The throbbing pain began before Sirius opened his eyes. He rolled over, pressing his hands to his face to block out the light seeping through the curtains. His body was stiff, sore, and possibly bruised, and when he reached out an exploratory hand, he realized he was sprawled on the floor.
"You alive, Padfoot?"
Sirius groaned. Somehow the sound of Peter's voice made Sirius more nauseous when he was hungover. It was a talent – an art, even. He squeezed his eyes shut and didn't move. Maybe if Sirius played dead, Pete would leave him alone and go bake a cake or whatever else he spent his time doing.
"We'll take that as a yes." There was a light touch on his shoulder. Sirius opened his eyes to see Remus looking down at him from the sofa. "Want coffee?"
Sirius grimaced and held out his hand. It was more effort than he wanted to exert, but coffee might help him feel a bit more human. Remus chuckled, and a moment later a warm mug was pressed into Sirius's hand.
"You may want to sit up, or you're going to spill it all over yourself."
Sirius glowered in Remus's direction – or what he hoped was Remus's direction, anyway. It hurt to open his eyes all the way.
"Thanks, Mum." He attempted to sip the coffee and promptly spilled it on his face. He ignored Remus's snort of laughter. "Where's Prongs?"
"I'm right here. You'd know that if you'd bothered to open your eyes."
Sirius opened his eyes a slit and saw James standing above him, an infuriatingly cheerful grin on his face.
"Don't look at me like that," he moaned. "You're too bloody cheerful. It's hurting my head."
"I'm getting married in a week, Pads. I can't help it."
Sirius pushed himself upright with slow, tentative movements. His stomach lurched, but he took deep breaths until the wave of nausea passed. Fragments of memory whirled in his head, teasing him before they flickered away again. "Did I shag Macdonald in the loo?"
"You did," Peter affirmed.
"Ugh." The disgust in Remus's voice somehow lessened Sirius's pain. "That's not hygienic, Padfoot. Imagine what sort of disgusting stuff was on that floor."
"And we added to it," Sirius said. He grinned, but the movement hurt his face. "So where's Macdonald, then?"
James sighed and sat down beside Sirius. "She stayed at Marlene's. You, er, upset her."
"It was probably because you made her lay naked on the disgusting floor of a pub bathroom," Remus said. Sirius wanted to throw something at him, but he couldn't summon the energy to throw anything.
"No, it was definitely something you said." James clapped him on the shoulder, making his head rattle.
"Fuck." Sirius took a large gulp of coffee as more confused memories drifted back to him. He recalled Mary's face drenched in tears; the acrid scent of piss in that stuffy bathroom; the burn of tequila and the naughty lift of Mary's lips into a smile. He wanted to sleep until the memory didn't send a jolt of pain shooting through his body, until his head stopped throbbing, until Mary lay beside him in bed, running her cool, soothing fingers through his hair. Instead, he sighed and drained the rest of his coffee, then heaved himself to his feet. The room spun and his head pounded and he wanted to fucking die, but he grabbed his sunglasses from the coffee table and jammed them onto his face. He took one step and then another, plodding forward until he reached the balcony. The sliding door stuck, but he yanked it open and stepped out into the chilly morning air. Goosebumps erupted on his skin as he stood there, clad in only sunglasses and his Chudley Cannons pants, peering down at Diagon Alley.
"Prongs?" He turned and looked over his shoulder, gesturing helplessly.
James grinned. "I've got you," he said, tossing him the pack of cigarettes. It slipped through Sirius's fingers, but he bent to retrieve them, jamming one into his mouth.
"Prongs…" he said again, but James was already tossing him his wand.
The first drag was like coming back to life. He held the smoke in his lungs, savoring the rush of nicotine as the brisk air buffeted his bare skin. He leaned against the edge of the balcony and turned his face up to the sky, closing his eyes. The cigarette dangled from his lips and he heard his friends behind him, laughing and cheering.
