Lily Evans and the Marauder's Secrets

Back to Hogsmeade

As soon as our feet hit the ground, James stumbles and I grab him before he can sprawl into the dirt and pine needles on the forest floor. We've arrived in the trees as close to Hogsmeade as I can get us, and James's weight nearly takes me down with him. I stagger us over to the nearest tree and help prop him up against it, shoving his bag out of the way.

"Thanks, Lily," he mumbles. His chest heaves with the effort of the little distance he had to stumble, and the movement pulls my eyes to his sweater, slashed and snagged in several spots across the front.

"Shh," I say. "Don't talk, just let me help you." I know there's crisis looming over Hogsmeade, know I need to get there to warn everyone of the coming attack – it's a Hogsmeade day, I realize with terror, everyone's in town today – but I can't focus on any of that until I figure out what's wrong with James. His sweater is in such disrepair that I use my wand to cut it open like a jacket. He's wearing a white tee shirt underneath, and I gasp when I see it. The fabric is almost completely soaked through in bright, deadly red. "Oh, James..." I whisper in horror. "What have you done to yourself?"

"Don't worry about me," he says hoarsely with a feeble attempt at his usual bravado. "I'm just glad you're okay." He coughs, and the ragged sound rips at my heart.

"But you're not." My voice breaks and my hand trembles as I reach out to touch him. My fingers come away wet with blood. I don't even know where to begin to fix him.

"S'all good," he says, but I'm far from convinced.

As carefully as I can, I pull his shirt away from his skin, my breath coming in quick short gasps the whole time, worried I'll damage him further if I move too quickly or carelessly. His shirt's going to have to come off so I can see what we're dealing with. I'm terrified of what I'll find underneath. There's just so much blood.

"I'm going to take off your shirt," I say. "That's the only way we'll be able to deal with whatever's wrong."

James laughs, but the sound is weak. "Not exactly the way I pictured this happening."

"Shut up," I mumble. I can't believe he can joke at a time like this. "Can you lean forward a bit?"

It's slow and I break the skin on the inside of my cheek from biting it so hard while I work his shirt over his head, freezing every time he gasps or twitches, not able to bear it if I'm hurting him more.

And then I see what's underneath and I just about lose it all together.

"You idiot," I say through tears, staring at the ragged, bloody gashes across his chest. "I told you I was fine."

"Ahh, it's not so bad, Lily," he says. He tries to straighten up with his usual cocky grin, but breaks off with a wince. "Dammit, but that really hurts."

"Just hold still and stop playing tough," I say. My hands tremble as I pick up his discarded shirt. Why haven't I studied more medical magic? I'm as useless right now as I've ever been, and I try to remember what little I learned from the Muggle first aid course Mum made me take once. "I'm going to get you fixed up and you'll be fine."

Clean it first. Then I can bandage him up. And I do know a couple spells that might help. Once it's all clean. Got to get him clean.

He watches me while I gently trickle water from my wand over his torso. Already, that makes me feel better, watching the dirt and excess blood stream away in rusty rivulets.

"It's supposed to be my job to protect you, though," he whispers once he's mostly clean and I pocket my wand and pick up his shirt again. Stop the blood flow, that comes next.