trans_9 | After A Fall [Closed]

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After A Fall [Closed]

Everything hurts, Cedric thought, but no broken bone or bruise was as painful as the guilt he felt at the moment. Much to his displeasure, he'd been admitted to med bay immediately upon delivering Sirius, and they'd been placed together. Even worse, there was no chance that he'd be discharged before the older man woke up.

...It's no wonder I walked straight to my death. If I'm going to be horrifically stupid, I can't be taking anyone with me.

He'd managed to win the right to prop himself up against the wall after a tussle with a nurse, using his vantage point to look fearfully over at Sirius every few minutes. What could Cedric say? There was no explanation other than 'hello, I'm an idiot, I'm sorry.'

And he'd have to swallow the consequences of that.

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It wasn't long before Sirius awoke. He was sore but aside from a bruise on his back where he'd hit the floor (fortunately he hadn't hit head first), he was fine.

Sirius stretched his limbs before slowly sitting up. There were no surprise pains. As he looked around his gaze immediately fell on Cedric. So much for protecting him.

"All right, Cedric?" Sirius asked, biting back an 'I told you so.'

"I'm sorry," Cedric whispered, glancing at where he guessed his knee must be. It was easier on his eye than the bundle that bound his right hand.

Not an answer. What did it matter, anyway?

"Don't apologize I've done worse. I've felt worse too." As he spoke he swung his body over the side of the bed and pressed his feet against the floor.

So far so good.

He pushed off the bed and stood.

"What did I miss?"

"I'll listen next time. I can't let my senselessness hurt anyone else." It bothered him most that he didn't even have a good explanation for his actions. 'because Howard' was not enough.

"But it didn't last any longer. They pounded me again and broke my wand hand. They'd've broken something else if I didn't surrender"

He swallowed hard. "Then it didn't happen. Stacy had made a mistake with the rules, so they let Howard and Orc go without Punishment."

It had been impressed on them all to keep it secret, and Cedric wasn't about to make horrible mistakes twice in one day. He'd need time to figure out how to communicate what really happened there.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Really?" Now that was something to think about.

"Well, I'm not exactly hurt, I was only stunned." He reached into his pocket for his wand. "I'm no mediwizard but I'm good at healing- or at least I was before..." Azkaban. He didn't know if those skills had deteriorated since then.

"Yes. They have to be careful not to earn another Violation or they really will be tortured, but they're safe." Cedric still felt horrible about that. What kind of horrible disciplinary methods were these?

When Sirius reached for his wand, Cedric cringed against the headboard. "It'll be a few days of healing, but I'll live. That's ridiculous---it's my fault, I earned it."

"There's no need for you to beat yourself up any more." Sirius said. His hand was still on his wand but he hadn't drawn it. "You were trying to help your friend. I've made the same mistake many times over."

Cedric wavers. He stares at Sirius, then at himself---the loose shirt showing the tops of bruises and the bundle around his hand. They're not getting too much better, and he's not going to be able to sleep like this.

In the end, he compromises, shoulders slumping in defeat. "At least heal yourself first."

"I told you I was only stunned. A few more hours and I'll be good as new." He took his wand out of his pocket. "Whenever you're ready."

"I thought you might've been banged up a bit." Cedric said, looking rather awkward once more.

He sulked for only a few seconds longer, eventually giving a slow nod and tipping his wrist down. Getting this bandage off was going to hurt terribly.

"You did me a favor." Sirius smiled. "I could use more sleep."

Sirius didn't warn Cedric before he said the spell. It usually hurt when bones snapped back into place, just for a moment but still. There was less pain the less time you spent dreading it- at least in Sirius's opinion.

"Then find another way to sleep, because I won't be so stupid again."

Cedric almost smiled, but that soon warped into a yelp. His hand thumped against his chest in shock, and he needed a moment to massage his wrist with his good hand. His fingers twitched. They worked!

"You're still good at it."

Sirius lowered his wand. "Good. I'd still take it easy for at least a few days to be sure." He tried to think of something Madam Pomfrey would say so he could crack a joke but couldn't grasp any memory.

"I used lotion for bruises so you'll have to live with them unless Stacy has a secret stash I don't know about." But it looked like all Muggle technology here.

"Got it. No magic, no tricky knot tying." Cedric lowered his hand onto his lap and exhales. It was going to be slow going, but he'd live.

'I don't think so. I probably would've seen it being used by now, but thanks anyway." He carefully worked his way back down to the bed, fighting off the twinges of pain there.

"...Say, uh...do you need a sleeping potion or something? I can't make it now, but I think they have something."

"What? Oh, no. Thanks but no." If he started using them now he'd never be able to stop. "If you could get the ingredients it'd be better to save it for when someone really needs it. I'm fine, Cedric. Thanks." Sirius smiled. He'd have to be more careful with his jokes.

