ARIANA ANDERSON SPENT THE BREAK FROM HOGWARTS WITH HER MOTHER, soaking up the last bits of her affections before being shipped back off to Hogwarts. Getting her yearly letter only confirmed her return to the magical school, so when Lucius announced their trip to Diagon Alley it did not come as a surprise and only made the short girl excited to see her friends again even though she knew that the Malfoy's did not approve of her house or the friends she chose, since they made that very clear when Draco was quick to inform them when they got back to the manor. So being dragged through a sketchy store called Borgin Burkes by Draco and Lucius was a peculiar experience.
"Touch nothing." Lucius told the duo as Draco reached for a glass eye.
"I thought you were going to buy me a present." Draco reminded.
"I said I would buy you a racing broom," Lucius corrected
"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" Draco sulked causing Aria to roll her eyes as she ran her finger over the table she walked by.
"Aria and Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so they could play for Gryffindor." Draco scoffed looking at Aria who shot him a glare.
"You're just jealous that he's good enough to be the youngest seeker in the century."
"Shut up," Draco scoffed.
"Piss off," Aria remarked dully.
"Knock it off both of you." Lucius hissed causing the duo to roll their eyes together and turn their back on each other as Draco bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls.
"Everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful Potter, with his scar and his broomstick --" Draco continued in a mocking tone.
"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," Lucius retaliated causing Aria to snort under her breath "And I would remind you that it is not — prudent — to appear less than fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear— ah, Mr. Borgin."
a man with greasy hair appeared behind the counter.
"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," Mr. Borgin greeted not bothering to notice the girls appearance partially because he didn't know who she was and continued on the the youngest Malfoy, "Delighted — and young Master Malfoy, too — charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced —"
"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling" Lucius informed the man.
"Selling?" the man asked a hint of confusion laced in his voice as the smile faded from his face.
"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," Lucius informed taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it. "I have a few — ah — items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call."
"The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"
"I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome.There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act — no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley --"
"A man as respectable as Arthur Weasley should not be labeled as just a 'muggle-loving fool,'" Aria interrupted not sparing the warning glance from Draco who was nearby and the glares from Lucius as him and Mr. Borgin looked over.
"He is a generous man who has raised admirable kids who just happen to be my -- closest friends," she challenged daringly while Lucius excused himself from Borgin and walked up to the girl grabbing her by the arm and pulling her outside to the unsettling alley.
"You will stay here and not speak a peep towards anyone no matter who it is do you understand me? I'll deal with you later." he hissed before turning on his heels to enter the store the girl rolled her eyes and leaned her back up against the brick wall impatiently.
The girl pulled a book out of her carry on bag and let her eyes absorb the words, ignoring the glances of spine-chilling pedestrians that walked by the girl, while she waited for the duo to be finished with their unfortunate business.
Draco and Lucius walked into Flourish and Blotts minutes later for their new books, Aria's mother had given her enough money to pay for them, so she was set as she dragged her feet behind the duo who held their head tall as they pushed their way confidentially through the crowds of people.
It was only seconds ago, after their meeting with Borgin, that Lucius had lectured Aria about how she 'needs to know when to keep her mouth shut.' And now they were watching Harry get his picture taken with Gilderoy Lockhart and given a new set of books while Draco seethed besides the young girl.
While Harry was tipping his new set of books into a short ginger girl's cauldron Draco headed over to Harry causing Aria to sigh as she slipped the book into her bag that she had been skimming through.
"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" Draco sneered "Famous Harry Potter, can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."
"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" the small girl piped up glaring at Draco which made Aria smirk amused.
"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" Draco laughed
"You know Malfoy, when we discussed hiding your jealously better earlier, this is considered part of that same idea. Just because you can't get a girlfriend yourself doesn't mean you have to rain on everyone else's parade." Aria sarcastically frowned winking playfully at Harry who's cheeks turned a slight pink which Aria didn't seem to catch as Ron and Hermione fought their way over.
"Oh it's you." Ron scoffed looking at Draco. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"
"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley." Draco retorted "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."
Ron's face turned as red as his hair as he dropped his books into the cauldron too and started towards Malfoy but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.
Aria went to retort yet an unfamiliar voice cut her off.
"Ron!" a tall man with similar resemblance towards the Weasley kids stumbled over with the twins.
"What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."
"Ace! You're alive!" Fred greeted causing Aria to raise an eyebrow at the twin.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Aria asked confused.
Fred went to reply but his father cut him off, "So you are the famous Aria my boys have been yammering on about."
Aria went to reply but Lucius cut her off, a hand on Draco's shoulder and as he tried to place another on Aria but she moved away from it brushing off the glance thrown her way.
