chapter 16

(a/n- well hello again! poor mar's still insane, and no one else knows whats going on. that includes me. i'd like to take the time to thank people who are in school and still find it in their schedules and in their hearts to review. it sucks sometimes, doesn't it? well anyway please try to review if you can, and enjoy the chapter!)

(disclaimer- i own no one except Mary)

"Please...." Mary groaned loudly, "Please....stop...."

Sirius looked at her worriedly. She had been screaming and groaning for the past 10 minutes like she was being killed and he still didn't know what was going on with her. He had tried to talk to her, but she was acting like he wasn't there.

"Mary?" he said softly, "Are you in there? Can you hear me? What's going on? Who's hurting you?"

"My aunt and uncle," she said, eyes still closed and cringing. "What's your name?"

"It's Sirius, Mar," he replied, glad he was getting somewhere.

"Sirius? What are you doing here? You could get caught! Go back to Grimmauld Place," she said.

"Mary, we are at Grimmauld Place. You're not at the Dursley's anymore," Sirius said in the same, calm voice.

"That's what I'd like to believe," Mary said. "If you really are Sirius, could you please get me out of here?"

"Mary, can you please open your eyes?" he said.

"Yes, of course" she said, and her eyes popped open.

Mary sat up and looked around. "What the-"she whispered. She looked over at Sirius. "How did I get here?" she asked.

Sirius's face broke into a smile. "Welcome back, Mary," he said happily. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah," she said. "It still hurts, but, you know, the usual."

"Can I get you anything?" he asked suddenly, "Food? Water? Medicine? Some other drink? A book? A newspaper? Moony? Molly? Harry? Myself?"

She laughed. "Calm down, Sirius. I'm fine. Although I would like to see Remus, if that's okay, and a glass of water, if you don't mind."

"Ok," he said quickly. "Be right back."

Mary laughed again and laid her head down on the pillow. It was so good to be back. It was just then that Remus entered the room.

"Hey, Remus," she said with a grin.

"Hi, Mary," he replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Ok, I guess," she said.

"Sirius told me about what happened," he said quietly. "What was going on?"

Mary paled. "I don't really know," she said nervously. "I just saw and felt them. They were so real. Remus, I-I don't want to go back there! Please, Moony, don't let him hurt me again!" Her eyes welled up with tears. He wrapped his arms around her.

"No one's ever going to hurt you again, Mary, I promise."

(a/n- ok that was kinda cute. i started the epilogue a few days ago. i dont have anything in between written, but whatever. oh and my stepsister was just born! isn't that cool? anyway, i hope you liked this chapter, please don't forget to review, and i guess i'll see you all soon!)