Chapter 18

Ari's POV

"Seriously Ariana?"

I rub my eyes with a groan. "What Eli?"

He scoffs as he walks closer. "What is wrong with you?"

I open my eyes and look around. It takes me a moment to recall that I'm in Brittney's bed with James. I could see how this might look suspicious… "Oh piss off. It was cold last night."

He shakes his head with a mix of a grimace and a smirk on his face. "Ew Ari. There are plenty of other ways to keep warm you know…"

"Wow Eli. Seriously, piss off."

Eli grimaces at us again and walks away, muttering something under his breath. I lift up James' arm and look at his watch, groaning internally as I see that it's 10:30 in the morning. I sigh as I flick James on the nose. "It's time to get up Jamie. Presents are going to be opened in thirty minutes."

He groans and puts his hand over my mouth. "That just means I have thirty more minutes to sleep. Now hush." He removes his hand from my mouth and drapes his arm over me.

I roll my eyes at him with a smirk. "Fine, but I'm not going to lie around in bed all day." I try to get out of the bed but he tightens his grip around me. I let out a laugh and try to remove his arm. "James! I have to pee!"

He groans again as I try to get up again. "No don't go! You're going to let the cold in!"

"Well I'm about to let the pee out! Jamie let me go!" I let out another laugh as I manage to escape his grasp and get out of bed. I stick my tongue out at him as I leave the tent. I poke my head back into the tent and say, "You better be out of that bed when I come back here."

He flips me off and pulls a pillow over his head. I laugh again and decide my bodily functions can wait. I scoop up a big handful of snow and tiptoe over to the bed. I swiftly lift up the pillow and drop the snow on James' face with a giggle. As soon as the snow falls on him and I see the shocked expression appear on his face, I sprint out of the tent and into the Burrow as fast as I can. I run into the bathroom and shut the door tightly behind me.

As soon as I've finished in the bathroom, I quietly open the door and peek around. Once I've determined that the coast is clear, I walk out of the bathroom and into the living room, which is full of people. The first person I see is Eli, who is smirking at me. "It's about time you showed up! We've all been waiting on you. Even James got here before you!"

I roll my eyes and take a seat next to Landen. "Sorry to have kept you all waiting."

Landen pats me on the shoulder and glares at Eli. "Don't worry Ari. James just got here so we really weren't waiting on you."

Before anyone can say anything else, Ginny claps her hands together. "I guess this means we can get started. Lily dear, you go first."

As I watch Lily tear through her presents, Landen leans over and whispers. "Why is James staring at you like that?"

I sneak a glimpse at James and chuckle. He is sitting on the couch with his arms and legs crossed, a devilish expression playing on his face and a mischievous glint in his eye. "I dumped snow on him this morning to wake him up. He's probably still upset about it."

Landen looks over at James again and stifles a laugh as turns back and looks at me with wide eyes. "Probably! I know I would be! By the way, my dad will probably want to talk to you after this."

"Okay… About what?

He shakes his head. "I don't know. He was just telling me that he had to talk to you and, since we leave tomorrow, he will probably talk to you today."

I nod. "Okay well do you-"

Grandma Weasley thrusts a box in both of our laps. "Can you two stop whispering long enough to open your presents?"

We both grin at her and nod. We tear open the wrapped boxes in front of us and laugh as we pull out the signature knit sweaters made by Grandma Weasley. I get up and thank her with a hug while Landen vocalizes his thanks. I head back to the couch Landen and I were sitting on to continue our conversation when my vision goes blinding white. I grasp Landen's arm tightly as my legs fall out from under me and I'm brought outside a large manor.

"My Lord, are you sure that's when the American Embassy is going to be meeting?"

Caledon growls at Castor. "You dare question me you insolent coward? I should kill you just for doubting me…"

Castor shakes his head vigorously. "No my Lord! I would never question you! I merely meant to confirm the facts!"

Caledon shakes his head. "Your cowardice is astounding… Yes, I'm sure that's when the American Embassy will be meeting. I made sure of it. I have more loyal allies further on the inside."

Castor's mouth falls agape. "More loyal? No one is more loyal than me my Lord! I have done everything you have asked and more! I've even killed my own son for you!"

"That you have but, as I said before, you are a coward and you are loyal to me simply because you aren't competent enough to do anything on your own."

Castor grimaces at Caledon's harsh tone. "My Lord, not that I would ever question your reasoning, but how does the American Embassy play into your plan to attack the American muggles?"

Caledon looks around and shakes his head. "Not now. Right now I need to be alone. I will explain everything tonight."

I blink a few times and find myself sitting back in the living room of the Burrow, blushing when I notice everyone around me. I realize I'm still forcefully gripping Landen's arm and I release it with an apologetic look. He tries to inconspicuously rub the spot on his arm I was holding, but he doesn't succeed. I can see the spot starting to bruise so I look at him apologetically again. "Sorry Lan… Are you alright?"

