Chapter 13

Lily had heard a noise, like an alarm clock go off but she didn't hear Sirius get up. Cassidy had told Lily before Cassidy had passed away, that Sirius was such a heavy sleeper that there had been times when Sirius fell off the bed and would wake up the next morning still on the floor.

James had already jumped in the shower and Lily really wanted to join her husband, but at the moment Lily was going to keep up on her promise to her now deceased friend. Lily was going to make sure her best friend's husband was alright.

The fact was Sirius Black wasn't alright and Lily could hear sobs outside of the room Sirius was staying in.

Lily knocked on the door, "Sirius are you okay?"

Lily heard Sirius shuffle around and blow his nose, "Yes Lily I am fine. I think I have caught a cold, can you tell James that I won't be going in today?"

"Are you okay Sirius?" Lily asked through the door again, "I can talk to you if you like. I only have a couple of classes today and I have the best grade in the class, if you like I can stay home with you today."

Sirius's voice got really strong, "No. No, Lily I am fine."

"Okay," Lily said warily.

Lily joined James in the shower right before he got out, "You are a bit sleepy today aren't you?"

Lily was getting her hair wet as James was finishing soaping up, "I wasn't sleeping James."

James frowned at his wife, she didn't have her usual spunk about her. "What's wrong love?"

"I heard Sirius's alarm clock go off after yours and I wondered why he didn't get up. When I was outside of his door to wake him up, I heard him crying. Sirius insisted that he was okay and to tell you that he had a cold and that he wasn't going into work today."

"Oh," James face fell.

"What?"

"I got up last night to get something to drink and I heard him calling out to Cassidy, as if she was in the room but wouldn't come to him. When he takes a shower, I have passed the door before and I hear him crying in the shower too."

"Oh James," Lily sighed as she was washing the shampoo out of her hair. "What are we going to do? Why won't he come to us and let us help him."

James got out of the shower and began to dry off with his fluffy scarlet towel, "He's not ready to let anyone in. We need to be there for Sirius when he asks us to be there."

Lily stuck her head out of the shower curtain while she was rubbing conditioner in her hair, "Then what do we do until then?"

"Wait."

"Wait! Are you bloody serious!"

"Yes I am serious, why would I say something and not be serious?"

Lily got back in the water and washed the conditioner out of her hair, and began to soap her body up. "I don't know, you are James Potter after all. Most of our Hogwarts career you weren't serious, you just hung out with your friend Sirius."

"Lily don't do the pun thing, it's so old."

"Fine," Lily hissed from behind the shower curtain.

James pulled the curtain back to see what Lily was moody about, "What's wrong with you?"

"You tell us just to wait on Sirius, I thought you were his best friend!"

"I am!"

"Then why aren't you worried about him?"

James sighed as he closed the curtain and tied his towel around his waist so he could begin to brush his teeth, "Of course I worry about Sirius. Sirius is my brother."

"Then why don't you go ask him what's wrong."

"I know what's wrong Lily!"

Lily cut the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her. "Don't you raise your voice at me, James Potter!"

"I don't have time for your dramatics Lily."

"Fine go shack up with Sirius tonight, and hopefully you can dry his bloody tears!" Lily yelled as she had tears streaming down her face.

James turned around and looked shocked to see Lily upset, "What did I do?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you crying?"

Lily turned to brush her teeth, trying to make sure that James couldn't see her cry. "That is why I am crying, you are not trying to help your best friend out at all."

James turned Lily around and stared right into those beautiful emerald pools that he loved so much, "I have tried to help Sirius. But you know Sirius as well as I do, if we keep pushing him we will push him away. Do you really want to lose Sirius?"

"No," Lily said getting chocked up.

"Look I don't mean to yell at you, but you really aren't helping me out any."

"I lost her too!"

"Maybe you shouldn't go to class today."

"And why the hell not!"

James began to pull at his hair, "Look. We tried to get Sirius to move in with us right after Cassidy died and he wouldn't. He's not alright and he will come to us when he's ready, trust me on this one please! I know Sirius better than anyone right now."

