One of These Nights
Someone to be kind to, in between the dark and the light
Coming right behind you, swear I’m gonna find you
One of these nights
One of these dreams
One of these lost and lonely dreams now
We’re gonna find one
24th September 1975
Detention was perhaps the worst part of getting involved with her Marauders’s pranks.
Especially when they all got dragged by Slughorn to clean out his shelves, and she got stuck making tea for Manto. At least the woman had bid her goodnight fairly early once she’d realised the girl would not be imparting anything special that day.
There had been an odd shift in how her Divination Professor treated her that year. It seemed, once faced with the potential of the younger witch ditching her class for good, there was a sudden urge in her to keep Ara around. To probe her about not filling in her dream diary, or the Grim she kept spying in the tea leaves at the bottom of her brother’s cup.
That night, she’d made Ara drink nearly her bodyweight in lavender brews - staring intently at her cup as though it held some grand secret.
And then, as Ara’s bladder nearly burst, the witch had waved her off to bed with a nervous laugh.
So very peculiar.
On her way down to spy on the boys, it became very clear that she would not make the walk without wetting herself. With a waddle, Ara rushed to the nearest loos - pulling herself into the girls lavatory of the second floor.
It was only after she flushed the toilet and heard a shriek that she remembered a most horrific fact.
She was in Moaning Myrtle’s lavatory.
A fact made even more brutal as she opened the stall door to a silver face; watching her with glistening amusement. Caught forever at fifteen; permanently stuck in the trenches of puberty. Forever a crying teenage girl, with two pigtails and glasses too big for her small face.
“You made the pipes burst.” She accused with a sniffle, floating just before the stall.
She ought to have known Myrtle would accost her for the mess she Marauders had made. They’d been caught red-handed flooding the dungeons, and the sight was truly exceptional. Slytherins waded through on their way to class; utterly furious and utterly unable to solve it alone.
Every inch of water they vanished was merely replaced by another two.
“All I did was stand as lookout.” Ara shrugged, awkwardly attempting to side-step the ghost. Her elbow connected with Myrtle’s arm and she shivered at the contact. “Though, I did then have to fix the boys’ mistake, so I’ll admit wasn’t lookout for very long.”
“You had better not mess with my pipes.” The ghost continued, trailing beside her as she moved to the sinks.
“Trust me, Myrtle, I wouldn’t be in here if I’d had the time to go elsewhere.” With a roll of her eyes, Ara
“You’re as much of an outcast as I was.” Myrtle spoke, almost happily. “They all talk about you behind your back.”
“I am the Mad Heiress.” Ara shrugged, twisting a tap and frowning as no water came out. With a sigh, she moved to the next sink to wash her hands - refusing to glance the ghost’s way.
“You’re very rude, Angry Ara.” Myrtle sniffled, peering at her behind those round frames -
“Oh, piss off.” Ara growled; her brow lifting and eyes widening as the ghost seemed to take those words very poorly. Her silvery eyes misted; widening as her brow furrowed sharply. And then, as Myrtle so often did, she promptly burst into tears.
At the sight of the sniffling ghost, something in Ara boiled over. That unshakable anger that clung to her since the summer, that annoyance at this bloody spectre that made peeing a nightmare… well, they made the most perfect storm.
“Oh, honestly, Myrtle!” She snapped, surprising the ghost out of her wailing. Blinking, she peered from her spectacles incredulously as Ara’s face flushed red and her hand clenched to fists. “Stop presuming everyone hates you. Have you ever thought that constantly moaning and crying all the time might be pushing people away? I understand that it must be so very difficult to be dead, but you’ve been dead long enough. Time to get over it.”
The spectre stared down at her; wide eyed and utterly reproached.
“There are so many terrified firsties that you could be helping. So many homesick or bullied children that need a friendly, and perhaps vengeful ghost for when they’re getting bullied by housemates.” Ara huffed, making her way towards the exit. “And my name is just Ara!”
With that, she stormed out of the loo - the door slamming shut behind her.
Unfortunately for Ara, it seemed her day was simply destined to be awful. Because there, as though waiting for her, stood Severus Snape.
He looked his usual pale and greasy; clearly caught in his extra-curricular potions projects that Lily waffled about and forgetting to go outside or even wash. His robes were wrinkled and stained on the sleeves, eyes bloodshot and tired.
There was a smell that clung to him. A rather unpleasant one.
“Boys loos are down the hallway.” Ara jerked her thumb in the wrong direction. “Though, you might want to head back to your dorms for shower.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down and frowned.
“Stop studying with Lily.” He spoke finally in that crackly drawl - his voice still catching as it dropped.
With a soft laugh, Ara tilted her head as she glanced at him with utter amusement.
“No.” She spoke simply.
