***I'm soooooo sorry for the wait. I've been having severe writer's block with all my stories which totally sucks, especially for you wonderful readers. Thank you for being so patient with me. I don't know how I feel about this chapter. It's a little shorter than usual, but it's the best I could do right now without straying from the story line, so I apologize in advance. Let me know what you think, good or bad! Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone!***
Out of the Ashes
11
Six weeks dragged by slowly, and Sirius was forced to realize how bleak life really was without Rachel Riatt. She had slept straight through Christmas and New Year, as well as Lily's birthday three days prior. The first few weeks of her coma, Sirius would run into the Hospital wing before and after classes with a hopeful gleam in his grey eyes. By the fourth week, he had no hope left inside of him. He continued to visit her every day, despite how depressing it was to see her lying there unconscious, completely unaware of all of the things she'd been missing.
She had missed her parents coming to see her hours after her arrival to the hospital wing. She had missed her mother's rare tears glistening on her rosy cheeks. She had missed her father shouting at Dumbledore and McGonagall until he dropped to his knees with his head in his hands. Sirius had never met Rachel's parents before, but she had always given the impression that they did not love her very much. He wished she could have seen their distraught faces while they stood around her. He wished she could have felt her mother's fingers combing through her hair until it lay smooth against her pillow or her father's lips on her forehead. But she had missed all of that.
She had missed Peter ripping his pants in front of the entire Great Hall at dinner. She had missed James finally beating Remus at a game of wizard's chess. She had missed Lily getting so drunk on her birthday that she forgot her last name, which James happily reminded her was 'Potter.' She had missed all of the tears Sirius spent on her when he sat alone beside her bed. She had missed the salty hot liquid hitting the back of her hand or soaking her through her sheets as he sobbed over her still body. She had missed him crying until he was sick in the waste bin beside her. She had missed him proclaiming his love for her while he pleaded for her to wake up.
"You coming, Sirius?" Lily's soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
He shook his head and ignored the frown tugging at her lips while James stood beside her.
"I'll let Moony know you weren't feeling up to coming tonight," James said quietly, giving Sirius' shoulder a firm squeeze. "Don't stay here all night, mate."
When Sirius made no move to respond, James escorted Lily from the hospital wing with his arm snaked securely around her narrow waist. Sirius almost smiled to himself: at least something good is coming from all of this. He frowned again when he realized Rachel had missed that, too. James and Lily finally getting together, a moment Rachel had been waiting years for, and she missed it. Sirius groaned and rested his elbows on her mattress, holding his head in his hands. Shoving his fingers through his long hair, he felt the tears spitefully stinging his eyes as he gritted his teeth. He wrapped his fingers around Rachel's little hand and held it to his cheek. He rubbed the back of her hand along his jaw, prickling it with his weeks' worth of facial hair he never bothered to groom.
"Shave that ridiculous shit off your face."
The scratchy voice drew Sirius' attention and he turned his eyes towards Rachel. Her green eyes were open into tiny slits and a playful smirk was tugging at her lips. Sirius knew the tears were falling from his eyes as he breathed a hard laugh and leapt to his feet. He stroked Rachel's cheek, smiling down at her while her eyes fought to open more. He heard her clearing her throat and moved to grab a glass of water, holding it to her lips while she took a long gulp.
"You're a riot, Riatt," he teased in spite of the tears spilling from his eyes.
She smiled softly and raised her right hand to brush his fallen tears from his cheeks. Sirius caught her fingers and pressed them to his lips as he continued to stare down at her, afraid if he looked away she'd be unconscious again. She fidgeted in her cot, attempting to sit up a little bit when she winced and fell back against the pillow.
"My arm," she breathed. "Why does my arm hurt?"
"You were attacked, love. Do you remember what happened in Hogsmeade?" Sirius asked helping her to sit up against her pillows.
Rachel's brows furrowed for a moment as she struggled to recall the events of that dreadful day. Slowly but surely, remembrance flooded her face and she seemed to cringe. She shut her eyes tightly against the memories flashing before them and shook her head to rid it of the appalling scenes. Her fingers knotted in the crisp white bed sheets draped over her body and she clenched her jaw tight.
"Hey, calm down, love. It's over. I'm here, you're safe with me, I promise," Sirius whispered, running his fingertips up and down her forearm.
"It was terrible. So many people…dead. I remember tripping over the bodies," her breath was uneven.
"Do you remember what happened to you at all, love?" Sirius asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer.
"I remember dueling someone. I think I got distracted and he landed a blasting curse by my feet. I hit a building and my arm and skull bore the brunt of it. I don't even know how I got away, but I did. I started looking for you lot and after a while, I found Remus. He was in a bad way, so I went to help. The Death Eater hit me with something; I can't remember what hex it was-"
"A knee reversing hex," Sirius supplied with a frown.
