Chapter Twenty-Six: One Marauder Short

An hour after leaving the clinic Lily and James returned to the Gryffindor common room, a little windswept but perfectly fine. Right before entering they removed the invisibility cloak.

"Where'd you come from?" the fat lady on the portrait guarding the door into the common room asked surprised.

"Out parents," James replied with a smirk.

"Humph. James Potter, you're going to get yourself in a load of trouble one of these days."

"Rumplestiltskin," James said in reply. It was the password to get into the common room and it shut her up immediately. Entering the common room Lily asked,

"Know her personally, do you?"

James shrugged. "Well she did help Sirius, Remus, Peter and I out of some sticky spots before."

Lily grinned. "James Potter you are a piece of work."

"I know."

Stepping into full light of the common room they heard, "Lily, James where've you been?"

Looking towards the voice they saw-

"Remus!" Lily shouted running over to him and embracing him. "When did you get here?"

"Like thirty minutes ago. Where were you guys at?" Lily and James looked at each other.

"Just taking care of a few things," James replied.

Remus looked at them suspiciously but let it go. "Have you guys seen Sirius?"

James stared at Remus in shock. "What- you mean you- he's not with you?"

"No, I haven't seen him since a few nights ago." When Remus saw the looks on James and Lily's faces he asked, "Why?"

When James didn't say anything Lily said, "We haven't seen him either."

"What do you mean you haven't seen him? He must've been in class."

Lily shook her head. "He didn't go to class. That's why we thought he was with you."

After some thought Remus said, "He was going to talk with Sarah. Maybe she saw him." Remus got up, about to go find Sarah but Lily stopped him.

"It's too late Remus. We'll have to wait till tomorrow."

"But what if he's hurt or-"

"If we get caught we'll get in a lot of trouble. Also none of us know where Sarah would be. She may be in her common room or dorm and we don't know where that is. Even if we did we wouldn't know the password and then there would be the Ravenclaw's to deal with."

Remus sighed, "Alright, alright. I get what you mean." He sat back down again with his head in his hands. James watched him closely. Then he stood up.

"James," Lily said sternly thinking he was going to go find Sirius.

"What? I'm just going to bed," he replied. "C'mon Remus, let's get some rest."

Together they walked towards the stairs. "Don't worry, we'll just take the invisibility cloak and-" James began to whisper to Remus but Lily interrupted.

"And don't even think of taking the invisibility cloak. We need to start getting lots of sleep. If you forgot the N.E.W.Ts are coming up in about two months." James groaned and Remus looked horrified.

"Oh geeze, I forgot about the N.E.W.Ts," and James was surprised when he shrugged. "Who cares if I fail though, I probably won't get a job anyway." They headed up the stairs; Remus with a sullen look on his face.

Getting into bed, James' last thoughts were, 'Poor Remus, first Sirius goes missing and now he has to be worried with not getting a job. All because he's a were-wolf.' James turned, trying to get comfortable. 'People can be so stupid sometimes.' Within minutes he fell asleep.

Sirius woke with a jolt. "James!" he said really loud forgetting where he was for a moment. He looked around but only cold stonewalls looked back. He kept having the same dream over and over again. He was in a dark room with James and James would get hurt. As James screamed in pain there would be a big flash of light and he would wake up. He moved his arms. The chains were hurting his wrists. 'If only I could reach my wand I could get out of here,' Sirius thought. But then he remembered Christine's words, "If you break free and leave I will kill Sarah White and you can hold me to that." Sirius groaned.

"What did I do to deserve this?" he asked aloud.

Suddenly the door opened and Christine walked in. Sirius didn't even know himself how many times a day he would wish that someone other then her would walk in and free him.

"Hey sweetie," she said placing a tray with food on it on the floor by his feet. "I brought you some food. Had to tell the teachers I was going to eat it in my dorm. McGonagall didn't approve but Slughorn allowed it."

"I am not your sweetie," Sirius said through clenched teeth.

She looked at him sternly, "Yes, you are."

Everything was quiet as Sirius watched her cut up the food. She picked up the plate and fork and stood up. "Now open up," she said sweetly scooping food onto the fork. Sirius kept his mouth closed tight. Christine sighed, "Now Sirius please." He shook his head. She stomped her foot. "Humph! Fine, starve then! See what I care!" Dropping the plate to the floor with a clatter she glared at Sirius her brown eyes turning to pitch black. Then she turned, making sure her long brown hair hit him in the face, and grabbing her bag walked out, slamming the door behind her. Sirius sighed. He looked at the food now lying on the stone floor, wasted. His stomach growled. A rat came and started eating the wasted food. Sirius let out a groan.

'I should have just eaten the bloody food,' Sirius thought miserably.