Chapter 5: All Falls Down
Sirius held back a laugh as he watched Peter carefully carry his powdered Root of Asphodel back to his work station. They were making Draught of Living Death and when Sirius had offered to weigh Peter's ingredients for him, he may have added a touch too much to the mix. The Potion was damn near impossible anyway, with all of them on their second – even third - attempts, so he figured it wouldn't make much difference. Plus, it would teach Peter not to trust others with something so important.
He leaned forward on the table, watching Peter begin his Potion again. As he did so, he pushed a few ingredients out of the way.
"Sirius, I need that next." Gemma's sharp tone sliced through the air as she leaned towards him, grabbing the Sopophorous bean he had just moved. "This is difficult enough as it is."
Merlin's Beard she was in a mood today. In fact, she'd been in a mood for the last few days, ever since they had returned from the Christmas break. At first she had seemed a little quiet, withdrawn even, and Sirius had wondered if she was ill. She'd certainly looked ill. Still did, actually. But he could hardly tell her that she looked bloody exhausted. He knew enough about girls to know that would not go down well.
When classes had started back up she had switched from being quiet and distracted to being quiet and focused. But not in a good way. Before, working with Gemma had been fun. She'd been open to conversation and discussion. Having a laugh while they focused on the task at hand. But now. Well, she was more serious than McGonagall.
"Sorry." He moved the items back to within her reach. "I was just watching Peter. I have a feeling he might be forced to start again soon." He grinned at her, but she didn't look up at him. She was too busy staring at her potion. He rolled his eyes and focused on his own work for a bit, before hearing the sound of Peter realising he had added too much Root of Asphodel. He laughed loudly and watched Slughorn go over to question Peter. Sirius knew Peter wanted to blame him, but couldn't.
"Oh, fuck." Gemma muttered from beside him. "I think I stirred too many times. Shit."
Sirius looked over at Gemma's potion and could see that it was not turning lilac or clear. Then he looked at her. She looked annoyed. Frustrated. Which was silly really – no one in class could make this damn potion and Slughorn himself had said he would be amazed if anyone did. So why Gemma was so bothered by it made little sense.
"Well done, Mr Snape." Slughorn's voice bounded around the room. "This is looking very good indeed." Sirius sneered at Snape who was looking smug about being teacher's pet. "And Miss Evans." Slughorn continued. "A very good attempt as well."
Lily beamed and Sirius couldn't find it in himself to be annoyed at her for being teacher's pet. Probably because Lily was… Lily. She was kind with it. She'd probably help the girls later – and Remus, her study partner – rather than lording it over others like Snape would do. Merlin, he hated that guy.
"Sirius." Gemma was nudging him. He turned to her and realised she was packing away her equipment. It seemed class was over. He looked down at his half-hearted attempt at the potion and shrugged away his failure. Maybe next time.
Being the last couple to clean up from class, Sirius walked with Gemma back to the common room. He could see Peter and Remus up ahead, as they talked with Lily, Mary and Alice, although they were slowly disappearing from sight. And he knew James had Quidditch practice, so would have rushed off immediately.
He glanced at Gemma beside him. She had the tiniest frown in her forehead – a permanent fixture lately – and he wondered what was going through her head right now. She was clearly stressed and needed to relax. He thought about what he did when he was stressed – which wasn't often with schoolwork, but was often with his family – and he thought it might work with her too. She needed to escape for a little while. She needed air to breathe.
"Meet me in the common room at midnight. I want to take you somewhere."
Gemma immediately stopped and turned to him, her little frown deepening. "What?"
He smiled a little. Gemma would never be one to just 'go with the flow'. "Meet me in the common room at midnight. Tonight. I want to take you somewhere. Help you relax. De-stress."
"Is this some sort of prank? Am I going to turn up at midnight and be attacked by Cornish Pixies or something?"
He laughed. That would be a funny prank. "No, of course not. I can see you're stressed and I want to help."
"I'm not stressed." She turned and carried on walking.
He quickly caught up with her. "Yes, you are. You've done nothing for the last three days but stick your nose in a book. In class you've been concentrating so hard I get headaches just being next to you. You've been hanging off every bloody word the teachers say and not paying any attention to anything else. You spend every waking moment in class or the library. Do you even eat? Sleep?"
