Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in the series
Summary: He'd always wanted a glimpse into his future. When his wish is unexpectedly granted, a young Marauder finds regret, pain, death and something more.
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~ Finding Myself ~
Chapter Six: Sands of Time
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Dumbledore had summoned a couple of the horseless carriages (horseless to Sirius, who hadn't seen death yet and therefore couldn't see the Thestrals) to take them to the churchyard, which was apparently located a couple of miles outside the Muggle village.
Sirius observed his companions as they trundled on their way. In his carriage were Harry, Ron, Hermione and Remus. In the other carriage were Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape (Sirius still couldn't get over the fact that Snape had gotten a teaching 'degree'), as well as Hagrid.
They reached the place by mid-morning. It was an attractive spot, grassy and neat and countryside-surrounded. A large tomb stood by the pathway as they entered the place through a rickety old gate, and they walked around the tomb towards the graves on the far side of the yard.
Sirius felt a strange sense of sorrow overcome him as he stood her, between Harry and Hermione, staring down at the names inscribing the graves - some were old and some were painfully new, and some were starkly familiar, even to Sirius and each was so much more than a name . . .
Gideon Prewett.
Fabian Prewett.
Cedric Diggory.
Sturgis Podmore.
Jack Granger.
Helen Granger.
Alastor Moody.
Nymphadora Tonks.
Neville Longbottom.
George Weasely.
Merlin's beard, Sirius thought bitterly, glancing at his companions as the reality of it all struck him harder than a body blow, How much has Voldemort done to them all?
"Sirius," Dumbledore said quietly, coming over to him. "I've found a way to reverse your spell." he laid a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "It's time." His tone was sad, regretful.
Sirius saw Remus blink sharply, and Professor McGonagall fished for a handkerchief. Harry and Ron were shifting uneasily, looking torn, and finally, he looked at Hermione - and his stomach flopped.
She looked heartbroken.
"I'm sorry." he mumbled, taking his wand from Dumbledore. "I won't - forget."
The old wizard told him the incantation he had to mutter to reverse the spell he'd accidentally cast.
Sirius suddenly found himself wondering where he - his future self - was and what was going to happen to Hermione, to him, to them all. He wondered where Voldemort was.
Almost as if the murderer himself had read Sirius's thoughts, there were numerous cracks around them.
Wands were instinctively whipped out and Sirius whirled around to see a tall, pale man standing cloaked not far away from them. His face was truly horrifying, with slits for a nose and glowing red eyes that burned with danger and rage.
"Sirius!" Hermione yelled, turning to him. "Go! You have to go!"
"No!" he was horrified. "There's no way I'm leaving you to - I can't - "
A couple of Death Eaters had appeared as well, and they were grinning menacingly, looking at the members of the Order as if Christmas had come early. Snape, Hagrid and Professor McGonagall had already started duelling and casting Shields.
"Padfoot, you have to leave," Remus said urgently. "Go - before it's too late! You have to go, Sirius, damn it!"
He stared at them, torn, angry, ripped to shreds as he watched Voldemort draw closer. Harry swivelled towards him, and Hermione, watching him, leaped forward to protect him from the blast from another Death Eater.
"No!" he yelled again.
"Go, Sirius!"
"It's the only way for us, don't you see?"
He closed his eyes, hearing their voices rage around him and hearing the cries and yells, and finally let that voice, the one screaming that it was the only way to save them pierce his consciousness. He had no other choice now. Besides, he'd see James again, right . . . ?
He murmured the incantation.
As he saw the blinding sparks beginning to gush around him, he saw Dumbledore swivel towards him, and in the brief second that their eyes met, Dumbledore pointed his wand towards him and Sirius heard him bellow the conditioned Memory Charm. He felt the powerful blast hit him and felt his body and mind sink into the slipping sands of time . . . but wait - Dumbledore hadn't made his Charm complete . . .
Sirius didn't think any more about that battle or that day because the next second, he had fallen through the sands of time and was gone from his future.
***
"Sirius! Padfoot, wake up!"
Sirius forced his heavy eyelids open and felt a warm hand slapping his face gently. Groaning, he sat up and his gaze focused on Remus, staring at him, his book lying haphazardly nearby. Sirius's wand was in his hands.
"Ungh - what happened?" he rubbed his head, blinking at the seventeen-year-old werewolf.
