Chapter 187: The Gryffindor Pride (5)

"Do you understand the difference between using dried and fresh asphodel?" – James asked, flipping through his battered copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.

"I haven't gotten that far yet." - Remus replied, frowning as he glanced up from his meticulously annotated Transfiguration notes.

"Where's Flame when you need her?!" – James huffed, ruffling his hair in frustration as he scanned the Common Room.

"She has a lesson with Dumbledore tonight." - Remus said with his usual calm, turning his attention back to his notes - "She's usually back by 9:30."

Just then, the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open, and Catherine stormed in, her face pale and streaked with tears. She didn't pause, making a beeline for the girls' dormitory stairs.

"Oi! Flame!" - James called after her. When she didn't stop, he jumped to his feet and hurried after her, catching her just as she reached the staircase - "What's wrong with you? Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing." – Catherine sniffed, trying to pull her arm free - "Leave me alone!"

"Not gonna happen!" - James retorted, tightening his grip on her hand. He dragged her back toward the fireplace, where Remus watched them with growing concern.

"Flame?" – the amber-eyed boy asked gently, clearing a spot on the plush carpet and gesturing for her to sit - "Come on, don't cry. Whatever happened, we'll figure it out together. I promise."

Catherine hesitated, then slumped onto the carpet, her jade-green eyes glistening with tears as she tried futilely to wipe them away.

"Don't be silly!" - James teased with a lopsided grin, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at her cheeks - "If this is about Sirius, I'll kick his arse, no questions asked."

"It's not about Sirius!" – the girl retorted annoyed – "It's Dumbledore. He said he won't teach me elemental magic anymore. He thinks using true fire is making me lose weight, and he wants to figure out how to stop it first."

"Well, it does make sense, doesn't it?" - Remus said nervously, his hand resting lightly on Catherine's back - "You have lost a lot of weight this year, and if the Headmaster thinks stopping the lessons will help, maybe you should trust him."

"You don't understand!" - Catherine snapped, springing to her feet. Her frustration seemed to radiate off her as she paced in front of the fireplace - "It's extremely important that I continue my training. I have to be able to protect myself—and my family!"

"Protect them from what?" - Sirius's voice broke the quiet, his eyebrows raised as he approached, raking his fingers through his hair – still damp from the recent shower.

"From everything that could hurt us!" – the girl muttered, avoiding Sirius's gaze as her pacing became more frantic. Her hands trembled, and her breathing quickened.

"Relax, Flame!" - James interjected nervously, shooting a glance at Sirius - "Padfoot, do you still have that bottle from Christmas? Maybe a little would help calm her down."

"No, mate." - Sirius replied, his brow furrowed as he watched Catherine with concern - "I didn't bring it back after you swore off drinking forever, remember?"

"Right." - James muttered, scratching the back of his neck - "Anyway, she's upset because Dumbledore cancelled her elemental magic lessons. He thinks using true fire is making her sick—and causing the weight loss."

"I don't care about my weight!" - Catherine shouted, her voice cracking with emotion. The room fell silent as heads turned toward her. Her delicate body shook as she lowered her voice, the desperation in her tone cutting through the air - "You don't understand… it's not just about me. It's a matter of life and death."

Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, her silent sobs wracking her body. James and Remus exchanged helpless glances, unsure of what to say. Sirius, however, wasted no time. He dropped to the floor beside her, wrapping his arms around her trembling form without hesitation.

"I'm not going to pretend I understand what you mean by life or death." - he murmured softly above her head, his voice steady but filled with conviction - "And I don't fully grasp why becoming a Fire Mage matters so much to you. But listen—if you're worried about your protection, you don't have to do this alone. We'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if it means protecting you from yourself. I promise."

Catherine tilted her tear-streaked face upward, startled by his words. Sirius grinned at her, his trademark cheekiness shining through, though his arms stayed firmly around her.

"I told you," - he said gently - "You can keep your secrets if you need to, but I'm not letting you push yourself to the point of collapse. We'll find another way. Trust us, Flame."

Her breath hitched, but she closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the comforting scent of cedarwood and mint seemed to envelop her, pulling her from the edge of her panic. Exhaustion crept in, and for the first time in quite a long while, she felt a faint sense of peace.

