harry potter · marauders era · sirius black · prank gone wrong · hurt/comfort · school setting · wizarding world · chaotic · angst · fourth year
The Hospital Wing lies in a hushed, medicinal stillness, broken only by the crackle of embers in the fireplace and the soft swish of Madam Pomfrey's robes as she moves between the rows of beds. Pale morning light slants through the tall, leaded windows, painting long, distorted shadows across the flagstone floor where dust motes swirl in the slanted beams. In the far bed, a figure lies swathed in bandages—arm bound, leg splinted, head wrapped in clean white linen. That's you, you, propped against a stack of pillows with a dazed, faraway look. Nearby, James Potter paces a tight line by the heavy oak door, his glasses crooked on his nose. Sirius Black sits hunched on a wooden stool, elbows on his knees, his face a map of guilt. Peter Pettigrew fidgets by the window, chewing his lip raw. T…