I need Macdonald, he thought pointlessly, before he exhaled a long stream of smoke and banished the thought from his mind. She wasn't here, and she wasn't coming back now – maybe not ever. He smoked the cigarette down to the filter, forcing out his desire for Mary with each exhalation. When he flicked the cigarette butt into the street below, he shoved the last remaining thoughts of Mary aside and hitched a smile onto his face. It was closer to a grimace, because the sun was too bloody bright and his head was splitting in two and Remus was going on about who the fuck knew what, but it was the best he could manage.
"I think you need trousers, if you're going to stand out there," Remus said, frowning.
"Why the fuck do you care so much about other people wearing trousers? It's honestly a bloody miracle I'm even wearing pants." Sirius leaned against the balcony railing, turning his face up to the weak winter sunshine. He took several deep breaths of bracing air, then gathered his energy to lurch forward and collapse onto the sofa.
"Alright, who's going out to get breakfast? I'd go, but I assume I need trousers for that, and I can't be arsed."
Sirius trudged through the next few days. He ached for Mary's presence, yet he couldn't bring himself to show up unannounced at Marlene's flat or Peter's cottage or wherever she was staying. The thought of begging for her forgiveness only to have her throw it back in his face held him back every time he resolved to try to talk to her. She'll come back to the flat eventually, he repeated to himself. She'll be back any day now.
There wasn't much time to sit around moping, anyway. James and Lily were in a frenzy getting ready for the wedding, and Order duty hadn't let up. Sirius was glad for the distractions, because without something to occupy him, he feared he would down an entire bottle of Ogden's and make a fool of himself in front of Mary. When he finally did have an evening off, the free hours stretched out ahead of him, empty and daunting. He tapped his wand idly against his knee as James prepared to go stakeout a Death Eater hideout in an abandoned building.
"You have your mirror, yeah?" he asked, sending sparks from the tip of his wand that landed on the rug and left a tiny black char mark. "Let me know if things go sideways and I'll show up."
James raised his eyebrows. "I'm not expecting things to go sideways, but I'll give you a shout if I need to." He hesitated, running his hand through his hair. "You know I'm on duty with Mary."
"Yes, Prongs, I know," Sirius snapped. "That's not why I was– I'm just saying, if you need backup, I'm around."
"I know, but I'm just saying, if you'd like to switch with me, I can take your–"
"No." Sirius sank down in his seat, dangling his legs over the arm of the sofa.
"But if you just talked to her," James persisted.
"Fuck off, Prongs." Sirius straightened and began twirling his wand between his fingers. "Just let me know if you need backup, alright?"
James shrugged. "Fine. I'll tell Mary you say hello–"
"Don't."
"–and try not to set the flat on fire, yeah?" James strode out the front door, leaving Sirius alone with his thoughts and the lingering burning scent.
He wandered from the living room to the kitchen, then drifted to the bedroom and out to the balcony. His body buzzed with restless energy, yet he couldn't settle on anything for long before he tired of it and moved on to something new. Thoughts of Mary kept creeping into his mind, but he forced them aside, employing his mediocre Occlumency skills to try to clear his head.
He was staring down at the crossword when a voice issued from the two-way mirror beside him. There was urgency in James's tone, maybe even fear. Heart pounding, Sirius picked up the mirror.
"Things going sideways, then?"
James's eyes were wide. "You'd better get down here, Pads. I dunno what the fuck's gone wrong, but your cousin and some of her friends have set the bloody place on fire, and I think they've got captives, and Evs and Frank are still inside."
Sirius hopped to his feet, sending his quill spinning to the ground. "Don't go in without me. I'll see you in a second," he said, wriggling into his jacket and hurrying out into the hallway to Disapparate.
The scent of smoke hung in the air when Sirius appeared in front of the dilapidated warehouse. James and Mary lurked beside a nearby tree, beckoning to Sirius.
"Come on," James urged, panic evident in his wide eyes and the frantic way he gripped his wand. "We'll go in through the back."
