Among The Stars --- Remus Lupin

•seven•

Ara met the boys at dinner. The note from Remus was safely tucked away in her bag.

"Feeling better?" Sirius asked as Ara sat down at their table.

"Yep," she smiled.

"You know, we could totally tell you were faking it. Why'd you need to get out of class?" James inquired, eyeing her suspiciously.

Ara reached into her bag and pulled out the note and the invisibility cloak. She stealthily passed them to James under the table. He grabbed them from her and ripped open the note. His face went from horror, to amazement, to a wide grin, and then he burst out laughing. James handed the note to Sirius, shaking his head. Sirius read it (Peter peering over his shoulder) and the two of them had the same reaction as James. Ara desperately wanted to know what the note said, but she decided to let it go. Besides, she had invaded their privacy enough for one day.

"You are something Ara Jones," Sirius said, recovering from his laughing fit.

Then James, Peter, and Sirius exchanged a look that Ara interpreted quickly.

"No. No way guys. Absolutely not," she barked.

"We didn't say anything," James shrugged.

"Yes, but I know what you're thinking."

Before any of them had time to reply, Mary and Lily came bustling in.

"Sorry we're late. Peeves was in an especially bad mood and we had to go the long way in order to avoid being pelted with chalk," Lily grumbled.

"What's going on here?" Mary asked, observing James' smug look and Ara's flustered appearance.

"Remus has gotten himself a crush!" Peter exclaimed.

"It doesn't say that!" Ara argued, a little too loudly. Several Hufflepuffs turned around and giggled at her.

"Oh?" Sirius remarked, raising an eyebrow. "Has Ara got a crush as well?"

Ara almost laughed. A crush? No way. She had too much schoolwork to have a crush. No matter how kind Remus was.

"Very funny," she taunted.

"Who are you talking about?" Lily questioned excitedly.

"Remus," Peter answered.

Lily squealed in Ara's ear and she winced.

"Why didn't you tell me? This is so exciting!" Mary and Lily cooed.

"I don't like Remus and Remus doesn't like me, okay? Stop acting like you're in primary school and get it together!" Ara whispered fiercely.

Lily smiled brightly at her and the boys snickered. Ara took out her book and read, tired of everyone getting in her business. Must be karma, she thought.

-----

Ara didn't visit Remus again that month, mostly because the boys hadn't invited her. She would wait until they were ready.

Remus came back to school as if nothing had changed. He had managed to catch up on all his lessons while in the Shrieking Shack, and his sickly appearance was gone. Ara was happy to have someone to help her with Ancient Runes.

Besides Ancient Runes, all of her classes were going well. Ara was excelling at palm reading in Divination and Trelawney had even given her some books to read by a famous Seer. In Transfiguration she could successfully turn a pillow into a pigeon, although sometimes her bird would cough up a bit of stuffing. Defense Against the Dark Arts was exciting, but the threat of You-Know-Who's growing army was quite frightening. Professor Flitwick had helped Ara master the Revealing Charm (Aparecium) and she had just managed an O on Professor Binns pop quiz. Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Astrology were the classes she only had once a week, which was a shame because she very much enjoyed them.