Determination|| Remus lupin

Chapter twenty one

"I've found her, I've done it!" Sirius announced as he barrelled into the common room, making everyone look at him. His friends, who were sat in their usual corner of the common room exchanged looks of confusion, Remus who had been explaining their latest potion essay title to the girl he was now very happy to be able to call his girlfriend was the one who dared question Sirius.

"Who have you found?" He asked, handing Ariana her potions textbook back.

"The hottest girl in school, no offence Ari, and the love of my life!" Sirius flopped onto the carpet in front of James and Ariana.

"Who is it?" James asked, looking down at his friends with a frown.

"The one, the only Mika Owen." Sirius said. Mika Owen was a Ravenclaw in their own year, a popular, pretty girl, one of the few red-heads in their year and the daughter of two muggle-borns.

"Mika Owen?" James asked uncertainly.

"I met her in muggle studies when we were put together for a project, I've just been in the library with her and I'm certain that we're soul mates." Sirius responded dramatically.

"Why do you take muggle studies, you dont even like it?" Peter asked, stretching his feet out by the fire.

"It annoys my parents." Sirius shrugged. "So how do I get her to notice me?"

"Are you not working with her on a project?" Ariana asked with a frown.

"Yes, but I can't just ask her out." Sirius sighed.

"Perhaps you should get to know her." Remus suggested wearily, he was used to these sorts of announcements from Sirius, and wasn't as interested in the situation, although admittedly this time did seem different.

"Brilliant idea, and then when I ask her to come with me to Hogsmeade, I can plan the perfect date!" Sirius grinned. "Moony you're a genius!"

"Thanks." Remus said plainly.

"I'm sure it will work out Sirius." Ariana said comfortingly, despite having no experience in these sorts of things and still jumped when she saw oddly shaped shadows.

"Why thank you Ari, you're too kind." Sitius grinned, before finally sitting down with the group. "Everything will work out soon."

"I do hope so." Ariana grinned.

"You know, you all should be as supportive as Ari." Sirius jokingly scolded his friends. "I need your support if i am going to get the girl of my dreams."

"Alright Padfoot, what's your plan?" Peter asked warily, Sirius grinned at him.

"Well, get to know her of course, we talk in muggle studies sometimes, I just need to talk to her more. Convince her to talk to me." Sirius said as though it was obvious.

"What if she doesn't want to talk to you?" Ariana asked with genuine curiosity.

"Ariana! I'm hurt, you don't think she wants to talk to me?" Sirius asked dramatically.

"It is a possibility." She replied.

"Oh she will, just you wait."

^^^
"Ariana?" The girl barely lifted her head from where she was gazing at the fire flickering in the fireplace in front of her. Remus moved to sit beside her, the scars on his face looked particularly curious in the light of the fire.

"I thought you were asleep Remus." She replied, she still did not look at him, perhaps so he wouldn't see she had been crying.

"I noticed you never went upstairs." He replied, offering her his hand. She took it and he brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand lightly. "Is everything alright?"

"I suppose." She nodded, she still refused to look at him. "I'm scared Remus." She admitted, he moved closer to her gently.

"They won't get you here, Dumbledore won't allow it." He told her. She shook her head. The flames flickered in the reflection of her tired eyes as she contemplated what he had just told her.

"He may not allow it, but it could still happen." She replied. There was a small voice inside that made her regret her escape, for now she put her new found family and her new found love in danger and she hated it. But if she had not escaped she would never met them and they would not be in danger. It was a double edged sword. If she hadn't she would be stuck, because she had others could be in danger.

"You have a lot of trust in the headmaster Remus." She commented, he nodded.

"I know, I owe a lot to him. Without him I wouldn't have been able to come here." Remus told her, she cocked her head.

"Because of your affliction?" She asked, he nodded.

"He grew the womping willow so I would have a safe place to transform every month and he gave my parents the reassurance that I would be safe here." He explained.

"I am glad." She smiled. "Otherwise I would never have met you."

"You don't have to be worried about the death eaters Ariana." Remus told her. "Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards ever known, they wouldn't dare attack while he is here."

"If you trust in that, then so should I." She nodded, he kissed her forehead.

"I will not let anything happen to you." He promised, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning her head against his shoulder. He held her back. "They won't get you, I won't let them."

"Thank you Remus."

"Goodnight Ariana." He took her hand and pulled her up, escorting her to the stairs to the girls dormitories.

"Goodnight Remus."