Hello...I know it's been about a week since I updated, I'm sorry! It has been a busy one. But I think this chapter is worth the wait. I have a lot of exciting plot nuances planned and one of them is put into place in this chapter. The story will begin to move along a bit quicker go forward, exploring lots of exciting (but believable) plot twists...before culminating with an explosive ending that no one will expect. I'm excited...are you?

Miss Heather: Welcome back! I missed your reviews! I'm glad that you like my version of Sirius...it's how I think he would've been too. And no, I won't mess up Eva's mental health too badly, although as you can see below, her parents have screwed with her mental health quite enough. I love James in this story too...I don't mind the "James eventually breaks down Lily's resistence love stories" but I feel like maybe it is reasonable that he has a softer side, too. Let me know what you think of all of our characters here...

GoodGirlzDead: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter...there were parts of it that I struggled a bit with. I LOVE this chapter, so I hope you will too. It flowed naturally as I was writing it and as a result I wrote it quickly. Sometimes even I don't know what's going to happen with this story! I mean, I have some major plot points figured out, but other things spring into my mind as I'm writing and I get excited, too. As far as James's anger about Lily inquiring about the story, I guess I was just thinking that James was really overwhelmed by the events that had transpired and worried, etc. He'd kept Eva's secrets for so long, that to have someone asking about them was too much right after everything else had happened I guess. In my mind, then he realized that Lily didn't mean any harm, so he offered up the information. I hope this helps explain...your reviews are so helpful because sometimes things make sense in my head and I don't get them onto the paper quite as clearly. Thanks!

Enjoy (and Review)!

Chapter 6

Almost a week had passed since Eva's "accident" –she refused to talk about it with anyone, and quickly dismissed anyone who felt the need to refer to it in any way. James and Lily had taken to calling it "the incident" or the "accident" in Eva's presence as it seemed to cause less of a reaction. Though she was still in the hospital wing, her condition had improved increasingly. Lily routinely sat with her in the evenings, recounting the day's lessons or discussing the latest fashions in Witch Weekly.

Lily continued to struggle with her overwhelming guilt for leaving Eva alone. Sensing her guilt, James had been careful not to berate her or mention how "the incident" came to be. He had assured her on multiple occasions that she couldn't have known. She always nodded half-heartedly, though not really listening. Eva suspected Lily's guilt, as the redhead often refused to leave her side. This particular day, a Saturday according to the tally marks Eva kept on a notepad near her bedside, Lily had even brought her meals up to the hospital wing. Eva appreciated Lily's dedication, though she felt bad for causing Lily anguish.

James visited often and also brought Remus regularly. Eva felt endeared to Remus, who she'd never known or bothered with before…before Hogsmeade. His intelligent rhetoric and calm demeanor soothed her, especially when James was fussing over her. Eva had been hoping that Sirius would visit. Despite their history, she owed him gratitude for her rescue. She had mentioned this to both James and Lily on Friday evening and wasn't entirely surprised when the door opened Saturday mid-afternoon and James and Remus entered followed by Sirius. Lily quickly moved to a chair on the opposite side of her bed to accommodate the visitors.

-

Sirius didn't want to be going to the hospital wing. However, two things prodded him along. James had asked, really out rightly BEGGED, him to come. And the second thing, really, was his own curiosity. He had been hearing about Eva's "condition" and her scars and how she was for several days now. Not only did his friends talk about her after their visits, but the entirety of Hogwarts were buzzing about things that they suspected. Sirius simply wanted to separate fact from fiction and see for himself. James had told him that Eva wanted to thank him, something that James had likely thought that would make him want to come. It had had the opposite effect. In fact, the thought of Eva thanking him made him feel slightly sick. Did she expect a "thank-you" for sticking up for him years before? Because if she did, she was out of luck.

When they reached the hospital wing, James and Remus passed through the door first. Sirius briefly considered hurrying back the way that he came before slumping through the door after them. As they approached Eva's bed, Sirius continued to hang back, opting to stand several feet away as his friends made themselves comfortable. They exchanged pleasantries and asked how she was before her eyes settled on Sirius. She did exactly what he'd hoped she wouldn't. She asked the others to leave them for a minute. After they complied, moving across the room, she urged him to sit. As he did, he looked at her for the first time. Her eyes seemed a bit dull and she appeared a bit frail, other than that she looked wholly the same. The scar on her face was already faded and had clearly started as a small abrasion. It was about an inch long, just below her eye and oddly almost added a softness to her face.

