The next day in the library, I see Leah. It's the first time I've seen her since we were sixth years. Thankfully, she is alone.

Leah hadn't returned home over the winter break, and our parents hadn't heard from her since a few weeks after we arrived.
"Leah.." She looks up from the book she is reading, and her curious gaze turns to a scowl.
"What do you want, Aria?"

"Why didn't you come home? Mum and dad were worried about you. I don't care what's going on between us, you can't do that to them."

"I stayed with Avery, not that it's any of your buisness."
"Of course it's my buisness! You're still my sister, Leah. We're family."
"Well, unfourtunately, we don't get to choose our family."

Leahs words sting, and it feels like someone just stabbed me in the heart. "You don't mean that."
"Don't I?"
"What has happened to you?" I whisper.

"What's happend to me? What has happened to you? Every descison I've ever made, you always supported me. Why can't you support me in this?"

"Because your descison is the wrong descison!"
She shakes her head at me and smirks. "Still so naive. You'll see, soon enough, who was right and who was wrong."

She flips her hair, and struts out of the library. Struts.
Since I'm in the library, I decide to read up on the dark arts. I want to know exactly what Leah is doing.

The books I find only tell me what I already know, that the dark arts are most commonly the unforgivable curses.

I come to a passage in one book, and most of it doesn't make any sense. But one line sticks out at me:

Love is the power that can protect someone against the Dark Arts, and the only power that can defeat them.

I don't see how this could be. Leah had alot of love to give (well, she used to), and she is loved by alot of people. Back home, anyway.

The book goes on to list dark potions such as the Drink of Despair and Rudimentary Body Potion.
"What are you doing?"
I look up to see James, which is a surprise. I don't think I've ever seen him alone without Remus or Sirius.

"Trying to find out what Leah's doing. I want to know exactly what she's getting into."
"How's that going?"
"Honestly?" He nods. "Not that great. I've only learned that love is the only power that can defeat the Dark Arts, but that's it."

He offers me a small smile. "Keep trying. Maybe you'll find something."
He gets up from the table, but I stop him. "Wait."
He sits back down, a quizzical expression plastered on his face.
"If you don't mind me asking..what's going on with you and Lily?"

His eyes light up at the sound of Lilys name. "I don't actually know..but, we're getting there, you know?"
"You love her, don't you?"
He looks up at me in shock. "How did you know? I've never told anyone that."
I smile at him. "I know when someone's in love. I've seen it so many times."

"Are you in love with Sirius?"
I look up sharply at him. "Aria, don't look at me like that. Sirius is my best friend, he tells me things."
"I don't know. I like him, alot. But I don't know if I love him."

"He likes you alot, too. I've never seen him act like this before."
"Act like what?"
"I don't know. When you got here, when we all became friends, he started acting differently."
"Yes, but how?"

"For crying out loud, Aria! I don't know. It's like all he cares about anymore is you!"
What James says fills me up with happiness. He cares about me. Of course, I already knew that. But hearing someone else say it is different. It's like it makes it more real, somehow.

-x-

It is nightfall when he corners me.

I'm walking back from meeting with Proffessor McGonagall, almost at the portrait of the fat lady, when I hear footsteps behind me. I think nothing of it, at first. But then they get closer and closer and my heart pounds faster and faster with each step.

I glance at the floor, and I spot the faint outline of someones shadow. I quicken my pace, just focusing on getting back to the common room. I don't know who's behind me, but I know I don't want to be on this coridoor anymore.

I dare a glance back, but I only see the persons robes. But that is all I need to know that the person following me is a boy. He definetly isn't in the same house as me; his robes are green. Which means that the boy is a Slytherin.

I spin rounnd on my heel, to come face to face with...Avery.

"What do you want?" I keep my voice steady and strong.
"To talk, of course. What did you think I wanted?" To kill me, is what I want to say. But I don't, for fear of angering him.

"Stay away from me, and stay away from Leah, aswell. I don't care if she's in love with you, stay away from her."

He steps closer to me, and my breath quickens. I wonder if I shout for help, would anyone hear or even come to my aid?

"Who do you think you are, little raven? Telling people what to do." He tuts, as if telling a child off for getting paint on the carpet.
"You have potential, you know. Potential to do great things, if you chose to join us."
"I will never join you!"

He holds his hands up, as if surrendering. "I only ask because Leah wanted me to. And so did he. He knows things about you, thanks to Leahs help."

"What do you know?" What has Leah told them? For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, I fear for my own safety. I guess I was too busy worrying about Leahs safety to worry about my own.

He taps the side of his nose and grins. "That's for me to know and you..well, actually, you won't be finding out."

He takes out his wand, and he holds it out, pointing towards me.

"I'm sorry, Aria. Well, actually, I'm not sorry. But this is how it is meant to be. Too bad you won't be around to see the Dark Lord rise to power."

My gaze is fixed on Averys wand, and I desperately fumble inside my robs for my own, but I must have left it in the dormitory.

"Goodbye, Aria."

Hello! So, here's the new chapter! Please review, new chapter coming on friday!