How I Met The Marauders

Us

There was an Order meeting at 8 and Ari ate dinner with Sirius, and the Weasleys.

"You're staying for the night, Ariana dear?" Asked Mrs Weasley, kindly.

"Yeah." She replied. "I'll stay here for a few days."

"And then you'll go back because?" Asked Arthur.

"Because Fudge is keeping an eye on me. So I need to return home after every few days."

"Why is he keeping an eye on you?" Asked Bill.

Ari rolled her eyes. "Because he's an idiot."

"Everyone at the ministry is an idiot." Said Mrs Weasley.

"Except Dad, of course." Added Bill.

"Oh, Arthur is one of the best people I have ever met." Smiled Ari. "I really don't think that having an obsession with Muggles is stupid. It's really nice, actually. We should love Muggles and Muggles should love us."

"You don't believe in the Statue of Secrecy?" Asked Mrs Weasley.

"It's useless."

So they all got into a debate about it. Sirius remained quiet and Ari noticed that. For some reason, it made her so upset that she wanted to leave.

"On second thought," She said as she cleared the table. "I'll go home tonight, Molly."

Mrs Weasley gave her a questioning look but didn't say anything.

As Ari was putting on her cloak, Sirius descended from the stairs. "You're not staying?"

And she suddenly felt angry at him. He had left her. And now he had returned but everything was so stiff and awkward. If only he hadn't left.

"I have no reason to stay." She snapped.

He was taken aback at her tone. "You have no reason to leave."

"And nor did you." She replied, hotly. "Nor did you when you left me that night!"

And with that, she turned to leave but he grabbed her wrist. "Are you okay?"

She wanted to say something rude or sarcastic but she felt miserable. She just wanted to cry. It wasn't as if the grief from the deaths was still there. No, she had gotten over it. And she had gotten over the fact that Sirius left her. And she had definitely gotten over the pain of the years in St.Mungos. It was the loneliness which was hurting her.

"No." She mumbled. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. "I'm not okay. I guess I never will be."

She opened her eyes. Sirius was frowning at her.
"You're still angry about it?"

"No. It's okay." She answered abruptly.

"Ari... I broke your trust and I'm sorry for that. I broke your heart and I regret it. I never meant to do any of it, you know."

"I know." She answered. "It's okay."

"Then what is it that's not okay?" He asked.

"Us. We are definitely not okay."

There was silence for a moment. Then, he said, "Don't leave."

She slipped off her cloak and hung it back on the hanger.

"Won't."

They stared at each other for a while. Then, Ari said, "I think you should let go of my wrist. You're hurting me."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He cried.

She laughed lightly. "It's okay." She rubbed her wrist. He had gripped it so tightly that there would be a bruise.

"Well, er... good night." He said.

And she turned her back on him and rushed upstairs to her room where she threw herself on the bed and instantly fell asleep...

She woke up with a scream as a terrible nightmare ended. It was extremely horrible. So horrible that she woke up with a jolt. The blood curdling scream that had issued from her mouth made her throat hurt.

She placed her chin on her knees and tried to calm herself down. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in." She said, weakly.

Sirius entered. "You okay?"

And when he sat down beside her, she cried. And he just let her cry on his shoulder. He didn't even ask for the reason.

And that was exactly what she needed.

"Stay." She mumbled as he was about to leave. "Don't go."

"Okay." He said.

He cradled her to sleep and stroked her hair. "It's okay." He told her. "Everything is fine."

The Weasleys left two days later but Ari stayed with Sirius. Maybe, the cracks in the us could be mended...