Determination|| Remus lupin

chapter eighteen

"Arie?" Sirius asked, but he knew who the man was, same as she did. Many times the man had come to his home, talked to him about Joining his followers. He gently pushed the girl behind him, where she stood with Peter, the other three protecting them.

"Tom." Ariana murmured. "You tried to kill me." She sounded so calm, despite being scared to death.

"What are you doing here?" James asked, although he hadn't quite figured out who he was talking too.

"I'm here for Ariana, and I think I'll take Sirius too." He replied. James grabbed Sirius' wrist at once and pulled him protectively away from the man.

"What do you want with them." Remus asked, sounding angry, Ariana had never seen such an emotion on his face before. She reached out and gently took Sirius' hand, noticing that he also looked terrified.

"They're mine, they belong with my followers." The man answered. "Ariana, that's what they call you now."

"Ariana is my name, and I want no part of anything to do with you." She spoke up, James and Remus glancing at her before turning back to the man. "You sir are the epitomy of evil."

"Boys! Ariana! Get away from that man." Mr Potter and his wife ran towards the group pulling them away from the man. "The aurors will be here soon." The older man added. "You will not harm these children."

"Sirius' father told me his son will be joining me, and Ariana is my prisoner." The man Ariana had called Tom replied. Sirius took a step back, pulling Ariana with him.

"I can't go with him Arie my family..." Sirius trailed off.

"Neither of us are going anywhere." She told him. He nodded, feeling happy about her reassurance.

"Boys, Ariana get back to the house." Mr Potter ordered, as three aurors appeared at the scene.

The teens did as they were told. Running into the house. "Arie who was that?"

"It was him." Sirius answered for her, both he and Ariana looked scared out of their skin. "It was voldemort." He had wrapped his arms around her, and she had hidden her face in his chest.

"Voldemort..." James put his arms around them both. "Over my dead body will he take you away."

"James you must never say such a thing. I couldn't bare it if you died." She looked at him, her face tear-stained. " We are safe now."

It wasn't clear who she was reassuring, but when Mr and Mrs Potter came back into the house, they smiled at the five teens. "How about hot chocolate and setting up camp in the living room?" Mrs Potter suggested, heading towards the kitchen.

"We could tell ghost stories!" Peter suggested.

"I do know a tale or two." Ariana mused with a small grin.

"I'll go and get the blankets, Arie there's a stash of sweets under by bed." James instructed. Ariana grinned and ran upstairs, pausing outside James' room when she heard crying.

"Oh Justin." She entered the room and found the boy curled up in a corner, he was sobbing. "Whatever is the matter."

"They think I'm a freak." He murmured. "There's nothing wrong with me."

"I don't think you are a freak, neither does James nor your parents." She told him. "Tell me what is bothering you."

"It hurts." Justin whispered.

"Show me." She said. He moved, pulling up his shirt to show her the oozing burns on his back. "Who did this to you?"

"Mulciber, Avery, Malfoy and Snape." He replied. " They cursed me. I tried to get away. But I can't stop them. They think I'm weak."

"You are brave and you are strong and you can show them that. Now I'm going to go and tell your parents what's been going on, so they can treat your burns." She told him meaningfully. "And perhaps you can join us in the living room."

"I can't. You know they put me on edge." Justin sighed. "Thank you Ariana."

"We look out for one another you and I." Ariana squeezed his shoulder gently. "I am here for you Justin."

"Thank you."

She quickly informed Mr and Mrs Potter of Justin's injuries and then followed them back upstairs so she could retrieve the sweets James had send her to get.

"That took a long time. Where were you?" Sirius asked. She smiled at him and set the food down, accepting the hot chocolate Peter gave her.

"I had to relieve myself." She replied.

"Is he okay?" James muttered to her. She just shook her head. "Are my parents with him?" At this she nodded.

"So who has the first story?" Remus said, trying to shift the focus.

"I've got one." Sirius said, before putting on a mysterious voice. "It was late, perhaps even midnight when it happened."

"Oh my." Ariana murmured, clutching a pillow tightly.

"I was only young, but even I heard the screams at night, the footsteps that belonged to nobody and the broken laughter of children that didn't exist. I always thought I was safe in my room, that I could close the door and they wouldn't come for me. I thought I was safe. But the floorboards outside my room creaked and the handle turned and then... and then the door opened. And a figure.... a figure stood there. I couldn't see him properly, he was almost see through and he had no head. And then... Oh then he spoke." Sirius paused. They were all staring at him, wondering how the story would continue. "And he said... BOO!"

They all screamed, startled by the sudden shout. And then they began to laugh.

"Oh my, Sirius that was a good one." She sighed, but she was still laughing.

"Why thank you dear Arie, I aim to please." He grinned at her.

"We'll be back at Hogwarts soon." Peter murmured.

"I miss it, I always do and I never know why." Remus mused. He looked around at his friends and had never felt as happy as he had, although their encounter with voldemort had shaken him, he had his friends and they were all safe. And that's all he wanted.

"It is a strange place." Ariana agreed. "Still we are to have many more adventures before our time is used up."

"To many adventures." Sirius raised his half empty mug.

"To many adventures." The other choroused, doing the same.

"My god we are a cliche." James laughed.