Chapter 17 – Not Safe

OoO

"Remus." A voice woke him, he thought it was Sirius at first. "Remus." Someone squeezed his hand. Reggie.

"Reg?" He blinked his eyes open. But before he looked to him, his eyes went to Izzie.

"She's still asleep." He said quietly. The sun was just starting to rise, making the hospital wing bade in a golden light. "How is she?"

Remus turned to his boyfriend. Regulus looked so young right now, so fragile. "Pomfrey did everything she could. But with the Crucio... we'll have to wait and see."

Regulus nodded, his eyes brimmed with tears. "Remus, she's been -"

"I know." He cupped his cheeks. "I know." They leaned their heads against each other, breathing heavily. Remus bumped his nose slightly against his before his lips found its purpose. It was a sweet, tired, careful kiss. "Thank you."

Regulus pulled back a little to look at him frowning.

"For bringing her here, for keeping her safe."

"I - I was too late, Remus." His voice shook.

"You. Saved. Her." Remus made sure he articulated every word carefully, so it would reach him. "You saved her." He whispered and kissed him again, more passionate than the last one. Then the door of the hospital wing creaked open. Remus and Regulus jumped apart, and Remus let his bed fly back to its original place. Before settling himself on the chair next to Izzie's bed.

Madam Pomfrey came bustling out of her office, enraged. "Headmaster Dumbledore, I know you want to know what happened but it's barely seven o'clock. The kids need their rest!" She whispered furiously.

"I'm sorry, Poppy. But we have to talk to them."

"Miss Miller isn't awake yet. Mr Black should be any minute now. And what are you all doing here so early?"

"I found these youngsters waiting in the hallway, I thought I would bring them in."

They heard the healer huff her dismay before the curtains were drawn open. Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood in the front. Then three heads appeared next to them, Sirius, Lily and James. They all looked like they barely slept. Madam Pomfrey eyed Remus with a raised eyebrow. She probably saw him last night, sleeping between them, holding hands, but bless her, she didn't say anything. She quickly hurried over to Regulus bed when she saw he was up. Sirius was watching Izzie, who hasn't moved an inch since she arrived when he saw the blur of Pomfrey's white robes pass him. He walked over to his brother but stood at the end of the bed as Pomfrey checked on him. Everyone was silent as the healer did her work.

"Everything seems in order. How do you feel?" She asked once she was done checking on him.

"Fine, how's Isabelle?" He asked instead.

"A waiting game, I'm afraid." The healer said honestly, sadness tinged her voice.

"Any changes, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked. And Pomfrey shot him a look that said If there were you would have been informed by now! But she gently shook her head. Lily and James took a seat on Remus's bed. While Sirius sat down next to his brother, leaving enough space so they weren't touching.

"Alright." Dumbledore started, summoning three chairs for him, McGonagall and Pomfrey to sit in. "Younger mister Black, can you inform us what happened."

"My parents and I were invited to an easter celebration at the Miller Mansion. We've gone there before, but I didn't expect Isabelle to be there, she's never been... She was mostly at Lupin's during break."

"Her father came to get her four days ago." Remus said, meeting his eyes. He nodded before he continued his story.

"She was already pretty beaten up when I saw her. Although her father tried to hide it, but he and his brother were always shit at charms."

Unlike my little Charmer. Sirius thought to himself.

"So, I saw the blood seep through her clothes. I wanted to speak to her, but her father kept her close, she was never on her own. I saw she was in pain even from afar, and I couldn't do anything." Regulus voice broke and Sirius wrapped his arm around his shoulder. He tensed at first before relaxing against him. "She was looking at everyone with a blank stare, it seemed like she was totally out of it. I don't know if she even recognised me. When everyone started dancing, she found a way to escape. She ran up to her room. Once I ditched Missus Doren, I quickly dashed upstairs after her. Her door was locked, but I heard -" He bit his lip, not knowing if he could say it.

"Potter, Evans, Black, can you give us a moment." Professor McGonagall asked.

It looked like they all wanted to object but then reluctantly stood up. Sirius squeezed his shoulder before he walked out and waited just outside the infirmary.