"I'm focused." Gemma stopped again and turned to him. "So what? What does it matter to you anyway? I'm allowed to listen in class, Sirius. In fact, I think that's kind of the point. What is wrong with me wanting to learn something; wanting to work hard? Some of us can't turn up on the day, wing it and be perfect. Some of us have to put in the effort."
Sirius frowned as Gemma turned and started walking again. Was that last comment of hers pointed at him? Did he turn up, wing it and be perfect? Maybe… he shook himself. Not the point.
"Gemma." He called as he chased after her. "I know you want to work hard and get good grades, all so you can become an Auror, but you are not being yourself right now. You're working too hard."
Gemma rolled her eyes. "I don't see how 'working too hard' could ever be a problem." She stopped, turning back to him. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine." Her tone said it all. She wasn't grateful and he needed to drop the subject.
Sirius watched her turn and walk off. Fine. If she didn't want any help then he would leave her be. Let her suffer. Let her work herself too hard until she broke. He damn well wasn't going to be there to pick up the pieces.
Walking quickly, he caught up with her, but neither of them said anything further. As they turned the last corner, about to head fully out of the dungeons, Sirius tensed. Ahead of him were a group of Slytherins he did not want to bump into.
Mulciber was blocking the way, with Avery, Lestrange and Sirius's cousin, Bellatrix Black, hanging behind him. And his brother, Regulus, was there too. Damn. Sirius had heard that Bellatrix had brought Regulus into her little gang, but he had still hoped he wouldn't join them. Sirius knew he was looking at Death Eaters in the making, and he hated that for his brother. But Regulus was an idiot. Believing the nonsense his mother spouted daily.
"Oh, well isn't this fun?" Bellatrix said, smirking at him and Gemma. "Two little Gryffindors, lost in the dungeons. Have you come to play?"
"Back off, Bellatrix. We were just leaving class. We don't want to fight." And that was the truth. Not only were the odds against them – five against two – but Mulciber had a cold look in his eye which was currently being directed at Gemma. She stood tall and unyielding, but Sirius didn't like it one bit.
"Running away again, brother?" Regulus asked as he moved forward.
"Shut it, Regulus. You don't have a bloody clue." Sirius replied. He needed to get them out of there.
Mulciber stepped forward, getting closer to Gemma. "Your father seems to be putting his nose where it doesn't belong, Arwin. He's making a lot of enemies."
"You're weak, Sirius." Regulus said, having moved closer as well. "You're selfish. A traitor. Turning your back on us; your family."
"Now my father has had to disappear." Mulciber was still talking. "The Ministry are trying to send him to Azkaban."
Regulus continued to speak too and Sirius was torn between keeping an eye on Gemma and punching his brother in the face. "Mother is ashamed of you. But then, she always knew you were worthless."
"Sounds like he has something to hide then." Gemma replied to Mulciber. "If he was innocent, I'm sure it would all be cleared up quickly."
Sirius heard Mulciber growl. And then everything happened at once. Mulciber lunged and grabbed Gemma's arm, forcing her up against the dungeon wall. Regulus grabbed Sirius's robes, shaking him. "She burned you off the family tree! Why can't you just accept the truth?"
Sirius shoved Regulus away, not looking at where he landed. He needed to get to Gemma.
She was up against the wall, Mulciber's hand tight around her arm, his bulk pressing her into the stone. She looked panicked. He could see it in her eyes. And Sirius realised then that she couldn't get to her wand. Dammit.
"You tell your father that his precious little daughter is going to get herself hurt." Mulciber was growling, his face inches from hers.
Sirius grabbed Mulciber's shoulders and hauled him away from Gemma. He raised his fist and punched him hard in the face. His hand hurt, but he guessed Mulciber's face hurt more.
Mulciber stumbled back, clutching his nose and howling in pain. Suddenly four Slytherin wands were pointed at him. But Gemma now had hers drawn too.
