A/N: Sorry I didn't get this posted before. It's just that second semester started and all my teachers seem to feel as though they need to drown me with work. I hope you like this chapter though. Enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen: Worries and Love
James got Sora to the infirmary with much difficulty. He was bruised terribly and his side hurt so awfully that it was a labor just to breathe. Plus this was added to the fact that James had an exceptionally low pain tolerance and he had never been as badly hurt as he was then. By the time he reached the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was already out and about, ready for another day of maladies.
Madam Pomfrey had just been through one of the longest nights of her life. She had been up well past midnight trying to fix up a student who had been jinxed to think that he was a unicorn. It had taken all of her might to stop him from eating all of her bed sheets. So when James came into the infirmary so early in the morning, Madam Pomfrey couldn't help but give out an irritated sigh.
"What have you been up to now?" the nurse asked irritably as she turned around. But as soon as she saw James, bruised and holding what seemed to be a large, bleeding object swathed in cloth, she immediately became worried and rushed over to the boy.
"James Potter- what have you done to yourself, so early in the morning at that? You're scaring me half to death walking in like tha…Dear Lord! Is that a body?"
"It's Sora, Madam Pomfrey. She's lost a lot of blood and her pulse is faint" James explained quickly, holding out the limp girl in his arms. The nurse took one look at Sora and paled. She gently took her from James and put her gingerly on the bed.
"What in the world were you lot up to?" she asked, casting a few spells on the girl to stop the bleeding, with not much prevail. James quickly told the nurse the whole story (of course, leaving out the part where Sora transformed into her Black Panther form). As soon as Madam Pomfrey heard that Sora's wounds had come from Remus she started to bawl.
"Oh, it's all my fault, really! I usually accompany Remus to the Shrieking Shack the night of a full moon. Its just last night I had so much to do and I thought that he would be fine on his own. I should have known something like this would have happened!" she cried.
James, who had never seen the nurse cry before, was much taken aback. He quickly stated that Sora getting as badly hurt as she was actually his fault, seeing as though he left her alone to fight off a huge werewolf after she had already gotten hurt.
Madam Pomfrey, on the other hand, just shook her head sadly and looked down at the girl. She then got up and walked over to James.
"Let's look at your injuries now" she said, examining the boy closely and sticking him with the end of her wand, causing him to squeal like a girl in pain.
"Lots of nasty bruises, a few shallow cuts, and two broken ribs" the nurse muttered, more to herself than to James. She mumbled a few spells and then gave him a mug full of evilly boiling green potion than burned its way down James's throat, making him shake and sputter.
"You should feel much better now dear" the nurse said "but you still need rest, and maybe a cup of chocolate" she said, disappearing into her office for a second and returning with a steaming cup of cocoa. James politely took that cup from her, even though he didn't really care for the taste of chocolate much. He wasn't that much of a sweets person; that was Sirius.
"Now sit down and drink up" Madam Pomfrey said sternly, pointing to a bed. James immediately sat down and the nurse nodded her head, turning her complete attention to Sora. James sat on the bed for about five minutes and then got up.
"I'm going to go now, Madam" he said slowly. The nurse just waved at him, too distracted by taking care of the girl in the bed.
"No quidditch!" James heard the nurse cry out as he slipped out of the infirmary, running to go tell the rest of the H6 what had happened during the night.
By the time first classed rolled by, everybody in the school knew about how Alice had kidnapped Lily, James had bravely rescued her, and how Sora was now lying dying in the infirmary after saving James from a terrible beast (the rumor was that it was a rouge centaur, thirsty for blood. It made for a pretty good story, actually).
Remus was the first person to go visit Sora. He entered the infirmary looked ashen and ill. When he looked own at Sora's pale form he turned green, and Madam Pomfrey had to rush to fetch him a chair so that he could sit down in.
"Is…is she going to turn into…" Remus started to ask.
"A werewolf? No, luckily, she was just scratched, not bitten. But werewolf scratches are rather odd. They don't heal like normal ones. They really don't stop bleeding that much either. I've had to give her blood replenishing potions every twenty minutes" the nurse said, looking sadly down at the girl. Remus also looked down at Sora, feeling terrible. Madam Pomfrey put a consoling hand on the boy's shoulder.
