Shooting Star

Chapter Twelve

"ELIZA!" James bellowed as soon as I got through to the platform.
"Hey, Potter." I said.
"PADFOOT!" He yelled when Sirius followed.
"ELIZA'S PARENTS!" He yelled when my parents came through.
"James, shut up." I snapped.
"Oh. Hello." My mum said uncomfortably.
"This is James." I said. "That's Remus and Peter." I pointed at them as they walked up.
"EVANS!" James yelled, right in my ear.
I turned around. "That's Lily." I told my parents. I shot Remus a so-help-me-God look, and he smiled and shrugged.
The boys took mine and Lily's things to the train for us while we said goodbye to our parents. "What was Sirius doing at your house?" She asked as we were going to the train.
"He just showed up." I said. "I don't know, I guess something happened."
When we got into the compartment, James rounded on Sirius. "What were you doing with Taylor?"
"Pardon?"
"You were with her the whole break, weren't you?" He had backed Sirius against the window.
"Potter." Lily and I said.
"Yes." Sirius told him.
"You didn't have sex with her, did you?" James narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, Prongs. I fucked her--"
James actually looked shocked for a moment, but then he shoved him against the window. Everyone stared at me with wide eyes.
"James." I said.
"Oh, no. You get the third degree next." He warned me, then turned back to Sirius, hissing in his ear.
"James, do you really think I'd do that?" I asked. "He's only joking. Calm down."
After a second, he let Sirius go. Sirius started laughing. "Got you." He grinned.
"Don't do that again." James warned.
"We both know I will."
I took a seat beside Peter and where Sirius would probably sit. Lily rushed to take his place so she wouldn't be stuck by James the whole ride.
"Evans." Sirius said.
"Black." She countered.
"All right. Up, Pete."
Peter got up.
"Sirius Black!" I said.
"I don't mind." Peter squeaked.
"No, Peter, you're fine. Sit back down, love."
"Hey! I'm your love!" Sirius whined.
"I'm okay." Peter said, and went to sit between James and Remus.
Peter was always awkward around Lily and me. It was so cute.
"How was your holiday?" I asked Lily. Sirius kept trying to get my attention.
"Fine." Lily shrugged. "Petunia was unhappy, but what can you do?"
"Yeah, I understand. Natalie was so angry." I turned to Sirius. "What do you want, Black?"
"Nothing." He shrugged.
I leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "I'll transfigure you again."
He behaved himself from then on.

I didn't want to be that girl that called for a boy to save her every time she's in trouble, but when Snape pulled me into an empty room, I wanted to scream for Sirius.
"Please, just hear me out." He said.
"Sirius!" I yelled. He probably wasn't anywhere near me.
"Eliza, please. I'm so sorry."
"James!" I yelled. I just wanted to cry. I don't know why. I wanted to hug Severus Snape.
"Eliza, you know I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry."
"Remus!" I started to cry.
"Why are you crying?"
"Peter!" I yelled, even though he was too sweet to tell Snape off.
"Eliza, please. I'm sorry. Please don't cry. What's wrong?"
"Black!" I screamed.
"Eliza?" Someone said, coming in the room. "What the hell do you want?" He asked Snape. It was Remus.
"I--"
"What did you do to her?" He put his arm around me.
"I didn't touch her, I swear. I was just talking to her." Snape said, but Remus was pulling me out.
I threw my arms around him when we got out and started sobbing. I was so, so tired. I didn't want to move. I didn't want to breathe. I'd been feeling like this all day. Actually, I felt like this a lot, but sometimes it was worse. Like today. Normally I don't cry, though. I guess Severus just egged it on.
He wrapped his arms around me, practically holding me up. I just didn't have the energy to expend on holding my own weight. Tears poured silently down my face. I made no effort to control them; I couldn't. "Hey. You've got to breathe." He reminded me, so I gasped in air. I was too tired to breathe.
He picked me up bridal style and started to carry me. I turned my face into his shoulder and more or less went limp. I wasn't making this easy for him, but I couldn't help it.
"I'm okay." I whispered after a moment, trying to build up the strength to stand again. "You can put me down."
"Are you sure?" He asked gently.
I nodded.
He put me down. My knees buckled and I almost fell. I grabbed onto him and stood back up. He looked at me, like he knew. "I'm okay." I repeated.
He hugged me again. "It's gonna be okay." He whispered. "I love you."
"I love you too." I closed my eyes into his robe. "Thank you, Remus. Please don't tell Sirius."
"You should tell him." He let me go, throwing his arm around my shoulder to make us look casual and not like he was trying to force me to admit my mental disorders to my boyfriend.
"No." I said. Sirius couldn't know. Sirius had to think I was okay so that he would be okay talking to me about his problems. Sirius couldn't know. "Don't tell anyone, Remus. I'm begging you."
"Do your parents know?" He said quietly.
"No. They don't need to."
"You need to tell Sirius, Eliza. He can help."
"I don't want him to know."
"Eliza."
"Please, Remus. Don't tell him."
"Fine. But I still think you should."
We went in the common room and I ran upstairs before anyone could talk to me.
Lily followed me up. "What's wrong, Eliza?" She asked.
"Nothing." I said casually, picking up a book.
"You look like you've been crying."
"No." I shrugged, sitting on my bed.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. I'm sure."
"All right. Why don't you come downstairs?"
"Too loud." I said. "Hey, Lily?"
"Yeah?" She paused on her way out the door.
"Do you ever feel bad about Severus?"
"No."
"How?"
"I don't know. I just don't. I can't. You can talk to him, you know. You don't have to just not talk to him because I don't."
"Yeah, but it's weird." I laughed a little bit. "He really is sorry, Lily."
"I honestly don't care." She shrugged.
"Okay..."