"Sirius did you know you have a Slytherin in your arms?" James said crinkling his nose in disgust as he spotted the pretty girl, lying unconscious in Sirius' arms. "No James, I didn't realise," he muttered back sarcastically, shifting Stacie roughly from his arms to a fireman lift to his shoulders.
Remus stood next to James a slight frown marring his smooth features as his eyes fell on Stacie's prone body. Sirius kept walking, they'd just seen him emerging from the forest with a girl cradled in his arms and now they realised the girl looked pretty hurt.
Feeling their accusing glares Sirius attempted to shrug his shoulders, realised Stacie was on them and sighed, irritably pushing her back into a more comfortable position. "Don't look at me like that Remus, it was you that knocked her out!"
"Yeah," Remus replied quickly, "maybe I did but I'm pretty sure I didn't punch her too." Sirius froze, his eyes closed as he remembered the soft warm skin giving way under his fist. "It was an accident." He said shortly, starting to walk again. James snorted but quickly ran to catch up with him, falling into stride they began talking about the hot new girl, Maria Watkiss.
Remus shook his head Stacie wasn't that bad a person really, especially for a Slytherin. He had been a bit sceptical towards her when Sirius had first introduced them, but soon she'd started to talk to him and seemed almost like a normal person.
Then Sirius had dumped her because he thought she was a pureblood maniac and because his parents had heartily approved of her, or at least her name. He shook his head softly to himself, he'd like to apologise to her but then she would realise what he was. Tough luck Remus, because she knows already.
Stacie woke up to find herself surrounded by soft comforting whiteness. I must be in the hospital wing, she thought sleepily before shooting back to into a sitting position again. Damn, what did I do this time?
She sleepily rubbed a hand across her face, wincing suddenly as her fingers connected with a tender spot below her eye. She pulled open a draw next to her, lifting out the worn wash bowl used for long term causes who had no other choice but to wash in bed. She muttered a water spell and leaned over it, pulling back her hair from her face.
She gazed down upon a pale version of her, the water rippling around the edges of the bowl. Under the blurry image of her left eye was a dark bruise and grasping the bowl she remembered the feel of Sirius' fist connecting against her skin. Soft skin giving way as he forced her head backwards. But why the hell am I in a hospital wing? And who the hell is Sirius? She shook her head softly, banishing the confusing thoughts away.
Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm and another wrapped around her face. She let out a muffled scream, panic rising in her as she instinctively fought back. "Stop it, you idiot," hissed a voice she…recognised? No, that thought left her as well as she lay frozen on the bed.
"That's better, Stacie, much better," the voice patronised her softly, a sneering face coming into view. He removed his hand from her mouth, though kept his other firmly closed around her arm. She stared at him in silence, wondering if she could yell for the nurse to help her. "Don't even think about it," he snapped, his eyes narrowing. "I thought I had you trained better than that, Stacie, surely I don't have to train you again?" What the hell is going on? Train me?
She opened her mouth finally and whispered, "who are you? What do you want with me?"
"Don't play games Stacie, I'm in a bad enough mood as it is," he snapped shortly. "So what the hell were you doing in the forest? I have my spies everywhere Stacie, so don't even try lying to me."
"The forest?" she asked weakly, her eyes forming tears, "I don't know what you mean. I live with my family, the Coldwells, I go to Hogwarts school. I can't…' she sobbed 'can't remember anything else but I know I go there, I know!"
The guy stared down at her for a while, his black eyes boring deeply into hers. Finally he blinked and began laughing, a cold cruel sound that made Stacie shiver, although she tried to conceal it.
"What's so funny?" she snapped, feeling a little angry as he totally ignored her.
"I'm laughing, because you're telling the truth. The truth! This is the best news I have had all day."
"Excuse me but, best news? That I can't remember anything? And who the hell are you anyway, the freakin'nurse? I don't bloody think so," she snapped at him, her anger and confusion melting together into one explosive surge.
His expression changed noticeably, his eyes turning even blacker and his lips setting into a thin, hard line. He moved threateningly towards her, "still the same old tongue though," he hissed, leaning in. "But I stopped that before, I can again." She flinched, pulling her head backwards as he leaned even closer. He laughed again, "still afraid aren't you? Like a little baby, always crying," he said cruelly.