"There was nothing you could have done about, my boy" she said simply "you had no control over your actions. We all know that you wouldn't have done it on purpose. She's one of your best friends after all"
But that statement just made Remus feel even worse. Sora was one of his best friends. She had trusted him and he had repaid her by mortally injuring her. Remus made a pact with himself right there that he would never, ever let anybody but his existing friends get close to him again, he was just too dangerous.
"If you need any help, I'll be willing to do whatever it takes" Remus said to Madam Pomfrey. The nurse just smiled kindly at the boy.
"I don't need anything at this moment, dear. And all that Sora needs now is some peace and quiet"
But unfortunately, peace and quiet were two things that Sora would not get that day. Every moment the girl had another visitor coming in (in Sora's extreme case, Madam Pomfrey only let one visitor in at a time) bearing get well gifts and well wishes.
The students all showed their approval for Sora's actions by bringing her gifts. Soon the girl's bedside table was so full that well wishers had to put their presents on the floor beside the bed.
The teachers however, showed their approval in other ways. Professor McGonagall, who was usually so strict, awarded James ten points because she approved of the way that he was walking down the corridor. And nobody in the history of Hogwarts would forget Snape's face when Professor Slughorn tearfully told the class about how Sora was the best potions maker that he ever had the privilege of teaching.
In fact, by noon, the whole school was ringing with "Sora fever", everybody speculating about whether she would live or not.
"What I'm worried about is whether she'll be able to play quidditch again after this or not" Frank Longbottom, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team said solemnly at dinner.
"It would be a shame to loose such a great beater" Alice Hornsby, the keeper, replied.
Of course, this constant gossip was doing absolutely nothing to help the nerves of the H6. Lily had spent a good hour in the infirmary, crying over the unconscious figure of her friend until Madam Pomfrey literally had to throw her out of the infirmary.
"How do you expect the girl to get any better with you weeping all over her like that?" the nurse asked the shaking red-head, disgruntled. Lily went straight to the Heads' dorm after that, not to emerge again for the rest of the day.
Peter came to visit Sora at lunchtime, carrying a bouquet of orchids, Sora's favorite flowers. He placed them on her bedside table and gave her a few encouraging words, though he did admit that he felt a bit choked up looking down at the frail girl lying in the bed. Peter wasn't used to seeing Sora in the way that she was now, pale and nearly lifeless; and he had to admit that he probably would have been better off never seeing her like that. Seeing someone a hair's breath away from death was quite frightening to the boy.
Sirius was the last one to go and visit Sora, having to build up the courage to go see her. He entered the infirmary at about four, a huge, stuffed Black Panther doll under his arm. He went over to the bed at the farthest end of the room and slowly looked down at the girl in it. Sora was many shades paler than she normally was, a sick, ghostly white caused by severe lack of blood. Her eyes were closed and her arms and legs were wrapped in new bandages. Her pale lips were stained bright red from the gallons of blood replenishing potions that had been forced into her, and there was a long, thin cut on her right cheek. She looked like a ghost, and Sirius was at a loss of words.
"It's no good just staring at her. She's not going to wake up that way" Madam Pomfrey said, hustling over to the girl, cleaning the cut in her cheek.
"Sora…is…is she going to live?" Sirius blurted out. Madam Pomfrey raised both eyebrows.
"At this point- there really is no telling. Professor Slughorn is mixing up a potion that should be able to cure her. It'll be done in about eight hours. If she doesn't wake up by tomorrow morning, we'll have to send her to St. Mungos" the nurse said solemnly. Sirius felt quite faint and collapsed into the chair next to her bed.
"So all we can do now is wait?" he asked. The nurse nodded gently.
"Maybe you can talk to her. I don't know if she'll be able to hear you- but maybe just hearing her friend's voice would help her" Madam Pomfrey said. Sirius nodded and immediately started to babble on. He asked her to get better, begged, pleaded, even threatened at one point, but besides giving out a few, random, shallow breathes, Sora never answered him once.
Sirius kept on talking to her for hours, missing dinner and the rest of his classes. He kept on talking to her even when Professor Slughorn came with his potion, and helped Madam Pomfrey administer it to the girl. Sirius talked himself to sleep that night, finally falling into a troubled rest at the foot of Sora's bed.
