A/N: This is my first slash fic. Please be kind in your reviews, as I have never written one of these before.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the wonderful characters in JKR's books, because if I did, Sirius would be alive. SIRIUS LIVES ON IN OUR HEARTS!

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Previously:

Sirius smiled at the confidence in his friend's voice, but had to ask, "James, why are you answering to Harry, and why would McGonagall not know me? I see her in detention every week!"

"If I may, I believe I know what has happened," spoke a soft voice.

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Everyone looked to the empty picture frame on the wall, and not a second later, Albus Dumbledore walked into the frame. Much like in life, he always found a way to be in a part of the castle where he was needed, only now he was confined to the picture frames.

"Professor Dumbledore," 'Harry' spoke up, looking relieved, "How is it possible that Sirius is here? And why does he look so young?"

"I believe Mr. Black will be able to answer a bit of that, which may confirm my suspicions. Mr. Black, what do you last remember doing?"

Everyone looked eagerly at Sirius, and he thought back then answered, "I was walking the corridors and heard Filch coming, so I hid in a broom closet, but I bonked my head on a low shelf. The next thing I knew I was here."

"And Harry, you found him where?"

"In a broom closet in the Northwest part of the castle. He was unconscious so I brought him here," Harry hastily replied.

Dumbledore seemed to ponder this a moment, and then answered, "When I was in my youth, attending Hogwarts, I had a pet dog, which as you know are not allowed in the castle. I was walking with my canine companion when I heard some professors coming, and hid him in a broom closet in the Northwest part of the castle. When I returned for him not five minutes later, he came out right away, and we returned to

Gryffindor Tower. My pet lived on for five more years before succumbing to old age, and I was glad to have had him in my life. He was a dog with magical talent, which is rare.

"Fifteen years after my faithful Socks (that was his name) passed on, I was teaching Transfiguration here, when a student come into my office followed by a dog. The student informed me he found the dog in a broom closet, and the animal immediately ran to me, happy to see me and looking exactly like my dear Socks. Curious about the coincidence, I tested the animal to see if he could still make objects fly, like he once could. I sent a small ball through the air, and immediately he chased it, and upon catching it, released it and sent it flying away for a few moments before retrieving it again. There could be no doubt that it was my beloved Socks returned to me."

"What are you saying, Professor?" asked Harry tentatively.

"After I had hidden Socks in that broom closet, I myself had wandered alone down that corridor and needed a place to hide, but the broom closet was no longer there. And yet twenty years after I had hidden my dog behind that door, someone discovered him still there, waiting to be let out."

They all stared at Dumbledore trying to comprehend what he was saying.

Dumbledore stated to the silent audience, "If I recall correctly, twenty years ago Sirius Black came into this hospital wing complaining of a headache brought on by hitting his head on a shelf in a broom closet in the Northwest part of the castle."

There was a very full silence, after which Sirius asked, "Are you trying to say the closet copied me and sent me into the future? Am I even me anymore?"

Dumbledore surveyed Sirius for a moment before answering. "In simplistic terms, yes, Sirius, you were copied. Your soul and body were duplicated and sent to a time where you could live again, while a part of you lived on in your own time. I cannot know if you are the original or the duplicate, nor do I think it's relevant."

"What do you mean it's not relevant?" Sirius cried angrily. "You're telling me my whole life has continued without me, and I may not even really BE me anymore! How am I supposed to take that?"

"Take it as a gift of Fate, Sirius. Many wonderful things happened while you were -asleep, so to speak - but many more terrible things also happened. You have been given a chance to live again, to truly enjoy your life, as your 'other' was denied for so many years. You can get to know Harry, who loved you like a father and a brother before. You have the opportunity to make many people very happy again, and to find your own happiness at the same time. We will try to help you along the way, while remembering that you are not the man who we once knew, but another version of him, if you will." Here he looked pointedly at Harry.

Sirius took all this in while Harry looked alternatively angry with Dumbledore and ecstatic to see Sirius and sad at the second loss of the father figure he once knew.

"I need some time alone to think," Sirius said at last.

"Of course," McGonagall spoke up, and everyone got up and left the room, but Dumbledore seemed to have one last thing to add.

"I realize this is hard to handle Sirius. But please don't push away those who would care for you, especially Harry. He isn't getting his godfather back (Sirius looked up in surprise, and Dumbledore nodded), but he could certainly use the friendship of a man who understood him and his burdens better than anyone else had. The relationship he had with you was based more on the experiences you have had, then on the ones that you missed out on. I believe you would be good for each other."

And Sirius was left alone to think.

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The next day brought two tentative visitors to the hospital wing. Remus Lupin stuck his head around the door and said, "Can we come in Sirius?"

Sirius had spent the entire previous day pondering his situation. Okay, so his life had moved on without him. He had become this 'Harry's' godfather, which meant Harry was probably James' son. Yes, Madam Pomfrey had called him 'Mr. Potter,' and he looked way too much like Prongs not to be related. Then somewhere along the way he had somehow died, which rather sucked, but he was alive now, and could start again. Sirius Black had never been one to dwell too long on the bad aspects of his life – if he had he would have surrendered to depression long ago over his terrible childhood and his horrible family.

So when he heard the familiar voice of his friend, he immediately perked up, expecting James and Peter to come in as well. Instead, Remus was only followed by Harry. They were carrying several books, a few of which appeared to be photo albums.

