Determination|| Remus lupin

Chapter eight

"Are you coming or what?" Ariana found herself surrounded by the four marauders themselves.

"Huh?" She raised her head from the book she was reading. She had just been to visit Professor Dumbledore, and while she got on well with her guardian, she had still found it extremely awkward. He had given her some spending money and had explained to her what the hogsmeade trip was all about. However, Ariana wasn't really bothered about leaving the castle. She knew that she was still being searched for, and while she knew she could evade them, she still preferred not to leave the castle.

"We're going to Hogsmeade, are you coming?" Sirius repeated. She shook her head.

"Oh come on! It's nearly Christmas!" Peter said, trying to persuade the girl to come with them. She looked at them in confusion.

"They still do that?" She asked. The three boys stared at her.

"When- when was the last time you celebrated Christmas?" James asked, he sat down opposite her, looking at the girl sadly. He seemed worried.

"I- I don't know. Why? Is that bad?" She seemed worried.

"Yes." James said at once.

"No." Sirius and Remus spoke at the same time.

"Besides, you have to tell us what you want for Christmas." James told her. She frowned.

"Only if you tell me what you want." She bargained. The potter boy nodded.

"Deal."

"So are you coming?" Peter asked. She nodded and followed the four out of the common room.

Their journey down to the village was a long one. Ariana kept stopping, paranoid that they were being watched. It wasn't until James and Sirius had grabbed one of her arms each and dragged her quickly into the village.

Ariana went off with Peter as the boys still hadn't told her what they wanted for Christmas, and she wanted to get Dumbledore some socks. Shopping with Peter was one of the least stressful things the girl had ever done. She had gotten all of the boys their Christmas presents, with Peter's assistance. She looked at the smaller boy, and smiled at him as they entered a shop.

"Will you forever be my shopping buddy Peter?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Sure." He agreed. She grinned at him and they walked over to the socks aisle.

"Which pair do you think Dumbledore will like?" She asked.

"What about the ones patterned with Books?" Peter suggested.

"Peter you're amazing! You know that right?" She said. Peter blushed and nodded.

"T-thanks!"

She suddenly made a half scream noise and hid behind the end of the aisle.

"What's wrong?" The boy asked, hiding with her.

"Dolohov, Alistair Dolohov, he was there!" The girl was panicking now.

"Stay here, I'm going to take a look." Peter was as scared as she was, seeing as she was freaking out. He transformed and ran along the aisles to look at the man who had scared the girl out of her wits.

"Is that Peter?" She heard James' voice as she tried to concentrate on breathing.

"Ariana? Breath, just breath." Remus was kneeling in front of her. She focused her eyes on him, as the world seemed blurry.

"I-I'm trying." She said in between breaths.

"What happened Pete?" Remus asked, looking from the girl to the short boy who had accompanied her to the shop.

"I don't know, she hid here and told me that 'Alistair Dolohov was there'. He was that man by the counter." Peter said. James looked toward the counter.

"He's gone."

They looked back to Ariana, who had calmed down considerably.
"Come on, let's go to the three broomsticks." Sirius suggested.

"I need to pay." Ariana said, holding up the socks she had been planning on purchasing.

"I'll do it, you guys go on. Get me a butterbeer and I'll meet you there." Peter said. Ariana beamed and hugged him.

"Have I mentioned how amazing you are?" She asked him. He shrugged.

"Only once."

^^^
Remus and Sirius walked on ahead, leaving Ariana with James.

They were halfway there, when James spotted a boy walking on his own back towards the castle.

"Arie do you mind if we just go and talk to Justin?" James asked her, he seemed worried. She nodded at once.

"Of course." He smiled gratefully and the two walked over to the boy, who had stopped walking so he could talk with them.

"Jay? What's wrong?" James asked at once, he was so worried.

"I'm fine James. Honest." The boy answered, but Ariana could tell he was upset, and he had a bruise ringing his right eye. She patted his elbow comfortingly.

"It's okay." She said comfortingly.

"Justin, you have to tell me." James said. "Is it Mulciber again, how much did he hurt you?"

Justin nodded slowly. "Mulciber, Snape, as always." He seemed comforted by their presence.

"What did they do?" James asked angrily.

"James calm down." Ariana warned, James nodded.

"Just hit me. They wanted me to duel with them so they have an excuse to curse me, I wouldn't." Justin replied.

"Jay, you should let me deal with them." James said angrily, Justin looked terrified at the thought.

"No, James please, please don't." He begged the angry Gryffindor. James sighed.

"Jay, you're hurt." James told him, Justin shook his head.

"James please, let me sort this out myself." He begged, James relented and nodded.

"Alright, but if it gets any worse, and it's not sorted by Christmas, then I'm going to intervene, Alright? It's my duty to look after you." James told him, Justin nodded weakly.

"Okay."

"Now go and get Poppy to fix you up." James quickly hugged the boy, who nervously hugged him back, before leaving them.

"He seems sweet." Ariana mused as she watched the boy walk towards the castle.

"Are, please don't mention him to the others, they don't know... I mean you don't either, but please?" James seemed flustered.

"Okay, I shall not tell them about him." Ariana agreed. James let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank you, I'll explain everything, I promise, I just don't know how the others will react." James seemed conflicted.

"They're your friends, they will support you, no matter what." She told him gently.

"It's just, I promised my mum I'd protect him, I'm supposed to protect him." James sighed. Ariana patted his shoulder.

"You do your best, now let's have a... butterybeer?"

"Butterbeer Arie, it's a butterbeer."