Grimmauld Place

Sirius woke with blood in his mouth and a name on his lips.

A vision of golden eyes, tear stricken face and pale skin that made me uneasy in a way I couldn't name.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so-"

My eyelids grew heavy and the pain almost felt bearable. She was fine, it's alright.

"Don't- don't close your eyes. Come on."

I could rest.

"Don't leave me." A broken whisper left her lips and cold tears found purchase on my collarbones.

My eyes flickered with the desire to open them. Reassure her. I wasn't leaving her. I just needed to sleep.

Seconds bled into silent minutes and a trembling, wet hand slowly reached for my chest. We lay there, silent as night. I only felt a soft warm pressure on my wrist. Her thumb brushed across my slowing pulse.

I faded.

I jerked awake with a thundering heartbeat, tumbling down my bed and halfway across the room. My throat was dry as the desert and I couldn't stop my trembling.

Did I-

No. Of course not.

That was a silly thought. It was a stupidly realistic nightmare. No way was-

My throat closed up at the thought.

"Master Sirius!"

"Kreby?" My voice was faint and broke halfway through the word. My voice was definitely male.

I sat staring blankly at the wooden floorboards while a thin, strange but familiar creature sat beside me.

"Master Sirius be getting cold on the floor." The creature gently lifted me and put me back on the bed. She tucked me under the baby blankets and slowly stroked my hair.

I turned, staring at the gentle creature. She was thin, wore rags and smiled like she had mother me herself. Her big eyes were bright and-

golden.

I couldn't stop the racking sobs that tore itself from my throat. My nose flowed and even when the creature gently hugged and comforted me, I couldn't stop crying.

I had died.

I had died in an accident with two friends; one, who was either dead or unconscious, and another, who watched me fade away.

Kreby rocked me, gently shushing me and every time I saw her bright worried eyes, I remembered her.

"Don't leave me." She had whispered with a broken voice, and a heart full of grief and pain.

I closed my eyes in the same grief and the strange, loving creature gently rocked me to sleep.