✧UNDERSTANDING THE RANKS✧

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Weeks had passed, and while Rabastan had tried to seek Aria out for another conversation—To make amends for the last. He realized she had too much on her plate than his silly need to talk to her, he felt irrelevant in her life now.

Had they still be dating then yes, but now his only connections was through McNair as they were partnered this time around.

Merlin was Aria thankful for it.

She happened to like McNair, he was witty and at least better than Avery and the lot of them. So working with him was fine, what wasn't, was the fact that Rabastan had keen eyes on what they were doing.

Especially in the library as of yet.

"Merlin, it's like he's on the prowl to make sure you're not snogging me."
"Shh! If he bloody hears that type of talk I might as well use my own tie as a noose."
"Relax, honestly he could tone down with this inferiority complex."
"Er. That's not how this works hun."
"Come again?" McNair sighed and took out a fresh paper and wrote down a list of names.

"What's this?"
"The inferiority complex. See how Black is on the top, then the Malfoy's—Though that might change if Bellatrix has a babe before Narcissa." Aria looked in a mess of confusion and it caused him to groan further.

"Bellatrix is Bas' sister in law."
"Oh, Bella...Yeah I knew that."
"Right, and Narcissa is her sister." An understanding washed over.
"I think I met her, at that party in July...She gave me a glass of wine." McNair nodded, explaining that two Black daughters had married into other families because they were witches.

"Is that why Rabastan hates Sirius?"
"That and he thinks you two are shagging. Come on Ari, I don't believe it for a minute. I didn't think you were shagging Proctor when you went to America last year for a few days." Aria's eyes widened as McNair had told her something that should've probably died along time ago.

"Yeah well, he was shagging it up with Claudette long before then anyway."
"R-right...Well see how I'm towards the bottom of the list?" Aria took hold of the list again, noticing a few names that registered as Alumni students. But then her attention flickered back up to McNair.

"I'm lucky I can be friends with 'Bas, if I was a year younger we wouldn't be friends."
"Is that how it works?"
"Well yeah, I'm not high enough rank. The only reason I am friends with him is because my father works with his a few times and we're the same age."
"Why do you count yourself so short McNair? And perhaps I am overstepping a bit, but Rabastan does value your friendship than just an arrangement." It was strange to have all these names categorized into fine little chucks, but it was clear that neither Avery or McNair were close in range to stand against Lestrange.

"So if you were a Black son..."
"Then I'd be considered higher rank. 'Bas is the one who grew up with Sirius and Regulus. That's why Reg has such a smart mouth, 'Bas can't do anything to him without Mr.Black coming after Lestrange." So it was true then...Orion would probably kill Rabastan if he ever heard what happened.

Before and during their relationship it'd seem.

"How do families fall down?"
"Guess rumors run amuck, lose money, wrong someone, gets killed. The works. Funny thing is, my father told me that snakes are on the top though. Always have and always will be."
"Yeah, cause birds play it smarter."
"Exactly that, but I'm sure Alfred Black would agree with you on that notion. He was a Ravenclaw I believe. Never married too." Aria rolled her eyes and returned back to her paper.

"Sounds like Sirius."
"Yeah, that's what I'm betting on as well." The Ravenclaw hadn't looked up from her worksheet for awhile, but she certainly did feel his eyes on her. And she turned up for a moment and sighed.

"Hm?"
"Perhaps it's not my place to say this..."
"Oh that's always a fun way to start."
"But if you wanted to find your parents, it wouldn't be that hard on my end. I don't have other families breathing down my neck at every single thing I'm doing." Aria had stopped writing at the single clause of McNair's offer.

"Did he put you up to this?"
"No. I'm asking because I do consider you a friend. Even if you and Bas aren't together anymore." She let out a soft smile after a painstaking intake of his words.

"Well that's why you get rice and Avery doesn't." He chuckled, but started to reiterate the given notion of finding her parents. "McNair, if I wanted to find my parents now I would've done so. I could've asked the sorting hat when he said I had the wrong name." He was dumbfounded at the idea that she didn't already, but the truth in the matter was...She did.

And she was scared of the results of her curiosity.

"Couldn't you ask Dumbledore to search for your parents?"
"You think I trust Dumbledore?" McNair leaned back in his chair with a smirk on his face while crossing his arms.

