Prologue

Stunned and helpless, Sirius Black fell through the veil.

When he emerged from the other side, he was no longer in the Department of Mysteries, nor, indeed, anywhere at all. But he could move, and he did so without pausing to examine his surroundings. Only a moment ago, he had been locked in a duel with his cousin, Bellatrix, and now she and all the others were gone.

"HARRY!" he bellowed hoarsely, getting to his feet. "Harry!" His voice was strangely flat, as though he stood in a soundproof room. He looked wildly around him, but could only see a vast plane of whiteness stretching endlessly away in all directions. Where was he? He had to get to the others, and quickly. His wand was missing, too. He must have dropped it…. No matter, he would fight with his bare hands, if it came to it. He chose a direction and began to run, and as he did, he spotted a tall woman with dark hair in the distance. She was walking toward him.

"BELLATRIX! What have you done with—?" he stopped abruptly in front of her, his mouth slightly open, as he realized that it wasn't his cousin. Her bearing was much less regal, but more elegant. Her long hair was a warm, rich honey-chestnut, not black, and her eyes…he had only ever known two people to have eyes like that, amber-brown with faint rings of gold. He felt his legs give way beneath him.

"Nimue…" he croaked. "This can't be real."

"It's real," Nimue said, taking his hands in hers and kneeling. "Sirius, there's no easy way to tell you this...."

"I've…I've died?" Sirius shook his head, trying in vain to clear it. "But—Harry—the others—they're in danger! I've got to help them!"

"Albus Dumbledore is with them now. He'll take care of them. Please understand, you can't go back."

Sirius was silent. As strange as it seemed, it was impossible to deny that she was right, though he had no idea how he knew it. It was as if his very being had realized it. This was it. He had died, and his soul had gone—somewhere. And Nimue was here. After all the years of agony and torment, she was right in front of him, touching him, talking to him. "Are you really here?" he asked tentatively, fearing her answer.

She smiled and drew him into her arms. "I'm as real as this," she said, her voice cracking. "I've been waiting for you, Sirius."

He gave a low moan of relief, squeezing her tightly and stroking her hair. "When I was in Azkaban, with the dementors, they made me relive the day I lost you…over and over." He leaned back, holding her at arm's length so he could look at her. "Nimue, what happened? I never understood…."

"It's a long story, and a difficult one," she replied. "But as we literally have eternity, I can show you, if you like. You can see it as it happened through my eyes."

"I want to know," Sirius said firmly.

"Then close your eyes, and I'll show you how it all began…."