Project The British Are Coming
Chapter Seven
By Mrs. Padfoot
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the characters. We own the insane characterization of them.
Author's Note: It's a LONGish chapter! –is shocked– Of course, this is because I wrote it :D rotfl. You know, if you flip through our stories, the scrollbar changes by chapter. It goes long – short – long – short . . . rotfl. Cause I write too much and Mrs. Prongs doesn't write enough.
&&
"Mooooooooooony, where are we going? I'm HUNGRY."
"Hospital wing," said Remus. Sirius attempted to wrench himself from his friend's monster grip, but Remus didn't let go.
"WHY?"
"Because we have to visit James."
"No we don't," said Sirius, looking puzzled.
"Yes, we do," said Remus.
"Why? We know he's okay," said Sirius.
"Exactly. If we DON'T visit him, it'll look suspicious," sighed Remus.
"How?" asked Sirius. Remus wondered where he had ever acquired such a stupid friend.
"Because we're his best friends," said Remus slowly, "if we don't act WORRIED about him, then people will get suspicious that we're behind his sickness."
"I get it," said Peter.
"I don't," said Sirius.
Remus rolled his eyes.
"We ARE behind his sickness, Moony," said Sirius slowly.
"And do we want the whole world to know that?"
"Yes?"
Remus glared at Sirius.
"I mean, no, of course not."
Remus sighed. He really did miss the old James. There was something nice in having a friend to talk to that wasn't stupid and insane.
Sirius and Peter wisely shut up.
Remus dragged them both into the hospital room.
"Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew," greeted Madame Pomfrey. "Not even a surprise to see you here."
"Nice to see you too, Madame Pomfrey," said Sirius happily.
"I don't suppose you're going to go away?" asked Madame Pomfrey huffily.
"Nope," said Sirius cheerfully.
"Well, then, I'm pleased to tell you that Mr. Potter is awake," sighed Madame Pomfrey.
"Yay," said Sirius, jumping from Remus's grasp to the far bed.
Remus rolled his eyes and followed Sirius, rolling his eyes.
"Prongsie!"
James was staring vacantly into space.
Again.
Remus sighed.
"Prongsie!?!" said Sirius.
"Eyuuuuuh?"
"Quidditch practice tomorrow!" said Sirius.
"Kaaaaaaay."
Sirius slumped down, very sadly.
"But – I thought – Prongsie LOVES Quidditch!"
Remus touched Sirius on the shoulder.
"There's nothing we can do for him," he said.
"Except," said Sirius, "work on Project The British Are Coming!"
And he dashed out of the room.
Remus groaned.
Peter looked frightened.
"Well, Mr. Potter," said Madame Pomfrey, coming over, "I believe you're well enough that you can go with your friends."
"Kaaaaaaay."
James, strangely enough, seemed to have understood Madame Pomfrey. He left the bed and walked out of the hospital wing, dazed.
"C'mon, Peter," sighed Remus. "Let's go see what mess Padfoot's gotten himself into THIS time."
**
Strangely enough, Sirius wasn't doing anything wrong when they saw him in his usual seat in the great hall.
He was just grinning hugely.
That, in itself, was enough to scare Remus Lupin to death.
"Padfoot."
"Moony!"
"What did you do?"
"I'm hurt, Moony," said Sirius. "What makes you think I did something wrong?"
"Your name is Sirius Black?"
Sirius stared at him.
"Nevermind," sighed Remus, "what did you do?"
"I DID IT!" he grinned.
"Did what?"
"I gave HER," said Sirius, leaning towards Remus with a conspiring whisper, "the potion."
"You didn't!" said Remus.
"I did!" grinned Sirius. "Yes, I'm proud of myself too!"
Remus sighed, and wondered how his life could possibly get any worse.
All he needed was a full moon.
**
Surely enough, in the middle of her potions essay, Lily fainted.
James, who had been humming to himself vaguely while Remus took pity on his friend and did his homework, suddenly went alert.
"LILY!" he screamed.
Sirius looked delighted.
Remus wondered how Lily could still be asleep after a yell that loud.
James ran over to Lily, scooped her up, and scrambled out the portrait hole with Lily in his arms.
Sirius grabbed Peter and whirled him around in a victory dance.
Remus ignored them.
**
James rushed into the hospital wing.
"Madame Pomfrey!" he screeched.
The old woman looked up.
"Back again, Mr. Potter?" she asked, clearly amused.
"Lily FAINTED!" he said, looking horrified.
"Is that all? I thought it was worse from your expression," chuckled the old woman. "She probably has whatever you had."
James, settling Lily on the bed, felt suddenly very guilty. Was it HIS fault Lily fainted.
"Mr. Potter, I don't require your assistance," said Madame Pomfrey huffily.
James ignored her, and reached for Lily's hand.
Madame Pomfrey rolled her eyes.
**
"Moooony."
"WHAT, Padfoot?"
"Jamesey's not back yet."
"So?"
"I'm WORRIED."
"Good for you."
"I'm REALLY WORRIED, Moony."
"Sirius," sighed Remus, putting down his book, "why the hell are you worried? It's been twenty minutes since he went down to the hospital wing."
"IT DOESN'T TAKE TWENTY MINUTES TO GET THERE AND BACK!"
"Yes, but – "
But Sirius, for the second time that day, ran out of the room.
Remus and Peter stared after him for a few seconds, their mouths dropping open.
"C'mon, Wormtail," sighed Remus. "Let's go see what royal mess he's gotten himself into THIS time."
**
Lily stirred.
James perked up.
"Lily?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you awake?"
"Mmhmm."
Her eyes fluttered open.
"What're you doing here?"
"You fainted," he said.
She wrinkled her forehead, as if trying to remember.
"I guess I did," she said after a moment.
"I sorta brought you here," he said quietly.
"Sorta?"
"Yeah."
"Well, um, thanks," said Lily softly, giving him a small smile. James realized that it was the first time she had really, really smiled at him.
He grinned, suddenly ecstatic. Lily was going to be okay, and she SMILED at him.
"PRONGSIE!!!!!"
James and Lily looked at the doorway just in time to see someone run in.
James moaned.
"PRONGSIE – COME BACK – MOONY – WORRIED – AAAAAAH!!!!!" yelped Sirius black.
"Go away," James mouthed at his best friend.
"What?" asked Sirius, puzzled.
"Go away," mouthed James again.
"But – " said Sirius, looking depressed, "I don't want to go away without you."
"JAMES POTTER, WERE YOU TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME WHILE I WAS SICK?!?!?!?" yelled Lily.
"No," said James.
Lily glared at him.
James glared at Sirius.
Sirius grinned.
Madame Pomfrey sighed muttered something about noisy students.
Lily jumped out of her bed, threw James one last glare, and stalked away.
"I really, really, hate you, Padfoot," growled James, walking after her.
"Gee, what did I do?" asked Sirius.