"Yes, that sounds right," Rachel grimaced. "I thought he was going to kill me, but I think their forces were called off. Once he was gone, I pulled Remus to safety and sent my Patronus to you."
"Nice bit of magic, by the way. I had no idea you could do that," Sirius smiled at the bashful blush coloring her cheeks.
"Thanks," she smiled. "After that, it's all just…black."
"Remus had been trying to heal your wounds and stop the bleeding," Sirius said, touching the bandages around her shoulder, "but nothing he did was working. We got you up here and Madam Pomfrey took care of you straight away. She had a lot of people to tend to afterwards. Dumbledore's furious, so obviously all Hogsmeade trips have been cancelled until further notice."
"I don't think I'd have been going back anytime soon, anyway," Rachel shivered before she began looking around frantically. "Where are the others? Lily? James? Pete? Remus? They're all okay, aren't they, Siri?"
"They're fine, Ray. They'll be even better once they know you've woken up," Sirius replied, placing a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead.
"How long have I been out for?" she asked, watching Sirius' eyes fall to his lap.
"Six weeks," he mumbled.
"Six weeks?! Oh no, I've missed so much!" Rachel buried her face in her hands.
"Yeah, but at least you're awake now," Sirius pulled her face from her palms.
"Six weeks?" she whispered, and Sirius nodded his head. "Happy birthday, Sirius."
He beamed down at her and caught her lips with his. His fingers knotted in her hair, holding her in place while their lips moved in sync. Sirius sighed into her mouth, cherishing the feel of her soft lips on his; a sensation he had desperately missed over the last six weeks. A soft mew slipped between Rachel's lips, and Sirius knew she had missed him, too. He pulled back slightly and pressed their foreheads together, gazing down into her lovely olive eyes.
"I'm sorry I haven't got a gift for you," she frowned.
"Waking up and opening those beautiful eyes of yours was the best gift you could have given me, Ray," Sirius said softly before kissing her lips once more.
"How dare you not wake us! I'm her bloody best friend! I should have been the first person you sought out when she woke up!"
Rachel could hear Lily's angry shouts just on the opposite sides of her curtains. Judging by the grit in her normally sweet voice, she must have been furious with Sirius for not waking her sooner. Rachel sighed and rubbed her tired eyes.
"Will you shut up? You're going to wake her," Sirius snarled back at Lily.
"Watch it, Padfoot," James warned.
"I think we all need to just calm down a moment," Remus said wisely. "If she woke up last night, I'm sure she'll wake again."
"Yeah," Peter chimed in. "Why don't we just sit here like we have been for the last month and a half, and wait."
With that, the pudgy boy opened the curtain and stepped inside Rachel's makeshift room. He started, laying a plump hand over his heart as his beady eyes met hers. Rachel smiled and lifted her had to wave her fingers at him. Remus appeared over his shoulder, his eyes sparkling as he smiled down at her.
"Ah, see? Looks like we won't have to wait very long at all," he smiled, glancing back over his shoulder.
Not a second later, Lily's small frame shoved past the two boys and she launched herself onto Rachel's bed. Carefully, even in her haste and excitement, Lily engulfed Rachel in a tight embrace, laying her cheek against Rachel's sheet-covered bosom. Rachel chuckled and she stroked Lily's vibrant hair lovingly before wrapping her one good arm around her back. It didn't take long for her to feel Lily's hot tears through her sheets and she began cooing softly in the girl's ear.
"Hush, Lils, I'm fine. Everything's alright, yeah? No need to cry," Rachel whispered softly until Lily picked her head up off her chest.
"I was so worried you weren't ever going to wake up," Lily's bottom lip quivered as tears stained her blotchy cheeks. "It had been so long…"
"I know, but I'm alright now. Madam Pomfrey says I can leave tomorrow afternoon. However, I plan on breaking out of this jail cell tonight after dinner," Rachel smirked.
"No," Lily's firm voice was muffled by Sirius' surprisingly strict tone.
"You're going to stay until Madam Pomfrey says you're well enough to leave," Sirius came to the side of the bed Lily wasn't occupying and brushed some of Rachel's hair from her face. "I'm not going to take any risks with you."
"Wow, I never thought I'd hear those words coming out of your mouth, Padfoot," James teased, throwing a wink at Rachel. "How are you feeling, Rach?"
"Alright," she shrugged one shoulder. "A bit stiff, but nothing too terrible."
"How's that doing?" Pete asked, jerking his head toward her fresh bandages.
Rachel frowned and focused her attention on a suddenly intriguing thread hanging from the green fleece blanket covering her legs. She picked at the thread, wrapping it around her finger until the tip turned an odd shade of purple. She sighed heavily and shook her head.
