They reached the hospital wing to find Alexia sitting up in bed, wrapped in
blankets.
"It was just a simple sleeping curse Professor" Madame Pomfrey told Dumbledore the moment he walked in the room.
Auria and Sirius rushed over to Alexia's bed.
"How are you? Are you going to be alright?" asked Auria looking very concerned.
"I'm going to be fine," replied Auria in a calming voice. "Madame Pomfrey said that I just need to warm up a bit and then I can go back to the Ravenclaw common room." She looked over at Sirius who was standing at the foot of the bed. "You're Sirius Black."
"Um, yes I am" replied Sirius looking a little uncomfortable at Alexia's huge grin.
Turning back to Auria she whispered, "You are so lucky to be going to the ball with him. He is so cute."
"I know," giggled Auira back.
"Alright, that's enough now. Alexia needs her rest" Madame Pomfrey said, shooing them towards the door.
"Bye" called Auria as she walked away.
"Auria" called Alexia.
"Yeah?"
"You should come visit me more often. I want to see my best friend more then once a week."
"Oh, sorry. I'll try, I promise" Auria stuttered quickly, avoiding Sirius' gaze.
She knew that this would sound very suspicious to him, especially since she had told him that she visited Alexia every night.
"Um, come on let's go, I'm tired" she replied in an attempt to get away from Alexia before she could ask any more questions.
Auria and Sirius made their way slowly up towards the common room. They were still a long ways from the portrait of the fat lady when Sirius asked her the dreaded question.
"So if you haven't been going to visit Alexia every night, what have you been doing?"
"Just walking around" she replied looking around at the paintings on the wall. "Practicing magic," she added quickly.
"What kind of magic?"
"You'll see when I'm done," she said grinning but after seeing the look on his face added, "It's nothing dark or evil so don't worry."
"Ok good" Sirius replied looking relieved.
They reached the common room and went inside. James, Peter and Remus were waiting for them, wanting to hear every detail of what had happened. While telling them about their meeting with Dumbledore, Sirius seemed to silently understand that Auria did not want them to know about Voldemort or killing the Death Eater.
As they went up to bed she stopped Sirius on the stairs, letting everyone else walk ahead of them.
"Thank you for not telling them about, well, you know" she said gratefully.
"You're welcome. I figured you wouldn't want them to know" he replied.
"Good night" she said hugging him. Then to his surprise she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Night" he said slightly dazed. He stood there grinning, watching her walk up the staircase until she disappeared from view into the dark dormitory.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By lunch the next day the news of Auria's duel with the Death Eaters had spread like wildfire around the school. Several Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws congratulated her in the halls while the Slytherin's moved away whenever they saw her. However, despite all the attention Auria seemed to be getting more depressed as the holidays approached.
One day, about two weeks from Christmas, something made Sirius change his mind about taking her to the ball. That night as he was making his way back to the common room from the kitchens he heard Auria's voice coming from the hallway up ahead. To his utter shock he heard Snape's voice as well. They were whispering very intently about something. Sirius decided to sneak up on them in an attempt to catch them off guard. He quickly rounded the corner.
"What are you doing?" he asked them. Auria had a look of horror on her face, while Snape was looking calm and relaxed.
"I was just asking him to please leave me alone" Auria replied quickly.
"No you weren't" said Snape grinning. "You were just telling me how you wish you had accepted my proposal to the ball instead of this, now how did you put it" he paused thinking. "Ah yes, this arrogant big headed, egotistical git's."
"You're such a liar," she screamed back.
"You're right" Snape answered sarcastically and then turning to Sirius said, "I didn't ask her to the ball, but she did call you an arrogant big headed, egotistical git."
"No I didn't" Auria cried, staring at Sirius, beginning to panic.
"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't," replied Sirius, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just like you hated Snape and now I find you whispering alone with him in a dark hallway." Without another look back he stormed off down the hall.
"Sirius wait!" Auria yelled running after him.
Snape leaned against the hall and laughed. Just as Auria reached the corner she turned back to look at him. "I hate you, you dirty lying bastard" she screamed and then continued running down the hall.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sirius was so angry with her that he refused to speak or even look at her. Auria had tried to explain and apologize to him, but he just ignored her. She stayed up in her dormitory room most of the time now and at meals sat at the other end of the table. During classes she sat with Lily, Anne and Samantha and studied with them in the common room. This went on for a week before it was Lily who finally decided to do something.
One night in the common room, after Auria had gone up to bed, Lily went over to where the boys where sitting and asked to speak with Sirius.
