Author's note: Sorry for the last chapter. It was a bit lousy. I hope this chapter will make up for most of it. I'm so sorry for taking so long to update. I have had major writers block. I wanted to make this chapter extra long to make up for it. Let's see how I go.

Thanks to everybody for reviewing. You guys rock.

THUMP.

As Broadie fell to the ground, I saw somebody run in the opposite direction.

Crap.

I sprinted over to him. He had blood flowing out of his nose in a big torrent. He had a large, swelling bump on his face and he looked worse for wear. I bent down and pulled his head into my lap.

"Broadie, can you hear me?"

Nothing.

"Broadie, please. Please, wake up for me."

Still nothing.

I looked around frantically for somebody. The streets were deserted. I groaned and pulled Broadie up until our shoulders were even. I hadn't brought my wand with me and nobody was around. I slowly stood up, dragging Broadie with me. He certainly is heavy. It must be all his muscles.

"Help!" I screamed.

Nobody.

I wrapped my arms around under Broadie's shoulders. I slowly dragged him across the road, his feet trailing behind. My arms were aching. I'm not used to a lot of physical activity. Sure, I've done a bit of swimming, but that isn't nearly enough to carry a teenage male up a hill. Especially when I'm about two heads shorter. I couldn't take his weight anymore. I collapsed onto the road, Broadie in my arms.

"Help!" I screamed, again.

Just as I thought I would have to leave Broadie laying on the footpath to go get somebody, Snuffles came bounding up through the park. I breathed out and hugged the big, black dog.

"Go get help, Snuffles!" I whispered.

He ran off toward the bush. Before I had time to even pull Broadie up again, Sirius appeared.

"Sirius, help!" I cried.

Sirius bent down and pulled Broadie up, without saying a word.

"Who did this?" he asked gently, carrying him toward my house.

"I don't know!"

"Okay, run ahead and get help."

I sprinted over to my house. My parents had left a note on the kitchen bench.

Honey,

We have gone out. Be back at around 7.30. Don't use the oven.

Love Mummy and Daddy.

I dropped the note and ran to my room, looking for my friends. They were nowhere to be seen. I ran back down to the phone and dialled for an ambulance.

"You have called emergency services. Police, Ambulance or Fire Brigade?" a cool female voice asked politely.

"Ambulance!" I half yelled.

"Where would you like it?"

She said it as if she was asking what flavour topping I wanted on my ice cream. I gave her my address and rushed out to look for Sirius and Broadie. Sirius had carried Broadie's limp body to the footpath.

"Broadie, mate, are you there?" he asked, shaking his shoulders lightly.

Nothing.

"It's not working, Sirius!" I cried.

It seems kind of silly, now I think about it. I have barely ever talked to Sirius before in my life and now here I am, practically pleading some other half-stranger to wake up in his company.

"Go get Remus."

He wasn't asking, he was demanding. I stood up and sprinted all the way to Remus' house. My legs were aching by the time I reached the old cottage.

"Remus!" I yelled, bursting through the door.

Susan and Paul were sitting down in the kitchen. Susan looked like she had just been pouring out tea. She was still standing.

"He is upstairs in his room, dear," Paul replied.

I ran into the hall, opening any door I came across. Before I had a chance to open the last three, Remus and James stepped out into the hallway.

"Oh, thank goodness. Quick, follow me," I said, grabbing their arms and pulling them out of the house before setting off into a run.

James and Remus both kept up easily. I'm sure they would have ran ahead, had they of known what was going on. Once we reached my house, we found a rather upsetting sight. Broadie was still lying unconscious on my doorstep, but so was Sirius. I gasped and sat down next to him. Remus and James both went pale.

"What happened?" James asked, pulling out his wand.

"I don't know. I left Broadie here with Sirius, but he was conscious. I don't know what happened to Sirius."

Before anybody could say anything else, the ambulance pulled up out the front of my house. Remus immediately walked up to one of the paramedics and explained what had happened. James was giving the whole situation a funny look.

"Don't worry. They are here to help," I told James as they carried Broadie and Sirius away on stretchers. He nodded and stayed silent.

"I'm going to the hospital with them, you lot stay here," said Remus. I nodded. "Tell my parents where I am." I nodded again.

How obedient am I? I should get a medal. I don't think now is the best time to ask for one, though. Seeing as Sirius and Broadie are unconscious and all. I watched silently as the ambulance drove away at top speed. I turned to James.

"We should go tell Remus' parents where he is."

James nodded, still very pale. I grabbed his and we walked down the hill to Remus' house. James was starting to frighten me. The normally loud, teenager was very silent. Just like I had been. At that point, I realised why my friends barely ever spoke to me since my 13th. I had probably scared them all silly. I walked the rest of the way to the cottage in a daze.

"Tory? James?"

Well, you can imagine what Remus' parents would look like. One of Remus' best friends and the girl from around the corner, practically lifeless, slowly walking up to their front door when only minutes ago she had burst in and dragged them out.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Lupin," I said snapping out of my daze. "Er..." How to tell her... "Sirius has been hurt and Remus is going to the hospital with him."

"Oh," Susan gasped.

Remus' parents shared a worried look before giving me and James a hug.

"It'll be okay," she said.

The only thing that bothered me about her saying that was it sounded more like she was trying to make herself feel better than me or James. It sounded like Sirius was her child rather than Remus. That was probably what really got me in a knot. After all, Angie McKee never had a mother. Just a grandfather.

James and I walked back to my house to wait for Remus. I sat down in a chair across from James. He was giving me a thoughtful look.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on. I'm not buying it," he said, slightly angry.

And then I cracked.

I told him everything. About Angie. About the night on my 13th birthday. About my friends and how they ignored me. About my mother. About school. About everything that had ever bothered me since I was 13. Boy, it felt good to get it all out.

"It'll be okay."

I wish I had listened to what he said. I could really use it right now.

There. I'm sorry it took about a month. You can send all the hate mail you want. Honest.

Hides behind Sirius as you throw tomatoes.

I'm sorry!

RG