Matchmakers - Sirius Black

Chapter 14

"Six days left." James says with a grin as he rocks back on his chair.

The marauders sit in their usual seats in the charms classroom listening to the teacher drone on about a spell they perfected in second year when trying to cause a little mayhem.

"Miss. McGonagall."

She looks up to see Dumbledore standing in the doorway of the class room, "Come with me please."

Her brows furrow and she follows after him, "Is something wrong, Professor?"

"I'm afraid there's been another Death Eater attack, dear, your brother."

She stops in her tracks and looks up at him, fear clear in her eyes, "W-What?"

"You're mother, is unfortunately, still in business at Beauxbatons, she will be notified."

"Alex, is, is he okay? Will he be-?"

Dumbledore holds up a hand silencing her as they reach the stair case leading to his office, "Sugar Quills."

She follows behind him firing question after question trying to keep her mind focused on anything other than the fact her brother could be seriously hurt.

"He is at St. Mungo's since there is only one week left I will allow you to leave and your belongings will be sent back to you home." He says calmly. "Would you like Miss. Evans to accompany you? Or perhaps Mr. Lupin?"

"Anyone, I don't care who, just please, let me go see him."

Dumbledore nods and she runs to the chimney grabbing a fistful of Floo powder and yelling out her location allowing herself to be engulfed in green flames.

She rushes into the reception questioning her brother's whereabouts in a rushed breath, "Third corridor, fifth door to the left."

Rushing out a thank you over her shoulder she follows the direction not even knocking on the door.

"A-Alex?"

She rushes to his side, hand clasping his and pushes the hair from his face, "Alex? W-What's wrong with him?"

The man stares blankly ahead of him as his sister cups his face, "Alex, hey, i-it's me, Anna, can you hear me? Alex?"

The nurse places a hand on her shoulder, "Sweetheart, he was hit with the Cruciatus Curse really bad-"

"A-Alex? Please, it's me, Anna, I'm your sister, you remember me? Right?"

She closes her eyes leaning forward rest her forehead against his hand, "A-A-Anna?"

Her head snaps upwards, "Alex? Hey, can you hear me?"

Her lip quivers and she grips his hand even tighter, "Alex? Hey, it's me, Annabelle, your little sister, remember?"

A sob escapes her pink lips, "Dear, come on, you have to-"

The nurses attempt to pull her away but she only clings to him stringer, "No!"

"Miss, pleas, he needs-"

"No, he's my brother, please, he's-"

She sobs harder tears falling down her face as the small ruffle between the nurse and girl goes unnoticed by the patient.

"Belle, Belle, please."

Sirius wraps his arms around her, he heard the cries of the girl on his way to the room and it breaks his heart seeing her like this, "Please, h-he's my brother."

He sniffles and pulls her away from the room to allow the nurses to get on with their jobs, "It's okay, Belle, he's not dead, he's still alive."

She turns in his arms burying her face into his chest as she cries. Her hands fist his white shirt into balls leaving creases in the fabric.

He rubs a hand up and down her back leading her away from hospital room, "Let's get you home, okay? We can come back tomorrow and see him again, alright?" She says nothing allowing him to lead her away from the room.

Sirius is able to take her back to her small house in London, he wipes her tears as they enter her bedroom and gently places her on the bed. "Here." He murmurs quietly grabbing a hoodie he left out on his bed when they left after Christmas break.

He carefully slides her Gryffindor robe off of her and pulls her tie off then pulls the jumper over her head and lays her down carefully.

He sits beside her resting a hand on her shoulder as he rubs soothing circles with his thumb. "Do you want anything?"

She shakes her head numbly and he closes his eyes with a sigh trying not to cry in front of her. Alex was like a brother to him too, a better one than his younger brother Regulus, anyway. The oldest of the McGonagall siblings was always there and was always happy to help him during his first years at Hogwarts.

Sighing, Sirius goes to stand up, "P-Paddy?"

His head snaps towards her quickly and he raises a questioning brow, "Will you stay with me, please?"

He nods and climbs under the covers beside her, "I'll never leave you, I promise, I'll be with you until you die."