Chapter Twenty: i am still pretty tipsy so i apologize in advance

When Sirius got back to the dorm room, James was in the bathroom trying to tame his hair. It never worked, and Sirius didn't know why he even bothered anymore. "James!"

James turned around. He still had the note stuck to his forehead. "You," he said, pointing at Sirius, "are an asshole. Why did you use such a powerful sticking charm?"

"I didn't mean to," said Sirius, frowning. He pulled out his wand, removing the note.

"How's Remus?" asked Peter, who was standing in the doorway.

"Not sure," Sirius said. "He's in the hospital wing, apparently. In a private room, cause I didn't see him in there. I talked to Pomfrey though, and she wouldn't let me in to see him. Says he can't have visitors right now."

"But he's ok?" James asked.

"I think so? She said he was fine, but wouldn't let me in."

Peter frowned. "I'm sure he'll be fine," he said.

"Can I borrow your invisibility cloak?" Sirius asked, turning to James. "I'm going to try and sneak in to see Remus."

James sighed. "Fine. Do it. I don't care. You don't need to get in more trouble this year, though."

Sirius grinned. "I'll be fine."

James shook his head, and pulled his cloak out of his trunk, handing it to Sirius. "Be careful," he said.

"Yes, mother," Sirius said teasingly.

He hurried out of the common room and pulled it. He headed straight for the hospital wing. He got there in record time, the promise of potentially seeing his boyfriend spurring him on.
He waited outside, until he saw Madam Pomfrey go into her little office, and the door close behind her. He tip-toed through the ward, to the row of three little rooms in the back. One of them was closed, and it had a 'No Visitors' sign on it. "Bingo," he whispered.

He tried the knob, and was surprised to find it unlocked. He slipped in quietly. A white curtain was drawn around the bed. Sirius looked around, making sure the room was empty. He walked slowly around the bed, to the opposite side, where he wouldn't be visible from the door, and took off the cloak. He pulled the curtain back. "Remy?"

He was completely unprepared for what he was about to see. Remus was asleep in bed, quite a few bandages wrapped around him. His face was badly bruised. Remus wasn't sick. It looked like he had been beaten up.

Remus stirred, and Sirius watched anxiously. "Remy? What the fuck happened?" he whispered, mostly to himself.

"Siri?"

"Yeah, I'm here, Remy."

"Fuck," whispered Remus. "What the fuck are you doing here? I thought Pomfrey wasn't letting anyone in."

Sirius was still horrified, staring in shock at Remus. "I snuck in. What happened?"

Remus was clearly very panicked, trying to think of something on the spot. "I-I don't know?"

"Bullshit! You disappeared last night without telling anyone anything, and then you show up all bruised and cut the next morning in the hospital wing!"

Remus looked away, not saying anything.

"Remus, please!"

"I can't, Sirius, ok? I can't." Remus sounded like he was on the verge of tears.
It broke Sirius's heart to hear him sound that way. "Please, Remy," he begged. "I just want you to be ok. Who did it?"

"No one."

"That's some fucking bullshit. Someone had to have beaten you up."

"No one did, Siri. Ok?"

"Remus-"

"No." Remus raised his arm, cutting him off firmly. He winced at the sudden movement. Sirius noticed.

"Remus- I- are those scratches?"

Remus's eyes widened. His arm disappeared under the blanket. "No," he said, a little too quickly.

"Remus, what the fuck?"

Sirius was kind of freaking out. Something was clearly off. None of this made sense. Remus had disappeared without a warning, then turned up in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had said he wasn't feeling well, but he clearly wasn't sick. He looked like he had been beaten up, but was claiming no one did it. And now the scratches?

"Hold on a sec." The cogs in Sirius's head were whirring, his mind working faster than it had in months. He thought back, trying to remember everything. A little, nagging thought pushed at the back of his head, but he ignored it, thinking it was too ridiculous.

Wait. Was it, though? Sirius bit his lip. All the evidence lined up. It would make sense. But how would Remus have managed to keep it a secret? How would he have not noticed?

"Remus, are- are you-"

"Sirius, leave."
"What?" Sirius stepped back, shocked.

"You heard me. Leave." Sirius had never heard Remus's voice so harsh, so firm.

"Remy-"

"Sirius. Leave. Please."

"Remy, I-"

Remus sighed. "If you like me, Sirius, if you really like me, then leave."

Sirius frowned. It didn't feel right, leaving Remus like this. He didn't want to push it, though. He turned to go, pulling on the cloak as he did so. "I love you, Remy."

Remus smiled, though it was clearly forced. "I love you too, Sirius." At least that sounded sincere, if a little bit strained.

Sirius crept out of the room and past Madam Pomfrey's office. All of this was so fucking weird. It didn't add up. And, where it did, Sirius didn't want to think about. Remus would have told him, right? He, or James, or Peter, would have noticed. There was no way Remus would be able to hide something that big, right?

Sirius shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts. He walked slowly back to the Gryffindor Tower, thinking. It was still pretty early, and he didn't feel like getting breakfast. Or going to class, for that matter.

He would probably skip, maybe go to the lake. It was quiet there, and peaceful, and he could think. He needed to figure this out.

A/N:

hello everyone :)
the play went amazingly. it was great. we had our last performance sunday aftenoon/evening (it's currently just past midnight). i got EXTREMELY tipsy at the cast party (i was the only one, i stole a large amount of very strong margarita from concessions). i got home in one piece tho, and my parents didn't notices (which is good bc i'm under the legal drinking age). anyways i'm still pretty tipsy so i apologize for any errors or shit, also that this is long- i ramble when i drink

anyways take care of yourselves, i love of all so much

ktf xolyn