A week into 7th year. A week into 7th year, and the Wizarding World was already pushed off the brink of war. It is war. And this became more evident as the daily prophet came each day, more muggleborns dying, horrific attacks and torture unexplainable. But they would always be safe inside of Hogwarts, Dumbledore told them.
That is, until the in-school Death Eaters began to do their part. They were so quick, that none of them could be caught and punished, for there was not enough evidence against them. Coco thought Voldemort was awfully sloppy for having a bunch of kids throw around hexes and other kids- especially under Dumbledore's supervision. So the attacks were rare. This left everyone on edge, until Sirius Black became the target of one of their massacres, and pushed the marauders over edge.
Coco walked in the hallways, searching for Sirius, who hadn't showed up in History of Magic. Something didn't feel right. She walked quickly through the hallways, calling his name, and glancing down at the map to see if anyone was coming.
"Sirius!" She called desperately. She glanced down at the map, and saw Professor McGonagall walking towards her.
"Mischief Managed." Coco muttered wither her wand to the parchment, and shoved it in her pocket just in time.
"Miss Fawley, why are you not in class?" McGonagall asked. Coco looked around quickly, and decided to come up with a quick lie. She typically always told the truth to Professor McGonagall, but she wanted to move along as quickly as possible.
"Bathroom." Coco replied simply. McGonagall looked at her confused, and looked over to the nearest girls bathroom.
"That one?" She asked in slight disbelief, and pointed to the bathroom. Coco looked over. Of course, it was Moaning Myrtles bathroom. Her breath hitched in her throat.
"It's the nearest one." Coco replied, and shuffled in her place slightly, pretending she needed to pee. McGonagall shrugged.
"All right, then." She said, and didn't take her eyes off Coco.
Oh, I'll have to actually go in, Coco miserably thought. She quickly walked into the bathroom, and pulled out the map once the door had shut.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She whispered, and let out a breath of relief when she saw McGonagall walking off. In fact, Coco was just about to leave, when a high voice called from behind her.
"Here just to hide from a teacher? Figures. No one would want to go in this bathroom, because i'm so dreadful, aren't I?" Moaning Myrtle seethed. Coco turned around and rolled her eyes.
"Look, Myrtle, I just want to know where Sirius is." Coco sighed. Myrtle floated up closer to Coco.
"You've given me no reason to tell you where Sirius Black is." Myrtle huffed. Coco's eyes widened.
"You know where he is?" She asked desperately.
"Yes, and maybe if you ask kindly, I'll tell you." Moaning Myrtle replied. Coco clenched her jaw out of frustration.
"Will you please tell me?" She asked, looking down.
"I don't see why it's such a big deal, anyways. He was arguing with one of the Slytherin boy, and they headed into the empty classroom. You know, when I went to school, the classroom wasn't empty-" Myrtle ranted.
"Which Slytherin boy?" Coco interrupted.
"So rude of you. And I don't know, he had his hood up." Myrtle responded. All the in school attacks have been done by kids with their good up, masking their identity.
Coco bolted out of the bathroom, ignoring Myrtle, who screamed after her. She burst into the nearest empty classroom, and saw Sirius standing there with his hand on his stomach. His shaky hand pulled away, and to both of their horror, their was blood.
"Sirius? Are you okay? What happened?" Coco asked frantically.
"It was-" Sirius started, then began violently coughing, and Coco gasped. He tried to respond, but fell on his knees from lack of breath, and coughed into his hand. Coco rushed to his side, patting his back hard and frantically asking him questions. Sirius collapsed on his back, and a tear left his eye as he gasped for air.
Coco screamed, and kneeled over him, grabbing his shoulders and letting her eyes water.
"Who did this?" She asked violently, and foam began to cough out of Sirius's mouth. Coco began sobbing, and trying to press on chest to help the air flow.
"SOMEBODY COME IN HERE!" She screamed, after Sirius's body went limp. His eyes remained open, and the foam that was pouring out of his mouth began to slow. Coco sobbed loudly, and lifted up Sirius's shirt, to where he was bleeding earlier.