"Well, well, well -- Arthur Weasley."
"Lucius," Arthur replied coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear, all those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?" Lucius reached into Ginny's cauldron and removed a battered up book.
"Obviously not," Lucius continued "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
Mr. Weasley's face turned red causing Aria's heart to sink.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." he remarked.
"Clearly," Lucius commented his eyes trailing on Hermione's parents who were watching from afar.
"The company you keep, Weasley . . . and I thought your family could sink no lower —" Lucius taunted there was a thud of metal as Ginny's cauldron went flying as Arthur threw himself at Lucius knocking him backward into a bookshelf causing dozens of spell books to come tumbling on their heads as Aria felt herself being yanked farther away from the scene into the background.
"Get him, Dad!" Fred called out from besides Aria who had pulled her out of the way this caused Aria to roll her eyes at his cheer a small smile spreading across her lips as she shook her head.
"Gentlemen, please -- please!" the assistant cried "Break it up, there, gents, break it up --"
Hagrid marched toward them and in an instant he pulled the two apart, Lucius still holding the girl's book yet seconds later he tossed it back to the girl.
"Here, girl -- take your book -- it's the best your father can give you --" he sneered pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip beckoning Draco and Aria to follow him. So reluctantly she followed.
~~
After bidding goodbye to her mother and reaching the train in time for departure, Aria and Draco climbed onto the train quickly going their separate ways. Yet as Aria walked through the hallways peeking into compartments she sighed in defeat when she didn't find one notice of Harry, Ron or Hermione.
"Aria!" Hermione exclaimed causing Aria to make a pit stop and turn on her heels to see the young brown haired girl rushing towards her happily the girl swung her arms around her friend.
"Hermione!" Aria laughed hugging her friend back surprised.
"Oh thank goodness you are here!" Hermione gushed
"We saw each other yesterday Hermione, you knew I was going to be here."
"I know, I know. It's just I can't seem to find Harry nor Ron anywhere."
"What do you think they did?" Aria wondered tilting her head to the side.
"Why do you automatically assume they did something?" Hermione furrowed her eyebrows confused.
"Come on Hermione, this is Harry and Ron we are talking about. Do you not remember anything that happened last year? What do you suppose it is this time? Flying car? Stole a dragon? Hippogriff? Or did they just miss the train?"
"Well let's hope it's not the last one, not that I would advise it but at least the first three could get you to Hogwarts."
"I hope it's a Hippogriff, perhaps they could get me one." Aria hummed causing Hermione to roll her eyes.
"Were they with you getting on the train Ginny?" Hermione asked the young girl next to her which Aria just now realized causing a flash of embarrassment to rush over her.
"They were with us at the platform but not on the train." Ginny replied.
"Ginny, this is --"
"Ace," Ginny replied with a short nod which caused Aria to raise an eyebrow at the nickname but realizing what she said Ginny's face turned red, "I mean Aria."
"It's nice to meet you Ginny." Aria replied.
"You too Aria." Ginny smiled.
~~
After the sorting, to which Ginny got sorted into Gryffindor, as well as the feast. Harry and Ron were still no where to be found.
Until, Hermione and Aria headed up to the common room where they saw them at the fat lady's painting.
"There you are! Where have you been? The most ridiculous rumors —someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car."
"Well, we haven't been expelled." Harry assured her.
"You're not telling me you did fly here?"
"I called it!" Aria exclaimed earning a glare from Hermione who quickly opened her mouth to lecture the boys.
"Skip the lecture," Ron commented impatiently cutting the girl off "and tell us the new password."
"Oh, it's 'wattlebird'" Aria informed with a short nod.
"That's not the point--" Hermione began again but her words were cut short and the portrait of the fat lady swung open and loud clapping filled their ears. The whole house was still awake as arms reached through the portrait hole and pulled Harry and Ron inside, leaving the girls to climb through.
"Brilliant!" Lee yelled "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years —"
The twins pushed their way to the front of the crowd and together spoke, "why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"
Aria noticed Harry nudged Ron and nod in Percy's direction.
"Got to get upstairs -- bit tired," Ron said pushing their way toward the door which led to the boys room.
"Night!" Harry called back to Hermione and Aria
"Goodnight!" Aria called back to which Hermione looked over at her flabbergasted a slight scowl on her face like Percy's.
"What?" Aria whined as she trailed after Hermione who had turned on her heels shaking her head, stomping off to the girls bedrooms.
~~
Her feet hit the ground as she ran to the great hall, break with a banshee grasped in her hands as she slowed her pace when she reached the double doors and down the rows of tables searching for her friends.