***

The morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the Gryffindor Common Room, casting warm, golden streaks across the cozy space. James Potter emerged from the boys' dormitory, his hair as untamed as ever, and paused to take in the sight before him. Sirius was still seated in front of the empty fireplace, Catherine peacefully sleeping in his arms.

"Did you two spend the whole night here?" – James asked in a low voice, stepping closer.

"Yes." – Sirius replied with a nod, his voice equally quiet – "I didn't want to wake her. She needed the rest."

As if prompted by their conversation, Catherine stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked at her surroundings, her gaze landing on Sirius, and her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Quickly, she adjusted her clothes and stood on unsteady legs.

"I'm so sorry!" – she blurted out, avoiding his eyes – "You should have woken me up. I can't believe you stayed like that all night—it must have been so uncomfortable."

"It's really not a big deal." - Sirius said with an easy smile as he rose to his feet, stretching to work out the stiffness in his back – "Anyway, I need to head out for a bit. I'll catch you both later."

Before Catherine could respond, he slipped out of the Common Room, leaving her staring after him in confusion.

"Where's he going?" - she asked, turning to James.

James shrugged. "No idea."

"You shouldn't have let him stay like that the whole night!" – the young witch said, her tone soft but reproachful - "He didn't have to sacrifice his comfort for me."

"You looked like you desperately needed the sleep." - James replied defensively - "I'd have done the same if I were him. You know that, right?"

The girl's lips quirked into a small smile as she ruffled his hair affectionately. "You kind of did." - she teased - "That night after our duel, when I got hurt."

James frowned, the memory clouding his expression. "That was different. It was my fault, and you were having terrible nightmares."

"True…" - Catherine murmured, her tone contemplative. She crossed her arms, her gaze drifting to the fireplace - "The weird thing is… I didn't dream at all last night. That never happens unless I've taken Dreamless Sleep Potion."

"Weird indeed…" - James muttered, his brow furrowing as an idea began to take shape in his mind.

***

"So, what do you think?" - James asked, pacing nervously as Remus sat cross-legged on his bed, his expression unreadable - "It sounds plausible, doesn't it?"

"I suppose." - Remus replied slowly, his brow furrowed - "But we'd need to test it. It might just be a strange coincidence. And if anyone finds out… well, we'll be in a world of trouble."

"But if it helps her get some proper sleep—finally, regularly…" - James pressed, his pacing growing more erratic.

"You're missing my point." - Remus cut in, his tone sharper now - "Of course, we'll try it. We'd be idiots not to. I'm just saying we have to be careful. We need to experiment, figure out what works best for her. And even then, she might not agree to it. It's a bit… unconventional. She'll need convincing. If it works, though, we'll have to make it sustainable for her."

James stopped pacing and nodded enthusiastically, his mind clearly racing. Before he could respond, the dormitory door creaked open, and Sirius walked in, his face set in a grim, determined expression.

"Where did you disappear to, mate?" - James asked, frowning - "We've got something important to talk about."

Sirius ignored the question at first, running a hand through his hair and avoiding their gazes. "Sorry. I had to take care of something." - he hesitated, then added - "I broke up with Marianne."

"What?" - James exclaimed, taken aback - "Why? I thought things were going great with her."

Sirius swallowed hard, stealing a glance at Remus, whose face remained carefully neutral. "I wanted to believe that too." – the young wizard admitted, his voice low - "But after last night… Prongs, you were right. It wasn't fair to Marianne—not when my heart wasn't fully in it. I needed to end it. I may never have what I truly want, but I've made my peace with that. I'll focus on being there for the people who matter and being the kind of friend Flame needs."

James stared at him, momentarily stunned. "Mate… what are you on about? You're not to blame for this whole thing with Flame being sick."

"I'm not saying I am." - Sirius replied, his tone resolute - "But I should have been doing more. We all should have. From now on, my priority is the well-being of my friends—and especially my sister, Catherine!"

James raised an eyebrow, his mouth twitching into a smirk. "You have a seriously weird understanding of sibling bonds, Padfoot."

Remus turned away, biting back a laugh, but not before James caught the amused glint in his eyes.