Shooting Stars

Until the very end...

**SIRIUS' POV**

As soon as Thea went to sleep, I turned to James. ""Until the very end?" How pathetic are you? You are lucky I didn't bash your head in when I found out you liked her but, if you keep up the sucky pick up lines, Merlin, Prongs, I will bloody murder you." He was grinning, a pathetic, love struck grin. My sister moved a little in here sleep, turning so her head rest next to James.
"Sorry, mate, but come on. She seemed to like it." He reached down, touching the black hair on her  pillow.
"You really like her don't you?" I asked, watching him smile at her sleeping form.
"Yeah. Yeah I really do."

~~the next day~~

"Sirius! Sirius! Wake up, for Merlin's sake! It's your sister!" I awoke with a start those words swimming in my mind. It's your sister. James stood beside me, seemingly the one who had woken me.
"Pads. Good. Thea wants you. Said it was urgent." He seemed really energetic, that goofy grin on his face that he only got when my sister was paying attention to him. I rolled out of bed, slowly as not to hurt my ribs and went to her bed.
"Ammi? What's wrong?" I frowned. She looked like she was contemplating something.
"Hey, James, would you be able wait outside for a second? I really need to talk to my brother about something" He perked up when she said his name and nodded. He left the room, that goofy grin back on his face.
"Amalthea, what's wrong?" I repeated.
"I wanted to apologise. Your hurt ribs are my fault. The whole fight yesterday was my fault. If I hadn't said what I did, Snape wouldn't have done that. It's my fault for calling him a death eater. If I hadn't... You wouldn't be here in the hospital ward, unable to leave for the next four days." She looked so sad, like she sincerely thought it was her fault. I pulled her into a hug, light enough to not hurt each other but strong enough to comfort her.
"It's not your fault. Ok?" At some point she had started crying, wetting my shoulder. I held her close, helping her let it all go.
"It was just like mum, Sirius. I...I thought that it wouldn't hurt as much, that I was used to it now, but it still felt like the first time. Always like the first time." I held my sister close, the way I would when this would happen at home. Mum always tortured her, because she was the "weaker" one. She would scream and cry and Regulus would hold me down, to stop me from helping her. Sure, I'd had the curse used on me a few times, but mum normally chose Ammi for the torture. Apparently, as she was "weaker", it would push her to the lord. Pain and hurt bring out the dark. As for me, if she went, I went. Put most of their efforts in my sister and I would be affected just as much.
"Sirius?" Her voice broke me out of my trance. "Can I ask you something?" I pulled back from the hug and saw she was contemplating again.
"What's up, Ammi?" I replied. Whatever I could do to help my sister, I would.
"What you said last night, when I was about to go back to sleep, was it true? Does James like me?" I sighed. Of course she heard that. My sister always has been a light sleeper.
"Yes. He really does. I know you probably don't feel the same but... Just give him a chance, Amalthea. He's a good guy, when you get to know him." I don't know why I was supporting James in this. I wanted whatever made my sister happy. If that was James, that's great, I guess. When I found out that he was crushing on my sister... Let's say I didn't hear anything else from him for a week. Partly since I was ignoring him, partly because I had punched him in the nose so he was avoiding me.
"Well that's the thing, I guess. I've already given him a chance. I kinda...um...like him too." She seemed embarrassed to be admitting it. Her face was bright red.
"Oh. Um. Sorry. I'm not very good at...this. Um. If he makes you...happy...then do whatever you like but...um...sorry. This is just...sorry." I was nervous. My sister and best friend... I didn't know what to do.
"I'm going to let, um, James back in." She said. It had suddenly gotten tense between us, an awkward silence we weren't used to.
"Does he know?" It seems my question surprised her. "James, I mean. Does he know how you feel?"
"I'm planning on telling him, so no. Not yet." She was still red, though it was fading.
"Good luck, Ammi. Remember, I love you." I smiled encouragingly, trying to hide my fear.