"I heard her scream. I've never heard anyone scream like that before." He shuddered, his hands grasped at his trousers. "A burst of magic left me without me using my wand and the door flew open. Her uncle... her uncle was on top of her. He was -" He couldn't finish the sentence, but they all knew. "I threw him off her. She had a black eye, and a cut lip. Her dress was ripped. I wrapped her in a blanket and picked her up."

Dumbledore waved his hand, and the doors creaked open. The three Gryffindors silently hurried back in as he continued his story.

"Her uncle was throwing curses at us; I don't even know which ones. I'm guessing one of them hit her because she fell unconscious. I got hit a few times, but I just kept going as I called out for Kreacher. We were in the corner of the hallway, just outside the ballroom. Her father spotted us and was charging towards us with his wand ready. But Kreacher just popped in and got us to Hogwarts."

Silence filled the hospital wing as Regulus ragged breathing reached their ears.

"She - she can't go back there. EVER!" Remus said his eyes on Dumbledore.

"We won't send her back there." McGonagall agreed. "She turns seventeen soon, he can't make her go back. We'll see for other arrangements."

"What about money?" Lily asked. "She still has a year after this one and I don't think her father... he'll surely disinherit her."

"We'll worry about that when the time comes. She will not be short of anything, I promise you." McGonagall reassured her. "Now, we'll focus on her recovery."

"About that." Pomfrey stood up. "Can everyone clear the room. I need to check on her."

Everyone rose from their seats and walked to the hallway in front of the infirmary. The four students were already opening their mouths when the headmaster spoke.

"I'm going to the ministry. We will not let this go unpunished." He said before swiftly walking away.

"Yeah, right." Regulus and Sirius snorted in unison. They looked at each other surprised before ducking their heads.

"I know this is hard." Professor McGonagall started. "But I expect you all to attend your classes today. You can visit her before and after classes or during your free period, if Madam Pomfrey allows you." She placed her hands on Remus and Lily's shoulders. "I'm sure she will wake up soon."

The two nodded numbly before the professor walked in the headmaster's footsteps. Sirius lunged himself at his baby brother, hugging him fiercely. Regulus wrapped his arms around him. Neither of them spoke, but it wasn't necessary. They knew enough without uttering a single word. Regulus eyes fell on Remus over Sirius shoulder, both eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

OoO

A week had passed since her arrival at Hogwarts, but she was still unconscious. They had made a rotation system. Remus stayed at hospital wing every night. Lily, the early riser, came in the mornings, Sirius and James came in on their free periods, and Sirius came in the evening when Remus had to catch up on homework and James had Quidditch.

The last two days, she had starting to move around in her sleep a little, her head moving from left to right, frowning. Her hands trembling with fear. Every time that happened, Pomfrey gave her a sleeping draught to calm her. Regulus had come by too, but mostly at night. He snuck into the infirmary around midnight and curled up with Remus or held Izzie's hand gently in his.

Sirius was now sitting next to her. He was writing his Potions essay as her breathing soothed him. It was only for the past two days that her breathing had normalized, and because of that Remus got out of the infirmary more. He was now up in the tower to shower and work on his homework. It took a little convincing, but Sirius finally succeeded. He thought about his brother, how if it weren't for him, she'd probably… she probably wouldn't be lying here, she'd probably be -. He couldn't finish that thought; a shiver went through him just thinking about that. He stuffed the half-finished essay in his bag and looked to her. Most of her wounds were completely healed by now, here and there a faint scar that stood out from the old ones. Sirius had been shocked twice when he first saw her in the hospital wing, first from her new wounds and red stained covers, then from all the old scars. He knew her father was a Pureblood. And by the lack of conversation about him, he knew it wasn't a good relationship, but he had never thought it was that bad.

He looked at her hand that was lying down her side. He gently played with the tips of her fingers. Her skin soft against his. He was still flabbergasted as how quickly she found her way into his heart, but there she was, and he knew with 100% certainty she would never leave. Remus still eyed him warily when he takes her hand in his and he knew he would need to talk to him soon but neither of them were bringing it up for some reason. Her head began to twist from one side to the other again. Her hands wrapping around herself, but when Sirius looked up her eyes were still closed.

