Author: Hi everyone! New Chapter for His Shining Light! Thank you all for your reviews and favs, you guys are amazing! Have an amazing weekend!
Sirius sat slumped against the wall beside his room, where Snape, Madam Pomfrey and Elaine's brother Ezekiel worked to save her. His nails were dug so deep into his hair he could have drawn blood.
Lupin and Mrs. Weasley had managed to get Winifred to rest. They convinced her that there was nothing she could do but rest.
So that when Elaine woke she could take care of her.
If she ever woke up.
Her brother, Reynold, had gone with Lupin and Tonks to retrieve the body of Jonas Winters.
He hadn't really ever gotten along with Elaine's father, who was insanely protective over his only daughter. However, Sirius knew how close Elaine had been with her father growing up…when she woke up she would be completely devastated.
He groaned at the thought of it as he replayed the moment where he had first seen her.
It had been a moment he had thought of for the past fourteen.
This had been the first time he had uttered a word to her in fourteen years and she could die at any moment.
" Damn it." He mumbled weakly as his throat tightened.
All those years in Azkaban with the Dementors swooping around had caused Elaine's screams to echo in his mind, never giving him a moments peace.
The sight of her falling from his arms that day had replaced almost every single memory of her laugh.
Of her kindness.
The only thing that kept him going was the image of her smile.
That alone brought him warmth in his frigid cells throughout his imprisonment.
Gave him peace when the madness would descend upon him.
Now…she could be gone forever.
It was enough to drive him to the madness again.
" Sirius?"
He looked up to see Harry coming towards him, two steaming mugs of cocoa in his hands. He smiled as his godson handed him one and sat next to him.
" Hermione said she used to be an Auror." Harry said taking a sip from his own mug, blue with a bucking unicorn on it.
" Yes, she was trained by Mad Eye Moody himself." Sirius said running a hand through his long messy hair. " She graduated with Kingsley and was one of the best there ever was."
" What happened to her?" Harry asked and quickly regretted his question when he saw his godfather's face and knuckles go white. " You don't have to t-"
" She trusted the wrong person and got injured. The Minister of Magic at the time stripped her of her title as Auror and made it so that she could never work there again."
" Given how the Ministry is going, that may be a good thing." Harry said pointedly, cringing at the memory of his interrogation from the day prior. He regretted his comment when Sirius failed to reply.
" How do you know her?" Harry asked after some time had past.
He had noticed how Sirius had reacted upon seeing Elaine covered in blood that morning. He knew Sirius would be upset if any member of the Order had been injured but how he responded seeing her like that.
There was something there.
" We were at Hogwarts together." Sirius said as a sad smile appeared on his face. " The same year actually."
" And?" Harry said, knowing there had to be more then just that. Sirius' reaction earlier had told him that much.
" She was one of your mother's best friends actually." Sirius said to Harry's surprise. What Harry had been expecting, it wasn't that.
" She was?" Harry said excitedly. " Really?"
Harry had never met someone who had known his mother solely as a friend.
Sirius and Lupin had started out as his father's friends and then later his mother's. He hadn't met anyone who had started out as her friend and then later his father's.
There were so many questions he had wanted to ask her.
Sirius smiled as he watched Harry process the information he had given him. He loved his godson but at this moment he didn't want to talk about Elaine.
If he wasn't so distressed over whether Elaine was going to make it he would…but right now-
His train of thought broke off as the door to his bedroom opened and Madam Pomfrey came out looking pale and exhausted.
Sirius was on his feet before he could think, his worried grey eyes locked onto her.
" She's past the dangerous stage, Sirius, however she'll need lots of rest!" Madam Pomfrey said sternly, almost sounding exactly like Professor McGonagall. " Do try not stress her!"
" A-Alright Madam Pomfrey," Sirius said sounding as though he was a student at Hogwarts again.
" I'll let her mother know she's alright." Harry said as he went to stand.
" Don't you dare, Potter!" Madam Pomfrey said angrily. " Poor Winny needs her rest! The poor dear will need to bury her husband soon and with her eldest child injured…you just let her rest!"
Sirius paused as Madam Pomfrey continued to lecture Harry about why he couldn't bother Elaine's poor mother. He hadn't heard a word past when the Healer said Elaine was good.
He wanted nothing more than to rush to her side and see her breathing with his own eyes.
" You can sit with her Sirius, just don't try and wake her!" Madam Pomfrey snapped at the Animagus.
She walked towards him, her face so stern that it felt as though he was back at Hogwarts and he had accidently set off a boil charm in the Great Hall with James and Remus.
" Hand." She said sternly making him immediately obey. Something round on a chain was placed in his hand.
His chest tightened at the sight.
In his scarred hand laid a small diamond ring on a delicate silver chain. Large amounts of blood stained the chain and almost transfigured the diamond into a ruby.