Meanwhile, in the Head Dormitory, Lily was sitting on the sofa, staring resolutely into the fire. James entered the room, carrying a rather large plate filled to the brim with food.
"You missed dinner, so I brought something for you" he said, dropping the plate in front of Lily. The girl didn't even glance at the food.
"I'm not hungry' she said. James frowned.
"But I brought you all of your favorite things, chicken and those little bread rolls, and Yorkshire pudding…" he said. Despite herself, Lily cracked a little smile.
"What are you, some kind of stalker?" she asked. James shook his head, sitting next to her on the couch.
"No- I've just eaten every meal with you since fourth year" he said. Lily nodded her head. The H6 always sat together for lunch, in fact, the only time that they had ever really been separated was during the holidays and now- when Sora was in the hospital and each of them took turns visiting her. The thought of Sora, though, sobered Lily up right away. She once again looked at the fire, miserable.
James caught the depressed expression on Lily's face and knew he didn't have to ask what caused it. Sora's injury had been hard on all of them; but James knew that Lily would take it the hardest. She had known Sora since first year, after all.
"Listen, Lily..." James started to say. Lily just held out her hand.
"Please don't try to comfort me James, it won't work" she said.
"Why won't it?" he asked. Lily just looked at him.
"Do you even have to ask that James Potter?" Lily snapped. Sora's condition had put Lily in a nasty mood and her temper was rising. "How could you possibly comfort me when you have never faced a hardship in your life? Everything has come easy to you. Whatever you want, you have! You haven't had a trouble in the perfect little world of your. You're James Potter- the golden boy- the king of Hogwarts- the insanely rich child with no problems. How can you ever hope to empathize with me? What has happened to you to give you that right?" Lily said, nearly hysterical. James looked at her in shock.
"Are you saying that I have never had any troubles before?" James asked.
"Of course you haven't!" Lily answered. James started to get angry as well.
"Lily, what do you call what happened yesterday? I stayed up the whole night with the H6 scrounging the whole goddamn castle to find you. We skipped all the meals, tirelessly checking all of the passageways in and around the school. Then, when we did get the right passageway, I went in only to find you bound to a chair with a psychopath threatening to kill you. Are those not troubles?" James asked. Lily was at a loss for words.
"I…I'm sorry" she said softly. James scowled.
"Don't be, I'll just let you to your grieving then" he said simply, starting to get up. Lily felt absolutely horrid.
"James, really, I don't know what came over me. It's just that Sora being so sick, and I haven't really gotten time to recuperate from that whole kidnapping thing, I…I guess I'm just tired" she said, a bit lamely. James seemed to understand, though. He sat back down beside her.
"You're right. I guess we're both tired" James said. He looked into the comforting flames and felt his eyelids start to close. "Maybe we should both get some sleep" she said before his eyes closed fully and his head rolled to the side a bit. Lily almost laughed. James must have been dead tired.
Lily looked over that the boy next to her. He really did look quite peaceful when he was sleeping, all traces of arrogance gone from his face. Lily smiled and brushed some of the jet black locks out of his face.
"You may the daftest, most arrogant boy that I know" Lily whispered softly to him "but I really do love you"
"You know I'm not asleep yet" James whispered back. Lily turned as red as her hair and immediately got up, embarrassed. She rushed up the stairs, head in her hands, and James chuckled softly below before drifting off into a deep, happy sleep, a smile playing on his lips. She loved him.
Sirius woke up the next day with a start, not knowing where he was. He looked around wildly before placing the stark white walls and beds of the infirmary. He also realized that he was sleeping in one of the infirmary beds, for some odd reason. Shaking that fact out of his head, Sirius immediately turned towards the bed, only to find it empty. The boy turned his head towards Madam Pomfrey's office, to find the nurse, counting blankets in the closet next to it.
"Where is Sora?" Sirius asked. Madam Pomfrey looked up, startled.
"Dear me, I didn't know that you were awake. You gave me such a start" the nurse said, turning around.
"Where is Sora?" Sirius asked again. Madam Pomfrey smiled kindly at him.
"I released her this morning" the nurse said. Sirius looked at her blankly.
