Chapter 1: The Death.

Directly above them, framed in the doorway

from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious.

Harry felt a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body - they were saved. Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thoughts of leaving.

Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realised he was there and yelled to the others. One of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line.

Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her. 'Come on, you can do better than that!' he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.

Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once-handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place.

Harry heard Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream, but knew it meant nothing - Sirius had only just fallen through the archway, he would reappear from the other side any second… But Sirius did not reappear.

'SIRIUS!' Harry yelled. 'SIRIUS!'

He had reached the floor, his breath coming in searing gasps. Sirius must be just behind the curtain, he, Harry, would pull him back out… But as he reached the ground and sprinted towards the dais, Lupin grabbed Harry around the chest, holding him back.

There's nothing you can do, Harry -'.

'Get him, save him; he's only just gone through!' Screamed Harry.

'- it's too late, Harry.'

'We can still reach him -' Harry struggled hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go.

There's nothing you can do, Harry… nothing… he's gone,' Panted Remus.

Harry wrenched his arm from Remus' grasp, and sprinted towards the veil.

As he ran, Harry was aware of his friends calling his name, but he was too focused on saving his Godfather too pay any heed.

He ran and jumped through the veil, and as he went through the veil, he just had time to glance backwards to see his friends and Dumbledore, sprinting towards him, before he felt a weird, tingling feeling all over his body.

He collapsed and as he fainted he saw a young man, with unruly black hair, standing over him, with a sad smile on his face.