one will lie to you, whenever you please," Fred didn't mean to be, but he sounded quite condescending, bitter even.
Ara looked up at him sadly, upon feeling a single tear slide down her cheek and she quickly pulled away from the redhead holding her, wordlessly she wiped the tear away and took a deep breath.
"Leave, please," Ara whispered, Fred gave her a disappointed look and shook his head before turning his heel and walking off. George, Ron and Hermione following him in suit.
Hermione shot Ara one last pitiful look before they turned a corner, Ara gave her a sad smile, and instead of going back into the Slytherin common room, she tried to collect herself.
She wiped away any stray tears, and steadied her breathing, once she felt composed enough to walk into the common room, she saw the Quidditch team staring at her.
She looked over each other them, stopping slightly at Adrian and Draco, before sighing.
"I hope you have not taken advantage of how much I trust you," She mumbled, and then pushed past them without another word.
Ara found herself in her dorm later that night, unable to sleep. Nereza was out like a light, but then again, she hadn't been subject to getting screamed at by one of her favourite people.
Wordlessly, Ara slipped out of bed and walked back to the Slytherin common room, all but one of the Quidditch players were gone, Adrian.
"Ade?" Ara whispered softly, letting the boy sitting by the fireplace, which took ages to get Uncle Sev to allow, know she was there.
He hummed in response, Ara sighed and sat down next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Did they lie to me?"
Adrian was, bless him, the only Slytherin on the team that never involved himself in such menacing techniques, he'd never even been booked for a foul while playing, he loved Quidditch too much to play dirty. In turn, he was usually left out of any plan that involved foul play, not that he minded, it didn't affect his conscience that way.
"I don't know,"
hey everyone! thank you so much for reading this far! it means the world to me :) leave a review if you'd like, it'd make my day
i wanna wish any of my orthodox christians readers a merry christmas eve! i got a lil sum planned for y'all tmrw like i had for catholic christmas ;)