"Sirius I'd like to speak with you, alone" she said.
The rest of the Marauders began to snicker.
"Shut up" he growled. "Alright fine" he said to Lily.
They left the common room and went downstairs until they found an empty classroom. Lily quietly closed the door behind them and put a silencing charm on the room before turning to speak to him.
"Look, you're acting like an arrogant, big headed, egotistical git."
"What? No I'm not" spat Sirius angrily.
"Yes you are. You're treating Auria like dung. She sits up in our room crying every night because you won't even look at her. She's thinks you hate her and aren't going to take her to the ball anymore."
Sirius was silent.
"I can't believe that you took what Snape said to be the truth. Do you even know what they were talking about?" she screamed at him.
Sirius looked at the floor and ever so slightly shook his head.
"She was asking him to leave her alone and stop asking her to go to the ball with him because she was going with YOU! She never called you arrogant or anything like that. For god sakes Sirius, she really really likes you and before this had been talking about the ball so much that it got to be very annoying."
Sirius was staring at her in shock.
Lily sighed. "That's all I had to say. You do what you want now, but what ever you chose, at least be civil to her." She stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Sirius sat in that classroom for an hour. He felt completely awful and realized that he had been acting very cruelly towards her. "I am an arrogant big headed git," he thought to himself. Then it took him another hour of sitting there before he had decided exactly what he was going to say to her.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The next day was Saturday. Sirius woke up early, rehearsing in his mind what he would say. After breakfast he went to look for Auria. He searched the school for an hour before realizing that it would be faster to use Marauder's map. After a quick tap with his wand he found that she was in one of the smaller towers in the east end of the school.
Twenty minutes later he arrived at the door to the room. He knocked softly and waited. Finally, after what seemed like ages a quiet voice said, "Come in."
Auria was sitting on the floor just below the window. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, which were pulled up tight against her body. It was obvious that she had been crying.
"Um, hi" said Sirius, nervously standing at the doorway.
Auria didn't answer. "I wanted to talk to you," he continued, sitting down tentatively beside her.
"So now you want to talk to me" she muttered angrily.
"I'm really sorry" he paused. "About everything. I should never have believed Snape, although he was right about one thing, I have been acting like an arrogant big headed git."
"You forgot egotistical" she replied coldly.
"Ah, right, an egotistical git then." He paused again to collect his thoughts. "I really like you Auria and I should have handled this situation more maturely. I have acted very cruely towards you and I'm so sorry for hurting you. I swear I'll never hurt you like this again." Once again he paused, trying to give his words some effect. "I was wondering if you could possibly forgive me and if you would still like to go to the ball with me?" He was done, and now he just had to wait for an answer.
"You rehearsed that didn't you?" she asked turning around to look at him. Her face was stained with tears but a small grin was playing at the corner of her lips.
"You could tell huh?" replied Sirius flinching.
She nodded. "But that's ok."
"Um, so, do you forgive me?"
Auria thought about it, to Sirius for what seemed an eternity. Finally she gave her answer.
"Yes, I forgive you. I know how it must have looked, the two of us standing in the hallway like that. But I still can't believe that you believed Snape instead of me" she said looking out the window.
Sirius raised his right hand and gently placed his left on hers. "I solemnly swear for as long as I live" he began, trying not to laugh. "To never believe another word that comes out of Snivellus' mouth."
Auria looked at him and laughed. Sirius was relieved to see her smile.
"So will you still go to the ball with me?"
Auria nodded, but suddenly looked sad.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked moving closer to her.
"It's just, this will be the first Christmas that I won't be spending with my family. Ever other year I've gone home for the holidays. But now" she began to choke on the words. "I don't have a family."
Sirius moved next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her just as she looked up at him. They gazed into each other's eyes, their faces moving closer and closer together. Sirius closed his eyes and could just about feel her soft lips against his when.HOOT HOOT HOOT!
A barn owl had come zooming into the room.
"Arg, you stupid bird" Sirius cried catching the bird by its leg. Auria looked away embarrassed and blushing. Sirius knew that he had missed his chance to kiss her, again.
"Is it yours?" she asked.
"Yes," said Sirius gloomily as he untied a letter from the owl's leg. "Her name's Veronica."
He opened the letter, read it and then very quickly stuffed it in his pocket.
"What was that about?" asked Auria, curious as to why he had hidden it so quickly.
"Um, ah, it was nothing" he replied, standing up ready to leave.
"Ok" she said knowing full well that he was lying.
They walked back to the common room, talking and laughing as if the fight had never happened.
Before Auria knew it the week had passed and the day of the ball had arrived.
