Mischief Managed Year One: Mayhem of the Moon

Chapter Thirty-Four- A Gloomy Weekend

TW: Mentions of Past Traumatic Experiences

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Sirius kept his promise.

Even as the others got permission to go home for a few days to receive support from their family Sirius knew he would stay. He had made up his mind that he would visit Remus at least once a day, though this didn't seem like enough. Of course, the fact he'd be available for Remus meant he wouldn't get to go home like the others would, "oh darn."

By after dinner on Thursday, rumors had begun to spread about a Gryffindor getting pushed out a fourth-floor window. Classes had resumed that Friday, though those who had been huddled outside the hospital ward were excused. With another level of drama added to an increasingly unsafe seeming school, the Muggle-borns were jumpier than ever.

Sirius had heard a few girls talking about their parents urging them to leave after he'd finally given up the fight to stay the night in the hospital ward on Thursday The Matron assured him he could visit whenever he wished as long as he slept in his dorm.

So he had reluctantly shuffled back to his dorm, catching the two girls who shot him fearful looks and rushed off. Sirius felt momentarily offended by their fear but brushed it off. Staggering, he finally reached the dorm where the others had already been escorted. No one had put up as much of a fight as him.

James and Peter had already been asleep, though it couldn't have even been seven at night yet. Sirius had gone to take a long hot shower, for the second time that day, and realized he looked dreadful, feeling so as well. With his bloodshot eyes, pale skin, and messed up clothes and hair, the girls had probably thought he was what had become known as the 'Phantom Student' who was thought to be who was attacking Muggle-borns.

Of course, no one realized Remus wasn't Muggle-born, so it seemed like the two had been attacked. It was possible Remus had been mistaken as a Muggle-born, a mistake Sirius had himself made.

But Sirius didn't think this was it, not with how jumpy Remus had been a few days before...well before this. He had also mentioned something about a professor being behind this, and Sirius was worried this was bigger than all of them could possibly have imagined.

After his shower, he hadn't been able to sleep. Heading down into the common room was a mistake. Sirius usually enjoyed being the center of attention, but this day was anything but typical.

Gryffindor swarmed him, each wanting to know what was going on and about the student who fell, knowing Sirius was friends with him. Sirius angrily told them to sod off, finding it irritating none of them knew Remus' name. Well, almost none of them. Patricia was one of the few students who did not approach him.

She was surrounded by books. With her head buried in one she looked, for one bizarre second, like an older Lily. Sirius would have teased her any other time, but he wasn't sure he'd ever be in the mood to again. He had to focus his attention on throwing out threats so they all stayed away from him. Patricia didn't seem to be bent out of shape.

Did she know?

Dumbledore had told them it was best to keep this quiet until the details of what had happened to Remus could be pieced together. But surely Patricia had a right to know. Sirius had nothing against Dorcas, but personally didn't think she and Remus had been close. Between Dorcas and Patricia it was clear who was closer to Remus, something the adults seemed to have missed entirely.

She looked up and shot him a grin, rolling her eyes and gesturing at the students like they were nuts. Sirius suddenly found it much harder to move his feet. She didn't know. Maybe he shouldn't say anything after all, but she had noticed his expression and her exasperation at gossiping students had turned into concern.