Bellatrix broke the silence with her laughter. "Isn't that adorable. We tell him he's selfish, a traitor… what was that other word? Oh yes. Worthless. And he doesn't react at all. But we place one hand on the pretty blonde and suddenly Sirius is fighting."
"You're going to pay for that, Black." Mulciber said, wiping his bloody nose with his hand. Then he looked at Gemma. "And I'm not done with you."
"Not today though." Avery said to Mulciber as he stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. The other Slytherin's lowered their wands. "Slughorn is coming. Let's go."
Growling, Mulciber shoved Avery's hand away, then turned with the others following. Regulus looked like he wanted to say more, but Bellatrix grabbed his arm and pulled him away. Sirius kept his eyes on them until they had turned the corner.
"What are you two still doing here?" Slughorn asked as he appeared beside them. "Not causing trouble, I hope."
"No, Sir." Sirius replied. "We were just talking. We're leaving now." He took Gemma's hand and pulled her down the corridor, up the stairs out of the dungeons and towards their common room.
As they approached Gryffindor tower, Sirius finally slowed. He stopped and turned to Gemma. "You ok?"
"Yeah." She didn't look ok. She looked shaken.
"You sure? Your arm ok?" Damn he wanted to punch Mulciber again and again for the way he had manhandled her. No one should ever lay a hand on a female, least of all one who was half his size. Bastard.
Sirius watched Gemma steel her spine. "I'm fine, thank you. And thank you for punching Mulciber."
He nodded in reply. "Let's head in." Keeping her hand in his he started to walk again.
"Wait." Gemma said, pulling back on him. She placed her other hand over his wrist, locking his hand in hers. Then she paused, as if hesitant to speak. Somehow he knew exactly what she was going to say and he really didn't want to hear it. "I'm sorry… about what Regulus said. I'm sure he didn't mean…"
"He meant it." Sirius pulled his hand from her grip. He couldn't – wouldn't – have this conversation.
"Well, it's not true. You know that, right?"
He needed to leave. Get some space. Some fresh air. Regulus's words had opened old wounds which he had pushed aside, as he always did. But Gemma hearing them, seeing first-hand what a mess his life was, what monsters his family were. And now she was trying to comfort him. Reassure him. It was too much.
"I'm going for a walk." Without looking back, he turned and walked away.
It was late. Probably close to midnight. He'd missed dinner and curfew, but he didn't care.
Sirius stared up at the stars above him. His sanctuary. Whenever things got difficult, whenever he was stressed or angry – or sad – he would visit the Astronomy Tower and somehow everything would be ok. He'd always enjoyed staring at the stars. Being reminded that he was part of something bigger. This was where he had intended to bring Gemma to help her relax.
He heard footsteps, guessing instantly who it was. "Hey." James said as he joined Sirius on the ground.
"Hey."
"Gemma told me what happened. She started to worry when you didn't show up, so I said I'd look for you. Didn't take me long." James was smiling.
Sirius laughed a little. Even if James didn't know that this was Sirius's 'place', he would have used their map to find him. Their Marauders Map. A fucking genius creation he was unbelievably proud of.
Over the years the four of them had found themselves in precarious situations. Being caught out of bed and roaming the halls by Filch or McGonagall was not at the top of their 'favourite things' list, so they had discussed ways to stay one step ahead. Suggested as a joke by one of them – Sirius genuinely couldn't remember who – they had laughed and talked about just how much effort would be involved and what types of spells they would need to learn to even contemplate making the idea a reality.
Sirius could still remember Remus's face as he started to think the idea was more and more realistic, until finally they were all convinced they could do it. That they could actually create a map of Hogwarts which would show them where every student, every professor, even every damn Ghost, was within the school and grounds.
It had taken them a while, but they finally completed it last year, alongside the three of them becoming Animagi. And so they had named themselves on the map by their animal counterparts – Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot & Prongs.
More recently, they had added a charm to ensure the map always insulted Snape if ever he tried to read it. This was because Peter had been an idiot and nearly left the map on the side in Potions. Beady-eyed Snape had been obviously curious and so they decided to take no chances. Even if he managed to say the correct turn of phrase to reveal the maps contents, he would get nothing but insults thrown at him. Funny ones too.
"You want to talk about it?" James asked.