" Keep an eye on that, Sirius." Madam Pomfrey said her expression softening as she saw the wave of emotions flash through his grey eyes. " She'll be wanting that back."
She placed her hands over his, folding his overtop the necklace, a small smile gracing her face.
" Th-Thank you, Madam Pomfrey." Sirius said.
" Go in there and stay with her, Sirius." The Healer said calmly.
" I can't.
" And why ever not!"
" You know why."
" Sirius Black, you best get in that room right this second!" Madam Pomfrey snapped, her face stiffening.
Harry didn't know what to say at the scene before him.
Madam Pomfrey hardly ever raised her voice. However, at the moment, not only was her voice raised but she was currently threatening to transfigure his godfather into a teakettle.
" You might as well stop trying, Poppey. He's not man enough to confront an injured and unconscious woman." Snape sneered as he strolled from the bedroom, blood staining his hands.
" Stay out of this, Snivilus!" Sirius growled but Snape didn't flinch he just glanced Sirius up and down.
" You always were a coward, Black! However, I never thought you'd abandoned that woman…twice."
" SIRIUS, DON'T!" Harry yelled as Sirius drew his wand on the Potions Master.
" You talk to much, Snivilus." Sirius said as he took a step closer.
" And right now you're showing-"
" That's enough, both of you!" Professor McGonagall snapped sternly, appearing as stealthily as a cat, Ron and Hermione following behind her. " Sirius, to your room, now! Severus, if you are finished helping Poppey then you are free to head home!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione were stunned at the sight of Professor McGonagall ordering two grown men to their rooms like children.
" Now you three, bed!" The Trio jumped as the Transfiguration Teacher turned her ever vigilant gaze on them.
" But Professor-"
" Don't but me, Weasley!" Professor McGonagall said waving her hands at them. " Bed! Now!"
Sirius walked into the his room to see Elaine resting peacefully in his bed. He didn't know who was more pale, him or her.
" Ellie…" He whispered stroked her cool cheek.
He couldn't believe she was here in his house after all these years.
Kneeling beside the bed he took her hand into his and kissed it.
Her lips were almost as blue as her hair. Taking a lock of it into his hand he curled it around his index finger. He missed the sight of her beautiful red hair.
" Ellie…please wake up."
In his mind he replayed every single terrible thing he had ever done to her.
None of them topped the day he had been taken to Azkaban. Not even when they had been Third Years and he told her he thought she was annoying and he would rather die than have anything to do with her.
October 1973
" Listen Sirius, I think Winters has a crush on you!" James smirked, nudging his best friend who simply glared at him.
" Shut it, James!"
" It could be worse, Sirius." Remus said calmly. " Bertha Jorkins could have a crush."
" You're not making it any better, Remus!"
" You're lucky, Sirius! Elaine's so cute and nice! I don't think she would look twice at me if we weren't in potions together!" Peter said dreamily.
" And you didn't accidentally blue frog brains all over her!" James laughed causing his pale friend's face to redden drastically.
" Elaine's a nice girl, Sirius. Lily talks about her all the time." Remus said. " She's really smart too."
" She's annoying." Sirius said.
" So is Peter, but we still hang out with him." James whispered as Peter used a quill to pick a piece of ham out of his teeth.
" But she's worse! All she ever does is smile!" Sirius said as he imagined how cute Elaine was when she smiled.
" Merlin's beard, that's horrible! How have you managed to survive these last two years with someone so terrible!" James said rolling his eyes.
" Everywhere I go she's there! Like the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, History of Magic, the Great Hall-"
" Sirius, we have those classes with the Hufflepuffs and she has to eat in the Great Hall." Remus said.
" She always tries talking to me!"
" Because she's a nice person."
" She's always sitting beside me in Herbology!"
" Professor Sprout assigned the partners." Peter said pointedly. " Aren't you just making excuses to not like her so that Bellatrix and Narcissa don't make your life hell?"
" That actually seems right! Every time one of them sees you around her they seem to nag you." James said. " Why don't they like her again?"
" That's not true! She-"
" Excuse me, Remus…"
Sirius froze at the sound of one of the last girl he wanted to see.
" Oh hi, Elaine." Remus said awkwardly, his face blanching at her sudden appearance. He hoped that she hadn't heard them.
" I-I was wondering if you could help me with my Care of Magical Creatures homework…I-"
Sirius rolled his eyes as she continued.
She seemed to be stuttering and was trying to avoid looking at him, a slight pink tinge to her cheek.
" Not a problem, we can meet in the library after dinner if you'd like-"
" Remus, don't you remember what tonight is?" James said hurriedly causing his friend's face to lose all color.
The Full Moon.
" Remus?" Elaine asked worriedly. " Are you ok?"