Eli rolls his eyes at me. "Who cares?! No offense Landen… What the hell just happened, Ari?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I just got a little dizzy is all. I, um… I just need some air." I get up from the couch and look at Grandma Weasley. "Thank you for the sweater, I love it." I look at everyone, my eye catching Harry's. He gives me a knowing look and frowns. I turn away from him and walk outside, inhaling deeply as soon as I step out of the house. I walk over to the chairs Freddie set up last night and take a seat.

I am literally sitting for only a moment before the door opens. I let out a sigh and say with a smirk, "Took you long enough Jamie."

James scoffs and takes a seat next to me. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Because, although the others are curious about what just happened, you're the only one brave enough to actually ask."

He nods with a laugh. "Alright… Does this mean you'll tell me what just happened?"

I shake my head and smirk. "I'm not telling anyone anything until I've talked to your dad first."

James groans and kicks some snow. "Okay fine… So what's going on with you and Landen anyways? What were you two whispering about?"

I glance over at him with a smirk. "Well- Wait… Jamie, are you jealous?"

"No! I just… No!"

He has a bit of a blush creeping up his face, which turns my smirk into a grin. "You sound a bit jealous, Jamie…"

He rolls his eyes. "I'm not jealous! I just wanted to know what you two were whispering about!"

I pat him on the arm and continue to grin. "It's alright if you're jealous, you know… I won't think any less of you."

He throws up his hands. "Fine! I'm jealous, alright?!" I smile triumphantly at him, which earns another eye roll from him. "Well you don't have to look so bloody happy about it, Ari!"

"Sorry… I just find it amusing that you're jealous of Landen of all people! You both are such girls! How did I ever date either of you? We were planning secret dates for when we get back to Hogwarts, that's all." He groans and gets up from the chair. I grab his arm with a laugh. "Jamie, I was only joking. Don't go."

He sits back down and frowns at me. "Not funny, Ari."

I roll my eyes with a sigh. "Look, you really have no reason to be jealous. Yes, Landen and I dated for a few months, but that was while you were going out with Monroe. And yes, we did like each other, but obviously not enough to start dating when I got back."

"Well what about when you two snogged the morning you got back?"

I let out a laugh. "I think we planned on dating again when I got back, but some… things… got in the way. Not that we're complaining, those things were way better for us than we were for each other. We realized we're better off as friends and have decided to keep things friendly."

He nods. "Oh… What were these things that got in the way?"

I let out another laugh and roll my eyes. "My, you sure are interrogative today! The things were some people we fancy. Now drop it please!" I stand up from my chair and turn to walk inside.

"But-"

Before James can say anything else, I grab some snow and throw it at him. He wipes his hands over his face and playfully narrows his eyes at me. "You know, that's the second time you've done that… And I haven't properly gotten you back for the first time…"

He picks up a handful of snow and balls it up then lobs it at me. The snowball hits me directly in the arm as I crouch down to gather up some snow. I let out a loud scream/laugh as the icy ball hits me, remains of it hitting me in the face. I let out another shriek as he jumps over the chair and tackles me to the ground. I laugh as I try to wriggle free from his grip.

I finally free myself from his grasp and fling some snow at his face with a laugh as I get up. That one action launches us into an intense snowball fight, icy snowballs flying every which way. I hear the door open behind me but I don't turn to see who came out.

Suddenly James gets hit with a few snowballs I didn't throw. I turn to see Brittney, Eli and Landen standing behind me, each holding a snowball. Freddie, Al and Roxanne all run over to stand behind James and pick up some snow. As soon as everyone is armed with a snowball, we begin our snowball fight again. Landen focuses his snowballs on Roxanne, hitting James with a few stray ones, while Brittney mainly hits Freddie with her snowballs. Eli and Al throw their snowballs at James and me, serving as our backup.

After throwing hundreds of snowballs, and being hit with just as many, we all finally concede to a truce. I turn to give Eli a high five and stumble back, my vision once again blurring into a bright white. The last thing I hear and feel is James yelling for someone to go get his dad then him catching my arm as I stumble back onto my butt again.

Caledon sits in an unlit room at a long table holding a small, cloudy glass ball in his hand. He stares at the ball intently, twirling it in his fingers gingerly.

Suddenly the room fills with a raspy, almost eerie voice.

"Under the full moon, the new Dark Lord will rise, only to be fought by a girl with a fire inside and the oldest product of lightening. Three will enter the battle, but only two will leave alive. Although the three are equal in power, a secret will be revealed that will lead to the downfall of one."

The room falls silent. Caledon continues to stare at the orb until he suddenly throws it against a wall, the room filling with the noise of shattering glass. A growl builds deep in his throat as he stares at the shards of glass on the floor. "She WILL die before she discovers my secret… I'll ensure that myself."