Right Here

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters :(

A/N: I know, I know…what am I thinking, posting so much when I have so much to finish on my other stories? But I have to take a day or two off from my other stories to collect my thoughts on them and get them squared away, so this is what you get - a very funny, emotional three-shot that I just HAD to type!:D

Full Summary: In one world, Sirius Black sat in Grimmauld Place, mourning the fourteen year anniversary of his best friend's death. In another, parallel world, James Potter was doing the exact same thing. But there's something different about this Halloween…something that could change both men's lives forever.

Other Notes: This story does not contain slash and contains only cannon pairings – it takes place in Harry's fifth year (Order of the Phoenix) on Halloween night. Anything that you recognize from the books in this story strictly belongs to JK Rowling, of course!

Sirius sat alone at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place. There was a bottle of Firewhiskey in front of him, but it remained unopened. Sirius was drumming his fingers on the table…he heard every single sound in the house…the ticking of the clock above the sink…the footsteps coming from upstairs…the muted voices of Molly and Arthur Weasley in the sitting room…his own heartbeat…

Sirius knew the date. He knew it before anyone else had a chance to tell him – it was Halloween . A fun, harmless holiday for children…a day that brought about joy and candy and friendship…but not for Sirius. For Sirius, this day represented everything that he hated – everything that destroyed him.

For on this day in 1981, Sirius's best friend – James – and his wife – Lily – were killed in their home in Godric's Hollow, leaving their one year old son, Harry, an orphan. All because of the betrayal of a friend.

For fourteen years, Sirius hadn't known this date (being as he'd spent them either on the run or in Azkaban Prison) so he couldn't really mourn it. He couldn't feel the crushing presence of their loss on a single day. But he felt it now – oh, he felt it now. He was able to think back on the day...the day that ruined his life forever.

Even though it was only eight-thirty in the morning, Sirius cracked open the Firewhiskey, and took a long drink...

James sat alone at his kitchen table in Grimmauld Place. Granted, it wasn't really his kitchen table, but it was the closest thing he had to one after Voldemort destroyed his family's home in Godric's Hollow. Feeling grief on Halloween wasn't something new for James - he'd felt the absence of his best friend on this day every year for fourteen years.

Himself and his wife, Lily, were staying with the Order of the Phoenix - the society created by Albus Dumbledore to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort. James's fifteen year old son - Harry - was away at school. James often felt sadness for the way that Harry had to grow up - surrounded by war and pain and loss. But Lily always reminded her husband of how much worse it could have been - if they'd been home that night, Harry could have grown up without his parents.

It had been Sirius, in fact, who'd been with Harry in Godric's Hollow. He'd insisted. "James, Lily, come on...Peter's your Secret-Keeper, he won't let anything happen here. Go on, have a night out. I will protect Harry like he was my own son - I'd die before I let anything happen to him." James still remembered how fervent and sincere Padfoot had been. And though James would spend the rest of his adult life regretting it, James and Lily left the house for the night, leaving Harry in Sirius's care.

When they'd returned, the house had been in ruins, and Sirius had been found in the nursery with Harry, dead. James knew that that image of Sirius would be burned into his mind forever and ever - on Halloween night of 1981, James had truly lost everything.

James heard Lily come into the room. She wrapped her arms around her husband, and kissed the top of his head.

"Don't think about it." she murmured softly in her melodic, soothing voice.

James let out a strained, humorless chuckle. "Fourteen years," he muttered. "Has it truly been that long?"

"I hate to tell you, love, but you're getting old." Lily chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Despite her efforts, however, her husband remained in a glum mood.

"Padfoot always did dread getting old. He was afraid it would 'diminish his good looks' or some nonsense...at least he never has to worry about that." James whispered softly.

"If it makes you feel any better," Lily began, supressing the urge to cry, for she too, had loved Sirius. "Dumbledore's letting Harry come, today. Needs to discuss something of 'upmost importance' with him, or something. So we'll get to see him."

While this did lighten James's heart a bit, it couldn't help the pain he felt at the loss of his friend. Lily sighed, kissed James once more, and left the room. James didn't feel bad about being so melancholy - he was often funny and cheerful. He was constantly the life of the party, even in a time of war. Even when his son was being referred to as 'The Chosen One', or 'The Boy Who Lived'. Even when Remus's seriousness tried to 'rain on James's parade', James was happy. But this one day every year, he allowed himself time to grieve.

Even though it was only eight-thirty in the morning, James cracked open the Firewhiskey that rested in front of him, and took a long drink...

Two people...two people feeling unimaginable grief on this day. Both of whom were dead in one world, yet alive in another. Both of whom missed their best friend with everything in them. On this day, something was about to happen. Something that would change their lives forever.

"Sirius? Sirius? Sirius!"

Sirius snapped out of his thoughts, and focused in on reality. And reality was quite loud.

