Written In the Stars | s.b |

SIXTY-THREE

Sirius watched Ariah admiringly as she read some book called 'Carrie.' She had this habit of moving her mouth to the words she read. Sirius could watch her read all day.

Unfortunately, he was nudged back into reality.

"Did you hear about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Remus asked, picking a jelly bean from his Bertie Botts box and smelling it before tossing it into the reject pile.

"No," Sirius said, eyeing Remus as he continued smelling jelly beans. "What happened to Professor Teller?"

"He couldn't handle 'those blasted marauders,'" Remus said. "Surprised you didn't hear him on the last day after James set his pants on fire."

"It was an accident," James protested. "I meant to make it feel like his pants were on fire. Easy mistake."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Still — do you want one Sirius? Your eyeing my jelly beans like you've never seen one before."

Sirius let out a chuckle. "Sorry, all the lemon ones - since you don't like them, please."

Remus took a handful of his lemon pile and handed it to Sirius who turned back to Ariah. She had her head laid on his lap as she read.

"Ri," he said gently, prompting her to look up at him, smiling and opening her mouth when she saw him holding the lemon jelly bean.

After Sirius placed it in her mouth, she went back to reading.

"I knew someone liked the lemon ones," Remus said. "That's why I saved them."

"Did you just ask for lemon jelly beans from Remus just so you could give them to Ariah?" Dylan asked. "That's the most whipped thing I've ever seen — and I love it."

"How'd you get her to look up from that book?" Meeka asked. "I've been trying all summer but she's obsessed with this author... Steve King or something and she doesn't even hear me."

"Stephen King, love," Remus said.

"Whatever," Meeka said with a wave of her hand. "Watch — Ariah... Ariah!! I'm going to eat you're lemon jelly beans! — see!!"

Sirius shrugged. "Hey Ariah," he said, prompting her to look up.

"What?" She asked.

"Bull," Meeka exclaimed, causing Sirius to smile and Ariah to sit up as the others laughed.

"What..?"

"I'm your best friend," Meeka said.

"Er.... duh," Ariah said. "What's happening?"

"You're a traitor," Meeka said. "That's what happened."

"I— what?"

Sirius chuckled, placing a hand on Ariah's arm. "Don't worry love, she's being over dramatic over the fact that you love me more."

"Wow," James said. "This is gross I'm going to vomit now."

He stood up then, leaving the train compartment.

"He seemed... genuinely upset?" Peter said, watching James leave.

"He's lonely..." Ariah muttered, everyone turning to look at her.

"Are you.... guessing?" Remus asked. "Or... do you know that."

Ariah shrugged, going back to reading her book. But Sirius knew that she wasn't just guessing. The idea of his best friend feeling lonely made something inside Sirius... hurt. He knew what it was like to feel lonely, and he didn't want anyone close to him to feel that way.