"You act as if he was all on his own. Sirius was staying with Remus and Gabby."

"No he wasn't."

"How do you know?

"He told me yesterday."

"So did he go back to his house?"

"No," James said shaking his head and walked into their bedroom so he could begin to get dressed for work. "He sold their house."

Lily spit in the sink and rinsed it and stormed into their bedroom, "He what!"

James sighed as he was slipping on his training pants, "Sirius sold their house."

"I…I can't believe it," Lily said sitting down on their bed still in her towel, and dried her hair with a wave of her wand.

"I can," James said slipping his shirt over his head.

"You can?"

"Yeah," James nodded walking over to kiss Lily lightly on her lips. "I would sell our house if you passed away too."

"You would?"

"Yup," James said now slipping on his socks and shoes as Lily went over to their wardrobe and began to get dressed for her classes.

"Even with all the wonderful memories we have made here? You would sell our lovely home?"

"I couldn't live here without you, it would just be to painful."

"Really?"

Lily slipped a sundress on and James came behind her and slipped his arms around her small waist, "Really."

Lily turned around and held on to James as tightly as she could, "I would miss you too much I believe to go on."

James pulled Lily's chin up so they could look into each other's eyes and James wiped Lily's stray tear away. "Let's not think about that now, okay?"

"Sure," Lily nodded as she leaned up to kiss James lightly.

"I am going to check on Sirius and see if still isn't going into work today."

"Hang on James," James turned back around to see the amazing beauty in front of him.

"Yes?"

"Where did Sirius stay if he wasn't at the house or at Remus and Gabby's?"

James shook his head with a sad expression, "A room at the Leaky."

"What?" Lily asked sounding crestfallen.

"That's what I said."

"So why didn't he contact us?"

"I guess he needed to be on his own for a bit."

"I am glad that Sirius finally came around and moved in with us."

"Me too," James said smiling down at his beautiful wife. "I told him he could crash at our house until he could get on his own two feet."

"What did he say?"

James smiled a big smile that hadn't been shown for a good few days, "He said that he appreciated that, but that he would be looking for a small flat for himself shortly."

"Oh."

"You sound sad?"

"Cassidy and I promised one another that if one of us passed away, that we would look after each other's husband."

James kissed Lily's porcelain forehead, "You are doing a wonderful job, you know that?"

"Am I?"

"Of course, Cassidy would be proud."

Lily smiled, what James had said made Lily feel a lot better. "Go check on Sirius and I am going to start some breakfast. Tell Sirius even if he is too under the weather that he can still have breakfast with us."

"Okay, see you in a few minutes."

Lily cracked a big smile at her tall and handsome husband, "I'll be waiting on you."

James knocked at the guestroom that Sirius was staying in, "Padfoot are you up?"

No answer.

"Lily told me you were feeling a bit under the weather and I was coming to check on you. I was wondering if you were still feeling bad or if you were going to come into work."

Still no answer.

"Padfoot?"

There was a click behind James and he turned around to see the guest bathroom open up, and James felt his heart break. James's best friend looked a complete mess, "Padfoot are you okay?"

Sirius looked paler than James had ever seen, his eyes were all red and blotchy, and Sirius was stumbling along.

"No," Sirius coughed. "Since Lily came to the door, I've been vomiting the whole time."

"You want me to call a doctor?"

"Don't worry," Sirius waved off. "Could you ask Lily to brew me a potion to help me get over this cold a bit?"

"Sure, Lily only has a few morning classes today. She'll be home by lunch, she can probably brew it then."

"Okay," Sirius nodded. "Can you tell them I'm not coming in today?"

"Of course Padfoot. Lily's making breakfast."

Sirius began to start coughing like crazy and then uttered out, "Thanks Prongsie. Tell Lily thanks too, but I'm not all that hungry." Sirius went back in the bedroom and shut the door.

"How's he doing?" Lily asked as she set a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of her husband for almost three months now.

James sighed and looked up at Lily as she sat down behind her plate of breakfast, "He looks horrible."

