I feel I should acknowledge and apologise for the spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors which I know the story is riddled with. My story is un-beta-ed, so I am the only one who proof reads it and I haven't done creative writing since year 5.

I really am truly sorry for them. I am also sorry for the time it took to get this chapter out, I suffered even worse writer's block than before sigh And I just started uni and have been in over my head. I am ever stressed.

I would be SO grateful if you reviewed. I would attempt bribery but I own nothing of value, I have no money and I can't even cook (so that's cookies gone.)

Chapter Five: Little Boys Pretending to be Grown Up

"But Madam Pom…" Peter was cut off mid whine as the solid oak door was shut in his face. He scowled at it and turned to look at James who was now being supported by Remus. Madam Pomfrey had taken Lily in to be looked after but she refused to heal James because his wounds were from a fight. James tried to shrug nonchalantly but pain lanced through his shoulder, forcing him to further brace himself against Remus.

"'s okay," he forced out, attempting to sound brave, but he could feel himself slowly slipping from reality. His head felt thick and heavy and his mouth was coated with the metallic tang of blood. There was a constant pounding in his ears, like his heart beat intensified. He didn't hear Remus' cry as he slipped from the pale boy's arms to the cold stone floor. There was a resounding thud in the deserted hallway, which bounced threateningly off the rough walls. Peter spun around in alarm and upon seeing his prone friend on the floor, resumed his attack on the hospital door with renewed vigour.

Remus fell to his knees beside James and gently cradled his freshly bleeding head, pressing the black sleeve of his robes against the cut in an attempt to stem the blood flow. James's glasses now lay on the floor, broken; miraculously they had survived the initial fist-fight with Sirius but had been shattered with his impact on the floor.

Remus was desperately worried for his two friends and the innocent girl currently lying in the hospital wing. Oh God, how much of this is my fault? He looked away from James's pale face, racked with guilt, Why Sirius, Why?

Sirius fared slightly better with his injuries, he didn't pass out but he was slowly chewing himself apart with guilt and shame. He didn't know what to do, he couldn't think. No matter how much he tried, he could not get his mind past the scene from the dormitory. His mind kept running around in circles trying to justify his actions but nothing could equal his most recent actions.

Nothing could validate his betrayal of Remus.

Madam Pomfrey had eventually admitted James into the hospital ward but had not allowed Remus or Peter access. She informed them sternly that both James and Lily would be out soon, if they left her alone to get on with her craft. Glumly Peter and Remus turned away from, the once again, closed door. They wandered the halls aimlessly, often finding themselves inexplicably outside the hospital door.

Whilst they walked in silence, not really seeing anything they passed, Peter accidentally brushed against Remus' arm and felt something damp on the taller boy's sleeve. He dragged himself from his thoughts and pulled Remus' arm towards his face, closely scrutinising the wet material. Remus stopped and looked curiously at Wormtail.

"Something wrong?" He asked, struggling to keep a composed voice and figure, he knew what was on his sleeve, he hadn't forgotten the blood that stained his robes. Or who was the reason that blood had been spilt.

Peter turned his penetrating gaze to Remus' face; he instantly recognised that Remus knew. Not really knowing what to say he finally took control of their destination and resolutely lead them to the Gryffindor dormitories.

He'd been sitting there for too long, he couldn't feel anything below his knees. Snow was falling around him, he needed to do something. Anything could happen if he didn't…Remus could be expelled. Remus could be expelled. Oh Fuck.

Sirius leapt to his feet, but immediately fell back on to the dirty snow. His legs couldn't support him they were too numb and had a serious lack of blood flowing through them.

Oh God, I've got to get up, Idiot, Move!

Why?

Must not delay.

God, move.

Remus and Peter decided that time would move faster if they did something, anything. So they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch. Honestly, both boys were starving but neither was willing to admit it aloud. It felt wrong to be feeling something so un-James, Sirius or Lily related at this time. They sat down at the Gryffindor table and felt removed from the rest of the student body who were blithely talking about the trivial matters typical of teenagers. The superficial dialogues washed over them as they ate mechanically tasting nothing that passed their lips. Worry ran rampant through their bodies, preventing them from even basic interactions with their fellow Gryffindors and each other. Neither could find anything particularly fitting to say.

The cold was blasting through his body, seeping into every fibre of his being. Moving was so hard, he couldn't go more than a few metres before his freezing, exhausted body would collapse again into the unforgiving snow. I'm so sorry Remus. Eventually he gave into the darkness clouding his mind and he slipped into blissful unconsciousness. Remus…

James awoke to find his mind pleasantly empty. He simply lay there, blissfully ignorant of the day's earlier events. He vaguely wondered why he was lying down in a bed that was obviously not his own. He turned his head slightly, glad to find his movement unhindered. His joy was quashed immediately as he finally registered his surroundings. The full memories of the morning savagely bombarded his mind. He now knew why he was lying in bed and why he had experienced the irrepressible happiness when he felt no pain from movement.

He pushed himself up on to elbows and looked around for Lily, Remus or Peter. There was no one else in the hospital wing except the small black spider busily making its web in a corner between the entablature and a caryatid. Madam Pomfrey had been desperate to get rid of the caryatids since she had arrived at Hogwarts a couple of years ago. She believed them to be thoroughly disastrous for healing, especially the healing of young boys. As James stared at the spider the significance of the colour hit him. Black! He pushed himself up fully and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Before his bare feet could hit the stone floor the large doors at the end of the hospital wing crashed open and Madam Pomfrey rushed in followed closely by two Hufflepuff students, who were half carrying and half dragging a dark, limp form between them. Madam Pomfrey spared James a withering look before focusing her full attention on her most recent patient. James sighed and lifted his legs back on to the bed and pulled the blankets over them. He continued to study the new arrival, whom Madam Pomfrey appeared to be rather worried about.

He was momentarily distracted by the exiting Hufflepuffs and the arched window they passed. Through the diamond patterns he saw inky blackness that was only penetrated by the thin shaft of light excluding from the moon. The Full Moon. His thoughts instantly fled from the fight, Lily and his mysterious wing-mate to Remus. Oh God, the rat can't control the wolf alone.

He hastily rolled out of the high hospital bed and made a stealthy run for the doors; he stopped in his tracks, however, when he heard the weak, nearly incoherent murmurings coming from the bed of the latest patient.

"Moony…Prongs?" James spun around and heedless of the disapproval emanating from the young Medi-witch he rushed to the side of Sirius, even if only to hit him again. The barely conscious boy continued burbling insanities. Or so James hoped…

"…Bad…so bad… Snape…Moony…Oh God I am so sorry Moony..." James closed his eyes and resited the urge to shake more information out of the now silent boy. Abruptly he turned and ran from the hospital wing, ignoring Madam Pomfrey's indignant cries. He had a sneaking suspicion that he knew what Sirius had done. The halls were deserted. It must be late, James mused, but is it too late.

So there was chapter five. I hope you liked it.

Please review (pouts and uses puppy-dog eyes)