Play the Game ✔️

Al Garimasu (There is Love)

Three of the four young men known to many as the Marauders kept a silent vigil in the cold hospital waiting room. Every time someone walked by, all eyes looked up.

Sirius sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair holding on to Liesel tightly, brooding. Occasionally, they would hear a page of a magazine turn, or a slight cough. Finally, James spoke up.

"Bobby, do you think you can see if you can turn on the telly? I've been looking up at it all afternoon. The noises in this place are going to drive us all mad in a bit."

"I'm not going to be able to reach it, it's too high up."

"Sirius can lift you up," he said.

Sirius cut his eyes at his best friend. "You're closer, James."

"Wot, you won't mind my hands being all over your girl? Fine then. Come on, Bobby, I'll hoist ya up!"

Liesel rolled her eyes.

"No, I do mind and you're closer and besides, Lily knows how to operate the damned things as well..."

"Lily's asleep," James grumbled.

"No I'm not," Lily murmured. "I'm merely resting my eyes. James if you want the damned telly on, then..."

*click*

Peter climbed off of the chair and looked toward his friends. "There. Now shut up the lot of you! I'm tired of hearing your bickering!"

James and Sirius grimaced and then grinned at one another. "You don't have to get testy," James said.

"Anyway," Sirius added.

"All I've got to say is that you're both lucky that we're in a muggle hospital or I'd zap the both of you right now just for being complete gits."

Sirius shook his head. "No you wouldn't."

Peter looked directly into Sirius' eyes and nodded his head. "Yeah. I would. Let's not forget why we're here."

"Sorry," Sirius said under his breath.

"Yeah, me too," James added.

"Damn Wormy! You grew a pair! I'm proud of you!"

Peter rolled his eyes and shook his head and wandered out into the corridor and met with Remus who was seated just outside his mother's room.

Liesel managed to wiggle herself from Sirius' grasp and he protested. "Where are you headed?"

"Potty."

"I'll go with you."

"Sirius, it's the bathroom. I'm a big girl. I can go by myself."

"I know," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"I'll go with you," Lily said. "I have to go as well."

"You'll need an escort," James said.

Lilly's eyes met with Liesel's and then to James'. "Oh for god's sake James! It's just the loo and it's right across the corridor!"

Liesel suddenly giggled and Lily looked to her with an annoying stare. "Is it wrong that I just had the vision of a conga line in my head?"

Lily pursed her lips tightly to prevent the laugh that wanted to escape and she nodded. "Let me guess? They'd be pulling up the rear?"

Liesel nodded. "Mmhmm."

"It's exactly the kind of thing they would do to ease the tension."

"Thought so."

The girls exited the waiting room and entered the loo together. On their way out, they saw Peter talking to Remus and they walked over too check on him. Remus looked up at them and smiled, but the girls' gaze was cast toward the glass-enclosed cubicles. There was only one patient in the intensive care unit and that was Hope Lupin. Liesel saw her mother sitting next to Lyall as he was seated close to his wife, holding his hand and her father seated on the other side of Laurie. No one was talking. When Hope coughed, Laurie darted toward her and took her bed pan to catch any blood that may have escaped her mouth. As she wiped Hope's face of perspiration, she looked up and saw her daughter and Remus as well as Lilly and Peter looking into the room, with looks of concern on their faces...they couldn't help themselves. Laurie motioned for John to pull the curtain and Liesel shook her head, mouthing the word no and when she looked down to see the anguish on Remus' face, did she enter the room.