dorm
Remus was in the library, and Peter was on a date with Emily.
"Padfoot, I need help.", James said nervously. Sirius looked at him curiously
"Can we head out to Hogsmeade instead of staying in? I- I'm going to get something.", he stuttered.
"What are you getting?", Sirius asked.
"I'm going to get a ring.", James said, "I'm asking Lily to marry me. Whenever we graduate.".
"Whoa, Prongs. I'm happy for you!", Sirius said, surprised.
"Can we go now?", James asked, running a hand through his hair.
Sirius nodded, and they all agreed. "It'll be you and Moony next, don't worry.", James said, whispering to Sirius.
Sirius smiled, tight lipped, "We can't.".
"I'll make sure you do. I promise, you two will be married before I die.", James laughed, "Even if we're all senile old men, you're getting married.". Sirius snorted, as they walked to the entrance of Hogsmeade.
hogsmeade
"Let's go to the jewelry store near the Three Broomsticks, we can get a drink after.", Sirius suggested.
The door of the store jingled as they walked in, and they were greeted by a tall woman, showing them to the display cases.
Multiple people were chattering idly around the store, looking at the jewelry in the display cases.
"What are we looking for today?, she asked, pushing her glasses up to her face.
"An engagement ring.", James said, unable to keep the smile off his face.
"Ahh! Come over here, to our back section.", she said, smiling.
They never made it to the back section.
A blast shook the store, and glass shattered and the building shook before it fell, crashing down.
James felt a sharp pain in his right arm, and his eyes popped open. Everything was blurry, his glasses must have blown off in the blast. He looked around him, and all he saw was smoke and rubble. The memories came flooding back as he let out a hiss of pain. Sirius, he thought.
He reached for his wand with his good hand, but it was right out of reach from his outstretched palm, and the sign reading "Goblin Jewellers" was crushing his arm. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he let out a cry of pain.
"Sirius!", James cried out. "Prongs?", a faint voice called.
"Stay there, Sirius.", James said loudly. He saw Sirius' figure stumble through the rubble.
"James?"
"Stay there!", James called, louder. Sirius stumbled towards him, his footsteps getting louder.
"Get everyone else out, Padfoot, come for me last-- Ouch!", he yelled, as he heard his finger crack under the sign,
"O-okay. I'll take them to the edge of Hogwarts, they took off the wards to teach apparition", Sirius said, his voice trembling.
"Sounds good."
"James, are you okay?"
"Take them first, come back to me.", James said, his voice shaky.
Sirius made a noise of agreement, before digging through the rubble.
"Ma'am, come with me.", he said, as he lifted a piece of rubble off of her leg.
James heard Sirius helping the people in the blast, his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, until he finally lost consciousness.
Sirius apparated to Hogwarts with almost a horde of people, taking them with side along.
"Take them, Poppy, please, I'll explain later.", he said, feeling like he was going to throw up. Pomfrey was about to protest, but Sirius ran out of the wing, running as fast as he could to the clearing.
James needs your help, he needs you.
Sirius felt his heart thumping as he ran, pausing.
You left James. He needed you and you left.
"Fuck off. Not now.", Sirius cursed, counting in his head.
He apparated back to the jewelry store, wobbling on his feet.
"Hello?", he called, but Hogsmeade was empty.
"Where are the adults now?", he grumbled, walking through the rubble.
"Prongs?", Sirius called, his voice echoing. No response.
Sirius walked a little further, but the next step he made, he stepped on something, no, someone.
He let out a scream, his heart pounding as he looked down. It was an arm, with a Dark Mark, cleanly sliced off of someone.
Sirius emptied his stomach on the side, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
He saw the familiar messy head of James, and ran towards him, leaning down next to him.
"Oh my god, James, I'm so glad I found you. James? Prongs?", Sirius shook his shoulder. James stirred, coughing.
"Padfoot?", James mumbled, "My hand-- My hand hurts.".
"I know, I'm going to try and lift up the sign with my wand.", Sirius stuttered, pointing his wand at the sign.
He levitated the sign, moving it away from James and setting it down. James gasped, looking at his hand.