He set off, and Mary and Sirius hurried after him.
"Thanks for not letting him go in without me," Sirius said, glancing sideways at Mary.
A grudging smile lifted her lips. "I was about ready to put him in a Leg-Locker if you hadn't shown up when you did. I told him he's no use to Lily if he rushes in and gets stunned or killed before he can get to her."
They lapsed into silence as they entered the warehouse. A peculiar tickle enveloped them, and when the door swung shut behind them, a ripple of magic emanated from the doorknob. Mary tried the hand, then jerked her hand back with a soft gasp.
"They've sealed us in," she murmured. "That's promising."
Sirius held his wand aloft, scanning the dingy corridor ahead. "They know we're here. They've probably done anti-Apparition wards, too." James was racing ahead, disappearing out of sight around a corner. "Fuck. Come on."
Sirius grabbed Mary's hand and pulled her along after James. He felt a current of heat when their hands touched, but he forced that thought aside. The floor was littered with rubbish, and the air grew heavy with smoke as they ran further into the building. Over the sound of their footsteps, Sirius heard distant shouting and the crash of spells ricocheting off the walls. He could just make out James hurtling ahead into a huge, open room full of flickering flames. Sirius and Mary exchanged apprehensive looks before dashing in after him.
They tried to stick close to the wall, but the flames drove them toward the center of the room. Mary shot water at the fire; it hissed and sputtered before coming back as strong as ever.
"Even more promising," she called, darting forward to escape the heat and billowing smoke. A spell whizzed past her, stirring Sirius's hair. She shot one back, and Sirius followed it with a spell of his own for good measure. Footsteps sounded to their left; Sirius sent a spell over his shoulder before he had time to register he was doing it.
"Don't just shoot off spells in any fucking direction," Mary called, ducking behind a pile of pallets. "We can't see a thing. You could hit James or Lily or Frank."
"Sod off, Macdonald. This isn't my first battle." Sirius scowled and knelt down beside her, peeking around the pallets to peer through the smoke and flames. He resisted the urge to fire off spells until he hit something; he really couldn't see anything, and Lily would never forgive him if he hit James by mistake. Mary shifted closer, and he felt her trembling. He glanced over and saw fear in her eyes, reflecting the light of the flames.
"Macdonald?" He took her hand and gave it a squeeze, keeping his eyes fixed on the scene in front of them.
"Fuck it." She squeezed his hand back, then pointed at the center of the room. "Head that way." She took off running before he had time to respond.
The flames were thicker and hotter as they drew toward the center of the room. There were screams and more spells whooshing past them, and Sirius caught a glimpse of two people dueling each other. He rushed past, beating back the flames with bursts of water from his wand and keeping his gaze fixed on Mary's curls in front of him.
"Pads!" James gestured to him, eyes wide with terror. "Evs is here! She went that way – I didn't see–"
He broke off as a spell grazed his right ear, leaving him reeling. Sirius hurried toward him, firing off spells at James's attacker. Behind him, Mary extinguished more flames with a hiss. Another spell came at him from another direction; he lost track of everything as he slid into dueling mode. For a minute, there was only the back and forth of spells and the vague, nagging heat of the flames. Then a cry of agony brought everything else rushing back, and he watched James crumple to the ground, bright blood seeping through his jumper.
"Shit." He rushed forward, firing a Stunner at James's attacker. When he reached James, he stood beside his body, shooting off spells as quickly as he could. There was a gasp and a thud as one of his spells hit its mark, but the other Death Eater pressed on, insistent and inexhaustible. Through the smoke, Sirius caught glimpses of him – a thin, quick figure in a mask that didn't quite cover his long, stringy hair.
"Fucking hell. Is he okay?" Mary shouted, alternating between bursts of water and Stunners to beat back the Death Eater advancing on her.
"I can't tell." Sweat dripped into Sirius's eyes, and the flames were getting closer. Steam buffeted his face as Mary shot more water at the flames. He glanced at James, noting the pallor of his face and the pool of blood beside him before a spell whizzed by his arm and demanded his attention once more.
