Harry Potter sat patiently in front of his best friends as they bickered slowly about each other surprisingly. Hermione insisted that Ron had the potential of a "bookworm", that had been added in by Ron, really after that Harry hadn't paid much attention; he never had really rewarded their disputes with much attention.

He stood up slowly at around midnight and bid them good night seeing as how he didn't really feel like talking to the two of them at the moment. They seemed far too immature for a second. It surprised Harry that he was thinking like this but he deemed it to be simply that he had had just too little sleep for too many days. As he trudged up the stairs that would lead to the most inviting bed in Gryffindor, Dobby had made sure it was extra comfortable, he wondered about life itself. It wasn't anything new seeing as how he was THE Harry Potter. It was only natural that he'd think about life seeing as how he didn't have much of it ahead of him.

He saw Ron and Hermione, in his eyes, growing up old together and arguing over their children. Hell he could imagine their children's names.

Somehow though he couldn't see himself in the family photograph grinning with Ginny Weasley, his flame…or his current flame at the least. He couldn't see himself beside Ron while he panicked about how Hermione was way too smart for him and he couldn't possibly handle her much less marry her.

Did that mean he was going to die?

It was stupid but Harry didn't quite expect to survive the war that was heading towards them…the thought scared him seeing as how he was simply seventeen. The fact that he wasn't going to make it past the next six months frightened him, the possibility that he might make it past the next sixth months worried him more.

As he opened the door graffiti "SEVENTH YEAR BOYS DICKHOLES DORMS"

It was courtesy of Lavender Brown, Seamus's ex girlfriend. He'd cheated on her with Susan Bones causing much drama between Zacharias Smith, Seamus, Lavender, and Susan. It had actually been quite hilarious for Ron, Hermione and himself and Dean occasionally of course. Even Luna Lovegood had started laughing wildly at Zacharias making him promptly shut her up by giving her a snog, a snog that hadn't meant anything whatsoever but a snog which had resulted in even more drama than before which included surprisingly Ginny who seemed to have a crush on Zacharias, this news had rather displeased Harry seeing as how he really liked her. Even if they couldn't be together, and he knew he was being selfish when he spoke like this, he didn't want her to be with anyone else.

Plopping down on his bed he sighed as he felt the goose feathers underneath his cotton sheets. It gave the bed a real homely feel, and if possible a homely smell. As he lay his head down on the soft pillow and pulled the comforters around his body tightly so he wouldn't be cold he sighed. Would he dream of a life where he didn't exist tonight as well? Perhaps he would see Neville's future. One he had been wondering about a lot lately.

Sleep never did come easily to him. He stayed up for about thirty minutes before he felt a the wave of drowsiness and closed his eyes.

Harry Potter sighed as he looked around him. It was a simple life this one, he just wasn't sure whose it was. There were bright green fields with white poppies, something that didn't exist in the normal world. This was his first hint he supposed as he walked on inside the cottage nearby that was built with stones. It wasn't lavish, and it wasn't grand.

Inside was a single person. A girl with bright, lavish, red hair. Was this Ginny? He wondered slowly reaching for her shoulder. He knew from experience that she wouldn't be able to feel him or hear him or see him but it made him feel better knowing that he was with her shortly. When she turned her face towards him, silent not gazing at him he turned his head sideways while this girl looked quite similar to Ginny Weasley there was no way she could be her. There weren't the dozens of freckles that Harry had loved to count when he was bored, her lips were pale and her eyes, most importantly, weren't the warm brown he was so used to seeing smiling at him brightly.

She had the coldest gray eyes he'd ever seen…and it scared him.

"That's your sister Harry." He heard a voice say softly beside him.

"She's lost in Zion she was supposed to be born…" He heard the voice continue. Harry already knew who it was. He didn't need to look.

"Sirius can she see you?"

"No…she cannot. She wishes not to. If she wanted to she could see you too but you're the person she least wants to see." Sirius said softly. It was rather distressing. He'd never known that Lily had been pregnant when she'd died.

"This would have been her sixteenth birthday. Gorgeous isn't she? Looks quite like the Weasley girl as well. Though her eye color is quite awkward isn't it? I mean James sure didn't look like that when he was younger and might I say Lily did except for her eyes." Sirius said cocking his head sideways examining her. She seemed to move at an ethereal pace so much faster than the world yet much slower.

"She walks all day if you're wondering. James and Lily have been trying to get through to her all this time."

"I was wondering actually and thanks…umm my parents are here?"

"They didn't feel like they were ready Harry…and before you get angry remember they have prior commitments they're on the higher levels of Zion."

"Zion? Where is Zion?"

"We call it heaven on Earth. None of us spirits really ever leave earth completely. You're talking to the grounded version of me. My soul is eternal. Though Sirius is mortal. You're talking to the Sirius version of my soul. I've met a lot of versions recently. The Prince Edward Version was the least interesting. Though I must say Elvis Presley my muggle version was the most interesting. He invented rock and roll you know."

