Chapter Forty Seven
“This is it.” Alice said, taking a deep breath as she and the rest of the Fifth Years stood outside the Great Hall, waiting for their names to be called to get inside “The Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.”
“Keep calm Alice,” Lily said; still reading her textbook to keep herself occupied “I’m sure you’ll do well.” Alice laughed nervously
“What makes you think I’m not calm?” she asked her voice higher than normal.
“Well for one, you’re practically shaking.” Arianna commented as she walked towards her friends with the Marauders grinning behind her. Arianna didn’t need to look at Lily to know she had to dismiss the boys “I think it would be nice if you guys head off.” She said to them,
“Yes that would be very nice.” Lily said, staring pointedly at James who just smirked
“Well I think we should do what the girl says boys, we wouldn’t want to upset Evans now don’t we?” James said with one of his famous smirks, Lily glared at him and crossed her arms. Sirius sighed and kissed Arianna on the cheek
“See you later then A.” he said, and at that the Marauders headed somewhere off in the crowd. Lily continued glaring at them – well at James to be specific – as they left, Alice watched them go too, and it seemed to make her keep her mind off of the exam.
“Chill Lils, I can see smoke coming out of your ears.” Marlene joked, Arianna nodded in agreement, Lily on the other hand just rolled her eyes and went back to reading.
“I still can’t believe you managed to make friends with those toerags.” She grumbled, Marlene rolled her eyes
“Toerags? Or toerag without the ‘s’?” Marlene asked smiling mischievously “By the looks of it I think you’re only referring to one person.” She said cocking her head towards James’ direction, with her arms crossed.
“You know what M?” Arianna said, crossing her arms too “I think you’re right.”
Lily glared at the both of them
“If you’re talking about Potter, then yes I’ll say you’re right.” She said simply “I have no regrets on saying that because it is a hundred percent true.”
“You’re being an honest child today.” Alice commented, Lily rolled her eyes and went back to reading; trying to keep their topic off of her mind. The weather was already quite hot, making her temper shorter than usual.
“I’m always honest.” Lily reminded, peeking from her book and staring at Alice pointedly. It was when she saw her best friend Severus a few feet away from them. She automatically smiled “Hey, Sev!”
“Oh God no.” Marlene said overdramatically as she looked over her shoulder to see Snape shuffle his way through the crowd towards them, she looked at back Lily who stared at her disapprovingly “What? Okay, I know he’s your best friend and all; and I’m sorry but – he isn’t the ‘friend’ you once knew.”
She looked around them to see if anyone was watching them; and when the coast seemed clear Marlene started once more, only her voice quite lower than before “I mean did you hear what he, Mulciber, and Avery got caught doing to that First Year the other day?”
Alice shivered and nodded.
“They performed Dark Magic on the kid…. Right?” Arianna recalled, her voice low just like Marlene’s, she remembered Sirius mentioning it the other day when they were walking on the grounds. He and the Marauders were pretty upset about it, especially because Polaris saw what happened and got traumatized.
“Not just any sort of Dark Magic.” Marlene said darkly “People have been talking – secretly of course – and from what I’ve heard they performed an Unforgivable… The Imperius Curse.”
The color from Alice’s face disappeared, Arianna found herself staring at Marlene in shock; so was Lily who looked just as scared as she was, Arianna could tell she was trying to hide it though.
“That’s – that’s impossible.” Lily stammered, but Marlene shook her head
“It’s true L.” she said her voice even lower “You’re a prefect. I’m sure you’ve heard of it –“
“Yes I’ve heard of it.” Lily cut in “I just didn’t hear the part of them using an….” She looked around “An Unforgivable. C’mon guys, do you honestly believe this? They’re fifteen. They can’t possibly be able to cast an Unforgivable.”
“Sirius’ sister Polaris was there when it happened.” Arianna said quietly “She was just passing through, the sight traumatized her. Luckily, a teacher was nearby before she got included into the mess.”
“And have you guys forgotten?” Marlene said, “Both Avery and Mulciber’s fathers are Death Eaters.” Alice nodded
“Some say it’s just rumors but I heard it from both my parents.” Alice said “Besides, they’re on the list of possible Death Eaters and to be honest, that list is quite accurate.”
