This chapter is pure mush. It is like a big ol' plate of mashed potatoes. If you are against mush, do not read this. You have been warned. Oh! And sorry about the long wait, won't happen again.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT Aftermath
Sirius felt his heart jump into his chest as a swarm of arrows race towards Ophelia. He watched helplessly as a satisfied smile spread across Pandora's face, and Ophelia slammed against the ground.
Nostrom hollered a foreign incantation and the arrows vanished. "Potter," he barked, "Black, take Miss Lupin to the Infirmary."
Sirius, who was already half way across the classroom, crossed the remainder in a few steps. In a few moments, James was at his side. He fell to his knees, next to Ophelia's limp body. Her maroon robes were darkening with blood, as a shallow pool slowly spread around her.
Sirius cradled her head in his lap, stroking her hair almost methodically. James touched his arm, "Padfoot, we have to get her out of here."
Pandora made her way behind Sirius, and placed her hand on his shoulder, "Oh Sirius, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean for any of th--"
Sirius leapt to his feet and had his wand pointed squarely at her throat, "I swear to Merlin, I don't need a reason to use this."
"Ooh, I like this side of you, Black."
"Time is of the most importance, gentlemen," reminded Professor Nostrom, "Please take Miss Lupin to the Infirmary now."
Sirius knelt down, and in one swift motion lifted Ophelia into his arms. James led him out of the room, silently keeping his eyes on his friend.
"Sir... your robes."
"It's all Phe's," he muttered, "She's losing so much blood. So much..."
"She'll be alright. Pomfrey's a genius, if anyone knows that it's us."
Sirius nodded distractedly as they entered the Infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was sitting at the bedside of another student. She jumped to her feet when she saw the visitors.
"Good gracious, what's happened?" she cried, as Sirius laid Ophelia down upon a hospital bed.
"An... accident in Wand Combat," James explained, sticking his head round the room divider, "Is that Moony?"
"Never you mind, Mr Potter," said Pomfrey, as she bustled about the hospital collecting various jars and canisters, "Poor boy has enough troubles, doesn't need you leering at him."
"What are you giving her?" asked Sirius, not taking his eyes from Ophelia's spot on the bed.
"A simple bezoar and Blood Replenisher for now," she answered, "That is, until I am told exactly what happened here to Miss Lupin." She raised her into a sitting position and forced the steaming liquid into her mouth. After the potions were administered, she piled a few towels around Ophelia's sides, where the bleeding was the worst. Once Madam Pomfrey had laid her back down, she turned to the two wizards. "What happened?"
"Standard combat in class," said James, scratching his head, "Nostrom asked Phe and Pandora to demonstrate defences. Er... Pandora sent a bunch of arrows flying at her."
"Did she happen to say... punucular?" Madam Pomfrey asked, lowering her voice near the end.
"Yes, sh-she said, Arrovis Punucular," stuttered Sirius, "Why? Is that bad?"
"Not deadly," she replied quickly, hearing the fear in his voice, "It will just take a bit longer for her to heal, I'm afraid."
"And when will she wake up?"
Madam Pomfrey shrugged sadly, "I can't predict that. It all depends on how well her body takes to the anecdotes."
James forced a smile, "I'm sure she'll be up in no time."
"Right," muttered Sirius absentmindedly.
Madam Pomfrey stood up, "I'm sorry to tell you both that visiting hours are over. At least for the time being."
"The Infirmary has visiting hours?" asked James, as he and Sirius were ushered from the room.
"It does when I need to get that witch into some clean clothes, Mr Potter. You may both return after dinner."
"That's in two hours!"
"Very good, Mr Black; I see you can do simple mathematics. How very special for you," said Madam Pomfrey, "You may return after dinner, not a moment sooner."
The door shut and locked behind them, and they were left alone in the ominously quiet hallway.
James shoved his hands in his pockets, "Where do we go now?"
"I don't... I don't know," Sirius mumbled, taking off towards the Gryffindor Tower.
"Phe will be fine," James assured him, "She always is, right?"
Sirius looked down at his blood-stained palms and shook his head, "She lost so much blood."
James took his friend roughly by the shoulders, "If it was anything serious Nostrom would have taken her himself. Or called Dumbledore. Something rather than having two wizards carry her off."
"Right. You're right," he agreed, continuing on his way to the Tower. It was nearly lunch, and as they passed various classrooms, students were being let out a bit early by their kind professors.
"Lily," said James suddenly.
"Where?"
"No, I don't see her. We'll have to tell her what happened," he explained, running a hand through his thick hair. "That won't be fun."
