Author's Note: Ok, so here comes the turning point in Arra's life. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

After that night of the near death experience, Arra had grown closer to Harry and Ron, and they to her. Of course, they weren't the best of friends as Dumbledore had intended them to be, but it wasn't as bad as it once was. Arra's friendship with Draco still remained, but he always spoke bad mouthed of her Gryffindor peers. However, Hermione and Arra still not had overcome their differences, but Arra had stopped calling her mudblood. The rest of the Gryffindors had become accustomed to Arra as well, not hating her anymore, and some even beginning to like her presence.

Before she knew it, Halloween had rolled around which meant that Arra had survived almost two months of Gryffindor without committing suicide! She never thought such a feat would be possible, after being raised with nothing but Slytherin knowledge and Slytherin family, but she soon found out, being in Gryffindor wasn't so bad--in fact, it was kind of fun. Everyone treated each other equally, there was no division between purebloods, half-bloods, and muggleborns which is something that Arra had never known before. She had had an entertaining conversation with Seamus Finnegan about the unnaturally greasy hair of Professor Snape before discovering that he was a half-blood. And oddly enough, it didn't bother her one bit. Being moved to Gryffindor had actually opened up an entirely new way of life for Ariana Black, but she would never admit it out loud, she liked to keep her Slytherin attitude up for her façade.

On Halloween day, she took a seat next to Harry and Ron in Charms. They shot a quick smile at her and she returned the gesture. Professor Flitwick stood up on his pedestal behind the podium before addressing the class.

"Good morning Gryffindors!" He squeaked.

"Good morning Professor Flitwick" they chanted back.

"Now, today, we will be starting something entirely new, something that I think you all will enjoy very much--levitation!" Most of the class whispered excitedly to their neighbors, but Arra was a bit disappointed; she already knew how to use this spell. After all, it was her misuse of this certain spell that got her placed in Gryffindor.

"Let's all practice the motion, shall we? Ready, swish and flick." He said as he showed them the move. "Now you try." Everyone could be seen chanting the directions as they copied the motions of the tiny professor. Arra unenthusiastically did the same. "And here is the enchantement," he said as the written spell was displayed on the board. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Soon enough, everyone was attempting the make their feathers fly around the room as Flitwick had done. Hermione was diligently trying again and again, Harry was trying as well without success, Arra was watching the others, while Ron was violently shaking his wand at his feather and aggressively saying the spell. Arra laughed when he accidentally flung his fist a bit to close to Hermione's head.

"No, no, no," The bushy haired girl scolded as she grabbed his hand to keep him from hitting her. "Stop, you're doing it all wrong. It's levi-O-sa not levi-o-SA" she explained in a bossy tone while placing the emphasis on different syllables.

Harry and Arra rolled their eyes as they knew the bickering between the two would soon start.

"Well if you know all about it, why don't you do it?" Ron said as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine then." Hermione said with a slight smile, she always loved when she got to show off her advanced skills in magic. "Wingardium Leviosa!" She said as her feather started floating into the air. Ron's face turned sour as Professor Flitwick praised Hermione for her talent.

Noticing Ron, who was obviously upset, Arra suddenly got a brillian idea. She pointed her wand at Harry's textbook, recited the enchantment and made the object fly into the air dangerously close to Hermione's flying feather. Professor Flitwick stopped mid sentence as he noticed the book and the entire class just watched. As soon as the heavy book was directly above the feather, Arra slammed the book down on the desk in front of Hermione, while crushing the feather beneath it. The entire class erupted in laughter as Hermione looked on the verge of tears. Arra noticed Ron, who's face was glowing, and Arra couldn't help but smile at the happiness she had caused for the redhead.

Ron and Harry high fived Arra for her idea and Flitwick rounded on her. "Miss Black! Might I ask what just happened?"

"Sorry Professor," she said while trying to stop from laughing. "I have really bad aim."

"Well, ten points from Gryffindor for messing around. But nice spell work, if I may." He added as a last thought.

Arra smirked and soon enough class was over. As soon as they left the room, Ron began to praise Arra and make fun of Hermione.

"I mean did you see her face when you smashed her feather? And she tries to act like she knows everything! 'It's levi-O-sa not levi-o-SA'! It's no wonder she doesn't have any friends!" He said as the rest laughed and a head of big bushy brown hair swiftly walked by as she slammed into Ron's side.

"I think she heard you." Harry said as Hermione walked away sniffling, it was evident that she was crying.

"Who cares?" Arra said. "Serves her right."

Harry and Ron shrugged as they followed her to the Common Room. A few hours later, they headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. Along the way, Arra saw Draco and waved goodbye to Harry and Ron.

"Still hanging out with the weasel and scarhead, I see?" Draco said as she approached him.

