The Mini Marauder.

Chapter 5

Sirius held Emerald's hand tight as they walked towards the Black Lake. She raced ahead dragging him with her. She dipped her hands in the water and shrieked in joy. 

"Its so cold!" She squeaked dipping her hands in again. It was still snowing but the Lake hadn't frozen over yet. She laughed and rolled around in the snow. 

Sirius watched her happily. He remembered the girl he knew from this time. She was shy and smart. She had beaten up a few Ravenclaws for reasons nobody knew yet. She had been the recipient of many Marauder pranks but had never reacted to any of them. He had never seen her laugh or even smile. Now comparing her to the tiny girl laughing in the snow was difficult. 

"Sirius Sirius look." She pointed at the water. He looked into the water and spotted a merman. He was about to pull Emerald away from the water when she gently placed her hand in the water in front of the merman. 

The merman looked at it confused before placing his own webbed hand against it. Emerald smiled brightly and the merman smiled back unsurely. 

Sirius watched confused. Mermaids and Merman were known for being violent and cruel. But then again fairies were known for being loved by all species. 

"Come on you're probably frozen." Sirius said a few minutes later and he let her say goodbye before picking her up and wrapping his coat around her ice cold body. "Bloody hell you should've said something." He gasped as he speeded up his walk towards the castle. 

He walked past the Great Hall which was full of chatter and laughter and headed to the common room. 

He brought her upstairs and helped her change out of her cold and wet clothes and into a red onesie covered in snitches. He made sure not to touch her tiny delicate wings as he dressed her.

He brought her downstairs and sat next to the fire trying to warm up the freezing child. Eventually she fell asleep on his shoulder soothed by the heat and by Sirius's heartbeat. 

He rocked her side to side even after she had fell asleep. They had only had her four days but he was already attached. 

When he was sure she was fast asleep he carried her upstairs and lay her in his bed and tucked her up. 

"Goodnight Emerald." He whispered kissing her on the forehead. 

He shut the door quietly and went downstairs. The rest of the house was coming back now. 

"Hey Pads where's our little snake?" James asked flopping onto a chair. 

"Asleep. She was almost frozen solid when I brought her back." Sirius answered sitting down next to him. 

"Why? Don't tell me you let her have free reign in the snow?" 

"Yeah I did but I warmed her up and dressed her in your snitches onesie." 

"Okay but if she gets sick we're blaming you." He pointed a finger at Sirius accusingly. 

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Sirius woke to Emerald tossing and turning beside him. She was crying in her sleep and her skin was hot to the touch. She was sweating and moaning. 

He shook the other three awake and brought them over. James started panicking which meant Sirius started panicking which meant Peter started panicking which meant Remus started panicking. 

"Okay what do we do, oh I know maybe oh I don't know." Sirius spluttered. 

"Okay she's really hot so maybe we change her into one of our shirts." Remus suggested and James nodded running to his closet pulling out a muggle t-shirt.  

They carefully changed her but she didn't stop moaning and her temperature didn't lower. 

"THAT'S IT WE'RE GOING TO MADAM POMFREY." Sirius screeched. James picked her up and they all ran for the door. They sounded like a herd of elephants going down the stairs. 

The Fat Lady scolded them as they passed. 

They were so caught up in getting her to the Hospital Wing they didn't notice Professor McGonagall until Remus crashed into her. 

"I say boys you're usually more careful than this." She said raising an eyebrow in amusement until she spotted the small girl. "What on earth happened?" 

"She just woke up like this Minnie." Sirius replied. 

"She has a fever boys." All four of them glanced at each other and then at the girl wondering why they didn't think of that. "Here I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will give her a fever reducing potion."

She escorted them to the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey fussed over her. 

"I'm afraid she is allergic to a few ingredients in the fever reducing potion so we shall just have to wait for it to break the muggle way. Just keep her cool and give her lots of hugs." Madam Pomfrey explained handing her back to Sirius. 

"Thanks Poppy." James thanked absentmindedly before all four of them exited the infirmary. 

"They're going to take it very hard when they have to let her go aren't they especially Sirius." Poppy whispered to McGonagall. 

"Let's just let them have their time now and they will deal with that when it comes." 

Remus cradled the girl as James sponged her forehead with a damp cloth. She was half sleeping half awake. Sirius was reading a story and Peter was ran around desperately searching for her favourite blanket.

She fell into an uneasy sleep and slept till midday. They all skipped breakfast and classes and didn't leave the dorm waiting for the fever to break. 

When it did she was tired and James carried her everywhere for the rest of the day. 

She took a bath to wash off all the sweat and then went to bed. She crawled into Peter's bed and went to sleep. 

All the boys slept differently. James slept on his back so when she shared his bed she slept on his chest. Sirius slept on his side as did Remus and both of them held her like a teddy bear. Peter slept in a fetal position so before he went to sleep he pulled her into a hug then curled up making her feel safe and warm. 

She slept all the way through the night and through most of the morning. All of the boys worried that she was gonna start being sick again stayed and sat beside her checking her temperature often. When she woke she had a bit more energy and they all went down to lunch. 

She ate lots and lots and they wondered where it was going but shrugged thinking she must be hungry after yesterday and the day before. 

 After lunch she shyly handed Peter something. He opened his hand and saw a friendship bracelet that he had helped her make. 

"For me?" He asked incredulously. "Not for Sirius or James?" She looked at him confused. 

"They didn't help me make it and you're my friend as well." She shook her head as if that was obvious. Peter slipped it around his wrist and hugged her tight. 

It was green and blue and had two beads on it that both said P for Peter Pettigrew. 

"I know its not as good as yours but-" 

"Its lovely Emerald." He reassured. She smiled brightly and held his hand as they walked off for Transfiguration.