December 1976

"So how have things been back home?" Annabelladonna asked Ares with a dreamy voice. She was currently picturing herself back in her room with Apollo and Asher just drinking some hot chocolate and playing muggle party games.

"Things back home are good. It's kinda weird without you, I mean you were always there and it's really hard to adjust to not seeing you. Of course the rest of the boys have it worse because they saw you more."

"How is Gwaine?" Ares faltered for a moment, he wasn't expecting that question so soon.

"He's taking it as well as he can. I used to catch him sulking all the time and he was really moody for a while but he's been doing better lately."

Ares didn't have the heart to tell her that Gwaine had already started moving on with another girl. It took him a few weeks to truly accept that Bella was gone but as November had come to an end he started going steady with Désirée Du Lac. It surprised all of the boys, Gwaine was head over heels for Bella; but none of them could really judge seeing as they've all gotten over girls quicker.

"I wish he were old enough to apparate too."

(he's in the same year as Ares but his birthday is later in the year so he can't do magic outside of school)

"God imagine if he could, it'd be terrible. You'd literally never have any free time on the weekends and he'd just whine all week about having to wait to see you again. At least now he's quiet." Ares's last statement earned him a scowl and a slap on the arm.

"He wouldn't be that bad."

"Please, you just say that because you're in love with him. I actually had to listen to the idiot rant about how 'soft your hair is' or how you 'smell like apples' or about how 'pretty your voice is'. Next time you see him please tell him to shut up, he never listens to me when I say it. Better yet we should sick Apollo on him."

"We are not having Apollo attack Gwaine no matter how much he rants about my Apple-ness."

"Pleaseeeeee, c'moooon. Little baby Wolfboy could kick some sense into him."

"Shut up! Don't call him that in public you dumbass. And stop talking about beating up my boyfr-... ex boyfriend."

"Uhh moving on from that, how are things here? Are you fitting in okay?"

"Things here are okay. I get really lonely sometimes to be honest. Like, I have friends and, the people here are nice but I'm just not really making connections with anyone. I mean I have James and he's kinda like my anchor here but he just reminds me of when we used to stay at your house, and then I start missing you and Apollo. It's stupid, I'm just not as good at making friends as I used to be. It's all pretty overwhelming here to tell the truth."

"What about your roommates, have you talked to them at all?"

"I'm in a room alone. The other sixth year room was all filled up so I got my own. I do get to steal the blankets from the other beds though, that's really nice."

"I take it you don't get cold then?"

"Oh of course I do, I'm literally a human freezer. Five blankets is quite frankly not enough."

"You seriously sleep with five blankets."

"Yes. It's hard being without my heated pillows."

"I'm telling Asher and Apollo that you called them heated pillows. They would be quite offended if they found out that's what they're reduced to in your mind."

"Don't you dare."

"I'm gonna do it."

"I will shove this chair down your throat."

"The whole chair? I don't think it would fit."

"I'll make it fit if you give me a reason to."

Ares was always good at bringing the violent side of Annabelladonna out, he just knew every way possible to get on her nerves.

"Damn Bells back down. Save that aggression for soccer."

"I don't really play anymore, Hogwarts doesn't have a team and not many people know what it is."

"Really they don't have a soccer team?"

"No they only have quidditch."

"So they don't have any other sports? At all? Only quidditch?"

"Well all other sports are muggle sports so the faculty don't really care about them."

"Dude that must suck, have you tried out for the quidditch team?"

"No the Hufflepuff team already has enough players, they're bloody good too. I wouldn't want to replace one of them that'd be a lot of pressure."

"I forgot you were in Hufflepuff to be honest, you lost Apollo and I a lot of money when you got sorted."

"How did you lose money because of me?"

"Wow I forgot how thick you were. We bet on what house you'd be dumbass. Apollo said you'd be Ravenclaw, I said you'd be Gryffindor, and Asher and Gwaine guessed it right. A few of the girls from your old dorm guessed Slytherin which I personally don't see you in but to each their own."

"I mean I could kinda see me being in Ravenclaw but not Gryffindor. I'm not really all that courageous or brave."

"You're fucking dumb if you don't think you're brave. If I listed all of the brave things you've done it'd probably take a few days at the least."

"I'm not brave I'm just impulsive and stupid."

"Yeah but you're chivalrous and adventurous too. Aren't those also Gryffindor traits?"

"Yeah I think, I don't know for sure though I didn't really pay attention to the houses section of Hogwarts a History. I always just hear people talk about Gryffindor bravery so I guess that's their main one. The Gryffindors I know are probably some of the bravest (or dumbest) people I know, besides you and the boys of course."

"Could you really say we're brave? I just think you're really good at roping us into your schemes."

