the_debt_of_time

"Mary?" Sirius knelt over the girl, taking her face gently in his hands. "Mary, love,
look at me," he pleaded tearfully. He forced a smile when her blue eyes opened to look at
him. "Hey there, beautiful. You hang on, okay? I'm going to get you some help. Pete, what
happened?"
"W-Wilkes... It was a trap."
"Where is he?" Sirius growled.
"Over there." Peter gestured to the split wall, and Sirius took a look, noticing
another attached room. "I tried, but... but I.. ."
"It's okay, mate." Sirius patted Peter on the shoulder. "I'm going to give you some
cover, and you get out of here." He took another glance, noting that Lucius and Bellatrix
were gone, leaving behind the three other Death Eaters who had stopped fighting, but
were instead looking around. James, Lily, Alice, Frank, and Kingsley were not there.
"They put up Anti-Disapparition wards," Peter muttered. "Specific to them. We
tried getting out right when Wilkes turned." Peter looked down at Mary when she struggled
to speak. "Shhh... It's okay. Wilkes hit Mary, and then someone.. ." Peter lifted his left
arm and Sirius took in the sight of a large gash over the skin.
"All right." Sirius gently pulled Mary from Peter's arms and set her down on the
ground next to the wall. She let out a painful cry, and Sirius frowned. "Pete, you make a
run for it; get outside the wards. I'll get Mary out of here."
"I can take her," Peter insisted.
"No, Wormtail, you're wounded. You might drop her. Just go." When he saw Peter
hesitate again, he barked loudly, "Peter, go!"
Wand held high, he watched Peter rush through the door, heading for the exit. The
three Death Eaters had apparently vanished in the brief time Sirius had been planning to
evade them. At the sight of Peter making a run for it, Wilkes pulled from the cover of the
small room and narrowed his gaze at Peter's retreating frame.
"Pettigrew!" Wilkes yelled, aiming his wand at Peter's back. "You little rat!"
"Avada Kedavra!" Sirius shouted, and a green light left his wand, hitting Wilkes in the
chest before the Death Eater could set the same curse upon his friend. Wilke's body fell to
the ground, and Sirius suddenly felt sick. His knees gave out, and he collapsed to the floor.
Only the sight of Mary's shaking body brought him out of his stupor.
"S-Sirius.. ."