“How do you even know there’s a list?” Lily said
“My dad works for the Ministry. Remember?” Alice countered
“Look Lily,” Arianna said, breaking up another argument that was already brewing “We’re just looking out for you. Things aren’t the same now. We’re not saying that Severus is a…. you know… it’s just… it’s just the people he hangs out with.”
“Yeah,” Marlene agreed “He’s creepier than usual, don’t you think?”
Lily stared at her best friend’s coming figure and back at her friends, she sighed. She had to admit. They were right. It was hard for her to admit it but it was true.
“Alright, alright.” She said, defeated “You guys are right… he hasn’t been himself these past few days. But he’s still my friend. It’s just a phase. I know it.” She sounded like she was convincing herself more than she was convincing Arianna, Alice and Marlene.
“Yeah, let’s hope it is.” Arianna said just as Snape finally got through the crowd of Fifth Years, all of which were still waiting “Hi Severus.” She greeted, Snape gave his usual formal smile
“Hello Arianna,” he greeted back, he then looked over to Alice and Marlene “McKinnon. Chapman.” Arianna personally never heard Snape call Marlene and Alice anything besides their last names.
“Where have you been Sev?” Lily asked, Snape shrugged
“I was with some friends.” He said simply, Marlene, Arianna and Alice exchanged looks. Lily ignored them; she opened her mouth to comment but Snape beat her to it “Well I’d better get going, they’re starting to call out names.”
“Oh, okay.” Lily said “Talk to you later then… Good luck.”
“Good luck to you too.” Snape said and at that he went off, Arianna, Marlene and Alice stared at Lily who just waved them off “What are you guys staring at?” she said, her three friends shook their heads
“Nothing.” They said in unison
* * *
“Five more minutes!”
Arianna ignored Flitwick’s squeaking and continued with her essay, he kept walking around; which was a bit distracting but like his squeaking, she ignored it. A few desks up her front was James, yawning and rumpling his already messy hair. He was obviously finished. He took a quick glance at Professor Flitwick and then turned in his seat to grin at Sirius who was sitting four seats behind him. Sirius gave James the thumbs –up, he was lounging on his chair with ease, tilting it back on two legs. Arianna rolled her eyes as she dotted her last sentence. When she looked up again she saw Sirius waving three fingers in the air, she stuck out her tongue at him and went back to proof read her work.
Once she was finished and sure of her answers, she looked at Sirius again who was making faces at her, she decided to ignore him. She knew she was most likely to laugh, and that would lead to trouble. She looked at the person sitting behind Sirius and saw that it was Jessica, staring at Sirius dreamily, he didn’t notice of course. When Jessica saw Arianna looking at her, she gave her a glare; Arianna just gave her a sadistic smile.
Behind her was Remus, who seemed too focused with his paper and a few feet away from his was Peter who looked quite nervous with his answers.
“Quills down, please!” squeaked Professor Flitwick “That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! Accio!”
More than a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick’s outstretched arms, knocking him backward off his feet. Several people laughed. A couple of people at the front desks got up, took hold of Flitwick beneath the elbows, and lifted him to his feet again.
“Thank you… thank you,” panted Flitwick “Very well, everybody, you’re free to go!”
Arianna got her things and neatly piled them back into her bag. She looked up to see Sirius walking up to her, looking bored as usual. She sighed as she swung her bag over her shoulder,
“So how’d you do?” Sirius asked casually, Arianna shrugged
“I think I did well.” she said “What about you?”
“Let’s just say the instincts kicked in.” he said with a wink “C’mon, Prongs awaits.”
“I think I’ll pass.” Arianna said looking over to her friends who were waiting a few feet behind Sirius, Lily looked like she could stab Sirius any moment by then “I have other friends too you know.” She said pointing behind him; Sirius raised his eyebrows and looked over his shoulder to see Lily and co. He gave them one of his signature smirks and turned back to Arianna who had her arms crossed
He sighed “Fine. See you later then?”
Arianna rolled her eyes; she held a hand up before Sirius could say a word
“Four I know.” She said “Anyways, yes I shall see you later. I always do.”
Sirius grinned and messed up her hair, Arianna stuck out her tongue at him and at that she walked over to her waiting friends who were all staring at her happily.
“Awwww.” They said in unison (even Lily) “The two of you are so adorable.”
