Unspoken || Sirius Black

25.

Have you ever had that feeling where you woke up and had no idea where you were, what you were doing there or why there was a huge bruise on your hand? No? Of course you wouldn't! Because these things don't happen to normal people but wait! I, Josie Longbottom was not normal in any way, shape or form so of course something like this would happen to me.

The first thing I could feel was how painful and heavy my head felt - sort of like I had been kicked in the head by a ball three million times. My eyes fluttered open and I could see that I was on the abandoned floor, which was distinguishable from the other floors due to the fact that it was completely empty. I sat up and winced, too much pressure on my hand.

"Hey! what are you doing here?!" Filch's voice rang out, I could faintly hear the meowing of his cat Mrs. Norris, or Satan's apprentice as I'd liked to 'fondly' call her. In a few seconds he was standing over me, looking at me curiously.

I sighed and replied sarcastically as usual, "What does it look like I'm doing Filch? I'm counting the dust particles, obviously. I'm at five million and - oh no, you made me lose count!" I said, looking annoyed.

Filch rolled his eyes, "That's enough of your jibber jabber, get back into the great hall and if I see you here again - I'll be hanging you by your wrists!" He said, glaring at me.

I had an amazing retort to that stupid comment of his but I was almost certain that it would send me to detention so I did the smart thing and bit my tongue and stood up. Mrs. Norris hissed at me as they made sure I walked into the great hall. When Filch wasn't looking I transformed my hand into a cheetah's paw and pretended to slice the air, a mad grin in my eyes. She hissed once more but ran off. Smart cat.

I pushed open the doors to the great hall and everyone fell silent when I walked in. My eyebrows furrowed, I was late but I wasn't that late was I? All the attention was making my cheeks burn and I ducked my head as I made my way over the Gryffindor table and sat next to my friends. When I looked up, all I was met with was glares. One girl was even looking at me with disgust and mouthing, 'how could you'. I mouthed back 'what?' but she scoffed at me and turned away.

That's weird.

I gulped, feeling a bit hurt but it was okay. It was just a girl. Nothing my friends couldn't fix! I turned to James who was poking his food and giving me his shoulder, he had a somber expression on his face and he wasn't eating, just gliding the food from one area to another. I bit my lip as I took in his overall body, his shoulders were slumped over and he was trying to make himself look smaller - as if trying to get attention away from him.

I bit my lip, "Um, James. Are you okay?" I asked, quizzically.

His body turned to me slowly, confusion evident on his face. His face contorted into a variety of different expressions before he scoffed, "Are you kidding me? You're seriously going to ask me that?" he said sounding hurt. His expression was hurt and that hurt me.

Why was he looking at me like this? Why did he sound hurt? Had I offended him somehow? Did he not want to talk? Was he having a bad day? Did I say something this morning? I tried to remember what had happened this morning - but it was blank. I couldn't remember much of what happened. Only bits and pieces. For some reason I did remember seeing Kenneth. It was strange. I didn't remember anything - but I remembered Kenneth, it was only a glimpse. Like a short hello, perhaps. But I never said hello to Kenneth. The last thing I could remember was a feeling. A burning rage. Along with a feeling of hopelessness. Like I wanted to do something but I couldn't. But I couldn't remember anything at all.