Disclaimer - You know the drill. You don't seriously think I created Harry Potter, do you? Give me a break, I'm not that smart. No, these characters are the sole property of J. Rowling and a number of publishing companies.
A/N -
meheeners - patience, young Padawan! If you haven't noticed, the series is kind of family-centric, so I'm reluctant to kill off any family members before the end. But don't worry, he'll get what's coming to him.
Rin the Kitsune - Don't worry, I update nightly!
Amour-Lily - Wow, I'm so glad you went back and read them all! It really works best as a series.
Sexy Black - It will eventually become clear why Sirius is lying to James. No worries!
Versipellis - An agent is in charge of Booking Me For Gigs. Like autograph signings. Hey, if anyone wants my autograph, talk to Versipellis. snicker
HappyDappyDrunk - Thanks. I too like torturing Sirius.
SP-in-Sirius-Denial - Good question. The way I see it, James doesn't really know what to think. Sirius betrayed Remus, but he's obviously in a lot of pain about it, so James is mad at Sirius, but he feels bad for him too.
AffectedMangoO - Yeah, I was reluctant to write this one cause I know it's been done so many times, but then I figured that since the series takes place in their fifth year I'd better work it in at some point. I'm glad you like it.
Sham Harga - Thanks, glad to have you aboard.
-Leaf
NEVER ONE TO LEAVE
James left Sirius sitting outside the hospital wing and went up to the Gryffindor common room to think. He sat on the floor in front of the fire, staring pensively into the flames and wondering what the hell they were going to do now.
What Sirius had done was monumentally stupid, James thought angrily. Never mind about Snape's life, had he considered what the consequences would be for Remus? Things could have gone really badly. If I hadn't been there… James thought, shuddering. If the wolf had managed to bite or kill Snape, there would have been hell to pay. Remus would almost certainly have been kicked out of school, and possibly arrested. Sirius knew how important Hogwarts had been to Remus, how it had turned his whole life around. How could he have taken such a ridiculous risk? And for what? Just because he'd gotten a little angry?
There's got to be something else, James realized. Something I don't understand yet. Because Sirius isn't that stupid. I know him, and he's not.
James sighed, confused. He was so angry at Sirius, and yet he pitied him. He could see that his friend hadn't really wanted to hurt Remus. He'd never known Sirius to be so distraught - Sirius was usually the one capable of laughing everything off. Sirius was lighthearted, easygoing - he was genuinely horrified at what he'd done, James knew.
But why? He racked his brain in frustration. What could make him do this? Could it actually just be that he was annoyed at Snape?
Why would he lie, though? James shook his head. He didn't exactly come off looking good…unless the truth is worse?
Peter came in, interrupting his thoughts. "He's awake, James."
James bolted up. "How…how do you know?"
"I saw him," Peter sat down, sighing heavily. "He's really upset, James, he wouldn't let Madam Pomfrey treat him, so they had to let me in."
"How is he?" James demanded. "Apart from being upset, I mean…is he okay?"
Peter shrugged and sat down heavily. "I don't know. He's still in a lot of pain, wants to see you and Sirius."
"Did you tell Sirius that?"
"Yeah," Peter sighed, "only he thought he'd better not go in."
"Well, I'm going down there," James said. Peter nodded. "Listen, if Sirius comes back, tell him…" tell him what? "…tell him to wait, okay? I need to talk to him."
"Did he tell you about the prank?"
"Yeah," James sighed, "only I'm not sure that's all there is to it."
"What d'you mean?"
"Sirius might be a jerk sometimes, but he's not stupid. I don't think he'd have sent Snape down there out of thoughtlessness."
Peter's eyes widened. "You think he did it on purpose?"
"I don't know," James groaned. "I don't think he wanted to hurt Remus, but…I just don't know, Pete. I'll have to talk to him."
Peter nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays around here."
James turned and headed for the hospital wing.
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Waking up hadn't hurt nearly as much this time. Remus had found himself in the hospital wing, which had brought back the memory of the incident at the Shrieking Shack. Panicked, he'd demanded to see his friends. He needed to know that everyone was all right, and he wanted his questions answered.
But Peter, for one, hadn't seemed to know the answers. He'd tried to calm Remus down, but he hadn't told him where James or Sirius were or what had happened last night. Eventually he'd run off, looking frightened, and Remus was alone again.
He was lost in thought when James came in, but he pulled himself back immediately. "James…" he said, trying not to move his mouth too much. His face still hurt terribly.
"Hey, Rem." James pulled up a chair beside his bed. "How you feeling, mate?"
"Been better."
"I bet," James said gently. "Hey, you're a right mess, you know."
"I know."
They sat in silence for a moment.
"Where's Sirius?"
James closed his eyes briefly and pained look crossed his face. "He's…outside, Rem."
