Chapter One: Consciousness

I often find it incredibly impossible to describe something, either incredibly wonderful or horribly terrifying, to another who has had little to no life experience in the subject. To me, it is like trying to tell a blind man about the austere beauty that occurs when the wind blows the multicolored leaves just before a thunderstorm on a bitter fall day. Or, perhaps it was like trying to make a deaf man understand the difference between each bird's melodious tune and the way each person has a unique voice to express themselves with- much like how the birds sing.

To put it simply, I was never a patient man, so to have me explain anything at length to where I was sure that my listeners understood it would be like... chasing a bludger. Yes, after a lot of confusion and pain, you might actually get it, but your brain would probably resemble jam by that point and it would have taken a full day's work.

I was never meant to be a teacher. I knew so many better people out there who could actually put up with the mangy brats. In fact, I had always been one of those mangy brats... but I will try my hardest to make you understand, though I am sure it wont be easy for either of us.

Floating is probably the best way I could describe what I felt. I was floating in all of the wonder and excitement and ecstasy that I had never known. When I say I was floating, I don't mean literally floating in air. That would be preposterous. The closest thing I could possibly say to help relate what it was even like to someone who had never experienced it before would be to compare it to being submersed, floating in a deep pool of fresh, unadulterated water for hours. Everything is clear.

After swimming for a time, the swimmer becomes use to the temperature of the pool around him, and eventually almost forgets it is there, becoming one with the water. This doesn't mean the water is no longer there, because the moment you plunge into deeper waters and are completely submersed you can feel its pressure pushing in on you, calming and soothing.

That was what it was like being submersed in so many different feelings and emotions. It coursed through my consciousness so fast, I wasn't aware if I even had a body anymore. It was just pure simple bliss. I don't even remember anything I saw, which makes me I wonder if I would have opened my eyes at all when my life was filled with as much pain and injustice as it was.

Once again, I am horrible at this teaching thing, so I am sorry if you don't swim, are terrified of swimming, or just don't get what I said. I have always liked swimming. Some of my fonder memories were at the edge if the Great Lake when I was a schoolboy. Perhaps that had something to do with how I experienced everything as well?

The point is, I doubt I will know or find out anytime soon.

The feeling of waking up from such a long slumber is how I would describe what happened next, which for all intents and purposes, that was kind of exactly what it was. The only difference is, the waking up from a nice dream would have been more pleasant.

All emotions suddenly went back to the way they use to be, which was quite shocking. It sent a cold chill through the spine I didn't know I had, much like how the cold air chills a swimmer.

Then I became aware of the fact that I was not breathing, and I was being starved of air while some unknown entity grabbed an ankle I had never remembered having during this state of peace, dragging me downwards as I began thrashing.

If you have ever spent time at Hogwarts, I might compare it to the time a Grindylow snatched my foot, dragging me into the seaweed until a passing mermaid saw my plight and rescued me. I felt every part of my body as it became more aware of it's suroundings. There was nothing to rescue me as far as I could tell, and my eyes stayed firmly shut as I struggled with my lack of oxygen.

The thing that did wake me up was a resounding 'SMACK!' It was probably the first real sound that I remembered hearing for quite some time, though I had no way of gauging how time had past based on my memories. There was a delayed reaction, however- one that I will chalk up to as my sluggish human body- between the moment I heard the sound, and when I felt it. The moment I felt the sting against my cheek I jolted to life, bolting straight up, nearly ramming something right in front of me that I couldn't possibly have noticed until I opened my eyes.

And just as I opened my eyes I was sent back in time. There was only one person I knew with as red of hair as that-

"Lily?"

The expression on her face was priceless, and almost comical except for the words my old friend greeted me with next.

"I don't know how you know my name, sir, but I am positive I have never met you before." In one swift motion she stood, motioning for me to follow impatiently when I opened my mouth to argue. "We can talk later, but right now I really need to get you out of here." She grumbled, putting a finger up to her beautiful pink lips for silence. The were the same lips I remembered hushing me in a similar fashion in the school library, or during class, or in the great hall when I was getting to carried away.

Standing up on slightly wobbly legs, slowly took in the rest of her features to make sure there was nothing I was missing. There wasn't anything I could make out of her with the poor lighting of the room that made me positive I really wasn't talking to the one and only Lily Evans-Potter... until my gaze met hers. Her bright brown eyes seemed to glow like melted sugar... which was very different from they way Lily Evan's eyes use to light up like the green glass of a bottle in the sun.

"What's your full name?" I barked, perhaps slightly harsher than I meant it to sound, but in my defense I wasn't use to talking.

She jumped and ran to the large and oddly familiar doorway, peeking into the hall hesitantly before letting out a relieved breath at the sight of no one coming. "I told you, questions later and shut up!" She hissed, glaring at me with her impossibly brown eyes.

I corrected my posture, folded my arms and glared right back. With an irritated sigh she grumbled her response in a rather sarcastic manner that would stick in my mind forever. The Lily I knew had very different mannerisms, that was certain.

"My name, kind and gracious sir, is Lily Luna Potter, daughter of the famous Harry Potter," her eyes turned dark for a second. "I bet the only reason you recognize me is because of the bloody newspapers, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt for the moment. Who are you?"

My mouth opened, then closed, then repeated several more times in a fashion I would compare to a fish out of water- if you needed help with the visuals still. Then I looked around the room frantically, taking in everything I could until I felt another chill overcome me- one I believe people have stated only happens when somebody is walking on your grave.

The only reason I was certain that was the proper way to describe my said chill was because I knew where we were... and if I remembered everything correctly as it came flooding back to me... this entire room was my tomb. I was in the department of Mysteries, standing in the exact place where I had been blasted into the veil by my cousin.

Her voice jerked me back to reality. "Well, you can tell me your name or you can follow me. They will be back from break any time now."

"Sirius," I whispered loftily as I stepped towards a box I didn't remember being there before, covered in feathers that appeared to be quivering for some odd reason. Yeah, it definitely wasn't there during the battle. I would have remembered something like that. "Of the ancient house of Black? Perhaps you have heard of me as well..."

And, based on her horrified, gobsmacked expression she most definitely had.

Hey! Hello! This is the first time I have written about Sirius coming back to life... I usually just do stories of his boyhood days gone by when I do get the chance, which made me decide that he needs to have a story where he comes back to life so I can enjoy writing about his character in a different way, rather than be constricted by specific events. Plus, I had a really good plot-bunny burrow into my brain. I hope you liked!