"I mean, Apollo deals with his furry problem like a badass, if I were him I'd have no idea what to do or how to act. I'd probably implode under all of that pressure. He would probably die before letting one of us get hurt, besides during his time of the month. Asher just amazes me with how little scares him. And you deal with everything that us three can't handle. You helped Floria raise Apollo when your father died, and you make all of my adventures possible."

"Oh enough Bells, you're going to make me blush. What houses do you think we'd be in if we went to Hogwarts?"

"For Asher probably Ravenclaw, Apollo definitely Slytherin, and you'd probably Hufflepuff with me."

"Isn't slytherin the evil one with the nazi wizards?"

"They're not all evil they just have a few bad seeds. There are a lot of perfectly nice people in slytherin they just have a bad reputation because of their peers. Plus they throw great parties."

"What slytherins do you know?"

"My cousin Andromeda was a slytherin when she was in school and she's absolutely lovely. Reggie is a slytherin. There's these three girls Jacqueline, Paige, and Dove, they're all wonderful. Dove and Paige help me with my homework sometimes and Jacqueline is just really sweet."

"Have you talked to regulus a lot?"

"Yeah we hang out with each other occasionally, sometimes he'll join me for a smoke break. I do see one of his friends a lot, his friend is a Hufflepuff so I'll see him in the common room."

"What about your other brother?"

"I hang out with Sirius for breakfast and stuff, mainly because he's friends with James. It's still kinda awkward between us, we probably have a lot to talk out but I don't think he really wants to. I think he just wants everything to be fine now, he usually acts as if I never left."

"That doesn't sound healthy, you should really talk to him before you blow up on him or something."

"Yeah I really should, he just treats me like a child and I hate it. I'm older than him for Merlins sake."

"Only by what, ten minutes."

"Best ten minutes of my life."

"I thought the best ten minutes of your life were spent with your dear sweet friends and the even lovelier me." Ares said whilst batting his eyelashes and tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear.

"No, you guys kinda suck if you haven't noticed."

"Annabelladonna we are wonderful, how dare you besmirch our amazing names."

"Oh I'm so sorry, Ares you must forgive me I had a minor lapse of judgment." Bella clasped her hands together and gave the best puppy dog eyes she could muster.

"Fuck Bella you know I can't resist your stupid eyes. Fine you're forgiven you dumb bitch."

"It always works. You are so weak."

"Oh shut up. Hey look it's James."

James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black walked into the bar. Ares waved to James with a smile on his face, he'd always loved being in James's presence. James waved back and immediately started prancing his way over to the two person table, he sat on Annabelladonna's lap and started leaning over to talk to Ares.

"Get off of me you fat oaf." Annabelladonna was being slowly crushed under James's weight, it wasn't like he was fat he was actually quite fit but he still weighed more than Bella's legs could handle. She couldn't see over James's shoulders but if she could she would've seen Ares laughing at her and James soon started laughing too which just made it worse for her. The girl pushed James off of her lap and by that time the rest of the marauders had reached the table.

"Who are you and why are you talking to my sister." Sirius said trying to take on the role of protective brother. He squared his shoulders and puffed his chest, standing up straight to add some height to his 5'9" (175.26cm) self. Ares saw was he was trying to do and let out a quick chuckle. He straightened his legs and stood up to his full height. He towered over Sirius at 6'4" (193.04cm) sticking his hand out for a handshake.

"I'm Ares, Bella's friend, nice to meet you." Friend was an understatement, he was more than that. He was a best friend, a brother, someone who always looked out for Bella without being overbearing.

Sirius reluctantly took his hand still looking at the top of Ares head as if he was trying to shrink him down. Sirius was mumbling something along the lines of "didn't know she had friends." That was a dumb mistake. Ares heard so he tightened his grip just enough to make it hurt but not enough for Sirius to say anything.

Ares quickly released his grip and picked up the bags of sweets that they had acquired from Honeydukes.

"Well we best be off. C'mon Bella let's go explore some more."

Ares took her hand and they walked out of the store, he stood behind her as if to shield her from the slightly angry Sirius who still stood at what used to be their table.

"I don't think I like him very much."

"Eh he's pretty nice when you get used to him. Did you see his face when you stood up though, he looked like he thought you were going to step on him." Annabelladonna couldn't keep the grin off of her face when she pictured her younger twins look of surprise and mild horror. The two walked along the street occasionally stopping to check out new stores at around 4pm Ares decided that he should head back to Beauxbatons before he got in trouble. The two hugged and neither wanted to let go but Bella reluctantly stepped away and watched as he disappeared with a pop. A slight frown graced her face before she whipped it off and started heading for the secret passage that would take her to Hogwarts. She never looked back in the direction where she and Ares were in fear that if she did she would only make herself upset. She would see him again, possibly even next hogsmeade weekend, but every goodbye felt all too permanent.

2105 words

Leave a comment if you're liking the story or have any advice. I'm a fairly new writer so I'm still working some things out, criticism is welcome as long as it's constructive. Have a nice day!