Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor will I ever be. Therefore, I do not own Harry Potter or it's characters... Just wanted to make that clear... haha

This story is rated T for foul language

Chapter 6

Ari's POV

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm back. And I plan on picking up where we left off."

A wide smirk spreads on his face as I realize who he is and my hand automatically goes to my abdomen. Castor Perlorn?

The gesture doesn't go unnoticed and he lets out a chuckle. "Clearly you remember me…"

I shake my head and jerk my arm free. I squeeze my eyes shut and rub them to try and clear the image. Maybe I had been imagining him… I had gone through a whole bottle of firewhiskey pretty fast, maybe that was making me see things. Suddenly, right next to my ear, I hear "Oh and I brought some friends with me this time…"

His warm breath skims my ear, sending shivers down my spine. I open my eyes and look in the direction of his voice, but he's not there. I look all around me but I can't see him anywhere… I make my way over to Al and ask him to get me a firewhiskey. I know that Landen and Freddie set a charm limit of one on the firewhiskey, and I've already had my one. Al, however, has not. He comes back and hands me the bottle. I politely thank him and walk back to the couch. I pop the top off the bottle and drain the warming liquid in two solid gulps.

I look around again for Castor, but to no avail. I do, however, see Landen and Freddie walking toward me.

Landen sees the look of confusion on my face and rushes over. "Is everything alright? Are you okay?"

I nod my head distractedly. "Yea I'm fine."

"Okay… Do you want to go dance?"

I nod my head again and smile politely. We walk out into the middle of the room, leaving Freddie sitting alone on the couch. I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his arms around my waist.

I bring my hand forward and play with a piece of his dark hair. "Your hair is getting pretty long. I like it."

He laughs and grabs a bit of my hair, bringing it up and tickling my face with it. "So is yours. I'm not a fan of it."

I smack him in the chest and roll my eyes. "You prat."

I look around again and catch a glimpse of Castor again. He is leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, smirking at Landen and me. I drop my arms from Landen's neck and step toward the area where I saw Castor leaning. Someone steps in front of me and blocks my path and my view. I push around the person and see that the wall is empty. I slap my hand to my forehead and grunt. Am I going mental or something?

Landen grabs my arm and gives me a confused look. "Is everything okay?"

I nod, still staring at the empty wall. "I think I'm going to head out now…"

He nods firmly and places his hand on my back. "Okay, let's go then."

"No, no. I don't want to steal you away from your awesome party. I will be fine on my own." I shake my head and push his arm away.

He laughs. "Fine then. Will you at least help me get Freddie back to the tower? He's rather pissed… Apparently, after he reached his firewhiskey limit, he started stealing other people's drinks."

A giggle escapes my lips and I nod. "Yea, I guess I can do that."

We walk back over to the couch and Freddie puts his arm around my shoulders. "This is a lovely soiree."

He wraps his other arm around Landen's shoulder and whispers something. Landen laughs loudly and shakes his head. "You're a right git, you know that?"

We guide him out into the corridor and Freddie looks back at me. "He called me a git… That wasn't very nice."

I laugh and shake my head. "I know Freddie-o. I will get him back later for you."

Freddie smiles and gives me sloppy kiss on the cheek then whispers "You're my best mate ever." After that, we walk to the tower in silence. Once we get in the Gryffindor common room, Freddie releases my shoulder and smiles. "I'm going to bed."

I let out another laugh and Landen shakes his head. "Let's get you upstairs…"

I walk to a couch in the common room and sit down. I close my eyes and think back to the first time I encountered Castor Perlorn.

Carter and I walk into the great hall and sit down. We are busy putting food on our plate and talking about our plans for the day when someone behind us says "Wow Carter. First you lose us the match and then you turn your back on your family for the filthy American. You must be screwing her big time, Carter."

I look at Carter, whose fists are clenched at his sides. He is trying to remain calm but I can tell it's not working. I turn around to see who is talking to us. The boy is around six foot one with black greased back hair and a round nose. His mouth is twisted up into a sneer. I recognize him instantly. This is the beater who hit the bludger that hurt Carter. I jump up and pull my wand out of my boots. I point it directly at his pig nose and say, "If you utter one more word about that match I will make sure it's the last thing you say. Try me."

