I stared down into Lily's eyes as they closed in exhaustion, feeling an utter sense of guilt at the accusation in those eyes. Why would I have said something like that to her? I knew I couldn't promise the return of her godfather, yet I had made out that I could. I knew it had reassured the child in the moment, but what damage would Sirius' death inflict on her if he didn't recover? I silently reprimanded myself as she slept, a line of worry still creasing her brow. At least she was safe for now, I thought, and my promise to Lily had been upheld.
The fear I had felt when Rose returned with Diggory's body had frozen me to my seat. I had been sitting in the stands with McGonagall after going into the maze to retrieve Fleur from the vines that had gotten to her when Rose had appeared, the cup in one hand and Diggory in the other. People began to cheer, not knowing that anything was amiss until Dumbledore ran towards the two champions. When McGonagall jumped up I followed suit, terrified of once again seeing those dead, green eyes that had been Lily's after she was murdered. My dark mark suddenly burned me as we raced down the stairs and I feared the worst as I reached them.
When we reached her Rose was clinging to the obviously dead body of Diggory as if her life depended on it, her face in the crick of his neck and resting on his chest. Her entire frame was shaking and I swore internally as Dumbledore comforted her and tried to pry her hands from the boy with little success. I quickly went forward to assist him, and it was easy to see that she desperately needed medical attention. After some force I lifted her away from the body, just in time for Amos Diggory to come forward and see his dead son. Rose began to sob at his screams and Mad-Eye suddenly appeared, offering to take the girl back to the castle.
I nodded without hesitation as he supported her and began to pull her from the scene, though she resisted forcefully. Later, when we burst into Mad-Eye's office after realizing he had broken Dumbledore's orders, the girl still looked prepared to fight despite the fact that she could barely stand. It was only after Dumbledore had finished interrogating Crouch that she had thudded to the floor in a near faint, unable to cope with the trauma she had endured any longer and going into shock. We quickly transported her to the hospital wing then, where she'd been ever since, still recovering as she would be for the next few days.
No, Snape corrected himself. He doubted she would ever completely recover from Diggory's loss. Their…involvement had been apparent to him since they had both been chosen to represent Hogwarts in the tournament. He had felt the urge to protect her then, surprising himself with the fatherly behavior he was developing towards her. He had hated the Potter child from the first, but as she grew older and more and more like her mother he was unable to despise her as he once had, though outwardly at least he pretended to.
Her romance with Diggory had gone public at the Yule ball, where they had attended together looking absolutely smitten. McGonagall had tittered away to him and Dumbledore about how proud she was that Hogwarts best seekers had ended up together, how Rose's choice of green dress perfectly matched her eyes, and that she was confident the Triwizard Cup would be awarded to Hogwarts. I had removed myself from her musings then, passing by Rose and Diggory as I exited. Rose was laughing hysterically at something he had whispered to her, a confident and adoring smile on his face as he watched her begin to cry with laughter as they twirled around the dance floor. It was the happiest I had seen her, but now even in her sleep, she looked so broken and weak.
I began to move away from her as she rested uneasily, with a sudden determination that she would not lose her godfather too. No matter how much I hated him, I knew I owed it to Rose and to Lily to save Sirius. I gathered the supplies I had requested from Madame Pomfrey earlier and departed the hospital, moving quickly so I might help Dumbledore to heal him in time.