"I'll be—Someone else doesn't trust the bloke?"
"Call me bitter, but he's not my biggest fan and I'm not his."
"Why's that?"
"That's private and a bit gritty, but let's leave it at the fact he wanted me to stay at the Orphanage." His expression faltered as he gawked at her.

"He's sick in the head."
"Oh dad had a few things to say to him. And I've kept to my side of the castle and the headmaster is in his corner. But I do agree that the Gryffindors get a free pass with their utter nonsense. Perhaps that's the only thing I agree with you and your clan." McNair tried to play it off, he truly did. But the second Aira's chin connected to her proped up elbow—He was done for.

"Oh come darling, you must get better at holding your thoughts in order."
"How much did Bas tell you?"
"None. But thank you for the confirmation." The Slytherin groaned as he started rubbing her palm to his forehead.

"You know I get lectured and interrogated every study session I have with you, right?"
"Grand, why don't I throw in the fact that Proctor might be staying the summer here in Britain."
"Gods, you are the devil." McNair teased, and a slam of a book settled the difference as either upper-year to see a rather fired up Hufflepuff.

"You don't call her a devil, snake."
"Easy does it now Badger." Aria cooed up to the boy and pulled him in the chair, running a calming hand through his hair and whispering to take a deep breath.

"Why don't you get the charms encyclopedia, McNair won't mind if you sit with us. Will you?" The bloke was already neck-deep in shite, perhaps this was his saving grace.

At least then Rabastan knew they couldn't talk about anything private when the Hufflepuff was around.

"He's adorable." Aria had taken that as a compliment, and she turned around to see the little lad look at the books in search of the encyclopedia in question.

"Can I ask for a bit of advice?"
"Course."
"He...He called me mum." McNair's eyes widened, his lips parted and he could breath. Sweet bloody fuck, how long has she been keeping that in?!

"And did that make you feel happy or—"
"Happy? Merlin I'm seven years older than him, I took care of most of the lil ones when we were growing up. Don't think meant to say directly to me, but—"
"Aria he sees you as a mother figure, he's known you for most of his life it sounds like. What do you plan to do when you've graduated?" She bit her lip as as she tried to think of a reasonable response, but who was she kidding.

"I want to be his guardian."
"Well that's it then, I think it's rather adorable. And you know what's better, it makes that bloke off behind me enraged the badger is so protective of you."
"He's a softie." McNair offered his hand up and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes well, I'm sure 'Bas told you about 'my being a devil' when I was growing up, cause of my hair?" McNair shook his head, but it wasn't all that surprising if he truly thought about it.

"Hm. So refrain from that, he's triggered by it."
"Noted, and I'm sorry that I—"
"You didn't know." She simply smiled in reassurance, but across the ways, Rabastan curled his fist that it was turning white.

Issuing Avery to turn around a smirk to either Aria or McNair.

"Should I leave the dorm room for you two to sort out your differences?"
"No, I need you to hold me back," Rabastan said through gritted teeth, why was it so hard for him to get it passed his thick skull to think that they were just talking.

That McNair could make her laugh without any harm done to their friendship?

"Mate, you gotta cut this out."
"Shove it Avery, until you get what it—"
"Don't start with that shite, you think I like Harper flaunting herself to every available cock in this school? Because I don't! I want to be the only one she looks at, and I'm sorry you made the wrong choice. But get. Over. It. You did that to her, and you have to live with it."

"Who's bloody side are you on?"

"And who's still obsessing over a gal that wants nothing to do with you, Bas...It's getting strange. They're working on a project, he's not snogging her and she wouldn't do that to her America lad. You lost a real gal, she's not a Harper, she wasn't a Barns and she certainly wasn't a Claudette." Avery hadn't waited another second before taking his things and removing himself from the line of fire. Leaving Regulus shocked as well as Rabastan, if he was enraged then it must be a broken record...

And either of them had enough of his nonsense about moping.

*

With everything going on, Aria had an epiphany. Was it the reoccurring dream of Rabastan and Aidan that was causing her to panic? Yes.

Was it the whole Sirius and Regulus being her brother making it difficult to withhold a single breath about it starting to get her? Yes.

