The first day back at Hogwarts was uneventful. Everyone had moved on from Arielle Malfoy and the scandalous list and the school was buzzing with intensity surrounding the upcoming Gryffindor/Slytherin quidditch match. Students were already placing bets on which team would win. Arielle's plans to appear sexy and confident in the face of scandal seemed unwarranted now. That night at the feast, Arielle sat with Lily Evans and listened to the redhead prattle on about her holidays, their prefect meeting that morning, and how James Potter and the Marauders were not going to receive any special treatment from Gryffindor prefects during the second half of the school year.
"I know James has become accustomed to me turning a blind eye to his misdeeds….but how will he ever learn the proper way to behave if I simply allow him and his friends to keep carrying on the way they do. I mean it's absolutely….Arielle….Arielle are you listening to me?"
Lily followed Arielle's gaze to the Slytherin table. The usual gang of chummy popular Slytherins looked on edge. Evan Rosier sat next to Avery who sat next to Regulus who sat next to Lucienda who sat across from Emma Vanity who was currently wiping pumpkin pie off of Wilkes face. Lily caught Severus's eye as he sat beside Wilkes and across from Regulus and smiled. She turned around and waved a hand in Arielle's face.
"Have you heard anything I've said in the last half hour Arielle?"
"Of course...give James and Sirius detention for smoking weed whenever possible... got it." Arielle said slightly annoyed.
Lily rolled her eyes and glanced back at the Slytherin table.
"I suppose that explains why Regulus was so tense at the prefects meeting."
"Why?" Arielle said directing her full attention to the redhead.
Lily smirked at Arielle's sudden awakening interest.
"Were you not listening at all during the meeting Arielle?"
Arielle shot her friend an unamused expression.
"Right of course you weren't...well if you were...you would have heard McGonagall tells us that we needed to be more vigilant about contraband at Hogwarts…"
Arielle rolled her eyes.
"And overheard Avery talking to Regulus about Wilkes and Emma's upcoming engagement." Lily continued.
"What?" Arielle blurted out gaining the attention of half of the Gryffindor table and a few Hufflepuffs.
Arielle scowled at her housemates whom quickly resumed their own conversations.
"Yes, I overheard Avery speaking to Regulus before the meeting started...apparently their parents officiated the courting over the holidays. I'm surprised to see Regulus so put out about it though... I never thought…"
"Wait, you're telling me that the only reason Regulus Black is upset is because Emma Vanity is going to be Wilkes fiance?" Arielle scoffed.
Lily looked at her friend incredulously, "Well why else would he be so miserable? I mean I can feel the tension from here...and were on the other side of the hall."
Arielle shook her head in disbelief with an expression of astonishment. Lily's eyes widen at the sudden realization.
"Oh...oh yes...of course...how could I forget! Silly me...Arielle, I'm so…"
Arielle waved her hand and Lily casted her gaze to the floor.
"It's fine. I'm just glad everybody has forgotten about the whole thing and we can all move on with our lives." Arielle said after a few awkward moments of silence.
"Yes. I couldn't agree more. Although it seems Evan sure hasn't forgotten."
Arielle and Lily both looked over at Evan who was currently staring daggers in the direction of his former best friend.
"Have you two talked since he gave you the list?" Lily asked, leaning in closer as if she were telling a secret.
"No….but I am determined to stay out of the Slytherin drama this term Lily. I will not start any drama with anyone if I can help it. I'm just going to keep my head down and stay out of trouble." Arielle said.
"Well I suppose that's for the best. Good for you. You need to spend time with your real friends." Lily said.
"What's that I heard about real friends?" A charming voice said from behind Lily. Sirius Black and James Potter approached the Gryffindor girls. James sat beside Lily whom became obnoxiously interested in slicing herself a piece of pie.
"Speaking of real friends…" Sirius said taking a seat next to Arielle, "I've got a favor to ask you."
"And what is that?" Arielle said looking into Sirius's grey blue eyes.
"Frank broke his leg in a skiing accident over the holidays…" James said from across the table.
"We need a last minute substitution for our upcoming match against Slytherin; someone ruthless…..and talented..." Sirius said not breaking his gaze with Arielle.
"And we thought who better to sub in for Frank, than…" James continued.
"You." Sirius finished with a devilish gleam in his eyes. Arielle stared intently back at her curly haired friend with a satisfied smirk and a raised brow.
"Well...what's in it for me?" Arielle cooed still not breaking eye contact with Sirius.
"Redemption…" Sirius said. Arielle looked away bored with his response.
"The satisfaction of doing something nice for your friends?" James said.
Arielle snorted.
"Revenge." Sirius quipped. Arielle turned her attention back to her friend with a quirked brow.