"Honestly, they're not that bad." Draco shrugged her off; they decided long ago that they wouldn't let their other friends get in the way of their friendship. "At least I'm not friends with the beaver."

Draco's face suddenly split into a smile. "I heard about your charms class today. That was brilliant Arra, just bloody brilliant!"

She laughed. "Thanks. It just suddenly came to me. But I think the best part was when she left at the very end and you could definitely tell she was bawling like a baby." She said as they entered the Great Hall.

"Yeah, I heard. Pansy told me that she saw her in the girl's bathroom. I guess she's been in there all day crying." He could barely hold in his laughter when he said it. Arra laughed as well but she also felt a pit forming in her stomach; she didn't mean to be that mean to her. The two split up as Draco went to sit with the Slytherins, who all waved at Arra, for she was still friends with many of them. She sat with the Gryffindors.

"It's levi-O-sa, not levi-o-SA!" Ron said and Arra could tell that once again repeating his story from earlier that day; this was the eleventh time she'd heard it. He finished and all the Gryffindors were in stitches as Harry spoke to Arra.

"Hey, speaking of Hermione, nobody's seen her since charms, have you?"

"No, actually. Draco told me that Pansy saw her in the bathroom crying. I suppose she's been there since class." She said as she started to eat her soup.

"All day?" He asked as Ron joined their conversation. "Do you think she told anyone?"

"Why would that matter?" Ron asked.

"Because, Arra, you can't get into anymore trouble. Unless you want to leave Hogwarts." He said as Arra's stomach dropped. She hadn't thought about that.

"Well, what am I supposed to do about it now?" She asked.

"I think you should go talk to her." Harry suggested.

"No! Make Ron do it, he helped me make her cry!"

"Hermione's in the girl's bathroom. And in case you haven't noticed, we're not girls."

"Unless there's something you've forgotten to tell me." Arra joked.

"Seiously, Arra! You have to go talk to her." Harry said with authority.

Arra groaned and sent a scowl at the two boys as she got up to leave. A few minutes later, she had reached the bathroom in the Charms corridor and entered.

"Alright Granger," she said a bit rudely. "Toughen up kid. It gets a lot worse than this."

Sniff.

Arra sighed and rubbed her eyes with her palms as she jumped up to sit on the sink countertop. "Ok, I'm sorry that I crushed your feather…I guess."

"You guess?" Hermione choked out between sobs from one of the stalls.

"Well I don't know what else you want me to do, beaver! I came down here, I apologized, what else am I supposed to do?"

"For one thing, you can stop calling me 'beaver'."

Arra nodded. "Ok, now will you come out now? The Halloween feast is going on and I really want some pudding." She said as she started to walk to the door.

Sob.

"Ugh! What?!" Arra exclaimed as she threw her arms up in the air.

Hermione then slammed the door open and stared at Arra, livid. "You don't even care, do you?! You think that just because you're a pureblood, you can come in here and just expect me to forgive you just like that! It doesn't work that way though, Arra!"

"Ok, ok, ok" Arra said as she put her hands up in surrender. "Just, why don't you come sit down with me and we can talk, ok?" She asked slowly.

Hermione huffed and sat on the sink. Arra brought her a tissue for her to wipe her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Arra said after a few minutes.

Without looking up, Hermione replied, "It's fine."

Arra rolled her eyes. "No it's not, what's wrong?"

Hermione looked at her, deciding on whether or not she should tell her the truth. "I think I'm kind of jealous of you." She whispered.

Arra's eyes widened in shock. "You? Jealous of me? Why?"

"You're smart--"

"Oh, come on, you're so much smarter than me, Hermione."

She smiled. "But that's not just it, you're funny too."

"Well, that's a give in." Arra smirked and Hermione softly laughed.

"See? And plus, nobody makes fun of you for who your family is…"

"Are you kidding? My father is a murderer, my mother is dead, I was raised with my aunt who doesn't even like me, and they only respect me because they're afraid of me." She explained. "At least you actually have a family who loves you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Still jealous of me?" She asked with a grimace.

"Kind of…"

"What else could you possibly be envious of me for?"

"You have friends. And, you're really pretty."

"It took me a while to actually make friends, you know? In Gryffindor I mean. I was the girl who everyone wanted gone. At least they never tried to pick you off." She joked. "And, um, thank you, I guess. For calling me pretty. But you're pretty too."

Hermione took a strand of her hair and held it up for them both to see. "Really?"

Arra took the hair and examined it. "I think I could help you with your hair. You know, make it a little less bushy or something."

"Thanks." She smiled. "I'd like that."

***

Back in the Great Hall, Harry and Ron were enjoying their food when all of a sudden, Professor Quirrel came running into the Great Hall.

"TROLL!!! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" He shouted before he fainted.

