That Fateful Night
Diaclamer: not mine
A/N: Here again…I think this will be the last chappie…as far as killing Siri off, well you'll have to read and see!
CHATPER THREE
Peter scrambled up the step and through the oak doors leading to the school. He ripped around a corner and ran right into Professor McGonagall, who was leaving her office.
"Mr. Pettigrew! What is the meaning of this?"
Peter tried to catch his breath before answering. "James and Sirius…outside on the grounds…they're gonna die!" He started off in the direction of the hospital wing. "I need to get Madam Pomfrey."
McGonagall, recognizing the severity of the situation, lead Peter into her office and they summoned the nurse from her fire. After a few urgent words from Peter they were heading to the grounds.
O.O.O.O
"No…nonono!" James shook Sirius, hoping to restore some life in him. "He's not breathing…he's not…" James couldn't believe it. He's not dead. Not Sirius! He can't be!
"Wait! Move!" Lily pushed James away and laid Sirius on the ground. She opened his mouth and plugged his nose and…kissed him?
"What are you doing?" James shouted, tears still leaking down his face. Lily lifted her head and began pushing his chest.
"Muggle technique. Called CPR. It might get him to start breathing again." She lowered herself down and breathed into him again. "Come on…" She tried again and again, forcing air into him and pushing his chest up and down, up and down. James gave a choked sob as blood began to dribble from Sirius's mouth.
He grabbed one of his friends bloodstained hands. It was cold.
"Mr. Potter? Mr. Black?" It was McGonagall. Lily stepped aside as Madam Pomfrey ran to Sirius, wand at the ready.
"Oh Merlin," McGonagall whispered as she gazed at the wounded Gryffindor. You could hardly see his face through the blood.
James was sobbing, Lily was shaking, wide-eyed, and Peter seemed frozen, just staring at his friend. Madam Pomfrey rose, shaking her head.
She looked straight at James. "I'm sorry. He is dead." Her voice choked as a tear ran down her cheek. "There is nothing more we can do."
Peter fell to his knees and Lily began to sob in earnest. James ran to his friend, despite his wounds, and cradled him in his arms.
All he remembered after that was being dragged away from Sirius and back to the castle.
O.O.O.O
James woke in the hospital wing. What happened this time? Where's Sir—his thoughts were cut short as the memory of the previous night crashed into him. Sirius was dead. He would never be able to talk with him again. Or plan pranks in the middle of Transfiguration or see who could get the most detentions in one day.
He felt as though someone had grabbed his heart and wrenched it out. He couldn't even breathe.
Dumbledore walked in. He asked James what had happened and James had muttered something about being attacked in the forest. Dumbledore did not press the matter.
Peter had gone out during the night and brought Remus back to the shack. Remus had been told that morning. They were just waiting for James to wake up.
James looked up as Remus and Peter entered the room quietly. Remus walked in and sat beside him, Peter on his other side. James opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. He looked straight at Remus and saw the agony in his gaze. All they could do was cry.
O.O.O.O
The funeral was held on a Thursday.
Almost half of Hogwarts had attended, all lamenting the loss of the particularly jubilant Marauder. James was surprised to see the amount of people Sirius had touched. The Gryffindors were devastated.
Dumbledore began to speak but his words were lost to James. All James cared about was that small mahogany coffin that held his best mate. His brother. He was surprised to find his cheeks dry. Remus had silent tears running down his cheeks as did Peter. Yet James only gazed at the coffin and remembered.
…James and Sirius were whispering over their cauldron in the middle of Potions as Remus sliced the ingredients. No one knew what they were talking about, but judging be Sirius's frequent glances at the Slytherins and evil grin, it couldn't be good…
…It was a nice day and their last class, Charms, had been canceled because of a "magical malfunction" that blew up half the corridor. The Marauders found themselves outside, in the shade of a tree by the lake. Sirius was resting on his back, tossing a rock up and down, listening to Remus attempt to explain a complicated spell to Peter…
…James and Sirius had been sneaking about the corridors trying to put the final tweaks on a prank for the Slytherins. Somewhere, between the dungeons and the Gryffindor common room Sirius had gotten it in his head that he could climb up one of the gargoyles that adorned the walls of Hogwarts. McGonagall's face was priceless when she turned the corner to find Sirius Black hanging upside down with the heel of his foot caught in a gargoyle's mouth…
James felt a smile twitch at the corners of his mouth at those memories.
O.O.O.O
A year later James knelt in front of Sirius's grave and cleared away the dead leaves and flowers. He set fresh flowers on the tombstone and tried to control his tears.
No one was the same after Sirius's death. Lily often sat in front of the common room fire for hours, many times crying silently. Peter had lost any ounce of coordination he once had. He was failing most of his classes. Remus had taken it especially hard. He forbid James and Peter to accompany him on his transformations, which were worse than ever. He hardly slept or ate and avoided James and Peter like the plague. His parents were considering pulling him out of school.
James traced the name on the tombstone with his finder. "You left a gaping hole in my heart, lined with thorny edges. You left us all that way. Sometimes I think I'm not going to make it. Like I can't get out of bed in the morning. Everything reminds me of you. Going on with life is so hard…it's painful, Sirius. But I get through each day and it doesn't kill me, and I think 'maybe tomorrow will be a little bit easier.' I'll never be the same again, Sirius. But I'll try. I'll live for you."
A rustle of wind stirred the flowers at James's feet and he watched as a pedal was carried of, swirling in the air.
O.O.O.O
A/N: It is done…my first completed fic. I'm in a very sad mood at the moment. Sorry for killing him off you guys, I know none of you wanted that but that's the way the cookie crumbled. I'm going to go get some chocolate. Please don't kill me.
And I am very sorry to all my reviewers. I don't think anyone wanted Sirius to die. cowers under desk I'm thinking about writing an AU fic about the marauders when they get out of school. Or maybe one about them getting transported to another place. Just ideas. No promises. Over and out.