"You sure do sound serious…"

"I've matured I suppose Harry." He said in a very unSirius like way. Harry wasn't sure if he liked the Sirius in front of him. The Sirius irked him. Irked him with his vast knowledge and wisdom. Harry turned back to his sister and asked Sirius.

"What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one. Another reason she's so lost on these hills."

"Sirius…will I live?" Harry asked him slowly gulping turning to Sirius gripping his hand. It was good for Harry. Contact with someone close to him…someone he has lost so long ago. It felt good. Sirius turned to him with kind eyes with not much a movement of his head with not so much as a hint, not a clue, not an indication

"I don't know Harry. Though the real reason I came here today was to ask you something. I've been seeing this girl for a long time. I've been seeing you visit your friend's futures on Zion…and I can't stand the pain I feel from this girl. All the archangels have been ordering the soul parts here to somehow gradually lessen her pain, however she refuses to talk to us in anyway. So obviously we were stumped before we finally thought of a solution, one that needs your approval to occur.

"Why?" Harry asked slightly afraid of his godfather's proposal. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear it.

"We've figured out that the reason she keeps sending us shocks of her own pain is because she wants to be sent down to earth. She's incomplete. She was only six months along. On your fifth month in your mother's abdomen you get a soul. She had a month to get used to her soul to be prepared for life ahead. However she never got to leave. This has happened before but usually the children get used to it but because of the extremity of magic in her dead veins she stayed alive here in Zion and refuses to become at peace with us."

"So what does this have to do with me?"

"The only way she'll be born Harry…is if you're not."

"I knew there was a reason I was seeing clips of the future without me in it."

"I don't want to Harry." He could see Sirius's eyes welling up in tears in the way that only Sirius could cry and yet look manly. He could sense his godfathers pain…it was almost as if he had a headache that wouldn't go away after 20…

"No you don't. Don't send your pain out to me. I've picked up a few things from our conversation you know?" Harry said trying to block the feelings he was receiving from his godfather.

"So you're telling me to basically die."

"No Harry. I've figured out an alternative that'll allow you and her to co-exist. Living…James and Lily are preparing already…and as am I. Because she has to go down we all are preparing. Some of us will still be up here, some won't. History is about to change with your dreams Harry."

"Why is it always mine?"

"It's not. Do you know Joan of Arc? She used to come up here a lot Prince Edward use to comfort her. Apparently they were once quite the item up here."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Nothing really. I'm not going to even let you meet the other parts of your soul."

"All right then. Tell me the plan."

"I can't." Sirius said using the same eyes he had used when he was alive. Only they were enhanced by the emotions he was sending out towards everyone in the room. Even his redheaded sister turned to them for a while.

"Why not Sirius I deserve to know!" He said frustrated.

"Yes you do but they won't let me. All I can tell you is…do this for your sister. She's suffered in heaven…which is really an accomplishment."

Harry thought about it. A sister he'd never met, never talked to, never played chess with. Why should he do anything for her?

Then Ron's face sprung to his mind, Ron yelling at Dean when he caught Ginny snogging him, Ron playing in the mud with Ginny in their summer holidays, Ron and Ginny hugging each other after a match, Ron and his brothers looking out for Ginny, and Ron's face when they'd heard in that closet on that fateful day that Ginny Weasley was locked in the chamber of secrets.

Harry would never get to be that brother who did everything for his sister. He'd never get to play with her, protect her, laugh and smile with her, take care of her, yell at her. Until now he hadn't even felt the loss of these moments so greatly. He turned to look at the sister he was sacrificing most of his life for. He would loose so much, and he wasn't sure what he'd gain in the bargain.

He knew he'd gain some of her happiness. While her red hair hung limply, it still shone brilliantly because it was Zion and here everyone looked at his or her dazzle potential all the time. Though her eyes could not lie.

She was depressed. She wanted out of her own personal heaven. She wanted to explore the wonders of the world below her, she wanted to meet people, greet people, and live a normal life. Sort of like him except she was dead. For a second their eyes met and Harry was quite sure he would cry because he now knew what she felt like. He wasn't sure if Sirius was looking at the small exchange between the two. Hell he wasn't even sure if she was really even looking at him.

"I'll do it Sirius." He said softly. He did it for her, his unnamed sister. Why? He didn't know but he felt the need to satisfy her in anyway possible. To care for her, nurture her. He wouldn't get to do all those things and he knew it. So he did the only this possible for her. He gave her what she wanted.

His life.


Thanks for reading guys! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of What IF! I'll be putting up the second one shortly.

Comments are greatly appreciated so that I know how I'm doing...I'm figuring about maybe three at least for this chapter?

That would make me really really happy D The summary is quite crappy I know...but I promise the story isn't!!

Until Next Time!!

Lillith E.