Serendipity [Book 2]

Bonus Chapter [Pt. 5]

First of all let me apologize for the sheer amount of time it took me to update. If you didn't read my all-fan message, I came down with a nasty case of pnemonia and then accidentally stabbed my left hand. All in all, it's been a bad month. But I'll be alright, and here is a chapter for all of my wonderful fans!

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“Because she’s you,” Ariella could only stare at her friend. Lily gasped as she clutched James’ arm.  James and the others watched the pair adamantly. Sirius looked at the ground, afraid to meet Ariella’s amethyst eyes.

“You love me?” Ariella asked quietly as Sirius nodded, shuffling his feet to keep from running out of the common room.

“For how long?”

“A long time,” Sirius answered noncommittally. James snorted.

“Long time my arse. He’s loved you just as long as I’ve been chasing Evans,” James remarked from the sidelines. Ariella’s eyes widened.

“Is that true?” Again, Sirius nodded.

“And he’s the one that sent that poem!” James continued as Sirius looked up to shoot a glare in his direction. Remus chuckled.

“So that’s what you were writing last night,” he commented as Ariella looked between them.

“You all knew?”

“Of course we knew, Elle. You know Sirius can’t keep a secret like that from us,” James replied with a shrug. Ariella frowned.

“But you could all keep it from me?”

“Elle, it’s not like that. If he had told you his feelings in first year, would you have returned them?” James questioned as Remus shook his head.

“Well, no, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have told me later on!”

“I asked them not to,” Sirius suddenly spoke up as Ariella returned her attention to him.

“Why?”

“You’re my best friend, Ella. Why would I ruin that just because I have a crush on you? Bloody hell, every guy who has ever met you has loved you at some point!” Sirius pointed out as James gagged in response.

“Not every guy!” He interjected as Lily slapped his arm.

“Besides could we be as close if you knew I wanted to kiss you every time I saw you?” Ariella stared at him. Her heart was beating a tattoo on her chest plate. Suddenly tears puddled in her eyes. Sirius’ eyes widened.

“Oh, Elle, I didn’t…”

“You idiot!” She suddenly cried out as everyone stared at her with wide eyes.

“Why do you have to be such an idiot?!”

“Ella, I’m sorry. Just forget I said….”

“Oh!” Lily gasped as she realized why Ariella was crying.

“Ella, don’t cry, please. I didn’t want to hurt you!”

“I’m not crying because I’m hurt, you arse!” Ariella replied as she frantically wiped the tears from her cheek. Sirius tilted his head to the side in confusion. Suddenly realization crossed James’ and Remus’ faces.

“Then why are you crying, Elle?” James asked as she stopped to think about it.

“I…I’m happy,” she answered hesitantly. Sirius quirked an eyebrow at her answer.

“You’re happy? Why are you happy?”

“Because, you love me,” she replied quietly.  Sirius looked confused.

“But…”

“Just shut up, idiot,” she blurted out before Ariella threw herself at Sirius’s chest and pressed her lips against his. Their friends all gasped in surprise as Sirius’s own eyes widened at her actions.  He quickly pushed her away.

“What are you doin’, Elle?” He asked in confusion as Ariella sighed in exasperation.

“I’m kissin’ you,” she replied in a know-it-all tone.  Sirius stared at her.

“No, I got that. Why?”

“Because that’s what you do when you like someone, isn’t it?”  Ariella answered seriously as she smirked.

**

“It’s been a pretty good year, hasn’t it, Pads?” James asked as he and Sirius were packing their equipment up in the locker room.

“Yeah, you know, except the whole Slytherin incident,” Sirius answered with a frown. James chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I think they learned their lesson,” James replied.

“Hey! You boys ready to go? I want to get back in time for dinner,” Ariella questioned as she stood in the doorway. Sirius looked up and smiled at her. Her curls were drawn up into a pony tail and her bangs partially covered her eyes. She was wearing a dark red sweater and tight blue jeans with her favorite boots riding up her calves. She looked more beautiful today than she had when he had first met her.

“Pads, you’re droolin’ mate,” James remarked as he elbowed his best friend in the ribs. Ariella giggled.

“Come on. Lily’s waitin’ on us, you know,” she informed them as she adjusted the bag on her shoulder and switch her broom to her empty hand. Sirius smirked as he carried his bag over to her and lifted her bag off of her shoulder. He readjusted his bag so he could carry hers and earned a smile from the blonde.

“Thank you,” she mumbled quietly as she kissed his cheek. Sirius grinned widely as James laughed when he came up on them.

“And you say me and Evans are bad,” James muttered before Ariella playfully punched his shoulder, laughing as she did so. Sirius chuckled.

“You’re still worse than us,” he replied as Ariella nodded.

“Way worse,” she agreed. James grinned as he walked next to the couple.

“Who cares? It took me years to be this obnoxious in a couple!” He rebutted as they all laughed.

“He is right, you know?” Lily remarked as she walked up to the group. She smiled at James who dropped his bag and broom to pick her up and swing her around. Ariella and Sirius chuckled.

“You two are weird,” Sirius announced as Remus and Peter joined them from one of the outer hallways.

“One more night, then summer vacation!” Peter exclaimed excitedly as Ariella giggled.

“Two months of peace and quiet!”

“Two months to get homework done!”  Remus added.

“Two months to practice quidditch!” Sirius interjected.

“Two months away from the love of my life!”  James whined.

“Two months of listening to Prongs whine about Evans!” Sirius remarked.

“Two months of listening to Pads wonder when Elle is going to visit from her castle on the hill,” James replied , smirking.  The six of them laughed raucously as other students looked at them, before ignoring them. After all, the Marauders were known for being loud and cheerful.

“To summer vacation and the memories it holds! And let us patiently await our final year at Hogwarts and the wonder it will hold!” Ariella announced as she lifted her wand into the air. Her friends smiled and laughed before they too lifted their wands into the air.

"To memories!"