Final Journey
Chapter Summary: Death is merely another path, one we must all walk.
Tags: end of life, natural death, reunited in death, afterlife. past Harry/Ginny, Harry/Severus
Warnings: Medical stuff, talk of death and dying, being taken off a respirator, natural death, mentions of possible suicide, mentions of a miscarriage, loss of a spouse, depression, Grief/mourning, cancer.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. This story is purely for entertainment purposes only, I am not making any money from this fanwork.
A/N: Get. Tissues. I'm serious. Apparently this one requires like half of a box to get through the first part according to my beta. It's easier after that, promise. When writing this many MANY years ago, I was in mourning and I was determined to drag the whole world down into the abyss of suffering with me. Think I succeeded. My beta still hasn't forgiven me for not giving them a strong enough tissue warning, so here's your tissue warning.
This was going to originally be just the first part, but a year or so later I got the idea of the two of them touring the underworld and giving at least a passing nod to most of the common underworlds. The inspiration died out before it got to that point, but what I do have is still one of my favorite stories to date. Would love it if this bunny woke up so I could finish it someday.
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"Harry? What's on your mind? I can practically see your thoughts rolling around in your head."
Harry stood up from leaning against the railing that overlooked the deep chasm that the river had carved out of solid stone, a great waterfall beside them tumbling hundreds of feet down to crash against the rocks at the bottom, the cool mist wisping into his face every now and again, refreshing him and making him forget his worried thoughts for a moment.
Without hesitation he leaned back into Severus's arms. Even after so many years he still found such comfort in his lover's embrace. 'Tall, dark, and safe', as he'd used to call him in his youth, and even now it was still true. Severus never had gone gray or white, he just had a few strands of silver peppering his hair with one actual streak on the left side, while Harry had gone white as snow in his mid 60's but it thankfully stayed thick. Severus still stood a head taller than him, no matter how stooped with age they were. Severus actually refused to give in to such a thing, it would have been undignified for him to stoop to anything, especially AGE of all things. Harry rested his head back on Severus' chest, and placed his hands atop the potion master's own, drawing himself tighter into his beloved's embrace.
"Just thinking, realizing, wondering, hoping...all those silly things you would chide me for."
"And what exactly is it you are thinking, realizing, wondering and hoping?"
"I was thinking that we've had a good run of it, you and I. Yes it was bumpy and rocky and even Hell itself sometimes, but we got through it all because we tackled everything together. I realized that, 97 years, that's longer than most people have been alive, yet that's how many years I spent with you. If we were Muggles or even muggleborns we'd have already been dead and buried long ago, and it made me grateful to know that I got to hold onto you just that much longer. I was wondering exactly how much longer I would have, before I'd be gone like Hermione, and Dean, and Collin, and all those children who died way back when I was just a stupid kid without a clue and living on luck, a prayer, and the graceful whim of fate. George didn't even make it 12 years without Fred, and you and I, I know we're the same way. You're like air to me. I don't always think about it, but I know you are essential to me, you always have been. Even before you loved me you protected me and saved me. Thank you for that."
"You are welcome. I take it the last thought is just as morbid? Although I wonder how hope could be dark."
"Not 'hope', 'hoping'. I'm hoping that when the time comes, it's peaceful and quiet, something easy where I'm asleep and don't know it's happening, where it's warm and safe and there's no registering of pain. After so much fighting, and pain, and death, I just want peace."
Severus' arms tightened around him. "You recieved your results didn't you?"
Harry nodded. "Nastiest bastards in our world have tried to take me out with all their might since I was an infant without success, and now... a lump of brainless bad cells manages where they failed. The tumor is malignant, and it's already metasticised from the brain into my spinal cord. It won't be long, a few weeks, maybe a month at the most before my organs start to shut down. I'm sure I could try to be the stupidly rash Gryffindor one final time, go down fighting it tooth and nail in glory to my final breath, but, I'm so tired of fighting Severus. I've been fighting my entire life, all 127 years of it, and now I just want to lay down my sword and let go. Does that...disappoint you? Do you think that's cowardly of me?"
Severus turned his lover in his arms, tilted his chin up and kissed him. Harry pretended not to notice the tears in the stoic man's eyes.