The pig nosed boy laughs. "She's a feisty one Carter, I'll give you that. I might have to give her a go after you're done with her." At that Carter jump up from his seat, wand also pointed at the boy's face.

I turn to Carter and grab his arm. "Carter he's not worth it. Let's go." He turns his head and looks at me, confusion etched on his face. I quickly look up at McGonagall, who is watching our exchange closely, then back down. He catches my hint and drops his wand.

"Alright, let's go then." He says as he follows me out. I can tell that he is still angry, so I suggest that we go change out of our pajamas and into regular clothes. He nods his agreement and I suggest he go first. It will give him time to cool off. We walk to the slytherine house together in silence. He goes into the dorms to change and I wait outside in the corridor for him.

I see a shadow coming down the hall, but I don't really pay attention to it. Suddenly I hear "Well if it isn't the filthy American… You know, although you are American you are rather pretty…" He steps closer to me, each step slow and calculated. "I think I want to find out why Carter thought screwing you was a good enough reason to turn his back on his family." His face twists into a sneer as he stands in front of me. I stand up and put my hands up while trying to back away. The boy grabs my wrist and shoves me against the wall, forcing a grunt of pain to escape my lips. He continues to grasp my wrist tightly while his other hand comes up and gently strokes my face.

Then, out of nowhere, he brings his hand up and then back down, his ring cutting my cheek as his hand collides across my face. I can feel the hot, sticky blood running down my cheek. The boy brings his finger up and touches the blood drip with a laugh.

"Um… Carter? Could you hurry please?" I say uneasily. I look around trying to find an escape, but I don't see any. There aren't any shadows for me to hide in so getting away is going to be next to impossible.

The boy slowly bends over and goes to pull my wand out of my boot. "You won't be needing this for what I have planned, American." His face is near my knee, so I bring it up. It connects with his face, knocking him backward. He clutches his broken nose in pain. I take the opportunity to run away.

"Carter!" I yell while running.

The boy slowly gets back up and runs after me. I look back and see him running after me, pure rage and hatred written on his face. "CARTER!"

He reaches out and grabs my hair with a bloody hand, pulling me to the ground. I hit the ground with a thud. He grabs my wrist again and pulls me up. "That was rude, and now, you will pay." He says with a menacing grin. He brings his hand up again and smacks me across the face again with such power it knocks me to the ground, opening up a new gash on my face. "CARTER!" I screech desperately.

The boy pulls out his wand and points it at me. I curl up on the ground, making sure the boy can't see the apparent fear on my face. He kicks me in such a way that makes me flip flat on my back. He slashes his wand violently, yelling a spell, causing a large cut to appear across my stomach. I lie on my back, blood beginning to pool around me.

Suddenly I hear "EXPELLIARMUS!" from behind me. I chance a glance up and see Freddie standing behind me, his wand pointed at the boy, anger filling his brown eyes. "JAMES! She's over here!" he yells over his shoulder. The slytherine boy tries to back away slowly but Freddie looks at him again. "Go ahead Perlorn. Run away. That makes killing you so much more fun." The boy takes it as a challenge and runs away. Freddie smiles devilishly and chases after him.

James comes running around the corner at full speed. He sees me on the ground and runs over to me, falling down to his knees next to me. He grabs my chin and looks at my face. He rubs his thumb over the cuts on my cheek, wiping away the blood still running down my face. He finally looks down at what he is kneeling in; his eyes get wide as he realizes it's my blood. A look of panic crosses his face and he yells "Help! Somebody help!"

I hear someone running toward us, then hear James yell "No! Go get Madam Pomfrey!"

The footsteps quickly fade away. James pulls off his sweater and places it on the cut on my stomach while applying pressure to the wound. I can see he is starting to lose his cool so I reach up and place a blood covered on top of his and smile weakly.

My eyes slowly begin to close and my world goes black.

