Aria Black and the Prisoner of Azkaban *Re-Write*

The Most Feared Human Inhabiting Hogwarts

Alicia has to pull me out of bed the next morning. I don't want to face the stares of students and teachers. But she gets me into a sweater, black pants, my Gryffindor tie, and my robes.

Angelina has already left to meet with Bradley for breakfast.

Alicia and I go down into the Great Hall. I get more cautious looks thrown my way. We make our way to a group containing Fred, George, Lee, and Wood. When we get there, George says, "Who is Aria Black, anyway?"

I thump him on the back of the head. "Someone way hotter than whoever this George Weasley bloke is."

He grins and pats the seat next to him. "George Weasley is legendary." George looks to the Staff Table, where McGonagall and Dumbledore sit, talking. "Let's go find out who is hotter."

I raise my eyebrows in confusion. "Wha-?"

He grabs my wrist and pulls me up to the Staff Table. Professor McGonagall gives us a stern but affectionate look, while Dumbledore looks mildly amused.

"Excuse me, Professors." George says. "Who is the hotter one? Me or...." his nose curls up in fake disgust. "....Aria?"

Professor McGonagall's stern look intensifies. "Mr. Weasley-"

"That is truly a challenging question." Dumbledore muses, stroking his long glistening beard. "You, Mr. Weasley have more chiseled features, but Miss Black has smoother skin."

I smirk. "So me, right Headmaster?"

Dumbledore shrugs. "I'm afraid I cannot commit to an answer at the present time." He says. "You will allow me to think this over, I presume?"

We nod. "Of course, Professor sir." George says, leading me away. "Take your time."

I slap him on the arm as we walk away. "You have no shame, do you? Everyone just saw that."

"You're being shunned by half the school, Ari, what do you have to worry about shame?" George asks, grinning.

I shrug. "Yeah, I guess that's true."

We sit back down, and Wood asks me when I want to start Quidditch practice. "When is our first match?" I ask.

"The middle of November." Wood tells me. "So maybe we start practices beginning of October?"

I nod. "Then we can take a break around Halloween time. Sounds good to me."

Classes go the same as I expected. Binns is boring, and the other students use the time to gossip about me and play pranks. Snape is dreadful as always, and he even taunts me about my 'glorified absence'. If only he knew how un-glorified it was. Trelawney is shocked to see me, saying that with my disappearance, she feared the worst. She also tells me that I should gain some extra pounds for Winter, as it will get cold. Last time I checked, that was the point of Winter. I want to ask her about the prophecy the centaurs spoke of, but decide to talk to Eleazar first. Tonight, hopefully. Remus looks like he's on his deathbed, with the full moon in two days' time, but is still teaching. He won't be able to make it to class tomorrow, I'm sure.

That night, I sneak out of bed when Ange and Alicia are asleep. I perform a Disilusionment charm on myself. If my friends knew I went out alone, they'd kill me, I sneak off to the Owlery and put a candle in the window. Then I head down to the Forrest, still invisible. The charm is starting to wear off as I reach the edge of the trees, the spot Eleazar said he would meet me.

Sure enough, he comes speeding in. Eleazar smooths his dark hair back and offers me a hand. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced. I'm Eleazar Hamilton, most feared vampire known to inhabit the Forbidden Forrest."