The last thing Sirius saw was a bright red light, then everything went dark.
The next time Sirius opened his eyes, he discovered he was in a white room, and everything ached. Sitting up with a groan, the reluctant Lord Black scanned the room. Where was he?
"Well well well, what do we have here?"
Sirius jumped at the sudden voice, turning quickly to come face to face with a blurry figure, if face to face was even the right expression. He'd describe them, but he wasn't even sure if there was a them. In truth, it was like looking at a rather featureless silhouette of a person, with only a wide grinning mouth to disrupt the unending white that made up their person
"I never expected to see you so soon, Sirius Orion Black. And never in such circumstances!" The thing continue, standing up to reveal to Sirius's ever-growing suspicion that the thing was shackled to a rather elaborate door.
"Where am I?" Sirius asked, shifting uncomfortably as he struggled to look at who- or what was in front of him.
"You're in the Beyond," The thing answered, almost gleefully. "A space between all worlds and all possibilities. My home."
"And you are?" Sirius asked, scowling as he struggled to remember any time he'd ever heard of this place.
"I'm known by many names by your kind," The Stranger answered vaguely. "Death, Anubis, The Reaper, Hades, Charon, but they all come back to mean the same thing in the end. I am me."
Sirius felt a cold shiver run across his skin as the words sunk in, what this thing was getting at. Who he was talking to.
"And might I say, Mr. Black," Death continued, approaching Sirius far too quickly for his own comfort. "You've gotten yourself in quite the pickle."
"I have to get back," Sirius got out, a sudden panic racing through his head, "My son- Godson, anyways- he's in danger! He needs me-"
Eyeing the only door in the room Sirius marched forwards, brushing past Death as he said, "I have to go."
"I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that, Padfoot."
Whirling around, Sirius growled, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Gesturing towards the large ornate door, Death replied, "This was made for the dead, for spirits damned and blessed alike to make their way to their eternal resting place. Just as the veil outside was created to transport spirits here to me."
"Will it take me home?" Sirius asked, almost- well, actually fuck almost he was desperate.
"If you consider the afterlife to be home, I suppose," Death replied, Sirius falling to his knees as his worst fears were confirmed.
"You know, this is a bit unprecedented. Sure, I've gotten some murderers thrown in here every now and then, but they were awake while it happened." Death laughed, "Going through fried their minds. Overloading their brains with the knowledge of the Beyond and me, but you.."
Pointing at Sirius, Death sighed wistfully, "You've always got to be the odd man out, huh? Not only was your trip completely unintentional, but you slept through all the nasty bits. Saving your life, but also robbing you of your easy out."
"What are you saying?" Sirius asked, looking up at Death with a scowl. "Can I get back to my family or not?"
"I'm saying you can, but it will cost you."
Death spread their arms out wide, the shackles clanging as they said, "See, I've been put in a bit of a time-out ever since I ran a little too wild in 1945. If I had free-range, I could just let you out."
"So you want me to free you then?" Sirius asked, eyebrows forwarding. "No offense, but I don't trust you that much."
Laughing, a loud, almost mocking laugh Death wiped an invisible tear from their nonexistent eye. "No, I couldn't ask that if I wanted to. As if a human could.." breaking off again Death doubled over, the sheer ludicrousy of it!
Scowling, Sirius got to his feet. "Well what are you suggesting then?"
Collecting themselves, Death grinned ever wider. "It's obvious, isn't it? You are a man so accustomed to your ability to bend reality, you don't even realize the potential you have here."
Walking forwards, Death settled their hand on Sirius's shoulder. Ignoring how the human man shivered when his cold skin, without a single drop of blood flowing through, made contact with him.
Leaning forwards, Death whispered, "I want your magic."
Sirius's teeth audibly clenched. Pulling away from the entity as he wrapped his thin arms around himself protectively.
"My magic?" he asked incredulously, "You want me to become a squib?"
"Yep," Death confirmed. "No more spells, brewing, or turning into that furry mutt. Completely muggle, you'll be."
"But without my magic how will I-?"
"You'll have your fists and your sharp mind." Death tapped their own temple. "And most importantly you'll have your Godson."
"But.." Sirius stuttered, the idea of it made him sick.
"It's really the only way, Sir," Death lamented, walking around the room as they explained mournfully, "I'll need a boost in my powers if I'm to send you back to Earth, and really, are you that two-faced that you'd rather die and abandon all your friends than live without magic?"
"What? Of course not!" Sirius shouted indignantly, face turning red. "I just don't want to be completely helpless- A burden on everyone."
"You're not thinking of their emotional well-being, Black." Death chided, tucking Sirius's hair behind his ear- when had he gotten so close?
"They'll all be absolutely crushed without you," Death continued. "Dear Harry's been through so much- he's going to blame himself, you know. If he had been stronger at occlumency, Tom Riddle would have never been able to use you to lure him out."
"That's ridiculous!" Sirius said, shaking his head. "It's not Harry's fault Snape is a God awful teacher. Or that I was... What did you call Voldemort?"
"Tom Riddle, the name his mother gave him before her death." Death explained. "It's a shame the fate of those two boys, really."
"Harry will win," Sirius insisted, "Even if I'm not there, he'll-"
"The way things are going, I say he'll kill himself before his eighteenth birthday."
The color drained from Sirius's face, "You're lying.. You're just trying to make me agree!"
"I'm giving you all the information," Death corrected. "Your Godson will kill himself, whether from grief over your death or from a moral obligation remains to be seen. It's really too early to tell."
"Harry's stronger than to end himself over me being a dumbass," Sirius insisted, "And what kind of moral obligation could possibly cause him to think it a right idea to do... To do that!"
"Being a horcrux would do it. Tom Riddle's horcrux to be exact." Death explained, the smile eerily misplaced with ugliness of what they just said.
Sirius felt something inside him break, crumbling to the floor as he tried to argue it- but he couldn't. It all made sense in a sickening second; Harry always reeking of Dark Magic, the boy's ability to talk to snakes, and his strange connection with Voldemort.
Dumbledore had always brushed off his inquiries on these things, but if he knew as much as Sirius thought he knew, then that man had been preparing Harry to send him off to die.
"Take my magic."
"Are you sure, Sirius?" Death asked, smile ever-present.
Glaring, Sirius said, "I'm not letting my Godson die. It's my job to protect him, and I'll give anything to see him succeed."
Death gently took both of Sirius's hands, and Sirius was off-put by how warm they were. "So we're clear, then? Your magic in exchange of getting out of here?"
"So that I can save my godson's life," Sirius nodded, setting his jaw. "Do it."
A hot flash erupted through Sirius's body, his veins glowing. The light was unlike anything Sirius had ever seen, and was best compared to the light of the Patronus charm. The light, he realized, was leaving him- flowing towards his hands and collecting in his palms, in Death's hands.
"I'll see you soon, pet."
A flash blinded him, and Sirius felt like everything had gone cold; something inside him being severed- snatched away as everything faded to black…
...And then, he woke up.
A/N
House: Ravenclaw
Class: Care for Magical Creatures
Category: Drabble
Prompt: Song, "Poor Unfortunate Souls"
Word count: 1,461