Chapter 36
The Hogwarts Express was leaving the next day and a disappointed Harry Potter knew he was going to be on it. He couldn't believe it. Just when you think things can't actually get any worse than they already are, they do.
Ariana sat on his bed as he packed up. She wasn't going to be with him on the train, and she wished he didn't have too go. Or she actually even wished she was going to get on the train with him. Just for them to be together. That was all she wanted. He needed her more than he ever had before.
The last week had passed for them both in a bit of a haze as they tried to make sense of the third task. Everything had gone so wrong.
A life had been lost and the whole school felt it, it seemed. Not only those who had been dear to him like Cho Chang. Ariana felt so sorry for her. It could have just as easily been Harry who had not come back from the grave yard though and had she had a choice she knew she would not have saved the poor Hufflepuff for her own selfish reasons. She would have chosen Harry every time
Albus had spent a lot of time with the two orphans though, mainly because they were both struggling to make head or tail of what had happened to Harry. He was also clinging on to his friends, Sirius and Ariana as if they were his life lines or the only things that were connecting him to his reality.
It was a terrible thing for one so young to go through. To see a life taken. And then to have to duel…
That had been the moment he had spoken most to his girlfriend about though. The moment when he had seen his parents emerge to him. For the two orphans any sign of their parents was such an incredible thing.
For a moment in that night Harry had had some good happen to him she thought to herself. Lily and James had come back to him. And he knew he was loved by them now.
Not that he hadn't before but it had confirmed every thing he believed about his parents.
Then he had had to face the fall out. She knew he had shown more courage that week thane she could in a life time.
He had mastered the strength to face the parents of Cedric Diggory. He had told them of their sons last stand. He had fronted out the entire school when he had begun going down to breakfast with his friends. And then he had had meetings with her brother every day. He had decided he told both the kids to tell Harry everything, though Ariana only heard what Harry wanted to tell her after the meetings. Which was little and brief, simplified.
He as ever didn't want her to know everything as that would destroy her as a haven from everything which was wrong with his life. He wanted to protect her. Even in his anger and his sadness he knew what he had in her and he was determined not to part with that.
So he had told her little of the prophecy though he explained about the blood link he had with his mother, which was why he had to return to his terrible uncle and aunts.
"Sirius is just as angry as we are though. He says he is going to come and take me out every day. I just have to spend the evenings with Petunia." he said as he sat down and she put her head on his shoulder.
"Then maybe it wont be so bad."
"Maybe."
He doubted it.
He knew his aunt and uncle. They were going to be awful. And then there was Dudley. He really didn't know if Sirius was the right person to be dealing with them but any how that was the way it was going to be. And he would far rather have his godfather there than not.
He only wished he could take Ariana too. Pushing his lips to her forehead he shut his eyes and breathed her in. As long as they were together there was some sense to the world he decided. As long as they were together there was a point to all of this.
-
If anything would have set Ariana spiralling in the other direction again thought albums to himself, it would have been this week. But she had coped beautifully. She had been supportive and she ha been generous with her time. She had come so far in the past year.
Albus had some bad news to tell her though. She had only passed two of the four exams she had taken. Yet he didn't even know if that was going to bother her now. Before yes it would have. But it was funny how perspectives changed when something like this happened.
Walking through the entrance hall to the school he made it in just enough time to see her walking back up from the train station. She had obviously gone to see her friends off and there were tracks of tears on her face as she wondered back up to him.
Shaking her head she shrugged.
"I know he is only gone for the week, but I am going to miss him like mad." she said to him.
"I know. You have a friend for life in Harry."
"I really do." she agreed. "I only wish there was someway he didn't have to go back to the muggles. Albus he hates it there. And he has been through so much -"
"Sister, I know all of this. But it just has to be this way for now." he said putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.
She nodded. She knew it was useless to protest what had already happened. But she had had to try.
"I am going to go and get changed." she said to him.
He nodded. She had been hurt enough that day. Her results could wait. She hadn't even asked about them yet. She obviously didn't care that much.
Going up to the Gryffindor tower by herself was not a pleasant thing. She loved it, but only when it was full of friends as it had been intended to be. There was no Gryffindor house for her when her house mates were away.
