What-ho chaps! Hope you're absolutely fine and dandy... Many thanks for the spiffing reviews and I hope no one was put off reading the story because of the delays. The therapy for the computer isn't doing much good; technology is still rebelling against me and we're not friends. Nevertheless here is the next chapter. Do have an unusual day...

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Poor, poor Sirius (part 2)

Remus and Bethan left the room soon after Sirius, holding their wands out ready and peering down the guttering torch lit corridor. There was no sign or sound now of Adriana, Regulus and Lucius, or of Sirius. They both hoped he would be okay.

They kept quiet and close together as they walked, making their way as quickly as possible to the Astronomy Tower, to find Professor Harlem. They reached the doorway opening to the steps which led up to the Tower, and found it open and unlocked.

"Adriana must have been in a hurry," Remus muttered as he started up the stone steps.

At the top the sky opened out, such a dark blue that it was almost black, with tiny bright pinpricks of stars. They didn't notice this, however, as their attention was immediately drawn to the still form of Professor Harlem, lying at their feet; it looked like he was –

"No dead?" Bethan whispered in horror, forgetting that she'd heard Adriana assuring Regulus that the teacher was still alive.

"I don't think so," Remus answered as he inspected the teacher, and then looked closely around the dark Tower. There was no one else there, and no evidence of a struggle.

"We need to get him to the Hospital Wing," Bethan said, trying to lift Harlem by his arms.

Remus hurried over to help. "Here – Mobilicorpus." The spell made Harlem rise into the air, still unconscious but upright, like a Pinocchio puppet with no strings. Bethan found this very eerie, but knew as she followed Remus, who was directing Harlem down the steps with his wand, that it was easier than trying to carry him around the school.

When they reached the Hospital Wing they found Sarah and Professor McGonagall just outside the door, talking quietly and looking worried. When she saw Remus and Bethan approaching with the floating body of Harlem in front of them, McGonagall looked even more dismayed and asked, "What on earth's happened now?"

Remus went to explain to her, and Bethan rushed to Sarah, relieved to see one of her girlfriends at last.

"Bethan, what's wrong?" Sarah asked as she noticed her friend's tear-stained face with concern.

"Marley and I broke up!" she wailed. Sarah gasped and drew her into a hug, and Bethan continued, "And no all this is happening – what happened to you?" she asked.

"Me and James and Peter went to check on Adriana up on the Tower," Sarah explained, "but we met a couple of Slytherins on the way. The guys got knocked out – but I got Snape," she added brightly. "Bellatrix Lestrange was there, too – you know, Sirius' cousin? But she just disappeared somewhere when McGonagall got there." Sarah frowned. "Where is Sirius, by the way?"

Sirius followed Adriana, Lucius and Regulus along the school corridors, keeping as far away from them as was possible whilst still having them within eyesight. Six years as a Marauder had trained him well for real-life situations such as this, and he made no sound as he crept cat-like in the shadows.

Up ahead, Adriana and the two Slytherins reached a corner; Sirius quickened his pace to keep on the trail but then heard footsteps behind him. Fearing Filch or worse (could there be any worse?), Sirius melted into the shadow of a suit of armour and looked to see who it was.

Even in the gloom of the corridor, Sirius could recognise the powerful form of Marley Branson striding his way. Bethan's anguished face, wet with tears, swam in front of Sirius' eyes and although his purpose of keeping an eye on Adriana was in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but confront Branson now.

He stepped out into the torchlight just as Marley reached him. The seventh-year looked mildly surprised for a second, but then resumed the usual expression of distaste he seemed to reserve for Sirius.

"I suppose you feel even more powerful now," Sirius spat, unable to keep the anger and hatred from his voice, "after what you've done to Bethan."

"No more than you regard yourself a hot-shot," Marley replied, squaring his shoulders for a fight. "It's none of your business, Black – although I suppose you'll make it yours. I know how you feel about Bethan." He smiled nastily. "It must kill you that I got there first."

Sirius' eyes narrowed furiously. "You don't deserve her," he growled, his fists clenching at his sides. "You never did. How could a monster like you appreciate a girl like Bethan?"

"A monster, am I?" Marley laughed, taking a menacing step forwards. "Listen – you're no better than I am when it comes to treating girls right, so you'd better come down off your high horse and stop defending her, alright?"

Sirius hoped no fear was showing in his eyes as he faced this hulk of a seventeen-year-old, but suddenly, before he had time to answer, he couldn't think because Marley had drawn back his right hand in a fist and punched him right in the eye. Sirius was hit with such force that he reeled backwards into the stone wall, and his knees buckled, collapsing him to the floor. Marley bent over him, leering horribly.

"It's none of your fucking business anyway," he said. Sirius wasn't sure if he was going to get the crap kicked out of him now, but then they both heard a girl's voice calling from the other end of the corridor.