"Not –" She whispered, and Sirius froze, hovering over her face. "Not sssafe."

"Hey, you're safe. You're safe." Sirius whispered leaning forward, taking one hand in his. He rubbed slow circles on it with his thumb while his other hand softly caressed her head. She calmed down before he could call for Pomfrey. He decided to sit down next to her on the bed, not letting her go for one second. "You're safe." He murmured again. Then she moved, moved more than she had done all week. She turned to her side, her head leaning on his arm as she breathed in deep. Sirius breath caught up in his throat, his heartbeat stilled. Once she was completely still against him, he leaned back against her pillow, carefully kicking off his shoes and laid down next to her, so her head rested on his chest. Sirius stared at the wall in front of him, feeling her slow heartbeat underneath her pulse. And even though the girl on his chest made him all kind of crazy, the feeling of her breathing, of her heartbeat, slowly lulled him into a peaceful sleep.

OoO

He was startled awake when someone cleared their throat. He blinked open his eyes and saw not only Remus but also James and Lily. Lily looked amused, grinning from ear to ear, James looked pensieve, while Remus looked ready to murder him. Sirius tried to look unfazed by his stare, but it wasn't easy.

"Let's let them talk." Lily tugged James's shoulder.

"What? We just got here." He seemed so confused as Lily dragged him out of the hospital wing. It nearly made Sirius burst out laughing. When the door closed behind them, Remus sat down on the bed where he usually slept at night since she was admitted. Sirius tried to sit up straighter, but Remus put out a hand to stop him, not wanting to trouble Izzie.

"We need to talk."

"I figured." Sirius nodded, not a trace of mirth in his voice. He looked down at Izzie before placing a Muffliato charm around them. "Lay it on me."

"You like her." He stated.

Sirius had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. "I do."

"She's my best friend."

"I'm aware." Remus narrowed his eyes at him. Sirius held out his hands defensively. "Oh, oh, I like her more than just any of the previous girls."

Remus snorted which made his blood boil. "Yeah, previous girls… that's what I'm afraid of. How long until you're tired of her? Will she still be interesting when you've finally got a chance to snog her? How long until another girl has caught your eye?"

"It's not like that, Moony." Sirius said defensively. "She's not like the other girls."

"At least there is something we can agree on."

"Moony." Sirius groaned. "I like her, like, like her like her. She makes my palms sweaty every time she enters the room. She makes my heart beat uncontrollably fast when she leans close. Every time she smiles or laughs, I can't help but smile." Sirius couldn't believe he was saying all of that, it was the truth yes but to tell that to one of his best friends, to admit that...

"Ooh." Remus said slowly, his eyes had turned large by the confession. He looked from Sirius to Izzie. "She… she has a lot of baggage."

"I know. Who doesn't? I certainly have my own."

"You know if –"

"I hurt her; you'll kill me? I know. Trust me if I ever hurt her, I'll do it myself."

"I was going to say, she'll hex you until you wished you were dead and then I'll kill you." A smile tugged on Remus's lips, and he knew they were okay. "So, care to explain –" He gestured to the both of them on the bed. "This."

"She-" He looked from Remus to Izzie. "She was beginning to stir, a nightmare, I think. She started muttering not safe, not safe." Remus face paled, showing of the scar on his face even more. "When I took her hand, she calmed down. I didn't want to let go just in case, so I –" Sirius could feel his blush rise up, that happened to easily when it concerned her. "Climbed in next to her. She shifted until her head was on my chest. I guess I must have fallen asleep after that."

Remus hadn't taken his eyes off her since he started explaining and without looking at him, he said. "Be patient with her. She's been through more than you can imagine."

Sirius nodded, his mind already in overdrive at the thought what she had gone through. He looked back when she moved a little. He tucked a hair behind her ear, letting his hand rest on her cheek. Remus watched the whole interaction but didn't say anything.