Chapter 604 - Reconciliations Ⅳ

Four figures rush down the infirmary corridor only to roughly slide to a stop in front of Rowan. "What happened?" Sirius panted as he and Pettigrew were still wearing their Quidditch robes not having had time to change, before rushing to the infirmary.

"He fainted," Rowan replied with a tiny twitch of a smirk on her face. But much more seriously, she adds, "Apparently he's been rather stressed as of late, and finally everything came to head, and he was overwhelmed by everything."

A look of guilt flashed across all four boys' faces especially that of Sirius and Pettigrew. "It's all my fault," Pettigrew whispered as he hung his mousey colored head. "I-. I should have stopped Sirius and Remus-."

Seeing Pettigrew's downtrodden head, Lupin reaches over and squeezes Pettigrew's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, Peter. We thought we were doing the right thing, and we were, but maybe we just went the wrong way about doing it. You're our friend just as much as James is, Pete."

Not looking very convinced at Lupin's words, Pettigrew nods his head, when Severus sighs and regretfully says, "I should have done something earlier. I had been meaning to have a private word with Madam Pomfrey regarding the fact that James did not look all that right as of late. But with Prefect duties and studying for our O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s I just completely forgot about him."

Lupin nods his head in understanding at Severus, while Sirius just looks completely devastated blaming himself for everything. Before Sirius can continue to wallow in his guilt, Rowan says, "You are all not to blame, it is what it is. Anywho, he is waiting for the four of you."

"Is he angry?" Sirius awkwardly asked.

"No," Rowan honestly answered. "But I do think, you should have a frank conversation with him. It would do all of you some good."

All three boys nod their heads in understanding except for Lupin, who says, "And what about you, Rowan?"

"We had our own private conversation," Rowan somewhat truthfully replied. Because they had, but they simply had discussed anything more on the subject.

Lupin does not appear to be convinced by Rowan's response, but he does not further press her as Sirius hurries away and the rest of them hastily follow. Rowan does not turn to watch them go as she steadily strides away. She had Prefect duties to fulfill, and nor was it her place to be present and participate in such a private discussion. Even though a tiny part of herself whispered that she was the unofficial member of the Marauder's, but she firmly ignored the tiny voice, and darted away.

The four youths make their way into the infirmary and glance around to only see the figure of Madam Pomfrey sternly stare at them causing them to halt in their steps. Without a word, she simply points at one of the infirmary beds with the curtains drawn, before pinning down her current patient with a simple glare.

The third-year girl in question has a case of the mumblemumps. Her face and neck are severely swollen, and she is unable to speak properly except to mumble vague words that are impossible to understand. Tragically the cure is a vile blackish bubbling potion and plenty of rest.

The already swollen face of the third-year girl turns sickly green with nausea, but she is forced to weakly accept the vial. Struggling not to gag, she tries to gulp the potion down in one gulp and miserably fails as she begins to sputter and gag on the foul concoction. However, Madam Pomfrey did not take any pity on the third-year girl and firmly handed the girl another potion to drink down as most of the first potion had been spat out.

The four boys are too preoccupied to even send the poor girl a pity filled glance. Sirius rips the curtains open with a loud screech as he says, "James are you okay?!"

"I feel fine now," James honestly answered as he was surprised to see the faces of Pettigrew and Sn-, Prince accompanying that of Sirius and Remus. But then again, why ever would they not come? They were friends of the other James-.

"I'm so sorry, mate," Sirius fiercely whispered as he rushed over to the bedside and pulled James into a bear hug.

(He had been practicing hugging his brother, Regulus, and even his mother and father once or twice over the summer. It had been a grand and unbeliever achievement for the Black family members as they were not particularly good at physically showing their care and affection for each other. But even if Regulus loudly protested, he had never pushed Sirius away and nor had their parents. In fact, secretly in their Slytherin heart of hearts, they were pleased.)

"It's alright, Siri," James rather muffled replied, "but, could you let me go? I can't breathe."

"Right, sorry, Jamie," Sirius hastily apologized as he pulled back and sat down on the edge of the bed.

The other three boys shuffle inside as Severus pulls the curtains shut behind them to gain them a bit of privacy. "Muffliato," Severus muttered under his breath to ensure that no one would be able to overhear their conversation, before turning to face James. "Well, I hope you are happy, James! You have given Remus, Peter, and Sirius the fright of our lives," he huffed as he crossly folded his arms over his chest.

Lupin wryly snorts and says, "And who was the one that was the first to abuse his Prefect duties and rush down to the infirmary." Severus scowls fiercely at Remus but does not deny the truth of the uttered statement.

"They were just worried about you, James," Pettigrew quietly remarked. "You had us all worried."

James automatically is about to snappishly retort but manages to bite his tongue. Taking a deep breath, he leans back against his pillows, and tries to view the three Gryffindor's and Slytherins before him with new eyes. He couldn't just keep treating them like his old friends, and enemies, he had to see them for who they were in the present.