Written In the Stars | s.b |

FORTY-ONE

Despite her statement, Ariah nursed the same bottle of Dragon ScAle and only played one round of the four sided Quidditch Match. It was way more fun to watch those drunk out of their mind play and after the parties Ariah had over the years, she didn't want to get as 'shit-faced' as she usually did at parties. She was trying to get her life together and that started with not drinking until you blacked out.

Frank, on the other hand, was shit-faced. Ariah couldn't explain why, but she loved seeing Frank so loose and free and absolutely sloshed. She found it funny. He also couldn't catch a quaffle, let alone a snitch when drunk, which made watching the game even more fun.

After a few injuries, the sober captains decided to stop the game in fear of all teammates being unable to play tomorrow's game. One of the Slytherin beaters placed a spell on his Walkman to amplify the music around them all and they began to dance and chat.

Ariah was hanging out outside of the circle of dancers and ale gamers, looking around at the scene. James was drunkenly dancing with the Ravenclaw seeker, Peter was doing a keg stand while Slytherin boys cheered him on and Remus...

Her eyes stayed on Remus a little longer as he grabbed a drunken Meeka, who was about to leave the clearing with Archer.

"What charms do you think they put around here to keep the professors from hearing all this?"

Ariah jumped at the sound of Sirius' voice behind her. He smiled brightly as she turned to face him.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Ariah exclaimed as he chuckled before she smacked him.

"Not my plan!" he said, his hands up in surrender.

Ariah let out a breath before chuckling. "I'd guess silencing charms."

"Oh yeah," Sirius said. "We learned that in year one though... and it's for enclosed spaces so..."

"Okay well we all know I'm not that great at school... or listening so..."

Sirius chuckled, bumping her shoulder. "You're doing great Ri."

Ariah smiled. "This year I am." She looked off to Frank who had his arm resting on Dana's like she were an arm rest.

"Because of him..." Sirius asked, his voice less cheery than before.

Ariah looked back at him, not noticing the hidden frown now on his face. She gave a small smile. "I guess so... yeah. He's something else..."

"You seem.... you seem really happy... with him," he struggled to say.

She nodded, looking back over at him. Frank looked to her and smiled, waving ecstatically. Ariah chuckled and waved back. "I am."

"I'm glad," Sirius said. Ariah looked back to Sirius who was staring at his own bottle that looked hardly touched. "That you're happy. You deserve someone like Frank."

Ariah smiled again. "Thank you..." she said. "That's super sweet of you Sirius."

He gave a half hearted smile that Ariah didn't see reach his eyes. And there was something strong floating around she couldn't quite put her finger on. It felt as if there were a hole in her stomach and a lump in her throat. But it wasn't coming from her own emotions — they were someone else's.

"Frank's heading over," Sirius said. "I'll — Er — I'll get out of the way."

"You don't have to Sirius," she said.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "I'm pretty tired anyway — and I actually am playing in the game so I should get some rest."

"Oh — okay. Goodnight Sirius," she said softly.