XXXXI. BAD TIMES

"Sectumsempra!"

Sirene Black was suffering to put it simply, it was like a million knifes were stabbing her at the same time and she couldn't bring herself to yell out in pain because her throat was closing up, the amount of blood seeping through her shit was alarming to everyone. She felt herself falling down next to a pillar for support.

     She couldn't do anything but release a few whimpers of pain, everyone surrounded her and for a second she thought she saw guilt in Bellatrix's eyes, but she didn't believe her eyes for they were too busy being clouded by tears.

     "Hey, look at me, it's alright" She heard Andrew's voice say to her and then footsteps rushing towards them, she turned her head to look at Sirius who just stared at her with a blank expression on his face. He was in shock.

     Sirius Black had never once in his life imagined that he would see his sister soaked in her own blood, crying in pain, he didn't know what to do. He felt numb as he stared at her.

     Sirene tried to motion for him to sit down next to her but she couldn't bring herself to move, she just wanted him to be there. She then turned to look at Remus who was panicking himself, trying to get up but failing because of his leg, Peter was gone with James from what Sirene assumed.

     "Focus on my voice" Sirene turned to look at Andrew who seemed like he wanted to cry, Sirene didn't blame him - she wanted to too. "Don't fall asleep. Ren, keep looking at me!"

     "Your..." Sirene croaked out trying to form words as she stared at Andrew who kept telling her to not talk, "Your face looks funny when you're sad"

     She watched him release a combination of a sigh and a chuckle. She felt her eyes closing because of the amount of blood she'd lost. Right then Madam Pomfrey arrived with James and Peter right behind her, she muttered spells that stopped the bleeding but the cuts kept making their way back.

     Sirene let out another choked sob before she felt darkness surround her.

✨

     "How are you feeling?" Andrew asked a tired Sirene who was all bandaged up and tucked into a hospital bed, "Is there something I can get you? Juice? Books? Chocolate?"

     "Yes" Sirene said her voice hoarse as she'd just woken up from the dizzy-nap as she called it, "Where's my brother?"

     "Your younger one left a few moments ago" Andrew said as he sat down on the chair next to the bed, "He was with Emery, looked pretty shaken up"

     "And Sirius?" Sirene asked.

     "He refused to leave your side for the whole two days" Andrew said to Sirene who looked down at her hands, "He didn't eat, sleep or anything, and as of right now he's taking a shower after Neveah begged him to"

     "What about you?"

     "What about me?"

     "Are you ok?" Sirene said to the Ravenclaw.

      "Meh" He said shrugging with a small grimace, "I've had better days, besides I should be the one asking you that"

"Well, I'm alive, aren't I?" Sirene chuckled and then immediately regretted that because of the cuts, "What happened with Bella?"

"Her father got her out of trouble" Andrew said with his jaw clenched, "Cant believe that happened, I thought Dumbledore was supposed to be just and fair"

"He's still just a headmaster" Sirene said leaning back a bit which Andrew helped her with, "There's only so much he can do, you can't really blame him"

"Yes, I can" Andrew said with a frown, "I'm doing it right now"

"Oh my godric! Thank goodness!" Sirene heard someone say before she was met a frantic looking Lily Evans who hugged her really tight, "You're awake!"

"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Sirene said turning stiff because of her cuts being put pressure on.

"I'm so sorry!" Lily apologized, "I didn't realize-"

"It's fine" Sirene waved her off, "How are you?"

      "Well, it's been absolute shit without you" Lily said sitting down and passing Andrew a nod of acknowledgment, "It was hard to get Sirius to get up from the chair, he kept blaming himself for the fight"

      "What?" Sirene said in disbelief, "Why?!"

      "Right?" Lily said her face lighting up in agreement, "James has been trying to cheer everyone up, but it's not working, everyone keeps blaming themselves"

      "No offense to them" Sirene said, "But I really don't appreciate them making me getting hit about them" she joked to Lily who almost killed her with a death glare.

     "And then this one here" Lily said with a pointed glare at Andrew who's eyes widened, "Forgot he was a wizard with a wand and started beating Lucius"

"Andrew!" Sirene said looking at Andrew who chuckled awkwardly, "What the fuck? Did you at least win?"

"Yes" He said proudly but the smile dropped from both of their faces when Lily gave them both a glare.

"Merlin, you're finally awake!" Sirene heard Sirius say before she was met with one of the softest guys ever, "You had me scared shitless!"

"I'm alright, stinky" Sirene rolled her eyes at her brother who rolled his eyes back at her, "Heard you went all caveman in here"

"No fucking shit" Sirius said sitting on the foot of Sirene's bed, "You didn't wake up for almost two days, Madam Pomfrey gave you some potions that caused insane drowsiness"

"What did I miss then?"

✨

"Be gentle, will you?" Sirene said to James who looked at her with an apologetic look as he helped her sit down on the common room sofa, "I think I just sat down on a book, but I don't have the energy to get up"

"Don't worry" Marlene said sitting next to Sirene who gave her a small hug, "They'll probably be thankful that your arse was once on that book"

Lyra smacked Marlene on the head with a book before sitting down next to her, "I heard Bellatrix's doing detention for a month"

"Serves her right" James scoffed, "How did she even create that spell?"

"Dark magic? Bellatrix?" Sirene said with a small snort, "Bellatrix is amazing at dueling but her brain isn't big enough to create spells"

"Do you think she learnt it from him?" Lyra said in a hushed voice.

"Voldemort?" Sirene frowned, "Who knows?"

"Sirene!" Lauren said rushing over to the Gryffindor's side and giving her a small side hug, "Great to see you back!"

"Maybe for you" Sirene said bitterly, "I can't play quidditch for another week"

"You'll be fine" James waved her off, "You'll only be missing one practice"

"Yeah" Lauren said with a reassuring smile, "Besides you're like the best seeker at Hogwarts"

Sirene waved her hand as if to say 'I know' with a grin on her face.

"Si!" Remus said joining his girlfriend and best friends with a warm smile, "How're you feeling?"

"How's your leg?" Sirene asked.

"It's fine" Remus shrugged, "It's been better but it's alright"

"Hey, Lauren" James said to the blonde who turned to look at him, "Random time to ask you this but where are you during that time of the month?"

"In my room eating chocolate?" Lauren said with her eyebrows furrowed. Sirene snorted at that, "What? Oh- OH! You mean that day!"

"Yeah" James said with a sheepish smile, his face reddening just a bit.

"Well, Professor Sprout knows about it" Lauren said with a small shrug, "And she made a small cottage room for me in the forbidden forest, behind devil's snare, all I have to do is to relax into it and I'm there"

"Smart" Lyra said with an impressed look.

"Right?" Lauren asked with an impressed look herself.

       "Is that Regulus?" Sirene squinted her eyes to get a better look at the boy making his way over to them, "....with Sirius?"

       "Looks like it" Marlene said frowning a bit at the brothers, people barely saw Regulus and Sirius walking together, hell it'd be super weird even if they just looked at each other and smiled.

       "Hey, Sirene" Regulus said his eyes a bit puffy, "We need to tell you something"

       "Ok?" Sirene said unsure at the tone of seriousness in their voice.

       "It's father" Sirius said leaning back into the sofa, "He croaked"

       "Oh, yikers"

Lol, yikers.