“I’m not asking.” Beneath the gruff voice, his insecurity leeched outwards.
“I know.” She nodded. “Doesn’t mean I have to listen.” With that, Ara attempted to waltz past him - shaking her head at the silliness of his attempt.
Again, unfortunately for Ara, this day was just crap. So he followed her; quick steps as he caught up, a hand on her shoulder to force her to stop.
“She’s… you’ve got enough of your own friends. Stop taking mine.”
“You have the Averys and Mulciber. They seem to share your… opinions on wizarding culture.” She demurred with tense smile. “And if you think that anybody could ‘take’ Lily or dictate her actions, you really don’t know that girl.”
“I know her!” He snapped - eyes wide as though he were shocked at the intensity of his reaction. “I was her friend first.”
“Summer holidays and hiding in the back of the library doesn’t count as friendship. You want her in your life? I’m not the one that’s in your way, Snape. That person’s in your every reflection, you overgrown bat.” She spoke with a roll of her eyes, Lily’s quiet, heartbroken rants caught in her ears. “Now piss off.”
Luckily for Ara, that time he did not follow as she walked away.
——
26th September 1975
“Tell Remus to stop glaring at the younger years.” Lily spoke by way of greeting to her two best friends.
They were stood on the Gryffindor balcony; a pack of smokes in Pandora’s hand as a method of limiting Ara’s intake. The blonde would not smoke them, even if everyone else seemed to now.
“Hello to you too, Lils.” Ara grinned, offering her cigarette over. The ginger seemed to mull it for a moment before quickly snatching it up and taking a relieved drag.
“He’s driving me mental.” Lily groaned, taking another quick puff before passing it back. “As are the shitty Slytherin prefects that refuse to do patrol with me.”
“Fuckers.” Ara bit out, anger flaring at the thought of her best friend being stuck with that prejudiced lot.
In the first week of the school year, Lily had broken down; confessing to a bitter summer of loneliness and Severus. Despite how he’d acted at the end of the last school year, the boy had clung to her all summer long. She’d cried as she spoke of relishing it. Between Petunia’s snobbery about her relationship with some oaf named Vernon, and her parents disappointment as they her mother held her crucifix pendant at the sight of her.
She’d screamed at the sky, cursing God for making her as he did. To be stuffed with magic and feelings she could never tell her parents about. And once her voice was hoarse and her chest was heaving, Ara and Pandora had wrapped their arms around her sides and pulled her in.
“It’s funny, I haven’t had to break up any fights between you and some Slytherin yet this year.” Lily remarked, motioning for Ara to pass the cigarette.
“Killian is Headboy.” Pandora spoke proudly - her relationship with her Rosier cousins steadily improving as they went through school together.
“Did he do this?” Ara gawked. “Cause I’ve been my usual self and no bugger from Slytherin will even come close. I know I said I’d be less violent, but I really didn’t expect the ease.”
“It’s against orders.” Pandora confirmed.
“At least this year should be quieter.” Lily smiled, shooting Ara a pointed glance.
“I know, I know.” She rolled her eyes. “Reg and Petey both gave me talks about my fighting. I know, alright? I’m too abrasive.”
“You always have been.” Pandora pointed out, a knowing in those blue eyes. They may not have discussed the details of Ara’s dreams, but she knew… she just knew that Pandora was aware of Hermione. Of the Hermione that punched a Slytherin and hexed a girl with boils on her forehead.
It seemed that no matter the time, Ara Hermione Black would always be a bit too vengeful.
Lily accepted the cigarette again, taking a speedy drag as she checked her wristwatch and frowned.
“I’ve got patrol with Mary.” She kissed them both on the cheek, cigarette back between Ara’s fingers as she fled from the balcony.
“Give her our love.”Ara called after her friend; a shared laugh with Pandora at her hurrying. The blonde wrapped an arm around her shoulders; head leant against her with a soft sigh.
“Are the clouds darkening?” She whispered, eyes fixed on the setting sun as it glittered in waves of pink and orange - coating the grounds below as though they were burning. The sky was clear and bright.
“I think so.” The other witch replied with a soft sigh, eyes closed as she breathed in smoke and crisp air. Practiced at understanding Pandora’s coded speaking. “Can you feel it too?”
Oh, how strongly she felt it. Since that day at the Potter Manor, mind wretched free of charms as Dorea had sliced the bracelet from her wrist. It had burned a circle on the elder witch’s palm. Burned a matching one around Ara’s wrist, too. And, well, if that didn’t feel like a warning.
“The world is quaking, so slight and so gentle.”
The forest was almost glowing; trees like tuffs of fluff in the distance, lit multicolour by the sky. The lake, a reflection of above, and sparkling extraordinarily.
