✧TROUBLE WITH GHOSTS P.2✧

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"Come on Ari, let me walk you back to your common room." It was clear that she hesitated, it was hard to know that Isabella and Amelia being her neighbors, made it impossible to really feel safe in returning to her dorm rooms.

"Ms.Harper is in the infirmary and Ms.Lowe will be joining her as she's been given something sleep for her hurt shoulder...They will not be bothering you." Aria highly doubted that, and thus she nodded to Remus and Lily to escort her back to the enchanted eagle.

The calming tea was running through Aira's veins, making either Gryffindor hold her right side up as they made their way slowly down the hall.

"Write when you get settled in America yeah? So we know everything's okay?" Aria smiled slightly, but her emotions weren't all that affected so it wasn't the best of a smile.

"What is in seasons, seconds, centuries and minutes but not in decades, years or days?" The beautiful Eagle spoke, and either Gryffindor looked to one another in confusion.

They weren't used a common room door not just having a password and then being done with it. Instead it was this elaborate riddle.

But then again, it was the Ravenclaw common room.

"Er...It's all measures of time, but it—Urg, it doesn't make a lick of sense." Remus groaned, while Lily was about to bloody solve the damn thing if it was the last thing she'd ever do.

"It's the letter N," Aria mumbled, and the Eagle fluffed its feathers before allowing entry into the bird's nest.

Complete fear wracked both Liv and Clem as they took over Lily and Remus' job by setting her up in her dorm room and going so far as to pack for her trip home tomorrow...While Aria was in enraptured by the comfort of her bed and retold the story as it was.

Either Ravenclaw were outraged, and they'd surely have to be more careful in the coming few weeks after they return from Easter break.

"I just want a normal year...McGonagall promised this wouldn't affect my adoption papers but she can't control if it does or doesn't." Olivia sat down and soothed her worried friend, but there wasn't much anyone could tell her.

She needed to hear it from a lawyer or Eli himself.

Clementine was so readily exhausted and had another two days of school to get through so she decided to head to bed early, and Olivia was still in need of getting loads of her own studies done.

Which meant that the silence drew in not that long after.

Grabbing a thicker jumper and throwing it over her head did she hug the material closer to her body and pulled up her slipper boots. But in looking at her nightstand did she catch the small photograph she had taken today.

Had Rabastan not taken it? Or did he put it in her satchel for safekeeping?

Whatever it was called for Aria to make a duplicate and write a quick parcel to Rabastan...Merlin he must be worried sick!

___

Raba,

I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to reach out sooner, Professor McGonagall gave me some calming tea and I've been trying to explain the situation to Clem and Liv. I'm afraid they're looking at the possibility of expulsion, or that might just be Barn's punishment.

Unfortunately they sent a parcel home and now I'll have to explain the entire situation to my parents, hopefully it won't end poorly like the last time.

I did notice you left this in my bag, I've made a copy so we both could have one.

If I don't see you tomorrow before I leave, please have a good Easter holiday. Goodnight:)

-Kitten

____

Aria had offered the parcel to Onyx and opened the window just a smidge for the owl to hurry out and complete the order. Which hadn't taken all that much time considering Rabastan and his mates were discussing just that.

Avery asked countless questions, and the most Rabastan knew was that it was all a setup and that Amelia had been a right fowl whore for using Avery to get at Aria.

How else would she have learned so much about Rabastan and Aria? It wasn't through Aria and it certainly wasn't through the grapevine as there wasn't much to give.

Especially to know about Ghost?

"Is she alright?"
"Yeah, they sent an owl to her parents..." Avery shoulder's slumped further, he felt rightly defeated in having aided Harper with even the littlest of information.

"You gonna go see her?" 
"Nah, she said goodnight, so I'm assuming she's off to bed...And she's leaving tomorrow." Rabastan groaned as he too was now settled on his own bed. Today had not gone as planned in any regard, nor was he happy with the sudden shift in character of Aria...What had gotten her so worked up?

Was it the blood?
Sure he knew that witches were sometimes nervous when it came to that, but this was the same witch who would slice Beatles apart for fun if it was needed for an experiment.

No, it couldn't have been the blood, but perhaps it was just the overall shock of the situation...Or perhaps it was her parents?

"Ever hear anything about Aria's step-father?" 
"No, doubt Harper ever knew much to begin with. Bloody awful, I'm sorry bas'...Could you tell Roswell too, that I'm sorry?" Rabastan nodded having propped up the picture on his chest as he smiled to it.