"My hand--", he cried. "We need to get back, James, Poppy can try and fix it.", Sirius said, his mouth dropping open. James' hand was purple, his fingers twisted and bent in an odd angle, bleeding.
"I can't-- Quidditch.", James croaked.
"You idiot-- James, alright, calm down.", Sirius groaned.
"I can't apparate. My hand-- my hand, Padfoot, I can't move it.", James said, his voice cracking.
"Look at me, James. I'll take you. Don't even worry. But I'm going to need you to calm down. I can't have you splinching yourself.", Sirius said, his voice trembling.
"I can't, I can't, please, I'm scared. I'm scared, don't make me. Just leave me, please", James cried.
"Go. I can't focus, we'll both get splinched. I'll-- I'll try and come back to Hogwarts tomorrow.", James said, squinting up at Sirius.
"I'm not leaving.", Sirius promised.
He stretched out his hand, and James grabbed it with his good hand, Sirius pulling him up.
James nodded, and they apparated back to the clearing.
James wobbled on his feet, before collapsing. Sirius caught him, struggling to lift him up.
Sirius sighed, before running as fast as he could with James. He ran all the way to the hospital wing, where the Order was waiting for him.
"Take him first-- I'll explain.", Sirius said, setting James down on a hospital bed and sitting down in a chair.
"James and I, we went to Hogsmeade to buy something. We had just stepped into the store, heading to the back section. There was a blast, a big one. The windows shattered, and the building collapsed. I had rubble on top of me, and I dug myself out. I didn't know where James went. I saw people, lots of them, under the rubble, and then I heard James call my name. He told me he was okay, I promise, I didn't know. He told me to help everyone else and come back for him, so I did. When I came back, his hand was buried under the sign. It was bad, really bad.", Sirius ended, taking a shuddering breath.
"You did a good job, Sirius.", McGonagall said quietly. "I left him.", Sirius said.
"You saved everyone."
"Where were the adults? I was told not to fight, and that you would handle the fighting. Where were you?", Sirius rounded on Kingsley.
"We're sorry. There was another attack on the other side of town.", Kingsley said.
"Why did they attack Hogsmeade?", Sirius asked.
"We believe they did it just to scare people.", Fabian said gravely.
Remus, Lily, and Peter stumbled into the hospital wing, running towards them.
Remus ran towards Sirius, kissing him full on the mouth and hugging him, his tears slipping onto Sirius' face.
They pulled apart, tears still in Remus' eyes. "Don't scare me like that again.", Remus whispered.
"Can't make any promises.", Sirius sighed, smiling as Remus wrapped his arms around him.
"Oh my-- James.", Lily gasped, running to his bed, kissing his forehead.
"I heard there was an attack.", Peter said quietly. "There was. We were in Hogsmeade, and James got trapped under a sign.", Sirius said.
"There was an arm.", Sirius remembered, "An arm. It had a Dark Mark on it, and it was sliced off.".
"Oh my god.", Lily said softly.
"Where am I?", James muttered.
"Do you remember what happened?", Lily asked, holding his good hand.
James reddened, looking at Sirius. "I'm sorry.", he said.
Sirius looked confused, and James spoke again. "I was a coward.".
"You told me to save everyone and come back to you. You're not a coward.", Sirius said firmly.
James sighed, looking away. "The authorities have some questions for you, Mr. Black.", Moody said, walking in the room.
"Excuse me, my boyfriend just saved a bunch of people, apparating multiple times back and forth. He needs to rest.", Remus said loudly.
Moody scowled at him, but Pomfrey nodded, ushering the adults away.
"That's my big bad wolf.", Sirius grinned, laughing into a kiss.
"I love you, Potter.", Lily said, kissing his forehead. "I love you, too.", James said.
"I heard about the attack, and I ran to tell Remus. I think Emily understands, though, I kind of knocked her pasta all over her.", Peter said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Peter, I barely know anything about dating girls, but you knocked her pasta on her?", Remus laughed.
James snorted, covering it up as a cough.
"I was trying to get here fast! This is bullying! Poppy, I'm being bullied!", Peter said indigantly.
"Have fun with that, Pettigrew.", Pomfrey smiled, making the three other boys and Lily roar with laughter.