" Y-Yeah…I-I just won't be able to help you tonight…"
" You don't look so good, maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing and have Madam Pomfrey look at you."
" Thank you for your concern, Elaine…but I'll be fine with just a good night's sleep." Remus said attempting to smile. That only seemed to worry her even more.
" But Remus-"
" Oh just drop it, Winters!" Sirius said as Remus became seriously uncomfortable. " He's said he's fine so let it go!"
" Sirius-"
" No Remus, she's so damn pushy!" Sirius growled causing Elaine to pale, the books in her arms trembling. " You can't just take a hint, can you! You're annoying and no one wants to be around you! You're nothing but a pain, so bugger off!"
" Sirius…!" James said eyes wide with shock.
He froze when he saw tears swelling in her green eyes.
Dread filled him as she gave a small sniffle before she backed away.
" Excellent job, Sirius!" An excited female voice said.
Her saw Elaine's face completely drain of color.
He looked up to see Bellatrix and a group of fellow Slytherins sauntering over. " You tell that filthy little Blood Traitor off!"
" Why do you even bother trying to be friends with your betters?" Crabbe sneered before knocking her books from her arms.
" I don't understand how you haven't been chucked out yet." Narcissa smirked as Remus bent over to help Elaine pick up her books. " You're spells and transfiguration abilities are are abysmal to boot!"
" And she's a laughing stock on a broom stick." Lucius laughed. " Even the Mudbloods are better then you."
" What your mouth, Malfoy!" James said before pulling his wand out.
" I-I'll just be going…" Sirius heard Elaine said in a tone barely more than a whisper.
" Why don't you just bugger off, Bella!" He said quickly as Elaine began to back away only to have Goyle trip her.
" AH!" She cried out, landing on her elbow wrong. A loud cracking sound of bone hitting stone rang in their ears suddenly.
" Elaine!" Remus said as the Slytherin's burst into laughter. He hurried over to help her up, her red curls hiding the tears streaming down her face.
Sirius hadn't realized he had taken a step to help her as well until Regulus attempted to sling an arm around his neck in comradery.
" I-I'm fine." She whimpered weakly.
" Let me help you to the Hospital Wing." Remus said helping her to her foot.
" I-I'm fine, Remus." Elaine said taking her books quickly from James and running as far as her feet could take her.
Remus shook his head, a disappointed look on his face that made dread wash over Sirius.
He quickly followed after her.
" I knew you weren't really friends with that Blood Traitor!" His little brother Regulus, a First Year, said elbowing him excitedly.
" Shut it, Regulus!" Sirius growled before storming off to his dormitory.
SLAM!
Sirius and James jumped as Lily Evans slammed her books down in-front of him in the Great Hall, a look of sheer murder on her face.
" HOW COULD YOU!"
" What?" He said nervously.
" WHY WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HER!"
" Oh that…"
" WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'OH THAT'?" Lily screeched.
" Well…"
" HOW COULD YOU SAY SOMETHING SO CRUEL! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!"
" Well…she-"
" ELLIE IS SO NICE AND SWEET TO EVERYONE AND YOU HAD TO TELL HER THAT EVERYONE HATES HER!"
" She told you?"
" NO! I HEARD NARCISSA AND YOUR BROTHER BRAGGING ABOUT HOW YOU TOLD HER EVERYONE HATES HER!"
" Miss Evans, what is this ruckus about!" Professor McGonagall said making her way over to the Gryffindor table.
" Sirius is an absolute dung eater!" She growled before locking her eyes hatefully on him. " What you did to Ellie was cruel! You try to act better then the rest of your family but you're just like them!"
" Evans, that's a bit-"
" Shove it, Potter!"
" Miss Evans, that's enough!" Professor McGonagall said firmly. " You may either eat your dinner or return to your dormitory, but I will not have you causing this commotion in the Great Hall!"
Lily whirled on her heels and stormed out of the dormitory.
" She's not wrong about everything, Sirius…Winters didn't deserve the blow up you gave her." James said calmly as Professor McGonagall returned to the Head Table. " But you're not like the rest of your family."
Sirius was quiet as James tried to convince him of how he wasn't.
" Well, Elaine's going to have her arm in a sling for a bit but other then that, she should be fine." Peter said as he sat at the table.
" Is she…alright?" James asked nervously.
" She stopped crying just before Remus left for you know where." Peter said as his words hit Sirius like a punch from the Whomping Willow.
He didn't understand why he had said those things to Elaine or why she irritated him so much.
Most girls had a crush on him, it was something that came with the natural good looks that came with his family name. He didn't understand why Elaine having a crush on him bothered him so much.
" Madam Pomfrey said she would be able to go to her Common Room soon." Peter said as a group of rather infuriated Hufflepuffs glared at Sirius as they walked towards their table.