"No Harry, it doesn't disappoint me. You are the bravest man I've ever known. You willingly accepted and walked to your death when you were 18, knowing that you should have had your entire life ahead of you, yet you did it anyway. You outlived that death by 109 years, and to once again willingly accept that death and only ask that it be peaceful to you this time... no Harry, that is not cowardly at all."
"I'm not afraid of it you know, I mean, I've already done it, I know what to expect, but even still, you'll be there? Till the end?"
"Silly man, I would never be anywhere else. You are my husband Harry, and I promise you, when the time comes, you will feel no pain."
Harry kissed Severus again, willingly shedding the tears Severus would never let fall in front of others. "I love you Severus."
"I love you too, My Harry."
Harry stayed wrapped in his husband's arms, grateful for the man's strength and understanding.
"Come on Harry, let's go home."
The family stood around his father's bedside, the respirator hissing and puffing regularly, keeping his body alive even though they had been told multiple times that there was no hope of him responding to them or waking up again. But still, James had waited until they all could gather to say good bye properly.
He held his dad's emaciated hand, remembering so clearly how those same hands had once had no trouble picking him up when he was a boy and placing him atop shoulders that had seemed higher and stronger than any mountain. This frail looking person was so hard to recognize as the same man who when James was nine had once stormed a stronghold of thirty-five Death Eaters with only two other Aurors beside him in order to saved his captured regiment, and then had emerged victorious with no casualties on their side and every Death Eater either captured or dead.
He had idolized this man before he even knew what it meant to have a hero.
His dad was strong, brave, powerful, he had killed the most terrifying dark wizard their world had yet known, and had only cried twice that he had ever seen. The first was when James was four and their mother had been home alone and miscarried five months into her fourth pregnancy, bleeding to death before being able to reach help. In fact she had never even made it out of the bed. The experts thought she had either taken something to fall asleep, or to induce the miscarriage, or both. They never could determine the real reason or what she might have been thinking. There were never any answers on whether it was intentional or not.
His father had mourned, but he'd also been so strong and tried so hard to keep them together, he wanted to be enough parent for all three of them, but in his own grief he hadn't been able to keep himself together. Not even a year later he was so exhausted that James had honestly been glad to see Severus, who during the final battle had been the epitome of Slytherin incarnate and pulled a switch on Voldemort. A glamoured golem that he controlled remotely, and could feed any information he liked to, had taken his place. That was what Nagini destroyed, and his dad had collected the memories from. Snape himself had been evacuating the castle under polyjuice potion and hexing Death Eaters into oblivion.
The man had swept in like a stoic mountain of stubborness and forced his dad to rest. "You are no good to them dead." The most imposing figure he'd ever layed eyes on had chided, before taking charge of their lives and making things better by first knocking his dad out for three days with a 'slightly improved' Dreamless Sleep Draught and a Draught of Peace, and then began the arduous task of putting their world back together piece by jagged piece.
Severus had become his dad's lifeline to health and sanity, and with how bad things had been, the stern and stoic man with the dark eyes who could out stubborn his father with his no nonsense practicality, became their secure and steady shelter in the storm. Two years later when they had married, James had truly been happy for them. Lily and Asp had become closest to their step-father, latching onto Severus like remoras to a shark, and never again letting go. James unfortunately could still remember his mother, whereas the other two didn't, and though he tried his best, and got on well with Severus, it had been very hard for him to ever call him 'Father' like the other two did. He was closest to his dad, and while he treated Severus with great respect, and was very glad that he was a part of his dad's and their lives, he just simply didn't need the man to fill a parental role for him. He had always called him 'Severus' or 'Sir' and the man had never been bothered by it.
The second time his dad had cried was two years ago, when after 97 years of marriage, Severus had kissed his husband goodnight, went to sleep, and never woken again. He'd been 146. James had been the strong one that time. Lily and Asp were just completely lost, but managed to hold each other together while James had tried to help their dad. It had almost killed him to outlive not just one, but both of his spouses.
James had truly worried his dad might try and hurt himself, but he'd surprised him, he had sobbed for two weeks straight, and then he'd just gone very quiet. He hadn't gone through the house and thrown out or given back everything that could remind him of his loss, like he'd once done with almost everything belonging to their mother, instead he began tidying and cleaning, setting things up the way Severus would have liked them, or fixing Severus' favorite foods though he wasn't there to eat them. He talked to Severus as if he were in the room with him, and set his place at table. Delusions were preferable to suicide, but James had known then, or maybe he had known since the man had walked into their lives, his dad wouldn't live long without Severus. Either by his own hand, or a broken heart, or some new twist of the universe, Harry Potter, revered hero, savior of the wizarding world, devoted husband and loving father, would not recover from this blow.