"It's hard not to be scared when faced with a face like yours," she retorted back, her pride not allowing her to stay silent. He looked for a second like he was going to hit her, then his eyes travelled towards the bruise below her cheek. "Looks like someone beat me to it," he mused idly, grabbing her chin. "Who was it then, my sweetie, who did me a favour?" She stayed silent.
"Oh," he said the surprise evident in his voice, "it was our little blood-traitor, our little Sirius Black? Well I never, I always knew he was more like me then he cared to admit. Same temper, same tastes," he smirked suggestively and this time Stacie couldn't hide her shudder.
His grin grew wider. He was just leaning in again when a voice rang out across the hospital wing, "you're wrong." Stacie turned her head quickly, sensing some way out of the danger. Her eyes settled into the grey ones of Sirius Black. The Sirius Black she couldn't remember.
Her eyes pleaded with him silently as they stared at each other from across the distance, tears welling up slightly as she begged and begged him. The guy leaning over her laughed coldly, "always one to ruin romantic moments Sirius, have you never heard of privacy?"
"Funnily enough Regulas, I have," Sirius shot back, "ever heard of not terrorising little girls?"
"Little girls?" Stacie stuttered, before deciding it was probably best to stay silent. Regulas turned to her and nodded, "she's right, she's not a little girl. She's got to be at least a little whore-" he was cut off suddenly by Stacie whacking him very spectacularly in the face.
"I don't even know who you are but no one, and I repeat, no one insults me and gets away with it," she said, speaking down to him from where he was laying on the floor. He muttered a string of curses, finishing with "you'll regret this, oh yes you will," and scampering out of the hospital wing, tail between his legs. (Not literally, people.)
"Is it true?" Sirius asked moving slowly towards her, "you can't remember anything?" Stacie shook her head, pulling herself back onto her bed and tiredly rubbing her eyes.
"Any idea why I'm in here?" she asked finally.
"No," he snapped quickly, then in a softer voice "no idea, sorry."
"Ok," she muttered back. "So any idea what that was all about? Who is Regulas?" Sirius flinched and looked down at his feet. "Regulas is my brother," he said shortly.
"Oh," Stacie said, feeling a little surprised and depressed. "And I just punched him?"
"Oh no! I mean yes you did, but I hate him. He's a…," he paused for a second as though unable to find words to describe him, "we just don't get on. Or my family."
"You too, huh?" she asked sympathetically, before frowning and shaking her head. "I don't know why I just said that…" she petered out looking confused.
"So you really have forgotten everything?"
"I don't know," she replied testily, " I don't remember." He laughed and she blushed slightly, ducking her head. "Do I know you?" she asked again.
"Yeah I'm Sirius Black,"
"Sirius Black…?" She paused for a long while, her eyes distantly focased.
"Do you remember me?"
She pulled her gaze back towards him, "no, sorry."
"Oh well, I'll have to teach you again," he said jokingly. She winced recalling his brother's words earlier. "What did Regulas mean I can teach you again?" she asked quietly.
"I don't know, sorry,"
"No problem," she countered lightly. A silence echoed around them and Sirius cast around for something to say but she beat him to it.
"Is there anything I should I know?" the silence became more pronounced and Sirius looked uncomfortable, shifting his feet and avoiding her gaze.
"Like what?" he asked.
"I dunno, like what's happened in the past few years? Wait, what year am I in?" she asked, feeling depressed again.
"6th year, like me. Well you're in Slytherin house-"
"Is that good?" she interrupted.
"What good?"
"Being in Slytherin house?"
"Oh! Er, well it's…its ok I guess," he said, seeing her desperate expression.
"Only ok?" she asked quietly, pleading him with her eyes.
"Yeah only ok, sorry but I don't really get on with them. Gryffindor doesn't get on with Slytherin, normally."
"Oh," she said in a small voice, staring at her white elegant fingers. She leaned back on her pillows, taking in the vast white expanse above her and slowly counting to ten to calm herself. "Anything else I should know? Do I have a boyfriend?"
"No," Sirius said quickly, "no you don't."
"Hey," she said suddenly sitting up, "what do I look like?"
"Well, haven't you got a mirror?"
She shook her head sadly, eyes downcast.
"Well ok then I'll just…just have to describe you. I would conjure a mirror but my wands been confiscated, some little squirt just-sorry, I'm blabbing on aren't I?"
