Hogwarts Forever

Chapter Seventy-Three

by: October Sky

Chapter Seventy-Three: The Hospital Wing

Sirius sat on the ledge of the window, looking out into the dark night that tried to look so innocent. The Forbidden Forest lay just beyond the school grounds, hiding secrets smart students dared not to seek answers to. Gray clouds passed in a sky that was the darkest color of blue possible. A half-moon hovered over the castle. How long would it be before that half moon turned whole? Would Remus be awake by then? He couldn't see them taking those risk again. This night would change them forever; he was getting the feeling that a new part of his life had just begun. This Lord Voldemort person, this was no joke. Now he felt like a target, and each time he tried to search his mind for a reason Voldemort would just leave them alone, he found none. The villain wasn't finished. They weren't safe.

"Sirius!" A woman's shrilled cry screeched in the silence of the night.

That was Mrs. Potter's voice, he knew it from anywhere. She had just entered and had to see her son laying unconscious on a cot, two friends surrounding him in the same state. He couldn't turn to face her, he had no explanation for why he had been so lucky and his friends had not. Nevertheless her arms pulled him into a tight, claustrophobic, hug, pinning his face into her shoulder as she breathed in the relief of seeing him safe.

"Aren't you concerned about your son?" He muttered bitterly. He didn't want all the sympathy to be put on him, that wasn't fair.

"We've been here for five minutes," James' father replied, concerned.

Sirius looked back out the window. He appreciated James' parents as though they were his own family, but right now he didn't want to talk to them. It felt like hours since he and McGonagall had arrived at the infirmary with his friends, but none of them were awake. He thought about what it must feel like to be asleep for so long, to suddenly fall into darkness and be released momentarily from the world. Their bodies had fallen to the ground gracefully and effortlessly, as though they didn't matter. What if it had been worse? What if one of them died?

"The letter said these three had been hurt, but they said you hadn't spoken," Mr. Potter went on, just as serious.

He continued to stare out the window, but soon a glare came even from the room's dim light and he could see Mr. Potter waiting for him to answer.

"I talked to McGonagall," Sirius replied, "asked her some questions." Suddenly he looked to Mr. Potter, hoping the events from the night that lingered in his eyes would influence his reply to Sirius' next answer. "Are we going to have to talk about what happened?"

Mr. Potter frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind," he mumbled, and looked outside again.

A long moment of silence past. They must have realized he didn't want to talk. Good. But the moment didn't last long enough.

"Remus' uncle is on the way," Mr. Potter told him. He realized Mrs. Potter must have gone back to sit near James. "Aria's family was contacted too."

"Great."

He hoped no one contacted his family. They wouldn't care...they would laugh. Sirius glared through the glass before him. He could see his reflection, the angry but weak person he was. He could hear their laughter now, they were probably swapping stories with Voldemort. He wondered if Regulas would bring this up in school.

"If you want, we can contact-"

"No," Sirius interrupted quickly. Mr. Potter stared at him in surprise. "They won't care."

"Professor Dumbledore says you're excused from classes until your friends are well," Mr. Potter said.

"How kind of him."

"Sirius-"

Mr. Potter was irritated now. Didn't Sirius deserve to be angry? Why couldn't Mr. Potter understand that he wanted to be left alone and deal with this himself? But he didn't want to make James' father angry, after all he was grateful for his support. Sirius got to his feet and walked quietly over towards James' bed.

James slept so silently, face contorted in unspoken pain. He glanced up at Mrs. Potter who gazed at her son longingly, tears lingering in her eyes as she held her child's hand. He heard someone run into the room.

"Remus!" Remus' uncle exclaimed. He was breathing as though he had literally ran from his home to the Hogwarts' infirmary. Sweat stuck to the bangs that hung before his eyes and on his face. Sirius watched silently as Mr. Potter walked over to Remus' uncle and began talking to him in a low voice.

If he regretted any part of his life at Hogwarts it was becoming friends with Remus. Quite honestly, nothing positive came out of including Remus into his group of friends. They had taken a quiet little boy who would have never so much as thought about sneaking out of the house at night and taught him all the tricks to becoming, well, a rebel. And with each risk they talked Remus into taking part in, there had always been consequences far more worse than they could handle. Yet they continued to act recklessly, until Sirius was left with watching his friends lay unconscious in an infirmary.

