The littlest Marauder

Part 5

She walked with her head in the clouds through the woods until she came to a clearing. There was a grassy gap where the sun shone through about a hundred meters wide and on the other side of this gap another tree line began. This tree line was startlingly different though, the light seemed to fade into murky greys and greens. It was made up of dense firs and Aoibhe assumed this was the boundary line of the Forbidden Forest. She watched the trees in front of her with curiosity and was almost positive that something moved among the trees intermittently. She knew she ought to move away but something pulled her closer, she found her feet moving of their own accord until she was within touching distance of the trees. It was then she heard a twig snap behind her and she span on her heel but found nothing. "Very funny Sirius" she yelled immediately assuming it was her ever irritating friend but there was no reply. "Boys this isn't funny come out right now, I'm warning ye" her voice got slightly higher as her eyes flitted around her. "Boys you're frightening me now" she squeaked but still there was no reply, twigs were now snapping in different places all around her. She stood stock still and waited when as quickly as it came the noise just stopped. She'd had enough and began to walk back towards the woods when a hand clamped around her mouth, and she knew instantly it was not a marauder. She bit the persons hand and they dropped it from her mouth so she let out an ear piercing scream until the person used a silencing charm on her.

Remus was getting ready to stand up and go looking for Aoibhe when he heard the scream, he immediately checked that Sirius, James and Peter were on the other side of the tree and his heart dropped when he saw them all looking as petrified as he was. "Where is she" James began, "she went for a walk she needed time alone" Remus began trying to explain himself but James just nodded "it's not your fault Moony, which way." Remus pointed in the direction she had walked in and immediately Sirius changed form and began to sniff until he howled and ran off. The others followed suit running as fast as they could until Sirius stopped behind a tree and changed back pointing to spot just beyond the clearing. They all looked around the tree and saw three cloaked figures stood around another cloaked figure that seemed to be holding up a small brunette. All four stepped out then with wands raised and anger flowing through them, "Oi" James yelled and the four cloaked figures looked up simultaneously and ran. James, Peter and Sirius gave chase while Remus only had eyes for the small brunette crumpled up against a tree. "Aoibhe!" he yelled and she began to sit up straighter, "Merlin's beard love are you alright" he asked kneeling down beside her and she shook her head before pointing to her mouth. Remus muttered the spell under his breath and within seconds she was sobbing loudly into his chest, "I tried to stop them, I punched one in the face and the kicked another in the groin but there were too many and I wasn't fast enough" her breathing was laboured and her hair was everywhere. "Did they touch you?" he asked lowly but Aoibhe shook her head "not in the way you're thinking about, one slapped me across the cheek and another kicked me in the stomach" she broke off and held him tighter "though I have a sick feeling that's what he was going to do if you hadn't... oh Remus what if..." she broke off and Remus gathered her up into his lap holding her close and whispering soft words into her ear. "I'm not going to let them hurt you, you're safe here love, and you're safe here with me" he mumbled and that's how the others found them when they came back a few minutes later. "Aoibhey" James knelt beside her and she turned wincing and wrapped her arms around him, "can you walk?" he asked and Aoibhe stood up before yelping and grabbing on to Remus for support. "I must have twisted my ankle in the scuffle and I think I may have a broken rib, judging by the pain in my chest," it was clear to them all by the tears welling up in her eyes she was in a large amount of pain but she wasn't going to let them see. Sirius got there first and gently swept her up into his arms, "let's get you to madam Pomfrey" he kissed the top of her head and held her close as they made their way back to the castle, their hearts breaking as she wept silently into Sirius's chest.

Aoibhe woke up slowly her head a little dazed, her eyes were tired and heavy so she chose to keep them closed and listen to what was going on around her. There were soft voices floating around and she strained her ear to try and hear what was going on. "So we've no idea who did this" that sounded like James, he was somewhere to her left and he sounded agitated. Another voice sounded from almost right beside her, "maybe she can shed more light on what happened when she wakes up?" that was Remus and he had her hand encompassed in his own and he was softly stroking the back of it marvelling in her satin smooth skin. "It was definitely Malfoy" Sirius spat he seemed to be beside Remus, "yeah but we can't prove that unless we have proof" Peter stated from the end of the bed chewing on some of the sweets they had brought her. She shifted her shoulders a little and groaned softly, Remus' hand tightened around hers and he leaned over her, "Aoibhe can you hear us?" he asked softly stroking a strand of her hair away from her face. She kept her eyes closed and groaned loudly, "when was I hit by the Hogwarts express" she opened her eyes slowly looking at the faces of four concerned marauders who didn't seemed amused by her joke. "Where am I?" she asked slowly trying to sit up in her bed before Sirius put a soft hand on her shoulder and stopped her. "Take it easy wren, you've had a rough day, you were right about the broken rib, ribs in fact two of them, there was nothing madam Pomfrey could do about your ankle it'll have to heal on its own and you had a cut cheek but that seems to have healed over nicely" he ran his thumb across her cheek. "How long have I been asleep for?" she inquired and James spoke next, "over a day" he answered and she blinked disbelievingly, the potion works best when you're asleep so madam Pomfrey gave you a sleeping draught" he sat beside her in the bed and wrapped his arm carefully around her. "Love do you remember who did this to you" Remus asked her lowly and she immediately shook her head, "they wore masks, and black cloaks I couldn't see who was under them, they also put on these ghastly French accents to try and get a rise out of me so I couldn't recognise them by their voices either" she was disgusted with herself and her attackers. "Can I go back to my dorm now?" she begged and it took a lot of effort for the boys to say no. "Madam Pomfrey wants you here observation, so does McGonagall, they want you under their watch for a night" Remus told her and she knew she had to agree to the terms, just to make sure. "Alright I don't see the harm in that I suppose" she agreed a little reluctantly. The doors to the infirmary burst open and Alice, Marlene and Lily ran across the room and landed in front of her bed, "Godric Aoibhe what happened we heard at dinner you were in here" Lily fussed. "Lily I'm fine honestly, just a twisted ankle and a few broken ribs" she realised her mistake when Alice and Marlene gasped and Lily's eyes got wider. She raised her hands up and began to explain herself, "it's really nothing I swear I'm fine", "and you four" Lily immediately turned to face James and the others. "I saw you leave with her, why didn't you keep her safe?" she screeched and Aoibhe sat up quickly causing a sharp pain to erupt in her chest. " Lily that's enough, it wasn't their fault they saved me and I'd be an awful lot worse right now if they hadn't alright" she didn't raise her voice but spoke with so much conviction Lily instantly felt guilty for berating the boys. "I'm sorry" she apologised sincerely to the boys and Aoibhe smiled warmly at the two sets of people. "Six at a time please" Madam Pomfrey stuck her head out from her office and the boys stood, "we've been here all day" Peter smiled, "we'll leave ye alone for a while" he patted Aoibhe's shoulder. "Thank you all again, I don't think I ever properly said it" Aoibhe smiled graciously and they all gave her gentle hugs, careful not to squeeze her too tight. "Night ladies" Sirius called, "goodnight Lily" Aoibhe thought she was imagining it but no James Potter her friend with an ego the size of the squid in the lake was blushing as he muttered his goodbyes to Lily Evans. The girls stayed with Aoibhe until Madam Pomfrey had to forcefully remove them from the infirmary wing. Aoibhe found it hard to sleep that night, it was like being back in her dads dingy flat in London, cold and alone and this time she didn't even have Noire.