Chapter 8 Impending Doom
Darkness engulfed Harry like a mother's womb. He had never felt so safe in his entire life. It was so warm and soft. He couldn't see anything, but what did that matter?
"Harry.", the voices called for him. There were many voices now, and they all seemed so familiar, and calming. "Only you can save him, Harry. You still have time.", they said.
Something far away caught his eye. Something, no someone, was out there in the darkness. He was inching closer and closer. He could vaguely make out the form of a man. He was sitting hugging his legs in a small cell. His long mass of dark hair covered his face. He was wearing dark gray robes. They were just like the ones Sirius had been wearing when he had broken out of Azkaban.
As Harry drew nearer to the man he could hear him sobbing.
"I'm so sorry.", he said. "I'm so sorry James." The man hiccoughed. "All my fault. Should have known" His back shook with heaving sobs.
"Sirius!" Harry screamed. "No, it wasn't your fault."
Sirius looked up blindly. "Harry?", he whispered. "Where are you? I can't see you."
Harry was now right in front of Sirius. Why couldn't Sirius see him?
"I'm right here." He said reaching out his hand toward Sirius.
Sirius lifted his hand out toward Harry. Suddenly, Harry could see his face reflected in Sirius's eyes. Sirius smiled. "Har-"
"ry!", someone cried. "Wake up for Merlin's sake! Wake up!"
There was the terrible sound of hundreds of people screaming filling his head.
"Dumbledore'll have our heads if he doesn't." the gruff voice of Mad Eye said.
Harry groaned. His head was throbbing as if he had just slammed it upon something very hard. What happened? Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Sirius!", he cried. Where was he? Where did he go?
"Shh, calm down Harry." A female voice said.
"No-o-o-o-o-o-o!" Harry cried out in frustration.
Some one was running their fingers through his hair trying to calm him. It just wasn't the same. He needed to go back. He had been so close!
"He needs to go to St. Mungos!" The cold voice of Narcissa Malfoy said.
"I don't think so! You aren't getting your claws into him." Mad Eye said. "Can't anyone do something about that blasted screaming?"
"The boy needs to go to St. Mungos. He has-", but Narcissa was interrupted.
"Severus is quite capable of taking care of him." Remus said.
"What does a Potions Professor know of healing?" Narcissa's cold voice said sarcastically.
"You have to become a fully qualified healer before you can become a Potions Master. So, I would say Severus is more qualified than any of them." Tonks said in a biting tone.
Some one was trying to force him to drink something. He coughed and sputtered it out.
"Damn it boy, drink!" Snapes voice hissed in his ear causing some of his spittle to hit Harry in the face.
"It's ok Harry. Drink the potion. It will help you." Tonks said. "You are safe now."
The bottle was brought to his lips and this time Harry swallowed. He didn't want Snape spitting on him again. A warm sensation went through his body. His head was now a dull throb rather than the explosive throb moments ago. He blinked.
"He is coming around." Snapes silky voice said.
Harry opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was lying on the stone floor a few feet from the Arch. The Arch that led to Sirius. There were people crowded around him. His head was in Tonks lap. Snape was kneeling on his other side looking incredibly pale. Moody had his wand out and his magical eye was watching the crowd surrounding them.
"I almost had him!" Harry cried sitting up. "What did you do?", he screamed. "Why did you bring me back? I was so close!"
Remus's hand rested on his shoulder. "Harry, Sirius can't come back."
Harry glared at Remus. What an idiot, he thought. "Remus, I was there! I saw him. I almost had him!" Harry said standing up.
Tonks gasped, "Take it easy Harry."
"Sit down Potter. You nearly bit the big one. If Severus hadn't been here you would have." Moody said.
Harry grabbed Moody's shirt in his hands. He was shaking with fury. "I was so close! I almost had him!", he hissed.
Harry's eyes traveled from Moody's startled face to the Arch just behind him. He had to go back. He pushed Moody out of the way and ran back toward the Arch.
"See, the Arch has caused him to go mad!" Narcissa Malfoy cried from behind him.
Harry didn't care. He drew back the black curtain. There was a collective gasp from behind him. A woman was screaming. All he could see was the other side of the room! He walked through and around to the other side. "But-" Harry said. "I thought I had reached Sirius through this doorway. What happened?"
The faces of the people in the room were horrified. Tonks had fainted and Remus was fanning her.
A woman with a large gray bee hive hairdo was saying, "My God he walked in and came out of the other side! He must be a demon!"
An old bald wizard wearing pinstriped robes said, "How did he?", and stood gaping at Harry.
Moody walked up to him casting a weary eye at the Arch. "Come on Potter. Not here. Too many ears that could lead to him."