"No."
"Ok." James sat back, leaning on his hands behind him and stared up at the sky. Sirius smiled. James understood. He wouldn't pester him for answers or force him to talk about it. He would just sit with him, patiently waiting for Sirius to be ready to head back. James really was the best of men. And Sirius was grateful to have him as his true brother.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Gemma looked over at Alice who was sitting on her own bed, staring at her with so much concern in her eyes it hurt.
Gemma gave her a reassuring smile and rubbed her upper arm. It was sore. Mulciber had grabbed her so tightly she was certain she would have bruises. She'd check when she got into the shower. "I'm ok. My arm is sore but it will heal."
"I can't believe Mulciber attacked you like that. He's such a bully. He needs to be put down. I'm tempted to march my way over there and give him a piece of my mind. And shove my wand up his…"
"Alice." Gemma interrupted, laughing slightly. Merlin, she loved her best friend. "I'm just as tempted but I'd rather leave it for now. Mulciber isn't done with me or Sirius so I'm going to stay alert and keep my wand close at all times."
She had hated not being able to get to her wand. Momentarily distracted by the vile things Regulus had been saying to Sirius, she hadn't been paying attention to Mulciber. When she had commented on his father, she'd missed the signs of an attack. Suddenly she had been up against the wall, his grip tight and his disgusting body pressed into her, his mouth snarling in her face with his threat. Gemma shuddered. She had been scared.
And maybe she had hated that more. She had been nervous when her and Sirius had come up against the five Slytherin's, but she had confidently believed they would be ok. She hadn't expected any sort of attack in the corridor where anyone could walk past, plus her and Sirius were excellent at duelling. It would have been tough, and may have involved a heavy protection shield on their part, but she hadn't been too worried. But then Mulciber had grabbed her. She'd been surprised, caught off guard and unable to grab her wand. And it had hurt. She knew she wasn't very tough physically, and it had felt like he was crushing her bone. She wondered if she should start working out.
"I love that Sirius punched him for you." Alice said, climbing out of bed. "My opinion of him has increased as a result." Gemma smiled. Alice was all talk when it came to the guys; it was clear she didn't mind them half as much as she claimed.
Getting ready and heading straight to the library, Gemma reflected on her first few days back since Christmas. How had it only been four days? That horrible moment in her dad's office when her parents had fought felt like it had happened weeks ago.
Gemma momentarily closed her eyes. She was so tired. She'd done nothing but focus on her studies when she had returned, and ignored all the concerned questions and comments from her friends. She was fine though. She was just focused, and class was a good distraction from worrying about her mum and dad.
As she entered the library she nodded a hello to Madam Pince and made her way to the back of the room. Placing her books on the desk, she sat down and began to work on their Draught of Living Death essay. Yesterday's attempts at making the difficult potion had been frustrating, and Gemma had thought about it all night. She was sure she had counted seven stirs. And she was sure she had gotten enough juice out of her Sopophorous bean. Shaking her head, she focused on the task at hand but her eyes were bleary. Damn she was tired. And so fed up with this subject. But she wouldn't quit. She would never become an Auror if she gave up after one difficult potion and one boring essay.
Two hours later her head was hurting, her arm was sore and her hand was cramping. Taking a moment's break, she looked up and was startled to find an owl on her desk. How had she missed that? How long had it been there?
The beautiful white snowy owl looked at her with wide eyes, its beak holding firmly onto a parchment envelope. Confused – and slightly alarmed as owls only delivered urgent mail outside of breakfast time – Gemma reached forward and took the envelope. She recognised her mum's writing immediately and her heart began to thump.
She opened the envelope quickly and grabbed the letter that spilled out. Her mum's writing was frantic and Gemma anxiously read the note.
Gemma, your father has been attacked and he is badly hurt at St Mungo's…
Gemma's body went cold and her heart raced. Her eyes blurred and she could no longer read the message. And she didn't want to. Her father was injured. Badly. Her father who she had barely spoken to in recent months. Her father who had been facing multiple death eaters everyday. Her father who had been fighting with her mum and telling Gemma to stay vigilant and work hard. Gemma was so tired of working hard.