And now here they were. Two months ago his dad had started getting sick and having blackouts, migraines, and nose bleeds. A month ago they learned it was cancer, and three weeks ago that the cancer was in his brain and spine, and malignant. Not even all the magic in the world could help, the wizarding world hadn't even known about cancer, or its treatments, but the revelation that their savior could be helped by muggles and not themselves was enough to shake the Magical World to it's core and many had finally begun to realize just how far the muggles had advanced beyond them. Even while dying his dad could change the world, but it was too little, too late.
James didn't know if it was the tumor induced dementia, or his actual wishes, but his dad had refused the cancer treatments, saying Severus was ok with him not being a rashly brave fighter for once. Two days ago he had fallen unresponsive and been placed on life support long enough to make the preparations and gather the family. Harry Potter's children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and even a few great-great-grandchildren, along with most of the cousins and neices and nephews. His dad had always wanted a big happy family, and despite the tragedies that's what they'd had. The family had been there for them all, and had been so patient when they needed it. James considered himself very fortunate to have his family close to him, because with what he was about to do, he needed all the strength he could get.
James nodded, it was time. One by one the little ones came up and kissed their granpop goodbye before being ushered out of the room. Some of the other family members said their goodbyes and left the room, unable to watch, but Ron, Percy, Charlie, Bill, Teddy, Victorie and Fleur stayed along with a bunch of faces that James just couldn't focus on at the moment. Albus and Lily held their dad's other hand while James tried to find the strength to turn off the machine that kept their dad alive. He'd had his father for 105 years, and it still just didn't seem like enough time. He couldn't bear to willfully make his father stop breathing, after losing his mother so young, remembering that pain, how could he bear to even think it? It had taken ten minutes before he had felt Uncle Ron's hand on his shoulder.
"I can turn it off if you can't, no one will look down on you for it. He's my best mate and my brother, and I know he wouldn't want to keep on like this."
James was shaking, but he nodded. Lily was sobbing hard, and even Albus, who'd always been nearly as quiet and stoic as Severus, had tears running down his cheeks. James held tighter to his father's hand as their uncle reached over and switched off the ventilator, then removed the mask covering his nose and mouth.
"Cha bhithidh a leithid ami riamh. 'Your equal will never be among us again my friend.' Go in peace mate, you've earned it, but I'm still gonna miss you something awful." Ron Said quietly and stepped back.
Wrapped in Bill's arms Fleur began to sing softly.
"Rest now brave hero, your battle is done, the darkness defeated, the day has been won. Your courage and might turned the tides of the fight, and courage renewed helped pull us all through. Rest now brave hero, the battle is won, awaken renewed with the rise of the sun. Lay down your sword, the fight's at its end, no enemies here, just loved ones and friends. You'll return now to the embrace of the earth, to rise up again in brilliant rebirth. Your body is gone, but your spirit lives on, you'll not be forgotten, your story lives on. In poetic verse and musician's great song, in heart and in mind you'll always live on. Your bravery is legend, your courage astounds, lend us your strength while to a new land you're bound. A coin in the pocket to ferry your way, and our love and well wishes as you sail away."
Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, took one final breath and was still.
Asp, even through his tears, held his sister tightly and tried to comfort her. "It's gonna be alright Lil, he's with Father again. He's with Father."
James kissed his dad's hand and laid it gently down then went and wrapped his arms around his siblings. "Severus will take good care of him, just like he's always done. So we're gonna be alright, we still have each other, we're gonna make it through this."
Lily loosed herself from her brother's arms so she could lean over and kiss her dad's cooling forehead. "I love you daddy, I'm going to miss you so much. I love you." She accepted the warmth of her brother's hands on her shoulders and let them draw her back towards them.
Asp also leaned forward and kissed his Dad's forehead. "Bye dad, we'll all miss you. Tell Father we miss him too."
Their family came round and held them in a warm, strong embrace, their grief shared and comforted by all.
