Blasts of light were whizzing by everywhere; Harry could smell burning hair and skin all around. He was watching Sirius, as he dueled with his cousin. Bellatrix was cackling her high, piercing laugh at him and blasting red and green streaks of light at him. Sirius was backing up, wand raised, yelling unintelligible incantations at her.

Suddenly, he bellowed, "FLIPENDO!"

Bellatrix was propelled backwards, and Harry looked away for a moment to make sure no one was advancing on him. When he looked back, Sirius was falling slowly backwards, looking as if he were in a dream. His eyes were open and his face expressionless. Harry, without thinking, scrambled up the steps and watched Sirius tip over and fall through a flowing purple veil, attached to a small concrete arch. As soon as Harry figured out that Sirius wasn't coming out on the other side, he dove through the purple gauze as well. His whole body was suddenly enveloped in the sensation that he was submerged in freezing liquid. His head spun, and colors whirred all around. All he could think about was whether the spell that had hit Sirius was a Stunning spell or... well ... Harry didn't want to think about the second option.

When they finally ended up on some kind of solid ground, it wasn't solid at all. In fact, judging by the way Sirius' limp body was sinking into it, it was Devil's Snare. Harry whipped out his wand and whispered "Lumos," causing the nasty plant to recede. Sirius and Harry dropped through the squishy tendrils, onto a a spongy grey surface. Harry looked around, but it seemed to be grey in all direction. Up, down, everywhere, it was plain grey. Harry could barely distinguish between land and sky, and the only reason he could at all was because of a faint white light that shown between the two in the distance.

He turned his attention to Sirius. He was sprawled out and limp. Harry was praying that it was only a Stunning spell.

"Ennervate", Harry said quickly, pointing his wand at Sirius. Nothing happened. "Ennervate!" He said,a little louder, touching Sirius with his wand. Nothing happened. Harry sank to the ground, eyes welling up, in disbelief. He was stuck, in no-man's land, with his dead godfather, his only remaining family.

A loud gasp from beside him pulled him out of his thoughts. Harry sat bolt upright and leaned over Sirius, watching him open his eyes. Sirius lifted his hand to his face and felt it.

"Am I dead?" He asked, looking blankly at Harry and sitting up slowly.

"No, you were fighting Bellatrix, and she hit you with a Stunning spell and you fell through this weird arch thing..."

"How did you get here?"

"I..I dove in after you."

"You..what?" Sirius asked. "You did that for me?"

"You're my only family, and I.. well, I.." Harry had never been able to say the words. He had never loved anyone properly before, so this concept was new to him.

Sirius put an understanding hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Me too."

There was a short silence which was slightly awkward. Both men were now contemplating everything that had just gone down.

"Now let's find a way out of here," Sirius broke the silence and grinned at Harry. This was going to be an adventure for sure.