Well, here goes nothing, take three. Again, if you're not a fan of AU, then check out my other stories. Otherwise, another thanks to Alice for her opinions, aide, and motivation. You should probably check out her stories: "The White Sheep" and "The Tears." They're pretty great. :D You should also REVIEW because they make my day when they appear. Otherwise, see you next chapter. :D

Sirius' eyes remained closed for nearly eighteen hours, and he bit back a groan as he awoke, unsure of why he wasn't in his own bed and why he felt like he'd been trampled by hippogriffs. Then he heard the voices.

"I still can't believe it," a woman's voice murmured, her words laced with a thick Scottish accent. "James a werewolf... And those three animagi. With Peter barely scraping a P in my classes. I just can't believe it."

The next voice was nearly surprising enough to lift Sirius' lead-heavy eyelids. "The more I think of it, Minerva," their Headmaster murmured quietly, "the easier it is to believe. They've shown before that they will go to any lengths for one another. I cannot believe this time would be any different, now that I think of it." He paused. "How are they, Poppy?"

"Well enough," the Matron answered. Sirius felt the corners of his lips fall; she sounded exhausted. "Remus has suffered worse at the Wolf's hand-" He appreciated that she referred to it as the Wolf rather than, 'his own', "and James is hanging in there. He's got a long road ahead of him, I'm afraid."

"And Sirius?"

Madame Pomfrey gave an exasperated sigh, a sound the boy had grown painfully familiar with in the last few years. The Marauders had earned a good few of them throughout their little stunts. "The Wolf ravaged his body just as badly as he did the Wolf's, but he won't stay down long enough to let me treat him. I actually had to slip him sleeping potion after he dozed off last night to make sure he rested. When he's up, he's wandering around and insisting I treat the other two first. It's admirable, but I don't understand it."

Again, it was Dumbledore who answered, and Sirius' eyes flickered at his words. He was on his side. "I do. Remember, Poppy, that Sirius was raised in a household where love was nonexistent. The love he found with his friends, in that light, is nothing short of a miracle. Can you blame him for wanting to protect it with everything he has, even if it means hurting himself?"

"Albus," Pomfrey asked, almost nervously, after a moment of tense silence. "What will happen to them? I promised Sirius they would be... Okay."

"The boys," Professor Dumbledore answered clearly, his chair scuffing as he- from what Sirius could guess- stood up, "will continue classes as normal, but we will have to create a fixed excuse to disguise it. It would do Mr. Black well-" Sirius felt a hand rest on the foot of his bed- "to know that Hogwarts is not a place to snatch love or friendship from those wise enough to fight for them."

Sirius blinked, but that one swift glance was enough to catch the crystal blue gaze fixated on him. His head bobbed slightly, the best acknowledgement he knew to show. And then his consciousness faded again.

The sun was up when Sirius next awoke, and this time, he pried the still-heavy lids fully open.

Next to him, James was still asleep, his face oddly peaceful. For some reason, Sirius hadn't expected that but was relieved to see it all the same. Gingerly, he climbed out of bed and padded to the loo in the back corner. Sometime during his sleep, he noticed, his tarnished school robes had been swapped out for the same hospital wing robes James and Remus had been put in the night before. The sleeping potion must have been stronger than he'd expected.

Once in the small room, the boy finally took stock of his injuries. The anticipated bruises did indeed bruise, and the gashes down his back were only just beginning to scab over. His chest, too, was wrapped without explanation, and being the naturally inquisitive person he was, Sirius couldn't leave it at that. Carefully, he tugged at the gauze, wincing as it separated from the still-open wound. The skin was red and deeply gashed, but only small splotches of pink appeared amidst the greys and purples of the bruising. No wonder it hurts, he thought sarcastically, his hands fumbling as he sloppily redressed the wounds. Finally content with his assessment, the young man hobbled back to his bed, gingerly settling on its edge. "G'morning."

"Good morning," the matron answered cheerily, her eyes bright in spite of the dark circles below them. Without missing a beat, she handed him a small purple vial, something he recognized for the night before as a pain-relief potion. Certainly unwilling to turn it away, the Gryffindor downed it in one swift gulp; its relief was almost instant.

"Do you ever sleep?" Sirius yawned, not quite meaning to be so forward but to sleep-addled to help it. Then gaining a bit more grasp on himself, he added quickly, "How are they?"

"Well enough. I've kept them asleep as long as I could to give their bodies time to fight some of this off before the emotional shock gets them too. And yes, Black, I do sleep. Just not when you hooligans are afoot." She smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Sirius lied smoothly. Briefly, he glanced around the sunny room. Every other bed was bare, the Marauders filling the only occupied beds. Otherwise, it looked like a normal hospital wing with its stark white bedding and clean walls. One difference, he noted, was the small lamp lit on the Healer's desk; it hadn't been there yesterday. She'd been staying up for them, even before the night's conference. "You should sleep. I can watch them."

The matron chuckled slightly, shaking her head. "I'm fine, Black. I would not be able to rest knowing you weren't resting."

"I've been resting all night," he griped, his voice raising slightly and his ribs twinging slightly in spite of the potion's aide. "You saw to it. I'm awake now, believe me. I can take care of them."

Pomfrey's eyes were softer now, but her tone was firm. "Black, you wouldn't be able to hold one of them up now. Adrenaline was on your side yesterday, but your body can't handle much of anything for the next few days. Because of the Wolf's claws and teeth, I can't help you any more than I already have."

"I'm fine," Sirius half-growled, pulling himself out of bed just to prove it. His chest puffed painfully out, creating little black specks in his vision, he walked- or more staggered, as he would later admit- one lap around the hospital wing, finally pausing to look her in the eyes. "See?"

Unfortunately, she did. He was sure the Madam could see the sweat beads glistening on his forehead; hear the shallow, labored breaths he struggled to take; and feel the almost-feverish heat radiating from his too-tired body. But she didn't argue; instead she simply placed a gentle hand on his upper back and guided him back to his bed, and irritably, he succumbed. But as he settled back beneath the blankets, he saw something that froze him entirely.

His friend's hazel eyes were open... And staring at him.