Thanks to all of you guys who reviewed! I don't really have much to say right now so let's just get to it, shall we? ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Arra awoke the next morning with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open to meet the sun blazing through the window and shedding light upon her face. She smiled at the beautiful day and the fact that she was going back to Hogwarts today when she remembered the events from yesterday. She immediately sat up and glanced around the room for the object in which she desired. She spotted it and quickly snatched it off of the desk in the corner while sitting in a nearby chair.

She bit her lip and frowned as she once again looked at the front page of The Daily Prophet and the escaped convict that was her father. He was screaming, like a madman, but then again, that's exactly what he was. Her dark eyes then narrowed and stared at his picture with fury as she remembered his motivation for escaping--Harry.

Harry! Her eyes widened as she recalled their conversation yesterday. Her attitude suddenly changed. Harry? Her brow furrowed in confusion. What even happened yesterday? We were talking, just like we normally do, like friends, and then when he hugged me I just…NO! Harry is my best friend. That's all. Nothing more. Get it out of your head, out, out, OUT! She scolded her inner self and tried to suppress her feelings. It's just a phase or something. I was upset because of what happened, and he was just trying to make me feel better. He doesn't feel that way about me, so neither do I! When I see him today, I won't feel anything. Nothing. Nada!

She then dropped the matter as she began to search through her trunk for something to wear. Even though she was just riding on a train, for some reason, she wanted to look especially nice today. She hummed a happy song to herself and continued to smile. She figured that if she just remained happy the whole day, no one would bother her about her dad, and it would help her get over her small crush on Harry. If you could even call it a crush. I mean, honestly, it was nothing. Right?

She eventually decided on a pair of jeans, and a maroon long sleeve shirt. She stared at herself in the mirror, this outfit showed off her body quite nicely, she smiled as she went to open the door.

"Oh!" Hermione's voice came from the other side of the door. Her fist was raised as she was about to knock on the door.

"Hermione!" Arra said with excitement as she pulled her best girlfriend into a bone crushing hug.

"Oof!" Hermione exclaimed as Arra's weight was thrust upon her. "I see you're feeling better today?" She laughed at her friend's mood.

Arra pulled away and smiled at the bushy haired girl. "Oh yeah, loads better!" She said in a convincing voice.

"Arra!" Ron's voice said from the end of the hallway as he was walking towards them.

"Ronald Weasley!" Arra yelled as she jumped on him and gave him a hug as well.

He gave Hermione a quizzical look and gestured to Arra, who was latched on him like a leech. Hermione shrugged and shook her head. "Is she drunk, or something?" Ron mouthed soundlessly to Hermione so Arra couldn't see. Hermione opened her mouth to protest when she closed it and her brow furrowed as she considered the possibility. She shrugged again.

"You're in a much better mood today. Sleeping must have done wonders for you!" Ron exclaimed as she stopped hugging him.

"Yeah, I just figured that there's not really anything I can do about him." Arra said truthfully. "I can't let him keep me from living my life."

"I'm glad you see it that way." Hermione said giving her friend an encouraging pat on the back.

"Me too, but you don't have to act so excited about everything. I'm sure my folks won't pester you with questions as long as you just smile every once and a while." Ron said as the three friends laughed at Arra's overenthusiastic behavior.

"I suppose I could tone it down a bit. But you know, with an attitude like this, I would make one kick-ass cheerleader!" She joked as they reached the lobby of the Leaky Cauldron.

"Would you be wearing the outfit as well then?" Harry asked joining the conversation as he came up to them. Ron and Hermione chuckled softly but Arra could do nothing but stare at Harry.

"You ok?" He asked giving her a puzzled look.

Arra then realized that everyone was staring at her. "I-uhhh…" she couldn't think of anything to say. So she started to laugh. Loudly. "Ha ha! I'm sorry! I just, ha ha! My brain just momentarily went on vacation! Ha ha!" She stuggled to get out between laughs. "But, it's back now." She said as she miraculously calmed down and the laughter ceased at once when she noticed her three friends frowning at her odd behavior. "Sorry." She muttered as she ran her hand through her long silky hair and suddenly became very interested in the floor.