"What happened?" Remus' uncle sobbed. "What happened to him?"

"We don't-"

"He was tortured," Sirius answered coldly, interrupting Mr. Potter. Sirius' eyes were glaring in a deathly gaze towards Remus' uncle, who lifted his head up as though someone had just offered him the greatest forgiveness. The look quickly turned into one of devastation.

"Sirius-"

"The Cruciatas," Sirius continued, "He used it, on all of us."

"Sirius-"

"You want to know what happened?" Sirius bellowed. "Well this is the story! We thought she was in trouble so we went to save her. Voldemort was there and he tortured us, taunted us. He even mentioned you, Mr. Potter." James' father looked shocked to be mentioned, despite his former attempts at stopping Sirius from telling the story. "He told James you would make a good slave, when he came to power."

"That won't happen," Mr. Potter replied quickly and calmly.

"It won't?" Sirius challenged. He felt tears stinging in his eyes. "We were powerless against him! Anything we tried, he had a curse a hundred times more powerful."

"Sirius, you have to understand," Mr. Potter said, speaking quickly as though fearing he would be interrupted, "surely the level of defense spells you were using were no-"

"You have know idea what I'm capable of!" Sirius shouted. His hands clutched into fist, though not in anger as much as frustration. He had tried the Imperious curse, one of the Unforgivable Curses. He had actually had the courage to use the spell against someone. But it had backfired, and the consequence was placed on Aria. He could feel the tears in his eyes becoming larger, the threat of releasing them becoming stronger.

"Everything is all right, you need to-"

"Where's Peter?" Sirius asked suddenly, his voice just as cold as before and eyes darker than ever. Peter still wasn't there.

Mr. Potter swallowed, as though he knew answering would lead to something bad.

"Minerva said he was in the library, studying."

Sirius' eyes flashed with fury before he stormed out of the infirmary, ignoring the calls for him to return. He could still hear Remus' uncles helpless cries as he begged for his nephew to awake and be all right. He went straight from the hospital wing to the library, ignoring the stares he received on the way. In his head he rehearsed the interrogation he would demand of Peter, though he knew the moment he saw him all his plans would be forgotten.

Pushing open the library doors Sirius waltzed into the room, walking straight to where the four would usually study. Well, not really studying. It was usually either James practically stalking Lily as she studied, or Remus and Aria studying together...but it was the kind of place where Peter would stupidly hide. And sure enough, in the furthest row of books from the library entrance, and not too far from the Restricted Section, sat Peter, head buried in a Herbology book.

"You!" Sirius hissed. Peter looked up, frightened at Sirius' deep, angry voice, and quick pace as he approached Peter.

Peter froze as Sirius stormed towards him though, surely, the little coward must have been expecting his reaction to Peter's disappearance. He shoved Peter against the window behind him, and Peter glanced back fearfully at the ground far below; but it would be Sirius' strength and not Peter's muscle or weight that would have sent him crashing through the glass. The window did not break, but Sirius grabbed Peter's shoulder's roughly, insuring that he would not escape.

"Where did you go?" Sirius demanded. "Where the hell were you?"

"I- I-"

"Stop stuttering and answer me!" Sirius bellowed.

"Mr. Black!" Exclaimed the librarian, Madam Greene, in her quiet demanding tone of disapproval.

"Sorry," Sirius muttered, not looking at her. He didn't bother to check to see if she was still there before continued to yell at Peter, in a slightly quieter, but just as angry, voice. "Where were you? Too scared to help your friends?"

"Who wouldn't be?" Peter cried in that frightened tone of his, sounding much like the rat he could transform into. "You guys had guessed what happened! We might have been facing He...He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

Wincing, Peter looked away; Sirius did not know if this was from the name or Sirius.

"We did face him," Sirius told him darkly, "and don't even bother finding out the outcome. You don't deserve friends like us, Peter, not when you're not as loyal to us as we are to you!"

"'Loyal'?" Peter laughed, sounding confident in the argument he was about to make. "You and James are so obsessed with each other you might as well marry him! You don't care about me. I bet you didn't even notice when I went missing! If you had, you should have come looking for me!"