"It's so peaceful and beautiful here, it makes it hard to leave." Harry said, watching a spot further down the outlook, closer to the falls, where two girls and a boy who looked to be a set of triplets of about nine or ten years old were laughing and playing. One of the girls was reaching out from the railing to try and touch the water, while her sister tried to tug her back by the belt, and their brother was laughing heartily about something.
"Would you like to stay a while longer? We can venture further if you aren't tired yet." Severus asked with a gentle squeeze to Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah, let's go on a ways, I wanna see the rest of it since we came all this way."
Harry smiled and took Severus' hand, letting his love lead him away from the overlook and towards the bridge that crossed the chasm. "What did you say this river was called again?"
"It is called 'Lethe'. We will cross here by bridge, and on the other side we shall be taking a ferry across Acheron Lake towards the Blessed Isles."
"Blessed Isles, sounds like a nice place."
"It is adequate."
"Ah, so it's a REALLY nice place. Should I dress up?"
"No, it is quite casual, what you are wearing should suffice."
Though ancient looking, the bridge was strong and sturdy. Harry stopped in the very middle to stare at the wall of water peacefully falling yet still crashing down to the rocks below. If he reached out his hand like he'd seen the little girl do, he could just trail his fingers through the edge of the spray.
"Harry?" His husband asked while holding his hand.
"I miss them, the kids. Do you think they'll come home soon? I never realized how long the school year was until I was a parent waiting for my children to come home instead of a kid hoping to never have to go back to the Dursley's."
"You're forgetting time again Love. Some of our youngest great grandchildren are about to graduate Hogwarts, it's been over 80 years since Lily graduated."
"Oh, right. You know, I think they'll always still be little to me though no matter how old they get. Do you think they'll visit soon?"
"They visit four to five times a week, they haven't forgotten you."
"Don't want them to forget you either."
"They won't."
"Has James been treating you right? I know you say you don't care about him calling you Severus, but-"
Severus tipped Harry's chin up and kissed him soundly.
"While a mischievous hellion like his father, James respects me just fine. He and I have an understanding, and you do not need to butt your stubborn head in and disrupt our balance."
"Alright I just-" Harry gasped as a swift, sharp feeling shot through his whole body. Everything felt tight for a second, he couldn't even breathe, and then the feeling was gone the next instant.
"Harry?"
Harry was surprised to find he was crying. He felt like he'd lost something precious and yet gotten everything he'd ever wanted. He felt confused and lost, but like he'd just made a miraculous discovery, and somehow, Severus, his wonderful, strong, snarky Severus was here with him just like he'd always promised. Harry took a deep breath, and relaxed.
"Severus! I just, it felt like I just-"
"You look thirsty, here."
A cup appeared in Severus' hand and he easily filled it from the falls, somehow managing not to soak his sleeves, as Harry most certainly would have done.
"Wild water? Is that safe to drink?"
"This river is clean and we are right at the source. It's fine. I would never give you anything harmful Harry."
Harry smiled, knowing it was true, and accepted the cup before drinking deeply. It was the clearest, sweetest, most refreshingly cool water he'd ever tasted. With each swallow his worries and cares melted away, it felt like a fog had been cleared from his eyes and a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Joints that had ached for years suddenly stopped hurting, he felt ages younger and felt strength returning to his limbs.
"Wow, magic water, you didn't tell me this place was magical."
"How do you feel?"
"Fantastic! We should have started coming here when I was sixty! Then you wouldn't have had to brew that arthritis potion for me all those years."
"This place is a once in a lifetime trip Harry, I couldn't have brought you before you were ready. And besides, I liked brewing your arthritis potion for you."
"You liked watching me wince at the taste you mean." Harry looked around and realized he didn't remember getting on the bridge. "I spaced off again didn't I? What were we talking about?"
"I was telling you the names of the river and other landmarks that we will be seeing on this trip. Things you wouldn't have kept to memory anyway. Shall we continue?"
Harry smiled and took his Potion Master's hand in his own. The man was never much for public displays of affection, but he would indulge Harry if Harry was the one to initiate the contact as long as 'Things remained in a modest range of propriety and don't resort to an abandonment of senses and a reduction to base, hormonal displays.' In other words, Harry could hold his hand or embrace him, and even occasionally steal a quick kiss, but he was forbidden from pouncing the man in public, and considering how much Harry hated being in the public eye, it was a rule he could more than live with.