"It was just a simple sleeping curse Professor" Madame Pomfrey told Dumbledore the moment he walked in the room.
Auria and Sirius rushed over to Alexia's bed.
"How are you? Are you going to be alright?" asked Auria looking very concerned.
"I'm going to be fine," replied Auria in a calming voice. "Madame Pomfrey said that I just need to warm up a bit and then I can go back to the Ravenclaw common room." She looked over at Sirius who was standing at the foot of the bed. "You're Sirius Black."
"Um, yes I am" replied Sirius looking a little uncomfortable at Alexia's huge grin.
Turning back to Auria she whispered, "You are so lucky to be going to the ball with him. He is so cute."
"I know," giggled Auira back.
"Alright, that's enough now. Alexia needs her rest" Madame Pomfrey said, shooing them towards the door.
"Bye" called Auria as she walked away.
"Auria" called Alexia.
"Yeah?"
"You should come visit me more often. I want to see my best friend more then once a week."
"Oh, sorry. I'll try, I promise" Auria stuttered quickly, avoiding Sirius' gaze.
She knew that this would sound very suspicious to him, especially since she had told him that she visited Alexia every night.
"Um, come on let's go, I'm tired" she replied in an attempt to get away from Alexia before she could ask any more questions.
Auria and Sirius made their way slowly up towards the common room. They were still a long ways from the portrait of the fat lady when Sirius asked her the dreaded question.
"So if you haven't been going to visit Alexia every night, what have you been doing?"
"Just walking around" she replied looking around at the paintings on the wall. "Practicing magic," she added quickly.
"What kind of magic?"
"You'll see when I'm done," she said grinning but after seeing the look on his face added, "It's nothing dark or evil so don't worry."
"Ok good" Sirius replied looking relieved.
They reached the common room and went inside. James, Peter and Remus were waiting for them, wanting to hear every detail of what had happened. While telling them about their meeting with Dumbledore, Sirius seemed to silently understand that Auria did not want them to know about Voldemort or killing the Death Eater.
As they went up to bed she stopped Sirius on the stairs, letting everyone else walk ahead of them.
"Thank you for not telling them about, well, you know" she said gratefully.
"You're welcome. I figured you wouldn't want them to know" he replied.
"Good night" she said hugging him. Then to his surprise she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"Night" he said slightly dazed. He stood there grinning, watching her walk up the staircase until she disappeared from view into the dark dormitory.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By lunch the next day the news of Auria's duel with the Death Eaters had spread like wildfire around the school. Several Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws congratulated her in the halls while the Slytherin's moved away whenever they saw her. However, despite all the attention Auria seemed to be getting more depressed as the holidays approached.
One day, about two weeks from Christmas, something made Sirius change his mind about taking her to the ball. That night as he was making his way back to the common room from the kitchens he heard Auria's voice coming from the hallway up ahead. To his utter shock he heard Snape's voice as well. They were whispering very intently about something. Sirius decided to sneak up on them in an attempt to catch them off guard. He quickly rounded the corner.
"What are you doing?" he asked them. Auria had a look of horror on her face, while Snape was looking calm and relaxed.
"I was just asking him to please leave me alone" Auria replied quickly.
"No you weren't" said Snape grinning. "You were just telling me how you wish you had accepted my proposal to the ball instead of this, now how did you put it" he paused thinking. "Ah yes, this arrogant big headed, egotistical git's."
"You're such a liar," she screamed back.
"You're right" Snape answered sarcastically and then turning to Sirius said, "I didn't ask her to the ball, but she did call you an arrogant big headed, egotistical git."
"No I didn't" Auria cried, staring at Sirius, beginning to panic.
"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't," replied Sirius, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Just like you hated Snape and now I find you whispering alone with him in a dark hallway." Without another look back he stormed off down the hall.
"Sirius wait!" Auria yelled running after him.
Snape leaned against the hall and laughed. Just as Auria reached the corner she turned back to look at him. "I hate you, you dirty lying bastard" she screamed and then continued running down the hall.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sirius was so angry with her that he refused to speak or even look at her. Auria had tried to explain and apologize to him, but he just ignored her. She stayed up in her dormitory room most of the time now and at meals sat at the other end of the table. During classes she sat with Lily, Anne and Samantha and studied with them in the common room. This went on for a week before it was Lily who finally decided to do something.
One night in the common room, after Auria had gone up to bed, Lily went over to where the boys where sitting and asked to speak with Sirius.
"Sirius I'd like to speak with you, alone" she said.
The rest of the Marauders began to snicker.