He didn't want to admit that Peter was correct, not when he still had reason to be angry at him. But the comment did make him step back, letting go of Peter.

"If you aren't satisfied with us as friends then fine, don't bother talking to us anymore."

Sirius stormed out of the library, heading for the Hospital Wing. He was loyal to his friends, he was concerned about what happened once they had found Aria, discovered that someone had been holding her captive. He had been there to witness every moment of it.

"Sirius!"

Hardly realizing he had wondered into the corridor outside the library, and was surprised to hear Lily's frantic cries calling after him. He heard footsteps running towards him and located Lily just as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He placed his hands on her back, offering her comfort when really he only had bad news.

"Someone told me," she said; she was crying. "They saw you in the Hospital Wing. And...and James!"

She pulled away from him, staring into his eyes and begging for answers.

"You should come see him," was all Sirius said.

They reached the Hospital Wing, Sirius hoping for the best news. He wasn't disappointed. James was awake, and smiling, when he and Lily entered.

"James!" Lily cried, running and nearly leaping into his arms.

They hugged and then kissed, despite the fact that James' parents were in the room. Then Lily put her arms around him once more, letting him hold her.

"Hey," James greeted as Sirius approached him.

"Hey," Sirius said, grinning, "she heard there was a monkey who had fallen ill in the Hospital Wing and wouldn't believe it until she saw for herself."

For a second Sirius thought James' parents would disapprove of his joke, but James grinned along with his father; even his mother smiled a little, a hand still lingering on her son's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" James asked. "You weren't here like the rest of us, so I wasn't sure what to think."

"Fine," Sirius replied. He glanced towards Remus and Aria, who were still unconscious in their beds. "Any word about them?"

James shook his head.

"So how long were you out?" James asked. "I figured not long if Madam Pomfrey was letting you leave the corridor."

Sirius suddenly felt embarrassed by his escape from the room, and regretted not being there when his friend woke up.

"I never went unconscious," Sirius said.

James fell silent, and Sirius worried that he was envious of him. Why shouldn't he be?

"Where's Peter?" James asked suddenly, looking around the room.

"Library," Sirius muttered, teeth gritted in anger.

"He's probably just shaken up by all of this," Mr. Potter said.

When Sirius didn't answer, Mr. and Mrs. Potter glanced at each other. Mr. Potter swallowed and said:

"We'll let you two catch up."

But at the thought of leaving Mrs. Potter let out a cry of sadness. Fresh tears fell from her face as she threw her arms around her son; James was still hugging Lily, who was staring in the distance.

"I'm fine, Mum," James said, "this is just like that time I tried to cook, remember? At least this time you don't have to remodel the kitchen."

His mother smiled sadly through her tears, letting out a laugh as she took her husbands hand and left the room. As soon as the door closed Sirius explained what had happened. James frowned, but not in immediate anger but in consideration.

"Well who can blame him?" James said. "I mean, if I could have prevented being there I would have."

"Yeah, but we have to look out for our friends!" Sirius said. "Weren't you listening? He said we weren't loyal!"

"Yeah, well that's not reason walk out on our friendship," said James, "I mean, yeah, maybe Peter's not as brave as us, but you don't see him getting as many detentions, do you? Maybe he just knows what's best for him."

"So what, we're going to spend the rest of our lives hiding out in the library?" Sirius retorted.

"I agree with James," said a new voice, a voice belonging to someone Sirius had almost forgotten was there. Remus' uncle didn't look at them, his sad eyes never trailing away from his unconscious nephew. "Having a group of friends like you boys have is something special, but there's a fine line between having fun and putting yourself in danger. After what I've seen your four go through, I would think twice before taking risks again. Maybe Peter knows those risks, and shouldn't you be grateful he's okay? He didn't get hurt."

Sirius hesitated to argue. He thought his brave and risk-taking personality was what made him unique. Coming from a family whose values truly disgusted him, he want to stray as far away from their habits as possible. But maybe one could only be so brave. He never considered that he was being too brave, and maybe that was how they always got into these situations. But they did save Aria. Had they not been there, maybe Voldemort would have hurt her worse. Or they could have told an adult, someone who could have safely solved the situation. He liked being a hero, being the one to save people and not hurt them. But maybe Mr. Lupin was right, maybe there was a line he shouldn't be crossing.