But here she was, holding a book her arms and a mission as she approach Sirius with a pleading look. Making him instantly halt his conversation and walk towards her from his mates. "Everything alright?"
"I need your help with something."
"I don't know how well versed I am with potions to help you Ari, but I'll give it a go?"
"You're adorable, no this is something else." He narrowed his brows down to the book she was holding, and small smile crept up.

"You want to learn?"
"I was reading that it's very easy to communicate telepathically if we're already animagius'. I thought it would be a brilliant thing to learn."
"Yeah, can pass me notes on the exam without the notes." Aria rolled her eyes, but the two made relatively good progress in the timespan of a few days.

It was a challenge, and as of yet it relied heavily on Aria's legitimace ability rather than their ability to shift into a creature. But once the twins started to get a handle on it better, something clicked.

And that click prompted an owl to Orion.

Was it dumb to ask about a memory about a willow tree surrounded by a garden? Yes it was insanely damning, but she was rather nervous in asking Reg or Siri about these spikes in memory. She didn't want them feeling guilty anymore than they already were.

What was worse was that she wasn't prepared for such a quick response from Orion, and while he was sweet—She wanted him to get straight to the point.

Not mask it with a bit of an apology, and an invitation to Easter dinner or the reminder that Walburga was off in Germany that she could visit anytime.

Actually, perhaps that was a good idea. Although the Crawford were adamant about her going to be anywhere near the Black family, it was Chrissy who understood better than anyone that Aria would want closure to that unknown chapter to her life.

The only issue is, that it wasn't that unknown anymore.

And what was even worse was that she remembered prime things about the childhood she had with Rabastan, sure Orion and Alffie could laugh and tease all the live long day. But it hurt worse to know that her friend—One she somehow managed to get back in touch with and have a relationship with—Fell apart on his account.

Aria was rereading the parcel just now as she was walking to class, and of course to rectify the situation, Orion added photographs. She never thought about how young both she and Rabastan were, but it was clear that they were good friends.

And while her soul ate up every word and detail, her heart was tearing piece by piece.

"We must stop running into each other like this Aria." Rabastan teased, having gotten the prime anger out he was starting to listen to his roommates more about the case of Aria. It seemed to relax him quiet a bit all things considering, but sometimes the instance of wanting to talk to her or seek her out became more apparent.

"Why yes, it seems like such a convince that we have the same NEWT classes Rabastan. Shocker." She said with in the same teasing voice, though it was clear something was bother her. Especially when the parcel she held to her chest turned out of his view.

The last thing she needed was for him to find out.

"Would you humor me darling?"
"Depends. What does humoring you involve me doing?" It was clear he was interested in reading whatever it was that she was reading, so she tucked it off and away before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Could we talk? Not this, a sit down full—"
"Rabastan even if we did talk, there is still no changing what happened."
"But you said we could attempt a friendship." She had the back of her thumb massage her brow before a sigh escaped.

"A friendship down the road is what I said, we're not down that road."
"Is it Proctor?"
"Aidan has nothing to do with my decision, he's—"
"No. The parcel, you looked like you were going to rip it to shreds." She shrugged her shoulders and nodded.

"I didn't want to hear what they wrote." "Is it your father?" Aria turned up to him completely bewildered, how did he know?

"My father? No...It's...Nobody important I guess." That was a lie. "Would you have told me...? If the summer had gone on as we planned?" It was as if every time she spoke with him he brought up the mistake he had made, but if he was asking that meant he wanted honesty. So she nodded, even though his face dropped immensely.

"Is it money problems? Ari I would help you if—"
"I have my own funds Rabastan, I don't want your money." He gritted his teeth and scoffed to the side. "You don't need it or you don't want it, there's two separate—"
"I'm not arguing with you Rabastan, I don't need your help and if I needed money I would take out a loan. Like I did with the academy. I didn't accept your money when you offered when we were dating and I won't now."

"Do you take Proctor's money?" Her face flashed in a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Yeah...Because I'm a whore who's out for money is that it? Is that what you want to hear?"
"N-no Ari I didn't mean it like that...It came out wrong that—" Another figure had managed to creep up on the conversation, clearing their voice to alert them but it was the death glare that Rabastan was receiving from Sirius.

"Aria? Are you alright love?" She wiped her eye and nodded her head before turning towards Rabastan and hurrying off. Why was it that he could never find a balance in their relationship anymore?

