A/N: This chapter is a bit dark. I promise it will get better so please don't hate me.
Lily stumbled into the Transfiguration classroom feeling very confused. After her brief discussion with James, her worries had not been quavered. "Miss Evans, take your seat," Professor McGonagall gestured towards a seat were Lily's friends already sat. Lily sat down and pulled out her books. "How'd it go with James?" Amelia asked sincerely, although when Lily looked Emmeline was winking at her. "Didn't find out anything," Lily admitted. Dorcas put an arm around Lily and gave her a small squeeze. "Don't worry," Dorcas whispered as McGonagall looked over at the girls, "James will talk to you. He always does." Lily hated to agree with this but it was certainly true.
"Please turn to page 367 and continue practicing Vanishing Spells." Most of the class looked surprised. They had already been tested on Vanishing Spells, why did they need to practice them. "In case you are unaware," the Professor added, noting the confusion, "not many of you received A's or above for Vanishing Spells and therefore you need to practice." Lily felt extremely worried. She was usually an O student, but what if she had failed her Vanishing Spell. Lily tried to remember her exam but had somehow supressed the memory.
"Is everything alright?" McGonagall asked, from in front of Lily.
"I'm just trying to remember how I went in my exam, Professor." McGonagall leant forward and whispered in Lily's ear, "You did exceptionally well, Lily. There's no need to worry." Lily relaxed and turned her book to the correct page. By about halfway through the lesson, most people had managed to make their rats vanish. Lily had successfully vanished hers nearly 20 times when the door burst open. "Professor McGonagall," the class turned to see James collapse in the entrance.
Everything became hectic. Girls were screaming, McGonagall was shouting for them all to be quiet, Sirius was behind James looking like he was about to be sick. Somehow, Lily found herself sitting beside James' limp body. Sirius crouched down beside her; his usual handsome face was now twisted in pain. After a little while, McGonagall managed to settle the class down. "Miss Fortescue, you're in charge." Alice looked like she'd just won the lottery. Everyone knew that she was either going to become a teacher or an Auror once she left Hogwarts. McGonagall waved her wand and a stretcher appeared under James.
"Miss Evans, please escort Mr Potter to the Hospital Wing," Lily nodded. She was considering how she would manage to carry James when the stretcher began travelling in the direction of the Hospital Wing. As Lily headed after James she heard McGonagall talking to Sirius. "Mr Black, we need to see the Headmaster." Lily turned around, not wanting her eavesdropping to become known. She was nearly at the Hospital Wing when James stirred. "W-what?" he yelled, trying to get up. Some form of magic restrained him to his stretcher and he began to panic. "It's alright," Lily found herself saying, "James, it's going to be okay." He held out his hand for her. Under normal circumstances she would have slapped him. Instead, she slipped her palm into his.
"Miss Evans?" Madam Pomfrey stood from behind her desk, "What has happened?"
"I'm not sure. He collapsed right in front of the class." The matron took a notepad and wrote down some notes. "On the count of three, I am going to shift you onto the bed," James gave a slight nod. "One, two, three." The sound that escaped James' lips made Lily want to run and hide. However, she was unable to move her feet. James looked so hurt and helpless in the hospital bed that Lily almost forgot how much she hated him. "I should probably get back to class," Lily turned to leave but James whimpered and she found herself by his side. "Don't go," he whispered, taking sharp breaths. "Don't go."
Lily could have thought of a hundred different places she would rather be. She hated sitting uselessly by James' bed. Madam Pomfrey had given him some kind of sedative and James was now asleep. "He's in for a very rough night," Madam Pomfrey said to Lily, "It appears his body is reacting to a curse." Lily gasped, holding a hand over her mouth. "I can't imagine what could have caused him to be hit by a curse, especially inside the Hogwarts grounds." Lily thought she might have to be given a sedative. She knew there was no possible way she would sleep easy that night.
Suddenly, the doors opened and McGonagall rushed in. Sirius was hanging off her arm and he no longer looked attractive or even arrogant. Like James, Sirius had an expression of tremendous agony on his face. "Minerva," Madam Pomfrey went to the aid of Professor McGonagall, "What in Merlin's name is going on?" McGonagall shook her head. Her face was a mixture of anger, worry and fear. "It's starting, Poppy," McGonagall cried. Madam Pomfrey helped support McGonagall and sent Sirius into the bed across from James. Lily went to Sirius' side and tried to be reassuring.
Lily had no idea what was going on. She had spent the entire day in the Hospital Wing with a drugged James and now Sirius was here too. "Promise you'll tell me everything," Lily said, squeezing Sirius' hand. He nodded once then winced. "Promise you won't tell your friend that I looked like trash," Sirius started coughing and the matron scurried over. She swiftly drew her wand and performed a spell. Instantly, Sirius went still but then foam started spewing from his mouth. "I have never seen these effects," Madam Pomfrey said, administering a potion to stop the foam. "Minerva, I have no knowledge of this curse." Madam Pomfrey voice was shaking and she sounded terrified.
"Now, Poppy," McGonagall used a stern yet calming tone, "If anyone can heal Mr Black, it is you." The nurse nodded and then went back to helping Sirius. Lily sat uncomfortably in a chair placed between the two occupied beds. From her seat, she could here every word the two ladies were saying, even though they whispered. "As I said, the curse used on Mr Black is not of my knowledge, however Mr Potter received a mild," Madam Pomfrey's voice cracked, "a mild version of the Cruciatus Curse." Lily had heard of this curse but could not place where. She knew that from the nurse's voice and McGonagall's reaction that it was not good.