Serendipity [Book 2]

In The Eyes of the Wolf [Pt. 2]

“I’m just saying…I can understand his position,” Ariella reasoned. Remus stared at her in shock.

“And Malfoy? Do you forgive him?”

“Merlin, no. If I could, I’d feed him to a Chinese Fireball,” she replied, fury flaring in the pit of her stomach at the mention of the Malfoy senior.

“He helped Snape,” Remus remarked.

“Malfoy fed off of Severus’s insecurities and anger. Remus, can we stop talking about this?” Ariella asked, unwilling to relive the terrifying moment that changed her entire demeanor.

“Elle, I’m just worried about you,” Remus admitted as he grasped Ariella’s trembling hands in his own.

“You let him close once, remember?”

“Hey Lily!” Ariella greeted cheerfully. The red head smiled at her. It was hard not to like Ariella Cross.

“Hi, Ariella,” Lily Evans responded sweetly. Loud, raucous laughing distracted the two girls as they looked down to the lakeside. Ariella’s eyes widened as she saw her best friends, laughing. Lily gasped as she caught sight of Severus hanging upside down with the Marauders taunting him. Both girls dropped their bags and ran down the hillside, intent on stopping the scene before the audience grew any larger.

“James! Sirius! Stop!” Ariella ordered as she stopped in front of the smirking boys. Sirius easily pulled Ariella behind him.

“Watch this, Elle!” He remarked as James moved his wand up and down and Severus's flailing body followed the movement.

“Potter, stop this! Now!” Lily screeched as she pushed James back. Ariella pulled Sirius back and snatched his wand out of his hand. Sirius chuckled as he reached for his wand.

“Give me my wand, Elle!” He teased. Ariella frowned as she shook her head. Before she could stop him, Sirius pulled her against his chest and kissed her. Severus’s eyes widened as he watched the scene.

“Let him go, Potter!” Lily ordered furiously. James smirked at her before conceding to her demands. Severus Snape fell unceremoniously to the ground with a hard thud. Lily dropped down to his side and was in the process of helping him to his feet when he turned on her. His onyx eyes were hard in fury.

“Sirius what do you think you’re…”

“Don’t touch me, mudblood!” Ariella stopped as everyone turned to stare at Severus and Lily. Lily froze as the words left his lips. Sirius and James pushed past Ariella, intent on making Severus take back his painful words. Lily climbed to her feet.

“Wait, I…” Severus began before he noticed the glares he was receiving from the Gryffindors that surrounded him. Even Ariella Cross held a certain level of disdain for him at the moment.  

“You’re going to regret saying that Snape!” James howled as he pointed his wand at the Slytherin.

“If you know what’s good for you, Potter, you’ll leave now,” Lucius Malfoy appeared and pointed his wand at Ariella. The Malfoy’s posse appeared on either side of the blonde and Sirius and James glared at him.

“Come on, James. Sirius. Elle,” Remus conceded as he proceeded to drag his enraged friends from an unfair battle. Severus Snape watched the Marauders walk off with not only Lily Evans at their sides but also his Potions partner. He felt unbridled rage rise in his stomach as Lucius bent down next to him.

**

“What is it, Severus?” Ariella folded her arms across her chest. She had accidentally fallen asleep in the library and the quiet boy had been the one to find her.

“The library’s closing, Cross,” Snape replied honestly. Ariella sighed as she nodded, proceeding to walk past the Slytherin.

“Will you walk with me?” Snape asked suddenly. Ariella turned to him in surprise, intent on saying no. However when her eyes met his , she felt pity for him. With a soft sigh, she nodded her head. She let him lead her aimlessly through the castle.

“You must hate me,”

“Hate’s a strong word,” Ariella responded quietly. It was true. While she should hate the Slytherin, she couldn’t. Something about his unaffected façade broke her heart. He was lonely.

“And Potter and Black,” he growled before Ariella interrupted him.

“I’m sorry they were teasing you so horribly. I had no idea,” Ariella apologized, knowing her words couldn’t ease the pain in the boy’s heart. Severus frowned before turning to her suddenly.

“Why are you apologizing for them?”

“They’re my friends,” she replied softly. She suddenly felt a shudder of uneasiness pass through her body and she frowned as she recognized her surroundings.

“Why are we in the dungeons?” She asked suddenly. Severus looked conflicted before guilt settled across his sallow features.

“Hello, Cross,”

“At least think about it?” Remus suggested as he stood outside Ariella’s door. His friend nodded as he turned to head toward his own room. He hadn’t meant to make her remember the incident. He could still remember the fear in her eyes. It shook him to his very core, just like it had all those years ago.

“Elle’s been gone an awfully long time,” Sirius mentioned as he looked toward the dwindling fire in the fireplace. The common room had emptied and the four Marauders were the only ones left. James frowned.

“Didn’t she say she was going to the library?” he asked as Remus nodded.

“Yes, but I believe it closed several hours ago,” he replied. Anxiety settled across the boys’ features. It was unusual for Ariella not to check in with them.

“Prongs, grab the map. Find her!” Sirius suggested as James hopped to his feet and ran up to the dorms. Remus put his book away as Peter sat up fully from his place on the floor. When James returned, they crowded around the Marauder Map.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,” James muttered as he tapped the parchment with his wand. Their eyes searched the grounds for the name of their beloved companion. Peter gasped when he find her first.

“There she is!” He commented as he pointed to the dungeon portion of the map. Sirius, James and Remus all froze when they saw the names surrounding their friend. Lucius Malfoy. Bellatrix Black. Severus Snape. Rodolphus Lestrange. Victor Goyle.