"A bit," Stacie replied with a small smile. Sirius laughed and shook his head watching her for a second.
"You know, you're not half bad."
"Well thanks," Stacie said slightly sarcastically, blushing a little under his gaze.
"You've got long black hair," Sirius said suddenly into the silence, "erm, bluish eyes. Tanned skin and gorgeous-" he stopped suddenly, looking away.
"What?" Stacie prompted innocently.
"Erm, I'll tell you later," he said, without looking her way. His attention was caught by four figures crossing the hospital wing, looking curiously towards Sirius and her.
Stacie looked to Sirius to tell her who they were but he just ignored her, biting his lip slightly as his eyes looked worried.
"Hey mate," said the guy in front, a tall handsome boy with pitch-black hair, like mine, Stacie thought suddenly, brown eyes and tanned skin.
He gave Stacie a cold, slightly hostile look before turning away from her and ignoring her just like Sirius.
Great, she thought bitterly, I wish I knew what I'd done.
"What you doing here with her? Has She made a complaint about you? Don't worry, we'll all back you up. We know you didn't mean to do it on purpose-"
"Whose She when She's at home?" Stacie snapped.
"I don't know and frankly I don't want to know," James said back, unruffled.
"Listen mate, leave her alone-"
"Why? She's got you in trouble hasn't She? Just you listen here!" James hissed, turning around suddenly and grabbing Stacie's arms. Stacie shrieked and pushed him away, wildly jumping out of her bed and into the corner of the room.
From there she watched James with confused yet scared eyes.
"I wasn't going to hurt you," he said perplexed, everyone knew he had a heart of gold. He'd never dream of hurting a girl.
"She doesn't know that!" yelled someone from behind him. Pushing him out the way a petit red head came carefully over to Stacie, smiling and introducing herself.
"Prongs," Sirius muttered quietly, "she's lost her memory."
"What, for real?"
"No just for fun," muttered another guy, joining the conversation sarcastically. Stacie stared at him for a second, mainly his eyes.
He looked up and caught her watching him but didn't blush. He smiled and held out his hand, "hey, I'm Remus Lupin."
"Hey, I'm Stacie Coldwell. I guess," she added as an afterthought. Remus laughed and Lily took the opportunity to help Stacie back into her bed.
"You'll be stiff for a bit," Lily said calmly, "but nurse says it'll wear off soon enough, you'll be let out of here tomorrow I should think."
"What about my memory?"
Lily faltered, her reassuring smile failing for a second. "I'm sure it'll come back soon." Stacie said nothing.
"I'm here to look after you for a while, as I'm head girl. You'll be staying with me in my dorm as its defiantly big enough!" she said cheerfully, bustling around Stacie as though she was enjoying herself.
"No!" yelled James and Stacie prepared herself for another tantrum.
"No what, James Potter?" Lily said in dangerously quiet voice.
"She can't stay in our dorm," James stated flatly, "she just can't."
"Well she is, so get use to it!" Lily snapped back. They moved to the back of the room, continuing the argument away from the rest of them.
"Well, this is fun," a little guy to her left tried, grinning cutely. "Hey I'm Peter, nice to meet you, again."
"You too Peter," Stacie said with a smile, at least one of them is normal...(A/N I know, she's stupid)
Stacie suddenly caught Remus' top and pulled his ear down next to her mouth. Sirius looked furious and Peter looked very bemused as they watched this display.
"You're a werewolf, aren't you?" Stacie whispered in his ear. She felt him stiffen and pull sharply away from her, looking down at her through suspicious eyes.
"How do you know?" he asked tightly.
Stacie shrugged, "something in your eyes, it's like a really strong memory of you in your other form. I just remember looking into your eyes then, black."
Remus and Sirius shared identical shifty looks as Stacie looked away, what else could she remember?
"Why aren't you afraid?" Remus asked curiously.
"Well, you obviously didn't kill me seen as I'm still here. It's just logical."
"Oh."
"I DON'T CARE, LILY! SHE ISN'T STAYING WITH US!" screamed an outraged voice from behind them. "SHE'S A COW AND DESERVES WHAT SHE GETS, SO STUFF THAT IDEA!" The hospital wing went silent and James turned and stormed off, his back quickly disappearing through the swinging doors.
"He didn't mean it," Lily said automatically but it was too late. She'd already gone.