"So..." Sirius began.

"I just wanted to thank you. I mean, I know we haven't had the greatest history, but you helped me. I can't thank you enough for that-" she moved to continue but a wave of Sirius's hand stopped her.

"I did it for James." He spoke slowly and deliberately. It was cold.

Eva dropped her gaze and looked instead at her hands. Though she hadn't expected them to instantly be friends, she also hadn't expected an instant brush off. Was he saying that if James hadn't been there or if James hadn't cared about her that he would have let her die? Dark thoughts settled easily in her mind and she felt hurt bubble up inside of her. She had never cared to be friends with Sirius Black, but she also had never expected him to hate her.

Eva looked at her friends laughing on the other side of the room and was grateful that they hadn't heard the exchange. She nodded softly, and acknowledged his words while staring straight ahead. Sirius took the opportunity to continue addressing her appearance. James had been right, she did have a large scar that snaked from her shoulder blade across her chest. While surely it had been an angry red when she'd first gotten it, it appeared only slightly darker than her flesh. For a brief moment, Sirius had the urge to pull her dressing gown aside and find the end of the scar, not for any sexual reason, but because he wanted to see where it ended and feel the rigid flesh under his fingers. Feeling his gaze, Eva pulled her robe up self-consciously. Neither seemed sure what to say next.

The other three appeared quickly and resumed normal conversation. Though Eva seemed withdrawn, it wasn't uncommon since "the incident" and no one connected that it had been Sirius who had riled her. Sirius waited a bit and excused himself, mumbling excuses about finding Peter who had noticeably more absent lately.

-

Eva and Lily were alone. The boys had headed to dinner, vowing to bring both girls back food.

"Will you fetch my coat for me please?" Eva asked Lily. All of her belongings had been tucked in a cubby near her bed. Lily moved quickly and handed Eva the black and white wool coat. Eva reached and fumbled around in her pocket, pulling out a parcel wrapped in ruby red paper and tied with a black satin bow. Lily eyed her curiously.

"Lily, I have something for you," Eva said, reaching to hand Lily the parcel. Lily locked eyes with Eva before untying the ribbon to reveal the brooch she had admired in Hogsmeade. Her eyes grew glassy with tears and she brushed the surface of the brooch with her fingertips. When she looked back at Eva, her eyes were filled with many emotions.

"I-," she swallowed hard. "I can't keep this, Eva." Eva was confused.

"But you wanted it, you wanted it so badly…and you have been so good to me that I wanted to give it to you, of course you MUST keep it."

"Please tell me that-that this isn't where you went when…" she trailed off looking at Eva pleadingly. Realization dawned on Eva.

"Lily, this is not your fault!" Eva cried, launching herself from her bed. Pain ripped through her abdomen but it didn't stop her as she gripped her friend tightly. Lily's body shook with sobs. "I opted to go back for it because I wanted to get it for you. It was my decision."

Lily didn't stop, instead she seemed to cry harder, the past week's feelings of guilt and worry pouring out of her. Minutes passed and her tears subsided. She looked at Eva hesitantly before looking at the brooch and pushing it across the bedside table towards Eva. "I can't keep it." She shook her head violently, with wide eyes. "I can't think about what that brooch represents, what it physically cost you." The thought that every time she would touch it or wear it, she would think about what happened to Eva in Hogsmeade was simply too much.

"I understand. But do you know what that brooch means to me? It means unending friendship. It means trust. It means not caring what other people think about someone. It means you and me, Lily." This time Eva was the one getting emotional. She looked at Lily, pleading with her to keep it. Eva caught herself before she betrayed too many of her emotions.

Lily was nodding slowly. She lifted the brooch from it's packaging and secured it in her hair. Eva gasped, it was perfect. She was pleased that she'd gotten Lily the brooch, despite what it had almost cost her. Her life.

-

Later that evening in the Gryffindor Common room, a party was in full swing. Normally held the weekend before at the start of term, it had been postponed for obvious reasons. While most of the Gryffindor students were enjoying themselves wholeheartedly, some of the more notorious Gryffindor partiers were acting suspiciously low-key.

