The next few days I remain alone in my room. I venture out at night to gather food from the kitchens and sometimes go flying during the day, but that's the only time I wander out. While lonely, being alone means I'm never afraid. I'm not sure how I feel about everyone coming back so soon. It'll only be a few more days now.

I'm working on a few new spells when McGonagall nearly scares me out of my skin when she bursts into my room. "Arell, onto your feet and with me." She bids before turning on her heel and marching out. Confused, but not willing to disobey a direct order, I hop up and follow her out while grabbing Sirius' sweater on the way.

"Uh, Professor-"

"Ah-ah." She waves her hand at me and I quiet as we continue marching through the halls. Down the halls, down the stairs, and finally back into her office that I first arrived in. She rounds her desk and settles down, then gestures to the seat across from her. McGonagall waves to the windows and they all snap open, flooding the room with bright sunlight shining off the snow outside. As I settle down and pull the chair close, she pulls a basket from behind the desk and sets it on top only for it to suddenly deconstruct itself to reveal a meal.

"We're...eating together?" I ask, still flabbergasted.

"You've been locked in that dorm room for far too long. You needed some sunlight and some company." She tells me and hands me a plate filled with little sandwiches and fruit. Tentatively, I take a bite and hum in appreciation at the warmth.

"It's a little too cold for proper sunlight professor." I don't mention that I often fly up to the astronomy tower, but something in her eyes convinces me she may already have her suspicions.

"Sounds more like an excuse than a reason." She accuses as she pours a cup of what looks like pumpkin juice then sets the cup before me. "It's occurred to me we might as well use you being here to your advantage. You're in your fifth year. A lot will be changing soon. You've taken all your O.W.L.s and done rather well. Have you given any thoughts to what career you'd like to pursue?" This seems so incredibly mundane after everything that's happened that I'm shocked silent. Only for a few moments though.

"A career," I repeat and stare at the food on the plate in front of me. "There's been a little too much going on for me to think about that."

"Then I'm asking you now." She pushes and waits expectantly. "Your future is important and won't wait."

"Who knows if I'll even have a future when I have a crazy uncle out there that may or may not be trying to kill me?" I ask, temper flaring, but McGonagall is nothing but steady.

"An excuse, again." She says and I huff, almost laughing. "Tell me the things you like." She requests a bit gentler this time. I throw my hands in the air and stare out the window as I think.

"Uh, quidditch, I love quidditch. Being an Auror, maybe preventing crazy shit from going on." I grimace slightly at the cuss word, but she doesn't interrupt me. A long past conversation with Lily comes to mind and I rub my lips together with indecision before voicing it. "A teacher. You know, possibly." Her brows raise at that one and I'm sure I see the corners of her lips raise. I stuff my mouth with food before I say something else.

"Well, I've been looking over your marks, including from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, and must say..." She shuffles some papers around before looking back up at me. "you have the capability of doing any of those things and more." Surprise hits me first and that almost smile makes another appearance. "You have excellent marks, nearly all outstanding with the rest being exceeding expectations. I'd suggest Ancient Runes and Arithmancy for your extracurriculars, but you're welcome to choose more. For those careers though, those two are mandatory." I nod slowly, still trying to believe in a future that I can possess. A good one.

"I also noticed you like Care of Magical Creatures. If you can handle the workload it would be good for you to have more classes outside." She continues, but my brain has shorted. She believes in me. I don't think I've ever had someone genuinely believe in me before. When I don't answer, she sighs and pulls out a small envelope to set before me. "The Potter's wrote to me and confided in me what occurred." Her brows raise as I lower my next bite of food back to the plate. The conversation turns sharply and I feel myself getting defensive. "You ran from far more than what anyone else knows, didn't you Miss Ackley?"

"Arell." I correct her sharper than I meant to. A small, loose thread on the carpet below me becomes my focus as I take a few deep breaths. "I don't want anything to do with my last name."

"Yet your last name it is." My head snaps up to meet her firm eyes. "Whether you like it or not Arell, you were born into your family and you have their last name. You won't soon change it." I shove my plate off my lap and it clatters onto the floor as I stand.

"Why would you say that? Why would you yank me out of my room just to bring me down here and tell me I can do anything, then tell me I belong to my last name? Something I hate? To a family that hated me?" I shout and turn on my heel to leave, but she slams the door shut with a simple spell. My hands are fists as I turn back to face her and find she's standing as well.

"You will sit down and listen to what I have to say! Fully!" She demands tremulously and I blink in pure shock before slowly walking back then sitting down. McGonagall huffs, then settles back down as well. "Goodness." She takes a breath as she looks at me, sparing only a moment to cast a spell to clean up my mess.