Simply living for how she smiled just before kissing him, it was so spontaneous that he realized he needed more pictures. Of him and Aria—Or just of Aria.

"If I see her before she leaves...Doubt she's having breakfast now." In record of all of this, Aria had moved her location to the Astronomy tower. There were no classes this week since the rest of the school was going on Holiday as well in a few days, so what was truly the point in starting another project?

Instead she held the blanket over her shoulders tightly and allowed the tears to stream down her face so violently that it was hard not to shake.

It hadn't been that long since she sent the letter to Rabastan, but he sent one in response—And Blaze was inventive after seeing his favorite human so distressed. Not only did he ignore giving her the parcel, but he fluttered his feathers to get all the more close. Pulling out his best tricks and looked utterly presentable that a giggle escaped her throat without contest, making it raspy and perhaps even a little demon-like.

But the bird had done well and earned a very steady chin rub.

"Keep me company will you?" She asked, and it was all that the bird needed as he came closer and nuzzled slightly under the blanket as Aria was fairly close to the edge, hidden behind the telescope incase someone were to come...

Blaze cooed at the initial blast of warmth that the blanket was providing Aria, but in the fit of Aria's emotions, she could clearly hear the thoughts that the beautiful male was conjuring up in front of her.

"You gonna go see her?" It had been a small voice, but it was definitely not her own. Had that been Avery?

"Nah, she said goodnight, so I'm assuming she's off to bed. And she's leaving tomorrow." Now that was surely Rabastan, having heard his aggravation caused her to close her eyes and relish in how he had most likely reacted to her parcel.

"I'm sorry darling, I'm not in control of it...And it's worse when I'm like this." She apologized, and in compensation she continued to brush through his silk-like feathers.

Aria thought it best to distill the silence and started to sing ever so softly into the night, and Blaze surely enjoyed the therapeutic sounds coming from his favorite human, allowing him to sway his figure back in forth.

Sirius had heard what happened as Moony had come up in a brooding mess, and since the full moon had already passed this month there could only be a few things that could make his best mate act like this.

Grades.

Lack of chocolate.

And Aria Roswell.

Usually not in that order, as Remus was usually a positive person. But as Sirius had opened his mouth for a moment, Remus paused him with a catching glare.

"Check the map for me and see where Lowe, Harper and Barns are." Sirius hadn't managed to categorize his thoughts into a question and simply did what he was told.

"They're in the infirmary...Dumbledore is there, and so is McGonagall and Flitwick. What happened?" 
"They're up to no good is what—Merlin Pads you should've seen her, I-I thought it happened again, I thought Lestrange hurt her and she..." Sirius turned his head up from the map and realized what was being said, just not in so many words.

"So what happened then?" 
"They made it look like Aria had her Hippogriff attack them, but McGonagal knows better..." Remus had sat down in the center of his bed his hands running a stressful hand through his hair.

Merlin what would he do if he found out Aria knew he is a werewolf...?

"Aria wouldn't hurt anyone," Sirius mumbled in defense as well, his eyes trained on where Aria was headed. And sure enough she was just making her way up to the Astronomy tower, though he couldn't imagine how she was feeling at the moment.

Overwhelmed wouldn't cover it if his best mate was responding like this.

"She barely says a swear when she's angry! Let alone speak up and defend herself! And her fuckin' boyfriend didn't even do anything! He wasn't there!" Remus had meant that Rabastan wasn't present to when McGonagall brought the Ravenclaw into her study, but in relation to it all, Sirius turned to see that the bloke was in his dorm room with the rest of them.

Sirius had watched Moony try to drown himself in assignments rather than think about what he had witnessed. It was making Black even more unnerved than he was prior. Not only did he not want to go home this Holiday, but he didn't want his best mate to feel awful either.

Or Aria.

His feeling for Aria didn't waver after she told him to piss off, there was this part of him...Perhaps it was the animagius in him and the aid he wanted to give to Remus on being protective over her.

But she was not having the smoothest year at all.

Rising up from his bed did he get his jumper and try to get himself prepared as he too managed a bullshit excuse with the map and blanket.

Though up in the Astronomy tower he was welcomed by a familiar smell and the onset of light sniffles.

She was surely going to tear herself apart.

Yet seeing the puff of air admit into the air he confirmed his first suspicion. She was smoking.

"Sweet Merlin Ari..." He whispered out in defeat, but then in listening in further he could clearly hear the small song she was humming and mumbling through. But it was off-key as her tears and inhaling breath would make the song patchy and longer than it probably was meant to be.

But anything to get her through this rut was enough for him.