After depositing the books on a nearby table, Remus stood back and surveyed his old friend. "My god, you look just like I remember." He then rushed forward and wrapped Sirius up in a bone-crushing hug, which Sirius happily returned, grateful for the familiar warmth of his friend.

Remus stepped back and Sirius took in the changes of twenty years. There were crinkles around his eyes and mouth, from too much smiling or frowning over the years. There were more gray hairs, and Remus seemed to have filled out more, as well as obtained a slightly deeper voice. But he was still so handsome, and despite a few new scars, he was still what Sirius would consider a catch.

Sirius then turned to Harry, who was watching with a smile on his face.

"So, you're my godson."

Harry blushed in surprise, then smiled again shyly and replied, "Yeah, kind of, I guess. It seems weird to think of you like that though. I mean - you're my age."

Sirius grinned and said, "No need to think of me as a father figure, Prongslet, I wouldn't know how to be a role model to save my life. But I can be a pretty good friend, just ask Moony!"

Remus laughed at that, and Harry chuckled, but both jumped when Sirius suddenly cried, "Man! You look so much like James – it's uncanny! Where is he anyway?"

At this the smiles on both men's faces fell off, and Harry became pale. They looked at each other and Remus seemed to square his shoulders. They had already obviously chosen who would be bringing Sirius up to speed on the current state of the world.

"Sirius," Remus began unsteadily. "I don't know of any other way to tell you this than to just say it. James is dead."

"What?" Sirius asked in a frightened voice.

"It's my fault - " Harry began.

"No Harry, it was never your fault. It was Voldemort's fault," Remus interrupted harshly.

"Moony, what the hell happened?"

"Well, sixteen years ago, James and his wife went in hiding because they knew Voldemort wanted to kill Harry."

"Who would want to kill a baby? Why?"

Harry responded quietly, "There was a prophesy that foretold my birth, and stated that I, and only I, would have the power to defeat Voldemort once and for all."

Sirius took a moment to absorb this. "Who was James' wife? Who was your mother, Harry?"

"Lily Evans."

An image of James' long-time crush floated into Sirius' mind. Long flowing red hair and vibrant green eyes; eyes exactly the color and shape of Harry's, who saw the understanding dawn on Sirius and nodded before continuing.

"Anyway, Mum and Dad went into hiding, and they used the Fidelius Charm to mask their location. Only their secret-keeper could tell anyone where we were, and even if Voldemort had looked into our kitchen windows, he would not have seen us or known we were there. But we were betrayed by our secret-keeper. Voldemort knew where to find us and on Halloween of 1981 he came to our home to kill me, and anyone who got in his way."

"Like James," said Sirius slowly, and when Harry merely stared at him without saying anything, Sirius understood it to mean and Lily.

"Who would do this? Who would betray James and Lily?" Sirius asked the question they had feared, and Harry looked away mournfully.

It was a moment before Remus cleared his throat, drawing Sirius' attention. "It was Peter, Sirius."

"WHAT?" Sirius whispered loudly, as if actually speaking such a thing would be too much to ask.

Remus' eyes hardened as he remembered the betrayal, "We had all been working to fight Voldemort at the time. We belonged to an organization known as the Order of the Phoenix – you, me, James, Lily, Peter, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Gideon and Fabian Prewitt, and many others. The Death Eaters seemed to know our every move, and we knew there was a spy among us, but we couldn't figure out whom. It had been Peter all along, and when James and Lily made him their secret-keeper, he handed them to Voldemort on a silver platter."

Sirius was astounded. HOW could Peter have betrayed them? How could he have done something so ruthless and heartless? Wasn't he their friend? The Marauders had been like brothers, how could it have all gone so wrong? And another thing –

"Why did they choose Peter? Why not Dumbledore or you or even me?" Sirius asked.

Here Remus looked distinctly uncomfortable. Harry spoke up.

"Dumbledore volunteered, but James wouldn't hear of it. He thought Dumbledore had enough to deal with without another burden. So James asked you to do it. You were afraid that being the obvious choice, Voldemort would hunt you down and torture you until you cracked. Like you would have actually cracked. You would have died before betraying them (Sirius secretly agreed but did not interrupt). You couldn't bear the thought, so you came up with a plan. You told them to choose Peter because you thought Remus was the spy, and you thought no one would believe that James and Lily would choose a weakling like Wormtail to guard their secret."

"So it's my fault Prongs is dead," Sirius said – it was a statement, not a question, but Remus and Harry answered anyway.

"No!" They both cried.

"No Sirius," Harry continued, "It was Wormtail's fault for betraying them, and for spreading doubt about Remus among you, and it's Voldemort's fault for killing them, but it is not and never was your fault. I didn't blame you before and I don't blame you now!"

There was a fire in Harry's eyes when he said this to Sirius that frightened him a little. He had never known some one who had so much passion burning inside them. At the same time that fire seemed to fill Sirius with the warmth of hope. No one, not even James, had ever held such crystal clear conviction about Sirius before, and it made him incredibly happy, though he didn't know why.

Remus and Harry spent the rest of the day explaining all that had happened to the 'other' Sirius and how he had died, and showing him pictures of various people and events. The three found a rapport reserved for deep and true friendships.

Despite missing his friends and his former life a great deal, Sirius couldn't help but be a bit excited about this chance to make his life better this time. He couldn't change the past, and the loss of James was almost more than he could bear, but having Harry there made it so much easier, and Sirius found he had never been so comfortable around someone new so quickly in his life.