The late-afternoon sun cast a golden glow across the Black Lake, setting the surface aglow as if someone had poured liquid sunlight over it. I walked toward the familiar spot near the shore where I could see Miles had already set up a blanket, carefully arranged with sandwiches, a basket of fruit, and a few pastries stacked neatly in the center. It was simple yet inviting, the quiet elegance of it fitting him perfectly.

"You went all out," I said, smiling as I sat down beside him. "Didn't expect a full spread."He laughed, looking a little embarrassed. "I wanted to impress you. Thought it'd be nice to start the year off right."

As I settled in, a wave of unease tightened my chest, pulling me out of the calm moment. Miles noticed my tension immediately, his brows knitting together as he looked at me with concern.

"Ari, you okay? You seem... off." His voice was soft, warm, inviting me to open up.I glanced down, fiddling with the edge of the blanket. 

"It's... it's just that this year, I don't know anything about me or who my real parents are and..." I hesitated, my voice dropping. "Why they didn't want me."

Miles shifted closer, the warmth of his body beside mine grounding me. "Ari, I can't imagine how confusing and hard that must be. But whatever you decide to do, if you want answers, I'll help you look for them. You won't be alone in this."

The sincerity in his voice made something in my chest ache. I looked up at him, surprised. "You'd really do that? Go through all the mess of finding out about me?"

He reached out, taking my hand in his, squeezing it gently. "Yes. You're one of the most important people in my life, Ari but don't tell Adrain" He says I giggle a little." And if finding out who your parents were and why they... made that choice is something you want, then we'll figure it out together, even if it takes years. You deserve to know"

My heart raced at his words, caught between relief and fear. "But what if... what if it's something I can't handle? What if they gave me up for some reason I'm not ready to hear? Like maybe I wasn't good enough, or maybe there's a part of me that's—"

"Don't," he interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. "Don't ever doubt your worth because of something you can't control. Whatever their reasons were, they don't define who you are. I know who you are, and you're incredible, Ari."

The depth of his words left me speechless, my breath catching in my throat as he continued, his gaze unwavering. "Whoever they were, whatever their reasons, it won't change anything about the person you are now. And it won't change how much you mean to those around you—how much you mean to me."

I swallowed, feeling a strange blend of safety and vulnerability under his gaze. He moved his hand to my cheek, his thumb brushing gently across my skin, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake. The way he was looking at me made my pulse quicken, my world narrowing down to the space between us, to the steady, comforting warmth of his hand on my cheek.

Slowly, as if drawn by an invisible thread, I leaned in, closing the space between us. His lips met mine softly at first, tentative and searching, but quickly deepened as if he'd been holding back for too long. I felt his arm slip around my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies were pressed together, the feeling so intense it was dizzying. The warmth of his touch, the way his hand slipped into my hair, anchoring me, made the rest of the world fade to a distant hum.His lips moved against mine, firm yet tender, filled with a longing that left me breathless. His other hand slid to my back, tracing gentle circles that only heightened the sensations running through me. The lake, the sun, the world itself faded as we lost ourselves in the kiss, the weight of his arms around me as grounding as it was exhilarating. My fingers tangled in his shirt, holding onto him like he was the only real thing I could cling to, my own heartbeat roaring in my ears.

When we finally pulled away, breathless and slightly dazed, he rested his forehead against mine, his eyes half-lidded but shining with a warmth I hadn't seen in them before.

"Ari," he whispered, his voice low and rough with emotion. "I meant what I said. I'm here, through everything. No matter how confusing it gets, I'll be right by your side."

My eyes stung slightly, though I wasn't sure if it was from the intensity of the moment or the gratitude surging through me. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Miles."He smiled, his thumb brushing my cheek in a slow, gentle caress. "Then I'm doing something right."

We sat there in silence, his fingers tracing delicate patterns across my hand as we watched the last rays of sunlight disappear below the horizon. In that quiet space, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time—a sense of belonging, not just to Hogwarts but to someone who would be there, come what may.

