Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Nope, not me.

A/N: This is the Tuesday chapter.

It is also a Sirius interlude, in which something actually *gasp* happens to Sirius, instead of him just getting cosy with Reggie…

One reviewer asked what 'wights' were. As I'm sure you've noticed, wights (as well as the word 'eldritch' which means 'to do with wights') have been mentioned a number of times. Basically they're like magical creatures, but there is an intrinsic different. While the spark of 'life' animates creatures, the spark of 'magic' animates wights. They're like incarnations of pure magic. The Arachniae traffic with them, and, yes, they will be important later on.

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Sirius took a deep breath, and another, and another.

Regina laid one hand on his arm. "Are you ready for this?" she asked him quietly.

Sirius nodded determinedly. "I'll do whatever it takes to get out of here."

"This first time, all I am going to do is project my spirit out of the Void," Regina explained. "It's as much an experiment as anything else - and it will help me get my bearings a little and let me see if there is any way we can break this place in two. May I borrow your wand?"

"Of course," Sirius replied, handing it to her.

Regina ripped a bit of cloth from his sleeve. "Novacula Aparecium!" The fabric shred changed into a knife. The blade was curved and looked wickedly sharp.

She took his left arm and pulled back his sleeve. "Are you sure you're ready?"

Sirius closed his eyes, thought of Harry, of Remus, of Dumbledore. "Yes," he replied firmly.

Regina traced a line down his arm with the blade. "By this blood, Arachne, I conjure thee, let me walk the way between the worlds!"

Sirius felt an odd shiver go down his spine. This was magic, certainly, but magic as he had never seen it worked before. This magic was so… earthy, and primal, and so… human. It is like the magic of wights, he thought suddenly.

Regina placed a hand on either side of Sirius's head. "By the greatness of this man's soul, Arachne, I conjure thee, let me walk the way between the worlds!"

It felt, Sirius thought dazedly, as if someone had just used Legilimency on him - but much more inexorable Legilimency than he had ever experienced. It was like a knife cutting through his consciousness, exposing everything he was, had been, had ever felt, would ever feel, would ever be.

Regina raised the wand. "By the magic of the space between, Arachne, I conjure thee, let me walk the way between the worlds!"

There was a blinding flash of light. Sirius had to shield his eyes.

When he looked back, Regina was gone.

*

Sirius paced the boundaries of the Void-bubble incessantly. What if she does not come back? his mind screamed. What if she has escaped and you are left here, to dwell in darkness eternally?

Reggie would not do that, he told himself firmly. She would never do that.

What if she could not help it? his mind retorted.

Sirius forced himself to think of other things. He put one hand on the Void-wall…

…and felt his arm break through to somewhere completely different.

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