Marley's head whipped round and he got up, waking quickly away towards the voice without giving Sirius another glance or thought, as he called back, "Hey, Laura!"

'That went well,' Sirius thought, seeing stars. 'What a bastard.' He also realised that he'd lost Adriana and the others now, but when he looked up he blearily he saw the two figures of Lucius Malfoy, and his brother Regulus.

"What an agreeable sight," drawled Lucius, sounding highly amused as he stared down at Sirius lying on the floor with a cut eye. "What genius decided to reveal the true worth of Sirius Black? I shall have to congratulate him."

Sirius managed to pull himself up, clinging to the wall until he was eye-to-eye with the Slytherin. "Where's Adriana?" he asked.

"Calm yourself, Black," Lucius answered, still sounding amused. "She has no need of a gallant saviour such as yourself." His grey gaze lingered on Sirius' quickly bruising eye. "Although I can see why you would concern yourself with her – very much your type, isn't she?"

"I ask out of no concern for her!" Sirius said angrily. "But out of concern for my friends – and possibly even my younger brother."

For the first time now he looked at Regulus, who went pink and wouldn't meet his eye. Sirius felt the usual shame of being related to such a bunch of Slytherins, but he also felt some sympathy for the second-year, too. He knew that Regulus could be easily influenced in his thoughts and opinions by those more powerful than himself, and he would do anything to be seen with the beautiful Adriana or the popular Lucius. And of course he'd always followed cousin Bellatrix around like a lost puppy; she was probably the one who'd introduced him to this motley crew of betrayers and mutineers in the first place.

Despite their obvious differences, Sirius hated to see his little brother in the company of someone like Malfoy. But then he remembered that Regulus was a Slytherin, after all, and this was probably where he belonged.

Still, there might be hope... "Regulus, what are you doing with people like Lucius Malfoy and Snape?" he asked despairingly.

"You don't have to answer that, Regulus," Lucius said sharply. "You can't think of him as a brother any more – he's only another of our Lord's enemies."

Sirius was truly alarmed now. "What are you talking about?" he asked angrily. "Regulus- think for yourself for once, you don't have to listen to these people!"

For the first time Regulus spoke. He was still pinkish in the face, but he met Sirius' gaze now as he answered, "I have thought for myself. You forget, Sirius, that you are the odd one in our family, not me. I am not here for you to save."

"Well said," Lucius smiled darkly at Sirius. "So you may take your righteous words elsewhere, Black. They are not required here."

"Maybe not," Sirius replied, "But I'm not going to let you go and find Adriana again. Whatever you lot have planned, you're not gonna get away with it easily."

"Have it your way," Lucius said, raising his wand. Sirius quickly got his own wand out of his pocket, and for the second time that night hoped that there was no fear in his eyes. Why were the seventh-years being so intimidating all of a sudden?

After a few seconds Sirius decided to start the duel, rather than grow more and more nervous looking at Lucius' cold, malicious eyes. He raised his wand and shouted "Impedimenta!"

The spell shot straight for Lucius but the older boy deflected it easily and his smirk wasn't even put out of place.

"Don't you know any real spells, Sirius?" he asked, his voice full of laughter. Somehow his use of Sirius' first name made him all the more menacing.

"I make it my business not to learn Dark Magic," snarled Sirius, whilst inwardly dreading the outcome of this particular situation.

"Really? I would have thought you'd show a special interest in Black Magic, as after all it is your namesake," Lucius retorted. "Here, I'll give you a quick beginner's lesson..." His voice dropped to an ominous whisper as he uttered his first spell.

"Crucio."

Sirius was bowled to the floor again with the worst pain he had ever experienced or imagined; he couldn't see, he couldn't think of anything but the pain. He didn't even know if he was screaming. He didn't know what this spell was, but it must surely be illegal. He could just about hear, as though from far away, Lucius laughing cruelly. And then he heard his brother's voice shouting, "Stop!"

The pain diminished slightly and Sirius looked up at them again from the floor. Regulus had grabbed Lucius' arm, and the wand was no longer pointing at Sirius. Lucius had a look like thunder on his face as he turned to the younger Slytherin.

"You show mercy to this unworthy Gryffindor?" he demanded, shaking his arm from Regulus' grip but not resuming the torturing spell. "Have you listened to nothing I've told you?"

"No – it wasn't because of that!" Regulus said quickly. "It's just that... Adriana might need us, and we're wasting time here – my brother is, as you say, unworthy of our time."

Lucius stared for a moment longer, before his lips curled again into a smirk. "Ten points for trying, but you are an abysmal liar. However, you are right. Enjoyable as it is seeing your mighty brother taught a lesson for once, we are wasting time."

Regulus looked relieved, but paled even more when Lucius raised his wand again. He spoke the word "Stupefy" and the last thing Sirius saw was his brother's nervous face before the stunning spell hit him and everything surrendered to blackness.