As the stars began to dot the sky, we stayed there, our hands intertwined, knowing that whatever truths lay ahead, we'd face them together. And for the first time, the ache of uncertainty felt bearable, wrapped in the warmth of his promise.

As I made my way back to the castle, my thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation with Miles. The afternoon by the lake had left me with an odd, lingering warmth, but as I turned the corner near the courtyard, my good mood quickly soured.

A few feet away, I saw Luke—a shy second-year Ravenclaw I'd spoken to a handful of times—pinned against the stone wall by three older Slytherin boys. My stomach churned as I watched them sneering at him, enjoying the way he cowered under their smug stares. Without thinking, I strode forward, raising my voice.

"Hey!" I called out, my tone sharp enough to slice through the smugness in the air. "Back the hell off!" I yell at them ready to tell them of

The Slytherins turned toward me, surprise flashing across their faces before they exchanged glances and grinned. One of them, a lanky third-year with a cruel smirk, tilted his head mockingly. "Oh, look who it is. Think you're gonna rescue your little friend Pucey?"

I stepped forward until I was shoulder to shoulder with Luke, meeting their gaze head-on. "Yeah, I am actually. Maybe you three should run back to the shit hole you came from," My eyes narrowed. "Plus last I checked, being a coward doesn't earn you respect."

They exchanged glances, their expressions faltering. For a second, I thought they'd make some half-hearted comeback, but after a few muttered insults, they slunk off, casting sour looks back over their shoulders.

When they were out of sight, I turned to Luke, who was still staring at the ground, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"You alright?" I asked gently, noticing the faint red mark on his cheek.He nodded but avoided my gaze, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah...thanks, Ariana. I didn't think anyone would...you know, step in."

I gave him a reassuring smile, resting a hand on his shoulder. "They shouldn't have messed with you in the first place, Luke. Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing."

We walked in silence toward the infirmary, his head hanging a little as though he wanted to shrink into himself. But as we reached the doors, I turned to him, hoping he'd see I meant it.

"Hey, don't feel bad about needing help, okay?" I told him. "Everyone does now and then."

Luke finally met my gaze, a faint smile lifting his lips. He gave a small nod, and I felt a bit of his tension release. After making sure Madam Pomfrey had him settled, I left the hospital wing and headed straight for the Slytherin common room, where I found Adrian with some first years around him sitting on one of the couches, flipping through a Potions textbook. His brow furrowed when he looked up and saw me standing there.

"Adrian," I said, crossing my arms. "We need to talk."

He sighed, already looking like he knew I was about to lay into him about something. He got up and we moved to a corner in the common room where no one could hear us "What's up?"

"It's about Luke," I said, lowering my voice so no one else would hear. "I just found him being bullied by some third-year Slytherins in the courtyard. They cornered him, and it wasn't the first time they've picked on him."

Adrian's face hardened, his gaze growing cold. Adrian had met Luke last year when I was helping him with homework and took a liking to the younger boy "Who was it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know their names, but I'd recognize them if I saw them. I thought you should know, I don't they will stop bullying Luke till someone in Slytherin tells them to"

Adrian let out a slow sigh, nodding. "Alright. I'll take care of it. Luke doesn't deserve to be picked on just because he's...different." Adrian referred to Luke as "different" because he's a muggle-born

A small smile tugged at my lips, a flicker of relief settling in my chest. "Thanks. I know it'll mean a lot to him."

Adrian gave me a smirk. "I'd rather handle it now than have you charging in here every time he's in trouble."

I rolled my eyes, but underneath his teasing, I could see he was taking it seriously. Moments like this reminded me of just how much Adrian, despite his bravado, actually cared about doing what was right. And in that moment, I felt grateful that I could call Adrain my brother.

-Hey guy this a little sweet chapter with Miles and Ari 

Love your favorite Mexican Latina Victoria. C