That he would always push Proctor into the conversation?

"She doesn't need this right now."
"And you know what she needs?" Sirius smirked and nodded right away.
"Of course, shagging buddies always need to know the other ones health. Mentally and physi—" Rabastan had tried to take a swing at Black but missed terribly, the Gryffindor wasn't going to let him get an easy target.

"Kidding. Hundred percent she's not my type, though anything I say is probably ignored because you have your own spin on it. Good day Lestrange." From there Sirius sat beside Aria for the rest of the week, expect for potions where McNair was still her partner.

Aria hadn't bothered to look off in the Slytherin's direction, nor taken the passed note he so pathetically sent.

"Merlin Ari, he's got it bad if he's still on your tail."
"D-did you just make a cat joke? Sirius you absolute mutt!" The cheesy jokes could be passed back and forth, however it was clear that she was stressing about an exam.

And after potions she remained in her seat for a moment. "You alright, Crawford?" McNair issued, and she tried to smile polity but she shrugged. "I getting an exam back today—Suppose to be 25% of our final grade."

"Oof, suppose there's no extra credit at that level then huh?" She shook her head and remained seated.

"You gonna be alright hun?"
"Yeah. Thanks McNair." He grinned widely, however he hadn't noticed Sirius off behind him and nodded before moving along.

And for once, Rabastan hadn't interrogated him—Making McNair suspicious, personally he wish he did. Cause Aria looked like a flown blown mess as she had fidgeted with her quill and hardly taken any notes.

Hell she hadn't spoken much the entire class! Not even one joke or tease!

Sirius was kind though, he walked Aria to the entrance before she was set off school grounds. Though it was an utter pain as she managed to get early and still have time to sit around in a pit of agony.

"I'll be happy with half credit...I'll be happy with half credit." She whispered in a sense of a matra, the exam had been brutal. A three hour practical and she still felt nauseous from the fumes it produced, it was fowl even under the masks.

She tried to keep her standards low, it was a very rough week to get through if she was being honest. Especially when McGonagal had collected the study guides for the NEWTS and Aria couldn't help herself but run through it.

That precious time she should've been studying for another test, and even now it was making her head spin.

When she finally arrived to class, the glum faces around them were rather contagious. Everyone was horrified to get their results, and while everyone was paying for their tuition and this was one of the many needed to follow the course—And personally this was one of the damning and stressful classes to get through.

And Aria had something to prove, not just by her age. But her gender.

Their professor walked down the rows and settled himself at the head of the class, leaning against his desk and crossing his arms.

"Merlin can he be anymore menacing?" Aria heard from the whispers of her classmates, and she bit her lip to hold back her smile. Was there always a James and Sirius in any class she attended?

"I've taught this class for fifteen years, and in those fifteen years I haven't had this type of outcome on this exam." Aria was on the verge of tears, and she wasn't the only one.

Quarter percentage was a make or break moment, she could lose her scholarship, it could—

"What'd you get?" Zane questioned, and she saw both Monty and Felix turning to look at their partner to compare their score. How could she have missed the professor passing it back?

Turning it around caused her to sigh in utter relief and she placed her head on the desk before her. "Ari?"
"I need a minute." It felt like a migraine was just going to return in thinking about the massive amount of stress this damn results had.

It wasn't a perfect score, she doubted anyone had it. But she would take an 89% in full fledge acceptance. Zane had grown impatience and knocked it away and laughed.

"Got one point on you Monty!" The blokes were being ruthless, most were after a test as some shared their outrage or asking to go over the questions. But Aria simply remained still and didn't ask any questions.

"Ms.Crawford? Are you alright?" It was clear that her professor was waiting for her to ask a question, but truthfully the girl simply wanted a nap. She had been up the previous night trying to make up for passed due dates that she couldn't fathom much else.

And to be fair, most of what she had gotten wrong had been covered by previous students so she shook her head.

"Bet she failed it, good for nothing witch—"
"Mr.Dolcmas, that 'good for nothing witch' got the second-highest grade in this class. Perhaps double your own score, leave her alone and I won't be asking again." Aria had gone unphased by the behavior, this wasn't the first professor who had to stand up for Aria in terms of being shunned or questioned.