"Madam Pomfrey says her arm will never be the same. The nerves and muscles were too badly damaged for her to fully repair, so she won't be able to do things as well as she used to like flying a broom, throwing a quaffle, or lifting heavy things. She certainly won't be able to duel properly anymore, either. She said Rachel's lucky her arm wasn't ripped right off," Sirius retold what the nurse had shared with them the night before once Sirius alerted her of Rachel's awakening.
"That's not so bad, Rach," Lily stroked her healthy arm comfortingly.
"Yeah, it's not like you play quidditch anyway," James shrugged his shoulders.
"And you've got this mutt to carry your things and lift everything for you," Peter joked, earning a soft chuckle from everyone but Rachel.
"I won't be able to duel," Rachel muttered. "Meaning I won't be able to protect myself. Meaning I'll have to depend on other people for my safety. Do you have any idea how difficult that is to accept? I've lost all my independence in one stupid battle because of a stupid distraction."
"You have us to protect you anyway," James shrugged again. "It's not like Sirius would let anything happen to you."
"Something already did happen to me, James," Rachel spat. "And it was no one's fault but my own."
"Rach-"
"No, Lily, it was. If I had listened to Sirius and gone back to the castle, I wouldn't be here right now. And if I hadn't been so distracted wondering where the Aurors were, that curse never would have hit me, and my arm would be fine. Even then, I was relying on people to protect me and they never even showed up. What good are Aurors, anyway?" she grumbled angrily.
"Hey, I want to be an Auror," James defended.
"Why? It's not like they take their jobs seriously enough to come and save innocent school children while a village is being ransacked by Death Eaters. Even after the bastards left, I didn't see an Auror in sight," Rachel snapped.
"Come to think of it, I didn't either," Remus scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"No," Lily agreed. "I only saw McGonagall and…"
"Dumbledore," Sirius finished for her.
"Enter."
With the Marauders and Lily flanking her sides, Rachel stepped inside the Head Master's office the following evening. Sirius had his arm securely wrapped around her waist while Remus stood on her other side ready to catch her if she stumbled. Her knee was still a bit sore from the hex it endured and her body was still weak from being unconscious for so long. But the journey to the Head Master's office was more important than her bed rest.
"Miss Riatt," Dumbledore smiled in greeting, "and company."
"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore," Rachel smiled at him.
"Please, have a seat," he opened his palm and several additional chairs appeared for everyone to sit.
"Thank you, sir," Lily said while everyone else nodded in thanks.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes swiveling across each member of the group trying to depict a leader.
"We were wondering, sir," Remus began carefully, "where the Aurors were during the attack on Hogsmeade."
"Ah, I cannot answer that, Mister Lupin," Dumbledore tented the tips of his fingers in front of his chest. "It is not my responsibility to know the Auror's whereabouts, you see."
"But you were there, sir," Rachel jumped in. "You, and Professor McGonagall, and a few others I didn't recognize."
"It is my responsibility to make sure my students are safe from danger, Miss Riatt," Dumbledore looked at her over the rim of his half-moon glasses. "When danger arises, it is my duty to be there to offer my protection wherever possible."
"Isn't that the Auror's job, as well? And the Ministry's?" Sirius chimed in, his fingers balling into fists over his knee.
"I would like to think so, Mister Black," Dumbledore sighed softly. "However, often in times like these, the ones we are told to turn to for protection are too preoccupied to look closely enough to see the present dangers."
"You mean to say, they're turning a blind eye," James said with a roll of his hazel eyes.
"It would seem that way, Mister Potter," Dumbledore frowned ruefully.
"But why, sir?" Lily asked leaning forward in her seat. "It's not just Hogsmeade that was attacked. Muggles and Muggle-borns have been being targeted left and right. Why are they ignoring it?"
"Who in their right mind would ignore something so awful?" James asked, wrapping a soothing arm around Lily's shoulders.
"They're not in their right minds," Rachel supplied.
"I must agree with you, Miss Riatt," Dumbledore said with a proud twinkle in his eyes. "The Minister of Magic's mind has been warped by fear, it seems. Fear is an intriguing thing. For some, it can be a driving force behind a heroic action. But to others, it simply forces them to run and hide."
"But not you, sir," Rachel eyed him closely.
"Aye," Dumbledore agreed with a slight smile. "Not I."
"You're taking a stand? But how?" James asked, sitting on the edge of his seat.
"I believe it is much too close to dinner time for this discussion, Mister Potter," Dumbledore smiled, stroking his long silver beard with his fingertips. "You all may come back for this discussion at this time next year."
"Next year?" Rachel cried, shooting to her feet. "But we need to do something now!"
"I admire your ambition, Miss Riatt," Dumbledore chuckled. "But I must insist. Towards the end of your final term here, we shall all discuss this again.
"Swear to it," Rachel demanded as her friends began making their way towards the exit.
"You have my word, Miss Riatt," Dumbledore bowed his head with a smile.