"The goal is not to alarm her. If we tell her in a rational and calm manner, she'll have no reason to freak out."
James nodded as they entered the Common Room. Lily was sitting with Vega in front of the fire, rifling through a Muggle magazine.
"Phe's in the Infirmary!" James sputtered, running over to her side.
"What happened to rational and calm?" cried Sirius, collapsing into a worn leather chair.
"What happened? Is she alright? Why aren't you there with her?" Lily questioned, her eyes narrowing at the last.
"Pandora hexed her in Wand Combat. Madam Pomfrey said she'll be alright, though it may take a while, and because she kicked us out," answered James quickly.
Lily made her way over to Sirius and wrapped an arm around him. "Phe will be up in no time. She's not really one to let Pandora get the upper hand."
He nodded politely and smiled back at her before excusing himself to the dormitory. Once he had reached it, he lowered himself shakily down onto his bed.
A picture of himself with Ophelia stared back at him. It was taken the previous summer. In reality only a few weeks ago, but it now felt like ages had passed since they first began dating. The frame behind that one held all of his friends waving back cheerily at him.
Sirius couldn't understand why he was now feeling like it was all over, like he would never get her back. "It's only a temporary thing," he whispered to himself, "Lily's right; Phe will be up and about in no time."
"Then why don't you believe it?" asked James, sitting down next to him.
Sirius frowned, "Was I even fooling you a little?"
"Sorry, Padfoot," he replied, shaking his head, "I know you better than that. So I'll ask you again; what are we doing? I can see those wheels moving behind your eyes."
"I'm fresh out of ideas. All I can think about was the look on her face as she hit th--"
James leapt to his feet and began dancing round the room, "Look at me!" he sang, "I'm dancing! Isn't this incredible? I never dance!"
"I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."
His friend continued to dance, "I am making a complete ass out of myself! Have you ever seen anything as extraordinary as this?"
"I've never seen such horrendous dancing before," said Sirius, breaking into a small smirk. "Seriously Prongs, didn't your parents make you take a waltzing class? Because you kind of need it."
James grinned and let his friend go. "There, I knew I could help."
A knock sounded round the room. The boys looked up to see Lily leaning against the doorframe, smiling sweetly. "Am I interrupting?"
"Never," said James, "What's up, Lil?"
"You should eat something," she suggested, looking directly at Sirius, "It might make you feel better. Then after we have a bite I'll go to the Infirmary with you, alright?"
James patted his friend on the back, "Listen to her mate; she knows best."
"Thank you, James," blushed Lily, scraping her foot across the dirty, stone floor. "So is that good for you, Sirius?"
He nodded and slowly got to his feet, "Yeah, thanks Lily."
"It's what I'm here for," she chirped, linking her arm through his. Once they had collected Vega, the four of them went down to the Great Hall. In a few moments, Pete, Talia and Mai had joined them, anxious after hearing the news of Phe's trip to the Infirmary.
"Is it true Phe was eaten by wild Chinese dragons?" asked Mai, taking a seat next to Talia.
"Mai, you were in the same bloody class!" James exclaimed, "You saw what happened to her!"
"I know, but I heard some First Years talking in the corridors," she continued, "They said she was carried off by a haggle of dragons that were under orders from Pandora."
Sirius sighed and pushed the food around his plate, "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."
"Is it really?"
James motioned for her to stop, giving Sirius an understanding glance.
"Where has Remus been this whole time?" asked Vega, looking round the Great Hall, "He wasn't in any of our classes."
"Er... he went home."
"Why?"
James scratched his head, "His... mum was.. Sick..."
"You don't sound very sure of yourself."
"Well I am. Saw him off to the train myself. From Hogsmeade," he added quickly.
Vega frowned, "Why didn't Ophelia go with him? Seems kind of odd..."
"No it doesn't; Phe doesn't exactly like her parents."
"That doesn't--"
Sirius stood up suddenly, "I'm sorry, but I can't take standing here and listening to the two of you go over this, when for all I know, my girlfriend is still laying unconscious."
James and Vega looked down to their plates.
"Sorry Padfoot," mumbled James.
He dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "No worries. Listen, I'm not very hungry. I think I'll go for a bit of a walk."
"Want me to come?"
"No.. stay here. I'll see you in the hospital later."
As Sirius was leaving the Great Hall, he felt a slender arm wrap around his shoulders. He looked over to see Lily smiling serenely at him.
"Thought you could use a friend," she said, following him outside into the courtyard.
Sirius nodded appreciatively and continued walking. He sat down on a cold bench, Lily following his lead.
"Did you want to talk?" she offered, "Get something off your chest?"
