Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Thirty-Four- A Gloomy Weekend

"Remus."

Patricia's face remained the same, her eyes still blazing. But Sirius noticed her hands were fists, her knuckles white.

"Take me to him," she demanded. Her already powerful voice hardly suppressed her rage. Sirius was very glad Remus had befriended Patricia and that she was on their side, no matter who or what they were up against. Sirius wasted no time in taking Patricia to the hospital ward.

"Now see here, Mr. Black. When I said for you to return later I didn't mean this early. You need to sl-" Madam Pomfrey stopped chastising him abruptly, realizing he wasn't alone. "Ms. Rakepick, what are you doing here?" the Matron asked, shifting slightly so the aisle that led to the room Remus was in was blocked. Sirius vaguely wondered if she was this protective of all her patients.

It made sense the Matron knew Patricia. Not only was she older with more years of illnesses and injury, but she was a professional prankster and injuries were an occupational hazard.

There was no trace of the usual devious amusement that could always be found in Patricia's face. Sirius wondered how the Matron recognized her in this state.

"I've come once more to visit Remus. Who did this, Madam Pomfrey?" she asked with more composure than Sirius had. Her anger remained skilfully suppressed in her tightened fists.

"Of course you can visit him. Forgive me for forgetting you're his friend too. It's been...hectic," the Matron finished, sounding stressed. Still, she looked a bit better at the prospect of another friend of Remus'.

It was almost like she hadn't been expecting this many, which was funny because the Matron was nice but she tended to be quite distant with her patients, probably to avoid being accused of favoritism. If Patricia found the Matron's seeming familiarity with Remus odd, she said nothing, merely clenched her jaw and followed the matron.

Sirius knew he should have warned her what state Remus was in but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't find the words. The walk with her had been accompanied by a heavy silence while Sirius hoped Patricia had listened closely to the rumors.

This appeared not to be the case. Patricia let out a strangled shout of surprise and rounded on the wall, punching it with her first.

"WHO DID THIS?" she thundered, looking much more imposing than a fourth-year student should. If Sirius hadn't been so worried about Remus, he'd be too tongue-tied to say anything to her.

As much as Patricia taking James and Sirius under her wing was surreal, as much as a dream come true as it was, he'd take it all back to have Remus back to normal. Well, normal for Remus anyways.

"Ms. Rakepick, I assure you if I knew, I would tell you," Madam Pomfrey responded, and Sirius was shocked her famous calm composure was shaken. Not out of fear of Patricia as he initially thought, but out of anger for the same reason they all were angry. Sirius shifted, trying really hard not to wonder how this piece of information, the Matron's clear fondness of Remus, added to the jumbled puzzle pieces.

Of course, it was possible she had just been charmed by Remus, as anyone who seemed to talk to him for more than a few minutes seemed to be. Remus had been down here a lot, much more than the first years should be. Something was nagging at Sirius though, something about professors and secrets and danger, but nothing fit together. He was much too tired to sort anything out.

He had meant to stay with Patricia while she visited Remus, to ask her afterward who she thought could have done this. Perhaps even tell her about Remus' stranger-than-normal behavior and his strange comment about professors. But instead, he nearly collapsed from exhaustion, and a tittering Matron forced him out into the room and into a nearby hospital bed.