"You've got to be kidding me!" Sirius yelled.
"Sirius, relax." James said looking over at Rosier and Arielle snogging. Since school had resumed after Christmas break, there were rumors that Rosier and Arielle were now dating. None of the boys chose to acknowledge it though, especially Sirius.
"Arielle is smart. I'm sure she knows..." Remus began.
"Shut up Moony she doesn't know shit." Sirius barked.
Remus shrugged and looked at James in defeat. Sure they didn't like Rosier, obviously he was in Slytherin, and hung out with people they despised. But it could be worse, she could be snogging Mulciber, Avery or even Severus.
"She's only 13 years old." Sirius pointed out immediately .
"Almost 14." Remus added.
Sirius looked at Remus and repeated. "She is only 13 years old."
"What grade were you in when you first snogged someone?" James smirked.
Sirius paused. "That's not the point. Rosier is bad news, there is only one thing on the git's mind."
Arielle pulled Rosier into one last kiss before letting him go. "Try not to miss me too much."
"I'll try." He smiled, squeezing her hand before walking down the hall and disappearing into the crowd.
Arielle sighed. She had never been more happy in her life. She turned around to see Sirius, James, and Remus looking in her direction perhaps they wanted to go to the pitch and practice for the next qudditch match.
"Lovely day isn't boys?" Arielle said as she approached her fellow Gryffindors.
"Why do you say that?" Sirius said
"Well I was thinking we could go out to the pitch and practice, you guys got a big match against Slytherin coming up." She smiled looking at James who nodded in agreement.
"Really, do you think you should be fraternizing with the enemy?" Sirius asked.
"Fraternizing with the enemy?" Arielle questioned.
"Well you know, now that you have a boyfriend who plays for enemy, how do we know you aren't gonna give away all our secrets or weaknesses?" Sirius vexed.
Remus rolled his eyes and James snorted with amusement.
"Excuse me?" Arielle said her cheeks flushing red with anger. "Why on earth would you say such a thing? You know I would never..."
"Never what? Become a traitor? Because I think good shag from Rosier might convince you." Sirius spat.
Arielle felt like someone punched her in the chest. She had been snapped at rudely before but never like this, and never from a friend. "A traitor is that what you think I am?"
"Remus? James?" She looked over at the other two boys. James's eyes immediately fell to the floor and Remus shifted nervously in his robes.
She felt the lump in throat rise. "Fine. I see how it is."
Arielle quickly turned around and began to walk away. She stopped and looked back once more. "Fuck you Sirius Black. You are just as horrible as your brother. How dare you suggest I would ever betray my friends, I can't believe how you could be so prejudice against someone who is not in your own bloody house."
And with that she stalked off in the opposite direction, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.
Weeks had gone by since Arielle had separated herself from the Marauders. She felt lonely in the Gryffindor common room, the only friend she had left was Lily. Arielle often sat with her at meals, the two talked of school mostly; both being two of the smartest witches at Hogwarts. But sometimes Lily would ask about Rosier or how Severus was doing.
One afternoon, Arielle decided to go to the library to study for her charms exam, she was accompanied by Severus and the two sat at a table in the back of the room. They had been studying for nearly an hour when they were interrupted by a quiet clearance of the throat.
Arielle looked up to find the big brown eyes of Remus Lupin staring at her.
"May I please borrow you for a moment." He asked in a soft tone. Arielle looked at Severus who gave her a "what the hell" expression before looking down at his book.
"Um, sure." She replied hesitantly. She followed Remus into the bookshelves before he paused and seemed to be contemplating something.
"Well what is it then?" Arielle asked quickly losing patience.
"How are you?" The fair haired boy asked.
Arielle crinkled her nose, "Just peachy."
Remus nodded and looked frantically around at the books. Arielle studied his profile, he seemed rather nervous and it was rubbing off on her own mood.
"Remus please, I need to get back.." She began.
"Wait!" He nearly shouted. "I just wanted to say that I think what Sirius said was wrong. And so does James. You should have the right to see whoever you like, and I was wondering if you wanted to come to the pitch after supper and practice with us."
Arielle looked at his soft brown eyes and saw the genuine kindness that she always admired about Remus. She cracked a small smile and dark blue eyes lite up with joy.
"I'd love to. "
"Really?" He asked surprised, as if he was expecting her to say no.
"Really." She smiled.
"Great! James will be delighted." Remus smiled back.
"Does Sirius know about this?" Arielle inquired.
"No." Remus said. "And if he did know he would bloody kill me!"
Arielle laughed. "I'll see you in a few hours Remus."
The raven haired witch walked back to the table. Severus studied her giddy expression and couldn't help but be slightly repulsed.
"Did he snog you?"
Arielle looked at her friend unamused. "No."
"Then what?" Snape asked a bit curious.
Arielle scanned the room before leaning in close as if she were telling a horrid secret. "Remus and James want me to join them at the pitch after supper to practice."
Severus pulled away confused. "You don't play qudditch."