"I'm listening…" Arielle said. Sirius shot James a triumphant look.
"We all know the Slytherins made a fool out of you last term, even you can't deny that..." Sirius began causing Arielle to scowl in fury at his bluntness. "However, this is your opportunity to show them just how strong and astute you really are...considering most of the Slytherins on the quidditch team signed that list….this your chance to humiliate the bastards just as much as they…"
"That's enough." Arielle said darkly before Sirius could finish. "I'm in."
"Arielle! What about what you said earlier? Keeping your head down? Staying out for trouble?" Lily interjected distraught at how easily Arielle was coaxed into this scheme.
"What can I say Lil? When has being good got me anywhere? Besides...you wouldn't want us to lose Gryffindor's chance at the Quidditch Cup, right?"
Lily looked concerned at this sudden transform. Her shock immediately turned into a scowl directed at the boy with glasses beside her.
"I'll see you boys at practice, then?" Arielle asked looking between James and Sirius.
Sirius nodded with a wicked grin. It was practically diabolical what he had just done, playing on Arielle's more venomous qualities to achieve his goal. However, the Quidditch Cup was worth it, and if Arielle helped them along the way, she would obtain her old crown as Queen of the Gryffindors, something that Sirius knew deep down she really wanted.
The next morning, Arielle spent more than an hour fussing over her loose black waves. It was Tuesday and that meant that she had Potions third period. She had to face Regulus Black for the first time since he humiliated her in the Room of Requirement. Binx jumped up on the bathroom counter and looked at her reassuringly. She had not thanked Regulus for her new feline companion, and she was reluctant to do so. However, feeling like she owed him something was unbearable and Arielle vowed to politely thank him and never speak of the gesture again. If there was ever a time for Regulus to skip Potions, it would be now. Arielle prayed to Merlin it was now.
Her prayers were in vain. Arielle opened the door to the classroom and saw the back of the Slytherin's head, his shaggy brown hair barely sweeping over the collar of his school robes.
Arielle let out a quiet breath and walked toward her seat in the front row on the left hand side. While walking with her chin held high, Arielle couldn't help but notice the watchful eyes of the the other fourth year Slytherins and Gryffindors. Lucienda who sat behind Arielle managed to give her a small smile. The tension in the room was intense. Arielle sat down and placed her bag on the table without looking at Regulus. He seemed to mirror her rigid disposition but Arielle caught him glancing at her out of the corner of her eye.
"Good morning class!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed, walking into the classroom completely unaware of the chilling tension that filled the room.
"I am very glad to see you all back at Hogwarts and refreshed after the holidays." Slughorn said pausing to cast a favoring glance at Arielle, who smiled sweetly in return.
"Now, second term is going to be more challenging than the first. I hope by now you have established a positive rapport with your partners."
There was a loud snort from someone in the back of the classroom. Arielle turned around with a glowering stare searching for the culprit.
Slughorn cleared his throat and Arielle whipped around in her chair immediately. She noticed that Regulus had his fists clenched on the table.
At least he wasn't enjoying this. She thought.
"Today we will be brewing a Pepperup Potion, it is flu season after all." Slughorn said jokingly. Despite her growing annoyance Arielle forced herself to giggle and received a wink from her professor.
"Please turn to page 183, and begin."
Arielle felt her heart begin to race. She took a deep breath and looked over at her partner who was now staring at her intently.
"Regulus, I wanted to say…" Arielle began in a polite yet haughty tone.
"I got the gift before the ball. Mother is allergic to cats, I had to get rid of it." Regulus said quickly with an indifferent expression.
"Right…" said Arielle, her cheeks flushing pink. "Binx is a beautiful cat. I must warn you, Lucius is determined to find out who gave me such a beast, as he says."
"Well, you can thank me by not telling him it was I. Let's not speak of it again." Regulus said conclusively.
Arielle nodded with a fake smile and began flipping to page 183 in her Potions book. She was relieved that Regulus had put an end to her unwilling attempt to thank him.
Potions went by torturously slow. Regulus and Arielle worked mostly in silence except for the necessary speech that was required to complete the potion. Once class was over, and Slughorn determined that Arielle and Regulus completed the best Pepperup Potion he had seen all year, Arielle bolted from the classroom before Regulus had the chance to say what he had been dying to tell to her since the Christmas Ball. However, based on their cold interaction today, he knew he had to bury this feeling deep down in the depths of his soul. He needed to hide it from everyone including and especially Arielle. She was not ready to hear it, and he would not allow himself to be shattered by the Gryffindor princess.
Leave your reviews and let me know what you think of this chapter! I will be updating soon as I only have two weeks to consistently update this story before university begins again.
xoxo.