“I have an awful feeling about this summer, Panda.” Ara breathed, leaning against her friend. Not voicing what she could not bear to say. That, this summer, she feared there would be consequences. That in only months, she was set for something terrible.
“Me too.” She shuddered.
——
31st September 1975
“We’ve finished the map!” Sirius grinned, rushing onto the Gryffindor balcony to show it to Ara.
Since the last lot of seventh years had graduated, there had been a scramble amongst the elder years for which group would get first rights to the space that year. Which little crew of Gryffindors would be able to boot whichever youngsters out for their own space.
A scramble which Ara had won quite spectacularly after she’d hexed the Prewetts’ hair purple like hers and given Longbottom’s group piggy tails after they’d tried to camp out in the space.
No one dared to go against Ara Black, especially when her wand and her smoking habits came into play.
Most evenings she enjoyed a cigarette with a flick through the paper after escaping Lily’s OWLs prepping in the library. The news was more dour by the day; each littered by ads taken out by members of disappeared witches and wizards. Something was beginning, in the background of wizarding society. Quiet but certainly dangerous.
“Did the books help?” She asked, snatching the parchment to scan it with a wide smile - spying Petey’s stylings in the sketched walls and splotchy footprints.
There, on the balcony, she spied hers and her brother’s names. Scatters of Gryffindors in the Common Room behind that upon a quick glance she could confirm were indeed there.
In the Hufflepuff Common Room she spied her youngest brother’s name by his two best friends. Lily was walking down a corridor beside Mary MacDonald - the pair on patrol. Pandora was in the kitchens with Evan and Killian, likely having a secret Rosier cousin meeting (probably about her, knowing the three). Her Marauders were in the dorms, their footsteps moving in little patterns.
“What do you think?”
Ara’s eyes shot to her brother’s with great amusement.
“Isn’t it dangerous to have this kind of information so easily readable?” Ara pondered, though her lips twitched upwards.
“Already thought of.” Sirius tapped the paper with his wand. “Mischief managed.”
With those words, the design faded away until only blank parchment remained.
“Wicked.” Ara breathed. “What’s the password?”
“You’ll love it. I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” With those words, the front bled to life, words appearing across the fold.
‘Messers and Madame Marauders proudly present their Marauding Map.’
“Could be punchier.” Ara critiqued.
“We need code names for it, but only you’ve got one.” He admitted.
“We’ll figure it out later.” She shrugged. “We’ve got nothing but time, after all.”
She watched the map again. Footprints of two prefects nearing the Common Room; Longbottom and his patrol partner making their way to the entrance.
Her head shot up in time to see them enter through the portrait hole - two blond boys of eerily similar build and height.
Frank Longbottom was a lovely boy with a lovely face. A decent Quidditch player and polite as anything. But if his looks could be considered sweet, then the boy with him was something else. A different league of looks entirely.
Tucker Clearwater was simply beautiful. Much like his sister in their pale blondness - pin-straight hair and pixie smiles. A Ravenclaw, though that hardly stopped him walking into the Gryffindor Common Room as though he was meant to be there. A nervous glint to his eyes, certainly, but with strong shoulders and a confident smile as Frank clapped his back and pointed to the balcony.
With a frown, Ara turned to look, half-expecting someone else to be stood behind her and Sirius.
And yet, Tucker Clearwater wasn’t looking behind her. No, his eyes were focused on hers. Full of brightness as he nodded to his friend and straightened his shirt, walking her way.
“Hello.” He spoke as he stepped onto the stoop.
“Hello.” She replied softly, brow slightly furrowed as she tried to puzzle out what he was there for. “How was patrol?” He smiled wider at that, clearly glad for her casual demeanour.
“Shorter than expected thanks to your mates. Evans and MacDonald offered to finish our route so I could…” The boy laughed, hand on the back of his neck. “I was wondering if you might like to go to Hogsmeade with me?”
“That’d be lovely.” She smiled, eyes wide.
“Wonderful.” Tucker Clearwater nodded to himself, blushing lightly. “I’ll meet you by the entrance to the Great Hall on Saturday then?”
“Ten o’clock.” Ara replied with a smile, almost laughing as he spun on his heels and sped away - as though fearful if he stayed any longer she might change her mind.
Her eyes stayed fixed on him as he waltzed away, long enough to catch as he turned, just before the portrait hole to spy her once more. A pleased glint caught in the blue as he nodded her way, lips twitching upwards, and promptly disappeared from view.
Only then did she remember that the entire exchange had an audience.
Worse than that.
Her twin was still stood right beside her with a look of utter shock.
Him? Really? Sirius raised a brow, disbelief clear on his face.
I have no dreams of him or his future child being cruel. And his sister isn’t too bad, either, Ara shrugged, willing her cheeks not to flush.
Whatever you say.
Oh, bite me.