A/N : The wait is over! This chapter is a lot shorter than I originally planned on it being. i'm also not sure if I did a good job explaining what happened in the Department of Mysteries. If it turns out that I didn't and you guys have questions feel free to ask in the comments and I'll answer in the next chapter. Thank you guys so much for reading, I hope you like this one.

St. Mungos before Harry woke up.

Sirius was sitting in the same chair he had been in for the past 12 hours. One of two chairs that sat beside Harry's bed. The other chair was usually occupied by Remus Lupin. However, since Sirius had refused to leave his Godson's side, Remus was the one that made food and drink runs.

From the moment Sirius had watched Harry's eyes roll back into his head and start to fall to the ground, before being caught by Remus, he'd been terrified to leave his side. Even the healers at St. Mungo's had found it incredibly difficult to pry Sirius away long enough to examine Harry. He only consented after a lot of convincing from Remus.

Sirius attributes this fierce loyalty and protectiveness of his Godson as the reason he is still alive. The very instinct that allowed him to lean away from the veil as he fell. He could feel himself fighting the body-bind curse, pulling toward Harry. In the end he was only centimeters away from the veil when he hit the ground.

Sirius sat, motionless, in the hospital room, holding his Godson's hand. The door to the small room opened and Remus walked in carrying two cups of tea. He handed one cup to Sirius, who took it without looking away from Harry, and sat down in the other chair.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while before Sirius spoke. "What if he doesn't wake up?" He said in a small voice that was rough from disuse.

Remus wrapped an arm around the other man. "Padfoot, you heard the healers. He was hit with an extremely powerful stunning spell and is just having a hard time coming out of it. He'll pull through."

"You don't know that. They couldn't even tell us what spell he was hit with!" Sirius sighed. "I'm just … I was so terrified when I saw him fall, Moony. It was as if someone had taken a dagger and plunged it straight through my heart."

"I know the feeling."

Sirius felt the shiver that ran through Remus' body as he said this. For the first time in hours he looked away from Harry and stared sympathetically at Remus. "I felt the same way when I saw you about to fall through the veil. Except … for me it was double. You and Harry."

"Oh, Moony." he said as he embraced him passionately.

After a couple of minutes they released each other. Sirius looked back at Harry with a dark look in his eyes. "I think the reason I'm so scared for him is because … because I can't help but think that if … something happens to him, it's my fault." Remus looked up confusedly at him. "He went there to save ME, Moony! He wanted to protect me and I can't even protect him!"

Remus could hear Sirius' voice breaking as he said this. He wrapped him in his arms as the tears started to fall. "He'll be fine. I'm sure of it."

"Padfoot?" a groggy voice came from the bed, stunning both men.

They turned and were amazed to see bright green eyes staring back at them.

"Sirius? But … how? Bellatrix killed you?"

Sirius smiled softly as he shook his head. "No. She didn't. I'd imagine she wishes she had though." he said smugly.

"What's the last thing you remember, Harry?" Remus asked calmly.

Harry scrunched up his face in thought. "We were in the Department of Mysteries. Fighting Death Eaters. Sirius told me to leave but I didn't listen." Harry looked down embarrassedly. "Then, Dumbledore showed up and most of the fighting stopped. Except … except for you and Bellatrix." Harry paused, looking away with a dark look in his eyes. "Bellatrix … she hit you with a stunning spell and … you fell backward … through the veil. I tried to go after you but Remus held me back."

Sirius and Remus shared a curious look before turning back to Harry. "Do you remember feeling any pain or anything after Sirius was hit?" Remus asked.

Harry took a few seconds to think before nodding.

"Prongslet, that pain was a stunning spell, and a pretty powerful one at that." Sirius continued. "You got hit right after I did."

"And I wasn't holding you back, I was holding you up. So you didn't fall. Your mind must have filled in the part about the veil as you slipped into unconsciousness."

Harry stared at his guardians in disbelief. "So … so this is real? You're here? You didn't fall through the veil?"

Sirius nodded. "I just barely missed the bloody thing. I was so terrif…" Sirius was cut off when Harry threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I thought I lost you. I thought I lost part of my family." Harry whispered as he held Sirius so tightly it was as if he thought he would disappear if he let him go. He turned toward Remus. "Both of you are my family."