"Cover me!" Lily knelt beside James, draping his arm over her shoulder. "I'm getting him out of here."
Sirius threw up a Shield Charm that rippled as it absorbed a jet of purple light. "We've got you." He glanced over his shoulder at Mary. "Macdonald, can you focus on the flames? I'll handle this fucker."
She shot another spell at her attacker. "What about this one?" Her curls were plastered to her face, and the bottom of her trousers was smoking.
Sirius jabbed his wand in the air, and a moment later the Death Eater attacking Mary slid to the ground with a soft thump. "I'll handle him, too."
An unexpected smile lit Mary's face as she resumed her Auguamenti assault with renewed vigor. For a minute, the two of them worked together, silent except for the occasional grunt or muttered profanity. Mary darted around him, a constant stream of water spraying from her wand. Once she slipped on a wet patch, her hair inches from the flames, but Sirius jerked her upright and cast a Shield Charm to shelter them both from another jet of light. She steadied herself and put out the flames threatening to melt his boots–
Then she was falling, her hair swirling in the air. It took ages for her to fall. Sirius's senses dulled; he threw up another Shield Charm and knelt beside Mary, his heart hammering in his chest. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted. He shook her shoulder, but she didn't move. Was she breathing? He thought of their last conversation, her words floating back to him through the hazy, alcohol-soaked memory: This was a mistake… If I had been sober, I would've remembered what a selfish fucking arsehole you are. His mind flashed to the words he had meant to say to her in that smelly, filthy bathroom.
"I love you, Macdonald," he whispered, shaking her shoulder once again. She didn't move. Emotion settled thick in his throat as he gripped his wand and pointed it at her chest. "Rennervate!"
Time froze. He stared at her, willing her chest to rise, willing her eyes to open, willing her heart to beat. Terror constricted his heart, and his eyes burned.
"Please, Macdonald."
And then her eyes snapped open and she rose several inches off the floor, chest heaving. She gasped for air, pressing her hand to her heart.
"Holy fucking shit. I feel like my heart just exploded. Why the fuck did you–"
He crushed her to his chest, cutting off the rest of his sentence as relief flooded his body. Her hair tickled his face, reeking of smoke with the familiar whiff of Sleekeazy's underneath. He took deep breaths, greedy for her scent. She's okay, he repeated pointlessly as he pulled her closer. She's okay.
"Black, we've got to try to get those captives out of here," she reminded him. "And the sooner the better, so we can get to St. Mungo's and check on James."
"Right." The reality of their situation came crashing down on Sirius. He got to his feet and pulled Mary up beside him, then immediately began firing off spells in all directions.
"They're over there," Mary shouted, pointing across the room.
They rushed forward, Sirius fending off spells while Mary fended off the flames licking at their feet. When they reached the captives, Sirius paused to beat at the flames climbing up the bottom of his trousers. He straightened, and felt a spell graze the top of his head. The green light lit the room before exploding on the wall behind them. Mary shrieked with rage and sent another jet of green light back the way it had come. A figure fell forward, landing face-first on the floor in front of them. Sirius nudged the Death Eater with his foot; he lay still, the end of his cloak smoking slightly.
"Holy fucking shit, Macdonald," Sirius breathed.
Mary freed one of the captives from his bindings with shaky hacks of her wand. "He tried to bloody kill you."
Sirius hurried to untie the other captive.. Frank bounded toward them, ducking to avoid another spell before he reached them and straightened.
"Moody and Alice and some others are here," he said, panting. "Get them to the manor."
"Want us to come back after?" Sirius asked, hoisting the trembling captive to her feet.
Frank shook his head. "We've got this. Go check on James. Give him my best."
