Written In the Stars | s.b |

NINE

Ever since the night Ariah and Sirius kissed, Ariah hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

It was so... nice. And only awkward for about a second.

She kept replaying the feeling of his lips on hers over and over in her head. She wanted more. She wanted to kiss him until the end of time.

But that was ridiculous. Sirius Black was her best friend - nothing more. Besides, he was trying to set her up with James so he obviously didn't want to kiss her again.

She sat in potions with the Gryffindors. Meeka, Amelia and Marlene sat at her table as they worked on their group project. Behind them was Sirius, James, Remus and Peter.

"Hey Riah," James said, leaning on the table.

Ariah turned to face James. "What're you doing this weekend?"

"This weekend? Probably getting detention," she said with a smirk. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to maybe... oh I don't know... go on a date?"

Ariah looked at the girls at her table, Meeka had her nose scrunched up in disgust while Marlene and Amelia wore matching smirks.

"A date?" Her eyes casted to Sirius for a second. He was staring intently at his notebook.

"Ms. Lupin," Professor Slughorn said, approaching the group with his arms crossed over his chest. "I've asked you numerous times to not talk during study time!"

"I'm sorry Professor —"

"It was my fault Professor," James said. "Honest."

"No matter who's fault," Slughorn said. "I think you'd be much more productive with Lily Evans' group."

Ariah shot her eyes to Lily Evans' table across the room. With her sat Mary Macdonald and Alice Prewett, two other Gryffindors.

Ariah would rather sit with Snape than be in Lily Evans' group. Their fourth group member had to switch groups because Lily micromanaged everything she did.

"Please Professor," Ariah begged. "I won't talk anymore — honest!"

"I don't mean to make this public, Ms. Lupin, but you are hardly passing this class." This declaration made her sink in her seat. She was hardly passing any of her classes — except Astronomy and Herbology. "It'll do you some good to sit with Lily Evans. Go on."

Ariah grumbled, standing up and aggressively grabbing her bag. Before she sat down, she turned to her old table across the room.

"Oh and James!" she called from across the room. "Yes - I will go on a date with you this weekend!"

The class erupted into chuckles and oo's as Professor Slughorn pointed at Ariah. "Detention!"

She sat down, feeling smug with herself. She noticed Lily Evans glare at her as she did, only making her feel more proud of herself.

Sirius wanted nothing more than to run far away from the boys as they sat in the Gryffindor Common room Friday night.

James was going on and on about how excited he was for his date with Ariah the next day.

"I mean I just can't believe she said yes like that!" he exclaimed. "I think I'm going to marry your sister, Remus."

Sirius' insides crawled with anger and dread.

"You're twelve," Remus said with an eye roll.

"What? Don't want me to become your brother?" James asked with a smirk.