He was glad the bridge was wide enough for them to walk side by side, it made him feel like Severus' equal instead of like the man was once more taking care of him. Harry admired his husband for a number of reasons, but there were still some fears and traumas that he never could work past or let go of, even after all these years.
Harry craved human contact and physical touch after going so long without it, and sometimes he still worried that Severus would realize how much better he could have it and leave Harry behind, or that Harry really was as hopeless as Severus had remarked countless times and give up on him. Harry had always waited for the other shoe to drop, he'd never had anything good in his life that wasn't taken away from him or always kept just out of reach. Severus had chided him about his baseless worries, and never taken offense at Harry's constant need for reassurance.
Severus knew, he knew every inch of Harry's mind, there wasn't a memory or thought the man hadn't touched in his quest to make Harry whole again after everything he'd been his childhood, and the war, and then losing Ginny while still trying to round up death eaters, be the conquering hero, as well as a full time father. It's a miracle Harry had kept it together at all.
Severus didn't view Harry's 'abandonment issues' as his own short comings to prove to Harry that he loved him, he took it as a challenge. "Actions speak far louder than words, Mr. Potter-Snape, and it shall be my pleasure to prove you wrong."
And he had at every turn, whenever Harry thought he had messed up beyond redemption or that this time he had simply pushed Severus too far, asked too much, wasn't worthy of the brilliant and wonderful man before him, Severus had proven him wrong every single time with a smug little smirk edging at the corner of his mouth.
Eventually Harry had stopped questioning, and decided just to enjoy it for however long he could, and even though he knew Severus saw right through him, the man still didn't give up on him or take offense. Now those doubts rarely ever surfaced, but when they did all Harry needed to do was reach out his hand, and when he felt the responding warmth and strength in Severus' hand grasp his own, his lover's voice would echo in his mind: 'You know I will just prove you wrong again Mr. Potter-Snape.' and his mind would ease, the knot would leave his throat, and his world would tip upright once more. It was the most common way for Severus to say 'I love you', as the words rarely ever left his mouth without Harry saying it first, and that was fine with Harry, since Severus proved his love every single day without a word ever needing to be spoken.
They reached the other side of the bridge and Harry noticed the three children that were following them a ways back.
"Where on earth do you suppose their parents are? I mean they aren't old enough to be looking after themselves."
"They have their own journey to complete, and they are not our concern, it would be wrong of us to interfere."
"But they shouldn't be out here all alone, it could be dangerous and-"
"Harry, they look neither lost, scared, nor injured, and hardly look 'alone' with two siblings for each child, not to mention they are not our responsibility. If they approached us it would be a different matter but they haven't. Leave them be."
It was precicely at that moment that one of the little girls ran up to them.
"Excuse me Mister, could we borrow your cup? We don't have one."
Severus conjured a large goblet out of thin air, filled it, and handed it to her. "You may keep this one."
"Wow that's a cool trick Mister! Thanks!" And she took off back across the bridge to meet her siblings.
It was brief but Harry thought he saw a sorrowful look in Severus' eye as he looked at them. Harry didn't know why he did it, but Severus dug into a pocket and withdrew 6 knuts, placing them on the post at the edge of the bridge before once more taking Harry's hand and leading them on.
They continued walking down a lush path that curved around through stone gulleys and crevices where it was easy to imagine small streams and collected mist had once flowed through to join the falls behind them. The path was winding and after a few minutes they couldn't even hear the roar of the water. Eventually it opened into a wide clearing with scattered rocks and grass throughout. Off in the distance there was an ancient and grand looking castle that Harry supposed must be on top of a mountain since there were clouds under and round the base. Then he noticed the arching rainbow leading from the front door.
"Wow that's impressive. How high up do you think that castle is?"
"It's not a castle, it's a keep. Those are the Halls of Valhalla, rowdy place, but I hear they throw great parties. You would probably enjoy yourself very much."
"What are those flying things? Thestrals?"
"I doubt it. They hardly look skeletal to me."
Right then one of the beasts turned in midair and dove towards them, then turned and landed gracefully alongside them.
"Hi Harry!" Came the happy greeting, and before he had even registered who it was, he had his arms full of a lithe blond woman intent on squeezing the life out of him.
"L-Luna?"
"Of course it's me silly! Good to see you! Finally managed to make the trip here successfully I see, I hope it wasn't a rough one."
