Mortem . Sirius Black

chapter seventy-two

"Wait," whispered Lily, "It might not even be her, it might just be someone else on Polyjuice potion," 

"Still," said Remus urgently, "That means that she's alive some-" 

He was cut off by Nephera, "Oh, and Mulciber," she said, throwing his father's wand at him, "Your father's wand. My deepest condolences but, in my defense, he was trying to kill me," 

"It's her," stated Marlene 

"Definitely her," added James 

Sirius wasn't listening to anything, though, he was too busy looking at the scene in front of him, trying to convince himself that he wasn't in some sort of dream. 

She's alive. 

She's alive. 

She's alive. 

He saw her leg tremble slightly, a telltale sign that she was about to pass out, and he dashed forward, catching her just moments before she fell on the floor. The other marauders and the Gryffindor girls followed right behind. 

"Hospital wing," said Lily, and they all took off, Sirius carrying Nephera 

Still, after all of that, no one moved, nor did they say a word. They simply stood there, staring at the place where the girl had been standing previously. Well, everyone except Minerva McGonagall, who got up and walked out of the Hall at a speed no one had ever seen her walk with before. 

Madame Pomfrey, who hadn't been at breakfast, was just as shocked to see Sirius Black carry in the girl. 

"Oh my... Is that- Is that?" she stammered 

"Yes," said the boy hurriedly, laying the girl down on one of the beds, "Please help," 

The mediwitch snapped into action, leaning over the girl and muttering a cleaning charm, getting rid of the blood on her. 

At that moment, everyone wished she hadn't. Nephera was pale and so thin she appeared to be a skeleton instead of a person. The witch took off her shirt, trying to see where the blood was coming from, and everyone gasped. 

They had never seen the stab wounds from her father before, the girl always concealed them, and they could see why. Angry gashes all over her stomach, deep, red scars that showed just how painful it was. 

Nothing could've prepared them for what they saw when Pomfrey turned her over, however. 

Nephera's back was completely mauled. There wasn't an inch of smooth skin anywhere, there were only deep scars, some of them healed, some of them still oozing blood.

"Merlin," gasped McGonagall, who had just arrived 

Pomfrey gave a small nod, the anxiety evident in her eyes, "Alright, everybody out, out, out!" she ordered 

"Now, now, Poppy, you know that's not going to work," said James, his familiar grin that no one had seen in months back on his face 

Nephera Winchester had only been back for a few minutes, and already the marauders were starting to return to their regular selves. 

"Is she going to be alright?" asked Sirius, his eyes never leaving the girls body 

"I will do what I can, but you need to let me work," 

All seven teenagers raised their arms in a form of surrender, and backed up and sat on one of the other beds. They watched in silence as the mediwitch worked diligently, cleaning Nephera of the blood and dipping different potions into her mouth.