"I want Sirius…"
"Remus, I need to tell you what happened last night, okay?" James swallowed hard. Remus' attention snapped away from Sirius. Finally, someone was going to tell him what was going on.
"Rem, Snape…Snape got into the Shrieking Shack."
Remus didn't understand. "What?"
"Through the tunnel." James closed his eyes again. "The wolf smelled him, Rem."
Horror surged through Remus, and he lurched up off the bed. "James!"
James caught him just in time and held him as he vomited off the side of the bed. "Shh…" he whispered, stroking his friend's hair. "It's okay, Rem. He's fine. He got out."
Weak and shaking, Remus leaned back. "I didn't…?"
"No," James said gently. "I'm sorry, Rem, I didn't mean to scare you. He's fine."
"But…" Remus realized what this must mean. "But he knows…?"
James bit his lip, looked at the floor. "Yeah."
Remus retched again. James grabbed a glass of water. "Drink, mate. It's okay. We told Dumbledore what happened, and he's made it clear Snape isn't to tell anyone. He's sworn to secrecy."
Remus was numb with shock. The person who hated him more than any other in this school now knew the one thing that could hurt him most. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life. After a moment he became of James on the bed beside him, holding him, and he leaned into his friend gratefully.
And James thought, I can't tell him about Sirius. Not yet. Not until I know what really happened. He's not ready.
Sirius never went back to the Gryffindor common room. Instead he went down and sat by the lake.
He'd been sitting here, one night three years ago, when he'd first noticed the Whomping Willow wasn't moving. That was the night he'd discovered the truth about his friend Remus. He'd spent that entire night facedown on the floor under a bed, hiding from a werewolf. Since then, he'd devoted all his free time to learning healing spells, to becoming an Animagus, to doing whatever he could to help Remus.
And now it would all be taken away from him. He would be robbed of his best friend.
It always came back to family, Sirius thought bitterly. He was never good enough, he was never living up to their expectations. Well, who wants to? Pureblood elitist gits, the lot of them.
He had been horrified to see his younger brother in league with Bella. Regulus and Sirius had been best friends in childhood. They'd grown up trusting each other, relying each other…
And then I was sorted into Gryffindor, Sirius remembered. and a good Black would have been Slytherin. He'd tried to convince his brother, to explain to him the prejudice their parents enforced, to show him that he could choose to be whatever sort of person he wanted. But when Regulus had been sorted into Slytherin, Sirius had known it was over.
Fine, Sirius thought. That's done it. I'm not a good Black, fine. I just won't be a Black anymore. I'll leave.
His mind made up, he went back inside.
A/N -
meheeners - patience, young Padawan! If you haven't noticed, the series is kind of family-centric, so I'm reluctant to kill off any family members before the end. But don't worry, he'll get what's coming to him.
Rin the Kitsune - Don't worry, I update nightly!
Amour-Lily - Wow, I'm so glad you went back and read them all! It really works best as a series.
Sexy Black - It will eventually become clear why Sirius is lying to James. No worries!
Versipellis - An agent is in charge of Booking Me For Gigs. Like autograph signings. Hey, if anyone wants my autograph, talk to Versipellis. snicker
HappyDappyDrunk - Thanks. I too like torturing Sirius.
SP-in-Sirius-Denial - Good question. The way I see it, James doesn't really know what to think. Sirius betrayed Remus, but he's obviously in a lot of pain about it, so James is mad at Sirius, but he feels bad for him too.
AffectedMangoO - Yeah, I was reluctant to write this one cause I know it's been done so many times, but then I figured that since the series takes place in their fifth year I'd better work it in at some point. I'm glad you like it.
Sham Harga - Thanks, glad to have you aboard.
-Leaf
NEVER ONE TO LEAVE
James left Sirius sitting outside the hospital wing and went up to the Gryffindor common room to think. He sat on the floor in front of the fire, staring pensively into the flames and wondering what the hell they were going to do now.
What Sirius had done was monumentally stupid, James thought angrily. Never mind about Snape's life, had he considered what the consequences would be for Remus? Things could have gone really badly. If I hadn't been there… James thought, shuddering. If the wolf had managed to bite or kill Snape, there would have been hell to pay. Remus would almost certainly have been kicked out of school, and possibly arrested. Sirius knew how important Hogwarts had been to Remus, how it had turned his whole life around. How could he have taken such a ridiculous risk? And for what? Just because he'd gotten a little angry?
There's got to be something else, James realized. Something I don't understand yet. Because Sirius isn't that stupid. I know him, and he's not.
James sighed, confused. He was so angry at Sirius, and yet he pitied him. He could see that his friend hadn't really wanted to hurt Remus. He'd never known Sirius to be so distraught - Sirius was usually the one capable of laughing everything off. Sirius was lighthearted, easygoing - he was genuinely horrified at what he'd done, James knew.
But why? He racked his brain in frustration. What could make him do this? Could it actually just be that he was annoyed at Snape?
