Later that evening, after everyone had eaten dinner, some people were still gathered in the Great Hall.
Harry and Ariana sat side-by-side opposite Ron and Hermione as they excitedly chatted about their experiences in Hogsmeade, both of them listening intently, wishing they could of been there themselves.
"And the post office! It's about 200 owls, all sitting on color-coded shelves, depending on how fast you want your letter to go!" Hermione exclaimed, full of giddiness.
Ariana was resting her folded arms on the table, leaning forward and listening to Hermione tell stories about the post-office.
"And Honeyduke's is brilliant!" Ron interjected. "Sugar Quills, Flaming Whizbees - and blood-flavored lollipops for Halloween!"
Harry nodded quietly and Ariana also gave a nod, although hers was a little more enthusiastic. The energy undoubtedly came from the fact she had cast a Patronus earlier, not that anyone knew about it. She did, however, intend to tell Harry, since he had also been attacked on the train.
A spray of brilliantly bright sweets was on the table, and Harry was picking through them.
Ariana picked one up. "I recommend these. They taste like whatever a certain person likes the most, quite like Amortentia, actually."
Harry gave a small smile and plucked it from her fingers, popping it in his mouth. A smile fell over his lips as he chewed on the red, chewy sweet. "It tastes like strawberry trifle."
"But, I mean, after awhile, it got a bit boring. Don't you think, Ron?" Hermione enquired, seeing how Harry and Ariana were pining after not being able to join them.
"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Dead depressing. Hang on. I almost forgot. I got you two something wicked at Dervish and Banges. It's a Pocket Sneakoscope." Ron placed two small glass spinning tops on the table. "If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's meant to light up and spin. Mind you, Fred and George say it's rubbish, sold for wizard tourists, but I thought, you know, it can't hurt, given that..."
"Sirius Black's trying to kill me," Harry added casually.
"And I'm apparently going to meet a 'gruesome end' in the near future," Ariana stated dryly, quoting Professor Trelawney.
Harry and Ariana both looked at each other and then smiled at their friends.
"I'm glad you had a good time. Really. And thanks for this," Harry said sincerely, eyeing the Sneakoscope. "Rubbish or not, you're right. It can't hurt."
"Exactly. We'll take all the help we can get," Ariana smiled, spinning the Sneakoscope around gently.
She noticed Harry drop a Pepper Imp into his mouth, and her eyebrows raised.
"Oh, careful of those, they'll make
your..." Room vegan, but in cue, smoke surged from Harry's ears and nose. "Never mind."
"Harry, we just discussed Pepper Imps earlier," Ariana chuckled.
As the smoke died down, all four Gryffindors laughed, their sounds of joy all merging together. Ariana loved these moments, since the only time she really ever laughed was during her time at Hogwarts.
As their chuckles died down, Ariana remembered that she wanted to do some studying before she went to bed. She pulled out her wand and said "accio The Complete History of Potions".
A few seconds later, a thick, hardback book came soaring in through the open doors, speeding over the heads of everyone inside. It began to slow down as it reached Ariana, and she plucked it out of the air.
"'The Complete History of Potions'?" Ron questioned, shooting an incredulous look at Ariana.
"Yes," she said defensively, opening the large book. "It's fascinating."
"If you say so," Ron hummed sarcastically.
Ariana gave Ron a completely bemused look, all emotion drained from her face, raising an eyebrow. It was a talent of hers, being able to remove all emotion from her features.
Harry, Ron and Hermione laughed amongst themselves. Ariana looked up and smiled, then returned to her reading.
Eventually everyone seemed to leave, teaching staff included. As the Hall emptied, the four third-years decided to retire to their Common Room for the night.
They made their way up the masses if marble and stone staircase, which had a habit of moving, depending on where you wanted to go.
By the time they reached the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, they saw that a crowd had gathered outside.
Ariana frowned in confusion as they joined the group, making sure not to drop her book on anyone.
"What's the hold-up?" Room questioned, trying to peer at the front of the crowd. "Only Neville ever forgets the password."
Ron's brother Percy, who Ariana had never really taken to, pushed past. He, unlike the other Weasley family members, was complete arrogant arsehole.
"Let me through, please. Excuse me, thank you, I'm Head Boy..." When he reached the top, he stopped dead. "Back! All of you! No one is to enter this dormitory until it has been fully searched!"
Upon hearing his stressed tone, Harry, Ariana, Ron and Hermione exchange dark glances.
Ginny emerged from the crowd, a ginger head of hair amongst a sea of blonde, black and brunette, her face ashen.
"The Fat Lady... she's gone," Ginny announced gravely.
"Probably stuffing her face with the apples in that still life on the second floor again," Ron scoffed.
"No. You don't understand -"
Ginny's sentence was ended abruptly by Hermione gasping. She grabbed Harry and Ariana's arms, pulling them in the direction of the Fat Lady's portrait.
Ariana's eyes widened when she saw it: the portrait had been slashed viciously, strips of what was her painting hanging from the frame.
As if sensing it (although it was probably another painting who alerted him), Dumbledore appeared, making his way through the sea of students.
"Mr. Filch. Round up the ghosts. Tell them to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady," he ordered lightly, his voice as smooth as usual.
Mr. Filch, who had appeared with Dumbledore, was peering at the painting, his face sagging and falling, casting sinister-looking shadows across it.
A high-pitched scream echoed around their heads. Ariana and the rest of the students headed for the landing, where all of the paintings that lined the wall whispered fearfully among themselves.
"There'll be no need for ghosts, Professor..." Filch groaned, extending a crooked finger.
Ariana's eyes followed his finger, her eyes landing on the Fat Lady. She cowered in a portrait that was not her own, a jungle surrounding her instead of her usual elegant, greek-inspired building.
MDear lady. Who did this to you?" Dumbledore enquired gently.
"Eyes like the devil he's got. And
a soul as dark as his name," the Lady said, her eyes staring off into the distance, seemingly in a trance. "It was him, Headmaster. The one they talk about. He's here. Somewhere in the castle. Sirius Black."
Gasps filled the air as the students reacted to her statement. Ariana, Hermione and Ron all looked at Harry, who was processing the information.
"Secure the castle, Mr. Filch," Dumbledore said, then addressed his students. "The rest of you... to the Great Hall."
The large crowd of Gryffindors hurried down the stairs, although the four third-years let them all pass, hanging back.
"Sirius Black?" Ron questioned, his face drained of all colour.
"Ron, relax," Hermione said, walking down the stairs.
"Are you alright?" Ariana asked Harry quietly, noticing how he hadn't spoken since the relevation.
"Hmm? Yeah," he replied, looking around at her.
Ariana sighed. She walked down the stairs, sandwiched between her fellow students and Dumbledore.
This is going to be a long night.
~~~~~
Question:
In the Goblet of Fire novel, what colour of dress did Hermione wear to the Yule Ball?
A: Lilac
B: Periwinkle
C: Royal Blue
Congratulations to Blackstars36 for answering the previous question correctly.