"It's no problem." Harry said. Arra continued to look at the floor. "Let's say we grab some breakfast before the train ride, shall we?" The other three agreed and they sat at a small table near the back corner. "So do you feel any different Arra?" Harry asked.

Her head perked up. "Different? Why would I feel different about anything? Or anyone for that matter?" She asked a bit too quickly. Then realized he was talking about her dad. "Oh that! Yeah, I feel better. I suppose the shock is still wearing off and that's why I'm a bit off my rocker this morning." She fibbed. Arra was always skilled at coming up with lies to get out of trouble quite quickly. One of her Slytherin qualities that she kept.

Her friends nodded with sympathy and understanding when the rest of the Weasleys came bustling down the stairs, trunks and all. "You four!" gestured to the four friends. "Are you packed and ready to go?" They nodded. "All of your books? Clothes?" Again they nodded. "Well chop-chop then! It's nearly 10 o'clock and we'd best be on our way."

At fifteen minutes till 11, the group arrived at Platform 9¾ in order to make the journey to Hogwarts. After all of them made it through the barrier, the goodbyes began. Arra looked around the platform in awe--it never ceased to amaze her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a head of platinum blonde hair and she turned to see her best non-Gryffindor friend, Draco Malfoy. She was about to wave at him when she noticed his father Lucius standing close behind him giving Arra a glare. As you can tell, the two did not see eye to eye on pretty much anything. She gave him and Draco both her signature Black family sneer, which was enough to make a lesser man run and hide beneath a rock. Lucius gave her a nasty smile as he turned away to talk with someone whom Arra could not see. When she was sure his father wasn't looking, she waved fervently and smiled at Draco. He waved back and laughed at her incredible acting skills and enthusiastic greeting. She then went to say goodbye to the Weasleys. She would have gone to talk with Draco, but she knew it was far too dangerous for them to be seen talking in front of his father, but they would later meet up on the train. Arra usually rode to Hogwarts with the Slytherins.

Mrs. Weasley pulled her into a tight hug. "Be careful this year, dear." She said quite seriously as she looked at Arra. Arra agreed. "I mean, it's not like we don't think you can't take care of yourself or anything but…" She pulled her into another hug. "Just look after yourself." She smiled. "And look after Harry as well. You two tend to just attract trouble to yourselves, and we don't need anyone losing a limb or something dreadful along those lines." She warned while trying to keep her tone lighthearted, but Arra could tell she was definitely worried about her two 'adopted kids'.

"I will, Mrs. Weasley. I promise." She smiled as she turned to say her goodbyes to the other Weasley parent.

"Like Molly said, be careful. I know that this year is going to be difficult for you, but you need to remember that the ministry is doing everything in their power to catch him." He said gesturing to a wanted poster of her father on the wall. The fact that Mr. Weasley worked for the Ministry was the only reason she disliked him, blinded by her hate for the Ministry. But she usually tried to just bury that aspect of him, because he was the closest thing she had to a father, and she loved him just the same.

The whistle blew and the kids boarded the train. Arra said her goodbyes to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny as she ventured to the back of the train in search of Draco. She walked by a compartment of first years who were talking loudly until they spotted her. She noticed the sudden silence and turned to look at them. All were staring wide eyed at her, as if she was the murderer they were just discussing, not her father.

"You know, I learned everything I know from my dad. Including that special little curse that killed, oh, how many people was it? Thirteen?" She sneered at them as they clutched at each other in fear. She laughed and walked away. She soon noticed that everyone was giving her the same looks, and whispering behind their hands when she came into view. Apparently Mr. Weasley was right, this year was going to be difficult.

She found Draco's compartment, who he was sharing with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini. She slid the door open and they all greeted her enthusiastically, except for Pansy. The two girls never really liked each other.