"What is it, Molly?" Sirius snapped, becoming irritated with the sharp look that the red-headed witch was giving him.

"What's got you drinking so early?" Molly asked, disgust evident in her voice.

"Oh, I don't know." Sirius muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Maybe the fact that it's Halloween?"

"Enjoy the festivities later!" Molly snapped. Then, she seemed to realize what really had Sirius drinking so early, and she instantly felt bad. She put her hand to her mouth, and murmured, "Oh...I'm so sorry...I-I didn't realize that it was...that it was that day..."

"S'alright." Sirius muttered deadly, taking another drink of Firewhiskey. "Used to it by now."

"Maybe I can see about getting Harry and the children over here for dinner tonight, hm?" Molly said, a bit uncomfortable. She was always quite snappy with Sirius, and wasn't entirely certain how to comfort the ex-prisoner. "Would that cheer you up?"

While, yes, the prospect of seeing his godson did cheer Sirius up a bit, it still couldn't completely rid him of his grief. Molly seemed to sense this, and left the kitchen without another word.

Sirius was tired. Quite, quite tired. He considered going to his room to take a nap; it wouldn't be quite so curious to the other Order members. Sirius usually slept in until noon anyway - no one would even have to know he'd been awake at all. Choosing to Apparate, because he was much to lazy to just walk up the stairs, Sirius stood up. Just before the CRACK! of his Apparation was heard, Sirius's thoughts trailed to James...

"James? James? James!"

James snapped out of his thoughts and focused in on reality. And reality was quite annoyed.

"What?" James mumbled, still tired and half-asleep.

"What's got you drinking so early?" Molly Weasley asked, stepping into the room.

"It's Halloween..." James trailed off.

"Oh." Molly said. "I didn't realize...I'm so sorry, James, really, I-"

Despite his sadness, James managed a chuckle. "Don't beat yourself up, Molly. It's not a sin that you didn't know the date."

"Yes, well...I'm sorry just the same." the older red-headed witch murmured. "I'll just...leave you to your thoughts then."

"Thank you." James said honestly, taking a small sip of Firewhiskey.

"And James?" Molly added.

"Yes?" James asked, looking curiously up at the mother of his son's very best friend.

"I'm...quite sorry, you know...about Sirius." she said, not sure how to comfort the man who barely ever let anyone see him shed a tear.

"Thank you, Molly." James said. "That means a lot."

Molly allowed a sad smile, and walked out of the room. Suddenly, a large CRACK! was heard. Being an Auror, James was quite used to hearing Apparations, and didn't give the sound a second thought. Then, however, he heard a thud, a crash, and a, "Damn! That hurt!"

Choosing not to ignore the sound of someone who might have splinched while Apparating (and due to his Auror training) James stood up from the table and entered the sitting room, from which the sounds of pain had been heard. It was completely deserted except for one man, the one who had obviously been Apparating. He hadn't splinched at all - he'd just apparated head-long into the wall.

From the hallways several rooms down, James heard the portrait of Sirius's mother screech, "Filth! Vermon! Blood traitor! Disgrace of my flesh!"

And at the exact same time, both men shouted, "OY! Shut it, you old hag!"

"Sorry about her," both men began.

Then, the man who had Apparated liften his head, and James stared into the face of the man he'd just been grieving - the one who had been dead for fourteen years. The one he never thought he'd see again.

"S-Sirius?"

Sirius hadn't Apparated into his room at all - just the sitting room. However, Remus wasn't sitting there as he had been a minute before. It was deserted.

And Sirius Apparated head-first into the wall.

"Damn, that hurt!" Sirius complained loudly, standing up. He rubbed the back of his head to try and alleviate the pain, when the sounds of his mother's portrait echoed into the room.

"Filth! Vermon! Blood traitor! Disgrace of my flesh!" Mrs. Black shouted.

Sirius hadn't been aware that another man had entered the room. But he sure heard him when he and the man shouted unanimously, "OY! Shut it, you old hag!"

Sirius's heart stopped for a moment. That had been something that he and James used to say together. And Sirius's heart hurt.

"Sorry about her," both men muttered.

Sirius finally lifted his head to ask the man why he was so ashamed of Mrs. Black, when he saw who it was.

Sirius stared into the face of the man he'd just been grieving - the one who had been dead for fourteen years. The one he never thought he'd see again.

"S-Sirius?" James sputtered out, his eyes already glossing over.

"J-James?"

Ta-da! If I get enough reviews, I'll try to upload again tonight :D I hope you liked! Sorry if the guys were a little OOC, but they were grieving...and you're never the same when you're sad :( But I hope you liked! Oh, and I know that in the AU where James is alive, you might ask how Harry is still the BWL and whatnot, but that wasn't an error on my part - I've planned out James's entire reality, and trust me, it works :) I'll explain it next chapter. Until then, toodaloo!

~PeachyKeen13