"Well no, but I might as well. I'm just as good as the boys. Plus I had to focus on getting into the Slug Club this year." Arielle explained.
"Right." Snape said sarcastically. "Does Rosier know about this?"
Arielle sighed. "No and he is not going to find out."
Severus gave her a less then reassuring look before turning back to his studies. Arielle always had a way of getting herself into trouble.
Ever since she had broken off her friendship with Sirius and the Marauders, Lucius and Evan had been so pleased. She was even dining with Evan and his friends tonight in the Great Hall, and if they knew she was going to practice qudditch with Remus and James, they would surely shun her.
After another hour or so of studying Arielle and Severus departed to the Great Hall. They were silent the whole way, Severus was in a particularly quiet mood, like always.
When they arrived at the entrance to the dining room they were stopped by another.
"Snvillous." A familiar face snarled.
"Potter." Snape replied his voice ice cold and full of hate. Arielle quirked an eyebrow glancing back and forth as the two stared at each other for a moment before James left to join the feast, winking at Arielle before he went.
"You two really need to sort out your differences." Arielle said walking into the hall.
"He's an arrogant git." Severus retorted following after her.
"Oh god Sev there they are." Arielle whispered as she made her way to the Slytherin table. Evan sat alone on one side of the bench, while on the other sat Mulciber, Avery, Regulus Black, and some girl she didn't recognize.
"Relax, you know these people." Severus whispered back.
"Yeah, but as Arielle Malfoy, not Evan's girlfriend." She said.
"What's the difference really?" He replied walking a bit faster and front of Arielle.
"Running a bit late princess?" Regulus asked lazily causing the boys to snicker and the girl to giggle and then snort. Arielle sat down next to Evan and Severus beside her.
"Actually Black I was studying for Charms, you know the class you failed to get into." Arielle replied causing Mulciber and Avery to laugh. Both her and Black had the opportunity to take charms with the fourth years, however Regulus had failed to pass the entrance exam.
Regulus' lips twisted into an arrogant smile that repulsed her . "Touche princess."
Evan rested a hand on her thigh as to warn her not to respond.
Suddenly a loud firework went off, everyone turned around to see Sirius Black bowing and waving as he was dragged away by a prefect.
"Looks like that brother of yours has really gotten himself into trouble this time." Mulciber laughed watching the disgusted look on the prefects face.
"He is no brother of mine." Regulus snapped. Arielle quickly glued her eyes to the glass of pumpkin juice in front of her hoping the topic would change soon.
"Filthy blood traitor." Avery murmured shoving a chicken wing into his mouth.
"I can only feel sorry for your poor mom." Mulciber added.
"What about you Arielle, you know the git, what's he really like?" Avery said still stuffing his face with a chicken wing. Arielle looked up at Rosier hoping he would step in but he didn't.
She shiftly uncomfortably in her seat and looked up to meet the grey blue eyes of Regulus Black, grey blue eyes that were identical to Sirius's.
Arielle cleared her throat. "Sirius Black is everything he seems..." Her eyes still latched onto Regulus who held her gaze. "Lazy, arrogant, rude, self centered, and..."
"And?"
Arielle inhaled sharply. She glanced down at her plate and then back up at Regulus whose gaze surprised her. His glare was reassuring, as if he understood how much it hurt her to say these things.
"And a traitor." She fake smiled at Avery. Arielle had never felt so ashamed in her life. Sure she wasn't exactly talking to Sirius at the moment, but she knew he would never say such things about her.
"Well he doesn't deserved your pity Arielle." Mulciber added. Arielle looked back down at her plate smashing the potatoes with her fork.
"Can we please talk about something else, I'm tired of hearing about that scum." Regulus said the coldness and hostility back in eyes.
"Have you guys been studying for your OWLS?" Severus asked trying to defuse the block of ice that he felt around Arielle.
The boys snorted in unison.
"Good one Sev." Rosier laughed exchanging glances with the other boys.
"Evan, you told me you've been studying. You have, haven't you?" Arielle inquired suspiciously. For the past week Evan would leave her randomly claiming he had to study for his OWLS. Everyone fell silent at the table.
"Of course darling." He answered kissing her on the cheek swiftly. She knew he was lying. Something was going on, the look on all their faces gave it away.
"Right. Well I've got to go study for potions. It was nice chatting with you." Arielle said in her best fake sweet tone standing up.
"You just got here babe." Rosier stood up next to her.
"I know, but if you want to be top of the class, work is always awaiting." She replied still maintaining her fake smile.
"Alright then. Off you go." He smiled leaning down and giving her a soft peck on the lips.
Arielle turned around and headed out the Great Hall, she was furious that Rosier didn't step in when she was interrogated about Sirius. He knew how she close of a friend he was, or once was. The only comfort she felt lied in Black's gaze. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she had originally thought. Maybe he had grown up since that day on the train, where she swore never to like him. Everything was just so confusing at the moment, she couldn't wait to clear her mind at the pitch.