She suddenly couldn't breathe. She stood quickly, needing to get air, to get away from the fear and panic that was overwhelming her. Rushing from the library she ran to a nearby courtyard and collapsed against a pillar. Then she cried. She cried and cried and cried.
She barely heard the footsteps. The mumbled voices. She barely felt the hands pulling her up and into strong arms that held her so tightly.
Slowly her mind cleared and the scent of cedar wood surrounded her. She buried her cheek against a firm chest, seeking comfort as a hand held the back of her neck tightly, a thumb gently brushing over her hair. She wrapped her arms around the figure holding her and clung on. Merlin, she had really needed a hug. More than she had realised.
After a short while, Gemma felt herself calm. Her tears had stopped and her breathing was normal. She pulled back slightly, looked up at Sirius, and almost cried again. She needed - wanted - to step back, but her legs wouldn't move.
Sirius couldn't let go. Not yet. Even though he could see from Gemma's face – her pink, tear stained face – that she wanted to step back.
Merlin's Beard he had been shocked when he'd seen her. After messing around outside with James, Remus and Peter, he had spotted on the map that Gemma was working in the library. Again. Intending to check on her, he had asked the guys if they could walk that way back to the common room, never expecting to find her crumpled on the floor in tears.
His chest had hurt at the sight. The others had been just as shocked, but Sirius had quickly told them to leave. Gemma wouldn't want them to see her like that. Pulling her up and into his arms, he had held on to her as she had cried. What the hell had happened?
"Gem." He reached up and wiped away a tear that was resting on her cheek. "What's happened?"
Her eyes closed as her head tilted down. "My dad…" Her lip wobbled and she lifted her hand slightly. He saw the crumpled letter she was holding.
"May I?" She nodded, so he took the letter from her.
"I haven't even finished reading it. I just saw he had been attacked and I…" She started crying again. "It's too much, Sirius. It's all too much."
Keeping her in the circle of his arms, he read the note over her shoulder.
Gemma, your father has been attacked and he is badly hurt at St Mungo's. He's critical, but the healers are doing everything they can and we're sure he's going to pull through. I'm writing to Dumbledore as well to ask that you be sent here. I really think it will help his recovery to see you. Try not to panic or get too upset. Your dad is a fighter. Love you. Mum.
"They think he's going to be ok, Gem." Sirius said, tilting her head up to look at him. "He's critical, but a fighter. Your mum has written to Dumbledore so you can visit."
"She has?"
"Yes. Shall I take you there now?"
She nodded, but didn't step back. Her arms had wound back around him so he pulled her closer, enjoying the sweet scent of oranges and vanilla that teased his nose. She felt so delicate in his arms. So small and fragile. So unlike the Gemma he usually knew. And her vulnerability around him floored him. That she trusted him with this moment, even if it had been forced upon her when he had found her. She could easily have pushed him away, closed herself off; instead she had held on to him as if she needed him. And for some reason, he liked that.
"I'm ready." Gemma stepped back from him, leaving his arms and taking a deep breath. "How much of a mess do I look?"
He smiled at her red eyes, damp cheeks and puffy face and gave her the absolute truth. "Don't worry. You're still beautiful."
Gemma walked towards Dumbledore's office, her mind jumping from one subject to another. She had read the note from her mum – fully this time – and focused on the positives. He was at St Mungo's and the healers there were exceptional. And he had made it through attacks before because he was, as her mum had said, a fighter.
She continued to focus on those things as her mind jumped to her recent breakdown. She hadn't cried like that in a long time. Ever, in fact. Now she had a clearer mind, she wondered if perhaps she had been working too hard. School had been difficult in the run up to Christmas, and she hadn't done anything to relieve the stress. Then Christmas had been tough, with her dad absent, only returning home to fight with her mum. Coming back to school had been stressful too, even without the attack from Mulciber. And she hadn't been eating or sleeping well. Merlin's Beard, she was a mess.
She stole a quick glance at Sirius walking beside her. She had sensed that it was him holding her but she hadn't been sure. And at the time she had simply been too upset to care. But as she had calmed she had been glad that it was him. There wasn't anyone else she would have wanted to see her like that, except the girls of course. And while they all gave lovely hugs, there had been something comforting about being in his arms. He was so much taller, broader, and stronger than her. She had felt safe. Protected. As if nothing could ever hurt her.
