Chapter 24

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Madam Pomfrey yelled, very clearly exasperated. "Only six visitors at a time!"

It was now dark outside, even though it was only six o'clock. The remaining Marauders, the Quidditch team, and the four girls were all crowded around Sirius. He was still unconscious and had a bandage wrapped tightly around his head. His breathing was shallow and he was extremely pale compared to the Sirius Black they were all used to. Madam Pomfrey was standing before all of them, her hands on her hip.

"All right, woman!" Wyatt screeched and he turned to leave. Madam Pomfrey gasped at him. "We are leaving!" Wyatt, Christopher, and the third year Matthew ran out of the Hospital Wing laughing, as Madam Pomfrey chased after them. Lily clucked her tongue at them in a disapproving way.

"Can't you control them?" Lily asked, her eyebrows raised up at Alyssa. "They are your brothers, after all!" Alyssa shut shook her head and smiled softly.

"That is not possible." Alyssa said with a grin from next to Remus. He had his arm draped casually over her shoulder. "Wyatt and Chris have their own minds after all. I would never be able to control any of them." Everyone laughed except James and Alaina who were both standing next to one another, and not moving their eyes away from Sirius.

"I said six visitors!" Madam Pomfrey screeched, looking rather huffy. Lily, Brittney, Alyssa, and Alaina turned to leave so Sirius could be alone with his friends. James, however, stopped her and grabbed Alaina's arm.

"He would want you to be here when he wakes up," James muttered and Alaina looked rather shocked at his comment. "Stay." Alaina looked back towards her friends who nodded their heads gently.

"We will meet you in the Common Room later," Brittney whispered, nodding her head gently. Madam Pomfrey showed the three girls out and then proceeded to her office.

James finally collapsed on the chair next to Sirius. He shoved his face into his hands and his body started to rack with silent sobs. Unsure of what to do, Alaina slid her arms gently around James' and comforted as he cried over his best friend. Peter looked absolutely shocked that the Great and Wonderful James had the ability to show weakness. Remus just sank back into a chair opposite from James and leaned back, hiding the pain in his face.

It was rather obvious that none of the boys had wanted to show how worried they were in front of the girls that they liked. Alaina was not quite sure why they had decided to release the pain and sorrow they felt for Sirius in front of her, but she instantly felt special that three of her best friends felt as unhappy as she did.

James slipped his arms around Alaina's waist, and she knew that if any other guy had done that to her, she would have jumped away for worry of hurting Sirius or Jake's feelings. However, that was not the case with James. The Marauders (excluding Sirius of course) had become like brothers to her.

"Hey, get your hands off of her, mate," A hoarse whisper broke out next to James and Alaina. Upon looking down, they realized that it had been Sirius speaking. His eyes were half-way open, but Alaina could happily see the bright blue beneath the eyelids.

"Oh, Sirius!" Alaina cried and hugged him tightly around the chest. He smiled wearily, and weakly slid his arms tightly around her.

"Thank god you are awake, Padfoot!" James smiled with a grin, and he quickly wiped his tears away. Sirius narrowed his eyes at him, but James just shrugged it off.

"What happened?" Sirius asked as he held Alaina closer to him. "I can not remember anything."

Remus quickly related everything that had happened from when Sirius got hit till recently in the Hospital Wing. At hearing that Jake had hit him with the bludger, Sirius looked prepared to jump out of bed, but Alaina held him down.

"I'll kill the prat for doing this to me!" Sirius snarled, as quickly got closer to being more like his old self and less like the weak man that he had been when he woke up. "How could he bloody do this to me?"

"Because he hates you?" Peter suggested, gently, and Sirius growled. Before anymore words could be exchanged, Madam Pomfrey came rushing in.

"All right, its seven o'clock! Visiting hours are over!" Sirius' mouth dropped and he groaned loudly.

"But I just woke up!" He yelled exasperated and Madam Pomfrey's nostrils flared as she looked at the four healthy students.

"I told you to come and retrieve me when Mr. Black woke up!" Madam Pomfrey scowled and tried pushing Peter out of the Hospital Wing. She was actually doing a fairly good job. Sirius quickly turned to James.

"Tonight. 12 o'clock. Don't be late." Sirius said with a grin. Alaina raised an eyebrow at him and he just squeezed her hand. "You, too. Meet James in the common room. Bring good food." Then as Madam Pomfrey waved her wand threatingly in front of their faces, Alaina turned to leave.

Right before she was gone, however, Sirius was able to shout out, "We have that proposition to talk about!"

"Mr. Black! Do not overexert yourself!"