To her absolute shock and horror, words had just finished carving themselves into him
'FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR'
Coco felt numb, and her hand pressed on his stomach to stop the bleeding. Her mind came back to some sense, and she screamed at the top of her lungs for help.
She barely heard when Professor Flitwick, the new Charms teacher, came rushing in with students behind him.
Coco got pulled off Sirius, and they both got taken to the hospital wing.
———
"She's so pale." A soft, worried voice said. Coco didn't have to open her eyes to know it was Remus. He could feel his warm hand holding hers.
"Merlin, wipe the blood off her hands, I can't stand to look at it." Peter croaked. This was motivation enough for Coco to open her eyes. She looked at Remus and Peter questioningly, then down at her bloody hands. Her head pointed, and she immediately threw up in a bin off the side of the bed.
"Sirius.... wheres Sirius." Coco whispered in a hoarse voice.
"He's okay, Coco, he's right next to you. Drink water and eat." Remus said, handing her a glass of water and a chocolate bar.
Coco didn't take them, and looked around her instead. In the bed next to hers, Sirius laid peacefully in a sleep. She felt as if she could faint again right there.
"He wasn't in History of Magic, I-I had a bad feeling." Coco began, and tried to sit up, but Remus lightly pushed her back down.
"I know, I know." He whispered.
"Now eat, Coco baby." He added. This soothed her, and she began munching on the chocolate.
"Lay with me. Please." Coco said, and scooted
over, more towards Sirius's bed. Remus slowly got under the hospital covers, and held Coco's hand after Peter wiped with them off with a wet towel.
"It was one of them, one of the Death Eater kids. He poisoned Sirius for being a blood traitor." Coco whimpered, beginning to cry again. Remus wiped away her tears, and kissed her forehead.
"Hey, Sirius is okay, if it wasn't for you, he might not have been. And they caught the kid who did it, it was Klint Freeley, one of the people with the tattoos." Remus whispered to her, and brushed her cheek.
"James. Where's James?" She asked, looking around and trying to sit up again. Remus pushed her back down.
"He's getting us some food from dinner, he'll be here in a second." Remus reassured. Coco offered the chocolate, and he took a bite.
"I just want to be happy." Coco mumbled under her breath. Remus looked over to her with a confused glance.
"What do you mean, Coco baby?" He asked. She teared up slightly.
"The only moments that i've ever been truly happy had been with you guys. If something were to happen to any of you, i'm scared i'd never feel happy again." Coco whispered. Remus put his arm around her, and turned to face her.
"We're never going anywhere." He replied. In that moment, her tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes met with his hopeless ones, and it was like the planets aligned. The moon in him found a balance, and the storm of fear in her became calm.
Coco let out a shaky breath after Remus placed his big hand on her tear-stained cheek. Coco slid her hand around the back on his neck, and pushed his face to hers. Before their lips could connect and anyone could notice, James opened the door, whistling a tune loudly.
The two quickly pulled apart, and grabbed water from James awkwardly, who was still whistling.
Then they heard shuffling from next to them, and their heads shot over to the direction of Sirius. Ignoring her pounding head, Coco rushed out of bed and to his bedside.
"Sirius, can you hear me?" She asked desperately, and combed her fingers through his hair.
"Remind me to never drink anything that a pathetic Slytherin hands you." Sirius mumbled from his sleeping position, and everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief.
Madame Pomfrey walked in, and told everyone to leave immediately.
"Colette, you stay for the afternoon, you're suffering from shock and I think it's best you stay with Mr. Black." She stated when Coco tried to walk out.
"Can I stay with her?" Remus asked. "Please?"
Madame Pomfrey sighed.
"Only if you let her rest. Everyone else- out now." She ordered.
"I'd keep a close watch on those two- not sure of you want them in the same bed." Peter joked as he walked out the door.
"I'll get you back for that one, Pettigrew!" Coco called out after Peter jokingly. She laid back down in the bed and immediately felt a weight life off her shoulders, and leaned on her side of comfort. Remus laid on his side next to her, and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.
"Just hearing your name is enough to make me happy on a full moon, Coco baby."