I hear someone coming down the stairs that lead to the boy's dorms which snaps me out of my flashback. Landen hops off the last stair with a book in his hand and sighs. "Party boy Freddie is all tucked in. Are you okay?"

I nod with a laugh. "Merlin! I'm fine, Landen."

He looks at me warily. "Okay… Are you going to go back to the party?"

"No, things were getting a bit too weird for me."

He nods. "Okay. Well neither am I. I'm going to go change."

He turns to walk away, leaving his back open. I take the opportunity and launch myself at him. I wrap my arms around his neck, clinging to his back, and point at the entrance to the Heads dorm with a laugh. "To my room!"

He laughs and shakes his head. "I want to go change clothes!"

I smack him on the head with a laugh. "You have clothes in my room! Now: To my room!"

He concedes with another laugh and wraps his arms underneath my knees to hold me up. "Fine! But only because we're best mates and I love you."

I grin at my success as he walks us through the entrance. He walks us into my room and drops me off. I walk over to my dresser and toss him a shirt and some shorts. I grab a pair of sweats and a t-shirt and head into my bathroom to change. I slip out of my dress and into my sweats and t-shirt, then walk back out into my room. Landen rolls his eyes at me and goes into my bathroom to change too.

The book he came down the stairs with is sitting on my bed. I pick it up and read the title. Defense against dark magic?

I sit down onto my bed and open the book, reading the first page. The door to my bathroom opens and Landen walks out holding his clothes from the party.

I turn to the next page of the book and frown. "Why are you reading this?"

He walks over and grabs a pillow. He sets the pillow against my leg and lies down with his head on the pillow. He then reaches up and snatches the book from me with a grin. "To be prepared I guess. You can never be too prepared, right?"

I nod my head as I think about the fact that Castor Perlorn could potentially be back. He opens his book and starts reading. I twirl my fingers through his hair absentmindedly as I stare at the wall.

Landen's POV

With his arm draped around my shoulder, Freddie leans over and whispers "You should tell her you fancy her. If you don't I will."

I let out a loud laugh and shake my head. "You're a right git, you know that?"

Ariana and I lead him into the corridor and he looks over to her. "He called me a git… That wasn't very nice."

She laughs and shakes her head. "I know Freddie-o. I will get him back later for you."

Freddie smiles crookedly and plants a wet kiss on her cheek. He whispers something to her and she smiles. We finish our trek to Gryffindor tower in silence. Once we get into the common room, Freddie lets go of Ariana's shoulder and smiles. "I'm going to bed."

She laughs as I shake my head and tug on his arm. "Let's get you upstairs."

I drag Freddie up the stairs and help him to his bed. He crawls under the covers and smirks at me. "You really do need to tell her, mate."

I shake my head and laugh. "Fred, she's been through a lot. I don't want her to think I'm taking I'm trying to rush her into anything."

He grabs my arm tightly and looks at me with wide eyes. "You need to tell her before it is too late."

I nod and wriggle out of his grip. "Okay, okay."

He smiles at his victory and closes his eyes. After a few seconds he is snoring loudly. I quietly make my way to my room, grab my book, and head downstairs. I get to the bottom stair and see Ariana on the couch. "Party boy Freddie is all tucked in. Are you okay?"

She nods and laughs. "Merlin! I'm fine, Landen."

I look at her cautiously. "Okay… Are you going to go back to the party?"

She shakes her head and looks at the fire. "No, things were getting a bit too weird for me."

I nod in agreement. "Okay. Well neither am I. I'm going to go change."

I turn to walk to my room when I feel something jump onto my back with a laugh. "To my room!"

I respond with a laugh and shake my head. "I want to go change clothes!"

She smacks me on the head and laughs. "You have clothes in my room! Now: To my room!"

I realize that she has a point and my resolve fades. I wrap my arms under her legs to keep her up and sigh. "Fine! But only because we're best mates and I love you."

I walk us into the Heads dorm, into her room and drop her off. She walks over to her dresser and tosses me a shirt and some shorts. She grabs some clothes and goes into her bathroom to change. Once she's changed, she walks back out into her room. She is in a pair of grey sweats and a red t-shirt. Even in THAT she looks lovely.

