A/N So this is the very, extremely, really short second and last chapter of this twoshot. So I apologize for the shortness. Also Bellatrix might seem a little OOC, but that's because I was reading Twenty things you didn't know about, by jeffie and bright the day, by cupid-painted-blind (both are completely amazing in that wow, I never thought of it that way, kind of way, so check 'em out) and I thought, well maybe Bellatrix isn't completely psycho. I'd like to thank Mrs. Tibbles for reviewing, you rock! Come on guys, you can do better than that. Anyway, thanks so much, now on with the story.

Free

He saw it, written as clear as day on her face, he knew very well what was coming, the sudden force knocking up against his chest, pushing him backwards, that was only confirming what he already knew to be true. He was going to die. There were no ifs, or maybes, or whats, he was going to die. There might have been a chance, a small one, he should have taken it, he should have fought to stay with, his godson, with Harry, who'd already lost so much, and Remus, who'd already lost two of his best friends, but the veil beckoned, and he missed his chance.

So he turned his attention away from his godson, who was screaming his name, and Remus, who was restraining the struggling teen, good, knowing Harry he'd try to follow him, and James wouldn't like that. The intricate dance that the side of light, and the side of dark had formed did not stop or slow as his body moved closer and closer to the veil, he, in his hyperactive state before death, was just processing his numerous final thoughts quickly, time went on. He did not once see his life flash before his eyes.

The veil had its hold on him now, he couldn't fight it, and even if he could, he wasn't sure he would, he thought he could hear James' laugh on the other side of the ridiculously haunted looking stone archway, not the actual other side, where Tonks was dueling Dolvo, but the other, nonexistent side, the place that wasn't quite in this reality. The wispy fabric seemed to be reaching towards him; he was doomed at this point.

His eyes settled on Bellatrix, his cousin, his murderer. When they were young children they'd been close, they were, in a way, very similar, except he was rebellious, joining Gryffindor, then the Order, whereas she had stuck with the family, and their beliefs, joining Slytherin, and then the Death Eaters, it was their differences that drove them apart, until they got to this point, now, where they couldn't be in the same room as each other without trying (succeeding) to kill each other.

He'd never been able to bring himself to hate her though, not even now, as he watched her, her wand still pointed at his chest as she screamed in triumph, partially to hide the single tear that rolled down her cheek, it did the job well, not one person noticed, not even Sirius as he stared at her.

"Bye Bells," he whispered with the last of his breath, the slow quiet sound somehow managed to reach her ears, against all odds, no one else seemed to hear it though. He was letting her know, that in a way, he understood, she had to do this, she had to do what she believed in, regardless of her family's, or anyone else's opinion, like him and the Order. He forgave her.

He saw something flicker behind her eyelids, was it . . . regret? He wasn't sure, but he could of sworn he saw her mouth,

"Bye Siri," back at him, he smiled. It was time to go, the veil still beckoned. It was time to join James, to find out what it was he was laughing about. Still smiling he slipped through the veil, finally, after all these long years, he was free.