Hocus Pocus // T. Stark

XXV

Amelia notices them while she was still regaining consciousness. She senses a presence in the room, slowly nearing her. She stays still, keeping her eyes closed and her breathing deep to fake still being asleep. When they come too close for comfort, her hand blindly reaches out and encloses around the person daring to sneak up on her. She squeezes, putting all her strength into closing of their air supply. She taps in on her last remaining energy and opens her eyes to see just who she was chocking. 

The panicked eyes of Sirius Black stare back at her, hands patting at hers as he slowly becomes more red in the face. Amelia rucks her arms away, elbows harshly hitting the wall behind her making her groan at the terrible static feeling it gives her. Sirius lays on his knees, catching his breath while keeping an eye on Lia. Amelia tries to apologize but her dry throat only let's out a pathetic squeak, followed by a coughing fit. The wary eyes in front of her soften. The wizard reaches into his robes, making sure to move slowly as to not trigger Amelia, and pulls out a bottle of water. As soon as the bottle is in reach, Amelia's snatching it and gulping it down so fast she triggers another coughing fit.

"Wow, slow it down Tiger."

Sirius grabs another bottle from his pocket, probably to soothe his own aching throat, but Amelia is quicker. She's instantly regretting it when she takes a big sip.

"Firewhiskey?! Seriously?!" Amelia coughs out. 

Sirius chuckles, "Yes siriusly. It was meant for me, Sirius. And well, you didn't think I would come to this place again without liquid courage, did you?"

"This place..?" 

She sits up straighter as she remembers, "I'm in Azkaban! Wait, you're in Azkaban?! What are you doing in Azkaban?!" She gasps and whisper-yells, "Tell me you're not here to break me out!" 

"He's certainly not going to break you out, Martin."

Amelia jumps, she hadn't even noticed Marcus standing near the entrance. The auror enters the cell, a familiar object in his hand. 

"I got your leg. You know, so I don't have do carry you again." 

Amelia smirks knowingly because sure that's his only reason, "You don't have to lie, you can just say that you like me Marcus, I'm a likable person."

"Don't make me hit you with it. And it's auror Johnson to you."

"Okay, Marcus."

He rolls his eyes and nods towards his jacket that Amelia's still using as a blanket, "Want to switch?"

They do, but not before Amelia warns Marcus that he might want to wash his coat before using it again. It takes her a while to put on her prosthetic leg with the room so dark and the still lingering pain in the attachment spot. Sirius helps her with it, just like he used to when she first moved in with him after leaving the St Mungo's hospital. The two of them slightly joke around while doing so, but both are tense in the eerie environment. 

The men help her through the daunting halls of Azkaban. The trio all rushing to get out as fast as they can. When they finally apparate and appear into the ministry, a weight falls from her shoulders. She feels like she can finally breath again. Until arms embrace her body and cut of her oxygen supply again. 

"Oh Lia, I'm so glad you're okay! I mean, I'm sure you could be better, with Azkaban and the trial and I can't even imagine all the trauma from the battle but you're not dead which is great and-"

The witch chuckles and encloses her arms around her friend, "I missed you too buddy." 

Timothy pulls away with a angry frown, appearing as threatening as a puppy, "I'm still mad at you by the way! You scared me half to death when you came up to me all bloody!"