"You still ok?" Sirius had obviously caught her glancing at him.
She smiled and nodded. "Yes, thank you. I'm ok. I just really want to see him now."
"We're almost there."
Gemma was kicking herself for wasting time getting upset when she should have ran straight to Dumbledore's office so she could get to her dad. But Sirius had reminded her that she had needed the time to process the news. She would have crashed eventually, and at least now she could go and be strong for both her parents. Because no doubt her mum was struggling too.
They arrived at Dumbledore's office and Sirius pulled the bell. Unless you had the ever changing password from Dumbledore, you weren't getting close to his office without him knowing about it.
Within a few seconds, the Phoenix moved, twisting itself to reveal his staircase. Sirius placed a hand at the bottom of her back and guided her to lead the way. When they arrived at the top, Dumbledore was waiting for them, a welcoming but concerned look on his face.
"Miss Arwin, how sorry I am to hear about your father."
Gemma gave him a small smile. "Thank you. My mum said she hoped I might be able to visit. Do you think that would be ok?"
"Of course." Dumbledore stepped to the side and Gemma saw he had Floo Powder laid out near his fireplace. "And it would be a great honour to visit George as well. If you do not mind the intrusion."
Gemma shouldn't have been surprised. Her father and Dumbledore had known each other a long time, from when her father was an Auror. She often forgot that they would count each other as friends. It wasn't as if either was known for inviting the other over for tea. "I don't mind at all. I'm sure it would help, knowing you're there."
Dumbledore nodded, then looked over at Sirius. "Mr Black, will you be joining us as well?"
Sirius shook his head. "No, Sir. I was just making sure Gemma got here ok."
"She's fortunate to have a good friend then." Dumbledore turned to her. "Shall we?"
Saying a quick 'thank you' to Sirius, which was hugely under representative of how grateful she actually felt, she allowed Dumbledore to lead her over to the fireplace and together they travelled to St Mungo's via Floo Network.
Following her imposing headmaster through the halls of St Mungo's, her anxiety began to rise again. She stole glances of other patients, seeing witches and wizards in bed, in pain. Was she prepared to see her father in that state?
"Do not worry, Miss Arwin." Dumbledore said, as if reading her mind. "Your father is strong."
They stepped into a room and Gemma had barely caught a glimpse of her dad before her mum was in front of her, hugging her tightly. "Oh Gemma, darling. I'm so glad you're here." Her mum pulled back slightly, running her hands over Gemma's hair. "Don't be alarmed, sweetheart. He looks worse than he is. But the healers are saying he is mending well."
Her mum stepped aside and Gemma took a proper look at her dad. She clung on to her mum. He was battered and bruised. His skin somehow both purple and red. His chest was only partially covered by the bedsheet and Gemma could see horrible, angry slashes over his body. What the hell had happened? Did she even want to know?
Barely listening to her mum talking – telling her that he was healing well, that most of the cuts and bruising should be gone by morning, and that the healers were monitoring his internal damage closely – Gemma moved towards her dad. Tears pricked at her eyes again as she clasped one of his hands. He looked so broken. So unlike the strong, unyielding man she knew him to be.
Dumbledore moved to speak with her mum and Gemma caught snippets of their conversation, but her focus remained on her dad. She overheard her mum say something about Alastar Moody being with him. About how Alastar had saved her dad's life.
Eventually her mum came to sit with them and Gemma realised they were alone. Just the three of them. "Are you ok, mum?" She asked as she reached over and took her mums hand.
Cynthia Arwin looked set to cry, but she simply nodded her head and squeezed Gemma's hand back. "I'm ok. I'll be happier when he wakes."
They sat in silence for a while, before Gemma found she couldn't sit any longer. She needed to walk. Maybe get a drink. She was thirsty, and her mum probably needed something too. Offering to pick up a coffee for her mum – she loved the muggle drink and Gemma hoped they served it somewhere in St Mungo's – she went for a short walk. Stepping into the small cafeteria, Gemma looked over the various options, debating what to go for.