"What?!" Aria's shoulders sunk further as now the attention was on her, for once she wished she did worse.

"Ari—"
"It's fine." She whispered back towards Zane, and while she spoke she already felt the uncontrollable set of tears starting to form in her eyes.

When class was over she was the butt end of a few glares, why did she feel so guilty? Her hard work seemed to make others angry, and this class wasn't the first instance of it.

Monty turned and offered a kind smile and leaned in beside her. "Come on hun, why don't we go out? Drinks on me."
"I don't really drink..." She mumbled, while Zane was working on getting her workbook into her satchel.

"Rubbish, you're going Ari. One drink." She snapped her lips shut as she found herself walking back to her dorm to get changed.

Where were they even planning to go? What was she suppose to wear?

Taking her pair of jeans a jacket that might've been the influence of Sirius and Aidan—Especially when her hair turned into such fun and vibrant colors.

As she was pulling her hair into a pony tail, her mouth holding a few pins did she hear the door knock. "It's open!"

"Merlin Ari, you really need to lock this." Zane chimmed, but Monty hurried inside with a bustle of good news and an answer to her previous thoughts.

They were going to a new muggle bar and grill, which sounded exactly up her alley. But in the case of muggles, she already redefined her hair to have an ombre of silver. Especially if she had any consultation as to where this night was going to go anyway.

While the gents were teasing and laughing, a small smile creeped up on her when Felix held open the door for her and they settled up to a table.

"Round of beers and those fried chips please." Monty said quick to order for the table, and Aria frowned. "She didn't ask for my ID?"

"It's university hours, all legals here. And dressed like that hun you look—" She narrowed her eyes towards Victor in a daring sense.

"Scary when you look like that Ari." She tilted her head to the side in victory but shrugged.

"It's the jacket." It hadn't been that long until their drinks came, and a happy cheer had erupted as they all clinked their steins together.

"Hell were we worried about on that damn thing anyhow?" Zane chuckled, and that's when Aria rose a brow. "Believe that's my fault, but hey! A quarter of a grade is bloody bonkers." They agreed, and laughed and drank.

And Aria was a hiccuping mess, which caused Zane to stay the night in her dorm room to make sure she was alright. Which left Aria downright hungover as she returned back to Hogwarts with sunglasses over her eyes and her hair in a bun.

Was she in last night's clothes? Yes. So when Rabastan and a crowd of her grade had caught sight of her. McNair received a nudge and the bloke huffed.

"You think she's hungover?"
"Dunno if that means she did alright on her exam or not." With Crawford having ignored his presence at every turn, he hadn't even been blessed with a glance.

However now she was in a mess of feeling regret from less night and drinking a little bit too much. And the drink Monty spilled on her was loud against her perfume.

"Oi! Crawford! How was the exam?" She instantly flinched at the sound.

"Gods McNair, must you yell?" Rabastan chuckled, she was indeed hungover.

"My apologies, how was it?"

"Great. Managed an Eighty-Nine percent, second highest in the class. I'm in the clear." She said, though she hadn't taken off the shades and it gave Rabastan an insight look of what Aria would usually wear in the states.

He had to admit, he was starting to like the way her arse looked in those tight jeans.

"And the shades? You look like you're about to join a band." She snorted and took off her glasses, clearly her makeup she wore the previous night had been smirked just a tad and her eyes looked slightly puff.

"No, I'm just thoroughly hungover." Rabastan couldn't help himself but chuckle at how carefree she sounded, damnit the witch looked downright ready to tackle the world. And while he's never seen much of a muggle style, seeing her wand in the leather vest was a clear indication of the difference between himself and her.

He was sure he was going to get a scolding, but her smile was too contagious—As it has been for the rest of the day.

Only making Harper and Izzy's demeanors dwindle further, they thrived at Aria's falls and declined as she rose. She was the Ravenclaw everyone adored, something that the two of them could just never make sense of.

Even when she was finally deemed an Orphan, or Slughorn's protege. Most of the school's population only took into account the things the girl did otherwise—Like when Randall came to visit ghost, or the break up between Lestrange and her.

Which gave the two a rather brilliant idea.

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Date Posted: 08-13-2020

Time: 9:45

Words: 4556

Those two are making moves some moves👀👀