Chapter 18
"Right come on you we have to get up the castle for nine, have you brushed your hair?" said Aberforth, calling to Ariana.
When she had been young he didn't know how many mornings he had had to do her hair, if their mother had been too busy to do so. He didn't think he'd know how to do her hair now though. It had been so long. He had forgotten how, properly like.
"Yes I am ready."
"Breakfast?"
"I have an apple," she said to him.
"Which does not constitute a meal." he said to her.
"In Ariana's world it does." she said to him.
"Well, welcome to the real one sweetheart," he said. "Come on sit down and have some porridge."
She shook her head but did as he requested. It was the only way to keep him happy and she had figured that fact out.
"There's a good lass." he said to her. "What classes have you got today?" he asked.
"Reading and writing and then transfiguration last." she said to him.
"No Herbology?" he asked remembering how they had met up after the week before.
"No." she shook her head.
"Oh."
After they had had breakfast and she had feed the goats one past time for the weekend they went up to the castle. She wasn't so reluctant to go back to school as he had thought she would be after such a nice weekend as they had had together. But she kissed him on the cheek, gave him a cuddle and run off when they got to the gates quite happily. He supposed it made sense. She had friends her own age now and wasn't going to want to spend every waking moment with him.
She got to the dorm room at quarter to nine and through her bag on to the floor. She was ready for another week now she thought, and was quite looking forward to it.
By five to nine she had arrived at her brothers office. Knocking on the door she waited to be called in as she realized when it was in school time he could very well have some one with him.
"Come in" he called to her and smiled as she entered.
"Morning Al." she said to him. There was never the thought of her calling him professor. That would just be too weird.
"Hello Ari, did you and Aberforth have a good weekend?"
"Yeah it was brilliant." she said to him.
"Good, good." he said to her.
"Did you have a good weekend?" she asked as she sat down in the chair in front of his desk.
"Yes I did." he said to her, knowing if it had been at the Hogshead then it would have been better.
"What did you do?" she asked
"I have been getting ready for the Triwizard tournament. The last arrangements for the other two schools arrival have been made. They are going to be arriving here soon." he explained to her.
"It isn't going to be long till they get here then."
"By this time next month our friends from across the sea would have arrived." he said to her.
"Has this ever happened before." she asked to him curiously.
"Yes but not for a very long time."
She was glad she was going to be at the tournament. It sounded as if it was going to be really exciting
That lesson went quite quickly, and surprisingly well. The weekends break had had a good effect on her and Albus was pleased with the progress she made. To think how far she had come in a week was incredible.
"What are you doing next lesson Albus?" she asked. She had to try to go to the library and do some Herbology.
So far Sprout had been the only professor who had insisted that she had to try and catch up. She had to try and work from Hermione's old notes and a text book to bring herself up to speed. Maybe he could help.
"I have to go to the Ministry of Magic to meet with the Crouch." he said to her. She did have a thirst for knowledge that mourning.
"So you're going down to London for the day," she said. She was just going to have to go to the library by herself and study.
"Sorry sis." he apologized to her realizing what she was going to ask.
"Its ok." she shrugged.
Heading over to the library five minutes later, Ariana was surprised how happy she felt after her lesson. She must have done well she thought.
"Hey ya, Ariana." she heard a voice as she went in. It was Neville Longbottom.
"Hey have you got a free lesson now?" she asked him.
"Yeah, have you?"
"Yeah. Can I sit down with you? I have to try and get some Herbology done."
"Oh Herbology! That is a brilliant subject. The only one I am much good at." he admitted to her.
"I thought it was quite good last week. Some of it was almost relaxing, with the plants and stuff. I'm enjoying it." she admitted to him. When she looked at the books though she saw the thorn in her side/ "Well, I will be when I get to grips with the theory."
"Well do you need a bit of help." he offered.
"Yes please." she said.
"Ok," he said as she got out her text book. Leaning over it together, they got to work quickly. Neville was as nervous as she was when it came to lessons normally but they found working together easy.
"You know you're a good teacher." Ariana said to him as he helped her get to grips with it all.
"I don't think so," he laughed out loud. It was a long time since any one but Sprout told him he was good at any thing.
"I think you are."
-
Aberforth sat in the Hogshead. At night it seemed quiet now with no Ariana to talk too. He had got too used to her being there again over the summer. It had been better than the old days had been. It had been amazing. And now she was off getting herself an education. Well she could try. He wasn't going to stop her trying, that would be just plain wrong of him. But he just didn't think it was going to work. He had changed his mind and he didn't want her there. The potion had helped her yes but was it enough?
He didn't know. He didn't think so.
And with that evil little cow Parkinson up there he would just be a lot more comfortable if she was at home with him where he could ensure her safety.
It was then the door to the pub opened and he saw the half giant Hagrid come in with Sirius Black.
"No early morning classes for either of us tomorrow, so we are going to get slaughtered," said Sirius to Aberforth. "Give me what ever has the most alcohol in it and one for my companion." he laughed.
Aberforth smiled and got the drinks for them. The bottles he surveyed up were dusty but you couldn't get anything so strong in the Three Broomsticks. That's why people came to him. "Pay the man Hagrid." said Sirius as they sat at the bar, Hagrid taking up two seats.
"I don't suppose either of you two saw my sister today, before you get to drunk to answer," he said to them.
"Only in the great hall. She wasn't eating a lot again," Sirius filled him in.
"She is a naughty girl for that." said Aberforth as he took the money Hagrid had been looking for in his huge pockets. "Thanks." he muttered.
"She says she isn't hungry.," said Sirius to him, but the thought of a a fifteen year old not been hungry was in itself weird. He knew girls weren't as bad as lads were, but still. She had to eat some times and yet she almost never did it seemed.
"'Worries me, she is as thin as a whip that girl." He said quietly.
Maybe it was her size that added to his worry for her moist of the time. The fact she looked as if she was ready to break didn't help his confidence in her.
"Well lets just hope she is going to develop an appetite one of these days," said Sirius to him.
But he thought he knew her far too well. No, if it had been going to happen then it would have come by now.
"Don't worry Aberforth. We're there to watch her, when your not. And so is your brother." Sirius tried to comfort him. But the thought of Albus watching there sister did nothing but worry him further. He had watched her before. And look what had happened then he thought to himself.