"You're Arwin's kid, aren't you?" A deep voice from behind her made her jump. Turning, she stared up at the man who had spoken. He was young, in his twenties, with light red-blonde hair. But his most defining feature was the heavy black eye patch he had over one eye. He looked like he would have been menacing without the eye patch, but with it... Gemma shuddered slightly. Was this man friend or foe?
"I am." No point in denying it, even if he was a foe. She had her wand. She could take him. Maybe.
The man in front of her chuckled slightly. "Arwin said you were tough. And I can see you getting ready to fight. Don't bother. I'll know the exact moment you reach for your wand and I'll have you disarmed before your fingers graze the tip."
Merlin's Beard. "Who are you?"
"Alastar Moody. Your father's partner." He gave what some would consider a smile, but Gemma wasn't sure. This man was scary. Good thing he was a friend.
"Gemma. But I guess you knew that. It's err... nice to meet you."
He nodded his reply before stepping towards the counter next to her. He ordered a drink, got her to do the same, and then paid for the lot. He wasn't big on talking, which was a shame because Gemma suddenly had twenty-plus questions for him. And not just about his eye patch.
"You can ask me one question." He said, his gaze knowing. Could he read her mind? "Choose wisely."
As they walked back towards her father's room, her mind went over her options. Obviously she wanted to ask about the eye. How he lost it. Did it hurt? Was he now at a disadvantage? But she figured some of that would be easy to find out from another source. The question had to be about him being an Auror. But what? Does he enjoy it? Does he find it tough? Gemma studied the man next to her. She got the impression he enjoyed it a little too much and that he didn't find anything tough. Plus, those questions would hardly give her an insight into the Auror world. And she already knew a lot from her parents.
Then she remembered what he had said to her. "You said you could see me getting ready to fight. That you would know the exact moment I reached for my wand. How?"
"Good choice." They came to a stop just outside George Arwin's room. "Your face didn't give much away. Which is impressive. But your body did. Your shoulder's tensed, your right arm – your wand arm – twitched. If you're going to be an Auror, you need to work on your tells. And, work on reading the tells of others."
"What other tells are there?"
"That's another question." Gemma rolled her eyes before she could stop herself, but Moody just chuckled. "Fine. You get one more. Everyone will have something different, but usually it's in the eyes. They shift sideways, typically in the direction of their wand hand, or more obviously they shift downwards. The mouth usually firms, and they take a slightly deeper breath, as if they are preparing to use a lot of energy. Sometimes it's in the body. The shoulders firm, like yours did, or their fingers start twitching." He leaned down towards her slightly. "You need to watch people carefully, Gemma. Know what makes them tick. Even those you think you can trust may turn on you at any point. And it's those people who are really dangerous."
Gemma stared up into Moody's one cold and calculating eye, as a shiver ran down her spine. This man was intense. But useful. Oh how she wanted to ask him another question.
"What are you two gossiping about out there?" George Arwin's strained voice floated through the doorway and Gemma's heart lurched. Forgetting Moody, his advice and her want to ask another question, she flew through the door and straight towards her dad who was now awake.
"Dad!" Catching herself before she landed on him, she stopped beside his bed and grabbed his hand. Her mum was on his other side, looking emotional and relieved. Tears blurred Gemma's eyes but she fought with herself to stop them. Her dad wouldn't want to see her cry.
His hand slowly reached up and he placed his palm against her cheek. "Hello, Princess."
She broke then, crying completely and leaning down to give him a hug. He hadn't called her Princess in years. Not since she had been a little girl.
Calming herself, she leaned back. "How are you feeling? Are you ok?"
"Sore. But I'll be alright. I'll live." Her dad looked over her shoulder. "Thanks to you." Gemma realised Moody was standing at the door behind her. "Thank you for getting me out of there." Moody didn't reply, just accepted the gratitude in silence. "I'm sorry about your eye."
Ah. So that was how he had lost it. Interesting. Maybe when her dad was feeling better he would share the details.
Moody shrugged as if it was no big deal. "I have some ideas on a replacement."
Her dad laughed a little. "I bet you do."