"You are not the first to despise your family connections. Mr. Black comes to mind first." His name hits me like a slap to the face. Guilt floods my heart as I think of Sirius and how he's told me he feels about his family. "Do you blame Mr. Black for his family? Do you think worse of him because he was born into it? Do you think him marked for being a Black?" She asks a succession of questions too quickly for me to answer, then pauses and stares at me expectantly.

"No, no of course not."

"Then why would you treat yourself with cruelty but your friends with grace?" I'm silent at this question. There's no anger in me anymore. Not right now, anyway. "Hm?" McGonagall pushes and I flinch.

"I don't know," I whisper and swallow the tears rising in my throat. McGonagall is silent, but I see her feet as she rounds the desk and sits next to me.

"Because we love our friends and believe the very best of them, yet somehow lose that quality when we look at ourselves." Slowly, I look up and meet her dark eyes shining under the brim of her hat. Tears swim in my eyes, but I grit my teeth to keep them at bay. "We are who we are, Miss Ackley. And we are who we make ourselves. Instead of seeing your name as a dark shadow that follows you, why don't you turn it into something else? Something great? See it as an opportunity. You don't mind seeing it on the back of your quidditch uniform, I assume? Nor does Professor Ackley sound particularly gruesome, does it?" I laugh wetly and she finally releases a small smile of her own.

"No, I certainly don't mind that." I agree softly and she nods.

"Good. I expect the trophy to say Gryffindor this year and for you to be a large part of why. And I'd be glad to work alongside you as a professor or see you in a newspaper for arresting criminals. Miss Ackley." She stands and I follow her lead, sniffling quietly before tossing my arms around her.

"Thank you, professor." I murmur and nearly chuckle at her light arms settling around my shoulders.

"Of course." She whispers back and I smile at her before walking to her door. "And Miss Ackley?" McGonagall calls and I glance over my shoulder as she turns to face me. "I told the Potters that I called you back here and that is the sole reason why you returned so suddenly. I trust you to use discretion when you continue?" My lips part in a sudden flood of gratefulness for this teacher who barely knows me but has done so much for me.

"Yes, ma'am. And I'm so sorry about-" She lifts a hand.

"It's forgotten. And while I may have quelled Mr. and Mrs. Potter, young Mr. Potter and Mr. Black, however, are your problem to solve." She tilts her head to the door and I nod before ducking out.

That night is the first night that I go to dinner in the great hall. I still sit away from everyone with the fire to my back, but it's nice to hear the soft chatter of the other students. McGonagall nods to me from the teacher's table as well and I feel better with her watching over me. My choice is vindicated when a friend passes by.

"Oy, Arell? That you?" A deep voice speaks and I look up to find kind eyes surrounded by bushy black hair and beard. A smile automatically alights my face.

"Hagrid! It's nice to see you." I tell him genuinely and am happy to see him smile at the fact.

"Good ta see ya too, Arell. Heard ya got into sum trouble. Doin' alrigh' now I suppose?" He asks and it's incredibly sweet of him to.

"Trying to. Would you like to sit with me? I'd love your company." His eyes widen at my request and his head shakes.

"Ah, no. Wouldn't want ya to be seen with the likes o'me." He denies my request while my brows furrow.

"Hagrid, I'm happy to be seen with anyone I call a friend. You're my friend, aren't you?" I ask and he hesitates only a moment before nodding. "Then if you want to sit down, I would be glad to have you." His big hands fiddle with the bottom of his shirt then wring each other before he nods and settles down on the creaking bench across from me. I brighten now that he's staying.

"Yer eatin' quite a lot fer yer size, Arell. Stockin' up for quidditch?" Hagrid asks while serving himself some of the whole pig I have in front of me. I nod.

"I need something to distract me, a focus, and what's better than quidditch?" I'm really going to start pushing myself. Eating more to put on a solid amount of weight, working out, doing more drills on my broom, all luxuries I'll lose when I have to...go back to the orphanage.

"Hope ya won' forget ta take care o' yerself too. Hard work, quidditch." Hagrid warns and I smile, nodding.

"Don't worry, Hagrid, I will. You'll come to watch a game or two, won't you? I promise I make every game interesting." He chuckles and the deep sound causes quite a few eyes to look this way.

"I've no doubt o' that, Arell. I'll do ma best to come see ya play." Hagrid promises before taking a hearty bite of pork.

"Thank you." I bid and fill his cup full of pumpkin juice before doing the same for my own. "You can sit with Lily and my other dormmates. They're all really nice." Hagrid hmphs softly as he thinks this through, but my eyes wander to a few people passing by behind him whispering to one another while glancing at him. I ignore them, but when Hagrid's back stiffens, I know he's heard something they've said. I'm on my feet and staring them down in an instant.

