Death was annoying. No, really. Sirius was already sick of being dead. Hades was less than welcoming, and slightly frightening. Charon had an attitude problem, and now this. Sirius wasn't sure if the Four Founders of Hogwarts were quite sane after nearly a century of being judges of dead witches and wizards.
"You escaped from Azkaban?" exclaimed Rowena. "How?"
"Why were you there in the first place?" Helga was distraught.
"This is just too perfect! Godric's perfect house has a criminal!"
"He was innocent!" snapped Godric. He was shielding the parchment from view of the other founders who were crowding around his chair, craning to see what was written there.
"I was imprisoned for murder," said Sirius simply. He wasn't afraid to tell them his past, after all – they had his entire life on one measly sheet of parchment… Honestly, one sheet of parchment! It seemed slightly offending that all Sirius had done only filled one parchment... Then he wondered how long Dumbledore's file would be...
"Murder…?" Helga was extremely distressed now. She was wringing her hands and looking at Sirius with a mix of pity, and shock.
"The Ministry of Magic believed I killed thirteen muggles and one…" he grit his teeth, "wizard – with a single curse."
Rowena's eyes narrowed. "That's not magically possible. At least, there isn't a curse I know that can kill more than one person at once." She narrowed her eyes.
"Well there is," said Sirius calmly. "But I didn't cast it. The other wizard, Peter Pettigrew, blew up half the street, cut off his finger, transformed into a rat and disappeared down the storm drain."
"How did they catch you?" asked Salazar, intrigued.
Sirius shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure he wanted to speak of this part of his past. He took a deep breath. "I sort of…lost it. My whole life had apparently been a lie, my best mate and his wife were dead because of my so called friend – who happened to be a Death Eater, and he shouted in plain view of every Muggle in the street that it was I who betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort…so naturally the Muggles believed it.
"I just cracked up in the middle of the street. I laughed. There was no way I was escaping Azkaban after that little show. And I had no reason to live after that anyway."
The Four Founders were silent, and then suddenly Godric's head shot up. "Aha! James and Lily! I knew it! You're the friend of the Potters!"
Rowena's face lit into a smile. "James and Lily! Oh they're simply marvelous people!"
"James…the funny one?" asked Helga, one eyebrow raised. Rowena nodded and Helga too, burst into a radiant smile. "Oh, I love the Potters. They always ask for news about their son, Herman?"
"Harry!" corrected Sirius at once. "I was just with Harry! We were fighting Voldemort's Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries!"
Godric smiled, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "I saw that."
"The Potters will be glad to see you, Sirius Black," said Rowena, giving Sirius a genuine smile. He fidgeted. She was viewing him like she knew his every secret. "There are several people who will be glad to see you."
Godric cleared his throat. "If I may…"
"Oh yes, of course," said Rowena, flapping a hand.
"You are worthy of Elysium, Sirius Black. Go through the gate, and you will find yourself there." said Godric formally, while he elbowed Salazar Slytherin who was now sneakily trying to reach the parchment.
Sirius nodded, suddenly numb. That was it? He was worthy of a Wizarding Paradise? He forced himself to start walking. He heard Rowena call at him over his shoulder.
"The house you want is sixteen streets down, the fourth street on your right, nine houses down on the left – it should be the blue one at the cul-de-sac!"
Sirius waved a hand, unsure of whether he would be taking her directions. He passed through the gate and stumbled.
He was in a giant cavern that seemed to stretch on forever. But the ceiling looked like the sky, with the faintest hints of rock showing through the beautiful clouds. There were rows and rows of houses, and streets, and street lamps, on top of gorgeous manicured lawns. It looked like Godric's Hollow. The perfect Wizarding community…
Dusk was growing on the enormous subdivision and Sirius started walking. There were wizards and witches outside, some of them working in their backyard gardens, others playing with children that were riding brooms that barely rose three feet off the ground. Sirius stared as he walked.
A couple people waved jovially and Sirius tentatively waved back. He didn't know them, but assumed they were being friendly. He also wondered what he looked like. He felt younger, and could breathe better than he had in years. He quickly ran a hand through his hair.
It was short.
He wondered vaguely if a person could choose what age they wanted to be. Because it felt like he was suddenly seventeen again…
Fourteen…fifteen…sixteen streets he passed. At street sixteen, called Wendelyn Walk, he turned down it and counted four streets down. He took a right on Beater's Way and counted nine houses down the left. He kept walking. There were less people out and about on this row of houses, but there were lights on inside.
At the beginning of the cul-de-sac, on the left, was a tall, two story powder blue house. There were lights on in nearly every room and he could smell food cooking from the kitchen. He took a deep breath. He hoped that Rowena hadn't led him wrong.
He trudged up the walkway and took a deep breath. He crossed his fingers in his pocket and knocked softly, waiting with bated breath.
The door opened and Sirius nearly fainted.
A/N: Does anyone know if it's called a cul-de-sac in England? I wasn't sure what else to call it...when I was little I called it the round street...heh.
Authoressinhiding - MUCH better. ^_^ And Dorcas will be coming around soon.