Sirius nodded, then pulled the terrified woman along beside him. Mary followed with her rescued captive, but he seemed to be limping, and it was slow going. She continued to beat back the flames, while Sirius threw up an enormous Shield Charm to protect the four of them. It flickered occasionally, faltering as his focus ebbed, but they made it to the door unscathed. Without thinking, Sirius pulled on the handle, scowling when he remembered the sealing spells.
"Throw a shit ton of magic at it," Mary said, filling the floor around them with water before she began assaulting the door. Sirius joined her, hammering the door with magic until it cracked and swung forward.
"Nice work, Macdonald." He gave the frightened woman a light shove, then strode forward into the night.
"What is this?" she sobbed, shivering in the chilly air. "What's going on?"
Sirius shrugged. "Who the fuck knows." He glanced sideways at her and grimaced, then gripped her arm. "Try not to puke," he added before Disapparating with a crack.
Mary had left the male captive slumped on a bench and had disappeared into the house when Sirius arrived with the woman. She swayed, leaning against him, then bent forward and vomited onto the braided rug.
"I'm sorry," she moaned, wiping her mouth.
Sirius Vanished the sick with a wave of his wand. "Don't worry about it. I don't expect you've ever Apparated before. My friend vomits every time he uses Floo powder, and he's been doing it his entire life."
She looked at him, her pale face adopting a bemused expression. "What?"
He shook his head. "Never mind." His chest twisted as he remembered the deep cuts marring James's arms and chest. He'll be okay, he told himself. Just like Macdonald. He has to be.
Dorcas and Mary bustled in, and Dorcas began ushering the two Muggles into her living room.
"I've got it from here," she said, taking the woman gently by the hand.
Sirius didn't argue. He turned to Mary. "St. Mungo's?"
She nodded, then turned and Disapparated a split second before he did. When Sirius's feet hit the ground in front of the defunct department store that housed the hidden entrance to the hospital, his panic came rushing back. His wand slid through his sweaty fingers and clattered to the ground. He bent to retrieve it, then stared at the dusty mannequin, his tongue thick and dry in his mouth. When he tried to form words, they caught in his throat.
"We're here to visit James Potter," Mary said, the decisive clarity of her voice startling Sirius. "He's been injured – he's probably just arrived."
The mannequin gave a curt nod and beckoned them forward. Mary glanced at Sirius, then took his hand and pulled him through the glass. We don't hold hands, Sirius thought pointlessly, but he didn't let go. They maneuvered through a crowded waiting room to reach a grumpy-looking woman behind a desk. She continued to scratch something onto a piece of parchment without acknowledging their presence, and her apathy jarred Sirius's words loose.
"We need to see James Potter." When she didn't look up, he reached over her desk and jabbed her parchment. It's a bloody Witch Weekly quiz, he realized. "Hello?"
She jerked the quiz out of his reach and glared up at him. "What's the name again?"
"James Potter. Which you would've heard if you weren't too busy figuring out which type of dress robes are best for your body type or whatever the fuck that quiz is about."
The woman's nostrils flared. "No need to shout, sir. Which floor?"
"What?"
She heaved an impatient sigh. "Which floor is your friend on?"
"How the fuck should I know? You work here – you tell me."
"Black," Mary murmured. "Shouting at her isn't going to help."
"Well, I tried speaking normally, but it didn't seem to get through to her." The image of the bright red blood seeping through James's shirt flashed before his eyes, and he felt his chest tighten. "He's only just got here. He's all cut up – which floor would that be?"
She made an exaggerated show of setting down her quill. "If he's only just got here, you won't be able to see him yet. I'll let you know when he's able to accept visitors."
"Well is he okay?" Sirius could feel the eyes of the waiting room's occupants on him, but he didn't care. There had been so much blood. He'd never seen that much blood, not even during that disastrous full moon when Moony had tried to take a chunk out of James's leg.
"He is receiving the best possible care." He couldn't detect a shred of warmth or assurance in her voice.
"But–"
"Have a seat, sir," she said, jerking her head at the waiting area. "I'll let you know as soon as I have more information." She bent her head and returned to the quiz.
