Black and Potter | H. Potter

9 ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆ mystery gift.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:✧*⋆.*:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾

"HARRY YOU—YOU LOOK TERRIBLE."

Ara lifted her head from her book when she heard Hermione's words and saw that Harry was coming down the spiral staircase that led to the boys' dormitories. She winced slightly as she took him in, his hair was messy, his cheeks hollow, bags under his eyes. . .it was clear he hadn't gotten much sleep, much like herself. She'd really tried to sleep, she really had, but every time she closed her eyes all she could see was Sirius Black's mad face.

The common room was currently completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables, and Ara, who was seated on the sofa with her 'Advanced Charms Casting' book out, while Venus was curled up on her lap.

"Where is everyone?" said Harry.

"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" said Ron, watching Harry closely. "It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to come and wake you up in a minute."

Harry slumped into the sofa next to Ara and rested his chin on her shoulder while she continued to read and write notes on the book, marking the spells she would like to try out. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks were spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug.

"What are you doing?" Harry muttered—as if it wasn't already obvious—looking over her shoulder.

"Reading, you should try it sometime, y'know?" Ara said, looking at Harry from the corner of her eye as he rolled his eyes.

"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione said, snapping Harry from staring at Ara's profile.

"I'm fine," said Harry.

"Harry, Ara, listen," said Hermione, getting Ara's attention as she exchanged a look with Ron, "you two must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go do anything stupid."

"Like what?" said Harry.

"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply.

Ara simply rolled her eyes and went back to her book, underlining the spell 'Accio', not really interested in speaking about her murderer of a father. Yes, she was impulsive and had quite a temper, but she wasn't stupid enough to go after someone just to get revenge.

"You won't, will you?" said Hermione.

"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron.

Ara just stayed silent, not really paying attention, while Harry looked at them.

"Do you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me?" Ron and Hermione shook their heads, and Ara tensed slightly but continued trying to block out the conversation. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her—"

"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, cutting him off after noticing the slightly guilty look on Ara's face. "The dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and—and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. "You want to—to kill Black or something—?"