PART 36
The next day, Sirius's "sanity" took a dramatic turn for the worse.
It started with him complaining about a headache and wanting to go out for fresh air. James had the song Your Mother Should Know stuck in his head because he had heard it on the radio the other week.
"Da da da daaa," he hummed. "She was born a long long time ago..."
It was at that point that Sirius cracked completely. He broke down in tears, mistaking Hogwarts for home, himself for a nine year old and James for his father.
"Where are my cats?" he wept. "Where's Orbit and Satellite?"
"What are you talking about?" James asked, confused.
"You killed Orbit and Satellite! You killed them!"
Oh dear. James listened, horrified, when Sirius, through wailing, described the circumstances in which he had found his dear cats, as if he had done so a minute ago.
"I haven't killed your cats!" said James, not yet realising that Sirius was having a delusion.
"I HATE YOU, FATHER!" Sirius cried and then he began to blubber things in French.
And James didn't understand a word of it.
"Hey what's up?" said Remus, coming out for some fresh air. He had some books with him, because the weather was nice.
"I can't understand a word of it. He's lost his marbles."
Remus tried to listen.
"Yes. Poor Marbles."
"Is suddenly talking French a common symptom for earwyrms?"
"It can be. But I think he is having a childhood flashback."
Seeing Remus, Sirius threw his arms around his waist.
"Mummy where's Orbit and Satellite? And Marbles?"
"Erm...They're at the vet."
Sirius began to shriek.
"No! They're not at the vet! They're at a nice farm somewhere. Did I say nice farm somewhere? I mean, they're at one of those cat beauty shows!"
This calmed Sirius down.
"Is it important to play along?" James whispered.
"I think so. He has clearly entered the hysterical delusions phase, which always precedes..."
Remus didn't want to say it.
"I'm sorry mummy! I'm sorry for everything!"
"There… there..."
This was bad. If Sirius wasn't treated fast, he'd very soon end up at a nice farm somewhere.