Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter…oh, forget it. You know.
A/N: Hey, guys, it's back! The sequel is here! Now, unlike the first one, this story will not have a song at the beginning of every chapter. I'm running out of them! But there may be snippets of songs in later chapters. Well, hope you enjoy this as much as the first one! And now to express a thanks to the people who reviewed the last chapter of TPCNL, 'cause if I don't I'll feel really bad:
Indiangurl: Yes, it kills me to write it, but I had to. Sorry I couldn't e-mail you, but I'm really not allowed (parents' rule). Hope you like this!
Gaul1: Thank you! Yeah, it was sad, sorry! But here's the sequal. Maybe it'll make you feel a little better :).
BURN THE RUM: Here, I know you've been waiting. I actually was going to wait a little longer to put it up, but I figured what the hell! Here you go, and thank you so much for all the nice things you said!
Writingangel203: Yeah, yeah, you know what happens in this chapter, Neli. And when do you NOT write in a British accent? Hehehe
Harryforeva: Thank you so much! I hope the sequal will be good, but I guess you're the judge of that. Happy Reading!
The gray clouds mixed with the white and covered up the blue sky. No rain fell, and the wind blew softly. It was not a horribly cold day, but it was chilly all the same.
Underneath these skies was a gathering. There were people huddled together, surrounding a long, majestic coffin. It was a funeral, but there was no body in that coffin.
Dumbledore stepped out to say a few words. All around him were people grieving a loss that happened over a year ago. Hermione was in Ron's arms sobbing. The rest of the Weasleys looked down, but tears were in their eyes. The Order was silent, but they would not look at the coffin. Remus Lupin was the only one who held a strong face. He had been through so many deaths before…
But Harry Potter – the one they had expected to be sobbing the loudest – just stared. He looked at the Phoenix carving in the smooth wood of the coffin, as if begging the bird to come to life and fly away. Maybe it would go through that veil and find Sirius…revive him. But they were all foolish hopes.
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I am very proud to say that I knew Sirius Black. He and his three best friends became like sons to me. Except one chose to deceive…" He trailed off, but quickly began talking again. "He was brave, charming, and one of the smartest students we've had at Hogwarts. And though he spent the majority of his life in hiding, his closest and most loyal friends stayed true to him. And now, one year after his death, his name has been cleared by the Minister of Magic himself."
Dumbledore paused, as Tonks gave out a long sob.
"Sirius Black left behind many people that he loved with all his heart. One of his best friends, Remus Lupin, is the last of the Marauders – " Dumbledore purposely left Peter out of the count – "and has seen so much one should not see in a lifetime. Harry Potter, his godson, loved Sirius like a father." Dumbledore turned and looked at the pained expression on Harry's face. It begged him to stop.
"He has now gone to join his friends. He will once again see his wife, Melissa, who was tragically taken from him before their first child was born. And now, there is no more. It grieves me to say this, but that is the end. Goodbye, Padfoot."
Dumbledore stepped down and walked back into the circle of people. Harry could've sworn he saw a tear stream under Dumbledore's half-moon glasses. Harry slowly stepped towards the coffin, and placed a flower on top of it.
"I wish I could still live with you," he muttered.
One by one, people dropped flowers onto the smooth surface of the wood. Then they left to go to the wake. All were gone, but one woman.
She walked closer to the coffin and stared at it intently. Crystalline tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. She had been in the Order of the Phoenix, and knew Sirius very well. They had been very close. The wind blew her brown hair softly off her shoulders as one tear slid silently down her cheek. She looked upon the coffin and her lips formed into a small smile.
"Such a big crowd came for you today," she said. "You always were quite the charmer." She knelt down and kissed the top of the coffin. Then, slowly, she got up. She knew that this was no use. There was only air inside that coffin, and she had been saying goodbye to nothing. She ran her fingers over the words of the gravestone and read each one:
"To the memory of Sirius "Padfoot" Black
Beloved friend and Godfather
Husband to Melissa
You are the loyal, protective star to all of us.
We love you, Padfoot."
The woman then turned to the grave next to Sirius's. It read:
"Heres to Melissa Black
Loving wife of Sirius
You were loved by everyone who crossed your path.
You shall remain immortal in the hearts of those who remember."
She noticed that the stone of this grave had cracks and was in horribly bad shape. People had vandalized it when Sirius was known as a convict and servant of Lord Voldemort. But she knew that it hadn't only been those people who'd done this.
"It's because of this destruction that he had to die," the woman whispered to herself as one more tear slid down her cheek. She got up and began to walk away. But before she reached her car, she turned. "I'll always love you, Padfoot."
And then, Melissa Black got into her car and drove to the wake. She still was just a shadow, invisible to all those that would be there.
A/N: There's the first chapter! It's short, but hopefully it'll get longer. PLEASE REVIEW!!!