"Shut up" he growled. "Alright fine" he said to Lily.
They left the common room and went downstairs until they found an empty classroom. Lily quietly closed the door behind them and put a silencing charm on the room before turning to speak to him.
"Look, you're acting like an arrogant, big headed, egotistical git."
"What? No I'm not" spat Sirius angrily.
"Yes you are. You're treating Auria like dung. She sits up in our room crying every night because you won't even look at her. She's thinks you hate her and aren't going to take her to the ball anymore."
Sirius was silent.
"I can't believe that you took what Snape said to be the truth. Do you even know what they were talking about?" she screamed at him.
Sirius looked at the floor and ever so slightly shook his head.
"She was asking him to leave her alone and stop asking her to go to the ball with him because she was going with YOU! She never called you arrogant or anything like that. For god sakes Sirius, she really really likes you and before this had been talking about the ball so much that it got to be very annoying."
Sirius was staring at her in shock.
Lily sighed. "That's all I had to say. You do what you want now, but what ever you chose, at least be civil to her." She stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her.
Sirius sat in that classroom for an hour. He felt completely awful and realized that he had been acting very cruelly towards her. "I am an arrogant big headed git," he thought to himself. Then it took him another hour of sitting there before he had decided exactly what he was going to say to her.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The next day was Saturday. Sirius woke up early, rehearsing in his mind what he would say. After breakfast he went to look for Auria. He searched the school for an hour before realizing that it would be faster to use Marauder's map. After a quick tap with his wand he found that she was in one of the smaller towers in the east end of the school.
Twenty minutes later he arrived at the door to the room. He knocked softly and waited. Finally, after what seemed like ages a quiet voice said, "Come in."
Auria was sitting on the floor just below the window. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, which were pulled up tight against her body. It was obvious that she had been crying.
"Um, hi" said Sirius, nervously standing at the doorway.
Auria didn't answer. "I wanted to talk to you," he continued, sitting down tentatively beside her.
"So now you want to talk to me" she muttered angrily.
"I'm really sorry" he paused. "About everything. I should never have believed Snape, although he was right about one thing, I have been acting like an arrogant big headed git."
"You forgot egotistical" she replied coldly.
"Ah, right, an egotistical git then." He paused again to collect his thoughts. "I really like you Auria and I should have handled this situation more maturely. I have acted very cruely towards you and I'm so sorry for hurting you. I swear I'll never hurt you like this again." Once again he paused, trying to give his words some effect. "I was wondering if you could possibly forgive me and if you would still like to go to the ball with me?" He was done, and now he just had to wait for an answer.
"You rehearsed that didn't you?" she asked turning around to look at him. Her face was stained with tears but a small grin was playing at the corner of her lips.
"You could tell huh?" replied Sirius flinching.
She nodded. "But that's ok."
"Um, so, do you forgive me?"
Auria thought about it, to Sirius for what seemed an eternity. Finally she gave her answer.
"Yes, I forgive you. I know how it must have looked, the two of us standing in the hallway like that. But I still can't believe that you believed Snape instead of me" she said looking out the window.
Sirius raised his right hand and gently placed his left on hers. "I solemnly swear for as long as I live" he began, trying not to laugh. "To never believe another word that comes out of Snivellus' mouth."
Auria looked at him and laughed. Sirius was relieved to see her smile.
"So will you still go to the ball with me?"
Auria nodded, but suddenly looked sad.
"What's wrong?" Sirius asked moving closer to her.
"It's just, this will be the first Christmas that I won't be spending with my family. Ever other year I've gone home for the holidays. But now" she began to choke on the words. "I don't have a family."
Sirius moved next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her just as she looked up at him. They gazed into each other's eyes, their faces moving closer and closer together. Sirius closed his eyes and could just about feel her soft lips against his when.HOOT HOOT HOOT!
A barn owl had come zooming into the room.
"Arg, you stupid bird" Sirius cried catching the bird by its leg. Auria looked away embarrassed and blushing. Sirius knew that he had missed his chance to kiss her, again.
"Is it yours?" she asked.
"Yes," said Sirius gloomily as he untied a letter from the owl's leg. "Her name's Veronica."
He opened the letter, read it and then very quickly stuffed it in his pocket.
"What was that about?" asked Auria, curious as to why he had hidden it so quickly.
"Um, ah, it was nothing" he replied, standing up ready to leave.
"Ok" she said knowing full well that he was lying.
They walked back to the common room, talking and laughing as if the fight had never happened.
Before Auria knew it the week had passed and the day of the ball had arrived.