Day Dreaming
Hey baby, let’s get away
Let’s go somewhere far
Baby can we?
Where, I don’t care
Daydreaming and I’m thinking of you
Daydreaming and I’m thinking of you
14th February 1974
Life was simply far easier without a silver band catching Ara’s eyes. Even if it still existed; just now gold.
Gold like her Hogwarts House. Like the necklaces she shared with her brothers - hidden under their school shirts every day. The earrings her twin had given her, still hooked in her lobes.
A serpent in red and gold.
She could not think of anything more apt.
“Oi! Pass the toast!” Sirius’s voice blinked Ara away from her admiration of her wrist. Sheepishly, she picked up the plate and sent it across the table.
“Are bets in yet for Valentines?” Peter asked from beside her, looking towards the Prewetts.
Breakfasts had somehow turned into a rather large affair for the Gryffindors. It was the time they spent all together. At lunch, Ara and Lily often sat at the Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff table. Chatting with Regulus and his friends or dissecting theories as Pandora’s dorm mates looked at them disdainfully. Dinner was often interrupted by detentions and Quidditch practices - having been moved after the Ravenclaws nabbed the morning slot on the pitch.
Ultimately, the morning meal was their only time all together. All the third year Gryffindors sat in a group in the middle of the table; the Prewetts and Longbottom on their side. Longbottom, if only because he was chatting with Remus about their new DADA professor’s chances of surviving the year.
“Sirius is in for highest quantity of edible gifts but elder Rosier is in for biggest haul.” Gideon grinned, looking up to the sky as the owls began to swoop.
The group watched with interest as several came their way - dropping boxes onto the plate of toast.
“Ah wicked! Chocolate!” Sirius grinned, reaching immediately for a box - Remus’s hand swatting his away.
“Sirius.” Remus deadpanned.
“It’ll be fine.” The twins spoke together; identical gestures of dismissal.
“As long as what happened last year doesn’t again.” James shuddered, looking to Remus with haunted eyes.
The other boy rolled his and laughed dryly.
“I’ve got the spell to check from Pomphrey, and she’s already got two beds waiting in case it happens again.” Sirius confirmed.
“In case what happens again?” Lily finally interjected - her curiosity bounding.
“We kind of… well I mean,” Ara rambled, face bright scarlet and warm as she poked at her plate. Curiously, it was divided into perfect thirds; each section a different food group. Some new habit of hers that made the others all twitch.
“Some of the chocolates I got last year were laced with love potion, and we split them.” Sirius laughed, thoroughly enjoying his twin’s embarrassment. Especially when she glowered at him as Lily blinked and let out a surprised laugh.
“So last year, I missed the two of you trying to woo some random who spiked you?”
“More like, you missed the three of us having to keep them from fighting to the death in her honour.” Remus’s lips twitched with barely contained amusement. “Quite funny, looking back on it.”
“You weren’t the one that had to mediate as the two of them kept whining that bloody Rosemary Avery was the love of their life on the way to the Hospital Wing.” James cringed. “I nearly spewed hearing them call her the brightest star.”
“Oh my God.” Lily giggled. “Why’d she do it? I thought she hated you?”
“We pissed her off at New Years.” Ara finally spoke again, face faded pink.
“Stupid reason, too.” Sirius scoffed. “Just because we were better company than her.” He grumbled.
“I mean also… in first year I did have that fight with her.” Ara piped in with a laugh.
“Is that why the week after Valentines she was bright pink?” Lily gasped. The boys merely preened, confirming her suspicion. “I always wondered if it was you and why you’d ruddy done it. At least it was for a good reason, I suppose.”
“Cheers, Evans.” Sirius grinned. “Best part was that Pomphrey knew she was who dosed us, so she refused to fix the colour. Rosemary had to go around her House for a week trying to find someone to undo it. I wonder who it was, in the end.”
“Killian Rosier.” Ara informed the group, much to their shock. “He asked me if he could, because her shrieking was driving him mad.” She stifled a giggle as she spoke. “Gave him the go ahead, as long as he promised to leave her still a bit pink. In case anyone has noticed that her skin still has a rather rosy hue.”
At once, all heads spun to the Slytherin table to gawp at the snooty girl. Sure enough, now they were truly looking; it was clear that her skin still held an unnatural pinkness. One not truly noticeable until prompted. But once seen, it would surely never be unnoticed again.
Upon her glare towards their direction, the group erupted into giggles - spinning to look away from the bewildered girl.
“We can test the chocolate later.” Sirius informed them with a dismissive gesture, pulling at his pile of cards.
Before he could open another, more owls began to circle overhead. With a shriek, Lily covered her head with her book as more packages and cards dropped onto the table around them. A couple on James’s plate, one each for Peter and Remus, and scatters to the older years surrounding. It ended with a final golden envelope; dropping directly into Ara’s hands.