"Arra," Zabini stood up and took her hand and placed a kiss on it in a gentleman like fashion. "I see this summer did wonders for you beauty, is that a new shirt?" He said eyeing her hungrily.

She smiled cheekily as she withdrew her hand from his grasp. "Always the gentleman, Zabini." She sneered as she told him to put her trunk in the storage space above. He did so immediately. She then looked at Pansy, who was sitting closely to Draco next to the window. "Move." She said simply.

"What?" Pansy asked with her nasally voice.

"That's my spot. I always sit next to the window with Draco." She said defiantly and as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No! I'm sitting here."

"Not for long. Move." Arra said narrowing her eyes. Pansy looked around the compartment for someone to come to her aid. Everyone looked at her expectantly. She pouted and let out a whimper as she huffed and moved over to sit next to Crabbe, who pointed and laughed loudly at the girl's misfortune. Arra smirked and plopped down in the seat next to Draco. He smiled at her and Pansy looked on the verge of tears.

"So any ideas on who will be the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Zabini asked as the group joined in on the discussion.

About an hour later, the train suddenly jerked to a stop.

"Why are we stopped? We can't be there already! I'm not even dressed in my robes yet!" Pansy whined in her most annoying voice.

"Oh shut it!" Arra shouted. The girl did so at once. "We're not there yet, it's too early, something must be wrong with the train."

Draco walked over to the window and pressed his face against it in order to look around. "I don't see anything. Wait, what's that?--Whoa!" He yelped as he jumped back and knocked into Arra. She turned to see the window rapidly being covered with a sheet of ice. Her eyes widened as she clutched onto Draco's side. He placed an arm over her.

"What's going on?" She asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

CLICK.

They all turned around to hear the sound of a door opening. Arra and Draco both peered through the glass that was separating them from the hallway. To the right, at the end of the hallway, they could see the door slowly swinging open. A hooded figure suddenly appeared in the doorway and the two friends backed up instinctively. Arra grabbed Draco's hand as he sqeezed hers back.

Slowly, the hooded figure came into view as it turned to face them through the glass of their compartment door. It's old decrepit hands were heading for the doorknob and Arra held onto Draco tighter. It was about to open the door when another hooded creature appeared and beckoned for it to follow. Without a glance back into the compartment, it continued on its way.

Draco let out a breath he had been holding the entire time. "Bloody dementors." He scowled.

"What were they doing here?" Arra asked as she sat back down and the rest of them joined her. Draco was still holding her hand.

"Hmmm, I don't know Arra. Why would the guards of Azkaban be here? What on earth could they possibly be looking for?" Zabini asked sarcastically.

"Oh." She grimaced. She looked out the window. The ice was clearing up, they must be leaving, or just far away at the other end of the train. I hope Harry and them are all right. She worried about her other friends. I'm sure they'll be fine. As long as none of them stowed my father in their trunk, the dementors won't bother them.

None of them said much of anything for the remainder of the ride and soon enough, they had arrived at Hogwarts. Arra walked out of the train with Draco.

"Hey, thanks for letting me hold onto you like a leech back there when the dementor came." She laughed and Draco joined her. Arra could talk to Draco about anything, and it was easy for her. "It was scary!" She said trying to defend her behavior.

"Or you just wanted to hold onto me." He said in his usual pompous manner. To anyone else, this would have seemed rude, but conversations like these were normal to Arra and Draco.

"Oh yeah, that was definitely why I did it. Because in the face of death and danger, the first thing that comes to my mind is 'I must cuddle with Draco!'" She said impersonating a lovesick girl.

"You sound like Pansy when you do that." He said disgusted.

"Ewww!" The two laughed again when Arra spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione getting into a carriage. "I'll catch up with you later, k?" He nodded and she left.

"Hey Arra. Have a nice ride up?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, it's always nice to see Draco since I hardly ever get to." She said as Ron rolled his eyes. She kicked him in the shin.

"Ouch!"

She smirked. She then noticed Harry, who looked a bit sick. "Harry, are you alright?" She asked with concern.