“I have to admit,” Lily said “Black is kinda more likeable when he’s around you A.” Arianna laughed as they started walking out of the Great Hall, they didn’t get out easily considering there were a lot of them in there but once they did they headed straight towards the grounds.
“Last one to the lake’s edge fancies Pettigrew!” Marlene screamed, bolting out of sight; taking of her shoes as she ran. Arianna, Alice and Lily laughed as they ran after her “You’re on!” Arianna called, catching up easily with her
Lily laughed as she ran
“You girls are so immature!” she said as she tried keeping up, Alice grinned
“You’re just saying that because you’re too slow!”
Lily gave a mock shriek
“That’s a lie!” she cried,
“Yeah? Well it isn’t now.” And at that Alice ran even faster, leaving Lily behind in the process. In the end, Lily was the last to get to the lake’s edge. When Alice got there, Marlene and Arianna were both on the ground panting, with their shoes and socks off already.
“That was tiring.” Arianna said as she sat up and dipped her feet into the water, Alice nodded in agreement as she sank onto the ground next to Marlene. Lily grumpily sat next to Arianna and started taking off her shoes. Arianna grinned.
“Aww don’t worry Lils, we all know it’s James you like and not Peter.”
Lily rolled her eyes and hit Arianna on the arm
“Whatever,” she said as she dipped her feet into the lake “Wait, since when did you start calling them by their first names?” Arianna thought about it for a moment, she hadn’t realized that until now. She just shrugged
“To be honest? I don’t really know.”
“By the looks of it, I think they’re grown onto you somehow.” Alice commented,
“Yeah I guess…” Arianna said “But you know… they aren’t really that bad once you get to know them, I know it sounds crazy but it’s true.” She looked at Lily who just stared out the lake.
“If you count Potter out, then yes they’re okay.”
Arianna just smiled and shook her head
“Remember when we were younger? When let’s say you were at your Second Year, and your mum and my mum always talked while the two of us played? When you always told me stories about Hogwarts?” Lily smiled and nodded
“Of course I do.” She said looking at Arianna “How could I forget. Why?”
Arianna smiled
“Well, you always made James sound so evil.” She said reminiscently ”And when I met him a few months ago, I understood what you meant. But when I got to know him… those stories…. Those pranks he always pulls almost every single day…. they seemed like a whole different side of him.”
Lily rolled her eyes
“Yeah, well sadly this good side of him I think you’re trying to talk about doesn’t seemed to exist when he’s around the public.”
Arianna sighed
“I have to say you’re right on that one,” Arianna said “But trust me. He genuinely likes you. I wouldn’t have said this a few months ago but I’m saying it now – give him a shot. He’s worth it, you won’t regret it once you get to know –“
“Scourgify!”
“What was that?” Marlene and Alice asked in unison, both of them sitting up. Lily and Arianna stared at each other confusedly and looked around to see most of their classmates running up towards the nearby beech tree. There was something happening there, the people around the tree were cheering and the Marauders were in the middle of all the chaos. Well James and Sirius were at least.
“What’s happen –?” Alice started once more as they got up, but she took one glance at Lily’s angry face and decided she seemed to know the problem “Oh no.”
Lily was livid, she walked towards the crowd and pushed the spectators out of her way, Arianna followed closely behind along with Alice and Marlene.
“Leave him ALONE!” She screamed, everybody who was cheering fell silent. They made way for Lily, that was when Arianna finally got a clear view of Snape with pink bubbled coming out of his mouth he seemed to be under the Impedimenta Jinx because he couldn’t move; while James and Sirius stood over him looking quite satisfied with themselves.
“All right, Evans?” said James, crumpling up his hair. His voice deeper, more mature. Arianna did a face palm. He was using his “Lily voice” again.
“Leave him alone,” Lily repeated. She looked at James with great dislike. Arianna could tell this wasn’t going to end nicely. She tried giving James her usual signals but he wasn’t paying attention “What’s he done to you?”
“Well,” James started “it’s more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean…”
The people around them laughed, Sirius and Peter included, but not Remus who seemed to busy reading his book and Lily and her friends. Arianna gave Sirius The Look and he immediately stopped laughing. So did Peter and the rest of the crowd.
