Chapter 63:

Narcissa was the first to attack. She sent a jinx towards her younger cousin that resulted in a cut across his face. "Mummy's going to scorch you off the family tree," she laughed. For a moment Sirius thought the girl closely resembled her slightly crazier eldest sister.

"Good!" Sirius replied, before sending pointing his wand at her and sending a non-verbal spell at her. It hit her square in the jaw and knocked her back slightly in shock.

"Someone's been practicing some pretty advance magic!" Narcissa smiled, she'd yet to master non-verbals and she was ever so slightly jealous. She called, "Locomotor Mortis!"

Sirius disarmed her after blocking her curse.

Malfoy was less kind with his curses. He was throwing unforgivables in every direction. Luckily so far they had missed or been successfully blocked. James aimed his wand at Malfoy, "Petrificus Totalus."

Malfoy immediately stopped moving and fell to the floor. Kilmont had taken on the other two sixth years whilst Remus and Peter dealt with the first years. Sirius ran over to Felicity, "We've got to stop meeting like this," he joked before saying more seriously, "are you hurt?"

The rest of the group bound the Slytherins hands and feet. "We need to get these guys to Dumbledore," Kilmont frowned.

"I don't think so," said a voice from down the corridor. The group turned around to see the second year Slytherins coming towards them. Soon they were duelling again. Burke was on the floor in minutes throwing up slugs. Avery and Mulciber were disarmed by Holly and Remus took on Macnair leaving James and Snape. James tried to disarm him with a non-verbal spell but Snape seemed to have expected it. "Sectumsempra!"

James felt his flesh tear. He could hear himself screaming as he began to lose the strength he needed to stand. He fell to the ground in a pool of blood – his own blood. Harry watched as his father seemed to bleed to death. Holly quickly disarmed Snape and fell to her knees. James had lost a lot of blood. "James… shit." He's lost consciousness. "Vulnera Sanentur…" The blood flow slowed but he was still bleeding. "Vulnera Sanentur…" Holly cried as his wounds began to knit up, "Vulnera Sanentur…" this time nearly all signs of the curse had vanished. There was just a faint scar. "He needs dittany…" She pulled some out of her cloak pocket – she always had some on her person; she had quite a pretty face and didn't want it ruined by horrible curses. She began to dab it on his scars and watched as they completely vanished. "He needs to go to the hospital wing," Holly sighed, "he's very weak." She levitated him and the Slytherins and led the marauders to the hospital wing.

"Poppy!" She called.

"What on earth," Poppy said coming out of her office, "Holly what happened?"

"These Slytherins were attacking Miss Gordon," she sighed, "We had it in hand until Snape used that bloody Sectumsempra curse on James."

"I see," Poppy replied turning to check on James. "Get him into a bed."

Holly lowered her wand and he fell neatly into the bed on her left, "Mr Lupin would you fetch the headmaster?" Poppy said. "How are you Miss Gordon?"

Felicity was holding onto Sirius tightly unable to say a word. "Right put her in the bed next to James – she's in shock."

Sirius led her over to the bed and went to drop her hand but she held tightly, "looks like you're staying too Mr Black." She summoned him a chair. He sat down holding Felicity's hand tightly.

Dumbledore was incredibly angry with the Slytherins for their behaviour and gave them detentions for the rest of the year. They also lost fifty points each putting Slytherin into minus points for the house cup. Their detentions were to be served with Hagrid in the forbidden forest and Professor McGonagall had instructed them that they would be spending meal times in their common room – in muggle terms they were grounded – not allowed to leave the Slytherin dungeon for anything except class. Those on the Slytherin Quidditch team had been removed and replaced leaving their team even less likely to win the house cup.

James spent the rest of the term in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey was unwilling to let him out of her sight. When he complained, she smiled sadly, "if I were to let you go, you'd be back within the hour in a worse mess than when you arrived. Nope you are staying put where it's safe."

Holly was perfectly content spending her time in the hospital wing. They played several games of exploding snap and she had even helped him with his homework. She had completely refused to help him escape his prison, however, stating that he was safer where he was."

"What are you going to do with over the holiday Hols?" James asked on the night before he returned home.

"Might go see my boyfriend," she replied.

"Oh yeah – I bet that will be fun," he winked at her.

"It will indeed," she laughed. "You will keep yourself out of trouble won't you?"

"Me? Trouble? Never!" he joked.

"Seriously," she chastised him.

"Seriously he can't be Sirius," Sirius said from the doorway, "Only I get to be Sirius."

He walked in holding Felicity's hand. The other Gryffindors followed closely behind him. Even Lily had decided to come along. "Hey guys," James smiled.

"How's things? Living it up much Potter?" Marlene laughed.

"I'm going to kill the bloody bastard who put you in here," Sirius said angrily.

"No you won't," James frowned, "that would require being as evil as he is and Black you might be but evil you are not."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Felicity smiled, "Thank you James."

"Any time Gordon," James smiled, running an embarrassed hand through his hair.

"I still can't believe Snape used that curse again," Remus frowned, "Seriously you'd think he'd learn a new one already."

"Why would he do that?" James asked, looking out of the corner of his eye at Lily, "when he knows sectumsempra is so effective." He saw a tear in her eye, "anyway who cares – the holiday starts tomorrow! What have you guys got planned? I mean I know the marauders are all coming to mine but what about the rest of you?"

"Well I'm going to my gran's again," Marlene explained, "so you'll have to distract me from my utter boredom."

James smiled, remembering the summer, "that can be arranged," he winked at her. She blushed slightly.

"Lily is coming to stay at mine – so we'll see you," Alice replied.

Mary smiled, "I'm going to go home and see my father and sisters."

The group nodded, "Kate?"

"I'm probably just going to stay here," Kate frowned.

"Why?" James asked.

"Oh you know," she didn't meet his eye. "I just don't really fancy going home."

"Come to mine then," Alice smiled, "there's more than enough room."

"Are you sure?" Kate smiled.

"Of course," Alice smiled excitably.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Lily laughed happily.

"Frank?" James asked.

"Just going home," he replied, "so I'll be round yours most of the time."

"Felicity?" James smiled. Her eyes lit up at being included.

"Well – I'm going home to see my mum," Felicity smiled.

"Cool," James replied encouragingly.

"Are you going to see Adrianna at all over the holiday?" Frank asked.

"Doubt it – she hasn't even come to see me whilst I've been in here…" James replied honestly, "Think I might have to dump her to be honest."

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Next Chapter...

Easter Holidays...

1. James is being mischievous...

2. A little flirting...

3. An apology...

4. A Howler...

5. An Article in the Daily Prophet...

6. A Conversation Overheard...