"Roswell?" He expected her to scramble to her feet, rush an apology and leave—Meaning he'd have to chase after her, but all she rightly did was turn over her shoulder and nod.

"Find me on that map of yours?... Never did ask whose idea it was." She whispered out, but it was clear that her voice was raspy from it all and thus...He took that as a sign to come closer.

"I don't want company."
"Yeah well, after Moony came in huffing and puffing—" 
"No wolf jokes around me Sirius, that's sick." It was, it made her stomach churn to hear the amount they teased him about it, but nothing was considered a teasing matter.

"Right...He didn't share much of it, Prongs and Wormtail should be coming up in a bit and—I just wanted to know if you're alright?" 

"Alright?...Alright?! What part is alright? The fact that these three are actively working to get me expelled?! That Remus thought I cut myself again?! That I have to go and explain this whole bloody mess to Eli again, and somehow convince the ministry that I'm not evil so I can finally get adopted?! What part is fine Sirius? Tell me...What could possibly be alright?!" He shook his head, coming close to sit beside her.

It was a dumb question to ask but instead he allowed her to get the anger out in a healthy manner that everyone had simply forgot. When it was all out she took an inviting breath in of cool air before turning back to her cig.

In a explain of acceptance had she offered him the pack, and he was quick to take one for himself. Though he had a lighter on his person he took the offer ignition from Aria's small cupped hands.

Leaning back to the pillar and taking the starting puffs he smirked. "Feel better?" 
"Not really."

"Dumbledore will fix it Aria, he's—"
"What the bloody fuck is Dumbledore going to do? If it's any consultation Sirius, I don't trust him any bit either." That was a concerning notion, but instead she shook off the notion and allowed the silence to build.

But that was one thing Sirius could not handle. Quiet. It gave him an unsettling disturbance and thus he motioned to the cig in hand. "Where could I get some more of these?" 

"Hufflepuffs...They were for Aidan but he shouldn't be smoking any more than I am." Sirius nodded his hand but didn't mind inhaling.

Aria knew he smokes, it fit the persona he was going for with the leather jacket. She wouldn't be surprised if he woke up with the idea of piercing his ears, which caused her to smile.

"Think of something funny birdie?" 
"My guy friend in America got his ears pierced, it'll fit your biker ascetic."
"Yeah? Sure I can manage that this Holiday." She beamed in a smile, but ended up wiping the tears aside again.

However in looking at him shiver, she sighed, opening her arm did she offer the spot beside her. For him to get under the blanket with her, but he chuckled—High emphasis of his shoulders jumping up.

"Aren't you dating Lestrange?"

"It's not shagging Black, it's sharing a blanket. You realize I've shared hotel rooms with a few wizards right?" 
"Why?" He questioned, moving close and under the said blanket...Though completely mindful of the owl that she had been hiding.

"We were traveling together. We're broke witches and wizards, we get farther if we split the costs." He nodded his head, though he embraced the warmth of the blanket that she charmed it to be.

Causing her to smile again.

"Oh no Siri, this is quite scandalous...Wouldn't you say?"
"Shove it Aria." She giggled into her next inhale, but it was interrupted by Sirius' question.

Causing to erupt into a fit of coughs.

You're getting adopted?

"Well I've always been in the process, sure Remus told you that?"
"To be honest I don't know much about you Roswell." 
"Then Remus is a sweet boy. Eli isn't my father...Yet." Sirius nodded, it was clear that she already saw the bloke as her father, but why did it take so long?

What happened to her parents?

"I don't know much darling, but I can promise you that sitting up here alone won't solve anything." 
"What am I going to solve? I've relied on adults most of my life and I've already realized I can't really rely on them, not truly."
"Could say that again," Sirius grumbled in agreement, causing Aria to turn to him in confusion.

"Orion—Sorry, my father, is the biggest git on the planet...Actually, he's right next to Lestrange's father. How am I meant to choose my Hogwarts house? That's decided for me by the sorting hat." 
"We can't choose our house or parents...I'm sorry, but sometimes it's clear that Reg doesn't want to go home either." Sirius nodded, finally letting his smoke die out.

But now he was able to look at Aria as a whole, her hair was in its beautiful silver color. And although he thought she gorgeous, something inside him didn't act upon it.

Yet he categorized it as being loyal to Remus.

"He's fine at home, I just stay in my room."
"That's what I did last time, nobody likes the ugly Orphan ruining a wedding." 
"Is that what happened?"
"Here I have dirty blood that's been tainted and there I'm categorized as a Death Eater. Sometimes America can be so judgmental—It was the first time I was thrown with that label, the Crawfords were hiding it." Sirius' eyes widened, he hadn't realized that she dealt with even more prejudice off in the states...But then again he didn't know what he thought.