“You think you’re funny,” she said coldly “But you’re just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.”
“I will if you go out with me Evans,” said James quickly. Arianna did another face palm. She felt quite disappointed at James. Helping him was a pointless cause, she said to herself “Go on… go out with me, and I’ll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again.”
“I wouldn’t go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid.” Said Lily
“The giant squid looks like a really good choice right now,” Arianna said in a low voice, staring pointedly at James “I think it would be best if you stopped talking now James.” She hissed. James opened his mouth to say something witty but Sirius got what Arianna said
“Bad luck Prongs,” he cut in briskly, he turned back towards Snape “Oi!”
But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James’ face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants. The infamous Levicorpus spell had just been performed.
“Holy –“ Marlene started when she saw the sight, her face twitching. Arianna personally couldn’t tell if she was grossed out or if she wanted to laugh. But the latter seemed like a more likely possibility.
“ – crap” Alice finished, the two of them exchanged looks and erupted in laughter. Arianna couldn’t help but chuckle a bit too. Everyone in the small crowd was cheering, Sirius, James and Peter roared with laughter.
Lily’s furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, but it faded quickly. She gave Arianna, Marlene and Alice a look and they stopped. She then turned to face James again “Let him down!” she said
“Certainly,” said James and he jerked his wand upward. Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes, he quickly got to his feet, wand up, but Sirius was too quick and said, “Petrificus Totalus!” and Snape kneeled over again at once, rigid as a board.
“LEAVE HIM ALONE!” Lily shouted/ She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily. Arianna gave them The Look again but this time they were too busy to even notice.
“Ah Evans, don’t make me hex you,” said James earnestly. Arianna rolled her eyes. She knew James wasn’t capable of that.
“Wait, time out.” Sirius said “Number five Arianna,” James gave Sirius a look “Okay sorry. Do continue?”
“Take the curse off him, then!” Lily called, ignoring Sirius
James sighed deeply, then turned to Snape and muttered the counter curse.
“There you go,” he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, “you’re lucky Evans was here, Snivellus –“
“I don’t need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!”
Arianna stared at him in shock, so did Marlene and Alice. The three of them turned to Lily who just blinked, she looked like she wanted to cry. “Fine,” Lily said coolly “I won’t bother in the future then. And I’d wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus.”
She never called him that. She always got upset whenever Marlene did. But now she was actually using it. Arianna stared at Snape darkly, so did Marlene and Alice.
“Apologize to Evans!” James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.
“I don’t want you to make him apologize,” Lily shouted, rounding on James. “You’re as bad as he is…”
“What?” yelped James “I’d NEVER call you a – you-know-what!”
“Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you’ve just gotten off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I’m surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK.”
And at that she turned on her heel and hurried away. Marlene and Alice quickly followed, Arianna was going to follow too but she first looked back at James and Sirius.
“Evans!” James shouted after her, “Hey, EVANS!”
Arianna crossed her arms as she walked up to them
“What is with her?” said James, trying and failing to looks as though it was a throwaway question of no importance to him. He was always like this around the public.
“Reading between the lines, I’d say she thinks you’re a bit conceited mate,” said Sirius. He was kinda like that too. Arianna rolled her eyes “Number six,” Sirius said, Arianna ignored him
“I am so disappointed in the two of you.” She hissed
“You sound like our mothers.” James joked; Arianna narrowed her eyes at him
“Forget it,” she said waving a hand dismissively “Helping you was a pointless cause anyway.” James looked at her indignantly
“What?” he said “What did I do wrong now?”
“Figure that out yourself.” She said, she then turned to Sirius “You shouldn’t have done that you know. BOTH of you shouldn’t have done that.” And at that she walked off, catching up with her friends who were all quite far now.
It was during times like this Arianna thought that Lily was right about the Marauders…
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A/N:
Sooo this is the chapter why I set it on Fifth Year, because of Snape's Worst Memory :) I was supposed to set it on something like Sixth year but when I asked one of my bestfriend's opinion (I always ask her haha, she actually already knows how this story will end ;) ) she said to set it on the Fifth. Anyways, enough with that. What did you think? Vote and Comment :)
Btw... Some sad (I guess) news.... I think this story only has a life capacity of, hmmm.... Seven more chappies?
H.I.A.