"I want to be an Auror," James spoke up suddenly.

For the first time Lily pulled herself away from where James had been holding her.

"What?" She said, looking terrified.

"Yeah," James said, "I want to save lives, protect the world."

"No," Lily said, shaking her head, seeming desperate to change his mind, "you'll get hurt! You've already gotten hurt, James!"

"Whoever this guy is is going to become powerful," James continued, "and I want to stop him."

"So do I," Sirius said. James and Lily looked at him.

"Mr. Lupin," Lily said, "please talk them out of this! All of them, they think they're going to become powerful enough to stop this guy, but honestly! Look at how many powerful wizards there are already! If they won't be able to stop them, then who can?"

"'All of them'?" Mr. Lupin repeated. He looked at them for the first time, eyes glancing from Sirius to James. He realized what they meant. "Remus mentioned, but I didn't think he was serious...no. No, this is not happening."

A little in shock to see him angry, Sirius remained silent, not sure what to say.

"But Sir," said James, "Remus-" he stopped; did Mr. Lupin know about Aria?, "he just wants to protect everyone, like us! It's a good thing!"

"It is not a good thing!" Mr. Lupin cried, voice loud and angry. "I agree with her, there are others who can stop evil. There's no need for you to risk your lives. I'm talking to Professor McGonagal."

"No offense," said James, "but Remus is practically an adult. He's going to make this decision with or without you."

"'Practically an adult'," Mr. Lupin agreed.

His eyes were no longer sad, but furious as they remained once more on his nephew. It was a moment before they softened, as though he were afraid Remus would know he was angry at him. Sirius was sure the two would end up talking about the subject eventually, but Mr. Lupin wouldn't want the first thing said to Remus to be angry words.

"What did they say about Aria?" Lily said, changing the subject but speaking in honest concern for her friend.

Sirius walked over to Aria's bed, gazing at his ex-girlfriend. He looked at the ring on her finger, and wonder if Remus had told his uncle yet. He picked up the finger gently, brushing his hand across the ring, holding her hand in his. She slept so slightly, like Remus.

"He said she would receive worse than death," Sirius said, his voice nearly a whisper; he felt like he would be sick.

"What?" Lily said.

But Sirius ignored her.

"What's worse than death?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts?" James suggested.

Sirius didn't laugh.

--

Everyone woke up at the sound of a hoarse cough. The Hospital Wing was lit with dim light, along with the moonlight shining through the window by the bed Sirius had fallen asleep on. Mr. Lupin, still by his nephew's side, looked up from where he kneeled by his bed. Sirius was certain Mr. Lupin hadn't moved at all since arriving that afternoon. There were more coughs, and the room was suddenly lit with light.

"Remus!" Mr. Lupin gasped in relief.

Walking towards them, Sirius saw that Mr. Lupin was smiling through tears. Then his eyes fell on Remus: he was awake.

James, whose bed was next to Remus, sat up, feet hanging off the side of the bed and smiling. Lily was beside him in moments.

"What time is it?" Remus muttered, sitting up wearily.

No one answered; Mr. Lupin threw his around his nephew, a smile still on his face. Remus accepted the hug, but did not repeat his question when it wasn't answered. In fact, he seemed to have forgotten it within the next moment.

"Aria," Remus said suddenly, "is she okay? Where..."

His eyes darted around the room, landing on each of them before catching sight of Aria's bed, where she rest just feet from where Remus was.

"Is she okay?" Remus asked again. He acted like he was going to get out of bed, but Madam Pomfrey's voice stopped him.

"No you don't," she scolded, walking into the room.

"Is she okay?" Remus repeated, beginning to panic.

Sirius was hoping someone else would answer, he didn't know what to say.

"Is she okay?" Remus repeated for a fourth time. His eyes never left Aria even as Madam Pomfrey forced him to sit down.

"She should wake up soon," Madam Pomfrey said, "drink this."

She handed Remus a glass.

"Tell me what's wrong with her!" Remus demanded.

"Drink it!"

Grabbing the cup in anger, Remus drunk whatever was inside in one swallow, and the turned back to Aria.

"She'll be okay, Remus," Mr. Lupin said in a comforting tone; he put a hand on Remus' shoulder.