"No it wasn't," Severus replied smoothly, obligingly accepting Luna's hug. She and Harry had always remained very close friends and eventually she had pulled Severus into that category too. "Stubborn fool actually came quietly and without a fight, finally accepted that he was in sore need of a rest."
"Glad to hear that. It's always best that way. I know this lovely stubborn thing fought it tooth and nail, took me a few years to calm him down again once it finally happened." She pointed to the beast she had flown down on and Harry only now realized it was a hippogriff.
"Wait a minute, Buckbeak?"
The hippogriff ruffled its feathers at the name and Harry bowed to the creature in respect. It came as no surprise that Buckbeak returned the gesture only a second later before stepping forward and butting its head under Harry's chin affectionately and nibbling his hair.
"I missed you too Buckbeak."
"Both of you ending up on the Shores of Valhalla, somehow that doesn't surprise me. You want a ride up to the Rainbow Bridge?"
"Ah so you're a Valkyrie then Luna?" Severus inquired politely.
"Only on a part time basis, when I'm not busy. See that lower level with the smaller rainbow bridge? That is where all the little fur loves wind up, no idea who came up with the idea, but that's all it takes, an idea, and the next thing you know there's belief, and well, things happen. That's mostly where I lead people myself, reuniting them you know, and I spend a lot of time in the Faye realms too. I know I don't much look the part, but my dad's ancestry is Nordic and Germanic almost all the way back, so when I got offered the job I thought it would be pretty fun. However he's content to wander through all the realms and rest points, he doesn't want to miss anything. He found the Akashic Records a few years ago and has yet to leave. Hermione spends most of her time there too. I will never understand why she wasn't a Ravenclaw."
"Probably because she was as willing to jump headlong into the fray as she was into a book."
Luna laughed. "Yeah probably, but so was I, does that mean that I should have been in Gryffindor? How about just coming up for a pint? Their mead is FANTASTIC, and they love telling your story Harry, plus I think there's a face or two you might like seeing up there."
Harry turned to Severus who gave a small nod, and Luna turned and whistled sharply and another of the Valkyries turned and swooped down beside them. Luna and Harry rode on Buckbeak and Severus rode with a woman named Brynhildr on a beautiful pegasus.
The keep was indeed rowdy and raucous with singing and shouting, storytelling, friendly brawls and arm wrestling everywhere you looked. Whole deer and other game were spit rotating over large open fires scattered throughout the place, and trays filled with food and drink were being carried throughout the hall. The man standing at the open door asked their names.
"Harry Potter-Snape, and Severus Potter-Snape" The guards' eyes went wide. He banged his staff hard on the hollow block at his feet over and over, sending a loud, repetitive rhythm that spread quickly through the Hall. Silence spread in its wake until the entire place had gone silent and still.
"My lords and honored heroes, I present to you ones we have long wished to welcome and honor. Harry Potter-Snape, Master of Death, Slayer of the Stone Eyed Black Wyrm, heroic defeater of the Soul Split Scourge and his cowardly forces who fear death above all other things. Also his companion is Severus Potter-Snape, The hero's Savior, Protector, Defender, and Warrior Mate. Master over all knowledge of plant and creature, able to cure and curse in equal measure, he is as full of strategy, wit, wiles, and cunning as Loki himself, with a heart as true and unmovable as the mountain. He even tricked the Soul Split Scourge into thinking he was not only on his side, but had also died by his hand, all while he was elsewhere fighting cowards and defending those he loves. They have fought bravely and fiercely, and have seen battle more than once, so welcome them and receive them into our halls, they are our honorable brothers!"
Near deafening cheers rose up, salutes of raised mugs, and ale horns, and weapons everywhere, while boots stomped the floors and fists pounded the table. It was rather overwhelming, but they were led in and seated by a young girl with a serving tray, and she presented them with food, and mugs of beer, and a kiss on the cheek.
It was only moments later that a joyous shout of "Harry!" rang out and he was swept up into the arms of his godfather. "Sirius! Is it really you?! What are you doing here?!"
Sirius laughed "Are you kidding? I can change into a giant hound that is viewed as an omen of death, I have gone up against a werewolf regularly since I was a child, one of my best friends was a stag, and I died honorably in battle fighting against Voldemorts' second in command. Once I was through the veil the All-Father couldn't get me up here fast enough."