Written In the Stars | s.b |

FORTY-NINE

Ariah stuffed the mandrake leaf deep into the gums in front of her teeth with her tongue while she flipped to the next page of Theory of the Animagus. She clenched her jaw in irritation as the leaf moved back with her tongue. She was sick beyond words of having the damn thing in her mouth. Luckily, a Storm was broadcasted to happen later that night.

The gang had everything planned out for tonight. Lyall would be late at work that night. This meant that the remaining six of them could do their transformation at the lake.

Lily would be coming over sometime after dinner and the others were already staying. Ariah was beyond excited to find out what animal she would be. She had spent the month reading up on animagus forms and the meaning behind them and was pretty sure she'd end up being a wolf of some kind.

"What do you think you'll be?" Sirius asked, scaring the life out of Ariah.

Ariah put her hand on her heart and looked to Sirius who chuckled at her jumpiness. "Hardy har..."

She tensed under his gaze, wiggling her seat a little further away from the boy who stood terribly close to her. His face had been right next to her, bringing heat to her tan cheeks. Ariah hid her face away from Sirius.

"Sorry..." Sirius said, watching Ariah's movements and tension with great inspection. "Didn't mean to scare you..."

"It's fine..." Ariah mumbled.

"So," Sirius sat across from her. He smirked, grabbing the book from her. "A wolf huh?"

Ariah shrugged. "Sounds kind of like me."

"'The wolf has outstanding senses and is able to sense even the slightest of changes in an environment,'" he read. "Accurate."

"'A wolf is also said to be a good form for guardians — those who protect their pack and lead them from damnation.'" He smiled. "'They're also fiercely loyal.'"

"I'd say that's all in truth to who you are," Sirius said. He handed the book back to Ariah, noticing the blush on her cheeks. He ignored it, resting his elbow on the table, head in hand. "Let's see it, what do you think I am?"

"You?" Ariah asked.

"There's no one named 'I' around here, is there?" Sirius smirked.

Ariah rolled her eyes, wondering to herself why she was in love with this sarcastic arse; yet, a smile still overcame her features.

"James thinks I'll be a coyote because of how much of prankster and jokester I am," Sirius said. Remus and Peter both agree that I'll be a hummingbird because I'm hyper, can't stay in one place for too long and I'm playful."

Ariah shook her head, all too aware of the small gap between their shoulders. It was far more aggravating and distracting than if their shoulders were actually pressed against each other. Just the idea that one scoot to the left and their arms would be in contact with one another made her stomach and heart and breath go wild and fuzzy.

"No you're more than all that," she said, shyly.

She felt his eyes on her as she focused her attention on to the book, hoping he wouldn't ask what she meant by that.

He did.

"What do you mean by that? Why do you see me as?"

"I — Uh..." she cleared her throat, straightening her posture. "A — Er — you're more of a dog."

"A dog?" Sirius asked. "What makes you say that?"

Ariah smirked, gaining a slight bit of confidence that she usually had, back before she realized her feelings for her best friend. "Because you're not yet house-broken and you smell like wet dog."