"No..." he was shaking his head as though he couldn't believe this was happening, "why won't anyone tell me what's wrong with her?"

"Because we don't know," Sirius whispered. He half-hoped Remus hadn't heard him, but he couldn't stand seeing his friend upset like this, being denied the truth.

"You don't know?" Remus repeated, sinking back down into the pillows on his bed. Traumatized by the reply, he didn't say anything more.

"Mr. Lupin, I can assure you-"

Though her voice was more calm and reassuring, she was interrupted. A gasp drew their attention to Aria's bed, where she was struggling to wake up.

"Aria!" Remus cried, jumping out of bed before anyone could stop him. Falling to his knees on the floor beside her, he grabbed her hand. "It's okay, I'm here...you're okay."

He brushed her hair out of her face as her eyes fluttered open, immediately meeting his gaze. Remus grinned.

"You're alive," she whispered.

He bean forward, wrapping his arms around her. For a split second Sirius felt a pang of jealousy: James had Lily and Remus had Aria. He still had yet to find someone he loved, someone he would want to be married to.

"Mr. Lupin, you and Miss Fitzgerald have been through quite an ordeal tonight," said Madam Pomfrey, "there will be plenty of time to talk later, but I must insist that you let me take care of you two."

Before Remus and Aria ended their hug, he heard Remus say to her:

"I can take care of you."

--

The morning came with a brightness that practically forced a smile on his face, though Remus had enough to be happy about despite the cloudless day outside. Now beginning a process of recovery, he, Aria, James, and Sirius remained in the Hospital Wing the next morning, grateful that they had survived the night. His uncle was still there, getting some sleep on a nearby bed. Sirius, who apparently had no lasting injuries, was sitting on the edge of Remus' bed, while Lily had remained by James' side. He longed to be closer to Aria, to hold her and tell her that everything would be okay, and that he loved her. They hadn't talked about their argument from the day before, and Remus knew the conversation was coming, but he couldn't help but to bask in the glow of the morning that followed the horrific night. He was grateful they had survived, they would even be okay.

"Don't worry, we're definitely beating Hufflepuff on Saturday," James was saying.

"How do you know?" Lily said. "That's what I don't understand about Quidditch. You beat a team one time and you're determined that team is horrible. That can hurt a team, you know, you shouldn't just assume something like that."

"Have you played six years of Quidditch against Hufflepuff?" James inquired. Lily didn't answer. "I didn't think so. I know this team, I can predict every play they try five minutes before it happens."

"That's impossible! Lily exclaimed.

"Is not!" James said. "Don't you agree, Sirius?"

"You see, Lily-"

"Miss Fitzgerald?" Madam Pomfrey's voice said.

They looked up to find Madam Pomfrey standing there, looking pale and terrified.

"Yes?" Aria asked, now looking equally as frightened.

Remus glanced towards her in concern, then back to Madam Pomfrey.

"There's some people here, from the Ministry," Madam Pomfrey explained.

"Let me," said a wizard, middle-aged with light brown hair, who was entering the room. "Aria Fitzgerald," he began, reading from a piece of parchment, "you are under arrest, for evidence that has been found against you, stating that you are involved in Dark Arts and a revolution against the government and plot to take over the wizarding world. You have been found guilty of taking part in murders and crime the Ministry has been investigating, said to be caused by a group of witches and wizards known as Death Eaters. Anyone found guilty of being a Death Eater is sentenced to four years in Azkaban. You are summoned to a trial that shall take place immediately, but I must warn you, Miss Fitzgerald-" the man looked at her with cold eyes, studying her for her reaction as he continued: "the Ministry does not take these cases lightly. I have to insist that you come with me now, Miss-"

"Stupefy!" Remus shouted; the man fell to the floor. He didn't hesitate before turning to Madam Pomfrey and repeating the curse.

"Remus?" James said. "What the hell-"

"Remus?" His uncle had woken up, but Remus didn't answer either of them.

"I don't know why they're doing this-" Remus began, turning towards Aria.

"Because to some, a Death Eater is a Death Eater." Everyone jumped at Dumbledore's voice; Remus slowly turned towards him.

"But she's been working for you!" Remus exclaimed. "She's been helping the ministry!"