"Oh no."

"I think he's so upset that he's making himself sick."

"I just don't understand," Lily said eating her eggs. "I thought he was doing okay."

"So did I," James sighed.

"I wonder what upset him so badly? Sirius seemed fine last night at dinner."

"I thought so too," James looked down at his watch. "I hate to cut this short love, but I've got to get to work."

Lily looked at the clock on the wall above James's head, "That's fine. I have to leave in about ten minutes for my first class."

James got up and walked across the table to where Lily had been sitting and leaned down to kiss her goodbye, "Thank you. Breakfast was good, and you are wonderful."

"I love you."

"Love you too, and I'll see you after work."

"Bye."

"Bye Lily Flower," James disapparated and Lily sighed.

Truthfully Lily wasn't all that hungry so she waved her wand and cleaned the plates of food off. The plates soared to the sink, where they began to wash themselves. Lily headed upstairs and knocked on the door that Sirius was staying in but there was no answer.

"Sirius, James just left for work and I am about to leave for class. I'll be home about eleven thirty and James should be home right before dinner. Come down for lunch please, and I'll brew your potion after we have lunch."

To Lily's surprise the bedroom door opened and Sirius gave Lily a sad smile, "I promise I will."

"Good, now you get some rest. I'll be home in four hours."

"Bye Lils."

"Bye Sirius," Lily walked back downstairs and disapparated from there.

"Why do you look so down James?" Alice asked as they were standing in a line about to do some personal training.

"Yeah what's up?" Frank asked as he was stretching in place.

"Sirius."

Alice looked around and then noticed that Sirius was missing. "Well where is he?"

"At home."

"Is he still staying with Remus and Gabby?" Frank asked.

"Nope, he was actually staying at a room at the Leaky."

"What!" Alice's big blue eyes almost popped completely out of her head, "Why! He could have stayed with us!"

"Yeah," Frank nodded.

"I don't know, I guess he wanted to be on his own…you know think about everything. Lily and I invited him over for dinner last night…"

"Did he show up this time?" Alice asked.

"How did you know about him not showing up?" James questioned.

"Lily."

"Oh yeah," James blushed as he had just asked a stupid question.

"It's cool," Alice said letting the stupid question roll off of her shoulder. "So did he actually show up this time?"

"Yeah," James nodded smiling. "Sirius even asked if he could stay with us in one of the guestrooms until he could get on his own and find a place of his own."

"What did you guys say?" Frank asked.

"They said yes of course," Alice said rolling her eyes at her husband's stupid question.

"We told him to take all of the time he needed. Funny thing is that Sirius seemed completely fine last night and then today he told Lily to tell me that he wasn't coming into work today because he doesn't feel good. Lily said she heard him crying from the hallway. I went to check on him and Sirius was pale white and he looked so sick."

"Do you really think he's sick?" Frank asked.

"I think he's is so upset with grief that he has made himself sick," James sighed running his hands through his hair with frustration.

"Don't let Lily see that you have picked that habit up again," Alice chuckled.

James would have something smart, but the instructor yelled. "Oy Potter, come here!"

"Be right back," James said to Frank and Alice as James ran across the field to one of their instructors.

"Yes sir?"

"Where is your partner Black?"

"He has fallen ill."

"What?"

"He has fallen ill, sir."

"Black seemed fine yesterday Potter."

"Yes sir I know, but I think he is grieving so much that he made himself sick."

"Grieving?"

James nodded to the instructors question, "Black lost his wife a month ago to a Death Eater attack at their home."

The instructor's face fell, "I remember reading that in the paper now. I didn't know it was Black, I mean I knew it was a Black but…"

"Yes sir, I understand."

"Well since Black is your partner, you can't really do anything today without him here. So you might as well go home."

"Sir yes sir."

After Lily got out of school, she was surprised to see her husband asleep on the couch in the living room in front of their television.

"James?" Lily asked as she sank down in front of the couch, "James?"