He focused on a spot in the grass, his eyes intent, "I feel like what happened today was in some part... my fault."
"Sirius, no," she shook her head, "You can't think like that."
"I can't help it," Sirius inhaled deeply, his breath coming out in shaky little bouts, "I was the one who set up Snape. I'm the one Pandora wants. Phe was just a... a means to get back at me. And now I'm wondering if it would just be easier if we... paused things for a while."
"Y-You want to break up with her?" Lily stuttered.
"No! Not at all," Sirius replied quickly, "But I don't want Phe to be a target anymore. It was so daft of me to think they would just sit by and take it."
Lily scrunched her forehead, deep in thought, "I think I know Phe pretty well, almost as well as you all."
"Or more."
"And a trip to the hospital isn't going to be enough to shake her out of this whole... Sirius thing," she chuckled, nudging his shoulder.
He cracked a smile, "You think?"
"She's stuck on you like acid to a lollipop."
"Right. Thanks Lil," he said, rising to his feet.
"You don't have to keep thanking me," she scolded, "You will of course be indebted to be.. forever."
They soon reached the infirmary, and found Remus and Ophelia's beds pushed next to each other.
"Thought they'd like to see a friendly face when they wake up," said Madam Pomfrey, gliding past them.
Sirius followed her over to their bedsides, and watched as she administered a tonic to each. Ophelia was dressed in fresh linens, and the gash across her forehead was heavily bandaged, a thick paste soaking through.
"How is she? Any improvements?"
Pomfrey shook her head, "'Fraid not. I would have felt a little better if she had woken up by now, or even if the bleeding has lessened--"
"She's st-still bleeding?" stammered Sirius, "It's been nearly two hours!"
"I'm a Healer, Mr Black, not a miracle worker. However, I have called for the Headmaster and he should be here at any moment."
"What about Remus?" asked Lily, casting a worried look at the next bed.
Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow at Sirius, who in turn nodded wearily. "He'll be fine. He's seen worse, that's for sure."
"And Phe? She'll be okay, right?"
"Yes, maybe Professor Dumbledore will calm your nerves."
Sirius tried to look away from Ophelia's still face, her eyes fluttering beneath the lids. "If she doesn't wake tonight, can I stay with her?"
"Absolutely not!" cried Madam Pomfrey, "If I let you stay here, than soon the entire school will be popping by, asking to spend the night. Not to mention the scandal it would cause; a witch and wizard spending the night together."
"Not like they haven't done it before..." muttered Lily, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
"Pardon me, Miss Evans?"
"Nothing," she replied in a sing-song manner.
"Is that Lily?" came Remus' voice. A moment later he sat up, clutching the blankets to his chest. "And Sirius. What an afternoon."
"Hello... Remus."
"Why are you sitting all the way over there?" he frowned, struggling to see the occupant of the next bed. "What's Phe doing in the hospital?"
"Pandora hexed her during class," explained Lily, "Pomfrey says she'll be up and walking in no time."
"..I just can't seem to stop the bleeding, Headmaster," said the Healer, leading Dumbledore over to Ophelia's bedside, "Nothing I try seems to help, she just keeps losing blood. If it keeps up at this rate... oh hello, Mr Lupin. Glad to see you're awake; got some colour back in your face."
"What?" he hollered, swinging his legs out of the bed, "Why is she losing blood?"
"It seems your sister was involved in a heated duel during lessons today," said Professor Dumbledore, peeling back a bandage to look at the jagged gash. "It looks as if something is caught in the wound. Some sort of poison, it appears."
"She was poisoned?" gasped Remus.
"Among other things," Madam Pomfrey chuckled.
"I would keep administering the blood replenisher, as well as a different bezoar; this one doesn't seem to be taking effect."
The Healer nodded and rummaged through a cabinet searching for another bezoar. With a slight smile and a nod, Dumbledore left the others to themselves.
Remus was hastily pulling on a jumper. He took Sirius by the arm and led him from the hospital, "I want to know exactly what happened this afternoon. Everything."
Sirius frowned, thinking of where to begin, "When we got to Wand Combat, Nostrom announced we were going to practice what we had learnt the week before. No one volunteered, so he chose Phe and Pandora. Before she got a chance to do anything, Cygnus had slashed her forehead, and then she did this weird spell, making arrows fly from her wand, and into Phe. It was the greatest example of dark magic I've seen in a wh--"
"I wonder why Pandora was so eager to hex my sister." Remus interrupted sarcastically.
"She's always had it against Phe, not just when I came into the picture."
"Right. But it's only been more directed in the last few months. And after last night..."
Sirius sighed and looked away from his friend, "I'm sorry about that, mate."
