What the Heart Wants (Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 7

Sirius burst through the doors to the hospital wing to see James and Peter already seated and laughing at the side of Remus's bed. All three of them looked up at his abrupt entrance, and James leapt to his feet when he saw Sadie's limp form. He rushed forward.

"What happened?!" He demanded as Sirius shouted for Madam Pomfrey.

"I don't know!" Sirius's voice cracked. "She was fine, and then, all of the sudden, she was vomiting and passing out!"

The color drained from Remus's face at his words, but the others missed this reaction as Madam Pomfrey came bustling toward them. "Oh, poor dear. If you'll lay her here, Mister Black." The matron gestured toward the bed next to Remus. "You just go ahead and tell me what happened while I have a look at her."

Sirius did as he was told, a look of deep anxiety on his face as he began recounting what had happened. "We were just walking down to the forest to check on our Care of Magical Creatures project. She was totally fine and herself for most of the walk. Then she just suddenly went pale and started shaking. She vomited and then passed out when she tried to stand up."

Madam Pomfrey was frowning as she scanned Sadie's body with the tip of her wand. "Did she eat breakfast?" Sirius shook his head. "What about dinner last night?" All four boys nodded. Her brow furrowed. "Has she been especially stressed? Sleeping poorly?"

"Not that we know of..." James answered. He was hovering over the healer's shoulder. She glanced back at him and shoo'd him away.

"I can't do my job properly with you right there, Mister Potter."

He reluctantly backed away and moved to stand next to Sirius on the other side of the bed. "Do you have any idea what's wrong with her?" He asked her anxiously.

She didn't answer right away; her wand continued to hover over Sadie's body, her lips pursed in focus. Finally, she sighed and pocketed her wand. "Nothing is wrong with her, as far as I can determine." The boys gaped at her in disbelief. Madam Pomfrey chuckled and shook her head. "Apart from the obvious, that is. She's weak, which is why I asked about her eating and sleep. It seems to me that she simply got sick from exhaustion. Her strength seems to be returning as we speak, however."

Right on cue, Sadie began to stir and let out a quiet groan. Looks of deep relief appeared on James, Sirius, and Peter's faces, but Remus continued to look troubled. He caught Madam Pomfrey's arm as she passed him on her way to her office.

"You're sure there's nothing else wrong with her?" He kept his voice low, not wanting the others to hear his concern. The matron looked at him.

"I'm sure, Mister Lupin."

Remus bit his lip. "It's just...well...it was the full moon last night..."

Understanding dawned on Madam Pomfrey's face, and she shook her head and gave him a kind smile. "You know as well as anyone that lycanthropy is only transmittable through a werewolf bite. You were nowhere near Miss Potter last night, and, even if you had been, there are no bite marks. Don't you fret about that for another second." He did his best to smile in return. She patted his hand and walked away.

In the next bed over, Sadie opened her eyes to see James and Sirius peering at her anxiously on either side of her. "What...where am I?" She mumbled groggily.