Written In the Stars | s.b |

FIFTY-THREE

"So we've got Mooney, Prongs, Padfoot and Wormtail," Sirius said. "Basically, we just need a nickname for Ariah and Meeka."

"We need something relating to a lone wolf with Riah," James said. "I still vote on Omega."

"My nickname is not going to be the lowest level of wolf in a pack!" Ariah exclaimed. "Omegas never survive! I'm a survivor, James."

"And she's much more the Alpha," Sirius said. "Omega is completely unfitting."

Ariah smiled at Sirius. "Thanks..."

"We know who's top," James said quietly with a smirk. Peter chuckled while Remus smacked his shoulder. "Ow..."

"What about Maverick?" Meeka asked, looking up from the dictionary she was holding. "It means an orthodox and independent-minded person."

"Sounds like you guys are just calling me isolated and stubborn," Ariah said.

The group exchanged looks. Meeka put her hand on Ariah's shoulder. "Because, love, you are both of those."

Ariah glared before rolling her eyes. "Fine... Maverick is better than Omega."

"Awesome!" James clapped his hands together. "Now for Meeka. She's a sparrow so.... what do we have?"

"Tweety," Remus said with a chuckle. "Like Tweety Bird."

"Tweety!" James exclaimed, pinching Meeka's cheeks. "Look at our Tweety."

Meeka smacked his hand. "You can't call me that. New nickname - sorry babe."

"It's okay. He did ruin it," Remus said.

"Crest," Ariah said. "It's the crown of a birds head."

"I am a queen," Meeka said with a smirk. "Crest it is!"

"We can make shirts!" Sirius said.

"Yes!" Ariah said. "But I'm itching for this map to really bring hell to hogwarts so let's focus on that first."

Sirius nodded. "Agreed we can discuss shirts a later time."

Everyone began to file out of the room of requirement. Sirius purposefully hung back, hoping to talk to Ariah. Every time they tried, something seemed to come up. That or he would chicken out. It had been months since their kiss and Sirius was going insane with the random waves of awkwardness between the two. He either wanted to call her his and hold her hand and go to the ball with her, or he wanted things back the way they were before the kiss.

Curse that bloody kiss!

What did it even mean?! Sirius wanted to ask the boys many, many times. But he was too nervous to speak about it in case Ariah didn't want anyone to know. Maybe she regretted it....

"Hey Ariah —" Sirius called, right before she slipped out of the room. He almost chickened out again. "Can we — can we talk...?"

Ariah froze for a second, almost as if she were contemplating bolting from the room or staying. With Sirius' luck, she stayed, falling back to where he stood.

"Yeah... I-I think we really should...." she said, her face red as she gnawed on her lower lip.

"Coolcoolcool," he said, nodding his head.

There was an awkward pause as the two thought of what they would say to the other. What if's running through their minds and uncertainty bouncing off both of them. What would become of them at the end of this conversation?

"So I —"
"I was —"

"Oh... sorry," Sirius said. "Y-you go first..."

"Are you sure?" Ariah asked.

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Go for it..."

Ariah took a deep breath, composing herself. "Well... I was just wanting to —"

"Ariah!" Meeka ran back into the room of requirement.

"Damnit..." Sirius muttered.

"You have to come with me — it's important," Meeka exclaimed.

"Well it's going to have to wait because —"

"It can't wait!" Meeka yelled, grabbing her friends hand. "Come on!"

Ariah glanced back at Sirius as Meeka pulled her from the room. Sirius sighed, kicking a rubber golden snitch ball before following the two girls. Meeka led the two down a hallway and into an empty classroom. Dylan sat at one of the desks, using a piece of cloth to wipe her bloody lip.

"Dylan oh my gosh!" Ariah rushed to kneel in front of the girl. "What happened? Who did this to you? I will end them just —"

"I'm fine," Dylan cut Ariah off. "Just Snape trying to look cool in front of the pure-blooded families — you should see him."

Ariah smiled softly, shaking her head lightly.

"I walked passed this room when Mcallister, Snape, Goyle and Diggs were all beating Dylan up," Meeka said. "I made them run away with my prefect badge and a stern voice that would put McGonagall to shame."

"But why were they ganging up on you?" Ariah asked.

Dylan sighed, setting down the cloth. "My parents... they're death eaters. They wanted me t-to... they wanted me to become one as well.... this summer. I was having my doubts all summer, but I-I just.... I wanted my dad to love me.... but then — the attack at the World Cup happened. And I heard you got hurt.... I ran away then. I've been living on the streets since.... Snape and them attacked me because I'm a 'disgrace to the Slytherin name,' and I need to follow Voldemort or else."

"Or else what?" Sirius asked.

Dylan shrugged. "They're insecure fifteen-year-olds who are still going through puberty. I'm not scared of them."

"But you must be," Ariah said. "Not of them but of everything else... there's no way I'm allowing you to live on the streets with powerful pure-blooded families hunting you."

"What are you going to do? Adopt me?" Dylan humored.

"Yes! Well.... not really but you're coming home with me and Remus and Meeka," Ariah demanded.

"I couldn't possibly impose on your family," Dylan said.

Ariah swatted her hand. "I'll write to my dad tonight. No one deserves a life like this. Not you, not Meeka —" she peered back at Sirius, slyly. "Not anyone."

"I'm sorry about the train," Dylan said, once it was only her and Ariah. "And everything before that.... I see now that Meeka was in desperate need of your attention and support. She told me all about her parents...."

"It's okay," Ariah said. "I'm sorry too, for everything on my part. I should have been there for you too."

"You really don't need to apologize," Dylan said.

"You're not fighting me on apologizing right now, are you?" Ariah asked with a raised eyebrow, smirk in toe. "Since when do you like to be the bigger person?"

"Since it meant beating you," Dylan smirked, bumping Ariah's hip.

"I'm really glad we're friends again," Ariah confessed. "I have so much to tell you!"