"Right, who cares if my friend is fucking bleeding to death as long as you know which fabric flatters your figure." Mary attempted to pull him to a chair, but he turned and continued shouting over his shoulder. "The answer is none, by the way. There's no dress robes in the world that can help you when you're built like a fucking tomato."
"For fuck's sake, Black." Underneath the reproach in Mary's voice, Sirius thought he detected amusement.
"What? Am I wrong?" He sank into the chair beside her and glared at the welcome desk. "Welcome Witch my arse – she's the least welcoming person I've ever fucking met."
He fumbled to light a cigarette with shaking hands until Mary reached over and lit it for him.
"Thanks," he muttered after taking a long drag. The tight knot of worry didn't ease, but the familiar weight of the cigarette between his fingers was comforting.
"I thought it would give you something to do besides shouting." She slid her fingers into his pocket, and the unexpected touch surprised him. "What?" She emerged with one of his cigarettes, the hint of a smile on her face. "I think mine fell out of my pocket somewhere in that warehouse."
"Don't act like you haven't been stealing my cigarettes for the past two years, Macdonald."
She blew out a long stream of smoke. "Don't act like you haven't missed me stealing your cigarettes."
He scowled and took another drag. They smoked in silence, their eyes fixed on the Welcome Witch for any sign of news. When Sirius stubbed his out and reached for another one, Mary put her hand over his.
"Black…"
The emotion in her voice made his hands clench. "What?"
She collapsed against him, pressing her face to his chest and wrapping her arm around his waist. He held himself rigid for a moment, then relaxed against her and pulled her close. She heaved a sigh, her hand slipping under his jacket to trace the outline of his scar.
"Do you think James…?"
Fear rose in his throat, but he swallowed it back. "I dunno."
Her body tensed. "Fuck."
"Yeah." He tangled his fingers in her hair. It was absurd how much he had missed wrapping her curls around his fingers and breathing in the scent of Sleekeazy's. Now the familiar sensations gave him a sense of palpable relief.
"I thought you were dead," he murmured. "Back in the warehouse, when you got hit with that Stunner. I thought you were fucking dead."
"Oh, God." She picked her head up to look at him, eyes heavy with emotion. "Black…"
He tore his gaze away. If he looked at her, all the fear and unspoken words and everything else rattling around in his brain would come spilling out in front of these strangers and the fucking Welcome Witch. Another memory flitted into his mind: Mary's furious shout followed by a flash of green light.
"And you… That fucker who came at us just before we got to the captives, you…"
He finally looked at her and saw tears sparkling in her eyes.
"He tried to kill you," she whispered. "I couldn't…" She blinked, swallowed, sighed. "I missed you so fucking much. I couldn't…"
Touching her knee, he felt a tiny charred spot and was struck with a sudden urge to care for her wound like he had done months ago in their kitchen. "Come back to the flat," he urged. "I… Fuck. I miss you, too."
She bit her lip. "Black…"
"I know we have to talk, and we will. You know I'm no good at talking about my fucking feelings, but I will. Just not here." He scowled and added, "I can't let that bitch at the welcome desk hear me talk about my feelings."
The heaviness disappeared from her face as she smiled. "Yeah, alright." She kissed him, erasing his worry with the pressure of her lips and the warmth of her breath on his skin.
When she pulled away, his fear for James came crashing back, but her fingers slid into his, giving him strength.
"I'm going to go ask if there's any update," he said, beginning to rise, but Mary tugged him back down into his seat.
"She'll tell us when she knows more."
He heaved a sigh and tapped his free hand against his knee. "I can't just fucking sit here."
"Sit on the floor." She nodded at the spot in front of her feet. "I'll play with your hair."
He hesitated, then slid out of his seat and leaned back against her legs. Her fingers began massaging his scalp, transporting him back to all the lazy nights in the common room he had spent lounging on the floor, eyes drifting shut while she braided his hair or ran her fingers through the silky strands. He closed his eyes, exhaling his fear and inclining toward her touch.
