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After the Veil

Sirius Black made no noise as he lay on the floor. There was something very off, he could tell. It was like he was forgetting to do something very important but he could not remember what it was. The floor underneath him was icy and uneven. It seemed to suck the very warmth from his soul.

Suddenly as thoughts clicked together, he sat bolt upright. Harry. His head felt like a derailed steam engine, on the verge of overturning. The Veil. Death Eaters. Danger!

The last one sent him shooting to his feet, he had to help, he needed a way back, he needed-

Then he heard the sound, and his thoughts trailed to a stop.

It was soft and loud all at once, it was sounded like a long, low, never ending whistle. There was a childish melody to it, even though the owner of the sound never seemed to need to draw breath. It rose to a higher pitch, then sank again, the sound making his teeth grind. As it wound its way into his head and caressed his thoughts.

His fingers and toes felt cold and heavy, but the feeling didn't stop there, no it grew.

Harry, Sirius forced the name back into his head, Harry. Like a chant, he repeated it again and again. Almost automatically, he changed into a big, black dog. For a moment the transformation left him feeling at ease, but it vanished as the whistling cry grew louder and clearer.

With a howl of anguish, he shook his large head and reared up.

Then there was silence. But Sirius felt no relief in it just fear, cold and hard. It sat curled up in the pit of his stomach, like a snake, a repeated question: what had he woken? His howl echoed hollowly along the imaginary walls. It was so small, so insignificant.

Suddenly, a giant seemed to drag in a deep, creaky breath, it dragged him backwards, the shriek of his claws, adding to the noise.

Then with a thunder filled roar, a howl filled the air. A sound so terrifying, Sirius wanted to dissolve, but he couldn't because it was coming for him. He was being hunted.

He ran and ran, the air becoming frosty, with each step. Than a light appeared, so far away, it might have been his imagination, but he didn't care. If he stopped, he'd know for certain if he were dead or not.

Gradually the light grew bigger and closer, but so did the howls. It grew to a scream of rage with every bound he took.

Closer and closer the screaming drew. His fur was wet now, as he struggled to maintain his animagus as his vision blurred with tears of fear. Harry, I'm sorry, so sorry, he thought, as he somehow felt the cold breath of the howler breathing down his neck.

The light was so close, when something sent his body crashing forward through the air, returning him fully to human form. He pivoted as he was flung, a scream ripped from his throat as he faced it, it replied with another scream as he collided with the light behind him. It lurched forward trying to follow, but before it could reach him, the world turned to darkness once more.

He was lying on the floor once again. Except this time, the world seemed warmer, calmer.

"Sirius" a woman's soft voice came gently through his dream like state "Get up". Her voice seemed so familiar, so like home.

"Yeah, get up Padfoot, we have stuff to do" this time a man's voice, more commanding but caring.

"Prongs?" Sirius asked with a gasp, eyes snapping open. Leaning over him stood two people; one with lively green eyes the other with crooked glasses over hazel "Lilly!"

"Sirius it's good to see you" James replied with a smile, and though joy filled him at the sight there was still something off. Wrong. Like before.

"James!" Lilly butted him in the ribs with her elbow, she gave him a frown.

"I mean not good, yes good, eh balanced?" he tried to amend to no avail.

"But you're- you're dead.

"We know dear" Lilly said with a sad smile, and that's when he realised they weren't breathing. None of them were breathing.

"Me too" it wasn't a question.

James nodded slowly, a lock of dark hair falling in front of his eyes.

"But I have to help Harry, I need to. He's in trouble!".

"Sirius" Lilly spoke again "time passes faster here, that was years ago"

There was a small tinkling sound like a bell, and James and Lilly both looked up.

"Come now Padfoot, we're going to help Harry now" James pulled him to his feet, "Let's go see him".

Lupin appeared beside them just as the familiar Forbidden Forest materialised around them. So he was gone too. They all seemed younger better, even he felt more 'alive', the thought left a twisted grin on his face.

But then there was Harry, he had not gotten younger like they had, but older; his eyes dark with far too many sorrows for one so young. His clothes were covered in blood and dirt. Sirius watched him, mixed feelings of pride and sadness sat in his heart, for all Harry had lost and all he'd gained. That's when he knew what was to come, and he acknowledged it, it was always going to be this way, this must happen.

As if reading everyone's thoughts, Lilly spoke "You've been so brave".

Harry watched her, soaking her in.

"Your nearly there" James said "Very close. We are proud of you" he watched his son too, of course he did, the same way Harry watched his mother. Harry's mouth moved but he seemed stuck for words.

"Does it hurt?"

Sirius knew what to say immediately.

"Dying? Not at all" he wanted to say he hadn't even noticed, but instead "Quicker and easier then falling asleep".

Harry began talking again, but Sirius wasn't listening, he just took him in, until he heard the words:

"You'll stay with me?"

"Until the end" James replied

"They won't be able to see you".

Sirius took his turn in speaking again "We are part of you. Invisible to anyone else".

They followed him as he walked towards his death. And as they did Sirius knew he needed to explain something important yet obvious. As he opened his mouth to do so, Harry dropped the stone; it fell so slowly as he watched it. Sirius wasn't even in the forest when it hit the ground.

Despair fell on him as he watched his godson vanish, and then his own body begin to break apart into pieces of dancing light.

"I wanted to say I love you" Sirius told no one "I love you Harry".