Remus chuckled. "You knocked yourself out with your own spell, Padfoot, wait till James hears this!" he shook his head. "Honestly, how'd you manage that?"
Sirius rubbed his jaw, feeling oddly out of place. "I - uh - I dunno." he mumbled, climbing back into his armchair as Remus retrieved his own book. "I'm joining the Order of the Phoenix, by the way."
"What convinced you?" Remus's lips twitched.
His breathing was slightly ragged as unrehearsed words slipped out of Sirius' mouth before he realized it. "I found myself."
The other boy's eyes widened in concern, the smile fading slightly. "Padfoot, you all right?" he asked, looking slightly worried. "You're rather pale and you're shaking slightly."
Sirius forced himself to calm down. What was wrong with him? Why was he feeling so - he couldn't even describe it. And yet . . . there were images . . . images embedded in his soul of a girl - with sparkling brown eyes and gorgeous hair, smiling, kissing him - who in hell was this girl??? And why did everything about her seem to radiate from his heart region and not his head?
And there was something else, something very odd fixed into his head . . .
"Uh - Moony?" Sirius began, feeling rather awkward. "Do me a favor, would you?"
"Sure thing."
"Uh - well - unlikely as it may sound, if I was to ever - go back to - uh - 12 Grimmauld Place - would you just keep in mind to warn me to clothe and turn out that miserable house-elf - Kreacher?"
Remus looked, understandably, stumped. "Maybe Madam Pomfrey - " he began.
"No," Sirius insisted. "Something's bang-on about this, Remus, I'm telling you. Just remember to remind me to throw Kreacher out the minute I - go back there - if I ever do."
"Sirius, where is this coming from?"
"I dunno, Moony," Sirius was feeling distinctly saddened and disoriented, "I just know that's really, really important, so matter what - don't forget that, all right?" He tried to banish the image of the girl, and with a heavy sigh, added in a perplexed tone, "When I was - knocked out - I had - I had this really weird dream . . ."
***
Hermione pointed her wand at the Dolohov and yelled "Immobilis!" - He keeled over, frozen, and she felt a surge of satisfaction; he had been the one, after all, to take her out of action during their last big battle and prevent her from doing something to help Harry . . . or Sirius.
Her joy was short-lived, however, as thoughts of Sirius came back. He'd been gone minutes, and already the ache was almost too much for her to bear. She gritted her teeth and turned around to face Voldemort. He and Harry were in a face-off, both wands out, unable to quite work against each other, yet ready to defend the user against spells.
Around her, the yells were ceasing. Ron had fallen a long time ago; Hermione's eyes blurred over as she realized she didn't know whether he, Remus and Professor McGonagall, who were all down and motionless, were alive or dead. Snape lay wounded, Hagrid was Stunned by a dozen Stunners at once, and Dumbledore's energy was waning.
And then, a Death Eater leaped towards Harry. Hermione screamed a warning and Harry turned around to cast a blocking charm. In that precious instant, Voldemort pointed his wand and screamed "Avada Kadavra!"
Like in slow motion, Hermione saw the jet of green light spring from the wand, heading straight for Harry. And she knew in that instant that there would be no hope for anyone if Harry was to die. She thrust herself into the path of the jet, and felt the terrible swoosh of deadly energy hit her squarely in the chest.
As she collapsed against Harry's yelling frame and heard Voldemort's dim scream of rage, she thought that a world without Sirius wasn't one worth living in anyway . . . a bright beam of light flashed and engulfed her whole.
And then it was gone. Stunned, Hermione found herself standing in front of the graves. Voldemort was nowhere in sight, there were no Death Eaters, Harry and Ron were standing on either side of her, and there seemed to be a lot more people around her.
"Merlin's beard!" Ron's choked exclamation resounded in her ears. She registered his movement as he seemed to throw himself at somebody next to him, somebody who was already being smothered by another identical-looking redhaired boy . . .
"Thank the heavens - or rather, the stars." came Dumbledore's cryptic, grateful whisper from nearby.
Hermione finally let her gaze focus on the minimal number of the graves lying before her, and what she saw made her certain she was dreaming.
Gideon Prewett.
Fabian Prewett.
Cedric Diggory.
Tom Riddle.
And then - nothing.
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TBC.
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A/n: Keep reviewing, will update soon! Enjoy the story!