James and Remus were sitting at a table almost hidden underneath the boy's dormitory stairs. Lily sat with them. They were talking loudly, compensating for the music. Lily had mentioned when she had returned from the dorms that she hadn't felt much like a party. James nodded in understanding, feeling a bit guilty as he thought about Eva. Then, he reasoned, Eva wasn't really the type to enjoy this type of function either.

Sirius was irritated. His friends were acting as if someone died. She didn't die. She was fine. He rolled his eyes and turned back towards the party. Peter had turned up briefly at dinner but was gone again. Maybe he had found a lady friend? Sirius laughed inwardly at his musing. He picked up a bottle of fire whiskey and cracked it open, taking a long sip. Normally the Marauders loved things like this. It looked like he was going to have to make his own fun.

-

Hours later, sometime around midnight, many of the students had given up the party. Lily and Remus had retired to their respective dorms and James sat near the fire, looking drowsy. A number of students still were lazed about. Sirius had a fifth year girl perched in his lap. He didn't know her name. It wasn't as though he had forgotten it, he'd never bothered to ask. She pecked him regularly on the lips. James stood and mumbled his goodnight. A short time later, Sirius was bored. He moved the girl from his lap, grunting an excuse and went to get more fire whiskey.

With James's invisibility cloak thrown haphazardly over his shoulders and the fire whiskey pumping through his veins, he felt invincible. He moved quickly through hallways, stealthily scaling staircases and maneuvering corners. His goal was the passage that led to Hogsmeade. He had made this journey before and had returned triumphant. This time was a little different, instead of an excited common-room full of students awaiting his return, they would likely be asleep, as most had already retreated to their dormitories. He reached the entrance to the passageway and paused. Why was he even doing this? His jokes and pranks, and even his "girls" were usually only meant for others to envy, to fawn over and emblaze him in other's minds as a bit of a legend. He was drunk, he knew that. He didn't need any more fire whiskey. Especially since Remus had taken to refusing to brew him any hangover relieving potions as of late, explaining that Sirius needed to grow up and take responsibility for himself for once.

Even in the dark corridor through the drunk haze of his mind, Sirius knew that his friends had changed. Though they still valued him and celebrated the rogue charm that made him who he was, they were seemingly moving forward while he felt very stagnant. James had laid off the pranking lately, partially because he wanted to finally impress Lily, but Sirius had a feeling it was also partially because he didn't find them as amusing as before. Remus had always been responsible and grounded the group, so there wasn't much of a change there, but even Peter seemed to be moving away from the group. Was it because he, too was moving past the juvenile antics that had made the Marauders the Marauders?

Sirius shook his head, the introspection had to be a result of the drink and the anger. As his head cleared, he was surprised that he had made his way to the hospital wing. He paused, thinking. Maybe Eva was to blame for this change in his friends. Though he realized that this was an unlikely thought, his mind was having a hard time distinguishing fact from fiction at the moment. He soundlessly opened the door and moved inside.

The room was dark and Sirius reached for his wand to cast some light. He fumbled through his pockets, realizing in his haste, he had left his wand in his room.

"No matter," he thought to himself as he moved through the room. Eva was not the only student here. Two other figures lay on beds nearby. Sirius's eyes were adjusting to the dark, aided by the moonlight filtering through the tall windows at the end of the room. He found her bed easily and sat in the chair Lily had vacated only hours earlier. Eva was laying on her side, facing him. One of her hands was tucked carefully under her head and the other hung limply at her side. Her dressing gown hung loosely around her shoulders and Sirius again found himself eager to reach out and touch her scar. He was moving the invisibility cloak off of his shoulder and extending his arm when he heard the door open and quiet voices filter in.

He jumped back, moving around the bed next to Eva's, the invisibility cloak firmly in place. Three wands were illuminated and moving towards him. He felt worried, scared even. If he or Eva were being attacked, he could do nothing to thwart the attackers.

"I didn't expect you this time of evening," a voice he recognized as Madam Pomfrey explained hurriedly.

"We've had other business to attend to," a man's voice replied icily. Madam Pomfrey nodded quietly.

"She is here. She has taken a sleeping potion and will not wake until morning. Her injuries are healing quite well. Dumbledore is impressed with her progress."

"No doubt he is," this time it was a woman's snide response. "We will need to speak with Eva. Could you wake her please?"