" You should go see her, Sirius. Help her carry her stuff back." James said calmly.
" But I-"
" What is wrong with you!" Andromeda said suddenly, her words barely more than a hissing whisper.
" Don't start, Andy." Sirius groaned, his head in his hands.
" Don't you take that tone with me, Sirius Black! I expected more from you!" Andromeda snapped. " I don't understand how you can be so cruel to another person!"
" Andromeda-"
" Back off, Potter!"
" I'm going to bed!" Sirius said slinging his bag over his shoulder and storming from the Great Hall.
Why had he said those things to her?
Why had he been such an ass to her?
She had never been mean to him.
She's only been nice to everyone around her.
She had spoken to him since their first year.
" WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, BLACK!"
" GYAH!"
Sirius hadn't realized that his feet had carried him towards the Hospital Wing.
He had bumped into Elaine as Lily was currently helping her friend back towards the Hufflepuff Common Room.
He reached out to stop Elaine before she fell onto the stone steps but he had accidently grabbed ahold of her injured arm.
He heard a slight popping sound that almost made him sick. He had accidentally pulled her shoulder from her socket.
" MERLIN'S BEARD, I'M SO SORRY!" He said as Elaine began sobbing in pain.
" What the hell, Black!" Lily said helping Elaine to her feet.
" I'm so sorry, Winters!" He said taking a step towards her only to see her flinch.
" Sorry Ellie, but looks like we need to go see Madam Pomfrey again." Lily said guiding Elaine back towards the Hospital Wing.
" Wait Evans, I can take her!" Sirius said worriedly.
" Why should I let you take her!" Lily said protectively. " So you can bully her some more!"
" I-I'm not going to do anything to her!" Sirius said quickly, his hands up defensively. " I'll just take her to Madam Pomfrey!"
" You guys, I'm fine. I can go by myself." Elaine whimpered.
" Ellie, I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing." Lily said opening the door and helping her inside.
" Wait I'll go get Madam Pomfrey!" Sirius said following them inside.
" Just go back to Gryffindor Tower, Black! You've done enough!"
" Damn it Evans, I'm trying to make up for earlier!"
" For what, humiliating her in-front of everyone and causing her to shatter her elbow? Or for knocking her down and pulling her arm out its socket?"
" Guys-"
" It's ok Ellie, I got this! You listen here-"
" What's the meaning of all this noise? This is a Hospital Wing, not the Quidditch Stadium!" Madam Pomfrey said sweeping towards them. " Miss Winters, back already?"
" Black caused her-"
" It was an accident, Evans!" Sirius snapped.
" Enough both of you! Sit here Miss Winters, I'll fix that arm in a jiffy!" Madam Pomfrey said guiding Elaine to a nearby bed.
Sirius stood awkwardly there as the Healer shoved the red head's shoulder back in place.
" Now dear, plenty of rest and some chocolate! That'll have you right as rain soon." Madam Pomfrey said placing Elaine's arm gently back into her sling and dabbing a handkerchief to the girl's tear stained cheek.
" Come on Ellie, let's get you to b-Black, what do you think you're doing?" Lily snapped as Sirius helped Elaine to her feet.
" You can head back to Gryffindor Tower and I'll take Winters back to her dorm!" Sirius said shouldering Elaine's school bag and walking out of the Hospital Wing.
Sirius walked Elaine towards the dungeons where the Hufflepuff Common Room was located. She avoided making eye contact with him as they walked silently.
" I-I'm sorry…about earlier." Sirius said quietly as he heard her sniffle quietly.
She still wouldn't looking at him, tripping slightly as they went. Sirius wrapped an arm securely around her waist, preventing her from face planting.
" Damn, you're…accident prone." Sirius said attempting to make her laugh.
When he saw her bite her trembling lip dread washed over him. It was then that he noticed how red and swollen her eyes were from crying.
Reaching up to cup her cheek only to have her recoil from him. " Listen Winters…I'm really am sorry…I'm not just saying this so that Evans won't hex me in my sleep. I don't know why I said what I said but I do know that I'm sorry."
" What did I ever do to you?" Elaine said sniffling, pulling her injured arm closer to her.
" Nothing…I'm just messed up in the head." Sirius said. " I'm still not used to having friends and having people give a damn about me without an ulterior motive. You're just so happy and nice all the time that I don't know how to deal with it. You met my mom…and most of my family…"
" That doesn't give you the right to be mean to people."
" I know, I don't want this to be an excuse, Winters…but I never been more sorry for anything before in my life." Sirius said in earnest.
" I don't know…" Elaine said softly.
" You don't have to believe me…but…"
" But what…?"
Sirius bite his lip, his beautiful grey eyes darting away from her, a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. " If you're alright with me instead of Remus…I could help you with your Care of Magical Creatures homework…"