Changing, she put on her lilac dress and she felt more like herself than she had all term in uniform. She didn't think she was ever going to get used to modern clothing.
For a moment as she changed her shoes she rested on her bed and wondered what was going to come for her next. From what the others had said to her she got the impression there was no such thing as a comfortable, normal year at Hogwarts and the past year had been no exception.
She felt fear for what was going to come next year. She didn't know why. But she had a bad feeling.
-
"I am sorry."
"Its not your fault. And passing half isn't so bad. Its better than nothing."
The two brothers looked at one another. She had indeed taking the news about her exams better than they thought she was going too.
"Are you sure your ok?" said Aberforth. It was so unfair. She had worked so hard for her.
"Yeah I'm fine. I knew it wasn't going to be plain sailing. I am just sorry I let you two down."
"As if you have," said Albus in disbelief. "You had the will to try when many others in your place wouldn't have."
"You passed reading and writing, Herbology as well as Care of Magical Creatures. You did well." Albus smiled at her. "Professor McGonagall says you can continue with Transfiguration as long as you put the effort in which we all know you will."
"And Snape?"
Silence.
She should have known.
"Well I can just have some more free time in the library."
"I don't think so young lady. You are going to pick up Defence Against the Dark Arts." Aberforth told her.
Albus looked at him shocked. The one who had always been so against her even getting herself an education. And now he was telling her to pick up a subject.
"What he is saying does make sense. Now he is back, you will have to know something about how to look after yourself." They were not always going to be there to protect her when she needed them. He knew it. It wasn't going to be possible.
She nodded. She agreed it was the right thing for her to do.
"Ok. I'll do it." she nodded.
Albus looked at her lovingly. That was why he adored her so. Because she was willing to give anything a try.
"In the mean time, however you are coming home to the Hogshead." said Aberforth. It was the summer and she deserved a break. She nodded.
"Where is Harry going to live, at Hogwarts again?"
"Yes. That will be where he will be safest."
-
"It is good to be home." said Ariana as she sat on her bed in the pub. She had had her dinner with Albus and then she had returned to the pub with her other brother.
Aba had just come into the room with a cup of tea for her. He was always so loving when she just got back from Hogwarts. Not that he wasn't always but he always seem to make a effort when she just got home.
"I am so glad you think of the pub as your home."
"You're here, where else would I think of as home?" she asked him.
Sitting next to her, he wrapped her in a bear hug making her laugh. He knew he was going to hear it less and less as Voldemort gathered strength. Why did it have to happen now?
"Are you sure that your ok about your exam results?"
"Yeah, I am going to be fine. It could have been better. I know it could have been worse too." she shrugged putting her head on his shoulder.
It felt more like they were young again. Now she knew who she was and understood so much more it was easier for them both. He didn't feel like he had to be checking up on her all of the time.
"I'm proud of you."
"And that is the most important thing." she grinned.
"I think I am going to sleep well tonight."
"I hope you will sweetheart."
She had made it through her first year at school. She had done so well. Even when she had been given the option she had not run away.
"Mama and Papa would be proud of you too."
She nodded but kept her eyes shut. She hadn't thought much about Percival and Kendra lately. She had been too preoccupied with thoughts of the present. The past wasn't were she was needed.
Where she was needed however was right where she was.
-
Harry could not wait for the morning. Sirius was going to come and get him, and they were going to get the hell away from the Dursleys. That was all he wanted to do. But here he was back where he never thought he was going to be. At Privet Drive.
In his hand though he had a photo of the night of the Yule ball reminding him of the good times he had had in that year. It hadn't all been bad. Some of it had been good. In fact a lot of it had.
The photo showed him with his friends. Ron, Hermione and Ariana. He and Ari were holding on to one another giggling. They had laughed and danced so much that night.
His mind wondered to Cho Chang. Was she doing the same thing? Remembering that she had been loved that year.
The only thing he knew was when they got back when to school, only one of them were going to welcomed back with loving arms.
And selfishly, he thanked god it was him.
He felt so guilty. Not only had he watched Cedric die, he was now glad he lived to see another day - as long as she was there by his side.
Ariana and him had something real. He was going to hold on to that as long as he lived.