Everyone started screaming and began to scramble around the hall in fear.

"SILENCE!" Albus Dumbledore shouted and every student in the hall looked at the headmaster with wide eyes. "Prefects and Head's of Houses, you will quickly lead the students back to the dormitories and stay there. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

Ron's brother Percy then stood up in a pompous manner. "This way Gryffindors!" Ron and Harry followed the others out of the Hall before Harry realized something that made him want to puke.

"Arra and Hermione!" He shouted at Ron who looked at him with confusion. "They don't know about the troll!" And the two took off towards the bathroom.

***

"Maybe there's a spell to tame the friziness." Arra suggested as she sized Hermione up while trying to think of something to do about her hair.

"Hmmm, possibly. Well how do you do yours?" Hermione asked with genuine interest.

"It's natural."

Hermione scoffed. "You're so lucky."

"Someday, you're going to find someone who loves your kinkiness." Arra said with a smile. Hermione laughed along with her as the two girls began to talk about their charms essay.

"Have you finished it yet?" Hermione asked.

"Psh, no. How am I supposed to write a 12-inch essay on the use of a levitation charm. The spell itself is only eight syllables! How much can you squeeze out of that?"

"Well I can help you. I already finished it so I have some extra time."

"Hermione, we just got the assignment a few hours ago."

"I know." she said with embarrassment and the two girls laughed again.

The door opened and Arra shouted, "Oi! Who's there?"

No Answer.

Arra got up and walked towards the door. "Look, I'm having a serious conversation here, so if you don't mind we'd like to…" She faded off as she came face to face with a gigantic mountain troll. She screamed and backed up into the wall as Ron and Harry came running through the door.

"Arra!" Harry shouted as the troll began to swing it's club around madly. The club came down right in Arra's path as she dived to the left towards the boys and just barely escaped her death. Harry pulled her to her feet and stepped forward after the troll as it spotted Hermione.

"Hermione move!" Ron yelled as the troll destroyed the sinks while Hermione tried to crawl away quickly.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked. Arra nodded as they once again avoided the trolls fist. Harry then dived onto the club of the troll in an attempt to fight it off.

"Harry!" Arra screamed as he was swung up into the air before the troll noticed. It stared at the black haired boy strangely before picking him off of the club like a bug and holding him high in the air, dangling from his ankle.

"Ron, do something!"

Ron stared horrified at the scene before him. Hermione couldn't help, for she was trapped beneath the rubble of the crushed sinks. Arra had left her wand next to the sink from when her and Hermione were talking, so she was also helpless. Ron was the only one who even had the slightest chance of saving Harry. His face turned from fear to determination as he raised his wand and said confidently, "Wingardium Leviosa!" And the club was removed from the troll's hand before Ron smashed it down on it's head, much like Arra had done with Hermione's feather. The troll's eyes slowly rolled back into it's head before it came crashing to the floor, throwing Harry aside in the process.

Arra ran to Harry. "Harry," she said rolling him over onto his back so that she could look at his face. He began to cough. "You, ok?"

He looked back up into her dark eyes that were filled with concern. "Y-y-yeah, I'm fine." He stuttered out as she helped him to his feet. Over in the other corner of the bathroom, Ron was also assisting Hermione to stand up. They all met in the middle of the room and gathered around the troll.

"Is it dead?"

"No, just knocked out." Arra said. "We should get out of here before someone catches us--"

"Oh my goodness!" McGonagall's voice came from the doorway as a few other teachers came filing in as well. "D-d-did you four do this?" She asked with shock, clutching her hand to her chest.

None of them answered.

"Answer me now!" She said sternly. Arra, Ron and Harry all opened their mouths to answer when Hermione's voice cut them off.

"It's my fault Professor." The other three Gryffindors were stunned. "I came looking for the troll because I'd read about them, I thought I could handle it. Arra came to try and stop me before the boys showed up and fought him. If it weren't for them, I'd probably be dead." The others looked stunned at Hermione's declaration.

"Miss Granger, that was very poor judgment on your part. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor. As for the three of you," she said turning her attention. "Five points will be given to each of you, for sheer dumb luck!" And then she left the bathroom and the four students were dismissed.

They walked back to the common room in silence. By the time they got there, everyone else had gone off to bed. They all looked at each other for about a full five seconds before all saying in unison, "Thanks."

And for some strange unknown reason, the crazy battle of the mountain troll was the start of the most beautiful and unnatural friendship between a blood traitor, a half-blood, a muggle-born, and the pureblood there ever was.

Author's Note: Yay! They're friends now! Hope you liked it, remember to review! Also, I think that we should set a goal or something for the reviews. Let's say, when the review count is up to thirty, I'll update. Sound good? That's only like 8 reviews and I have faith in you all that we can make it happen!

-Maverick