They were still in the same position when Peter and Remus rushed in, pale and wide-eyed.
"How is he?" Remus demanded, coming to a stop in front of Sirius.
Sirius shook his head, tugging on the strands still wrapped around Mary's fingers. "Dunno. They're supposed to let us know when we can see him, but…" He gave a strangled sound, and Mary reached down to give his shoulder a squeeze.
"Shit." Peter and Remus exchanged worried looks as they took the empty seats on either side of Mary.
"How'd you know–?" Mary began.
"Frank sent us a message," Peter said. "We came as soon as we heard."
Remus cleared his throat. "Is it… Is it bad?"
Sirius turned his head to look at him. Remus's somber expression made his scars and gray hair more pronounced.
"It's pretty fucking bad."
Remus raised his eyebrows. "Worse than…?"
Sirius nodded. "Makes that look like just a nibble."
The hint of a smile lifted Remus's lips. "Don't fucking say nibble at a time like this."
Peter frowned. "Is Lily with him?"
"God, I hope so," Mary said. "Imagine what would happen to the poor healer who tried to keep her and James apart."
Peter nodded at the Welcome Witch. "Is there a reason she's glaring at us like that ?"
"I bet Padfoot shouted at her," Remus muttered.
"He did," Mary said conspiratorially. "He told her she's built like a tomato."
"Padfoot!" Peter stifled a laugh, casting a stealthy look at the Welcome Witch. "You didn't!"
"Yeah, I did. She was being really fucking unhelpful. What, are you offended on behalf of the Association of Tomato-Shaped People?"
Mary yanked on a strand of hair. "Don't be an arsehole."
"It's who I am." He reached over and patted Peter's knee. "Don't worry, Pete. You're still better looking than that hag."
They lapsed into a tense silence. Mary pulled Sirius's hair into a loose braid, then unraveled it and let the strands slide through her fingers. Remus picked at his fingernails until blood seeped through the ragged skin and Sirius snapped at him to stop. Sirius smoked an endless chain of cigarettes until Remus snapped at him to stop. Peter disappeared, returning with mugs of tea for everyone and biscuits that Mary devoured in several greedy bites. When the Welcome Witch emerged from behind her desk and approached them, Sirius shot to his feet so fast he almost bowled into her.
"You can see your friend now," she said primly, pursing her lips and taking a step backward. "He's up on the fourth floor."
"Brilliant. Come on." Sirius nodded at the rest of them, but the witch shook her head.
"Only two at once," she snapped. "You'll overwhelm him."
Sirius held up the two finger salute when she turned to return to her seat. "Fucking bitch. Just sneak up when she's not paying attention."
Mary's fingers brushed Sirius's hand as they proceeded up the stairs. He took her hand without looking at her, then cleared his throat.
"She didn't say…" he began.
Mary squeezed his hand. "He's alright. She wouldn't let us see him if he wasn't."
He swallowed but didn't trust himself to speak. He clung to her hand, taking comfort from its solid, slightly clammy presence.
When they stepped into the hospital room, James was propped against his pillows holding Lily's hand. Sirius hurried forward, his shoulders slumping with relief when he saw the smile on James's face.
"Alright, Prongs?"
He barely heard James's answer. He didn't even mind when he draped his arm around Mary and Lily proclaimed her happiness that they were back together. Remus and Peter appeared shortly, grinning about evading the Welcome Witch's notice, but Sirius couldn't manage to mutter more than vague approval. Throughout the conversation he sneaked glances at James, trying to banish the memory of that dark red blood soaking his clothes. He's okay, he reminded himself, shifting closer to Mary. He's fine.
Finally, the Healer stopped by to glance meaningfully at the clock and inform them that visiting hours were ending. Peter, Remus, Mary, and Sirius drifted out of the room, waving goodbye and promising to visit tomorrow. They nodded to each other before Disapparating, leaving the cool air of the hospital behind with a whoosh.