Disclaimer: I do not intend to profit from the use of JK Rowlings characters and settings. I appreciate being allowed to play with them for my own amusement – if no one else's.
Sirius Black was shocked when the red bolt of energy connected and threw him backward. The stunner that Bellatrix, his psychotic bitch of a cousin, sent his way had caught him square in the chest. He heard her cackle with glee. He'd lost focus for just a moment. Not even that - a fraction of a second and she managed to slip the spell past his shield. Sirius knew he was too close to the artefact. Unable to move, he felt himself pass through the Veil.
Suddenly, there was no sensation of movement. He was neither cold nor hot. He didn't notice light or dark. All of his concentration was on his regret. He'd let Harry down. He'd never be able to make up for the years they'd been apart while he was locked in Azkaban. He had never meant for Harry to be abandoned again. He intended to protect his godson from the evil that was Voldemart. It wasn't fair what the boy had suffered through almost from the moment he entered Hogwart's four years ago. Longer than that, if he included the years Harry had been stuck with his magic hating aunt and uncle. He'd promised James and Lily that he would look after their son. He owed a debt to Harry and Hermione for saving him from the dementor's kiss. A Black never goes back on his word and always repays his debts.
Nine levels beneath the lobby of the Ministry of Magic, largely ignored by the Aurors and Unspeakables, stood a black veiled archway. The continuous slight movement of the curtain suddenly increased as though stirred by gale force winds. The faint unintelligible murmurings rose in volume and became a single understandable word, "Reditum". Within a blast of light that originated from the gate itself, a slender, dark haired man fell gracefully through the Veil of Death landing almost soundlessly on the stone floor.
A/N - This chapter is just a tease to see what kind of reaction (ie - views/comments or Fates willing follows) this idea receives. Please let me know what you think. -GS