Among The Stars --- Remus Lupin

•fifteen•

"Got everything?" Ara asked, eyeing Lily's bulging suitcase.

Lily magicked a purple scarf into her handbag.

"I guess so," she sighed, looking longingly at a pair of boots she didn't have room for.

"We're only there for a week!  You don't need your entire closet!"

Eventually Ara was able to drag Lily and her entire wardrobe down to the common room. The boys were already there, laughing among themselves. Remus waved them over.

"You excited?" he asked Ara. She sat down next to him on the couch and he lazily put an arm around her. How he could be so casual was a mystery to her, she felt as if she would explode just from the sudden contact.

"Very," she smiled.

Lily finally stepped into the common room as her suitcase thudded to the ground beside her, James rushed to help.

"Thanks for your help," she said, rolling her green eyes at Ara. "When does the train leave?"

"After lunch, which started ten minutes ago," Sirius groaned.

James almost fainted at the thought of missing a meal and hurriedly forced the group into the Great Hall. They made it just in time to grab the remains of some sandwiches.

Dumbledore tapped his wand against the golden eagle podium, and everyone quieted.

"Good afternoon Hogwarts-goers. To those of you leaving us for break, your train will be her momentarily. Your bags will be loaded for you. To those of you staying, the better option I believe, welcome to the holidays at Hogwarts!"

The students cheered and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he left the stage.

The train ride to the station wasn't near as long as Ara thought it would be. They played Exploding Snaps and Ara even had her first box of "Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans."

"Look what I got," James bragged, rattling the small box.

Everyone groaned except Ara.

"What are they?" she inquired.

"They're jelly beans of every flavor. Cherry, blueberry, ear wax, soap, dirt, green apple, and so on," Remus explained.

"It's terrible! I once got one that was vomit flavored!" Lily shuddered.

"Oh come on, we'll just play a few rounds," James pleaded.

Sirius went first, closing his eyes and reaching into the cardboard container. He pulled out a dark purple bean. He eyed it wearily and popped it into his mouth.

"Grape juice!" Sirius exclaimed.

James went next, his bean was toothpaste flavored.

Peter went next, he was the first to be unlucky as he chewed an earth worm flavored candy.

Ara nervously plucked a yellow jelly bean from the box. She put it in her mouth and slowly bit down.

"Lemon," she sighed, relieved.

Remus pulled a grass one and Lily ate a cherry bean.

Everything had been fine, the only bad beans Ara had eaten were soap, smoke, boiled egg, and barbecue sauce. But her good fortune ended as she bit into a dog poop flavored one. The taste was so bad it made her eyes water and she accidentally spit it right onto Remus' shirt.

The car went silent.

"Oh Merlin, Remus I'm so sorry," Ara tried.

But it came out more like, "Uh Mehlen, Hemes im o ohy," for she didn't want to put her bad tasting tongue back in her mouth. Everyone burst out laughing, even Remus, who let Ara have some of his pumpkin juice.