"Sorry darling, I know you're an Orphan...But who's—"
"Eli Crawford is the headmaster at Salem..." She chuckled as she flicked the cig off the Astronomy tower and watched the small ember fall down until it was out of sight.

"I responded to the acceptance letter with the final line of 'magic isn't real,' because it wasn't...Not to me and not then...He came within the next few days to take me away. I've rarely ever had to return." Sirius tried to think of ways a half-blood would be given to a muggle Orphanage and that caused Aria to smile.

"It wasn't until Salem that I realized it was strange that I don't have memories from when I was a child. And from the whispers, I was six when I arrived at the Orphanage...I was left there, Sirius. Eli thinks I'm a bastard child." 
"Y-you're a pureblood then?" Aria shrugged, it didn't mean she was suddenly categorized but he looked so damn sure that it broke her defiance of disgust.

"I don't know, but I'm probably more pureblood than half."
"That's...That's awful Aria, I'm sorry...I hadn't a clue that you—" 
"It's not like I made it public Siri." It almost sounded as though she was apologizing to him even though she hadn't a thing to apologize for.

"Aria?" A voice called out, and it caused either witch and wizard to turn in confusion to see who was coming up. And a kind smile erupted on Aria's, but a look of suspicion and hesitation flashed on Sirius.

What the hell was Regulus doing here?

"Hey Reg..." She greeted, but he knew that it was the onset or left of a breakdown. "I just...Well, you weren't at dinner so I went to the kitchens, Bas' thinks you're sleeping..." Regulus had been so invested with Aria that he hadn't noticed his brother was under the blanket beside her.

What were they—

"Regulus." The eldest greeted, only for the youngest to nod. "Sirius."

"Will you join us Reg?" Aria called, opening the other end of the flap. And it surprised the Gryffindor how quickly his Slytherin brother was to take that as an invitation to look out to the school grounds.

"I should be going—"
"No. Please stay Siri?" He had been in the process of getting up to his feet but was stopped by the sudden pout either of them gave. Though Regulus' was more to the side and hidden away than Aria's was.

"A-alright..." He gave in, far too quickly that he groan at his inability to deny Aria anything.

"Did you eat anything today?" Regulus said, and Aria shook her head. 

"I was fasting today, so I only had tea and some fruit...What time is it?" She questioned, causing either wizard to struggle to find their watch.

"Nine thirty-two." They said in unison, and it caused her to giggle as she took one of the mozzarella sticks from the small plater and nod. "Thanks Reggie." The boy's face had suddenly flared brightly as he let his head fall.

"Reggie...Oh I haven't heard that in a longggg time." 
"Cut it out Sirius."
"But Reggie I haven't even gotten to the good stuff." It was strange being in the center of someone else's sibling banter, but it wasn't new in any regard.

Whether it be Aidan with his sisters, Elizabeth with her siblings...Or even Aria's own siblings, she'd always feel slightly displace.

"Cut it out Sirius, it not nice to tease him...And that's mine."
"Uh, what do you think I called him when we were lads." 
"Sure that's fine, but did you paten it?"
"Er—"
"Then I paten it. I deem thee Reggie Black." She giggled while taking another bite of the offered food he had brought.

Regulus had turned to his brother in question and Sirius had simply done a motion to let him know that they smoked prior to his arrival. That much was clear, but perhaps Aria was facing more than just a dazed head.

"Bas' is real worried, he thought you went to bed." 
"I tried...I'm just scared to go home." Sirius bumped her shoulder with his.

"Sure it'll work out, the ministry won't stop an adoption over some hippogriff incident that had nothing to do with you. It'll sort itself out." Aria let out a forced smile, but what she hadn't realized was that Regulus was sitting right beside her...

"Adoption? What adoption?" Aria blinked, and Sirius had been so blindsided about his brother's question that he hadn't even realized that perhaps Aria hadn't told him the truth.

He only thought as much as he pointed out on their previous holiday return of who her brothers were...

But he was stood corrected.

"Reggie...I haven't been entirely honest with you." She whispered out, and Sirius felt like a true honest git for having outted her secret without him knowing. "Eli Crawford isn't my father—"

"—I know—"
"—He's my—What? You know?" Now it was Aria's turn to be caught of guard, and it rendered Sirius silent from thereon. Considering his big mouth hadn't done much to help her situation.