Remus levitated the painting of Phineas toward the door. Snape was carrying Tonks. Moody steered him toward the door.
"The scroll." Harry said as they passed the table on which it sat.
"Accio Will." Moody snapped and the scroll floated into his outstretched hand. He handed it to Harry.
Harry slipped it into a hidden pocket inside of his dress robes. Moody led them through the Department of Mysteries. They took the lift up to the foyer and took a floo to Hogwarts.
"Sit." Moody said pushing Harry into a high backed leather chair.
Snape laid Tonks down on a long sofa that Remus had transfigured out of a similar chair. Her eyes fluttered open, "I don't like this.", she said.
"Where is he?" Moody said looking around the room angrily.
Phineas's portrait was propped against Dumbledore's desk. "Don't ask me. I was at my grandson's funeral."
"Do you feel any better?" Remus asked Tonks.
"Yes.", she replied standing up.
Just then Albus Dumbledore came out of a painting of Merlin along the West wall. "What has happened?", he said sitting behind his desk.
"I almost-" Harry started, but Mad Eye interrupted him.
"Potter went through the Arch, but Severus managed to pull him back.", he said.
Dumbledore looked at Harry. His eyes seemed to have lost their twinkle. "What did you see Harry?"
"I saw Sirius! He was locked up in a cell. He was-I called out his name and he saw me, but then I woke up!" Harry tried to explain.
Dumbledore nodded as if he completely understood.
"I am NOT MAD!" Harry said balling up his fists.
"I know you are not." Dumbledore said calmly. "Did he see you? Did you see yourself reflected in his eyes?"
"Y-yes." Harry said mystified. How did Dumbledore know?
Dumbledore nodded and smiled. "You managed to save him then."
"Save him?" Remus asked. "I thought anyone that crossed into that realm was lost indefinitely."
"No, it is not impossible. Not if you love someone so much. It is rather difficult to explain." Dumbledore said frowning.
"Where is he then?" Harry asked looking around the room expecting to see Sirius.
"No, Harry. Sirius is dead." Dumbledore said.
"You just said I saved him!" Harry said.
"Yes, you saved him from Limbo." Dumbledore explained.
"So what did I do?" Harry asked.
"You sent him to the afterlife where he belongs." Dumbledore answered.
There was a moan from behind him and both he and Dumbledore turned to see. Tonks had fainted again.
Darkness engulfed Harry like a mother's womb. He had never felt so safe in his entire life. It was so warm and soft. He couldn't see anything, but what did that matter?
"Harry.", the voices called for him. There were many voices now, and they all seemed so familiar, and calming. "Only you can save him, Harry. You still have time.", they said.
Something far away caught his eye. Something, no someone, was out there in the darkness. He was inching closer and closer. He could vaguely make out the form of a man. He was sitting hugging his legs in a small cell. His long mass of dark hair covered his face. He was wearing dark gray robes. They were just like the ones Sirius had been wearing when he had broken out of Azkaban.
As Harry drew nearer to the man he could hear him sobbing.
"I'm so sorry.", he said. "I'm so sorry James." The man hiccoughed. "All my fault. Should have known" His back shook with heaving sobs.
"Sirius!" Harry screamed. "No, it wasn't your fault."
Sirius looked up blindly. "Harry?", he whispered. "Where are you? I can't see you."
Harry was now right in front of Sirius. Why couldn't Sirius see him?
"I'm right here." He said reaching out his hand toward Sirius.
Sirius lifted his hand out toward Harry. Suddenly, Harry could see his face reflected in Sirius's eyes. Sirius smiled. "Har-"
"ry!", someone cried. "Wake up for Merlin's sake! Wake up!"
There was the terrible sound of hundreds of people screaming filling his head.
"Dumbledore'll have our heads if he doesn't." the gruff voice of Mad Eye said.
Harry groaned. His head was throbbing as if he had just slammed it upon something very hard. What happened? Then it hit him like a ton of bricks. "Sirius!", he cried. Where was he? Where did he go?
"Shh, calm down Harry." A female voice said.
"No-o-o-o-o-o-o!" Harry cried out in frustration.
Some one was running their fingers through his hair trying to calm him. It just wasn't the same. He needed to go back. He had been so close!
"He needs to go to St. Mungos!" The cold voice of Narcissa Malfoy said.
"I don't think so! You aren't getting your claws into him." Mad Eye said. "Can't anyone do something about that blasted screaming?"
"The boy needs to go to St. Mungos. He has-", but Narcissa was interrupted.
"Severus is quite capable of taking care of him." Remus said.
"What does a Potions Professor know of healing?" Narcissa's cold voice said sarcastically.