"Miss Fitzgerald, would you please hold out your arm?" Dumbledore asked.

"What?" Aria said, glancing to Remus in uncertainty and fear.

"Your left arm, please, Miss Fitzgerald," Dumbledore said.

Still staring at Remus in the same fearful way, Aria held out a trembling hand to Dumbledore. He rolled the sleeve of her nightgown to her elbow, revealing her arm. But there was no Dark Mark. Instead, scars of red and blue traced outlines of the same skull tattoo.

"The Dark Mark does define loyalty," Dumbledore said, gazing at Aria's arm, "but one can be a successful spy even with it. However, once it has been removed it leaves scars, scars that forever bind the owner of the Mark to its master."

"What does that mean?" Aria asked, terrified.

"It means that even though you know you are innocent of such beliefs, if one were to give you Veritaserum, you would confess to being a Death Eater," Dumbledore said.

"But that's not true!" Aria cried. Tears appeared in her eyes, as she looked from Dumbledore to Remus. "You know I'm innocent! I've been helping the Ministry!"

"I know, but I'm afraid you will be found spying for two sides if you were to be taken to court," Dumbledore said, "which is why you can not be there."

"You're helping me escape?" Aria said, staring at Dumbledore in a mixture of gratitude and disbelief.

Dumbledore smiled.

"You are brave, and have been forced through dangers unimaginable to some minds," Dumbledore said, "you do not deserve Azkaban. But we are running out of time, you must leave."

He held his hand out and Aria took it.

"I'm going with you," Remus said, stepping towards Aria. He knew Dumbledore disapproved by the look in his eyes, warning him that he should not interfere. "I love you, Aria."

"Remus, I don't think it's a question of love-"

"I don't care!" Remus shouted, interrupting Lily. He felt like he might cry. "I love you, Aria, and I don't want our relationship to be broken by this. I'm going with you, I can take care of you."

"I can assure you I will be making sure the best protection is being offered to Miss Fitzgerald," Dumbledore said.

"Obviously you can't protect her!" Remus shouted. "She's being arrested!"

"Not if you let her go," Dumbledore said, "come with me, Miss Fitzegerald."

Aria looked uncertain as to what she was supposed to do.

"Aria..."

But it was all too much. His voice faltered and tears dropped from his eyes. He didn't understand how this could happen. For years he had been in love with Aria. The past seven years of his life had brought him more happiness than he ever thought he could have, and his happiness rose when he met Aria, and they fell in love. They didn't deserve this, this couldn't happen.

"Mr. Lupin, please," Dumbledore said, "the quicker Aria can leave the castle the better."

Remus didn't care. He refused to be separated from Aria. Stepping towards her, Remus pulled Aria into a hug, closing his eyes as he imagined them getting through this, being married. He wouldn't let that not happen. He felt her arms wrap around him, and she thought she might be crying.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice breaking as tears fell through his closed eyelids.

"I love you too."

He found that he couldn't let go of her. Time would move on, years would go by, and one would still find Remus and Aria locked in this embrace, refusing to let the world tear them apart.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way," Aria whispered.

"It hasn't ended," Remus said, "this will all be over...we won't be separated forever."

"I love you," she whispered again.

He held her, almost unable to say the words back to her as his throat felt sore from crying. But he did, just as Dumbledore had placed a hand on Aria's shoulder, pulling her away from him. Remus opened his eyes and looked at her; they were both crying. He wasn't thinking of the others in the room, watching them, but of the promise had made to Aria.

"I love you," Aria said again, and again as she walked out of the room.

"It'll be okay," Remus said, and before the door closed as she left the room, he repeated the words they had each so desperately wanted the other to know: "I love you."

He stared at the doors to the Hospital Wing, closed, symbolic of Aria's departure from his life. For the moment. He would keep his promise, he would make sure of it. Remus recognized this unfair game, he had fallen victim to it when the werewolf had bit him when he was a child, during all of his family's hardships and the murder of his mother. Here he was again, hit with cruel grief. Devastated, Remus stumbled backwards, before falling back into bed in a pool of tears.

Author's Note: I really appreciate that people are adding me to their favorite story list, but I would love it if you would review. I love knowing what people think about the story!

Until Next time...

October Sky