Lacerta Black -- James Potter --

44

trigger warnings: scars, alludes to sa, suicidal thoughts

"Lily!" James sighed in relief as he spotted the red head standing outside the hospital wing doors. He was glad she was alright, but she still nervous for what was waiting inside. Attacks around the castle had become frequent - Mary MacDonald being one of them - and he was worried they had come back to finish what they'd started. "What happened? Is someone sick?"

Her eyebrows dropped in pity. "You haven't heard? Oh, James it was so awful."

She ran into his arms, burrowing her head into his chest as James felt so painfully confused and stressed. It made his stomachache at the thought of what awaited. He looked back at Sirius, Remus, and Peter who shared the same expression. He had found them on his way towards the wing. "Lils, please tell me what's going on."

"Tony and I were just going to the bathroom and she was just sitting on the floor covered in blood. She - She wasn't talking and then she just fainted. I thought she was going to die," Lily choked out a sob. Her hand went to her mouth as tears trailed down her chin. James thought he might scream in frustration. "Lacey--"

The boys all bumped into each other at the mention of her name, desperately trying to get through the door. The commotion was enough for McGonagall to open the door to scold them, softening slightly when she saw who it was. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin, Mr. Pettigrew, and Sirius," she sighed. Their professor, who couldn't have been more than forty, looked well beyond her years. "Why don't you boys follow me."

"No," James said firmly. "Not until I see my girlfriend."

"And my sister!" Sirius popped up, Remus and Peter nodding along to the statement. 

"I'm afraid that's not possible," McGonagall's tone softened.

James's heart dropped. "She's not. . ."

"No," the older woman said with a grim look. "She is alive and awake. I'm afraid Lacerta doesn't want to see any of you. The only ones allowed in are me, Miss MacDonald, and Miss Watson." 

He stuck out his bottom lip and clenched his fist. "She doesn't want to see me?" It felt like the rug had been swept out from under his feet. It hurt that she didn't want to run to him after something happened to her. Alive and awake wasn't much to go off on. 

"Don't be selfish James," Remus snapped at him. 

"His not being selfish," Sirius whirled on him. "She is! We care about her, and she won't even let us fucking see her."

"Just shut the fuck up, Sirius," Peter said in a calm voice. "We don't know what happened and I'm sure that she wouldn't want to be surrounded by a bunch of people after whatever it was."

"But why doesn't she want to see me? I don't get it," James waved his arms around angerly. "We go to each other for everything."

"Or me," Sirius agreed. "I'm her fucking brother for Merlin's sake."

"Use your brains," Remus grabbed their collars and pulled them further away from the door so that no one could overhear. "What usually happens when someone reports an attack and they're a girl?"

This made their arguments cease and their blood drain from their faces. "You don't think --?" James tried to finish his sentence, but the words wouldn't leave his tongue. 

Sirius's expression hardened. "I know someone who would know. We should find Reg - Regulus."

"This is the worst idea you've had this year," Peter groaned, but followed as the group made their way down to the dungeons.