Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 27

What they don't tell you about the Hospital Wing is how uncomfortable the beds are. It's not quite the welcome you're looking for when on the cusp of death, now is it? Yet, here I lay, practically a ghost, with an aching back and a growling stomach. "You foul and loathsome, evil little bed! I hate you." I glare at the bed beneath me, half expecting it to retort back, still amped up on whatever potion Madam Pomfrey had given me the night before.

James approaches my bed and chuckles. "Ooh, some nerve you've got, arguing with that bed! I'm sure it's just trembling at the sight of you." He looks down at me fondly behind his glasses, the amusement clear in his hazel eyes.

"It hurts, Jamie." I pout dramatically at the boy that has become my brother.

He ignores my silly antics and begins playing with a loose strand on the bedsheet over me. "I spoke with Poppy and got her to release you a whole day earlier than she'd wanted. Annoyed her until she succumbed, you're welcome." He winks an eye and an ear-splitting grin spreads across my face.

"Finally!" I sigh happily, pushing the thin sheets off my still weak body. "I cannot wait to eat! I miss food." I swing my legs over the bed and make to stand up for the first time in twenty-four hours but as I do, I wobble to the side slightly.

James instantly holds onto my wrists to keep me balanced and to stop me from taking any other steps forward. "Hold it right there, missy."

I gaze at him, puzzled. "What? Didn't you say I have an all clear with Madam Pomfrey?"

"Not exactly..." He says, squeezing his eyes shut, obviously bracing himself for the worst. I sit back down on the bed, my confusion still evident and tilt my head to the side. "She said you aren't to eat breakfast today. The second dose of the potion will kick in around noon."

Who does this woman think she is depriving me of the gift that is breakfast? Does she want me to cry? "What?!" I shriek in surprise.

"I-I'm sorry, Keeks, that's just what Pomfrey told me. You can eat lunch though!" He apologizes and I clench my fists at my sides.

"Let's get out of here!" I say angrily. James puts an arm around my shoulders and guides me out the door. I walk down the stairs towards the Great Hall on shaky feet and sit down between Sirius and Remus. My redheaded best friend comes rushing over the minute I do and she greets me warmly. "Chiara! How are you feeling, lovely?"

Watching everyone else munch carelessly on the food in front of me is torture to me. And something that no one's had the displeasure of finding out is that when I get starving, I get angry.

I don't reply to Lily's kindness, knowing full well if I do, something nasty will emit from my mouth. "What's wrong?" She asks, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder but I tense at her touch.

"She's a little upset because she can't eat at the moment." James explains, eyeing me warily.

"Why can't she –"

"PISS OFF! ALL OF YOU! STOP EATING AND RUBBING IT IN MY FACE! ARE YOU TRYING TO TERRORIZE ME?! ARE YOU?! YEAH I'M LOOKING AT YOU BLONDIE!" I point an accusing finger at a poor first year Hufflepuff, who is just about to take a bite of his toast. His eyes blow into two big circles and he immediately drops the bread to his plate.

Lily straightens her posture and tries to smile to ease the tension I've created. "Lovely, maybe you should get some rest..."

"NO! WHAT I NEED IS FOOD!" I yell.

"I think you should get some rest, Chiara." Remus admits softly.

I shake my head incredulously at all of them and begin storming off. Before I go I hear Sirius say, "Have we done something?" And Marlene barks back from across the table, "No, Black. The girl's hungry! Merlin, she couldn't make it any clearer for your daft brain."

*

A knock on the bathroom door interrupts me from my thoughts. I sigh and let my head fall down to rest onto my knees. "It's unlocked." I reply quietly.

The knob turns and in walks Marlene with a kind smile. "You okay, girly?" She bends over to sit beside me on the floor. I turn to look into her electric blue eyes.

"Don't mind me, I've always had a flare for dramatics." I giggle lightly and she joins. "I just hope I wasn't too mean back there."

"Drama is the seasoning to life. We all need a little drama sometimes, just for kicks." She shrugs, patting down on her lap and I take it as an invitation to lay my head down on it. She begins running her fingers soothingly through my brown hair and continues, "I think that was the first time I've ever seen you truly angry."

I laugh again. "How did I look?"

"You looked like a little child trying to act tough. I couldn't take you seriously, I'm sorry." She let's out a hysterical laugh at the image replaying her head. "It was like watching a bunny chasing an lion. Not scary."

"Marlene!" I scold jokingly. "I can be scary!"

"Sure you can, sweetheart. Whatever helps you sleep at night." She twirls a piece of my hair between her fingertips and grins. "It's almost lunch time, care to join me in the Great Hall?"

"I want to...are the others angry with me?" I ask nervously. "I'd understand if they are."

She scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Don't be daft, Chiara! No one is even close to being angry with you, it's actually impossible to be mad at such a squishy face." At that she takes both of my cheeks between her palms and squeezes hard. I giggle between in her tight hold and playfully smack her hands away. "They're all waiting for you downstairs." She helps me up and we walk down to the common room together.

My eyes first land on the boys, who smile sheepishly at me. Lily, Alice, Dorcas and Violet's eyes all light up when I come down. "Are you okay?" James asks, rushing forward to hug me.

"Ready to eat, Keeks?" Peter asks with a bright smile. "Sirius got Dumbledore to add your favourites to lunch today just for you."

I have the best friends. Even after a pointless temper tantrum like mine, they're still the most compassionate and considering people I know.

"That's very sweet of you, Sirius." I slip my hand into his and he grins proudly. "And I've been ready since this morning!" This time there's no bitterness to my tone, instead my usual chipper one replacing it.

"Good then," Lily claps her hands together happily. "I am absolutely famished!" She links here arm in mine and we all begin the route back to the Great Hall.

I stare down at my hand still clasped tightly on Sirius' and smile. "I'm really sorry I snapped at all of you this morning. I'm just really hungry. I think I lost like a hundred pounds!" I say dramatically. "I think with my stomach, not my brain."

"Clearly." Sirius grins. "And anyway, you lashed out more at that ickle Hufflepuff boy you nicknamed Blondie than you did us. I think he wet himself."

"He did not!" Remus denies with a shake of his head.

"You don't know that, Remy!" Sirius counters.

"Is this how they always act?" Lily whispers, leaning closer to me to do so. "They're like an old married couple."

*

I wipe the sauce clean from the corners of my lips with a cloth and breathe out a happy sigh at the feeling of a full stomach of food. "That. Was. Perfect." I grin dazedly.

"You sure taught those platters a lesson." Sirius smirks. He's always amused by the amount of food I can eat for such a little girl.

"Well somebody had to." I reply.

"You should eat it all." Peter agrees causing a giggle to escape me. Pete and I are the obnoxiously large amount of food eaters in the group, and we stand by those titles proudly.