Sirius caught a look at their faces for the first time. He instantly recognized Mr. and Mrs. Malise from his youth. Mr. Malise appeared almost gaunt. His facial features were sharp and protruding. He had dark, sinister eyes and dark hair. His wife, likely a beauty in her day, looked worn. She shared many similar traits with her daughter. Her once silver blue eyes had grown steely and dull and her pale skin, once very taut and attractive, hung slightly from her features. Though she still was attractive overall, the spark had disappeared from her.

Sirius looked from the couple to Madam Pomfrey. The middle-aged witch looked almost frightened. She opened her mouth and closed it twice before responding. "With all due respect, madam, the rest that Miss. Malise gets during the night is integral to her healing. Waking her from her sleep could cause her severe pain and delay the healing process."

Mr. Malise rounded on Madam Pomfrey and spoke deliberately, "with all DUE respect, we are her parents, and her mother has asked you to wake her."

Madam Pomfrey mumbled a soft "of course" before hurrying to her office and busying herself with potion making. Sirius wanted to escape, but was riveted with fear to his place. He knew much about the Malise family, and he didn't want to leave Madam Pomfrey alone with them, especially at this late hour. His senses immediately sharpened and he felt sober, his mind reacting clearly for the first time in hours.

Madam Pomfrey returned with a potion and tipped Eva's head back, gently pouring the potion in her mouth. It took a few moments, and the nurse loitered, waiting for her patient to awake. As Eva began to stir, Mr. Malise turned to Madam Pomfrey and curtly stated, "Leave us."

She did as she was told, retreating to her office. Sirius's attention shifted to the family reunion occurring in front of him. Eva moved slowly, her eyelids fluttering, before she moved a hand to her eyes, clearing the sleep from them.

"Mom? Dad?" she asked softly, confused.

"How are you, Eva," her mother asked briefly.

"I'm okay, why are you here?" the question may have seemed odd to James, and especially to Lily, who'd grown up in loving homes, but to Sirius, this was typical of pureblood parent-child relationships. Parents were not meant to comfort or coddle.

"We are here to speak with you," her father offered. "We need to discuss the Black family."

Sirius's ears burned. His face likely showed the same confusion as Eva's.

"As you likely know, Bellatrix Black has been expelled from Hogwarts," he continued.

Realization dawned on Sirius. Eva apparently remained oblivious to what was about to happen, but if she understood, she gave no indication.

"Obviously, this is a horrible mark against our family, especially after you were sorted into that mudblood filled house," her mother offered, disgust dripping from her words. Sirius noted that no concern was being shown for Eva, that her parents were more upset with her for reporting the situation. He wanted to speak out, against the Malise's, against the Dark Arts, against the Black Family and mostly against the dark force that was building, which the Malise's and the Black's were clearly a part of. He wasn't prepared for the shock of what he heard next.

"I am sorry," Eva answered clearly, not making eye contact. "What will you have me do?"

"You will go to the headmaster, immediately in the morning. Tell him that it was through your own stupid and benign actions that these injuries befell you and that they were not at the mercy of another student. Do you understand?" Mr. Malise's words rang loudly through the room. If the other patients or Madam Pomfrey heard this exchange, they remained soundless and motionless.

"Yes, sir." Her parents nodded quickly before her mother placed a hand on Eva's cheek briefly. Without another word, they exited as quickly as they had come.

Sirius stared incredulously after their retreating figures, long after they'd likely left the castle. Surely, though he and Eva had their differences, she wasn't going to change her story and let a potential murderer back in the school, was she? Even if she did change her story, Sirius was confident that it wouldn't change Dumbledore's decision.

Madam Pomfrey scurried towards Eva. Eva was staring straight ahead, Sirius noticed. He moved slightly, and he thought she looked right at him, though he was still under the invisibility cloak.

"Here, dear, this will make you sleep," the nurse offered the potion and Eva drank it soundlessly, offering a sad smile to Madam Pomfrey when she'd finished. The woman disappeared again and Eva looked tired as she drifted into another dreamless sleep.

Sirius waited a few moments, to be sure that he could escape undetected and moved quickly from the room. Arriving at the Gryffindor common room only moments later, he realized that he was feeling something resembling pity for Eva.

That pity, however, was short lived when two days later, Bellatrix returned to the castle.

There you have it, things will start to speed up a bit from here, I don't want this to be an overwhelmingly long story...but I love your reviews and hearing what you think. Please?