"You have to become a fully qualified healer before you can become a Potions Master. So, I would say Severus is more qualified than any of them." Tonks said in a biting tone.
Some one was trying to force him to drink something. He coughed and sputtered it out.
"Damn it boy, drink!" Snapes voice hissed in his ear causing some of his spittle to hit Harry in the face.
"It's ok Harry. Drink the potion. It will help you." Tonks said. "You are safe now."
The bottle was brought to his lips and this time Harry swallowed. He didn't want Snape spitting on him again. A warm sensation went through his body. His head was now a dull throb rather than the explosive throb moments ago. He blinked.
"He is coming around." Snapes silky voice said.
Harry opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was lying on the stone floor a few feet from the Arch. The Arch that led to Sirius. There were people crowded around him. His head was in Tonks lap. Snape was kneeling on his other side looking incredibly pale. Moody had his wand out and his magical eye was watching the crowd surrounding them.
"I almost had him!" Harry cried sitting up. "What did you do?", he screamed. "Why did you bring me back? I was so close!"
Remus's hand rested on his shoulder. "Harry, Sirius can't come back."
Harry glared at Remus. What an idiot, he thought. "Remus, I was there! I saw him. I almost had him!" Harry said standing up.
Tonks gasped, "Take it easy Harry."
"Sit down Potter. You nearly bit the big one. If Severus hadn't been here you would have." Moody said.
Harry grabbed Moody's shirt in his hands. He was shaking with fury. "I was so close! I almost had him!", he hissed.
Harry's eyes traveled from Moody's startled face to the Arch just behind him. He had to go back. He pushed Moody out of the way and ran back toward the Arch.
"See, the Arch has caused him to go mad!" Narcissa Malfoy cried from behind him.
Harry didn't care. He drew back the black curtain. There was a collective gasp from behind him. A woman was screaming. All he could see was the other side of the room! He walked through and around to the other side. "But-" Harry said. "I thought I had reached Sirius through this doorway. What happened?"
The faces of the people in the room were horrified. Tonks had fainted and Remus was fanning her.
A woman with a large gray bee hive hairdo was saying, "My God he walked in and came out of the other side! He must be a demon!"
An old bald wizard wearing pinstriped robes said, "How did he?", and stood gaping at Harry.
Moody walked up to him casting a weary eye at the Arch. "Come on Potter. Not here. Too many ears that could lead to him."
Remus levitated the painting of Phineas toward the door. Snape was carrying Tonks. Moody steered him toward the door.
"The scroll." Harry said as they passed the table on which it sat.
"Accio Will." Moody snapped and the scroll floated into his outstretched hand. He handed it to Harry.
Harry slipped it into a hidden pocket inside of his dress robes. Moody led them through the Department of Mysteries. They took the lift up to the foyer and took a floo to Hogwarts.
"Sit." Moody said pushing Harry into a high backed leather chair.
Snape laid Tonks down on a long sofa that Remus had transfigured out of a similar chair. Her eyes fluttered open, "I don't like this.", she said.
"Where is he?" Moody said looking around the room angrily.
Phineas's portrait was propped against Dumbledore's desk. "Don't ask me. I was at my grandson's funeral."
"Do you feel any better?" Remus asked Tonks.
"Yes.", she replied standing up.
Just then Albus Dumbledore came out of a painting of Merlin along the West wall. "What has happened?", he said sitting behind his desk.
"I almost-" Harry started, but Mad Eye interrupted him.
"Potter went through the Arch, but Severus managed to pull him back.", he said.
Dumbledore looked at Harry. His eyes seemed to have lost their twinkle. "What did you see Harry?"
"I saw Sirius! He was locked up in a cell. He was-I called out his name and he saw me, but then I woke up!" Harry tried to explain.
Dumbledore nodded as if he completely understood.
"I am NOT MAD!" Harry said balling up his fists.
"I know you are not." Dumbledore said calmly. "Did he see you? Did you see yourself reflected in his eyes?"
"Y-yes." Harry said mystified. How did Dumbledore know?
Dumbledore nodded and smiled. "You managed to save him then."
"Save him?" Remus asked. "I thought anyone that crossed into that realm was lost indefinitely."
"No, it is not impossible. Not if you love someone so much. It is rather difficult to explain." Dumbledore said frowning.
"Where is he then?" Harry asked looking around the room expecting to see Sirius.
"No, Harry. Sirius is dead." Dumbledore said.
"You just said I saved him!" Harry said.
"Yes, you saved him from Limbo." Dumbledore explained.
"So what did I do?" Harry asked.
"You sent him to the afterlife where he belongs." Dumbledore answered.
There was a moan from behind him and both he and Dumbledore turned to see. Tonks had fainted again.
