Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 145

Lily opened her eyes groggily and with a groan, sat up. 

She looked around the room and it took her a few seconds to realise that she was in the hospital wing.

The sunlight was blaring through the window nearby and there was not a soul in sight.

She got out of bed, clutching her hurting head, trying to recollect how she had ended up here. 

It took her a few seconds, but she remembered what had happened.

Izzy! Where was Isabella? 

She looked around, but didn't find the girl anywhere.

"Miss Evans, why don't you sit down and tell me what happened?"

Lily jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to see Madam Pomfrey coming towards her. 

". . .Madam Pomfrey, did Isabella come here?" Lily asked, concerned. 

"A week ago or so," Madam Pomfrey said. "Miss Jefferson has to come here when her antidote runs out to get a refill,"

Lily nodded. So, Isabella was sick from the beginning itself. She was already getting treatment, but it seemed to be getting worse. 

"Now, Miss Evans, what do you remember?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "How is it that you ended up stupefied?"

Lily blinked. 

She was stupefied? . . .She didn't know that. 

"I don't remember much," Lily said. "Isabella wasn't feeling well, and she had fainted, and I was about to conjure a stretcher to get her here. And then, it's all a blank. How did I get here?"

"Mr Potter came in rushing," Madam Pomfrey said with a knowing look. "Almost threw the doors off their hinges,"

". . .Was Isabella with them?" Lily asked. 

"No," Madam Pomfrey said. "It was only the four of them, you know, the usual lot,"

And just as she said this, the doors to the hospital wing flew open with a bang and the Marauders rushed in with James at the lead. 

"Lily!" James cried, grabbing her by the shoulders, his glass perched lopsidedly on his nose.

"Are you alright?" he said, worried. 

Lily smiled. 

"I'm fine," she said, fixing his glasses. 

"We saw you move in the Map," Remus whispered, answering Lily's questioning look. 

"So, you ditched class?" Lily said half-laughing.

"Yes, we're probably all getting detention again," Peter sighed. 

"Worth all the trouble," James said, still looking at Lily. Lily placed a hand on James' cheek, smiling sweetly, both of them blushing slightly.

"Yes, yes, you can be all lovey-dovey later," Sirius said impatiently, interrupting the moment. "What happened?"

Lily filled them in on what happened after she followed Isabella out of the Great Hall.

"Why would you even follow Izzy?"James said confused. 

Lily glanced at Peter, who promptly looked away. 

". . .Regulus said she was sick," Lily said hesitantly. "He was right. We just didn't see it,"

"Sick?" Sirius said, furrowing his brows. 

Lily nodded. 

"Regulus was angry that we didn't notice anything," Peter piped in. "Especially since Remus is her boyfriend and all,"