Serendipity [Book 2]

Bonus Chapter [Pt. 3]

Someone asked me when these bonus chapters took place and I feel like i should answer them. Some of them take place in The Marauders' sixth year, but the one about Valentine's day takes place in their seventh year. Enjoy! :D

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“Didn’t think you’d actually show up,” Severus Snape quipped sourly as he turned to Ariella. She frowned at his tone.

“I am not as cruel as you are making me out to be. If I remember correctly, you are the one who ripped almost nine holes into my midsection,” she growled in response. Severus looked guilty at her words. He didn’t comment on it though. He knew better. Ariella retrieved her wand from her pocket and pointed it at the dark haired boy. Severus drew his by habit.

“Relax, I can’t have Sirius and the others finding out I spent Valentine’s night with a Slytherin,” Ariella remarked before she muttered a soft incantation. When he didn’t feel anything, he lowered his wand. She did the same to herself before stuffing her wand in her pocket again.

“Why are you spending Valentine’s night with me?” Severus asked, still suspicious of the blonde. After all, she should want revenge for everything he has done to her.

“Because I didn’t have anything else better to do.  And honestly, I didn’t want to watch my friends go off and be all ‘in love’,” Ariella answered with a shrug. Severus stared at her.

“Didn’t you get asked out?”

“Yes, but I didn’t like any of those guys,” Ariella replied.

“You don’t like me,” Severus commented as Ariella sighed in annoyance.

“Yes, but you don’t like me either. So there isn’t the threat of you falling in love with me and me breaking your heart or vice-versa,” Ariella remarked as Severus stared at her with wide, unbelieving eyes.

“How have you spent every other Valentine’s Day?”

“Oh, you know. I wallowed in self-pity in my dorm room surrounded by empty chocolate wrappers,” Ariella responded dejectedly.  

“Really?”

“Not really. I always pretended to be working on some stupid essay or something school-related,” Ariella shrugged. Severus scoffed at the thought.

“Sure you did,” he commented as Ariella frowned at his disbelief.

“It’s not exactly easy to date when I have four overprotective boy best friends. Hell, they don’t even like that I have guy friends other than them,” she growled as Severus looked skeptical.

“One of the reasons they pick on you so horribly is because they don’t like that I was partners with you and that you were friends with Lily!” Severus opened his mouth to argue with her but it seemed reasonable that was that the Marauders tormented him.  They were extremely protective of the blonde. He had seen it the night they had come to her rescue in the dungeons.  They had almost killed Bellatrix and Lucius.

“So what did you want to do?” He asked to draw her attention away from his torment. Ariella shrugged as she looked around the tower.

“I brought food, so do you wanna eat?”

**

“What do you mean she’s not on the map?!” Sirius bellowed as he stood quickly and moved to stand over James and Remus. Remus cringed at the volume of his best friend’s voice.

“Elle helped us make the map, Pads. I mean it’s reasonable to believe that she could deceive it,” Remus remarked as James shook his head.

“You know what that means right?” He asked aloud as Sirius frowned at the thought.

“It means we’re not going to like whoever she’s with,” he growled lowly as Peter looked between his friends quickly.

“So what do we do?” he questioned excitedly. James shrugged.

“Nothing. I mean, I have a date with Evans in 15 minutes. Besides, Elle took her wand, and she said she’d be fine,” James replied as Remus nodded to agree with him. Sirius scowled.

“Obviously. She said that the night we found her in the dungeons writhing in pain and almost comatose,” he seethed as James climbed to his feet and patted his friend on the back.

“She’s with someone she trusts. I’m sure she’ll be alright tonight. Besides, don’t you have a date tonight too?” James asked as Sirius glared at him out of the corner of his eye.

“My date can be cancelled,” he mumbled darkly as James and Remus shook their heads.

“No. Even if it was just a ploy to make Elle jealous, it’s not fair to that girl for you to ditch her to follow Elle around the castle on her date,” Remus remarked as Sirius folded his arms across his chest and began to sulk.

“But Elle isn’t here to see me grope this girl,” Sirius grumbled dejectedly. James chuckled as he patted his friend on the back again.

“Oh, Pads. That never would’ve worked anyways,” he replied knowingly.

***

“How’d you get Butterbeer?”

“How do I get anything? I’m awesome, that’s how,” Ariella replied to Severus’ question. The two teenagers sat on the ground, separated by a small feast.

“Did you steal it?” Severus questioned as he eyed his goblet in suspicion. Ariella rolled her eyes at his wariness.

“Unlike Slytherins, I’m not building up my criminal record. I know one of the house-elfs and she hooks me up,” Ariella admitted as she snatched the goblet out of his hand and gulped down half of its contents. Severus watched her in shock as she handed it back to him and proceeded to grab a roll. He was still wary of her sudden friendliness after their recent hate fest.

“Did something happen? I thought you hated me,” Severus remarked as Ariella shrugged.

“You want the truth? Fine. I didn’t want to be alone tonight? Happy? Bloody hell, you’re asking more questions than that damn inquisition squad,” she grumbled as she took a bite out of the bread in her hand. Severus stared at her, unsure of her words.

“What about your friends?”

“They were all busy tonight with dates and study groups,” Ariella responded dejectedly as she took another bite of her roll.

“None of them invited you?”

“Then I’d be intruding. Will you stop asking so many damn questions and just eat the food I brought?” Severus eyed her for a moment longer before conceding to her demands. The two fell into a comfortable silence.  Sudden loud talking and constant giggles filled the air around the surprised teenagers as they looked at the door in horror.

“So I said to him,” Ariella’s eyes widened as she recognized one of the voices.

“Merlin! No!  Snape, get up! Get up, now!” She ordered hurriedly as she shoved the mini picnic off of the tower. She didn’t care if the goblets and plates shattered below. Severus stared at her as she pushed him against the wall and covered his mouth with her hand.

“Stay here and don’t make a single sound, ok?”