"This morning? But what time is it? How long have I been asleep?" he asked. The nurse just looked at him with a soft smile.
"Well you kept waking up that night I gave Sora that potion so I thought I would give you a bit of sleeping draught. It turns out that you have a stronger reaction to the draught than most students. I wrote that down in your file, though, just incase I ever need to give it to you again." She rambled.
"But how long was I asleep for?" Sirius asked. The nurse tapped her chin with her finger.
"Well I gave Sora the potion on Tuesday and today is Thursday afternoon" she said. Sirius groaned a bit. The nurse looked at him again.
"Sora came to visit you just an hour ago, but I told her to lunch; she should be there now" Madam Pomfrey said. Sirius nodded and got up, rushing out of the infirmary.
Sirius turned the corner on his way to the Great Hall when he collided head on with somebody who was walking down the hallway.
"Watch out there, kid, you could hurt someone you know" a familiar voice said. Sirius looked up to see Sora looking at him, eyes sparkling. Sirius's face immediate split into a wide grin and he hugged the girl tightly.
"Glad your alive, Sora" he said. The girl laughed slightly.
"Must say I am too, it wouldn't have been at all fun to die" she answered.
"You know, you really shouldn't joke about death like that" Sirius said. Sora mock pouted.
"Have mercy on me good sir, I just got released from the infirmary. Spend a whole day with Hawk Eye Pomfrey hovering over you making you drink vile potions every hour and you'd be cynical about death as well" Sora answered, causing Sirius to grin despite himself.
"So where are the rest of the H6?" Sirius asked. Sora smiled slightly.
"Ah, well, James and Lily are probably off strolling around somewhere- trying to keep their reputation as Hogwarts' new hot couple" Sora said, causing Sirius to look at her, mouth opened wide.
"Hogwarts' new hot couple?" he asked in a strained voice. Sora nodded.
"Apparently they finally noticed that they fancied each other and decided to go out. It took them long enough" she said.
"They fancied each other?" Sirius asked. Sora groaned.
"God- are all boys so daft?" she asked.
"But what about Remus and Peter- don't tell me that they are a couple now too" Sirius said. Sora gave out a short laugh.
"Nah- sorry to disappoint you- but Peter and Remus have no such feelings for each other. They are off dress shopping at the moment" she said. Sirius looked at her questioningly.
"Dress shopping? For whom?" he asked.
"For Remus. And don't give me that look, Sirius. Remus isn't gay. Apparently he and Peter bet about something and he lost. Now he has to go around school all of tomorrow dressed as a girl" Sora answered. Sirius groaned.
"I was asleep for one day and I miss all of this? Lovely" he said. Sora shrugged her shoulders.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, love" she said.
As Sora and Sirius continued to chat, a boy entered Hogwarts, flanked on one side by Hagrid, the gamekeeper. The boy was wearing a tailored robe and his sandy blonde hair fell perfectly to his shoulders.
"The Headmaster's office is just over here" Hagrid said- pointing to two gargoyle statues.
"Thank you master Hagrid" the boy said, his accent marred by a strong, Scottish lilt.
"Dumbledore's been 'specting you fer a while now" Hagrid explained as the two of them walked up the staircase that led to the Headmaster's main office.
"Yes, well family business kept me away for longer than I expected" the boy said as they reached the top. Dumbledore was standing at his desk, looking at the door as Hagrid and the boy emerged from behind it.
"Ah- mister Potter, I was wondering when you would show up" the old man said. From in the doorway, Adrian Potter smiled at the headmaster.
"Sorry I was late, sir, but mum fell ill before I was supposed to come. She is quite fine now" he said. Dumbledore nodded.
"Have you been sorted yet?" Dumbledore asked. Hagrid answered for him.
"He has. Put him in Gryffindor" the giant man said. Dumbledore smiled slightly.
"Ah- the same house as your cousin. He's quite the talk around school" Dumbledore said. Adrian nodded his head.
"So I've heard. Though I'm not surprised. James manages to be the center of attention no matter where he is"
A/N: So how was that? Next chapter you get to see Remus all dressed up in his finest girly fashionsas well as learn more about this Adrian Potter. As always, please review. Thanks a lot!