A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I enjoyed them all…especially the flame from "I hate you". Who the hell is Mary-Sue? And you must be a lousy ass if all you have time for is flaming stories you never even read. Anyway, it doesn't bother me. Thanks to the ones with a heart and respect for hard work! I love you all!

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Chapter Two

The next day was quite lovely. The sun was shining brightly, but still, snow fell to the ground like feathers on a less than windy day. Ariel pulled her coat around her more tightly, and she pulled her gloves onto her hands farther. Her nose was cold and numb from the chilling air and her feet were almost frozen, though she had them shielded in shoes.

Ariel felt her heart jump ten feet out of her body, as someone put their hands over her eyes. Quickly, Ariel ducked down and got out of the person's grasp. She whirled around to be greeted by a lovely blonde haired, green eyed beauty. She smiled.

"Sasha?" She squealed. The girl embraced Ariel tightly and they stayed like that for many moments before pulling away and smiling at each other. Sasha just looked at Ariel, smiling. "Sasha Taylor…"

Sasha nodded. "Ariel Tomaine. Wow, I completely forgot my best friend attended Hogwarts. It's been what…three years since we've seen or spoken to each other?" She questioned. Ariel nodded.

"Ever since we were fourteen. What house are you in?" Ariel asked. Sasha shrugged and took a seat on a bench in the courtyard, as Ariel did also.

"Slytherin. This awfully rude girl kept glaring at me and whispering to her friends while I was in the dormitory…Narcissa Black…yes, that was her name." Sasha rubbed her hands together in effort to warm herself. She felt so cold…it was different from life in Spain.

"Yes, Narcissa. She's rather evil, but still, she can be a great help and a sweet person every full moon. I guess it's something like being a werewolf. She changes." Ariel paused. A sly smirk came to her face as she remembered meeting the cute boy. The boy with sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes. Yes…Reamus Lupin. "Come to think of werewolves…I know one. Actually, don't tell him I know, but he's really cute and very quiet…oh, then you may not like him…"

Sasha looked over to her friend. "What's his name?"

"Reamus Lupin," She looked around. Finally she spotted him, leaning against the wall of the castle surrounded by his friends. James was holding Lily. Peter Pettigrew was chatting away with James as Sirius and Lupin were also talking. "Him, right there…the one with the light hair…see?" She pointed him out. A smile formed on Sasha's lips.

"I like…c'mon, Ariel, let's go!" Sasha exclaimed. Ariel hesitated. What would Sirius do? She didn't want to start another fight. Sasha thought that Ariel was a sweet, non-violent girl…how could she talk to Sirius without making a scene? Oh, how could she talk to Sirius with Snape around? She knew he would make a fool of himself picking on the poor boy.

Finally, she let Sasha's strength pull her up and lead her towards them.

"Yeah, Narcissa can kiss my ass. I mean, every girl I actually feel attracted to-" Sirius was interrupted by Lupin's ecstatic voice, as he gave a sly smirk in Sirius's direction.

"Hey, Ariel!" He greeted. Sasha was holding her arm as Ariel tried to hide behind her. Slowly, Ariel appeared and gave a nervous smile, as Sasha walked to Lupin, leaving Ariel arm to arm with Sirius. Ariel glanced at him. He was tall…really tall.

Sirius looked down at her and moved towards the wall. Ariel let out a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes. Sasha always did this before. Guys were the main attraction in the circus of life. This was just terrible. She couldn't even bear to look at Sirius…much less Sasha and Lupin as they flirted.

A firm grip was placed on her arm. Ariel looked up to see Sirius, staring down at her. Slowly, she gave in and began to follow him as he walked away. She had no idea what he wanted. Sirius kept silent until they were very near the Herbology room.

Finally, after minutes, he broke the silence. "Ariel, has Narcissa said anything to you about me?" He asked, looking towards the forest, away from her sharp cerulean eyes. Ariel sighed and thought of the things Narcissa had said the night before. She shook her head, then realized he wasn't looking at her.

"Um, no-no, she hasn't. Why would you care what she tells me, anyway?" Ariel asked. Sirius finally looked into her eyes, he looked like she had just broken him from serious thinking. He gave her a smirk.

"You don't miss a thing, do you?" Sirius commented. Ariel let a small blush creep unto her cheeks after he said this. She gave him a small smile and looked up at him, blocking the sun from her eyes by squinting a little. Sirius found that she was quite adorable when she did this.

"I never do, you're right." Sirius nodded and began walking once again. He shook his head and eyed the ground as the petite girl walked beside him.

"She did talk about me, didn't she? She told you how I ran away and that I was the scum of my family, right?" Sirius asked. Ariel hesitantly nodded.

"Well, yes, actually, she did. Why did you runaway?" Ariel asked, feeling no bit like she was prying into someone's personal life.

"Because I-" He paused and looked at her "I don't see why I should be telling you this. You're just a girl. A stupid Slytherin girl that doesn't care a damn bit about me." He snapped. Ariel looked taken aback and shocked. She glared.

"Well, sorry. I just thought it wasn't too personal, and since we seemed to be getting along-" Sirius interrupted her.

"Getting along! You call use talking for three minutes, getting along! Where the hell are you from?" He sneered. Ariel backed away from him. Her heart was broken. She fell onto a bench and began crying. Sirius was confused as people watched him, but pretended not to. "Ariel…Ariel, I didn't mean-" He spoke in a softer tone this time.

Ariel looked at him. Her eyes were teary. She still looked beautiful. He took a seat next to her and was rather close. "I come from New Jersey, okay? I live with my dad…he's all I have, you know. And-and he doesn't even know who I am. He can't remember my name…where he's at…how old I am-" She stopped and looked deep into Sirius's eyes, "he can't even remember that I'm his daughter." Ariel finished.

"How did it-I mean-" He stopped himself before he contradicted himself. What he was going to ask was much more personal than her question. Still, Ariel seemed to know what he wanted to ask. She wiped away her tears.

"Voldemort…that's what happened," She spoke quickly, standing to her feet. Sirius opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could, Ariel was off to the castle…leaving him once again baffled…not by her attitude…but by her pain.

Lupin stared at his best friend, bewildered. James just sat there with his mouth open as Peter just copied him. Sirius glanced away and eyed the floor as he awaited the first word. Finally, someone spoke.

"Her-father-was-a-attacked?" Lupin asked. Sirius nodded and laid back on his bed. James ran his fingers through his hair.

"Wow, I would never think. And you called her-" James stopped. Sirius closed his eyes. Soon, the others got the message and all turned in for the night. Once the light was off, it seemed, Sirius fell into a deep slumber.

"You think you are so intimidating. But the truth is…you're not. Not a word you say burns people. Nothing you say can make anyone feel worthless. And if you want to know why you can't…look in the mirror. You're worthless,"

His eyes snapped open. He knew he had been asleep for awhile, for the sun was rising. Sirius stared at the ceiling. You're worthless, he thought, You're worthless.

Then it hit him.

"She just takes out her anger on me…because I was doing the--the same…"

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