“I got a card?” Ara frowned, utterly bewildered as she stared at the elegant writing. Her eyes were bright, the corner of her lip twitching into a glimmer of a smile.
“Crack it open!” Sirius grinned, motioning for the card. With a glare, Ara pulled it away from him and used a butterknife to cut the envelope undone.
The card itself was nothing particularly extraordinary. A simple image of a otter with a pink flower. A camellia. Rather sweet really. It was the writing inside that made her blush, and her friends reach to snatch the card and read it.
Despite the boys supposed athletic prowess, Lily Evans was the first to reach it. Probably because she was right beside Ara, but still.
“To Ara, there is no bloom as sweet, nor sunrise as beautiful, as you are in my eyes.” Lily read aloud. “That’s quite sweet.” She smiled, tossing the card back to Ara.
“Indeed it is.” Ara muttered to herself, scanning the words herself. A small blush rose on her cheeks before she suddenly straightened; snapping the card shut and shoving it in her bag. “It’s a hell of a lot better than what Flint sent.” She passed the letter to the group.
As they took turns to read, each passed it on with a cringe at the man’s formality and demanding. A somewhat gruesome Valentines routine - filled with winces and jokes at odd and old wording.
Not Ara, though. Instead her gaze lingered on the card, eyes soft as she traced the words. Unnoticing of James’s bashful look her way, of the way his face softened completely as he smiled her way.
“So who sent it, anyways?” Sirius asked after he’d cast incendio on Flint’s letter, brushing soot off his hands with an innocent expression.
“It doesn’t say.” Ara huffed, looking to the group suspiciously - eyes narrowing as James’s widened. “None of you sent this, right? This isn’t some pity card?”
“You have too much of an imagination.” Lily rolled her eyes. “As if any of the boys could write something so poetic.”
Wistfully, Ara sighed as she looked to the gooey couples celebrating the holiday.
“I hope someone asks me to Hogsmeade next year.” She sighed, almost defeatedly.
“I’m sure they will.” Peter nudged her elbow, offering a kind smile. “You’re an absolute catch.”
“You have to say that, Petey,” she rolled her eyes, “you’re my friend.”
“I don’t have to say anything.” He declared. “I’m not telling James that he’ll get a date. Not with his hair.”
“I think it looks nice.” She laughed, looking to the spectacled boy fondly. He grinned at her sheepishly before looking down at his plate.
“You think everything about us is nice, Ara.” Peter smiled. “It’s in your nature. You can’t help but see your friends as perfect. So let us see you as perfect too.”
“Alright.” She grumbled jokingly, resting her head on his shoulder.
“And if you want a date for this Hogsmeade trip, I’m more than happy to show my best friend the sights.” Peter smiled - his slightly crooked teeth flashing between shy lips; a fondness that Ara knew she mirrored.
“Sounds like a plan.” She giggled, bumping his shoulder with her own. There was something so easy about her friendship with Peter Pettigrew. Time apart did not temper it, nor did the constant shifts or arguments between the Black twins. He was simply her friend Pete, as she was his friend Ara. She still tutored him on Sundays, even though she found it a struggle to study, herself. And he still left her little folded paper creations - scattered around the school like a treasure hunt.
“Did you just ask out my sister?” Sirius gawped as his mind caught up with their words; having been watching the exchange like tennis.
“Grow up, Siri.” She rolled her eyes. “Petey finds me about as attractive as a flobberworm.”
“That’s not true.” He tutted, jokingly. “You’re about as attractive as Reg’s cat.”
“Thanks.” She laughed, elbowing him. Sirius’s glare lasted only a moment longer before the boy nodded, satisfied that Peter was not trying to court her.
“Fine, fine. I suppose I can let you go.”
“Oh, you can let me?” Ara bit out, glaring back at him.
“Rephrase.” Remus spoke between fake coughs, Sirius flushing red as the group looked at him distastefully. No one told Ara what to do.
“I hope you both have a lovely time.” He offered, the gesture accepted by the group. “Since when do all my friends side with my ruddy sister.” He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest with a deep scowl.
“Your friends? Bold words, Black.” Remus scoffed under his breath in a joking manner, eyes flitting between the twins with a grin.
“I have plenty of friends.” Sirius retorted, gesturing rudely. “You’re my friend.”
“Only through proximity.” The boy spoke dryly.
“What about you, Pete?”
“I’m friends with Ara. You’re just sort of part of the package.” He shrugged.
“Traitors.” Sirius scoffed. “I ought to put a tracking charm on you, just to make sure you don’t run off with any of my friends.” Ara merely rolled her eyes in reply.
“More like, we’d be picking the better twin.” Lily laughed, flicking a baked bean Sirius’s way and grinning as it hit him perfectly in the centre of his forehead.
“I hate you all.” Sirius grumbled, wiping the sauce away.