Sorry for HUGE delay in posting anything new.

/ denotes thought.

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The first thing Sirius became aware of was the slightly antiseptic smell that permeated the air around him. Struggling to open his eyes, he tried to remember why he was in what he guessed must be hospital wing. Squinting, he could make out the other beds, empty of students.

/Ok, so the last thing I remember was going to class, he mused. The pain had been manageable, or so he had thought, but what had happened to get him to come here/ His head throbbing, he tried to remember the lesson.

/Sat in the class, no idea what was said, tried to hide his discomfort and then what/

A flash of Snape coming towards him, the table suddenly slanting alarmingly as he approached it, and did Remus call out something? flickered through his mind.

"No, no, oh Goddess, no," he whimpered, when he finally realised what had happened. "I can't let them know."

His eyes darting about the room, he tried to calm his breathing.

"I have to get out of here." He whispered. "HE's going to kill me."

Trying to stop the despair at the thought of what would happen should HE found out people knew, Sirius missed arrival of James, Remus and Peter.

"Padfoot!" Cried James, as he saw his friend awake. "Thank goodness your awake."

Hurrying towards his friend, his face beaming, James missed the flinch as he threw himself on the end of Sirius's bed. Remus, who had approached slower, caught the look of panic that appeared on Padfoot's face before it was hidden behind a blank mask, but before he could comment, James started to talk.

"What happened to you mate?" James asked. "It was like you just collapsed, splat, and we couldn't wake you up."

Casting a nervous glance about the room, Sirius looked towards James. /There's no way I'm telling him anything, he'll hate me, he thought. They all will, after all, I hate myself too./

Waving his hand, Sirius tried to smile. "It was the putrid smell of Snivellus, you know he never washes. I obviously got to close and keeled over from the stench." He joked.

Laughing, James and Peter nodded.

"Know what you mean," James agreed, "he should be declared a health hazard."

Shaking his head, Remus was about to comment when Madam Pomfrey appeared from behind him.

"Now then," she said, "you've seen him awake, I think it is time for you to be off to your lessons. You can come back at lunch."

With a light protest James and Peter allowed themselves to be herded out the door. Remus however approached the bed.

"Siri, I don't have time now, but I want to talk to you. Something has happened and I want to help." He said, trying to catch Padfoot's eyes. "You're not alone, and no matter what, I'll always be your friend."

Feeling Madam Pomfrey touch his arm, he turned to look at her.

"You too, off you go." She said, shooing him towards James and Peter. "He's not going anywhere."

Casting a quick glance over his shoulder, Moony saw that Padfoot had pulled the covers up and rolled over, his back towards the door.

Nodding, Remus followed his friends; worried again that Sirius was trying to hide from what ever had happened to him.

Watching the boys leave, Madam Pomfrey made he way over to partially covered figure on the bed.

"You get some more sleep," she whispered to him, "but we need to have talk later, you, me and the Headmaster."

Sirius, hidden under the covers, curled up even more, pulling the blanket tighter. /They'll hate me, he thought, and I'll be sent away. Shivering, he closed his eyes, a tear tracing its way down his cheek. They'll hate me and HE will kill me./