A/N: Don't own, don't sue. Review, I'll love you for it! Enjoy.

Chapter 8

Snape realized with a start that he had unwittingly led Starr out to the grounds- during a full moon. He smirked, realizing how easily he could lose her in the darkness of night. As soon as he was sure that they were both out of the castle, he doubled back, smirking as he contemplated her fate in the doorway to the Entrance Hall.

Starr only fully realized where she was when a feral growl echoed from behind her in the darkness. She gulped, glancing up at the full moon. She wordlessly lit the light at the end of her wand and found herself face to face with Remus, transformed. She raised a trembling hand to cast a Shield Charm, but before she could do a thing, he was on her, his claws tearing into her flesh. She felt blood draining from her at an alarming rate and she tried to fight him off, but she was no match for a werewolf. He raised his head, his teeth bared, ready to bore into her, when a giant black dog pounced from seemingly nowhere. It barked angrily at the werewolf as it turned to face its almost-victim. A stag galloped towards the wolf to keep it at bay, for the dog seemed to have grown rigid with shock. The dog transformed back into a human.

Sirius bent over Starr's limp form. "Starr," he whimpered, sounding rather doglike. He picked up her body and broke into a run, headed for the castle, ignoring the stag's angry snorts from behind him.

Somewhere in between Madam Pomfrey hastily beginning to patch Starr up and her trying to make him leave the Hospital Wing did Sirius break down, his own tears salty in his mouth.

James burst through the door to the Hospital Wing, scratched and bruised, demanding, "Who was it?" Sirius had stopped crying long ago; now he was merely numb, as if he was no longer capable of feeling emotion.

He shook his head wordlessly, moving so James could see her. James spotted the still form of his little sister and his blood ran cold. "No… not Starr," he moaned, like some sort of wounded animal. He rushed to her bedside, grabbing her hand and rubbing it. "Is she…?" he asked, his last word strangled in the back of his throat, too scared to even voice his fear.

"No," Sirius told him sullenly. "Not yet, at least."

"What do you mean?" James demanded, paling. He seemed to grip his sister's hand tightened and she let out a small moan. They fell silent, waiting for her to show another sign of life, but she remained as quiet, still, and seemingly lifeless as before. He sucked in a deep breath, repeating, "What do you mean?"

"Madam Pomfrey says there's no way to know for sure if she'll survive… she suspects a werewolf attack, but I don't think she believes in it firmly enough to alert anyone else. James, I…" Sirius tried to say, but his voice cracked on his last word and he was rendered speechless.

"What is it, Padfoot?" he asked softly.

"I didn't say good-bye to her before we left with Moony… what if I never get to tell her that I love her again?" he said, his tears falling freshly yet again.

"She'll pull through, Padfoot," James said, swallowing loudly and trying to convince himself. "She's a strong girl; she'll pull through."

"I know she's strong," Sirius whispered. "Prongs…"

"Don't even, Sirius," James said, cutting his best mate off. "You saved her life."

By morning, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus, and Peter were all gathered around Starr's bed in the Hospital Wing, excused from classes compliments of Albus Dumbledore. Lily had explained what Severus had tried to pull. "The chase must've led her out to the grounds somehow," she said, staring at the Starr's still form.

"Screw him!" James said, his hands clenched into fists. "First he assaults you with his lips, next he gets my little sister attacked by a werewolf. I'll murder him."

"It's my fault," Remus said. "It's all my fault…"

"Remus, snap the bloody hell out of it!" Lily insisted, snapping her finger in his face. "You were transformed, Remus. You didn't know what you were doing and you smelled a human. I swear to God, Starr'll slap you if you talk like that when she wakes up."

"How do you know she's going to?" Sirius asked miserably.

Lily patted him comfortingly on the shoulder. "I know these things." However, deep down, she was just as worried as everyone else was. She could feel James clinging to her for dear life, and she knew that he needed her support more than ever. Sirius was clinging desperately to the mattress. Remus and Peter had worried looks in the their eyes; none of them had slept a wink all night.

"Sirius?" croaked a voice. Sirius' head snapped up. Starr's hazel eyes had fluttered open and she was smiling weakly at all of them.

"Starr," he said softly, grasping her hand tightly as he sighed in relief.

James released Lily and rushed to his sister's side. "Starr, are you okay?" he gasped, his hazel eyes bulging at her.

"I'm going to be fine, bro," she replied softly, still smiling. "Snivellus must've doubled back once he got outside; I was so busy chasing him that I didn't realize where I was until I heard Remus growl."

"Starr," Remus said, finally speaking up, "this is all my fault, I feel so guilty-"

"Remus," she interrupted, "shut the bloody hell up. Lils… slap him please. I would, but I'm kind of out of it right now."

Lily flashed Remus a grin, slapping his arm. "Told you so," she smirked. She faced Starr again, saying, "Welcome back, Starr."

"Thanks, Lils," she said.

"Oh, and thanks for saving me from Snivellus," Lily said, wrinkling her nose at the unpleasant memory. "I'm going to have nightmares about that for months." Starr laughed, but flashed a longingly glance at Sirius. Lily's mouth formed an 'o' as she said, "Er, come on, James… Remus… Peter… let's give these two some privacy." She dragged the three protesting boys from the Hospital Wing, ignoring their complaints.

"Starr…" Sirius said softly as soon as they were alone, "I was scared to death. Bloody hell, I thought you were going to die."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, lifting her hand to stroke his cheek gently. "Didn't you know I'd pull through?"

"Deep down I did, I guess," he said. "But that didn't stop me from being scared. God, Starr, I dunno what I'd do without you."

"I love you, Sirius," she said softly, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Don't cry," he said, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "I love you too, Starr." He bent his head down and kissed her urgently, remembering how close he had come to losing her. As she moaned into his mouth, he knew that he never wanted to let her go.