I roll my eyes to hide the fact that I was staring at her and head into the bathroom. I quickly change into the clothes she gave me and then check to make sure I look alright. My shaggy, dark hair is a mess. I quickly run my fingers through it and sigh. I'm such a bloody girl…

I gather up my clothes and exit the bathroom. I toss them into the corner and Ariana says "Why are you reading this?"

I walk over and grab a pillow off her bed and set it against her leg. I lie down, my head on the pillow. I reach up and snatch the book from her hands with a grin. "To be prepared I guess. You can never be too prepared, right?"

She nods her head distractedly. I open my book and begin reading. She drops a hand down and begins playing with my hair. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It's taking everything I have not to kiss her right now. Bloody hell…

I reach up and grab her hand. "You're going to have to stop doing that…"

She lets out a laugh. "Sorry…" The room fills with silence after that.

Suddenly her hand comes down and she pokes me in the side with a giggle. I squeak escapes my lips and my body jerks away in response which makes her laugh more. I sit up and glare at her playfully. "What was that for?"

She grins. "That was for calling Freddie a git. Plus I thoroughly enjoy the noise you make when I poke you in the side…"

I shake my head and smirk at her. "Ariana it is SO on…"

I extend a finger toward her but she moves out of its way. I do it again and she dodges it again. She laughs loudly at me. "You're so slow!"

I feign hurt. "Ariana! That's it… I'm out of here! I can't take your abuse anymore."

I get up off the bed and internally laugh at her expression as I walk away from her bed. I hear movement from her bed and then she jumps on me, sending us crashing to the floor in a fit of laughter. I land flat on my back and she lands on her side next to me. I let out another laugh and rub my back. "What was that for?"

"I don't want you to leave."

I nod at her and smile. "Alright I'll stay, but only because you asked so nicely. And by 'asked nicely' I mean tackled me to the ground."

I get up off the ground and help her up. She shrugs nonchalantly. "You know me, always polite."

I roll my eyes and laugh. "Absolutely…"

She sits on her bed and looks at the ground. "Lan, I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

"So… I think I saw Castor at the party tonight. I'm not too sure though since I DID drink two bottles of firewhiskey."

I shake my head seriously. "Ariana, alcohol doesn't make you hallucinate. It may screw you up a bit, but not that bad. Are you sure it was him and not someone who just looked like him?"

She nods. "I'm pretty sure…" Her hand goes to her abdomen.

I give her a quizzical look but she shakes her head. "I'll tell you in the morn-" She stops abruptly and looks around with wide eyes. She brings her hand up to her mouth and runs to the bathroom. The bathroom door violently swings shut behind her. I can hear her retching behind the closed door.

I knock on the door gently. "Are you alright?"

She retches again then groans. "Yea, just peachy. THIS is why I don't drink… I think I'm going to be in here for a while…" She heaves again and follows with another groan. "I BLOODY HATE PUKING!"

I walk into the bathroom and chuckle. "You really are a lightweight! You only had two firewhiskeys!"

She flips me off and pukes again. I sit down next to her and try to ignore the repugnant odor that has filled the bathroom. I rub circles on her back as she grips the toilet tightly. She takes a deep breath and looks at me. "You really don't have to stay. This is going to be rather gross."

I shake my head. "And leave you like this? That wouldn't make me much of a gentleman now would it."

She lets out a laugh and then shoots me a quick glare before she pukes again. "I appreciate the sentiment, 'gentleman', but I would rather you weren't in here for this."

I hold up my hands in surrender and nod. "Okay, okay. But if you need ANYTHING, you know what to do."

She nods and I leave the bathroom. I am about to leave her room and go to my own when I realize that I don't want to leave her alone like this. So I crawl onto her bed and fall asleep.

Blegh. I'm not really sure how I feel about this chapter... It seems a bit slow and boring, but it had to be done. Things are going to pick up in the next chapter, I promise.

I would love to hear your thoughts about the chapter!

Thanks! :)

-Tx