Plopping down next to Hermione, who had her nose in Voyages with Vampires, the girl perked up.
"trade?" Hermione questioned in a short way closing the book up as Aria nodded and the girls switched the books and opened them.
"You know, you could've woken me up this morning Hermione." Aria mentioned not lifting her eyes from the words.
"I tried," Hermione snorted shaking her head to which Ron raised his eyebrows at the scene, realizing that neither of the girls bothered to notice him, "You wouldn't even nudge."
Aria rolled her eyes nevertheless and by instinct Hermione nudged the girl's leg with her own.
"Morning," Harry stated as he sat down himself next to Ron.
Aria let out a short hum and Hermione muttered out 'morning' stiffly causing Harry to cast Ron and confused look and all he did was just shake his head and take a bite of his food.
"Mail's due any minute -- I think Gran's sending a few thing I forgot." Neville's voice rang out cheerfully.
Within seconds owls dove into the great hall and something large and grey fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them with milk and feathers.
"Errol!" Ron exasperated pulling the owl out by the feet only for him to slump unconscious onto the table, his legs in the air. A damp red envelope in his beak.
"Oh, no ---" Ron gasped.
"It's all right, he's still alive." Hermione assured prodding Errol with the tip of her finger gently as Aria took a sip of her drink.
"Barely." Aria jokingly commented but got another short kick under the table.
"Will you stop kicking me!" Aria exclaimed towards Hermione in a short whisper to which Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It's not that -- it's that." Ron pointed at the red envelope.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"She's -- she's sent me a Howler." Ron stated quietly.
"You'd better open it Ron." Neville paused "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and --- it was horrible."
"What's a Howler?" Harry questioned as everyone just stared at the red envelope while it began to smoke at the corners.
"Open it, Ron." Aria urged weakly sending him a small assuring glance, "it'll be over in a few minutes --"
Ron took the envelope from the owl and opened it while Neville stuck his fingers in his ears.
"— STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE —"
Mrs. Weasley's yells erupted the halls causing things to shake and people to turn to see who got the Howler as Ron's turned red in embarrassment.
"— LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."
Silence fell over the great hall as Aria's throat went dry and her stomach curled as a few people laughed and the envelope bursted into flames and then to ashes.
"Well, I don't know what you expected Ron, but you ---" Hermione began
"Don't tell me I deserved it," Ron snapped at the girl it was quiet for the remaining period of time as no one knew what to say and even if they did they didn't want to while Professor McGonagall moved along the table passing out course schedules.
~~
The Quartet went to Herbology with Hufflepuff's and began their lesson.
"We'll be re potting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake"
Hermione's hand was the first to go up as Aria repeated the answer in her head but when she looked over to Hermione as the girl answered she caught Harry's glance, he looked as if he was almost confused to why she didn't answer because after last year and their exams he knew that she was one of the smartest people he knew.
Aria sent a tiny smile to him before returning her glance to the professor.
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor,"
"The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"
"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it." Hermione answered promptly.
"Precisely. Take another ten points," Professor Sprout responded.
"Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young.... Everyone take a pair of earmuffs. When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered, when it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on." the professor directed to which Aria put her earmuffs on and everything was cancelled out; Professor Sprout put on her own and rolled up her sleeves -- grasping one of the plants and yanking it out and then plunged it into the compost and gave them a thumbs - up.
"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet. However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."
So the group went to their tray and began to work.
~~
During lunch when the group went to the Great Hall after Transfiguration, Aria went upstairs to the common room to trade out one of her books. Yet when she set down her bag on the ground and walked over to the book shelf in the common room, her eyes flickered over the titles only for her eyes to land on one which had a similar appearance to a diary, intrigued she stripped it from the shelf and sat down on the couch flipping it open. As she flipped through the pages she noticed that nothing was scribbled down on it causing her to become even more confused.
A sudden thought came to her as she reached for her bag digging through it. She grabbed the jar of ink and the quill and dipped it in.
Chewing on her lip in thought she wrote down, Hi my name is Arianna Anderson.
Aria scoffed at herself as she shook her head in disbelief yet when she looked back down at the page her words seemed to have vanished causing her heart beat to nervously pick up speed as her words were replaced with another that she didn't write.
Hello, Aria. It's finally nice to officially meet you, my name is Tom Riddle.
Aria swallowed slamming the book shut in shock as she glanced around the room blinking a few times stunned, she tucked the book back in it's position and backed away. As the back of her legs hit the couch she grabbed the bag and rushed out of the common room and adventured back to the Great Hall. The book never leaving the back of her mind.
[edited: yes! (10-28-20)]