The room suddenly filled with activity as healers entered and began to check on him. Gemma and her mum stepped back, and by the time they were done, her dad was exhausted and in need of rest.
Moody left and Dumbledore returned, and it was agreed that Gemma should return to school. She didn't want to leave, but there was nothing further to be done for George than let his body heal. Dumbledore promised that she could return the following day.
Saying goodbye to her mum and kissing her dad on his forehead, she travelled back with Dumbledore. Confirming that she would be ok to return to her common room alone, Gemma left Dumbledore's office. As she stepped off the bottom step and the staircase began to twist back to its hidden state, Gemma saw a figure sitting on the ground opposite.
"Alice?"
Her best friend looked up, then jumped up and rushed over. "Oh, Gemma. I'm so sorry about your dad. How is he?"
After giving Alice an update on the situation, she was pulled into a massive hug. Gemma leaned into it, needing the comfort. "Thank you for being here."
"Of course, silly. Sirius came to find me and told me what had happened. He said you were really upset, Gemma. And maybe about more things than just your dad. Is everything ok?"
Gemma shook her head, keeping hold of Alice. "No. I was so stressed with school, as we all were, and then Christmas was really terrible. My dad was gone so much and when he was home, he was just fighting with my mum. They never fight. Then he was so serious when I returned, telling me to work hard and stay focused and I just panicked. I want so much to make him proud of me. And then Mulciber attacked me and I couldn't get to my wand and I couldn't fight him off. I have no idea what I would have done if Sirius hadn't been there. When I got the news this morning I just… freaked out I guess." She pulled back from the hug. "Merlin, I was a mess. No doubt I made Sirius uncomfortable."
"I think Sirius was just concerned about you. He pulled me aside and told me a few things, but he was very respectful of your privacy, even when I did threaten him with the babbling curse if he didn't tell me exactly what had happened. And as for everything going on – it definitely sounds like it's been a rubbish few weeks. You know you can talk to me. You shouldn't struggle through these things alone. And I know you haven't been eating or sleeping well. You can't do everything alone, Gemma. We're a team."
Gemma smiled. Alice was right. They were a team. And not just the two of them, but with Lily and Mary too. "You're right. Do Lily and Mary know?"
"Just that your dad was injured and you had gone to visit. They're worried about you too though. We weren't sure how long you would be, but Lily was grabbing some food from the Great Hall and we thought we could have a little picnic dinner in our dorm. If you fancy it?"
"That sounds amazing." And it really did.
They walked back together, Alice sharing that she too hadn't been completely honest. She was certain that Frank's mother hated her and their time together at Christmas had been strained. While things between her and Frank were great, Alice was concerned about what it would do to them if she never got Mrs Longbottom's approval. Gemma reminded her that sometimes new relationships take time to grow and once they spend more time together, Mrs Longbottom will see that Alice is perfect for Frank.
As they stepped into the common room, Lily and Mary were immediately in front of them, giving Gemma hugs and asking about her dad. Agreeing to all go upstairs for their picnic to eat and talk, Gemma glanced over at the table where Sirius was playing a game with James, Remus and Peter. He had looked up at her when she had walked in, and while he looked like he wanted to speak with her, he hadn't come over.
Gemma told the girls she'd be up shortly, before heading over to the table. Sirius stood as she approached.
"Hi." She said.
"How are you doing? How's your dad?"
"He's ok, thank you. He woke when I was there and he's healing well. I'm hoping to visit again tomorrow."
"Sorry to hear about your dad, Gemma." James said from beside them. Remus and Peter expressed similar sentiments. Giving her thanks to them all, she pulled Sirius aside slightly.
"I just want to say, thank you. For everything. I really appreciate you being there for me."
"Anytime, Gem. And I mean that." She looked up at him and could see he was being sincere.
"You're a good friend, Sirius. And a good person." Gemma remembered Regulus's harsh words from the day before and hoped Sirius knew that none of it was true. "You're not selfish, and you're definitely not worthless. Please know that."
Before he could reply and before she could back out, she stepped forward and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Then she turned promptly, ignored the heat in her own cheeks, and ran up the stairs to her dorm.