Chapter 25

The next week seemed to take forever. Whether the fact that there was no news of James was a good thing or a bad thing, no one had decided yet. Lily seemed to spend the whole week on the brink of tears, and soon people were taking bets as to whether she would break down and join her boyfriend in the infirmary.

But if the first week went slowly, it was nothing compared to the first few days of the second. Madam Pomfrey was growing paler by the day.

Eleven days after the Quidditch Final, and Lily, as usual, was walking into the Hospital Wing. It seemed to have become a habit as she had intended to go to the library before seeing how James was, but she had wandered up to the top of the castle without realising.

The curtains around James's bed caught her eye the moment she stepped through the doorway.

"Madam Pomfrey?" she asked. The nurse appeared around the corner of one of the screens, now with a complexion so pale that it would rival any of the Hogwart's ghosts.

"Ah, Miss Evans,"

"What's going on?" Lily asked, her apprehension now gnawing through her stomach,

"Ah....well.....perhaps you would like to sit down," she replied as she began to explain the situation to her.

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Lily sat on a bed opposite James's, trying desperately not to cry. Madam Pomfrey had never failed anyone before.

Why did it have to be now?

Why did it have to be James?

Couldn't it have been someone that no one really cares about?

Why did it have to be one of the most popular boys in school? The famous Quidditch captain, the infamous prankster, but one of the most charming and likeable boys around?

And the one person Lily cared most about.

Sirius was watching from the doorway. The curtains around the bed and Lily sitting in tears opposite it didn't do much to raise his spirits. If he could have done he would have run, and chosen not to find out what had happened, but he had a morbid curiosity that pulled him in.

He was sitting next to her and had pulled her into a hug before she even knew he was there. At that moment she didn't know whose was hugging her, but she didn't care. When she realised that it was Sirius a barrier seemed to come down and with it all the tears that she had been storing for the past week. As she sobbed into his shoulder but Sirius kept his arms around her until she was finished.

"What's happened? Is he okay?" he asked, and waited as calmly as he could for Lily to answer.

"She's given up. She's bloody given up!"

"She's...........what?"

"She doesn't have a bloody clue what's wrong with him. There's a healer from St Mungo's there now,"

"Why don't they just take him there? You went down to London," he pointed out.

"Yeah...but Madam Pomfrey says.........it too............... dangerous to move him. She doesn't know if it could hurt him more,"

"Jesus!"

"That just about sums it up,"

"As long as it fixes him, does it really matter who does it?" Sirius asked. Lily shrugged. "I mean, the sooner we can get him out of here the better. He hates it here,"

"Hogwarts?" Lily asked in amazement. She could not understand how anyone could possibly hate Hogwarts.

"Nah, hospitals. Terrified of them,"

"He never said! He came to visit me all the time when I was in here,"

"Yeah, but that was just because it was you, weren't it? I was in here for two weeks once and not a bloody sign of him. But when you were in here, he'd come at least twice a day!"

Gradually they fell asleep, Sirius's arm still around Lily, though whether it was to comfort him or Lily, he didn't know.

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While they slept, the nurse and the healer worked busily behind the screen. He was about the same age as Madam Pomfrey and supposedly one of the best healers St Mungo's had. He was working quickly and efficiently enough for Madam Pomfrey's approval. He was pouring potions down James and muttered spells every few minutes. After pausing for a while, he would see if there was any reaction. If there was no obvious reaction, he would carry on; make a few more potions and mutter a few more spells before repeating the process.

Though neither of them realised, something he had said was beginning to have an effect on James. He was starting to dream.

He could see himself getting on the Hogwarts Express for the first time; and meeting Remus on the train, followed by Sirius who had Peter tagging along behind; he could see himself getting sorted; then playing his first Quidditch match.

His life was flashing before his eyes. 'I must be drowning' he thought.

In front of him, he saw the moment he fell for Lily (She had just slapped him for some comment he had made.); winning the Quidditch cup in the third year; being made Quidditch Captain; feeling jealous when Remus got the prefect badge, why didn't he get it? Then laughing as he realised how pathetic he was being; and finally the first time he became Prongs.

James decided that he was drowning; he needed air. But surely drowning wouldn't hurt this much? He felt like every bone in his body was broken.

Memories of the year came back. There was dancing with Lily at the Ball, planning the Halloween Ball; taking her to Venice; getting pissed with Sirius; going into Hogsmeade; and preparing to play Quidditch, but there the memories stopped.

He couldn't breath, he needed air.

Taking a long shuddering breath, he opened his eyes blearily.

"Mr Potter?" a women's voice asked in amazement, and fainted.

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Sirius awoke the instant he heard 'Potter'.

He couldn't be, surely? Everyone hoped that he would wake up, but truthfully no one really expected it.

Gently shaking Lily awake, they walked over to James. He could see something at the end of his bed, but his eyes didn't seem to be working properly, all he could see was two indistinct shapes.

"James?" asked a voice he knew so well.

"Lily?!" he croaked. His voice seemed a bit out of practice, but he would soon get it back.

"How you feeling mate?"

"Sirius?!" James sat up to look down at the bandages covering him, and instantly realised that it was a mistake. Even a slight movement was painful. "I've been better," he smiled weakly.

"What happened?" James asked.

"Well....." Lily took a deep breath and began to explain, "You've been here for...."

"No, I mean at the Quidditch match. Did we win?" He looked more distressed at not being able to remember his last match than he did at being horribly injured.

Lily could have hit him.

"Yeah," she said, sitting down next to him, "You were brilliant,"

He beamed with pride.

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James stayed in the hospital for another two weeks; the first week he spent eating his way through the sweets people brought him. As news got round that he was up and awake, a whole new wave of well-wishers and gifts appeared. Enough to keep him occupied for the second.

As much as he enjoyed lying around doing nothing, it did begin to loose its appeal. Finally he was itching to get back to school.

He was revelling in the part of the modest victim ("It was nothing, really!") or the war torn hero, ("Eight snapped ribs, and severe internal injuries, Madam Pomfrey said. They thought I was going to die!") depending on what mood he was in.

Lily hadn't realised just how exhausted she was; she had not had a proper night's sleep for almost a month.

But it didn't matter how many people said how tired she looked, James was healed, and she had never felt better.

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Thanks for reading and for all the reviews: Maraudercookie, certified- weirdo, xxNight Angelxx, Stableperson, L.M. Robertson, SiriusJamesRemus'sgirl and Ashton Rushing.

Emerald Eyed Cutie: Foreshadowing, whatever gave you that idea?! : )

James's girl: If you want to know what he is saying paste it into altavista. It doesn't really matter, it was just me and James showing off. It wasn't a crap review! (Just one thing- leo james rolls HER eyes Sorry, but it bugs me when people say that!)

Sarah: Is James really that bad?!

Rose-Mariann-Johnston: Have fun in Japan!