Determination|| Remus lupin

chapter nineteen

"You know what we should do?" James announced as he walked into the living room one morning. He stopped and just stared at Sirius and Ariana, who were tesselating chocolate frog cards determinedly. "Do I have to ask?"

"It's best you don't." Remus looked up from the book he was reading as Peter supplied them with another card. "They've been there for an hour."

"Where did they get that many cards?" James sat down in shock, he often worried about the two, they were rather bazaar, and since Tom Riddle had met them, they had become pretty closed off to the others.

"Your dad has a huge collection." Peter told him. "What were you saying?"

"I'm worried about them." James said distractedly. "This isn't normal."

"They aren't normal, haven't you noticed?" Peter said as he passed Ariana two more cards.

"Arie that ones a Gryffindor, put the other one down first." Sirius advised the girl, as though the two were the only ones in the room.

"Ah, I see." She agreed, as she placed both cards down in what James soon figured out to be in house order.

"I was going to suggest a snowball fight, but honestly I think therapy would be more useful." James commented to Remus, who nodded at once.

"I agree." He said without looking up from his book. James sighed and pushed all the cards into a pile, much to the shock of his two friends.

"Ariana, Sirius, we're worried about you, I understand our meeting with... voldemort has scared you, but we want to know what is going on, and how we can help." James said, it was one of them most mature things he had done, and certainly made the two listen.

"You think we're scared?" Ariana asked softly, she smiled and shook her head. "We aren't scared of him James."

"Then what on earth are you two doing?" James asked with a sigh.

"Plotting." Sirius answered casually.

"Plotting without us! Padfoot!" James exclaimed, they never planned anything without all of the others.

"Sorry James, we weren't sure how you would react." Ariana said, James put his arm around her.

"We will support you, always." He replied with a smile. "So what's the plan."

^^^
The Christmas holidays passed quickly and before the friends knew it they were back in the castle doing lessons and being given piles of homework for each subject.

As the group worked tirelessly to maintain their grades in the corner of the room, they noticed James had suddenly disappeared. "Where's James?" Peter was first to question it, he had assumed the others knew and he hadn't been told, as often happened between the boys.

"I don't know." Sirius was on edge at once.

"Perhaps he is at the toilet?" Ariana suggested, causing the boys to shake their heads at once.

"He always announces it." Remus explained, causing the group to go back to considering where their friend could be.

"Why don't we go and find him then?" Ariana suggested, the other three didn't seem to like that idea, as it was too cold for them away from the fire. She had some idea of where he was but knew she couldn't tell them, so she put down her quill and stood up. "I'll go and find him."

"Ari, you don't have to, he'll be fine." Sirius told her unconvincingly.

"I want to, he is our friend and he may need someone." She told them, Remus put down his quill and got up.

"I'll go with you, we'll be back soon." He told the others before heading towards the portrait hole, feeling the chill in the air at once.

"Where do you think they will be?" Remus asked her as they wandered down the stairs together.

"I have an idea if I'm honest." She replied, he stopped her as she headed towards the hospital wing.

"You don't think he's hurt, do you?" He asked in surprise. She shook her head.

"Not James, Remus." She replied, not really giving him anymore information, but he followed her anyway to find James pacing up and down in the hospital wing, glancing at a curtained bed every now and again. "James?" Ariana asked gently.

"Ari!" James hugged her tightly, he had tears in his eyes. "I don't know what to do."

"James, what's going on?" Remus asked.

"My brothers really sick." He responded without letting go of Ariana.

"Your brother?" Remus questioned with a frown. James nodded.

"Justin."

"What happened to him?" Ariana asked gently.

"I was talking to him and then he collapsed." James explained.

"Again?" Ariana's eyes were wide with worry.

"Ari I don't know what's going on with him, he's so weak." James stressed sitting down on one of the empty beds.

"Has Madame Pomfrey said anything?" Remus asked gently.

"They're going to send him to st Mungos, mum and dad are on the way." James replied. "They won't even let me see him."

"Why don't we go and get a cup of tea?" Remus suggested.

"No, you two go back, I'm going to stay here and meet my parents." James told them.

"We can stay if you like?" Ariana suggested.

"No, no you guys go, I'll see you later." James told them.

"Alright Mate, see you later." Remus held his hand out to Ariana and pulled her up from her spot beside James.

"I hope he gets well soon James." Ariana told him as she and Remus left the hospital wing together.

"I forget James has a brother, we never see him." Remus told her as they wandered back towards the common room.

"He's very shy, but he's lovely." She told him. He smiled at her.

"I wish we'd be able to meet him." Remus sighed.

"I'm sure you will one day." Ariana told him comfortingly.

"Do you think James will be alright?" Remus asked, she nodded.

"I do." She told him. "I think we are all going to be fine." She said optimistically.

"So do I Ari." Remus agreed smiling at her.

"Come on, the others will be wondering where we are." She grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her as she ran, he laughed and went with her, picking up speed as she did. Her hand fit perfectly in his making his heart burst with happiness.