The Pureblood Princess | Sirius Black

|20| Expedite The Process of Communication

"I know you're an idiot, but come on Pads! Even you aren't daft enough to support them!" James said flailing his arms in the air from his wooden chair.

"I'm telling you that the Chudley Cannons were just having an off year!" Sirius defended grumpily from his seat upon the extra bed, grabbing yet another fudge fly right out of Peter's hands.

"Sirius, last year they literally changed their official motto from 'We shall conquer!' to 'Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best'." Remus said looking up from his book.

"Yeah... what Moony said," agreed Peter, scooting out of reach of Sirius in case he stole another candy out of his hands.

"Addykins, you're on my side right?" Sirius asked desperately.

"hmmmm?" hummed Adelaide with her eyes shut laying in her hospital bed.

"Tufts can't help you Padfoot. She's sleeping." James pointed out.

"She wouldn't help you even if she was awake. Her favorite team is the Hollyhead Harpies." Remus said with a smirk while Sirius sulked. 

About this time a flustered dark haired boy ran into the infirmary with a bouquet of lavender flowers clutched in his hand. "ADDY! I FOUND YOUR FAVORITE FLOWERS!" the boy called, out of breath.

"Reg! She's sleeping!" Sirius scolded the boy.

"Oh. Well, when will she be up again?" He asked, still trying to catch his breath as he sat next to his brother.

"Dunno, but Poppy's coming back at dinner." James informed the boy. "Want a chocolate frog, Reg?"

"Oh, yeah sure." He said looking disappointed, but accepting the chocolate frog. "It's been a week. Shouldn't she be better by now?"

The Gryffindor boys shared a look. They were all thinking the same thing. After Adelaide literally came down from her broom with the sudden illness, her health hadn't improved all that much. Poppy had done a fantastic job of giving her enough different remedies that she didn't feel too much discomfort, but it seemed that she was beginning to become immune to their effects.

"She should be." Sirius said sadly.

Sirius had been by her side nearly every moment of the past week. Poppy gave up on keeping the other Marauders out on the third night when they snuck in under the invisibility cloak. Adelaide slept most of the time, but was happy to have her best friends by her side whenever she woke up.. except when Lily and Remus tried to make her do homework. She especially thought it was sweet how Regulus would skip his study hall to bring Merlin, the vibrantly green bird, and hang out with her.

The five boys looked up with confused expressions as Headmaster Dumbledore walked into the infirmary with a strange look upon his face. He walked straight toward the boys huddled around the sleeping girl, his deep blue robes gently breezing behind him.

"Um hello Professor... uhh.. Lemon drop?" Remus asked awkwardly, offering the old bearded man a bag of lemon candies.

"Oh yes! Thank you Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said kindly taking the candy with long wrinkly fingers and popping it in to his mouth. "Delightful. Simply delightful." he said to himself.

James cleared his throat. "um, Professor... Can we help you?" He asked.

"Yes and no. I came to speak to Mr. Black and Miss Fawley..." He trailed off looking at the sickly blonde girl who was slightly snoring with a plush purple pigmy puff clutched to her chest.

"Um.. should I wake her then?" Sirius asked. He and Lily were the only ones who had been successful in waking the girl. Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Addy.. Addykins... " He went on, lightly shaking her awake.