"It seems like I'm hearing that from you a lot lately," retorted Remus, heading back into the room. Lily looked to Sirius but he only shook his head and focused on the floor tiles.
After a few minutes of sitting by Ophelia's bedside in silence, James entered the Infirmary, followed closely behind by Talia, Pete and Vega. James sat on the arm of Lily's chair and cocked his head at Ophelia, "Hasn't she... done anything yet?"
"She's not an effing Quidditch match, Prongs," said Remus.
"I know, but I thought she would be walking around by now."
"I think we all did."
"So dramatic, your bunch is," said Madam Pomfrey, bustling into their formed halo around Ophelia's bed. She sat her up and poured a dark liquid down her throat, "Can't be good for her to have you all filling the room with negativity."
"I really don't think it matters much," chuckled Pete.
"Pardon me, Mr Pettigrew?"
"Nothing..." he blushed sheepishly.
"You all best be clearing out of here in a few minutes," she continued, "Miss Lupin will be needing her rest. And same goes for you, Remus, you look well enough to be heading back to you dormitory."
"Are you sure?" he pleaded, "I actually don't feel that well. I think I'm suffering si--"
"I appreciate the effort, I'm sure, but you won't be spending tonight here."
Sirius took James by the elbow and away from the others, "Could I borrow your cloak tonight?" he asked, "I want to be here in case Phe wakes up."
"Yeah, of course," he cast a nervous look over to Remus, "Do you think he'll mind much?"
"Moony can't know, he already wants to go at a row with me, I don't need this on top of it."
James nodded understandingly, "Not to smash your idea to bits, Padfoot, but how are you going to get past him? He's going to notice you're not in your bed."
"Ah, I've already thought of that."
"And?"
"And I'm going to go to bed early. Once Remus has turned in for the night, I'll sneak past him wearing the cloak."
"That sounds nearly foolproof," chuckled James, "I actually don't think it'll work, but I'll go along with it."
Sirius forced a smile, "Thanks, it's good to know you're always with me."
They both returned to the others before Madam Pomfrey managed to kick them out. As promised, when they returned to the common room, Sirius made up a lame excuse about feeling faint and went up to the boy's dormitory.
He only had to lay beneath the covers for a half an hour before he heard Remus opening the drawings around his bed. Pulling James' cloak around himself, he quietly stepped from his bed and made his way down the stone steps.
As his foot hit the last stair, he noticed Lily sit up from her spot on the couch.
"Sirius?" she whispered, "Is that you?"
He lowered the cloak just slightly so that she could only make out his face, "How'd you know it was me?"
"James let slip that you'd be coming down sometime soon," Lily got to her feet and crossed the space that separated them. She handed him a book entitled The Silmarillion, "Here, Phe was reading this. She might want it when she wakes up."
"Thanks," said Sirius, turning the book over in his hands, "For everything, really. You've been very helpful to me this afternoon. I... appreciate it."
Lily smiled brightly and gave his hand a squeeze, "Anytime, Sirius."
Tucking the book under his arm, Sirius tossed the cloak back over himself and continued out of the common room. He took the Marauder's Map out from the pocket of his robes and made sure he wouldn't cross paths with anyone unfavourable.
After a long and anxiety-ridden walk, he came to the infirmary and stealthily opened the door. Sirius spotted Madam Pomfrey asleep at her desk. He inched along the wall until he came to Ophelia's bed. Pulling up the chintz chair he had occupied until an hour earlier, he sat down next to her head. Memories of the previous spring flashed back to him, as he remembered the vigil he had kept during the night.
"Bloody Pomfrey let me stay that time," he muttered to himself, causing the Healer to stir in her sleep. Sirius clasped a hand down over his mouth and turned back to Ophelia. She looked rather pale, but a faint glow in her cheeks made his heart a little lighter. He leaned closer to the side table and cracked the book Lily had given him open to the first page. "I don't exactly know where you left off, so I'll have to start from the beginning."
Sirius didn't get very far into the book until he fell asleep, his head resting upon Ophelia's hand.
When Madam Pomfrey began making her morning rounds at dawn, her foot snagged the edge of the invisibility cloak.
"Dear me," she cried, waking Sirius from his slumber, "What in heavens is on the floor?" She splayed her hands out in front of her, searching for the source of her fumble.
Sirius flattened himself against the wall and managed to get away from her grasp. Once out in the corridors, he rolled the cloak up under his arm and continued on his way back to the boy's dormitory.
Once Lily awoke, she hastily dressed and made her way to the infirmary to visit Ophelia. Most students were still in bed, taking full advantage of the weekend.