"Hmm?" James asked as he opened his eyes and smiled to see that Lily was home.

"What are you doing home, love?"

"Instructor sent me home."

"Why?"

"Sirius is my partner and I really can't do anything at work without him."

"Oh," Lily said nodding as she understood what James was saying. "What do you want for lunch?"

"Can we just have some hot dogs?"

"Are you sure?"

James nodded his head yes, "I don't want you to be in the kitchen all night. I want to spend time with you."

"What about Sirius?"

"He won't come down."

"He won't?" Lily asked obviously very worried about her good friend.

"Nope, I even told him that I would cook lunch and surprise you with it."

"And?"

"He said he doesn't feel like coming down."

"Okay," Lily nodded. "I am going to start the hotdogs and if Sirius doesn't want to eat down here with us, then he can eat upstairs. Also, I will start brewing that potion for him."

James stood up and kissed Lily passionately and when the broke from the kiss, Lily stumbled backwards. "What was that for?"

"Because you are the best and because I love you."

"I love you too."

Gabriella and Remus showed up at Frank and Alice's house, as Alice had invited them over for dinner.

"Alice? Frank? Are you guys here?"

"In the kitchen!" Came Frank's voice.

Remus nodded and pushed Gabriella's chair into the kitchen, "Smells good in here."

"Thanks," Alice snapped.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Gabriella asked.

"Why didn't you guys tell any of us that Sirius only stayed with you guys only a few nights after Cassidy's funeral?"

"I don't know," Gabriella shrugged. "He kind of suggested that he didn't want anyone to know. Why do you ask?"

"Did you guys know that he had been staying at the Leaky?"

"What!" Remus and Gabriella yelled at the same time.

"No we didn't know that," Remus said looking terribly sorry.

"How did you find out?" GAbriella asked.

"James today at work."

"How did James know?"

"Sirius."

"Is he still staying there?" Remus asked.

"No," Frank spoke up. "Sirius is staying with James and Lily now."

"Then why are you jumping my case?" Gabriella asked turning to her best friend.

"I just think that it's messed up that you guys didn't tell us that Sirius moved out."

"Wasn't really our business to tell," Gabriella said rolling her eyes.

"We figured he went to stay at the cottage in Hogsmede," Remus said honestly.

"Nope," Alice sighed. "Sirius sold it."

"What!" Remus and Gabriella looked totally surprised at this news.

"I'm not surprised," Frank spoke up.

"You aren't?" Alice asked looking oddly at her husband, "Why aren't you?"

"He probably can't stay there without her there, wounds are still too deep."

"That's stupid," Alice said rolling her eyes.

"No it's not," Frank spoke up. "I would sell the house if you had died, let alone been murdered in our house."

Alice's eyes dropped, "I didn't think about that. I guess if you had been murdered in our home too, I would sell it."

"I would," Remus and Gabriella agreed.

"Now I feel like a total bitch," Alice sighed dropping down into a free kitchen chair.

"How did you find all this out from James and not Sirius?" Remus asked.

"Sirius didn't show up for work and James was telling us about it."

"Sirius didn't show up for work?" Remus asked totally concerned about one of his best friends now.

"Nope," Frank said handing all the plates down with food, as Alice made the drinks, at the table to their guests.

"Why not?" Gabriella asked as she began to eat the pork chops that Alice had fixed for dinner.

"Felt under the weather," Alice said as she placed the drinks down. "Or that's what Sirius was telling James and Lily."

"What do you think?" Gabriella asked.

"Well James told Frank and I that Lily and he, thought that Sirius was so upset with grief that he was making himself sick."

"Makes since," Gabriella sighed.

"Weird thing is," Frank spoke up. "Was that James said that Sirius was fine the night before and then all of a sudden this morning he was upset."

"Wonder what happened," Gabriella said.

"Me too," Frank and Alice agreed.

Remus just stayed quiet, and no one mentioned him being quiet. It was obvious why Remus was quiet. Remus was upset about his friend's grief, like them all. Only difference was that Remus and Sirius had been best friends for eight years now.