Lady Stardust

03. Sandrine

They were all still sitting at the table, enjoying their food. Sirius looked up at Ariene, who wasn't eating much, and put his spoon down.

"Love, why aren't you eating?" He asked. Remus snapped his head at her.

"Don't call me that." Ariene said, bluntly. He smirked, but was dead in the eyes.

"Ariene, why aren't you eating?"

"Do you see the looks on their faces?" Ariene said, gesturing lightly to the table at the front. Sirius and the others turned to look.

"Yes," Sirius said, his head still turned.

"Those looks started when I got sorted into this house. So what could it be? Did something go wrong?" She asked, her french accent emerging due to the stress.

"I don't think that's it. We might just have to wait to find out." James said. Ariene rolled her eyes. Sirius frowned, still looking at them. They finished their food, and Dumbledore gave a speech. The witch who helped Ariene get sorted walked over to where they were sitting. She tapped Ariene on the shoulder. Ariene turned around, surprised, and even more surprised when she saw who was standing there.

"Oh, hello," She said.

"Good evening. I'm Professor McGonagall, from the sorting. I'm the head of the Gryffindor House." She said. Ariene nodded.

"I would like to meet with you in my office. It's next to the common room. Perhaps one of your, er, new friends could take you." She said, looking at the boys Ariene was sitting with.

"Right now?" Ariene asked.

"No, dear. After the feast." McGonagall said. With that, she quickly walked back to her table.

"So what do you think that's about?" James asked.

"I'm not sure," Ariene said, looking down at her salad.

***

After the feast, there was lots of commotion to get to their new dorms. Remus, a prefect, had to lead the first years to the dorms. Disgusting job from Ariene's perspective. She's never liked little kids. James offered to take Ariene to McGonagall's office. When they got there McGonagall was waiting at the door.

"Ariene, perfect. Come in, dear." The lady said. Ariene took a deep breath. She hated being called dear. She walked in, and McGonagall closed the door behind her.

"Are you finding everything well here?" McGonagall asked. Ariene had no choice but to nod.

"And you're having a good time?" No.

"Yes," Ariene said.

"Good to hear. Now, you're wondering why I brought you in here, correct?" No. Instead, Ariene was thinking about how her family could send her here. She nodded to McGonagall.

"Well, I regret to inform you that it appears all the girls Gryffindor fifth-year dorms are occupied." She stated. What?! Ariene didn't know what she was expecting, but it definitely was not that.

"I have talked to the other heads and it would be wrong to put you in another house. So, you have three options." McGonagall said.

"Yes?" Ariene asked, hoping for this to be over soon.

"You could be put in a dorm with the sixth years," McGonagall said. Ariene pursed her lips. She was so used to being around older girls, all her older sisters, condescending bitches.

"Your second option is to be put in a dorm in another house, only to sleep," McGonagall said. Ariene closed her eyes for a second. She's seen the rivalry in other houses. She would hate it. Get mocked mercilessly.

"What- what is the third option?" She asked, her French accent coming out once again.

"Well, the third option is not likely. We could put you in a dorm with-ahem-boys?" McGonagall said uneasily. She clearly disagreed, however, Ariene's eyes lit up.

"Really?" She asked, now excited. How easy it would be to get expelled-

"I- I suppose so?" McGonagall said, looking through the parchment on her desk.

"Do I get to choose which?"

***

"This is bloody ridiculous," Sirius said, as Ariene unpacked her things.

"Why?" She asked.

"What on earth do you mean why!?" He exclaimed.

"There were no girls' dorms left." She said. Sirius looked to the other boys for help. Remus was reading, unbothered. James seemed to be in shock, and Peter was away with some Ravenclaw girl.

"I can't believe it. And out of all the dorms, they stick you with us!" He continued. She would never tell them she chose this dorm. It would boost their ego too much.

"So?" She said.

"Can you manage to say more than one word at a time? I would kill to hear a full sentence." Sirius said, intensely annoyed

"You sound like my mum," Ariene said. She grinned, as that seemed to shut him up as she unpacked the rest of her things.

***

Later they were all in bed and Ariene was reading letters from her best friend, Sandrine Garnier. She had the curtains pulled on her bed and as she read the beautiful french penmanship. She wiped her tears. Her parents never approved of her lovely friend. The curtain on her bed opened and Remus was there. She quickly dried the rest of her tears and sniffled.

"Oh, hi," She said. She shuffled the letters off her bed and moved her wand, which was still shining light at the tip.

"Hello. What are those?" He asked, still standing there.

"Oh, nothing. Letters." She said.

"Oh. Are you okay?" He asked. She looked at him in his eyes. He looked so sweet, so caring. She looked down at her toes and shook her head. He pushed the curtain and climbed on the bed. As the curtain was pulled she saw a light shining through James's curtain. He pushed it back and casted a silencing spell.

"What's wrong?" He asked. Her eyes stung.

"It's really nothing," She said. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." He said. He ducked his head under her face to look her in the eyes. She laughed in between sniffles. Ariene swallowed hard and looked up at him.

"I don't-" She started. Then she remembered how Remus was looking at Sirius before.

"You like Sirius?" She asked him. If he said yes she knew she could vent to him. He blushed and looked to the right side of the curtain, where James's bed was. He slowly nodded. She smiled slightly. She knew the feeling.

"Those letters?" He asked her, changing the subject.

"Those? Those are from my-my best friend." She said, with a sigh. Remus stiffened as he understood.

"What happened with you two?" He asked. She shut her eyes, remembering.

"I kissed her." She said.

"Oh." He exhaled.

"Mm." She said.

"Is that why-" He started.

"No. No no no. That's not why I got kicked out." She replied.

"Why, then?" He asked.

"After that- after I realized these feelings were not returned I couldn't-"

"You had to get out," Remus said. She nodded. Another tear slid down her cheek.

"Can I hug you?" She asked, feeling pathetic. He froze for a second and then nodded. She hugged him and cried softly into his shoulder.