"I'll do that," Cedric agreed. At last, he was lying down in a position that wasn't entirely painful. He kept his eyes on Sirius, still worried.

"You sure? Because..." There was something off, even before Cedric's bout of stupid. He could feel it. But what was it?

There were a number of things wrong with Sirius Black. It could be the faint rings under his eyes from lack of sleep, however much he protested. Or maybe it was the eyes themselves, the haunted look that he never quite lost or the way his gaze would drift at times, not seeing anything but his own memories.

At any other time it might be the smell of alcohol on his breath but having been out for hours, that wasn't a problem.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not the one who broke his hand." Sirius's tone was light. "Next time if you can't think of a clever plan wait for me to think of one."

Cedric swallowed and nodded. Oh, he hated waiting, but he liked being alive. The latter was more important.

The impulsiveness he'd succumbed to and Sirius's attempts at putting him back on the right path reminded him of something else, actually. This whole situation did.

"Is that what you said to Harry?"

Sirius tensed at the mention of Harry's name.

"I'm sure I did- would have- back home. I didn't get the chance to give him any godfatherly lectures here." His tone wasn't quite as light anymore.

Cedric's tone softened too. It was bad to bring this up, he knew, but...well, maybe it would explain what he'd done.

"I'm sorry. I just---in all this, I've been thinking about him. What he did. He said he became a rebel after I died, and I've been wondering."

He folded his hands. "Obviously I'll need a more subtle way to fight, but he'd be doing something about this. Howard and Orc were lucky to be saved. The next ones might not be."

There was also the issue of the ship's other horrid insistence of separating them, but he was getting to that.

There was a trace of a smile on Sirius's face. He folded his arms over his chest.

"And however we do fight we know that we can't do it alone. We'll need a plan. Fortunately, we're not the only ones who think so."

"There's that," Cedric agreed with a weak nod. He sunk into his pillow, wondering just how he'd get by. "Maybe their Muggle way's better."

He lifted his healing hand and frowned at it. "We ought to learn it too. In every dangerous situation, I either lose access to my magic or find that it's entirely useless." It's made him feel rather redundant.

Sirius's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? Magic is plenty useful."

You know, aside from the time he hit the Basilisk with a curse that backfired on him but no need for Cedric to know about that.

"Not that I'm discounting learning anything else. It doesn't hurt to branch out."

"Not here it isn't. When the robots attacked, we lost it. I tried using one of their guns, but I wasn't very good at it."

That was an understatement. It'd been a disaster zone near the Vatican for a short while. "And if it's that easy to take our magic, someone'll do it again. The most I can do without more training is throw things."

Some Quidditch players are particularly good throwers. It's a specialty of his. "Say, do you know anything about that? Their weapons?"

Sirius really needed to be better about keeping up with what had happened while he was captured by GLaDOS. She seemed very fond of him and it was bound to happen again.

"The Daligig's? I haven't a clue. Most everyone here seems to rely on Muggle technology although far more advanced than I've ever seen. It seems the same is true for them but they may have enchantments of some sort."

"No, ours. I need to learn how to use these weapons," he said with some distaste. "It's...really frustrating, to be no help at all. But it fits, doesn't it."

He closed his eyes, trying to think of some way to fight. Some way to win.

"I honestly have no idea." He honestly thought Muggle weapons were laughable. Now he wasn't so sure. "It can't be that hard to learn."

Sirius put his hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You're not useless."

"Not that I've got a lot to show for it," he shrugged, looking down at that raw hand. "I feel angry enough to tear the ship down when they're in trouble, and I can't. Don't know who can."

Sirius fell silent. He remembered the last time he felt the way Cedric was describing and in his rage he played right into Pettigrew's plans.

"Sometimes... sometimes it's better to take your time before acting on your emotions." He could hardly believe what he was saying and he sure as hell would find it impossible to live up to the advice. "But you'll get your chance."

"Or I'll get you hurt again," Cedric sighed. "Or maybe he'd be hurt more."

He needed to be responsible, in other words. Cedric tucked his hands together, blowing on some stray hairs in his eyes.

"Anyway, you'd better get back to...wherever it is that you stay. I'm sure they'll clear you. Hospital wings aren't known for being comfortable."

"I'll go if you want me to. But if you want me to stay..." Sirius trailed off. He kept his hand on Cedric's shoulder.

"I'm assuming that doesn't include sneaking me out of here?" he asked hopefully.

...what? He did need to see the others.

Sirius looked Cedric over. On the one hand he was all for sneaking people out, on the other he knew it could backfire if they weren't feeling well enough.

Sirius nodded and smiled. "If you're up for it I don't have a problem with bending the rules."

Cedric flashed a little grateful smile. He could act the part for long enough to escape this confinement.

"I think so. Might be slightly drowsy, but I'll sleep better outside."

He pushed himself upright, managing it only slightly slower than usual. Phew. "Should I try for casual?" he whispered.

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After A Fall [Closed]

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