She spotted Ophelia's bed at the far wall of the hospital, and much to her delight, her friend was sitting up and sipping at a glass of water. Lily practically ran over to her friend, and smothered her in a tight hug.
"I was worried sick about you!" she cried, collapsing back into the chair, "And James didn't do much to help the situation, burst into the room saying you were on death's door."
Ophelia smiled weakly, "I'll take that as him caring for me."
"We were all worried. Sirius most of all," she added.
"Sirius was worried?" she replied, "About me?"
"Yeah, of course. I'd never seen him like that. You had him in a right panic you did," she continued, "So when can you get out of here?"
"Madam Pomfrey wants me to stay for the rest of the weekend, but there's no way in hell I'll let Cygnus ruin my weekend," muttered Ophelia, "I'm thinking I can just sneak out. She'll never notice."
Lily frowned, horrified, "You can't just up and walk out of the infirmary, Phe! There's a reason why you're in here."
"Yeah, because Pandora is a vindictive tart."
"Well yes, but you're here because you need treatment."
"If you're so adamant to leave, Miss Lupin, you may do so. As long as you promise to take your tonic every five hours. If you don't, you may die."
"Excuse me?" cried Lily and Ophelia in unison.
"Alright, maybe I exaggerated just a bit there. But you will feel a wee faint," Madam Pomfrey admitted.
Once Ophelia had been given her blood replenisher, Lily helped her friend back to the Gryffindor tower. She muttered the password and the two girls hobbled into the entrance.
"I said I was sorry, Moony," came Sirius' voice.
Lily shot Ophelia a look, but she only shrugged in reply, and motioned for her to be quiet.
"You're always sorry, Sirius, that's the only thing that seems to be coming out of your mouth lately," Remus retorted.
"And just the same, it seems like you're always irritated with me. What did I do that was really so horrible?"
Remus laughed, "Do you have a fresh piece of parchment I could use to write it all down? First you start dating my sister—"
"You said you were fine with it!"
"At the time I was, because I allowed James to convince me you actually cared for her."
"I still do!"
"I'm beginning to highly doubt that, Secondly, you nearly risked exposing me just for the sake of some prank! And from the repercussions of this, you almost got Phe killed!"
"I didn't mean to! Don't think it hasn't been tearing me up inside knowing that I was the reason she was in that position!" hollered Sirius, "Believe me, Remus, I never meant for any of this to happen. I would rather put myself in Phe's shoes than to have that happen to her."
"Why should I believe you?" Remus cried.
"Because I love her!"
Ophelia felt her heart drop as she stepped out into the common room. Lily followed her, squeezing her eyes shut in hopes no one would notice her.
"Phe," frowned Remus, cocking his head to the side.
Sirius slowly turned to look at her, "You're alright?"
"Good as new," she smiled, taking another step forward.
"It's good to ha--"
"How much of that did you hear?" asked Sirius tentatively.
"The good parts."
"Madam Pomfrey said you coul--"
"The good parts?" Sirius grinned, "Meaning you liked what you heard?"
"How could I not?" she replied, "I love you too, Sirius."
Remus blinked and took a step backwards. Ophelia turned to her brother, as if noticing him for the first time.
"Get over here," she ordered, as Remus reluctantly complied, "No one will know about… you, and I'm fine. No harm done. I want you to shake hands."
Remus didn't move from his spot.
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I have to, Rem. Now shake his hand, or so help me Radagast, I will give you the worst case of the silent treatment I have ever given."
A small smile formed at his mouth as he grasped Sirius' hand. Lily came over to his side and linked her arm through his, "Come on, Remus," she began, "We have that… thing to do."
"Right, of course," he nodded, allowing himself to be led away.
Sirius and Ophelia exchanged a glance and silently sat down in front of the fireplace.
He clasped his hands together in front of him, as he often did when he was deep in thought. "I was worried that I was going to lose you."
Ophelia was quiet for a moment, "Well, I'm here. Nothing to worry about," she smirked, "And you love me, so that's a bonus."
"It was going to come out sooner or later," he muttered, "I just wish I had told you on my own terms, and you didn't hear it while eavesdropping."
She shrugged, "I don't know; look how long it took you to work up the nerve to kiss me. I would have been lucky if I had gotten to hear it by graduation. You're just a big procrastinator. A big procrastinator who loves me."
"You say it like it's a bad thing," he replied seriously.
Ophelia pulled him into a kiss. "Give me a break. I was after all on death's door."
I know, I know. Rather ridiculous way to end the chapter, but it was getting soo long and I'm at Talia's house. And I'm the writer, so meh. Review, review!