"He had a bit of a run-in with the dementor on the train." Said a man who joined them in the carriage and handed Harry some chocolate. He looked like hell in Arra's opinion. Like he hadn't slept in days, but oddly enough he was still smiling. For some reason, the man looked a bit familiar to Arra.

"Do I know you?" She asked as the other kids stared at her in confusion.

The man looked at her with quizzical eyes that were impossible to read. For a moment, it looked as if his eyes lit up, like he did recognize her, but it must have just been a trick of the moonlight. "No, I don't believe so." He said. "R. J. Lupin." He said as he held out his hand for a shake.

Arra eyed him up and down and frowned, she was so sure that she knew him from somewhere! "Arra Black." She said returning the gesture. He smiled as the carriage set off towards the castle. As they entered the grounds, heads turned at her presence and Arra could hear hushed conversations pertaining to her.

"Yeah, that's her." A Hufflepuff boy pointed out.

"I heard she's just as bad as him." A second year said knowingly.

"What if she's helping him?" A sixth year asked fearfully

"Damn she's hot!" A fourth year boy said loudly and Arra flashed him a smile. Behind her back, Harry gave the boy a fierce scowl and took Arra's hand to lead her to the castle.

They reached the outside of the Great Hall and the whispers continued.

"Just try to ignore them." Hermione said as Arra growled at a group of Ravenclaws who were standing dangerously close to her.

"That's a bit harder than you would think Hermione." Harry came to Arra's aid. He was plenty used to whispers about him.

"Thank you Harry."

"Miss Black, Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall's voice rang out above the students. "Can I see the two of you in my office before the feast starts?" She asked while steering them out of the entryway.

They reached her office and Professor McGonagall told Arra to wait outside while she talked to Hermione about her schedule. Arra's back slid down the wall until she was sitting on the ground. She sighed and cupped her chin in her hand while her elbow was resting on her knee. If everyone keeps up this act of whispering and such, she thought, then this is going to be a very long year.

"Arra," Hermione's voice came from the doorway. "McGonagall wants to see you."

Arra nodded and got up from the ground. "Go ahead and go to the feast, I'll meet you there."

Hermione left. "Miss Black, take a seat please." McGonagall gestured to the chair that Hermione had probably just been sitting in. "First off, I would like to welcome you back to Hogwarts." Arra sighed--she knew where this conversation was going. "Second, I would like to offer my condolences for your er, present situation. Involving your father. I want you to know, that no matter what any of the students say to you about it, no one suspects you of any suspicious activities."

"Like letting him into Hogwarts?" Arra asked with a grimace.

"We all know that you would never do a thing like that. Especially since his main target happens to be within these walls--" McGonagall cut off knowing that she had said too much. But it didn't matter, Arra already knew what she was talking about. "I also feel that I should warn you that the dementors might take a certain, uh, liking, to you this year."

"Liking?"

"Because you have the same blood as your father and you resemble him a bit, the dementors could possibly mistake you for him, or his accomplice or such." She tried to explain. Arra looked at her with confusion. "Just best to stay as far away from them as possible." Arra agreed and McGonagall dismissed her to the feast.

As Arra approached the Great Hall with closed doors, she could hear many voices on the other side, the feast had already begun. She brushed her bangs out of her face and fixed her clothes a bit, as they had become a bit rumpled from the train ride. She slowly tried to push one of the doors open so she wouldn't cause a big scene. However, in a big, ancient castle like Hogwarts, it is completely impossible for the giant doors not to creak loud enough that it would most certainly draw everyone's attention.

Arra slipped into the hall and silence covered the room as every single eye was suddenly glued to her.

Oh yeah, this is definitely going to be one loooong year.

Hope you all liked it. And you all got to see a side of Arra's Slytherin side again. I know she was awfully mean to Pansy, but I just hate Pansy so I had to do it! Haha. Remember to review and I'll make you apple pie. (Sorry, I'm really hungry right now.) :)