But nothing is ever really perfect."No! No! It's a fake! Please! We've never been inside your vault... It isn't the real
sword! It's a copy, just a copy!"
Sirius's heart pounded when he was awakened by screams. He leapt from his bed
and looked out of his door just in time to see James rush down the hallway.
"What's going on?" Sirius demanded, panicked.
Remus popped out of another door. "Was that Mia?"
"What's wrong with her?" Sirius asked as he rushed after his friend, tugging on
James's robes as the three boys approached the double doors at the end of the hallway.
"Move!" James shouted and burst into the room.
Sirius looked to see the girl thrashing and crying in bed.
Without another word, James crawled into the massive four-poster, pulling her into
his arms. "Mia? Mia, love, it's fine. You're safe," he whispered over and over until her cries
quieted.
Sirius stepped inside, looking down at his friends, scared and worried. Despite the
life he had back home at Grimmauld Place, he had never heard screams like that before.
"What happened?"
"She has nightmares," James explained. "Mia, you're safe. I've got you."
"Is she okay?" Remus asked, standing behind Sirius.
"I don't know." James frowned. "I knew she had nightmares, and I didn't even think
to check and see if she was okay at Hogwarts. Has Evans, Brown, or Macdonald said
anything to either of you?"
Sirius shook his head as he stepped closer. "How often does she have them?"
"Almost every night." James sighed, looking like he was doing a good job of berating
himself. Sirius knew how protective his best friend was of his sister. "She's probably been
having nightmares all year, and I didn't even think to talk to her roommates about it."
"Jamie?" Mia whispered, her eyes fluttering open.
James held her close. "I'm here, love."