Chapter 163: Petals in the Wind (6)

The halls of Hogwarts at midnight were a labyrinth of shadows and whispers, filled with an eerie, almost oppressive silence. Pale moonlight had filtered through the tall, mullioned windows, casting twisted patterns across the worn stone floors. The portraits that lined the walls hung motionless; their occupants either asleep or lurking just beyond the canvas, eyes glinting with an unsettling awareness. Every sound seemed magnified, echoing off the towering ceilings. Tapestries fluttered faintly, stirred by drafts that wound through the castle's hidden passageways, while the flickering torchlight made the shadows dance, as though the very walls of the ancient school were alive and watching.

James Potter paused, heart pounding, ears straining for any sign of Filch or Mrs Norris. He cursed silently, wishing he had the map with him. Sirius was nowhere to be found when James left, and he didn't know where his friend kept it. Even under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, he could still be exposed if someone accidentally collided with him in the darkness.

Two more corridors. That was all he needed to cross to reach the Hospital Wing. But even as he pressed forward, his thoughts spiralled back to the bitter conversation with Remus hours earlier. After leaving Catherine in Madam Pomfrey's care, the boy had returned to the Gryffindor Tower, where the Quidditch victory celebration was still raging. He, however, had absolutely no desire to participate.

"What the hell were you thinking, James? – Remus shouted, his face tight with anger, his voice low, seething growl - "You knew she was exhausted, but you pushed her into that duel anyway?!"

James opened his mouth to speak, his usual bravado faltering. "I didn't force her. She wanted to—"

"She wanted to?" – the other wizard cut him off - "Of course she did! She never backs down from a challenge, especially not with you! But it's your responsibility to know when enough is enough! You saw how tired she was all week. She could barely hold her wand by the end!"

James ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling up inside him. "I made a mistake, alright? It got out of hand, but—"

"Stop talking to me like I'm Sirius!" - Remus snapped, his voice cold and harsh - "I'm not going to stand here and pretend that everything's fine just because you want it to be. You can ignore me, shut me out like he did, but I'm not going to keep silent, James. I won't let you get away with this, especially not when it comes to Catherine."

Silence settled between them, heavy and charged. James felt the sting of Remus's words, each one piercing deeper than the last. For once, he had nothing to say. He looked away, swallowing hard against the knot in his throat.

"You're right." - he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper - "You're right, Moony. I should have stopped. I should have seen the signs. I…I messed up because I was selfish. I'll apologise and do better in the future! I'll also talk to Sirius."

"There's no need for that." – Moony declined firmly – "He's the one in the wrong, acting so entitled. If he can't see his own mistakes, I can't force him to. Maybe I just need to accept I've lost one friend. But I can't accept losing a second because of your recklessness."

James sighed, feeling anxiety gnaw at him, making it impossible to stand still. "Madam Pomfrey said she'll be alright, but she wants to keep her overnight for observation." - he muttered, running his hand through his hair again - "I can't just sit here, though. I need to move and clear my head."

The young wizard shook his head sharply, steeling himself as he slowly pushed open the door to the ward. The room was quiet, and the Matron was nowhere in sight, though he knew she could be nearby. He had to be careful—quiet and leave no traces. His eyes scanned the dimly lit space until they landed on Catherine, lying in a bed at the far end, near the window.

Moonlight streamed through the glass, casting an ethereal glow over her pale, hollow face. A thin sheen of sweat covered her brow, which was deeply furrowed, her eyes darting beneath closed lids as if chasing some unseen terror. Her breathing came in ragged, uneven gasps, punctuated by the occasional whimper that escaped her parted lips. Her hands gripped the blanket, knuckles white, while her body twisted and turned, as though struggling to escape the horrors in her mind.

James was struck by how pitiful and tortured his friend appeared. His gaze was entirely fixed on her, so much so that he didn't notice the sheets on every other bed, torn into shreds. He didn't know what to do, but he desperately wanted to stop Catherine's pain, no matter what it took. Gently, he took her hand, hoping to share some of the burden, even if it was a naïve thought. To his surprise, the young witch's features relaxed, and her breathing steadied, although she still looked sound asleep.

Uncertain about what he should do next, James sat down in a chair beside the girl's bed, still wrapped in his Invisibility Cloak. He held her hand firmly, unwilling to let go. Gradually, the tension drained from his own body, and he found his eyes growing heavy. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but the next thing he knew, a voice was calling his name.

Jerked awake, the young wizard adjusted his glasses in confusion. Morning light now spilled into the room, and his cloak had slipped to the floor. Catherine was awake, her eyes locked on his with a mixture of amusement and tenderness.

"Did you spend the whole night here?" – she asked.

"I think I did." – James replied with a yawn – "I'm surprised Madame Pomfrey didn't throw me out."

"She hasn't been in yet." – Catherine informed him – "Since I'm the only one here, she probably thought I needed as much sleep as possible. Though, she didn't give me any Dreamless Sleep Potion."

"Yeah, you looked like you were having nightmares when I came in." – the boy said, finally letting go of her hand – "For some reason, holding your hand seemed to help."

"I see…" – the girl mumbled, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over her. Whether by coincidence or not, James had contributed to one of the rare peaceful nights of sleep she'd had.

"Flame… I'm so very sorry!" – the wizard blurted out, his sudden intensity catching her off guard.

"What for?" – she asked, her eyes widening in confusion.

"For hurting you during the duel!" – James confessed, his voice shaking – "And for pushing you to duel in the first place when I knew you were exhausted."

"There's no need to apologise." – Catherine said firmly – "You didn't force me to participate. I chose to do it, even though I knew I wasn't at my best. Did you stay the whole night because you felt guilty?"

"Yes… I mean no!" – the boy stammered, his ears turning red – "I came because I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"You didn't have to spend the night in that horribly uncomfortable chair for that." – Flame teased him with a smile – "What will your fangirls think when they see you now? Your hair is such a mess! It looks like you've got little prongs sticking out everywhere!"

"I don't care about fangirls, and I do not have prongs!" – the boy snapped, though there was a playful glint in his eyes – "I see your mouth is working just fine, so my biggest worry is over. I'd better go before Madam Pomfrey kicks me out. I'll wait for you in the Common Room."

Catherine watched with a smile as he vanished under the Invisibility Cloak. Her head still throbbed a little, but after a night of quality sleep, she felt refreshed and ready to return to the Gryffindor Tower.

'I didn't exactly expect the first night I spent with a boy to be in the Hospital Wing.' – she thought with amusement, searching around for her clothes.