"Sorry, do you have something to say?" I ask loudly while looking over at the two boys and girl. They pause and look between one another and me with panic in their eyes. My wand is on the table, but I don't reach for it just yet.

"Arell, it's fine." Hagrid breathes while I stare daggers at the group. Shrugging, I sit down and pull a shoulder of my sweater down to show off the biggest scar that leaks over my back.

"Got this scar from when someone cast a spell at me when my back was turned. Cast a tongue-tying curse on him and to this day he can barely speak to cast a spell. Hope I won't have to cast another curse like it..." Their wide eyes stare at the scar before they quickly shake their heads and almost run out of the great hall. Hagrid and I both laugh softly over their reactions as I pull up my sweater again. Sirius' sweater.

"How did ya really get that scar, Arell?" Hagrid asks softly after the bullies have long gone. I meet his caring eyes and shrug.

"A story for another time, I think." He stares at me for a few more moments before he nods and lets it go.

The next day is distinctly brighter than the past few. I received letters from Lily and the Potter's and seem to be on good terms with all, even though they're curious as to why I was called back so suddenly. Reading the letter from the Potter's hurt, but they told me they understood and that I'm still welcome at their house anytime. I shove it into my suitcase so I don't have to think about it. Nothing from James or Sirius though and I'm afraid that's just the start of what's going to be a long process. I expected them to be mad, so I'm not surprised. Still, it stings a bit.

Lily's glad I'm safe and is excited to return to Hogwarts soon so I can explain things in person. At least I'll have one friend. It's short work, but I make sure to write brief replies to everyone; telling Remus and Peter I'm alright since James and Sirius must have clued them in, telling James and Sirius I'm here and safe, then sending one to Lily to say I'm excited to see her soon. While on my jog through the chilly, snowy air I borrow a few of the many owls the school has to send them. Then my training starts in earnest.

While the pitch is officially closed, the training rooms just beside are not. Weights, punching bags, and even trampolines fill the small room and I'm ecstatic. I cast a quick spell over the room to play some good music before getting to work. After my jog, is a quick trampoline workout, some solid weight training, then ramming into some punching bags. The room is abandoned, so I'm just in shorts and a sports bra with all my scars on display. For once, I'm comfortable with my own skin despite the disgusting red still on my arm. The days pass quickly and I've managed to settle into a steady schedule that leaves me aching but satisfied.

Still, nothing could prepare me for when everyone arrives from break. I'm practically trembling at the station when the train pulls up and I'm wearing a bright yellow sweater the Potters gave me so I'm easy to spot. Luckily, someone else is also incredibly easy to spot because of her red hair. "Lily!" I shout and stand on the bench to wave at her. Her head picks up and wide grin splits her face when she sees me, then starts hurrying over. We crash together and laugh in each other's ears before squeezing each other tight. I had no clue how much I'd missed her, especially after everything that had happened, and it feels like we haven't seen each other in ages.

"Arell! When I got your letter, I was so worried! I wrote you back instantly, but then you didn't answer, but James got it and wrote me back only to tell me you'd come back here!"

"Lily, I'm fine! Take a breath." I encourage and pull back to see her glittering jade eyes. She hits my shoulder.

"Next time I want to be appraised of any big goings-on in your life! Do you hear me?" She scolds and now I can see the worry that's been hanging over her in the little lavender petals under her eyes. I nod while rubbing my shoulder.

"I swear, I swear. Sorry." I promise if only to stave off another beating and she nods with a heavy, relieved sigh.

"Good." She allows before really looking at me. Her brows furrow as her hand squeeze my biceps. "Have you gotten more...buff?" I laugh at her question and shrug.

"Been working out to be fresh and ready for quidditch." I flex a little and like the smile I can put on her face. The smile melts off mine however, when I spot the boys making their way over to me. My hand holds tight to Lily's as they stop in front of me.

"You alright?" James asks me and it's jarring to see him serious.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I tell him and he nods, looks to Lily for a second, then walks away with Sirius and Peter just behind. I sigh heavily and look to Remus as he half-smiles at me, shoves something into my hand, then smiles at Lily before following the rest. I look down and find a piece of paper with Remus' scribblings on it. Leave the feast early. Meet me in the library. It says and I fold it back up to shove it in my pocket.

"You're going to tell me about that too, right?" Lily asks as we lock arms and start heading back towards Hogwarts.

It's good to be home.

*A/n*

Ouch. But honestly, I don't think anyone can hold a grudge quite like Sirius Black. ;) How is everyone liking things so far? Thoughts? Opinions? Guesses? Tell me!

Keep reading, loves!