Why would he lie, though? James shook his head. He didn't exactly come off looking good…unless the truth is worse?
Peter came in, interrupting his thoughts. "He's awake, James."
James bolted up. "How…how do you know?"
"I saw him," Peter sat down, sighing heavily. "He's really upset, James, he wouldn't let Madam Pomfrey treat him, so they had to let me in."
"How is he?" James demanded. "Apart from being upset, I mean…is he okay?"
Peter shrugged and sat down heavily. "I don't know. He's still in a lot of pain, wants to see you and Sirius."
"Did you tell Sirius that?"
"Yeah," Peter sighed, "only he thought he'd better not go in."
"Well, I'm going down there," James said. Peter nodded. "Listen, if Sirius comes back, tell him…" tell him what? "…tell him to wait, okay? I need to talk to him."
"Did he tell you about the prank?"
"Yeah," James sighed, "only I'm not sure that's all there is to it."
"What d'you mean?"
"Sirius might be a jerk sometimes, but he's not stupid. I don't think he'd have sent Snape down there out of thoughtlessness."
Peter's eyes widened. "You think he did it on purpose?"
"I don't know," James groaned. "I don't think he wanted to hurt Remus, but…I just don't know, Pete. I'll have to talk to him."
Peter nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays around here."
James turned and headed for the hospital wing.
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Waking up hadn't hurt nearly as much this time. Remus had found himself in the hospital wing, which had brought back the memory of the incident at the Shrieking Shack. Panicked, he'd demanded to see his friends. He needed to know that everyone was all right, and he wanted his questions answered.
But Peter, for one, hadn't seemed to know the answers. He'd tried to calm Remus down, but he hadn't told him where James or Sirius were or what had happened last night. Eventually he'd run off, looking frightened, and Remus was alone again.
He was lost in thought when James came in, but he pulled himself back immediately. "James…" he said, trying not to move his mouth too much. His face still hurt terribly.
"Hey, Rem." James pulled up a chair beside his bed. "How you feeling, mate?"
"Been better."
"I bet," James said gently. "Hey, you're a right mess, you know."
"I know."
They sat in silence for a moment.
"Where's Sirius?"
James closed his eyes briefly and pained look crossed his face. "He's…outside, Rem."
"I want Sirius…"
"Remus, I need to tell you what happened last night, okay?" James swallowed hard. Remus' attention snapped away from Sirius. Finally, someone was going to tell him what was going on.
"Rem, Snape…Snape got into the Shrieking Shack."
Remus didn't understand. "What?"
"Through the tunnel." James closed his eyes again. "The wolf smelled him, Rem."
Horror surged through Remus, and he lurched up off the bed. "James!"
James caught him just in time and held him as he vomited off the side of the bed. "Shh…" he whispered, stroking his friend's hair. "It's okay, Rem. He's fine. He got out."
Weak and shaking, Remus leaned back. "I didn't…?"
"No," James said gently. "I'm sorry, Rem, I didn't mean to scare you. He's fine."
"But…" Remus realized what this must mean. "But he knows…?"
James bit his lip, looked at the floor. "Yeah."
Remus retched again. James grabbed a glass of water. "Drink, mate. It's okay. We told Dumbledore what happened, and he's made it clear Snape isn't to tell anyone. He's sworn to secrecy."
Remus was numb with shock. The person who hated him more than any other in this school now knew the one thing that could hurt him most. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life. After a moment he became of James on the bed beside him, holding him, and he leaned into his friend gratefully.
And James thought, I can't tell him about Sirius. Not yet. Not until I know what really happened. He's not ready.
Sirius never went back to the Gryffindor common room. Instead he went down and sat by the lake.
He'd been sitting here, one night three years ago, when he'd first noticed the Whomping Willow wasn't moving. That was the night he'd discovered the truth about his friend Remus. He'd spent that entire night facedown on the floor under a bed, hiding from a werewolf. Since then, he'd devoted all his free time to learning healing spells, to becoming an Animagus, to doing whatever he could to help Remus.
And now it would all be taken away from him. He would be robbed of his best friend.
It always came back to family, Sirius thought bitterly. He was never good enough, he was never living up to their expectations. Well, who wants to? Pureblood elitist gits, the lot of them.
He had been horrified to see his younger brother in league with Bella. Regulus and Sirius had been best friends in childhood. They'd grown up trusting each other, relying each other…
And then I was sorted into Gryffindor, Sirius remembered. and a good Black would have been Slytherin. He'd tried to convince his brother, to explain to him the prejudice their parents enforced, to show him that he could choose to be whatever sort of person he wanted. But when Regulus had been sorted into Slytherin, Sirius had known it was over.
Fine, Sirius thought. That's done it. I'm not a good Black, fine. I just won't be a Black anymore. I'll leave.
His mind made up, he went back inside.