"I only know that he's your stepfather."
"Where did you hear that from?" She questioned, and it took only a second for the lad to confirm he heard it from Rabastan who was told by Amelia.

"No...He's not my stepfather Reg. I'm an Orphan." The word had shocked him straight down to the core. After hearing so much about her home life, her family and childhood—It felt strange knowing that it was all a general lie.

Or it wasn't the full truth.

"What?"
"The Crawfords aren't related to me by blood of any sort. As I explained to Sirius, Eli has been wanting to adopt me since my first year at Salem.... It's just been extremely hard, and right when there was some movement on it...It's—" Sirius shook his head once again.

"Oi, it'll be alright. Hogwarts has loads of feuds to deal with, they'll get what's coming to them." Sirius had been a brilliant voice of reason while Regulus was still attempting to digest the news.

His friend was an Orphan.

"Is that why you want to go to America?" 
"Partly...But that's why I wasn't invited to my brother's wedding, that's the full reason." Sirius shook his head at the idea.

"Bastards across the pond think she's a Death Eater." He took the lead, and Regulus scoffed.

"You're fifteen though! How are you meant to—" 
"Reg...It's fine. Michael told Erika only because he wanted to share my background with her. It's—"

"It's not fine! Not in the slightest." Sirius could see that she was battling it out with herself, but instead watched as she leaned in closer to him.

"They only think that...Because Eli and the rest of the Salem board believe I was disowned from the Purebloods." 

"What?...Really?" It came to another shock to Regulus, but Sirius nodded in conclusion.

"Happens all the time Reg, with squibs and bastards." Aria flinched at either of the words, squibs had been the first thought. But then when Aria began to showcase her metamorphic abilities that theory had been thrown out the window.

"I don't remember anything happening recently though." He claimed, and it caused Sirius to turn in thought as well. "If you do think of a family, don't tell me...I don't want to know." 
"What? Why not?"
"What am I going to do Reg? Say hello to my mother and father and just shout pure hatred? 'Why did you leave me at a religious prison?' Or 'why didn't you give me a valid birth certificate?' There's no point." Sirius felt his right hand begin to shake, there it was...The mention of a religious Orphanage.

Surely that didn't mix well with an inexperienced and untamed witch with no memories.

"Rabastan doesn't know?" 
"No. And I don't want him to either." Either Black brother turned to her in confusion, why didn't she want to tell him?

Well she did, but not after the whole instance of him sharing the secret of Linda Selwyn and his father. Not when he said the term bastard so harshly and with such hate.

"Why not?...I'm sure he'd—" Aria turned to his with tears already building up in her eyes as she found herself bundling close to her arched knees.

"Sure he'd love if she's a pureblood." 
"Sirius." Regulus hissed, but his brother just shrugged. "I've been saying it since the beginning, he only wants to shag her because she's a half-blood. There's no other reason than—"

"You're wrong. He does fancy me a lot, and I'm not proud of peeking into his mind but it happens on more than one occasion. Sure every bloke out there thinks about it once a day Siri, it's just common...But Reg I don't want him to know or treat me any different." As the silence grew, the tension grew louder...

But it explained so much, so much in so little time that Regulus was reflecting the whole encounters of her stories to fit in the perspective of her being an adoptive child—Or almost adoptive.

"So Michael a-and you're siblings...?" 
"They're not my siblings. There was just now some movement in the adoption process, but—"

"She's scared it'll be taken away because of this incident with Lowe, Barns, and Harper. But I keep telling her it won't." Sirius argued in return, and it caused Aria to cacoon herself further.

But in this method, it caused Blaze to feel left out, which caused her to resort in giving him some attention and distracting her hands to stop them from shaking.

"Isn't that Rabastan's owl?"
"Hm? Oh...He sent me a parcel awhile ago." She mumbled, having read it prior it didn't have much more than wanting to meet before she leaves.

"I'm sorry I never told you Reg it's...It's not something I like to share." 
"I understand, but it makes loads of sense now. Why you want to leave Hogwarts so badly." She smiled to the young boy for a moment before turning to Sirius.

"That's not true...Or not now at least." Either Black brother had felt this elated burst grow in their heart, especially when Aria rested her head close to Reg's shoulder, and Sirius let his hand wrap securely onto her knee.

These siblings were unknowingly reunited as one once more.

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Date Posted: 04-30-2020

Time: 10:23

Words: 4505

I absolutely loved writing this chapter, my babies are all together🥺

What do you think of Amelia and Isabella? I never really meant to make them mortal enemies but I guess that's the way it's going😂